Dogs as Pets

Dogs, simply put, are man’s best friend. These fantastic creatures are extremely loving and undeniably loyal. Both dogs and humans are happier if we are around each other. A great deal of dog owners make their dogs a significant part of their family. Having a dog in your life awards you with numerous benefits. Dogs provide their owners with companionship and relief from loneliness, mental health benefits, physical health benefits and exercise options, built in home security, pleasure in knowing you’re caring for a living creature, and complete unconditional love. Companionship is probably the number one reason people adopt a dog. You know when you come home everyday you will always have a happy soul there to greet you. Whether you need someone to accompany you on a ride in the car, if you’re craving a little cuddling in your bed or company on the couch watching television your dog will always be there for you. When you own a dog you are never alone. In fact, just walking from room to room in your home you’ll be followed. When human beings disappoint you and you feel as you have no one you can spend time with you can always count on your canine. The loyalty of dogs is amazing and they always want to be by your side. There are many other benefits to owning a dog but for sure your dog will become your side kick. Dog ownership can have a very concrete effect on your mental and emotional well being. Just the fact that with a dog you never feel alone is totally beneficial to your mental state. Being alone can often lead to depression, and owning a dog can cure or reduce those feelings. It is reported that dogs elevate serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain which control pleasure and calming feelings. With these feelings comes a happier existence and lower stress levels. Besides the mental health benefits, having a low stress life can lead to physical benefits as well. Dogs can also be profitable to your physical body. Many studies show that dog owners have lower levels of cholesterol. Other studies reveal people who own dogs have lower blood pressure levels than someone that does not own a dog. Possibly this could be do to dog’s stress reducing capabilities. Also, studies have shown that people who own dogs have lower levels of anxiety during stressful situations than pet free people. Another added plus to owning a dog is a reason to exercise. If you are a responsible owner walking your dog is a necessity. While exercising your dog you are also exercising yourself, which is obviously beneficial. For many years people have studied the physical influence dogs have over people. All studies conclude that dog ownership has solid and substantial impact on the human body. Besides biological benefits, home security is another factor dogs play a part in. A dog can hear things that we as humans cannot hear. Anyone who owns a dog knows that no one or nothing can get five feet from their house without their dog alerting them to that fact. If a potential burglar is considering your home for a break in and they hear a dog barking, they will most definitely not go through with it. While a professional alarm system is subject to electrical and programming failures, a dog’s innate sense to protect their territory will never fail. A dog’s need to defend their home and owners is an integral part of their being. Owning a dog can make you sleep good at night and you can always rely on this failure safe means of security. People need security for their homes, but also need security for their souls. It is possible that human beings have a distinct need to care for living beings. Especially people without children, a dog can be like a son or daughter to its owner. Providing for and taking care of something that completely depends on you can create great comfort. Owning a dog can give someone great purpose and meaning in their life. In payment for taking care of your dog, he will give you complete unconditional love. No matter what your circumstances are your dog will always love you to the bitter end. Their love for you is automatic and definite. From the moment you pick them up and decide they are to become yours, they love you. As our life goes on our needs constantly evolve and change. However, love is something we need from the moment we are born until the die we die. And dogs will provide you much love as though that is their purpose on this earth. Dogs award human beings with many things. You will always have a friend you can count on. While human friends may come and go, your canine buddy will stand by your side forever. With this constant companionship comes a new mental state. Dog ownership can help you overcome depression, anxiety and stressful situations. While your mind is being soothed, your physical body can be assisted as well. By committing to physical exercise with your canine companion, you are living a healthier lifestyle. With added benefits of lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure, owning a dog can make your quality of life much better. The fact that your home is more secure because your dog will be protecting it will give anyone peace. Great purpose can be felt knowing your dog is completely relying on you. Just the feeling of total love your dog bestows on you will make your world a happier place. A dog can make your life complete. One cannot completely understand this statement if they don’t own a dog. A dog can and will make your life fuller, happier, safer, meaningful, and full of love. No wonder they call them man’s best friend.

