Devil in a Blue Dress

Although the main character Ezekial (Easy) Rawlins is not a licensed private detective, he is given the opportunity to work as if he were one. At the end of the book he writes to a friend whom he tells he has had a couple of additional cases as well as the one featured in the book. As one might expect this leads to more mysteries to solve. Currently there about eight sequels to Devil in a Blue Dress. The series is popular and sells well. The novel is set in Watts, one of the poorer and primarily black sections of Los Angeles, in 1948. Easy Rawlins is a black war veteran.During the war he initially worked as a typist because black soldiers were segregated from the white soldiers and usually put in noncombatant positions. Rawlins volunteers for combat where he participates in D-Day and later fights in General Patton's tank corp. Until just before the book begins Easy has worked in an airplane manufacturing plant. After an argument with his foreman, Easy walks off the job and is fired. Easy Rawlins is the main character. He is a large, tough black man originally from Houston, Texas. He mistrusts white people in general and white policemen in particular.He lives pretty much hand to mouth except that he has managed to obtain a mortgage and buy a house. Trying to pay his monthly mortgage is often a struggle and is a motivating factor for his actions later in the book. Easy is extremely proud of his house with its fruit trees, flowers and yard. He cares for it so much that at times throughout the book when it is suggested he avoid physical attack by leaving the area he refuses because he won't leave his home behind. Despite his feelings about white people and his frequent confrontations with violence, Easy is a very likeable man. He has an eye toward the ladies and they often reciprocate.When the book opens Easy has nothing to do since he lost his job the previous day. He visits an illegal bar located near his home and run by a friend of his, an ex-heavyweight fighter named Joppy. The bar is located above a meat warehouse and always stinks of meat. Since Joppy has a checkered past regarding encounters with the law and because the room above the meat warehouse would never be approved by a health inspect, Joppy doesn't have a license, he buys stolen liquor that has been high jacked from trucks to sell to his patrons and the bar has no license, the bar doesn't officially exist.In fact much of the world Easy occupies doesn't exists in the eye of the law. The world is full of jazz, cigarettes, alcohol and violence. At the bar Joppy introduces Easy to a white man, DeWitt Albright. Albright is an old friend of Joppy's and he needs someone to find a white woman named Daphne Monet. He offers Easy one hundred dollars to find Monet and to tell him where she is. Albright claims he needs Easy to look for Monet because she has been seen in clubs considered to be black night clubs and a white man asking questions, no matter how tough, would be unlikely to get the information he sought might even be killed.Since Easy is well-known and well-liked in the community Albright believes he will be more successful in find Miss Monet. Although Easy suspects that Albright is a gangster or some other type of criminal and probably very dangerous, he needs the money to pay his mortgage and accepts the job. Thus begins Easy's journey through Watts, East L. A. , Santa Monica and other cities in the L. A. area. During that time Easy is arrested for murder and beaten by the white police.He is threatened with numerous guns, attacked with a knife, accused of messing with one of his friend's woman and visited by a second friend with who he shares a criminal past. Despite the above named adventures, Easy has little difficulty finding Daphne Monet. His reaction to her is typically male and he would consider giving up everything to be with her. Besides Easy, a variety of characters appear. Easy seems to know everybody and has a past with them. Some of these suc h as Coretta, who has an eye for men, appear briefly and are used by Mosley as victims of murder. However two characters deserve more mention.Mouse is a man without a conscience and a good deal of skill with both a knife and a gun. One can't describe him as immoral because he has no ethical standards to break. He is amoral. He doesn't recognize morality and it plays no role in his life. Given enough motivation, i. e. , money, Mouse would kill anyone without hesitation or remorse after the fact. Mouse is a good man to have on your side in violent situations, but he needs to be closely watched to make certain he doesn't suddenly turn on his friends and change side should it be to his personal advantage to do so.It is large through Mouse's skills with guns and a proclivity toward violence that East survives the case. Daphne Monet is a fantasy woman. She plays the role men want her to play and has learned to work men so well that she gets what she wants when she wants. She is physically small, beautiful, has a sensuous body with doe-like eyes that can melt a man's heart while exciting him with the possibility of a sexual relationship. She knows how to use all her charms to get what she wants and rarely hesitates to make use of them.She is out for herself and will likely do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Daphne Monet is an alias for Ruby Hanks, although she passes for white, she is a light skinned black woman from Lake Charles, Louisiana who like so many of the characters in the book has a past with Easy. Throughout the book Rawlins fails to recognize Rube when he meets Daphne because she has grown up and out since he last saw her when she was a child.. Unlike Mouse Daphne Monet has a conscience and an awareness of what is right or wrong, however she probably wouldn't hesitate to do wrong should the situation call for it.Money is her motivation and one wonders if Mosley used the last name â€Å"Monet† because of its similarity to the word â€Å"mo ney,† a driving force in here life. The crime that starts all of the violence and killing is Daphne's stealing $30,000 from Albright. Naturally he wants it back. Throughout the novel Daphne uses Easy to avoid being killed and to keep the money she as stolen. Ultimately she is successful. Daphne, Mouse and easy keep the money, Albright, among others, is dead. Rawlins is satisfied at the end of the book. Although there are threads of crimes left hanging, Easy is satisfied.He has settled things to his own standards and couldn't care less if the white police still have crimes to solve. Mosley's book provides a well plotted scenario with a very likeable main character. Typically private detectives are white males. Using a black man as a detective and revealing events to the reader through his eyes is an interesting device. Easy Rawlins has been treated as an inferior all of his life by white people. Easy Rawlins is a man with faults. He has prejudices that are understandable and pr ovide a more rounded character.He is a believable multi-dimensional character that does not fall prey to the many stereotypes many writers of detective stories use. Easy Rawlins is neither such an all bad person that he is unbelievable nor is he so pure and good so that he appears insipid. The plot of Devil in a Blue Dress is quite plausible. There was never a doubt that most of the events such as those happening in the book could and did occur. The only difficult part to accept is that the main characters were able to divide the money evenly and each of them keep their $10,000 share.It appears more likely that someone else would show up looking for the money. However, a willing suspension of disbelief easily remedies this small issue. The description of the location and time period appears to be historically accurate. Mosley is aware of historical facts and provides explanations for those things that might appear to be inaccurate. For example, because the military was segregated by race during World War II, most blacks did not serve in combat. Mosley deals with this by recognizing that blacks could serve in combat if they volunteered to do so.It is interesting to note that at the time when the novel takes place there are truck farms growing artichokes, strawberries, and lettuce between downtown L. A. and Santa Monica. Today there is nothing to separate L. A. from Santa Monica except a sign announcing the city limits of Santa Monica. Roads that are wide and well-traveled today are little used roads in the country. The book is very readable and interesting. It is interesting to read a detective novel from the point of view of a black man.His opinions of white people are largely negative and based on the events in the novel, correct. Easy was interesting and likeable. Daphne Monet was an exciting, sexy woman written to engender attraction and lust for male readers. The pacing was good and added to the suspense. At times the prose seems to lead the reader, subtly suggesting the reader continue to read and to read faster and faster. Devil in a Blue Dress appears to be authentic not only in its historicity, but in the way it feels and the atmosphere Mosley creates.While reading the box the reader is able to assume the persona of Easy Rawlings and look at events through his eyes. One of the best features of Mosley's book is that he uses language and terms that would have been used in 1948. Easy thinks of himself as a Negro, not as a black or African-American or some other recently developed politically correct term. This is refreshing given the extreme attention to political correctness today. It is irritating when people try to rewrite history by pretending that political corrects extends eternally to the past.Over all, Devil in a Blue Dress is quite a good book. Easy Rawlins is a believable character and interesting character. He provides a point of view to the reader that is unusual if not unique. One wonders if Daphne/Ruby is really The De vil in a Blue Dress as she is made out to be. For the male characters in the book and to men reading the book she is definitely an angel. The plot is intriguing and intricate enough to engage the reader and to encourage the reader to read the other books in the series. Works Cited Mosley, Walter. Devil in a Blue Dress. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1990.

NASW code of ethics Essay

I believe that the NASW code of ethics is an adequate starter guide for new social workers. It covers all of the basic ethical dilemmas that happen more often in the field of human services. I feel that a great deal of the code is common sense and it is helpful to see what is expected of you and you colleagues while on the job. The dilemma is a disagreement with a co-worker over how to approach one of my own client’s dilemma. Let’s say I went to the co-worker and asked their advice on how to handle a problem with a foster family. I felt the child was mistreated in their current foster home and needed to be placed somewhere else. My co-worker feels they should stay put for the time being and I feel they should be moved. There are not many options for this child because of the huge need for foster parents in the area and the child has already been moved around four times. According to Susan Schilssler Manning Ethical Leadership in Human Services: A Multi-Dimensional Appro ach (2003), it is the primary responsibility of a social worker to promote the well-being of clients and to make their interest primary, however the social services workers’ responsibility can be limited due to larger society or specific legal obligations. In this case the child is in danger and according to the code of ethics it is my job to protect the client and remove them from the home. There is a helpful list of questions on the NASW website that provides tips for resolving ethical dilemmas. In this circumstance there could be more guidance concerning children and those under the age of eighteen. Reference: NASW National Association of Social Workers. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.naswma.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=120 Susan Schilssler Manning. (2003). Ethical Leadership in Human Services: A Multi-Dimensional Approach. Retrieved from Susan Schilssler Manning, HSM 220 website

