Refugee Blues Essay

The speaker is talking to someone â€Å"My dear† (perhaps his wife), the language and tone is very conversational. Each stanza intensifies the situation in the poem. The first stanza brings out that the refugees are homeless. Though there are millions in the city all of whom have some kind of home but the refugees have nowhere to go. In stanza 2, the couple cannot stay in their country. It compares two living people with the old yew tree. â€Å"Officially dead† means you cannot make passport. This section tells us how the refugees are trying to get help. The refugees cannot leave the country due to lack of passport and hence they are described as officially dead, though they are indeed alive. The refugees are treated coldly by the committee and council. They are politely pushed aside but no real help is offered. At the public meeting the speaker demonises the refugees as thieves. This is made to incite ordinary people to hate Jews. A metaphorical storm breaks over the whole of Europe continent as hitler sentences them to death. The tone of the final stanza is very bitter. The comparisons that the poet uses are testimony to these; Pet animals are treated better then Jews. eg: â€Å"saw a Door opened and a cat let in; †¦ † Fish are free and Birds are free, Poet blames nazi regime for creating an environment in which natural things act far much better than humans. The poet further uses cruel contrast. For e. g. : he has a dream of a huge building with many rooms for everybody except Jews. In the final stanza the poet enlightens a brightening future for the Jews but now Jews are hunted down by 1000’s of people.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Fifteen

Elena watched Damon with mute dread. She knew that disturbing smile too well. But even as her heart sank, her mind threw a mocking question at her. What difference did it make? She and Stefan were going to die anyway. It only made sense for Damon to save himself. And it was wrong to expect him to go against his nature. She watched that beautiful, capricious smile with a feeling of sorrow for what Damon might have been. Katherine smiled back at him, enchanted. â€Å"We'll be so happy together. Once they're dead, I'll let you go. I didn't mean to hurt you, not really. I just got angry.† She put out a slender hand and stroked his cheek. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Katherine,† he said. He was still smiling. â€Å"Yes.† She leaned closer. â€Å"Katherine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes, Damon?† â€Å"Go to hell.† Elena flinched from what happened next before it happened, feeling the violent upsurge of Power, of malevolent, unbridled Power. She screamed at the change in Katherine. That lovely face was twisting, mutating into something that was neither human nor animal. A red light blazed in Katherine's eyes as she fell on Damon, her fangs sinking into his throat. Talons sprang from her fingertips, and she raked Damon's already-bleeding chest with it, tearing into his skin while the blood flowed. Elena kept screaming, realizing dimly that the pain in her arms was from fighting the ropes that held her. She heard Stefan shouting, too, but above everything she heard the deafening shriek of Katherine's mental voice. Now you'll be sorry! Now I'm going to make you sorry! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! The words themselves hurt, like daggers stabbing into Elena's mind. The sheer Power of it stupefied her, rocking her back against the iron pickets. But there was no way to get away from it. It seemed to echo from all around her, hammering in her skull. Kill you! Kill you! Kill you! Elena fainted. Meredith, crouched beside Aunt Judith in the utility room, shifted her weight, straining to interpret the sounds outside the door. The dogs had gotten into the cellar; she wasn't sure how, but from the bloody muzzles of some of them, she thought they had broken through the ground-level windows. Now they were outside the utility room, but Meredith couldn't tell what they were doing. It was too quiet out there. â€Å"Hush,† Robert whispered quickly. â€Å"It's all right, sweetheart. Everything's going to be all right.† Meredith met his frightened, determined eyes over Margaret's tow head. We almost had you pegged for the Other Power, she thought. But there was no time to regret it now. â€Å"Where's Elena? Elena said she'd watch over me,† Margaret said, her eyes large and solemn. â€Å"She said she'd take care of me.† Aunt Judith put a hand to her mouth. â€Å"She is taking care of you,† Meredith whispered. â€Å"She just sent me to do it, that's all. It's the truth,† she added fiercely, and saw Robert's look of reproach melt into perplexity. Outside, the silence had given way to scratching and gnawing sounds. The dogs were at work on the door. Robert cradled Margaret's head closer to his chest. Bonnie didn't know how long they had been working. Hours, certainly. Forever, it seemed like. The dogs had gotten in through the kitchen and the old wooden side doors. So far, though, only about a dozen had gotten past the fires lit like barricades in front of these openings. And the men with guns had taken care of most of those. But Mr. Smallwood and his friends were now holding empty rifles. And they were running out of things to burn. Vickie had gotten hysterical a little while ago, screaming and holding her head as if something was hurting her. They'd been looking for ways to restrain her when she finally passed out. Bonnie went up to Matt, who was looking out over the fire through the demolished side door. He wasn't looking for dogs, she knew, but for something else much farther away. Something you couldn't see from here. â€Å"You had to go, Matt,† she said. â€Å"There was nothing else you could do.† He didn't answer or turn around. â€Å"It's almost dawn,† she said. â€Å"Maybe when that comes, the dogs will leave.† But even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. Matt didn't answer. She touched his shoulder. â€Å"Stefan's with her. Stefan's there.† At last, Matt gave some response. He nodded. â€Å"Stefan's there,† he said. Brown and snarling, another shape charged out of the dark. It was much later when Elena came gradually to consciousness. She knew because she could see, not just by the handful of candles Katherine had lit but also by the cold gray dimness that filtered down from the crypt's opening. Damon? she thought. It was only after she had done it that she realized the word had not been spoken. Somehow, Katherine's shrieking had closed a circuit in her mind, or maybe it had awakened something sleeping. And Matt's blood had undoubtedly helped, giving her the strength to finally find her mental voice. She turned her head the other way. Stefan? His face was haggard with pain, but aware. Too aware. Elena almost wished that he were as insensible as Damon to what was happening to them. Elena, he returned. Where is she? Elena said, her eyes moving slowly around the room. Stefan looked toward the opening of the crypt. She went up there a while ago. Maybe to check on how the dogs are doing. Elena had thought she'd reached the limit of fear and dread, but it wasn't true. She hadn't remembered the others then. Elena, I'm sorry. Stefan's face was filled with what no words could express. It's not your fault, Stefan. You didn't do this to her. She did it to herself. Or-it just happened to her, because of what she is. What we are. Running beneath Elena's thoughts was the memory of how she had attacked Stefan in the woods, and how she had felt when she was racing toward Mr. Smallwood, planning her revenge. It could have been me, she said. No! You could never become like that. Elena didn't answer. If she had the Power now, what would she do to Katherine? What wouldn't she do to her? But she knew it would only upset Stefan more to talk about it. I thought Damon was going to betray us, she said. I did, too, said Stefan queerly. He was looking at his brother with an odd expression. Do you still hate him? Stefan's gaze darkened. No, he said quietly. No, I don't hate him anymore. Elena nodded. It was important, somehow. Then she started, her nerves hyper-alert, as something shadowed the entrance to the crypt. Stefan tensed, too. She's coming. Elena- I love you, Stefan, Elena said hopelessly, as the misty white shape hurtled down. Katherine took form in front of them. Of course, thought Elena. How could I have been so stupid? Damon rode with us in Alaric's car over the river. He crossed running water then, and probably lots of other times. He couldn't have been the Other Power. It was strange how she could think even though she was so frightened. It was as if one part of her mind stood watching from a distance. â€Å"I'm going to kill you now,† Katherine said conversationally. â€Å"Then I'm going under the river to kill your friends. I don't think the dogs have done it yet. But I'll take care of it myself.† â€Å"Let Elena go,† said Stefan. His voice was quenched but compelling all the same. â€Å"I haven't decided how to do it,† said Katherine, ignoring him. â€Å"I might roast you. There's almost enough light for that now. And I've got these.† She reached down the front of her gown and brought her closed hand out. â€Å"One-two-three!† she said, dropping two silver rings and a gold one onto the ground. Their stones shone blue as Katherine's eyes, blue as the stone in the necklace at Katherine's throat. Elena's hands twisted frantically and she felt the smooth bareness of her ring finger. It was true. She wouldn't have believed how naked she felt without that circlet of metal. It was necessary to her life, to her survival. Without it- â€Å"Without these you'll die,† Katherine said, scuffing the rings carelessly with the toe of one foot. â€Å"But I don't know if that's slow enough.† She paced back almost to the far wall of the crypt, her silver dress shimmering in the dim light. It was then that the idea came to Elena. She could move her hands. Enough to feel one with the other, enough to know that they weren't numb anymore. The ropes were looser. But Katherine was strong. Unbelievably strong. And faster than Elena, too. Even if Elena got free she would have time for only one quick act. She rotated one wrist, feeling the ropes give. â€Å"There are other ways,† Katherine said. â€Å"I could cut you and watch you bleed. I like watching.† Gritting her teeth, Elena exerted pressure against the rope. Her hand was bent at an excruciating angle, but she continued to press. She felt the burn of the rope slipping aside. â€Å"Or rats,† Katherine was saying pensively. â€Å"Rats could be fun. I could tell them when to start and when to stop.† Working the other hand free was much easier. Elena tried to give no sign of what was going on behind her back. She would have liked to call to Stefan with her mind, but she didn't dare. Not if there was any chance Katherine might hear. but she didn't dare. Not if there was any chance Katherine might hear. There was a rectangle of gray light on the floor. Dawn light. It was coming in through the crypt's opening. Katherine had already been out in that light. But†¦ Katherine smiled suddenly, her blue eyes sparkling. â€Å"I know! I'll drink you almost up and make you watch while I kill her! I'll leave you just enough strength so you see her die before you do. Doesn't that sound like a good plan?† Blithely, she clapped her hands and pirouetted again, dancing away. Just one more step, thought Elena. She saw Katherine approach the rectangle of light. Just one more step†¦ Katherine took the step. â€Å"That's it, then!† She started to turn around. â€Å"What a good-† Now! Yanking her cramped arms out of the last loops of rope, Elena rushed her. It was like the rush of a hunting cat. One desperate sprint to reach the prey. One chance. One hope. She struck Katherine with her full weight. The impact knocked them both into the rectangle of light. She felt Katherine's head crack against the stone floor. And felt the searing pain, as if her own body had been plunged into poison. It was a feeling like the burning dryness of hunger, only stronger. A thousand times stronger. It was unbearable. â€Å"Elena!† Stefan screamed, with mind and voice. Stefan, she thought. Beneath her Power surged as Katherine's stunned eyes focused. Her mouth twisted with rage, fangs bursting forth. They were so long they cut into the lower lip. That distorted mouth opened in a howl. Elena's clumsy hand fumbled at Katherine's throat. Her fingers closed on the cool metal of Katherine's blue necklace. With all her strength, she wrenched and felt the chain give way. She tried to clasp it, but her fingers felt thick and uncoordinated and Katherine's clawing hand scrabbled at it wildly. It spun away into the shadows. â€Å"Elena!† Stefan called again in that dreadful voice. She felt as if her body were filled with light. As if she were transparent. Only, light was pain. Beneath her, Katherine's warped face was looking up directly into the winter sky. Instead of a howl, there was a shrieking that went up and up. Elena tried to lift herself off, but she didn't have the strength. Katherine's face was rifting, cracking open. Lines of fire opened in it. The screaming reached a crescendo. Katherine's hair was aflame, her skin was blackening. Elena felt fire from both above and below. She saw Stefan's arms, red where they had been exposed to the sun and bleeding where he had torn free of his ropes. She saw his face, saw the stricken horror and grief. Then her eyes blurred and she saw nothing. Meredith and Robert, striking at the blood-soaked muzzles that thrust through the hole in the door, paused in confusion. The teeth had stopped snapping and tearing. One muzzle jerked and slid out of the way. Edging sideways to look at the other, Meredith saw that the dog's eyes were glazed and milky. They didn't move. She looked at Robert, who stood panting. There was no more noise from the cellar. Everything was silent. But they didn't dare to hope. Vickie's demented shrieking stopped as if it had been cut with a knife. The dog, which had sunk its teeth into Matt's thigh, stiffened and gave a convulsive shudder; then, its jaws released him. Gasping for breath, Bonnie swung to look beyond the dying fire. There was just enough light to see bodies of other dogs lying where they had fallen outside. She and Matt leaned on each other, looking around, bewildered. It had finally stopped snowing. Slowly, Elena opened her eyes. Everything was very clear and calm. She was glad the shrieking was over. That had been bad; it had hurt. Now, nothing hurt. She felt as if her body were filled with light again, but this time there was no pain. It was as if she were floating, very high and easy, on wafts of air. She almost felt she didn't have a body at all. She smiled. Turning her head didn't hurt, although it increased the loose, floating feeling. She saw, in the oblong of pale light on the floor, the smoldering remains of a silvery dress. Katherine's lie of five hundred years ago had become the truth. That was that, then. Elena looked away. She didn't wish anyone harm now, and she didn't want to waste time on Katherine. There were so many more important things. â€Å"Stefan,† she said and sighed, and smiled. Oh, this was nice. This must be how a bird felt. â€Å"I didn't mean for things to turn out this way,† she said, softly rueful. His green eyes were wet. They filled again, but he returned her smile. â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"I know, Elena.† It seemed to her that it had been a long while since she'd really looked at him. Since she'd taken time to appreciate how beautiful he was, with his dark hair and his eyes as green as oak leaves. But she saw it now, and she saw his soul shining through those eyes. It was worth it, she thought. I didn't want to die; I don't want to now. But I'd do it all over again if I had to. â€Å"I love you,† she whispered. â€Å"I love you,† he said, squeezing their joined hands. The strange, languorous lightness cradled her gently. She could scarcely feel Stefan holding her. She would have thought she'd be terrified. But she wasn't, not as long as Stefan was there. â€Å"The people at the dance-they'll be all right now, won't they?† she said. â€Å"They'll be all right now,† Stefan whispered. â€Å"You saved them.† â€Å"I didn't get to say good-bye to Bonnie and Meredith. Or Aunt Judith. You have to tell them I love them.† â€Å"I'll tell them,† Stefan said. â€Å"You can tell them yourself,† panted another voice, hoarse and unused sounding. Damon had pulled himself across the floor behind Stefan. His face was ravaged, streaked with blood, but his dark eyes burned at her. â€Å"Use your will, Elena. Hold on. You have the strength-â€Å" She smiled at him, waveringly. She knew the truth. What was happening was only finishing what had been started two weeks ago. She'd had thirteen days to get things straight, to make amends with Matt and say good-bye to Margaret. To tell Stefan she loved him. But now the grace period was up. Still, there was no point in hurting Damon. She loved Damon, too. â€Å"I'll try,† she promised. â€Å"We'll take you home,† he said. â€Å"But not yet,† she told him gently. â€Å"Let's wait just a little while.† Something happened in the fathomless black eyes, and the burning spark went out. Then she saw that Damon knew, too. â€Å"I'm not afraid,† she said. â€Å"Well-only a little.† A drowsiness had started, and she felt very comfortable, but as if she were falling asleep. Things were drifting away from her. An ache rose in her chest. She was not much afraid, but she was sorry. There were so many things she would miss, so many things she wished she had done. â€Å"Oh,† she said softly. â€Å"How funny.† underground room. Only this was a doorway into a different light. â€Å"How beautiful,† she murmured. â€Å"Stefan? I'm so tired.† â€Å"You can rest now,† he whispered. â€Å"You won't let go of me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Then I won't be afraid.† Something was shining on Damon's face. She reached toward it, touched it, and lifted her fingers away in wonder. â€Å"Don't be sad,† she told him, feeling the cool wetness on her fingertips. But a pang of worry disturbed her. Who was there to understand Damon now? Who would be there to push him, to try to see what was really inside him? â€Å"You have to take care of each other,† she said, realizing it. A little strength came back to her, like a candle flaring in the wind. â€Å"Stefan, will you promise? Promise to take care of each other?† â€Å"I promise,† he said. â€Å"Oh, Elena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Waves of sleepiness were overcoming her. â€Å"That's good,† she said. â€Å"That's good, Stefan.† The doorway was closer, so close she could touch it now. She wondered if her parents were somewhere behind it. â€Å"Time to go home,† she whispered. And then the darkness and the shadows faded and there was nothing but light. Stefan held her while her eyes closed. And then he just held her, the tears he'd been keeping back falling without restraint. It was a different pain than when he'd pulled her out of the river. There was no anger in this, and no hatred, but a love that seemed to go on and on forever. It hurt even more. He looked at the rectangle of sunlight, just a step or two away from him. Elena had gone into the light. She'd left him here alone. Not for long, he thought. His ring was on the floor. He didn't even glance at it as he rose, his eyes on the shaft of sunlight shining down. A hand grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Stefan looked into his brother's face. Damon's eyes were dark as midnight, and he was holding Stefan's ring. As Stefan watched, unable to move, he forced the ring onto Stefan's finger and released him. yours, too. Take it. Take it and go.† He turned his face away. Stefan gazed at the golden circlet in his palm for a long time. Then his fingers closed over it and he looked back at Damon. His brother's eyes were shut, his breathing labored. He looked exhausted and in pain. And Stefan had made a promise to Elena. â€Å"Come on,† he said quietly, putting the ring in his pocket. â€Å"Let's get you some place where you can rest.† He put an arm around his brother to help him up. And then, for a moment, he just held on.

