Are Americans Better Off essays

Are Americans Better Off essays The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of Americans now versus one hundred years ago. Specifically, it will state the reasons Americans are better off, with specific examples. Americans are much better off today than they were in 1904 for a variety of reasons. We have more technology, more medical understanding, and more education to create better futures for ourselves. Americans lived simply in 1904, and we live much better today. There are many reasons why we are better off today than Americans who lived in 1904. Technology is one example that is quite important to our lives today. We use computers in every area of our lives, and they make it easy to access information, to do our jobs, and learn more about the world. Computers have changed the way we live our lives, and they make a lot of what we do much easier. Of course, computers are not the only technologies that we enjoy today; there are many other things we take for granted today that people did not enjoy in 1904. For example, there were no televisions, radios, or x-boxes in 1904. In fact, while the telephone had already been invented, only about 8 percent of the homes in America had telephones by this time (Varner). News traveled much more slowly then. They had the telegraph and newspapers, but no Internet, and no way to get instant information about important things. Technology is very important in today's busy economy, and news travels much more quickly. In 1904, the things we take for granted today would have seemed like science fiction, and that is one reason that technology makes us much better off today. Medically, we are also much better off than the people of 1904. In 1904, people still died of things like diarrhea. One historian notes the "Leading causes of death were influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, diarrhea, heart disease and stroke, in that ord...

20 Ways to Spend a College New Years Eve

20 Ways to Spend a College New Years Eve New Years Eve in college can be fun and exciting as well as challenging, as many students are away from campus and their usual college friends. Theres no need to let your college New Years Eve go to waste, however. Check out these ideas for keeping things fresh, fun, and funky. 20 Ways to Spend Your College New Years Eve Hang out at home with your high school/hometown friends. If youre spending the winter break home with your parents, head out with your friends. You can reminisce about years past and celebrate your enduring friendships.Head to Vegas. Because really, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. There are some great deals to be had and great parties to attend, not to mention the 24-hour gambling.Head to New York City. Never seen the official ball drop in Times Square? Grab some friends and head to NYC for an everyone-should-see-it-at-least-once experience.Go camping. If you need a break from the chaos of your everyday life, head out into the wilderness. You can ring in the new year beneath a blanket of stars.Plan a romantic dinner with your significant other. You can go out or cook something together at home. Add two candles and as a bonus, have someone to smooch as the new year arrives.Head to a fun club with a crazy band youve never heard of. Step outside of your comfort zone, grab some fri ends and do something funky. Do something back at school. The residence halls may be closed, but many students are still living in their Greek houses or in off-campus apartments. Plan something away from campus that still allows you to celebrate with your college friends.Line up and camp out for a football game. Head to a bowl game where you can camp out the night before with other fans. When else will you be able to do so, except for during your college years?Volunteer. Look for something in your community. Go on an outdoor trip and work on trail maintenance. Head to another country. There are plenty of volunteering options that will take you into the year with good will.Head out somewhere fun with your high school and your college friends. Why not blend the best of both worlds?Go somewhere swanky. Think much, much fancier than youre used to. Head somewhere swanky and opt for an evening of elegance.Host a costume or theme party. And do so with style, too. How about the 1920s, anyone?Rent a cabin in the woods. I t can be with your high school friends, your college friends, your significant other or everyone. Hang out at a ski resort. If you ski, you can hit the slopes. And if you dont, you can curl up with hot chocolate and enjoy the scenery. Whats not to like?Go backpacking or hiking. Head out for a midnight hike (with at least one other person, of course) to ring in the new year in a unique and exhilarating way.Go on a skydiving or bungee-jumping trip. Some places offer multi-day excursions. Make your new year one to remember!Spend time with your family. The longer youre away at school, the less time you have to spend with your family. Take a break from the college scene and enjoy the evening with your family instead.Spend the evening writing or journaling. Some folks reflect and process things best when they write things out. Take the night to yourself and write to your hearts content.Host a creative New Years Eve party. Set up supplies (or have your guests bring their own) and create an atmosphere of creative energy for people to paint, sculpt, write music, or create other works of a rt. Spend a quiet night in and get some sleep! Catch up on two of the most sacred resources for many college students: time and sleep. Celebrate your year by indulging in both.