Psychology Stress Coursework Essay

Stressed, unbalanced and permanently under pressure. This is how in the movie â€Å"Office Space† Peter, a programmer in a big software company, passes his days and therefore hates his bothersome job, his boss and his whole life. When seeking help in hypnosis the therapist dies suddenly and leaves him back in a state of total relaxation and casualness so that he neglects orders to do extra work at weekends, finds the courage to start dating the long admired girl next door, and surprisingly impresses some evaluation interviewers with his new coolness what ends up in unexpected promotion. In the new position he decides to strike back against his company by installing a virus-like software to invincibly transfer money from the company to their bank account together with his just fired friends Michael and Samir. By mistake, however, the plan gets totally out of control so that they fear their uncovering and decide to secretly return the money, which – after some confusion produced by mentally handicapped Milton who has been humiliated by the boss so far and therefore sets the whole office on fire – finally brings all of them to a happy life in relief, relaxation and harmony. But before that relaxation can ease his life, Peter is exposed to a variety of stressors (most of them having been discussed in our lesson) at the beginning of the movie. Most prominent are task-related job stressors. Peter is responsible for essential reports to fix millennium bugs in bank software and simultaneously works for eight bosses. This situation sets him under daily pressure when e.g. his boss asks him to deliver a report by the same day he didn’t even start working on by midday, or when he gets negative feedback from all his bosses for a single mistake. Together with high levels of monotony and the fact that he has almost no control on the type and amount of work he’s got to do within rigid deadlines, this situation is a constant source of psychological pressure and imbalance. Additional stress originates from physical stressors like the need to work in small and stuffed office boxes, disturbances by loud and annoying office equipment or by getting periodic calls from colleagues and bosses, like e.g. Milton, who permanently talks crab and even calls him on the phone for that. Further stressors can be identified as demanding and privacy-hostile working-time arrangements. When he for example tries hard to escape his boss on a Friday afternoon to not risk a â€Å"last-minute† weekend shift, but badly fails, one can imagine that the view of a boring and stressful Saturday at work is everything but relaxing. But even in his private life poor Peter is far from being relaxed and easygoing. When he for instance comes home to relax after a long day in the office, his neighbour can hear every single breath he does and they can talk to each other through the thin wall, which can be considered as a kind of social stressor within his own apartment. The same is true for his fear to talk to the waitress in his favourite lunch restaurant, who he always wants to invite for a date, but never finds enough courage to do so. All those stressors show obvious consequences and lead to clear symptoms of strain. While no real physiological strain in form of illness or injury is shown in the movie (although I’d be quite sure that he suffers from high blood pressure!), job-related and emotional signs of strain are heavily appearing. In his job, Peter reacts to raising stressors with lack of motivation and a clearly decreased satisfaction in both his professional and private life. Emotional strain can be identified in his general burnout symptoms and e.g. in dramatic loss of patience. The latter is nicely shown at the very beginning of the movie, when he is stuck in heavy traffic and tries to be faster by permanently changing lanes to the assumed faster one – which of course turns out to be a totally wrong strategy and makes him proceed even slower than an old and handicapped pedestrian on the sidewalk. To deal with his stressors, Peter applies several coping strategies in both problem-focussed and emotion-focussed manners. His activities to start work always late, to avoid real work as good as possible and to play computer games or surf in the internet instead, can all be classified as problem-focussed because they all are an attempt to change the stress producing conditions at work and make his daily routine more relaxed. The same is true for his regular and elongated coffee breaks with Michael and Samir, independently if there is the boss waiting or an urgent deadline approaching. On the other hand, his decision to undergo a hypnosis therapy is an emotion-focussed coping strategy, because it’s an internal process to change his attitude to stressful events, rather than changing the cause of stress itself. However, I believe those two categories of coping strategies are somewhat flexible and interfering, since a persons’ internal attitude towards a job can become a stressor itself by e.g. setting a person under additional pressure to fulfil certain tasks under high self-expectations. However, it was the hypnosis that finally brought substantial relief and relaxation in Peters life. Due to the – unplanned – fact that he stayed trapped in his hypnotized state, he managed to approach both his work and his private life in a very relaxed and cool way, and even when initially not expected by himself and his environment, led to an increase in his motivation, joy, brought him more credit in his professional evaluation and finally facilitated a relaxed and satisfied life. Even when the movie is clearly exaggerating at many points, the basic idea of how Peter is coping with the mentioned stressors is quite reasonable to me. In an office environment it is normally quite difficult to change tight work schedules, deadlines or an over demanding boss. For that reason, the attempt to minimize stress by e.g. keeping social contacts in coffee breaks or maintaining short resting phases during work seem to be helpful and applicable coping mechanisms. If by hypnosis or any other method, the relaxation of internal tension seems to be most reasonable to me. In real life changes will certainly never be as dramatic as shown in the movie, but reducing internal pressure can surely help to find a way back to a relaxed and balanced life, which doubtlessly can increase overall satisfaction, joy and motivation. This can by the way partially be supported by allowing aggressions against bothersome machines like the poor office printer in the movie†¦ I do believe that such behaviour can bring big relief sometimes!

Pricilla and the Wimps Character Reflection

The character of Priscilla in the story â€Å"Priscilla and the Wimps† reveals numerous traits and characteristics which allow one to make assumptions about her as a person outside of the events depicted in the story. The first descriptive aspect of Priscilla as a character would be her physical appearance. We are made aware in the opening of the story that Priscilla stands as a massive individual in the school community and many students are fearful of her based solely on her physical stature.This may be confirmed on account of the fact that she only had one friend, Melvin Detweiler, and was not accepted by many of the other students who attended the school. Priscilla’s size and strength would lead me to believe that she has an athletic background, further shaping my idea her physical appearance. The first aspect of her physical appearance is her clothing, which I presume would be a stereotypical athletic style, such as track pants and a hoodie, some huge sneakers for her massive feet and a windbreaker.Her clothes may also be rather small because of her enormous size. Another way to refer to my ideas of Priscilla’s physical appearance is through her facial features, which may consist of a simple haircut, like a ponytail and possibly some bruises or scars from playing contact sports throughout the years. Another way to classify Priscilla as a character would be through her personality and mental concepts. I envision that she would have a protector-like personality which was demonstrated through her actions towards the end of the story, when Melvin was threatened by the Kobras.This unique disposition includes aspects such as being quietly forceful, original and sensitive while being extremely intuitive about people (Melvin), and concerned for their feelings. I think that Priscilla would also be well-respected for her perseverance in doing the right thing and likely to be individualistic, rather than leading or following. My ideas for Priscil la’s background and outside life will also reveal my illustration of this particular character. As stated before, I picture Priscilla to be involved with sports because of her physical abilities as well as to compensate for her lack of friends.Her lack of friends may also be because she could live in an isolated area where building relationships with other children her age is not possible. Her aggressive behavior revealed in the story may be a cause of belligerent parents or possibly an older brother who has picked on her or played a significant role in her life causing some masculine qualities to be rubbed off on Priscilla. Further exploring my impression of Priscilla, it may similarly benefit my overall image to examine her motivation for specific actions, her sense of humor and habits.The motivation for her actions throughout the circumstances presented in this story could be that she has only one friend and she will do anything to maintain that friendship through protecti on or other means. When Melvin is harassed by the Kobras, she sees them as a threat and deals with it in an aggressive manner to assure that Melvin will continue to see her as a friend, and know that she will have his back. Another possible motivation for Priscilla’s actions may be that she does not want to be seen as weak and wishes to sustain her reputation as the toughest in the school.When confronted by the Kobras, she sees an opportunity to prove to everyone how dangerous she is and reassures that no one will mess with her or Melvin. Priscilla’s sense of humor may also dictate who she is as a character. I consider that Priscilla has a sadist quality about her and finds that when she harms people she does not care for, she gets a sense of accomplishment and humor. This can be demonstrated by her actions at the end of the book when she locks Monk Klutter in her locker and continues to walk away with Melvin.Priscilla’s habits also shape her character, both pos itively and negatively. She may have a bad habit for being overly aggressive or constantly escalating conflicts to violent acts. She correspondingly has good habits, however, which may include standing up for what is right and being a good friend. Overall, my personal image of the character Priscilla is revealed through her actions in the story of â€Å"Priscilla and the Wimps† combined with my own ideas and concepts which I believe apply to this particular character.

