Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Income by Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Income by Education - Essay Example Regardless of whether a person held an arts or a science degree, such an individual has a better chance of earning more and securing employment fast compared to a person without such qualifications (Baum & Payea, 2005). Thus, depending on the level of ones income, it would be appropriate to pursue higher education. Higher education is certain to improve on individuals skills and give him or her better chance of taking advantage of upcoming employment opportunities. Needless to say, some disciplines attract more pay than others and it would do no harm going for a degree that will help a person to earn more. A person can save in advance and acquire a debt in order to finance a degree program of their choice (Burnsed, 2011). Globalization has made competition to be stiffer through outsourcing. Higher education has become all the more important in today’s society more than ever before. Corporations equate competence and skillfulness to the level of education possessed by an individual. Besides that, every individual should aspire to live, to love, to learn and to leave a legacy. Higher learning plays a pivotal role in a persons self
Monday, October 28, 2019
Tort Law Essay Example for Free
Tort Law Essay After reviewing the facts, I would advise Jason, Penny and Fancy Fashions, Ltd. of their possible causes of action vis-à -vis the parties who may be held liable for damages for their negligence, namely, Alice, Joyce, the junior doctor, the nurse who administered the anti-tetanus serum, and Richard’s Teaching Hospital.            In particular, I would advise Jason to take legal action against Alice, the learner driver, for damages sustained by him as a result of the collision with her automobile. My advice is based upon the fact that Alice is liable for actionable negligence. Traditionally, the elements of a cause of action for negligence are: (1) a duty to use reasonable care; (2) a failure to conform to the required standard; (3) a reasonably close causal connection between the conduct and the resulting injury, commonly called â€Å"proximate cause†or â€Å"legal cause†; and (4) actual loss or damage to the aggrieved party (Prosser 1982).    Alice did not comply with her duty of seeing to it that her act of driving does not result in injury to another.   Knowing that she must be particularly careful at a road portion designated for people crossing, she should have slowed down.   Her not exercising reasonable care while driving is the proximate cause of the accident, which resulted in actual damage to Jason.            I would, however, caution Jason that the task of proving the negligence of Alice would not be easy or simple. The fact of the accident occurring having been proved, Jason would now have to show that Alice was negligent, and that such negligence is the proximate cause of his injury. To do this, he has to show that Alice fell short of the standard of care required, that is, she failed to do â€Å"what a reasonable, prudent person would do under the same or similar circumstances†(Prosser 1982).  Jason may argue that in determining negligence, the law makes no distinction as to whether or not the defendant is a learner driver or an experienced professional, that what is expected of Alice is that standard of care expected of a reasonable man  in order to prevent a foreseeable wrong.  A reasonably diligent person ought to be aware that pedestrian crossings are designated passageways for people and that it is a basic rule among motorists to exercise due care when approaching such crossings.  As every learner driver ought to know, one of the fundamentals of safe driving is to be always alert at pedestrian crossings; traffic signs are adequate warning to this effect.  Thus, a reasonably diligent driver should approach such crossing with caution by slowing down , his foot poised to hit the brake pedal if necessary. Judicial notice may be taken of the fact that braking is one of the first skills taught a learner driver.            In fine, Jason would have to satisfy the court: (2) that the negligence of Alice is the proximate cause of Jason’s injury, and (2) that there is no contributory negligence on his part.            Proximate cause has been defined as â€Å"that act or omission which immediately causes or fails to prevent the injury; an act or omission occurring or concurring with another which, if it had not happened, the injury would not have been inflicted.†(Tennessee Trailways, Inc. v Ervin, Supreme Court of Tennessee, 1969).  In the instant case, the omission of care on the part of Alice as she approached the pedestrian crossing would have prevented the accident; thus her negligence is the proximate cause of it. Jury instructions in the state of Texas define proximate cause as â€Å"that cause which, in a natural and continuous sequence, unbroken by any new and independent cause, produces an event, and without which cause such event would not have occurred; and in order to have a proximate cause the act or omission complained of must be such that a person using ordinary care would have foreseen the event, or some similar event, which might reasonably result therefrom. There may be more than one proximate cause of an event.†(Prosser 1982).            Since contributory negligence either bars the victim from award of damages or reduces the amount thereof, the defendant would probably adduce evidence of contributory negligence on the part of Jason.   Alice may contend that Jason is solely to blame for the accident. He should have realized that in his drunk condition he is prone to danger from passing vehicles.     Alice would attempt to show that a drunk person may not invoke his state of intoxication to evade responsibility for his own negligence, and that Jason ought to have foreseen the possible consequences of his crossing the street while drunk.            In U.S. courts where the doctrine of contributory negligence is still in force resort has sometimes been made to the old common law doctrine of â€Å"last clear chance†: a plaintiff is allowed to recover damages upon showing that the defendant had the last clear chance to avoid the accident. Under this doctrine, the later negligence of the defendant makes him liable for negligence on the assumption â€Å"that he is the more culpable whose opportunity to avoid the injury was later.†(Kansas City Southern R. Co. v Ellzey (1927) However, the said doctrine is history for being manifestly â€Å"inequitable in its operation because it fails to distribute responsibility in proportion to fault.†(LI v Yellow Cab Co. of California Supreme Court of California, 1975).    In the United States, the last clear chance doctrine appears to have been modified or superseded by the theory of comparative or gross negligence or a combination of both, and the issue of determining the best principle to be applied in such cases is now being shifted to the legislative branch.            In the United Kingdom, contributory negligence is provided under statutory law.  A plaintiff who is found to be liable thereto may recover damages subject to a reduction to an extent to be determined by the Court.  As provided under Section 1(1) of the Law Reform (Contributory Negligence) Act of 1954, in cases where contributory negligence occurs, â€Å"the damages recoverable in respect thereof shall be reduced to such extent as the Court thinks just and equitable having regard to the claimant’s share in the responsibility for the damage.† In view thereof, I would advise Jason that the damages to be awarded him in case of a favorable verdict shall be reduced as the Court shall see fit upon a finding of contributory negligence on his part.            Regarding the question of whether or not Jason’s act of walking in the pedestrian crossing while drunk constitutes contributory negligence, I submit that, yes,  it may possibly be so construed.  Alice may invoke the aforesaid statutory provision stating that contributory negligence occurs when there is a sharing of fault by both parties.  She may likewise cite the ruling in Froom v Butcher (1976), where the Court held that â€Å"negligence is a man’s carelessness in breach of duty to others. Contributory negligence is a man’s carelessness in looking after his own safety. He is guilty of contributory negligence if he ought reasonably to have foreseen that, if he did not act as a reasonable prudent man, he might be hurt himself.†   However, I maintain my position that Jason’s crossing the street â€Å"oblivious to all traffic†does not ipso facto show that he was aware of a foreseeable harm to himself.  A person crossing a street is not expected to be always on the lookout for learner drivers while doing so; they rely on the fact that any motorist is aware of its being a pedestrian crossing and should observe proper care when approaching and passing through it.  Every pedestrian or motorist always assumes that the other person behind the wheel knows what he is doing. Whether drunk or alert, one cannot possibly foresee that a particular motor vehicle is being driven by a negligent driver. In the case of O’Connel v Jackson (1972) (where an employee rode on a traxcavator against orders, thereby exposing himself to danger, and was crushed when another vehicle rammed into it), it was opined that â€Å"foreseeability is not the decisive test of causation. It is often a relevant factor, but it is not decisive.†  Inasmuch as foreseeability is not decisive, Jason may disprove contributory negligence by showing that he could not have foreseen being struck by a learner driver’s car as he crosses the street. I submit that Alice may not evade liability through negligence by showing that she could not have foreseen that a drunk person would ignore the flow of traffic.   If that reasoning were allowed,  a lame person, an unassisted child or elderly person, a blind man walking with a cane, or any person with disability who take the pedestrian crossing (and who are perfectly aware of the possibility, however remote, that they would be hit by an oncoming car) would also be liable for contributory negligence in the event of an accident.            Contributory negligence must be proven in court; it cannot be presumed. In a U.S. case, the plaintiff was injured by a passing train owned by the defendant who was then walking â€Å"on defendant’s right-of-way along a much-used path at the end of the crossties of its main track†and was hit by an open car door. The jury found that â€Å"plaintiff’s injuries were caused by his own negligence.†However, in a certiorari before the Circuit Court of Appeals, the appeals court held that â€Å"the evidence required a finding that plaintiff was guilty of negligence that contributed to cause his injuries.† Accordingly, judgment below was reversed. (Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins (1938).   