Management Fundamental Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management Fundamental - Case Study Example This organisation is facing considerable pressure meet a deadline for a military clothing contract, or suffer severe financial penalties. Should production stop at any time the delay could cost up to AUD$500 per minute. This manufacturer specifically produces outdoor and work wear. Currently, there is significant discontent amongst workers. There are three maintenance fitters who are salaried, and are eligible for overtime payments. Each fitter is responsible for the machinery in 5 production lines. The line of report is direct to the foreperson. Currently this group of fitters is unable to meet maintenance scheduling commitments without working overtime, and repair jobs are taking longer than in previous peak operating periods. A production manager has responsibility for the operations of these lines, and reports directly to the managing director, who is a major shareholder in the company. This production manager is salaried, not entitled to overtime or productivity bonuses, although a company car is included in this individual's remuneration package. Ostracism of workers from lunchrooms and tea breaks, and vandalism to personal property, including motor vehicles in the employee car park. This is currently limited to the shop floor personnel and is not apparent at management levels. The production manager however, has exhibited a higher than usual requirement for sick leave and often arrives up to 45 minutes late each day and takes extended lunch breaks before departing exactly on time at the close of business. You have also been asked to advice on the treatment that should be issued to this person. Suggestions and solutions Taking these concerns into cvonsiderrat9ion a site visit was conducted. These solutions or means to a solution were formulated, Significant equity comparisons being made between workers regarding rates of pay on the same production lines. It is suggested that due to this piece rate system that is in use in the factory. There are obvious concerns by management regarding the productivity of parts of the production line. Problems appear around speed and feed issues in the lines. Under equity arrangements, within the enterprise bargaining agreement, all workers are paid at the same piece rate.It also needs to be taken into consideration that sewing buttons and zippers on to clothes is time consuming. Seaming, looping and cuffing are very quick processes. A seamer, looper, or cuffer may perform at a rate of 3 units to 1 in comparison to the button and zipper hands.Factors of a toxic culture should be identified and addressed. These factors include demographic and social factors. Rapid urbanization, chaotic modernization and economic restructuring should also be taken into consideration especially in this situation. .A of speed and feed options should be considered to expedite the manufacture of garments. It will be necessary to identify the

Discuss the importance of national culture in a business environment Essay

Discuss the importance of national culture in a business environment and illustrate its impact on conflict in international business communication - Essay Example Understanding cultural differences is the key to successful international business communications. (Zachry. P.1) Professor Geert Hofstede identifies five ‘independent dimensions’ (p.1) of cultural differences. The significance of Hofstede’s independent dimensions is a method of avoiding misunderstanding and conflict in international business negotiations. Gary Emmons in his article The New International Style of Management, suggests that the new corporate culture may be sufficient to overcome the difficulties arising out of national cultural barriers. (p.2). A new and increasing global style of business management might transcend anticipated conflicts resulting from cultural barriers. Cultural dimensions impacting cross-national business communications are: High-versus low-context cultures, monochromic versus polychromic time, silent language, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Maruyama’s epistemological types. In high context cultures such as China and Japan, communications are conducted in an implicit manner. In low-context cultures such as the United States and many European nations, communications are conducted in an explicit manner. (Tung p.5) In many high context cultures, gift giving is prevalent and a failure to understand this aspect of the culture is liable to lead to a misconceived implication of impropriety. Moreover, when engaging in the gift exchange cultural mode with high-context cultures it is important to avoid gifts which imply bad luck or ill will. This very simple failure to understand the nature of high-context culture communication modes can lead to serious conflicts in international business communications. (Tung p.6) Cultures operating on monochromic time (m-time) believe in performing one function at a time. On the other hand, cultures operating in polychromic time (p-time) function while performing several different tasks. P-time cultures have a propensity for mixing business with

