Operation Anaconda

United States Air Force Tactical Air Combat Controllers saved the lives of many of the olders and the entire operation by call in close air support, strafe, and bombing runs. The air operations took out machine gun nest and bunker that were pinning down American troops in the valley. The were also mortar teams raining shells down on to United States and Coalition troops in the valley that were destroyed by United States Air Force Tactical Air Combat Controllers from there're observation points on each side of the valley.The Tactical Air Combat Controllers air strikes allowed the pinned down troops to make much needed headway to find better cover and state returning fire on the machine gun nest and mortar teams. The United States and Coalition troops finally took the valley after heavy fire and sustained losses, which were drastly lessened by the United States Air Force Tactical Air Combat Controllers. In totally the were only eight dead and eighty ingerd United States troops.To becom e a Combat Controller ricuers one of the most rigorous sets of training in the US military. The CCT pipeline has a wash out rate upwards of 80-85%, mostly due to washout and injuries sustained during training. The Air Force is working to lower the washout rate through proper education, testing and rigorous pre-pipeline training. Combat Controllers maintain air traffic controller qualification skills throughout their career in addition to other special operations skills.Many qualify and maintain proficiency as Joint terminal attack controllers. Their 35-week initial training and unique mission skills earn them the right to wear the scarlet beret and their 3 skill level. From that point they attend a 12-15-month advanced skill training course to obtain their 5 skill level. Once they complete AST their training pipeline is finished and they are mission-ready Combat Controllers. Operation Anaconda By Phillipcolburn

How and to what extend has sociological theorising enhanced my understanding of ’deviance’ and social control

Reflective Summary In may own thinking, I found out that human beings are social individuals and therefore, more often than not, their behaviour raises certain critical concerns. These issues need to be handled with utmost care in order to achieve social harmony. Social harmony implies healthy relationships and to a great extent, it is essential for any productive society. However, issues of deviance are a common feature that the society has grappled with since time immemorial. In this regard, I deduced that there is a relationship between society and deviance.Becker (1991), states that deviance is such activities or mannerisms that contravene the societal norms and customs. These norms include both formally established rules as well as informal rules that are socially respected. The formal rules are recognized on a wider scale and are usually referred to as law. They are also more elaborate and known to different communities. In addition, they are usually enforced by a governing bod y that has some level of authority over the rest. Hence, contravening those amounts to a crime (Anderson, 1997).Informal norms on the other hand are recognized by specific parts of the society and are more localized. Basically, each community has its established customs that act as checks to the behaviour of its individuals. They are adhered to by the members of the specific community that has its own way of punishing the people breaking them. These norms, both formal and informal are very dynamic and contextual in nature. To this effect, they are defined by the society that an individual belongs. Hence, Eugene and Muncie (2003) explain that some actions can be perceived deviant in some communities and not deviant in others.However, irrespective of the context, the societal customs are fundamental in enhancing social cohesion. This formed the basis of my thinking on the subject and developed an argument that deviance is socially constructed and correlates to the kind of adopted soci al control mechanism. In this regard, sociological theorizing has helped understand well the concept of how is deviance socially constructed and how to control it based on sociological perspective. Therefore, the identified literature and the foundation of my thoughts shall closely examine social construction of deviance and social control in line with criminological theorizing.Social Construction of Deviance Anderson (1997) indicates that deviance is a relative component of societies that largely manifests itself through behaviour. According to him, it is a normal aspect of any social relationships and it comes about as a result of the different relationships that human beings enjoy. Behaviour is a vital element of relationships that largely contributes to the manifestation of deviance in the society. According to Eugene and Muncie (2003), it entirely influences the health of relationships because if unsound, it leads to incidences of conflict.Conflicts, being a healthy aspect of s ocial relationships help the manifestation of deviance to come to the fore, either as causative agents or as measures used to solve them (Downes and Rock 2003:78). Notably, deviance creates disorder in a given society by affecting in many ways the functions of the same. It is known to have an impact on the existing societal principles. However, Anderson (1997) explains that not all deviant behaviour has negative implications on the existing norms. According to him, some deviance can bring about positive change in the society and help the society adapt to modernization.For instance, most traditional communities used to prescribe jobs depending on the sex of an individual. However, deviance to this has seen people take up any type of job and today, qualifications as opposed to sex determines which jobs different people take up. To this respect, it is notable that deviance helps individuals embrace change accordingly by adjusting the present rules to be in line with the societal expect ations. Deviance forms a significant part of human behaviour and therefore seemingly, it can not be completely eliminated from the society.The role it plays in the shaping human behaviour makes it one of the key determinants of the frequency of deviance in the society (Becker 1991:48). It should be appreciated that behaviour is a basic element of social relationships and thus deviance, through its incorporation in behaviour, is largely a component of social relationships. Deviance is a process that takes time to develop as well as manifest basically through acts of opposition (Becker, 1991: 108). As a result, it also takes the authorities’ time to address it accordingly and satisfactorily.Time is an essential aspect of social events as it is through this that they are manifested. Arguably, deviance, being the sole event here, is a social event. Downes and Rock (2007) acknowledge that deviance is an aspect that undergoes a series of phases before it can have an impact on the g iven society. They explain that before it begins to develop in the mind of an individual, societies often tend to be in harmony. At this stage, individuals therein have some common knowledge and perception of the norms that govern them.In addition, the individuals in the society at this level hold ‘their’ norms in high regard (Downes and Rock, 2007: 89). The first trigger of this process is the introduction of an external aspect from elsewhere that initiates differences with regard to perception. However, manifestations of deviance take time and therefore at this level, societal order is still maintained. The second stage is when individuals try to justify whether the aspect should be accepted or not. Usually, this stage attracts a body of knowledge and the aspect is wholly defined, as well as related to the normal life (Becker 1991: 59).In addition, an effort is made to make the society acknowledge that knowledge is a continuous process that should be mainstreamed in t he normal way of life. The next step is the internalization of the aspect. Here, the aspect is learned by the society and entrenched into its system. It is accepted by all stakeholders and institutionalized as a normal aspect of the way of life in that particular society. According to Anderson (1997), both the authorities and the locals uphold the basic elements of the aspect. At this level, social order is still enjoyed because manifestations of deviance are yet to begin.In addition, on a larger scale, this aspect is considered as a norm upheld by the society. It should be appreciated that despite this, there exists individual perceptions that are varied and that that counter this general view. These varied views are the key aspects of deviance and with time, they manifest. The final step is when the workability of the aspect is disputed by the individuals whose initial perception was contrary to the rest. At this stage, individuals develop opposing opinions and behaviour (Downes a nd Rock 2007: 84).This is the final stage of deviance and it is what leads to the disruption of the societal operations. This comes about as a result of the individuals with varied perceptions to the aspect, also referred to as moral entrepreneurs, openly manifesting their views. This then initiates change in the society after a series of consultative and informative sessions by all stakeholders. Social Control Social control as formed by the rich literature refers to the tools that are used to make human behaviour in a given society be consistent to the norms and regulations of the given society (Keel, 2008: 201).These tools are basically acknowledged and employed by the specific society to enhance social relationships. However, according to Keel (2008), some tools are cross societal and are internationally recognized and appreciated by all cultures and societies. According to Keel (2008), I have identified two dimensions of social control mechanisms: informal and formal. Informal social controls refer to certain principles that are defined by a society and those that check the behaviour of individuals at a personal level (Anderson, 1997: 296).According to Anderson (1997), they are usually part of a person’s personality and have proven to be more effective in controlling behaviour than the formal ones. These include aspects like religion. Religion usually prescribes some kind of behaviour that is usually socially and morally acceptable. It aims at upholding the values and virtues that are morally upright. By adhering to the propositions of religion, individuals are able to relate well and therefore achieve social cohesion. Those that do not uphold the teachings of religion are looked down upon by the entire society.This act encourages people to act in accordance to the teachings of religion and thereby enhance socially acceptable relationships. Another most common mechanism that is widely employed across cultures to shun unacceptable behaviour is ridic ule. Keel (2008) considers it a shameful act that most individuals can not bear. It is usually unlikely that a person who is ridiculed will at any time repeat the act as this has a negative impact on the guilt of a person. Customs are also often used in regulating deviant behaviour (Anderson 1997).It is because they prescribe a standard code of conduct that should be followed by the society. Persons who break these rules face various punishments administered by the societal leaders on behalf of the entire society. For instance, in some societies, individuals whose behaviour contravenes the provisions of the customs are usually sent away, given physical punishments or asked to pay fines. Discrimination is also widely employed in regulating conduct. To this effect, most people find it difficult to associate with individuals who have socially unacceptable behaviour (Eugene and Muncie 2003:45).This is due to the fear of picking up the same or the fear of being caught on the wrong side o f the law. Increasingly, social misfits are being isolated and more often, they do not freely interact with the rest of the society. Discrimination makes such individuals feel victimized and as such, they are able to correct their behaviour accordingly (Becker 1991: 69). The society also highly criticizes unacceptable behaviour. Criticism can have a very negative impact on the personality of a person because it highly damages the confidence of a person and not so many people are usually ready to experience this (Keel, 2008).Therefore, it is a measure that is widely employed by different societies to control the behaviour of their people. In addition, the society can directly disapprove any socially unacceptable behaviour. Persons contravening social norms can be directly forewarned by for instance parents and other relatives. This move makes the people to change accordingly and adapt behaviour that is in line with societal expectations. There are formal measures that are also adopte d to check the behaviour of individuals and groups in the society. In states that value social equity, Eugene and Muncie (2003, p.52) argue that all the individuals of the respective society are given equal chances to contribute to the establishment of the laws. These laws either directly or indirectly reward individuals whose behaviour corresponds with the societal rules and expectations. They also rebuke the kind of behaviour that is not in line with the expectations of the society. These measures are usually created by the law enforcement agencies in consultation with other major stakeholders. They are always in form of laws that are official and legal.However, Keel (2008) points out that these laws may require a certain kind of force while enforcing them especially in instances where consultation was not done. Individuals who violate these are called criminals and are often punished according to the provisions of the laws (Eugene and Muncie: 2003: 54). Specifically, they are tak en to prisons from where they face their punishment. Erich and Angus (2008) explain that the level of punishment depends on the gravity of the crime that the individuals committed. On the contrary, their counterparts are always rewarded by the body that established the rules.Hence individuals in most instances work towards maintaining socially acceptable relationships and adhere to the rules and laws provided by the governing body. It should be appreciated that not all individuals who break the law are taken to prisons. According to Keel (2008), some are usually punished by making them pay fines to compensate for the damage caused. Further, not all individuals who commit crimes are arrested. At this juncture, it is worth noting that in many ways every individual is deviant. It is just that the level and type of deviance differs and it is this that differentiates crime from other forms of deviance.Social deviance and social controls have different implications on deviant behaviour. B y explicitly exploring the patterns of deviance in the society, Keel (2008) explains that one can be able to understand why some individuals are more deviant than others. The social controls are very important because through them one is able to indentify deviance and its root in a given society (Anderson 1997). This can certainly be achieved because the social controls aim at screening different types of behaviour. Consequently, deviant behaviour can easily be identified and regulated accordingly.Becker (1991) state that studying the realms of deviance helps one to understand that the behaviour is recurrent. As such, we are able to come up with people friendly measures that can help regulate this conduct as well as ensure that we benefit from it. Conclusion In conclusion, as opposed to my views before the study of perceiving deviance negatively, I realise that social deviance is an aspect that should be appreciated by the society and especially those in authority because of the rol e it plays in the growth of the society.In deed, without this, we could still be dwelling in the ancient eras. It is basic in highlighting aspects of change in the society and if well controlled, it should not pose any threats to the wellbeing of the same. Contrary to my knowledge that individuals who constantly experience deviance exhibit anomaly in their behaviour, is not really correct. In fact, I have discovered that social deviance is a very vital aspect of behavioural growth and it should be appreciated.

