Social Life in Popular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social Life in Popular Music - Essay Example Actually, certain rock and blues songs gained popularity in certain epochs. So, being popular is not just being meaningless or pop. In fact, in a given period of time and in certain circumstances popularity is gained by representatives of different musical genres. Consequently, it can be noticed that popular music is determined by consumerism and dynamic and cannot be limited by the genre of pop. Furthermore, several examples of political nature of popular music are analyzed. Firstly, the question of identity and music is risen. In terms of creation certain subcultures such a music power is clearly noticed. In fact, it is a special environment which surrounds a certain genre of music and unites a certain self-identification with the society. In particular, it can be seen in the way popular music creates ideals for them and encourages to change the world. Moreover, it is evident that for some people being a music fan is more important than their ethnicity or gender. Thus, the nature of popular music is deeply political. Then, the very ability to transform one’s self-identification in the society is transcended on the global level. Here, world music charts are surely supporting contemporary cultural imperialism which is evident in the political context. Actually, the very ability of music to cross the borders enables this role for it. For instance, cases of Cuban and Turkish music reveal a significant influence of Western trends and international music companies on them. Moreover, in Cuba this impact is even more powerful than local cultural effects. And so, it is evident that popular music is reflecting all the main political trends in the world on the global level. Finally, the real cases of causal linkage between popular music and political actions should be discussed.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gatsby Essay Example for Free

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gatsby Essay It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment.( F.Scott Fitzgerald 104) Nick talks about how he looks at life with a new perspective and tries to abandoned â€Å"the West Egg† concept of â€Å"a world complete in itself, with its own standards its own great figures†. When he look at daisy, he explains that he could feel daisy’s pain and suffering by just looking into her eyes. So the significance of this quote is that nick is looking beyond the gilts and glamour of society so that he may see the true identity of people- as with Daisy. Later on, Nick will use this skill to find the true answer of whom Gatsby is . â€Å"The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.†(F.Scott Fitzgerald 98) -Nick describes Gatsby’s early life using a comparison between Gatsby and Jesus to reveal Gatsby’s identity. In the Great Gatsby, Gatsby transforms himself into the ideal that he envisioned for himself a Platonic conception of himself as a youngster and remains committed to that ideal, despite the obstacles that society presents to the fulfillment of his dream. He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: â€Å"I never loved you.† After she had obliterated four years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken. (F.Scott Fitzgerald 109) -Gatsby is frustrated at daisy for being a cowardly woman who doesn’t stand up for her. He believes its time for her to take action but Gatsby also realizes that it’s impractical. Gatsby would like to put everything back how it was in the past, but Daisy has moved on from the past into the present. â€Å"His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.†(F.Scott Fitzgerald111) -Gatsby opens up to Nick and tell a memorable event between Gatsby and Daisy. This is one of the times were he actually gives information about his past that is true and Nick is surprised and hears Gatsby through. Gatsby longs for the past and revisions the event where he and daisy first kissed. Gatsby fantasies about the past, believing that Daisy is the same girl he kissed many years ago. â€Å"But his heart was in a constant, turbulent riot. The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night. A universe of ineffable gaudiness spun itself out in his brain while the clock ticked on the wash-stand and the moon soaked with wet light his tangled clothes upon the floor. Each night he added to the pattern of his fancies until drowsiness closed down upon some vivid scene with an oblivious embrace. For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy’s wing.†(Scott Fitzgerald 99) Gatsby is a man who seems to have it all but in reality is troubled by one-sided love. The one thing he doesnt have is what he needs most to fulfill him is Daisy. At night, these thoughts both torment and comfort him. The beauty of this passage is Fitzgeralds use of both negative and positive imagery to illustrate the conflict in Gatsbys thoughts. The imagery of the rock and fairy’s wing just elaborates Gatsby’s view of his world is crumbling apart; something like a rock is a strong foundation has flew away so easily like a fairy. Very much like the difference between Gatsbys real world and what he wishes for himself. Chapter 7 Her voice is full of money, he said suddenly.†¨That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money — that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it high in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl. (Scott Fitzgerald 120) Gatsby is shocked and confused why Daisy is all about money. He doesn’t even wonder why she married Tom. So Fitzgerald adds in dialogues as a hint to fill in the missing gaps and to show Gatsby who Daisy was and is. Tom allows Daisy to ride with Gatsby because he knows she wont choose Gatsby over him. Gatsby can’t let go of the Daisy, not because of the relationship now but what they had; back in the past were he was a poor kid in the army who got this beautiful rich girl to fall in love with him. â€Å"There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind, and as we drove away Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic. His wife and his mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate, were slipping precipitately from his control.†(Scott Fitzgerald 125) This quote reveals that Tom is getting frustrated and shocked because of the accident. He feels as though he is losing control over both women, Daisy and Myrtle. You could see the signs of tension between Gatsby and Tom when they get into a verbal argument of some sort. Tom needs control and when he doubts his control, over a situation or another person, he cant handle it. With every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer tangible, struggling unhappily, despairingly, toward that lost voice across the room.†(Scott Fitzgerald 134) -As she spoke, he became more and more aware that Daisy would never be his. The dream that he once had of them being together slipped away. He was becoming forced to realize the truth even though he somehow wished it was different. â€Å"So we drove on toward death in the cooling twilight†¦.† Nick: ‘â€Å"Was Daisy driving?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Gatsby: ‘â€Å"Yes, but of course I’ll say I was.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Scott Fitzgerald 137-143). Fitzgerald placed the first quote as a foreshadowing of Myrtle’s death. I don’t understand why Gatsby and the other characters mourn for Myrtle, they act if it was just a normal day by day event. It’s interesting how Gatsby spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only thing that mattered. â€Å"He put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil. So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight — watching over nothing.†(Scott Fitzgerald 145) -Before the trip into the city and the accident, Gatsby was convinced that Daisy was in love with him and would without a doubt leave Tom for him. When he watches Daisy and Tom in the kitchen, the reality of the situation is starting to hit him. Ever since he and Daisy fell apart when she married Tom, he has entirely devoted his life to getting wealth to impress Daisy and win her back. He has devoted his whole life and heart to this woman, and so as he watches her slipping away from him again, he knows nothing more than to return to his vigil over the woman that has controlled his life.

ACG 2021, Introduction to Financial Accounting, Spring 2001, Exam 3 Final :: UFL Florida Business Accounting

2021FINALSP01 5/9/2001 FORM CODE: A Page 1 ACG 2021 – FINAL EXAM SPRING 2001 NAME _____________________________________ SS# ____________________________ Instructions: NOW: Bubble in your section number on your Scan Sheet. Fill in your name and social security number on this examination and your scan sheet. 1. Listen carefully for any comments your proctor may have related to the exam. Read these instructions carefully. Failure to do so may result in your losing points. 2. This exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Select the BEST answer and mark the appropriate space on the scan sheet with a #2 pencil only. You MUST keep your scan sheet face down on the desk when you are not filling it in. 3. You may use ONLY a non-programmable calculator during the exam. Use of any other calculator will be considered a violation of the honor code. Your exam will be taken from you and you will receive a grade of 0. 4. At the end of 2 hours, you will be told to stop. Put your pencils down IMMEDIATELY. Failure to do so will result in your receiving a zero for the exam. 5. The exam consists of 16 pages, including this cover, present value tables and a blank page at the end. Make sure you have all pages and all questions. 6. Have your University of Florida Identification card ready to be checked when you turn in your exam. 7. Assume the accounting entities use a calendar year unless otherwise noted. 8. Unless otherwise specified, assume a 360-day year. 9. When you are finished, turn in your scan sheet, as well as your exam. Answers will be posted on the web after the exams are handed back in class. 10. The University of Florida policy on academic honesty will be strictly enforced. When you are told to open your exam, turn to the first page and find your exam form code. Immediately bubble this in on your scantron. 2021FINALSP01 5/9/2001 FORM CODE: A Page 2 1. Which of the following is usually NOT considered to be a long-term liability? A) Bonds payable. B) Mortgages payable. C) Accrued post-retirement benefits. D) FICA taxes payable. E) None of the above is correct. 2. The effect on total assets of the purchase of supplies for cash is A) an increase in total assets B) a decrease in total assets C) total assets remain unchanged D) an increase in total assets and total liabilities E) an increase in total assets and current ratio 3. Which of the following is not normally a condition that must be met for revenue to be recognized (recorded) under the revenue principle? A) The earnings process is complete or nearly complete

Essay --

Cancer is a chief health-related stress that requires sufficient coping. The global problem of cancer continues to increase greatly due to aging and growth of the world population and an increase of cancer-causing behaviours, such as smoking, especially in developing countries (Jemal, Bray, Center, Ferlay, Ward & Forman, 2011). More than 40% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime with two-thirds of them living for a minimum of five years. Cancer treatment which includes surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, is often strenuous and can last for months or years. Cancer patients and survivors normally experience decreased quality of life, decreased capacity to perform daily activities, and mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety (Meijer, Roseman, Milette, Coyne, Stefanek, Ziegelstein, and ... Thombs, 2011). Cancer is a disease whereby abnormal cells divide without control and attack other tissues. Families of cancer patients face some degree of depressi on, anxiety, and fear when cancer becomes a part of their lives. They feel helpless and eager to find ...

