How do Owen and Auden convey the negative effects of war in their poems ‘Disabled’ and ‘Refugee Blues’’?

In the poems Disabled and Refugee Blues, the writers, Owen and Auden respectively, convey the negative effects of war in a variety of ways. Through the use structuring, literary and figurative devices, Auden subtly shows the negative effects of war, whereas Owen does this it more explicitly, showing the de-humanizing, gruesome effects of war. In the poem Disabled, Owen displays the more gruesome, horrendous reality; he does this in a variety of ways.Firstly he uses a randomized stanza structure, the stanzas do not have a consistent amount of lines. The stanza structure is emphasizing how the soldier’s think, because most soldiers act upon their animalistic instinct, Owen has used this idea rely on instinct to create his structure, not only does this confuse the reader but Owen also tries to emphasize on how the war has affected the soldiers.Owen also uses a lot of different literary devices to help him, metaphor is used throughout the poem to help develop the poem, â€Å"Voic es of boys rang saddening like a hymn†, the voices of boys made the soldier feel sad; they make him remember his childhood, it was not long ago that he was like those boys, running freely, however it seems like a distant memory.Owen is emphasizing that the war robbed the soldier of his innocence and naivety, he is also a little jealous of them, they still believe in fairy tales and happy endings, whereas the soldier understands the true colors of reality. â€Å"In the old times, before he threw away his knees/All of them touch him like some queer disease† these two quotes, emphasize on the fact that the soldier threw away his legs when he enlisted in the army, if he didn’t sign up he wouldn’t be disabled and the girls would still be flirting with him.The girls do not want to be with someone who is crippled; heroes do not get injured. It seems like he has given up on life as much as life has given up on him, he has succumbed into the idea that he is not a r eal man anymore; others can sense this about him and stay away because they do not want to be dragged down by his self-pity. Granted, the women could be touching him in disgust, it is also likely that it is him who is projecting his own feelings of disgust on them.The war can affect both the social life and the personal life negatively, thus creating a very negative atmosphere in the stanza. Owen also makes effective use of alliterations, â€Å"Legless, sewn short at elbow†, not only does this quote tell us the exact extent of the soldiers disability, but during World War I it was common practice to sew shut pant legs and sleeves when someone is missing the limb or appendix, the quote makes us pity the soldier, moreover it is also common that soldiers lose a limbs during war, creating a very brutal and negative view upon war.Another alliteration that has been used, â€Å"And a leap of purple spurted from his thigh†, a leap of purple could relate to blood or bruises, th is quote indicates the severity of his injuries, although it was a large injury, the poem portrays it only as a ‘leap of purple’, this makes the injury seem small and insignificant, and which was likely how the government and the higher-ups viewed the disabled soldiers. Although W.H Auden wrote Refugee Blues half a year before World War II broke out, the Nazi’s (Nationalists) have already been hunting Jews and ‘exterminating’ them, Refugee Blues is a Jewish perspective on the war. W. H. Auden has structured his poem into tersets, and each stanza proposes a different theme and part of the Jewish refugees life, it also isolates the stanza, emphasizing each negative point Auden has made.Auden uses very effective metaphors to convey the different negative effects of Hitler’s rein, â€Å"Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin, /Saw a door open and a cat let in:/ But they weren’t German Jews, my dear, they weren’t German Jews. à ¢â‚¬  In this quote, W. H. Auden was comparing the Jewish with a poodle and a mere street cat, not only does it emphasize how un-wanted the Jews were, Auden himself degraded the Jewish into something that was utterly despised and negatively viewed.

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives Essay

Technology has altered our lives significantly in 20 years. It has advanced in many things like phones, computers, television, science, etc. Devices I think devices have improved the most in 20 years. In my opinion, I feel it has made our lives more independent. It enables us to wonder about things further, and then become curious and Google it. For example, when we aren’t sure of what to do (for school projects, DIY jobs) we can just pull up a site such as Ask.com, Answers.com and get instant help. Devices also have several reminder, alarm, note and calculator applications, making you stress-free. The internet now allows shopping lovers to purchase everything, from pencils to penthouses. And when you’re on the go, you’ll never be bored with games and book applications. Education Education has changed a lot too, and you might not notice it. If a kid is doing geography, they can access sites like Google Earth and explore the world in 3D. They are now able to access websites for checking homework, reminders, and important events. Teachers hardly ever use blackboards now, thanks to the new touch sense screens called SmartBoards. And for homeschooled kids ,they get just the same education as regular schooled kids. They can log on to online programs where they have lessons from real teachers via voice calls. Now a teacher is not limited by the number of chairs in her classroom. One teacher can teach 100 kids at a time. Medicine In the field of medicine, technology has truly saved millions of lives. Doctors have found cures to so many diseases, which were otherwise at one time fatal. Doctors can study the human body so very closely now, with things like CT scans and x-rays. With CT scans, doctors can examine everything in the human body to determine a certain problem that the person may have. Doctors have also developed more antibiotics, which are mandatory when a person is sick. These are just a few of the reasons how technology has changed our lives in 20 years. Read more:Â  Technology Improving Our Lives

Nextgen for Airports Essay

Abstract Rarely in the world of academia does a student get to write a paper on something they are actually interested in. That is exactly what has happened in my case this term. From my days in the United States Air Force I’ve been fascinated by aircraft, aircraft technology, and how the daily operations of the worlds flights are coordinated. Nextgen is the future of aircraft travel technology, and this paper will explain its past, present, and future. What is Nextgen? NextGen stands for Next Generation Air Transportation System. NextGen is a transformative change in the way aircraft flight is managed, and the operations of how we fly. NextGen enhances safety, reduces delays, saves fuel and reduces aviation’s adverse environmental impact. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been in the process of intergrating new and existing technologies for many years now. This is a comprehensive effort to conduct the largest aircraft travel transformation in the history of flight. This transformation includes integrating satellites navigation and super advanced digital communications. Airports and aircraft in the National Airspace System will be connected to NextGen’s advanced infrastructure and will continually share real-time information to provide a better travel experience. (FAA.gov, 2012) NextGen’s astonishing transformation includes six core transformational programs: Collaborative Air Traffic Management Technologies, Data Communications, System Wide Information Management, NextGen Network Enabled Weather, NAS Voice System and Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast. These programs will facilitate the largest air transport transformation in history. According to the FAA website, there will be a continuous roll-out of improvements and upgrades, the FAA is building the capability to guide and track air traffic more precisely and efficiently to save fuel and reduce noise and pollution. NextGen is better for our environment, and better for our economy. NextGen for Airports The United States’ air transportation industry is and has been on the verge of bursting at the seams for more than a decade now. What NextGen means to the U.S. air traffic system is new capabilities that will improve safety and accessibility at airports. Also, Nextgen will allow for future air traffic growth, NextGen capabilities will help commercial airports accommodate the demand for additional capacity in a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. (FAA.gov, 2012) The FAA provides an example of what NextGen means to the U.S. air traffic system: â€Å"the sharing and use of newly available surface surveillance data to track aircraft and vehicles will enhance safety and enable airports to make better use of existing capacity. And while airport surface improvement is one of the main near-term areas of emphasis, work is also underway on other initiatives, such as improving operations on closely spaced parallel, converging and intersecting runways.† On any given day, more than 87,000 flights are in the skies in the United States. Only one-third is commercial carriers, like American, United or Southwest. On an average day, air traffic controllers handle 28,537 commercial flights (major and regional airlines), 27,178 general aviation flights (private planes), 24,548 air taxi flights (planes for hire), 5,260 military flights and 2,148 air cargo flights (Federal Express, UPS, etc.). At any given moment, roughly 5,000 planes are in the skies above the United States. In one year, controllers handle an average of 64 million takeoffs and landings. (Natca.org, 2012) These are mind boggling statistics that would frighten even the most seasoned air traveler at best. I have several air traffic controller buddies who make greyhound seem more feasible everyday. Gate to Gate According to Sarah Brown with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) using traditional technology controllers could only clear two aircraft into Steamboat Springs, Colorado an hour; but by using NextGen technology Wide Area Multilateralation (WAM) their capacity was increased to 10 aircraft an hour. This increase in landings directly affects the local economy through landing fee’s, increase in passenger revenue, tourism, and a myriad of other revenue generating sources to include: parking fee’s, car rentals, concessions, land rentals, and tenant fee’s. By increasing an airports capacity NextGen not only means faster, safer travel but also it means increased revenue’s for all parties involved. As FAA officials discuss the switch from ground based to satellite surveillance and navigation systems this vast improvement will ultimately lead to increased â€Å"gate to gate† air travel. (Brown, 2012) Not only does NextGen improve travel for airline passengers but the new technologies will provide more access for general aviation as well. Why NextGen Matters Typically in aviation it takes a catastrophic event to set change in motion. To use a phrase I heard a previous instructor use â€Å"it takes metal on metal to force a change in the aviation industry†. The FAA states, â€Å"NextGen will help us be even more proactive about preventing accidents with advanced safety management to enable us, with other government agencies and aviation partners, to better predict risks and then identify and resolve hazards.† Also, â€Å"NextGen boils down to getting the right information to the right person at the right time. It will help controllers and operators make better decisions. This data will assist operators in keeping employees and passengers better informed.† In today’s modern society every industry preaches safety, safety, safety my question is why does it take such catastrophic events to take the safer route? Safety matters, which is why NextGen matters! Economic Impact In all industries and business the bottom line is revenue, regardless if its Microsoft, Delta Airlines, Dow Chemical, or Colonial Pipeline. While some company’s vision may be noble, they are in business to make money. NextGen’s transformation is no different. NextGen is creating vast economic opportunities for those tasked to implement the changes such as General Dynamics to those in receipt of the technologies such as airports. Our nation’s economy depends on aviation. NextGen lays a foundation that will continually improve and accommodate future needs of air travel while strengthening the economy with one seamless global sky. NextGen will help communities make better use of their airports. More robust airports can help communities attract new jobs, and help current employers expand their businesses. By doing this the U.S. will strengthen its economy and help communities realize all the benefits that aviation can bring. (FAA.gov, 2012) Conclusion NextGen is one of the largest air transport system undertakings the world has ever seen, while such an undertaking has its nobility it is also strife with problems. The sheer lack of funding for such an immense task has been holding back the implementation of the transformation. With such a delay new technologies become outdated in the fast past world of technology. However, since I was a child I’ve been fascinated with airplanes and air travel so much so that I joined the Air Force. The advances in the technology used and proposed in NextGen leads me to believe in the continued growth of our National Air System. References About FAA NextGen. (n.d.). General Dynamics FAA NextGen. Retrieved from http://www.gd-faanextgen-jobs.com/About.aspx Flight Planning. (n.d.). FAA: NextGen to Guide You ‘gate to Gate’ Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2011/110228nextgen_to_guide_you_gate_to_gate.html National Air Traffic Controllers Association – Homepage. (n.d.). National Air Traffic Controllers Association – Homepage. Retrieved from http://www.natca.org/ Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). (n.d.). Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/

Source Evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Source Evaluation - Assignment Example The content of the book is relevant to research of IT corporations from their origins to the management tycoons’ life long aspirations. In particular, this book caters the Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s journey in becoming a successful search engine inventor. Conclusively, the content of the book has been divided into eleven chapters which are generally described as a story of Google till reaching the moral of the content i.e. predictable future of Google. Another reason behind selecting the book for research was its year of publication i.e. 2008. This makes the content of the book updated. As per the rule of present-day research, sources within the last five years can be considered as much credible and relevant for a research. Most of the IT related books are written in a very informal manner and might have slang book topics. This source is different from such because the author has used a very formal tone and manner of writing which makes the book right for research wor k. Furthermore, notes and references to the content taken from other sources have also been marked by the author by following academic standards. The book has been directed towards IT professionals so that they can understand the significance of learning from the symbols of development in the field. The book allows the readers to gain insight of the tactical working of IT professionals in Google Inc. Also, students of the IT field can use the book as a reference for their research projects so that they can get imperative knowledge about the practice where they are more likely to enter. For a general audience, the book is not complicated to use because it includes very general information about the IT Corporation. The general audience can use this book as a story of a company turning into a success. Using this book as a source of reference will allow a systematic analysis of the company (Scott). It is very important to note that any book is known by its writer.

