Friday, September 6, 2019

Academic and Professional Goals Essay Example for Free

Academic and Professional Goals Essay According to Walden’s University the mission statement states: â€Å"Walden University provides a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so that they can effect positive social change†. (Laureate, 2013) According to Walden’s University the vision statement states: â€Å"Walden University envisions a distinctively different 21st-century learning community where knowledge is judged worthy to the degree that it can be applied by its graduates to the immediate solutions of critical societal challenges, thereby advancing the greater global good†. (Laureate, 2013) The combination of my academic performance and my personal standards in all that I do will provide the foundation for my success as a Nursing Home Director. It will require great time and energy, but I am excited to pursue the challenge. My study habits and skills enable me to gain a full understanding of the subject. I work well in a team, or I can function on my own. I know how to seek out help when necessary and I will not settle for being average. Drive and desire for excellence is balanced with a good sense of priorities and I do not usually lose track of what is important. I am very aware of what I need to do to be ready for any given situation and am able to manage stress in healthy ways. My family fully supports this endeavor, and I am mentally, physically and spiritually ready for the task. The rigorous and intense demands as a Nursing Home Director match my capabilities. Healthcare administrators perform many functions. They are responsible for developing an improved workplace through employee and workforce efficiency. This is done through motivation and positive vibes to promote and improve productivity. In addition to taking care of employees, healthcare administrators handle the company’s operating budget to decide the amount of money that can be spent on each project. Healthcare administrators are a difficult job and each manager must make fast and effective decisions that will improve the company and make it run smoothly. A type of healthcare administrators is a home director. This job comes with many roles and goal setting for employees. All roles are important to function, and one rule should not be more important than the other. GÐ ¾Ã °ls is the result or achievement toward, which Ð µffÐ ¾rt is directed. All people have different goals in their lives, which are subjective and differing from person to person. Some persons prefer to concentrate their achievement into acquiring professional goals; others select to obtain their pÐ µrsÐ ¾nÐ °l gÐ ¾Ã °ls. To achieve positive results, it is necessary to be a balance bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn person’s pÐ µrsÐ ¾nÐ °l life and business. Role and responsibilities of managers in todays health care All facets of the healthcare operations managers’ job are important. Together, it helps maintain stability and financial standing of the hospital. The workflow process controls the number of employees in each department. Employees must have the necessary skills to perform his or her job duties. There must be structure in each department to be fast, yet efficient. The physical layout ensures that the hospital layout is designed to improve productivity. For example, the hospital should control patient inflow and outflow to reduce the amount of traffic in the hospital. The layouts should also include safety products and procedures on each floor. Capacity design and planning help improve productivity through technology or other resources. Staffing levels and productivity management allow the hospital to control output through the use of technology and staff, combining both to increase productivity level. Technology controls inventory and improves patient process. Quality, planning, and process improvement focuses on performance indicators so the hospital can stand out from its competitors. The planning process improves patient satisfaction and efficiency as well as reducing costs and increasing speed through advanced technology. Each role possesses the necessary factors that help the hospital flow efficiently. One should not be in place without the other. To achieve success in a hospital setting, healthcare administrators must improve patient satisfaction while increasing profits using the goals listed above. This position guides the hospital by implementing rules and regulations to ensure patient and employee safety and efficiency. Along with the implemented rules and regulations, he or she must know, follow, and enforce government standard regulations. Healthcare administrators play a demanding role in the hospital, and all work is performed through strategic thinking and hard work. Skills and experiences the Masters of Healthcare Administration program In this paper I would like to illustrate, my decision to pursue an in Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree to become a business owner or explore a more exciting career. I firmly believe that a degree in Masters in Business Administration (MBA) combined with a MHA can reward a very successful, satisfying and a challenging career for me. The educational background has a great influence on our personality and the decisions taken regarding our career prospects. A master’s degree is something I have always wanted to attain. So having a MBA is a personal goal and further develop my knowledge in the field of business administration and MHA would give me the knowledge and skills which in turn adds value to my career. Though the MHA course requires a substantial commitment of both time and resources, it is a very valuable asset. In conclusion, the MHA Program not only facilitates me to reach my personal goal however, it can assist me in becoming a more successful leader; sharpen the managerial skills and tools such as communication and motivating people. References Laureate. (2013). Get to know Walden. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay

Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay The purpose of the report is to establish three strategies which will address issues within Cotton-On Ltd causing their current financial troubles. The three chosen strategies are: research consumer buying habits, introduce online sales and expand sales into the European Union countries. These strategies will be explored and discussed to explain how they help improve the situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The first strategy research consumer buying habits shows how we look through the range of methods used for researching consumer buying habits in order to make a recommendation which is most suitable related to Cotton-On Ltd. Gathered data can be used to make decisions regarding various concerns with Cotton-On Ltd, such as product range, pricing or available sales channels. The methods used for researching consumer buying habits helps support other strategies because it allows Cotton-On Ltd to understand potential customers in new market settings. The second strategy introduce online sales refers to Cotton-On Ltd using the internet as a tool to strengthen the company because it is increasingly beneficial for them. Through extensive research Cotton-On Ltd should introduce online sales because of their position within the market otherwise they will be disadvantaged compared to competitors. Also the potential of the online sales channel is an opportunity for them to expand online and take advantage of the internet as a marketing tool. However there is a range of different ways Cotton-On Ltd can choose to approach selling their products online and this will be further discussed within the report. The third strategy expand sales into European Union countries explores this topic in context of online sales. The UK is a leading European country in relation to online sales however there are bigger markets to be explored, since some of these markets are expected to grow in the next few years. The topics which will be discussed is the European market related to Cotton-On Ltd, the aspect of the language barrier, the pricing / currency and any other points will be taken into consideration. All three strategies are explained to show the advantages for Cotton-On Ltd and highlight the main issues. We show how the strategies are linked together and where possible, suggest methods for implementation and overcoming issues. Those strategies are a starting point for the company to overcome their problems. Research Consumer Buying Habits Methodology Consumer buying habit is a complex matter and there are many factors that influence buying decision of the customer. When it comes to researching consumer behaviour for a business it is the greatest mystery of any business to solve (Matt Alderton, no date). There are many ways we could find out about consumer buying habits, but before doing anything else we need to investigate Cotton-On Ltd, its System or any previous study on the matter. One of the following techniques would be chosen to suit Cotton-On Ltd namely, interview, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel, but the best would be to organize customer focus group to help Cotton-On Ltd identify and find consumer specific needs. Customer focus group will produce good customer data in their own words, which would help create more effective marketing campaign and will expose problems within Cotton-On Ltd (Matt Alderton, no date). To get the best out of customer focus group it is important to stay focused on Cotton-On Ltd objectives that would have to be why the business is losing sale and how to save money? Predetermined questions and Moderator who be able to speak comfortably, easy to approach. Recruit up to twelve participants; the selection will be according to our question and will avoid random customer. Record the focus group either with a tape recorder or a video camera, but will have to ask participants permission. Evaluate feedback by reviewing the session to improve the quality (Matt Alderton, no date). As well as organising focus group Cotton-On Ltd should have a Consumer Panel to test our product as Consumer Panels are useful for fast short survey (DJS Research Ltd, no date). Discussion There are a few problems with Cotton-On Ltd system needs updating, improving and even would be scrapped once the new recommendation and system is implemented, but global issues have to be taken into account too, due to economic climate of UK, which is either flat or negative growth for the last six months family budgets are tight only spending where it matters most. The first issue has been noticed in Cotton-On Ltd case is that until last year it represented 20 per cent of UK customers, which is equivalent of 30 per cent of the UK sales revenue. That means Cotton-On Ltd prices are higher and something needs to be done in order to increment the sales revenue, whilst retaining the same sales revenue at least for now. In the light of the focus group Cotton-On Ltd will have to move accordingly whether to keep the same price for the moment, but offering something in addition to what customer buys or anything, otherwise desired. As Cotton-On Ltd have 20 stores across the UK and the only other mean of sale we have is through mail order, the Office for National Statistics retail sales figure for January 2012 out today 17-February 2012, non-store retailing which is mainly internet sales, grew by 13.3% in January (Chloe Rigby, 2012). So the shift continues from high street sales to online and mail order Cotton-On Ltd needs to recognize this and move accordingly. As a retailer the key for Cotton-On Ltd is to combine the flexibility that online and mail order delivers, with the customer service of the physical shopping. By bringing those together Cotton-On Ltd services and offers become more compelling to it is customers and this will lead to increased revenue, and will improve Cotton-On Ltd brand value (Chloe Rigby, 2012). As it shows in meeting of Cotton-On Ltd directors that the business does not know sales of their products by colour, size and Cotton-On Ltd should know which product is selling well and which one is not. So once we produce the final report on consumer buying habit we would be able to know these answers to some extent. Cotton-On Ltd would be able to decide accordingly to whether it is best to have online system that can filter separately each online sold product to our database then it will be easier for Cotton-On Ltd to see the products selling more, less, or none. In this way, we would be able to collate the data easily without