Manufacturing Systems and Quality Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Manufacturing Systems and Quality - Coursework Example otal productive maintenance are some of the management concepts that serve to be very useful in developing efficient mechanisms for the modern manufacturing systems. The text discusses how this concepts have been used in modern industrial practice to run industrial systems for best efficiency and production with minimal cost. Most manufacturing companies have the goal of trying to ensure that they produce the best products for their customers at the cheapest value possible while at the same time ensuring they use the least amount of resources and time. This has led to the development of theory used in running such manufacturing plants based on various principles of efficiency. The difference in the approach and the target goals of this theories is what differentiates the different systems of management. In this text, modern manufacturing management systems have been addressed from theory to a sample solutions point of view.The aim is to provide enlightenment on how the processes are implemented. Lean is a manufacturing principle derived from the Japanese Manufacturing Industries which implies maximizing customer value by reducing the amount of waste created from a manufacturing session of a product. Any potential product or service pf the process that can be paid for by the customer is considered as having value hence utilized accordingly to generate profit. The method involves using the minimum inventory to generate the highest amount of through put. The process entirely relies on reducing the wastes during manufacturing to improve quality, reduce time of production and increase the profit returns form the work. The system uses a method where each part of the production line is examined immediately after manufacture such that a defect in the production line is corrected before affecting other products (DENNIS, 2007). Lean thinking allows the management to focus on optimizing the manufacture of products from a value stream that horizontally incorporates

Riodan Manufacturing Virtual Organization Assignment

Riodan Manufacturing Virtual Organization - Assignment Example This may be attributed to some members playing multiple roles. To address this, I will ensure that only the most able and experienced members of the team play the central role in addition to giving much focus to the difference for a higher level of effectiveness. Another barrier might be breakdown in communication resulting from misunderstanding or proper communication channels. I will solve this through ensuring members of the particular team bond in a bid to developing associations. The measures that will be put in place in a bid to ensure there is evaluation of the team and determine if the team is operating successfully include setting of targets in alignment with the company objectives. Whenever there is any deviation then a proper audit of the team needs to be conducted to ascertain the cause of the deviation and the necessary corrective measures. 2. Which of the available conflict management strategies is most appropriate for the current situation with Clyde and Dan? Provide your rationale, including what factors you considered in making your selection. The conflict management strategy that is the most appropriate for the current situation with Clyde and Dan is the competitive strategy. This is because the competitive strategy will not only prove to be critical for the company while it aims at having a competitive edge over its competitors, but it will also help the company strategies both in the short term and in the long run. In the event that the competitive strategy is not successful, my alternative strategy would be the compromise strategy. This is because the compromise strategy will provide the company with an opportunity of giving consideration to other options. This is further coupled by the fact that the compromise strategy provides the last option for consideration. The potential roadblocks that might be encountered while resolving the

Architecture and the Human Body Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Architecture and the Human Body - Thesis Example Architecture is not just about the construction of the building but the totality of the thought process involved in conceptualizing the architectural design. When it comes to the subject of construction, human body and nature can be an appropriate source of inspiration. Designing with an understanding of the human body allows the architect to bring about a structure with complete physical balance and tranquility.Unfortunately, the architects of the current age, seldom utilize the design of divine when practicing their profession. Every human creation can reflect harmony and balance once it is performed in compliance with the anatomy of nature. The entire universe rests on a certain geometrical pattern and if anything constructed with human intelligence does not balance with it, can bring forth chaos. The art of architecture Architecture is an immense artistic work which requires thinking unlike any form of art. It demands thinking of an individual at higher proportion and deals more with the utilization of space in a creative way. In this art, an architect’s responsibility not just concerned with the clients, but to the people using the building and the public as a whole. But the saddening fact is that an architect hardly has the freedom which an artist own in relation to his creation. An artist can flow with his thoughts, but an architect has to keep in mind the practicability and usability of his creation. The primary objective of any building is to provide a sound shelter and this when done with little creative thought can make wonders. Architecture is a task which creatively collaborates mass, volume, space, light, shadow, texture, materials and pragmatic elements like construction, cost, and technology. This very aspect gives distinction to architecture from engineering that which mainly works on the use of materials and forms in accordance with mathematical and scientifical principles. The architectural works often depict the cultural and political aspect of a nation. It portrays the artistic and creative skill of a particular culture and depicts their ideas and concepts in a nutshell. The great civilizations of the history have astounded many with their outstanding architectural achievements. The monuments like Egyptians pyramid.Taj Mahal and the Roman Colosseum are the great examples of architectural wonders which can find no match on earth. It is a very surprising fact that the architectural work created by Egyptians and Greek civilization which stood out in the history was an inspiration from the human body design. They were so impressed by the human body that they incorporated the human body pattern into their architectural work. The symmetrical harmony existing between various parts of the body is indeed a thing to ponder on and applied on to the constructional art. A building can be more humanized and made accessible to people by designing it with a divine equation.

What is Interior Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What is Interior Design - Essay Example This editing discusses the fiels of the interior design that does not only involve picking colors, functioning with flourishing stunning fabrics or being creative all day long as many people may think. Modern interior design also delineates a group of numerous yet linked projects that engross turning an interior space into a valuable setting for the range of individuals. In the ancient times, interior designers were incorporated in the processes of building. The researcher describes interior designers as the people who carry out interior design projects. The multifaceted architecture that has resulted in the development of industrial processes and development of the society has transformed the profession of interior designer today. The researcher also discusses one of the primary aspects of being an Interior Designer today, that is comprehension and interpretation of ideas and identification of a client to provide an appropriate environment in which to live or work. It is essential a nd important to come up with a space, which will convey a message. In addition, a significant emphasis should be placed on all the design processes, generation of new ideas, experimentation of different concepts and harmonies, specification of unusual materials and commitment to accurate attention to details. To conclude, the researcher mentiones that a successful Interior Designer must also cover all the procedures of formulating a concept, from formulating ideas, concept boards and technical drawings to a new design solution.