The Generation Y of China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Generation Y of China - Research Paper Example The government of China uses media to govern the thoughts, emotions, and opinions of all people of China in generation and the generation Y of China in particular. The government of China is schizophrenic about the policy of media as the government â€Å"GOES BACK AND FORTH, TESTING THE LINE, KNOWING THEY NEED PRESS FREEDOM--AND THE INFORMATION IT PROVIDES--BUT WORRIED ABOUT OPENING THE DOOR TO THE TYPE OF FREEDOMS THAT COULD LEAD TO THE REGIME'S DOWNFALL† (Economy cited in Bennett para. 3). The government of China uses different kinds of methods to compel the journalists to impose the censors instead of acquiring the risk of punishment. The tactics used by the government include but are not limited to demotions and dismissals, suing the journalists for the libel, fining the journalists, and shutting the news outlets down. In addition to that, many journalists who have been considered to be overstepping the boundaries established by the government to educate the generation Y a nd provide them with unbiased information and facts have been imprisoned. â€Å"AS OF DECEMBER 2012, CHINA WAS THIRD TO IRAN AND TURKEY FOR MOST JAILED JOURNALISTS IN A SINGLE COUNTRY WITH AT LEAST THIRTY-TWO JOURNALISTS IMPRISONED† (Bennett para. 18). The government of China controls China’s Generation Y through media. ... 9). The Generation Y cannot tell what content is being hidden by the censors. The manipulations, in certain cases are subtle. This is evident from the fact that trying to use Google.cn to search the â€Å"Republic of China† leads them to the results about the history of China between 1912 and 1949 when the communists were not empowered and the mainland was referred to as the â€Å"Republic of China† whereas use of the same keywords on Google.com leads them to the sites in Taiwan. The Generation Y of China lives in a suppressed condition in an authoritarian state wherein the constitutionally paramount authority is the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Members of the CCP possess nearly every top position in such institutions as military, police, and government. â€Å"REPRESSION AND COERCION, PARTICULARLY AGAINST ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC INTEREST ISSUES, WERE ROUTINE† (â€Å"China (includes Tibet† para. 2). The authori ties impose tight restrictions on the freedom of practicing religion, assembling, and traveling of the members of the generation Y of China who are deemed politically sensitive. â€Å"POLITICAL LEGITIMACY IN CHINA OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES HAS BEEN BUILT AROUND FAST ECONOMIC GROWTH, WHICH IN TURN HAS RELIED ON A CHEAP AND WILLING YOUNG LABOR FORCE† (Feng 244). In the recent years, the government’s efforts to solace the public interest lawyers and the political activists have increased and the authorities are increasingly making use of extralegal measures to prevent the expression of independent opinions by the public. Such extralegal measures include but are not limited to soft detention, enforced disappearance, and house arrest. In addition to

Does pornography influence rape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Does pornography influence rape - Essay Example The debate has mainly focused on violent pornography since the perception revolves around the male tendencies to develop negative myths about rape, which is believed to emanate from the scenes depicted in violent pornography (McKee, 2007). However, the evidence of any adverse effects of pornography is inconsistent and comparatively, violent pornography is rare worldwide (Malamuth, Addison & Koss, 2000). The rate of victimization of rape demonstrates an inverse relationship between rape rates and pornography in the United States alone, a country believed to have fully addressed the rape menace. Data from other western nations have portrayed similar results. Even though these data cannot be relied on to determine whether pornography has cathartic impact on the rape conduct, with the weak evidence that support the negative causal hypothesis derived from the scientific reports, it has been challenging to relate pornography and actual rape. Most findings conclude that it is time to discar d the widespread hypothesis that pornography contributes to the increased statistics of sexual assault behavior that can simplistically be termed as rape (Malamuth, 2014). One of the long-standing concerns in the social sciences involves the relationship between sexually explicit products and different asocial behaviors, which entails the propensity to commit rape. In order to make effective and informed policies toward getting solutions to the sexual assault problem, it is imperative examine the nature of the relationship between sexually explicit materials or pornography and rape. Rape, which is a severe form of sexual aggression, is a major problem for women in the global society (Seto, Maric & Barbaree, 2001). Rape is a big epidemic that affects nearly all the nations of the world. The victims of this form of sexual assault come across all ethnicities, races, ages, classes, religions and cultures. Sociologists and other concerned persons, therefore, have committed to

An Important Place in My Life Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Important Place in My Life - Assignment Example I like this place because of its eccentric nature and the representation of an undying love that was shown by the Emperor. It is evident that the Emperor wanted to honor his three wives to show the world the importance of marriage (DuTemple, 2003). Although it is located in India, the structure comprises of Persian and Mughal architectural drawings. The building is in the shape a white marble tomb with other amazing features that represent the theme of love. Situated in a cool environment where tourists can easily access it without causing congestion within the city, the place registers many visitors each year. The atmosphere is serene and police officers ensure people do not cause damage to the features in the tomb (Arnold, Comora & Bhushan, 2007). As a result, Taj Mahal is an international heritage that deserves the respect and admiration of all people across the world. The symbolic design and nature of the building manifest the love message that Shah wanted to convey through architecture. Similarly, the white marbles normally change color because of the sunlight or moonlight rays that strike the surface. This marvelous site is a symbol of India’s history that made the construction to receive an honor of being among the world heritage locations. I still appreciate the marble domes and the golden finials around the tombs. The notion of combining different art elements from the Indian and Persian inspirations makes the tombs to have a distinct feature (Arnold, Comora & Bhushan, 2007). The other aspect that makes Taj Mahal my favorite place is that love inspires people to appreciate their partners. The place attracts newly married couples who go there for honeymoon sessions. The moments and stories about that place inspire people to appreciate their loved ones by being creative when presenting their gifts to the partners (DuTemple, 2003).  

The Katrina response and relief efforts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Katrina response and relief efforts - Essay Example There are several cases illustrating failure to respond effectively to mitigate the damages to life and limb of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans was poverty stricken and at least 120,000 people where without mobility. The mandatory evacuation issued on August 28 by the local officials also made no provisions for helping in evacuating the homeless, sick, carless, elderly, infirm and low-income residents. New Orleans disaster plan called for the mayor to make use of the city school buses to evacuate residents unable to leave on their own but the city never deployed the buses and was subsequently destroyed in the flooding. Amtrak also ran a special schedule to move equipment out of the city but the government declined to take the offer of this agency to take several hundred passengers instead of the scheduled equipment. Evacuees were sent to Louisiana Superdome but the large multitude of refugees was more than overwhelming to volunteers. There were not enough provisions for food, clothing and medicine. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency did indeed provide supplies, the unexpected number of evacuees rapidly depleted the provisions. (Nates & Moyer, 2005) There was visibly an ineffective mechanism in coordinating and managing the evacuation process as the governing agencies failed to respond and implement the provisions in the disaster plan that was available to them. 2)Discuss the reasons why the examples you cited above were or were not successful. Comment specifically on whether you believe that the organizational structure at the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, and the Federal government was adequate, including communications, command, and control. (Please refer to the Organization Structure for... Hurricane Camille which battered Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama already demonstrated the vulnerability as did the documentary made by the National Geographic in October 2004 and Scientific American in 2001. What is profound is that when we review other articles, we find one common thread and that is the fact that the disaster was expected though many people did not give enough attention to what mechanisms should be installedHurricane Katrina revealed several interesting individual and community behavior during and after the occurrence of disasters. While many articles were concerned on race and looting issues, it was found that social networks play an important role during the fight to survive the disaster. According to a combined study from the University of Alabama and University of California, it was found that decision-making processes are greatly influenced by social networking. In a survey of 116 evacuees, it was found that it was the social networks that greatly influenced the respondent’s evacuation and planning activities. The role of the media was found to be less important as what many people perceive. Interviewed evacuees state that they became more aware of the severity of the situation as word spread through their social circles. Friends, classmates, neighbors and other acquaintances who gave them information enabled them to prepare more than what they would have from the information they get from radio and television.

Modern Political Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modern Political Theory - Essay Example According to Leviathan a person who represents himself is a natural person, such a person representing his own thoughts and actions, whereas an artificial person represents the thoughts and actions of other people. It is possible for a person to alter his actions in different situations. Hobbes defines an actor as a person who is artificial who executes actions of another person whereas an author is someone who is the owner of his own thoughts and words. Hobbes says that a state is an example of artificial person as it cannot express its own actions and thoughts and is controlled by a power known as the Sovereign. It is said that the concept of sovereignty was created with the state in mind during the English Civil War. Thomas Hobbes said that a sovereign represent its people. The actions of the sovereigns are the actions of its people and if any person of the state objects to what the sovereign does then he is actually objecting himself (Machiavelli and Hobbes, 2005) Both Machiavelli and Hobbes both have helped us to get knowledge about political physiology. In order to differentiate between the concepts given by Machiavelli and Hobbes we have to view the methods used by them in their work. Hobbes was a well-known scholar of his time and put forward his political views into scientific forms. According to him if we examine politics from the perspective of science then we can reach to a conclusion and can create a peaceful state. In his book In de Corpore, he presented his views on mathematics, geometry, human nature and physics. He also presented the principles of political science in his book whereas Machiavelli found out how people behave or act in the world. He analyzed the behavior and actions of people and concluded the human nature. He wrote a book named Prince which was written during the Italian war, in which he found out about the selfish behavior of human being. He said that people behave in good manner when it is for their own