CFC's and Ozone depletion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CFC's and Ozone depletion - Essay Example Therefore, appropriate action especially targeted against CFCs should be taken to reduce or stop the many negative effects of ozone depletion (Callan and Thomas  238; Miller 384). The ozone layer is basically ozone present in the stratosphere which protects the earth from ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In the early 1980s, scientists discovered that the ozone layer seemed to become thinner and thinner, till an â€Å"ozone hole† the size of North America was revealed over Antarctica. The theory largely accepted by scientists for this â€Å"ozone hole† is the presence of CFCs in the atmosphere. CFCs are a family of odorless chemical compounds which are normally used in air conditioning, refrigeration, insulation, packaging, and as aerosol propellants. Chemists found out that CFCs stay behind in the troposphere because they are chemically unreactive and thus not soluble in water. Although they are heavier than air itself, CFCs can levitate into the stratosphere mostl y through convection currents, random drifting, and the violent mixing of air in the troposphere. Once they enter the stratosphere, the CFC molecules separate under the impact of the high-energy ultraviolet radiation, releasing chlorine, fluorine, bromine, and iodine atoms. These atoms are highly reactive, and so hasten the breakdown of the ozone layer in a repeated chain of chemical reactions. ... The thinning of the ozone layer allows more harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth’s surface. Research has proved that exposure of human skin to a certain type of ultraviolet radiation in sunlight is the main cause of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. Together, these two forms of cancers make up for ninety five percent of all skin cancers, and are responsible for about 2300 deaths in the United States each year. Moreover, these ultraviolet radiations increase the intensity of sunburns and cause immune system suppression. Besides this, ozone depletion reduces forest productivity for UV-sensitive tree species, decreases the population of certain aquatic species and surface phytoplankton (and as a result disrupts aquatic food webs), increases eye cataracts in particular species, and cuts down the yield of certain types of crops. What is more, the lessening of the ozone affects air pollution by increasing acid deposition and photochemical smog. CFCs, on the othe r hand, act as greenhouse gases and make the earth warmer, thus contributing to global warming (Miller 384, 385). As a result, it is extremely important to keep the level of ozone depletion and the amount of CFCs present in the atmosphere under control. One approach towards the emission of pollutants such as CFCs can be to replace them with other cleaner substances. For example, HFCs and HCFCs can be used in air conditioning equipment and refrigeration instead of CFCs because they have a lower potential of ozone depletion. The pathways by which these substances are emitted can also be altered to prevent them from entering the atmosphere. Old vehicles mostly use CFCs in air conditioning. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure that such vehicles are serviced by qualified technicians in