Thus, a very drunk person crossing a street cannot be presumed negligent; his contributory negligence must be proved to bar a claim for damages.            As regards the liability of the ambulance driver, I submit that both Jason and Penny as well as the owner of Fancy Fashions Ltd. have a possible cause of action against Joyce, the driver of the ambulance owing to his presumed negligence.    The fact that the accident occurred while he was in an emergency situation does not free him of responsibility. Citing several U.S. court decisions, Prosser (1982) noted: â€Å"It is obvious, and elementary, that the care required by the standard of the reasonable man will vary according to the risk. As the danger increases, the actor is required to exercise caution commensurate with it, and to be more careful.†He also took note of other decisions which insist that â€Å"there are no degrees of care but merely amounts of care, greater or less, that the care required of the actor is always the same under the traditional formula, that of a reasonable man under like circumstances; and that the greater danger, or the greater responsibility are merely circumstances that require of him a greater amount of care.†           In proving the negligence of Joyce, the crash of the ambulance driven by him into the shop of Fancy Fashions, Ltd. is a case where the maxim of res ipsa loquitor may be applicable.  A Tennessee court held: â€Å"Where a motor vehicle, without apparent cause, runs off the road and causes harm, the normal inference is that the driver was negligent, and res ipsa loquitor is usually held to apply†(Tenessee Trailways, Inc. v Ervin (1969).  However, pursuant to the said doctrine, the running off the road of a vehicle may not be construed as negligence per se, but only gives rise to three different effects: â€Å"(1) It warrants an inference of negligence which the jury may draw or not, as their judgment dictates. (2) It raises a presumption of negligence which requires the jury to find negligence if defendant does not produce evidence sufficient to rebut the presumption. (3) It not only raises such a presumption but also shifts the ultimate burden of proof to defendant and requires him to prove by a preponderance of all the evidence that the injury was not caused by his negligence.†  If Joyce would be able to show that he did exercise reasonable care in driving the ambulance, and that there was an intervening cause (such as a third party that could have caused him to swerve off the road), the presumption of negligence arising from the maxim of res ipsa loquitor would be overcome.            The three plaintiffs may implead in their action the employer of the ambulance (St. Richard’s Teaching Hospital), being jointly liable for failing to exercise due diligence in the hiring of driver.   Under the principle of vicarious liability (respondeat superior), the employer is responsible for the negligence of his employee which results in injury to another.  Pursuant to this doctrine, â€Å"an employer will be liable for the negligence of an employee committed while the employee is acting in the scope of his employment. An employee acts in the scope of his employment when he is doing something in furtherance of the duties he owes to his employer . . .†(Lundberg v State Court of Appeals of New York, 1969).            With respect to the damage sustained by Jason arising possibly from the administering of antibiotics, I would advise Jason that he may have an actionable right against the junior doctor (and against the hospital for vicarious liability), provided that Jason would be able to produce expert testimony that the combination of alcohol and antibiotics, with or without the jolting caused by the ambulance crash, would have produced the injury, and regardless of whether or not the junior doctor consulted the surgeon.   I base my advise on the doctrine of informed consent which requires a physician to fully disclose to his patient the possible consequences of a given treatment.    In Scott v Bradford (1979), the Supreme Court of Oklahoma stated:                        the law does not permit a physician to substitute his judgment for that of the  patient by any form of artifice. Consent to medical treatment, to be  effective, should stem from an understanding decision based on adequate   information about the treatment, the available alternatives, and the collateral  risks. . . If a physician breaches this duty, patient’s consent is defective, and  physician is responsible for the consequences.            As in the case against Alice, I would advise Jason that the recovery of damages against the junior doctor would depend upon the findings of the trial court, i.e., a question of fact to be determined on the basis of the evidence.  Moreover, the defendant physician may contend that the doctrine of informed consent is not absolute; there are exceptions, such as when the information is already obvious or known, or in case of an emergency wherein the information might alarm the patient and aggravate his condition. The doctor might contend that since his primary duty is to do what is best for his patient who is unconscious anyway, he cannot be held liable for withholding information. As enunciated in Canterbury v Spence ( 1972), â€Å"the patient has the burden of going forward with evidence tending to establish prima facie the essential elements of the cause of action.  The burden of proving an exception to his duty and thus a privilege not to disclose, rests upon the physician as an affirmative defense.†           Under the first rule, the junior doctor may not be held liable solely on the ground that he did not consult the surgeon who performed the operation on Jason, his skill or competence being presumed.  But assuming it is proved that the jolting in the ambulance did not contribute to or cause the paralysis but only the antibiotics treatment,   the legal task of proving negligence on the part of the junior doctor would still be an uphill battle.  The defendant would enjoy the presumptions under the first and fourth rule: he is presumed competent, and is likewise presumed as not negligent.  On the other hand, Jason would have to prove that his administering antibiotics to Jason despite his being intoxicated with alcohol is contrary to or deviates from the standard of good medical practice in the community. In Boyce v Brown (1938), the issue was whether the taking of an x-ray of the plaintiff’s fractured ankle was considered standard practice (it was not).   Such question regarding standard practice may only be resolved by the testimony of experts in the medical field.  Thus, Jason and company must present affirmative evidence of negligence, such as the failure of the junior doctor to comply with the recognized or standard procedures in such cases, resulting in the injury.           As regards the nurse who administered the anti-tetanus injection, the above rules would likewise have to be applied. If it is considered standard procedure in hospitals or in the medical community to test a patient for allergy before being given a drug which may have fatal effects in case a patient is allergic thereto, her failure to observe or comply with the said standard resulting in injury to Penny, in addition to the other elements stated above, would make her presumptively liable for malpractice.  The nurse may contend in her defense that the allergy test is not standard or customary practice (if such is indeed the case), and that this rule (otherwise known as the locality rule) should not be applied anymore by the courts owing to the growing variance in the knowledge and skill of physicians throughout the country and the world.            If the evidence would warrant a finding of liability due to negligence on the part of the nurse, I would advise my client to implead the attending physician who had given the order to the nurse, as well as the hospital on the ground of respondeat superior.            Suppose Jason proves his case against Alice, a question arises as to what extent she would be liable for damages in view of the fact that the injuries suffered by Jason may have been aggravated by the ambulance crash. In such case, the damages shall be apportioned on the basis of the liability of the parties responsible for the first and the second accident. The Colorado Court of Appeals, deciding Bruckman v Pena (1971) cited â€Å"the general rule that one injured by the negligence of another is entitled to recover the damages proximately caused by the act of the tort-feasor, and the burden of proof is upon the plaintiff to establish that the damages he seeks were proximately caused by the negligence of the defendant.†           Subject to the above qualifications and views, Jason, Penny and Fancy Fashions Ltd. may file the appropriate action for damages which will be determined by the evidence presented in court. Such awards may include but are not limited to medical expenses, the loss of earnings as a result of injury or incapacity, and moral damages due to the pain and suffering caused by the defendants’ tortious acts or omissions.            Finally, I would advise Jason, Penny and Fancy Fashion, Ltd. that despite the wealth of jurisprudence on tort cases, there is no clear-cut approach to a particular case, and the outcome of the cases they would file in court would depend most entirely on the evidence they would present during trial, and how the trier of fact would evaluate them. REFERENCES Boyce v Brown (1938) 51 Ariz. 416, 77 P .2d 455 Bruckman v Pena (1971) 29 Colo. App. 357 Canterbury v Spence (1972) 150 US. App. D.C. 263, 464 F. 2d 772 Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins (1938) 304 U.S. 64 Froom v Butcher (1976) QB 286, 291 Kansas City Southern R. Co. v Ellzey (1927) 275 U.S. 236 Larson v St. Francis Hotel (1948) 83 Cal.App.2d 210 LI v Yellow Cab Co. of California (1975) Supreme Court of California Lundberg v State Court of Appeals of New York (1969) O’Connel v Jackson (1972) QB 270 Prosser, W. Wade, J. Schwartz, V. Cases and Materials on Torts (1982). 7th edition. New York, Foundation Press, Inc. Scott v Bradford (1979) 606 P.2d 554                                                                                  Tennessee Trailways, Inc. v Ervin (1969) 275 U.S. 236
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Gender Roles and Ideas :: Arab Women Culture Literature Essays