losing them and produce in our factories according to these good and rich customers data. For finding out more about customer buying habits Cotton-On Ltd should have a good information system that allows collating data from online sales and also customers should be able to track their order. In this way we can expose our customers buying habits that how often they buy, their desired colour, for example it is very likely giving the system we have in Cotton-On Ltd that there are lots of certain products colour and sizes that never or very little been sold, so we need to cut producing those product in order to reduce waste and will result saving money. Introduce Online Sales Justification Cotton-On Ltd provides their customers with a few traditional ways of buying their products, they also have presence on the Internet via their website and advertising but they do not use it as distribution channel. Research shows that in the current market, where many traditional retailers have already introduced Internet sales, this step becomes a strategic necessity (Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore Cotton-On Ltd is currently left in a disadvantaged position. In addition, even in this time of economic difficulties, when the traditional retail sector is shrinking, the number of online buyers and online sales are increasing (Datamonitor, 2011a). According to Datamonitor (2011a) in 2010 the online retail sector in the United Kingdom reached revenue of over  £24.1 billion ($38 billion) and sales in apparel (including accessories and footwear) reached  £3.5 billion ($5.5 billion). The entire market is expected to grow to over  £41.9 billion ($66 billion) by the end of 2015, 11.6% growth. This shows the potential of the online sales channel. It is relatively easy to enter into Internet retail, especially for an established company with set up distance sales, as the costs are low and there are little additional regulations (Datamonitor, 2011a; Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Implementation and Issues Cotton-On Ltd may not have staff with sufficient skills to build and maintain an online store integrated with their website; however this is not the only way of implementing this strategy. Using an existing online service, which allows retailers to sell through their website, may prove more feasible as the first step in providing online sales. Even though this is not an ideal solution (Bernstein et al., 2008) it also addresses other issuers mentioned later in this section. The current website can be updated to direct interested customers to the service where they can make a purchase, while the staff will only be faced with learning whatever interface the service is providing. There are a few other concerns related to online sales and gaining new customers through this channel. Research suggests that the reason for the strong standing of the online market is the convenience of lower prices and price comparison tools (Datamonitor, 2011a; Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore price competition may be stronger than in the traditional market. At the same time, use of online sales helps to reduce transaction costs and some of those savings can be passed to customers (Bernstein et al., 2008) at least partially addressing the pricing issues. It is likely that this strategy will reduce sales through other channels, but this redirection is desirable due to the aforementioned reduced costs (Bernstein et al., 2008). The effects should be monitored and further decisions should be made accordingly. For example, telephone sales may no longer require as many staff members, but they may be trained for support in online sales and customer service via email. Trust is the main issue when attracting new buyers in the online setting. Customers are concerned about the security of online transactions, which means they are more likely to select known and trusted retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a; Premazzi et al., 2010). A study conducted by Premazzi, Castaldo, Grosso and Hofacker (2010) find that customers are more willing to provide their information only for certain compensation (prizes, vouchers etc.). And therefore, if this method is used, the type of compensation should suit the targeted audiences. It also concludes that well designed, user friendly and error free websites may increase customer trust. Another way of targeting new customers may be by using an already known and trusted service, for example Amazon. They are one of the biggest online retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a) and they offer ways for retailers to sell products on their website with relatively low cost (Amazon, no date). Products made available through Amazon website will be exposed to millions of shoppers that use their services, and Cotton-On Ltd could use Amazons position in the market as a declaration of the safety of the transaction to the customers (Amazon, no date). Additionally, successful transactions will increase Cotton-On Ltd brands exposure and increase trust for it. Legal considerations Selling over the Internet is considered the same as selling over the phone in light of distance selling regulations (Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Therefore we can expect that Cotton-On Ltd is already adhering to those regulations. However the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 introduces additional rules regarding advertising and sales using electronic channels. Because Cotton-On Ltd is already advertising on the Internet, hopefully with respect to those regulations, only extensions to sales specific regulations are required. Those rules affect: Information provided on the website used for sales. Technical means provided to customers (for example for identifying and correcting errors). Method of acknowledging orders (i.e. receipt supplied by electronic means). (Great Britain. Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 2002). Introducing an online distribution channel should not cause high additional costs related to legal matters. Additional Benefits Besides reduced costs and the chance of attracting new customers, use of the electronic sales channel also automates data collection and saves time required for order processing. If the changes are monitored and correct decisions are made to maximise benefits, Cotton-On Ltd will not only attract additional revenue but also lower its operation costs. Expand Sales to European Union Justification We propose the expansion of sales to other European Union countries only applies to the sales over the Internet. Costs of online expansion are relatively low, compared to a more physical solution (Premazzi, 2010) and high cost projects will probably not be possible due to the current situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The United Kingdom represents 23.5% of the European online retail sector (Datamonitor, 2011a). The other big markets are France, Germany, Italy and Spain with respectively 21.5%, 14.9%, 7.2% and 5.5% share of the market (Datamonitor, 2011a). It is also worth noting that both France and Germany have larger predicted growth over the next few years than the United Kingdom market. The French market is expected to exceed  £57.8 billion ($90.8 billion) 21% growth, and the German market is expected to exceed  £27.8 ($24.2 billion) 12.5% growth. Apparel (including footwear and accessories) accounts for 14.1% in both the German and French markets (Datamonitor, 2011b; c). This means that there is a large potential market outside of the United Kingdom. Implementation and Issues The technical and trust issues were already covered in the section on introduction of online sales, and the information provided also applies to this strategy. Pricing issues will be revisited in the context of foreign markets, due to issues arising from currency differences. The Single Market The European Union market is easy to access. European Union member states standardise their law to operate in a single market programme. The aim of this programme is to make doing business with other European Union counties as similar as possible to doing business in the companys country of origin. Measures, that European Union countries have introduced to achieve this, include: Reduction of paperwork accounting for the purposes of VAT is the same as for sales/purchases in the United Kingdom. Unified standards complying with United Kingdom technical and safety standards ensures meeting standards in other European Union countries. Free movement of people it is easy to employ European Union citizens in United Kingdom companies. Free movement of goods goods produced in the European Union or imported into a member state with duty paid, are considered to be in free circulation, further customs duty is not payable. Common currency 17 out of 27 member states have introduced the Euro as their currency, which reduces currency considerations for businesses. (Business Link, no date c; d; f) Languages Even though English is the language used internationally in business, it is still beneficial to have knowledge of countrys language and culture while doing business there (Business Link, no date a). A Eurobarometer pool found that almost half of the European Union citizens only speak one language (European Commission, 2012). Cotton-On Ltd needs to translate their website and products descriptions to the languages of targeted countries to not miss out on potential customers from those markets. They should also consider providing customer service in selected languages; it is possible they already have staff with language skills and if not, the free movement of people within the EEA makes it easier for businesses to find employees with the right skills (Business Link, no date b; d). Pricing Customers in other countries expect prices in their local currency. Therefore a company entering a foreign market should consider pricing and issues related to currency exchange (Business Link, no date h). Additional research into the market is required to make decisions on pricing; prices appropriate in the United Kingdom may not be appropriate in the new market (Business Link, no date e). Other Issues Cotton-On Ltd should also research competition in the new markets; consider marketing, delivery methods, payment methods and related costs (Business Link, no date e). Implementation suggestions The solution proposed for introducing online sales, where Cotton-On Ltd would use a known online retailer is also applicable here. If they choose an online retailer that already operates in their target markets, like Amazon (Amazon, no date), it may reduce some costs and solve some technical issues. Because each countrys market and culture is different, and some European countries still operate with their own currency, it is probably not feasible to expand to the entire European Union at once. Cotton-On Ltd should perform more detailed research into potential target markets and decide which to enter. Conclusion In our report, we established the three strategies: Research consumer buying habits, introduction of online sales and expansion of sales to European Union, which we think will address some of the problems arising at Cotton-On Limited. The main problem of the company is its financial situation and we are finding ways on how the three strategies and the process that can help to cope with this problem. We also talk about the possibilities on how the company can increase their sales through the strategies. In our research we also found out that the Cotton-On Ltd cannot only increase sales, but can also gain new prospected customers if Cotton-On Ltd follows the right procedure in implementing the strategies. In the Consumer Buying Habits, we were able to explain the methods that can be used to help the company with the targeting of their consumers. With the production of their products, the company will be able to target consumers who will be interested in the products. Interviews, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel are the method that can be used to get the target market for Cotton-On Limited. The Introduction of Online Sales is about using the Internet as a tool in selling their products. This strategy can also strengthen Cotton-On Limited, because it shows in the research that the number of online sales in the UK is increasing and will continue in same scale. We raised the implementation and the legal issues that the Cotton-On Ltd should take into consideration. We find out benefits as well that the company can get like reducing of cost however; they can still increase their profits. They