Lamesa, Texas (Home Town) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lamesa, Texas (Home Town) - Research Paper Example Finally, the latter one was deemed suitable for the town and thus was accepted by the town committee (â€Å"History of Lamesa†) Thesis Statement The paper intends to provide a brief history of Lamesa, which is situated in Texas. Description of landscapes and contribution to the Ozarks and Missouri by the inhabitants of Lamesa will also be discussed. Furthermore, the agricultural industry developments after the settlement and its special available food crops will be analyzed. Historical Backgrounds The first inhabitants of the town were Paleo-Indians, who hunted and camped along Sulfer Springs Draw around 17000 years ago. Later, around the year 2000, the population amounted to approximately above 9,500; the settlers offered the best small-town living to the new visitors or inhabitants. Furthermore, the people are very much hospitable and friendly and provide a sense of warmth and belongingness to their guests (â€Å"About Lamesa†). In order to establish a new county seat for Dawson County, an election was held, the candidates being Lamesa and Chicago. Lamesa won the elections by a very small fraction of 5 votes. Following the election, a post office earlier based in Chicago was moved to Lamesa as people residing at Chicago started moving their township to Lamesa. Furthermore, Lamesa’s first school was opened in 1902, following which a daily mail service commenced from the year 1906. Moreover, the town got its first rail service on October 1, 1910; it was operated by Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway Company. Telephone and electric services commenced in the year 1905 and 1916 respectively (â€Å"History of Lamesa†). Lamesa had become integrated in the year 1917, soon after which large projects started to take place in the town. A new city hall, water and sewerage system, and streets made up of bricks were built in the year 1925. In 1945, a council-manager, a type of government, was established followinga decision of adopting a home-rule a greement. Initially, Lamesa flourished through farming, and at the later stages oil production became the major source of business for the residents. In the mid 1980s, when the town’s population stabilized around 11,500, the marketing and banking center dealt with various businesses, such as farming equipment, agricultural products, clothing and textiles, oil services, food processing, and cultivation of cotton. Gradually, the town began to develop with establishments of Dawson County Museum, Howard County Junior College, hospitals, libraries and several nursing homes (â€Å"Lamesa, Tx, (Dawson County)†). Traditionally, the people of Lamesa society and Dawson County were renowned in helping and providing support to each other. Dawson County was one of the five counties to receive the popular Army Navy â€Å"E†award for providing the highest men per capita during the Second World War. Furthermore, William Rafus Shafter is one of the renowned persons who visited t he county for preparing a report on the local Indians. He and his company were the first persons to discover an Indian encampment at Laguna Sabinas or Cedar Lake which was the birth place of renowned Quanah Parker. Moreover, he along with his company constructed the initial wagon roads upon the plains and reported the county favorable on grazing conditions. Majority of the people residing in Lamesa are from the Christian religion (â€Å"