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud | Analysis

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud | Analysis Romantic poetry was strongly fascinated by feelings and the power of imagination. This inclination was mainly initiated by William Wordsworth who sought to change the face of poetry and the way his neoclassic predecessors perceived poetry. Wordsworth famously asserted his revolutionary views in the Preface to the second edition of the poetry collection called the Lyrical Ballads which was published in 1802. His ideas and aims mainly concerned the realms of language and subject within poetry. He rejected the neoclassical theory of poetry for its use of both upper-class subjects and unnatural poetic diction (Abrams 213). Although romantic poetry opposed the idea of rationalizing nature or approaching it in a scientific way, Wordsworth very much respected the law of nature and he did not seek to falsify it in his poems (Durrant 5). Nevertheless, he regarded the human mind as a tool, capable of achieving independence within the natural law; however not to refute it, but certainly able to transform it. William Wordsworth thoroughly asserted his ideas on subject and language of romantic poetry in his critical essay the Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. Thus subjects and principles proclaimed in the Preface to the Lyrical Ballads were henceforth reoccurring and omnipresent in Wordsworths work. This essay aims to illustrate that his poem I Wandered lonely as a Cloud embodies the revolutionary theory of poetry asserted in the Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. Moreover, it aims to show the intertextuality between the two compositions regarding highly romantic themes like nature, the simplification of language and the function of feelings. The first thing that strikes the reader, while reading the poem I Wandered lonely as a Cloud, is the choice of nature as a dominant subject and its exact description. The fact that William Wordsworth, like so many other romantic poets, utilized nature in his poems is likely to be originated in the contempt of the use of both elevated subjects and language. He thoroughly condemns the fact that the language of popular poetry during his time was full of gaudiness [6] and exaggerated, inane [6] diction. In the 1802 Preface to the Lyrical Ballads, he therefore argues that poetry should deal with materials from common life [7] in a [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] language really used by men [7]. Wordsworths revolutionary ideas stood in direct contrast to the predominant neoclassic notion that serious language should only be applied while dealing with noble or aristocratic subjects (Abrams 213). Subsequently, Wordsworth strongly espoused the notion of purifying language [8] in order to bring the joy of p oetry to people who lead a more rural life [8] and do not understand the sublime terms used in neoclassic poetry. In light of this concept, it becomes more obvious why Wordsworth used nature as a main subject in his work, as he did in I Wandered lonely as a Cloud. The main reason is likely to be that people who lead a rural life tend to be closer to nature than the aristocratic part of the society who lives in the city. The detailed, yet simple description of the daffodils and the landscape surrounding them, in other words the immediate and direct feelings transmitted through nature, are probably better conceivable to rural people who are very much in touch with nature. It becomes therefore apparent that I Wandered lonely as a Cloud is not solely a nature poem or a mere depiction of landscape, but that nature functions as some sort of stimulus for a poet (Abrams 214) in order to think and experience an influx [11] of feelings. William Wordsworths idea of the spontaneous nature of feelings and the calm recollection of such is distinctly visible throughout the poem I Wandered lonely as a Cloud. In order to comprehend and grasp Wordsworths complex perceptions of how feelings are to be experienced and processed, it is inevitable to first look at some excerpts from the Preface of 1802, in which William Wordsworth asserts his view on the subject of feelings, tranquility and indeed imagination: I have said that Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility: the emotion is contemplated till by a species of reaction the tranquility gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does itself actually exist in the mind. In this mood successful composition generally begins, and in a mood similar to this it is carried out. (1) Although Wordsworth describes a real poets feelings as spontaneous and powerful, he makes it very clear that a calm recollection of the original impressions or emotions is desirable. The feelings which enter a poets work are thus kindred to the immediate and original version of the feelings and cannot be regarded as uncontrolled or raw emotions (Sucksmith 150) anymore. Furthermore, Wordsworth describes a poet as someone who adapts an excessive habit of meditation [10] and is therefore capable both of mastering the overflow of feelings and later connecting feelings with thoughts. In a further chapter of his 1802 Preface, Wordsworth praises the state of enjoyment [50] a poet can reach by experiencing poetry in this way. The theory of poetic creation described above becomes very overt by dividing Wordsworths poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud into two parts. Lines 1 to 17 clearly depict the spontaneous overflow which the speaker, a poet himself, experiences while wandering along the lakeside in state of loneliness and passivity (Durrant 20). However, lines 17 and 18 of the poem signal a change in the poets perception of his experience. While I gazed and gazed (line 17) describes the initial and unreflective perception (Sucksmith 151) of the daffodils, it is the remaining part of line 17 and its succeeding stanza which indicate the meditative reflection on that perception (Sucksmith 151) by saying but little thought / What wealth the show to me had brought (lines 17-18). This last stanza thus illustrates both the calm recollection of the initial experience and the poets joy while contemplating and remembering these images and feelings in tranquility. This process of calm recollection can be seen in li nes 19 to 21: For oft, when on my couch I lie / In vacant or in pensive mood, / they flash upon that inward eye. The powerful state of enjoyment [50] caused by poetry and triggered by the initial and raw experience, as well as its later contemplation is, as described above, strongly accentuated in Wordsworths Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. It is also a reoccurring theme especially in the third stanza of the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. The speakers elevated emotional state becomes apparent in lines 14 to 16: Out did the sparkling waves in glee: / A poet could not be but gay, / In such a jocund company. In the last stanza, therefore in the period of recollection, the speaker still feels this joy, although it is a different kind of joy. It can be described as a more grounded, reflected and certainly less exuberant form of joy. The last three lines of the poem, lines 22 to 24, illustrate this different form of delight: Which is the bliss of solitude; / And then my heart with pleasure fills, / And dances with the daffodils. As has been illustrated by the comparison of excerpts of the 1802 Pr eface to the Lyrical Ballads concerning the processing of feelings and emotions and the respective passages of the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, William Wordsworths notion of poetic composition (Sucksmith 152) is highly visible and palpable in the aforementioned poem. In conclusion, I would like to stress how William Wordsworths 1807 poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud beautifully incorporates the many subtleties and visions concerning poetry that were asserted in the Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. In order to fully understand I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, it is thus of great importance to know how Wordsworth sought poets to perceive and process feelings or which language is best to use in poetry. By interpreting the poem in light of Wordsworths, at that time, revolutionary views, the strong dependence and connection of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud to the Preface becomes evident. [1401]

Symbolic Mockingbirds Essay examples -- English Literature Essays

Symbolic Mockingbirds Symbolism is used extensively in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The theme of prejudice in the novel can be best perceived through the symbol of the mockingbird. Atticus advised his children that if they went hunting for birds to "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (96). Miss Maudie explains this further by saying that "mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (96). Bluejays are considered to be the bullies of the bird world. They are very loud, territorial and aggressive. The bluejays represent the prejudiced bullies of Maycomb, such us Bob Ewell. Mockingbirds, on the other hand, are innocent and all they do is sing beautiful songs; they would not harm anyone. Tom Robinson is an example of a mockingbird. Tom never harms anything or anyone. The only mistake Tom made was to help Mayella and hack wood. Mayella accused Tom of raping her. When asked if Tom was the man who raped her, she replied and said that he "most certainly is" (192). He is unmistakably innocent, but still, those around him must sin and kill a mockingbird. "Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed" (247). After Tom was killed for attempting to escape from prison, Mr Underwood wrote in an editorial that...