can also attract new customers and gather customer information. There is a major issue in gaining customer trust. Most customers do not trust online sales so we recommend Cotton-On Limited to use known online retailers such as Amazon to target new customers and increase trust for the brand. In the Expansion of Sales to European Union, it is more likely the introduction of online sales because the company need to use the Internet for this strategy. Cotton-On Limited can use their internet setting so they can easily expand their business to the European Union countries. There are issues in this strategy such as the currency because most European Union countries use different currency so customers expect the prices to be in their local currency. With this issue, Cotton-On Limited should consider the pricing and issues related to the countrys currency exchange. We also talked about the language issue because different country speaks different language. It is discussed that it will really not be a big problem as English is the language used internationally in business however; customers expect their native language to be used so in selling the products, Cotton-On Limited needs to use the native language of the country where they are running their business. The company should also consider that they will enter a new market so they will also have new competitors in the business. The goal of these three strategies is to increase the revenue of Cotton-On Limited. The three strategies mentioned can help in increasing the funds of the company. If the company will be able to increase their funding because of the three strategies, they will have more budgets to make further improvements to increase the money coming in to the company. The company can also do stock control. This is a very useful improvement to increase their revenue. Stock control is very important because if they cannot do it effectively, it can lead to loss of sales or it can damage the reputation of the business. They have to make sure that they have enough stock all the time at the right time. They have to make sure that they have products to offer to their customers to gain business reputation so that they can have loyal customers and gain new ones. The company should make sure that they make careful planning with their stock control because having effective stock control can lead to making the business larger. The company will also need more tailored information system across their departments so they can get support on gathering data that can make the operation smooth and can reduce related costs.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Shakespeare in Contemporary Movies Essay -- William Shakespeare Films

Shakespeare in Contemporary Movies In the middle of Looking for Richard, Al Pacino's documentary about making Richard III and bringing Shakespeare to the people, there is a moment which illuminates the relationship of scholarship, Shakespeare and popular culture. The director is ranting at Pacino for offering (threatening?) to bring a Shakespearean scholar into the film: You said you were going to find a scholar to speak directly into the camera and explain what really went down and I'm telling you that is ridiculous, that you know more about Richard III than any fucking scholar at Columbia or Harvard. Pacino tries to calm his friend down by pointing out that everyone, even a scholar, is entitled to an opinion about Shakespeare and that is the point of the film, to collect all opinions. In response, the director, intensely frustrated, explodes, "but why does he get to speak directly to the camera!?" If Shakespeare has become a secular bible for contemporary America, then the scholars, at Harvard, Columbia, or anywhere else, are the priests who interpret the holy writ for the uneducated masses. When academics insist that Shakespeare be read without "translation" into modern English, they do so because they believe that a great part of the value lies in the language. But America is a (largely) Protestant country and the masses have long since rebelled against the authority of priests and their interpretations of sacred texts. Shakespeare is respected not just as literature but as a repository of great truths; at the same time, people often mistrust and reject him as too "upper-class." Pacino does eventually allow a scholar to speak directly to the camera, but this serves only to undercut his autho... ...est. In each case (and especially in Renaissance Man), what those who use Shakespeare gain is just a way to fit into the world more comfortably. And in Dead Poets Society, Shakespeare is seen as creating a split too wide to be healed, leading to suicide. But even in other cases, the fragmented text is a way into the world of power and privilege, not a radical reordering of that world. Instead, popular culture’s freeing of Shakespeare results only in the individual readers agreeing to take over the task of policing socially acceptable readings and uses of the secular bible. Works cited Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. Trans. Annette Lavers. New York: Farrar, 1972. Burt, Richard. "The Love that Dare Not Speak Shakespeare’s Name: New Shakesqueer Cinema" in Shakespeare the Movie. Ed. Lynda E. Boose and Richard Burt. London and New York: Routledge, 1997. 240-268.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Love Story of Pyramus and Thisbe :: Cyprus