Lars Von Trier Essay Example for Free

Lars Von Trier Essay Lars Trier was born in Kongens Lyngby, north of Copenhagen, the son of Inger Trier (nà ©e Hà ¸st, 1915—1989). He had believed that his biological father was Ulf Trier (1907—1978), until his mother revealed to him on her deathbed that he had been conceived as a result of an affair she had with her employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann. His mother considered herself a Communist, while his father was a Social Democrat, and both were committed nudists,[5] and the young Lars went on several childhood holidays to nudist camps. They regarded the disciplining of children as reactionary. Trier has noted that he was brought up in an atheist family, and that although Ulf Trier was Jewish, he was not religious. His parents did not allow much room in their household for feelings, religion, or enjoyment, and also refused to make any rules for their children,[6] with complex results for von Triers personality and development.[7] He began making his own films at the age of 11 after receiving a Super-8 camera as a gift and continued to be involved in independent moviemaking throughout his high school years.[3] In 1979, he was enrolled in the National Film School of Denmark.[8] His peers at the film school nicknamed him von Trier. The name is sort of an inside-joke with the von (German of or from used as a nobiliary particle), suggesting nobility and a certain arrogance, while Lars is a very common and Trier not an unusual name in Denmark.[9] He reportedly kept the von name in homage to Erich von Stroheim and Josef von Sternberg, both of whom also added it later in life.[10] During his time as a student at the school he made the films Nocturne and The Last Detail, both of which won Best Film awards at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools.[11][12] In 1983 he graduated with the 57-minute Images of Liberation, which became the first Danish school film to receive a regular theatrical release.[13] Europe trilogy After graduation he began work on the very stylized crime drama, The Element of Crime (Forbrydelsens element 1984), which won a technical award at the Cannes Film Festival. His next film was Epidemic (1987), which was also shown at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section. The film is partly a dark science fiction-tale of a future plague epidemic, and partly chronicles two filmmakers (played by Lars von Trier and screenwriter Niels Và ¸rsel) preparing that film, with the two storylines ultimately colliding. For television von Trier directed Medea (1988), which won the Jean dArcy prize in France. It was based on a screenplay by Carl Th. Dreyer and starred Udo Kier. He completed the Europe-trilogy in 1991 with Europa (released as Zentropa in the U.S.), which won the Prix du Jury at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival[14] and picked up awards at other major festivals. In 1990 he also directed the music video for the worldwide hit Bakerman by Laid Back.[15] This video was reused in 2006 by the English DJ and artist Shaun Baker who did a remake of Bakerman. Zentropa and The Kingdom In 1992 he and producer Peter Aalbà ¦k Jensen founded the movie production company Zentropa Entertainment, named after a train company in Europa, their most recent film at the time.[8] The reason for doing this was to achieve financial independence and to have total creative control. The production company has produced many movies other than von Triers own as well as television series. It also has produced hardcore sex films: Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999), HotMen CoolBoyz (2000) and All About Anna (2005). In order to make money for his newly founded company,[16] he made The Kingdom (Riget, 1994) and The Kingdom II (Riget II, 1997), a pair of miniseries recorded in the Danish national hospital, the name Riget being a colloquial name for the hospital known as Rigshospitalet (lit. The Kingdoms Hospital) in Danish. A projected third installment in the series was derailed by the 1998 death of Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd, who played Helmer, one of the major characters. Dogme 95 In 1995, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg presented their manifesto for a new cinematic movement which they called Dogme 95. It would however take a while before the first of these films appeared, and at this point many thought of the concept mainly as a radical idea with no future.[citation needed] In 1996, von Trier conducted an unusual theatrical experiment in Copenhagen involving 53 actors, which he titled Psychomobile 1: The World Clock. A documentary chronicling the project was directed by Jesper Jargil, and was released in 2000 with the title De Udstillede (The Exhibited). Von Triers next film, Breaking the Waves (1996), the first film in von Triers Golden Heart Trilogy, won the Grand Prix at Cannes and featured Emily Watson, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Its grainy images and hand-held photography pointed towards Dogme 95. The second was The Idiots (1998), nominated for a Palme dOr, which he presented in person at the Cannes Film Festival notwithstanding his dislike of travelling. Dancer in the Dark (2000) was the final component of the trilogy. As originator of the Dogme 95 concept, which has led to international interest in Danish film as a whole, he has inspired filmmakers all over the world.[17] Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the Dogme 95 Manifesto and the Vow of Chastity together with their fellow Dogme directors Kristian Levring and Sà ¸ren Kragh-Jacobsen shared in 2008 the European Film Award European Achievement in World Cinema. Explicit images Von Triers use of sexually explicit images in The Idiots (1998) started a wave[citation needed] of arthouse mainstream films with unsimulated sex, such as Catherine Breillats Romance (1999), Baise-Moi (2000), Intimacy (2001), Vincent Gallos The Brown Bunny (2003) and Michael Winterbottoms 9 Songs (2004). In 1998, Lars von Trier also made history by having his company Zentropa be the worlds first mainstream film company to produce hardcore pornographic films. Three of these films, Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999) and the adult/mainstream crossover-feature All About Anna (2005), were made primarily for a female audience, and were extremely successful in Europe, with the first two being directly responsible for the March 2006 legalizing of pornography in Norway.[18] Women too like to see other people having sex. What they don’t like is the endless close-ups of hammering bodyparts without a story. Lars von Trier is the first to have realised this and produced valuable quality porn films for women. — Stern No. 40, 27 September 2007[19] Lars von Triers initiative spearheaded a European wave of female-friendly porn films from directors such as Anna Span, Erika Lust and Petra Joy, while von Triers company Zentropa was forced to abandon the experiment due to pressure from English business partners.[20] In July 2009, womens magazine Cosmopolitan ranked Pink Prison as No. 1 in its Top Five of the best women’s porn, calling it the role model for the new porn-generation.[21] Lars von Trier would return to explicit images in his self-directed Antichrist (2009), exploring darker themes. 2000s In 2000, von Trier premiered a musical featuring Icelandic musician Bjà ¶rk, Dancer in the Dark. The film won the Palme dOr at Cannes.[22] The song Ive Seen It All (which Trier co-wrote) received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song. The Five Obstructions (2003), made by Lars von Trier and Jà ¸rgen Leth, is a documentary, but also incorporates lengthy sections of experimental films. The premise is that Lars von Trier challenges director Jà ¸rgen Leth, his friend and mentor, to remake his old experimental film The Perfect Human (1967) five times, each time with a different obstruction (or obstacle) specified by von Trier.[23] He then directed two films in his announced U.S. trilogy: Dogville (2003), starring Nicole Kidman and Manderlay (2005), starring Bryce Dallas Howard in the same role – as Grace. Both films are extremely stylized, with the actors playing their parts on a nearly empty soundstage with little but chalk marks on the floor to indicate the sets. Both films had huge casts of major international actors (Harriet Andersson, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, etc.), and questioned various issues relating to American society, such as intolerance in Dogville and slavery in Manderlay. Controversy erupted on the 2004 set for Manderlay when actor John C. Reilly walked off the Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden, set in late March. Reilly walked off the film when he learned that an upcoming scene involved the slaughter of a donkey for food. The films producer says the animal—who was old and not expected to live much longer—was killed off-camera by a certified veterinarian, in accordance with Swedish law. Reilly was replaced by Zeljko Ivanek.[24] The U.S. was also the scene for Dear Wendy (2005), a feature film directed by von Triers Dogme-brother Thomas Vinterberg from a script by von Trier. It starred Jamie Bell and Bill Pullman and dealt with gun worship and violence in American society. In 2006, von Trier released a Danish-language comedy film, The Boss of it All. It was shot using a process that von Trier has called Automavision, which involves the director choosing the best possible fixed camera position and then allowing a computer to randomly choose when to tilt, pan or zoom. It was followed by an autobiographical film, De unge à ¥r: Erik Nietzsche sagaen del 1 (2007), scripted by von Trier but directed by Jacob Thuesen, which tells the story of von Triers years as a student at the National Film School of Denmark. It stars Jonatan Spang as von Triers alter ego, called Erik Nietzsche, and is narrated by von Trier himself. All main characters in the film are based on real people from the Danish film industry,[citation needed] with the thinly veiled portrayals including Jens Albinus as director Nils Malmros, Dejan ÄÅ'ukić as screenwriter Mogens Rukov and Sà ¸ren Pilmark in an especially unflattering portrayal as sex-obsessed school principal Henning Camre. Von Triers next feature film was Antichrist, an art film about a grieving couple who retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping a return to Eden will repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage; but nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse. The film, which includes sexually explicit content, stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It premiered in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where the festivals jury honoured the movie by giving the Best Actress award to Gainsbourg.[25] The Cannes Film Festival Ecumenical Jury, which gives prizes for movies that promote spiritual, humanist and universal values, also honoured the film with a special anti-award; a spokesman for the jury described it as the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world.[26] In 2010 the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported on their website that the film production company Zentropa is reportedly making more revenue from suing movie pirates in Germany that have downloaded Antichrist illegally than from box office and DVD sales, demanding a payment of around 1,300 euros per download to avoid legal action.[27] 2010s Von Triers latest work is Melancholia, a psychological disaster drama;[28] shot between 22 July and 8 September 2010 at Film i Và ¤sts studios in Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden,[29] and with exteriors in the area surrounding the Tjolà ¶holm Castle.[30] Magnolia Pictures has acquired the distribution rights for North America.[31] The film was in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[32] Von Trier announced that after finishing Melancholia he hopes to begin production of The Nymphomaniac, a two-part film about the sexual awakening of a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg).[33] The director explained how he got the idea for the upcoming project: my DP on [Melancholia], Manuel Claro, at one point voiced a surprising prejudice. He urged me not to fall into the trap that so many aging directors fall into – that the women get younger and younger and nuder and nuder. Thats all I needed to hear. I most definitely intend for the women in my films to get younger and younger and nuder and nuder .[34] The announced cast includes Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd, Shia LaBeouf, Willem Dafoe, Connie Nielsen, Jamie Bell, Jens Albinus, Jesper Christensen and Nicole Kidman. Phobias Von Trier suffers from multiple phobias, including an intense fear of flying.[35] His fear of air travel frequently places severely limiting constraints on him and his crew, necessitating that virtually all of his films be shot in either Denmark or Sweden, even those set in the United States or other foreign countries. Von Trier has had a number of his films featured at the Cannes Film Festival over the course of his career, and each time has insisted on driving from Denmark to France for the festival and back. On numerous occasions von Trier has also stated that he suffers from occasional depression which renders him incapable of performing his work and unable to fulfill social obligations.[36] Filming techniques Lars von Trier has said that a film should be like a stone in your shoe. In order to create original art he feels that filmmakers must distinguish themselves stylistically from other films, often by placing restrictions on the filmmaking process. The most famous restriction is the cinematic vow of chastity of the Dogme95 movement with which he is associated, though only one of his films, The Idiots, is an actual Dogme 95 film. In Dancer in the Dark, jump shots[37] and dramatically-different color palettes and camera techniques were used for the real world and musical portions of the film, and in Dogville everything was filmed on a sound stage with no set where the walls of the buildings in the fictional town were marked as lines on the floor. Von Trier often shoots digitally and operates the camera himself, preferring to continuously shoot the actors in-character without stopping between takes. In Dogville he let actors stay in character for hours, in the style of method acting. These techniques often put great strain on actors, most famously with Bjà ¶rk during the filming of Dancer in the Dark. Often he uses the same regular group of actors in many of his films: some of his frequently used actors are Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier and Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd. He is heavily influenced by the work of Carl Theodor Dreyer[38] and the film The Night Porter.[39] He was so inspired by the short film The Perfect Human directed by Jà ¸rgen Leth that he challenged Leth to redo the short five times in feature film The Five Obstructions.[40] Trilogies Von Trier has on occasion referred to his films as falling into thematic and stylistic trilogies. This pattern began with his first feature film, marking the beginning of The Europa Trilogy, though he claims a trilogy was not initially planned, instead being applied to the films in retrospect. The Europe trilogy illuminated the traumas of Europe in the past and future. This trilogy includes The Element of Crime (1984), Epidemic (1987) and Europa (1991). The Golden Heart trilogy was about naive heroines who maintain their golden hearts despite the tragedies they experience. This trilogy consists of Breaking the Waves (1996), The Idiots (1998) and Dancer in the Dark (2000). While all three films are sometimes associated with the Dogme 95 movement, only The Idiots is a certified Dogme 95 film. The USA: Land of Opportunities trilogy follows the character of Grace, and is set in a stylized American past. Von Trier has stated he was inspired to make a trilogy about the United States as a reaction to Americans at the Cannes film festival who said he had no right to make the Dancer in the Dark,[8] which was often viewed as being critical of a country he has never been to (and has no intention of ever visiting, due to his phobia of travel); however, von Trier himself has stated in interviews he did not intend it to be a criticism of America, saying the film takes place in a fictional America. Von Trier proposed the films as ‘a series of sermons on America’s sins and hypocrisy’[citation needed], inspired by the fact that American movie makers have made many movies about places across the world to which they have not travelled. All three movies will be shot in the same distinctive style, on a bare sound stage with no set and buildings marked by lines on the floor. This style is inspired by 1970s televised theatre. The trilogy will consist of Dogville (2003), Manderlay (2005) and the so far not produced Washington. The Depression Trilogy consists of Antichrist, Melancholia and the yet to be completed, Nymphomaniac. All three star Charlotte Gainsbourg and deal with characters that deal with depression or grief in different ways. This trilogy is said to represent the current depression that von Trier himself is currently going through. The Kingdom (Riget) was planned as a trilogy of three seasons with 13 episodes in total, but the third season was not filmed due to death of star Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd shortly after completion of the second season. Biological father In 1989, von Triers mother revealed on her deathbed that the man who he thought was his father was not, and that she had had a tryst with her former employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann (1909–2000),[41] who descended from a long line of Roman Catholic classical musicians (his grandfather was Emil Hartmann, his great grandfather J.P.E. Hartmann, his uncles included Niels Gade and Johan Ernst Hartmann and thus Niels Viggo Bentzon was his cousin). She stated that she did this in order to give her son artistic genes.[42] Until that point I thought I had a Jewish background. But Im really more of a Nazi. I believe that my biological fathers German family went back two further generations. Before she died, my mother told me to be happy that I was the son of this other man. She said my foster father had had no goals and no strength. But he was a loving man. And I was very sad about this revelation. And you then feel manipulated when you really do turn out to be creative. If Id known that my mother had this plan, I would have become something else. I would have shown her. The slut![43] During the German occupation of Denmark, Fritz Michael Hartmann worked as a civil servant and joined a resistance group (Frit Danmark), actively counteracting any pro-German and pro-Nazi colleagues in his department.[44] Another member of this infiltrative resistance group was Hartmanns colleague Viggo Kampmann, who would later become prime minister of Denmark.[45] After four awkward meetings with his biological father, the man refused further contact.[46] The revelations led von Trier to attempt to erase the connections with his stepfather by converting to Catholicism, and to rework his filmmaking into a style emphasizing honesty.[3] I dont know if Im all that Catholic really. Im probably not. Denmark is a very Protestant country. Perhaps I only turned Catholic to piss off a few of my countrymen.[43] In 2009, he declared, Im a very bad Catholic. In fact Im becoming more and more of an atheist.[47] Controversy at 2011 Cannes Film Festival On 19 May 2011, Cannes Film Festivals board of directors declared von Trier persona non grata for comments he made during a press conference for his film Melancholia the day before, an unprecedented move for the film festival.[48][49] Responding to a question by The Times film critic Kate Muir about his German roots and his comments in a Danish film magazine about the Nazi aesthetic, von Trier claimed to have some sympathy for and understanding of Adolf Hitler,[50] and then jokingly claimed to be a Nazi himself:[51][52] Von Trier at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. Hes not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, Im not for the Second World War, and Im not against Jews. I am of course very much for Jews, no not too much, because Israel is pain in the ass, but still how can I get out of this sentence. — Press Conference for Melancholia, Cannes, 2011[53][54] Referring to the art of Nazi architect Albert Speer, von Trier added: he had some talent that was kind of possible for him to use during Ok, Im a Nazi. Then, to Toronto Star film critic Peter Howell, who questioned whether Melancholia could be an answer to Hollywood blockbusters and asked von Trier if he could â€Å"envision doing a film on a grander scale than this†, von Trier replied: On a grander scale? Yeah. Yeah thats what we Nazis, we have a tendency to do things on a greater scale. Yeah, maybe you could persuade me into the final solution with journalists. Hours later, von Trier released a brief statement of apology about his comments at the press conference: If I have hurt someone this morning by the words I said at the press conference, I sincerely apologise. I am not anti-semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi.[55] The next day, the festival directors held an extraordinary meeting, deciding his remarks were unacceptable, intolerable and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the festival. [] The board of directors condemns these comments and declares Lars von Trier persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.[55] Afterwards, von Trier held a news conference of his own in Danish. His first remark to the Danish journalists was: If any of you journalists will beat me, so just do it. I will enjoy it. He went on to say that The Holocaust is the worst crime that ever happened. I have nothing against Jews. I have a Jewish name, and all my children have Jewish names. He admitted that his remarks about the Nazis had been misguided, saying It was really stupidly done and it was in the wrong forum. At the press conference with Danish journalists, there were no problems, but I do not think the international journalists understand my Danish humor. But he also said he was proud to have been kicked out of the Cannes festival: I am proud to have been declared persona non grata. It is perhaps the first time in cinematic history, it has happened. I think one reason is that French people treated the Jews badly during World War II. Therefore, it is a sensitive topic for them. I respect the Cannes festival very highly, but I also understand that they are very angry at me right now.[56][55] Speaking to other news outlets he said that his comments were very sarcastic and very rude, but thats very Danish. He also added, I dont sympathize with Hitler for one second.[57] In the October 2011 issue of GQ, von Trier is quoted in an interview saying he was not really sorry for the comments he made, only sorry he didnt make it clear that he was joking. He added, I cant be sorry for what I said—its against my nature.[58] On 5 October 2011, von Trier was interviewed by police in Denmark about his remarks at Cannes. Afterwards, he announced that he had decided from this day forth to refrain from all public statements and interviews.[59] Honours Von Trier was made a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog on 14 January 1997.[60] Ten years later von Trier decided to hand back the prize, saying that the Danish royal family are just simple people of bad quality.[61]