Interesting Facts about Mexico Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Interesting Facts about Mexico - Research Paper Example A series of measures were put in place in the late 1980s and early 1990s by the Mexican administration geared towards market liberation. Initially, Mexico had adopted protectionist market policies in order to boost industrial growth and home economy; however, these policies did not achieve the expected results. In the 1980s, Mexico faced inflation and there was a decline in the living standards. The country experienced a number of economic challenges in the 1982 debt crisis in which it was unable to meet its foreign debt payment obligations. The government addressed these challenges by privatizing government-owned industries and the journey to liberalization began (CRS 12). The country liberalized foreign market and investment by signing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the (NAFTA) North American Free Trade Agreement which saw the privatization of nearly 1000 state enterprises, including the banking sector which had been state-owned since the crisis of 1982 (Hanson 2). These reforms in the initial stages attracted a substantial amount of foreign private investments until 1993 when the foreign capital inflow started to go down. By the close of the year 1994, Mexico had currency crisis leaving the government with no option, but to ditch the fixed exchange rate and replace it with a floating exchange rate policy. The result of this was that Mexico’s currency went down by about 50% within a period of six months, leading the country to deep recession. The currency (Peso) was floated because there was overspending in the economy which generated a substantial currency deficit, the government had no sufficient reserves yet it had accumulated high levels of debt, and the banking system was overexposed. After 1994 devaluation, President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico took several measures to restructure the economy and reduce the effects of the currency crisis on the disadvantaged sectors of the economy. The main aim here was to create conditions for econ omic growth and adjust the economy within a short span of time. The IMF and the United States came to the aid of the government pooling together a financial support of 50 billion dollars. The Zedillo Administration adopted tighter monetary and fiscal policies to counter inflation and cushion some costs of the crisis in the banking sector. The plan entailed an increase in the VAT, cutting down budgets, increase in the price of gasoline and electricity and the decrease in government subsidies. The peso depreciation through the end of the 1990s led to increasing in exports and was of benefit to the export sector. However, the devaluation, on the other hand, reduced the real income hurting the poor and the emerging middle class. The signing of the NAFTA and shift of the Mexican economy to export based aided to neutralize the impacts of the Peso devaluation. President Ernesto Zedillo administration and that of his successor, President Vicente Fox, carried on with market liberalization, p rivatization of government enterprises, and economic deregulation. Through these tighter monetary and fiscal measures, these administrations were able to lower down fiscal deficit, bring inflation under control, and spur economic growth. Current Economic Situation The Mexican economic growth was 3.9% in the year 2011 and is projected to grow by 3.7% in the year 2012 and 3.8% in the year 2013.

Barack Obama and US Foreign Policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Barack Obama and US Foreign Policy - Assignment Example The present paper has identified that the United States foreign policy has deep significance for the lives of Americans and others worldwide in so many ways. Americans may not be aware of the substantial effects that the United States foreign policy has on their daily lives because it is so indirect. The American standard of living, for example, is deeply affected by the state of the economy, and the role of America in the global economy. This is in turn impacted by foreign economic policies which involve investment in companies and capital, trade in goods and services, access to raw materials and energy, and monetary policies and currencies fluctuations. Today, the American economy is more elemental to and dependent upon the international political economy. Besides security, economics, freedom, individual health and individual livelihood, there are other considerable areas of foreign policy that impact Americans. Examples are immigration and population dynamics, tourism, travel, the spread of HIV/AIDS, drug trade, deforestation, global warming, and environmental protection. The United States foreign policy is therefore involved in countless activities and affairs that have immediate and direct, as well as indirect and underlying implications on daily and future lives of Americans. During his victory speech on the evening of November 4, 2008, President-Elect Barack Obama used the moment to remind the world the image of the United States will undergo a dramatic transformation under his administration.†The foreign policy approach that has emerged during Obama’s tenure as president aligns closely with the liberal internationalist concept to foreign policy. A liberal internationalist approach is based on several core beliefs and values, about the interests and aims of foreign policy actions, for different nations and for the United States in specific. Essential domestic values, such as the development of individual freedoms and democracies are perceive d as significant ways to build a balanced, and amicable international order. Liberal internationalism also â€Å"calls for promoting international cooperation and interdependence in a variety of ways as a means to knit states and people today in a web of interdependence to address common problems and reduce the risk of conflict.† President Barrack Obama’s administration has not only had to handle the war on terrorism and the effects of Iraq war, but it also took office at a time when the International and American political economy was rocking at the threshold of breakdown. The first priority of President Barack Obama’s administration was to prevent the economic situation of America from deteriorating further and possibly collapsing into a greater depression. This was done in part by attempting to rebuild the confidence of foreign markets which had been lost during the 2008 economic crisis.  

My review and judgement for Toyshops online marketing Essay Example for Free

My review and judgement for Toyshops online marketing Essay Top shop online retail website allows their customer to purchase their products online. Top shop is generally regarded as the high street fashion centre for all women and men under 30, reasonably priced clothes suitable for all occasions. Top shop is one of the better laid out online shops the site uses an attractive black colour scheme and the clothes are divided into categories, viewers can choose to browse by New In items, Special Offers, Sale, Kate Moss range, Dresses, etc. Topshop is a high street fashion retailer that has been up and running since 1964 and is has successfully open 300 store across the UK, do shipments to more than 100 countries and has their eclectic British style is known all over the world. Over the years they have built a strong bond with industry insiders and in 2002 they joined forces with newgen, a scheme which allowed them to foster new design talent and provide a global platform for the scene’s brightest new stars. Topshop also the only high street brand to show on schedule at London Fashion week and Topshop Unique has become the style set’s hottest ticket. The Topshop formula is proving not just popular/reputation but profitable too. The chain made around $200 million in pre-tax profits last year on revenues of approximately $1.14 billion. Topshop online marketing system is very effective to its viewers/ users, Topshop’s online website benefits their customers because it give their customers the opportunity to visit their website at any time during business hours which make online shopping an excellent option for many busy shoppers. One of the most obvious benefit for online shoppers is convenience, online shoppers has the ability to purchase products/service from Topshop’s online website at any time which is most convenient for them. Their online website accepts orders twenty-four hours a day during normal business hours. Topshop’s online website provides their customers with total product information. Customers shopping online expect product details which is the Price, information on how the product or service runs on how to use it an so on, this is a benefit for the customer because before purchasing a product they get to see the price and get information on the product on how it will work out for them so they will get an rough idea of how it will work so before purchasing they could compare and select whether the price is suitable for them and if the service or product has what they need. Viewing items is easy – viewers can just click on the item they want to view in more detail and it brings up the name of the item, the price, a brief description of the product, materials used, suggestions for how to wear it, and a picture of the front and the back which you are able to zoom in. customers can see what sizes the item is available in sizes go from 6-16 and any sizes not in stock are greyed out. The business online features is beneficial to their viewer because it help to their viewers to find exactly what they are looking for in other words ‘easy to use’; images, colours, gifs, videos, drop down menus and search bars are all useful to the business viewers. Topshop’s online website also provides their viewers to be able to create their own account with the company, get additional information on their business, clothing and also complaints, viewers can write their own review on their products and service that the business offers. The effectiveness of the of Topshop marketing The effectiveness of Topshop marketing online gives customers an opportunity to purchase items from their online webpage, collect information about the product, service and also information about the business, their online webpage is also design in a way to enable their customers to get exactly what the they are looking; at the bottom of Topshop online webpage is where customers can get the information there need from the business such as, information about the business, how to find different branches, help and also other website that the customers can visit for update; Facebook, twitter, YouTube and also Google. Images, videos, pictures, drop down menus, gifs and search bar play a big impact on how customers view the business webpage, it make it easier for the customers to locate stuff on the business webpage, because these online features are visual. Topshop online website is effective because it help to attraction new customers to the business. The internet is a main asset to many people because they use this on a regular basis whether it is to communication, gather information or locate new places. Topshop use many marketing techniques to promote their online business, these are; promotional adverts online, email promotion, hyperlinks, on website such as twitter and Facebook and so on YouTube. Topshop also have an app for all smartphone, where customers can use to also purchase item, gather information and so on, this is very effective for their customers because this give their customers the advantage to shop from anywhere, during business hours. Topshop internet marketing states for Facebook and Twitter. Topshop continues to grow its following on social media sites, due to lots of features, in-store promotions and relatively high levels of engagement with fans and followers. Stats from E-Digital Research look at the number of followers for the top 20 retailers on Facebook and Twitter and, for the first time, Google+. Top 20 UK retailers on Facebook Topshop was also in pole position and it has added more than 1m new fans since May 2011. Its target audience are big Facebook and social media in general users, so the strategy of promoting its Facebook presence works well. Content is regularly updated to keep people interested, while it also promotes its social media profiles in stores and from its website. The retailer uses exclusive deals and interactive content to keep people interested. How much this translates into sales is another matter, but its significant that it hasnt opened an f-commerce store, presumably preferring to drive users to its product pages.