Philosophy ( Against Bioethics) by jonathan baron Essay

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Intellectual Wellness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intellectual Wellness - Essay Example Essentially, intellectual wellness focuses on learning.  Any doing that assists an individual to explore the world around him or her, learn more regarding oneself or expand his or her mind in whichever way promotes healthy intellectual wellness.  One can accomplish the attainment and maintenance of self intellectual wellness in a number of ways including reading, participating in hobbies, learning new skills, appreciating art as well as being creative. In effect, every time one is learning something new regarding any of the other seven aspects of wellness, he or she is as well supporting his or her intellectual wellness (The 123 Feel Better Company, para2).   Patterson asserts that wellness does not only mean exploring one’s spirituality and emotional welfare, but it is also just as important to have a sharp, active mind. She quotes a book entitled Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which stresses that exercising the mind is a vital life practice as well as an important skill essential for a wealthy, flourishing life. In her view, while majority of people want an abundant life, just a few of them remember to keep their minds healthy, engaged and in good use. Although it is sometimes hard to accomplish this in the rush of life since to many it appears like an additional chore to engage their mind to think hard when there is already so much contending for their attention, having and maintaining a sharp, active mind is a vital ingredient for an abundant life. Beamans International points out that an intellectually well individual understands the fact that completion of formal education does not indicate the end of learning. Instead, he or she seeks to understand and discover other viewpoints and is able to construe and articulate what he or she thinks regarding what he or she has learnt. Individuals can take various actions in order to keep their minds engaged. He or she can join an organization from which he or she would receive for instance, a word,

Asthma Management Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asthma Management - Annotated Bibliography Example Follow ups are recommended to ensure that the patients and their caregivers receive patient education and reinforcement on the correct use of the prescribed drugs. In earlier intervention studies conducted, results showed that patient education provided by asthma nurses resulted in better control of childhood asthma. The authors, in a previous study, have already demonstrated and suggested that the effectiveness of outpatient management led by a nurse is comparable to that of a pediatrician in terms of airway hyperresponsiveness and quality of life. . However, because of the encumbrance asthma has on healthcare utilization, the same authors deemed it necessary to further conduct a study on the costs associated with the said utilization for both approaches thereby producing an appraisal of the two. The study aimed to assess and determine the difference in costs between outpatient management of asthma rendered by a pediatrician and a nurse. All costs related to the management of asthma provided by either a pediatrician or nurses were calculated. Results of the study showed that costs of nurse-led outpatient management of asthma are generally lower than that of the medical option. Moreover, time spent by nurses with patient contact is more than that of the pediatrician. During this time, they discuss asthma management issues and provide patient education.

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Business Strategy - Essay Example Comparing this definition with one of the contemporary definitions presented by Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2007) which says â€Å"a strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage† shows that the focus of definitions has changed drastically. Previously business goals and policies were the center of attention while defining strategy whereas now the focus has been shifted towards competition and strategy is used not only as a way to achieve the goals and objectives of a company but also to gain competitive advantage. These are just two definitions hence presenting only the half truth about the strategy; a lot more come to fore when theories and perspectives on strategy are studied in detail. Work in the field of strategic management is immense; upon searching literature, works of Michael Porter and Henry Mintzberg seems to be quite prominent in refining the concept of strategy. ... that strategy may be deliberate or emergent based on the decisions and actions in question Porter suggest that strategy is the use of efficient tools to add value to the processes which may help sustain the market position and remain competitive (Heracleous 2003). Studying in detail the concept of strategy as presented by the two authors reveals that Porter’s work has been much focused on the surface where a particular activity suggests taking a particular step; this means using a particular tool to identify a particular course of action that can help select a best strategy at a given point in time. On the other hand, Mintzberg’s work is much more process-focused which suggests how strategies emerge over a period of time. Heracleous (2003) while comparing the work of both Porter and Mintzberg stated that Mintzberg emphasized â€Å"the creative and synthetic† aspects of the strategy whereas Porter emphasized its â€Å"convergent and analytical† aspects (p.4 7). Porter’s work on strategy management is much focused on tools and frameworks to formulate strategy where process is focused and strategy is developed to decide on a future course of action. Enders et al (2006) in their work combined different perspectives on strategy, perspectives that mainly focus on deliberate strategy formulation, and come up with a value process framework. In their work, mainly Porter’s theories on strategy were focused. Following figure shows the value process framework as structured from Porter’s work on strategy thinking and planning. Figure I – Value Process Framework integrating different Strategy Frameworks (Source: Enders et al 2006, p. 12) Besides Porter, Mintzberg has also presented different views on strategy. The two authors have presented two different concepts. This

Charles Dickens and Curleys Wife Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens and Curleys Wife Essay A comparison of Nancy from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and Curleys Wife from Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. In the two books both characters can be compared with each other but in many ways they are different in looks, language and personality, but the reasons for which the authors created them is much the same. I believe that Steinbeck created Curleys wife, so that the reader feels sorry for her because most of the other characters in the book try to stay clear of her and do not get to know her, and in a sense, judge her by the way she dresses. On the other hand Steinbeck is trying to express to the reader that looks do not count for everything. The main reason for Curleys wifes creation in my personal opinion is because all of the characters in the book are misfits for example; Lennie is not clever and acts like a child when he is with George by the riverbank and threatens to leave because George becomes annoyed with him. Also Crooks the Negro is crippled and cannot walk very well, but in his own way he is special and well educated. In the same way Dickens creates Nancy as the type of character that the reader feels sorry for but at the same time accuse her for the mistakes she has made, such as running away from Bill Sikes but returning to him because she loves him and cannot bring herself to leave. As the book progresses the reader begins to gain more respect for Nancy but I believe that there is a reason for Nancys death, which is brought about by Oliver and this, is that doing the right thing does not always mean that it is not dangerous to yourself. The two characters have different opinions on their partners and are not treated in the same way, but neither of them is happy with her life. Curleys wife is unhappy with her life and this is most likely because Curly is over possessive of her and all he ever talks about is fighting which makes her a little scared of what he may do to her if he is in a mood. She is always flirting with other men on the ranch like when she is alone with Lennie she says, What you got there sonny boy. We are also given the impression that she is a tart by the way Steinbeck describes what she wears, She wore her bright cotton dress and the mules with red ostrich feathers. Her face was made up and the little sausage curls were all in place. Curleys wife married Curley to get back at her mother after her dreams had been broken because the letter, which she had been promised from Hollywood never, arrived. On the other hand the only reason Curley married her was for his reputation and we know that he is vein due to the way he keeps one hand in a glove in order to keep it soft for her. Curley is also worried about what she may be up to when he is absent and therefore is always snooping around after her, which makes his wife feel trapped. Nancy in much the same way is not loved either but she does really care about Bill Sikes. Unlike Curleys wife, Nancy is assaulted by Bill on many different occasions and is eventually killed by him. The main difference between the two characters is that Sikes is not overprotective of Nancy in the same way Curley is and will let her go out as long as he knows where she is going, the reason for this is that Sikes knows that Nancy is loyal to him. When Nancy meets up with Rose and helps to save Oliver she also offers Nancy a new start but the offer is declined because Nancy does not want to leave Bill Sikes and she says, The main contrast between the two characters is that Nancy loves Bill, but Curleys wife does not love her husband but she cannot leave him because she lives on the ranch and has no other place to stay. The characters partners opinions compare because neither of them really care for their lover. Sikes treats Nancy like a punch bag and she is scared of Curley because he has hit many other people and she is suspense waiting to see if he will lash out at her. In Of Mice and Men Curleys wife is known to some of the other characters such as Crooks, George and Candy as a tart or a bitch and a good example of this is when she walks into the bunkhouse and George says, Jesus what a tramp, so thats what Curly picked for a wife. As George is saying this Lennie is admiringly staring at her saying Shes purty in response to Georges insult. Most of the men on the ranch try to stay clear of her and George warns Lennie about her too, Listen to me you crazy bastard, dont you even take a look at that bitch. I dont care what she says and what she does. I seen em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be. Lennie refuses not to listen and ends up not taking any real notice of what George has says to him. Oliver respects Nancy, like Lennie is fond of Curleys wife and both of them seem to have child like qualities that judge the characters for who they are and not how they dress or look. In the same way as Curleys wife is despised by the ranch workers, Nancy is looked down on by the upper class people of the nineteenth century. The main reason the upper class residents do not respect Nancy is because she is a prostitute and in the time of Dickens this occupation was the lowest of the low for a woman. When Nancy goes to visit Rose, who is the adopted daughter of the women whose house Oliver broke in to, she is looked down on by the servants and thrown out of the hotel because of the way she looks. Come! said the man taking her to the door, None of this, take yourself off. The servants are not the only characters that look down on Nancy, Fagin and Sikes treat her badly and Dickens describes Sikes as using Nancy as his punch bag. Bill Sikes persists this behaviour even though Nancy looks after him when she is ill and says that she would even walk around the jail if he was arrested, just to be with him, but Sikes replies that she would be useless to him unless she brought a file to help him escape. On the whole I feel that neither of the character are loved and they are judged by the way they look, not by the people they really are inside. Each of the characters is special to one person, in Curleys wifes case Lennie and in Nancys, Oliver. I feel that the biggest difference between the two books is the language and the reason for this difference is the time at which they were written. In John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men the language is simple but strong, the reason Steinbecks characters speak in this way is because thats the way 1930s Americans would have spoken, for example, when George, Crooks and Slim are talking about Lennie, George says, If that crazy bastard foolin around too much, jus kick him out, Slim. There is also a large amount of slang used between the characters, like when George and Curly are talking and George replies, He was gunna put some tar on a split roof.