The Love Story of Pyramus and Thisbe â€Å"Pyramus was the most handsome of young men and Thisbe was the fairest beauty of the East.† ~Ovid in Metamorphoses Pyramus and Thisbe lived in Babylonia and from the time they were young, were neighbors. They played together daily as children and fell in love as they grew older. Although neighbors, their families were hostile to one another so the love between Pyramus and Thisbe remained a secret. They had a special meeting place at a wall between their houses. This particular wall bore a scar. A large crack marred its smooth surface as a result of an earthquake long ago. Pyramus and Thisbe communicated through this crack when it was risky to see one another. One particularly magnificent day, they arrived at their usual meeting place. The beauty of the day made them lament their situation all the more. They cried as they watched two hummingbirds fly over the wall together. Suddenly they came to the decision that they would not be stopped from being together any longer. They decided to meet that night outside the city gates under a mulberry tree filled white fruit. This particular tree grew near a stream next to the local cemetery. Thisbe, hidden by a veil, arrived at the appointed spot first and waited patiently for Pyramus to come. All of a sudden, a lioness fresh from a kill, her jaws covered in blood, slunk out of the brush to satisfy her thirst at the stream. Thisbe, frightened by this disturbance, ran to a nearby cave. In her haste, she dropped her veil and the lioness grabbed it and shredded it with her bloody jaws. Meanwhile, Pyramus had arrived at the meeting place. As he approached the tree he could not help but notice the large paw prints of the lioness. His heart beat faster. As he approached the stream, his fears were confirmed upon seeing Thisbe’s veil torn and bloodstained. Unable to find Thisbe and fearing that she was dead, Pyramus was unable to contain his sorrow. He drew his sword and plunged it deeply into his side. As he removed the sword from his side, blood sprayed the white fruit on the tree, turning it a dark purple color. Meanwhile, Thisbe, recovered from her fright, came back to the meeting place by the stream. There she saw Pyramus’ body lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. Racked with uncontrollable agony, she took his sword and threw her body onto it. The Love Story of Pyramus and Thisbe :: Cyprus The Love Story of Pyramus and Thisbe â€Å"Pyramus was the most handsome of young men and Thisbe was the fairest beauty of the East.† ~Ovid in Metamorphoses Pyramus and Thisbe lived in Babylonia and from the time they were young, were neighbors. They played together daily as children and fell in love as they grew older. Although neighbors, their families were hostile to one another so the love between Pyramus and Thisbe remained a secret. They had a special meeting place at a wall between their houses. This particular wall bore a scar. A large crack marred its smooth surface as a result of an earthquake long ago. Pyramus and Thisbe communicated through this crack when it was risky to see one another. One particularly magnificent day, they arrived at their usual meeting place. The beauty of the day made them lament their situation all the more. They cried as they watched two hummingbirds fly over the wall together. Suddenly they came to the decision that they would not be stopped from being together any longer. They decided to meet that night outside the city gates under a mulberry tree filled white fruit. This particular tree grew near a stream next to the local cemetery. Thisbe, hidden by a veil, arrived at the appointed spot first and waited patiently for Pyramus to come. All of a sudden, a lioness fresh from a kill, her jaws covered in blood, slunk out of the brush to satisfy her thirst at the stream. Thisbe, frightened by this disturbance, ran to a nearby cave. In her haste, she dropped her veil and the lioness grabbed it and shredded it with her bloody jaws. Meanwhile, Pyramus had arrived at the meeting place. As he approached the tree he could not help but notice the large paw prints of the lioness. His heart beat faster. As he approached the stream, his fears were confirmed upon seeing Thisbe’s veil torn and bloodstained. Unable to find Thisbe and fearing that she was dead, Pyramus was unable to contain his sorrow. He drew his sword and plunged it deeply into his side. As he removed the sword from his side, blood sprayed the white fruit on the tree, turning it a dark purple color. Meanwhile, Thisbe, recovered from her fright, came back to the meeting place by the stream. There she saw Pyramus’ body lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. Racked with uncontrollable agony, she took his sword and threw her body onto it.

Monday, September 2, 2019

To What Extent Curleys Wife a Victim in Of Mice and Men Essay

In Of Mice & Men, the character Curley’s Wife is depicted as flirtatious, promiscuous, and insensitive. However, her husband Curley sees her as only a possession. Most of the workers at the ranch see her as a tart, whereas Slim, the peaceful and god-like figure out of all the men, see her as lonely. This answer will tell us to which extent, is Curley’s wife a victim, whether towards her flirtatious behaviour, or to everyone’s representation of her. The character of Curley’s Wife is very hard to unravel, as throughout the book, Steinbeck’s representation of women through characters such as George and Candy, is very harsh. This is because the sociological opinion at that time was that they were either, mothers, sisters, or prostitutes, as the audience soon see, George and other ranch workers refer to her as â€Å"bitch† â€Å"loo loo† and â€Å"tramp†. There were also a growing number of prostitutes during the Great Depression period, as they would offload their services to those whom were able to pay and have some decent income during the Depression. Other aspects that may make Curley’s Wife seem like a tart, is Curley’s â€Å"Glove Fulla’ Vaseline†. Curley literally keeps a glove full of Vaseline, in order to keep his hand soft, possibly for a sexual act. Curley boasts to Candy that the hand is for his wife, which tells us that she gives him consent to do these acts to her, and also, Curley’s nerve to inform fellow workers about his glove shows that he believes that his own wife is a tart, which is very controversial today, but back then, women were seen as nothing more than possessions, yours to do what you will. George informs Lennie to avoid Curley’s Wife at all costs, and not to talk to her, because of her promiscuous behaviour, he believes t... ...ars for the fidelity of his wife as he believes there is a chance that Slim could be with her, despite his good nature. This makes the audience believe that Curley knows his wife is capable of anything, and that he would rather have her under his control. However, the poignant side to Curley’s Wife’s victimisation is when she is victimised due to the stereotypical image of women, either mother or prostitute. This adds a dark shadow over her complicated character, because the way she dresses, and the shoes she wears, especially at the ranch of all places, is unnatural. Also, her manipulative ways ironically cost her life, as she was probably toying with Lennie being mentally handicapped. Overall, I believe that the way that Curley’s Wife has cast her impression upon everyone, has eventually made her a victim of society, the ranch workers, and most importantly, herself.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Historical Developments of Traditional and Modern Ethics Essay

