Untouchables essays

Untouchables essays During the film The Untouchables, it is easy to see the violence of the gangs that were around in the time of Prohibition. The theme of gang violence is evident in the reading of Prohibition: The Lie of the Land, but not so much in Ardent Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Prohibition was put in to practice in the passing of the 18th Amendment in 1919. The Volstead act, which it was named, made it illegal to drink and make alcohol. It was thought that in making alcohol illegal it would make the country of America a better and safer place to live in. But the reaction was not what was expected. People found ways to get alcohol weather it be by smuggling it in form other countries or making their own. There was rise violence as especially within gangs that were at war with each other over bootlegging. The reading that have been set are Prohibition: The Lie of the Land, by Sean Dennis Cashman, and Ardent Spirits: the Rise and Fall of Prohibition, by John Kobler. These two readings inform the reader about what happen during the years of Prohibition from the 1920 to the early 1930s. The first, Law of the Land, is centred on prohibition in the city of Chicago. It concentrated mostly on the gangsters that made millions out of prohibition, like Al Capone and Johnny Torrio. The other, Ardent Spirits focus more on various cities in America and how everyday people were still able to get the hands on alcohol weather buying it from speakeasies or making their own. The readings give a more in depth look at the under world of crime and the gangsters that were also seen in the movie The Untouchables. In Cashmans reading he focuses mainly on the city of Chicago and the gangsters that were involved in the bootlegging business, such as Al Capone and Jim Colosimo. Cashman gives background information on Capone and the beer wars...

Geography of El Salvador

Geography of El Salvador Population: 6,071,774 (July 2011 estimate)Border Countries: Guatemala and HondurasArea: 8,124 square miles (21,041 sq km)Coastline: 191 miles (307 km)Highest Point: Cerro el Pital at 8,956 feet (2,730 m) El Salvador is a country located in Central America between Guatemala and Honduras. Its capital and largest city is San Salvador and the country is known as being the smallest but most densely populated country in Central America. The population density of El Salvador is 747 people per square mile or 288.5 people per square kilometer. History of El Salvador It is believed that the Pipil Indians were the first people to inhabit what is present-day El Salvador. These people were descendents of the Aztec, Pocomames,  and Lencas. The first Europeans to visit El Salvador were the Spanish. On May 31, 1522 the Spanish Admiral Andres Nino and his expedition landed on Meanguera Island, a territory of El Salvador located in the Gulf of Fonseca (U.S. Department of State). Two years later in 1524 Spains Captain Pedro de Alvarado started a war to conquer Cuscatln and in 1525 he conquered El Salvador and formed the village of San Salvador. Following its conquer by Spain, El Salvador grew considerably. By 1810 however, the citizens of El Salvador began to push for independence. On September 15, 1821, El Salvador and the other Spanish provinces in Central America declared their independence from Spain. In 1822 many of these provinces joined with Mexico and although El Salvador initially pushed for independence among Central Americas countries it joined the United Provinces of Central America in 1823. In 1840,  however, the United Provinces of Central America dissolved and El Salvador became fully independent. After becoming independent, El Salvador was plagued by political and social unrest as well as many frequent revolutions. In 1900, some peace and stability was achieved and lasted until 1930. Beginning in 1931, El Salvador became ruled by a number of different military dictatorships which lasted until 1979. During the 1970s, the country was marred by severe political, social and economic problems. As a result of its many problems a coup dà ©tat or government overthrow occurred in October 1979 and a civil war followed from 1980 to 1992. In January 1992 a series of peace agreements ended the war which killed over 75,000 people. Government of El Salvador Today El Salvador is considered a republic and its capital city is San Salvador. The executive branch of the countrys government consists of a chief of state and a head of government, both of whom are the countrys president. El Salvadors legislative branch is made up of a unicameral Legislative Assembly, while its judicial branch consists of a Supreme Court. El Salvador is divided into 14 departments for local administration. Economics and Land Use in El Salvador El Salvador currently has one of the largest economies in Central America and in 2001 it adopted the United States dollar as its official national currency. The main industries in the country are food processing, beverage manufacturing, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture and light metals. Agriculture also plays a role in the economy of El Salvador and the main products of that industry are coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum, beef and dairy products. Geography and Climate of El Salvador With an area of just 8,124 square miles (21,041 sq km), El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. It has 191 miles (307 km) of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Fonseca and it is situated between Honduras and Guatemala (map). The topography of El Salvador consists mainly of mountains, but the country does have a narrow, relatively flat coastal belt and a central plateau. The highest point in El Salvador is Cerro el Pital at 8,956 feet (2,730 m) and it is located in the northern part of the country on the border with Honduras. Because El Salvador is located not far from the equator, its climate is tropical in nearly all areas except for its higher elevations where the climate is considered more temperate. The country also has a rainy season that lasts from May to October and a dry season that lasts from November to April. San Salvador, which is located in central El Salvador at an elevation of 1,837 feet (560 m), has an average yearly temperature of 86.2à ‹Å¡F (30.1ËšC).

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective Essay

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective - Essay Example The factor condition represents the factor that contributes towards the country and provides a clear distinction between the basic and the advanced factors. The basic factors mainly signify the physical and natural resources, capital resources as well as unskilled labors. The advanced factors are represented by the â€Å"digital data communication infrastructure† (Dogl, Holtbrugge and Schuster, 2012, p. 194) and educated personnel. The demand conditions symbolize the demand for various types of domestic product and services within a country in a certain industry. In this case the attributes like the composition, amount and pattern of expansion along with internationalization of domestic claims are quite significant. Supporting industries signify those industries with which the company can share their activities intersectorally in the value chain like for instance marketing, suppliers, delivery channels and technology advancement. Firm strategy describes the conditions of the c ountry and the ways in which a firm can be operated. This factor is also determined by the domestic rivalry, goal of the firm as well as individual and formation of new business of the firm. The competitive advantage of the firm is also determined by the external factors such as government and chance. ... According to Stone and Ranchhod (2006), Porter’s focus on the magnitude of rivalry and competition, this is an absolute diversion from the traditional concepts of economic thinking. Porter’s Diamond framework is found in most of the books in management academics, which suggests that like firms, countries are also competing with one another. Peng (2009) refers that the Diamond model is one of the modern theories, which provides a perfect realistic amalgamation of country, industry and firm in order to explain international competitiveness of the countries whereas other theories have previously provide explanation about one or two aspects. Hill (2009) claims that the theory proposed by Porter appears to be true but has never undergone through rigorous testing. However Porter’s Diamond Model is subjected to criticism from both management and economics school. The critics from the management school suggests the Diamond Model of Porter does not focuses on the attribut es of the trading partners present in the home country (Rugman, 1990), and at the same time it also ignores the influence of the multinational companies on the competitive success of the country (Dunning 1992, 1993). The Model does not work for the smaller nations (Bellak & Weiss 1993; Cartwright 1993). Rugman (1990) suggests to include the features of the largest trading partners of the home nation, which would be an extension of the of Porter’s Diamond Model. This â€Å"double diamond† approach should address the competitiveness that depends on both foreign and domestic diamond and the management of the domestic firms will be able to exploit both the diamonds in order to sustain in global competition (Rugman 1990; Rugman & D’Cruz 1993). On the other hand the critics from the