Managing change in the British Airways

Managing change in the British Airways Contemporary business firms face unique opportunities and challenges in their search for survival and growth. British Airways, the UKs flag carrier airline, has constantly had to deal with numerous external and internal challenges, ever since its formation in 1974. BA has suffered harsh financial losses during 2009 and 2010; its cumulative net losses for the two years amount to around 800 million GBP. The organisational management recognises the need to bring in a significant strategic change in order to grow and improve its market share and competitive advantage. The companys change initiatives, however, face numerous obstacles. This report examines the need for strategic change at British Airways. This is followed by discussions on the requisites for successful organisational change, the barriers faced by the corporation in bringing about such change, and recommendations on the way forward. 1.1. Overview Modern day organisations face unprecedented opportunities and challenges in their quest for business success and competitive advantage. Environmental change of astonishing and global dimensions has changed the landscape of contemporary business (Hughes, 2006, p 14). Such environmental change, which commenced in earnest after the Second World War with the decolonisation of huge populations, accelerated in later years with the growth and subsequent collapse of the Soviet bloc, the reunification of Germany, the formation of the European Union, economic liberalisation across developing countries, the emergence of China and India as economic and political powers, astonishing developments in technology, and of course globalisation (Hughes, 2006, p 14). Whilst changes in global environmental conditions and advances in science and technology opened up numerous opportunities to business organisations, they also resulted in the creation of numerous challenges that threatened the operations and the very existence of established business firms (Hughes, 2006, p 14). Much of the modern day challenges to business organisations come from intensified competition, the emergence of numerous new products and substitutes, the development of equal quality but low-cost production and service centres in the emerging economies and from technological advances (Henry, 2008, p 44). The Japanese focus on fuel efficient small cars, pulled the rug from beneath the feet of huge automobile makers like General Motors and Ford, dethroning them from their positions of undisputed global leaders of the automobile sector (Henry, 2008, p 44). Low cost mining of Rare Earth Metals in China led to the closing of mines of such metals in the US and other countries and to concentration of 97% of global production of Rare Earth Metals in China (Areddy, 2010, p 11). Liberalisation of travel and free movement of people across the world for purposes of business and travel resulted in the emergence of low cost airlines like Ryan Air and Easy Jet in the UK and others in different par ts of the world, causing body blows to established airline giants like British Airways, Air France, and Swiss Air, some of which, (like Swiss Air), closed shop (Lynch, 2006, p 52). British Airways, the flag carrier airline of the UK has constantly faced external and internal challenges, ever since its inception in the early 1970s (British Airways, 2011, p 1). Formed by the coming together of BOAC, BEA, Cambrian Airways and North East Airlines in 1974, the organisation worked as a public sector corporation for 13 years until it was privatised by UKs Conservative government in 1987 (British Airways, 2011, History). British Airways (BA) has had to face numerous environmental challenges in its history, both as a public and as a private sector carrier. Such challenges have occurred on account of reasons like intense competition from other airlines in its domestic and global operations, erosion of market share on account of entry of low cost airlines, global terrorism, pandemics like SARS and Bird Flu, and natural calamities (British Airways, 2011, Annual Reports). The terrorist strikes of September 11, 2001, resulted in a huge downturn in local and international tra vel, resulting in the collapse of numerous airlines and in significant financial losses (approximately 200 million GBP in 2002) for British Airways, which lost (British Airways, 2011, Annual Report 2002). The volcanic explosion in Iceland, which resulted in ash filled skies and disruption of flights in early 2010, also resulted in significant revenue losses (Milmo, 2010, p 1). The last two years, 2009 (losses of 400 million GBP before taxes) and 2010 (losses of 530 million GBP before taxes) have been truly alarming for the organisation (Milmo, 2010, p 1). It also needs to be realised that whilst thousands of shareholders enthusiastically subscribed to the companys shares at the time of its privatisation, they have gained very little, by way of dividends or market value appreciation, in the last 24 years (Hosking, 2009, p 1). The management of British Airways recognises the need for the Airline to change significantly in response to various environmental challenges in order to grow and enhance market share and competitive advantage. A number of change initiatives have also been introduced by the company in various strategic and operational areas with varying degrees of success. 1.2. Objective This report examines the need for strategic change at British Airways. Such examination is followed by discussions on the requisites for successful organisational change and the barriers faced by the corporation in bringing about such change. The report closes with a section on recommendations and conclusions. 2. Strategic Change at British Airways Modern day organisations, as discussed in the preceding section, need to change on account of various internal and external environmental reasons, in order to achieve organisational growth, enhance productivity and profitability, and enhance competitive advantage (Cameron Green, 2004, p 31). Such strategic change could be needed to exploit new opportunities as well to obtain protection from threats. Such strategic change could also be necessary to break out from existing conditions of financial distress or operational or strategic deficiencies (Cameron Green, 2004, p 31). The importance of bringing about strategic change has been emphasised by numerous management academics and experts, who have repeatedly addressed its importance for modern day organisations (Cameron Green, 2004, p 31). Peter Drucker in fact drives the point home by stating that it is the responsibility of every responsible manager to constantly search for ways in which he or she can beneficially contribute to the process of strategic change (Stein, 2010, p 7). Whilst organisations clearly have to engage in strategic change, if not out of choice than out of necessity, their track record of success in its realisation is poor (Balogun, 2001, p 2). Many senior managements fail to understand that implementation of strategic change, i.e. the conversion of plans to reality, constitutes the most difficult part of the change process (Balogun, 2001, p 2). Such change can become possible only when individuals working in organisations change their behavioural ways and patterns and align them with new strategic objectives (Balogun, 2001, p 2). Strategic change is not new to BA. Numerous case studies detail BAs success in change management. The organisation engaged in strategic downsizing by practically 40% in 1981 and 1983 (Docshare, 2009, pp 27 to 30). Privatisation in 1987 called for the bringing about of significant cultural change. The adoption of the Putting People First programme in the 1980s aimed to align organisational working with new competitive realities and modify the behaviour of customers, who were deserting the airline in droves (Docshare, 2009, p 36). Recent years have also witnessed a number of change initiatives, primarily in response to intense competition by low cost carriers like Ryan Air and Easy Jet and altered customer expectations. The commissioning of Terminal 5 at Heathrow, which encountered significant negative publicity in account of opening day operational goof-ups, is one such example. The company is currently operating with a multi-pronged business strategy that includes (a) up gradation of customer experience, (b) modernisation of aircraft fleet, (c) offering new services, (d) managing its cost base and (e) increasing corporate social responsibility in areas of environment (British Airways, 2011, Annual Report 2008, Chairmans Speech).Whilst this report does not deal with an elaborate strategic analysis of the company, the most important factors about its internal and external environment, as well as its current performance are bulleted below. The organisation operates in an environment of intense regulation and heightened security because of terrorist threats. Its sales revenues and profitability are under threat because of the global economic crisis, slow projected global economic growth, the weakening of the pound, and oil prices, which have started soaring again. With the population of its home market ageing steadily, the organisation will be under stress to achieve the same amount of revenues from existing customers. With passengers becoming increasingly aware and vocal about their rights and expected service levels, BA continues to be under pressure on account of underperformance in areas of cancelled flights and poor baggage handling. The management and the cabin crew union are in direct confrontation with each other. The organisation has suffered severe financial losses during the last two years; with cumulative net losses for 2009 and 2010 near 800 million GBP. The organisations biggest threat, now and in the coming years is in the area of revenues, sales, costs and profits. With competition likely to intensify and global economic growth forecasted to be low, the company urgently needs to engage in activities for improving its financial viability (Milmo, 2010, p 1). Cost management and reduction is a critical element of organisational strategy. Whilst all airlines are equally affected by fluctuations in fuel costs, large economic and passenger movement trends, terrorism and global political instability, BAs labour and workforce costs are significantly higher than its competitors (Carley, 2009, p 1). It is relevant to note in this context that BA employees earn more than 2 times the remuneration earned by Virgin Air workers (Robertson, 2009, p 1). BA has adopted a strategy of cost management and reduction to overcome these financial challenges. Whilst the organisation is still financially strong, further periods of poor performance could well strain its financial resources (Carley, 2009, p 1). The major area of cost reduction relates to remuneration and employment terms of its employees, especially its cabin crew. 3. Change Management Strategies Whilst BAs immediate and imperative change strategy focuses on the critical area of financial viability, the route is extremely challenging because of its need for considerable employee sacrifice. It needs to be appreciated that the organisation has initiated a number of other strategic changes to improve customer satisfaction and satisfaction, including the commissioning of terminal 5 at Heathrow, (McGinn, 2009, p 2), and the need to achieve financial viability has now assumed important dimensions. Change management theories focus on three important dimensions, namely (a) the planning and implementation of the change process, (b) the involvement of the organisation in the proposed strategic change, and (c) the role of leadership in the change process for bringing about of successful strategic change (Hayes, 2006, p 71). Both Lewin and Kotter stress upon the need to implement change in a planned process that takes the organisation from its current stage to its desired state through clearly demarcated phases. Lewin states that change management can be best achieved through the planned application of three phases, namely unfreezing, implementing of change and refreezing the organisation in its new state through institutionalisation of implemented changes (Lewin, 2005, p 9). Kotter, whilst basically following Lewins theory, feels that the process can be better achieved through the implementation of change in 7 stages (Kotter, 1996, p 7). Change management experts secondly call for the committed involvement of organisational staff for the successful implementation of strategic change proposals (Bovey Hede, 2001, p 373). Many proposed strategic changes can result in resistance from organisational employees on account of causes like (a) incomplete knowledge of the proposed change, (b) ignorance about change objectives and benefits, (c) lack of belief in change benefits, and (d) change associated threats to the individual and collective wellbeing of organisational employees (Bovey Hede, 2001, p 373). Whilst ignorance about the nature and objectives of change can be set right through appropriately designed and powerful communication, tackling change related threat perceptions of employees is totally another matter (Bovey Hede, 2001, p 373). Such threat perceptions could arise because of apprehensions about (a) change in working condition, (b) change in terms of employment, (c) change in location, (d) requirement to tak e up new functions, (e) need to learn new skills, (f) loss of remuneration, and (g) loss of employment (Bovey Hede, 2001, p 373). The third critical factor in bringing about successful strategic change concerns the role of organisational leaderships (Hayes, 2006, p 78). Organisational leaders must clearly outline the proposed strategic changes, communicate the change objectives and the reasons for such change to organisational members, and bring about intense involvement of organisational employees in the change process (Hayes, 2006, p 78). Such involvement is essentially done by leading from the front and through visible commitment to the change process. Effective leaders identify and encourage change champions throughout the organisation to support the change process, engage in constant and transparent communication about the benefits of change and obtain he support of the overwhelming majority of organisational employees to the change process (Hayes, 2006, p 78). 4. Barriers to Change at British Airways BA has asked individual employees to accept temporary earning reductions and has engaged in negotiations with unions for pay cuts, alterations in employment terms, and reduction in its workforce. The companys management asked employees in June 2009 to work without basic pay for a maximum period of 4 weeks over six months, take a year of unpaid leave, and change from fulltime to part time employment for a period that could stretch up to a year. It is proving to be difficult to bring about strategic changes for effecting reduction in employee costs at the airline because of intense opposition by well organised and united cabin crew members to proposed changes (Carley, 2009, p 1). Whilst BAs pilots have agreed to some reduction in remuneration, the cabin crew has strongly opposed the changes and has constantly threatened to take industrial action if such changes are implemented (Carley, 2009, p 1). Effective strategic change, it is accepted, is difficult to implement without employee involvement and participation. Organisational leaderships try to bring about such involvement through communication, creation of awareness and training. The involvement and agreement of even a significant proportion of employees in the change process, along with constructive empathy for employees likely to be adversely affected by the change process, helps organisations to implement change processes that include termination, salary reduction and downsizing. It is necessary to understand that BAs cabin crew, whose agreement and involvement is important for effecting strategic change, are strongly united in their opposition to organisational plans and strategies (Neilcaff, 2011, p 1). The strength of their unity has been evidenced in the past when their strikes have resulted in significant stoppages and financial losses (Neilcaff, 2011, p 1). The last two years have been marked by intense confrontation between the management and the cabin crew on this issue, with no constructive result. The first half of the current year has been spent in the shadow of a proposed strike during the Easter holidays (Neilcaff, 2011, p 1). Some part of this problem can also be attributed to the current organisational leadership at British Airways. The leadership style of Willie Walsh, the existing CEO could also be a barrier to the change process. Walshs autocratic and uncompromising style is not encouraging employee stakeholders to acknowledge and embrace the required change. Other leaders, like Schultz at Starbucks, have been more successful at driving change programmes. 5. Recommendations and Conclusions The course of urgently required strategic change at British Airways is being thwarted by constant stand-offs between the management and employee unions, even as the organisation continues to be buffeted by a difficult competitive environment, soaring fuel prices and intense competition. It is relevant to note that the principal owners of the organisation, i.e. the shareholders, have received little benefits over the years, even as two sets of agents, the management and the employees, have obtained significant financial benefits and continue to wrangle over their individual interests and egos. It would appear to be opportune for shareholder organisations and even the government to step in, appoint neutral experts, obtain suggestions for strategic change, and push such measures through, even at the risk of industrial action and financial losses. The failure to take firm action and drive change forward could well have catastrophic repercussions for the company.