Mass Media: Sending Out the Wrong Messages Essay

Do the names, Snooki, D.J. Pauly D, The Situation, or J-Woww, ring a bell? What about the famous sayings, â€Å"grenade whistle,† â€Å"G.T.L,† or â€Å"Jersday,† now is it making more sense? MTV’s hit reality show, Jersey Shore, has coined these terms and has become a worldwide phenomenon. The cast of Jersey Shore started out as typical teenagers living their typical lifestyles. Before the reality show premiered, some of the cast woke up everyday to their monotonous jobs, while others attended college. These eight teenagers never knew that by starring in this one television show, their lives would never be the same. Jersey Shore follows eight hardcore Italians, four guys and four girls, who spend their summer months together. Instead of living like there is no tomorrow, these roommates party like there is no tomorrow! Everyday when they wake up, they get their â€Å"G.T.L† on, which means Gym, Tan, and Laundry. At night, they get completely drunk, go to the bars, and see how many guys/girls they can bring back home. Then, they wake up and do it all over again the next day. This does not sound like a normal, healthy lifestyle that these eight roommates are living now, does it? Unfortunately, these eight cast members have become idolized by young and old viewers all around the world. MTV obviously does not believe in censorship, and Jersey Shore’s lifestyle of alcohol and sexuality is being portrayed positively in society. People worship every little move the Jersey Shore makes. Advertisers are using the cast to promote their products because of how influential these eight roommates have become. Even as we speak, on television, Ron promotes a particular weight loss substance and Snooki promotes a certain brand of cashews. These partiers are setting negative trends in society because the large consumption of alcohol and sexual actions made these eight people known all over the world. By partying all day, everyday, these people went from driving Honda Civics to Range Rovers and Mercedes-Benz. This popular television show is sending out the wrong message to viewers and making idols out of the wrong people. It just goes to show how much of an impact the media can have on society. The media has an even bigger impact on the younger generation. Media has expanded from newspapers to the radio, the television, the Internet, cell phones, and gaming devices. Schools are even using media now, more than ever before. Granted, the media is an excellent way of educating our children. However, that education can only be positive to a certain extent. The media is no longer just a part of our society; this technology has taken over our world. Children are completely immersed in the media today, and parents and guardians should regulate how much time their child is spending with any type of media. A child’s brain is not fully developed until he or she is in their twenties. If children are being exposed to drugs, sex, and alcohol through the media, how can we expect children to have the knowledge of deciphering for themselves not to engage in those certain activities? It would be especially hard for those children whose parents are absent in their lives, and for those whom have parents engaged in the drug and alcohol lifestyle. There is absolutely no way for the children to know between right and wrong. Rather than parents educating their children about sex, the media is certainly doing it for them. Ideas of sex are frequently discussed in magazines, songs, television shows, the news, and movies. Jane Brown, a professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Media at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, reported â€Å"The word sex is the most popular search term used on the Internet today.† Also, according to Brown, magazines, such as Seventeen, promote the idea that sex is a tactic for girls to keep their boyfriends. â€Å"Only about one in ten of the programs on television that include sexual content mentions the possible consequences or the need to use contraceptives or protection against STDs. Unintended pregnancies rarely are shown as the outcome of unprotected sex, and STDs other than HIV/AIDS are almost never discussed† (Brown, Jane). No wonder the teen pregnancy rate is so high today! As in the Jersey Shore, it is their hobby to see how many people that they can have sex with. If the person that they are pursuing acts like they are not interested in having sex, the cast wants nothing to do with them and moves on to the next person. These people are the kinds of people that the younger generation has to look up to, which could be troublesome for the future of America. According to Children Now, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization, â€Å"Children spend more time with media than any other activity, except for sleeping.† Rather than engaging in physical activity after school or on the weekends, children are more engaged in watching the television or playing their video game. Manali Oak, an author from Buzzle.com, observes â€Å"Children, who should invest their time in reading good books, studying, playing outdoors, exercising and engaging in social activities, today, spend their evenings glued to the television.† Although Manali Oak does not have a doctorate in this area, she does have a valid point. What happened to the idea of getting up and physically playing football being fun for teenagers, rather than sitting on the couch and playing football on the X-Box? Being so inactive leads to the increase of obesity in America. Another weight problem that America faces is anorexia. The media portrays the idea that successful and attractive people are the thinnest. There are millions of people, both young and old, who are currently battling obesity, but they are also being exposed to junk food advertisements. At the same time, there are other people out there, especially women, who are obsessed with the idea that they are overweight, when in reality, they aren’t. The media makes idols out of super models and thin celebrities, causing millions of people to suffer from eating disorders. Little girls are given Barbie dolls to play with and idolize. Thus, even at a young age, girls are being misled to a certain body image that is unrealistic. Rayuso, an author from the online article database HubPages.com, emphasizes this point by stating: â€Å"Young people are in a stage of life where they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be loved and be successful. The media creates the ideal image of a beautiful men and women and tells you what are the characteristics of a successful person, you can see it in movies and tv. It’s a subliminal way to tell you that if you are not like them you are not cool yet so its time to buy the stuff they buy and look like they look.† The media has such a large impact on society that it even affects us in the way we perceive ourselves. Still, the media has the potential to influence the society in a positive way. Rayuso proposes the idea that if the media created advertisements that encourage children to get active, and used celebrities like they do to promote certain products; children would pay attention and actually get active. â€Å"If there is a sport that is getting a lot of attention by the media and gains popularity among your friends and society, you will more likely want to practice the sport and be cool with all your friends† (Rayuso). The media knows how to manipulate its audience in order to get its desired result, which is definitely not a good thing. This is why companies use celebrities to advertise their products; humans are so predictable. If we see our favorite celebrity on the television talking about how wonderful a product is, then we will more than likely go out and buy it, versus if there was some random person promoting it. Because of the popularity from Jersey Shore, reality star Ron advertises a certain weight loss substance, Xenadrine, and Snooki promotes â€Å"Wonderful Pistachios.† Of course the commercials only discuss how awesome the product is, and it only flashes the negative side effects in really fine print at the end. Robert Sylwester, a specialist in the brain/stress theory at the University of Oregon, confirms â€Å"Common examples are political promises to increase services and reduce taxes, ads that indicate that a product is improved but don’t say over what, TV drug com mercials that begin with clearly promised positive results, but end with a rapid incomprehensible listing of the dangers associated with the medicine, the televised equivalent of the small print in a contract or print ad.† With this said, the media influences our perception of reality. What viewers fail to realize is that the media is only concerned with making money. In fact, they will do whatever it takes to make that money. The only way we receive news is from the media. The television in the living room, the newspaper in the mailbox, the computer in the office, and the radio in the car are just a few forms of mass communication that keep us informed about our world. Yes, this is wonderful because without the media, we would not be aware of anything going on around us. The negative aspect of this is that the media changes stories around to the way that they want to portray them. If a story is not ‘juicy’ enough, or if there is not enough conflict, the broadcasters will change the story into something that will keep the viewers coming back for more. Jennifer Akin, a research assistant at the University of Colorado, acknowledges, â€Å"Events in the larger community, the state, the country, and the rest of the world are experienced through the eyes o f a journalist. Not only do the media report the news, they create the news by deciding what to report.† Viewers always believe what the media tells us, never questioning how much of it is actually true. The media could report â€Å"Pigs are now flying in Pennsylvania,† and just like in any other media-covered situation, we would believe them and go on with our lives. We are often unaware of how much the media truly impacts our lives. The younger generation is at an even higher risk of the media negatively impacting their lives than anyone else. It is so disgusting and disappointing that children are growing up in a society where sex, drugs, and alcohol are encouraged. What is on television that is discouraging these activities? Jersey Shore started out as eight ordinary people, but their party lifestyle made them famous. By setting this example, how can we expect the young generation to know the difference in acceptable and unacceptable? The children of today are the future of tomorrow. Do we find comfort in knowing that one day, our country is going to be led by people who grew up in such a backwards, messed up society? Not only does the media lack censorship, but it also manipulates us in every possible way. The media gets us to behave exactly how they want, using our idols to tempt us. We believe whatever we read and hear from the media, which makes us the gullible audience that the media thrives off of. Wouldn’t it be safe to say that the media takes advantage of viewers? The only person to blame for this is our self. Viewers should stop being so dependent of the media. Who is to say what the ideal body image is, or what type of products we should use? That is our own decision and our own sense of independence. The media has negatively impacted our society, and we have to find it within ourselves to stop letting the media make our decisions for us!