Creative writing Essay

‘Now this is a story all about me, when my life got twist turn upside down, if you like to take a minute just reading right here, I’ll write you how I became a prince of a town called New Jersey’ could you find a word that rhymes with New Jersey? ‘In East London I’m born and raised on a playground is where I’ve spent the most of my days chilling out, relaxing all cool and all kicking some football outside of school when a couple of guys, they were up to no good started making trouble in my neighbourhood I got in one little fight and my mum got scared and said â€Å"you’re moving with your aunt and uncle in New Jersey here, have this Hershey’ that kind of rhymes. If you didn’t know Hershey is a chocolate bar that is sold in America. Although I would like to think that I was the fresh prince, my story didn’t exactly start out like that. Instead of my parents sending me to my relatives because of academic problems, I went because I have been nagging them for a really long time. I’m not saying that my academic level was reaching its fullest potential before I went, but the main reason I went was to have a taste of things to come. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to live in one of those semi-detached American houses with the large front garden, golden retriever, two kids and a large garage. When most people watch American films they are focused on the storyline, but when I watch them not only am I watching the story, but also at the back of my mind I am constantly absorbing the American background. Finally in the summer of 2000 July 3rd, I got the chance to have a taste of my dream. Even though it was just a small taste, it was enough to last me however long it will take to finally move there. When my parents did decide that it was o. k. to send me there, it was there idea of making me have a taste of the ‘real world’. There idea of a taste of the ‘real world’ was my idea of a taste of a dream. At the time I had just finished my GCSE’s, and my grades were not that great. My parents had planned that America would change my course; I guess it did in the end but my biggest change was with my personality. When I did return I felt more confident, independent, funny and larger (thanks to those large American portions of food). Everything leading up to the day I left flew by and before I knew it I was in the airport sitting at the waiting room with my dad. I remember my dad being really calm and cool about everything, he never really got sad in front of me especially with good-by’s. He told me stories about when he went to New York for the first time: ‘Now this is a story all about your dad, back in the day I also was bad, Your old man also had the American dream, thinking that it would be so cool and supreme, I stayed there for a while to learn the truth, that America was best lived in the movies, ‘what a poof! ‘ I never knew my dad could rap, looks as though he has a problem with finishing it as well. To sum up my dads rap; he also had the American dream being brought up on James Dean movies. Throughout his teenage years he had dreamt up an image of what America would be like, unfortunately when he stayed there, it did not match his dream. That is how my dad tells the story, but I think there’s something he is not telling me. I also believe that my parents don’t want me to live far away from them because they regret moving far away from their parents when they were younger. On the plane, I sat next to an empty seat, which wasn’t bad as I wasn’t really good with the airplane conversations. I travelled on Virgin Atlantic and the in-flight entertainment was great, they had a video screen in front of each seat with which I could play games, watch films and programmes. Anyway back onto America, I remember as we approached the New York coast I heard a passenger in the seat in front of me, â€Å"look there’s the statue of liberty† I looked to my right out of the window and saw her. She was a bit smaller then I had imagined (in Ghostbusters 2 she was huge! ), and she was green. I never actually realised that she was green before; I always thought she was grey. I wasn’t disappointed though; looking at the New York skyline for the first time was great. However I still felt as though I was in England, maybe it would change when we land. After I collected my luggage, I went through the inspection terminal where policemen checked your passports. I found this strange but the strangest was to come, when I reached the gate where my aunt would be waiting for me. Oh yeah if I didn’t mention it before, I would be staying with my auntie there, like my parents were really going to let me stay there by myself. Anyway along with the story, the last time I saw my aunt was when she visited England when I was 2 so†¦ I was the first out into the arrival room and there was a crowd so large I felt like I was in one of those ‘where’s Wally’ books. I looked at the crowd and then a man taped my shoulder and pointed out my aunt to me. They were waving out to me trying to get my attention with a big sign with my name on it. I said thanks to the first American I made contact with and walked over to them. We did the usually Portuguese custom and did the kiss on the cheeks thing. I originally thought that communication between us would be easy, but boy did I wish I brought my translator. They could barely understand me, and the fact that my ears were still popped from the plane journey didn’t help either. I felt like a deaf, posh Wally (as in Where’s Wally). The next day when I woke up, I had that weird feeling when I wake up in a different room and don’t know where I am (it was like that film Memento). Then I got up and looked at the picture of ‘the statue of liberty’ on the desk and remembered when I was on the plane. I woke up to Independence Day and before I knew it I was on my way to a barbecue. It was a beautiful sunny day and boy was it hot! I wore light cloths but it was way hotter then I thought it would be. When I arrived there I met ‘The Martins’, they suited the typical average American household family everything apart from the golden retriever. Not that my aunt and uncle didn’t suit the typical American household image, but they lived in an apartment which was more like an episode of ‘Friends’. At the barbecue I ‘piged’ out big time, I don’t think I have ever eaten so much in such a small time. I even got to drink my first bottle of Budweiser, I never really liked beer but after that I had chosen my favourite drink. I had also bonded really well with Bruno Martin and his friend Chris. Bruno showed me his loft that he lived in under his house; he had his own shower, living room. After the barbecue we went for a drive in the city, on my second day I was already in New York. We drove around for a while, but there was too much traffic so we had to stop and park near the Brooklyn Bridge (it was in the end of ‘Godzilla’). From there we watched the fireworks, there were lots of people that were watching with us. After that we finally drove into the city and walked around in ‘Time Square’ (too many films too mention). I have never seen so many people from different countries in one place. That night I slept well knowing that when I wake up tomorrow I will definitely know where I am. A couple of weeks later I went out with Bruno and Chris again for a whole day out. First up was a visit to his high school, where we would play baseball on the field. I was looking forward to seeing what his school looked like, after all those years of seeing a typical American high school in TV programmes. It was huge and the sports facilities were expensive. They had a huge football field (as in American football), and three outdoor tennis courts! It made the sports facilities back at my school look basic. We played baseball on the field, which is when I began to really feel American. Bruno and Chris were impressed with my skills, especially as I had hit more home runs then both of them. After that we went to the beach, which is when I began to feel as though I was David Hassolhof in an episode of Bay watch. The weeks generally flew by, however there were some bad weeks when things were just going all wrong. When my aunt leaves for work each morning she would leave something that I could pop in the microwave. I however was not to sure on the rules of using a microwave and used a non-microwave plastic container to re-heat some chicken from the night before. I was just watching TV eagerly anticipating my meal, when I smelt smoke. I rushed into the kitchen; smoke was everywhere, opened the microwave and saw that the container had melted with the chicken inside it! I threw it into the bin opened all the windows and turned the A/C to full power. I went for the air conditioner, hoping that I could diminish the smell of burnt plastic. When my aunt returned from work she could smell the burnt plastic straight away but thought that maybe the dogs litter tray needed to be cleaned out. I actually thought that I might get away with it until my mum realised the burn stain in the microwave, DUM DUM DUMM (that was meant to be when in movies when something bad happens). She caught and shouted at me for having both the windows open and the A/C on. If you think that was bad, that is nothing compared to when I was taking Pepper (our dog) for a walk and a huge dog attacked him. That was really scary, the owner of the big scary dog, couldn’t even release his own dog. The dogs jaws were looked tightly on Pepper’s neck all I could was watch. Luckily Pepper survived and was treated for minor bite wounds. Towards the end of my visit my vacation began to look up greatly. I visited New York more often and went on the Statue of Liberty and on the World Trade Centres. I remember when I went to the twin towers the tour guide on the lift told us that the lift was travelling at 30 mph (or something like that) and I could feel my feet feel light as we got closer to the top. The top three floors were accessible to tourists including the roof. To get to the roof you would take a escalator, all you could see when you were going up was bright blue sky and I felt as though when the escalator reached the top I would go over the edge. When I finally plucked up the courage to get on the roof the view was beautiful. You could see for miles, all the wonders of New York were in view from one place. When I returned showing my photos from the roof, my friends thought that I was on a helicopter. On my visit to the big green woman, I actually realised clearly how large she was up-close. I thought about how long she has been there for, everything she would have seen. Throughout seeing all the sites a common image would occur to me of re-visiting these sites when I move to America. For me New York was a place to visit not to live in. I have always wanted to live in the house from Home Alone, which is set in Chicago. I have always like the Christmassy look. Returning back to England was weird as when I went to America. Once again no-body could understand me (by now I have an American accent), I had to get use to the money as well. The weird thing about America is that when you get use to it you don’t even realise that you are living in America. Although you are use to it, you still notice differences here and there. My American dream is still there, its just a matter of until I make it into reality.

Business economics (for firm) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business economics (for firm) - Essay Example The traditional theory of firm states that the same principles underlie each decision taken within a firm and that the decision is influenced by who takes it, thus the theory abstracts from the peculiarities of the persons taking the decisions and from the organizational structure in which they were. Therefore according to the traditional theory of firm whenever a firm manager or board of directors of the firm, then as far as the theory takes decisions is concerned that person is the firm for the purposes of that decision. According to devine1985 he reinstated the traditional theory of firm, he viewed participatory economy system as a process in which the value and interest of people in a process of decision making through negotiation and cooperation. Extra-firm firm is concerned with the implication of generalized participation outside the firm for the process and criteria that determine which of the entrepreneurial or innovation output of firms are successful. Baumol's sales revenue maximizing model. Williasm Baumol developed the sales maximizing model he argues that firms attempts to maximize the revenue obtained from sales with or without a profit constraint. This is motivated by managers in a firm belief that their salaries are related to the size of the firm. This approach was developed by cyert and March in 1963. ... with the implication of generalized participation outside the firm for the process and criteria that determine which of the entrepreneurial or innovation output of firms are successful. Question 3 Baumol's sales revenue maximizing model. Williasm Baumol developed the sales maximizing model he argues that firms attempts to maximize the revenue obtained from sales with or without a profit constraint. This is motivated by managers in a firm belief that their salaries are related to the size of the firm. The diagram below demonstrates a firm's total cost curve. Total revenue curve and the profit curve. Total revenue curve and the profit curve. Cost & Revenue Total Revenue At point 'P' where total cost curve intersect total revenue curve. The profit value is zero. Where TC = TR then profits are equal to zero. Managers of a firm may be interest in maximizing variables other than profits. The diagram below shows a firms attempts to maximize sales revenue subject to a minimum profit and a firm not subjected to a profit constrain. A firm producing at point Qo maximizes profit this is the point where the profit curve is at it maximum. A firm that has no profit constraint in its production will produce at pointy Q3. A firm with a minimum profit constraint will produce at point Q2, where the minimum profit line interest the profit curve. Section B Behavioural Approach of a Firm This approach was developed by cyert and March in 1963. It emphasizes on explaining how decisions are taken within a firm. This approach is an alternative of the -profit maximization theory. According to Baumol (1959), he suggests that managers would seek to maximize their own utility, managers interests are served by maximizing sales after achieving a

Burger Boy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burger Boy Paper - Essay Example For example, Marge is supposed to collect her daughter from the school bus at 2:45. However, Otis, the assistant store manager does not give her that chance to be with her daughter an aspect that would not only demotivate Marge, but also it would generate poor relationship with her daughter. Similarly, there slow delivery of services especially for the poorly paid employees such as Marge despite the fact that they are working for more hours per week. Poor communication between the seniors is also leading to confrontation that is not only been experienced by other employees but also by the consumers. One of the key problems that could be explained by compensation issues is the slow delivery of services. For instance, the fact that Marge is being paid $6.25/hr and is working for more hours than Jerry and equal to Chuck, makes her to portray heavy stress during the performance of duties. As a result, she is slow in her duties a situation that makes Otis to shout at her as a way of making her to be fast. Similarly, poor communication between the managers can also be attributed to poor compensation. For example, in their confrontations Otis informs Leon that he is sick for working 10-12 hours a day for the little wages (Jodi 16). This is an indication that if Otis wages are improved, it would be a major solution to avoid communication problems and managers confrontations. One of the key problems that could be lessened with diligent use of rewards other than pay includes absenteeism. By giving the employees ample time to rest either inform of breaks or off duties, the level of absenteeism will effectively be addressed an aspect that will ensure the Burger Boy has adequate manpower to deal with high number of customers during Fridays. Employees can also be rewarded through delegation of duties. This will ensure that they make independent and proper decision leading to lower level of

What can we learn about the structure of the traditional indian Essay

What can we learn about the structure of the traditional indian society from the Ramayana story - Essay Example For instance, respect for teachers and elders are an important traditional value amongst the Indian families. A sage is about to arrive at the palace of King Dasharatha, and this incident reflects something profound about the Indian society. R. K. Narayan writes, â€Å"On a certain afternoon, messengers at the gate came running to announce â€Å"Sage Vishwamitra.† When the message was relayed to the King, he got up and hurried forward to receive the visitor.† (7) A King going all the way to receive a sage. Seems incredible, but that was the value system and even today sages command immense reverence. What it is to be an ideal human being and what is an ideal society? One will not be able to find a better work than Ramayana to find the treasure-house of values. Those are not mere ideals for practicing sitting on the ivory tower! Every value described and defended in the Ramayana stands the test of practicability. That which is not practical, can not be noble or spiritual either. An individual has to play different roles in different stages of one’s life. Donning the human body, Lord Ram has shown to the humanity how to live the divine life. His reign on this Planet Earth has been hailed as Ram Rajya, which means the ideal policy that the human beings can aspire for. The impressionable minds of the youngsters need to be given the correct values. The Sages are embodiments of truth and love. No extraneous considerations are taken into account, and the question of defending Dharma assumes supreme priority, and all other overriding factors are side-tracked. The slaying of demon Thataka illustrates the correct style of imparting the right values to Ram when SageViswamitra was on his way to his hermitage in the thick forest. The demon used to harass the sages performing sacred rituals and plunder the forest wealth. When Vishwamitra orders Rama to slay her, Rama hesitates for a while, whether it is proper to slay a woman! Women