Carrie Chapter Eleven

Billy offered her a ride home from school one afternoon a week later and she accepted. He was what the other kids called a white-soxer or a machine-shop Chuck. Yet something about him excited her and now, lying drowsily in this illicit bed (but with an awakening sense of excitement and pleasurable fear), she thought it might have been his car – at least at the start. It was a million miles from the machine-stamped, anonymous vehicles of her fraternity dates with their ventless windows, fold-up steering wheels, and vaguely unpleasant smell of plastic scat covers and windshield solvent. Billy's car was old, dark, somehow sinister, the windshield was milky around the edges, as if a cataract was beginning to form. The seats were loose and unanchored. Beer bottles clicked and rolled in the back (her fraternity dates drank Budweiser; Billy and his friends drank Rheingold), and she had to place her feet around a huge, grease-clotted Craftsman toolkit without a lid. The tools inside were of many different makes, and she suspected that many of them were stolen. The car smelled of oil and gas. The sound of straight pipes came loudly and exhilaratingly through the thin floorboards. A row of dials slung under the dash registered amps, oil pressure, and tach (whatever that was). The back wheels were jacked and the hood seemed to point at the road. And of course he drove fast. On the third ride home one of the bald front tyres blew at sixty miles an hour, the car went into a screaming slide and she shrieked aloud, suddenly positive of her own death. An image of her broken, bloody corpse, thrown against the base of a telephone pole like a pile of rags, flashed through her mind like a tabloid photograph. Billy cursed and whipped the fuzz-covered steering wheel from side to side. They came to a stop on the left-hand shoulder, and when she got out of the car on knees that threatened to buckle at every step, she saw that they had left a looping trail of scorched rubber for seventy feet Billy was already opening the trunk, pulling out a jack and muttering to himself. Not a hair was out of place. He passed her, a cigarette already dangling from the corner of his mouth. ‘Bring that toolkit, babe.' She was flabbergasted. Her mouth opened and closed twice, like a beached fish, before she could get the words out. ‘I-I will not! You almost k-you-almost-you crazy bastard! Besides, it's dirty!' He turned around and looked at her, his eyes flat. ‘You bring it or I ain't taking you to the fuckin fights tomorrow night.' ‘I hate the fights!' She had never been, but her anger and outrage required absolutes. Her fraternity dates took her to rock concerts, which she hated. They always ended up next to someone who hadn't bathed in weeks. He shrugged, went back to the front end, and began jacking. She brought the toolkit, getting grease all over a brandnew sweater. He grunted without turning around. His teeshirt had pulled out of his jeans, and the flesh of his back was smooth, tanned, alive with muscles. It fascinated her, and she felt her tongue creep into the corner of her mouth. She helped him pull the tyre of the wheel, getting her hands black. The car rocked alarmingly on the jack, and the spare was down to the canvas in two places. When the job was finished and she got back in, there were heavy smears of grease across both the sweater and the expensive red skirt she was wearing. ‘If you think-‘ she began as he got behind the wheel. He slid across the seat and kissed her, his hands moving heavily on her, from waist to breasts. His breath was redolent of tobacco; there was the smell of Brylcreem and sweat. She broke it at last and stared down at herself, gasping for breath. The sweater was blotted with road grease and dirt now. Twenty-seven-fifty in Jordan Marsh and it was beyond anything but the garbage can. She was intensely, almost painfully excited. ‘How are you going to explain that?' he asked, and kissed her again. His mouth felt as if he might be grinning.' ‘Feel me,' she said in his car. ‘Feel me all over. Get me dirty.' He did. One nylon split like a gaping mouth. Her skirt, short to begin with, was pushed rudely up to her waist. He groped greedily, with no finesse at all. And something – perhaps that, perhaps the sudden brush with death – brought her to a sudden, jolting orgasm. She had gone to the fights with him. ‘Quarter to eight,' he said, and sat up in bed. He put on the lamp and began to dress, His body still fascinated her. She thought of last Monday night, and how it had been. He had (no) Tune enough to think of that later, maybe, when it would do something for her besides cause useless arousal. She swung her own legs over the edge of the bed and slid into gossamer panties. ‘Maybe it's a bad idea,' she said, not sure if she was testing him or herself. ‘Maybe we ought to just get back into bed and-‘ ‘It's a good idea,' he said, and a shadow of humour crossed his face. ‘Pig blood for a pig.' ‘What?' ‘Nothing. Come on. Get dressed.' She did, and when they left by the back stairs she could feel a large excitement blooming, like a rapacious and night-flowering vine, in her belly. From My Name Is Susan Snell (p. 45): You know, I'm not as sorry about all of it as people seem to think I should be. Not that they say it right out; they're the ones who always say how dreadfully sorry they are. That's usually just before they ask for my autograph. But they expect you to be sorry. They expect you to get weepy, to wear a lot of black, to drink a little too much or take drugs. They say things like: ‘Oh, it's such a shame. But you know what happened to her-‘ and blah, blah, blah. But sorry is the Kool-Aid of human emotions. It's what you say when you spill a cup of coffee or throw a gutterball when you're bowling with the girls in the league. True sorrow is as rare as true love. I'm not sorry that Tommy is dead any more. He seems too much like a daydream I once had. You probably think that's cruel, but there's been a lot of water under the bridge since Prom Night. And I'm not sorry for my appearance before The White Commission. I told the truth – as much of it as I knew. But I am sorry for Carrie. They've forgotten her, you know. They've made her into some kind of a symbol and forgotten that she was a human being, as real as you reading this, with hopes and dreams and blah, blah, blah. Useless to tell you that, I suppose. Nothing can change her back now from something made out of newsprint into a person. But she was, and she hurt. More than any of us probably know, she hurt. And so I'm sorry and I hope it was good for her, that prom. Until the terror began, I hope it was good and fine and wonderful and magic †¦ Tommy pulled into the parking lot beside the high school's new wing, let the motor idle for just a second, and then switched it of. Carrie sat on her side of the seat, holding her wrap around her bare shoulders. It suddenly seemed to her that she was living in a dream of hidden intentions and had just become aware of the fact. What could she be doing? She had left Momma alone. ‘Nervous?' He asked, and she jumped. ‘Yes.' He laughed and got out. She was about to open the door when he opened it for her. ‘Don't be nervous,' he mid. ‘You're like Galatea.' ‘Who?' ‘Galatea. We read about her in Mr Evers' class. She turned from a drudge into a beautiful woman and nobody even knew her.' She considered it. ‘I want them to know me,' she said finally. ‘I don't blame you. Come on.' George Dawson and Frieda Jason were standing by the Coke machine. Frieda was in an orange tulle concoction, and looked a little like a tuba. Donna Thibodeau was taking tickets at the door along with David Bracken. They were both National Honour Society members, part of Miss personal Gestapo, and they wore white slacks and red blazers – the school colours. Tina Blake and Norma Watson were handing out programmes and seating people inside according to their chart Both of them were dressed in black, and Carrie supposed they thought they were very chic, but to her they looked like cigarette girls in an old gangster movie. All of them turned to look at Tommy and Carrie when they came in, and for a moment there was a stiff, awkward silence. Carrie felt a strong urge to wet her lips and controlled it. Then George Dawson said: ‘Gawd, you look queer, Ross.' Tommy smiled. ‘When did you come out of the treetops, Bomba?' Dawson lurched forward with his fists up, and for a moment Carrie felt stark terror. In her keyed-up state, she came within an ace of picking George up and throwing him across the lobby. Then she realized it was an old game, often played, well-loved. The two of them sparred in a growing circle. Then George, who had been tagged twice in the ribs, began to gobble and yell:- ‘Kill them Congs! Get them Gooks! Pongee sticks! Tiger cages!' and Tommy collapsed his guard, laughing. ‘Don't let it bother you,' Frieda said, tilting her letteropener nose and strolling over. ‘If they kill each other, I'll dance with you.' ‘They look too stupid to kill,' Carrie ventured. ‘Like dinosaurs.' And when Frieda grinned, she felt something very old and rusty loosen inside her. A warmth came with At. Relief. Ease. ‘Where'd you buy your dress?' Frieda asked. ‘I love it.' ‘I made it.' ‘Made it?' Frieda's eyes opened in unaffected surprise. ‘No shit!' Carrie felt herself blushing furiously. ‘Yes I did. I †¦ I like to sew. I got the material at John's in Andover. The pattern is really quite easy.' ‘Come on,' George said to all of them in general. ‘Band's gonna start.' He rolled his eyes and went through a limber, satiric buck-and-wing. ‘Vibes, vibes, vibes. Us Gooks love them big Fender viyyybrations.' When they went in, George was doing impressions of Flash Bobby Pickett and mugging. Carrie was telling Freida about her dress, and Tommy was grinning, hands stuffed in his pockets. Spoiled the lines of his dinner jacket Sue would be telling him, but fuck it, it seems to be working. So far it was working fine. He and George and Frieda had less than two hours to live. From The Shadow Exploded (p. 132): The White Commission's stand on the trigger of the whole affair – two buckets of pig blood on a beam over the stage – seems to be overly weak and vacillating, even in light of the scant concrete proof. If one chooses to believe the hearsay evidence of Nolan's immediate circle of friends (and to be brutally frank, they do not seem intelligent enough to lie convincingly), then Nolan took this part of the conspiracy entirely out of Christine Hargensen's hands and acted on his own initiative †¦ He didn't talk when he drove; he liked to drive. The operation gave him a feeling of power that nothing could rival, not even fucking. The road unrolled before them in photographic blacks and whites, and the speedometer trembled just past seventy. He came from what the social workers called a broken home; his father had taken off after the failure of a badly managed gas-station venture when Billy was twelve, and his mother had four boyfriends at last count. Brucie was in greatest favour right now. He was a Seagram's 7 man. She was turning into one ugly bag, too. But the car: the car fed him power and glory from its own mystic lines of force. It made him someone to be reckoned with, someone with mana. It was not by accident that he had done most of his balling in the back seat. The car was his slave and his god. It gave, and it could take away. Billy had used it to take away many times. On long, sleepless nights when his mother and Brucie were fighting, Billy made popcorn and went out cruising for stray dogs. Some mornings he let the car roll, engine dead, into the garage he had constructed behind the house with its front bumper dripping. She knew his habits well enough by now and did not bother making conversation that would simply be ignored anyway. She sat beside him with one leg curled under her, gnawing a knuckle. The fights of the cars streaking past them on 302 gleamed softly in her hair, streaking it silver. He wondered how long she would last. Maybe not long after tonight. Somehow it had all led to this, even the early part, and when it was done the glue that had held them together would be thin and might dissolve, leaving them to wonder how it could have been in the first place. He thought she would start to look less like a goddess and more like the typical society bitch again, and that would make him want to belt her around a little. Or maybe a lot. Rub her nose in it. They breasted the Brickyard Hill and there was the high school below them, the parking lot filled with plump, glistening daddies' cars. He felt the familiar gorge of disgust and hate rise in his throat. We'll give them something (a night to remember) all right. We can do that. The classroom wings were dark and silent and deserted; the lobby was lit with a standard yellow glow, and the bank of glass that was the gymnasium's east side glowed with a soft, orangey light that was ethereal, almost ghostly. Again the bitter taste, and the urge to throw rocks. ‘I see the lights, I see the party fights,' he murmured. ‘Huh?' She turned to him, startled out of her own thoughts. ‘Nothing.' He touched the nape of her neck. ‘I think I'm gonna let you pull the string.' Billy did it by himself, because he knew perfectly well that he could trust nobody else. That had been a hard lesson, much harder than the ones they taught you in school, but he had learned it well. The boys who had gone with him to Henty's place the night before had not even known what he wanted the blood for. They probably suspected Chris was involved, but they could not even be sure of that. He drove to the school minutes after Thursday night had become Friday morning and cruised by twice to make sure it was deserted and neither of Chamberlain's two police cars was in the area. He drove into the parking lot with his lights off and swung around in back of the building. Further back, the football field glimmered beneath a thin membrane of ground fog. He opened the trunk and unlocked the ice chest. The blood had frozen solid, but that was all right. It would have the next twenty-four hours to thaw. He put the buckets on the ground, then got a number of tools from his kit. He stuck them in his back pocket and grabbed a brown bag from the seat. Screws clinked inside. He worked without hurry, with the easeful concentration of one who is unable to conceive of interruption. The gym where the dance was to be held was also the school auditorium, and the small row of windows looking toward where he had parked opened on the backstage storage area. He selected a flat tool with a spatulate end and slid it through the small jointure between the upper and lower panes of one window. It was a good tool. He had made it himself in the Chamberlain metal shop. He wriggled it until the window's slip lock came free. He pushed the window up and slid in. It was very dark. The predominant odour was of old paint from the Dramatic Club canvas flats. The gaunt shadows of Band Society music stands and instrument cases stood around like sentinels. Mr Downer's piano stood in one corner. Billy took a small flashlight out of the bag and made his way to the stage and stepped through the red velvet curtains. The gym floor, with its painted basketball lines and highly varnished surface, glimmered at him like an amber lagoon. He shone his light on the apron in front of the curtain. There, in ghostly chalk fines, someone had drawn the floor silhouette of the King and Queen thrones which would be placed the following day. Then the entire apron would be strewn with paper flowers †¦ why, Christ only knew. He craned his neck and shone the beam of his light up into the shadows. Overhead, girders crisscrossed in shadowy lines. The girders over the dance floor had been sheathed in crepe paper, but the arm directly over the apron hadn't been decorated. A short draw curtain obscured the girders up there, and they were invisible from the gym Floor. The draw curtain also hid a bank of lights that would highlight the gondola mural. Billy turned off the flashlight, walked to the left-hand edge of the apron, and mounted a steel-runged ladder bolted to the wall. The contents of his brown bag, which he had tucked into his shirt for safety, jingled with a strange, hollow jolliness in the deserted gymnasium. At the top of the ladder was a small platform. Now, as he faced outward toward the apron, the stage flies were to his right, the gym itself on his left. In the flies the Dramatic Club props were stored, some of them dating back to the 1920s. A bust of Pallas, used in some ancient dramatic version of Poe's ‘Me Raven,' stared at Billy with blind, floating eyes from atop a rusting bedspring Straight ahead, a steel girder ran out over the apron. Lights to be used against the mural were bolted to the bottom of it. He stepped out on to it and walked effortlessly, without fear, over the drop. He was humming a popular tune under his breath. The beam was inch-thick with dust, and he left long shuffling tracks. Halfway he stopped, dropped to his knees, and peered down. Yea. With the help of his light he could make out the chalk lines of the apron directly below. He made a soundless whistling. (bombs away) He X'd the precise spot in the dust, then beam-walked back to the platform. No one would be up here between now and the Ball; the lights that shone on, the mural and on the apron where the King and Queen would be crowned (they'll get crowned an right) were controlled from a box backstage. Anyone looking up from directly below would be blinded by those same lights. His arrangements would be noticed only if someone went up into the flies for something. He didn't believe anyone would. It was an acceptable risk. He opened the brown bag and took out a pair of Playtex rubber gloves, put them on, and then took out one of two small pulleys he had purchased yesterday. He had gotten them at a hardware store in Boxford, just to be safe. He popped a number of nails into his mouth like cigarettes and got the hammer. Still humming around his mouthful of nails, he fixed the pulley neatly in the corner above the platform. Beside it he fixed a small eyehole screw. He went back down the ladder, crossed backstage, and climbed another ladder not far from where he had come in. He was in the loft – sort of a catchall school attic. Here there were stacks of old yearbooks, moth-eaten athletic uniforms, and ancient textbooks that had been nibbled by mice. Looking left, he could shine his light over the stage flies and spotlight the pulley he had just put up. Turning right, cool night air played on his face, from a vent in the wall. Still humming, he took out the second pulley and nailed it up. He went back down, crawled out the window he had forced, and got the two buckets of pig blood. He had been about his business for a half hour, but it showed no signs of thawing. He picked the buckets up and walked back to the window, silhouetted in the darkness like a farmer coming back from the first milking. He lifted them inside and went in after. Beam-walking was easier with a bucket in each hand for balance. When he reached his dust-marked X, he put the buckets down, peered at the chalk marks on the apron once more, nodded, and walked back to the platform. He thought about wiping the buckets on his last trip out to them – Kenny's prints would be on them, Don's and Steve's as well – but it was better not to. Maybe they would have a little surprise on Saturday morning. The thought made his lips quirk. The last item in the bag was a coil of jute twine. He walked back out to the buckets and tied the handles of both with running slipknots. He threaded the screw, then the pulley. He threw the uncoiling twine across to the left, and then threaded that one. He probably would not have been amused to know that, in the gloom of the auditorium, covered and streaked with decades-old dust, grey kitties flying dreamily about his crow's nest hair, he looked like a hunched, half-mad Rube Goldberg intent upon creating the better mousetrap. He piled the slack twine on top of a stack of crates within reach of the vent. He climbed down for the last time and dusted off his hands. The thing was done. He looked out the window, then wriggled through and thumped to the ground. He closed the window, reinserted his jimmy, and closed the lock as far as he could. Then he went back to his car. Chris said chances were good that Tommy Ross and the White bitch would be the ones under the buckets; she had been doing a little quiet promoting among her friends That would be good, if it happened. But, for Billy, any of the others would be all right too. He was beginning to think that it would be all right if it was Chris herself. He drove away. From My Name Is Susan Snell (p. 48): Carrie went to see Tommy the day before the prom. She was waiting outside one of his classes and he said she looked really wretched, as if she thought he'd yell at her to stop hanging around and stop bugging him. She said she had to be in by eleven-thirty at the latest, or her momma would be worried. She said she wasn't going to spoil his time or anything, but it wouldn't be fair to worry her momma.