The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and William Shakespeare’s King Lear Essay Example

The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and William Shakespeare’s King Lear Essay Example The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and William Shakespeare’s King Lear Paper The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and William Shakespeare’s King Lear Paper this shows how generally male characters are have greater power over women however one could argue the female characters have a greater insight to the people and actions around them, such as Goneril and Regan recognising Lear’s doom. Similarly in â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles†, Tess has a large amount of insight to the world around her, this may possibly be connected to the daughters of Lear. However, Tess’ misfortunes and fate create tragedy’s which eventually destroy her insight â€Å"Why it was that upon this beautiful feminine tissue†¦ been traced such a coarse pattern as it was doomed to receive†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . As Tess is raped, Hardy uses the word â€Å"doomed†, where one could suggest it is Tess’ â€Å"doom† or â€Å"fate† to be raped. The meaning of â€Å"doom† is slightly different to â€Å"King Lear† as we see Tess’ â€Å"doom† from the beginning whereas we see Lear’s by a gradual build up. Differently â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge†, the word â€Å"doomed† could be placed in another sense as one could say Henchard shares the same characteristics to Lear with his rash decision making and again his lack of insight, causing the village and the people who are around him to be â€Å"doomed†. However the female characters such as Susan can see clearer into Henchard’s wrong actions and goes with Newson the sailor, â€Å"I’ll try my luck elsewhere. † A justifiable opinion could be Susan’s â€Å"luck† is far from â€Å"doom† by going with Newson, as one visualises Henchard’s personality from the beginning of the novel. In â€Å"King Lear† one could argue Lear does not notice his own faults, â€Å"I am a man more sinned against than sinning† presenting Lear to self-pity himself as he displays himself to be the victim. However on the other hand Lear’s favouritism for Cordelia makes Goneril and Regan despise Lear â€Å"He always loved our sister most†¦Ã¢â‚¬  showing how Lear could possibly be â€Å"sinned against† by his daughters. This portrays how women who are more â€Å"opulent† have more chances of being liked. Similarly in â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles†, â€Å"Tess was now carried along upon the wings of the hours, without the sense of a will. † As Hardy relates back to the theme of â€Å"time† in the novel, Tess has waits â€Å"passively† for the wedding to take place as it is not under her responsibility anymore. One could say Tess is â€Å"more sinned against† as Hardy uses another theme of fate and free will as a symbolism for Tess’ life. She uses her free will to choose or determine her own actions; however these actions she makes, seems like fate always brings her down. In comparison Henchard in â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge† could possibly be seen as â€Å"more sinned against† as well as â€Å"sinning†. Henchard had sold his wife displaying him â€Å"sinning†, however on the other hand one could possibly argue how it was not his fault as it was his fate and he cannot change his actions, making him â€Å"more sinned against†. This could create sympathy for Henchard although he has done wrong, where usually the sympathy is for the female characters. In â€Å"King Lear†, Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy by using a storm in Act 3 to conclude Lear’s insightful decisions. The storm is presented as a microcosm of Lear’s madness, as he encourages the storm to continue he shouts â€Å"Blow winds and crack your cheeks! †. Lear personifies the wind as he asks the elements to destroy him, â€Å"his little world of man† as he sees no importance of man or nature after his death. This shows how the word â€Å"man† is the centre of importance and how the power of the storm is imagined to be originating from Lear, a male character. The â€Å"fretful elements† are metaphors for Goneril and Regan where Lear is contending with his family. Kent being disguised gives the knight â€Å"a ring† for Cordelia, being symbolic as the shape of a circle is seen with the â€Å"one bearing a coronet†. This could also be seen with Edmund using a dramatic device, holding a â€Å"letter†. This follows a theme of a cyclical story with the letter being passed around as well as the circular shape from the theme of fate and destiny. Likewise Hardy uses the Ring in â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge† to be a Roman amphitheatre, where he invites Susan to meet. Hardy uses this setting as there were ghosts of the past rumoured to be a wife and her husband, where a woman â€Å"murdered her husband was half-strangled and then burnt †¦ of ten thousand spectators. † The ghosts of the past were metaphors for Susan and Henchard, who both have the past haunting them. This shows how although the woman was seen to be powerful to be able to murder her own husband, men are still seen to be stronger as she was â€Å"half-strangled† and â€Å"burnt† for what she had done. In contrast â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles† Hardy uses the past and compares it to the present â€Å"Phases of her childhood lurked in her aspect still. †, one could argue Hardy uses the past and the present similarly to Shakespeare and â€Å"Mayor of Casterbridge† as the circular shape is used not visually but literally. Hardy describes Tess as an image of femininity â€Å"As she walked along to-day, for all her bouncing handsome womanliness, you could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Similar to Lear with Cordelia’s looks being â€Å"opulent†, Hardy presents his female characters to be feminine and attractive. Hardy uses Tess’s appearance to be the only powerful aspect of her, similar to Cordelia in â€Å"King Lear†. The power which is usually seen in male characters could be seen as â€Å"defeated†, as in â€Å"King Lear†, Shakespeare uses hyperbole to make the event seem larger than it is as Lear tragically says to the storm â€Å"I stand your slave† where we see Lear as a â€Å"weak† and â€Å"poor† â€Å"old man†. Ironically Lear says â€Å"I will say nothing† which could suggest Lear thinking of Cordelia as well as continuing this theme of â€Å"nothing†. One could say Lear’s power has been destroyed from himself â€Å"sinning† and becoming â€Å"nothing†. Lear’s daughters had more power than Lear from Act 1 however it is seen clearer in Act 3. Similarly the idea of being a â€Å"slave† continues in â€Å"The Mayor or Casterbridge† where â€Å"His old feeling of supercilious pity for womankind in general was intensified†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Henchard is seen to be a tall and strong, male figure, as he tends to feel more dominant and controlling over women. Since women are physically weaker, he feels a â€Å"pity† for â€Å"womankind† because of their weakness. This could possibly be argued how women were portrayed as â€Å"slaves† as men have the physical and stereotypical power to rule against them. In contrast Tess in â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles† could be seen as a â€Å"slave† to her own family, as she goes to work in the D’Urberville household to collect money for her family at home, â€Å"she ought to make her way with en, if she plays her trump card aright. And if he dont marry her afore he will after. . Tess’ mother sends Tess away for work, however she realises Alec’s love for Tess and hopes for marriage. One could suggest her mother wants her to be married to Alec for the money which could present Tess to be a â€Å"slave† in another meaning. However she includes â€Å"if she plays her trump card aright. †, which is ironic for Tess as it seems as if she has no â€Å"trump† card in her pack. In â€Å"King Lear†, Shakespeare relates grown men to compare with â€Å"babes† â€Å"†¦to shake all cares and business from our age; conferring them on younger strengths, while we unburthen’d crawl toward death†. It seems as if Lear is ready to retire, as he adopts the â€Å"royal we† making the event seem important. Shakespeare has displayed Lear as a â€Å"weak†, â€Å"old man†, however he gives another mental image of Lear â€Å"crawling toward death† like a baby. One could argue old age is similar to being a baby as it leaves you â€Å"weak† and powerless. Goneril and Regan’s distaste to Lear humiliates him as they say â€Å"O, sir, you are old†¦Ã¢â‚¬  showing how they as female characters have greater power and order over Lear. The image of a baby in seen in â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles†, however it is used in another sense. Tess’ baby could be seen as a symbolic feature for Tess’ bad luck which Tess could not control. The baby could symbolise innocence like Tess as she has done nothing wrong however she is still punished by society, for an act she could not control. This is ironic as a baby could suggest new beginning, purity and usually visualised with a mother figure. In comparison a baby is presented in â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge†, where Elizabeth-Jane is the step daughter of Henchard, as the previous baby died, â€Å"the little one too – the more the merrier! † The baby could symbolise the past and change, as when she died another baby was born – Elizabeth- Jane which could suggest a new beginning. Hardy used Elizabeth-Jane’s hair colour to foreshadow the future how she was not Henchard’s legitimate daughter. As Hardy’s novels were in the form of serialisation the theme of â€Å"foreshadowing† became present in most of his novels. Differently in â€Å"King Lear† there is no mother figure for Lear’s daughters. Goneril and Regan are seen to be violent female characters in the play; it raises the question would they be more feminine and caring if they had a mother to look out for them? Women are seen to be able to nurture and care for their children whereas one could say Lear caused his own downfall by failing to provide a mother figure. As Lear says â€Å"Come on, my boy. How dost my boy? Art cold? † this is the first time Lear is aware of the suffering of others, and acts like a â€Å"mother figure† to the fool, however it is the wrong time. Similarly the absent role of a mother figure is seen in â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge†, as Susan dies Elizabeth- Jane is left with Henchard. Elizabeth –Jane begins to like Farfrae as she believes he seemed to feel exactly as she felt about life, presenting how although she has no mother figure to look out for her, her strong insight helps her to continue her life. As Susan left Henchard a letter explaining how Elizabeth-Jane was not his daughter, it seems as if he â€Å"disowned† her by making her leave his house. The mother figure was seen to have a responsibility which Henchard as a male could not adapt to although Elizabeth-Jane was seen to be a step daughter to him. Differently Hardy uses the mother figure in â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles† however she is not present too often. We see her control Tess unlike in â€Å"King Lear† and â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge† where there is a father figure with no sense of control. Tess is made to go to the D’Urberville’s house by her mother, where one could say Tess’ misfortunes began. She could represent time as although she is seen to be uneducated she still believes in â€Å"old superstitions†, â€Å"Between the mother, with her fast- perishing lumber of superstitions, folk-lore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mrs Durbeyfield could also represent pre-industrial England with the â€Å"folk-lore† at that time. Both writers discuss the theme of women, however they are portrayed differently. â€Å"King Lear† focuses on women gaining power and having control over the male characters. The female characters in â€Å"The Mayor of Casterbridge† again have different roles, although this is mainly because the novel is set in the Victorian period where women’s roles were to take care of their husbands and children. Lastly â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles† displays how male characters have a strong control over women, and how this affects their overall lives.