An evaluation of the planning and delivering of nursing care Essay

An evaluation of the planning and delivering of nursing care - Essay Example Considering the case of the patient, this study will discuss the importance of health promotion / health prevention, the acute management of ischemic stroke, and other nursing consideration whilst living with or managing the long-term health condition of the patient. Health Promotion / Health Prevention Aspect Health promotion aims to educate the patients not only on how they can effectively prevent the onset of a disease but also ways on how they can improve their overall well-being (Leddy, 2006, p. 24). Considering the case of the 52-year old patient, this study will focus on discussing the health promotion or health prevention related to ischaemic stroke. Primary Prevention Ischaemic stroke happens in case the brain artery is blocked (Stroke Association, 2012). This causes the blood supply unable to circulate in the brain. According to Wills (2007, p. 16), the three levels of health prevention includes: the primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention. In line with this, primary prevention is all about implementing some strategies that could effectively reduce the risk of a disease. The risk factors of ischaemic stroke can be used to determine what specific health promotion should be advise to the patient. Ischaemic stroke can be triggered by several monogenic disorder (i.e. mutation in Notch 3 gene, etc.) (Hassan and Markus, 2000). Although genetic disorders that can lead to stroke can be hereditary by nature, most of the risk factors of stroke are highly modifiable. Since the modifiable risk factors associated with ischaemic stroke include: smoking, hypertension, diabetes, poor diet, atrial fibrillation, lack of exercise, and obesity among others (Ahmad and Lip, 2012; NHS, 2008; Sudlow, 2008; Goldstein et al., 2006), the nurses can provide a primary prevention by teaching the patient the importance of healthy eating (i.e. eat more fish, fruits and vegetables, leanmeat, whole grain, restriction on fat, sugar, and salt intake), include a 30-minutes of regular exercise each day or at least five (5) times each week, refrain from binge drinking and limit the intake of alcohol, and avoid or stop the use of tobacco (WHO, 2012; NHS, 2008). Through health teachings, the nurses can empower the patient through self-actualisation. After conducting a health teaching, the nurse can refer to patient to stop smoking clinics in case the patient is a smoker. In case the patient is at risk of stroke due to poor eating habits, the nurse can refer the patient to a professional nutritionist. Secondary Prevention The secondary prevention is all about shortening the incidence of stroke through early diagnosis and treatment (Wills, 2007, p. 16). Assuming that the patient has suffered from a mild stroke, the secondary prevention should include encouraging the patient to modify their lifestyle and receive early treatment. If the patient has a history of smoking, the nurse should educate and encourage the patient to stop smoking. Likewise, it is equally important for the nurse to encourage the patient to avoid alcohol consumption, watch his diet, and maintain his accepted body weight through regular exercise (Sudlow, 2008; Goldstein et al., 2006). On top of modifying the patient’s lifestyle, the nurse should encourage the patient to receive annual check-up and treatment for signs of risk factors related to the development of a vascular disease. Hyptertention is one of the common risk factors of ischemic

Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Essay Example for Free

Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Essay The three characters in Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber form a triangle in which the relationships are not clear from the beginning. The plot of the short story is not very complicated: during a safari, the rich and handsome Francis Macomber proves to be a coward when he runs off scared while hunting the lion he had wounded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact, the attribute of ‘coward’ is given to him, indirectly, by his wife Margot and by Wilson, the hunter who accompanies them on the expedition. The whole story thus revolves around the killing of the lion, an act which seems to be the ultimate proof of manhood, and, which constitutes therefore a great attraction to women. The setting and the context of the story- the safari in the wilderness of Africa- seem to determine also the plot: Hemingway chooses for his characters two Americans with a great wealth and social stand, who are supposed to be very civilized, and exposes in fact their instinctual behavior, which seems to have kept its wild nature. Francis Macomber and Robert Wilson ‘fight’, by proving their courage in the hunt, for the ‘female’ who will instinctually choose the stronger of the two. The fact that the behavior of wild animals and that of humans have a common pattern is emphasized by Hemingway careful notation of the lion’s ‘feelings’ while he is being hunted by the two men. Thus, a clear connection is established between men and the wild animals: â€Å"Macomber had not thought how the lion felt as he got out of the car. He only knew his hands were shaking and as he walked away from the car it was almost impossible for him to make his legs move.†(Hemingway, 8) Thus, after Macomber’s failure in the hunt of the lion, Margot kisses the ‘winner’, Wilson, and completely ignores her husband, and her behavior seems to be the exact pattern of the creatures in the wilderness. Furthermore, the very night after Macomber’s defeat, she goes to bed with Wilson, without even trying to dissimulate in front of her husband. The courage to kill and to face death is taken here as the main criteria for manhood: â€Å"Fear gone like an operation. Something else grew in its place. Main thing a man had. Made him into a man. Women knew it too. No bloody fear.†(Hemingway, 12) The marriage between Francis and Margot had been nothing more than a profitable business affair, him having the money and she the beauty. As it is hinted, these interests are the only things that kept them together still. Both of them seem to be sure these ties are strong enough to secure against a break-up. However, after having found out about his wife’s betrayal, Macomber’s instinctive nature seems to be awakened: he discovers the exhilaration that the hunt and the killings produce in him, and his fear is completely gone. Still, Margot is not pleased by her husband’s success, as one would expect. She rather feels threatened, and tries to hide it by resuming her contemptuous attitude towards him: â€Å"’Youve gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly,’ his wife said contemptuously, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something.†(Hemingway, 11) Thus, Margot ‘rewards’ the braveness of her husband by killing him while he was fighting the bull, apparently trying to aim at the beast. However, it is obvious that she kills him intentionally, first of all, because of her strange behavior before the murder, and also because of the logic of events. As Hemingway hints, ‘she was afraid of something’ and it can plainly be seen that that something was the fact that Macomber might leave her for her betrayal, now that he found his self-assurance and his manliness again. This is exactly what Wilson alludes at after the ‘accident’: â€Å"’That was a pretty thing to do,’ he said in a toneless voice. ‘He would have left you too.’†(Hemingway, 14) She thus kills her husband to ward off the danger of having him leave her. This is proven by her strong emotions during the bull hunt, in which Macomber finally shows his braveness: her face is white with fear and probably contrasting feelings. At first she seems to congratulate again the winner, this time her husband: â€Å"’In the car Macombers wife sat very white-faced. ‘You were marvelous, darling,’ she said to Macomber. ‘What a ride.’†(Hemingway, 13) Nonetheless, her admiration soon turns into the fear that her husband will desert her: â€Å"Her face was white and she looked ill.† Again, the fact that Margot kills her husband on purpose coheres with the rest of her instinctive behavior: although the main reason of the killing seems to be his fortune or her social stand which she might lose, it may be that her murder is again instinctive, in the sense that she is afraid of losing the now desirable man, because of his courage. She prefers shooting him, again cohering with the hunt. Her ‘hysterical’ crying over the dead body of her husband do not manage to convince us of her innocence or her pain at the loss: she rather mourns him either because she needs to act in front of the other hunters, or because she has to give up the hero she had been looking for. The way in which she changes her mind after Macomber’s success, and she says that their hunting is by no means a heroic act, clearly demonstrates that she feels trapped, again manifesting her instinctual nature. At the end of the story, she herself is defeated by Wilson, who plainly lets her see that he knows the truth, and seems to enjoy the feeling of being able to submit her to his will, and have her beg: Thats better, ‘Wilson said. ‘Please is much better. Now Ill stop.’(Hemingway, 14) The meanings of Hemingway’s story are thus very complex, as he analyzes the instinctual relationships between men and women, and other instincts, such as that of killing and hunting or of possessing and dominating. Works Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. The Complete Short Stories. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1998