Articulate a problem solving process regarding a practice issue in Essay

Articulate a problem solving process regarding a practice issue in nursing. In addition you will discuss evidence and its relati - Essay Example In most cases, medication errors are arrested before they get to the patient, or they may reach the patients and cause no harm, or cause treatable as well as permanent harm requiring prolonged hospitalization of the patient. Although there are preventive measures that can be put in place to deter occurrence of these medication errors, they are bound to happen from time to time, and it is expedient for medical practitioners to have necessary skill and knowhow regarding solution to such problems (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). The reason for taking preventive or curative measures when it comes to nurses’ medication errors are governed by the professional ethics regarding nursing practice. Safety for hospitalized patients and response to or solution of emerging practice errors (such as those of medication) is part of a patient’s rights and should be the topmost priority (professionally) of health practitioners (Flynn & Barker et al., 2002). Problem description Most of the commo n medication errors arise from insufficient skills of the nurses in administering dosages. One particular medication error occurs in the administration of intravenous medication in the hospitals. Evidence of factors associated with errors in administration of intravenous medication or the severity of the errors is limited, but they do have a notably high frequency of incidence in medical institutions (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). Intravenous medications are very complex and require many steps in preparing them, administering them, and monitoring the progress of patients under intravenous medication. These processes require precision and particular risks are posed by errors in medication (Cohen, 2007). The medication errors in intravenous medication administration occur in terms of failures in procedures or intravenous clinical errors (Flynn & Liang et al., 2012). Procedural failure includes lack of attention to record administration of medication on a medication chart, administering IV medication at the wrong time, or failing to read the label on medication. Failure by the nurse to wash hands prior to preparing the injection (breaching aseptic techniques), storing intravenous medication temporarily in unsecure environments, or failing to check identification of the patient or blood/pulse pressure prior to dose administration constitute procedural failure (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). QNSE Competencies A nurse may also fail to check the level of blood sugar before administering insulin or skipping of the procedure of signing register of dangerous drugs by two nurses as required. Clinical errors (intravenous) may be occasioned by incorrect rate of intravenous, which may be faster or slower than recommended, incorrect mixture by using the wrong solvent, using a different volume of solvent in preparation of intravenous medication than what is recommended, as well as incompatibility of drugs by combining drugs that are not compatible through the same intravenous infusion . There may also be errors in general programming of the

A case study on Inuit environment and resources, and their Research Paper

A case study on Inuit environment and resources, and their relationship to Inuit culture and belief system - Research Paper Example They have their own distinct literature, music and arts, most of which are created to praise and worship the spirits that guide them in their everyday lives. The term Inuit refers to the group of aboriginal people that live and occupy the Arctic region from Greenland to the east of Siberia (Park). They arrived in the Arctic from Asia through land bridges, as a matter of fact, it is settled that they are â€Å"the last people to cross from Asia† (King, 9). Needless to state, the Arctic is perhaps the most unlivable place on earth – forever cold and frozen – yet the Inuit have made it home. They lived off of the abundance of the sea and whatever is found on land. They made tools from animal bones and rocks which are then used to make clothing from animal skin and fur. For their fuel which they use for cooking and lighting, they have learned to extract the oils from sea mammals like whales. (King, 9) The land and the sea provide for all their needs, and they return the favor by making offerings to the spirits of nature. With the help and guidance of the spirits, the Inuit was able to develop things that made living in the harsh environment easier. They live in an igloo, travel on water with the kayak and on land with dogsleds, use ulu which is a knife used by women for household chores, and discover the utility of the quilliq which is a small stove made of stone. During the never-ending winter season, the quilliq not only cooks their food but also provide heat and light to the entire household. (The Inuit Way, 8) The Inuit boasts of a very rich and colorful culture which is in stark contrast to the monotony of their natural environment. Despite contact with foreigners, the Inuit have been successful in preserving their cultural heritage and identity, with the preservation of Inuktitut, the Inuit language. To ensure that the younger generations never forget their identity, small children are taught to play the traditional games and

Novartis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Novartis - Essay Example In addition, the company is concerned about the role of its employees in the provision of quality services and achieving the company’s performance target. To facilitate the objective, Novartis introduced the annual energy excellence awards to motivate its employees. Although, Novartis has promoted an extensive performance management process, their efforts have not attained the desired levels of expectation. The Performance Management Process Can Be Considered ‘Strategic’ Novartis PM Process is strategic since it links other HR polices such reward, talent development and training with its performance management policies. This is a good strategy since it enables the company to achieve its management objectives through direct approach. The pay for performance system is strategic since it enables the company to motivate its employees by rewarding them for exceptional performance. Moreover, the company can evaluate the value of its employees in terms of the value that they contribute to the company. Rewarding employees for exceptional performance also enables them to benefits from their initiatives and handwork (Randle, 2007). To implement the performance program Novartis has implemented a training program to equip its staff with the required skills. Although the PM process is rewarding in the short term, it cannot be relied upon in the long term. This is because; employee’s performance is limited to several factors including their ability and perf ormance capacity. Moreover, the policy does not promote loyalty and skill development among the company staff. This is because the employees are only concerned with the gains they are making out of their performance rather than the overall performance of the company. The HR policy does not help to sharpen the skills of individual employees since it focuses on the overall performance of the team rather than the performance of individuals. Line managers rather than HR staff drive the process. This is an advantage as well as a disadvantage to the company in terms of skill development and company’s performance. Line managers are more inclined to production and overall company’s’ performance rather than skill development. This makes them less suitable for the job considering that the company needs to establish a long-term relation with its customers. Alternatively, being managed by line managers is superior to being managed by HR officers since they focus on the prod uction aspect of an employee. Components & Techniques of the Process PM components and techniques involve employee rating and performance evaluation. The â€Å"First Steps 2006/7 was the first Novartis PM process for all V&D staff. The rating process was used to determine and categorize employees according to their performance capacity. Throughout the PM process, measuring or rating employees according to their performance ability is essential. However, the process is not beneficial to members of staff since it only targets employee’s performance rather than the cause of poor or exceptional performance (Marketline, 2012). The process only provides a comparison on employee’s performance rather than the cause of poor performance among employees. Consequently, the pulse check 2008 provides a review of employee’s performance rather than strategies to improve the performance. The survey emphasizes on identifying key improvements that have led to the company’s development. This is not a strategic move since it does not define any specific plan or activity that will lead to the company’

NETWORK PROPOSAL Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NETWORK PROPOSAL - Term Paper Example The key components of this proposal include the objectives, guiding principles, methodology of implementation, a technology strategic direction, goals, objectives, and a high level schedule to direct each step in the direction of the vision. Tasks will be updated and constantly monitored to ensure progress and accountability during implementation. Technology investments will be regulated appropriately to make certain that they are on course toward the achievement of Shiv LLC’S strategic vision and goals. Shiv LLC is a manufacturer and distributor of solar panels for the consumer market. Presently, the company is operational in three cities: Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston. Shiv LLC intends to expand their operations rapidly due to an escalating demand for solar panels. A devoted â€Å"cloud computing† setting shall enable Shiv LLC to merge networking and processing services in a virtual environment. Such environment shall convey a high degree of availability, business continuity, and redundancy, while simultaneously enabling roughly all information to be controlled and availed both centrally and across networks. iv. Data, information and applications shall be accessible via the cloud network; and consequently the company shall reduce its permanent electronic and data processing servers overseas, thereby decreasing environmental impact and operational cost. The network shall be in place as an inter-branch platform. vii. Employees shall be able to attend to tasks from their home, while travelling, or while in meetings with stakeholders. All resources they have at their desks shall be accessible to them from any part of the globe, subject to stringent security requirements and processing limitations of where they are situated and what device they are carrying. This technology proposal shall offer a well centralized and standardized technology infrastructure and timely delivery of

Mergers and acquisitions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Mergers and acquisitions - Coursework Example This paper seeks to examine examples of companies in the USA that were involved in a merger. Mergers often look forward to ensuring profits rather than losses in the business combination. The selected company that involved itself in a merger is the Continental Airlines Company. The company was involved in the merger with another airline company. The two companies were the entities in the merger. An entity in business or in mergers and acquisitions (M & A) describes the organization, company or corporation that is acquired by another organization, company or corporation or that merges with the other in order to ensure a successful business in terms of profits, quality of products and competition and its continuous and long term survival in the world's competitive markets (Harwood, 2005). In the year 2010, an airline company in the U.S, Continental Airlines, merged or was rather acquired by another company, United Airlines (UAL) Corporation, also an airline holding company in the U.S w hich had its headquarters in Chicago in the state of Illinois. The two airline companies merged to form the United Continental Holdings in October 2010. The merger took place to ensure that the new company founded posed stiff competition to other airline companies around the world. The merge was also to ensure better services than the services provided before by the individual airline companies. After merging, the founded airline, United Continental Holdings became the largest airline company in the world as was confirmed by revenue passenger miles (New York Times, 2010). Mergers and acquisitions are often accompanied by transaction prices and payment terms. At the time of the merger between Continental Airlines and UAL Corporation, there were several factors that were involved in determining the transaction price and the payment terms for each of the individual companies after the merger. The first factor that determined the payment terms was the presence of other potential bidders who would provide better payment terms. United Airlines initially held merger talks with the US Airways. It is said that a deal was close between the two companies (New York Times, 2010). Unfortunately the merger talks broke off paving way for talks between the United Airlines Corporation and other airlines. On the other hand, the Continental Airlines also held merger talks with the Star Alliance and even merged. However the two airlines later on separated. This paved way for merger talks between the Continental Airlines and the United Airlines Corporation. Better payment terms were put in place bearing in mind that there were other potential bidders in case of a break off of the merger talks. The second factor that determined the transaction price and the payment terms between the two companies was the share deal that was signed by both entities. When the United Airlines and the Continental Airlines announced their merger in 2010, they struck so many deals. One was of a new name o f the company to be formed which was named the United Continental Holdings. Secondly, the two companies struck deals to share the losses and profits. This share deal was the key factor which was strongly involved in determining the transaction price and payment terms during their merger. The third factor that determined the transaction price and the payment terms was the taxes to be imposed on the newly formed company by the US government. Taxes imposed on a certain company greatly influences the payment terms. In case of friendlier taxation, the two entities could enjoy sharing in large amounts of the profits incurred. However, in case of harsh taxation by the US governm