Hamlet Review Essays

Hamlet Review Essays Hamlet Review Paper Hamlet Review Paper Review of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Performed at The Theatre Royal Plymouth.September 2004 Hamlet is one of Shakespeares most popular and widely produced plays. The story of The Prince of Denmark, whose father, The King, is killed by his own brother.Hamlet receives a visit from the spirit of his dead father who explains the circumstances behind his death.Hamlet seeks revenge and further discovers that His Mother (The Queen) is romantically attached to his fathers murderer.The plot to revenge the murder ensues; Hamlet enlists the help of a group of actors to produce a play which satirises the incident before his uncle.The reaction is enough to convince Hamlet of the truth behind his fathers murder.Hamlets madness progresses, resulting in him accidentally killing a member of the royal council.Ophelias father.In a final and bloody showdown, the Queen drinks from a poisoned chalice meant for Hamlet.Hamlet kills Ophelias and is himself stabbed with a poisoned sword.Before his death, he kills the king. The performance, directed by Legendary Japanese director Yukio Ninagawa, created a truly visual spectacle with undeniably oriental influences.From start to finish, this production of Hamlet was a veritable banquet for the eyes.At the opening of the performance the audience was greeted with a vast black stage, high walls dominate the space numerous light bulbs of varying sizes hang down to pierce the blackness with shards of light.They swung, as if rocked by the wind, together with simple sound effects, we are outside on a cold winters evening.This use of sound effects is a simple conventionwhich is revisited throughout the performance to good effect. The stage space was pierced from floor to ceiling strands of dangerous looking barbed wires.They served as the boundaries between characters; they are the marks of invisible walls, like prison bars, adding an element of Hamlet Review Essays Hamlet Review Paper Hamlet Review Paper Hamlet is a classical adaptation of William Shakespeares original version. We went to see this version on the 1st November 2004 at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle. William Shakespeare is famously known for his writing of well-credited and popular plays. Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, but his exact date of birth is not known, therefore is assumed to be the 23rd April. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and they had three children. In 158 Shakespeare was recognised as an actor, poet and playwright, when he was referred to as an upstage crow in A Groatsworth of Wit. Shakespeare continued to write many famous plays such as A Midsummer Nights Dream, Macbeth and The Tempest before dying on his 52nd birthday in 1616. Hamlet is a play of lies and deceit between friends and family, which sets out to show the audience the friction of royalty, over power and leadership. When Hamlets father died and the crown was handed over to his brother Claudius, Hamlet is visited by his fathers ghost to tell Hamlet that Claudius murdered him. Hamlet is then forced to gain revenge on Claudius and anyone else that gets in his way. A story of love and hate, truth and lies, in a capsule, put on stage. Hamlet has been very highly reviewed by national papers such as the Guardian saying it was riveting and the Daily Express saying it was a Chilling Hamlet performance. Hamlet is set in Denmark and has been kept Shakespearean through its costumes and language used. Hamlet used music that reflected the situations happening e. g. the hall scene used classical music that was sung and played live, this could represent the power of the royals. : The whole of the production was set on the stage, with entrances and exits, mainly, through the wooden panelled background set. The set of a wooden surrounding encased the audience and actors to provoke a feeling of being trapped and cannot escape. The genre of the play was tragedy, so the general expectations that the audience wanted to see were death, betrayal and shocking revelations. Hamlet was performed in a proscenium arch at the Theatre Royal, with the audience surrounding every side, from the stalls to the gallery. I have also seen The Play What I Wrote at the Theatre Royal. The advertising for this play was quite minimal. Posters were placed outside of the theatre and information was placed on their website, but because the play was originally wrote by an immensely famous playwright it was also publicised by word of mouth. The set was very simple and had very few props, which were brought onto the bare stage. E. g. the goblet of poison and the sword rack. I think the stage was minimalist so as not to overpower the actors and distract the audience from the text of the play towards the set design, although cleverly created to be a blank canvas. The effect of placing the play into the same set throughout, using the same bare stage for each different scene, was highly effective as the audience could take in the set when they first enter, although not much to take in, before the play starts, and concentrate on the storyline from then on. More imagination is used if they have to make the scenery for themselves; this helps to draw the audience in. Also using a minimalist set saves the stage from becoming chaotic with props and clouding the performance. There were certain props that were used that were essential, like chairs, as it would have been hard to mime sitting down for a long length of time. The lighting used was extremely successful as it captured the moments. Dark light was used as Hamlet followed his fathers ghost and when the ghost re-entered to his grave a strip of light was used as if pointing to his grave. A strip light was used around the outskirts of the stage, at the back, often lit in neon blue, but did change to red and purple. The characterisation of each actor was well balanced with each other, from the comic Polonius to the serious Horatio. The language used was very difficult ot follow at times as Hamlet was spoke in old English, using old terminology and phrases, that arent used in this day and age. The stage was quite spacious and was obviously a huge part in the play, therefore the characters had to use the space ton their advantage, constantly moving around and delivering lines from various places. The effectiveness of this technique was to ensure that the audience were captivated as to where they were going to move to next, or what was going to happen next, if they hadnt already seen the play before hand. Each actor and their characters that they played used all parts of the stage. Facial expressions were a major factor for Hamlet to be a success and to gain high popularity, if not higher popularity. Each expression had to be delivered correctly and with correct timing so to have best co-ordination with the script and with the audience. The actors characters were very complex but the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) seemed to manage all right to create an astounding performance with the final result being highly creditable. Facial expressions were what made the comical moments comical, the silent moments tense and the sad moments emotional, and each of them was revealed to the best possibilities of the actors abilities with great effect. The actors were never distinguishable as actors rather than their characters as they played the parts extremely well and never came out of character or fluffed any lines that were noticed. The costumes worn were very symbolic of the time period and the type of people that were being represented. Gertrude wore the most spectacular dresses, always high necklines and lots of frills in a multitude of colours. I think this was to cover the fact that she had just lost her husband, the late Hamlet, and didnt want to show that wanted and needed to mourn him. Hamlet wore very dull and dowdy clothing, as he was a social outcast from the rest of the people, except his sister and mother. His shirt and pants were torn, revealing dirty legs and arms. This kind of portrayal to the audience showed that Hamlet wasnt suited to the royalty that everyone else led. Polonius wore very loud clothing to accentuate the fact that his character was highly comic and his persona was light. He wore colours of gold and black and often purple. I think the gold showed that he was connected to the royal line in some form, as it was only a hint of gold on the hems or cuffs of the gowns that he wore. The ghost of late Hamlet was the most fascinating character for me as he hardly had any lines on stage, and off stage was the riveting line: swear by the sword The way in which Greg Hicks played the character had an eerie quality, the way in which he moved added to the effect of being ghostly.

What Is A Flat Character †Definition and Definitive Examples

What Is A Flat Character s What is a Flat Character? (And How to Fix One) â€Å"Riddled with flat characters† is perhaps the most damning thing you can hear from an editor or reviewer. An accusation that your characters read like a cardboard cut-outs is like a knife in the heart of any fledgling writer. But having a flat character or two isn't the end of the world  - or even the end of your story! And if you can learn how to turn a two-dimensional character into a three-dimensional one, you'll have a real leg up on all future character creation. Sometimes the hardest part is simply identifying when you  do  have a flat character on your hands... especially if you're not exactly sure what constitutes one. Which is why we want to illustrate exactly what is a flat character: with a clear definition, examples, and instructions on how to fix any flat characters you may come across in your writing. First off, let's talk about what this term means.What is a flat character?A flat character  is a character with little to no complex emotions, motivat ions, or personality. They also don't undergo any kind of change  to make them more well-rounded. In other words, they're the opposite of a "round character," who has a fully fleshed out profile and changes throughout the story. A flat character will typically:Have no internal conflictConform to a stereotypeNever experience character developmentLack a multi-faceted personalityWhereas a three-dimensional or round character will typically:Have internal conflictUndergo significant character developmentExperience mental and emotional changesHave a multi-faceted personalityFlat characters are also sometimes referred to as â€Å"one-dimensional† or â€Å"two-dimensional." Both of these monikers point to the same thing: a character who has very minimal complexity, and often renders the story less believable as a result. Are you accidentally writing a flat character? Learn more in this post Not all static characters are flatDon't make the mistake of conflating a flat character with a static character. â€Å"Static† (or its inverse, â€Å"dynamic†) strictly describes the amount of change that a character undergoes throughout the story. â€Å"Flat† is a referendum on the character's complexity. That means that, generally speaking, all two-dimensional characters are static, but not all static characters are two-dimensional. To learn more about the flip side of the equation, we wrote extensively about what makes a dynamic character here.Are flat characters bad?Again, having two-dimensional characters never spells automatic death for your book. And the occasional flat character can even benefit your narrative! Charles Dickens, for instance, was a genius at writing casts that were packed with memorable caricatures. Are Miss Havisham, Mrs Micawber, and Mr Jaggers flat characters? Absolutely - they have few complex characteristics and exist mostly to inter act with the main character of their respective stories. But does their flatness make them inherently uninteresting or irrelevant to the story? Not necessarily. Flat characters can fulfill a number of roles: they populate the environs of the protagonist’s journey, and can move the story along in a plot-driven book. You really just don't want your  main  character(s) to be flat, otherwise your audience will lose interest in them. Her animal friends are the most interesting thing about her. (Image: Buena Vista Pictures)6. Mary Jane from Spider-ManSummed up in one sentence: The girl next door who’s the object of Peter Parker’s affection. Purpose in the story: To be the damsel in distress whom Peter rescues time and time again.7. Karen Smith from Mean GirlsSummed up in one sentence: A popular high school student who isn’t the brightest bulb in the box. Purpose in the story: To be the comic relief. (Though, to be fair, she would unquestionably make a great weather reporter!)8. Mr Collins from Pride and PrejudiceSummed up in one sentence: A silly, pompous, vain, obsequious clergyman with narcissistic tendencies. Purpose in the story: To represent the stereotype of the silly, servile parts of British society that Jane Austen ends up eviscerating.So why do authors write flat characters?As you can see, authors utilize flat characters in a number of ways. Writers generally bring them out when:The story in question is extremely plot-driven. Genres such as detective novels and thrillers will feature more two-dimensional protagonists for this reason (i.e. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and The  Da Vinci Code’s Robert Langdon.)The story is simple enough that complex characters are unnecessary.  This is the case in many children's movies, such as the  Cinderella  example above.Minor characters are needed. These characters don’t need depth, as they exist in order to further a three-dimensional protagonist along on their journey.So a flat character isn't necessarily a  bad  character; it's all about how you use them. Some very popular stories make almost everyone into flat characters except the protagonist(s). However, when it comes to standard literature, it's usually best to steer clear when possible. As a general rule, the more complex and multi-dimensional you make your characters, the deeper you'll pull readers into the vivid world of you r story - and that goes for all  characters, not just the ones we see the most.Do you have any favorite flat characters? Have you included any two-dimensional characters in your own work? Let us know in the comments below.