Gender Roles and Ideas The Male Character in Arab Women’s Novels: Often in literature authors, particularly men, are criticized for falsely or inaccurately portraying or "writing" women. This debate has been historically confined to male authors, but is on occasion reversed and female authors are criticized for inaccurately writing men. Although it may sound like a fair tradeâ€â€or at least the beginnings of one in the world of criticsâ€â€these situations are limited to primarily European and predominately North American literature. Examining the portrayal of men and the male sex as a whole, by women, is an important if not essential undertaking in this modern world, but where is comes to a point of being absolutely crucial is when it is the women authors of a world where they are second class citizens only because of their gender. If the writing of men in Arab women’s novels can be understood at even the most basic level it may allow some insight into what these women think and assume consciously and subconsciously, about themselves and their position in society and about the inherent oppression that they deal with and resign themselves toâ€â€no matter how weak or extreme the degree of the oppression, ranging from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this discourse is to first, examine and delineate the manner in which Arab women novelists portray or ‘write’ men; and second, to discuss the most relevant reasons why the women write them as they do. This will be accomplished by focusing mainly on three novels written by women from Jordan and Palestine with settings form Beirut to London. The first of these three novels is Fadia Faqir’s, Pillars of Salt. This story is set in Jordan before and during the British occupation and Mandate. The book itself is broken into a number of chapters, each shifting between the voices of "The Storyteller", Maha, and Um Saad, and Faqir’s third-person. For purposes of ease in this discourse these short chapters will be grouped into eight natural sections, as each five or six chapters between Maha and Um Saad is set off by an interlude from The Storyteller, who himself appears nine times altogether. In this book there is a large spectrum men that Faqir writes, but in terms of relevance to the topic above we will focus on the following characters to illustrate how Faqir portrays the male sex: The Storyteller, who could be argued as not being a man, but with very little success, as it is undoubtedly Faqir’s intention to have the story’s told by The Storyteller to be from a male perspective.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Four
Ten minutes later Grace was in the Wyndham carriage, alone with the dowager, trying to remember just why she'd told Thomas he shouldn't commit his grandmother to an asylum. In the last five minutes the dowager had: Turned the carriage around. Shoved Grace out and to the ground, where she'd landed awkwardly on her right ankle. Sent the Willoughby sisters on their way without the slightest explanation. Had the Wyndham carriage brought around. Outfitted aforementioned carriage with six large footmen. Had Grace tossed inside. (The footman doing the tossing had apologized as he'd done so, but still.) â€Å"Ma'am?†Grace asked hesitantly. They were speeding along at a rate that could not be considered safe, but the dowager kept banging her walking stick against the wall, bellowing at the driver to move faster. â€Å"Ma'am? Where are we going?†â€Å"You know very well.†Grace waited one careful moment, then said, â€Å"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't.†The dowager speared her with an angry stare. â€Å"We don't know where he is,†Grace pointed out. â€Å"We will find him.†â€Å"But, ma'am – â€Å" â€Å"Enough!†the dowager ground out. Her voice was not loud, but it contained sufficient passion to silence Grace immediately. After a moment passed, she stole a glance at the older woman. She was sitting ramrod straight – too straight, really, for a ride in the carriage, and her right hand was bent and angled like a claw, pulling back the curtain so she might see outside. Trees. That's all there was to see. Grace couldn't imagine why the dowager was staring out so intently. â€Å"If you saw him,†the dowager said, her low voice cutting into Grace's thoughts, â€Å"then he is still in the district.†Grace said nothing. The dowager wasn't looking at her, in any case. â€Å"Which means,†the icy voice continued, â€Å"that there are only a very few places he might be. Three posting inns in the vicinity. That is all.†Grace rested her forehead in her hand. It was a sign of weakness, something she usually tried not to display in front of the dowager, but there was no maintaining a stiff facade now. They were going to kidnap him. She, Grace Catriona Eversleigh, who had never so much as nicked a ha'penny ribbon from a fair, was going to be party to what had to be a high crime. â€Å"Dear Lord,†she whispered. â€Å"Shut up,†the dowager snapped, â€Å"and make yourself useful.†Grace grit her teeth. How the devil did the dowager think she could be useful? Surely any manhandling that needed doing would be performed by the footmen, each of whom stood, as per Belgrave regulations, five feet eleven inches tall. And no, she did not mistake their purpose on the journey. When she had looked askance at the dowager, the reply had been a terse, â€Å"My grandson might need convincing.†Now, the dowager growled, â€Å"Look out the window,†speaking to her as if she'd turned idiot overnight. â€Å"You got the best look at him.†Dear God, she would gratefully forfeit five years off her life just to be anywhere but inside this carriage. â€Å"Ma'am, I said – he was at the end of the drive. I didn't really see him.†â€Å"You did last night.†Grace had been trying not to look at her, but at that, she could not help but stare. â€Å"I saw you kissing him,†the dowager hissed. â€Å"And I will warn you now. Don't try to rise above your station.†â€Å"Ma'am, he kissed me.†â€Å"He is my grandson,†the dowager spat, â€Å"and he may very well be the true Duke of Wyndham, so do not be getting any ideas. You are valued as my companion, but that is all.†Grace could not find the outrage to react to the insult. Instead, she could only stare at the dowager in horror, unable to believe that she had actually spoken the words. The true Duke of Wyndham. Even the very suggestion of it was scandalous. Would she throw over Thomas so easily, strip him of his birthright, of his very name? Wyndham was not just a title Thomas held, it was who he was. But if the dowager publicly championed the highwayman as the true heir†¦dear God, Grace could not even imagine the depth of the scandal it would create. The impostor would be proven illegitimate, of course – there could be no other outcome, surely – but the damage would be done. There would always be those who whispered that maybe Thomas wasn't really the duke, that maybe he ought not be so secure in his conceits, because he wasn't truly entitled to them, was he? Grace could not imagine what this would do to him. To all of them. â€Å"Ma'am,†she said, her voice quavering slightly. â€Å"You cannot think that this man could be legitimate.†â€Å"Of course I can,†the dowager snapped. â€Å"His manners were impeccable – â€Å" â€Å"He was a highwayman!†â€Å"One with a fine bearing and perfectly correct accent,†the dowager retorted. â€Å"Whatever his current station, he was brought up properly and given a gentleman's education.†â€Å"But that does not mean – â€Å" â€Å"My son died on a boat,†the dowager interrupted, her voice hard, â€Å"after he'd spent eight months in Ireland. Eight bloody months that were supposed to be four weeks. He went to attend a wedding. A wedding.†Her body seemed to harden as she paused, her teeth grinding together at the memory. â€Å"And not even of anyone worth mentioning. Just some school friend whose parents bought themselves a title and bludgeoned their way into Eton, as if that could make them better than they were.†Grace's eyes widened. The dowager's voice had descended into a low, venomous hiss, and without even meaning to, Grace moved closer to the window. It felt toxic to be so close to her right now. â€Å"And then†¦Ã¢â‚¬ the dowager continued. â€Å"And then! All I received was a three-sentence note, written in someone else's hand, reporting that he was having such a fine time that he believed he was going to remain.†Grace blinked. â€Å"He didn't write it himself?†she asked, unsure why she found this detail so curious. â€Å"He signed it,†the dowager said brusquely. â€Å"And sealed it with his ring. He knew I couldn't decipher his scrawl.†She sat back, her face contorting with decades old anger and resentment. â€Å"Eight months,†she muttered. â€Å"Eight stupid, useless months. Who is to say he did not marry some harlot over there? He had ample time.†Grace watched her for several moments. Her nose was in the air, and she gave every indication of haughty anger, but something was not quite right. Her lips were pinching and twisting, and her eyes were suspiciously bright. â€Å"Ma'am – †Grace said gently. â€Å"Don't,†the dowager said, her voice sounding as if it might crack. Grace considered the wisdom of speaking, then decided there was too much at stake to remain silent. â€Å"Your grace, it simply cannot be,†she began, somehow maintaining her courage despite the withering expression on the dowager's face. â€Å"This is not a humble country entail. This is not Sillsby,†she added, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat at the mention of her childhood home. â€Å"We are speaking of Belgrave. Of a dukedom. Heirs apparent do not simply vanish into the mist. If your son had had a son, we would have known.†The dowager stared at her for an uncomfortably sharp moment, then said, â€Å"We will try the Happy Hare first. It is the least uncouth of all the local posting inns.†She settled back against the cushion, staring straight ahead as she said, â€Å"If he is anything like his father, he will be too fond of his comforts for anything less.†Jack was already feeling like an idiot when a sack was thrown over his head. So this was it, then. He knew he'd stayed too long. The whole ride back he'd berated himself for the fool he was. He should have left after breakfast. He should have left at dawn. But no, he had to get drunk the night before, and then he had to ride out to that bloody castle. And then he'd seen her. If he hadn't seen her, he would never have remained at the end of the drive for so long. And then he wouldn't have ridden off with such speed. And had to rest and water his mount. And he certainly wouldn't have been standing by the trough like a bloody bull's-eye when someone attacked him from behind. â€Å"Bind him,†a gruff voice said. It was enough to set every pore in his body into fighting mode. A man did not spend his life so close to the noose without preparing for those two words. It didn't matter that he couldn't see. It didn't matter that he had no idea who they were or why they'd come for him. He fought. And he knew how to fight, clean and dirty. But there were three of them at least, possibly more, and he managed only two good punches before he was facedown in the dirt, his hands yanked behind his back and bound with†¦ Well, it wasn't rope. Almost felt like silk, truth be told. â€Å"Sorry,†one of his captors mumbled, which was odd. Men in the business of tying up other men rarely thought to offer apologies. â€Å"Think nothing of it,†Jack returned, then cursed himself for his insolence. All his little quip earned him was a mouth full of burlap dust. â€Å"This way,†someone said, helping him to his feet. And Jack could do nothing but obey. â€Å"Er, if you please,†the first voice said – the one who'd ordered him bound. â€Å"Care to tell me where I'm going?