Rights of Afghan Women Since the US Invasion Essay -- Afghan Womens R

As a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan, the issue of Afghan women’s rights came to the world stage. Through the media, populations of first-world countries saw firsthand the terrible oppression of Afghan women. One such instance was the famous picture of the â€Å"Afghan Girl† published in the National Geographic magazine, which became an international symbol for the plight of Afghan women. The United States and Afghan governments have repeatedly obstructed the progression of Afghan women’s rights, causing women’s quality of life to decline, women’s education to suffer, and women’s representation in government to be limited. Women’s rights in Afghanistan have not always been suppressed. Throughout the early 1900s to the mid-1900s, women were free to travel unaccompanied. King Amanullah constructed schools for girls and passed laws eliminating arranged marriages (Kolhatkar, 2013). In the early 1950s, the government outlawed the Islamic principle of purdah, or gender separation. Moreover, the government granted Afghan women the right to vote in 1965, a year earlier than American women, and by the early 1960s, held half of all legislative posts (â€Å"Women,† 2013). King Amanullah even made the burqa, the symbol of oppression, optional and encouraged a Western style of dress (Kolhatkar, 2013). When the Taliban came to power in 1996, all of that changed. The Taliban believed it was their duty to protect women and their family’s honor. Enforcing a version of â€Å"Sharia†, or Islamic law and drawing principles from the â€Å"Pashtunwali†, or traditional social code, the Tali ban effectively banned women from going to school, studying, working, leaving the house without a male relative to accompany them, showing any skin while in public settings, ... ...bglj Levi, S. (2009, September). The long, long struggle for women's rights in Afghanistan. Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, 2(12). Retrieved from http://origins.osu.edu/article/long-long-struggle-women-s-rights-afghanistan Mahr, K. (2014, April 14). Waiting for the Taliban. Time, 183(14), 24-38. McCurry, S. (1984, December). Afghan girl [Photograph]. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/ photographers/afghan-girl-cover.html Peace unveiled [Television episode]. (2011, October 25). In P. Hogan, G. Reticker, A. E. Disney, & C. Rizzi (Producer), Women, war and peace. New York, NY: PBS. Women in Afghanistan: The back story. (2013, October 25). Retrieved April 6, 2014, from Amnesty International UK website: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/womens-rights-afghanistan-history#.U0If0FzxWP8

Republican Plan Should be Vetoed :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

Republican Plan Should be Vetoed I think that the Republican should be vetoed because to me, their proposed tax cuts in education, the environment, and other areas are not the way to go. There are probably other government functions that could use a decrease in spending. Raising medicare premiums (http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/951114/news/stories/budget_42.html) seems alright, but there could be a better way. In general, today's Congress is in so much deadlock over balancing the budget, they will end up watching it go to about $6 billion by the start of the new millenium!!! The debt's already too high now. President Johnson was able to halve the deficit and keep his budget under $100 million during his first year in office (http://pathfinder.com/time/special/moy/1964.html); but he achieved this through some manipulation of others - something of which Bill Clinton is not a master. Though the proposed increase of $9 a month may seem small to some,many older Americans in the long run will not be able to keep up with the payments and will trim down their disposable income (isn't this what Keynes would think?) Stimulating the economy at the expense of a certain group of people does not constitute favorable domestic policy for politicans of any party. Why is it that the U.S. has such a hard time trying to keep a stable economy when Germany has historically had pretty strong currency and is perhaps the best economic nation in all of Europe? (http://pathfinder.com/time/international/ 1995/950925/economies.html) They do have tougher regulations, but not a lot of capitalistic ways that we do here. The country's central bank managed to step in after unification with tough-minded economic management; and even though the eastern side of the country has spend a little more than necessary, Germany today remains financially stable (without huge increases in inflation). The temporary stop-gap spending bills that Clinton vetoed, causing the current partialgovernment shutdown, has made the U.S. look bad in the eyes of the world because of party gridlock. I doubt if countries such as Germany ever have this much trouble. Are there any solutions to solving the national debt that will completely satify everyone involved? Probably not. I proved that by stating my support for the President's veto of the Republican's spending bills. However, the oneitem that really bugs me is that if the Republicans want to lower the debt so much, why

Reading is to the mind like exercise t the body Essay

Long before the invention of printing people valued books as treasure troves of the human knowledge and experience. Hand-written manuscripts took months of writing and were collected and kept in monasteries with all utmost care. Why are they so precious? To my mind, a book is one of the greatest wonders in the world. It gives us a unique chance to link up with authors who lived hundreds and thousands years ago. Thanks to the books we can talk to people who lived in different ages and countries. Books are the surest way to bring nations together. They give us an insight not only into the past but also into the future. A book is a faithful friend. Books stir my imagination, expand the boundaries of the familiar world. Some books teach us to live, form our moral values, some entertain us and give pleasure, some are very helpful in difficult situations. Even in the modern age of rapidly developing information technology I still feel the greatest and most efficient way of expending our knowledge is by reading. Reading is like doing exercises. It’s very important for people to have some regular exercises. This is very good for the posture, which I believe greatly affects the general health of the body and makes you stronger, and makes you feel good. After doing some strenuous exercise followed by a shower, you can really feel that your life is renewed and you have a fresh vigor with which to face the day. It seems to me that the more you exercise, the more you want to exercise. When you want and when you are able to use your body, you don’t feel so much like sitting around being lazy. The same can be said about reading. It develops a person’s logical and analytical thinking, it enriches a person’s vocabulary and gives a lot of life experience. It helps to understand other people, teaches how to behave in difficult situations, helps to avoid problems. Books serve the purpose of learning, teaching and instructing. They influence our emotions and form our moral values. After reading an interesting book I can really feel to my life is renewed and I have a fresh vigor with which to face the day. The more I read, the more I want to read. I feel thirst for new information, emotional effect and good piece of advice which can be obtained through reading. There are different kind of books, such as historical novels which show people’s life in old times; adventure stories which tell us about brave and clever people and their adventures; popular science fiction books which create imaginary worlds; detective stories which show crime, criminals and clever detectives; romantic novels which tell us about happy and unhappy love, people’s feelings; psychological dramas which show how people behave in different situations; and fairy-tales with imaginary heroes who fight for the good against the evil. I have always had a lot of books to read. But it’s difficult for me to choose my favorite writer out of a range of talented authors. Frankly speaking, I’m not keen on reading women’s novels, one-day fiction and tabloids. I am interested in real literature, the books that are to be â€Å"chewed and digested†. In my view, a good writer must have an ability to portray life truthfully, to describe nature with love and understanding. A good writer can always make people laugh or cry. He has a sense of humor, great lyrical power rich imagination.