Cannabis Use in Young People

Cannabis Use in Young People INTRODUCTION Cannabis, also known as Marijuana or weed is a commonly used illegal substance in the United Kingdom (UK) today even among persons under the age of 18 research shows (Rcpsych.ac.uk, 2017) Presently, young people in the UK are likely to smoke cannabis as cigarettes which impacts negatively on their mental health and the community at large. Peer pressure to use drugs especially cannabis is high among young persons and its continuous use increases the risk or probability of them experiencing mental health symptoms and disorders. (Dearden, 2017). Hence the need to educate young persons about the detrimental impact cannabis and other illicit drugs can have on their health. The target audience for the leaflet designed as part of this assignment is adolescents (young persons aged 12 18). RATIONALE Young persons use of cannabis or weed is on the ascendancy even though it is a harmful illegal substance. This group of people have no true knowledge of what it contains as they buy them from drug dealers and those addicted to it risk getting physical health and emotional wellbeing issues such as poor concentration, slow reaction times, panic attacks, mood swings and isolating themselves from friends and family (JOHNS, 2001). There is the need to create awareness about the dangers of cannabis to adolescents in the UK and how it affects their mental health to reduce the risks it may pose to their health and wellbeing and to deter them from using it.   About 60,000 people suffer from mental health problems which are caused by weed in the UK (The Sun, 2016). This causes more admissions to mental health facilities, causes more distress and has negative cost implications on health services (The Sun, 2016) thus making it a significant public health issues that needs to be addressed. The more people especially adolescents who use cannabis realize the need for them to quit, the better it will be for the society as a whole; there will be a reduction in drug related crime and accidents, poor human relations associated with its use will be reduced, and a healthier and happier life for all. PREVALENCE OF CANNABIS USE AMONG ADOLESCENTS Adolescents in the UK are more likely to have tried cannabis or are regular users of cannabis. Almost 40% of adolescents revealed they had tried cannabis and other illicit substances, the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) revealed. (EPHA, 2017) Another survey, by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, revealed that among15 year olds in the UK, two in five have used cannabis. These statistics could mean that parents or adults in the UK are setting a bad example for their children in relation to cannabis use because young persons are likely to emulate the behavior of the adults they live with. It could also mean that some adolescents do not have the willpower to say no to cannabis and other illicit substances or try it out of curiosity and end up becoming addicted in the end. The use of cannabis occasionally leads to an increase in social adjustment and skills in young persons. However, regular or heavy use of cannabis at an early age is associated with numerous negative outcomes such as poor physical and mental health, having unprotected sex, and dropping out of school. 20,032 adolescents were treated for drug (including cannabis 68%) related health problems during 2012 2013. This proves that cannabis is the most frequently used illegal substance, with 15.8% having used it in the last year (around 975,000 young persons). (DrugWise, 2017) Despite these health problems posed by cannabis use, herbal cannabis seems to pose less harm as compared to other illicit substances but long term use of strong cannabis (skunk) could lead to later developing mental health problems like schizophrenia. GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO DISCOURAGE THE USE OF CANNABIS AND OTHER DRUGS 2010   policy: drug misuse and dependency This paper comes up with strategies for helping young persons from becoming drug misusers. It places importance on encouraging adolescents to live healthy lives and making them know the dangers of drugs misuse of which cannabis is included. It goes on to suggest drug services to adolescents early enough if they do encounter drug problems. The strategies are as follows: supporting children in the early years of their life so that we reduce the risk of them engaging in risky behaviour (like misusing cannabis) later in life. providing accurate information on drugs and alcohol through drug education. making it easier for school authorities to take action against pupils who are found dealing drugs in school. through the Business Rates Retention Scheme (which includes what was the Early Intervention Grant), giving  £2 billion to local councils, between 2014 and 2015, which they can use to create programmes to help prevent young people misusing drugs in the first place. helping young persons who have problems with drugs by giving them treatment and support, including supporting them in other areas of their life (for example with housing or mental health problems), so that they dont return to drug use as a way of coping with these problems. The 2016 drug strategy gives us an opportunity to finally address the deficits in access to mental health services, jobs and homes, which have undermined the recovery aspirations of the 2010 strategy. The strategy successfully reframed the treatment system around recovery as an organising principle. The balance between ambition and evidence established a new consensus about best practice, steering clinicians to use opiate substitution therapy (OST) to provide a gateway to recovery for everyone who could take advantage of this opportunity. It also gave a secure place to build motivation and capacity to change for those not yet able to take the next step. This enabled the treatment system to promote recovery at the same time as continuing to deliver crime reduction and public health benefits. THE TARGET GROUP The target group for this resource is: Adolescents (young people aged between 12 and 18). Male and female Living in the UK Attending school and living at home with parents or guardian. Users of cannabis or those thinking of experimenting cannabis. This group of people living in the UK are very vulnerable in our society. They lack a sense of direction from parents (who may be cannabis users themselves) (Hidden Harm, 2003), guardians in care settings who have limited powers to prevent the young people in their care from being introduced to cannabis use or addiction and are also at high risk of exposure to cannabis use because they want to make friends or feel accepted amongst their peers who may be habitual users. It is often very difficult for them to say no or reject the use of cannabis because they have no basic knowledge about cannabis or are not informed of the short and long term effects it may have on their mental health and body. Also, those already addicted to cannabis are at greater risk due to their possible increase in preference of stronger versions of cannabis which could trigger psychosis. The leaflet therefore provides an easy to read, handy information and facts about cannabis to young persons and provides reaso ns why they must avoid/stop its usage, the side effects of cannabis and the benefits of quitting the habit of smoking cannabis. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS In designing the leaflet, careful consideration was taken to make it attractive and readable by adolescents or young persons aged around 11 years. (http://www.literacytrust.org.uk) The words QUIT SMOKING WEED is written in bold to catch the attention of the reader who sets eyes on it. Also, there is a smaller writing in red asking if cannabis users know that quitting is good for their health? There is also a cannabis leaf with a stop symbol on it printed on the front page. Different shades of green were used to design the leaflet mainly because cannabis is herbal based and it is green in its leafy form. Weed is also written in the colour representing the dry form of cannabis that is usually smoked.   The other bright colours used are colours known to attract the attention of young persons and this is aimed at catching the attention of that age group who prefer to scan through leaflets and it is hoped that they may go on to read the entire information provided. (Ecolourprint.co.uk, 2017) Cartoon images are also attractive to young persons hence the images on the inside page of the leaflet which depicts a young person, with other little images which symbolize the changes the body goes through when one smokes cannabis or the possible physical and mental health state of a cannabis user. REFLECTION/CRITIQUE Some positives about the design of the leaflet are: Cheap and easy to produce It does consist of relevant information about cannabis for adolescents and the health benefits of quitting its use. Does not take much time to read Knowledge or message it contains can be easily shared with family and friends. It reinforces information out there regarding the laws governing cannabis use and its potential effects on ones mental health. The design of the leaflet also has some drawbacks: Unless the picks it up to read, it could remain unused. It can easily be misplaced or lost. It may do more harm than good when the target audience decide to experiment rather than the message deterring them from cannabis use. It could have been produced in other formats for those who are visually impaired etc. CONCLUSION Messages about drug usage and its harmful side effects on its user, the society, the environment and the world at large sent to adolescents and the general public must be clear and consistent. (www.official-documents.gov.uk) Adolescents, their parents and guardians, must take the necessary steps to refrain from cannabis use and tackle problems related to cannabis use. Help, advice and support must be made available and accessible in ways that are sensitive to an individuals age and circumstances, and attempts must be made to reach and help vulnerable people who have a high risk of developing severe mental health related and public health problems. Prevention should start early, with broad life-skills approaches at primary school, and built on over time with appropriate programs for young people as they grow older through youth work, peer approaches, training and wider community support. The aim is for approaches to be better integrated nationally and locally. (DrugWise, 2017). More Rehab clinics and therapy centers should be opened in local communities with high usage of cannabis and other illicit drugs to make it easier for drug abusers to seek professional help to quit.

Argumentative Essay on universities lecturing systems

Argumentative Essay on universities lecturing systems Recently, the use of lecturing system in universities is being questioned for its efficiency. The dilemma is that should lecturing system in University be replaced with small classes. Small classes, as described by David Daniels in his article College Lectures: Is Anybody Listening? emphasis on having lesser students in a class. This encourages more interaction between lecturer and students, aiming to build active learners and the enable lectures to be sure of the progress of their students. He also stated that students now are lacking of listening skills meaning that lecturing system is no longer effective for them, showing the need of change to small classes system in educating students. Lecturing system on the other hand is a traditional way of teaching used in tertiary studies. The number of students handled by a lecturer is much more compared to small class system. We should continue using lecturing system as it show more advantages than using small classes in the sense of being more cost effective, building more independent students, decreasing absentees and by being fair in grading students. First, usually the numbers of students in universities are massive which small class system will not be able to fit in all students. However, if lecturing system is replaced by small classes in universities, it would be very costly seeing that more classes need to be opened for lessons to be conducted. An excellent example is more manpower is needed to operate. According to the former president of United States, he states that an average of 1.7 billion dollars is needed to train more lecturers to conduct small classes nationwide yearly (Viadero, 1998). Many universities are lacking of lecturers and using small classes will need the university to hire more lecturers to facilitate lectures. This means universities will have to fork out a lot of money to overcome the shortage of manpower. Electric bills will shoot up too as teaching aid such as projectors and computers as well as air conditioning to keep the temperature in room favorable temperature will need large electric consumption. All these factors will contribute in a larger operating cost. What do universities do to cover the cost? Increasing fees charged on students! This will cause education to be costly and unaffordable for those families earning lower income. The consequence of this issue will be chances of financially poor students getting higher education to be slimmer. Worse though, if the management chooses to hire non experienced part time lecturers to reduce the operating cost, small class will as well be meaningless. Lecturing system will save on this problem as this system enables a lecturer to handle more students. This will also solve the problem for universities where spaces are very limited as a hall will be enough to fit in all students for one lecture. Thus, continue using lecturing system not only provide a more affordable education for students but enable the campus to generate more profit as operating cost is reduced and student intakes are increased due to the better organizing of spa ce. Next, lecturing system will build more independent students. David Daniel claims that small classes enable lecturers know the progress of their students and help them improve. Yet, this situation causes students to rely on lecturers. What are they, the students without their lecturers? Will they be able to survive in the harsh life in work when they are graduated their studies? This is especially an issue among Malaysian students. They tend to blame lecturers for low grades. However, is the problem with the student or education system itself? Malaysian students are introduced to at least 11 years of small classes system before proceeding to pursue their higher education. If this issue occurs, this simply means there is a critical error in the system. Students are used to be spoon-fed with whatever they need to know and not by discovering with their own effort. Demolishing small class students used to have for their higher education will be painful for them but students must start to realize that they are actually responsible for their own studies. The duty of lecturers is just to guide them in tertiary level education. Only then students whom are used to be spoon-fed will be forced to look for additional information from various sources for their subjects. Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish every day. Indirectly, it might shape more knowledgeable student as they will be exposed to irrelevant facts which seems to be not useful in the progress of looking what they want. Who knows if the information is applicable someday? Hence, lecturing system will be able to shape more quality students whom can independently improve themselves in their field of study. Furthermore, lecturing system is useful is decreasing absentees in class. David Daniels proposes that question and answer section in small classes can help to shape more active students. However, is this method applicable to all students? Intrinsic students who do not like to voice out will not feel comfortable being asked and pressured by questions from lecturers. However, these groups of students are being paid most attention by lecturers as they are too quiet and these lead more questions to be directed to them. The discomfort might cause them feel afraid to enter class. In lecturing system quiet students will instead get the sense of security because the large group of student does not allow lecturers to question students individually but as a group instead. The same situation applies to weaker students. Lecturers tend to emphasis their questions on them in small classes. It is true that lecturers are trying to help them as what David Daniels says to improve their analytical skil l, but students at this age are egocentric. How would they feel if they do not know how to answer a question in front of their classmates? They might feel ashamed for the rest of the period and their emotion will keep them away from concentrating. Worse still, they might fear being asked questions again. Involved students might be stressed out and try to escape from the threatening situation. Furthermore, students studying in universities are basically at their teenage age. This is the stage where they are most attracted by the opposite sex psychologically. In lecturing system, a larger crowd provides more targets for them to prey on. Such situation might motivate them to attend class more frequently as they might want to keep a good image in front of someone they are attracted to. Besides, they might work hard in order to get good results to be proud of. Eventually, lecturing system not only decrease absentees rate but lead students to a higher achievement as well. Moving on, lecturers teaching in lecture system are fairer in grading coursework compared to lecturers from small classes. According to David Daniels, small classes allow professors to discover who knows what before final examinations. However, what is the purpose of doing so? Allowing the lecturers to set questions according to what their students know? This will not help the students but give them an illusion of the marks they get. They thought they know a lot from the high grade they achieve but the fact is just the opposite. Since students result reflect on lecturers reputation, we cannot deny that there will be some irresponsible lecturers that would use this way to help students get better grades so they might be proud too. A win-win situation? In lecturing system, lecturers might not know the progress of their students but this enable them to set exam questions based on what students should know and not what students already know. If students did badly in their examination, it serves them right for not studying hard enough. They will eventually learn from their mistake and do better next time. It will always be better than pampering the students by helping them through examinations. Another good example will be the rate of grade inflation. Based on the statistic provided by The New York Times, the rate of grade inflation in private colleges using small class system is 38 percent higher than public colleges using lecturing system. Corresponding to this, we can say that the good relationship built between lecturers and students in small class system affect the judging ability of lecturers to grade fairly. Human are by nature emotional. Philosophically, emotion overrides the rationality part of a human. Thus, very often lecturers gave marks higher than what the student deserves especially for those who are closer and have a better relationship with the lecturer. On the other hand, lecturing system can avoid this situation from happening. The large crowd a l ecturer is handling will build a barrier between the student and lecturer. Saving on the relationship part, lecturer will be able to judge students coursework fairly. The larger number of coursework submitted also enable lecturers to compare the work and give marks accordingly. Therefore, those who really put in effort to do their assignment will deserve a better grade and be motivated to keep on with their hard work. Finally, lecturing system should not be replaced by small class system in universities as it obviously show more advantage by being more cost effective and beneficial to students. However, there are improvements that can be done for the system to be more effective. Universities should make sure hired lecturers are up to certain requirements and are able to facilitate the lesson effectively. While for the problem of student lacking listening skills and concentration as proposed by David Daniels, actions such as giving short breaks at certain time and projecting some short clips featuring jokes from subject of students interest can be taken. This can help to regain students concentration. Based on the reasons proposed, lecturing system is still the better way to be used in universities compared to small class system.