McCarthy hearings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

McCarthy hearings - Essay Example 1). Event given a prominent place The New York Times presents the McCarthy hearings in a complete theatrically and narrative unity that brought the nation to a standstill. The exchanges between the representatives from the army and McCarthy are indeed headline makers that newspapers found during that period. The fact that the hearings were the first congressional inquiries televised live was no doubt a significant milestone in the American political and media history. According to the New York Times, there is clear sense that the hearings were of great importance to the public since the issue of communism affected all Americans. Therefore, by writing on the issue, the information exposed millions of Americans not only on the inherent significance of the Army-McCarthy hearings, but also the unfolding of events. The media is the educator of the public and without the media many thing occurring in darkness will always remain there. The Army-McCarthy hearings indeed took the prominent pl ace in the New York Times and many other newspapers due to the gravity of the matter. In fact, analyzing the subsequent newspaper articles from the New York Times, at least there is a continued coverage of the issue, and many newspaper articles have even changed the subject into â€Å"McCarthyism†. It is also paramount to note that unlike many other things that happened in America during this period, the Army-McCarthy hearings have always remained on the limelight not only in the media, but also in the popular memory of many Americans. For instance, in order to add vitality to the information provided in newspapers, some filmmakers resorted to record popular... McCarthy hearings Although he became a hero to many Americans, some, especially liberals sought to taint his name. His eminent fall came in 1953 when he started attacking the U.S. Army and accused President Eisenhower of protecting communism sympathizers and subversives in government. Of course, government information and documents proved McCarty right. In a sharp reaction, President Eisenhower asked the Republicans to stop attacking the U.S. Army, and called the Senate to censure McCarthy. After his censure in 1954, his influence deteriorated. The censure of McCarthy signaled the end of anticommunist crusade in 1954, but opened a series of hearings pitting McCarthy and the top generals in the U.S. Army. The Senate Subcommittee allowed live televised proceedings. The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post are among the newspapers that have given consensus on McCarthy hearings. There is no doubt the matter stole the headlines at least in all newspapers. This was a matter of grea t concern to the American people. Some American people supported communism while others came with gun blazing to oppose it. There is no doubt that the media was the central point of airing the views of both parties. In matters like this, the media plays a significant role. It is so ironical McCarthy acquired fame and honour by addressing the nation thus giving him legitimacy and power. However, these are the very things that brought his downfall. Additionally, his abhorrent character and undignified interludes exhibited a hot personality floppy in an unruffled intermediate.

Women Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women Studies - Essay Example The author would like the reader to walk away from reading this book with an understanding of feminism, that is not just local or national but international as well. She takes "the perspective that cultural diversity must be respected but that it must not be used to excuse the maltreatment of women" (p.5). She wants the reader to understand that although what a woman in one culture might take for granted as a right might be something a woman in another culture is still fighting for but it does not make it any less of an issue under feminism. Burn wants to "give you some overall sense of the varieties of issues affecting women and the variety of their response, and how both these are affected by culture and women's roles as reproducers" (p.5). 1. The study of lesbianism is important to the topic of women across cultures because almost every country in the world has a lesbian sub-culture living somewhere in it, whether they want to admit it or not. The consequences of proclaiming yourself to be lesbian can be emotionally trying especially in societies that have very strict social roles that are to be maintained. Numerous countries deny having any problems with lesbianism because they have laws that outlaw it so it cannot possible exist.

Marketing reformation, retention and development of competitive Essay

Marketing reformation, retention and development of competitive advantage - Essay Example The most important way to success in any industry has been always considered orientation on the customer needs and its satisfaction. Working in that direction provides guarantee to selling final products and in gradual increase of outputs. It is equally important to build networks with other stakeholders such as suppliers, distributors or intermediaries. Professional approach to dealing with all the stakeholders is crucial in sustaining competitive advantage vis-a-via the competitors outside the network. Using example of Tesco chain of groceries I will further discuss the ways in which the company sustains its leading position on the market and define current strategies as well as opportunities and threats that the company faces in today's competitive world. Many retail shopping centers have tried and failed to perform excellently outside their home markets. Likewise, some retailers have led astray trying to develop Internet shopping. As a result, TESCO, the United Kingdom's biggest grocer, has drawn significiant attention because of its ambitious overseas strategy and its successful on-line home delivery service. Another successful key factor that inputs to TESCO sustainable development and growth is the marketing communication plan that provides the detailed overview of the Company's fiscal policies as for meeting the clients' needs and providing competitive prices within wisely located grocers all over the world. TESCO understands that successful marketing strategy should be based on customers' need, that is why the Mission Statement declared for the Company sounds as it follows: "One of our values is to understand customers better than anyone. We go to great lengths to ask customers what they think, listen to their views, and then a ct on them. We look both at what customers say and what they do. This feedback guides the decisions we tale" (www.TESCO.com) Executive Summary TESCO s proved to be a ledng grocery chn n the Unted Kngdom nd lso the bggest grocery of the world. There re bout 2290 stores wth more then 296000 people employed ll over the world nd t hs ttrcted consderble ttenton becuse of ts mbtous overses strtegy nd ts successful on-lne home delvery servce. Relyng on sles of non-food tems nd on nterntonl sles--prtculrly n emergng mrkets--for n mportnt prt of the compny's future expnson, TESCO hs delvered one of the fstest orgnc growth rtes of ny mjor retler n the world. ts nonfood busness rose by 18 percent n 2000-01, nd ts nterntonl busness, whch begn wth lunch n Hungry n 1994, now ccounts for more thn 40 percent of the group's floor spce. TESCO lso hppens to be the undsputed world leder n nternet grocery sles (www.TESCO.com). ts on-lne home delvery servce s now proftble, TESCO sys, nd t hs struck del n the Unted Sttes wth Sfewy, whch wll use TESCO's system for home-shoppng servce. Underpnnng TESCO's success s excellent mngement nd n obsesson w th opertonl effcency nd productvty gns, whch the compny uses to keep prces low or to mprove servce rther thn to ncrese ts opertng mrgns. Despte ths mpressve record, TESCO s stll reltvely smll compred wth the lkes of Crrefour nd Wl-Mrt, but t s growng fster.Despte ths mpressve record TESCO stll fces number of chllenges during the fiscal year. The UK retler is smll n comprson wth the lke s

Caffeine psychostimulants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Caffeine psychostimulants - Essay Example One of the advantages of caffeine lies in its ability to cause the release of dopamine in the body leading to hyperactivity. The hyperactivity referred to in this case is not the activity found in hyperactivity disorder, but rather positive activity. The dopamine released activates the part of the brain associated with alertness and attention, as well as problem solving and pleasure (Russel, 2008). Because of this effect of caffeine, the body becomes hypersensitive to the environment around it and appreciation of the body needs. In this case, the capabilities of the brain are improved and increases as it acts as a stimulant all thanks to the activation of dopamine. The boost increases circulation around the body including the brain, where the brain increases even a larger amount of caffeine stimulation than the heart. It is through this dose of caffeine that it improves the mood of the caffeine consumer and allows one to think with enhanced precision and clarity (Gargulinski, 2011). In addition, caffeine contains numerous antioxidants that are crucial for the wellbeing of the human body in that they block the action of free radicals. The presence of these antioxidants in caffeine reduces the chances of developing cancer in a person, and in cases of cancer, its onset is usually delayed considerably. In the absence of caffeine, one remains susceptible to cancer due to free radicals that increase cell death and accumulation of the dead cells (Thompson and Keene, 2004). Other than this, caffeine is beneficial since it plays a crucial role in increasing the longevity of human life. In this case, increased consumption of caffeine increases the human lifespan, which is also caused by the antioxidants fond in caffeine. In addition, the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease is reduced, especially when consumed for extended periods. One other advantage of consuming

Cystic Fibrosis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Cystic Fibrosis - Research Paper Example Reflecting on the experiences of the patient who has CF provides deeper insight in to the illness and shows that it has a great impact on the lives of the child, family, and then the adult who must live with CF. Cystic fibrosis is an illness that only just 70 years ago was fatal for children within their first year. The illness was most often diagnosed during autopsy and an understanding of the illness had yet to emerge. Although increases in treatment improved the prognosis of CF, real knowledge about the illness came in the late 1980s when in 1989 the CFTR gene was discovered. Originally the sweat test was considered the definitive test to determine the presence of the illness derivations of the disease have emerged that defy the sweat test as the gold standard. The treatment for CF has improved to the point that instead of dying as infants, people are now living long into old age through management and care (Bush, 2006). The following paper will examine cystic fibrosis through looking at what is known about the disease in relationship to its pathology, through the developing knowledge that has increased life expectancy, and through the treatments and care that has extended the lives of those who suffer from the illness. The paper will discuss the experiences of those who suffer from the illness as well as how treatment has advanced throughout the last decade. Cystic fibrosis is a devastating disease that has taken the lives of many children, but with the advances that have been made in understanding the disease, people are now living much longer and more meaningful lives as they live with the condition. In 1938 Dr. Dorothy Andersen wrote a landmark medical report in which the illness of cystic fibrosis was differentiated as a separate and distinct illness. In 1953 Dr. Paul di Sant’Agnese and associates came to understand that losses in salt