Influence of Music in the Major Religions of Asia

Influence of Music in the Major Religions of Asia Free Online Research Papers â€Å"Music gives us the capacity to express the deepest feelings of the human soul.† Worldwide, music has an important and varied range of application in religious practice. In the major religions of Asia, music is an especially vital part of theology and worship. In India and China, the most prominent religions are Hinduism, Daoism and Buddhism. Hindu religious chant and music are firmly rooted in theological principles of sacred sound. Taoist music is commonly used in the form of simple melodies and peaceful songs to aid in recitations and rituals. In Buddhism, sutras sung as hymns and other songs praising the virtues of the Buddhas have attracted and helped purify the hearts of countless disciples. With such large sects of the continent being members of these religions, it can be determined that music is used in worship and religious settings may affect the way music is played and listened to in the secular world. What does each religion bring to the table in its influence on the music of Asia? Hinduism is the major religion in India. Hindus make up approximately 85 % of the population in India. In Hinduism, music is recognized as a divine art that awards all four aims of human life to both the performer and the listener. These four aims are dharma, artha, Kama, and moksha. Dharma is the aim of righteousness. Artha is the aim of wealth and prosperity. Kama is the aim of enjoyment and moksha is liberation of the ways of the world. Music in Hinduism, from the earliest times was a source of not only moral but also spiritual achievement. The process of learning to play music is comparable to traditional Hindu spiritual discipline. There are 3 key elements to spiritual discipline that relate to music. First is the guru or disciple succession, meaning that one becomes a disciple of what he is learning. Second is vinaya or humility. Third is regular and disciplined practice. Hindu music is called sangeet and is associated with heavenly singers called Ghandharvas. The oldest Hindu musical texts were called Sana Veda, which had melodies that were used to in reciting hymns. Today music in Hindu worship consists of bhajan (hymns) and kirtan (chanting of mantras). Instruments used commonly in Hindu worship are drums (tabla and mridangas), the manjira (small hand cymbals), and the harmonium. Flute, vina, and sitar are also used in worship music. Predominantly, music heard on radios in India is â€Å"cine music†, or Indian pop music. A majority of these songs are from hit movies, and most movies in India are musicals. Songs from these musicals are a bizarre blend of eastern and western music. Characteristically, they involve choppy, hyperactive melodies, built around oriental scales, with a nasal singer. The rhythms sometimes are Latin, and the accompaniment can include trap set, organs, guitars, violins, bongos, traditional sitar and tabla, bamboo flute, and xylophones. Folk musicians and street performers play music that can be traditional folk music, like snake charmers using punjis or a gourd and reed bagpipe, or, it can have a slight western influence, using western instruments and ideas. Generally, all other music is connected with forms of worship. Seemingly, Indian music for worship and popular music doesn’t overlap. Principally, Hindu beliefs disagree with some forms of modern and popular music, esp ecially where western music is concerned. Daoism, or Taoism, is commonly practiced in China, and usually, if one is not Buddhist, then he is likely to be Taoist. Music in Daoism is said to reflect the pursuit of longevity and noninterference, which are two important principles of the Taoist belief. Melodies are solemn and peaceful, as well as seclusive and serene, as to exaggerate the religious atmosphere. Mostly Taoist music is calming and sets the mood and mindset for worship. Each day there are drum calls for morning and evening rituals. Music that is performed in both the morning and evening ritual is called pure and clear tune. It is performed to accompany recitation of scriptures. Its purpose is to purify the mind in preparation for cultivation of the scriptures. Other than everyday ritual, music is primarily used in Taoist worship for the praise of immortals and gods, praying for the blessing of the gods, releasing purgatory of the departed and practicing ascetics. Taoist music has undergone much change over the centuries. Music in Daoism was first utilized in the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China (420-589 CE). Original percussion used in worship included an L-shaped musical stone, bells, and drums. By the Five Dynasties period (907-1279 CE), wind and plucked instruments were added to the mix. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) string music was added to worship. With the Qing Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), Taoist music was standardized by imperial orders. Generally Taoist music today consists of two parts: vocal music and instrumental music. Vocal music can include vocal solos as well as unison singing. Instrumental music includes solo instruments as well as group playing. Both vocal and instrumental music is used as accompaniment to recitations as well as rituals and calls to worship. Buddhism is the largest religious sect of not only China but a large number of India’s population also practices Buddhism. Music is a large part of Buddhist teaching. In the Amitabha Sutra, nature sings its own melodies and harmonies with the breeze, and heavenly singing and chanting can be heard day and night. Buddhists believe that when one hears these sounds they become mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. In Buddhism, sutras are sing as hymns and other songs are sung to praise the virtues of the Buddhas. Seemingly these songs have brought forth and purified many disciples of the Buddha. Buddhist believe that beautiful music will soften people’s hearts and in return, their minds are more receptive and easier to educate and transform. Therefore, music has been brought forth as a type of ceremonial offering made to the Buddha. Also, music is used in various forms for ceremonies including weddings and funerals. Buddhist music has undergone much development as it spread throughout Asia. From earliest times in India, Buddhist music began to include copper gongs, drums, flutes, conch horns and harps in its ceremonial music. When Buddhism was first introduced in China, focus was mainly on the translation between languages. This hindered the use of traditional hymns of India Buddhism. Consequently, monastics recomposed and adapted folk songs and court songs for royalty to create a Chinese Buddhist musical tradition. Today, traditional Buddhist hymns are performed alongside traditional Chinese music, as well as popular and western types of music like orchestras and small ensembles. China is the most populous country on the Earth with 1.3 billion people. For most of its history, China has been ruled by dynasties. Music has been regarded as an important part of political life, as it can be used to reflect and influence their ideals on Chinese order. When China came under the Nationalist Party, music was a key component of the reformation of Chinese social and cultural life. Mostly China has a kept a clear line between yayue, which is refined and elegant art music of the court and rituals, and suyue, common entertainment and folk music. Religious music, however, has proponents of each type of music, which makes it a common bond between the two aspects of Chinese music. Generally religious music does not affect the way mainstream music is played and listened to. Rather, the Buddhists and Taoists use influences of modern and mainstream music in their religious practice and rituals to attract and appeal new believers. Venerable Master Taixu of the Buddhist religion once said â€Å"Music gives the people of a society a means by which they can better communicate their moods and feelings with each other†¦For society to achieve some degree of integration, it is essential to be able to communicate and understand each other’s moods and feelings and as a result establish a sense of unity. This is one of the important functions of music.† Music today, either in religious or secular settings, undoubtedly influences the way people live their lives in Asia. Many achieve a balance between music of both worlds and, in return, reap the benefits of entertainment and spiritual comforts. Music is an important means by which Indian and Chinese peoples convey thoughts, beliefs, principles and feelings. Master Taixu also said â€Å"The capacity of music to capture people’s attention, touch then deeply, and tug at their heartstrings makes it one of the most beautiful forms of human expressions.† Research Papers on Influence of Music in the Major Religions of AsiaHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementGenetic EngineeringRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsBringing Democracy to Africa

Apprentice Catering Assistant Essay

Apprentice Catering Assistant Essay Apprentice Catering Assistant Essay Apprentice Catering Assistant x 1 Employer : Vision West Nottinghamshire College Location: Vision West Nottinghamshire College Derby Road Mansfield NG18 5BH Sector: Retail and Commercial Enterprise Framework: Level 2 Food Service Duration: 15-18 Months AVoL Ref: VAC000483686 Listing Date: 15/08/2014 Closing Date: 31/08/2014 Interview Date: 08/09/2014 Start Date: 15/09/2014 Who are Vision Apprentices? Vision Apprentices is a national recruitment specialist responsible for the recruitment and selection of apprentices into roles with our clients across the country. We work with a large range of businesses in a number of sectors that offer an extensive range of apprenticeships in a diverse selection of careers. We are a subsidiary company of Vision West Nottinghamshire College centres throughout the. For more information please visit our website – www.visionapprentices.co.uk Who is the employer? Where will I be working? Vision West Nottinghamshire College is widely regarded as one of the largest and most successful colleges in the country, offering a wide range of curriculum to meet both the needs of individuals and employers locally, regionally and nationally. The college also owns a number of subsidiary companies that are engaged with the provision of training as well as the development of commercial software products. The college offers training in all major industry sectors and at all levels from pre-GCSE to full degree level. Approaching 30,000 students the college prides itself on providing high quality education and training. The College enjoys a strong financial position and currently holds the Investors in People Gold status to recognise our excellence in developing and supporting staff. There has been significant investment in college facilities, providing an environment that mirrors industry, giving students real life situations and opportunity to learn in state of the art facilities. Why should I apply? What makes this apprenticeship great? The role will require you to take on and work to the college’s values; putting the needs of your Professionalism, taking Responsibility for your actions, and giving Respect to clients and colleagues alike. What work will I be doing? What duties and responsibilities will I have? Catering assistants are key people in helping us develop a high quality food and beverage service, to the satisfaction of our customers. We operate over a number of outlets on College sites, from a full meal service, through to snacks and vending. You should have a friendly and outgoing personality, a flexible approach to working within the team, be customer focused and have the ability to meet high standards of service. You should be able to relate to both staff and students, of all ages and abilities. Main Duties and Responsibilities a) Assist in the preparation of working, service and dining areas. b) Assist in the preparation and service of food and beverage items. c) Clearing and cleaning of all service, preparation and dining areas, equipment and utensils. d) Receive delivery of goods, following appropriate procedures. e) Promote a good customer relationship in a professional manner. f) Assist the smooth running of the unit especially in times of illness of work colleagues. g) Attend all training sessions as required. h) Carry out any duties, as directed, relating to the needs of the business. i) Also specific duties as designated by work rota. Servery a) Ensure a variety of goods are available for sale. b) Ensure all drinks dispensing machines are fully stocked, clean and in working order. c) Ensure service area is clean and tidy at all times. d) Take, record and action, if necessary, food temperatures. e) Take, record and action, if necessary, equipment temperatures. f) Notify cook as food items need replenishing. g) Cleaning duties as directed. Till Area a) Ensure till is attended at all times. b) Ensure sufficient change is available for service. c)

