Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Emperors of Chinas Han Dynasty B.C. 202 to 220 A.D.

Emperors of China's Han Dynasty B.C. 202 to 220 A.D. The Han Dynasty ruled China after the fall of the first imperial dynasty, the Qin in 206 B.C. The Han Dynastys founder, Liu Bang, was a commoner who lead a rebellion against the son of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of unified China whose political career was short-lived and full of contempt from his peers. For the next 400 years, civil unrest and war, internal familial conflicts, sudden deaths, mutinies, and natural succession would determine the rules that would lead the dynasty to great economic and military success over their long reign. However, Liu Xis ended the long reign of the Han Dynasty, giving way to the Three Kingdoms period of 220 to 280 A.D. Still, while it maintained power the Han Dynasty was hailed as a Golden Age in Chinese history - one of the finest of Chinese dynasties - leading to a long legacy of the Han people, who still comprise the majority of Chinese ethnicities reported today.   The First Han Emporers In the final days of the Qin, Liu Bang, a rebel leader against Qin Shi Huangdi beat his rival rebellion leader Xiang Yu in battle, resulting in his hegemon over the 18 kingdoms of imperial China that had pledged allegiance to each of the  combatants. Changan was chosen as the capital and Liu Bang, posthumously known as Han Gaozu, ruled until his death in 195 B.C. The rule passed to Bangs relative Liu Ying until he died a few years later in 188, passing in turn to Liu Gong (Han Shaodi) and quickly onto Liu Hong (Han Shaodi Hong). In 180, when Emporer Wendi took the throne, he declared that Chinas border should remain closed to maintain its growing power. Civic unrest resulted in the next emperor Han Wudi overturning that decision in 136 B.C., but a failed attack on the southern neighbor Xiongu  realm resulted in a several-year campaign to attempt to overthrow their biggest threat. Han Jingdi (157-141) and Han Wudi (141-87) continued this plight, taking over villages and converting them to agricultural centers and strongholds south of the border, eventually forcing the Xiongu out of the realm across the Gobi Desert. After Wudis reign, under the leadership of Han Zhaodi (87-74) and Han Xuandi (74-49), the Han forces continued to dominate the Xiongu, pushing them further west and claiming their land as a result. Turn of the Millenium During the reign of Han Yuandi (49-33), Han Chengdi (33-7), and Han Aidi (7-1 B.C.), Weng Zhengjun became the first Empress of China as a result of her male kin - though younger - taking the title of regent during her supposed reign. It wasnt until her nephew took the crown as Emporer Pingdi from 1 B.C. to A.D. 6 that she advocated her rule. Han Ruzi was appointed as emperor after Pingdis death in A.D. 6, however, due to the childs young age, he was appointed under the care of Wang Mang, who promised to relinquish control once Ruzi came of age to rule. This was not the case, instead and despite much civil protest, he established the Xin Dynasty after declaring his title was a Mandate of Heaven. In 3 A.D. and again in 11 A.D., a massive flood struck Wangs Xin armies along the Yellow River, decimating his troops. Displaced villagers joined rebel groups who revolted against Wang, resulting in his ultimate downfall in 23 wherein Geng Shidi (The Gengshi Emporer) tried to restore the Han power from 23 to 25 but was overtaken and killed by the same rebel group, the Red Eyebrow. His brother, Liu Xiu - later Guang Wudi - ascended the throne and was able to fully restore the Han Dynasty throughout the course of his reign from 25 to 57. Within two years, he had moved the capital to Luoyang and forced the Red Eyebrow to surrender and cease its rebellion. Over the next 10 years, he fought to extinguish other rebel warlords claiming the title of Emporer. The Last Han Century The reigns of Han Mingdi (57-75), Han Zhangdi (75-88), and Han Hedi (88-106) were rife with small battles between long-time rival nations hoping to claim India to the south and the Altai Mountains  to the north. Political and social turmoil haunted the rulership of Han Shangdi and his successor Han Andi died paranoid of eunuchs plots against him, leaving his wife to appoint their son the Marquess of Beixiang to the throne in 125 in hopes of maintaining their family lineage. However, those same eunuchs that his father feared ultimately led to his demise and Han Shundi was appointed the emperor that same year as Emporer Shun of Han, restoring the Han name to the dynastys leadership. Students of the University started a protest against Shundis eunuch court. These protests failed, resulting in Shundi being overthrown by his own court and the quick succession of Han Chongdi (144-145), Han Zhidi (145-146) and Han Huandi (146-168), who each tried to fight against their eunuch adversaries to no avail. It wasnt until Han Lingdi ascended the thrown in 168 that the Han Dynasty was truly on its way out. Emperor Ling spent most of his time roleplaying with his concubines instead of governing, leaving control of the dynasty to eunuchs Zhao Zhong and Zhang Rang. Downfall of a Dynasty The final two emperors, brothers Shaodi  - the Prince of Hongnong - and Emperor Xian (formerly Liu Xie) led lives on the run from mutinous eunuch counsels. Shaodi only ruled one year in 189 before being asked to relinquish his throne to Emperor Xian, who ruled throughout the remainder of the Dynasty. In 196, Xian moved the capital to Xuchang at the behest of Cao Cao - the Yan Province governor - and a civil dispute broke out between three warring kingdoms vying for control over the young emperor. In the south Sun Quan ruled, while Liu Bei dominated western China and Cao Cao took over the north. When Cao Cao died in 220 and his son Cao Pi forced Xian to relinquish the title of emperor to him. This new emperor, Wen of Wei, officially abolished the Han Dynasty and its familys inheritance to rulership over China. With no army, no family, and no heirs, the former Emporer Xian died of old age and left China to a three-sided conflict between Cao Wei, Eastern Wu and Shu Han, a period known as the Three Kingdoms period.