Western Societys Skepticism of Reincarnation :: Religion

Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation "As men think so they are, both here and hereafter, thoughts being things, the parent of all actions, good and bad alike, and as the sowing has been, so will the harvest be." It had finally come down to the last of the 500 pieces for the picturesque puzzle. What A major feat for grandma and me! We had worked on it for days straight and kept it hidden under the table cloth on top of the dining room table. Grandma came over and gave me a big hug and kiss. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was 3:30: time to feed the birds and then to start making dinner. â€Å"Let’s go feed the birds, Stephy†, she said. And we went into her little apartment kitchen, took out the package of old rye bread and headed out to her balcony overlooking Avenue Q in Brooklyn. â€Å"Ya know Stephy, the baby pigeon came by this morning with her mommy. I think she was looking for you.† I gleamed at grandma and started to blush. Grandma passed me a piece of bread to sprinkle on the floor. The ravenous birds started to arrive, one by one. Grandma sat down in her lawn chair. â€Å"When I go Stephy, I wouldn’t mind coming back as the baby pigeon. I ho pe you wouldn’t forget to come out and feed me.† So, what really happens after the last breathe is drawn? Does one go to heaven? Turn to fertilizer? Start the life process over again? There are many different beliefs, but no one knows for sure until it is their turn. Death is one of the most dreaded topics of conversation in Western civilizations. Death has many negative connotations attached. As for Tibetans following the Buddhist religion, they look death right in the face and accept it. The Tibetans do not avoid talking about the inevitable fate which every human being will meet. Rather, they prepare themselves and know that with every passing day they get closer to the end. The Tibetans live by the concept of impermanence. Impermanence states that everyone has a transient existence and that everyone will eventually die. One would think that the Tibetans are a wasteful culture, since they live their lives knowing that they will eventually die, yet it is in fact the opposite. So what motivates them? Reincarnation is the idea that the soul is reborn into a new form. Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation :: Religion Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation "As men think so they are, both here and hereafter, thoughts being things, the parent of all actions, good and bad alike, and as the sowing has been, so will the harvest be." It had finally come down to the last of the 500 pieces for the picturesque puzzle. What A major feat for grandma and me! We had worked on it for days straight and kept it hidden under the table cloth on top of the dining room table. Grandma came over and gave me a big hug and kiss. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was 3:30: time to feed the birds and then to start making dinner. â€Å"Let’s go feed the birds, Stephy†, she said. And we went into her little apartment kitchen, took out the package of old rye bread and headed out to her balcony overlooking Avenue Q in Brooklyn. â€Å"Ya know Stephy, the baby pigeon came by this morning with her mommy. I think she was looking for you.† I gleamed at grandma and started to blush. Grandma passed me a piece of bread to sprinkle on the floor. The ravenous birds started to arrive, one by one. Grandma sat down in her lawn chair. â€Å"When I go Stephy, I wouldn’t mind coming back as the baby pigeon. I ho pe you wouldn’t forget to come out and feed me.† So, what really happens after the last breathe is drawn? Does one go to heaven? Turn to fertilizer? Start the life process over again? There are many different beliefs, but no one knows for sure until it is their turn. Death is one of the most dreaded topics of conversation in Western civilizations. Death has many negative connotations attached. As for Tibetans following the Buddhist religion, they look death right in the face and accept it. The Tibetans do not avoid talking about the inevitable fate which every human being will meet. Rather, they prepare themselves and know that with every passing day they get closer to the end. The Tibetans live by the concept of impermanence. Impermanence states that everyone has a transient existence and that everyone will eventually die. One would think that the Tibetans are a wasteful culture, since they live their lives knowing that they will eventually die, yet it is in fact the opposite. So what motivates them? Reincarnation is the idea that the soul is reborn into a new form.