Display a TopMost System Modal Message Box With Delphi

Display a TopMost System Modal Message Box With Delphi With desktop (Windows) applications, a message (dialog) box is used to alert the user of the application that some action needs to be taken, that some operation was completed or, in general, to get users attention. In Delphi, there are several ways of displaying a message to the user. You can either use any of the ready-made message displaying routines provided in the RTL, like  ShowMessage or InputBox; or you can create your own dialog box (for reuse): CreateMessageDialog. A common problem with all the above dialog boxes is that they require the application to be active to be displayed to the user. Active refers to when your application has the input focus. If you really want to grab the users attention and stop them from doing anything else, you need to be able to display a system-modal topmost message box even when your application is not active. System-Modal Top Most Message Box Even though this might sound complicated, in actuality it really is not. Since Delphi can easily access most of the Windows API calls, executing the MessageBox Windows API function will do the trick. Defined in the windows.pas unit the one included by default in the uses clause of every Delphi form, the MessageBox function creates, displays, and operates a message box. The message box contains an application-defined message and title, along with any combination of predefined icons and push buttons. Heres how the MessageBox is declared: function MessageBox(  Ã‚  hWnd: HWND;  Ã‚  lpText,  Ã‚  lpCaption : PAnsiChar;  Ã‚  uType : Cardinal) : integer; The first parameter, hwnd, is the handle of the owner window of the message box to be created. if you create a message box while a dialog box is present, use a handle to the dialog box as the hWnd parameter. The lpText and lpCaption specify the caption and the message text that is displayed in the message box. Last is the uType parameter  and is the most interesting. This parameter specifies the contents and behavior of the dialog box. This parameter can be a combination of various flags. Example: System Modal Warning Box When the System Date/Time Changes Lets take a look at an example of creating a system modal topmost message box. Youll  handle the Windows message that is dispatched to all the running applications when the system date/time changes- for example using the Date and Time Properties Control Panel applet. The MessageBox function will be called as:   Ã‚  Windows.MessageBox(   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  handle,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a system modal message#13#10from an inactive application,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A message from an inactive application!,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST or MB_ICONHAND) ; The most important piece is the last parameter. The MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST ensures the message box is system modal, top most and becomes the foreground window. MB_SYSTEMMODAL flag ensures that the user must respond to the message box before continuing work in the window identified by the hWnd parameter.MB_TOPMOST flag specifies that the message box should be placed above all non-topmost windows and should stay above them, even when the window is deactivated.MB_SETFOREGROUND flag ensures that the message box becomes the foreground window. Here is the full example code (TForm named Form1 defined in unit unit1): unit Unit1;interface ​ uses   Ã‚  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes,   Ã‚  Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs, ExtCtrls; type   Ã‚  TForm1 class(TForm)  Ã‚  private   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  procedure WMTimeChange(var Msg: TMessage) ; message WM_TIMECHANGE;  Ã‚  public   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  { Public declarations }   Ã‚  end;var   Ã‚  Form1: TForm1; implementation{$R *.dfm} procedure TForm1.WMTimeChange(var Msg: TMessage) ;begin   Ã‚  Windows.MessageBox(   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  handle,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a system modal message#13#10from an inactive application,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A message from an inactive application!,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MB_SYSTEMMODAL or MB_SETFOREGROUND or MB_TOPMOST or MB_ICONHAND) ;end;end. Try running this simple application. Make sure the application is minimized or at least that some other application is active. Run the Date and Time Properties Control Panel applet and change the system time. As soon as you hit the Ok button (on the applet) the system modal topmost message box from your inactive application will be displayed.

Planning Careers and Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning Careers and Demand - Essay Example re also applicable in the United States? And (2) if so, what career advice would you give to these people if you were mentoring them? Specify three key pieces of advice. Planning Careers and Demand Applicability of Findings The findings in the United Kingdom indicating that the trend for college graduates is to look for jobs that accord vast opportunities for career breaks could not possibly be applicable in the United States. As aptly quoted from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding career decisions, â€Å"making informed career decisions requires reliable information about opportunities in the future. Opportunities result from the relationships between the population, labor force, and the demand for goods and service† (cited from The Indians Abroad, 2009, par. 1). ... y Anderson (2001) acknowledged that "workers in the United States are putting in more hours than anyone else in the industrialized world" (Anderson, 2001, par. 1). The above information disputes UK’s trend on college graduates’ priorities on career breaks as being likewise applicable in the US. The mere fact that students opted to pursue college careers indicate that they are holistically prepared to get into the greater responsibilities, accountabilities accorded to college graduates – with the aim of being remunerated more than their non-college degree holder counterparts who are looking for employment. These groups of graduates are more high achievement oriented and recognize the need to earn more while the demands for their respective professions are high. Further, the basic difference in UK and US economy pertains to availment of health insurance benefits. The National Health Service (NHS) of the UK â€Å"provides free essential health care for all UK citiz ens - regardless of age, occupation or the ability to pay† (Healthinsurance, 2010, par. 1). In contrast, health insurance in the US is still being reformed to accommodate millions of uninsured Americans, who could not afford to pay for insurance coverages and therefore need to seek for appropriate high-paying jobs to afford exorbitant health insurance fees and medical costs. Thus, while newly hired college graduates in the UK could afford to look forward to career breaks, their counterparts in the US need to work their way up the organizational ladder to save for a rainy day. Finally, there really is a big difference in the standard paid vacation between the UK and the US. Infoplease (2011) cited the World Tourism Organization’s data which revealed that the number of days of paid vacation per year that

Amazons Business Model and the Operational Strategies Coursework - 1

Amazons Business Model and the Operational Strategies - Coursework Example Amazon has been able to pull of its business model through the use of three operational strategies to enhance its competitive advantage: low-cost leadership and customer differentiation. However, when we evaluate Amazon’s business model and the operational strategies that underlie it they greatly resemble those of its key competitor Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble also used its economies of scale to support low-cost leadership, it broke new ground by developing software that would enable its customers to personalize their web pages and also enjoy the results of collaborative filtering (Ghemawat 13). The difference in one organization’s choice to use a pure play system while the other uses a brick-and-click system is too simplistic to explain the relative success of Amazon.com over Barnes & Noble. This would be best explained through the dynamic capability. Dynamic capability refers to the ability of the firm to purposefully create, extend or modify its resource base so as to achieve congruence with the changing business environment (Menon and Mohanty 3). Of importance to note is the use of the word â€Å"purposefully† which negates the element of accident or luck. Dynamic capability involves intent and the emergent stream of activities within an organization that is taken with a certain implicit aim. Although dynamic capabilities are equifinal and exhibit commonalities across firms, performance differences arise between firms due to both cost and differential timing with which the dynamic capabilities are used (Menon and Mohanty 5). They are path dependent processes thus are idiosyncratic and difficult to imitate. Dynamic capabilities can be a source of competitive advantage. That is why even though Barnes & Noble seem to be following similar operational strategies to Amazon.com, the results are different for each firm.

British Land Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Essay

British Land Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria - Essay Example position of the quoted property shares with the key ingredients for stronger performance, hinging on enhancing the level of performance, intensity of the business and accessibilities. Further as REIT, the company does not need to pay any property taxes on the profits and gains from the property business. However, it is necessary for 90% of the income from the exempted business needs to be distributed to shareholders. (British Land. 2007). Being one of the largest property management companies today, with assets under management in excess of  £18 billion and a market capitalisation of some  £5.8 billion, British Land invests primarily in UK property. The focus is on actively managing, financing and developing prime commercial property to create the environment in which modern business can thrive. Following the company’s takeover of Pillar Property PLC in summer 2005, the it is now manager/adviser to, and investor in, a number of offshore unit trusts with total assets of some  £3 billion. (British Land Company Plc. 2006). The regime allows the companies to be free of income tax and capital gains tax by release of just a one time payment. The tax problems the property companies have to undergo are in the context of the double taxation – there is a tax element at the time of rental income and profits, and again, at the time of disbursing dividends to the shareholders. In order to qualify for tax exemption, the company has to be a UK resident company, it has to be a close ended domestic company and should be listed with the Stock Exchanges. Also, it should have primarily two classes of shares, equity and non participating preferential share capital. The other governing conditions are in terms of the fact that it needs to have a minimum of 3 separate rental property of any kind, the valuation of any single property should constitute more than 40% of the total valuation and the company should be in a position to disburse at least 90% of its untaxed incomes as

Persuasive (AIRA) Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive (AIRA) Letter - Essay Example Inclusion of the Co-Curricular Records (CCR) would provide an official mode for student participation of co-curricular activities and nurturing talents in St. Mary University’s students. The management of the St. Mary University can only measure all roundedness in their learners through the Co-Curricular Record (CCR). It is also vital to consider that, additional skills besides education are important for learners. Though some people have counter arguments on the validity and reliability of these records, I still believe that educational transcripts have to be complemented and acquire additional skills that place them in an advantageous position in terms of accessing job opportunities. Through the AIRA strategy, the management of St. Mary’s University will need to shift an amount of funds to put the Co-Curricular Records (CCR) in place. The management will also need to dedicate a huge sum of money to mobilize students to join the group, as well as hire the services of motivational speakers to motivate students on the need to be all rounded learners. However, this move will be beneficial to the St. Mary’s just like has been to other