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Individual Strategic Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Individual Strategic Plan - Essay Example Strategic planning is a continuous process which is aimed at evaluating the manner in which the firm carries out its various business activities and incorporate changes in them from time to time according to the needs and demands of the market. It could be defined as the process by which organizations and firms can envision their future and develop appropriate plans and policies to reach their final goals by taking into consideration the various internal as well as external factors and by utilizing the resources available to them. A successful strategy, often leads to creation of a model philosophy, which could be implemented in its business activities and becomes an inevitable part of the organizational culture. It helps the organization in identifying its long term objectives, and devise action programs accordingly to address the various issues identified by it, prioritize those issues and proceed to achieve a sustainable business development through implementation of managerial po licies after taking into consideration such factors as the various strengths and weaknesses of the organization, intended economic contribution to be made to its stakeholders, and considering appropriate investment options in order to achieve a competitive advantage over the other major players in the industry. attempts to achieve a long term sustainable advantage in each of its businesses by responding properly to the opportunities and threats in the firm’s environment and the strengths and weaknesses of the organization; In order to develop a competitive strategic policy the organization should ascertain whether the policy defined addresses all the relevant issues that it might have to face in the future, the expected change in the overall business environment in the next decade, whether the strategic plan takes into consideration the

The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing Essay

The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing - Essay Example In this way, both consumer research and statistics are found involved in marketing operation. This study is going to explore of how consumer research and statistics are important to marketing. The importance in terms of application and the outcome will be explored and described in this study. The objective here is to understand the relationships between marketing and consumer research and between marketing and statistics altogether. Importance of Consumer Research and Statistics in Marketing During marketing operation, strategists and marketers are keen to understand their consumers. They are deliberately in search of knowing their consumers’ perception, behaviors and their buying attitudes which help the marketers to bring effective marketing campaigns and strategies (Roosi and Allenby). For this comprehensive knowing and understanding, marketers plan the operation of consumer research which digs out all the information pertinent to consumers and their behaviors. Decisively, consumer needs and wants are uncovered through market consumer research (Mazzocchi). Consumer research basically gives the manifestation about how customers behave and what are their levels of motivations towards specific products or services. This research sets the direction for marketers that they bring a comprehensive marketing strategy, which is closer to consumers’ behaviors and their buying choices (Mazzocchi 10). ... Marketers conduct consumer research in order to understand the dynamics of a particular market. Definitely, each market has a distinctive background and which modifies or changes with the aspect of time and with the changes in attributes and characteristics of consumers present in that market (Mazzocchi). For understanding the varying dimensions of a market, the varying dimensions of consumers are important to be known, which is only possible by conducting effective consumer research and consumer diagnosis. Without studying the market and consumers trends, a marketer cannot devise a sound workable marketing strategy (Roosi and Allenby). The strategy, which can impact the dynamics of a market and can attract diverse market consumer, may certainly require a comprehensive consumer research. For all these reasons, marketers consider consumer research as a significant part of marketing planning. They realize that without consumer research, marketing plans cannot be effectuated or even ini tialized. A well-organized consumer research is actually a source to ideate a well-incorporated marketing plan. This indicates that strategically and distinctively there is a significant relationship between consumer research and marketing. Without consumer research marketing is incomplete and similarly without marketing consumer research is reasonless or futile. This shows a certain sort of connection between marketing and consumer research. Both are part of each other and so are dependent on each other (Mazzocchi 30). In marketing, the core objective of consumer research is to gather consumer related information. This process of information collection in consumer research is made possible by means of statistical models and techniques. There are different

Organizational learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational learning - Essay Example It is suggested that â€Å"organizations should operate themselves as experimenting or self-designing and should maintain themselves in a state of frequent, nearly continuous change in structures, processes, domains, goals, etc., even in the face of apparent optimal adaptation. This view takes into account how learning is achieved but does not consider the individual learner. Some organizations go through major changes more frequently than others, particularly when they are new entrants into an industry and in the so called learning stage. This is perfectly acceptable and even expected. However, there comes a time when new organizations settle into processes and procedures that have been perfected or improved over time. After having gone through numerous changes, there are individuals who may not be able to withstand or go through many more changes. They may believe that the current procedures are highly effective and do not need to be changed. They might become restless, irritable or most importantly, resistant to further change. For some learners, there is a limit to how much learning and behavioral change that can be processed within a certain time frame. Much of this depends on the individual learning style and specific characteristics of the learner. Huber’s assertion rests on the assumption that for an organization to behave as though it is in a constant state of change, all those within the organization who must attain some type of learning will always be open to new information or ideas.