Treasure Island

Journals Writing about your favorite book If you are a fan of adventure books, Treasure Island is what you are looking for. It is not because I'm a fan of the book, but is Treasure Island itself is one of greatest fictional adventures in the pirates' world. Robert Louis Stevenson, who is the author of this book, tells the story under the narration of the young Jim Hawkins. Jim and his mother own an inn, living a normal life. But when the destiny comes and knocks the door, his life changed forever. A treasure map from an old pirates who stays in his inn somehow comes to Jim's hand.Not long after that, Jim is forced into the adventure to the pirates' world to find the treasure island. There are many unforgettable characters, such as young Jim Hawkins, kind-hearted Captain Smollett, brave doctor Livesey, and the one-legged cook Long John Silver, who is firstly appeared to be a funny and friendly person and the next a dangerous pirate leader! My favorite part of the book is when Jim has to say goodbye to his mother, gets extremely critical of his replacement at the inn, and then goes on to forget all of those things when he gets to Bristol and experiences things he'd never dreamed of.I love this section of the story because it's one of the few periods in this novel that show the simplicity of innocence, and that's what Jim really was: an innocent. This is again show how talented the author is. He describe each of his characters distinctively and freely. Each character in this adventure has free will and do anything they want. There are no restraints such as good man always do good things in this book. The one-legged cook plays the two-face games easily and smoothly as if it is his nature. This man is opposite is the young Jim Hawkins.While Jim shows his bravery toward hardships and treachery during his adventure, Long John Silver always lean to the side which gives him the most benefits. That is why Jim has many friends around him while John has no one. It seems th at Jim push away the obstacle and treachery while John pull it toward him. It is interesting that despite of all those settings, Long John is still a Jim's so-called friend, who help each other in the adventure. This book was a part of my childhood, but of course, in Vietnamese language translated. It was lucky that the book is interesting in any languages translated. Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so that we can have conversation† As I know, this is a famous quote of writer Mark Twain. The meaning of this quote is that people spend too much time talking but they don't listen. Communication and conversation seem to have many similarities. However, in my opinions, a conversation is much more complex and interactive than simple communication. While communicate, you often focus on speaking. It means you are basically conveying your own ideas to others, but during a conversation, we don't only speak. We also listen to other people's ideas.In ad dition, I believe that our speaking are more likely responses to others' opinions or arguments. In a conversation, people often interact with rather than dominate others with their own ideas. They together build up and support the general topics. While most people think it is easy to make a conversation, they are actually wrong. Conversation is listening as much as talking. The ability to listen is as important as the ability to convey ideas. That is the meaning that the quote wants to convey. Many people say that â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is a better song about abusive school kids than â€Å"Jeremy. However, most of them do not know what makes those two songs so popular and why their lyrics, melodies and public receptions, not other songs’, are compared with each other. By comparing those two songs in those characteristics, we can reveal the uniqueness of each song and know more about what â€Å"Jeremy† and â€Å"Pumped up kicks† want to convey. Both of th ese songs are about kids who lack of care from family and society. Pearl Jam started writing this song when their leader Eddie Vedder read about a high school student suicide in front of his classmates and decide that they have to do something about it.It is also about the kid who engaged in a gun shooting that Vedder knows back in his high school time. As we go further in lyric of â€Å"Jeremy,† we can see the kid named Jeremy who is ignored by his parents and his friends. His classmates treat him as wicked, having problem kid. Jeremy doesn’t know what to do and whom he should share his feelings with, so he represses it until he can’t bear it anymore and ends up shooting himself in front of the class. â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is more likely a warning about gun violence among youth. The song is about a kid playing cowboys with a â€Å"six shooter gun. As the kid named Jeremy in Pearl Jam’s song, this kid thinks he can rule everything because he has a gun. The image of a â€Å"cowboy† is similar to â€Å"King Jeremy† because they both have a gun and they are lonely. In Pump He is bullied and his dad beats him when he is drunk. He has a gun and he is going to shoot the kids with those fancy shoes to get pay back on his father and the kids who have bullied him. In the chorus, Mark Foster writes â€Å"better run, better run, faster. † That makes us feel like we are watching a chasing game where everything is speedy and furious.Despite having different lyrics, both of these two songs talk about regrettable consequences which result from the ignorance from the family that lead the kid to unsteady, unpredictable behaviors. Critical reaction also triggers a controversial topic between the two songs. As we know, both â€Å"Jeremy† and â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is talking about the abused school  kids. Both of  the  two songs got huge attentions from the public when they are released. However, †Å"Jeremy†Ã‚  had to face much more negative reception from public. In this video, we are telling about the life of a kid named Jeremy.Words such as â€Å"bored,† â€Å"problem,† â€Å"harmless† or â€Å"wicked† appear frequently. His parents, his classmates seem to be motionless whenever he tries to express himself. Especially the  scene  Jeremy putting the gun in his mouth has made a big impact on people who watch this video. With this video, Pearl Jam wants to show us the painful reality of being ignored and being unable to share the feelings with others. They want people to take an action so that there won’t be any kids have to face the same problems as Jeremy. â€Å"Pumped up kicks† did not have such a  strong negative effect on  listeners like â€Å"Jeremy.   The music video â€Å"Pumped up kicks† shows how the Young enjoy their life. They find the place for themselves, where they have friends and not to be ignor ed. Although the lyric is about an isolated psychotic kid, the video expresses that idea in a more comfortable way than the video â€Å"Jeremy. † In the video, there is not any kid carrying gun around and chasing other kids with â€Å"pumped up kicks. † That is why people feel this song more acceptable. However, the statement was that people should not sing and dance the song  in funny mood because this song did not bring a positive message.People seem to care more about the funny tunes than the real message that the song conveys: violence and ignorance, abusive kids. Drinking age often trigger controversial debates in America about which age is suitable for minors to drink legally. Some people argue that age limit should be lowered to 18. They support their opinions by claiming that the 21 age limit fails to decline the number of kids using alcohol, and lowering drinking age to 18 will be more suitable comparing to voting, having driver license or signing up for U. S. Army.Lowering drinking age to 18 seems to be more fair to minors, but the changes it propose would in fact damage American youth. Some people believe that setting the drinking age to 21 is a failure because 21 age limit hasn't stop minors from drinking. They claim that kids often drink before they are 21. They still drink whether ignoring the age limit. That is why they believe the 21 age limit should be changed into lower age limit, such as 18. However, it is not the age limit that makes minors decide to drink or not. When the 21 age limit law takes place, it stops minors from buying alcohol from any bars, stores or restaurants.Current drinking restrains many college students from buying alcohol easily and thus slowing down case of drinking among youth. Some argue that 18 age limit is more suitable than 21 age limit. When kids are 18 years old, they become adults and they have the citizenship. They have the rights and responsibilities for what their behaviors. They can vote, hav e driver license, sign up for U. S. Army and of course drink if they want. In my opinions, lowering drinking age to 18 may result in potential effects that we don't even know. Drinking is different from having a driver license or voting.If we lower the drinking age, it will create a stimulation among young. They will think that drinking is a good behavior and start drinking more and more alcohol. They spend more time to get drank rather than studying. Also, it drinking accompany with driving, minors can cause accidents and face legal troubles for months or years. It may ruined up American youth. Through the current drinking age limit doesn't have clearly effect in lowering the number of minors using alcohol, it still prevents majority of college students from buying alcohol and thus reduces the amount of drinking ases and drunk driving among minors. Also, 18 drinking age limit has more disadvantages than advantages that makes it not feasible to replace current drinking age limit. Sp ecial situations define person. In our life, we experience many situations that show us and others who we are. It happened to me when I was in high school. I had a close friend and also my classmate in high school. We are the two best student in math. I couldn't control my jealousy and thus lost one of my best friend.We still met after that but our friendship was not the same as before I remember the sentence that my old grandpa used to say when I was small: â€Å"Everyone is hungry for something: happiness, love, desire†¦. â€Å"With me is being number one. Sometimes the desire of being number one dominates me and leads to negativity. However, I don't think jealousy is a bad characteristic. It is a part of human nature. Attempting to remove jealousy is attempting to remove the incentive for you to develop. It is better if you learn to control jealousy. You will have incentive to be better off if want to be number one. Treasure Island Journals Writing about your favorite book If you are a fan of adventure books, Treasure Island is what you are looking for. It is not because I'm a fan of the book, but is Treasure Island itself is one of greatest fictional adventures in the pirates' world. Robert Louis Stevenson, who is the author of this book, tells the story under the narration of the young Jim Hawkins. Jim and his mother own an inn, living a normal life. But when the destiny comes and knocks the door, his life changed forever. A treasure map from an old pirates who stays in his inn somehow comes to Jim's hand.Not long after that, Jim is forced into the adventure to the pirates' world to find the treasure island. There are many unforgettable characters, such as young Jim Hawkins, kind-hearted Captain Smollett, brave doctor Livesey, and the one-legged cook Long John Silver, who is firstly appeared to be a funny and friendly person and the next a dangerous pirate leader! My favorite part of the book is when Jim has to say goodbye to his mother, gets extremely critical of his replacement at the inn, and then goes on to forget all of those things when he gets to Bristol and experiences things he'd never dreamed of.I love this section of the story because it's one of the few periods in this novel that show the simplicity of innocence, and that's what Jim really was: an innocent. This is again show how talented the author is. He describe each of his characters distinctively and freely. Each character in this adventure has free will and do anything they want. There are no restraints such as good man always do good things in this book. The one-legged cook plays the two-face games easily and smoothly as if it is his nature. This man is opposite is the young Jim Hawkins.While Jim shows his bravery toward hardships and treachery during his adventure, Long John Silver always lean to the side which gives him the most benefits. That is why Jim has many friends around him while John has no one. It seems th at Jim push away the obstacle and treachery while John pull it toward him. It is interesting that despite of all those settings, Long John is still a Jim's so-called friend, who help each other in the adventure. This book was a part of my childhood, but of course, in Vietnamese language translated. It was lucky that the book is interesting in any languages translated. Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so that we can have conversation† As I know, this is a famous quote of writer Mark Twain. The meaning of this quote is that people spend too much time talking but they don't listen. Communication and conversation seem to have many similarities. However, in my opinions, a conversation is much more complex and interactive than simple communication. While communicate, you often focus on speaking. It means you are basically conveying your own ideas to others, but during a conversation, we don't only speak. We also listen to other people's ideas.In ad dition, I believe that our speaking are more likely responses to others' opinions or arguments. In a conversation, people often interact with rather than dominate others with their own ideas. They together build up and support the general topics. While most people think it is easy to make a conversation, they are actually wrong. Conversation is listening as much as talking. The ability to listen is as important as the ability to convey ideas. That is the meaning that the quote wants to convey. Many people say that â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is a better song about abusive school kids than â€Å"Jeremy. However, most of them do not know what makes those two songs so popular and why their lyrics, melodies and public receptions, not other songs’, are compared with each other. By comparing those two songs in those characteristics, we can reveal the uniqueness of each song and know more about what â€Å"Jeremy† and â€Å"Pumped up kicks† want to convey. Both of th ese songs are about kids who lack of care from family and society. Pearl Jam started writing this song when their leader Eddie Vedder read about a high school student suicide in front of his classmates and decide that they have to do something about it.It is also about the kid who engaged in a gun shooting that Vedder knows back in his high school time. As we go further in lyric of â€Å"Jeremy,† we can see the kid named Jeremy who is ignored by his parents and his friends. His classmates treat him as wicked, having problem kid. Jeremy doesn’t know what to do and whom he should share his feelings with, so he represses it until he can’t bear it anymore and ends up shooting himself in front of the class. â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is more likely a warning about gun violence among youth. The song is about a kid playing cowboys with a â€Å"six shooter gun. As the kid named Jeremy in Pearl Jam’s song, this kid thinks he can rule everything because he has a gun. The image of a â€Å"cowboy† is similar to â€Å"King Jeremy† because they both have a gun and they are lonely. In Pump He is bullied and his dad beats him when he is drunk. He has a gun and he is going to shoot the kids with those fancy shoes to get pay back on his father and the kids who have bullied him. In the chorus, Mark Foster writes â€Å"better run, better run, faster. † That makes us feel like we are watching a chasing game where everything is speedy and furious.Despite having different lyrics, both of these two songs talk about regrettable consequences which result from the ignorance from the family that lead the kid to unsteady, unpredictable behaviors. Critical reaction also triggers a controversial topic between the two songs. As we know, both â€Å"Jeremy† and â€Å"Pumped up kicks† is talking about the abused school  kids. Both of  the  two songs got huge attentions from the public when they are released. However, †Å"Jeremy†Ã‚  had to face much more negative reception from public. In this video, we are telling about the life of a kid named Jeremy.Words such as â€Å"bored,† â€Å"problem,† â€Å"harmless† or â€Å"wicked† appear frequently. His parents, his classmates seem to be motionless whenever he tries to express himself. Especially the  scene  Jeremy putting the gun in his mouth has made a big impact on people who watch this video. With this video, Pearl Jam wants to show us the painful reality of being ignored and being unable to share the feelings with others. They want people to take an action so that there won’t be any kids have to face the same problems as Jeremy. â€Å"Pumped up kicks† did not have such a  strong negative effect on  listeners like â€Å"Jeremy.   The music video â€Å"Pumped up kicks† shows how the Young enjoy their life. They find the place for themselves, where they have friends and not to be ignor ed. Although the lyric is about an isolated psychotic kid, the video expresses that idea in a more comfortable way than the video â€Å"Jeremy. † In the video, there is not any kid carrying gun around and chasing other kids with â€Å"pumped up kicks. † That is why people feel this song more acceptable. However, the statement was that people should not sing and dance the song  in funny mood because this song did not bring a positive message.People seem to care more about the funny tunes than the real message that the song conveys: violence and ignorance, abusive kids. Drinking age often trigger controversial debates in America about which age is suitable for minors to drink legally. Some people argue that age limit should be lowered to 18. They support their opinions by claiming that the 21 age limit fails to decline the number of kids using alcohol, and lowering drinking age to 18 will be more suitable comparing to voting, having driver license or signing up for U. S. Army.Lowering drinking age to 18 seems to be more fair to minors, but the changes it propose would in fact damage American youth. Some people believe that setting the drinking age to 21 is a failure because 21 age limit hasn't stop minors from drinking. They claim that kids often drink before they are 21. They still drink whether ignoring the age limit. That is why they believe the 21 age limit should be changed into lower age limit, such as 18. However, it is not the age limit that makes minors decide to drink or not. When the 21 age limit law takes place, it stops minors from buying alcohol from any bars, stores or restaurants.Current drinking restrains many college students from buying alcohol easily and thus slowing down case of drinking among youth. Some argue that 18 age limit is more suitable than 21 age limit. When kids are 18 years old, they become adults and they have the citizenship. They have the rights and responsibilities for what their behaviors. They can vote, hav e driver license, sign up for U. S. Army and of course drink if they want. In my opinions, lowering drinking age to 18 may result in potential effects that we don't even know. Drinking is different from having a driver license or voting.If we lower the drinking age, it will create a stimulation among young. They will think that drinking is a good behavior and start drinking more and more alcohol. They spend more time to get drank rather than studying. Also, it drinking accompany with driving, minors can cause accidents and face legal troubles for months or years. It may ruined up American youth. Through the current drinking age limit doesn't have clearly effect in lowering the number of minors using alcohol, it still prevents majority of college students from buying alcohol and thus reduces the amount of drinking ases and drunk driving among minors. Also, 18 drinking age limit has more disadvantages than advantages that makes it not feasible to replace current drinking age limit. Sp ecial situations define person. In our life, we experience many situations that show us and others who we are. It happened to me when I was in high school. I had a close friend and also my classmate in high school. We are the two best student in math. I couldn't control my jealousy and thus lost one of my best friend.We still met after that but our friendship was not the same as before I remember the sentence that my old grandpa used to say when I was small: â€Å"Everyone is hungry for something: happiness, love, desire†¦. â€Å"With me is being number one. Sometimes the desire of being number one dominates me and leads to negativity. However, I don't think jealousy is a bad characteristic. It is a part of human nature. Attempting to remove jealousy is attempting to remove the incentive for you to develop. It is better if you learn to control jealousy. You will have incentive to be better off if want to be number one.