†Jack inquired. There was quite a bit of hemming and hawing. Minions. These were minions. He sighed. Minions never knew the important things. â€Å"Er, can you step up?†And then, before Jack could oblige, or even say, â€Å"Beg pardon,†he was roughly hoisted into the air and tumbled into what had to be a carriage. â€Å"Put him on a seat,†a voice barked. He knew that voice. It was the old lady. His grandmother. Well, at least he wasn't off to be hanged. â€Å"Don't suppose someone will see to my horse,†Jack said. â€Å"See to his horse,†the old lady snapped. Jack allowed himself to be moved onto a seat, not a particularly easy maneuver, bound and blindfolded as he was. â€Å"Don't suppose you'll untie my hands,†he said. â€Å"I'm not stupid,†was the old lady's reply. â€Å"No,†he said with a false sigh. â€Å"I didn't think you were. Beauty and stupidity never go as hand in hand as one might wish.†â€Å"I am sorry I had to take you this way,†the old lady said. â€Å"But you left me no choice.†â€Å"No choice,†Jack mused. â€Å"Yes, of course. Because I've done so much to escape your clutches up to now.†â€Å"If you had intended to call upon me,†the old lady said sharply, â€Å"you would not have ridden off earlier this afternoon.†Jack felt himself smile mockingly. â€Å"She told you, then,†he said, wondering why he'd thought she might not. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh?†So that was her name. â€Å"She had no choice,†the old lady said dismissively, as if the wishes of Miss Eversleigh were something she rarely considered. And then Jack felt it. A slight brush of air beside him. A faint rustle of movement. She was there. The elusive Miss Eversleigh. The silent Miss Eversleigh. The delicious Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"Remove his hood,†he heard his grandmother order. â€Å"You're going to suffocate him.†Jack waited patiently, affixing a lazy smile onto his face – it was not, after all, the expression they would expect, and thus the one he most wished to display. He heard her make a noise – Miss Eversleigh, that was. It wasn't a sigh exactly, and not a groan, either. It was something he couldn't quite place. Weary resignation, perhaps. Or maybe – The hood came off, and he took a moment to savor the cool air on his face. Then he looked at her. It was mortification. That's what it had been. Poor Miss Eversleigh looked miserable. A more gracious gentleman would have turned away, but he wasn't feeling overly charitable at the moment, and so he treated himself to a lengthy perusal of her face. She was lovely, although not in any predictable manner. No English rose was she, not with that glorious dark hair and shining blue eyes that tilted up ever-so-slightly at the edges. Her lashes were dark and sooty, in stark contrast to the pale perfection of her skin. Of course, that paleness might have been a result of her extreme discomfort. The poor girl looked as if she might cast up her accounts at any moment. â€Å"Was it that bad, kissing me?†he murmured. She turned scarlet. â€Å"Apparently so.†He turned to his grandmother and said in his most conversational tone, â€Å"I hope you realize this is a hanging offense.†â€Å"I am the Duchess of Wyndham,†she replied with a haughty lift of her brow. â€Å"Nothing is a hanging offense.†â€Å"Ah, the unfairness of life,†he said with a sigh. â€Å"Wouldn't you agree, Miss Eversleigh?†She looked as if she wanted to speak. Indeed, the poor girl was most definitely biting her tongue. â€Å"Now if you were the perpetrator in this little crime,†he continued, allowing his eyes to slide insolently from her face to her bosom and back, â€Å"this would all be so very different.†Her jaw tightened. â€Å"It would be,†he murmured, allowing his gaze to fall to her lips, â€Å"rather lovely, I think. Just think – you, me, alone in this exceedingly luxurious carriage.†He sighed contentedly and sat back. â€Å"The imagination runs wild.†He waited for the old lady to defend her. She did not. â€Å"Care to share your plans for me?†he asked, propping one ankle over the opposite knee as he slouched in his seat. It wasn't an easy position to achieve, with his hands still stuck behind him, but he was damned if he'd sit up straight and polite. The old lady turned to him, her lips pinched. â€Å"Most men would not complain.†He shrugged. â€Å"I am not most men.†Then he offered a half smile and turned to Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"A rather banal rejoinder on my part, wouldn't you say? So obvious. A novice could have come up with it.†He shook his head as if disappointed. â€Å"I do hope I'm not losing my touch.†Her eyes widened. He grinned. â€Å"You think I'm mad.†â€Å"Oh, yes,†she said, and he rather enjoyed her voice again, washing warmly over him. â€Å"It's something to consider.†He turned to the old lady. â€Å"Does madness run in the family?†â€Å"Of course not,†she snapped. â€Å"Well, that's a relief. Not,†he added, â€Å"that I am acknowledging a connection. I don't believe I wish to be associated with cutthroats such as yourself. Tsk tsk. Even I have never resorted to kidnapping.†He leaned forward, as if imparting a very grave confidence to Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"It's very bad form, you know.†And he thought – oh, how lovely – that he saw her lips twitch. Miss Eversleigh had a sense of humor. She was growing more delectable by the second. He smiled at her. He knew how to do it, too. He knew exactly how to smile at a woman to make her feel it deep inside. He smiled at her. And she blushed. Which made him smile even more. â€Å"Enough,†the old lady snapped. He feigned innocence. â€Å"Of what?†He looked at her, at this woman who was most probably his grandmother. Her face was pinched and lined, the corners of her mouth pulled down by the weight of an eternal frown. She'd look unhappy even if she smiled, he thought. Even if somehow she managed to get that mouth to form a crescent in the correct direction – No, he decided. It wouldn't work. She'd never manage it. She'd probably expire from the exertion. â€Å"Leave my companion alone,†she said tersely. He leaned toward Miss Eversleigh, giving her a lopsided smile even though she was quite determinedly looking away. â€Å"Was I bothering you?†â€Å"No,†she said quickly. â€Å"Of course not.†Which couldn't have been further from the truth, but who was he to quibble? He turned back to the old lady. â€Å"You didn't answer my question.†She lifted an imperious brow. Ah, he thought, completely without humor, that was where he got the expression. â€Å"What do you plan to do with me?†he asked. â€Å"Do with you.†She repeated the words curiously, as if she found them most strange. He lifted a brow right back at her, wondering if she'd recognize the gesture. â€Å"There are a great many options.†â€Å"My dear boy,†she began. Her tone was grand. Condescending. As if he'd only needed this to realize that he ought to be licking her boots. â€Å"I'm going to give you the world.†Grace had just about managed to regain her equilibrium when the highwayman, after a lengthy and thoughtful frown, turned to the dowager and said, â€Å"I don't believe I'm interested in your world.†A bubble of horrified laughter burst forth from her throat. Oh dear heavens, the dowager looked ready to spit. Grace clamped a hand over her mouth and turned away, trying not to notice that the highwayman was positively grinning at her. â€Å"Apologies,†he said to the dowager, not sounding the least bit contrite. â€Å"But can I have her world instead?†Grace's head snapped back around in time to see him nodding in her direction. He shrugged. â€Å"I like you better.†â€Å"Are you never serious?†the dowager bit off. And then he changed. His body did not move from its slouch, but Grace could feel the air around him coiling with tension. He was a dangerous man. He hid this well with his lazy charm and insolent smile. But he was not a man to be crossed. She was sure of it. â€Å"I'm always serious,†he said, his eyes never leaving those of the dowager. â€Å"You'd do well to take note of that.†â€Å"I'm so sorry,†Grace whispered, the words slipping out before she had a chance to consider them. The gravity of the situation was bearing down on her with uncomfortable intensity. She had been so worried about Thomas and what this would all mean for him. But in that moment it was brought home to her that there were two men caught in this web. And whatever this man was, whoever he was, he did not deserve this. Perhaps he would want life as a Cavendish, with its riches and prestige. Most men would. But he deserved the choice. Everyone deserved a choice. She looked over at him then, forcing herself to bring her eyes to his face. She had been avoiding his gaze as much as she could, but her cowardice suddenly felt distasteful. He must have felt her watching him, because he turned. His dark hair fell forward over his brow, and his eyes – a spectacular shade of mossy green – grew warm. â€Å"I do like you better,†he murmured, and she thought – hoped? – that she saw a flicker of respect in his gaze. And then, quick as a blink, the moment was gone. His mouth slid into that cocky half smile and he let out a pent-up breath before saying, â€Å"It's a compliment.†It was on the tip of her tongue to say, Thank you, as ridiculous as that seemed, but then he shrugged – one shoulder only, as if that was all he could be bothered with – and added, â€Å"Of course, I would imagine that the only person I would like less than our esteemed countess – â€Å" â€Å"Duchess,†the dowager snapped. He paused, gave her a blandly haughty stare, then turned back to Grace. â€Å"As I was saying, the only person I would like less than her†– he jerked his head toward the dowager, not even honoring her with a direct glance – â€Å"would be the French menace himself, so I suppose it's not that much of a compliment, but I did want you to know that it was sincerely given.†Grace tried not to smile, but he always seemed to be looking at her as if they were sharing a joke, just the two of them, and she knew that it was making the dowager more furious by the second. A glance across the carriage confirmed this; the dowager looked even more starched and upset than usual. Grace turned back to the highwayman, as much out of self-preservation as anything else. The dowager showed every sign of an imminent tirade, but after her performance the night before, Grace knew that she was far too besotted with the idea of her long-lost grandson to make him her target. â€Å"What is your name?†Grace asked him, since it seemed the most obvious question. â€Å"My name?†Grace nodded. He turned to the dowager with an expression of great scolding. â€Å"Funny that you haven't asked me yet.