Oklahoma City Essay Example for Free

Oklahoma City Essay This paper will describe the historical geography of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma’s states capital. There are several sections to this assignment, which starts with the original settlers in this city, their motivation to inhabit the area and research on their ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. The paper then progresses to describe the economy basis in the early years, its development over the years and the changes in the population, socio-economic, physical and cultural background, which appeals to tourists. At the finale of this essay, they will be a segment which highlights the well-known personalities which were born in Oklahoma City and their corresponding achievements. It took approximately 100 years from its day of birth on April 22 1889 for Oklahoma City to be the metropolitan it is today. Oklahoma was first recorded in history in the year 1541, when they were the home to Plains Indian tribe, consisting of Osage, Kiowa, Apache and Comanche (Gibson, 1965). Subsequently, in the year 1803, the United States purchased Oklahoma as a piece of the Louisiana Purchase. Seventeen years later, the federal government forced the Five Civilized Tribes to leave their homeland in southeastern United States, such as Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi River to other parts of the country, namely Oklahoma. Gibson (1965) in his book Oklahoma: The History of Five Centuries also detailed the Trail of Tears in 1838 in which many men, women and children were forced to walk a torturous journey to Oklahoma, and some even lost their lives. Here we notice the changeover of settlers from the Plains Indians Tribe to the Five Tribes and upon this settlement, Oklahoma became an Indian Territory. Cultural, Ethnic Religious Background The Five Tribes relied primarily on maize agriculture, fishing and hunting. Households generally included the extended families with kinship based on matrilineal clean system. Temple architectures, ceremonial centers and elaborate rituals such as the Corn Dance existed, as a tribute to the growing of corn and respect to the Sun. They also made traditional crafts such as coiled pottery, natural fiber blankets and articles of shaped copper (Stein Hill, 1993). The next settlers who made Oklahoma their home were the cowboys. Coming from their home in Texas, they were out to sell beef to the East Coast where there was a huge demand for it. They soon realized that that fastest way to get to their final destination was to cut through Oklahoma, which was not only closer to the railroads; it was also an excellent location to rear cattle. The cowboys began to research and found out that there was a piece of land which was not a part of the Indian Territory: the Unassigned Lands. Finally on April 22 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed a legislation that opened up the 2 million acres of Unassigned Lands to these settlers. Oklahoma was officially the nation’s 46th state on November 16 1907, when the Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory merged (Baird, 1994). Economical and Social Development Oklahoma City started with approximately 10,000 people in 1800’s, and a drastic increase to 718737 in 1970, and 1,143,404 people in 2005. By the year 1900, Oklahoma Territory had slightly more than 19,000,000 acres which were used for cultivation. Oklahoma’s another source of income started off with agriculture, which begin in a small way and in the early 1900’s, nearly every farmer owned cattle which they could sell for an annual income and also for supply for food. This immense development in agriculture and stock rising fascinated many people from the neighboring states (Dale Wardell, 1948). Many believed that oil was the main reason for the influx in people and money, from the early 1900 till sometime around the 1960s. The City suffered the biggest hit in the 1960s’ when the oil supply started to draw to a close. After the oil-dominated days, Oklahoma City started to diversity with a great selection of businesses, such as agriculture, aviation, healthcare and manufacturing. Among the facts to illustrate Oklahoma’s high points is that it is the home to approximately 150 Fortune 500 facilities, such as ATT, Sonic, OGE Energy and Oklahoma Publishing Company. Oklahoma is also the largest tire producing state in the country, and Oklahoma’s Aviation and Aerospace industry employs over 143000 employees and generates 10% of the states industrial output (First Commercial Real Estates Corporation, 2003). Being the nations major processing centers for an assortment of ranch products, the metropolis is abode to the worlds prime stocker and feeder cattle market. Farm animals are also big industry in Oklahoma City, extending back to the state’s days as a key cattle center and access to westward development. The city is known as the Horse Show Capital of the World for the nine major national and international horse shows held annually. Further current and upcoming businesses include fabricated metal, computers, clothing lines, oil-field gears, crude oil, distribution and food processing. Oklahoma City’s Current Landscape Oklahoma City Museum of Art and Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum are the two most prominent tourist attractions today. The storyline for the museum represents the instances following to the bombing, investigation and capture of bomber, Timothy McVeigh. Tourists also get to revisit another piece of history at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum which has a huge collection of materials from the Wild West, pictures and monuments and the Rodeo Hall of Fame. The Frontier City in Oklahoma is a rebuilt 1880s Oklahoma settlement and an amusement park. It has more than 50 rides, such as roller coasters and water rides. It also prides itself with the live shows and musical reviews. Personalities from Oklahoma City There are numerous personalities who were born or lived Oklahoma city, amongst them are James Garner, Bill Goldberg, Vince Gill, Tisha Campbell, Thomas P Stafford, Shannon Miller, Dennis Weaver and Ralph Ellison (Wikipedia, 2007). For the purpose of this paper, three personalities will be highlighted: James Garner, Shannon Lee Miller and Tisha Campell-Martin. James Garner is a well-known actor who has starred in films including The Great Escape and the Americanization of Emily. He was also the proud owner of American International Racers (AIR) from 1967 to 1969 (Alvey, 2007). Shannon Lee Miller is gymnast from Oklahoma who has won more than 15 medals. Miller does Oklahoma City proud by being the first and only American gymnast to be the World All-Around Champion for two consecutive years from 1993. However in 2000, she broke her leg and lost out on an opportunity to be in the Olympic team for the third time. Since then, Miller has turned to the academics and is currently pursuing a degree in law (People Magazine, 2006) . Tisha Campbell-Martin, the â€Å"My Wife and Kids† fame was born in Oklahoma City, but grew up in Newark and subsequently entered the show-business with several notable performances. She enrolled in the American Film Institute and the Writer’s Boot Camp to expand on her current skillsets and went on to produce a short film titled ‘A Luv Tale’ which won the Audience Choice Award in the Black Hollywood Film Festival. She and husband Duane Martin currently reside in California with their six year old son. Campbell has now ventured into writing- her latest projects being a cookbook and a novel (IMDB, 2007).