The power of Sovereignty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The power of Sovereignty - Research Paper Example Inequalities in the exercise of power and disregard to justice are even more evidenced in the political scene in various regions around the world today. Such always stem from the need to advance once own course by ignoring and disregarding other people who they consider rather inadequate. Stigall, Blacksley and Jenks argue that an interesting scene is always created where people especially the government authorities always insist on maintaining their rights while at the same time violating and stepping on the rights of their own subjects. (Stigall, Blacksley and Jenks, 2009). This is a common occurrence experienced with most of the sovereignties around the globe today. The aspect of exercising single handed rule on the subject population is mostly experienced in dictatorial countries such as Syria, Egypt, Iraq, alongside other Arab countries famous for dictatorial cases. This is contrary to what Hobbes refers to in his social contract theory, leaving the state of nature and looking a t the advancement of one’s own course at the expense of the others in the territory (subjects). According to the social contract theory, it is those in higher social ranks who seem to deserve their rights while those of the lower social ranking are often considered incapable of demanding for any form of rights. As a result of this, their rights are always abused in a bid to preserve those of the power in the society. This paper will look at the effects of electing a sovereign with regard to the protection of state rights and the protection of the people under this rule with reference to the Arab countries and democracy in these regions. Hobbes proposes in his theory that the election of a sovereign in any state always results in the creation of the state of nature in the regions under the control of the sovereign (Saul, 2008). This theory, I think does not hold enough water in as much as I know and believe given the many atrocities which have been experienced in many of the A rab countries such as Syria and Egypt in the recent past. Having the sovereigns in these states has done nothing much other than inflicting a lot of troubles and augmenting the rise in cases of inequalities in these states. These happen as the sovereigns strive to uphold their own rights at the expense of the other citizens. Many people have succumbed to death in these countries as they try to protest to regain their rights. The question in this case therefore is whether this is what Hobbes refers to as the creation of a state of nature. The state of nature according to my understanding with regard to the social and political contexts is when the ruling authority strikes a balance with the citizens under her rule to allow the participation and full regard of the subjects in state affairs. It is far from having the central government designing and deciding on every aspect of leadership. The contrary is however the truth in most of the sovereign ruling systems as in the cases of Syria and Egypt we have mentioned above. Brown and Hamzawy note that â€Å"The tragic developments in Lebanon and Palestine- all with weak or failed state institutions- have enable Arab democracy pessimists dismiss easily any talk about positive political reforms as the fantasy of the western well- intentioned humanists- or misguided ideologues- who do not understand the real

Persuasive (AIRA) Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive (AIRA) Letter - Essay Example Inclusion of the Co-Curricular Records (CCR) would provide an official mode for student participation of co-curricular activities and nurturing talents in St. Mary University’s students. The management of the St. Mary University can only measure all roundedness in their learners through the Co-Curricular Record (CCR). It is also vital to consider that, additional skills besides education are important for learners. Though some people have counter arguments on the validity and reliability of these records, I still believe that educational transcripts have to be complemented and acquire additional skills that place them in an advantageous position in terms of accessing job opportunities. Through the AIRA strategy, the management of St. Mary’s University will need to shift an amount of funds to put the Co-Curricular Records (CCR) in place. The management will also need to dedicate a huge sum of money to mobilize students to join the group, as well as hire the services of motivational speakers to motivate students on the need to be all rounded learners. However, this move will be beneficial to the St. Mary’s just like has been to other

The relationship between humans and their technology Essay

The relationship between humans and their technology - Essay Example The application and use of technology is replacing the human being services in the world. Currently, the technological machines are replacing human being in performing dangerous work, repetitive tasks and expensive but simple tasks. There are benefits accompanied with this aspect of machine replacing human in industries. The machines are faster than human being and this speed up the process of production. Some tasks are more dangerous and expose human beings to danger. Safety is ensured when machines perform work which could be performed by human being. For example, in a construction site machines are used to lift building bricks instead of having them carried by people. These safes people because the bricks can knock someone down (Cavan Group, 2013). In respect to speed, machines can perform task without resting. They do not need rest unlike human beings who need to rest after performing difficulty tasks. In places where machines perform task, work is done faster than in places where human perform the task. For example, typing using computer is faster because one can ma ke more copies at the same time unlike hand writing which requires one to write more copies. Machines produce high quality work than human beings. Machines are set by human being to perform a certain tasks. A well maintained machine does not alter the information but performs the task depending to the setting. Human beings can forget at times and produce low quality work. The machines always ensure quality of the work performed. For example, computers make an exact copy of information in disks. The application of technology is slowly replacing human beings in performing tasks (Karlen, 2014). Technological devices work alongside human beings. The machines can not perform any work without being directed by people. It is better to have a machine working alongside human being than leaving a machine to work alone. For example, people are working to build up robots to work together with people. It

The Worn Path analysis Essay Example for Free

The Worn Path analysis Essay In the story â€Å"A Worn Path†, there is a repetitive comparison between the main character and a mythological creature. The author Eudora Welty chooses Phoenix Jackson to symbolize through color, her appearance, behavior and overall journey a Phoenix bird. The author gives description to focus on Phoenix Jackson’s age. She says that â€Å"her eyes were blue with age†, are hints of extreme age. Another description of her the author says â€Å"her skin had a pattern all of its own branching wrinkles. † This implies that an old tree has many branches as the old woman’s skin has many wrinkles. Later in the story when she encounters the hunter he asks of her age. She replies â€Å"there is no telling mister†, which tells you that phoenix is unaware of her age now that she has become so old like the phoenix bird. The phoenix has a life span of 500-1000 years before it reincarnates making it eternal. The color descriptions that are given to Phoenix Jackson are those of an actual Phoenix. Welty says that Phoenix has â€Å"a golden color that runs underneath and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The phoenix bird is most recognizable by its colors, the fire bird. It’s beautiful colors of red orange and yellow give it its illuminated glow, the same colors given to phoenix Jackson. The animalistic characteristics of a bird are also given to Phoenix Jackson. She doesn’t see well, so in her journey through the woods she relies on her instinct to direct her on her path. She even closes her eyes when crossing a river. She is also protective of her grandson. Making a life threatening trek for his medicine because he cannot care for himself makes her his protector. A mother bird is very protective of her chicks, Phoenix even describes her grandson by saying â€Å"He wears a patch quilt and peep out holding his mouth wide open like a little bird.† There are numerous references that compare Phoenix to a bird. By her overall outlook on her journey she relies on instinct to carry her forward but she sees things differently than most. The view of a bird is a different one than any creature on land because they have a different perspective as does Phoenix Jackson.