†He shook his head. â€Å"Shameful manners. All the best kidnappers know their victims' names.†â€Å"I am not kidnapping you!†the dowager burst out. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence, and then his voice emerged like silk. â€Å"I misunderstand the bindings, then.†Grace looked warily at the dowager. She'd never appreciated sarcasm unless it emerged from her own lips, and she would never allow him the last word. And indeed, when she spoke, her words were clipped and stiff, and colored blue with the blood of one secure in her own superiority. â€Å"I am restoring you to your proper place in this world.†â€Å"I see,†he said slowly. â€Å"Good,†the dowager said briskly. â€Å"We are in accord, then. All that remains is for us to – â€Å" â€Å"My proper place,†he said, cutting her off. â€Å"Indeed.†â€Å"In the world.†Grace realized that she was holding her breath. She could not look away, could not take her eyes off his when he murmured, â€Å"The conceit. It's remarkable.†His voice was soft, almost thoughtful, and it cut to the bone. The dowager turned sharply toward the window, and Grace searched her face for something – anything – that might have shown her humanity, but she remained stiff and hard, and her voice betrayed no emotion when she said, â€Å"We are almost home.†They were turning down the drive, passing the very spot where Grace had seen him earlier that afternoon. â€Å"So you are,†the highwayman said, glancing out the window. â€Å"You will come to regard it as home,†the dowager stated, her voice imperious and exacting and, more than anything else, final. He did not respond. But he didn't need to. They all knew what he was thinking. Never.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Alternate Ending †Animal Farm Essay
Years passed. The short animal lives fled by. The time where few remembered the days before the Rebellion, except Clover, Benjamin, Moses the raven and a number of pigs. Many of the old animals have died. Few remain. Napoleon started reintroducing the very instillations of terror, the whips, knives, et cetera. The animals were surprised, yet terrified to do anything to defend, hearing the tales of slaughter from their elders. However, it was the perfect time for a certain pig. Snowball’s only son, Frosty, had lived – by being disguised as one of Napoleon’s son. He was suspected at the start, having quite a few close calls, but he soon found his true friends and comrades, and decided to set out to acomplished what his father had begun – the Rebellion upon Manor Farm. He had chosen this day to begin his operation to remove the brainwashing Napoleon had implanted upon the animals. The very night, he held a meeting where only himself, a few pig, with half the convinced brood of dogs with the rest of the animals. No one could doubt him, seeing their present life would definitely go downhill, without any changes. In just a few meetings, the animals were convinced and decided, on a certain day, they would rebel against their newest masters – the pigs. Napoleon recently had nightmares, dreaming about a time where he would be banished, exiled to the nearby woods. His conscience had been pricking him urgently, yet he dismissed it as unimportant, irrelevant. Little did he know what was coming. The day came. The animals took on the dogs easily due to the element of surprise and large numbers and the pigs were very much defenceless by themselves. The traitors were not killed, but exiled, just as vividly as the dream Napoleon had. One thing is for sure, it would not end here, yet. There was much to be changed ; The commandments were restored, the animals’ lives became similar to what Snowball had depicted, and an easier life is to come. But there still was much to be done – Frosty would see to that.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Role of Middle Management and Motivation
Role of Middle Management and Motivation Free Online Research Papers ROLE OF MIDDLE MANAGEMENT (a) WHAT IS MANAGEMENT? Management is a process or function that co-ordinates the activities and operations within an organisation, with the aim of producing a saleable product safely and at a more cost effective rate than similar organisations targeting the same market. WHY IS MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT? The main aim of an organisation is to produce a saleable product with the aim of making a profit. To achieve this objective it is imperative that the activities or operations necessary to produce the required product in terms of safety, quality and cost are conducted in a controlled and goal orientated manner. Hence, management is the critical factor in an organisation that optimises the utilisation of men, machines, money, materials and minutes to ultimately maximise profit. Effective management in a successful organisation will result in the communities within which they operate to prosper, as it will be a vehicle for job creation should the company expand and a general uplifting of the standard of living. (b) FIVE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT MANAGEMENT LOOKS FOR IN SELECTING A SUPERVISOR, EXPLAINING WHY THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT. Qualifications – Formal and Informal In the new South Africa and the introduction of the National Qualifications Framework, the experience and tested expertise of a person will be taken into account, should he possess no formal qualification. To this end, depending on the nature of the work to be done, the level of formal/informal qualifications required may vary considerably. However, it is essential that the right man is selected for the job, thus a proven minimum requirement of his technical knowledge of the field would be critical in the eyes of management. Basic management skills and principles Management place a high premium on the prospective supervisors ability to the planning and organising of the work, leading and controlling a team performing the work and evaluating the performance of that work relative to specific objectives. This characteristic is important as the potential supervisor displays his cognisance of the overall objectives of the organisation and acknowledges his input in the overall success thereof. Interpersonal skills Management in most industries have come to realise that their most important asset is in fact the people constituting an organisation. When selecting a supervisor, management focuses heavily on the individuals’ ability to relate and communicate effectively with both sub-ordinates and management alike, as this is the level at which most interactions between the general workforce and management occurs. Safety record Identifying with the fact that people are the organisations most important asset and that the mining industry is stringently regulated, management deem a supervisors ability to achieve the required objectives safely of paramount importance. Management also realises that poor safety performance in any team of the organisation is a demotivating factor that could detrimentally affect the performance of the organisation as a whole. Problem solving abilities For the organisation to operate effectively, management requires supervisors to operate independently by solving problems in their area of responsibility, timeously and correctly. (c) FIVE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPERVISORS AND THE RELEVANCE TO MY WORK RESPONSIBILITIES. Planning and organising the job Ensure the daily production statistics from the three production units are captured correctly by the data-capturing clerk. Project the production performance to month end. Meet with the technical manager and production overseers daily to discuss the operation and the performance relative to the targets of the month. Monthly perform the physical planning of the operation for three months and present to the organisation’s management team. Achieving results through motivation Maintain a high level of motivation in the section is relevant to my line of work in that the operation I am employed at has only three years before closure and future job security creates uncertainty in workers. In addition, the organisation is one of six similar organisations under a single parent organisation and delivers the same outputs as them, yet they have a minimum of five people performing the same work as my section, where only two people are employed. Furthermore, the gradual downsizing of the operation due to closure in three years allows little in the form of opportunities for promotion in the foreseeable future. Thus, motivating the workers in the section is an ongoing issue to promote on a daily basis. Review previous planning On a monthly basis it is required to survey the actual production effort in the field and compare these results with the expected results of the previous planning meeting. This review meeting is held with management so that problems with regards geological models, machine efficiencies and previous planning can be identified and a workable alternative to the plan is found, so that the organisations goal can still be achieved or surpassed. Safety communication Meetings are conducted daily, before work commences, to communicate incidents or accidents and the primary causes, which had occurred in other areas of the organisation, or entire mining industry. These meetings ensure that effective controls can be put in place to prevent such injury in my section, if such control does not already exist. Training of sub-ordinates To remain abreast of technology and to ensure the best technology is employed in my work situation requires constant on-the-job training of my sub-ordinates. This training intervention allows me to identify inefficiencies in the section and invites worker participation in perfecting the system. (d) ANALYSIS OF A NORMAL DAYS WORK Technical / Operational skills – (45% of day) ? Safety meeting and daily task distribution 0.5 hours. ? Analysis of previous days production performance before production meeting – 1 hour. ? Production meeting with mine overseers and Technical Manager – 1 hour. ? Field visit – 1 hour ? Make alterations to plan based on above outcomes – 1 hour. Management skills – (55% of day) ? Attend operations meeting with Technical manager – 1 hour. ? Resolve issues raised by individuals in section – 2 hours. ? Review / analyse section cost reports – 0.5 hours. ? Strategic mine planning session 2 hours. This is the most effective situation under current conditions. This statement is substantiated by the fact that my section has produced sustained above average results over a prolonged period and by and large each member knows what is expected of him. This allows myself the chance to apply my skills, in conjunction with senior management, to exploit other potential opportunities of strategic value, which may prevent closure within the next three years. (e) THE RESOURCES I MANAGE AND HOW MANAGEMENT MEASURES MY