Classic Airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Classic Airlines - Essay Example The airline industry is an oligopoly. Oligopolies are characterized by having a limited numbers of participants in a market structure that has a medium level of price elasticity. Since there are few competitors companies tend to react to changes in prices of other airlines. The airline industry has been in a cost savings mode for several years. Since 2002 the number of people working in the airline industry has been reduced by over 150,000 workers (Plunkett Research, 2011). The revenues generated by the industry in the United States are significant. According to the USTA the airline industry in the United States generated $704.4 billion (Plunkett Research, 2011). It would be in the best interest of Classic Airlines to increase its market share in the lucrative US travel marketplace. In the past Classic Airlines made the mistake of pursuing an aggressive price discount strategy. The results of the lowering the price strategic approach were not favorable. Drastic price reductions in an oligopoly place the entire industry at risk of a price war. In a price war all the participants lose due to the fact that the profit of the entire industry goes down. Internal and External Pressures Classic Airlines is currently facing a lot of pressures from different stakeholder groups. The company has stayed profitable, but its margins are extremely thin. Last year the company generated $10 million in revenues which seems like a nice figure, but considering the firm generated $8.7 billion in sales its net margin was very low. The net margin of the company was 0.11%. The industry standard net margin in the airline industry is 2% (Dun & Bradstreet, 2011). The shareholders of the company are putting pressure on the management staff to improve the results of the corporation. Due to the weak financial performance of the company the price of the common stock of Classic Airlines has been going down. One of the objectives of any public corporation is to maximize shareholder’s wea lth. The company also faces pressures from its customer base. The customers are not very happy with the company. A metric that illustrates the current situation the company is facing is the fact that the firm’s customer loyalty program has lost 20% participation during the last year and the frequency of purchases of the customer has also gone down by over 20%. One of the primary reasons the company’s financial performance has been weak is due to the fact that the company has lost a lot of returning customers. The customer retention rate of a company is a very important marketing metric. The company lacks the service elements, operations procedures, and marketing programs to satisfy the customer’s needs. In the business world the customer is the most important stakeholder group because companies depend on the customers for its revenues. A third stakeholder group that is facing pressures due to the current situation at Classic Airlines is the employees of the comp any. The firm is currently having major employee morale problems as morale is as low as it has ever been. When employees have low morale they lose their motivation and as a consequence their performance and efficiency suffers. It is important for the managers of companies facing morale problems to demonstrate strong leadership. The low morale of the employees is negatively impacting the customer service function of the enterprise. One of the critical positions in regards to customer service is the flight attendants. Their job is to make the customer feel comfortable during the entire flight. Objectives and Obstacles of Marketing Department The objective of the marketing department

Cases of Cyber Crimes and Threat of Terrorism Assignment - 1

Cases of Cyber Crimes and Threat of Terrorism - Assignment Example Q3. Computer animation can yield realism and speed to a project. An image can be generated for the project and stored for later use without the need for drawing again or restructuring. This saves project time and cost. It always requires the animator to effectively determine the requirements of each phase of the project. However, program limitations often limit computer animations. On the other hand, 3D modeling approach has a big advantage of improving the overall design quality and ensures the minimal need for re-drawing. It lowers the time required for developing new designs and eliminates possible costly errors. However, effective results require training and it usually entails high start-up cost. Moreover, it is usually difficult to obtain a conceptual form. 6) Cost-benefit analysis: this section provides details about the cost of the project compared with the benefits of the project, thus providing critical information for deciding whether to pursue the project or not. Accurate estimation of time and a budget requirement for a project is one of the most challenging tasks in project planning. Lack of historical data on which to make time and cost estimates for new projects makes time and budget estimation difficult, thus the possibility of under or overestimating the time and budget required for any particular project. Lack of historical data makes it impossible to know various hiccups in the process of implementation of the project that can lead to late project completion and costs above the initial budget. Also, little or no relationship between projects makes time and budget estimation difficult.  

Financial Reporting Systems and Economic Development Essay

Financial Reporting Systems and Economic Development - Essay Example The role of the financial reporting system, as supported by accounting standards, the law and the ethics, in economic development is reviewed and analyzed in this paper. Particular emphasis is given on faithful representation, as an indicator of the reliability of financial statements. Also, the circumstances under which true and fair override apply are identified and explained. It is proved that faithful representation, in its current form, is something more than simple a compliance with accounting standards. One of the most critical issues when having to evaluate the quality of financial statements is that these statements should achieve faithful representation. In order to understand the role of ‘faithful representation’, as an element of the financial reporting systems, it would be necessary to refer to these systems, as the basis on which a firm’s financial practices are usually based. In accordance with Uddin et al., two major financial reporting systems are considered as the most credible for businesses in all sectors: the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and the IFRS.1 The use of one of these systems, which have been appropriately tested as of the effectiveness in financial reporting, results to the increase of credibility of the local economy. From this point of view, it has been proved that the use of these systems within a particular country leads to the increase of the foreign direct investment (FDI) to the above country. Thus, accounting standards and financial reporting are closely related to the performance of the local economy, of course under the terms that global financial markets are stabilized, i.e. that these markets do not suffer from delays in the implementation of financial and other projects. In the literature the term ‘faithful representation’ has been given various explanations, which are all similar. For example, in the study of Hussey reference is made to the use of the term fait hful representation in order to show the reliability of the financial statements involved.2 In other words, the specific term is used in order to indicate the fact that the information included in the financial statements is accurate and responds to the actual financial status of the organization. Apart from reliability, the term ‘faithful representation’ also reflects the completeness of information included in the financial statements.3 The financial statements are considered as complete when they include all necessary information.4 A similar approach in the description of faithful representation is included in the study of Needles et al. In accordance with the above researcher, the term ‘faithful representation’ means that the financial statement involved is ‘complete, neutral and free from error’.5 It is further explained that the phrase ‘free from error’ does not imply the full accuracy of the particular financial statement, a s such requirement is quite difficult, almost impossible, to be achieved since financial statements are highly based on estimations.6 At this point, the following problem appears: how the reliability of financial statements is proved? The fact that there are some transactions that cannot be measured, at least not precisely, is highlighted in the study of Hussey.7 On the other hand, the availability of the data involved is an issue that needs to be carefully considered when having to

The Microsoft as a Service Provider Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

The Microsoft as a Service Provider - Essay Example In this case, the nine states are responsible for regulating the operations of Microsoft, the reason why they have instituted a legal case against Microsoft for trying to undermine Linux, a scenario seen as likely to scuttle competition in the industry which is detrimental to economic growth. This also has negative effects with regards to promotion of competition in the industry. b) Basically, an ethical consideration specifically refers to something that is generally accepted as morally, socially and even economically good for various stakeholders that is the general population as a whole which is affected by the operations of a particular organization. In this regard, we would be looking at how the operations say of another company can impact on the welfare of different stakeholders who are either directly or indirectly involved in its operations. In the given case study, it can be clearly seen that the nine U.S. states are up in arms with the software giant, Microsoft as they have a court case against it for allegedly trying to undermine an open source operating system rival Linux. In the ongoing antitrust court case, the nine states are advocating tougher action against Microsoft which is seen as having violated its ethical code of conduct for trying to work underground in a bid to stifle the operating system developed by another different, rival software company. Ethically, there should be no company that should violate the operations of other different organizations. Therefore, by trying to stifle Linux, Microsoft would not be acting in a professional and ethical manner as expected by different stakeholders as this would discourage competition within the industry. This is clearly shown in the case where the nine states argue that the judge should take as evidence the memo by the executive of Microsoft.

American Spending Patterns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

American Spending Patterns - Research Paper Example These changes are often triggered by major life events, some of these life events include getting a job, getting married, having children or retirement. Our analysis of spending matters should focus on the following groups of American people College Kids Young Married Couples Families with young children Families with teenagers Older couples whose children have moved out Retirees We will also examine the impact hard financial times have had on the spending patterns of Americans. The rising uncertainty and increasing unemployment has likely has a significant impact and we shall analyze its ramifications in the concluding pages of this report to ensure that a broad and all inclusive picture is provided. Reference Person Factor: It is intriguing to note that 26% of the nation’s consumer units have a reference person under the age of 35, and they constitute around 23% of the annual consumer spending. In contrast, households headed by people aged 65 or above constitute only 15 perc ent of the annual spending despite making up 20% of the total households. Households that are led by individuals aged between 35 and 64 constitute 53 percent of the population and account for 63 percent of the annual consumer spending. College Kids Spending Habits: College spending is influenced significantly by branding (McCullough). Brands are a major part of the conscious and subconscious decision making process of young college kids. This behavior is largely a result of an inclination towards impressing peers and creating a lasting impact. The state of the young American mindset can be summarized by their penchant towards branded jeans, so much so that they are willing to pay $150 for a pair, college women carrying $500 Louis Vutton bags, and men wearing $300 Gucci Belts (McCullough). A large part of this behavior is influenced by the ubiquitous parties that students tend to attend these days. Often, students who spend hundreds of dollars on buying stuff for one party repeat the same for another party the very fnext weekend. The fear that people will recognize previously worn profits, leading to tirades or belittlement leads students to go out of their way to make unnecessary purchases. Shopping is also considered to be a unique form of therapy; students feeling depressed, sad, or indifferent go to shopping to make themselves feel better. This is a unique opportunity for marketers to capitalize on; it’s not that students have the need, they go shopping when they feel like. Other than increasing spending on clothes, students are also more inclined towards spending highly on fast food and latest electronics, including gadgets such as smartphones and tablets. Students, who can afford a car, are also spending their money on them. An important feature of student spending is that they are generally spending more than they earn, according to a survey conducted by Alloy Media and Marketing (McCullough). A significant portion of student spending is done on f ood, however the remainder is spent on cell phone service, entertainment and clothing. It is safe to say that media and celebrities are influencing student behavior substantially. The desire of becoming as acceptable and cool as celebrities leads students, who can afford to, to buy expensive designer clothes and apparel. TV programs show a lot of luxury lifestyle. There are several reality shows that depict such lifestyles and for anyone who can afford such luxuries, it becomes a necessity. Student spending on fashion and food has led to rising level of debt