Nuclear Weapons In The Middle East Politics Essay

Nuclear Weapons In The Middle East Politics Essay Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction which are capable of wiping out an unimaginably large number of people. Today, five member nations, the United States of America, Russia, United Kingdom, France and the Peoples Republic of China are internationally recognized as nuclear weapons nations by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and are thus permitted to possess nuclear weapons. Two non-signatory members, India and Pakistan also possess these weapons and have conducted nuclear weapon tests. In addition to these seven members, Israel is strongly suspected of possessing nuclear weapons although it has neither confirmed it nor denied it. There is also speculation the Iran might be running a covert nuclear weapons program. Finally, North Korea has publicly declared itself to be in possession of nuclear weapons but this fact has never been confirmed as it has not conducted any substantial nuclear tests. There is an urgent need to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons across the world as they pose a great threat to international security and their usage could lead to catastrophe. Today, this issue is especially relevant to North Korea and the Middle East where the lack of agreements and the prevalence of ambiguities regarding nuclear programs is becoming an issue of global concern. Countries associated with nuclear weapons3 Definition of Key Terms Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) The NPT is a treaty that came into force in 1970, in order to limit nuclear proliferation. It prohibits non nuclear weapon states from developing, possessing or acquiring nuclear weapons or explosives. The three pillars of the treaty are non proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Currently, it has not been signed by India, Pakistan and Israel. Nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons are extremely destructive and explosive weapons that derives its force through either fission reactions or both fission and fusion. Nuclear Proliferation Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as Nuclear Weapon States by the NPT. 1 Nuclear weapons free zone A Nuclear weapons free zone is a geographical area recognized by the United Nations that has banned the use and development of nuclear weapon technology and has put measures into place to check its implementation. Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear disarmament is a proposal to dismantle nuclear weapons in order to reduce the possibility of the occurrence of a nuclear war. Background Information The first nuclear weapon was invented by USA, Britain and Canada during the Second World War. USA remains the only country to have ever used it. Soon after, during the Cold War, the world saw the beginning of the nuclear arms race. Following the Second World War, Korea was divided into two geographical regions: the northern controlled by the Soviets and the southern controlled by USA. Also, Israel is believed to have begun investigating the nuclear field soon after it was founded in 1948. In the 1950s the nuclear program in Iran was established for peaceful purposes under the supervision of the United States. The Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) was signed in 1963 which banned the test of nuclear weapons underwater, in the atmosphere or in outer space. This treaty was not signed by China and France who are both nuclear weapons states today. The conflict between the communist North Korea and the capitalist South Korea has been going on since 1950 and there have been repeated failures to consolidate the two as one unified nation. Even today, the two countries have not officially made peace. Hence, ever since the 1970s, North Korea began its pursuit of acquiring nuclear weapons. In 1967, a CIA report claimed that Israel had the materials required to construct a bomb. In 1979, a US satellite reported a flash in the Indian Ocean that was similar to a nuclear denotation and could have possibly been a nuclear test conducted by Israel. It is speculated to be one of the apparently few joint nuclear tests conducted by South Africa and Israel. Minimal progress was made in nuclear disarmament until 1991 and the Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) was adopted in 1996 which banned all nuclear explosions in all environment for military or civilian testing. It was signed by 182 countries and ratified by 153 and was aimed at stopping the nuclear arms race. Iran ratified the NPT in 1970s which subjected it to IAEA inspections. Today, the main reason for suspicion of Irans nuclear program is its failure to declare sensitive enrichment and reprocessing activities to the IAEA. In 1992, North Korea entered a safe guards agreement under Article 3 of the NPT which allowed IAEA inspectors to inspect North Koreas nuclear materials. In 1993, North Korea threatened to withdraw from the NPT which it had acceded to earlier. However, this did not ultimately happen as USA and North Korea came to an agreement by which North Korea would suspend all nuclear reactors in exchange for in exchange for alternative energy resources. North Korea withdrew from the IAEA in 1994 and launched a missile over the Sea of Japan in 1998 which caused USA to review its policies towards the country. Relations between the two countries remained turbulent. In 2002, the North Korean Deputy Secretary apparently acknowledged the existence of a covert nuclear-weapons development program. North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and in response; the US launched six way talks about the issue with North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. North Korea, once again, agreed to abandon all nuclear weapon activities. However, like previous agreements, North Korea did not commit to it. It declared that it had nuclear weapons and withdrew from the six party talks in 2005. In October, 2006 North Korea announced plans for its first nuclear test. North Korea did conduct an explosive underground test but there are doubts as to whether it really was a nuclear test since the magnitude of the blast was less than expected. As far as Iran is concerned, in March 2010, Iran declared itself as a nuclear state and president Ahmadinejad announced I want to announce with a loud voice here that the first consignment of 20 percent enriched uranium was produced and was put at the disposal of the scientists. However, Iran reiterated that it will use this only for peaceful purposes. We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we dont enrich (to this level) because we dont need it. Evidently, there has been a great turn of events regarding the development and legitimacy of nuclear weapons in North Korea, Iran and Israel. A clear agreement in the case of all three countries has yet to be formed. General Overview Nuclear Deterrence The argument of those who possess nuclear weapons is that it enables them to ward off or deter nuclear or conventional attack through threat of disastrous retaliation. This could be incentive to possess nuclear weapons. DPRK has been accused of using nuclear weapons as a political tool to normalize relations with USA, Japan, and South Korea and to end the embargo against North Korea. North Korea will thus be unwilling to give up nuclear weapons without substantial concessions from USA and South Korea, among others. On the other hand, Iran has entirely denied seeking nuclear weapons for retaliation or nuclear deterrence. Transfer One of the greatest concerns with nuclear weapons is that it could end up in the wrong hands. Not only could countries possessing them sell them to others, thus encouraging nuclear proliferation, but nuclear weapons could also be sold to or stolen by non-state actors. If such a situation were to arise, it would have severe implications on the national security of several countries. For instance, DPRK has refrained from selling its nuclear weapons and materials. However, in the case of harsh sanctions being imposed on the country, it could retaliate and sell its nuclear weapons. Out of this fear, China has prevented the Security Council from authorizing the use of force or imposing truly harsh sanctions on the country. Similarly, in 1975, there were rumors that Israel offered to sell its nuclear weapons to South Africa. Israel has vehemently denied the claim. Israel-Iran Relations The turbulent relationship between Israel and Iran dates back to the Islamic Revolution in the 1970s. Both countries are suspected of having a nuclear weapons program and blame each other for threatening the security of the Middle East by doing so. Irans extreme hostility towards USA and Israel is probably the reason that has caused many to consider Iran to be the greatest threat in the Middle East. Iran itself is not a democracy and does not recognize the right to freedom of speech and expression. In addition, it refuses to acknowledge Israel as a country and refers to Israel as an occupied territory. However, many are angered at the fact that although there is no proof that Iran plans on developing nuclear weapons it is being faced with threats of dire consequences by the USA and Europe where as there is comparatively less pressure on Israel which is practicing opacity as far as its nuclear plan is concerned. On the other hand, seeing as Israel is a democracy, people believe that it can be trusted with its power. Israel also has a reputation of being relatively more reliable and predictable. It is considered less likely to misuse its nuclear weapons through and arbitrary attack. However, Israels intentional ambiguity regarding nuclear development in the country could be considered as a catalyst for the prospect of a nuclear arms race in the region. There are rumours that Israel may have up to 400 nuclear warheads. Egypt and 17 other Middle Eastern countries want Israels nuclear capabilities to be discussed with the IAEA since they have all signed the NPT and believe that Israels accession to the NPT is essential to establish regional peace. Israels current status is considered by some to be a provocation of nuclear proliferation. Israel refuses to sign the NPT without a comprehensive regional peace agreement as until then it requires its ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is important to note that although the world is split regarding who is to be blamed, both Israel and Iran are in a situation that can possibly lead to a destabilizing arms race in the Middle East and are key players in the possibility of establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East. Thus any agreement that does not involve the two countries will result in stalemate. Major Countries and Organizations Involved Israel Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is not a part of the NPT and is suspected by the IAEA to have nuclear weapons. Israel refuses to admit or deny possessing nuclear arsenal, or developing nuclear weapons and is using this ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is a good ally of USA and a hostile enemy of Iran. Iran Iran is a part of the NPT and strongly asserts that its nuclear technology, including enrichment is solely for civilian purposes but the IAEA has been unable to verify it. It is strongly suspected that the program is concealing the development of nuclear weapons. Iran claims that Israel is the only obstacle to establishing a nuclear weapons free zone and has stated its intentions to wipe Israel of the map. Iran has been subjected to four rounds of sanctions by the Security Council of the United Nation in order to urge it to halt its nuclear program. USA USA, today, has the largest quantity of nuclear weapons in the world but is trying to gradually cut them down under the Obama administration. It strongly condemns both North Korea and Iran for their nuclear program and is unwilling to accept either of the two as nuclear powers. China China has been reluctant to back the sanctions against Iran as it supports the Irans nuclear program for civilian use. It is believed to have helped Iran with its missile development programs. It is North Koreas most important ally, biggest trading partner and main source of food, arms and fuel. China has not expressed outright defiance against USA in order to protect its relations with the country and has supported some UN sanctions against Iran. Russia Russia believes that every nation has the right to self defense and therefore sees Irans nuclear program as legitimate. It has strong ties with Iran and has opposed unilateral sanction imposed on it by USA. However, Russia has urged Iran to change its stance. Russia has also been accused of assisting North Korea and Iran with their nuclear program. IAEA The IAEA is an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IAEA believes that every nation has the right to an authorized and monitored nuclear program for peaceful purposes; however, nations should not attempt to pursue nuclear weapons in any form. Timeline of Events Date Description of event 1945 USA conducts its first nuclear test 1946 Russia conducts its first nuclear test 1952 UK conducts its first nuclear test 1964 China conducts its first nuclear test 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty 1968 NPT signed 1974 Indias first nuclear test 1985 North Korea accedes to the NPT 1990 Frances first nuclear test December 31, 1991 North and South Korea sign the South-North Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. March 6, 1992 US imposes sanctions upon North Korea for missile proliferation activities September, 1992 IAEA inspectors discover discrepancies in North Koreas initial report on its nuclear program and ask for clarification on several issues, including the amount of reprocessed plutonium in North Korea. February 9, 1993 North Korea denies IAEA inspections of two sites believed to store nuclear waste. 1993 North Korea threatens to withdraw from the NPT 1994 Agreed Framework June 13, 1994 North Korea withdraws from NPT 1996 Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) adopted 1998 Pakistans first nuclear test Feb 15, 1994 North Korea permits IAEA inspections in 7 of its sites May 24, 1996 The United States imposes sanctions on North Korea and Iran for missile technology-related transfers April 25, 1999 The United States, South Korea, and Japan establish the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group to institutionalize close consultation and policy coordination in dealing with North Korea 4 2002 President G W Bush names North Korea as a member of the Axis of Evil October 16, 2002 US announces that North Korea has admitted to possessing nuclear weapons January 10, 2003 North Korea withdraws from NPT October 9, 2006 North Korea conducts an underground explosive test 2009 North Korea conducts another test Previous Attempts to solve the Issue Sanctions on Iran The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanction upon Iran in its resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803 and 1929. The UN Security Council began imposing sanctions on Iran since 2006, when it failed to comply with IAEA requirements and continued uranium enrichment activities. The sanctions have included bans on exports of nuclear, missile, and dual-use technologies; limiting travel by dozens of Iranian officials; and freezing the assets of forty individuals and entities, including Bank Sepah and various front companies.2 In addition, USA and EU have individually imposed further sanctions on Iran which have targeted its trade, finances and energy sector. Russia has supported the weaker Security Council sanctions against Iran but opposed the stronger ones imposed individually by the USA. It is against any unilateral sanctions and although a fourth round of sanctions was imposed, it faced resistance from Russia and China, both of which maintain strong economic ties with Iran. They opposed it due to their individual economic and political interests. According to critics, the lack of support from these two nations could have weakened the overall affect of the sanctions. The sanctions imposed are believed to have had limited success as Iran still holds an aggressive stance as to continuing its nuclear program and asserts that is it permitted to do so for civilian use as per the NPT. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said: The Iranian nation will not succumb to bullying, invasion and the violation of its rights.5 Talks with DPRK Several attempts have been made to establish a nuclear free Korean-peninsula but all efforts until today have been unsuccessful and DPRK has withdrawn from all treaties it has acceded to. This is probably because DRPK has only been signing treaties out of international pressure, not voluntarily. Agreed Framework The United States and North Korea signed the Agreed Framework on October 21, 1994 by which DPRK agreed to freeze operation and construction of nuclear reactors in exchange for two light water reactors and the relaxation of economic sanctions. The Agreed Framework resolved the ongoing 18 month crisis during which DRPK threatened to withdraw from the NPT. However, there were difficulties regarding the financing of reactors caused the plan to be behind schedule. Infuriated, DPRK violated the agreements which caused USA to persuade KEDO suspend shipments to the country. This marked the end of the agreement. In comparison to other attempts, this one probably had the greatest chance of success as it offered DPRK to end its nuclear program in exchange for realistic concessions made by other countries. Six Party Talks The six party concerning DPRKs nuclear program involved United States, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and, South Korea as was a result of North Korea withdrawing from the NPT in 2003. Until today, six rounds of the six party talks have been held. Due to the conflicting aims of the members involved, minimal progress was achieved. During the third phase of the fifth round, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel aid the normalization of relations with Japan and USA. These talks eventually ended when North Korea launched a satellite despite international pressure not to do so. It was believed to be a test of its prototype Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). In February 2005, North Korea declared that it had nuclear weapons for self defense and pulled out of the six party talks. DPRK expelled all nuclear inspectors and resumed its nuclear weapons program. Possible Solutions As evident from the past, Iran has been adamant about its position and the authenticity of its nuclear program. For any further progress to be made Iran and the West need to cooperate. Prior to creating any framework for agreements, Iran must be given recognition for its right to exist as an Islamic Republic, and its minimum security concerns must be acknowledged as legitimate. Thus, military strike either by USA or by Israel against Irans possible nuclear program would be disastrous as it would possibly cause Iran to retaliate which is a concern of global security and lead to regional catastrophe. The underlying problem in the Middle East crisis is the lack of trust and the increasing hostility between Iran and Israel. Solutions to resolve this issue should focus on reduce the fears of existential destruction that the two nations harbor towards each other. Iran must recognize the importance of moderating its bellicose stance whereas Israel checks its threats to attack Iran. In order to moderate any development of the negotiations between Israel and Iran, the Security Council should provide security guarantees to both countries and assess their concerns of security risks. Another way of addressing the issue would be to provide financial incentives to Iran; large enough to buy up the nuclear energy specialized for civilian use, if Iran completely halts its current nuclear program. One way of addressing the issue of North Korea would be to provide it with concessions such as providing it with substitute forms of energy for its civilian nuclear program and cutting back economic sanctions based on any agreement that has been reached upon. However, these are only possible if North Korea agrees to comply with any solutions reached upon. Although diplomacy is a great tool to resolve conflicts, many believe that as North Korea has repeatedly proved itself to be unreliable as far as agreements are concerned, a more aggressive option might be appropriate. However, it is important to note that any aggressive military action could possibly worsen matters. Constructive solutions would include measures to normalize relations between North Korea and all other states. As of today the most viable solution would be to establish a nuclear free zone in North Korea but it is difficult to implement. All problems that arise as a consequence of implementing such a solution must therefore also be addressed.