Caffeine psychostimulants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Caffeine psychostimulants - Essay Example One of the advantages of caffeine lies in its ability to cause the release of dopamine in the body leading to hyperactivity. The hyperactivity referred to in this case is not the activity found in hyperactivity disorder, but rather positive activity. The dopamine released activates the part of the brain associated with alertness and attention, as well as problem solving and pleasure (Russel, 2008). Because of this effect of caffeine, the body becomes hypersensitive to the environment around it and appreciation of the body needs. In this case, the capabilities of the brain are improved and increases as it acts as a stimulant all thanks to the activation of dopamine. The boost increases circulation around the body including the brain, where the brain increases even a larger amount of caffeine stimulation than the heart. It is through this dose of caffeine that it improves the mood of the caffeine consumer and allows one to think with enhanced precision and clarity (Gargulinski, 2011). In addition, caffeine contains numerous antioxidants that are crucial for the wellbeing of the human body in that they block the action of free radicals. The presence of these antioxidants in caffeine reduces the chances of developing cancer in a person, and in cases of cancer, its onset is usually delayed considerably. In the absence of caffeine, one remains susceptible to cancer due to free radicals that increase cell death and accumulation of the dead cells (Thompson and Keene, 2004). Other than this, caffeine is beneficial since it plays a crucial role in increasing the longevity of human life. In this case, increased consumption of caffeine increases the human lifespan, which is also caused by the antioxidants fond in caffeine. In addition, the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease is reduced, especially when consumed for extended periods. One other advantage of consuming

Financial crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial crisis - Research Paper Example The reasons for current financial crisis in America can be attributed to many things like, The Federal Reserve, is making credit cheap, Home buyers, who took advantage of easy credit contributed to bid up the prices of homes excessively. Congress, which continues to support a mortgage tax deduction that gives consumers a tax incentive to buy more expensive houses. Real estate agents, most of whom work for the sellers rather than the buyers and who earned higher commissions from selling more expensive homes etc. Wall Street firms, who paid too little attention to the quality of the risky loans that they bundled into Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), and issued bonds using those securities as collateral. The Bush administration has failed to provide needed government oversight of the increasingly dicey mortgage-backed securities market. (Bianco, 2008) Unlike many other countries like India, the life style of American people is entirely different. They believe in spending rather than saving. They will depend the financial institutions for loans whenever they are in need of bulk amount of money like buying a car or home. The financial institutions were ready to give loans without conducting proper enquiry about the financial capabilities of the loan seeker. Most of the people who took the loans were failed to return it in time because of the recession in their economies and hence the financial crisis started to destroy the financial institutions. â€Å"Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan Chase have weathered the financial crisis in reasonably good shape, while Bear Stearns collapsed and Lehman Brothers has entered bankruptcy, to name but two of the investment banks which had remained independent despite the repeal of Glass-Steagall.† (Miller & Jackson, 2008) On the other hand the Indian people have the ha bit of saving

Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders Essay Example for Free

Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders Essay Al Qaeda is a global militant Islamist organization founded by the late Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam among other Islamic. It dates back to around August 1988-1989 in Peshwar in Pakistan. Its origins were traced to the Soviet War in Afghanistan. It operated as a network that comprised of both multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim revolution. This movement called for global jihad and implemented a strict interpretation of the Sharia laws. It was branded a terrorist organization by major organizations and countries in the world such as the United Nation Security Council, the European Union, NATO, the United States, and the United Kingdom among many other countries.               Al Qaeda functioned both on its own and through some minor terrorist organizations. The organizations that operated under the al Qaeda included Ayman al-Wawahiri’s Egyptian Islamic Jihad which was also known as el Gamaa Islamia. There were also other Jihad groups in countries such as Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Pakistan, Croatia, Tunisia Lebanon, Albania, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Tajistan and the Hashmiri Region in India and Chechnyan in Russia. AL Qaeda kept cells and personnel in numerous countries to facilitate its operations including Kenya, Tanzania, the United States, Germany, United Kingdome, Malaysia and Canada. â€Å"Al Qaeda has no home base, but maintains cells in different countries in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia† (Zalman) Objectives                  One of the ultimate goals of Al Qaeda was to fight off the United States armed forces out of Saudi Arabian peninsula and Somalia. They issued rulings on Islamic laws indicating that such action was proper and essential. Bin Laden led the AL Qaeda to oppose the United States for various reasons. First, they perceived the United States to have no faith because its governance was not as per their interpretation of the Islamic laws. The second reason was that they regarded the United States as a provider of vital support to â€Å"other infidel† nations and institutions. They particularly branded the Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and finally the United Nations, as enemies of the Islamists organization. Third, Osama Bin Laden greatly contended the participation of the United States armed force in the Gulf war and operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1991, 1992 and 1993 respectively. Above all, the presence of the American forces in the Saudi Arabian penins ula was with no doubt resented by the al Qaeda. Last but not least, the United States Government’s incredible resentment was owed to the arrest and conviction of the al Qaeda personnel or any member of their affiliate terrorists organizations. For these reasons, Osama Bin Laden led the al Qaeda to declare jihad, holy war, against the United States. He pursued this goal through all means possible. The al Qaeda made attacks on any nations or organizations allied to the United States.                Since 1988, when Al Qaeda was formed, â€Å"the organization has been credited with scores of terror attacks around the globe, which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people† (National Geographic). Attacks in East Africa                   On 7th August 1998, well planned attacks were made on two American embassies in the East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. In Tanzania, it is perceived by the authorities that a bomb was planted in a refrigeration truck which was later parked outside the United States embassy. It was unfortunate that these two embassies did not meet the recent strict measures that have been implemented. The attack on the Tanzanian embassy saw 11 people die and 86 more get injured. On the other hand the Kenyan bombing resulted in the deaths of 12 Americans, 213 Kenyan Citizens and had over 5000 casualties. One of AL Qaeda’s leaders, Al Libi, â€Å"was wanted for his alleged role in the deadly 1998 bombings of the two embassies in Africa† (CNN).               The aftermath of this attack was devastating and the United States in conjunction with the Tanzanian government sought to set up a new embassy. The United States impeached Osama Bin Laden as the core perpetrator of the bombing of these embassies. The united stated went ahead to offer a reward for five million dollars for his arrest and conviction.                   The United States government as devastated as it was plotted attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan. On 20th August 1998, the United States attacked Sudan and Afghanistan. It was alleged that the US targeted a chemical weapons producing plant, located in Sudan, with 13 cruise missiles. This only resulted to the deaths of the night guards. There has not been any substantial evidence that supports the attack and therefore it has come under extreme criticism. The attack on Afghanistan consisted of about 75 cruise missiles which targeted three separate terrorists’ camps and strongholds. This attack brought the deaths of 24 people but unfortunately failed in getting Osama Bin Laden. â€Å"The strikes were a response to an imminent threat to the U.S. posed by a terrorist network backed by Osama bin Laden† (CNN). Attacks in Yemen                   This is AL Qaeda’s first ever attack in its course. It is known as the Yemen Hotel Bombing of 1992. On the evening of the 29th of December 1992, a bomb went off at the Gold Mahur Hotel. This happened to be where the United States’ armed forces had been staying on their route to Somalia. Fortunately the troops had already evacuated the hotel at the time of the attack. Undeterred by any circumstances, the AL Qaeda went ahead to plot another attack. They targeted another hotel. They perceived that the American troops were staying in the Aden Movenpick. However, the bomb detonated in the hotel car park, ahead of time for their attack. The explosion led to the death of two Australian tourists. Osama Bin Laden and Mohamed Khan claimed responsibility for these attacks. Attacks in Jordan                In December 1999-2000, there was a plotted attack by the AL Qaeda to attack United States and Israelis tourists who had visited Jordan to celebrate the millennium. Conversely, authorities in Jordan disillusioned the plotted attacks and apprehended and convicted 28 suspects. This plot involved the bombing of the LAX but this was a complete failure for the AL Qaeda since the bomber, known as Ahmed Ressam was apprehended at the US- Canadian border with explosives in his car. The AL Qaeda did not stop at that. They planned an attack on the USS Sullivans on January the third in 2000. This failed because they put too much weight on a small boat that was to bomb the ship. Attack on MV Limburg                   The Limburg was loaded with 397,000 barrels, equated to 63,100 m3, of crude oil from Iran en route to Malaysia. It was attacked in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen where it was to collect another load of crude oil. The Limburg was registered under a French-flag. PETRONAS, a Malaysian petrol firm, had chartered the Limburg. At some distance offshore, a small boat loaded with explosives rammed the tanker on the starboard and detonated. The craft caught fire and estimated 90,000 barrels, equated to 140,000 m3 of crude oil spilled into the ocean. Yemeni authorities apparently claimed that the explosion was caused by an accident. However investigations showed traces of TNT on the wrecked vessel. In the incident one crew member was killed and 12 others were injured. According to BBC, Ahmed al-Darbi confessed to being responsible for this incident.                      The Battle of WanatOn July 13, 2008, AL Qaeda and Taliban guerilla fighters raged war on NATO troops. This occurred near Wanat, a village in Waygal district, in Afghanistan’ province of Nuristan. This battle has been branded â€Å"Black Hawk Down†. It was one of the bloodiest attacks in the war and one of the numerous attacks on remote outposts. In comparison to the preceding ambushes that were executed in a haphazard manner, this was well coordinated and executed. â€Å"American casualties included nine killed and 27 wounded, while four Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers were wounded† (Terrorists groups). Attacks on the United States                  On Tuesday September 11, 2001 a coordinated series of 4 attacks were launched on the US in the metropolitan area of Washington DC and in New York by the Al-Qaeda, a terrorist group of Islamic religion.                19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger airliners. The purpose of hijacking the planes was so that they could be used for suicide attacks.                  Two of the planes, the United Airline flight 175 and also the American Airliners flight II were crashed into the south and north towers of the world trade center complex in New York City respectively. In two hours the two towers collapsed. The debris from the buildings and the fires partly of completely caused the collapse of the buildings in the world trade center complex and also caused damage to another ten large surrounding structures. The Rise                  The affliction of AL Qaeda on global is seemingly a long standing affair. Its beginning goes back decades to the modern-day establishment and conversion of a non-state armed group that has made it its purpose to create exceptional regional and international changes based on unnecessary use of brutal force for political motives. Apart from prompting domestic and foreign crises, the AL Qaeda focused specifically in adapting and prospering open-endedly as it sought new approaches. All along, it is in this perspective that the growth of AL Qaeda was planned for. This was a preordained way for the group to ensure it growth regardless of any setbacks from the very beginning. This isolated it from preceding and successive Islamists groups. On the other hand, traditional Islamist factions started to institute themselves through religious preaching, political sermons and particularly through networks of domestic social amenities.                   The first incarnation of AL Qaeda was to act as a welfare provider originating in the reinter state, Arabian Gulf. On the other hand its purpose was to apparently fight the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Jihad. The superiority of this underlying principle did not translate to a sudden halt of an unsatisfied local aim but somewhat the domestic contention to spill out to the external parties. From the perspective of a failed Arab and Islamic nation building, this faction sprang forth as a project with the combination of religion and politics. I was built upon: Relocation of authority; Outwitting the state; And the belligerent empowerment of a non-state actor.                  If in the beginning the swift propagation of the five regional depictions of the Al Qaeda were questionable, an added suggestion of the organization’s inspiring global reach and its ability to function in multiple nations long after War on Terror had been declared against it, it progressively occurred that the regional affiliates were significantly at variance and their link to the mother Al Qaeda was in some way unsubstantiated.                   Although in its first fifteen years it had been able to develop globally against vital odds; for each tactical loss, the Al Qaeda earned a strategic gain. This was demonstrated by: Retreating in Afghanistan but advancing in Iraq; Restricted leadership but had proliferating contacts; Abridged physical mobility but had global impact; Additional enemies but expanding recruits. The fall                  In the period between 2006 and 2011, AL Qaeda’s leadership had changed into a self-commandment, in due course offering only political, religious and military commentary, and not operational orders. Taking everything into account, what can be interpreted as a regionalization strategy of the Al Qaeda mixed up the global representation of the organization. The required elasticity the group embraced, partially voluntarily, partially as a way to adjust to the impending international anti-terrorism campaign, brought about an ever-growing distance with the already liberated divisions.                  Osama Bin Laden’s vanishing from Al Qaeda and also the War on Terror scene, for that reason, signified the end of the reign of the original faction established in Afghanistan. This opened a new chapter in which the regional authorizations will further sanction their existing independence. In so doing they will bestow the conflict with a new arrangement by diminishing terrorism among nations. War on Terror                  Previous efforts to put an end to this menace were somehow unsuccessful until May 2, 2011. O this day, a team of U.S Navy Seals with the help of the United States intelligence located the AL Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. He was found in Abbottabad in Pakistan, 31 Miles from Islamabad where he met his demise. On June 16 the same year, Ayman al-Zawahiri succeeded Osama Bin Laden but the fight against terror continues.                The war against terror is a global war. There have been numerous efforts to curb the AL Qaeda menace. The United States has shown great dedication in trying to bring justice to the crimes committed by this faction, the Al Qaeda. These efforts have included several military actions by the United States armed forces and other allied nations and institutions like the UK and the United Nations. Presently, there are ongoing various military operations against this terrorist faction. This operation either targets the faction directly or the affiliates of this faction such as the Al Shabaab in Somalia. Many countries have joined the war against terrorism. For example, according to Fox News, the Iraqi Government has announced that it is offensive on AL Qaeda. Yemen is also said to be targeting top AL Qaeda leaders, as Stated by CNN reporters, Jamjoom and Smith, write.                   The United States government has greatly contributed the gradual fall that AL Qaeda is undergoing. Military action is seemingly the way to go since these terrorists seem not to the get the hang of diplomacy. Presently, â€Å"prompted in part by a recent video that showed Al Qaeda leaders in Yemen openly taunting the United States, the CIA launched lethal drone strikes†(Dilanian). According to ABC News, even after two years when the United States withdrew its troops from Iraq, the US is still aid the Iraqi government to fight off the AL Qaeda faction. References Al Qaeda. Answers, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. AL Qaeda Attacks: A Chronology. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Battle of Wanat 2008. Terrorist Groups, 8 Apr. 2008. Web. 26 Apr. 2014 Fast facts: The embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. CNN, 6 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Guantanamo prisoner al-Darbi admits MV Limburg Attack. BBC, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Jamjoom, Mohammed and Smith, Matt. Yemen Strikes May Target Top AL Qaeda Leaders. CNN, 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. US Assisting Iraq in Fight Against Al Qaeda 2 Years After Troops Withdraw. ABC NEWS, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.Zalman, Amy. Al Qaeda: Profile of Al Qaeda. About, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014. Source document