Impact of Poverty on Children Essay Example for Free

Impact of Poverty on Children Essay According to data from UNICEF, a child in the United States is more likely to live in poverty than any other developed nation (American Psychological Association, 2012) Children living in poverty suffer from lack of nutrition. Lack of nutrition can lead to premature birth and/or low birth weight (APA, 2012). Inadequate access to healthy foods can lead to obesity (Dalton, 2007). Lack of food can lead to hunger or food insecurity (APA, 2012). Malnutrition can lead to deficits in cognitive and social development (APA, 2012). Failure to thrive can be a result of under nutrition (APA, 2012). According to the American Psychological Association (2012) poverty can lead to poor academic achievement. Stress connected with living in poverty affects concentration and memory (APA, 2012). Lack of encouragement to promote literacy and reading readiness (Cuthrell, Stapleton, Ledford, 2010). No exposure to activities such as museums and camps (Cuthrell et al., 2010). Several states with school districts in low-income areas receive much less in state and local funding than other school districts (Hutchinson, 2013). Poverty and lack of insurance affects children’s health. Barrier to children receiving proper vaccinations (Becton, Lee, Nieman, 2008). Children are a greater risk of behavioral and emotional issues (APA, 2012). Increased risk of asthma, anemia, and pneumonia (APA, 2012). Exposure to lead and other environmental contaminants (APA, 2012). Micro social work Working with families with children to provide services for food and health care. Collaborating with other agencies to provide services such as health departments, community service boards, and mental health service providers. Working with schools to ensure child(ren)’s needs being met. Assisting family with nutritional education and access to healthy foods. Macro social work Work with community to increase support for Head Start and preschool programs for all children. Policy and laws must address the lack availability of services and health insurance for children living in poverty. Advocate for school systems to better educate teachers to deal with children living in poverty – hire teachers who care about student’s achievements (Cuthrell et al., 2010). Encourage school boards to eliminate all sugary foods and drinks from school campuses. Encourage communities to be proactive in assisting families living in poverty with food and educational programs. Work with policy to promote increase in wages and employment opportunities (Fass et al., 2009). Social Constructionist Perspective Children in poverty have a place in society – do not move up in class. Children in poverty have certain characteristics: not intelligent, slow-minded, dirty, obese, wanting hand-outs, criminals. Children in poverty should not aspire to improve their circumstances. Society class structure gives the need for children and families to live in poverty. Poverty is accepted as a norm – need change of thinking. Social Behavior Perspective Children in poverty expect to grow up to live in poverty. Children in poverty thinking is reinforced by their environment. Children in  poverty do not have high expectations or goals. Children living in poverty continue the cycle of the parents and grandparents previously. Conflict Perspective Children in poverty are a non-dominant group. Children in poverty have no voice. Children in poverty are results of social and economic injustice – unequal division of power. Children in poverty affect all facets of society Schools and all children affected by policies such as: No Child Left Behind Act – teaching more to state testing versus academics and knowledge. Children in poverty cost an estimated $500 billion in lost productivity and spending on health care and criminal justice systems (Fass, Dinan, Aratani, 2009). Children in poverty are more likely to be poor as adults, continuing the cycle increasing chances of chronic poverty ((Fass et al., 2009). The research on children living in poverty reinforces how the environment can and will affect an individual’s situation. Poverty influences a child’s health, education, and future well-being. If a child is not given the same opportunities as other children not living in poverty, the struggle to rise above poverty can be overwhelming. The cycle of poverty will only change when there is an equality of resources. The change starts at the micro level with the individual child and the family receiving services. To break the cycle, the change must be at the macro level with change in policies and laws. Agencies and social workers must give the children living in poverty a voice that can be heard. References American Psychological Association. (2012). Effects of poverty, hunger and homelessness on children and youth. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/print-this.aspx Becton, J. L., Lee, C., Nieman, L. Z. (2008). The effect of lack of insurance, poverty and paediatrician supply on immunization rates among children 19-35 months of age in the United States. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice3, 14(2), 248-253. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2007.00841.x Cuthrell, K., Stapleton, J., Ledford, C. (2010). Examining the culture of poverty: promising practices. Preventing school failures, 54(2), 104-110. Dalton, S. (2007, January). Our vulnerable children: poor and overweight. Southern Medical Journal. pp. 1-2. Fass, S., Dinan, K. A., Aratani, Y. (2009, December). Child poverty and intergenerational mobility. National center for Children in Poverty. Retrieved from http://nccp.org/publications/pub_911.html Hutchinson, E. D., (2013). Theoretical perspectives on human behavior. Essentials of human behavior integrating person, environment, and the life course. (pp. 39 – 42). Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications. Compare/Contrast Krystal and Jessica both want to work with immigrants to help integrate them into the schools and society and overcome barriers. My desire to help children in poverty could be viewed as similar as both groups have barriers due to their status. Immigrants and poor people are looked upon as being less of a person. Each group I believe is affected by the conflict perspective. The unequal balance of power and resources prevents immigrants and poor people access to the same opportunities. If there is not a balance or equal opportunity to services and resources, how can immigrants and people living in poverty achieve the successes of those with access? The environment in which immigrants and poor people are exposed to everyday does not meet the basic needs of acceptance and hope. If children are to succeed in the classroom they must be given the tools and support to do so. Things such as food, shelter and language are taken for granted by society when there is not a need. How is a child who cannot understand what a teacher is saying or is being bullied by other children because of their different speech or clothing achieving success in the classroom? How can a child who has not eaten since lunch in school the day before concentrate on what is being taught by the teacher? Society must take responsibility for these  children. Social workers must advocate at all levels: micro and macro – to ensure immigrants and children of poverty are receiving equal access to opportunities available to others. Social workers and society cannot accept poverty as a norm. Social workers and society cannot accept lack of resources and/or funding an excuse to not properly educate children of immigrants.

Two Kinds Essay Example for Free

Two Kinds Essay She is a mother who got a second chance at having a family and is very controlling thinking she is doing what is best or her child. The narrator which is the daughter; she starts off as a normal child in the story, but the conflict between her and her mother causes her to be resentful and a underachiever. There is the father who does not say anything in the story but seems to agree with the mother. There is the Aunt Lindo that is really her mothers friend who seems to brag about her child Waverly; a character in the story who seems quite spoiled. And the piano teacher Mr. Chong who the daughter likes to refer to as â€Å"Old Chong†. He is a deaf piano teacher that has no idea that the daughter is not playing the right tunes. The mother who is very strict on her daughter, she did not think she was pushing the daughter to far. The mother felt the daughter was not trying hard enough, which she showed she was very disappointed. The mother went as far as insulting the daughter and blaming her or the way she looked. In the beginning of the story the was very excited to become a prodigy. She tried real hard to get it right and please her parents. The daughter tried real hard to find out what she was perfect at. That was until the daughter no longer felt like she would ever be perfect. She spent so much time believing that she was perfect and wanting to please her parents every time she could not do something right she knew how much her mother would be disappointed and she also disappointed herself as well. The daughters whole life revolved around her being a perfect little girl. The mother just new that there was something her daughter could master. The little girl started to doubt herself, but the mother tried everything she heard or seen these little prodigy kids in America do. The Mother started to get angry because she felt her daughter was not trying hard enough. The little girl started to believe that she was just an ordinary little girl, but knew that was not except-able to her mother. Her mother spent years comparing her daughter to these other children. She was trying to find her daughters hidden talent. The mother felt her daughter could do anything she put her mind to. I think the mother felt her daughter had chances that she never had in China and did not want her to ruin her opportunity. The daughter did not understand this she just wanted to be a normal little girl and have fun. The little girl was over trying to be perfect, but the mother was not ready to give up. The mother kept on trying to show her daughter how these other kids can do these things, and that she should be able to do them as well. The mother showed her disappointment time and time again, not knowing that she was making her daughter feel self-conscious and resentful towards her. The daughter new she was never going to be perfect, and being herself would never be good enough for her mother. The little girl started to feel anger towards her parents and wanted to rebel against them. The little girl feeling so much anger with her mother would purposely fail everything her mother wanted her to do. The little girl was hoping if she disappointed her mother enough she would give up on her the way the little girl gave up on herself. The mother refusing to give up felt she new her daughter would be great at something if her daughter would just put her mind to it she could do anything. So the mother just pushed harder not knowing she was pushing her daughter away from her and away from her dreams or her. The mother was so determined even know they could not afford lessons the mother made arrangements to trade work for piano lessons. I think the mother felt that at this point the daughter would see how hard she was willing to work for her and maybe appreciate it and work harder. The little girl felt differently she was angry towards her mother and felt as if her mother did not except her for who she was and she wanted to get back at her. The daughter practiced every day with Mr. Chong not even trying her mind wondering in other places. Mr. Chong was a deaf man who could only see her hand movements, so that is how he taught her. The girl caught on fast that Mr. Chong eyes could not keep up with her hands so she used it to her advantage not to learn. Mr. Chong so proud thinking she was listening to him he was very excited because she learned how to fake him out. The mother bragged about her daughter playing the piano everyday to her friend, although the mother never herd her play until the recital. The mother wanted so bad to see her child in front of the room making her proud like all of the other mothers before her, but when the little girl went up on stage the mother didnt know that she had been just wasting her time. The little girl even had her self fooled she for a second thought maybe she could play, well maybe if Mr. Chong thought she could play maybe it was true. As she played she seen the embarrassment on her parents face; the only one who seemed to enjoy her performance was Mr. Chong. The parents wanted to run out of the room, but know their pride could never allow them to do that they stayed until the end. The little girl wanted to show her mother that she was not what she wanted her to be, but was shocked and just wish her mother would say something. When they returned home the daughter taught the mother would give up on her; she thought she knew for sure that her daughter had no talent. The little girl sat down to watch TV which angered the mother. The mother did not give up she wanted her to practice. The daughter seen how angry the mother was and was scared, so the daughter not giving up the fight hit the mother where it hurt the most. The little girl told her mother she wishes she were not alive knowing how bad that ould hurt her. The little girl won the battle against her mother; the mother gave up all hope. I think the mother felt a piece of her self die that day knowing her daughter would hurt her so bad. I think the mother knew she was loosing the daughter. I think there was a lot of misscommunication between the mother and the daughter which is very realistic in real life. It makes you wounder how Amy Tan got where she is today. The mother wanted to start over and give her child the perfect life and the daughter just thought her mother just wanted her to be a perfect child. In the end it was very ironic because they both lost the battle against each other. They did not have a good relationship because they couldnt make scene of their differences. The mother pushed her child away from her and any talent she may have had. The child chose to not even finish college. I think the child forgave her mother when it was to late and the mother never found the words to say to her daughter until the end the stubborn lady still went back to the piano,and the child finally learned how to respect and listen to what her mother had to tell her about her talent. â€Å"Two Kinds† (Tan 1952, p. 524)