The Importance Of Being Earnest Religion Essay

The Importance Of Being Earnest Religion Essay These are the folks that always know what new natural disaster has just struck, what local businesses are about to go bankrupt, whose marriages are on the rocks. How could we survive life without these wrong-side-of-the-bedders? How could we get around without the black clouds and gloomy forecasts. Without wrong-side-of-the-bedders, we would never fully appreciate how miserable life really is. The book of Revelation is often perceived as sharing that same sort of bleak perspective a wrong-side-of-the-bed vision foretelling pestilence, punishment, famine, death, destruction. But the Revelation of Jesus to John is not a narrowed down version of despair, a nerve-racking vision of wrath. Here in todays text we are given celestial glimpses of glory. What might it be like to enlist in Gods reign and exist in Gods peace? The divisiveness of nationality, the prejudices of particularity, are forgotten as all peoples forge forward to praise God. There is one congregation, one church, and it joins all its separate voices together in a sonorous harmony of glorifying God. John saw this as the church of the future. John also saw this as our template for bringing the church to life in our own time. Instead of being just another organization lobbying for what it deems important, the church is challenged by this vision in Revelation to itself become an earnest of paradise. Now theres a word for you: earnest. Its not a word used much in church nowadays, although it is a familiar one in Scripture (Psalm 86:17; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:14, etc). But it may be a word that the church needs to proclaim. For our text calls the church to be what in biblical language is an earnest of the eschaton. In the Hebrew the concept is conveyed by the word Shamayim, which literally means a foretaste of heaven. If you have ever had an encounter with the Spirit, if you are alive and aglow with life, you know the meaning of Shamayim, or earnest. In Greek the word for earnest is arrabon, a legal term denoting a deposit made that renders the contract binding. An earnest is a promise, a pledge, a foretaste, an embodied symbol of something which is to come in its fullness later. When a young couple plants a spindly little oak sapling smack in the middle of their new backyard, it is an earnest of the future they envision in that space. Someday the tree will grow to shade their yard with an enormous umbrella of green. Its sturdy branches will hold the tire swings and treehouse platforms of the children yet to be born. It will carpet the ground with its brilliant fall foliage and feed a legion of squirrels with its annual crop of acorns. It might not look like much when planted, but the few spindly limbs of that sapling oak bear the weight of a tremendous earnest. Although the ultimate earnest is the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthinans1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14), as Spirit-empowered people we are each called to act as earnests of the ultimate triumph we know Christs salvation has in store for all creation. On the day of salvation, todays Revelation text proclaims, all believers will loudly praise Gods blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might (7:12). Are you an earnest, a leaven of heaven? Does your life attest to the presence of these divine gifts to the world? When others listen to you speak, watch you work, see your home, do they experience that encounter as an earnest of Christs victory, of Gods redeeming love for the world. We are all earnests, we who are part of the body of Christ. Is our church an earnest of the future human conduits of the divine light offering others little glimpses of the brilliance, the glory, that awaits redeemed creation? Is our role in this community a leaven of heaven? Missionary/physician/musician/historical theologian Dr. Albert Schweitzer gave his life to serve the needs of those who lived in the African jungle. He was to the first half of the 20th century what Mother Teresa was to the second half. He gave one of the best definitions of ethics Ive ever seen, and lived what he defined: Let me give you a definition of ethics: It is good to maintain life and further life; it is bad to damage and destroy life Ethics is the maintaining of life at the highest point of development my own life and other life by devoting myself to it in help and love, and both these things are connected. (Reverence for Life [New York: Philosophical Library, 1965], 34-35.) Schweitzer allegedly hung a lamp in front of his hospital that shone brilliantly throughout the jungle darkness for a wide area. The light became a beacon of hope and healing for the areas sick and dying. He is said to have hung under the lamp this sign: At whatever hour you come, you will find light, and hope and human kindness. * Both the sign and the lamp were earnests of Schweitzers ministry. Is there a lamp for your church that says to the world, Come by Here. For Here is a Leaven of Heaven? Schweitzer practiced his earnestness with full knowledge of the worlds cruel ways, and a clear vision of human frailty and sin. Nonetheless, Schweitzer maintained his focus on eternity, and leavened heaven with every fiber of his being. To the question of whether I am a pessimist or an optimist, I answer that my knowledge is pessimistic, but my willing and hoping are optimistic. I am pessimistic in that I experience in its full weight what we conceive to be the absence of purpose in the course of world happenings. Only at quite rare moments have I felt really glad to be alive. I could not but feel with a sympathy full of regret all the pain that I saw around me, not only that of men but that of the whole creation. From this community of suffering I have never tried to withdraw myself. It seemed to me a matter of course that we should all take our share of the burden of pain which lies upon the world (Albert Schweitzer, Out of My Life and Thought [New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1933], 279). Albert Schweitzers remarkable life and witness touched me as a child growing up until he became in my life an earnest of the person I wanted to become. Schweitzer was able to offer me and others a leaven of heaven in each of the three types of needs outlined in todays text. Though portraying an eternal future, this mornings text focuses on the three most basic human needs of our frail and mortal present. Physical Needs The vision from Revelation promises that when believers are gathered around God enthroned they will hunger no more, and thirst no more (v.16). In other words, we will be delivered from physical needs. As a physician, caring for the bodies of those who caught sight of the jungle clinics light came naturally. But each of us is capable of providing some measure of sheer physical comfort to those whose physical needs are consuming all their energy and hope. Welfare reforms have made the churchs role as a social service agency even more vital. Its hard to work on an empty stomach; its hard to learn when youre cold and tired; its hard to play when youre weak and malnourished. Spiritual Needs Jesus vision to John revealed that divine deliverance involves more than just filling up stomachs and banishing body aches. There are other aches that have no neurological cause. There are pains suffered by a parched soul. Without addressing the spiritual needs of the human condition, one finds there is no true earnest of salvation present. Saving the body is not enough, for it will fail to thrive unless the spirit is nourished and nurtured by a community of faith. In our Revelation text the enthroned Lamb offers believers springs of the water of life as . . . sustenance for an eternal soul. Earnest upwellings of this same spring are already available from our own faith community. Emotional Needs As frail and failing human beings, however, we find our emotional needs are perhaps the most difficult to satisfy, and are even more demanding when denied. Without emotional strength and suppleness, even the strongest body will fail, even the surest spirit will falter. When our body labors, it needs a quiet center, a sense of emotional ease, in order to bear the physical hardship. Our spirit can soar only if it knows there is a safe and secure emotional scaffolding resting under its flight path. One of the most tragic figures in biblical history is Israels first chosen king, Saul. Although he was a great and strong warrior and commanded the 12 tribes of the new nation, although he experienced the exalted presence of Gods Spirit, Sauls body and soul had a fatal weakness. Although he enjoyed physical and spiritual triumphs, Sauls own emotional melancholia destroyed his faith, his vision, his purpose, his will. In todays Revelation text God meets our emotional needs in two ways. The text promises God will wipe away every tear suggesting that the emotionally honest and cleansing tears will first be allowed to flow, but that these tears will then be dried by Gods own tender hand. As an earnest of this quality of emotional care, we, too, must not be afraid to show the same depth of feeling and to let others do the same. In response to a genuine outpouring of emotion, an earnest of the coming age does not judge, but offers what is needed to dry a cheek, to hold a hand, to show empathy. In a creative writing class, a young teenage girl wrote this short poem: Dont criticize. Dont analyze. Dont even try to sympathize. Dont say you understand because you dont. Just hold me in your arms for once. And love me as I am. Like my mommy used to do before the world grew up on me. (John Fischer, In Praise of the Unrenowned, CCM Magazine, October 1997, 84.) Will this church hold the world in its arms and love it, as an earnest of Gods holding the whole world in the arms of the Almighty and loving it? Will you be a leaven of heaven in your family, your community, your world? Tracking the Sheep John 10:22-30 | 4/29/2007 We live in a changing new world of computer-raised sheep, but theres still just one Shepherd to follow. In Psalm 23, the shepherd leads the sheep beside cool waters. In century 21, the shepherd weighs the sheep beside cool waters à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ while he sits behind a laptop miles away. We are used to the rogue image of the Bedouin shepherd crook in hand, flowing robes, Middle Eastern head-covering. We