Organisation Management and Change Management in Virgin Trains

Organisation Management and Change Management in Virgin Trains Background of Virgin Train Virgin was enjoying a bureaucratic structure of management in the early days of its inception being a part of the public sector It has completely revolutionised the way railway system operates Back in the old days the trains system in Britain was controlled by British Railways and whatever the top management decided in those days was the order of the subordinate and they would have to follow it without any objection.. Today it only takes a couple of hours from London to Manchester which was unimaginable some 10-15 years ago. Currently there is no centralised reporting of the regional performance of British Rail. This step was taken particularly to meet the demands and needs of travellers and tourists in different regions of Britain. Each region has its own plan of development and upgrades which allows them to gain competitive advantage over other rail systems. The strategies made to maximise the profit and reducing costs of each regional office is the goal of the British Rail. (A)Relationship between Virgin Trains vision and culture of the company Vision is a long term strategy of a company. A vision does not define the goals that an organisation will be looking to achieve in the near future but there is a mission that is expected to be achieved at some point of time. Vision is usually held by the top management of the company as they are the acting stewards of the company. Vision allows the company to create a business plan which will include formation of small goals and formulating strategies to achieve those goals. It keeps on reminding the company about the direction in which it has to move and allow it to motivate itself. Mission statement is also part of the Companys Vision. A vision goes further. It paints a picture in clear language of where the organisation is going, linked to the behaviours it expects of everyone in the organisation. Vision is a broad perspective of what company wants and their approach to achieving their needs. Culture is defined by the way things are done in an organisation. The guru of a culture in an organisation is the top management they are the ones who govern the culture of an organisation. It is the behaviour and rules set by them which serve as a role model for their subordinates. The culture as explained in the case study of virgin train is Collaborate (Clan) Culture. This culture pertains to the thinking of the management acting as parents to the employees. All the employees irrespective of the level of hierarchy they belong to Has a say in the management decisions and work as a team. The development and training of the staff are also given importance and care of their needs is taken of so that the outcome is always a win-win situation. The CEO says that in order to follow the organisational vision the strategy is to breakdown the company vision into small achievable and measurable targets, so to comply with the performance management aspect of the company. The CEO of virgin train has clearly pointed out to its workers that he wants them to own the virgin railways. He wants employees to account for their own action, asses how effective they are in achieving organisational goals and bring about improvements in their work so to achieve the organisational goal. In practise vision is a way broad term than a mission. The three main elements of the Virgin Trains Visions is their strive to provide safe and reliable travel, to become and maintain a profitable business and last but not the least instigating an environment which allows its employees to share their opinions about the progress of the organisation and that their views are given weightage in the decision making process. [Hofstede, Geert (1977] (B)Influence of culture on the change management of the Virgin Trains What is Change Management? There are three important steps of change management namely planning, implementation and control. These steps are in relation to all those people who are affected by a change in the organisation. Change should always be brought after consultation with the all the major stakeholders as they are the medium through which the change will be brought and their non-involvement can lead to a resistance in change. There are some serious time and money invested in order to bring a change so it is expected that the change can be measurable, achievable and reliable. Infrastructural change does not require as much time and effort as to bringing a change in the mind-set of the people. For people to accept the change they need to be told why the change is brought and what is in benefit for change how it will be implemented and how it is sustainable. Change be implemented and is it sustainable for future developments and research. One of the healthiest exercises for change is to have one on one meeting with the key staff of the organisation who serve as the ingredient of the change and allow them equal participation in the change process so that the task of implementing the change becomes easy. It is interesting to know that different people have different acceptability levels to change for some it is just a matter of time and understanding the new ways of doing things but for some people that change is completely incompatible. Usually all the lower level staffs is communicated indirectly about change with memos and brochures. But there are people in this level of hierarchy as well who thinks that it is a call for them to leave the organisation. For people with such mind-sets there should be workshops and other training sessions being held so that they get the bigger picture behind the change brought. But if still there is resistance to change the organisation will have to consider firing that employee but inly as the last resource, following the philosophy that what does not align with the organisational goals is into an asset of a company but act as a liability. All in all change management is a process in which individual or organisation at large are invited to bring a transition from their current position to a desired position in the future. Example of change management includes change in mission, strategy, technology, operations and in the behaviour and attitude of the personnel. [Robert A. Sevier, July, 2003], [Jayme Alexandre, Jan 2009] Virgin trains have always kept an optimistic and forward looking approach. They make plans as to what they can do in their foreseeable future and try to implement the learning from their past to their future. It is a view prevailing in the business world that there is a strong link between the vision and the culture of an organisation. There is no doubt in the notion that the behaviour of the managers of an organisation set the tone for the subordinate and the approach in which the organisation wants their employees to go about things. Virgin trains value their employee and thinks that customer service is a CSF (Critical success factor).a as responding to the ever changing environment and changing customer needs with it. To bring a change in an organisation a clear vision is required for the change to take place smoothly. The managers of virgin train believe that the way for their organisational success is to listen to their customer feedback and then try to implement what is lacking in the current management structure. They believe that I is the lower level staff i.e. the technical support and logistics which comes in to interactions with the customers and in order to bring change these people those be given the task of implementing the change. It is the culture of virgin train is to delegate authorities to its staff so to allow them the bring change. They believe their lower level staffs are technically and commercially most skilled and competent to bring the change. Managers believe that employee would actively take part in the running of the company. They think that employees should be asking question, bring new ideas, and be ready to disagree and give better options on how to operate the Company and bring change. For Example: The employees of virgin train as their care for the environment and sustainable development urged the management to encourage recycling in offices and trains and Virgin train complied with it. The Change in Virgin train is aided with the help of strategies to support and bring the change. The primary motto of virgin train is to remain a profitable organisation. The key to this I customer retention which can only be done by providing the customers with a top notch and cost effective service. Virgin train realises that to achieve its objective they would have to cater to the needs of their customers. There usually two bands of customers one who value cost for which the cost leadership model is followed and the other ones who value quality of service being provided and there they belong to the niche market and want specialised and unique customer service which is in fact the reason they are paying the premium for. The management has the aim to train their front line employees as individual and independent leaders. They are given the opportunity to learn from their job i.e. given on the job training and development. The new strategy of Virgin Train is to put Customer First. The front line employees are expected to enhance customer experience by responding and catering to their needs and from their interaction with the customers try to devise and recommend new methods of operation to top management so that the customer experience can be further improved. The role of the managers in this scenario is to boost the morale and confidence of tits employee, motivate them with incentives and try to get the best out of them and whatever feedback and new ideas they get from their employees they should try to implement that. [Joanne Martin, 2001] (C)Contribution of the Virgin Trains Organisation Structure in the Change Management The organisational structure of a company plays a vital role in the change management process. Virgin Train has to adopt different strategies that could adapt to their organisational structure which allows flexibility, empowerment, independence, delegation of authorities and participation in decision making to its employees. The hierarchy of management in such organisation is although quite extensive but is immiscible so that the work of a higher level could in some circumstances be done by a lower level depending on the authorities and responsibilities of the person at lower level. Some of the Examples of the way Virgin Trains Operates will be discussed from here on. To discuss the current and future strategy thee are regular meetings held between the employees and the management. In these meetings the priorities for the business is rethought if, important matters needing management attention are discussed and the implementation of any new best practise in to the business model. In the meeting every region brings something new and important to share which allows the management to take decision based on past data for the future so that Virgin Group can gain an advantage over their peers. Each region May have people with different cultures and values so it is important that Virgin train responds to the needs of each region separately and bring such business strategies into play which benefit both the customers and serve the organisational purpose as well. Feedback from customers and mangers in different regions of operation of virgin train are always welcomed by managers as it allows them to know what elements of their service needs improvement and which of their current service is highly rated by its customers so that management know what areas need more time to be spent to improve their overall performance. For Example Feedback from customers on matter such as, what should be the menus of the flight and how much is the current ticket packages are suitable for them. Other than this what new destination should virgin start flights for and how often these flights should take place, this and many other related information helps management to take things head on which is always a factor for a customer when making travelling decisions. All these Ideas are taken in by the manger sand the ones which seems to be the most important and brought to the table with other top management and lowers staff as well to decide which ones will filter through the consensus in the decision making process and then how these can be implemented. This activity instigate a feeling of intrinsic reward in the employees who brought forwards the idea sand the feedback in the first place and it encourages them to do their work efficiently and discuss with the management as they believe their say hold an importance to the company. Besides welcoming change and giving feedback, the management of virgin also encourage constructive criticism i.e. challenging the ideas of other in an appropriate way. Employees are given 3 days workshops to train them how to receive and deliver constructive feedback. They are also taught about the vision of the Virgin Trains and how the leadership style currently undertook by the management of the Virgin Train affects them at workplace. Other than this some of the important outcomes of the workshops are mentioned below. It provides the employees an environment to share their opinions and thoughts about the organisation. Employees at different levels of the hierarchy come across each other, get to know each other and create a social environment which allows them the time to share things since they have been employed, so erasing personal differences if any. Employees get an idea of why the change is brought, how it will affect them and provides an opportunity to share individual concerns about the change if any. The HR Department go Virgin Train actively take part in the development and training of their employees. They consider themselves as the drivers of the change and have always followed the organisational strategy will focus on people. They tend to reward employees where they have performed well and such employees are then presented at various levels as a token of their achievement and an appreciation of the work they have done for Virgin Trains. Various award ceremonies are also held to reward individual and teams where they had performed well. Virgin Train also plays their CSR role (Corporate Social Responsibility) as they believe dignifies behaviour towards their environments and also in a way towards their employees. This approach shows their customers and staff that they care about their environment and does not always act in their personal profits. But in Essence what Virgin Trains is doing here is to earn the respect of the people and therefore it allows them to retain customers. An example of the charitable work done is to make donations to the CLIC Sargent which collects money to be spent on child cancer patients. It is therefore not wrong to say that Virgin Trains flow its organisational with Bottom to top Approach and their workshops helps in in this process. [Cameron, Kim S. Quinn, Robert E. 1999] (D) Strategies Implemented For Change Management Process in the Organisation and its Effectiveness: There few strategies which the management has adopted in order to manage the change process in Virgin Trains. Again any strategy made will be in alignment of the vision. At the recruitment process it is important to take note of that people who share the same vision and promote he same behaviour as encourages at virgin Trains should be selected. The appraisal process is another crucial stage ways of realising the work that an employee has done in a fixed period of time. Usually a 360 degree appraisal is the most popular method of appraisals, as it involves the customer, the employee and the manager, all of whom play a vital role in the business process. In discussion with the employee their contribution and development to the business should be notified and what personal short term and long term goals have the employee set for themselves. A tool made by virgin train to assess the need for promotion for an individual is the Talent Wheel. This is a set combination of behaviour, motivation, passion and knowledge and skills requirement which when fulfilled by an employee suggest that that employee is now worthy of a higher post or designation. There is plenty of learning opportunities for employees at various levels in the organisation. Internal and external courses are regularly held keeping in mind the training and developing needs of individuals and the departments in which the employee is working. In these courses basically the coaching skills are taught and how to take part in discussion and the importance of accepting responsibility. For front line staff and managers leadership programs are held to equip them to handle issues in a better way. The change management program of virgin Train is an on-going process which would have to be reviewed regularly to ensure that the change in the culture is smooth transition and is will be meeting the organisational objective. The motive behind the cultural change is not only to cope with employees in a better way but it is to operate the business in the most efficient way securing the organisational goal of maximising it profits. KPIs or key performance indicator is an effective tool foe measuring the performance of an organisation. Every organisations business is based on some key indicator or elements the fluctuations in which serious affect the business so if virgin train could track such indicators than it would know in what direction it is moving. Some of the KPIs that Virgin uses are: Sickness days/ days off, Staff turnover rates, Customer satisfaction and complaints. There can be many other indicators but these are the most important ones. Due to the strategy and the vision of Virgin Trains there has been cost saving reported in recent years due the discussion of management with the frontline employee and more often the employees challenge the managements decision which are then reviewed and implemented as a result of which company saves some valuable money. A recent example of this kind of work is that done by the Manchester division. What they did was to create a new ticket as a result of a problem face by a customer who was going to and fro from Huddersfield. The customer had to make a new ticket for the second part of the journey and this problem was sorted out by the people working in front line and a new ticket was issued which could work both ways. [David Herold, Donald Fedor,  (2008)] Conclusion: There is no doubt that virgin train continues to provide its customer with high quality serve and leisurely travel. The companys focus on their customers and employees has served as a booster for their performance and this is the reason they are way forward than their competitors. The involvement of employees in the decision making and their ability to bring solution to the business problems which are thought of from the customer point of view is another reason for virgin trains success. The management has fed the employees that they should continue to challenge the current practises and keep trying to come up with new ways of more effective ways of doing things. All in All it is the caring of employee, focus on customer satisfaction and the management leadership skills which have put Virgin Trains on the path of success.