Impact of Fatigue on the Workplace

Impact of Fatigue on the Workplace Introduction Exposure to work-related fatigue is rising in todays 24-hour culture, which is progressively dominated by knowledge work. Fatigue from a medical point of view refers to a state of weakness of the body and the mind that affects everybody (Phillips, 2015). Fatigue is mostly related to exertive situations of work. Fatigue is an intricate problem that can be ascribed to numerous factors. Hence, it is problematic to define (Phillips, 2015). This essay seeks to explain the idea of fatigue and also discuss its effects in the working place. The paper then further discusses the types of workplaces, and work settings that the fatigue exists; the safety and health effects, both acute and chronic that may be associated with exposure to fatigue.It also discusses the federal and state agencies and standards used to regulate the hazard; traditional means of monitoring fatigue and measuring the effects it has the working place; Analysis of the possible causes of the fatigue. Finally, discuss various countermeasures to be used to manage fatigue in the workplace. Causes of Fatigue in the Workplace Fatigue is mainly a problem in safety sensitive areas, such as transport. The costs of fatigue are broadly studied in professional settings. There are numerous factors at both; in the place of work and out of the location of work which can impact levels of fatigue. The most significant factor that causes fatigue is the lack of enough sleep. In addition to the lack of sleep, fatigue can be induced by the type of work done and on the coworker. Occupational Safety Health (OSH) proposes that there are four categories of work in this regard. Fatigue can be induced through any of these four categories. These groups include self-generated stress, healthy work, poorly organized work, intrinsically stressful work. Self-generated stress occurs when a worker creates his/her stressors because of individual choices. ÂÂ  A person in this group might be trying to do many jobs, or agreeing to unrealistic demands on themselves (Rahman et al., 2017).Healthy work is work that is pleasing, motivating, satisfying and exciting. A valuation of this kind of job discloses this type of work does not induce fatigue to the worker directly rather it induces stress to resources. Poorly organized work is usually pleasing and fulfilling but structured in such a way that it becomes difficult for most people doing the work to cope with. Jobs in this category can be done safely but are often being worked too many hours in each week(Rahman et al., 2017). This can quickly induce fatigue to the person involved. The last group of work may be essentially more problematic to handle than others. Some cases of work that may be difficult to handle are work that is emotionally challenging, draining or even work that involve s long periods of intense concentration; work that has high costs from error (medicine, policing air traffic control, social work) (Han et al.,2014). The Safety and Health Effects of Fatigue Fatigue is experienced by everyone irrespective of abilities, skills, and training. The most common effects of fatigue include poor judgment, information processing decrease of attentiveness and work motivation, longer reaction time, reduced concentration, and problems with memory. Studies show that fatigue in workplaces costs over 18 billion $ a year in the US (Caruso, 2014). Also, fatigued workers have deprived communication with their environment and get irritated easily. Therefore, a fatigued employee is possibly dangerous to themselves and their fellow employees, and most of the unfortunate incidents are found among fatigued workers. Serious accidents that have been reported in recent five decades have been credited to workers fatigue. The Three Mild, The Challenger Explosion,The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill,American Airlines Flight 1420 Crash incidents are considered to be the most disastrous incident on U.S. soil; all these accidents are attributed to human error (Caruso, 2014). Chronic effects of fatigue may follow chronic exposures to severe fatigue or portray a continuous failure of adequate rest. Continuous exposure to severe fatigue causes chronic circadian disruption of the immune response and intensify risks of emerging cardiac diseases (Boivin Boudreau, 2014). The distraction of the daily regulation of human transcriptome is another mechanism behind fatigue. Also, postponing sleep by four hours for three successive days has led to decrease of the human blood transcriptome. Fatigue also alters hormonal and sleepiness cycles and the lipid and glucose metabolism, which may lead to the development of other diseases like obesity. Studies have shown that severe fatigue cumulatively rises the rate at which performance declines across wakefulness (Caruso, 2014). Fatigue favors sleeping illnesses such as insomnia and hinders with behavior. Insomnia is defined as the incapacity to sleep and to remain asleep for a desired period. It is a very common sleep illness that is related to unbalanced work hours. Sleep hypopnea is sleep disorder which is very common among overweight men who often snore. This condition is not caused by fatigue directly, but it is associated with fatigue in a way that it causes sleep deprivation which increases the fondness for food with high calories that may cause overweight and metabolic changes (Caruso, 2014). It may also affect the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular functions by altering hormonal and sleepiness cycles and increase peptic ulcer and symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Standards Used to Regulate Work Fatigue Reducing fatigue involves both state and company regulation and control as well as the efforts of the workers. OHS laws have been designed to guarantee that the health and security of everybody in the workplace is keenly observed. Every employer is urged to offer a possible working environment which is safe and does not risk the health of employees. Workers also have an obligation to take care of their health and wellbeing and that of their coworkers and follow measures the management takes to conform with OHS laws.There are also various international standards that have been in place to help regulate fatigue in the workplace.For example, the International Safety Management Code states that if fatigue, lack of adequate rest, or excessive hours of work are or should be apparent, the employer should intervene to solve the problem immediately. All this laws and standards are put in place to help the employers and employees manage fatigue effectively. Fatigue Measurement and Monitoring Studies show that fatigue is a complex problem that cannot be simply monitored and measured in working place(Wright et al., 2013). Most workers are unwilling to express signs of fatigue. Also, no instrument has been designed to measure fatigue, because of definitional difficulties of fatigue, the huge effects fatigue has on human skills, and multiple causes of fatigue. However, to be able to manage fatigue in the workplace effectively, fatigue must first be identified, measured and then analyze their causes. There exist very many tools available to be used for this purpose including articles, books, rules, and questionnaires. Some instruments are inaccurate and inconclusive. It is, therefore, important to identify the most appropriate for the workplace and acquire sufficient knowledge about the various benefits and shortcomings of each instrument in the workplace. Availability of this instruments allows the management and employees to identify, measure and manage fatigue in their pla ce of work, determine the useful methods for evading fatigue or the probability of it occurring.They are also able to study some managing strategies to be used to control fatigue and perform through accident surveys after the occurrence of problems induced by fatigue.The measurement carried out in the workplace can determine one dimension of fatigue or multiple dimensions. The one-dimensional scale is the most important dimension that is used for measuring fatigue. Its variety is mainly used for research and clinical purposes. Multi-dimensional assessment of fatigue (MAF) is another type of subjective quantification of fatigue.It indicates the degree of fatigue experienced by a worker one week ago.However, the Piper Fatigue Scale is the most accurate scale for quantification of fatigue. It contains various additional features to measure how fatigue interferes with daily living activities and the timing of fatigue. The second method of identifying fatigue is by investigating the various correlates of fatigue which include sleep and depression. These correlates are used to predict if a worker suffers from effects of fatigue. Its typical application is a valuation of fatigue for academic researchers. There exist various methods of measuring how tired a person is. Epworth Sleepiness Scale is one of the common standard methods used. It illustrations how a worker is likely to sleep during the daytime or working periods (Dawson et al., 2014). Another instrument used in fatigue measurement is the Horne-Ostberg Questionnaire (HOQ). The questionnaire contains nineteen questions that aim to determine when respondents would desire to awake or sleep. (Dawson et al.,2014). There are more other instruments used for measuring and identifying fatigue. This research mainly focuses on the three most important that have been discussed above. The other common methods include: Sleep questionnaires, sleep diaries, a ctigraphy, and polysomnography, symptom distress scale (SDS) 13-items questionnaire (Dawson et al.,2014). Fatigue can also be measured physiologically through various methods. These methods include eye blink rates, the temperature of the skin, and response and reaction time. Conclusion ÂÂ   As discussed above fatigue can be caused by very many factors in the workplace. It is there necessary to come up with multiple tactics to address various types and causes of this hazard. These strategies can be classified into two categories: Operational strategies which are used during the job; preventive strategies which are mostly implemented before working hours and during rest time (Darwent et al., 2015). Different methods can be applied in the preventive strategy. Most of them help to relieve fatigue symptoms temporarily.These strategies include: minimize sleep loss, teaching healthy sleeping behaviors to the workers, and stimulators (Darwent et al., 2015). It is important to note that laws and compliance cannot resolve all the issues connected to fatigue. The workers behavior is also significant. The workers are advised to rest and avoid caffeine and alcohol before sleeping. It is highly recommended to spend most of the free time in daylight and to participate variou s activities to promote activeness during the day. Recommendation Work fatigue is among the top ten issue in the modern industry, mainly due to long duty periods, circadian rhythms distraction and continuous sleep debt. The full understanding and further evaluation of the potentials of various preventive strategies, and individual fatigue mitigation management systems is recommended. Additional research should be done on the different methods of measuring and quantifying dynamics of transient, circadian biologic clock and cumulative sleep, and recovery to help in efficient management of fatigue in the workplace. Furthermore, a software tool to be used for fatigue prediction should be developed. References Dawson, D., Searle, A. K., Paterson, J. L. (2014). Look before you (s) sleep: evaluating the use of fatigue detection technologies within a fatigue risk management system for the road transport industry. Sleep medicine reviews, 18(2), 141-152. Han, K., Trinkoff, A. M., Geiger-Brown, J. (2014). Factors associated with work-related fatigue and recovery in hospital nurses working 12-hour shifts. Workplace health safety, 62(10), 409-414. Rahman, H. A., Abdul-Mumin, K., Naing, L. (2017). Psychosocial Work Stressors, Work Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Disorders: Comparison between Emergency and Critical Care Nurses in Brunei Public Hospitals. Asian Nursing Research. Wright, K. P., Bogan, R. K., Wyatt, J. K. (2013). Shift work and the assessment and management of shift work disorder (SWD). Sleep medicine reviews, 17(1), 41-54. Boivin, D. B., Boudreau, P. (2014). Impacts of shift work on sleep and circadian rhythms. Pathologie Biologie, 62(5), 292-301. Dawson, D., Searle, A. K., Paterson, J. L. (2014). Look before you (s) sleep: evaluating the use of fatigue detection technologies within a fatigue risk management system for the road transport industry. Sleep medicine reviews, 18(2), 141-152. Darwent, D., Dawson, D., Paterson, J. L., Roach, G. D., Ferguson, S. A. (2015). Managing fatigue: It is about sleep. Accident Analysis Prevention, 82, 20-26. Caruso, C. C. (2014). Negative impacts of shift work and long work hours. Rehabilitation Nursing, 39(1), 16-25. Phillips, R. O. (2015). A review of definitions of fatigue-And a step towards a whole definition. Transportation research part F: TrafficPsychology and Behavior, 29, 48-56.