Friday, November 22, 2019

25 Writing Competitions You Should Enter

25 Writing Competitions You Should Enter 25 Writing Competitions You Should Enter 25 Writing Competitions You Should Enter By Mark Nichol Have you completed one or more short stories, poems, or nonfiction pieces? Perhaps you’d like some motivation or to take the next step with them. This post lists writing competitions for 2011 that feature cash prizes of $1,000 or more and, often, publication deals for the winner (plus, for many contests, additional prizes for winners and other contestants). Note, however, that such competitions often require an entry fee (generally $15-$20 per entry), and some require the submitted material to be previously unpublished. Go to the contest Web site for information about costs and other details. The competition can be fierce, but even if you don’t win, the benefits are valuable: Completing and submitting an entry helps you develop word-count precision and deadline discipline. You may not earn a four-figure cash prize, but you could win some honorable-mention mad money or other prizes. You have a completed manuscript you can submit to other competitions or to agents. Good luck! Poetry 1. The Pinch Journal Poetry Contest Deadline: March 1 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: 1-3 poems Prizes: $1,000 and publication 2. Normal Prize in Poetry Deadline: March 4 Type of submission: online Length of submission: 5 pages or 5 poems Prizes: $1,000 and publication 3. Boston Review Fourteenth Annual Poetry Contest Deadline: June 1 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 10 pages Prize: $1,500 and publication 4. Bellevue Literary Review’s Marica and Jan Vilcek Prize in Poetry Deadline: July 1 Type of submission: online Length of submission: up to 3 poems (maximum 5 pages) Prizes: $1,000 and publication 5. Lulu Poetry Contest Deadline: continuous entry Type of submission: online Length of submission: not specified Prizes: annual $5,000; monthly $250; daily $25 Short Fiction 6. he Pinch Journal Fiction Contest Deadline: March 1 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 5,000 words Prizes: $1,500 and publication 7. Sycamore Review’s Wabash Prize for Fiction Deadline: March 1 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 10,000 words Prize: $1,000 and publication for winner 8. Potomac Review Annual Contest Deadline: March 1 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: 2 stories of up to 2,000 words Prize: $1,000 and publication for winner 9. Normal Prize in Fiction Deadline: March 4 Type of submission: online Length of submission: up to 10,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication for winner 10. Colorado Review’s Nelligan Prize Deadline: postmarked March 11 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: under 50 pages Prizes: $1,500 and publication for winner 11. New Rivers Press American Fiction Prize Deadline: May 1 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: up to 7,500 words Prizes: $1,000, $500, $250; publication for winners 12. Drue Heinz Literature Prize Deadline: postmarked May 1-June 30 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: not specified Prize: $15,000 and publication 13. Carve Magazine’s Raymond Carver Short Story Contest Deadline: May 15-June 30 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up 6,000 words Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500, $250; considered by literary agencies 14. Howard Frank Mosher Short Fiction Prize Deadline: postmarked June 30 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: up to 10,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication, $100 15. Bellevue Literary Review’s Goldenberg Prize in Fiction Deadline: July 1 Type of submission: online Length of submission: up to 5,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication Nonfiction 16. Michael Steinberg Essay Prize Deadline: February 28 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 6,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication; publication consideration for runner-up 17. Normal Prize in Nonfiction Deadline: March 4 Type of submission: online Length of submission: up to 10,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication 18. Creative Nonfiction Anger Revenge Contest Deadline: March 16 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 4,000 words Prizes: $1,000, $500 19. Writers @ Work Writing Competition Deadline: March 20 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 7,500 words Prizes: $1,000, $350, $100; publication consideration for each winner 20. Bellevue Literary Review’s Burns Archive Prize in Nonfiction Deadline: July 1 Type of submission: online Length of submission: up to 5,000 words Prizes: $1,000 and publication Multiple Awards 21. Glimmer Train’s Very Short Fiction Award Deadline: January 1-31, July 1-31 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: up to 3,000 words Prizes: $1,200, publication, and 20 copies; $500; $300 22. Glimmer Train’s Fiction Open Deadline: March 1-31, June 1-30, August 1-30, December 1-31 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: 2,000-20,000 words Prizes: $2,000, publication, and 20 copies; $1,000; $600 23. Glimmer Train’s Short-Story Award for New Writers Deadline: postmarked March 31, postmarked September 30 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: 3,000-12,000 words Prizes: $1,200, publication, and 20 copies; $500; $300 24. Glimmer Train’s Family Matters Deadline: April 1-30, October 1-31 Type of submission: offline Length of submission: 3,000-12,000 words Prizes: $1,200, publication, and 20 copies; $500; $300 Miscellaneous And, of course, no self-respecting list of writing competitions would be complete without this one: 25. Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Deadline: April 15 Type of submission: online or offline Length of submission: up to about 50-60 words Prize: â€Å"a pittance† This whimsical contest is devoted to parodying the purple prose of Edward George â€Å"It Was a Dark and Stormy Night† Bulwer-Lytton and his ilk by crafting, as it were, the most absurdly inept opening line from a (fortunately) nonexistent novel. For more information, go to the slightly disheveled Web site and search for â€Å"The rules to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Competitions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†What is Dative Case?What’s the Best Way to Refer to a Romantic Partner?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Giving evidence from your own analysis, evaluate the potential and Essay