Why is Beowulf considered a hero? :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Why is Beowulf considered a hero? Many epics have been written and forgotten. Yet, the epic of Beowulf has stayed as one of the premiere examples of a heroic epic. This brings an inevitable question to mind. Why is Beowulf considered a hero? In the beginning of the story, a mythical monster named Grendel who is attacking King Hrothgar’s mead hall Herot. When Beowulf hears of this tragedy, he volunteers to go and fight the mythical beast. The author wrote, â€Å"So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find the bravest and the best of the Geats, fourteen In all.† Once Beowulf arrives, he is given a feast and then decides to stay in Herot overnight to confront Grendel. Grendel then arrives and kills one of the Geats before Beowulf can get into the battle. Beowulf then goes hand-to-hand against Grendel and ends up tearing off Grendel’s shoulder. Grendel then retreats to his lair to die. This is only a mere example of why Beowulf is a hero. After Beowulf tears off Grendel’s arm, he hangs it from the rafters of Herot. Grendel’s irate mother attacks Herot and takes her son’s arm and retreats back to her lair. Beowulf is called upon again to defeat this monster. Beowulf puts on his armour and takes the sword Hrunting and descends into the monster’s lair. Grendel’s mother quickly grabs Beowulf and takes him to the battle arena. Once there, Beowulf fights and finds his sword cannot pierce the monster’s hide. So once again, Beowulf throws his sword aside and fights hand-to-hand. Yet, he could not defeat her with his hands alone. Then Beowulf sees, â€Å"hanging on the wall, a heavy, Sword, hammered by giants, strong And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons.† Taking the sword and holding it high above his head he strikes the monster in the neck cutting deep into the skin, breaking bones and all. Thus ending his second heroic battle with a mythical beast and proving that he is indeed worthy of praise. Yet, this is not the greatest of his deeds. Then 50 years later an event occurs that undoubtedly classifies Beowulf as a hero. A dragon attacks Beowulf’s kingdom and his terrorizing his people. Rather than send warriors to fight the dragon, Beowulf goes himself to fight the dragon. Taking sword and shield he engages the beast in combat. However, Beowulf runs into complications with this beast, â€Å"the iron Shield, and for a time it held, protected Beowulf as he’d planned; then it began to melt. Why is Beowulf considered a hero? :: Epic of Beowulf Essay Why is Beowulf considered a hero? Many epics have been written and forgotten. Yet, the epic of Beowulf has stayed as one of the premiere examples of a heroic epic. This brings an inevitable question to mind. Why is Beowulf considered a hero? In the beginning of the story, a mythical monster named Grendel who is attacking King Hrothgar’s mead hall Herot. When Beowulf hears of this tragedy, he volunteers to go and fight the mythical beast. The author wrote, â€Å"So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find the bravest and the best of the Geats, fourteen In all.† Once Beowulf arrives, he is given a feast and then decides to stay in Herot overnight to confront Grendel. Grendel then arrives and kills one of the Geats before Beowulf can get into the battle. Beowulf then goes hand-to-hand against Grendel and ends up tearing off Grendel’s shoulder. Grendel then retreats to his lair to die. This is only a mere example of why Beowulf is a hero. After Beowulf tears off Grendel’s arm, he hangs it from the rafters of Herot. Grendel’s irate mother attacks Herot and takes her son’s arm and retreats back to her lair. Beowulf is called upon again to defeat this monster. Beowulf puts on his armour and takes the sword Hrunting and descends into the monster’s lair. Grendel’s mother quickly grabs Beowulf and takes him to the battle arena. Once there, Beowulf fights and finds his sword cannot pierce the monster’s hide. So once again, Beowulf throws his sword aside and fights hand-to-hand. Yet, he could not defeat her with his hands alone. Then Beowulf sees, â€Å"hanging on the wall, a heavy, Sword, hammered by giants, strong And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons.† Taking the sword and holding it high above his head he strikes the monster in the neck cutting deep into the skin, breaking bones and all. Thus ending his second heroic battle with a mythical beast and proving that he is indeed worthy of praise. Yet, this is not the greatest of his deeds. Then 50 years later an event occurs that undoubtedly classifies Beowulf as a hero. A dragon attacks Beowulf’s kingdom and his terrorizing his people. Rather than send warriors to fight the dragon, Beowulf goes himself to fight the dragon. Taking sword and shield he engages the beast in combat. However, Beowulf runs into complications with this beast, â€Å"the iron Shield, and for a time it held, protected Beowulf as he’d planned; then it began to melt.

Essay --

Plum Island is a fictional novel about a convalescing New York Police homicide detective named John Corey, who gets involved in a multiple murder investigation while he is supposed to be recovering from serious wounds. John is originally working as a consultant for the small township, where an old friend of his is the Chief of Police, but when he is relieved of this position, he continues the investigation on his own. Eventually the county detective assigned to solve the case, Beth Penrose, invites him to collaborate with her and the team solves the original double murder, and all of the murders committed by the same man, Frederic Tobin. John Corey is relaxing on his Uncle Harry's deck when Sylvester Maxwell, Chief of the local police, asks John to accompany him to the murder scene. Tom and Judy Gordon, biologists at the nearby Plum Island biological animal research center, and recent friends of John, have both been shot in the head on the deck of their home. John meets Detective Beth Penrose of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, Foster of the FBI, and a man named Ted Nash who says he is from the Department of Agriculture but turns out to be a CIA agent. The initial investigation focuses on the Gordons stealing a virus from the Plum Island facility and selling it to a foreign government. To this end, the team of Nash, Foster, John, Beth and Max are taken on a lengthy tour of the facility, including the uninhabited part of the island that contains a revolutionary war era abandoned fort. While on the tour, John and the team meet the head of security, Paul Stevens. They also learn that the Gordons were involved in researching a vaccine for Ebola, were amateur archeologists, and had free reign to bring their boat to and from work ... ... John and Beth take Tobin's boat to the ferry dock and Max meets them there. John heads for Manhattan to face the wrath of his NYPD supervisor. At his home, he finds a letter from the Gordons, written before their murder, verifying everything he has now discovered. John goes to meet with his supervisors and negotiate a way out of the trouble he is in for disobeying orders. The last chapter shows John teaching homicide investigation, as a retired police officer. It is several months after the Plum Island incident, and he misses the police force, but accepts what needed to happen. He is also unattached. John is surprised to se that Beth Penrose has enrolled in his class. She catches him up on the latest from Suffolk County, and is gently offering to be in his life again. While he initially resists, he announces to the class that he is taking her for drinks that night.