Visual Culture Studies

Visual Culture Studies Visual Culture is everything that is seen, that is produced to be seen, and the way in which it is seen and understood. Representation is the way a person interprets symbols and images of a culture and the way these images explain why the world is the way it is . The Visual Culture approach acknowledges the reality of living in a modern world . Since childhood, a person’s brain uses representation of images into meanings to make sense of their world. For an example , It is that part of culture that communicates through visual means . If some special moment didn’t capture in your camera, you can digitally manipulate it on your computer. The queues are longer for the virtual reality at New York’s State Building . This virtual city will be joined shortly by Paris Las Vegas , copying the carefully manipulated image of the city of light. Life in this alter reality world is some times looks more pleasant than the real things, some time contrary to this. Way back in 197 9 same sex marriage was opposed by the united States Congress but later when the sitcom character Ellen shown on television , millions of people liked it. On the other hand , virtual reality has long been favoured by the armed forces as a training arena, bring it into practice in Gulf war at a huge cost of human life. This is known as visual culture. It is not just a part of your everyday life, it is your everyday life.. Pictorial presentation is an impactful way forward communication for observing the new visuality in the culture.   Nearly every form of visual media a person comes into contact with a photograph, which is undisputable evidence of an event. There is the myth of photographic truth, which means that photographs are subjective, yet can be manipulated and taken in different contexts. For an example the photographs taken by Nazi’s during the holocaust. The photographs denote that Nazis killed millions of people, but the photographs may also take on many connotative meanings of the two connotative meanings mentioned with the Nazi pictures they each hold different ideologies; ideas that form a culture. The ideas of ideology are usually taken in as the views of most of the population of a given culture, therefore ideologies define cultures. An American ideology is the belief in independent freedom while a communist ideology is communal sharing. How are these ideologies passed on in a culture? They start off in schools and places that people gather. Malls are filled with advertisements. There are ads that symbolize skinny brunettes wearing Chanel as the perfect woman, which is what most men and women tend to take as truth. Then there are ads to enlist people into the army, which give a message of a strong country run by individuals. The idea of interpretation is that people are made up of the different ideologies with which they come in contact with through out their lives. In this case a person might enlist in the army to be a part of a strong country while another might buy a Chanel dress to look like the woman in the ad. This newly visual existence may be confusing. For example the new visuality of culture is not the same as understanding it . Indeed the gap between the wealth of visual experience in contemporary cult ure the ability to analyse that observation marks either of the opportunities and the need for visual culture as a field of study. People get crazy to visuals of a skinny brunette wearing the Chanel clothes, rather than a overweight lady with red hair. This can be explained through psychoanalytic theory. It implies that people get feelings out of images because they tend to bond with them. In the case of the advertisements , a person might have been brought up in a culture that implies that skinny brunettes are the pretties of all. At a young age that person accepted that idea as true and holds it to this day, ending up buying a Chanel dress just because the lady in the ad is a skinny brunette. Visual culture is concerned with visual events in which information, meaning or pleasure is sought by the stakeholder in an interface with visual technology. I mean any form of apparatus designed either to be looked at or to enhance the natural vision , from oil painting to television the internet. Postmodernism has been defined as the crisis of modernism , that is to say wide ranging complex of ideas and modes of representation ranging from over arching beliefs in progress to theories of the rise of abstract printing . Now these means of representation is no long seems to be convincing until unless any alternative having emerged. The post modernisation is the crisis called by modernisation and modern culture confronting the failure of its own strategy of visualising . Also, we can say it is the visual crisis of the culture creates post modernity, not its textuality . While print culture is certainly not going to disappear, the fascination with the visual and its effect that was a key feature of modernism has endangered a postmodern culture that is at its most post modern when it is visual. The globalization of the visuals taken together demands new means of interpretation. At the same time , the transformation of the postmodern also requires rewriting of historical explanations of modernism in order to account for visual turn. We feel human experience is now more visual impressive. In many ways , people in industrialized post – industrialized societies now live in visual culture to an extent that seems to divide present from the past. Popular journalism constantly remarks on digital imagery in films, the advent of post photography and developments in medical imaging , not to mention the endless tide of comment devoted to the internet . It is evident post modernism is visual culture. Despite the vast range of alternatives , visual culture is a tactic to which to study the genealogy, definitions functions of post modern everyday life. The fragmented culture that we call postmodernism is best imagined and understood visually, just as the nineteenth century was classically represented in the news papers novel. Western culture has consistently privileged the spoken word as the highest form of intellectual practice and seen visual representation is secondly rated examples of ideas. Western philosophy now use a pictorial , rather than textual , model of the world , marking a significant challenges to the notion of the world as a written text that dominated so much intellectual discussion in the wake of such linguistic based movements as structuralism and post structuralism . While those working on with visual media might find such remarks rather patronizing , they are the measure of the extent to which even literary studies have been forced to conclude that the world as a text has been challenged by the world a picture. Such world pictures can not be purely visual, but by the same token , the visual disrupts and challenges any attempts to define culture in completely linguistic terms. Visual culture has a history that needs exploring and defining in the modern as well as post modern period. Many current uses of the term have suffered from vagueness that makes it little more than a buzzword. For some critics , visual culture is simply ‘the history of images’. Visual culture is used in a far more interactive senses , concentrating on the determining role of visual culture in the wider culture to which it belongs. Such a history of visual culture is debated , contested transformed as constantly challenging place of social interaction definition in terms of class, gender sexual identities. One critic in communication studies had made a point that this work entails ‘greater level of uncertainty risk ‘ than have often been used until now. As visual culture is still an idea in the making , rather than a well- defined existing field , this aims to help in its definition of visual culture rather than present it as a given. Visualising the things which are not in themselves visual is one of the most striking features of the new visual culture. A world picture doesn’t mean the picture of the world but the world perceived, conceived grasped as a picture. The world picture does not change from an earlier medieval one into a modern one, but rather the world becomes picture at all is what distinguishes the essence of the modern age. Visual culture doesn’t not depends on pictures but on this modern tendency to picture or visualise existence. One of the important objective of visual culture is to understand how these complex pictures come together. It direct our attention away from structured , formal viewing settings , like cinema to the centrality of visual feelings in everyday life. At present different notions of viewing are within between all the various visual sub disciplines. Of course, it does make a sense to differentiate . Our attitude varies whether we go to see movie , attend any art exhibition or see television. Most important thing to note here is our visual experience take place aside from these formally structured moments of looking. Just as cultural studies has sought to understand the ways in which people interpreting the meaning from the stock of mass culture , so does the visual culture prioritize everyday feel of the visual from the snapshot to TV and even the blockbuster art exhibition. Visual culture is a necessarily historical subject , based on the recognition that the visual image is not stable but change its relationship to exterior reality at particular moments of modernity. Perspective system , for example, depends upon the viewer examining the image from one point only, using just one eye. No one actually does this , but the image is internally coherent and thus credible. A photograph necessarily shows us something that was at a certain point actually before the camera’s lens. This image is dialectical because it setup a relationship between the viewer in the present and in the past moment of space or time that it represents . Film or photographic image no longer reflects reality because everybody knows it can be manipulated by computers. Real time prevailing over real space , virtually dominating turning concept of reality on its head . If we recollect the film produced by ‘smart’ bombs which were used in Gulf war , showed targets being destroyed , only for it later to emerge that they missed as often as any other bomb. These virtualities of the post modern image constantly seem to elude our grasp, creating a crisis of the visual that is more than a specialized problem for the traditional visual disciplines. The concept of world picture is no longer adequate to analyse the changed and changing situation . Visual culture seek to find ways to work within this new (virtual) reality to find the points of resistance in the crisis of information and visual fever ( overload) in everyday life. It can also be argued that in modern warfare tactics ( i.e. imitation, manipulation simulation ) are necessary to defeat the enemy win the war. So , we can now see the collapse of reality in everyday life from the mass visual media. One photograph alone no longer shows the truth. Similarly, some of the most followed television series bear no resemblance to reality at all. But the visual is not simply the medium of information and mass culture. Its offers sensual immediacy that can’t be rivalled by print media. The very element that makes visual imagery of all kinds distinct from texts. For better understanding of visual culture let us give this feeling a name – the sublime. The sublime is the pleasurable experience in representation of that which would be painful in reality, going forward to realization of limits of the human powers of nature. The sublime was first theorized in antiquity by Longinus, who described how is our soul is uplifted by the true sublimes; it takes a proud flight and is filled with joy and vaunting, as though it has itself produced what it had heard. The sublime was given renewed importance by enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, who called it ‘ a satisfaction mixed with horror’. Kant contrasted the sublime with the beautiful, seeing the former as a more complex and profound emotion leading a person with taste for the sublime to detest all chains from the gilded variety worn at court to the irons weighing down the galley slave. The study of Visual Culture can include anything from Painting, Sculpture, Installation, Video art, Digital art, Photography, Film, Television, The Internet, Mobile screenic devices, Fashion, Medical scientific imaging, Social spaces of museums, galleries, exhibitions, and other private and public environments of the everyday. Visual Culture Studies involves an analysis of contemporary culture, media and society It important to understand how societies construct their visual perspectives through knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, and customs, amongst other things. All images are produced within dynamics of social power and ideology. Ideology is the shared set of values and belief which individuals live out their complex relations to a range of social structures. Ideologies often appear to be natural or given aspects of everyday life. The future of visual culture in everyday life is deep rooted like development of internet high definition TV , make clear that visualizing is here to stay. On the other side , there are those who have dedicated themselves to ensuring that visual culture is eradicated as a field of study. Casting visual culture in this light places it in the role of the underdog, which can be course be a very privileged in academic field. So the example of the institutionalisation of cultural studies in the United states is perhaps the best place to look for lessons for the fledging interdisciplinary. Analyzing visual culture is a useful tool in understanding more about the world in which we live in. One may see things in different aspect or an image might take upon new meaning, once its meaning is analyzed and truly understood. Through the process of representation, psychoanalytic theory, and photographic truth, one may find a whole new world in the very one that they live. Visual Culture studies provide us with the ability to analyse the visualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