The discipline of ethics, also called moral philosophy, encompasses systematizing, defending, and recommending views of right and wrong behavior. Philosophers today typically segregate ethical theories into three universal subject matters: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Metaethics explores where our ethical doctrines come from, and what they mean. Are they simply social innovations? Do they entail more than idioms of our individual emotions? Metaethical responses to these queries focus on the issues of universal realities, the will of God, the function of reason in ethical judgments, and the significance of ethical terms themselves. Normative ethics stands on a more practical task, which is to come up at moral standards that control right and wrong demeanor. This may require articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others. Finally, applied ethics involves probing precise controversial issues, such as abortion, infanticide, animal rights, environmental concerns, homosexuality, capital punishment, or nuclear war. By employing the theoretical tools of metaethics and normative ethics, deliberations in applied ethics try to resolve these controversial issues. The lines of distinction between metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics are often unclear. Each thoughtful person ought to be concerned about and fascinated in ethics. For the Christian, being moral is critical to a life that seeks to honor God. A lot of decisions made on a day-to-day basis entail questions of right and wrong. Ethics supply the basis on which one makes those decisions and the root of a moral choice is often as vital as the choice itself. Yet, few people have thought through the way they rationalize their conceptions of right and wrong. Ancient moral theory tries to offer a reflective account of an indispensable human activity so one can grasp what is of primary value in pursuing it. In historical order, the theories that influenced modern ethics today sprung from those of Socrates as offered in specific dialogues of Plato; Plato in the Republic; Aristotle; the Cynics; Cyrenaic hedonism; Epicurus; the Stoics; and Pyrrhonian skepticism. Ethics has been employed to economics, politics and political science, leading to quite a lot of distinct and unrelated fields of applied ethics, consisting of business ethics and Marxism. American corporate scandals such as Enron and Global Crossings are descriptive of the relationship between ethics and business. Ethics has been connected to family structure, sexuality, and how society examines the roles of individuals; leading to several distinct and unrelated fields of applied ethics, including feminism. Ethics has been applied to war, leading to the fields of pacifism and nonviolence. Often, such endeavors take legal or political shape before they are recognized as works of normative ethics. Of all the areas of philosophy, ethics is the one that seems most pertinent to us and it is no overstatement to say that everyone is engaged in ethical thought at most times in their lives, knowingly or otherwise (Newall, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If ethical consideration is widespread as suggested above then it should come as no surprise that there were many thinkers in the past that put forward their ideas and tried to improve on what came before them. Numerous notions of ethics in the ancient world were based on or prejudiced by the Greeks, particularly Plato and Aristotle. The former thought that people were disposed to be good and desired happiness; the dilemma was to know what would bring about that good in the first place. Some philosophers used God as their foundation, others reason and still others both, but the leaning throughout was that the aim was attainable.   The history of this time is too complex for our purposes here; suffice to say that this movement continued: thinkers explicitly or implicitly influenced by the three assumptions tried to create systems while those who were not disagreed with them, sometimes with other propositions. Reference: Anscombe, Elizabeth â€Å"Modern Moral Philosophy† (1958), Philosophy, 1958, Vol. 33, reprinted in her Ethics, Religion and Politics (Oxford: Blackwell, 1981). Newall, Paul .The Galilean LibraryEthics (2005)http://www.galilean-library.org/int11.html.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Mus 100 Study Guide

MUS 100 FINAL STUDY GUIDE CHAPTER 17: – Fortepiano: early piano, named for its range of dynamic levels; it was smaller and less sonorous than the modern instrument. – Classical style: restrained, objective style of art. Classical refers to Western music characteristic of the period from 1750-1825. Composers: – Mozart: Invested much of his music with a degree of emotion expression unusual for his time. Never allowed emotion to dominate his art. – Haydn: Wrote pleasant, good-natured music throughout his long life. Wrote masses, oratorios, and other religious compositions for church and for concert performance. Beethoven: Wrote masses, oratorios, and other religious compositions for church and for concert performance. CHAPTER 18: – Form: organization and design of a composition, or of one movement within a composition. – Symphony: multimovement orchestral form. – Sonata-Allegro: â€Å"first movement form†. The 3 sections: expositio n, development, and recapitulation-form a binary design. – Exposition: first section of a fugue or of a sonata-allegro. – Development: 2nd section of the sonata-allegro; it moves through many keys. – Recapitulation: 3rd section of the sonata-allegro.Reviews the material of the exposition, presenting it in a new light. – Coda: Meaning, â€Å"tail†; a closing section. – Minuet and Trio: ABA. Often the 3rd movement of a symphony, sonata, or string quartet. Consists of two minuets, the second (trio) lighter and more lyrical than the first. – Cadenza: extended passage for solo