remember a young David, tending his fathers flocks alone in the cold, battling lions and bears, engaging the God of creation in songs and poems that he would later pen into psalms. Now consider todays e-shepherd Bluetooth headset in ear, Blackberry PDA attached to belt, Venti Mocha perched desktop alongside GPS receiver. He sits remote from his flock in a warm ranch house, a crook exchanged for a mouse, perhaps playing a game of Internet Spades while still on the clock. That may be the appropriate picture in New South Wales, Australia, where cutting-edge technologies are being applied to an age-old industry. Ranchers attach tiny GPS transponders to the ears of baby lambs, and as these sheep grow up, they can be watched from a computer monitor. Throughout the day, sheep move freely from grazing areas to drinking areas to sleeping areas. Each channel between areas is wide enough for only one sheep to pass at a time, and as they pass between fenced-in zones, their transponders alert the shepherd where they are going and when. We can keep tabs on a single sheep from the time it is a little lamb to the time that it becomes lamb chops, says Bill Murray, spokesperson for the Australian Sheep Industry. However, the main advantage is in sheep handling, because the transponders allow the sheep to make their own decisions, without being hassled by people or dogs. In such a hyper-individualized world, why not extend the power of choice to flocks as well? With these e-sheep, its all up to ewe. But allowing free-range grazing isnt about having self-actualized herds. Its about having unhassled, unhurried, tenderized ones. Apparently, sheep autonomy equals appetite appeal. Beyond tastier flocks, e-shepherds also have well-organized flocks. Remotely controlled gates determine which grazing and drinking areas sheep are channeled into and for how long they remain there. Electronic scales are placed within each passageway so that every time a flock is shepherded from one area to another, each sheep can be weighed as it passes by. As a fully grown sheep passes through, a side gate opens sending it into a yard for those animals headed to market. As a pregnant ewe near birth weight passes through, a gate opens to send her to a prenatal area. In the future, animals due for vaccination will be given remote shots as they pass by and diseased animals can be detected and quarantined for medical treatment. All from a distance. All without human contact. All electronically. If David had controlled his flocks in e-shepherd fashion, he might have blogged the Psalms, text messaged Jonathon, and sent a fatal hard-drive virus to Goliath. So the lesson from e-sheep is this: 21st-century techno-culture metaphors are light years away from biblical, agrarian culture metaphors. Noting this, consider John 10:22-30. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is so not like the impersonal techno-shepherd. Here, as elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus uses a metaphor his audience will understand: Hes the shepherd, and his followers are the sheep. So to understand what Jesus wants our contemporary audiences to understand, we must culturally unpack and translate what this sheep imagery means. Begin with our non-agrarian understandings of sheep. They arent bright animals. Theres no parlor game question that ever asks: Which is the smartest animal? The horse, the pig, the sheep, the dog, the cat? Wont happen. Sheep sleep and eat in the same fields in which they defecate and urinate. They blindly follow each other around with an unimaginative herd mentality. They need to be constantly provided for and protected so they dont starve to death or become wolf-lunch. So is this the way that Jesus wants us to see ourselves? Maybe yes, maybe no. What is clear is that sheep are needy. They not only need a shepherd, they need a good shepherd. Good ones take their job seriously. Good ones take care of the sheep. They protect and defend the sheep. They lead the sheep to still waters and green pastures. They lay down their lives for the sheep. They look for lost sheep. In Jesus day, shepherds didnt have the fiscal means to own sheep, thus many were mercenary care givers hired to live and sleep with the herds. Many were 8-12-year-old boys in the family business, out in a field because few opportunities existed for them. In our Western career caste system, shepherds wouldnt be white-collar or blue-collar theyd be no-collar. Is Jesus this kind of shepherd? Obviously not. Scholar Mary Schertz notes that in this text its not like every ovine analogy carries meaning for us or that sheep are commended as models for imitation. Sheep in the fullness of their animal existence are neither a good model for Christian life nor any other kind of human life. Instead, what does this short passage ask our e-shepherd culture to understand about the Good Shepherd and his relationship with the sheep who follow him? The Shepherd. John emphasizes two elements of setting. The time is the festival of Dedication, or Hanukkah (v. 22) the Jewish celebration of the rededication of the Temple after Antiochus desecrated it while trying to force Greek religion and philosophy upon them. The place is the portico of Solomon (v. 23) the only remaining relic of Solomons sacred temple which still stood, and the place where the Jewish king would make judgments and exercise justice. So a controversial rabbi is teaching radical ideas and taking controversial theological positions at a time when Jewish culture in the presence of the Roman occupation, and the traditions and history of Jewish religious milieu are being honored and glorified. And Jesus is doing this in the very place where Gods kings had always spoken to Gods people. The Jews question and request (v. 24) are therefore painfully rhetorical. How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Theres no suspense. They know exactly what he is saying because of when and where he is saying it. Who does this Shepherd claim to be? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone who works in the Fathers name. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone whose sheep hear his voice. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone who knows the sheep. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone whose sheep follow him. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone who gives to his followers eternal life. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone who defends his sheep, because no one will snatch them out of my hand. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Someone who is one with the Father. In Simply Christian, scholar N.T. Wright notes that human yearning for things like justice, relationships and beauty are echoes of a voice. On the deeper spiritual level, these universal desires are pointing both to their Author and to their Fulfiller. While these hopes can be met incompletely through what the world offers, they are only met perfectly and completely through Jesus as Savior, the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Jesus is no e-shepherd who engages his sheep remotely. The Shepherd maintains intimacy and proximity in order to meet the needs of his sheep. He is at least within voice-distance (v. 27). Jesus is a hands-on, high-touch Shepherd. The Sheep. Jesus speaks of his sheep in front of an audience who does not fit that category: You do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep (v. 26). Not everyone is a sheep of this Shepherd a difficult and sobering reality. The Shepherd does not crook-beat people into following him. He allows for some goats instead of all sheep. But those who are Christ followers are described this way: My sheep hear my voice (v. 27). For intrigued sheep then or now, a natural question emerges from this text. How do we hear our Shepherds voice? Is it like Moses who heard from God audibly at Sinai? Is it like Elijah who heard the sound of sheer silence as God spoke? Or is it like pastor and author Rob Bell describing his call to preaching: I heard a voice not an audible, loud, human kind of voice but inner words spoken somewhere in my soul that were very clear and very concise. What I heard was Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else.' Dont we all long for a voice like those three experienced? Notice, though, that Jesus describes voice-hearing in two different ways: I know them, and they follow me (v. 27). When Jesus knows his sheep he does so eternally (v. 28), and they are offered the Shepherds protection and security. But this security is not earthly. Sheep may lose their life, their financial comfort and their social acceptance because of their faith. Yet those who have heard the saving call of God and responded can never lose their souls and relationship with the Shepherd. Some of you pastor-theologians might want to amend that sentence so it reads like this: Yet those who have heard and are hearing the saving call of God and who have responded and are responding can never lose their souls and relationship with the Shepherd. In any event, hearing his voice includes being known by the Shepherd. [NOTE: The question that needs to be addressed is, How does one know, or hear, the voice of the Shepherd, so that we can be obedient and follow? See another Homiletics installment (based on this text), available online at www.HomileticsOnline.com, Jesus IS Ovine-Lingual. There the following observation is made: Yet, sometimes the problem is not that we, the sheep of his pasture, do not recognize the voice of the Shepherd. Rather, we recognize it and refuse to listen. Or we listen selectively.] In biblical times, shepherds had shrill yells that would resound through the wadis and across the hills where their sheep grazed. The Shepherds voice was firm, clear, loud and there was no mistaking it. It told the sheep, I am your shepherd. I know the best path. Follow me. When is the last time we have sensed God leading us to still waters and green pastures? When have we been asked to follow Jesus even when it is costly? Sheep regularly hear from their shepherd, they trust his voice and they follow. Jesus doesnt fit the shepherd stereotype and its probably fair to say that we arent the brainless herd animals that we assume sheep to be. But the biblical metaphor is still timeless and rich, ultimately giving us a picture of relationship, protection and provision, allowing us to hear a clear voice that bids us follow toward soul-satisfaction.

Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214. Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214.

Computational Linguistics :: Essays Papers

Computational Linguistics Computational linguistics is a discipline between linguistics and computer science which is concerned with the computational aspects of the human language. This area of computer science overlaps with the field of Artificial Intelligence. Basically, computational linguistics is a series of programs that interprets human speech into words and actions. There are a couple of different areas of computational linguistics and those areas are theoretical computational linguistics and applied computational linguistics. Each one of those areas are divided up into more areas. Theoretical computational linguistics is composed of theoretical linguistics and cognitive science. This particular area deals with formal theories about the linguistic knowledge that a human needs for generating and understanding language. This area has advanced so much, and has become so complex that it can only be managed by using computers. With these computers computational linguists develop formal models simulating aspects of the human language and then incorporates that into programs. These programs that they write constitute the basis for the evaluation and further development of their theories. Along with these theories there is another part that plays a big role in theoretical computational linguistics and that part is cognitive sciences. What I mean by that is that part of these programs interprets what is being said and then it matches it up to what is in its programming. The other part of computational linguistics is called applied computational linguistics which focuses on the practical outcome of modeling human language use. The methods, techniques, tools, and applications in this area are often subsumed under the term language engineering or (human language technology. The current computational linguistic systems are far from achieving human ability of communicating they have numerous applications. The goal for this is to eventually have a computer program that will have the same communication skills as a human being. Once this is achieved it will open doors never thought possible in computing. After all the major problem today with computing is communication with the computer. Today’s computers don’t really understand our language and it is very difficult to learn computer language, plus computer language doesn’t correspond to the structure of human thought.

How Digital Processes Change Photography Essay -- Essays

How Digital Processes Change Photography New technology is an ever present, always advancing force in today’s world. For this reason it is no surprise that in the last decade we have begin to see the rise of digital imaging in our lives. Put simply, digital imaging is the process of changing a visual imaging into a format that a computer can understand and interpret. Whether or not the image is captured by a digital device, such as a digital camera or camcorder, or it is transformed into a digital file after its development, such as by scanning, digital processes are changing the face of photography and the way we interpret it. However, as with any new change or development, digital imaging comes with its own set of advantages, and its own set of vices. Before the era of digital imaging the process of creating a photographic image had gone on for nearly a century with relatively little advancement. Besides from improvements in film quality and development every few decades, photography was, for the most part, becoming a stable form of art. Not only could people go and get professional photographs taken, but the technology was easy enough to understand that with Kodak’s introduction of a consumer friendly camera in 1888 people could begin producing their own photographs as well. (US News, p49.) Soon followed the 35mm camera, then color film and so- on and so-forth but the primary idea never changed. However, just prior to the 1980’s the world began to see the advancement of digital imaging with the introduction of computer programs that could edit an image after it had been scanned into digital format. This was a dawning of a new era in photography, even though the world would not see the birth of the digital cam. .. ... to the cover of a national press. As fore-mentioned, this brave new world of digital imaging was showing its good and bad side. As time marches on so does the flow of new technology. Even though the old form of analog photography may never become obsolete it is abundantly clear that digital imaging is here to stay. WORKS CITED 1) Curtin, Dennis P. Choosing and Using a Digital Camera. New York: Curtin. 2001 2) Mills, Lara. â€Å"Fast and flexible: digital photography may revolutionize the creative landscape, although not for everyone.† Marketing Magazine 101 (1996): 16-17 3) â€Å"Photography’s Storied History.† US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 131 (2001) : 48-9 4) Webb, Warren. â€Å"A Digital Picture is Worth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  EDN 45 (2000) 71-8 5) Chinnock, Chris â€Å"Low-end Digital Cameras still Poised for Rapid Growth.† Electronic Design 47 (1999) 56