Compare and Contrast: The Difference Between the United States and Chi

According to Chinese bureau of statistics, some 70% of student who come to the United States from 1978 to 2010 stayed in The United States. The hard choice of whether stay in The United States or come back to China makes more and more Chinese people concentrate on a basic question: what is the difference between The United States and China. Although both The United States and China are world’s major economies, in terms of living and working, The United States has advantages over China in relationship between people, work relationship, and getting information. People in the United States show more trust to each other than people in China do. In the United States, returns of product can be made without receipt. However, in China, to return a product a receipt is required. Shop assistants want to make sure that consumers really bought product from their shop. They take it for granted that all consumers are not honest. According to Peter Hessler, a journalist of New Yorker magazine, after car accidents, American drivers will exchange telephone number for further negotiation. . Chinese driver naturally assume that people will not answer the phone call that calls them to pay money. Instead of telephone numbers, most of the times, drivers exchange cash to resolve the car accident. Chinese driver naturally assume that people will not answer the phone call that calls them to pay money. The difference between windows between the United States and China also indicates the â€Å"trust† difference. Generally, people in the United States live in house with no guard bars fixed inside or outside windows. In contrast, most of Chinese people who live on the first or second floor block windows with guard bars inside or outside the window in case ... ...ticles/2008/12/25/1229998632678.html [Accessed 12 August 2011]. Jiao Guobiao, 2004. Censorship in China. [online] Available at: http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/article.asp?parentid=18567 [Accessed 10 August 2011]. BBC News, 2002. Bush’s â€Å"evil† comment stirs critics. [online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1796034.stm [Accessed 2 August 2011]. Macworld, 2011. Reports: Foxconn to close Apple iPhone factories in China: Apple device manufacturer ends suicide payments. [online]Available at: http://mobile.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?newsid=3226585 [Accessed 2 August 2011] Kuhn, R. (2010) How China’s Leaders Think. Singapore: Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte. Ltd.. Hessler, P. (2010) Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory. Translated from English by Li Xueshun. Shanghai: Shanghai Yiwen Publishing

The Characters, Setting, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Co

     Ã‚  Ã‚   Beyond the shield of civilization and into the depths of a primitive, untamed frontier lies the true face of the human soul. It is in the midst of this savagery and unrelenting danger that mankind confronts the brooding nature of his inner self.   Joseph Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness, is the story of one man's insight into life as he embarks on a voyage to the edges of the world. Here, he meets the bitter, yet enlightening forces that eventually shape his outlook on life and his own individuality. Conrad’s portrayal of the characters, setting, and symbols, allow the reader to reflect on the true nature of man. The two main characters in Heart of Darkness, Marlow and Kurtz are used to show the true nature of man, that is, the capacity for good and evil within humanity. The central character is a thirty two year old sailor, Charlie Marlow. Marlow is the primary narrator in the novel, therefore his thought’s, opinions, experiences and revelations, shape the entire novels themes and the value system put forward. Marlow illustrates how forces of light and darkness serve to weave the human soul together; thus, essentially how good and evil are reflected in an individual. This is particularly important regarding the construction of Marlow, who is essentially a biased narrator, and a product of his European upbringing. An example is his inability to deal with the dying natives at the â€Å"grove of death†, offering a native a biscuit as an apparent kind gesture. Yet this is only due to him not being confronted with situations like this previously where his own values, and the whole p remise behind colonialism, the exploitation is revealed. The patriarchial views of women he displays also outline the background of Marlow and the a... ...o man can live on the island without becoming a brutal savage. Inside his heart lies the raw evil of untamed lifestyle" (Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation).    Works Cited "The Congo" Created December 07, 1995. Web. 23 February 2007. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Penguin, 1999. Print. "The Fear" Created December 07, 1995. Web. 9 February 2007. "Heart of Darkness: A systematic evaluation of the darkness inherent in men's souls" "The Perfect Native" Created December 07, 1995. Web. 12 February 2007. "The Setting" Created December 07, 1995. Web. 12 February 2007.    Works Consulted Goonetilleke, D.C.R.A. "Heart of Darkness: Overview." Literature Resources from Gale. Gale, 1994. Web. 18 February 2007. Loe, Thomas. "Heart of Darkness: Overview." Literature Resources from Gale. Gale, 1991. Web. 12 February 2007.

Living constitution

For the past two decades, those in favor of original intent/strict contructionism have been gaining some influence over those who favor a â€Å"living constitution† interpretation of the Constitution. This seems to correlate with the rise of conservative influence over America in the past two decades.   In response to the liberal activism in what was called the Warren Court, conservatives started to voice what was called the conservative critique. Most visibly, this consisted of President Reagan’s attorney general, Edwin Meese was â€Å"unhappy with many of the Supreme Courts liberal decisions of the preceding decades, Meese argued that it was meddling with the affairs of the other federal branches and especially the state governments. (TDD 387).† In response to Meese’s complaint on judicial activism, Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr., argued in defense of the judicial activism in what we think is the correct and most favorable interpretation on the Constitution. Brennan puts forth many arguments in favor of what some call a â€Å"Living Constitution† view of the Supreme Courts role in judicial review. Brennan first criticizes what those who favor Original Intent call â€Å"the intention of the Framers† in relation to how judicial review should be carried out. Brennan attacks this doctrine by saying, â€Å"It is arrogant to pretend that from our vantage we can gauge accurately the intent of the Framers on application of principle to specific, contemporary questions†¦the Framers themselves did not agree about the application or meaning of particular constitutional provisions, and hide their differences in cloaks of generality (DEB 325).† This asserts that because the Framers themselves didn’t agree, it would be impossible to judge what the Framers intent would be, as there is no pure consensus on certain constitutional provisions leaving the document incomplete and ambiguous. To view the strict constructionist versus Living Constitution in the right context, one must see who the people are behind these terms. The people who promote a strict constructionist view are almost exclusively economic and social conservatives. This isn’t a coincidence as it is clear to see that many of the major Supreme Court cases of the past century have sided with a economically and socially liberal view. This suggests that conservatives wouldn’t be against judicial activism if the courts ruled in their favor, for instance what if the Supreme Court all of the sudden ruled against legal abortion, banned gun laws, and got rid of welfare? If this happened the very same people who were once strict constructionist and anti-judicial activism would convert to a pro-judicial activist view, and vice versa with liberals. Which leads me to profess that I only prescribe to pro-judicial activism philosophy because they have made â€Å"liberal† decisions in the past. Brennan of course gives other reasons for a Living Constitution other than the fact that the court has made liberal decisions. He argues that a Living Constitution serves as a check against unconstitutional and poor majoritarian rule by the legislature. Brennan reports that an â€Å"Unabashed enshrinement of majority would permit the imposition of a social caste system or wholesale confiscation of property so long as a majority of the authorized legislative body, fairly elected, approved (Brennan 326).† This of course relies on the values and perhaps the consciences on the judges, who don’t have to play the partison politics games thanks to the lifetime term they can serve but still are put in their positions by elected officials. So if a corrupt and authoritarian elected legistlaative majority can get enough judges they approve of to Supreme Court seats, the legislative check disappears,            