Giving evidence from your own analysis, evaluate the potential and limitations of TWO of the below sources for researching ONE o - Essay Example No one can quantify with accuracy how much these activities contribute positively to economies of various countries. However, one thing that cannot be dispensed is that sporting activities have limitless accrued benefits to individuals, as well to the economies of many countries. For the case of Britain, games that have been outstanding include the Cambridge and Oxford race boat sporting activities often conducted in match each year on the Thames and the the horse-day derby race at Epsom conducted in April and the championship of Lawn Tennis that are commonly played in July. The interesting popular premier league that often run year round also part of sporting activities that are worth appreciating. With the technological advancements, popularity of such sporting activities has been guaranteed following the wide spread flat screen television set (Jonhnson, 2007). Certainly, during this twentieth century, there has been a three-sixty degrees turn from the tradition of the gentleman am ateur, which had covered the entire Victorian sport into professionalism that is quite evident everywhere. However, it should be noted that there are variations in the way different sporting activities are appreciated. ... How these discrepancies are dealt with is beyond the scope of this discussion. One thing to content with is that there should be a way that provides a clear understanding of how the sporting activities in London are conducted. This, thus, implies that in order to find amicable solutions to the emerging issues in sports, there is need to study the operations of the sporting activities in London. It is worth noting that there are varied qualitative and quantitative approaches that could be used in highlighting the aspects of sports in London (Mandell, 2010). With a focus on London, this paper assesses two different sources which could be of use in researching sports in London that perhaps might give a glimpse of qualitative and quantitative approaches that could be used in highlighting the aspects of sports in London. The paper evaluates the ability and limitations of the two sources in so far as researching sports in London is concerned. London Metro newspaper is one search source. Th is newspaper was chosen basing on importance of its content that closely correlates with the subject of the discussion. The content of the Newspaper gives the general map of sports in London. This source is just but a collection of articles majorly centred on sport and sporting activities in London. One outstanding thing about this source is that it contains not only the latest stories on the ongoing premier league by also the latest updates on the London Olympics. This newspaper clearly reflects upon the significant London’s diversity through memories, opinions, and voices of the Londoners. The Museum of London on London and the Olympics is another source that is of significant use to the subject

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Forum memos Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forum memos - Case Study Example A good case study is the American International Group Incorporation. The company violated Delaware laws and stakeholder’s rights by accepting to be rescued by the federal government in exchange of a majority stake in the insurance company. Further, the company refused to provide its shareholders/company owners an opportunity to vote on major issues on a bailout proposal. The government was to give out $85 and receive $79.9 percent stake in return that violated Delaware corporate law. One of the investors by the name Wilma Walker filed a suit in court. His actions caused the senior director of the company to resign managers including chief executive officer since the act led to the loss of $180 billion and the American International Group risked being collapsed. This was a deal backed by the U.S Treasury Department, and it was designed to prevent chaos that threatened other financial companies (Bloomberg, 2008). American International Group also did not adhere to good corporate governance by converting the preferred shares into common stock without any approval from shareholder. The company also had to part with $1.6 billion to settle allegations of influential leaders because the company had misled stakeholders and lied in worker’s compensation program (Bloomberg,