Sexual Harassment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sexual Harassment - Essay Example The aim of this study is to present scenario of the sexual harassment that occurs in the school environment. This stirs great concern because approximately 81 percent of students experience any form of sexual harassment during their stay in school and 27 percent repeatedly encounters such situations. These students may encounter harassment from other students, which comprise 85% of the student while 40 percent from the teachers and other personnel of the school ("Sexual Harassment Information for Teens" 2006). Sexual harassment is one issue that has a subjective definition. Its meaning varies on the context of different groups, organizations or bodies that implement sanction against harassment. To this effect, teens and adults encounters confusion on the grounds of sexual harassment, thus, they may not voice out such experiences ("Every Teen Counts" 1997). As quoted on the study conducted by Susan Strauss, according to the National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs sexual harassment is any action that attacks the sexuality and the sexual aspect or a person acquired with the emphasis on the authority over students that can hindrance the development of full potential and capabilities (1993). Some forms of sexual harassment that female students encounter may include having physical contact, making sexual comments, receiving unwanted communications and indecent propositions. Physical contact can occur in different ways like grabbing or holding sensitive areas of the body and kissing against the will. Giving offensive names, starting rumors or sexual jokes about a person along with bad gestures are forms of sexual harassment. Also, any form of communication that is not welcomed, which may be hostile or distressing to the recipient, is considered as sexual harassment. This may include calls, letters and any form of stalking. Another action that is considered as harassment is indecent proposals. For students, this usually comes in the form of higher grade or academic standing in exchange for sexual favors ("Sexual Harassment Information for Teens" 2006). A survey of the American Association of University Women on 1993, whose results were quoted by Kathryn Wells Murdock and D avid Kysilko in their research, other forms of sexual harassment in school includes any actions that assault the sexuality of a student. Oftentimes, being called gay or lesbian, and other acts of gender-related public humiliation toward same or opposite sexes are included in the grounds for sexual harassment. More than half of the respondent students, 66% were victims of sexually-offensive jokes or actions, which are frequently considered as harmless stunts. This is a misconception because it leaves marks on the victim's personality (1998). Effects of Sexual Harassment Being the object of sexual harassment causes changes in a person's physical and emotional well-being. Effects can be observed in the significant changes in the behavior of a victim of sexual harassment. Some of the indications include self-consciousness, lost of self-esteem, depression and anger towards the attacker. With regards to emotional aspect, female students have more observable indications of sexual harassment experiences compared to male students, although the percentage of the female and the male students that experiences harassment is almost the same. Physical indications