Current Issues in Visual Arts Education Essay

Reading has always been a part of my life. So do playing. Play in the sense of enjoying our life. What I hate most is formality, a life exist without freedom. Then I combined these two interests into one, to study about something fun, and can benefit others too. The study of literature has consumed most of my waking moments. Of course, I have done other things, but the more I have explored the more connections I see between the written page and the world in which I live in. How I realize I am the same with others, too. I think I am master enough naming and knowing the Malay traditional games that exist till now, but I am wrong. The daily games like ram-ram rip, rangkai-rangkai periuk, da da ko, cak lerang benang emas, tebang-tebang tebuk, ting-ting gula batu is already alien to me while I am searching the literature. However, the more I learn, the more I realize what I do not know. Actually, my thesis writing was under supervision of one kind-hearted professor of my school, which was under Research Methodology subject that I took last semester. She really influenced me in guiding the do and don’t in thesis writing. Her positive comments often play in my minds and always keep me awake. It is such a reflection to me. Although reflections are difficult to look into because we see what was lacking and what was missing, but I always feel relieved and more focused after seeking her advises. On the other hand, nothing could be more valuable. I have constructed this paper to reflect a dynamic process in writing my thesis. That is when I write a paper, it is not necessary I should be sitting in front of my computer, but rather I have to jot down what are appears in my mind on a piece of paper, otherwise it should left undone anywhere it could be. Hence, looking back at saved articles and references has often inspired me to expand upon an idea in completing the thesis writing. Thus, I have included list of articles for references, followed by the more polished works that have grown out them, with minimal faultlessly. I hope so. Statement of Research Problem and Research Objectives The reason why I as a researcher, trying to dig the problem of Malay traditional games because I realize that these games has been disappearing in our Malaysian community. As we know, Malaysian’s strong sense of community is reflected in many of their traditional games and pastimes. With the multicultural Malaysia, the traditional games especially among the Malays developed over a period of many centuries in the wake of important cultural influences. Some of the oldest surviving Malay traditional games like the real congkak and wau bulan still exist, but it is hardly to find one while newly developed games consoles explore brand new gaming style nowadays. Consciously or not, by the 80th era the existence of Malay traditional games is already faded out . For some concerns, traditional game augmentation aims at adding new value and playful features to a traditional game with keeping its original looks-and feel (Yamabe, Iwata, Shichinohe, and Nakajima) is the best way to keep the originality from disappear especially from the eyes of the new generation. I still remember my lists of childhood’s games. But have we ever thought that our children ever experience sitting in a circle on a wooden hut near paddy field to play batu seremban? Do they manage to collect every players shoe to build a cone-like shoe pyramid while playing tuju kasut? Or hiding under a huge tree near the bushes and get bitten by army of ants while playing aci sembunyi or hide and seek? Children are missing out of the benefits of traditional games that their parents and grandparents played in their childhood (Casbergue and Kieff ). More children are engaged in solitary games such as computer games, portable play station and other high-tech portable devices such as iPad. With the changes of time, many of the traditional games cherished by generations have their own history. Sometimes we are not even care where does it come from, including me. If I am not the researcher of this study, I think I don’t even bother about the history of congkak. The game of congkak, for example, is a mancala game of Malay origin where the oldest mancala game boards were found in a ruined fort of Roman Egypt and date back to the 4th century AD. There are frequent references to the game of marbles in Roman literature; precursors to modern-day marbles, spheres or flint, stone or baked clay have been found in archaeological sites around the world. Another popular traditional games, playing kites or ‘wau’ is believed to have been derived from the Arabic letter ‘wau’, because the shape of the wings resemble the outline of that particular Arabic letter. Of course as we played the traditional games, we were totally unaware of their long traditions. Especially for young children, they were simply having fun the same with generations before us without noticing the important part of inner value; preserving the games for the future. Traditional games are very significant in Malay cultural heritage. When we talk about something traditionally, at the same time it will reflect the culture. They reflect the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Malay forefathers in creating their own games by using inexpensive materials for their pastimes and recreations. These indigenous games are fun, and developing strong social skills among children. Lack of exposures from early ages of the children will affects the identity and originality of the traditional games. Nevertheless, future generation have no chances to explore the games if most of these traditional games faded out. According to (Akbari, Abdoli and Shafizadeh, pg. 123-129), traditional games have humanity and cultural values, beliefs translate by these from one lineage to other. These games were forgotten as a result of industrialization in recent years. As the thesis writing is upon completion of masters degree in education field, I tried to look at the issue from the angle of Malaysian education system. The implementation of traditional games into the syllabus is still lacking except for the Physical and Health Education subject specifically in primary schools. Furthermore, only a small part being inserted into the Preschool Curriculum under the thematic subject, Tunjang Kesihatan dan Kecergasan. These games, although simple, have cultural and social value and encourage children to exercise their ingenuity, especially in fostering team spirit in school and in the neighborhood. Three years back, I was a preschool teacher in my school. While doing this thesis, it jogs my memory when teaching the kids. Seriously, they were very excited at that time when I asked them to play galah panjang and baling getah. And as usual, they were asking me to play the same games the next day. Another interesting experience to share was during teacher’s day celebration in 2012. Both teachers and students were requested to compete in galah panjang games at that day. The best part was female need to wear kain batik while the male will wear kain pelekat. Everyone was having so much fun. Thus, I came out with the idea in order to preserving the true identity of Malay traditional games towards the students. I hereby conducted a case study research to implement the effects of applying Malay traditional games in the classroom for a group selection of primary school students. The application of these games wills actually results into the cognitive skills and the learning styles of students, also in teaching and learning environment in the classroom. As a result, I make the case that educational games can impact in the developing world. Significance and Limitation of the Study I am not suggesting that these games should replace existing explicit teaching strategies or supplant instructional time. My concerns are to improvise the teaching and learning style in our education by applying a new fun and interesting method while learning. The children are most likely to have peer interactions without teachers input by learning about the culture of childhood from their peers, not their parents or teachers. According to (Casbergue and Kieff), making traditional games available in the classroom could give children the opportunity to develop intellectual and physical skills within a supportive environment. An important void in the existing research literature would also be filled. This fact alone makes this research very significant. In addition, we have to remember that social skills are culturally based. Therefore, it is important for teachers to understand and be sensitive to the culturally based behaviors of students and use a variety of activities to foster acceptance of individual differences. They also can show students how to play ethnic games and encourage students to play in groups (Church, Gottschalk and Leddy). The study will then shows the importance of preserving the original identity of Malay traditional games from faded out. One of the goals of this both quantitative and qualitative research is to study the process of playing Malay traditional games and number of repetition within a certain period. I know that is important to note that the name and process may vary from one practices to another, as many version of games rules and how-to-play version, which could not be controlled by me. Sometimes, it may create confusedness among players. Brief Review on Malay Traditional Games People may see that traditional game is a simple thing, but actually traditional games are valuable elements of a culture. Their inventions show how creative the humans are, a combination with high imagination. It is such a precious heritage to be preserved and imply with the history of its creation. Furthermore, it is hard to find the true inventors of the games and how it is evolved. I have never thought who are the one created konda-kondi, tuju kasut and dam aji. This kind of heritage is a basis where a human group funds its identity, its projects for the future, its memory, its history, its fears, its desires. When people lose this untouchable, fragile fragment of their culture, then they will lose their reason for living, their past and their future (Civallero). Traditional games are a sort of intangible cultural heritage with its richness of Malay cultural values and ethics. Normally, the original version of traditional games had been manipulated by the oral from one to another. This effects the exaggeration of the true identity of traditional games itself. Traditional Malay games usually require craft skills and manual dexterity and can be traced their origins since the days of Melaka Sultanate. Sepak raga and kite flying are among traditional games that were mentioned in the Malay Annals being played by nobilities and royalties of the Malay Sultanate (Ooi). I think we should discuss on few numbers of existing Malay traditional games surround us. Firstly is ‘Dam Impit’. The purpose of this game is for players to test their expertise and brains to collect as many as opponent’s dam and getting close to opponent side of the dam’s table. Playing Dam Impit helps the player to sharpen their thinking skills, capable to develop their patience and discipline among the players (Nasarah and Nasarah). Children can play this game on free time. Adults also make this game as their spare time hobby. Secondly is Cuit Bintik. It is a very fun game to play. In certain places they call this game as Orang Ganjil Kena Cuit. The rules of the game is whoever had been touched by others at certain part of the body need to become the ‘toucher’ while holding their particular part of body and chasing for the next victim (Nasarah and Nasarah). According to (Nasarah and Nasarah ), Jarum Mas is one type of recreational game, not in a form of competition. Players can enjoy the game with one of the main character in the game as the ghost or ‘hantu’. The role of ‘hantu’ is to look after the treasures in the drawn circle. Player who had been caught by ‘hantu’ will become the next ‘hantu’ and the game will be repeated over again. For me, this one is a very interesting game to play. The game represents the culture of sending kuih to neighbors that has always been a practice to Malay people since a very long time ago. Traditionally, the kuih was made by the mother or the family members during Ramadhan or fasting month for break fast. In the research by (Nasarah and Nasarah), there is a game called ‘hantar kuih’ , often play by the boys at night of the fasting month. The game is plays for the whole month, consisting two groups A and B. The group will send the kuih secretly with name taken and wrote in a piece of paper. Whoever had been caught by the opponent will lose. By the end of the month, all players will forgive one another during Hari Raya. This kind of game test the level of children’s speed from chasing by other players and how to avoid themselves from been caught by enemies. (Nasarah & Nasarah) said players who had been touched by the chaser need to sit squat until just one player left. The sitting playing is considered as died, and the only one player left will be the winner. The Malays also have a variant of Mancala board games known as Congkak Lubang Sepuluh or Congkak Lubang Dua Puluh. The game is played by moving stones, marbles, beads or shells around a wooden board consisting of twelve or more holes. At my time, my friends and me often play using marbles. Traditionally, (Nasarah & Nasarah) said the real ambience to play congkak is on the ground with players wearing sarungs. The function of wearing sarungs are much easier for the players to collect marbles to put in Rumah Ibu. Rumah Ibu is the two big holes dig on the ground with optional numbers of Lubang Rumah Anak. I ever had this kind of experiences during my childhood. The ambience playing under our wooden house was really incredible and amazing. At this time, I don’t know that congkak has a different name too. Historically, mancala or congkak is acknowledged as the oldest game in the world, with variety versions of playing rules depending on the culture of the player. Its origin is traced from Ancient Egypt. As the game dispersed around the globe, every culture has invented its own variation including the Malays. It is common to assume that digital games are something of a new phenomenon. In fact, historians on digs and discover of ancient records all over the world have been able to blow this assumption right out of the water. Many of the forms of traditional games that we see today have been around the centuries, even as earlier since ancient Egypt. Time passes as well as the traditional ways of gaming for the children. As they keep themselves entertained, the generation of video consoles and touch screen are now at the forefront (Boyajian). Nowadays, highly advanced gadgets packed the markets and as time goes by, they are becoming more and more advanced. If once upon a time, the traditional games still can easily be seen played by village boys and girls, in rural or sub urban area. Rarely now, the situation are not the same when the village boys and girls are exposed to technology, to suit with the changes of era. So, where are the traditional games for the Malays? I often asking myself about this, and sometimes I asked my circle of friends, family whereby why it is hard to find one now? Are they also aware of it? Are they realizing the disappearance of our one of the most valuable cultural values too? Just like ‘the evolution’ of society was imagined as a one-way transformation from tradition to modernity (Eichberg). Yes, we can’t deny modernization, but must the tradition being abandoned? Perhaps, not. Research Methodology and Analysis My real concern about the study is actually to investigate the Malay traditional games practices in classroom. The research methodology chosen for this study contain a number of selected gaming activities in classroom, loosely based on the research written by four researchers from different universities under the same disciplines. (1)Matthew Kam (Human-Computer interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, (2) Akhil Mathur and (3) Anuj Kumar both from Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Gujarat, India, and (4) John Canny (Computer Science Division and Berkeley Institute of Design, University of California, Berkeley, USA. The title of the study is ‘Designing Digital Games for Rural Children: A Study of Traditional Village Games in India. This is the best article I’ve found to assist me in writing this study, as it’s quite hard to find related scholarly articles or journals about the study. Again, I am not to design a game, but I am investigating the appropriateness either the implementation of Malay traditional games in classroom is suitable to be applied during teaching and learning or not, in any subjects not specifically in Visual Art Education subject. Conducting the study means that I am finding the best methods and relevant ideas for teachers to apply it in classrooms. Mixed method of quantitative and qualitative case study approach is used for the investigation. The intention of this study is to exemplary the research methodology adopted for the study, which is a case study design. According to Merriam states that case study is â€Å"often the best methodology when understanding is sought in order to improve practice† (as cited in Zeyad ). Case study investigations â€Å"can explain the reason for a problem, the background of a situation, what happened and why†. A case study designed is employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the situation and meaning for those involved. The interest is in discovery rather than confirmation (as cited in Zeyad ). At the first place, I thought descriptive design is the best and safer way for doing research, but after gone through few steps ahead my research, I found that case study is the best to carry mine. Besides exemplary the case research done by (Kam et. al ), I also had conducted a preliminary investigation called pilot study as well as the literature survey. The pilot study is pointed to the process of inducting theory using case studies- from specifying the research questions to reaching closure. Besides carried out as a trial study, this pilot study also assisted me in testing the feasibility, reliability and validity of the design. I then selected a number of samples to carry out the pre-test, or in easier words to play the Malay traditional games inside a classroom before the actual investigation is done. I then used the information gathered in pilot studies to refine or improve my research or evaluation procedure being piloted before it is used on a larger scale. This internal pilot study was established through a variety of ways (1) I had approached school directly via headmaster or teachers or management itself to seek permission on conducting the small scale research internally, (2)I had work ‘in partnership’ with the students and interested teachers in contributing to the research, and (3)I drew on personal and professional contacts to set up projects with colleagues who are already aware of game-based learning specifically in traditional and digital ways. Clearly, implementing a game in a teaching and learning session is risky. Either the learning objectives can be achieved or it can be left undone. To design a game that combining a traditional game and completely match the understanding of students while playing, good data collection methods will be more culturally meaningful to rural students. Although I am not designing the game, but at least I am already have in my mind that traditional games might not be playing in traditional ways only, but we can suit with the current modernization. It just how creative the teachers’ are, to add up some spice in their teaching methods. I conducted an initial focus group interview for the student during the pilot study. I asked the participants to recall the everyday games that they love to play for us to videotape. I got a tremendous response from the participants saying their favorite everyday games, including both traditional and digital games. From the feedback, I hypothesized that they still know the Malay traditional games is still exist. I then conducted four methods of data collections which are (1) combination of semi-structured and unstructured interviews, (2) participant observation, (3) follow-up questionnaires and (4) collection of documents with the participants. All gathered information will be recorded for transcribing in data analysis. By using the different methods of data collections, a cross check data will assist in interpretation of data gathered later. Generally for semi-structured and unstructured interview, close-ended and open-ended questions will be asked in order to allow the participants to create options for responding on the current research topic. Participants can also voice their experiences and perspectives on the research area without boundary. They are free to talk and voice out their opinion in order to make the session is more fun, interactive and meaningful. The participant observation will allow me to role as the participant observer during the activities being held. But the observational roles can be changed later to suit with the activities conducted. Additional data came from the participant’s responses to follow-up questionnaires developed specifically to obtain answers to new questions raised after the initial interview data had been analyzed. These follow-up questionnaires were also used to clarify initial answers and verify interview findings. Public and private records will be a good source of text data in assisting the study. Permission was obtained before using the documents.