Sunday, November 17, 2019

European Cars Are Better Than Japanese Essay Example for Free

European Cars Are Better Than Japanese Essay The design is specialized to cater to the specific needs of a consumer. Every country in the world manufactures its own cars, whether it is Japan, America or Europe. European cars are vastly superior to Japanese cars when examining performance, design and safety. The key feature that makes European cars better than all other cars is performance. Performance of a care is judge by how well the, brakes, suspension, traction, transmission and engine work. When European car manufacturers talks about performance they are referring to power generated by the car. European cars manufacturers combine all the aspects of performance to create an extraordinarily spectacular engine, which has maximum horse power and torque. Some European cars engines are hand-built, which helps delivers performance at a perfect level. Power from the engine has to be delivered to the wheels; transmission plays a vital role in delivering the power and speed from the engine to wheels. Car manufacturers in Europe develop a transmission system which is particularly adept at applying output so that it can be delivered quickly, smoothly and efficiently when called upon. European car manufacturers are especially renowned for their designs, because their designs allow precision in handling, efficiency in engine performance and good brakes. An efficient power output of the engine leads to an increased maximum speed limit that the car can reach. To maximize the speed that a car can reach the external shape of the body of a car is designed with special care as well. When European car manufacturers talk about speed, they keep in mind the aerodynamics of the car. Designers ensure that the car has a streamlined body shape, which reduces air resistance experienced by a car while it is in motion. In addition, aerodynamics designing provides for the external appearance of the car to look elegant, fashionable, artistic and sensational. European cars are made out of high-strength steel body panels make the safer when an impact takes place. They are manufactured with 7 different air bags inside the care to avoid the impact and causing the driver and passenger to be much safer. If a car can reach high speeds in a short span of time then it needs good brakes. European engineers ensure safety and handling does not become an issue for the driver and the passenger by providing an anti-lock braking system. This system prevents the car from skidding and allows the driver with greater control over the car because due to the anti-braking system the wheels of the car are only gradually reduced in speed. Rather than bringing the wheels of the car to an abrupt halt, the brakes of the car provide with better independent suspension for each wheel, which can help withstand shocks and bumps. European cars are superior in performance design and safety. Japanese cars lack behind in performance when compared to European cars. They have weaker and lighter engines, which only reduce the manufacturing cost, but result in giving a poor performance. Japanese car engines are manufactured on low budget. The lack in use of technology during the production makes the cars less reliable, because the finished engine does not produce much power. Less power means less torque and horsepower. Production companies in Japan manufacture engines using heavy equipment and machinery. This allows them to produce cars in a greater quantity, but there is no guarantee for quality . Japanese engineers focus on building lighter engines which gives more gas millage. Japanese cars are designed using weaker body structures making the car lighter. They use to steel alloy to manufacture the exterior of the less expensive material. Exterior of the car is brittle enough to not to withstand an impact, hence making less safe. Japanese cars are not safest car in the world. To avoid the cost to manufacture the car, they use disk brakes which have a higher risk of worning out faster than anti-lock brakes. They use one suspension for two pair of wheel, which causes to feel the smallest shock and bump while ridding the car. Japanese car don’t use that much technology to make their car safe enough. European cars are superior to Japanese cars. They are better in performance, design and safety. European cars are comfortable, luxurious and high end cars. Japanese cars are ordinary and standard cars. Japanese cars are cheaper that European, but buying an expensive car gives you a lot of option to enjoy the ride of the car. , and produce products with a superior passenger cabin but employ lower standards outside of the cabin. Disk brakes, Alloy Wheels, and Brake Override Systems have been standard on most mid-size domestic cars for years, yet are still optional or non-existent on many major Japanese mid-size cars being sold today. Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is an automobile safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to maintain tractive contact with the road surface according to driver inputs while braking preventing the wheels from locking up (ceasing rotation) and avoiding uncontrolled skidding. It is an automated system that uses the principles of threshold braking and cadence braking which were practised by skilful drivers with previous generation braking systems. It does this at a much faster rate and with better control than a driver could manage. With 72% of its body panels made from high-strength steel, theody structure is even more rigid than its renowned predecessors. The advanced front crumple zone has been refined with approximately 17,000 computer-simulated collisions and 150 crash tests. An innovative front bulkhead and deformation zones that act on four independent levels to help divert the energy of a frontal impact under, over and around the passenger cabin.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Chained Women: When Religion and the State Intersect :: Free Essays Online

The Chained Women: When Religion and the State Intersect When Israel was conceived as a Jewish state, questions arose over the division between the religious and the secular. Judaism is grounded in halakha, a detailed set of laws which guides observant Jews, but debate continues over whether Israel should adopt these religious laws to govern a largely secular population. Contradictions exist between the ancient laws and modern ideals, especially regarding women’s rights. Most developed states strive to enact laws that treat men and women fairly, but in Israel, where the rabbinical courts still adhere to ancient Jewish law, women’s rights suffer. Divorce laws in particular give men excessive power over their wives, resulting in large numbers of women being denied their basic human right to marriage and family. According to halakhic law, a marriage can only be terminated in two ways: the death of a spouse, or the giving of a get. A get is a formal statement of divorce which can only be granted by the husband to his wife, and he can refuse to give a get indefinitely. Until a get is both given and accepted, the wife remains an agunah, a chained woman. She cannot remarry, and any child born to an agunah becomes a mamzer, a bastard child (Haut 17). A husband who withholds a get is guilty of violating Article Sixteen of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the right to marriage and family), but is not violating halakhic law and has the support of the rabbinical courts in Israel. Usually giving and accepting a get is a routine part of divorce proceedings in Israel, but a get is sometimes used as a bargaining tool during a divorce. A man can refuse to release a â€Å"chained woman† until he receives a divorce settlement he prefers. If she refuses to accept an unfair or demeaning settlement, then she remains an agunah. According to the Israel Women’s Network, â€Å"estimates of the number of ‘anchored’ women in Israel today vary, the rabbinate claiming that there are ‘only’ some 500, while women’s organizations claim that there are thousands† (IWN).