PERFORMANCE. ? I have the direct control over two individuals and the accuracy of their efforts is audited on a daily basis by management. The daily statistics are distributed to ten management level employees who are acutely aware of their unit’s performance and relate inaccuracies on reports without hesitation, on a daily basis. ? The performance in the production field is compared on a monthly basis with tabled plans and forecasts I present (i.e. does the actual linear advance of particular machines correlate with planning at the previous planning meeting). ? I am furthermore measured on a monthly basis as to whether my section has operated within the financial budget constraints as determined at the start of the financial year. ? The safety performance of my section is measured against objectives set for the section at the start of the financial year. PART 2 MOTIVATION (a) IDENTIFY A MEMBER OF MY TEAM WHO IS UNMOTIVATED AND WHO IS DETRIMENTALLY AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEAM. The individual whom I identified for this exercise will remain anonymous. (b) ‘SIGNS’ I USED TO INTERPRET THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS UNMOTIVATED. He was always an outspoken and cheerful person, who had become sullen and prone to mood swings. He had become progressively more withdrawn, displaying a ‘don’t care’ attitude. Of late he had begun to make excuses to have time off from work or to leave work early. He did only what was expected of him, whereas he was an individual who would search for additional work in the past. Without any additional work responsibilities, it began to appear as if he could no longer get the work done in time. The normal impeccable presentation of his work had deteriorated. He elicited suggestions that he should possibly seek alternative employment. (c) DEVELOPING A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. How I determined what the problem was. When the employee started withdrawing and became exceedingly moody, I approached him directly, bearing in mind that we had always prided our section as having open channels of communication. The employee receded into a state of anger and did not invite further dialogue towards resolving the problem, which he perceived to be a figment of my imagination. He further commented that if I was unable to find fault with his work, that I should leave him alone. I subsequently enquired as to why his work was not of the normal high standard and that the work all appeared to be rushed. The employee asked if his efforts were not good enough, if he does not mean anything to the organisation and what future was there for him in the organisation. This is how I determined the root cause of the employee’s lack of motivation. What instrument(s) / actions I used to determine this. I used situational leadership as a management tool to resolve the issue. I made use of the Developmental Task Analysis 11 to determine which specific style would be required to effectively manage the efforts of this employee. By identifying the employee’s high development level and obvious future aspirations, I realised that I would have to adopt a highly supportive management style to resolve the issue effectively. What instrument I used to determine what motivates this individual. I relied on effective interpersonal communication skills as an instrument to ascertain what motivates this employee. Management interventions I determined to address the problem and why. ? Providing opportunities to make presentations As an immediate intervention to prove to the employee that his contribution is valued and that the due recognition and criticisms becomes him, I made him responsible for presenting the planning schedules and review comparisons to the management team on a monthly basis. The presentations are however scrutinised in the section by all relevant role players. ? Job enrichment This intervention was added to his existing tasks to enhance the employee’s understanding of long term strategic planning and the implications poor planning could have over an extended period. ? Special assignments The organisation’s aspiration to become a benchmark company in the mining industry world-wide has caused a host of specific operations to be closely monitored. On an annual basis certain information / data collected over the period of a year is required to be submitted for comparison with other benchmark companies statistics. This task involves a serious learning curve, which is bound to broaden the individual’s technical knowledge. ? Job rotation I instituted a program whereby employees in the technical department relieve mine overseers in the field when they are on leave. The aim of this intervention was to afford both parties the exposure in different environments and hence develop a mutual respect for each other’s work and abilities. ? Career path development A career development path was designed with the employee by utilising the services of professional consultants. The advantage of a professional external opinion is that the results depicted are free of bias and highlight the potential ability and also the weaknesses of the employee. ? Understudy training The intervention of understudy training was a direct development undertaken from job rotation except the aim was to hone the skills of the problematic employee in his current field of expertise. What interventions were successful and why. ? Providing opportunities to make presentations This has been highly successful in that this intervention provided management with an additional control that ensures the organisation gets the planning right the first time. ? Job enrichment The effects of this intervention were dramatically successful in that the total methodology of operation has been changed, not with the purpose of extending the life of the organisation but operating at a lower cost in the last few years before closure. Interventions with limited success. ? Job rotation This intervention was successful from the point of the technical employee (the employee whose problem we were resolving) as he was able to quickly adapt to the production operation. The production mine overseer however did not possess the level of computer literacy to perform the most basic of planning functions. This practice was subsequently aborted and alternatives for this method of training are currently under investigation. ? Career path development The career development path that was formulated was in itself a success, but the employee was still not convinced of his possible advancement in the organisation since, according to his perception, less accomplished members of his peers in other mining houses were far ahead of him in the promotional route. ? Special assignments This intervention has been relatively unsuccessful in that no feedback has been given to the organisation or individual and the exercise does not cater for physical differences in the methodology and operation at different mines. The employee has felt that this exercise was time consuming with no real benefit to the organisation as such. Research Papers on Role of Middle Management and MotivationThe Project Managment Office SystemBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males
Monday, October 21, 2019
Lotus Rental Car essays
Lotus Rental Car essays With fuel costs rising, Alternative Fuel Vehicles are becoming more and more attractive to the consumer. After thorough research, it is our opinion that Lotus Car Rental Corporation should invest in the purchase of a small fleet of these cars in a test marketing effort. Lotus Rental Car can reduce expenses and increase their customer base by adding alternative fuel vehicles to their fleet. A wide variety of alternative fuels, excluding gasoline and diesel-for powering vehicles, exist. Some vehicles can be special ordered from the manufacturer, already adapted to accommodate these alternate fuels. In the case of hybrid cars, no special order is needed as models have been on the market since 1999 and are increasing in popularity. In the non-commercial arena, hybrid vehicles and 100% electric fuel vehicles are more widely used than other alternate fuel vehicles at this time. Commercially, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has become very popular especially in the public transportation industry. According to the "Transit Resource Guide" a publication of the American Public Transportation Association, "As of January 2001, approximately 25% or all new buses on order in the U.S. are natural gas-powered" (apta.com, 2003). Many of those municipalities ordering them are striving for a 100% conversion. Compressed natural gas, propane, methanol, and ethanol are growing in popularity as fuel sources, as more vehicles are being made that can burn them. Today we understand that the wholesale burning of petroleum cannot continue forever. As the new century opens, alternative fuel vehicles are becoming more and more common. Major manufacturers such as Ford, Daimler/Chrysler, and Fiat now offer dual fuel cars and trucks. These vehicles allow a choice between electric, hybrid, bio-diesel, and compressed natural gas (CNG) for cleaner emissions. Other large manufacturers such as General Motors, Toyota, and Honda are concentrating on electric...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Specific Heat Capacity Definition