Bae Assignment

BAE Business Case Study Submitted by: Susan Pacheco April 17, 2013 Table of Contents Part 1: Executive Summary3 Part 2: Main Issue4 Part 3: Systemic Issues4 Leadership & Project Management issues4 Political Pressure to Fast-Track Project5 Design Issues5 Communication Breakdowns6 City Involvement (Delays)6 BAE Conditions on Contract Signing (April 1992)6 Part 4: Environmental & Root cause Analysis7 Qualitative Analysis:7 Project Management7 People (Unqualified):8 Build-Design8 Economic & Political Considerations8 Success with United Airlines9 Part 5: Alternatives and/or Options:9 Alternative A9Alternative B11 Part 6: Recommendations and Implementation11 Recommendation:11 Recommendations Implementation Plan:12 Part 7: Monitor and Control:13 Part 8: Conclusion:13 Part 9: References, Exhibits and Appendixes13 Part 1: Executive Summary In order to address the immediate issue of the letter received by the City Mayor holding us responsible for the delay of the new baggage system by charging BAE a penalty of $12k/day backdated to October 29, 1993 and also requesting a charge back for the $50M tug-and-cart baggage backup system, immediate action and priority needs to be given to address this accusation.A prompt analysis of our project plan and missed milestones with reasons and factual data is critical in defending our position. We need to prove where certain milestones outside our control were missed and the domino effect it created and where dependencies to our commitments were broken and by whom. There were many points at which we voiced our concerns on the project delays and access issues that further hindered our ability to perform but no one took responsibility or acknowledged the delay.In addition, the Build-Design approach has in itself created many hurdles and time delays outside our control as well as created unfavourable working conditions that were unsustainable for our teams. Our current situation is a mere symptom of a lack of a proper project management s tructure and qualified personnel at DIA. Also lack of sponsorship by the city Mayor has created silos and a negative effect on the project flow. The build-design approach is one of the biggest issues but with proper management it can be overcome.Based on BAE’s experience and successful past projects, we can confidently recommend a new structure that has worked in past projects. Given that history I feel we need to propose a drastic change to DIA’s Project Management team and propose a new structure which includes a new Project Manager to oversee the entire project team, appointment of additional team members (see Appendix 1) and new hires with the right skill sets. See Appendix 2 to see RACI Matrix proposal.The proposal is to continue with the new airport wide baggage system implementation only under the condition that DIA restructure their project management team and obtains sponsorship from the City Mayor and Aviation Director. A team approach must be understood by a ll parties involved as there are too many moving parts and it is impossible to expect BAE to independently manage all moving parts for what is out of our control especially with a Build-Design plan.This new platform will allow BAE and DIA’s members to educate, make timely critical decisions, identify risks and critical milestones and hold members accountable for their respective roles. Assuming our proposal is accepted, the overall expected timing from initial contact to identifying risks under the new team structure is 9 weeks. With this plan, a backup system would not be required, thereby avoiding this $50M additional cost. The seriousness of this accusation would put BAE at permanent financial risk if not bankruptcy.Promptness and priority in handling this situation is critical. Beyond the financial impact, there is also the reputation BAE has always enjoyed as being a leader in the marketplace worldwide can also have a negative effect on current and future projects with o ther institutions. Part 2: Main Issue City of Denver issued a penalty request of $12k/day backdated to original start-up completion date of October 29, 1993 including a $50 M charge back for a tug-and-cart baggage backup system. This main issue is a result of the systemic issues which are listed below. Part 3: Systemic IssuesLeadership & Project Management issues Shared leadership between city of Denver & Consultant team created many inefficiencies, duplicate work and lack of real ownership. Additionally no organizational structure change at DIA was ever made to accommodate this new baggage system project. Further complicating the matter was the communication channels and roles between city, PMT and consultants were not defined or controlled. All were working in silos. Engineers are inefficiently creating piles of change documentation that are not really managed or communicated.Waste of time just to cover their tracks. There is NO real qualified Project Manager to oversee the entire project and bridge the gap between DIA and their top Carriers United & Continental, City Council and BAE. We have been expected to manage the project with everyone working in their silos with no real support or team goal or management as a whole. In order to keep things moving along, we need a DIA counterpart to produce engineering alternatives and make quick decisions on cost, alternatives, scheduling etc.Currently there are too many chefs in the kitchen with no real one person in charge. They had to balance project administration political and social responsibilities. The Working Area 4 Managers that was assigned to us have no experience in airport construction, baggage system technologies or new technologies, their main experience is in construction project control management. As such they don’t know how to properly support our requests and needs to keep the project going forward.In addition to this since there is no project manager in charge and lack of proper structure we have to liaise with and to obtain feedback from each Concourse Senior manager and Main terminal manager. It is apparent that they each operate independently making any agreement difficult as we need to transcend the decisions and get agreement across all four managers. It is apparent that they each are making independant decisions and trying to tie them all together is very difficult. This creates further bottlenecks for us.Lack of a designated project manager to oversee and manage inputs/outputs from the City, DIA and BAE created a painful process, hurt relationships and lack of accountability and control. Head of DIA project resigned and death of Chief Airport Engineer Walter Slinger (Oct. 1992), a strong proponent of the baggage system and closely involved in negotiations with us had a significant impact on the project. He was a decisive, empowered decision maker who knew how to address problems and get them resolved promptly. His successor Gail Edmond was not successful in ca rrying ut the same duties as she was much less experienced and lacked the autonomy, experience and guts to make much needed quick decisions. Her hands were tied with red tape and took much longer to make any decisions. Overall we had a poor relationship with the management team who had no prior baggage handling competence or experience. The project was mainly treated as a major public works project resulting in a lack of support when we needed it for any of our complaints on timing, access etc†¦ Political Pressure to Fast-Track ProjectThere were many factors that influenced and pressured this project to a fast-track pace which had some resulting serious consequences both in delays and cost. This pushed the project into a Build-Design project which had created some major delays and cost increases. Some of the other influencing factors are as follows: * DBO Date of Beneficial Occupancy payback date of January 1, 1994 * Project Management Team pressured to push project ahead at al l cost due to long periods of assessment, negotiation and final approvals. Political pressure from Mayor to force project through a fast-track for their own political stature gain and public optics Design Issues The decision to install a new large scale airport-wide baggage system came after the building design was already determined and we were faced with fully defined project specs which underplayed the importance and significance of some important requirements of a baggage system (space, electrical power needs, building structure requirements, ventilation and air conditioning to dissipate) These issues created further bottlenecks and delays in our implementation.Further delays and changes resulted from DIA’s lack of consulting with and conducting a needs assessment with their two top carriers United & Continental which accounted for more than 70% of passenger traffic prior to project start. Their needs were never incorporated into the initial design and program, as a resul t further changes were requested to design and software just 6 months prior to the needed opening date. We had to deal with this even though the mechanical and software designs were supposed to be frozen. Communication BreakdownsWe communicated to United we would need 1 more year to get system up and running but no one listened nor was the message passed along to DIA or the City. We also at many points tried to engage DIA about the delays, access issues and construction bottlenecks that was causing direct delays in our work and we were not given precedent or access when needed. Infact the attitude was that these construction workers were not reporting to BAE to have to listen. City Involvement (Delays) Law restrictions forcing 30% of minority-owned firms and 6% women.This law forced us to forgo our original proposal of using our own qualified employees in lieu of external outside contractors which estimated an increased cost of approximately 60%. Some of our expertise was lost due t o this fact in addition to causing further delays to our project. In Sept. 1993 we went into maintenance negotiations which lead to a 2 day strike of 300 millwrights that was joined by 200 electricians over a $8/hr delta pay dispute. We lost the maintenance contract as well as a 2 day delay. BAE Conditions on Contract Signing (April 1992)The conditions and milestones we placed upon accepting the job was not respected by the city or adhered to, nor was there any provisions made to address issues along the way. ( i. e. freeze dates for mechanical design, software design, power requirements and the like, all around access, timely completion of certain areas, provision of permanent power, computer rooms†¦ these were all set as milestones in our project plan. The city had agreed to these conditions with unrestricted access with priority for BAE equipment yet we didn’t even have reasonable access.For example: * Electricians had to leave work where concrete grinders were creati ng clouds of dust, * Fumes from chemical sealants forced others to flea * Trucks blocking and restricting * Design Freeze dates not adhered to: Airlines requested changes to system designing even though mechanical/software designs were frozen. (6 months prior to opening airport, still moving equipment around, changing controls and software design! * Energy issues – City unable to supply â€Å"clean† electricity to the baggage system. Motors and circuitry used in system extremely sensitive to power surges and fluctuations.Filters were purchased to correct the problem and a City Worker cancelled a contract without realising that the filters were part of it. Filters arrived several months later in March 1994. 1. Construction already begun on terminal and concourses with substantial changes needed on construction to accommodate expanded system. We wrote a letter to city (Jan, 29, 1995) to request prompt action advising of inability to complete project under these condition s with no response or support. Part 4: Environmental & Root cause Analysis Qualitative Analysis:BAE is a highly qualified with a revered reputation, experienced in projects across the US, Europe and Australia in the development, design, manufacture and install and support of every project it undertook from start to finish. We established a strong position in the US accounting for about 90% of U. S. baggage sorting equipment sales. Since 1972 – 1994 we had successfully designed, manufactured and installed nearly 70 automated baggage handling systems worth almost $50M at major airports in the US, New York, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Newark and Pittsburgh.We also consulted in the installation of a $550M terminal for the New Seoul Metropolitan Airport in South Korea. Given our successful history and past accomplishments, it is without a doubt that our management capabilities and expertise in handling various types of projects, with various types of people a nd countries, proves our commitment, capabilities and expertise in handling complex variables and situations for every project we undertake. Knowing the strategic importance and complexity of this particular project, we had agreed to take on the project only upon acceptance of certain conditions which was accepted by the City.Many of these conditions were not honored throughout the process causing unnecessary delays, additional costs, strained relationships both with the City and DIA management and hurt our reputation Project Management Lack of communication, ownership and project management both at DIA & the City of Denver was the source of this pivotal problem. Since the contract was awarded by the City, they were responsible to enforce the compliance of the agreed upon conditions and communicate and enforce these conditions to DIA and their employees.In turn DIA did not have a specific Project