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Apollo 13 Essay

For those not old enough to have lived through it, a story of shooting for a landing on the moon, suffering an explosion on the spacecraft on the way to the moon, not landing on the moon, and then narrowly making it home to Earth is the story of Apollo 13. When facing issues, conflicts, and the attainment of goals, having the resources of a fully functional manager and team are irreplaceable. A manager that has clear goals and strategies in place is more likely to succeed even when faced with the greatest types of adversity. Every employee of NASA should know about the tragic event of Apollo 13. The background of the team began with the completion between the U. S. and Russia and their space exploration programs. What started out as a routine trip to the moon and back soon became one of the biggest crises NASA had ever experienced. From understanding the plight of the spacecraft, to knowing what needed to be done, to creating a CO2 converter out of materials only available on the spacecraft, the flight is a clear lesson on how to manage a team in a crisis. In many projects, it always comes back to a stressful situation, where quick decisions must be made which have a major impact on the achievement of the task at hand. Many managers often ask for advice on how to handle such situations in order to be a good leader and achieve maximum results. In order to be an effective manager and to be able to influence other and exercise high degrees of control, some rules should be followed. I will give a few examples of how Gene Kranz managed to promote teamwork and to achieve the best possible solutions despite unprecedented problems, lack or resources and time pressure. One must remain optimistic and believe in themselves and the team to achieve a set goal. Without personal convictions managers will not be able to motivate the team to developed new solutions, continue to working and foster collaboration. Gene demonstrated principled management and a leadership in demanding the best from his team while respecting their efforts no matter the outcome. One great thing about Gene’s management was that is set a standard of excellence. With statements like â€Å"I don’t care about what anything was meant to do, I care about what it can do. This set in motion self-management by various supporting teams. This shows us important lessons that we can apply to other environments. Make sure to clearly identify roles and responsibilities of each and every team member. Communication is also a key in managing a team effectively. In the movie one of the team members unplugs his TV and takes his phone off the hook which cost everyone value time and inpu t in solving this crisis. Managers should make sure they can get in touch with employees. Create a policy if you must. An over authoritarian style of management with a top down principal is sometimes inappropriate. Managers often give instructions, tasks and fiat without asking the employee for their opinion. In contrast managers with a cooperative democratic style of management involve employees in decision making. Decisions are taken after detailed discussion in working groups. Information should be forwarded to a great extent through all communication channels. Gene Kranz was drawing at the board and listened to his team and their suggestions. And they all discussed the suggestions together. Without this democratic management style of Gene Kranz, the team would not have been as successful. Another issue is to work the problem correctly. Defining the problem is the hardest part of problem solving. As a manager it is important to define and communicate the problems which must be solved. Otherwise, no team will be able to find suitable solutions. Gene Kranz identified all the problems and formed special teams to address them. He made it clear to the teams which objects could be used. Only the objects that were available to the astronauts could be used. He wasted no time in complaining about what objects were not available or missing to solve the problem. He was action oriented and emphasized problem solving. It is also important to be a visible manager or leader. A good manager shoulders responsibility and conveys to all team members that they will work through the problem. Another trait of an effective manager is respect for others. Too often in today’s corporate environment, we don’t respect the judgment of those actually doing the work. Moreover, a crisis is not a time for accusations. The primary objective should be to handle the situation together and make the best of it. Gene Kranz did not ask at any time after the explosion, how such an explosion could have happened. Neither the astronauts nor Mission Control would have benefitted from the discussion of guilt, creative problem solving was much more important. In spite of all the negative talk, Gene told them failure was not an option, and they did not fail. Building trust must be combined with effective communication. Its benefit was evident in the film through the obstacles the team overcame. As a team grows together through strong management, their level of trust to achieve a collective goal, individuality becomes less important and the team’s objective is placed in the forefront. Action orientation becomes second nature, and feedback is open and honest. Combined, these improve the overall success and functionality of the manager, employee relationship. Finally, nobody wants to experience crisis such as the one in Apollo 13, however there will always be unpredictable problems and managers will have to challenge the situations. An effective manager should place themselves in Gene Kranz’s place for internalizing his way of leading a team. In addition, difficult situations that happen in the past should be analyzed for developing suggestions for managers to learn how to act in prospective situations. Every crisis is unique and demands an individual solution but for learning how to find the best solution, act right as a manager and motivate your team. Being successful and solving problems in a creative way is just but one aspect of being an effective manager and leader for your team.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Summary and Response to “A Story of an Hour”