Specific Heat Capacity Definition Specific Heat Capacity Definition Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance per unit of mass. The specific heat capacity of a material is a physical property. It is also an example of an extensive property since its value is proportional to the size of the system being examined.In ​SI units, specific heat capacity (symbol: c) is the amount of heat in joules required to raise 1 gram of a substance 1 Kelvin.  It may also be expressed as J/kg ·K. Specific heat capacity may be reported in the units of calories per gram degree Celsius, too. Related values are molar heat capacity, expressed in J/mol ·K, and volumetric heat capacity, given in J/m3 ·K. Heat capacity is defined as the ratio of the amount of energy transferred to a material and the change in temperature that is produced: C Q / ÃŽâ€T where C is heat capacity, Q is energy (usually expressed in joules), and ÃŽâ€T is the change in temperature (usually in degrees Celsius or in Kelvin). Alternatively, the equation may be written: Q CmÃŽâ€T Specific heat and heat capacity are related by mass: C m * S Where C is heat capacity, m is mass of a material, and S is specific heat. Note that since specific heat is per unit mass, its value does not change, no matter the size of the sample. So, the specific heat of a gallon of water is the same as the specific heat of a drop of water. Its important to note the relationship between added heat, specific heat, mass, and temperature change does not apply during a phase change. The reason for this is because heat that is added or removed in a phase change does not alter the temperature. Also Known As: specific heat, mass specific heat, thermal capacity Specific Heat Capacity Examples Water has a specific heat capacity of 4.18 J (or 1 calorie/gram  °C). This is a much higher value than that of most other substances, which makes water exceptionally good at regulating temperature. In contrast, copper has a specific heat capacity of 0.39 J. Table of Common Specific Heats and Heat Capacities This chart of specific heat and heat capacity values should help you get a better sense of the types of materials that readily conduct heat versus those which do not. As you might expect, metals have relatively low specific heats. Material Specific Heat(J/gC) Heat Capacity(J/C for 100 g) gold 0.129 12.9 mercury 0.140 14.0 copper 0.385 38.5 iron 0.450 45.0 salt (Nacl) 0.864 86.4 aluminum 0.902 90.2 air 1.01 101 ice 2.03 203 water 4.179 417.9 Sources Halliday, David; Resnick, Robert (2013). Fundamentals of Physics. Wiley. p. 524.Kittel, Charles (2005). Introduction to Solid State Physics (8th Ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley Sons. p. 141. ISBN 0-471-41526-X.Laider, Keith J. (1993). The World of Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-855919-4.unus A. Cengel and Michael A. Boles (2010). Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach (7th Edition). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 007-352932-X.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Consumer society - Essay Example Moreover, it is a society that is consecrated with consumption of goods regardless of the costs and categories. Goods preferred by this society range from goods that are essential for proper health to those that bring about environmental sustainability (Baudrillad, 2). However, this society is the most vulnerable to the changing renewal of technology. Due to the dynamic nature of the market conditions, wants and preferences oblige the society members to dump their old equipment and embrace new developments. This move is aimed at attainment of a desired measure of comfort recognized by the world today. The business world is composed of two groups of people. Firstly, the group of buyers that constitutes the consumers. Consumers are the ones who formulate a consumer society that is mandated to protect them from exploitation by sellers. The second group is that of sellers. This group is constituted by a large variety of individuals ranging from companies that produce the goods to the wholesalers who act as intermediates then to the retailers – responsible for the final deliver of goods to the consumers (Baudrillad, 5). In the business world the two groups involved are susceptible to exploitation. Consumers can be exploited by sellers in various ways which include: unfair pricing of goods and services, hooding of goods and services, provision of poor quality goods at exaggerated prices and unrealistic weights and measures. On the other hand, sellers are also susceptible to exploitation by the buyer through oppression of their rights by consumer societies. Therefore, for harmony in business, the societies which are meant to protect the two groups and working contradictorily should be established. Consumer society encourages consumption of goods and services and the economic health of the society which is dependent on the population’s spending habits. In contrast to other societies such as the feudal or peasant-based societies, consumer
Friday, October 18, 2019
Bio 101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Bio 101 - Essay Example Not only is fast food prepared quickly, but it is also available easily on every busy street corner and in various fast food restaurants and fast food outlets in abundance. Moreover, it more than satisfies a â€Å"hungry man’s appetite†. More than a necessity, fast food has become a social and cultural standard. Originating from the West, the fast food trend has expanded and spread in all countries of the world as a new fashion or a new social standard. However, the negative aspects of fast food are many. Even before the health aspects are considered, there are a number of social stigmas attached to the trend of fast food. The concept of meal preparation in the home is not as prominent as it previously was. This tends to reduce the bonding between families of cooking and eating together. It also means that mothers who used to pass on their cooking skills to their daughters do not find time to do so anymore or do not find it as important. Moreover, this fast food trend has put a few large corporations in power and destroyed the local food industry of countries. These large corporations hire unskilled workers in Third World countries and offer them low wages which leads to the exploitation of workers in these countries; while these corporations make large profits. These are only a few of the social problems caused by the trend of fast food. The health stigmas are far more dangerous and harmful. Fast food is one of the main factors causing obesity in adolescents in countries all over the world. Since fast food outlets are located close to schools and colleges, adolescents tend to skip breakfast and indulge in the intake of fast food all day resulting in the intake of an excessive amount of calories which cause obesity (Richardson, 2006). Moreover, greasy fast food is known to cause high cholesterol which is a cause for high blood pressure and heart disease. Mothers were not wrong when
Kola King Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Kola King Advertising - Essay Example This will help us get in touch with a wide variety of consumers, specifically the kids and young adults. Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with the family, and enjoy cool, refreshing drinks. So why not enjoy the summer with us? With a dedicated team of trained professionals, the campaign will kick off on the first of June. All team members will be wearing T-shirts and caps featuring the unique King Kola logo and design. There will be numerous stalls and tables strategically designated around the metro area handing out King Kola brochures and pamphlets detailing product info and company history. There will be skilled team members at each place ready to answer consumer questions and concerns. One main location will be picked to hold regular weekend BBQ’s where people and families from all over will be able to enjoy the summer fun and get a taste of our new product, King Kola. Staff will be available handing out free samples of the product along with short surveys to gather consumer opinions and feedback. A local celebrity or spokesperson will be sponsored for the campaign and be fully trained about the product and its uniqueness. The celebrity will be present at the summer BBQ’s and share in with the consumers’ experience.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Revelation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Revelation - Essay Example To consider what it means for Jesus to be â€Å"the son of God†in Christian theology can lead to different interpretation based on the school or church which the believer belongs to or derives teachings from personally. To see Jesus as the son of God is to recognize him as the founder of one of the world’s great religions, a holy prophet with a divine mission and message. This view is also to see Jesus’ teachings as forming the basis of morality in human civilization and as a mediating agent of afterlife or heaven. To view Jesus as a direct son of God is one way to approach and understand the power and majesty of his life, teaching, and ministry on earth, as well as to place faith in the heavenly afterlife where his full glory would be manifest in ways different than it can be experienced materially. To view Jesus as son of God is to view his teachings as proceeding from a source that is equivalent with the primordial force of creation in the universe, and the b eing that sustains all life through loving-kindness and care. As found in Matthew 1:1-2:12; Mark 1:1-20; Luke 1:1-2:52; John 1:1-18, and other scriptural chapters, to view Jesus as the Son of God awakens the soul of the individual to the ability to return to God’s full glory and grace through the purification of the being from sin. In viewing the soul as the vehicle of eternal life, and the universal love of God as the modality of the soul, Christian teaching can point a way to attain psychological and social states of awareness that lead to personal and collective good. II. The Gospel of John - Jesus' Command to Love One Another One of the deepest questions in Christianity is why it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die on the cross, rather than using supernatural powers to escape this death and continue teaching on earth or vanquishing evil definitively and allowing for a world free from evil. From a theological standpoint, the Gospel of John is profound in meaning and proposes a solution related to these issues. For example, if God as understood in Christianity through the human experience is omnipotent and the source of power for even the smallest activities of natural life, why is the crucifixion of Jesus required and planned in advance in a manner that is suggestive of fatalistic determination by God rather than free will? When Jesus submits his human life and will to follow a path of events that he knows will lead to his death by crucifixion, the Gospel of John identifies the devil as a cause of Judas’ behavior. From this there arises the theological question of the nature or modality of evil in the world, and whether Christianity is fundamentally a dualist religion or a unitary one. In the passage John 13:1-5, the foot-washing ceremony appears at a critical point in Jesus’ life and teaching to the disciples after the Last Supper, and this passage is rich in both practical and theological meaning. The foot-washing ceremony is al most completely foreign to modern individuals in the West, though may be still practiced ritually in some Catholic, Baptist, and other congregations. On one level it means absolute humility through service, which Jesus is not only asking of the disciples but is actually giving to them through his example. The taboo against touching the feet of another person or the association of the feet with filth and defilement is common in the Arab world of the Middle East even today. By washing
Motivation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2