Powerpoint on Universal Studios Hollywood Park (see other instructions Presentation

On Universal Studios Hollywood Park (see other instructions ) - PowerPoint Presentation Example The company went to receivership and Standard successfully obtained only to lose it two decades later to the MCA (Sehlinger, & Testa, 2011). The company has since diversified to the international platform. The entertainment company serves almost all ages in the global society through the production of the most appropriate films that each age may deserve. The movies sell globally across different cultures and political systems because of its approach to customization to ensure that ethics are not contravened whatsoever (Sandler, 2008). The Universal studios based in Orlando which own a water park establishes the best local example the company’s entertainment approaches. The company ensures that entertainment services are the key to drawing visitors to its services which include hospitality services (Sehlinger, & Testa, 2011). The company’s management ensures advertisement throughout different geographic and demographic segmentations with precise emphasis of the benefits accruable from visiting the studios or using its products (Wallace, & Adams Media Corporation, 2004). These approaches target both local and international clients (Plunkett, 2007). The American based and one of the oldest entertainment production companies has its headquarters at Hollywood. However, over the last half a century, the company diversified accordingly to different markets in the United States of America, central Europe, and south East Asia (Enz, 2010). These effects date from the initial owner ship of the Laemmle’s family, to the receivership by Standard to the current ownership. The US authorities implement stringent approaches to regulating ownership and decision making processes of the media industry. Therefore, Universal studios fall under the acts thus; only 20% of the shares may be sold to the foreign investors, although the authorities may withhold such measures if the increased foreign investments shall benefit the indigenous

Marketing Plan of Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Plan of Starbucks - Essay Example According to a poll, 13- to 21-year olds spent more than $120 million in 2007 (Lockyer 2009). Threats Intense competition in the coffee market – the main competitors being 7-Eleven, Dunkin Donuts, BIGGBY Coffee, Caribou Coffee, McDonald's, Panera Bread, and Einstein Bagels Duplication or products and strategy is not difficult in the sector Threat of being accused of trying to lure kids looms large as McDonald's too have been accused of luring the children towards unhealthy eating. Risk Evaluation The market for new products for the children exists and Starbucks has a very high chance of success in the market. The teens’ spending has increased and they look for a place to hangout. Products can be offered by Starbucks which would be healthier for them than the existing products they consume now. However, chances of failure do exist mainly because of the threat of accusation of luring the teens towards coffee. Overall, Starbucks could enter this segment and introduce innov ative products as the strengths and opportunities far outweigh the threats. However, Starbucks should ensure that their brand image and reputation is not affected as they pursue a strategy for growth and enhanced market share. They must not compromise on quality and adhere to their values and ideals. Market Opportunity options Starbucks should not enter into fresh new ventures to introduce new products. Instead, they should offer these as products extensions from their existing stores. However, on an experimental basis, they could have extension counters at retails stores frequented by teens, for selling exclusively products for teens. While teens go out with parents, they also seek privacy and hence joint ventures with some retailers might... The market for new products for the children exists and Starbucks has a very high chance of success in the market. The teens’ spending has increased and they look for a place to hangout. Products can be offered by Starbucks which would be healthier for them than the existing products they consume now. However, chances of failure do exist mainly because of the threat of accusation of luring the teens towards coffee. Overall, Starbucks could enter this segment and introduce innovative products as the strengths and opportunities far outweigh the threats. However, Starbucks should ensure that their brand image and reputation is not affected as they pursue a strategy for growth and enhanced market share. They must not compromise on quality and adhere to their values and ideals. Starbucks should not enter into fresh new ventures to introduce new products. Instead, they should offer these as products extensions from their existing stores. However, on an experimental basis, they could have extension counters at retails stores frequented by teens, for selling exclusively products for teens. While teens go out with parents, they also seek privacy and hence joint ventures with some retailers might be productive.

Managing People in Hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing People in Hospitals - Essay Example The experience is about how I managed a sudden accident that took place in the hospital without disturbing the normal routine. It was a sunny Wednesday morning, when I was walking in the corridor of the hospital to attend one of my patients while walking I realized I ‘d a stiff back that day and my job demanded a lot of mechanical work so it wasn’t any good for me. But my happy go lucky nature and my attitude of taking problems light helped me again that day and I made my entry in the intensive care unit almost completely forgetting my pain. In the ICU when I reached to a patient REHMAAN, a nice man though but very disappointed with his health, I gave him a routine check-up and then guided the ward boy to do the needful so as the treatment is well in place. And after analyzing few more patients I headed towards my cabin to take a small rest bout. While resting I heard a sharp voice as if someone dropped the medicine tray and all the bottles broke down, being a senior in that wing it becomes my responsibility to keep track of such incidents and reach out for any kind of help. As soon as I came out of cabin I saw Ryan lying down on the ground holding his left arm with right hand and the medicine tray was near his right shoulder. All bottles were broken and drug stains were all over. Ryan was crying in pain and was breathing very heavily as he has this problem of anxiety at times, I tried to help him to sit against the wall but he being a healthy guy it was a difficult task for me alone to do it. I tried to calm him down a bit but his breath was really going very abnormal, I got him a glass of water from he merely had a sip as he was not feeling comfortable at all. At the same time I required to make sure that calling any wad boys for help should not result in attention degrade for patients, so after making Ryan sit against the wall I went into the adjacent the wall I went into the adjacent ICU and quickly analyzed the current scenario like who all patients need extra care and who are almost recovered so that some guys can attend to 3-4 patients so that I get some helping hands.

Activity Based Cost accounting system Math Problem

Activity Based Cost accounting system - Math Problem Example In this case study, the supporting excel computations show that overhead using the traditional cost accounting procedure resulted only P137,994.00 for Lever, P22,079.04 for Spring, and finally P 16,559.28 for pump products. Total manufacturing cost also under the traditional or old fashioned cost accounting procedure resulted to the usual Direct Materials cost of the products P 510,000.00 for Lever, P163,200.00 for Spring, and P 139,200.00 for Pump. Another accounting cost for resulting from the Traditional Cost Accounting procedure is the Regular item Direct labor of P 2,160,000.00 for Lever, P163,200.00 for Spring and again P16,560.00 for Pump. The total manufacturing cost under the Traditional method is the sum of Direct Materials, Direct labor and Overhead. P2,807,994.00 for Lever, P348,479.04 for Spring, and finally P 172,319.28 for pump products. Under the Activity Based Costing, The first cost driver is called VOLUME DRIVER showing amount of P 286,000.00 for Lever, P45,760.00 for Spring and P 34,320.00 for Pump. Another driver in this systems is the PURCHASING DRIVER. The purchasing cost for Lever products is P 14,810,000.00 and P2,369,600 for Spring and, the last item, P 1,777,200.00 for Pump. The next driver is the SET UP driver. Set up driver cost are P 38,533,000.00 and P 6,165,280.00 for Spring and of course P 4,623,960.00 for the last item, Pump. The cost drivers are higher than the total manufacturing cost of the traditional cost accounting system. In this new system, the cost factors can easily be traced to determine what the effects of these costs are to over all manufacturing operations. Some cost activities that will not help in the manufacturing process but sometimes, their costs are included in the factory cost of production in error. The Purchasing cost driver will display if the inventory cost is too high or too low or even unnoticed thus affecting the decision making process of management. Traditional Cost Accounting Direct Materials Lever (100,000