instrument; typical feature of a solo concerto. – Rondo: ABACA. Form in which various episodes alternate with the opening material. The tempo is usually fast, and the mood merry. – String Quartet: chamber ensemble consisting of two violins, a viola, and a cello. Sonata (classical period): a multimovement composition for one or two solo instruments. CHAP TER 19: – Overture: introductory orchestral piece. – Comic Opera (ope’ra comique, singspiel, opera buffa): Operas light in mood, modest in performing requirements, written in the vernacular language of the intended audience. – Requiem: mass for the dead. – Ensemble Finale: final scene of a musical show in which several soloists simultaneously express, in different words and music, their individual points of view. CHAPTER 20: – Motive: short melodic phrase that may be effectively developed. Art song: concert setting of a poem, usually by a well-known poet, to music. – Lieder: German art songs. – Song cycle: sets of songs by one composer, often using texts all by the same poet. Composers: – Schubert: earliest master of romantic art son. Composed 143 songs at 18. â€Å"Godfather† of the romantic period genre. CHAPTER 21-22: – Cyclic form: multimovement form unified by recurrence of the same or similar melodic material in two or more movements. – Absolute music: instrumental music having no tended association with a story, poem, idea or scene; non-program music. Concert overture: one movement orchestral composition, often inspired by literature and dramatic in expression, yet generally subject to analysis according to classical principles of form. – Program symphony: symphony (composition for orchestra in several movements) related to a story, idea, or scene, in which each movement usually has a descriptive title. – Idee fixe: single melody used in several movements of a long work to represent a recurring idea. – Thematic transformation: variation of thematic or melodic material for programmatic purposes.Sometimes called metamorphosis. – Dies irae: Gregorian chant for the dead. – Symphonic poem (tone poem): programmatic composition for orchestra in one movement, which may have a traditional form (such as sonata/rondo) or an original irregular form . Composers: – Brahms: misplaced classicist. Poured the warmest Romantic emotional content into his classical forms. He based his music on models from the past. – Berlioz: his works were based on unrequited love. Used the idee fixe, which was a melodic reference to his beloved. CHAPTER 23: Character piece: relatively short piano piece in a characteristic style or mood. – Nocturnes: Piece expressing the â€Å"character† of night. – Prelude: short independent or introductory piece for keyboard. – Etude: a virtuosic instrumental study or â€Å"exercise† intended for concert performance. – Rubato: romantic technique of â€Å"robbing† from the tempo at some points and â€Å"paying back† at others. Composers: – Chopin: only great composer who wrote almost exclusively for piano. Most pieces are miniatures. Virtuoso pianist, most famous for lyrical and melancholic melodies.CHAPTER 25: -Post-romanticism: general ter m for several romantic styles that succeeded the dominance of German Romanticism and preceded the return of classicism to the arts. – Atonality: avoidance of a tonic note and of tonal relationships in music. – Impressionism: style of painting and music that avoids explicit statement, instead emphasizing suggestion and atmosphere. – Primitivism: style inspired by primitive works of art and by the relaxed life of unsophisticated cultures. – Pizzicato: technique of plucking string instruments.Composers: – Mahler: post-romantics. Wrestled with conflicting romantic and classical ideals. – Strauss: leader of post-romantic composers. Strictly classical style but developed romantic techniques. – Debussy: first musician labeled an impressionist. Developed unusual harmonies and exotic timbres. – Schoenberg: inventor of the 12-tone method (serialism) > Using the 12 pitches equally. > 12 tone row: playing the 12 pitches in whatever order; no repeated tones until the row has been fully played. > Wrote in a free atonal style gt; Drifted away from traditional harmony and experimented other styles – Stravinsky: went through an early ballet period before the war. He went through a neo-classical period. > Primitivism: movement in the second decade of the 20th century. Reveals romanticism characteristics. Characterized by strong savage rhythms, dissonant combinations of sound and narrow melodies. > â€Å"Rite of Spring†: controversial piece, ballet, and scandal piece CHAPTER 27: – Experimentalism: exploration of previously unknown aspects of musical sound. Polytonality: two or more keys at the same time. – Tone cluster: chord built on seconds. – Prepared piano: piano whose timbre and pitches have been altered by the application of foreign materials on or between the strings. – Twelve-tone technique: arrangement of the twelve chromatic pitches into a tow that provides the melodic and harmonic basis for a music composition. Row: series of tones on which a serial composition is based. Composers: – Schoenberg: inventor of the 12-tone method (serialism) – Weberm: developed his own styles: lean, clean, delicate, and strong. Ives: invented polytonality (incorporating of two different keys). – Cowell: invented the plucking of a piano sound. – Cage: 1912-1992 not trained as a musician. Brought up in Los Angeles. Became a composer. > Alatoric: predetermined sounds and just guessed when it should be played. > Conceptual art: piece called 4 minutes a 33 seconds – just the sounds in CHAPTER 28: – Neoclassicism: 12th century version of classicism in music. – Neoromanticism: 12th century version of a romantic approach to music. –Minimalism: style of music based on many repetitions of simple melodic lines that gradually change and slowly evolve patterns and rhythmic patterns. Composers: – Copland: American nationa list composer > â€Å"Dean of American Music† – Gershwin: Best known of all American opera, filled with the characteristic sounds of jazz, including syncopated rhythms, expressive vocal catches and slides. – Prokofiev: focused on neoclassical music. – Barber: focused on neoromanticism. > Adagio for string orchestra (tonal piece) – Reich: focused on minimalism. – Glass: focused on minimalism.