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops

Operations Management of Supermarket Retail Shops Operations are a primary activity for a supermarket retail business. As such, a business that wants to be successful needs to have a leading operating model. Staff plays very important role in this model. It is necessary to put a sustained focus upon how to develop best operational staff to ensure the supermarket industry is fit to embrace the significant future developments that are expected and to excel in customer service (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). As per Martyn (2010), operations must be viewed with the appropriate level of importance, so as to support an ambition to create a world-class operating environment, which consists of people, process, technology and organization. A good operational team staffed by good operational individuals can create a competitive advantage, keeping customers satisfied, having a company that is efficiently, economically and effectively run, and creating a band of loyal and committed employees (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). It is worth being ambitious for the operations function and the associated staff it will make a difference to the business According to Willis (1998), operational management is the systematic management and control of processes that transform resources into finished products and services. The operation includes support for a significant proportion of the workforce and material assets in most organizations. Managers are involved in each step in the operations. They determine what kind of equipment, labor, tools, equipment, materials, energy and information must go into the operating system and how these materials can be the best way to go and use to meet the needs of the market (Banker and Khosla, 1995). Managers are responsible for critical activities such as quality management and monitoring, capacity planning, materials management, purchasing and planning (Goodale and et al. 2010). Without the assistance of staff, these activities cannot be successful. Operations management is also known for production and capacity management and operations management area is a multidiscipline that focuses on operations of the organization (Lashley Taylor, 1998). Schniederjans Cao (2009) states that OM includes many decisions such as the scale of operations, including managements decision regarding the design, planning, and managing a number of factors that affect the operation. (Shin Collier, 2000). Operations Manager needs to apply the ideas and technology to increase productivity and reduce costs, increase flexibility to respond quickly to changing customer needs, shorten delivery times, improve product quality, and improve customer service. These are the important areas to be taken care of for the success of a company or a branch. There has been dramatic increase in the importance of operations management. Significant foreign competition, shorter product and service life-cycles, better-educated and quality-conscious consumers, and the capabilities of new technology have placed increasing pressures on the operations function to improve productivity while providing a broader array of high-quality products and services (Williams Anderson, 2008). With the globalization of markets, firms are recognizing that the operations function can be used to strengthen their position in the market place. Managers in operations management play a strategic and tactical role in satisfying customer needs and making their firms strong international competitors. Organizations should follow the competition. If an employee is away from work or not paying attention then the company will lose customers and its competitors are able to take this opportunity, the company can lose its popularity and profitability. For gaining efficiency quality is the key to success and which is an effective treatment, especially for continuous improvement (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Excellent customer service is essential to the success of any business. Officials must be monitored at all times, if they offer a good customer service or not, so they can better perform and can excel in customer service and their work should be assessed frequently. It takes time to really excel in customer service, but this ability can be learned with proper training. Employees should leave the bad attitude, family problems and personal issues at the door. Generally, customers will not see the owner or management f the company. Instead, they see that the customer service and this is how t hey judge the whole business. Employees are the mirror of the company so the employees should show their best services through their good attitude. Employees should sincerely welcome every customer with a smile, they are valuable. A participatory management and team work are major components of successful operations (Hays Hill, 2006). Motivation, leadership and training are essential too. In addition, materials management and quality, these are two important areas. Materials management is becoming increasingly important in many organizations as the cost of purchasing materials is more than 50% of the total cost products (Shin Collier, 2000). Quality management programs and quality products are essential to compete in todays business environment. The supermarket retail branch staff should have the qualities to win the heart of the customers by their services. For excelling in customer service employees should consider that customers are not easy to deal with but if employees have the patience and the people skills to overcome that, it would be easier for them to excel in it (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). Perhaps the most essential thing the employees should always remember when on a customer service job is to keep a positive attitude. For instance, if one works at a call center, the first thing the employee should expect from a call from online is a burst of angry customers (Soteriou Chase, 1998). Although sometimes this may not be the case but it is better if one is prepare for it. To develop that pleasant and relaxed attitude, it is best to smile even if one is only on the phone. The action of smiling automatically buffers the outbursts you are going to get from your client. In the case of working in a retail business, smiling will go a long way with the customers. When the customers are greeted with a friendly face, they will start t o give their interest. The next thing the employee must remember is how to respond at a time when they come into contact with customers. For a retail customer service, employee does not follow the customers around when they come into the store (Hays Hill, 2006). This is a common mistake made by the store customer service staff. Employees must make it possible for customers to have the freedom to explore the product without tailing behind him. They should let them walk around and check out the goods. When they are ready to ask questions, they talk to employees. Employee must comply with them if they seem to ask, is the signal for the employees can go up to them and ask how they can help them out (Sramek, Mentzer Stank, 2008). All this will result in having good reputation in the market. The working operations can output more than they would work alone as the organization has developed sophisticated systems and equipment that increase worker productivity (Horvathova, 2010). The company also provides education and training for their workforce to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. As a result of improvements in productivity and improved training, more outputs are produced and the standard of living increase for all. Employees should think of customers as individuals. If they think so, they realize that their business is their customers, not their products or services. Put all the attention for goods in shops, or companies offering their services, leaving the most important component: each individual customer. For good customer service, employees must go the extra mile. They should include a thank you note to the package to a customer, send a greeting card, clip articles, and write a note of congratulations when they get a promotion (Martyn, 2010). There are many ways for employees to stay in touch with customers and make them closer. An effective operations strategy can provide a competitive advantage. Managers must rethink many of the basic principles of good managers of operations who worked in the past (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Companies should adopt a strategy for improvement that fits the specific needs of the organization at that point. Assigning a team to perform a task may not always be the best idea. Sometimes it is better to allow an individual to work alone. Foster Jeffrey (2008) believe that the main purpose of Operations Management is to plan, organize, direct, and control the process of bringing together people, equipment, materials, and methods to accomplish a broad range of operational tasks outlined below in the most cost-effective manner. The manager of the branch should understand how people think and act accordingly to motivate workers by creating a harmonious workplace. Proper management of the operations function has led to success for many companies. For example, in 1994 Dell Inc. was a second-tier computer maker that managed its operations similar to others in the industry (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Then Dell implemented a new business model that completely changed the role of its operations function. Dell developed new and innovative ways of managing the operations function that have become one of two- days best practices. These changes enabled Dell to provide rapid product delivery of customized products to customers at a lower cost, and thus become an industry leader. As change is the law of the nature, the operations of the supermarket retail branch should be flexible so that they can adapt the changes in the future. For operations management to be successful, it must add value during the transformation process (Willis, 1998). The greater the value added, the more productive a business is. Activities that do not add value are considered a waste; these include certain jobs, equipment, and processes (Banker Khosla, 1995). In addition to value added, operations must be efficient. Performing well at lowest possible cost results in greater efficiency. An important role of operations is to analyze all activities by eliminating those that do not add value, and restructure processes and jobs to achieve greater efficiency (Goodale et al. 2010). Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. As customers demand ever higher quality in their products and services, companies have been forced to focus on improving quality in order to remain competitive. With TQM everyone in the company is responsible for quality. TQM was practiced by some companies in the 1970s and became pervasive in the 1990s (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Quality is the area of the operations management which can never be ignored by companies. The importance of this movement is demonstrated by the number of companies joining the ranks of those achieving ISO 9000 certià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cation (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). ISO 9000 is a set of quality standards developed for global manufacturers by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to control trade into the then emerging European Economic Community (EEC) (Foster Jeffrey, 2008). Today many companies require their suppliers to meet these standards as a condition for obtaining contracts. To have effective operations management, the company must employ T QM. Competition based on time is the one of the recent trends in the companies. It has many aspects like development of the new products and services and reaching the market first and meeting customer orders most quickly (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). For example, two companies may produce the same product, but if one is able to deliver it to the customer in two days whereas the other delivers it in five days, the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst company will make the sale and win over the customers. Time-based competition requires specifically designing the operations function for speed (Schniederjans Cao, 2009). Supermarket branch should cater to the needs of the customers more quickly in order to gain competitive advantage. Supply Chain management plays a vital role in appropriate operations management. Willis (1998) states that supply chain management (SCM) involve managing the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow of materials and information from suppliers and buyers of raw materials all the way to the final customer. Its aim is to reduce the overall cost and improving the quality and the delivery of the service. Team approach is essential in supply chain management. It requires the co-operation from all the departments such as marketing, purchasing, operations, and engineering. It will result in more satisfied customers (Banker Khosla, 1995). It has become possible with the development of information technology (IT) tools which assist in collaborative planning and scheduling. The technologies help to combine the supply chain execution and design collaboration, which enables companies to respond better and faster to changing market needs. The companies which have achieved great success through supply chain management are Dell Computer, Wal-Mart, and Baxter Healthcare (Banker Khosla, 1995). Today businesses must think in terms of a global marketplace in order to compete effectively. This includes the way they view their customers, competitors, and suppliers. Key issues are meeting customer needs and getting the right product to markets as diverse as the Far East, Europe, or Africa (Willis, 1998). Operations management is responsible for most of these decisions. Operations Management decides whether to tailor products to different customer needs, where to locate facilities, how to manage suppliers, and how to meet local government standards (Williams Anderson, 2008). Also, global competition has forced companies to reach higher levels of excellence in the products and services they offer. The use of best supply chain management should be used in supermarket retail branch for excellent management of the operations. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches, and Mystery Programmes can provide the solution. The employees should have thorough understanding of what the branch offers in order to win and retain the customers. Moreover, the employees must fully understand the position of the branch in the market and what is expected of them (Horvathova, 2010). Mystery shopping programmes support the management and development of service delivery in supermarkets, transforming an intangible asset into exactly what one promises to the customer a vital competitive advantage in todays uncertain market (Hays Hill, 2006) . This programme is very helpful for making improvements among the staff. It will help in identifying areas for revenue improvements, recognizing and rewarding employee and customer service initiatives Mystery shopping programmes should be developed to reflect own unique quality protocols. These systems wil l help to measure the staff performance. Continous monitoriting of the service improvements can be done through this programme. One can define and monitor staff in many ways. These programmes should be designed in such a way so that these can check variables like employee product knowledge, check consistently the quality check standards and uniformity, and monitor customer care and communication (Martyn, 2010). Benchmarking should also be employed in the branch in order to make the comparison among different branches. Otherwise, it is complex to identify the areas that need improvement. Employees should be rewarded on the basis of their performance and there should be incentive plans which will reward the employees when they outperform. This will be very helpful for effective operations management. At the end, it is concluded that for the success of the retail branch operations the employees should pay full attention rather than taking their personal performance for granted. The quality of the service will decline if they dont co-operate. The employees should be checked at all times whether they are providing good customer service or not and there should be training conducted from time to time so that they can learn to excel in this skill and their work should be evaluated frequently. They should also be trained so that they can acquire new skills. There should be an effective, consistent and impartial way to benchmark service levels in all the supermarket retail branches. Todays business environment is more competitive than ever, and the role of operations management has become the focal point of efforts to increase competitiveness by improving value added and efficiency. This can be possible only by employing new methods, new technology and by training employees. By behaving strategically, the supermarkets or companies can pave their way towards effectiveness, efficiency, productivity and prosperity.