Summary and Response The desire of freedom definitely comes with an immense price. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† Kate Chopin describes her main character, Louise Mallard, as a freedom seeking housewife, trapped in an unwanted marriage with her husband Brently Mallard. She soon after gets granted the gift of freedom when she finds out her husband had been in a train accident, which ironically Kate Chopin’s father died of the same tragic death. With Kate Chopin’s unique writing style, she has been a major influence in literature for decades.According to Feminist Writers, â€Å"she opened her 19th-century female readers’ eyes to a familiar world [they] had never know. † Authors S. Selina Jamil and Daniel P. Deneau both analyzed the story and gave their opinions on how the emotions of Louise affected internally and externally. With two different viewpoints on the short story, both authors provide valid points when scrutinizing the direct variation whe n it came to Louise’s motives. When reading â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† one is drawn into the troubling tale of Louise Ballard and how she reacts to her trying times as a thought to be widow.The ending throws the reader for a loop and is completely unexpected, but that’s Kate Chopin’s writing style. The story is unpredictable, enjoyable, and controversial, and definitely leaves the reader satisfied. S. Selina Jamil responds to the piece of work, â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† completely different than Daniel P. Deneau. Deneau describes the story as a sensual experiences internally occurring within Louise in his critical essay called â€Å"Chopin’s The Story of an Hour. † Deneau places much emphasis on the passage that concludes that Louise has become â€Å"free† (Chopin 247).Then he concludes that she forms a sexual unity with the supernatural. â€Å"With no male aggressor-partner named in the text, only a â€Å"something,â₠¬  readers naturally will speculate. For me, two possibilities exist—both supernatural†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Deneau). From then on Daniel P. Deneau infers that when Chopin uses phrases like â€Å"Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body† (Chopin 247), â€Å"slightly parted lips†, and â€Å"keen and bright eyes†(Chopin 247) that she was hinting at a sexual innuendo.Seeing that Chopin does have a background that consists of stories that consist of controversial sexual topics, I can see how someone would mistakenly think â€Å"The Story of an Hour† would be yet another provocative piece. Contemporary Authors Online said that â€Å"She is best known for her 1899 novel, The Awakening, a once-scandalous account of one woman’s growing sexuality in the American South during the Victorian Era. † Kate Chopin mainly wrote about compelling stories, with a dose of sexual controversy.Yes, what Louise went thr ough was a life altering, pivotal time, but a sexual experience seems far-fetched. She begins mourning over her deceased husband, but soon after she begins to grasp that she is no longer oppressed by the male dominant figure in her life. Deneau states that â€Å"In a limited space, and without the assistance of a psychological vocabulary, Chopin may have been forced to rely on the indefinite, the unidentified, which, as best we can judge, is some powerful force, something supernatural, something beyond the realm of mundane experience or the rule of logic. I oppose his views on the â€Å"supernatural† force compelling Louise to prosper in her feelings and begin to move forward in her life. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, the â€Å"supernatural† is relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe; especially: of or relating to God or a god, demigod, spirit, or devil. All Louise did was begin to pay attention and react joy ously to the new season that had begun to blossom. The views of S. Selina Jamil are polar opposite.Providing valid structure and content, Jamil begins her critical essay â€Å"Emotion in The Story of an Hour,† with strong overview of the emotions that Louise seems to be going through. A weak mind and meek hearted woman by the name Louise Mallard begins to fall prey of society’s cookie cutter views on how men and woman are treated. In her feminist studies, Norma Basch clearly concludes that women have the right to prosper just as men do, but during the time in which the short story occurred; woman became more complacent in their everyday roles as just a housewife.Norma describes a marriage that is male dominant is somewhat a â€Å"form of slavery† (Basch 355). Trapped and suffocating in her daily routines as a silenced housewife, Louise receives the news about her husband. Emotions overwhelmed the blushing bride, and she soon found herself to be a widow. †U ntil her moment of illumination, Mrs. Mallard’s emotions have been stifled and suppressed to fit into the mold of hollow social conventions,† say Jamil in her critical essay.Emotional pain hits Louise and all she could do is bask in her sorrow, but soon enough an overwhelming feeling of â€Å"freedom† washes over her as the new life of the old Louise Mallard was beginning to unravel. Feminist Writers states that in The Awakening â€Å"Edna commits suicide by walking out, naked, into the ocean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then proceeds to say that â€Å"The act of suicide is a positive embracing of freedom, and act of re-birth. Kate Chopin shows in her writings that empowerment of being free is so strong that it can lead to death. In the hour that Louise sits and collects her thoughts she becomes more self-aware than many do in a lifetime. Completely agreeing with Jamil, she states that â€Å"For one hour of emotion, Louise does glimpse meaning and fulfillment. † Th e irony of the story is that her success of actually becoming a free woman was not long lived but cut short all because of heart trouble. The growth of emotional awareness informs mechanisms that that underwrite the emergence of self-identity and social competence,† (Dolan 1194) Dolan describes that once someone becomes confident in their self-awareness that they will have reached the peak of satisfaction. What does it actually mean to be happy? Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary state that it can be defined as enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment. Clearly Mrs. Mallard got her dying wish of happiness and even though it was short lived, the feeling to her could last a lifetime.Between â€Å"Emotions in The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"Chopin’s The Story of an Hour,† S. Selina Jamil was the powerhouse when it came to providing and incorporating importance of the entire story, instead of just a section Daniel P. Deneau did. Jamil bro ke down â€Å"The Story of an Hour† into the perfect guideline in following how Mrs. Mallard emotions played out throughout the hour she experienced a mix of emotions. Jamil gave more examples that used the whole story instead of just a cluster of the short story, making it harder to follow.The context of â€Å"Chopin’s the Story of an Hour,† by Daniel P. Deneau was completely off set compared to S. Selina Jamil. All in all each essay from both of the authors were good; one surpassed the other by using certain specifics. Mixing both emotions and surrounding features, S. Selina Jamil got the upper advantage of the group because of how much information she covered, and how she described Mrs. Mallard’s ever changing emotions. Works Cited Basch, Norma. â€Å"Invisible Women: The Legal Fiction of Martial Unity in Nineteenth-Century America. † Feminist Studies 5. (1979): 346-66. JSTOR. Web. 15 March 2012. Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. Literature and the Writing Process. Ed Elizabeth McMahan et al. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2011. 246-247. Print. Deneau, Daniel P. â€Å"Chopin’s The Story of an Hour. † The Explicator 61. 4 (2003): 210+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 March 2012. Dolan, R. J. â€Å"Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior. † Science 298. 5596 (2002): 1191-94. JSTOR. Web. 15 March 2012 Jamil, S. Selina. â€Å"Emotions in The Story of an Hour. † The Explicator 67. 3(2009): 215+. Academic OneFile. Web. 14 March 2012.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Pollution Caused by Cruise Ships Essays