Week

Then find a current event in an article at the inline periodical listed to illustrate that concept. Compose an analysis of that event or situation using the weekly operations concept that you selected. Try to choose the concept that has been addressed the least by your classmates. Your post is due by Midnight (Central Time) Thursday. Next, respond to at least three classmates' posts by Midnight (Central Time) Sunday. Remember that content matters. You need to write more than â€Å"Great Job† or â€Å"l agree with you† to get full credit on your discussion responses.Week 1 Discussion The weekly textbook concepts for our discussion this week are: Operational efficiency Operational effectiveness Operational Sustainability Strategic Operations Planning Operational Productivity Operations and Supply Chain Strategy Select one of these concepts and find a related article at the New York Times: http://www. Anytime. Com/ . Try clicking on â€Å"Business† on the left to se e the business related articles or search by entering your topic in the search box. You'll find one (or several articles) to analyze.Remember to focus upon your selected concept in your analysis. After reviewing and analyzing one of the current events articles, post your analysis and comments to your classmates low. For full credit, review three of your classmates postings and reply to them. If you're the first to enter the Discussion there will only BEA Respond button. Otherwise, you will see others' posting below. Click on the + Expand All button to view all of the entries made by your fellow learners. This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Collapse All Print View Show Options Responses Responses are listed below in the following order: response, author and the date and time the response is posted. Response Author Defeatism* Week 1 Nicole Haunt 3/19/2013 PM Speedy Check-Len Lets Hotel Guests Bypass Front Desk The hotel industry is becoming more electronic fr iendly by placing check-in kiosks in their hotels for quick and easy check-in. It is the age of social networking and people like to get things done quickly and having this capability in the hotels will allow things to go a lot quicker.This also allows the hotels to cut down on staffing and increase revenue. They have also added kiosks by the elevators so that if their keys do not work the customer does not have to go all the way to the front desk to get it fixed. Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people heckling-in and then help then when it is needed. This represents operation effectiveness because it is something that can be continuously improved; it improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. The hotels are maximizing their check-in process by making it faster and reducing wait time. Http://www. Anytime. Mom/2013/03/19/business/speedy-chi eek-in -lets-h Tool- guests-bypass-front-desk. HTML? Ref=business&_r=O RE: Weekly Eduardo Bertha 3/1 9/2013 PM Nico le remember the first time when I encountered the electronic check-in. It was in NY City and it seemed very unusual. There I was checking into the hotel hill the lady was standing behind the counter watching me. This was about 8 years ago and din ‘t understand the point Of having the electronic check-in at a small hotel†¦ It makes sense to have it in a large hotel where the electronic check in will reduce waiting times†¦ RE: weekly Memorable Ramona 3/19/2013 PM Good point Eduardo.In big name hotels like Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Hilton I can see where providing kiosks to their guests would benefit in time managing. This way, the hotel clerks can accommodate and assist their guests in different areas. From experience, have had to check-in to plenty of hotels Ewing in the Air Force Reserves and it does get pretty bothersome having to wait in line, especially after a long tiresome drive. RE: Weekly Nicole Haunt 3/20/2013 AM also agree that it would seem unusual to have a kiosk at a small hotel because I would think that you would want more of a mom and pop feel when you go to small establishments like that.I know that when I go on vacation to Vegas or any where that is popular the last thing I want to do is stand in line so a kiosk would be helpful but then I wonder if customer service will go down because they are not pay too much attention to the customer. RE: Week 1 Nicole, Geisha Bristol 3/20/2013 9:48:49 PM You hit the nail right on the head. Customer service WILL go lacking. L, myself, have worked in the hospitality/hotel field (and hoping to one day get back into this field) and know that customer service is a BIG deal when it comes to that.That first â€Å"meet and greet† is important when checking into a hotel. I can understand the functionality of using kiosks. But can also see the downside. You would still need the staff to clean the rooms from previous guests. Somehow, the status on each room needs to be updated to make the system of the kiosk work. Housekeeping and the front desk work very closely in the hotel setting. As housekeeping cleans the room, the front desk is updated on what rooms have been cleaned and are ready for a new guest.The use of a kiosk, I feel can become a problem down the road. Thatcher's how feel. RE: Weekly Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:44:19 PM Niccole, This was news to me! I was unaware that hotels would start using kiosks to check-in. I suppose it makes sense since the Airlines do it as well and the process has proven to work in that regard. As a customer, this is great. I would think that this is a win/win situation. I hope they do not do away with he bell man though! I kind of of still want my baggage carried for me if I'm on a fancy vacation!Tony RE: Weekly Instructor Cube 3/23/2013 AM Nicole, you wrote that â€Å"Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. † You are doing a good job in this analysi s Of illustrating the similarities between services processes and assembly (manufacturing) processes. There really are a lot of similarities that are evident when we consider efficiency and effectiveness improvement methods. Chapter 2 (page 30-31 ) does a good job of illustrating how Operations managers measure productivity (partial, multiracial, total).Which of these methods would you think that a services business, like the hotel in your article, would apply? Class, any ideas on this†¦ RE: weekly Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 PM Professor, believe using a partial measure of productivity would be ideal. The Operation manager of a hotel would be interested in the productivity of its staff. Fifth Operations manager were in charge of multiple hotel chains, then he/she would use total measure of productivity or even malefactor measures. According to the textbook, a total factor measure would be used to measure he productivity of an entire organization.This way the Operations manager can compare and make adjustments in the less producing hotel chains. Eunice RE: weekly Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:3108 AM Right, in services process with lots of people, labor productivity (partial measure) is a good way to measure productivity. Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:37:33 PM In 2012, Shell Oil Company had to suspend operations in the Arctic Ocean when their drilling rig the Kulak was grounded. Shell had attempted to drill for oil in the Arctic but the harsh climate made oversight of the operation very difficult.A recent review concluded â€Å"Shell had failed in a wide range of basic operational tasks, like supervision of contractors that performed critical work, including towing one of the company's two drilling rigs†. This failed operational control caused the rig to be damaged. The ineffectiveness to oversee these operations correctly diminished the value of drilling in the Arctic. For now Shell states that they â€Å"will not return to the Arct ic Ocean in 2013†. Overall, I believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment.Despite the unfortunate towing incident, Shell has made the right decision to reevaluate how things are being managed. Brooder, John M. (2013), Interior Dept. Warns Shell on Arctic Drilling. Retrieved March 1 9, 2013 from http://YMMV. Anytime. Com/2013/03/1 5/business/gibbon/ RE: Shell in the Artic Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8:40:23 AM Anthony, you wrote that â€Å"l believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment. Despite the unfortunate towing managed. † Which of the weekly textbook concepts (above) do you thing was involved in this decision?Would it be Operations efficiency, Operations effectiveness, Operations productivity, or some other factor? Class, what do you think†¦.. RE: Shell in the Artic Sandra Rolling 3/20/2013 11 AM think this is would be under Chapter 2 – Page 22 , Exhibit 2. 1 – Shell is actively working their Triple Bottom Line Thanks Sands RE: Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/21/2013 8:23:38 PM Proof, would think that Operational sustainability was a big factor in considering to terminate operations in the interim. Because of the issues that happen, value was lost and therefore so was effectiveness and efficiency.Its to me that each concept must hold strong for operational management to work. RE: Shell in the Artic Matthew Bat-y 3/22/2013 10:35:02 AM I think, in this case, operational sustainability was going to be lost. There were too many negative consequences in continuing action in the Arctic, not least of which was the safety hazard to the employees. Inclusively, both efficiency and effectiveness would have been diminished. RE: Shell in the At-tic Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Good observations about social responsibility. The way that companies pursue operations is very important.RE: Shell in the Artic Eduardo Bertha 3/24/ 2013 2:02:32 PM Social responsibility has different meanings depending on the culture where the many originates and where it operates†¦ Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/19/2013 PM Textbook definition Of efficiency means doing something at the lowest possible cost while effectiveness means doing the right things to create the most value for the company. (Jacobs & Chase 11). An article from the NY Times focuses on Promethean, a biodegrade company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats. (Promethean 2).It develops several medical treatments to meet the critical needs of the united States and its allies by developing and counterclaiming medical entrepreneurs against biological and chemical threats. The company employs both operational efficiency and effectiveness through reduced operating expenses that went from $21. 2 million in 2011 to $19. 5 million in 2012 by cutting unnecessary operating expenses. Also general and administrative expenses went dow n from $14. 3 million to $11. 6 million as a result of a reduction in legal and other general and administrative expenses.As a result of being efficient, some trade-offs were made. â€Å"Trade-offs occur when activities are incompatible so that more of one thing necessitates less of another. (Jacobs & Chase 27). The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. In this line of business, dealing with break-through medical advancements, the company must strive on process quality. Being effective is more important than being efficient for Promethean. Jacobs, F. Robert & Richard B. Chase. Operations and Supply Chain Management. McGraw-Hill & Irwin. New York, NY, 201 1.Print. Promethean. â€Å"Promethean Reports Year-End 2012 Financial And operational Results. † NY Times. Com. 13 Mar 2013. Web. 19 Mar 2013. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8137138 AM Eunice, you wrote that â€Å"The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. † Everyone should note that every business must choose among the focus dimensions (pages 25-27) to decide how they will compete, and then the Operations function of that company has to apply the business level focus dimensions that support the overall business plan.Class and Eunice, in this case above which of the focus dimensions did this firm adopt in its operations function and which did they trade-off? † Any ideas†¦.. RE: Portfolio Jill Davis 3/23/2013 PM Eunice, I liked your post. I think that in terms of product and service safety, especially in the health care fields, companies should make the trade off toward products and service quality, rather than a cheaper or faster service or product. Our text says that a company has to decide on which parameters of performance are critical to success and focus on those.High quality can be a trade off to low cost, but when it comes to health services and pharmaceutical companies the performance parameters critical to success are the well-being of their customers so low cost should have to take a back seat to product and service quality. Jacobs, Robert F. & Chase, Richard B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Right Jill, we have all seen how a focus on low cost and low quality in the medical industry can endanger consumers.RE: Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 6:54:56 PM As Jill and Jordan stated, quality is more important when it comes to the healthcare field. Not only would Promethean lose its business if even one person dies from the company's negligence, but it would face tremendous lawsuits from individuals and the government. Its reputation would be destroyed. Promethean understands the repercussions if they don't deliver a quality product so it sacrifices cost in order to deliver quality products. People are willing to spend money on medications that work.I think this is one field where consumers will pay anything for medicine that truly works. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:36:44 AM Right Eunice, so these Operations managers do not focus upon low cost, flexibility, customized products, or high efficiency. They have traded off all of these focus dimensions and their approach is high quality. RE: Portfolio Steven Rice 3/24/2013 3:44139 PM would say the main focus dimension is to focus on quality, or â€Å"Make a great Product† vs.. â€Å"Deliver a great service†. Anything in the healthcare industry has a heavy emphasis in the quality control in design and process quality.I used to work for a company that produced Animal Drugs and was heavily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, because the animals that received the drugs we produced were farmed for human consumption. As consumer, I always want the best quality for the price I'm willing to spend or can afford. Steve Rice RE-: Portfolio Jordan Edwards 3/20/20 13 PM Modified:3/20/2013 1184 PM Thanks Eunice for the insightful analysis on your article. It seems like a lot of firms/organizations are looking at ways they can save by eliminating inefficiencies or other processes altogether.In this case I would say that Promethean opted to focus on quality or making a great product and sacrificed cost or price-?making the product cheaply. RE: Portfolio Kristin Truer 3/24/2013 PM think that being effective vs. being efficient has paid off for this organization. Sometimes, a company or organization may have to pay a little more to be ore effective in delivering their product that they want and are needing to get out. In the end, its what is going to pay off for the company when the product is sold to its customers.Good info and article. Kristin Operational Sustainability Pamela Chafed 3/19/2013 10:58:43 PM I would not normally think of using Wall-Mart in the same sentence with the term operational sustainability but an article titled Unexpected A lly Helps Wall-Mart Cut Waste changed my thought process. Wall-Mart courted environmental groups and sought their input on its policies since it first announced a sustainability program. The major push for Wall-Mart to strive towards operational sustainability was to transform the publics' opinion of the corporation.With negative public views towards Wall-Marts environmental impacts and treatment of women in the workforce, H. Lee Scott, the chief executive, now retired, announced wide ranged plans to lessen the environmental impact the company had on the communities it served. The company has met some environmental goals and missed others. One of these was increasing reuse or recycle of waste produced in its stores by 64 percent, not quite the zero-waste goal that was set, but a huge step forward s progress continues to be made. Week Then find a current event in an article at the inline periodical listed to illustrate that concept. Compose an analysis of that event or situation using the weekly operations concept that you selected. Try to choose the concept that has been addressed the least by your classmates. Your post is due by Midnight (Central Time) Thursday. Next, respond to at least three classmates' posts by Midnight (Central Time) Sunday. Remember that content matters. You need to write more than â€Å"Great Job† or â€Å"l agree with you† to get full credit on your discussion responses.Week 1 Discussion The weekly textbook concepts for our discussion this week are: Operational efficiency Operational effectiveness Operational Sustainability Strategic Operations Planning Operational Productivity Operations and Supply Chain Strategy Select one of these concepts and find a related article at the New York Times: http://www. Anytime. Com/ . Try clicking on â€Å"Business† on the left to se e the business related articles or search by entering your topic in the search box. You'll find one (or several articles) to analyze.Remember to focus upon your selected concept in your analysis. After reviewing and analyzing one of the current events articles, post your analysis and comments to your classmates low. For full credit, review three of your classmates postings and reply to them. If you're the first to enter the Discussion there will only BEA Respond button. Otherwise, you will see others' posting below. Click on the + Expand All button to view all of the entries made by your fellow learners. This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Collapse All Print View Show Options Responses Responses are listed below in the following order: response, author and the date and time the response is posted. Response Author Defeatism* Week 1 Nicole Haunt 3/19/2013 PM Speedy Check-Len Lets Hotel Guests Bypass Front Desk The hotel industry is becoming more electronic fr iendly by placing check-in kiosks in their hotels for quick and easy check-in. It is the age of social networking and people like to get things done quickly and having this capability in the hotels will allow things to go a lot quicker.This also allows the hotels to cut down on staffing and increase revenue. They have also added kiosks by the elevators so that if their keys do not work the customer does not have to go all the way to the front desk to get it fixed. Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people heckling-in and then help then when it is needed. This represents operation effectiveness because it is something that can be continuously improved; it improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. The hotels are maximizing their check-in process by making it faster and reducing wait time. Http://www. Anytime. Mom/2013/03/19/business/speedy-chi eek-in -lets-h Tool- guests-bypass-front-desk. HTML? Ref=business&_r=O RE: Weekly Eduardo Bertha 3/1 9/2013 PM Nico le remember the first time when I encountered the electronic check-in. It was in NY City and it seemed very unusual. There I was checking into the hotel hill the lady was standing behind the counter watching me. This was about 8 years ago and din ‘t understand the point Of having the electronic check-in at a small hotel†¦ It makes sense to have it in a large hotel where the electronic check in will reduce waiting times†¦ RE: weekly Memorable Ramona 3/19/2013 PM Good point Eduardo.In big name hotels like Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Hilton I can see where providing kiosks to their guests would benefit in time managing. This way, the hotel clerks can accommodate and assist their guests in different areas. From experience, have had to check-in to plenty of hotels Ewing in the Air Force Reserves and it does get pretty bothersome having to wait in line, especially after a long tiresome drive. RE: Weekly Nicole Haunt 3/20/2013 AM also agree that it would seem unusual to have a kiosk at a small hotel because I would think that you would want more of a mom and pop feel when you go to small establishments like that.I know that when I go on vacation to Vegas or any where that is popular the last thing I want to do is stand in line so a kiosk would be helpful but then I wonder if customer service will go down because they are not pay too much attention to the customer. RE: Week 1 Nicole, Geisha Bristol 3/20/2013 9:48:49 PM You hit the nail right on the head. Customer service WILL go lacking. L, myself, have worked in the hospitality/hotel field (and hoping to one day get back into this field) and know that customer service is a BIG deal when it comes to that.That first â€Å"meet and greet† is important when checking into a hotel. I can understand the functionality of using kiosks. But can also see the downside. You would still need the staff to clean the rooms from previous guests. Somehow, the status on each room needs to be updated to make the system of the kiosk work. Housekeeping and the front desk work very closely in the hotel setting. As housekeeping cleans the room, the front desk is updated on what rooms have been cleaned and are ready for a new guest.The use of a kiosk, I feel can become a problem down the road. Thatcher's how feel. RE: Weekly Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:44:19 PM Niccole, This was news to me! I was unaware that hotels would start using kiosks to check-in. I suppose it makes sense since the Airlines do it as well and the process has proven to work in that regard. As a customer, this is great. I would think that this is a win/win situation. I hope they do not do away with he bell man though! I kind of of still want my baggage carried for me if I'm on a fancy vacation!Tony RE: Weekly Instructor Cube 3/23/2013 AM Nicole, you wrote that â€Å"Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. † You are doing a good job in this analysi s Of illustrating the similarities between services processes and assembly (manufacturing) processes. There really are a lot of similarities that are evident when we consider efficiency and effectiveness improvement methods. Chapter 2 (page 30-31 ) does a good job of illustrating how Operations managers measure productivity (partial, multiracial, total).Which of these methods would you think that a services business, like the hotel in your article, would apply? Class, any ideas on this†¦ RE: weekly Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 PM Professor, believe using a partial measure of productivity would be ideal. The Operation manager of a hotel would be interested in the productivity of its staff. Fifth Operations manager were in charge of multiple hotel chains, then he/she would use total measure of productivity or even malefactor measures. According to the textbook, a total factor measure would be used to measure he productivity of an entire organization.This way the Operations manager can compare and make adjustments in the less producing hotel chains. Eunice RE: weekly Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:3108 AM Right, in services process with lots of people, labor productivity (partial measure) is a good way to measure productivity. Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:37:33 PM In 2012, Shell Oil Company had to suspend operations in the Arctic Ocean when their drilling rig the Kulak was grounded. Shell had attempted to drill for oil in the Arctic but the harsh climate made oversight of the operation very difficult.A recent review concluded â€Å"Shell had failed in a wide range of basic operational tasks, like supervision of contractors that performed critical work, including towing one of the company's two drilling rigs†. This failed operational control caused the rig to be damaged. The ineffectiveness to oversee these operations correctly diminished the value of drilling in the Arctic. For now Shell states that they â€Å"will not return to the Arct ic Ocean in 2013†. Overall, I believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment.Despite the unfortunate towing incident, Shell has made the right decision to reevaluate how things are being managed. Brooder, John M. (2013), Interior Dept. Warns Shell on Arctic Drilling. Retrieved March 1 9, 2013 from http://YMMV. Anytime. Com/2013/03/1 5/business/gibbon/ RE: Shell in the Artic Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8:40:23 AM Anthony, you wrote that â€Å"l believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment. Despite the unfortunate towing managed. † Which of the weekly textbook concepts (above) do you thing was involved in this decision?Would it be Operations efficiency, Operations effectiveness, Operations productivity, or some other factor? Class, what do you think†¦.. RE: Shell in the Artic Sandra Rolling 3/20/2013 11 AM think this is would be under Chapter 2 – Page 22 , Exhibit 2. 1 – Shell is actively working their Triple Bottom Line Thanks Sands RE: Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/21/2013 8:23:38 PM Proof, would think that Operational sustainability was a big factor in considering to terminate operations in the interim. Because of the issues that happen, value was lost and therefore so was effectiveness and efficiency.Its to me that each concept must hold strong for operational management to work. RE: Shell in the Artic Matthew Bat-y 3/22/2013 10:35:02 AM I think, in this case, operational sustainability was going to be lost. There were too many negative consequences in continuing action in the Arctic, not least of which was the safety hazard to the employees. Inclusively, both efficiency and effectiveness would have been diminished. RE: Shell in the At-tic Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Good observations about social responsibility. The way that companies pursue operations is very important.RE: Shell in the Artic Eduardo Bertha 3/24/ 2013 2:02:32 PM Social responsibility has different meanings depending on the culture where the many originates and where it operates†¦ Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/19/2013 PM Textbook definition Of efficiency means doing something at the lowest possible cost while effectiveness means doing the right things to create the most value for the company. (Jacobs & Chase 11). An article from the NY Times focuses on Promethean, a biodegrade company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats. (Promethean 2).It develops several medical treatments to meet the critical needs of the united States and its allies by developing and counterclaiming medical entrepreneurs against biological and chemical threats. The company employs both operational efficiency and effectiveness through reduced operating expenses that went from $21. 2 million in 2011 to $19. 5 million in 2012 by cutting unnecessary operating expenses. Also general and administrative expenses went dow n from $14. 3 million to $11. 6 million as a result of a reduction in legal and other general and administrative expenses.As a result of being efficient, some trade-offs were made. â€Å"Trade-offs occur when activities are incompatible so that more of one thing necessitates less of another. (Jacobs & Chase 27). The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. In this line of business, dealing with break-through medical advancements, the company must strive on process quality. Being effective is more important than being efficient for Promethean. Jacobs, F. Robert & Richard B. Chase. Operations and Supply Chain Management. McGraw-Hill & Irwin. New York, NY, 201 1.Print. Promethean. â€Å"Promethean Reports Year-End 2012 Financial And operational Results. † NY Times. Com. 13 Mar 2013. Web. 19 Mar 2013. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8137138 AM Eunice, you wrote that â€Å"The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. † Everyone should note that every business must choose among the focus dimensions (pages 25-27) to decide how they will compete, and then the Operations function of that company has to apply the business level focus dimensions that support the overall business plan.Class and Eunice, in this case above which of the focus dimensions did this firm adopt in its operations function and which did they trade-off? † Any ideas†¦.. RE: Portfolio Jill Davis 3/23/2013 PM Eunice, I liked your post. I think that in terms of product and service safety, especially in the health care fields, companies should make the trade off toward products and service quality, rather than a cheaper or faster service or product. Our text says that a company has to decide on which parameters of performance are critical to success and focus on those.High quality can be a trade off to low cost, but when it comes to health services and pharmaceutical companies the performance parameters critical to success are the well-being of their customers so low cost should have to take a back seat to product and service quality. Jacobs, Robert F. & Chase, Richard B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Right Jill, we have all seen how a focus on low cost and low quality in the medical industry can endanger consumers.RE: Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 6:54:56 PM As Jill and Jordan stated, quality is more important when it comes to the healthcare field. Not only would Promethean lose its business if even one person dies from the company's negligence, but it would face tremendous lawsuits from individuals and the government. Its reputation would be destroyed. Promethean understands the repercussions if they don't deliver a quality product so it sacrifices cost in order to deliver quality products. People are willing to spend money on medications that work.I think this is one field where consumers will pay anything for medicine that truly works. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:36:44 AM Right Eunice, so these Operations managers do not focus upon low cost, flexibility, customized products, or high efficiency. They have traded off all of these focus dimensions and their approach is high quality. RE: Portfolio Steven Rice 3/24/2013 3:44139 PM would say the main focus dimension is to focus on quality, or â€Å"Make a great Product† vs.. â€Å"Deliver a great service†. Anything in the healthcare industry has a heavy emphasis in the quality control in design and process quality.I used to work for a company that produced Animal Drugs and was heavily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, because the animals that received the drugs we produced were farmed for human consumption. As consumer, I always want the best quality for the price I'm willing to spend or can afford. Steve Rice RE-: Portfolio Jordan Edwards 3/20/20 13 PM Modified:3/20/2013 1184 PM Thanks Eunice for the insightful analysis on your article. It seems like a lot of firms/organizations are looking at ways they can save by eliminating inefficiencies or other processes altogether.In this case I would say that Promethean opted to focus on quality or making a great product and sacrificed cost or price-?making the product cheaply. RE: Portfolio Kristin Truer 3/24/2013 PM think that being effective vs. being efficient has paid off for this organization. Sometimes, a company or organization may have to pay a little more to be ore effective in delivering their product that they want and are needing to get out. In the end, its what is going to pay off for the company when the product is sold to its customers.Good info and article. Kristin Operational Sustainability Pamela Chafed 3/19/2013 10:58:43 PM I would not normally think of using Wall-Mart in the same sentence with the term operational sustainability but an article titled Unexpected A lly Helps Wall-Mart Cut Waste changed my thought process. Wall-Mart courted environmental groups and sought their input on its policies since it first announced a sustainability program. The major push for Wall-Mart to strive towards operational sustainability was to transform the publics' opinion of the corporation.With negative public views towards Wall-Marts environmental impacts and treatment of women in the workforce, H. Lee Scott, the chief executive, now retired, announced wide ranged plans to lessen the environmental impact the company had on the communities it served. The company has met some environmental goals and missed others. One of these was increasing reuse or recycle of waste produced in its stores by 64 percent, not quite the zero-waste goal that was set, but a huge step forward s progress continues to be made. Week In the trolley car problem I would hit the switch to save the 4 people and sacrifice the one because I would not be able to live with myself Just by allowing them all to die. At least even though I would be sacrificing one person I would still be able to save the rest of the people. The reasoning that has allowed me to come up with this decision is based upon my own personal values that I have which Is If there Is omitting that I can do some way shape or form that will allow me to make a difference I am willing to do It especially If It Is for the greater good to be helpful to someone else.By me Just sitting by and watching the trolley car and letting them all die would be something that I would physically be able to do because of the heart that I have. Though I am not a killer I would still weigh the options between the two and come up with one person dying Is better the all 5. When this problem was first Introduced I had the same decision to pull the switch to save the four guys op posed to letting them all die.But I can say that my reasoning behind the decision has somewhat changed before I looked at the situation as damage reduction and choosing between the lesser of the two but now I look at the situation as being to take into account the right thing to do and what I would want someone else to do for me if I were in that same situation. Week In the trolley car problem I would hit the switch to save the 4 people and sacrifice the one because I would not be able to live with myself Just by allowing them all to die. At least even though I would be sacrificing one person I would still be able to save the rest of the people. The reasoning that has allowed me to come up with this decision is based upon my own personal values that I have which Is If there Is omitting that I can do some way shape or form that will allow me to make a difference I am willing to do It especially If It Is for the greater good to be helpful to someone else.By me Just sitting by and watching the trolley car and letting them all die would be something that I would physically be able to do because of the heart that I have. Though I am not a killer I would still weigh the options between the two and come up with one person dying Is better the all 5. When this problem was first Introduced I had the same decision to pull the switch to save the four guys op posed to letting them all die.But I can say that my reasoning behind the decision has somewhat changed before I looked at the situation as damage reduction and choosing between the lesser of the two but now I look at the situation as being to take into account the right thing to do and what I would want someone else to do for me if I were in that same situation.