Hidden Horrors in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- Shirley Jacks

Hidden Horrors in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" presents conflict on more than one level. The most important conflict in the story is between the subject matter and the way the story is told. From the beginning Jackson takes great pains to present her short story as a folksy piece of Americana. Slowly it dawns on us, the terrible outcome of what she describes. From the first sentence of the story, The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. We are given the feeling of being in an idyllic, rural world. She enhances this feeling with little vignettes that are almost cliched in their banality: the little boys guarding their pile of stones in the town square; the towns-people gathering and interacting with each other as if they were at a country fair; Mrs. Hutchinson arriving late because she hadn't finished the dishes; even the good-natured complaining of Old Man Warner. All of these scenes and vignettes are used effectively to put us at our ease and to distract us from the horror that is to come. In depicting this home-spun American scene with its horrible underlying secret Shirley Jackson is commenting on the hidden horrors of our every day life. It is no coincidence that the victim of the stoning is a woman. Jackson uses this character, Tessie Hutchinson, to comment on the sacrificial role that women play in American society. We first meet Tessie Hutchinson when she arrives late for the lottery. It is significant that she has just come from washing her dishes. This is one of the most basic jobs of housework. Wiping her hands on her apron and apologizin... ...iety that Shirley Jackson belonged to, and commented on in her writing, was one that depended on women for their work. It also demanded that a woman sacrifice herself and her ambitions, if they included anything besides raising a family, to the god of domesticity. Jackson starkly portrays the sacrifice that has been a part of the lives of all women. Tessie Hutchinson screams, "It isn't fair. It isn't right," just before she is killed. This could be said, and has been said, about the lot of women in post-world war II America. In 1948, when Jackson wrote this story, Americans were listening about as much as the townspeople listened to Tessie Hutchinson before stoning her to death. Works Cited Jackson, Shirley. "The Lottery." Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. 5th ed. Ed. Laurence Perrine. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Publishers 1998. 180-186

My Future Career and Plans

My future career and plans The first I have to do is to finish this school. After it there I would like to study The University of Economics or Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Czech Technical University. Rather I would like to study the University of Economics, because after finishing it I would have two qualifications, computer specialist and engineer of economy. The second school is very good too, because I would have a complex overview in computers. During the studies I would like to join some exchange program for students and study few months abroad.It would be absolutely perfect, because of get some experience with foreign circumstances. Next aim I would like to achieve is to learn fluently French and German. It’s necessary, because we are surrounded by German speaking countries and the official language in the European Union is the French. My school selection has another advantage. After reach some experience skills in the computer world I could certify my knowl edge by Microsoft certificating program. The test and certificate are world reputable, which could be very useful in the future job.During the studies, there is a possibility to work for a company connected with school, where I could get some experience as a practice. If I found some good practice during my studies I would try to lunch out on my own. I would try to find a flat and live my own life. I have to prove to everybody, especially to my family, that I am able to see after myself. After the school I would like to find well paid work, but I would have to enjoy it. In the work which I don’t enjoy I don’t do maximum for it and it’s not good. Related essay: â€Å"My Ambition To Become an Engineer†After get some experience If possible I would like to create my own computer company, because what I know certain is that I don’t want to work with some company and after fifty years they will tell me â€Å"By Mike, you were good, but we don’t need you anymore†. That’s my nightmare. I want to leave some product of my whole life work here. I exactly don’t know the specialization of my future company, but I would like to undertake in the computer world, because it has a future.That’s another reason why I would like to study the University of Economics. For choice I would like to undertake with my present friends, because I can believe them and they will study similar schools. I believe that would be successful company and we would earn a lot of money. I would buy a comfortable car and I would buy a land and built a big house with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. The bases for a g ood life are the material resources and a life partner.I don’t enjoy the marriage so I would like to live with my partner without it at least until the time we would have children, because it’s not necessary for me to have an affirmation which allows me to live with somebody I love. I think that it is a modern tendency to live without a marriage, so I would try it. I suppose that people will come to know each other better. After I will have children I would like to look after my family, so the conditions is that the company will be reputable and it will be run by perspective people and I will only share the profits and do only the representative functions as propagations of our interests.

Organizational Structure Essay

In this paper, I will analyze the elements of a job analysis and discuss its significance to the hiring and employee development aspects of human resource management. I will describe the importance of a PAQ, proposing two ways the results can be used to redesign a customer service job for efficiency. I will develop two strategies that HR professionals can in the selection for a customer service position using a Fleishman Job Analysis System. I will examine the challenges for designing this job for efficiency and suggest two ways to redesign it. Finally, I will propose three ways a HR manager can use the information from a job analysis to measure the performance of customer service representatives. One of the most important aspects of human resources is recruiting. In order to recruit the best applicants, job recruiters have to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the position. The best source of information about a position comes from a job analysis. A job analysis is the process of getting detailed information about jobs. A job analysis helps recruiters to match job requirements with the best applicants. It is also essential in employee development, performance appraisals and compensation. A job analysis includes many steps but only three elements. Those elements are the sources of job information, the job specification and the job description. The first element of the job analysis is the source of information used. In doing the analysis, human resource professionals gather information about jobs through interviewing employees, observing performance of certain tasks, asking employees to fill out questionnaires and worksheets, and collecting information about a job from secondary sources. Other sources within the company include existing job descriptions and supervisors. Some of those  secondary sources include existing job analysis information from a competitor and O*NET. Next, the job specification includes the tasks that make up the job, the conditions under which the job is performed and what the job requires in terms of aptitude, knowledge, skills and abilities (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2014). This will provide a lot of data. It measures the amount of time the employee spends on major duties. It provides a description of the major duties in order of importance. It determines whether any licensures, certificates or security clearances are needed to perform the job, as well as the physical, environmental and mental demands of a position. This information is essential in creating a job description. The last element is the job description. â€Å"A job description is a list the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2014).† A well-written job description can sell jobs to perspective employees and develop training programs as a job position evolves. Sometimes the needs of business changes and therefore some duties may change within a position. â€Å"For the employer, the job description is often used as a recruiting tool and by supervisors to outline position expectations. The job description may be used to indicate salary or reporting structure and as a reference during performance evaluations (Richards, 2014).† Once all the information has been assembled for a job analysis, it can be further analyzed by using a position analysis questionnaire (PAQ). â€Å"A PAQ is a standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2014).† The purpose of the questionnaire is to measure the job characteristics and its relation to the human characteristics. The PAQ can be used for a few different things. Common uses include developing a compensation model, selection criteria for a specific job and to study the nature of work (PAQ.com, 2014). A PAQ can be used to redesign a customer service job to be more efficient and improve quality. â€Å"Using the PAQ provides an organization with information that helps in comparing jobs, even when they are dissimilar (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2014).† In making those comparisons, analyzers might find ways to be more efficient. The collected data from this approach helps in developing or revising a job description. In the customer service business the needs of each customer can vary. Therefore, responsibilities of a customer service representative can vary to meet those needs. Those things might not be listed in the job description but will need to be added in order to keep the job description updated. Furthermore, information learned from the PAQ helps in evaluating the position for appropriate classification. A good source to use for worker requirements is the Fleishman Job Analysis system. The Fleishman Job Analysis system (F-JAS) is a job analysis technique that asks subject-matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2014).† Because the results of a F-JAS, provides a picture of the ability requirements of a job, than recruiters know what abilities to scan for when reviewing resumes. Typing skills might be a skill that is important in a customer service position. The F-JAS can give us an idea of just how important typing is to a job so that we would be able to make reasonable accommodations for an applicant with disabilities. Human resource professionals can also use F-JAS to update job descriptions. As processes change the need for some abilities change as things may become automated, therefore job responsibilities change. â€Å"Kannisto adds, â€Å"With the compliance environment and legal implicat ions, the stakes are a lot higher for job descriptions to be crystal clear with essential responsibilities. If you have a measure of performance that doesn’t appear on the job description and you have a case brought against you, depending on the agency [involved], there could be punishment,† he explains (Tyler, 2013).† When considering the job of a customer service representative (CSR) who handles consumer inquiries for a company that sells items online and by catalog, a few challenges of designing this job for efficiency, come to  mind. The first challenge that comes to mind is monotony. Over time, employees will be bored of doing the same job over and over. Even more so if the job is divided into departments, such as sales, returns and customer service, employees will lose interest. A suggestion for redesigning the customer service representative position is job enlargement. Employees might find the job more engaging if all the calls came through on department. We could cross-train employees to be able to handle all the calls that come through the queue. Another suggestion is job rotation. Maybe every week, we could rotate the tasks. We could also make some customer services responses automated for customers. So if a customer wanted to check status on an order, we could generate a system automa ted response so that those calls don’t come into the call center. Another challenge for designing a customer service representative job is defining authority. Sometimes, customer service requires problem solving and quick decisions. Waiting to speak to a manager can be frustrating for the customer and it makes the employee look incompetent, because it increases hold time. The employee probably feels impotent having to get permission to make a decision, especially when they know what to do. A suggestion for redesigning the CSR’s position is job enrichment. CSR’s need a certain amount of authority when it comes to resolving customer service issues. This is a way to raise productivity levels and employee satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in taking ownership of problems and meeting the challenge of increased responsibility. A human resource manager (HRM) can use the information obtained from job analysis to measure the performance of a customer service representative. Job analysis is a set of procedures or methods for determining what workers actually do on the job and for describing which aspects of worker knowledge, skill, ability, and other characteristics are needed for job performance. This process defines a productive employee and gives human resource managers a place to start for measuring performance. One way HRM can use this information is in making personnel decisions. This tool can help determine whether an employee should receive a promotion, transfer, pay increase or be fired. It can also be used for employee development. A performance  appraisal will determine the strengths and weaknesses of employees. This is key to helping our CSR’s grow, because we can create training programs to increase their skills levels. Taking the time to strengthen their weaknesses will make them perform better, which is great for the company. Finally, the performance appraisal can be used as documentation to protect a company from lawsuits, because it is used as the basis for personnel decisions. In conclusion, the job analysis is the foundation of most human resource functions. With its use, job descriptions are created and updated which standardizes recruiting. It is a perfect outline for measuring performance of new and existing employees. Job analysis provides training and employee growth opportunities. Personnel decisions are also validated by job analysis, because it creates a system of checks and balances for hiring, performance appraisals, promotion and demotion and/or firing. Works Cited Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 103). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 107). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 108). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. PAQ.com. (2014). The paq program. Retrieved from http://www.paq.com/?FuseAction=Main.PAQProgram Richards, F. (2014). Key parts to job descriptions. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/key-parts-job-descriptions-12366.html Tyler, K. (2013, Jan. 01). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2013/0113/pages/0113-job-descriptions.aspx