The Pollution Caused by Cruise Ships Essays The Pollution Caused by Cruise Ships Paper The Pollution Caused by Cruise Ships Paper These ships carry up to 3,000 passengers who spend enormous amounts of money at tourist locations around the world. It is estimated that millions of dollars are generated and placed into the tourism markets annually. This is great news for local communities that depend on the cruise ship industry in order to survive, however it is bad news when it comes to the environment. Cruise ships create a massive amount of waste which ends up polluting our water ways and sending vast levels of pollutants into the air as well. These large ships typically produce around 170,000 gallons of waste water, 21 ,OHO gallons of sewage, 6,400 gallons of bilge water, and 1 ton of solid waste per day ((Brooks ; Dunn, 2012). Unfortunately, these waste products are dumped into our oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes. There are numerous laws, regulations, and guidelines to prevent such things from happening but most of the cruise ship operations have found a way to work around them. They understand that states such as Alaska and Washington prohibit dumping of waste materials in their waters. The cruise ship corporations have taken advantage of the relaxed laws of places like British Columbia (B. C. ) which for the most part allows them to release their waste products into their water areas. This presents a dilemma for the cruise ship industry because they ultimately have to decide between making a profit and being environmentally sound. Corporations such as the cruise ship industry have an ethical responsibility to et all environmental regulations and laws regardless of where they are sailing. Corporations have an obligation to the general public and that includes making sure they are meeting standards set forth by the government. Environmental groups have a major influence on the general public and can create enough pressure where the reputation of a company is tarnished and sales start to decrease. It would be to a corporations advantage to show the general public that it is going above and beyond meeting environmental needs regardless of the rules in a particular country, Tate, etc. When sailing in international waters cruise ships should go by the strictest of all guidelines. Ethically, a corporation should set the standard for all others to follow. They cant allow relaxed rules to be an excuse for creating environmental damage. The general public would feel betrayed to learn that a company built on having good, clean, vacation fun is in fact dirtying up the water ways. Coos of such corporations should exercise due care and professional skepticism. They should ask how my actions will affect the water ways in the future. In addition, executives should question the rules of other countries and do everything in their power not to take advantage of weak laws. Rot cities depend on tourism to generate revenue within their communities. It is of the most importance to balance the needs of tourism against the needs of maintaining an environmentally safe society. Compromise is essential in the effort to reduce as much waste going into our waters as possible. These tourist destinations should always work with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop reas onable plans that can e accomplished slowly in order to prevent pollution now and in the future. It is understood that cruise ships will always have waste products to get rid of so decisions should be based on what is good for the environment not solely on tourism. The responsibility to maintain a clean and healthy environment is up to everyone. Corporations have a major responsibility as well because they can influence the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs of the average citizen. If a major corporation promotes the idea of improving air and water quality then it can influence the actions of other corporations. The cruise ship industry is in the position to set the standards for all to follow. They have the ability to show others that no matter the location or circumstances that a standard set of rules should always be followed. They should not let profit get in the way of doing the right thing. In the long run doing what is expected is more important than profit. The general public would accept a rise in ticket prices for a cruise if they were informed that it is because of the environmental rules they are trying to follow. Profit is the main goal of any organization, but it should not come at the expense of peoples health and well being. If the proper research is conducted and coordination between countries is established then it should be no reason why environmental needs should not be met. The general public is the first priority of corporations and every effort Of compromise should be attempted.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