Woodstein- The Watergate Era essays

Woodstein- The Watergate Era essays In 1972 the United States was in a social turmoil. Vietnam was at its height and three of the biggest rock-and-roll artists of all time had just died. Riots were all the rage; hippies and radicals were everywhere. The country was in upraise. And thanks to two reporters on the Washington Post, the infamous Watergate scandal was revealed; just a little more fuel to the fire of the late 60s and early 70s. For the second time in our history, impeachment was brought upon a president. For the first and only time in our history, the President resigned. On June 17, 1972 Bob Woodward, a reporter for the Washington Post, got a call to follow a case involving the Watergate offices. Five men had been arrested in the Democratic headquarters carrying no less than two thousand dollars in cash and a few thousand dollars in highly technical equipment for listening to other peoples conversations. He was assigned to the story with a fellow reporter, Carl Bernstein. (Woodward, Bernstein. 4) It looked, on the surface, to be a very basic story. However, more and more questions kept coming up. These were questions about who people were and why they were in the five arrested mens address books. There were two pieces of legal paper addressed to Mr. Howard Hunt, so Woodstein (the culmination of Woodward and Bernsteins names used to describe the duo) called the White House to ask him why the five men would have letters for him. That is where the story begins. Mr. Hunt never denied having been involved, instead he said, In view that the matter is under adjudication, I have no comment. (Woodward, Bernstein. 24) Woodstein worked day and night getting lists of peoples names of people who worked for the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP; better known as CREEP) and going to their houses. The two reporters imposed on peoples personal lives and made many political people very angry. Yet their ...

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Argumentative essay on cigarette advertising Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative on cigarette advertising - Essay Example Advertising based on Oxford Dictionary is the act of relaying information to potential customers concerning a certain product in the market with the intention of luring them to buy it. This implies the person or Corporation relaying a given products’ information ought to utilize necessary skills meant to appear brief and communicate effectively to the clients (Capella, Webster & Kinard 269). Hence, manage to get their attention within a very short period in order to create an immense impact. This is similar to cigarettes’ advertising though its mode of advertising due to numerous campaigns against it respective corporations have resulted to exaggerated and fantasized advertising. Numerous images used in advertising pose the notion smoking especially to the young is sweet besides making them fit in a class/status of proving their prowess. This is complete false though through the creativity of numerous corporations have managed to attain large pool of clientele â€Å"who not only smoke for fun but also live to smoke†. Since, most of them after the first puff turn out to be addicts thus becoming the brand’s habitual users such that the corporation will not be in need of relaying any further information to him or her but to new people. The notion of â€Å"smoking is sweet† its mode of relaying information to the potential users is by use of youthful models, for instance, women who in turn lure teenage females into the habit. This is because of the ads posing the information as genuine, which is far from the reality but merely a strategy to get future potential clients. In 2004, cigarette corporations emerged with a new strategy citing they h ave devised â€Å"lighter cigarettes† for those people wishing to ensure the safety of their health (â€Å"Quit Victoria†). This is a fallacy because no amount of tar is less dangerous once it finds its way in human body’s system. However, the fallacy may seem true based on the corporations’ information and some confessions emanating from hired smokers. The latter contend â€Å"lighter† cigarettes are smoother and less irritating compared to the ordinary products, which is not true. This is because companies with the aid of numerous flavors in the industry and market only tend to alter their â€Å"taste†. Hence, trying to twist clientele’s mind towards deeming what they are smoking contain less tar that is why it is smoother to their throats. However, in reality, this is not true but only a market niche meant to draw numerous people towards purchasing the â€Å"lighter† cigarette. The only trick in this case besides flavors is the use of additives and introduction of tinny holes in the filter meant to filter ash (â€Å"Quit Victoria†). This is because the later is the core component that causes irritation in smokers’ throats whereas the obnoxious content passes unfiltered or altered to the lungs’ alveoli. Hence, continue to cause varied chronic predicaments on users, for instance, cancer (â€Å"Quit Victoria†). This is because fallacies have already â€Å"hijacked† their minds to the extent they are unable to unveil whether what diverse marketing ads are relaying is true (O’Connor). Another relayed fallacy by cigarettes’ corporations encompasses the safety of the product despite admitting to be harmful to human health. This is evident in the way when advertising corporation despite compelled to state cigarettes’ harmful effects choose to indicate with almost invisible statement on their packaging. This is in such a manner numerous users and potential people especially teenagers who wish to experiment smoking

School-Appropriate Social Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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