Policy Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policy Analysis - Article Example It is also important to have a clear frame work for policy analysis in nursing. Nursing policies as a result have led to the formation of major reforms in the health sector with the purpose of improving the health care provision (Mason, Kline &Mary, 2007). The main aim of this policy analysis is to discuss the factor that may be affecting the nursing sector and the health care provision (Dempski & Westrick, 2008). This is a policy analysis on the effective management of palliative care and the measures that should be taken to improve on it. Palliative care is the special medical care that is provided to people infected with serious diseases. The main aim is palliative care is to provide the patient with relief from the pain and stress associated with the illness and improve the life of the patients and their families. Palliative care requires a combination of efforts for doctors and nurses among other specialists in the medical field to work towards ensuring that the patient is comfo rtable and in a stable condition (Dempski & Westrick, 2008). According to the nursing framework, it is recommended that regardless of the age of the patient or the stage of the illness the patient, should be attended through a curative treatment (Hendtrick, 2000). Some of the conditions that require palliative care especially in their critical stages include; chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart complications kidney failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among others (Reb, 2003). Palliative care is responsible for conditions such as pain, fatigue, nausea, constipation, appetite loss and lack of sleep. Palliative also helps the patient gain the strength and motivation to carry on with life. It also helps an individual understand the methods of treating different conditions and have control over some conditions. For palliative care to be successful there needs to be a combined effort and collaboration between the patient, nurses and the medical specialists. The medical s pecialists responsible for this process include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists and nutritionists. The patient is required to be close to their family and spend quality time with them. The main importance of these teams is that they support the patient in every step by controlling their symptoms, and assisting the patient to understand their treatment process and options. The close relationship with these teams also helps provide better communication, better approach of the pain and other symptoms, support on complex treatments and emotional and spiritual support from the family (Reb, 2003). Globally, there has been and increased need for palliative care as a result of the increase in the occurrence of chronic diseases. It is therefore important to create palliative care networks that are more cost effective with responsive multi agency settings. One of the important factors to consider in the palliative care networks is the professional skills of the medical specialists (R eb, 2003). As a measure to facilitate the evaluation of palliative care networks, a policy to create a framework to evaluate palliative care networks was created to focus on the professional collaboration, community awareness and patient cantered care. This frame work was developed based on the previous models used in the evaluation of health systems and literature on the operations of palliative care networks. The frame work will promote an appropriate structure in the palliative care provision, and manage the process of palliative ca

Should Competition Take Place in Healthcare Research Paper

Should Competition Take Place in Healthcare - Research Paper Example On the other hand, many others argue that no segregation is necessary for healthcare industry from other industries and competition may increase the quality of the healthcare services and products delivered.   Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg in 2004, argued that â€Å"competition takes place at the wrong level in the healthcare industry: the level of health plans, networks, and hospital groups† instead of â€Å"level of diagnosis and treatment of individuals’ diseases† (Enthoven & Tollen, 2005). For example, the health insurance sector in America is dominated by private people even though governmental intervention is there for namesake. The greedy private insurance people always try to increase their profits which will increase the competition among the private insurance business people rather than at the level of diseases and treatments. The unhealthy competition among the healthcare insurance people actually denies the rights of the patients. Insurance companies can influence the doctors who treat the patients. Attracted by the offers and promises provided by the insurance companies, doctors may not prescribe expensive medicines or treatment options for the pat ients who have taken private insurance. Thus unhealthy competition among insurance providers may result in patients getting inadequate care even if they have the insurance protection. â€Å"Some employer groups advocate ‘system to system’ competition, in which physicians are forced to commit to one closed network or another. This actually limits competition at the level of diseases and treatments† (Enthoven & Tollen, 2005).  Ã‚  

Minority Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Minority Discrimination - Essay Example I, being a Muslim, have faced it to an extent that I feel depressed and its not just about me, many of US Muslims face it regularly. There is always some reason behind the opposition and discrimination against a community, country or a person. After facing such bias and disgrace from others, I was forced to find out the reasons behind it. According to my research, I think that most of the population of US is against Muslims because of the wrongdoings of a portion of our community. They humiliate us and call us "terrorists" regardless of the fact that we're innocent and have not taken part in any such action. The discrimination that Muslims face is not limited to US but there is wide range of countries where Muslims face and bear it. The mayor of our region is of Asian Descent; hence we have relatively less troubles in coping up with our day to day life. People of our community strictly follow the rules made by the mayor, presented by the civilization or set by the religion. They follow the same way of dressing, language, cultural values and ethical principles. The people of our community are tied strongly in a loop where their brotherhood, peace, love and respect do not allow them to take any action against each other. I personally think that we are living a life of heaven in this age of discrimination and conflicts. ... However, one cannot deny the fact that, despite of the uphill struggle, people suffer. The reason of discrimination is basically the revenge of others who treat or treated us badly. This discrimination is, however, not conducted by our mayor but other officials. The issue of Police Officer Susan L. Purtee can be taken as an example. Officer Purtee and her sister, Barbara Gordon-Bell, were accused of making videos which were against Jews, Cubans, Blacks and a few other nations. They tried to convey a message that all the illegal immigrants, blacks and some other minorities are the cause of a number of social evils. This statement and humiliation was a clear-cut discrimination against minorities. The issue was raised because of the position Purtee held (Marx & Narciso, 2007). Such an action by a Police Officer, which may cause hatred, uproar and discipline disorders among the public, was hard to be absorbed. However, on the other hand, Mayor goes up against those videos and the statements of Officer Purtee and her sister. He says "I am personally offended by her racist and anti-Semitic comments, and I believe our citizens should be equally offended. As Mayor, I am highly concerned that this unacceptable conduct will reflect negatively on the entire Division and the City of Columbus. Clearly, Officer Purtee is not representative of our Division's many great Officers. While we respect the right of free speech, we also demand that every Officer meets the highest standard of conduct on and off the job. In my opinion, Officer Purtee's conduct falls far below this City's expectations (Text of Mayor Coleman's letter, 2007)". This clearly shows his despise of such an act from a Government Official. Islam is a religion of peace and justice. Our community