NFL Hater Alternative Ways to Spend Super Bowl Sunday

NFL Hater Alternative Ways to Spend Super Bowl Sunday Super Bowl Sunday! Bread and circuses, bread and circuses! Not really into it? Thats not a problem and theres nothing wrong with you. Super Bowl haters are no more considered abnormal, non-conformists and aliens. Its not your fault that unlike millions of Americans you know better than sitting in front of TV eating junk food, pretending to understand whats going on and in fact just coming for food and drinking games. If you are not going for a Super Bowl Party youve got to fill your Sunday with some alternative plans (cause all your friends and relatives and acquaintances will probably be watching football). Alas, we’ve put together quite a list of things you can try on Super Bowl Sunday. Fear not. It’s not the average, â€Å"Go play some Frisbee golf† list of alternatives. Alternative #1: Do Something Different In reality this should become a personal philosophy of yours from here on out. Did you do the same stuff today that you did yesterday? How about the day before that? It’s time to burst out of your comfort bubble. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Do something out of the ordinary for â€Å"someone like you.† Here’s a thought, do something you try to avoid. Or, something you’ve never done yet out of fear (nothing bad or illegal). Why do it this Sunday? Super Bowl happens every year. Pretty soon the roman numerals will reach a point where absolutely no one has a clue what number it is (we may have already reached this point). But your life is only going to happen this one, very brief and fleeting, time. And remember youve dreamt about the day when you have nothing to do and nobody is bothering you? Well, thats the day, so use it to do something you wont regret about. Alternative #2: Go Knit Something! Just kidding. Alternative #3: Watch TED Talks All Day You can do everything that the Super Bowl people are doing, just change up the programming to something more â€Å"progressive†. So chips, BBQ wings, a gargantuan hi-def plasma TV, and a bunch of high achievers (99% of which couldn’t make it through try outs in middle school). Youll learn lots of useful, have mixed emotions, enrich your outlook with fresh ideas. TED talks are awesome, mind-blowing and inspiring. Pretty close to the Super Bowl, except no one’s wearing helmets. If you are not that much into educational programs like TED, you are welcome to replace it with your favourite TV series or old movies youve always wanted to see. Alternative #4: Pretend The World’s Ending†¦ The idea appeared first in the smosh.com article a couple years ago, but it is still relevant. If you live in a big (or small) sports-nut town, then the streets, movie theatres, and pretty much everywhere else but the sports bars should be empty during the Super Bowl. You could dress up like a medical patient that just woke up out of a coma into the aftermath of the apocalypse where only roaming bands of renegades and zombies still lurk around every corner. Then, just start wandering around. Just remember: â€Å"It’s fun to pretend, but make sure you dont get overzealous and start looting because this apocalypse is only going to happen until the game is over and you will go to a very real jail.† Alternative #5: Sleep The semester has only started and youve got lots of sleepless nights ahead. Whats more, New Years wasn’t that long ago. And not to mention that students are always sleep deprived. You deserve some rest, and thats the day you can sleep through with no regrets. Alternative #6: Just Be Absolutely Clueless Stop being all defensive. Who cares if you don’t care about the dang Super Bowl? Why youve being all insecure about this? Just go about your day as if you haven’t got clue-one what football is, what the Super Bowl is, or what the big deal is anyway. Twiddle your thumbs, kick some rocks, count some sheep. Whatever floats your boat! Alternative #8: Try to Awaken the Sports-Hordes It’s true, one of the signs of a crumbling empire is that it turns into mob-rule that craves distractions: games, bread, and circuses. You’re right, the world needs saving. Instead of wasting your time watching the Super Bowl, write an epic speech that will inspire the masses, awaken them, enlighten them, and galvanize them to save the rain forest, get income disparity under control, slow down the pace of evolving artificial intelligence! The future of the world is in your hands now! Alternative #9: Alternative Party Who said that you cant host a party just because everyone will be watching football? There are lots of NFL haters, hippies and non-conformists, geeks and intellectuals, and single girls who are also going to ignore Super Bowl Parties and will be more than excited to help you organize the alternative one. The theme of your party may be just that super bowl hating, with vegan snacks and drinks other than beer. Or you may choose any other theme that is suitable to your mood, and weather, and place where you going to host it. We are not going to be that cliche to include alternative #10 in the list as you may expect. But if you have any ideas that can be added to our list share them in the comments!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Supply Chain Management in Sports Obermeyer Case Study

Supply Chain Management in Sports Obermeyer - Case Study Example Given the ten styles of Women's Parkas, I recommend that Wally focuses on the three women's styles which are within one standard deviation from the mean of the normal distribution based on the individual sales forecasts of the Sample Buying Committee as shown in Exhibit 10. These styles are the Electra, the Daphne, and the Assault. About 68% of the population of the normal distribution are within one standard deviation from the mean. Wally can ask China to produce 10,000 units of any of these three styles only. Another option would be for him to choose to produce only one style for the China operations which requires a minimum order of l0,000 units. He can ask the marketing staff to do check the actual demand and to revise the sales forecasts of the three chosen styles. The style with the highest sales forecast will be prioritized for production in China. The two other women's styles can be produced in HK if they have lower sales forecasts. Given that the other styles are within 2 standard deviations from the mean of the normal distribution of the average sales forecasts, I will not recommend Wally to order 10,000 units of these women's styles: Call, Isis, Entice, Teri, Seduced, Stephanie and Anita. The choice of the three styles is a logical one because the individual forecasts already assume the level of the previous year's sales of the women's parkas. In order for forecasts to be reliable, they have to be based on the sales of previous years. If Wally chooses any of the seven other women's styles, then that would not be efficient since those styles already constitute within two standard deviations of the mean. There is a higher probability that he will be choosing the styles which would be harder to dispose of in the retail stores.