Challenges of Leadership Essay

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THE CHALLENGES OF LEADERSHIP? Being a leader is in itself a challenge. The challenges of leadership are really of three kinds: external, coming from people and situations; internal, stemming from within the leader himself; and those arising from the nature of the leadership role. EXTERNAL CHALLENGES It’s almost impossible to imagine a situation where a leader doesn’t have to cope with external challenges. In an organization, such issues as lack of funding and other resources, opposition from forces in the community, and interpersonal problems within the organization often rear their heads. Social, economic, and political forces in the larger world can affect the organization as well. To some extent, the measure of any leader is how well he can deal with the constant succession of crises and minor annoyances that threaten the mission of his group. If he is able to solve problems, take advantage of opportunities, and resolve conflict with an air of calm and a minimum of fuss, most of the external issues are hardly noticeable to anyone else. If the leader doesn’t handle external challenges well, the organization probably won’t, either. We’ve all seen examples of this, in organizations where everyone, from the director to the custodian, has a const antly worried look, and news is passed in whispers. When people feel that leaders are stressed or unsure, they themselves become stressed or unsure as well, and the emphasis of the group moves from its mission to the current worrisome situation. The work of the group suffers. INTERNAL CHALLENGES While leadership presents to each of us the opportunity to demonstrate the best of what we are, it also exposes our limitations. In many cases, good leaders have to overcome those limitations in order to transmit and follow their vision. Fear, lack of confidence, insecurity, impatience, intolerance (all can act as barriers to leadership. At the same time, acknowledging and overcoming them can turn a mediocre leader into a great one. It’s often very difficult for people, especially those who see themselves as leaders, to admit that they might have personality traits or personal characteristics that interfere with their ability to reach their goals. Part of good leadership is learning to accept the reality of those traits, and working to  change them so they don’t get in the way. Sometimes, what seems to be an advantage may present a challenge as well. A leader who’s extremely decisive may alienate followers by never consulting them, or by consistently ignoring their advice. A leader who’s terrific at developing relationships with others in the organization may be unable to tell someone when she’s not doing her job. Some characteristics can be double-edged swords, positive in some circumstances and negative in others. The real challenge is in knowing the difference, and adapting your behavior accordingly. CHALLENGES ARISING FROM LEADERSHIP ITSELF Real leadership makes great demands on people. As a leader, you are responsible for your group’s vision and mission, for upholding a standard, often for being the group’s representative to the rest of the world and its protector as well. These responsibilities might be shared, but in most organizations, one person takes the largest part of the burden. In addition to its responsibilities, leadership brings such challenges as motivating people – often without seeming to do so – and keeping them from stagnating when they’re doing well. Leaders also have to motivate themselves, and not just to seem, but actually to be, enthusiastic about what they’re doing. They have to be aware of serving their group and its members and all that that entails. In other words, they have to be leaders all the time. WHEN ARE THE CHALLENGES OF LEADERSHIP MOST OBVIOUS? One obvious – and correct – answer to this question is â€Å"all the time,† but in fact some times are more likely than others. Leadership is usually the most difficult when the situation is changing or unstable. When a grass roots group is doing well – gathering allies, getting its message across, attracting funding – no one much notices what the director does; but when something unexpected happens, she’s expected to take care of it, often in a very public way. Some particular times when challenges may arise: * When something new is about to start. When you’re beginning a new intervention, trying something different in a program that’s been running for a while, stepping up to another stage in your initiative, or hiring a new leader, no one is quite sure what’s going to happen. Systems and  relationships can break down, and it’s often a matter of leadership as to whether the new situation is successful or not. * When something is about to end. Often at the end of a school year, a particular project or initiative, a training period – anytime when something is coming to an end and things are, by definition, about to change – times get difficult. That may be because of a big push to get finished, or because it’s tough to tell what’s coming next, or because a close-knit group is splitting up. Whatever the reason, it often takes leadership skills to make sure that the project ends successfully, and everyone moves on to the next phase, wh atever that is. * When times are tough. If there’s not enough funding, or an organization or group is being publicly criticized, for instance, its leader usually has to try to solve the problem in some way: find money, reduce expenses, defuse the attacks. Leaders are tested when times are difficult. * During transitions. There are many ways in which a group can be in transition. It may go – because of a grant or because of other circumstances – from a loosely organized, grass roots collective to a much more formally structured organization. It might grow quickly†¦even too quickly. It might be losing some key people, or changing leaders. One of the most difficult tasks a leader faces is trying to keep a group stable through a period of change. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THAT MANY LEADERS FACE, AND HOW to COPE WITH THEM? EXTERNAL CHALLENGES The world surprises us at every turn, throwing up barriers where the way seems clear, and revealing broad highways where there seemed to be only brick walls. Both kinds of surprises – sometimes the positive more than the negative – present opportunities for exercising leadership, with all the challenges they entail. Some common situations that call for leaders to use their resources include: * Public criticism, especially uninformed criticism, of your group or mission. * Flare-ups of others’ interpersonal issues, either within the group or outside it. * Crises, which could be tied to finances, program, politics, public relations (scandals), legal concerns (lawsuits), even spiritual issues (loss of enthusiasm, low morale). * Disasters. These are different from crises, in that, in a crisis, something important (usually negative, but not always) seems to be  happening, and you’re trying to control the situation. In a disaster, the worst has already happened, and you’re trying to deal with that in some way. * Opposition and/or hostility from powerful forces (business groups, local government, an influential organization, etc.) * A financial or political windfall. Sometimes an unexpected benefit can be harder to handle than a calamity. * Collaboration with another group or organization may call upon a leader to define clearly the boundaries within which he can operate, and to balance the needs of his own group with those of the collaborative initiative as a whole. HOW TO COPE WITH EXTERNAL CHALLENGES Be proactive. Regardless of the situation, it’s important for leaders to do something. Waiting is occasionally the right strategy, but even when it is, it makes a group nervous to see its leader apparently not exercising some control. Be creative. Try to think â€Å"outside the box,† i.e. in unexpected but effective ways. If disaster has struck (you’ve just lost a major source of funding, perhaps ), how can you turn what looks like the end of the world into a new beginning? Can you change the way the organization operates to deal with the loss? Can you use the fact that you’re about to lose services to gain community and political support? Is this an opportunity to diversify your funding? Can you expand your horizons and your reach through collaboration? Don’t just look at the obvious, but consider a situation from all perspectives, and search for unusual ways to make things work. An important piece of information, one that’s often quoted in community work, but which can’t be overstated: the Chinese character for â€Å"crisis† combines the characters for â€Å"danger† and â€Å"opportunity.† Face conflict squarely. This doesn’t mean come out fighting, but rather identify and acknowledge the conflict, and work to resolve it. This is true both for conflict within your group, and conflict between the group and others outside it. Far too many people, leaders included, act as if conflict doesn’t exist, because they find it difficult or frightening to deal with. As a result, it only grows worse, and by the time it erupts, it may be nearly impossible to resolve. If  it’s faced early, nearly any conflict can be resolved in a way that is beneficial for everyone involved. It’s a function of leadership to have the courage to name the conflict and work on it. Always look for common ground. If there’s opposition to what you’re doing, it may only be to one specific part of it, or may be based on misunderstanding. There are few groups or individuals who don’t have some common interests. If you can find those, you may have a basis for solving problems and making it possible for people to work together. Retain your objectivity. If you’re mediating a conflict within the organization, don’t take sides, even if you think you know one side is right. That will come out if you mediate objectively and well.If you’re faced with detractors or opposition, don’t automatically assume they’re villains. What are their concerns, and why do they disagree with what you’re doing? Don’t get sucked into a fight unless there’s really no alternative. Even rabid opposition can often be overcome through a combination of respect, political pressure, and creative problem solving. When you do feel you have to fight, pick your battles carefully. Make sure you have the resources – money, political and other allies, volunteer help, whatever you need – to sustain conflict. Battles can advance your cause, or they can kill your initiative once and for all. Don’t get into a fight you have no chance to win. Look for opportunities to collaborate. This is important both within and outside your group or organization. Within the group, involve as many people as possible in decisions, and make sure they have control over what they do. The more they own their jobs and the organization, the more enthusiastic they’ll be, the more effective the organization will be, and the more effective you’ll be as a leader. Outside the organization, try to forge ties with other organizations and groups. Let them know what you’re doing, get and give support, and work with them to the extent you can. Make common cause with other groups that have similar interests. In numbers, there is strength, and you’ll be stronger as an alliance of groups than any one of you could be individually. INTERNAL CHALLENGES Leaders are human. That’s hardly news, but it means that they come with all the same problems and failings as everyone else. One of the greatest challenges of leadership is facing your own personal issues, and making sure they don’t prevent you from exercising leadership. Acknowledging the attitudes and tendencies that get in your way, and working to overcome them, is absolutely necessary if you’re to become an effective leader. Among the most common personal traits that good leaders have to overcome or keep in check are: * Insecurity. Many people feel, at least some of the time, that they’re not up to the tasks they face. They may even believe that they’re fooling people with their air of competence, when they know they’re really not very capable at all. Insecurity of that sort keeps them from being proactive, from following their vision, from feeling like leaders. It can be crippling to both a leader and her group or organization. * Defensiveness. Also born of insecurity, defensiveness shows up most often as an inability to take criticism (other people might catch on to the fact that you’re as incompetent as you know you are), and continuing hostility to anyone, even an ally, who voices it. Defensiveness often also includes a stubborn resistance to change ideas, plans, or assumptions, even if they’ve been shown to be ineffective. * Lack of decisiveness. Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision. You never know till later – and sometimes not even then – whether you made the right decision. Maybe if you had a few more facts†¦ The reality is that leaders are called on to make decisions all the time, often with very little time to consider them. It is important to have as much information as possible, but at some point, you just have to make the decision and live with it. Some decisions are reversible, and some are not, but in either case, it’s important to learn to make a decision when necessary and understand that living with the consequences is part of being a leader * Inability to be direct when there’s a problem. Many people want so badly to be liked, or are so afraid of hurting others, that they find it difficult to say anything negative. They may be reluctant to tell someone he’s not doing his job adequately, for instance, or to address an interpersonal problem. Unfortunately, by letting these things go, they only make them worse, which makes them still harder to address. It’s essential to learn when firmness is necessary, and to learn how to exercise it. *  Inability to be objective. Neither looking at situations through rose-colored glasses nor being always on the edge of hysteria is conducive to effective leadership. Just as objectivity is important in dealing with external issues, it’s important to monitor your own objectivity in general. There’s a difference between being an optimistic individual and being unable to see disaster looming because it’s too painful to contemplate. By the same token, seeing the possible negatives in an apparently positive situation is not the same as being paralyzed by the assumption that calamity lurks around every corner. The inability to accurately identify the positive and negative in any situation and react appropriately can create serious problems. * Impatience – with others and with situations. It may seem, given the importance of decisiveness and firmness, that patience is not a virtue a leader needs. In fact, it is perhaps the most important trait to develop. Situations do not resolve themselves instantly, and anyone who’s ever been involved in an organization knows that Rule #1 is that everything takes longer than you think it will. People in unfamiliar situations need a while to orient themselves. Leaders who are impatient may make rash decisions, may alienate staff members or volunteers or allies, and can often make situations worse rather than better. It’s hard to be patient, but it’s worth the effort. In addition to character traits that can get in a leader’s way, there are the effects of health and personal crises. COPING WITH INTERNAL CHALLENGES Listen. Listen to people’s responses to your ideas, plans, and opinions. Listen more than you talk. Listen to a broad range of people, not just to those who agree with you. Probe to find out why they think or feel the way they do. Assume that everyone has something important to say. If you hear the same things from a number of different and diverse sources, you should at least consider the possibility that they’re accurate. If they’re about things you do that you can change, you might give it a try. Ask for 360-degree feedback†¦and use it. This is feedback (people’s views of you) from everyone around you – staff, volunteers, Board, participants, people from other organizations or groups  yours works with – anyone you work with in any way. As with listening, if you hear the same thing from a lot of different sources, it’s probably true. Act on it. All the feedback in the world won’t do you any good unless you do something with it. Look at what’s going on around you. Are you the center of controversy and chaos? Or do calm and good feeling seem to reside wherever you do? The chances are that the answer lies somewhere in between these extremes, but it probably should be closer to the calm and good feeling side. Even if you’re involved in a battle with the forces of evil, you can foster calm in yourself and those you work with. At the same time, your group could be on top of the world, and you and your colleagues could still be climbing the walls if that’s the kind of atmosphere you create. Reach out for help in facing internal challenges. Most of us find it difficult to change entirely on our own. A psychotherapist, a good friend, a perceptive colleague, or a trusted clergyman might be able to help you gain perspective on issues that you find hard to face. Many people find meditation or some form of self-discovery helpful in understanding themselves and in getting through change. Don’t feel you have to do it all on your own. CHALLENGES STEMMING FROM THE NATURE OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE A leadership position brings with it unique demands. Leaders can be looked on as authority figures, as saviors, as fixers of things that are broken, as spiritual guides, as mentors, as models, as inspirers, as teachers†¦in short, they may be seen however others choose to see them. This in itself carries a set of challenges, in addition to those posed by what all leaders indeed have to do in order to keep things going. Some of the issues that leaders have to cope with specifically because they’re leaders are: * Keeping an eye on, and communicating, the vision. As the guardian of a group’s vision, it’s up to the leader to remind everyone of what that vision is, to keep it in mind in everything the group or organization does, to protect it from funders or others who would try to change it†¦and to make sure It does change, if necessary, with changes in circumstances, the needs of the target population, or the available information. That means not being  d istracted from the bigger picture by day-to-day issues (even as those issues are addressed and resolved). It also means not substituting another, lesser goal (getting enough funding to start a specific program, for instance) that may be contrary to the true vision of the organization. * Keeping the everyday under control while you continue to pursue the vision. You can’t maintain the vision without making sure that there’s paper in the printer, that you understand the legal implications of an action you plan to take, that people know what they’re supposed to be doing on a given day, that there’s enough cash in the bank to meet payroll, and that there’s someone there to answer the phone, to pay the bills, and to look for funding. These aren’t necessarily all things a leader has to do herself (although there are certainly organizations where that’s what happens), but she’s responsible for making sure they get done, and that things run smoothly. No matter how transformative she is, no leader can accomplish much if the infrastructure do esn’t work. * Setting an example. If you want others in the group to show mutual respect, to work hard, to embrace the vision and mission of the organization, to include everyone in their thinking and decisions, you have to start by doing those things yourself, and behaving in the ways you want others to behave. A leader who yells at people, consults no one, and assumes his word is law will intentionally or unintentionally train everyone else in the group to be the same way. A leader who acts collaboratively and inclusively will create an organization that functions similarly. * Maintaining effectiveness over time. One of the hardest lessons of leadership is that you’re never done. No matter how well things go, no matter how successful your group or organization or initiative is – unless it’s aimed at accomplishing a very specific, time-limited goal – you have to keep at it forever. Even if you get a bill passed or manage to get money for your cause included in the state budget, you have to work to maintain your gains. If you’re running a community intervention, you have to recruit participants, refine your methods, do community outreach, raise funds†¦indefinitely. Maintaining effectiveness is a matter both of monitoring what you do and working to improve it, and of keeping up enthusiasm for the work within the group. It’s part of the leader’s role to maintain his own enthusiasm and drive, and to communicate and transfer them to others. * Avoiding burnout. This is a challenge not  only for leaders, because a burned out leader can affect the workings of a whole organization. Leader burnout is a product of being overwhelmed by the workload, the frustrations, the stress, and the time demands of the position, multiplied by the number of years spent in it. It can reach a point where the leader no longer cares about the vision, the work of the group, or anything but when he can go home. By that point, the rest of the group is likely to be struggling, feeling rudderless and uncertain. It’s crucial that leaders learn to recognize the signs of burnout and – depending on where they are in their lives and a number of other factors – either find ways to renew their commitment or leave. Perhaps even more threatening than burnout is â€Å"burn-down† – the loss of passion and intensity that can come with familiarity and long service. You may still care about what you’re doing, but the en thusiasm just isn’t there anymore. In many ways, this condition may be even harder to deal with than burnout. At least if you’re burned out, it’s obvious: if you’re burned down, especially if it’s happened over a long period, neither you nor others may have realized it. * Finding support. Cliches often become cliches because they’re true. It is lonely at the top, largely because a good leader tries to make things go smoothly enough that others aren’t aware of the amount of work she’s doing. The leader may have no one to share her concerns with, and may have to find her own satisfaction, because others don’t recognize the amount and nature of her contribution. The buck may stop with her, but where then does she unburden herself? As mentioned earlier, leaders are human. They need support and comfort as much as anyone else, and it’s important that they find it. COPING WITH CHALLENGES STEMMING FROM THE NATURE OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE So how can you continue to be a leader and also continue to be a functioning human being? There are things you can do to retain both your sanity and your competency. Create mechanisms to revisit your vision. Hold occasional meetings and at-least-yearly retreats to discuss vision and renew commitment. These will serve both to review the vision to see if it still resonates (and to rework it if necessary), and to renew your and others’ purpose and pursuit of it. They’ll help to remind you of why you’re doing this in the first place, give you an opportunity to work on group solidarity, and – ideally – leave you feeling refreshed and ready to carry  on. Share the burden. Surround yourself with good people who share your vision. If you can find others who are competent and committed to whom you can delegate some of the tasks of leadership, it will both remove pressure from you, and make your group stronger. One of the greatest mistakes a leader can make is to be threatened by others’ abilities. In fact, sharing responsibility with capable people makes all of you more effective, and strengthens your leadership. Having competent people to depend on also means that you can develop systems and know they’ll work. Organizational maintenance becomes much easier, and you have more time to devote to the actual pursuit of your vision. Find an individual or group with whom you can discuss the realities of leadership. In many communities, some heads of organizations meet on a regular basis to talk about the difficulties and rewards of their situations with others who truly understand. Some such arrangement can be a valuable hedge against burnout, and can also help you gain insight into how you function as a leader. It can introduce you to alternative ways of doing things, as well as giving you a chance to vent, and to realize you’re not alone. Make sure you have personal time. The founder and director of a prominent think tank once went seven years without a day off – including Sundays. That’s 2,557 straight days of work. (That includes two leap year days, for those of you doing the math.) Even if that doesn’t cause burnout, it’s not good for your creativity or your understanding of the world. Everything becomes work or related to work: the world holds no other reality, and leadership becomes all you do. In order to maintain perspective and to keep yourself fresh, you need to take time away from being a leader, and away from your organization or initiative. It’s important to have an activity that gets you away from your daily concerns, and to take days off from time to time. Some people meditate every day, others play music regularly, others participate in sports or fitness activities. Your getaway doesn’t have to be an everyday thing, but it should be something you love and look forward to, and it should be frequent and regular. It may be as simple as taking a walk with your kids for an hour every evening – whatever it is that relaxes your mind and feeds your soul.  Rather than detracting from your effectiveness, your time off will increase it. Depending upon how you approach it, leadership can be a hard and lonely road, or an exciting and collaborative trip to a new place. The more, and more useful, strategies you can find to cope with its challenges, the better leader you’ll be.