Royal Greenland Essay Example for Free

Royal Greenland Essay Royal Greenland is the largest producer of cold water prawns and the market leader of ever expending seafood products. The company belongs to Greenland and catches their primary raw materials and the clear ice cold water from there. The company has its modern part of hunting and fishing culture, which is always existed there and the catches are made with deep respect in Greenland nature and people. Royal Greenland’s clear aim is activities to contribute to the wellbeing Greenland community. Royal Greenland is not just a brand – it’s a promise. No matter what the challenges are, the company depends of committed staff. Royal Greenland has focus on quality and refuses to compromise. In this way Royal Greenland has been a reliable supplier and a trust world partner since 1774. Today is the company still in lead and extended itself as the most innovated and competitive player on the market. Whether if its own brand, as a supplier of private labels or via directed sells to the industry. For more than 230 years has Royal Greenland been associated with the first class seafood. The company’s future plans in investing are to have focus on improving their techniques and products to match the need of their modern consumer. Royal Greenland cooperates with private and public research institutions in order to continue developing their processing, distribution techniques and production. 2. Royal Greenland brand value Applying the Maslow hierarchy of needs, one may argue that Royal Greenland customers seek for self-esteem, recognition and status; they believe that being seen with the Royal Greenland products brand will fulfill these needs. Therefore, the value added to its customers is more intrinsic, being that is a physiological need the act of eating. Royal Greenland Royal Greenland However we may say that Royal Greenland stands in between level 1 and 2 of the Maslow Pyramid and maybe some may argue also between level 3, so that it can be also associated to a kind of luxury level of food and restaurants. Anyway is mainly a physiological need, the customers go for best in the balance of quality facing price. 3. The 4 P’s Products Seafood such as shellfish, natural fish, smoked and marinated fish, prawns. In their webpage they have a catalogue with 162 of different kind variation of the seafood that they offer. As a full-range supplier of seafood products Royal Greenland’s product assortment reflects the company’s ability to meet the need of our consumers and Royal Greenland’s ability to renew ourselves. In Royal Greenland marketing it is in matter; at their products have high quality standards. Royal Greenland is proud to present a broad range of high quality seafood products from their own fisheries and from selected suppliers around the world. They offer the â€Å"highest quality standards† in the world – their global quality team makes sure of that. If there are any complains about the products or about the services, the company takes them serious and they take professional action towards and try to avoid that happening again. Price For centuries, Royal Greenland has been associated with high quality seafood at affordable prices. The company’s product range makes it possible to prepare healthy and tasty meals for any occasion. Royal Greenland, have a price that most customers can afford. Royal Greenland gives the customers the products what they pay for. Place – They owns Production facilities in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greenland and Poland. The customers can be sure that Royal Greenlands products get delivered o time and in a perfect condition. When dealing with perishable food products and especially frozen goods, it is extremely important to keep temperature constant during transportation and storage. In order to retain the high, natural quality of their products they are checked all the way from production, through storage to the customer by their Quality Control Team. In Denmark the company is distributing in different Danish supermarkets such as Irma and Fotex Promotion They use as promotion mainly their homepage. There the customers can find information about the company, the quality of their products, the way they prepare their products. Even though that the company don’t use any special way to promote themselves, Royal Greenland is the largest producer of cold water prawns and the market leader of ever expending seafood products. 4. Strategic Analysis For in depth analysis, to start with we need to identify the elements which affect the strategic decision; strategic position and strategic choice. The strategic position, where it argues the environmental and stakeholder’s effect on the issue, we identified two elements; economic downturn and new consumer needs. We used the Ansoff matrix to show how Royal Greenland stands concerning Markets and Products as it is shown below. Upon investigation of the company’s reports, one comprehends that both the sales growth rate and profit margin are declining. The company in its mature phase reveals that is the time to look for new segments or new markets. The time seems right for diversification by new product in new markets. 5. IMS (International Market Selection) Analyses The IMS analysis will help us to identify the right market to export. It is based on low psychic distance, low cultural distance and low geographic distance. Our assignment is about Far East countries and Polynesian Islands. We don’t have to argue why it is that, because it’s given. - In their official webpage there is a summary of companies owned or partially owned by the parent company Royal Greenland A/S. There we can see that Royal Greenland is a limited company and 100% of the stock is owned by the Greenlandic Selfrule Government is in Japan. That means that they already have knowledge with the Far East culture, and are ready to export to more Far East countries a brow. Royal Greenland is the biggest seafood company in Denmark. Royal Greenland is a large and complex organization with subsidiaries in a number of countries around the world. Royal Greenland A/S had an annual turnover in 2010/2011 of 4,7 billion DKK and more than 1,800 employees around the world. It has advantage of food  fresh  and  production technology. Royal Greenland has expanded to  many countries and regions on sale. The global economic is downturn, we should keep currently market share and develop the new market. Royal Greenland owns several production facilities located in the immediate vicinity of fisheries and their â€Å"key markets† Greenland, Canada, Denmark, Poland, Germany. We will go along 4 steps. We will describe more detail the general and specific criteria that is mention above. Step 1: In step one, we have the micro level. – Here we make decision which market the product is going to enter. This is about external factors such as PESTEL (politics economic, social, technology, environment and legal). In the first step we analysis IMS (International market selection). We chose New Zealand, China and Philippines. We will mainly look at those three countries political and economic factors. After those first reflections, we can figure out where we want to start. We will reduce from three, to two countries. Then we will make a Pest Analysis and compare them. Criteria – size and economy. Step 2: In step two, we have MECO. We will do our product analysis and market analysis. We will find information about the competitors, and compare our products to the competitors. We will do a competitive analysis. Step 3: Internal analysis. All the internal tickets: are proactive or reactive. Step 4: In step four we actually do segmentation in regards to customers. Demographics – lifestyle, age, gender, buyer behavior, income. New Zealand PESTEL Analysis Political and Environmental Factors: Elizabeth 11 queen of New Zealand has no real political influence and her position is essentially symbolic. Political power is held by the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand under leadership of Prime Minister, who is the head of government. New Zeland has ranked fifth in the world for political stability in the IMD world competitiveness yearbook 2009. In New Zealand electronics are held every three years so the government has to at time make some compromises with economic growth in order to pursue its political motives. While it may have been acceptable in the past for businesses to pursue profits single minden with a little or no consideration for the wider social and environmental impact of their activities, this is not the case anymore today. The consumer movement and the environmental lobby are now firmly established as vigilant and powerful watchdogs, and have successfully brought changes in business practice and in how businesses must operate. In New Zealand the government announced significant changes to business taxation and the business environment to help develop a more innovative and dynamic economy better able to compete in the global marketplace. Economic Analysis: The Economy of New Zealand is a market economy which is greatly dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the European Union, the United States, China and Japan. It has only small manufacturing ad high-tech sectors, being strongly focused on tourism and primary industries like agriculture (though both sectors are highly profitable). Economic tree – market reforms of the last decades have removed many barriers to foreign investment, and the World Bank in 2005 praised New Zealand as being the most business – friendly country in the world, before Singapore. Social Factors: The first release of data from the 2010 New Zealand General Social Survey showed that: New Zealanders have relatively high levels of overall life satisfaction. In the survey, 87 percent of the population reported they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their lives overall. However, satisfaction with life varied across different groups within the population, in particular when looking at people’s labour force status, stage in life, household income, and the type of family they live in. Technological Factors: As a Western country, New Zealand has a proactive, creative and skilled labor. They have the worlds leading educational institutions; a highly educated population with graduate level is increasing. English is the main language of New Zealand. New Zealanders also have excellent quality of soft skills, professional ethics and the spirit of daring to do famous. Technology includes: * processes/systems (operational) * machinery * intellectual property * IT systems. The technology or business skills must be introduced into New Zealand as a result of the investment they must not already be in New Zealand. PEST analysis for China Political Analysis: China is communist country but it is transforming into democratic form of government. The Chinese government has, in the past, strongly controlled such things as prices, markets, products, foreign assets, and personal assets. However, during the past decade, the Chinese government has chosen to open their markets to world investors and to create laws and regulations more in line with the World Trade Center guidelines. This change in philosophy has encouraged foreign investment in China. However, regardless of the recent move towards an open market, the Chinese socialist political environment should remain a key risk factor in any potential expansion. There is only one party in china which is communist party of china. As there is only one party ruling the country so there is stability in the country which is very necessary for business activities. The stability in the country attracts foreign investments in the country. The government also provides different incentives and securities to the new businesses. For example government can declare certain area tax free and thus attracting new investors in the country. The laws are a bit complex for the new investors. But if the new investment Is approved then it will be a successful business. Economic Analysis: Chinas economy is huge and expanding rapidly. In the last 30 years, the rate of Chinese economic growth has been almost miraculous, averaging 8 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per annum. The economy has grown more than 10 times during that period, with Chinese GDP reaching 3. 42 trillion US dollars in 2007. China already has the biggest economy after the United States and most analysts predict China will become the largest economy in the world this century. China is a very good market for the investors to invest and earn profits. Both the industry and agriculture sector provides opportunities to the investors to invest. Inflation rate (consumer prices): The inflation rate in china is 5%. The inflation is very much low and it is in single figure. The prices of commodities are low in china. And this figure is also a controlled one. Central bank discount rate: 2. 79% (December 2009) This is a very good sign for the investors as the financing would be easy and funds can be generated if needed. As the rate is very lower so the expected inflation rate is also low which means that more employment. Social Factors: Chinas spectacular economic growth-averaging 8% or more annually over the past two decades-has produced an impressive increase in the standard of living for hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens. At the same time, this economic development has had severe ramifications for the natural environment. There has been a dramatic increase in the demand for natural resources of all kinds, including water, land and energy. The population growth of china is high and government is taking steps to control this growth of the population. The population growth rate of the country is 0. 94%. The 72. 1% of the population is 15-64 years which is the main target population for the businesses. Technological Factors: The history of science and technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology. THE end of cheap China is at hand. Blue-collar labour costs in Guangdong and other coastal hubs have been rising at double-digit rates for a decade. Workers in the hinter land, too, are demanding—and receiving—huge pay increases. China is no longer a place where manufacturers can go to find ultra-cheap hands. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it will not mean that companies close their Chinese factories and stampede to somewhere poorer. China is still a terrific place to make things. Labour may be cheaper elsewhere, but it is only one cost among several. Unlike its lower-paying rivals, China has reasonable infrastructure, sophisticated supply chains and the advantage of scale. When demand surges for a particular product, the biggest firms in China can add thousands of extra workers to a production line in a matter of hours. Environmental Factors: Chinas development and environment practices have made the country one of the worlds leading contributors to regional and global environmental problems, including acid rain, ozone depletion, global climate change, and biodiversity loss. Environmental degradation and pollution in China also pose challenges well beyond those to the natural environment. The ramifications for the social and economic welfare of the Chinese people are substantial. Public health problems, mass migration, forced resettlement, and social unrest are all the consequence of a failure to integrate environmental considerations into development efforts effectively. Sacrificing environmental needs, such as trees, for economic gain. PESTE analysis Philippines Political analysis The Philippines’ diverse population, which speaks more than 80 languages and dialects, is spread over 7,000 islands in the Western Pacific Ocean. The country returned to democracy in 1986 after two decades of autocratic rule. President Benigno Aquino III took office in 2010 with a mandate to address pervasive government corruption. Economic analysis Despite the challenging global economic environment, the Philippine economy has been on a steady path of economic expansion. The government has pursued a series of legislative reforms to enhance the entrepreneurial environment and develop a stronger private sector to generate broader-based job growth. Overall progress has been gradual, but regulatory efficiency has been notably enhanced. The economy has expanded at an average annual rate of close to 5 percent over the past five years. The economy of the Philippines is hampered by huge foreign debt, a low savings rate, inefficient tax collection, inadequate infrastructure , especially outside major cities, and poor agricultural performance. The Philippine economy is vulnerable to oil-price increases, interest-rate shifts by the U. S. Federal Reserve, and the performance of international stock exchanges. Social Factors: Social factors that have a negative impact on the economy include a high crime rate, especially kidnappings and rape, pockets of Communist rebels in rural areas, threats from Muslim separatist movements, high rates of poverty and unemployment, and the governments inability to begin its land-distribution program. Environmental factors also damage economic development, including frequent typhoons and drought. Worker productivity is adversely affected by illnesses brought on by air and water pollution. In metropolitan Manila alone, the effect of pollution on health and labor productivity has been estimated to be equal to a loss of about 1 percent of gross national product annually. Technological Factors: In todays fast paced world, the need to operate globally and without boundaries has increased the abilities and expectations for technology. Information technology, being the theme on everyones mind throughout the last decades is still reaching new levels. The new and tremendous dvancements in telecommunication technology in the new millennium were the milestone for the outsourcing of service activities that were about to penetrate the Philippines. The country has a lot of highly skilled IT people and the IT infrastructure and supports are very advanced. Therefore, the technology allows products and services to be made significantly cheaper than in domestic markets, and yet maintain at lea st the same quality. The employees are working at wages approximately 400% smaller than in Europe but the final results they deliver are hard to distinguish from the European ones. The cheap costs also give the possibility to be more flexible and take risks because there is not much to lose. It is easy foreigners who did not really have beliefs or big plans for their businesses but they thought it would be fun to run a company without seriously endangering your budget. Environment Factors: The Philippines is prone to natural disasters, particularly typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis, lying as it does astride the typhoon belt, in the active volcanic region known as the â€Å"Pacific Ring of Fire,† and in the geologically unstable region between the Pacific and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Philippines also suffers major human-caused environmental degradation aggravated by a high annual population growth rate, including loss of agricultural lands, deforestation, soil erosion, air and water pollution, improper disposal of solid and toxic wastes, loss of coral reefs, mismanagement and abuse of coastal resources, and overfishing. According to Greenpeace SouthEast Asia, the Philippines major historical river, the Pasig River is now biologically dead due to negligence and industrialization. Currently, the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources has been busy tracking down illegal loggers and been spearheading projects to preserve the quality of many remaining rivers that are not yet polluted. Conclusion: By using the PESTEL framework we analyzed the many different factors in a firms macro environment. In some cases particular issues may fit in several categories. The PESTEL Factors in China appears in several categories, we simply make a decision of where we think it best belongs. We think that to export in China will have the greatest impact. We have made a SWOT analysis, which proves that China would be the best market to export in. 6. SWOT Analyses SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses/Limitations, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. So concerning our previous explanations and answers to themes in analyses, we came up with the following SWOT analyses: 7. Business Law Contract for the International Sales of Goods (CISG): CISG stands for contract of sale of goods, the convention applies when the buyer and seller have their place of business in different states and when the parties are from contracting states . As Royal Greenland Company is going to sell its product to China from Denmark. At the same time, China is approved to apply CISG, but Denmark is not agreed with the CISG Law. So there are two conditions: ?Royal Greenland company (seller)—the buyer in China: If the two parties did not agree about which law is to apply, then the rule of seller? s country shall apply. So in this situation, the rule of the Denmark should apply, as the Danish law mentions that the CISG takes precedence in international sales. So if the Royal Greenland Company is seller and the buyer is in China, then the CISG should be applied. ?Royal Greenland company (buyer)—the suppliers in China: It is also about the sales of goods, the rule of seller? s country shall apply, and as the China is not approved the CISG. So the law from the China shall be applied if the Royal Greenland is buyer and the supplier is from China. Performance is the fulfillment of a promise in the contract. Many issues can arise in a sales contract after the contract is made and before a partys performance is required. Sometimes performance may be made impracticable. If the goods are completely destroyed before the risk of loss has passed to the oversea buyer, and the goods have not been destroyed through the fault of either party, Royal Greenland may be excused from performing. Risk of loss is responsibility for any damage or destruction of goods; the parties may decide in the contract when the risk of loss of the goods passes from Royal Greenland to the buyer. If the goods are only partially destroyed or have deteriorated, the buyer may demand to inspect the goods and either void the contract or accept the goods with a reduction in the contract price. Royal Greenland may avoid performing only if the destroyed goods were specifically identified when the sale was made. There are two situations in which a party must make a substituted performance in case the agreed method of performance becomes impracticable. First, when the goods cannot be transported by the agreed-upon method of transportation, Royal Greenland must use available transportation that is a commercially reasonable substitute. Second, if an agreed-upon method of payment fails, the buyer must use a commercially reasonable substitute method of payment if one is available. If a party fails to substitute transportation or payment, she could be liable to the other party for losses resulting from the failure. In some cases the purpose of a sale may be frustrated by circunstances beyond the control of both buyer and seller. At times it may appear to a party that the other party will be unable to perform by the expected date. For example, assume that a party agrees to sell goods on credit. If the buyer becomes financially insolvent before the goods are delivered, the seller may demand cash before delivering the goods. If the goods are in transit, the seller may instruct the carrier to withhold delivery of the goods. A party is considered insolvent if she cannot pay debts as they come due, has ceased to pay debts, or has liabilities that exceed assets. If a party has reasonable grounds to feel insecure about the other partys ability to perform, the insecure party may demand assurances before performing. Alternatively, if the other party gives the assurance, the concerned party must follow through on his obligations. Precisely what constitutes an effective assurance is a question of fact that depends on the nature of the goods, the size of the contract, the length of time until performance, and similar considerations. In any case a concerned party may not make commercially unreasonable demands on a party prior to performance and then withhold performance if the other party does not meet the demands. Delivery We think that there are two-clause suit for the Royal Greenland Company, one is F-clause, and the other is C-clause. ?F-clauses FOB (free on board). In this situation, the Royal Greenland must load the products on board the designed by the buyer in the China. The goods are delivered when they have been handed over to the first carrier designed by the buyer. The advantage of this rule is the transportation fees and the risk is shared by the Royal Greenland and the buyer in the China. FAS (free alongside Ship). In this situation, the Royal Greenland must deliver the goods to the specified spot; the goods and risk are delivered when they are placed alongside the ship. The advantage of this is that the seller don? t need to take the goods to the board. ?C-clauses CIF (cost insurance and freight). In the situation, the seller shall pay for marine insurance and costs all the way to the place of destination, the risk passed when goods are on board the ship in the dispatch port. For example, we deliver the products (named of) to China and we pay all the insurance and transportation fee until the products arrive to the place of destination, The advantage of this rule is although the Royal Greenland pay all the transportation fees and insurance fees but they have the lowest risk, if they got any damages during the transport the insurance company will pay all the losses. Seller? obligations (CISG) and Buyer? s obligations (CISG) ?The seller must: 1, Deliver the goods 2, Handover documents 3, Transfer rights of ownership of goods to the buyer The seller must deliver the right goods quantity and quantity at right place and at the time agreed in contract. And hand over the document that is necessary. Transfer rights of ownership of goods to the buyer, such as risk. There are many conditions: some risk is passed to buyer when the goods are hand over to the first independent carrier. Some risk passes to buyer when buyer at the time of receipt of the goods at the seller? s place of business. When the risk passes to buyer, it is depend on the which kind of transportation way that the seller and buyer choose. ?The buyer shall to take delivery of goods and pay the payment that has been agreed at the agreed time and place. Buyer? s remedies in the event of the seller? s breach of contract (CISG) There are also some remedies in the event of each parties breach the contract. First of all, we list several breaches from the seller, and remedies for the breach. When the sell breach a contract in case: 1. Delay 2. Defect 3. Defective title. The buyer can choose to: 1. Affirm 2. Cancel 3. And claim damages if a loss has been incurred. The buyer can also demand corrective performance, at the same time the seller has a right to correct also after the goods have been delivered. Seller? s remedies in the event of the buyer? s breach of contract (CISG) When the buyer breach a contract in case: 1. Not paying for the goods 2. Not taking delivery of the goods. In such cases happen, the seller has the rights to: 1. Affirm 2. Cancel 3. Claim damages. Conclusion It is benefit for the Royal Greenland Company to put then in a good position if they are similar with the CISG and doing the international sale with China. 8. Economics As attachment in appendix there is the study on investment table as well as the net-cash flow diagram. Anyway below is our conclusion: 9. Conclusion Royal Greenland A/S (Royal Greenland) is a Denmark based company operating in the provision of seafood products. It is one of the worlds biggest producers of coldwater shrimps and a market leader in a wide range of seafood products. The company, along with its subsidiaries is engaged in fishing, processing, production, marketing and distribution of seafood products. The core products of the company include prawn and shellfish products, fillet products, ready to eat products and smoked products. The company operates through a number of production sites across Greenland, Denmark, Germany and Poland, and sales offices in Europe, the US and Japan. Royal Greenland is headquartered at Nuuk in Denmark. Export to restaurants. In our assignment we decided after making an PESTEL analysis in 3 different countries from Far East, to export in China. Beside that we chose to export in the restaurant market. The reason why we chose to export in restaurants is, that restaurant is the largest segment of the profit foodservice sector in China, accounting for 94% of the sectors total value. The pubs, nightclubs and bars segment accounts for a further 1. 2% of the sector Market analysis. The Chinese profit foodservice sector displayed double digit growth over the 2007 to 2011 period. The sector is forecast to post healthy growth during the period up to 2016. In comparison, the Japanese sector will decline with a compound annual rate of change (CARC) of -0. 8%, and the Indian sector will increase with a CAGR of 17. 4%, over the same period, to reach respective values of $102. 8 billion and $58. 1 billion in 2011. Sector consumption volumes are forecast to increase with a CAGR of 3. % between 2007-2011, to reach a total of 115. 6 billion visits in 2011. The sectors volume is expected to rise to 133. 1 billion visits by the end of 2016, representing a CAGR of 2. 9% for the 2011-2016 period. The restaurants segment is expected to be the sectors most lucrative in 2011, with total revenue of $135. 5 billion, equivalent to 94% of the sectors overall value. The pubs, nightclubs and bars segment will contribute revenue of $1. 7 billion in 2011, equating to 1. 2% of the sectors aggregate value. Market value forecast In 2016, the Chinese profit foodservice sector is forecast to have a value of $236,162. 1 million, an increase of 63. 8% since 2011. Buyer power in the profit foodservice sector in China Buyers in the global profit foodservice sector are individual consumers, which are large in number but hold very little financial muscle independently. High transaction volumes mean that the impact of any one customer on revenues is usually small. The exception here can be in the case of premium-price, non-chain restaurants, whose business model relies on low-volume, high-margin sales. This lack of financial muscle minimizes the power of buyers, although they benefit from the lack of costs incurred by switching from one profit foodservice player to another. Profit foodservice is not strictly essential to consumers: they can backwards integrate by cooking their own food. Profit foodservice players have invested heavily in brand-building, especially in the low- and medium- price segments. The Uppsala model has described the internationalization of a firm as a process of experiential learning and incremental commitments which leads to an evolutionary development in a foreign market. Royal Greenland Export Royal Greenland A/S sales subsidiaries have been established on the most important markets i. e. in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The southern part of Asia is yet another potential sales subsidiary location. However, no matter where a subsidiary is placed, company policy dictates that it be managed by local staff to ensure the greatest insight into each countrys market, and dietary and cultural traditions a policy which has proven very rewarding. The Export Division sells about 65,000 t of high-quality products from a constantly expanding product range to 40 main markets all over the world. The divisions product development department ensures that customer demands concerning products and lines are made in consultation with Royal Greenland. Delivery reliability is equally ensured and realised through close collaboration with the Divisions colleagues in Greenland. Royal Greenland Development Royal Greenland Development was established in 1995 to offer its know-how and expertise to Third World fishery development projects. The divisions role is to participate in research fishing aimed at establishing what resources are at hand and to assist with product development and production. Further assistance in the form of raw materials and sales facilities may also be offered by the Division, which works in collaboration with internationally recognized aid organizations. Contracts have already been drawn up in India and Vietnam and business prospects are promising in China, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. 11. Reference List Global Marketing – A Decision-Oriented Approach Fifth Edition, Svend Hollensen Business and Danish Law Book ttp://www. royalgreenland. com http://www. royalgreenland. com http://www. slideshare. net http://www. stats. govt. nz http://www. linz. govt. nz http://www. economywatch. com http://www. economist. com http://www. cfr. org http://www. heritage. org http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com http://en. wikipedia. org http://www. articlesbase. com [ 1 ]. The countries that are in Far East are: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Mongolia, North and South Korea, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia. Geographically, the Polynesian Triangle is drawn by connecting the points of Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. The other main island groups located within the Polynesian Triangle are Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia. [ 2 ]. - (http://www. royalgreenland. com/uk/Our-company/Organisation/Ownership-and-Asso ciated-Companies. aspx ) [ 3 ]. http://www. royalgreenland. com/uk/Our-company/Facts-Figures. aspx [ 4 ]. http://www. royalgreenland. om/uk/Fishery-and-processing/Production-facilities. aspx [ 5 ]. http://www. slideshare. net/Nokhov/new-zealand-presentation-847054 [ 6 ]. http://www. slideshare. net/Nokhov/new-zealand-presentation-847054 [ 7 ]. http://www. stats. govt. nz/browse_for_stats/people_and_communities/Families/nz-general-social-survey-info-releases. aspx [ 8 ]. http://www. linz. govt. nz/overseas-investment/applications/technical-resources/benefit-nz-factors/new-technology [ 9 ]. http://www. economywatch. com/ world_economy/china/? page=full [ 10 ]. http://www. economist. om/node/21549938 [ 11 ]. http://www. cfr. org/china/chinas-environmental-challenge-political-social-economic-implications/p5573 [ 12 ]. http://www. heritage. org/index/country/philippines [ 13 ]. http://www. heritage. org/index/country/philippines [ 14 ]. http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-OVERVIEW-OF-ECONOMY. html#ixzz2AIfp1mkg [ 15 ]. http://www. articlesbase. com/outsourcing-articles/technological-factors-in-the-philippines-4035972. html [ 16 ]. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Environment_of_the_Philippines