Heart of Darkness †Metaphorical or Physical Journey? Essay

The worth of any physical journey can be measured by the value it has to the traveller; by the psychological, moral and philosophical insight gained during the course of travel. This is especially valid for a trip of such immense significance as the one undertaken by the narrator in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Marlow, as he travels along the Congo River in Africa. The symbolic importance of the Congo River is paramount throughout the novella; however, it is equally important to consider the role of the river on which the tale is told – the Thames, the centre of the nation that dominated colonial expansion. Both rivers offer a platform of observation of their respective societies – allowing Marlow to remain independent from these cultures and thus maintain his own moral compass. On a surface level, the Thames appears to be the epitome of tranquillity and civilization, as Marlowe describes it as being ‘calm’, waiting for the ‘turn of the tide’ and being the centre of ‘the biggest, and the greatest, town on Earth.’ However, Conrad’s multi-layered writing undercuts this view, as many descriptions of the Thames have mortuary connotations, implying a feeling of death on the river. For example, Conrad describes a ‘mournful gloom, brooding motionless’, the feeling of stillness coupled with the ‘gloomy tone creates a corpse-like atmosphere. Even the images of light that Conrad employs are more or less negative in their more subtle meanings. He describes the torches of light (a metaphor for Western Civilization) as being merely a ‘flicker’, which implies that the faà §ade of culture and humanity is ephemeral in nature. The first words Marlow uses describe his surroundings as ‘and this also†¦ was one of the dark places of the earth’, reminding listeners of the dark past, which is only partially and insubstantially covered. He then goes on to describe the ‘robbery with violence’ and the ‘aggravated murder on a great scale’ which the Romans had committed in ancient Britain. Whilst the present reality demonstrates an apparent conquering of the darkness, Conrad implies a different message, as he mentions the ‘toying’ of the ‘bones’ (another name for dominoes made of ivory), which refers to the abominations committed by King Leopold II in the Congo Free State, as he exploited the lives of African to further his own commercial enterprise. This associates the Thames, which has supposedly defeated its darkness, with an inherent evil, as it is at the centre of a culture obsessed with the ‘conquest of the earth’ under the guise of ‘weaning the ignorant millions from their ways’. At the end of the novella, the primary narrator, who is listening to Marlow’s tale, begins to perceive the Thames leading into ‘the heart of an immense darkness’, showing how the story has shaped his own moral, psychological and philosophical views. The mortuary images used to describe the Thames are repeated later on as Marlow recounts his visit to the company offices in Brussels, which he describes as a ‘whited sepulchre’. The word ‘whited’ implies a degree of artificiality in Brussels’ apparent pristine condition, whilst the word ‘sepulchre’ has further associations with death. It is also a biblical allusion to the Book of Matthew 23:27, in which Jesus exclaims: ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whited sepulchres, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and all kinds of filth.’ This allusion shows how the very European Marlo w, has recognized a deep hypocrisy in his fellow countrymen, as the symbol of white (one of purity in Western civilization) is simply a faà §ade to hide Europe’s inherent evil. This motif of white is repeated throughout the novel, especially in Brussels where Marlow mentions the ‘starched white affairs’ of the Company uniforms, and near the end of the text describes the corpse like ‘Intended’ as having a ‘pale head’, ‘ashy halo’ and a fireplace of ‘monumental whiteness’. Marlow who is described as being ‘in the pose of a meditating Buhhda’ sees a different connotation to the white (just as white is associated with death and mourning in Eastern philosophy). Whilst Marlow sees and experience this hypocrisy first hand in Europe, on the Congo River, he observes an almost cinematic stream of images of temptation and sordidness, with the River acting as a ‘moral buffer’ for him, as his perceptions of humanity and morality change. This change in Marlow’s nature happens through the characterization of Africa as a living hell which Conrad (through Marlow) achieves by continual allusions to the ‘Inferno’ in Dante’s Divine Comedy, which details the persona’s own journey into the centre of the earth and through the nine circles of hell. This is most effectively achieved when Marlow admits to his listeners: ‘I felt as though, instead of going to the centre of a continent, I were about to set off for the centre of the earth.’ This is paralleled when Marlow visits the company Offices and describes his assignment as going ‘dead in the centre’ (again invoking deathly overtones), which also explicitly references Dante. Like Marlow’s morals and philosophy, the allusion is developed throughout the journey, as Marlow observes the chaotic ‘wanton smash-up’ caused by the Europeans, and describes it as being in ‘the gloomy circle of some Infe rno’, and showing how the river, acting almost as a slideshow for European corruption, helps change Marlow’s view of the morality of the Colonialists, who have turned Africa into a living hell. The allusion to Dante, whilst certainly the most obvious, offers only an observation and a result, not a cause for the corruption. The allusion to the Book of Genesis on the other hand, provides insight into why there is corruption present on the Congo. When Marlowe first describes the river, he likens it to an ‘immense snake uncoiled’, which references the Devil in the form of a snake, tempting Eve to take a quince from the Garden of Eden. This allusion is more causal in its purpose, as it demonstrates the reason why the Europeans who have integrated into Africa (especially Kurtz and the station Manager) have been corrupted by the primitive allurement of the ‘unspeakable rites’ and ‘satanic litany’ afforded to them by the jungle. Whilst Marlow is offered these things during his journey, morally he is able to maintain his distance, continuing as righteous through a continual commitment to pragmatism and action. This is evidenced by his almost obsessive need for ‘rivets’ to repair his boat so that he may continue his journey on the moral insulation of the Congo River, shielding him from any immoral temptations offered whilst ashore. On the other hand, people like Kurtz who have the river, find that the moral veneer provided by the faà §ade that is European civilization is quickly stripped away when they go ashore for a ‘howl’ and a ‘dance’. Marlow explains this phenomenon of primitive reversion among the colonialists via the effect that he perceives the river to have, saying that travelling down the river was like ‘travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the world’ with the ‘fascination of the abomination; corrupting the Europeans, especially Kurtz, who is debased to ‘an animated image of death carved out of old ivory’. Significantly, the current symbolically make the journey into the ‘heart of darkness’ difficult, while the journey back is easy and rapid. In conclusion, the journey undertaken by Marlow on the Congo River, as well as his story telling on the Thames, much deeper significance than simply physical and geographical journeys, changing his perceptions of the morality and psychology of men. Conrad uses Marlow’s insights to influence the reader to share in the enlightenment gained by the narrator.

Boeing Company Essay

1.2) Boeing Company is the largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft in the United States and is a major employer in Seattle, Washington. Explain why each of the following individuals or organizations would be interested in financial information about the company. a. California Public Employees Retirement System. One of the world’s largest pension funds. They would be interested in Boeing’s financials to see how much the company contributes to their employee’s 401K plans. b. Chinese Airlines, a rapidly growing airline serving the Pacific Rim. Seeing the amount of sales that Boeing has, shows the reliability in their product through increased sales numbers. c. Henry James, a real estate investor considering building apartments in the Seattle area. Increased sales would mean the hiring rate would rise to meet workflow demands. This would be valuable because employees would need to relocate and would be looking for housing. d. Boeing’s management Reviewing the company’s financials allows the management to see where their losing or gaining money. It also allows them to assess in what areas they could possibly make investments. e. International Aerospace Machinists, a labor union representing many Boeing employees. This organization would find interest in their financials to make sure that the compensation of the employees is fair. In most cases when a union is involved, there is a percentage of compensation that has been agreed upon. 1.7) Financial accounting (i) Management accounting (h) Financial reporting (g) Financial statements (f) General-purpose assumption (b) Integrity (c ) Internal control (e) Public accounting (d) Bookkeeping (a) 2.3A Goldstar Communications was organized on December 1 of the current year and had the following account balances at December 31, listed in tabular form: Early in January, the following transactions were carried out by Goldstar Communications: 1. Sold capital stock to owners for $35,000. 2. Purchased land and a small office building for a total price of $90,000, of which $35,000 was the value of the land and $55,000 was the value of the building. Paid $22,500 in cash and signed a note payable for the remaining $67,500. 3. Bought several computer systems on credit for $9,500 (30-day open account). 4. Obtained a loan from Capital Bank in the amount of $20,000. Signed a note payable. 5. Paid the $28,250 account payable due as of December 31. Instructions a. List the December 31 balances of assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity in tabular form as shown. b. Record the effects of each of the five transactions in the format illustrated in Exhibit 2–11 . Show the totals for all columns after each transaction.