manager to oversee the entire project as a whole and to act as a liaison between us, th e City and their Carriers. Instead we were forced to deal with their respective â€Å"Area† managers one on one which was counterproductive, time consuming and ineffective. We also had to deal with direct changes from the Carriers themselves which further haulted our project. We were setup for failure given the lack of direction and control at DIA’s side and the City’s dogmatic approach to making decisions.For a project of this magnitude, there was no consideration made to employ either Key Managers or Project Manager to oversee, manage and liaise between the three concourse areas. This created some major gaps and no one was there to keep the pulse on the project itself. This was not implemented thus creating a gap in communication, a silo-type attitude amongst decision makers creating no support-system for the major role we played in this implementation. It was apparent that roles between the City, PMT at DIA and Consultants were not defined or controlled.Every one was working in silos. People (Unqualified): In addition to the management issues, our Assigned Area 4 Managers, lacked the experience in airport construction and baggage system technologies, therefore could not understand the importance and properly support our needs nonetheless handle our requests in a prompt manor. In order to keep things moving along, we needed a DIA counterpart who would be able to produce engineering alternatives and have the autonomy to make decisions. The death of DIA’s Chief Airport Engineer, Walter Slinger created significant impact to our operations as he was decisive and addressed problems promptly. This was an important critical role required for the success of this project. His successor, Gail Edmond lacked the experience, know-how, decision making capabilities and autonomy that further haulted the process. Build-Design The Political pressure to fast-track this project lead to a Build-Design approach to this airport construction which caused many unknown risks and design issues that we had to deal with upon commencement.We were unaware of the construction scope and details to be able to fully understand the scope of the project before undertaking. This also lead to a reactive vs. proactive planning. This posed many unknown risks, changes and modifications to our plans along the way. The instability of this process created many points of change, delays and cost additions and we did our best to manage what was in our control. The point is that many of these delays were NOT within our control, nor did we have any support from the city to enforce DIA’s construction project to meet our agreed upon milestones to meet our own obligations.Economic & Political Considerations The economy in mid 1980’s was plummeting with a 37% job loss average across Stapeltons Employment Industries. The Pena administration aggressively promoted the airport relocation, marketing the new airport as a technologically advanced, state-o f-the – art structure to draw businesses, import federal capital and fund the creation of new jobs with bonded debts to overcome the short-term decline in the economy. It was to become a grand project that would be the main showcase for the Public Works Department.The relationship between BAE and the City was strained primarily because their focus was on airport project speed and bond re-payment and not on the project itself. They were motivated by their own public perception in the political realm. Their â€Å"hands-off† approach was detrimental in the success of this project and served more as a crutch and hinderance. When it came to asking for support it felt like they were working against us and not with us. Their strength was not in project management but they had the power to make key decisions which influenced and affected our overall success.The added pressure of paying the DBO by Jan 1, 1994 forced quick management decisions, early construction without a full scope analysis and risk mitigation not just with BAE but also with DIA. Forced the Build-Design approach which inherently greatly affected our ability to succeed given the lack of adherence to the agreed conditions. Success with United Airlines Once the contract was signed with United exclusively things went smoothly. The successful implementation of the baggage system with United highlighted what was lacking in dealing with DIA and City directly.The success highlighted and confirmed our ability to manage the project with a partner who understood the technical and project management needs. Part 5: Alternatives and/or Options: Alternative A Continue with the contract for installing the baggage handling system conditional upon the following restructuring & requirements: Hiring of new qualified members at DIA. 1. DIA to hire a dedicated qualified Project Manager for the baggage handling system overall project with prior project management experience.One whom understands the key tasks, key players has a strong construction and technological background with project management skills to document, track, address and facilitate the communications between all DIA parties and that of BAE and City Administration. A clear definition of this person’s role, decision-making authority and sponsorship by Senior Management is critical. 2. DIA to hire a new Chief Airport Engineer with strong decision making and leadership skills with the autonomy to make decisions and propose Gail Edmond work under him/her as Chief Associate Engineer. . The new Project Manager’s goal is to gather all appropriate key stakeholders as proposed in Appendix 1 to conduct 3 main initial sessions with all key stakeholders (*see Appendix 1) to: I. Conduct a full risk assessment whereby identifying all risks, prioritise them, have an action plan to mitigate some of them, formulate contingency plans and assign responsible persons to manage the risks. II. Establish a Project Objective Statemen t, and Create a new project master plan, III.Team member establishment: Establish who key players are, their strengths, weaknesses, outlining roles and create a RACI matrix *See Appendix 2 for DIA, BAE, and City for roles and responsibilities for all planning and execution tasks of the project 4. City to hire or appoint a qualified Liaison with construction, engineering and or technical background experience who is solely assigned to this project with no other conflicting priorities with the autonomy to make decisions.This person’s role is to ensure that legislation doesn’t interfere or adversely cause timing risks to the project plan and expedite issues/roadblocks when they arise between DIA, BAE and the city. This proposal is supported by the fact that our design has proven it will work given the proper management setup framework as demonstrated by our successful implemention of the new baggage handling system with United Airlines. The current lack of the â€Å"righ t† project team members will be addressed by this new proposed structure. With the right sponsorship and roject management setup, this will encourage all to be on the same page and working towards the same goal. The added benefit of this is that timelines will be clear and visible and will hold those truly responsible for delays in their respective areas and help them and all team members understand the domino affect and impact it can have on the entire project as a whole. This will discourage the current work â€Å"silo† mentality and will promote an integrated meeting of the minds where risks and opportunities for improvement can be quickly identified, communicated and cascaded to the right people.This will also ensure that the right decision makers are present to make judgement calls on plan changes as they come along and not further hold up the process. This should put the plan back on target and give us a working plan going forward where all key players are informe d, consulted and responsible for outcomes. The cost of setting up this new structure is by far a more economical way to get the task done without the added financial burden of creating a new â€Å"backup† system. Pros: * Renewed Focus on project with key roles and responsibilities outlined set’s clear goals, accountability and ownership. Address risks and enable the team to mitigate them * Clear direction and leadership by all stakeholders and their inputs * Expedite critical milestones and ensure we are on the path * Maintain reputation * No further $ investment for backup system Cons: * New hires required Alternative B Cancel the contract with Denver. Discontinue involvement in any further development unless directly contracted by Carriers. Pros: * Focus on core business Cons * Damaged reputation for BAE * Litigation costs * $12k / day penalty Law suit risk – Pay back of $50M Baggage system backup plan Part 6: Recommendations and Implementation Recommendation: Based on my analysis the strategic impact of cancelling the project at this point would further create a bad reputation for BAE, especially considering the current damage already made to BAE by the unsolicited test plan executed by the mayor and the bad press that has already caused. The decision to continue with the project conditional upon a new team structure is a reasonable request given our past successful history and project management expertise.I feel that we have a strong argument for our position backed up by facts that are undeniable and can thus prove our innocence and lack of responsibility for the delay. This will prove to be a sensitive topic as it appears that it is easier to blame us for the delays. With a mutual understanding about the current situation, I believe it will be easier to convince the Mayor and Aviation director the value the new structure would bring and that a new backup system is not the answer and would cause unnecessary further financial burden, h urt relationships and bad press which no one wants.The success of BAE in installing United’s baggage system will be highlighted as an example of the right team structure and how we can achieve the same if we are united in the goal and agree to this plan. Recommendations Implementation Plan: Some of the short term elements of the recommendations are already completed or in progress such as building our case / position with regards to reasons for the delays. The following outlines the steps required to make this happen. Task| Responsible| Timing| Build case.Engage with Project Manager BAE to identify original plan & milestones and detailed reasons for incomplete tasks. Prepare PPT presentation with key dataWrite back to City Mayor, acknowledging letter and request for a formal meeting to present response with a set date. | BAE Project MgrBAE AdminGene DiFonso| 3 days2 days1 day| Invite to meet with DIA Director of Aviation to present challenges/issues faced throughout the proje ct and the delay outcome. Explain the current position we are in with regards to the city’s demands with the objective to gain support for the new proposed structure. Gene DiFonso| 1 day fixed| Invite DIA Director of Aviation & City Mayor to formal meeting to present project delay reasons/issues & recommendation for continuation of project with recommended structure| Gene DiFonso| 1 day (fixed)| Prepare & Present the proposed structure and Project Team Method Matrix and explain it’s criticality and past effectiveness in other successful projects and why this is necessary even if a backup baggage system is implemented | Gene DiFonso| 3 days| Assume DIA’s buy – in and that it takes DIA 1 month to hire Project Manager and restructure the Project Management Team| Director of Aviation| 30 days| Work with new Project Management Team to identify construction risks that interfere with our design/implementation plans & come up with alternate solutions. | Gene DiFo nso & PMT| 1 week| Develop new Strategy with new key Milestones | Gene DiFonso, | 2 weeks| Obtain Buy-In & Committment from key stakeholders| City Mayor, Director of Aviation| 1 day (fixed| | Total| 9 weeks| 1st Meeting with new Project Team Members| | | | | | Any critical changes to the original plans will be reported promptly to DIA Project Manager and voiced in Team Meetings. Any critical plan changes will equire Sponsor sign offs (acknowledgment and approval of change to plan for reasons outside BAE’s control) before BAE continues with implementation. Part 7: Monitor and Control: * Weekly internal meetings with BAE’s project management team will be conducted to keep pulse on project timelines and areas of risk. * Attend weekly Project Meeting Team meetings to identify risks, action items, schedule changes and react to them. * Submit bi-weekly reports on status to key sponsors & stakeholders. * Hold monthly review meetings with Sponsors Part 8: Conclusion: In conclu sion, the current difficulties we are experiencing with DIA and City Administration has served as a costly example of lack of poor management structure for a project of this magnitude.Our past successes can speak for itself in approaching DIA and City Mayor for their support to the new proposal based on our experience. If this new approach is accepted, this will save BAE millions of dollars in lawsuits and cost of new baggage system as charged by the City Mayor. The optics of getting back on track, having a strong management team and continuing with the original plan will serve in favour of all, the Mayor, our shareholders, as well as redeem our own reputation as leaders in the market. We will then be positioned without a tarnished brand and enjoy further growth opportunities. Part 9: References, Exhibits and Appendixes Appendix 1 – New Project Management Team Structure Appendix 2 – RACI Matrix example (for initial phase) of new structure