Education On Health Promotion Essay Example for Free

Education On Health Promotion Essay Q. 1 Validity is said to be the power to convince about the conclusions that have been found. It is the strength that the conclusion has to convince others on the facts that have been outlined. There are said to be four types of validity namely external, conclusion, construct and internal validity (http://www. brainyquote. com). The external validity is about the ability to generalize the findings to other settings, the conclusion looks for a relationship between the outcomes and the program, the construct validity determines the presence of a relationship between concepts in a study and an actual casual relationship and finally the internal validity looks for the relationship between the study object and the outcomes of the study. On the other hand, reliability is said to be the ability to get the same results over and over again when performing the same test at different times (http://www. asiamarketresearch. com). It is said to estimate how consistent your measurements are. For a tool of measurement to be reliable, it has to give the same results when used at different times by different people to measure the same thing. It can be tested through using different questions that measure the same thing to see if the answers are consistent while the test/retest method means getting the same findings for the same test done at different times but under the same conditions. Validity and reliability will be used in the dissertation to test the conclusion. First checking on the reliability of the tools of measurements does this. This ensures that the data provided for the study is to be trusted as being correct. It also helps eliminate the data that contains some inconsistencies. Once all the reliable data has been compiled, it can then be used to arrive at some conclusion. This conclusion will be valid if all the measurements that have been done have involved the data that was supposed to be measured. If one has been using the correct data using reliable tools then the conclusion will be a valid one. The correct questions have to be asked in relation to the topic and the measurement tools have to be reliable for the conclusion to be valid. Q. 2 When starting a project one begins with choosing a topic on which to research on (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). This topic should not be too general as to include subjects that are not relevant to the researcher instead it should be very specific on what is to be research on. When choosing a topic, one uses the tool of research called the â€Å"human mind†. This is because a topic is chosen according to how the researcher perceives the surroundings and thus requires reasoning and analyzing which uses the brain. Next is gathering the relevant background information concerning the topic. This can be done through the use of the computer and its software. It is done to get the most basic information on the chosen topic. This information can be supplemented by the use of the library where one can find encyclopedias among other sources. This information is used to refine the chosen topic (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). If there is need to change the research topic it is done now. After revisiting your topic, you now need to gather the information needed. This is done by the use of the computer and the library. This information is then supplemented by fieldwork, which uses different methods of gathering information. This is done to confirm or challenge the statistics gotten from the library and computer software. While conducting the field research, one has to estimate the reality of the tools of measurement so as to ensure the information gotten is correct and in the process eliminate those, which contain errors after this is done, the information is coded and analyzed. The information is now ready for use to get the conclusion and then organize it to be able to write it in a way that the reader will understand. When it comes to the writing part, the language to be used has to be chosen carefully. It has to be a language accessible to all the presumed readers. The research is then written and is used to justify the problem statement and why the project should be undertaken. The conducting of a research and writing of a dissertation are the actual start of a project. This is because they justify the reason why the project can now start. All the six tools of research are used to ensure that the information provided in the research is reliable and valid. One can only gain experience in the use of these tools by conducting many researches. By writing dissertations and research papers, one ahs to use these tools and in so doing gets a lot of experience in their use. Over time one gets to learn how to use the various tools. When it comes to computers, one has to solicit the help of computer experts an also using the help icon in the computer. For a researcher, it is very useful to join research projects as an assistant researcher. This ensures that one gains a lot of experience and by working with an expert researcher one is able to pick up quite a number of tricks in the research field. Also as a research assistant, one does a lot of work and so is able to come up with new and more effective ways of using the tools of research. On top of this, one is able to choose which tools they can use best and which ones they need to work on to understand how they are used. To learn to be an expert researcher, one can only go through the above mentioned process of first becoming a research assistant. The expert researcher has to be able to use the six tools of research namely the human mind, the computer and its software, the statistics, the traditional library, tools of measurement and the language facility. It one has gone through the process of becoming a research assistant, there is knowledge gained from constant use of the tools and one can then be able to decide which tools they are most comfortable using. All the tools are important and necessary to any researcher but the order of importance assigned to each tool is what differs from researcher to researcher. It is only through experience of having worked on many research projects does one become competent in the use of all the tools and so that is what any novice researcher concentrates more on. Q. 3 The dissertation topic is education on health promotion.  From the interview with the researcher, I have learned how to use the six tools of research in the dissertation topic. By using the human mind, the topic, which is education on health promotion, was chosen. Using the computer and its software, the topic will be researched on and the basic knowledge gathered. Since the topic has enough materials to be used, it will not be changed. The information is then supplemented with that from the traditional library. After the topic has been re-affirmed, the field information will be collected and this will be done by using tools of measurement that are reliable (http://www. ih. gov/news/researchtools/). Once the information has been collected, it is then analyzed, cleaned and coded. The findings will now be used in writing the paper. When writing the paper the language to be used has to be that which the targeted readers can understand. When writing one has to avoid plagiarism and ensuring that any information from other sources is cited will do this. The paper must be in the proper format and should include all the parts of a project paper. The conclusion will have to support the topic and reason for the research. It will therefore have to support education on health promotion

Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Schizophrenia

Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Schizophrenia The Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Paranoid Schizophrenia Introduction Our sense of agency is a form of self-consciousness which allows us to distinguish between ourselves and other individuals; it makes us aware of which thoughts and actions are our own (Haggard Chambon; 2012). This construct can be measured through the use of the intentional binding task (Moore Obhi; 2012). When an individual preforms an action that is then followed by an effect such as an auditory tone, there is a perceived reduction in the length of the interval between the action and the effect. Since this only occurs for actions that are intentional, this phenomena is called intentional binding and has been suggested as a reliable measure of agency (Haggard, Clark Kalogeras; 2002). A disturbed sense of agency is symptomatic of schizophrenia, a long term psychotic disorder marked by severely impaired thinking and abnormal behaviour, including delusions and hallucinations (Andreasen Olsen; 1982). Sufferers of the disorder may either feel that external forces are controlling their actions or thoughts, or they may feel in control of events that in fact are not caused by their actions. Martin (2013) called this experiences of activity; patients form the grandiose delusion that they can control some external events by the sole means of their mind. The first intentional binding patient study (Haggard, Martin, Taylor-Clarke, Jeannerod, Franck, 2003) compared the magnitude of intentional binding in patients with schizophrenia to a healthy control group. They established that intentional binding was significantly more robust in patients compared to controls. Using the same task, a more recent study (Voss, Moore, Hauser, Gallinat, Heinz Haggard; 2010) found that the predictive component is either absent or faulty in schizophrenia, therefore a greater reliance on the external effect rather than the intended action leads to hyper-binding. The severity of positive symptoms, as in the paranoid schizophrenic subtype, was also found to correlate with impairments in action-effect predictions. Various studies have documented a high level of comorbid psychiatric disorders among individuals with gambling disorders, including Schizophrenia. Pathological gambling was first recognised by the APA as an impulse control disorder in 1980, and can be defined as the recurring behaviour of gambling on games of chance despite the resulting negative consequences, leading to the individual becoming incapable of controlling the time and money spent, even when losing. Research conducted by Desai Potenza (2009) investigated the co-occurrence between pathological gambling and schizophrenia. The researchers interviewed a sample of 337 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Using the DSM-4 criteria for pathological gambling, the researchers found that these patients may be at a particularly high risk; 19 percent were classified as either problem or pathological gamblers. Just under 10 percent met the diagnosis for pathological gambling, the most severe form of the disorder; recent studies hav e estimated the rate among the general population at less than one percent. Wegner and Wheatley (1999) suggested that the sense of agency also plays a role in phenomena such as superstition and gambling, in which individuals experience subjective control over uncontrollable entities; this is often know as illusion of control. Similar to delusions of activity in schizophrenics, various studies have shown that an irrational sense of personal control over the outcome, even in games of pure chance, is a possible factor in the maintenance of problem gambling. A study by Moore and Ohtsuka (1999) assessed the association between beliefs about illusion of control or internal locus of control and their relationship to gambling frequency in young people. The results indicated that irrational control beliefs were strongly associated with problem gambling; the illusion of internal control over gambling significantly predicted gambling frequency and problem gambling. Toneatto, Blitz-Miller, Calderwood, Dragonetti, Tsanos (1997) found that scoring highly on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (Lesieur Blume, 1987) was correlated considerably with exhibiting cognitive distortions during an interview, in which individuals expressed the belief that they are able to control the outcome of their gambling, along with an extravagant level of self-confidence. Heavy gamblers also made more active attempts to influence the outcome using gambling systems, rituals and superstitions. Sense of control over gambling appears to have cultural differences; Majamà ¤ki Pà ¶ysti (2012) found that Finnish gamblers stress their individual competence and will to take more risks than gamblers in France, even in games of chance, imagining a greater sense of control. Taken together, research suggests that Pathological Gamblers may experience a similar heightened sense of agency to Schizophrenics, in that they exhibit the illusionary idea that they are able to control outcomes which are not within their personal influence. Although the experience of agency between two disorders have not been directly compared, this could perhaps explain the high comorbidity between the two disorders. I therefore propose that a disturbed sense of agency will be present in both schizophrenics and pathological gamblers during a gambling task and may contribute to the development of gambling disorders. Methods In order to study the possible effect of agency on pathological gambling in schizophrenia, I intend to use as many participants as possible in order to obtain the largest, most generalizable sample; participants will be age and gender matched to eliminate extraneous variables. I will use the age range of 16-35, encompassing the peak ages of onset and acute psychosis whilst avoiding using minors for ethical reasons. I will be using a healthy control group, a group of pathological gamblers and a group of paranoid schizophrenics, as they present more positive symptoms than the other subtypes, which correlate with experience of activity delusions. In order to participate individuals must have a professional medical diagnosis for their disorder, as well as normal or corrected hearing and eyesight. Firstly, I would like to establish the level of individual sense of agency for each group during an intentional binding task. Following a voluntary or involuntary key press, participants will experience an interval followed by an auditory tone; they will then be asked to estimate the length of time between preforming the action and producing the effect in milliseconds. Research has shown that there is a perceived reduction in the length of the interval between the action and the effect where the participant believes that they produced the action voluntarily. Secondly, participants would complete a computer gambling task (Rachlin 1986) in order to simulate real life tendency to make a safer or riskier choice during a game of chance. This is a task in which they are asked to choose between two spinning wheels, where the pointer landing on a white coloured section would indicate a monetary win. On one wheel, a win is less likely but twice as substantial, on the second the win is less valuable but more consistent. In order to increase the ecological validity of the situation and hold the attention of the participant, they will have the opportunity to win the money collected during the task. This task will take place within a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. This machine uses the Blood-oxygen-level dependent contrast (Huettel, Song McCarthy (2009) in order to detect changes in cerebral blood flow during the task, indicating neural activity in different brain regions. Results and Implications My predicted results would be that based on prior research the schizophrenic group will experience substantially more hyperbinding on the intentional binding task than the healthy controls; however I also hope to see the same with the pathological gamblers. Amongst that group, those who experienced the strongest feeling of agency would take the most risks during the task. I would expect to see similar, and greater, patterns of activation in the areas associated with agency, specifically self-agency, during the task in the fMRI machine for the PG and Schizophrenic groups. This would include the TPJ Precuneus, which has been implicated in a large number of studies during tasks relating to agency (Brass et al. 2009; Nahab et al. 2010; Schnell et al. 2007; Spengler et al. 2009; Yomogida et al. 2010) and has been suggested to contain a mechanism which allows us to determine mismatches in sensory feedback (Tsakiris et al. 2008) and attribution of external cause for events (Seidel et al. 20 10). A second area involved is likely to be the dMPFC, active during agency tasks due to its role similar role in predicting events. (Volz et al. 2003, 2004, 2005). Thirdly, I would also expect so see activation in the pre-SMA, which is involved in the development of intention to create voluntary movements(Picard and Strick 1996). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (tms) supressing neural activity of this area results in a decrease in intentional binding (moore 2010). Although increased blood flow will be present in these areas during all forms of agency experience, these areas have been found to be more strongly associated with external agency attributions; therefore it is possible that I will see more activation of these three regions in the healthy control group. This was suggested as the result of a met-analysis performed by Sperduti, Delaveau, Fossati Nadelfound (2011), recognising that the bilateral insular cortex, premotor and primary somatosensory cortex are only active during the production of voluntary movements (Ciccarelli et al. 2005; Francis et al. 2009; Tatsuya et al. 1999 and therefore experiences of self-agency. The bilateral insular cortex is of particular interest in this study as it has been noted in the impairment of attribution of self-agency in schizophrenic patients, and is correlated with positive symptoms. (Wylie and Tregellas 2010, Voss et al. 2010) Although the high level of comorbidity between Schizophrenia and Pathological Gambling is well documented, the effect of agency has not been studied directly in relation to the disorders, so results are difficult to predict. However, this area of study is worthwhile as it establishes the significance of screening patients with Schizophrenia for gambling disorders and helps to detect the aspects of the population that may place these patients at particular threat of developing pathological gambling. Patients who exhibit both these disorder have been found to respond less favourably to treatment, and may experience longer and more frequent durations in hospital, due to poor response and adherence to medication; this increases both the cost and encumbrance to society. Other negative consequences include increased aggression, alcoholism, depression, homelessness and likelihood of becoming a victim of crime. (Green, Drake, Brunette, Noordsy, 2007, Desai Potenza, 2009). The stress caused by gambling disorders, such as financial and relationship problems, may increase the risk of episodes of psychosis. (Borras Huguelet, 2007) Discovering reliable therapies for this group is of importance for future research because current research trials developing treatment for gambling addictions usually do not permit the inclusion of participant who have been diagnosed with a psychoticdisorder such as Schizophrenia; so far there has been no clinical studies of treatments for individuals with these co-occuring disorders. (Enrique Echeburà ºaa,b,*, Montserrat Gà ³mezc, Montserrat Freixac) 2011. Most significantly, this research could provide insight into the brain regions and theoretical processes involved in the maintenance of gambling disorders, in a population in which it is not only incredibly prevalent but also particularly harmful.

Hemmingways In Our Time :: Hemmingway In Our Time

Hemmingway's In Our Time Half-way through reading Hemmingway's collection In Our Time I was interrupted by my roommate, George. He wanted to know how I liked the story. He seems to be very impressed that I'm reading Hemmingway. I explained to him that it was, in fact, not one story, but a collection of short stories. He asked if they had a common theme or not, and I found it difficult to answer. "Yeas and no," I said. I then went on to explain that although one character, Nick, appeared occasionally, the stories didn't flow as one large story. "It's sort of like a painting," I told him, "If you could pick out any one individual brush-stroke and study it, it would be meaningless. But if you pull back and see all the brush-strokes, you can view the painting in its entirety." He thought this was very wise and went away, contented that I was a literate genius. Myself, I didn't really know what to gather from the stories. I've never honestly read any Hemmingway previously. I've started to read The Sun Also Rises about ten times and gotten waylaid by Batman, Robert B. Parker, and the like each time. I think I read The Old Man and the Sea ages ago in high school, but it was so long ago that it has slipped completely from my memory. He is one of those authors that I always connect with my father and his college years for some reason, although I'm not entirely sure why. I've always wanted to read Hemmingway, but I've always wanted to read all of Shakespeare, Homer, and Eliot, too. The edition I'm reading has the short stories separated by "Chapters" which do and don't tell a story. The "Chapters" strongly remind me of Pink Floyd's The Wall. I was also surprised at how simple it is to read them. They are perfect examples of how Poe defined the short story: quick, (sometimes) powerful, and written to evoke one feeling. After r eading The End of Something, for example, I was struck by how easily Hemmingway made me sad. The ending to A Very Short Story was pure torture. All the stories are simply constructed, no superfluous words, no extra images to clutter the feeling. They seem to be written with Strunk and White's Elements of Style in mind.