Motivation - Research Paper Example While the growth needs include, needs to know and understand, self-actualization and aesthetic needs. These are the most fundamental and important needs, and they must be met first before one is motivated for other aspirations. These needs comprise the basic needs, which include food, shelter, and clothing. Individuals cannot perform well if they have not taken food. For example, a student who has not taken break first or supper has difficulties in concentrating in class. This is because his mind is thinking of how he will get food to satisfy his need for hunger. Owing to this, various schools have started programs where food is given to students or offered at an affordable price for them to meet this need. It is appropriate for individuals or students to be provided with shelter or a home. This is a relaxation place relax after their days work. Schools have ensured that they provide the students with hostels where students go to unwind after their study. Finally, clothing is necessitated to meet physiological requirements. It is due to this reason students are provided with uniform s because learning cannot take place when people are naked (Griffin and Moorehead, Pg 92). This is the second category of needs that individuals are motivated to meet after the realization of physiological needs. Safety needs are those that make a person feel free from physical, mental, and emotional harm. Security needs are the needs met when people feel that their fears and anxieties are suppressed. The school ensures physical needs are meet by provision of tight security around the school, typically in form of guards who will ensure that strangers cannot harm the students. Discipline committee ensures that the freshmen do not experience bullying; this ensures the realization of their physical needs. Mental harm is reduced by ensuring that the timetable is not clashing
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Revelation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Revelation - Essay Example To consider what it means for Jesus to be â€Å"the son of God†in Christian theology can lead to different interpretation based on the school or church which the believer belongs to or derives teachings from personally. To see Jesus as the son of God is to recognize him as the founder of one of the world’s great religions, a holy prophet with a divine mission and message. This view is also to see Jesus’ teachings as forming the basis of morality in human civilization and as a mediating agent of afterlife or heaven. To view Jesus as a direct son of God is one way to approach and understand the power and majesty of his life, teaching, and ministry on earth, as well as to place faith in the heavenly afterlife where his full glory would be manifest in ways different than it can be experienced materially. To view Jesus as son of God is to view his teachings as proceeding from a source that is equivalent with the primordial force of creation in the universe, and the b eing that sustains all life through loving-kindness and care. As found in Matthew 1:1-2:12; Mark 1:1-20; Luke 1:1-2:52; John 1:1-18, and other scriptural chapters, to view Jesus as the Son of God awakens the soul of the individual to the ability to return to God’s full glory and grace through the purification of the being from sin. In viewing the soul as the vehicle of eternal life, and the universal love of God as the modality of the soul, Christian teaching can point a way to attain psychological and social states of awareness that lead to personal and collective good. II. The Gospel of John - Jesus' Command to Love One Another One of the deepest questions in Christianity is why it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die on the cross, rather than using supernatural powers to escape this death and continue teaching on earth or vanquishing evil definitively and allowing for a world free from evil. From a theological standpoint, the Gospel of John is profound in meaning and proposes a solution related to these issues. For example, if God as understood in Christianity through the human experience is omnipotent and the source of power for even the smallest activities of natural life, why is the crucifixion of Jesus required and planned in advance in a manner that is suggestive of fatalistic determination by God rather than free will? When Jesus submits his human life and will to follow a path of events that he knows will lead to his death by crucifixion, the Gospel of John identifies the devil as a cause of Judas’ behavior. From this there arises the theological question of the nature or modality of evil in the world, and whether Christianity is fundamentally a dualist religion or a unitary one. In the passage John 13:1-5, the foot-washing ceremony appears at a critical point in Jesus’ life and teaching to the disciples after the Last Supper, and this passage is rich in both practical and theological meaning. The foot-washing ceremony is al most completely foreign to modern individuals in the West, though may be still practiced ritually in some Catholic, Baptist, and other congregations. On one level it means absolute humility through service, which Jesus is not only asking of the disciples but is actually giving to them through his example. The taboo against touching the feet of another person or the association of the feet with filth and defilement is common in the Arab world of the Middle East even today. By washing
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Bullying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Bullying - Essay Example To begin with, the fresher becomes the ideal â€Å"raw-material†for bullying. The reason being the freshmen are in minority and the senior students are in majority. The latter have gone through the experience of bullying and are waiting for their opportunity to take revenge. Taunts, intimidation, threats and violence are different forms of bullying and it is growing in all the directions like the octopus. The hopeful sign is that there has been increased awareness about the measures to checkmate bullying with those concerned with this issue, parents, teachers and guardians of the society. Making of a bully Vile bullying is tantamount to criminal behavior. In the educational institutions it is practiced by the bullies as if it is part of their curriculum. Some of the reasons for bullying are frustration, absence of role model, abuse and neglect at home, undue influence of peers and conduct disorder etc. The seed for the trait of bullying is sown at home. Children have impressi onable minds, and when parents do not spare enough time for them to meet their genuine needs, they rebel internally and when suppressed over a long period, it results in aggression. A youth fights to establish his own identity failing which he associates with like-minded friends and plans violent acts to give vent to his suppressed desires and goals. The materialistic civilization and the internet revolution have contributed their share to making the youth take to the path of negativities and violence. A youth comes to believe that bullying is the best and immediate solution for all his problems. Acceptable behavior for young adults and solution to bullying, its different perspectives A bully, when called to account, will go to the typical denial mode immediately. This is the common reaction. The bully thinks that offence is the best form of defense. Bullies are excellent manipulators and are experts in passing on the responsibility. In schools and colleges, to tackle bullying has t o be the important part of the school discipline. Students should have a clear understanding at the time of admission that aggression, bullying and violence are not acceptable. A written communication needs to be sent to the guardians and parents mentioning their responsibility on this count and with clear indications about the anti-bullying policy of the institution. The tolerance limit for this negative tendency should be zero and the one who still rebels must find accommodation in reformatory schools, if not outright rustication. The punishment meted out needs to be stern warning to other intending bullies that not only their educational career, but their future is in jeopardy if they violate rules. At the same time all possible counseling methods need to be employed to tame a bully and guidance provided to him as to how to deal with aggression. The bully should be told firmly about the benefits of interaction in a responsible and respectable manner with fellow students, juniors and the teaching faculty. Physical punishment is inappropriate as it will not deliver permanent solution to heal the injured psyche of the affected individual. The final solution to tackle bullying is the collective responsibility of the senior students, teachers, parents and the moral guardians of the society like preachers and spiritual masters. Meekness is not a virtue in all circumstances. Even the most disciplined student need to stand up to the bullies to check them from further adventures. The wise saying goes, â€Å"Meet good with good and evil with justice.†Most of the bullies are internally cowards. David Derbyshire writes about two interesting findings by the researchers, â€Å"Children who returned hostility with hostility appeared to be the most mature, the researchers found. Boys who stood
Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay Example for Free
Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay There are two types of people in this story. They are the conquerors and the conquered. The communities that Zinn talks about in the story are the Native Americans and the English settlers that came to America. Out of those communities the conquerors were the English settlers and the conquered were the Native Americans. These two communities had similar and different views on topics. One thing that the two viewed differently was how they viewed the land. The Native Americans believed that the land did not belong to one single person, rather they believed that the land belonged to a whole tribe. The English settlers did not feel the same way. The settlers believed that each individual person had the opportunity to own his own land and that he may do whatever he wants to with it. Another difference the two communities had was their views on religion. The Native Americans did not believe in religion. They believed that there was a type of spiritual force that controlled the land. The English settlers did believe in religion. They worshipped gods and executed religious practices. The two groups did have some similarities though. One similarity was language. The two groups both used language to communicate with one another. Another similarity the two had was a law system. They both had punishments set up for the level of crime that someone within their community committed. Those are some similarities and differences between the two communities. Chapters 2 and 3 Racism is not natural. Zinn expresses this in the story. There are two things that factor into racism not being natural. Those two things are historical forces and human decisions. Historical forces are certain ideas or movements become irresistible forces that will have their way. One example of this is plantations not having enough people to work on them. The plantation owners had Caucasian slaves but they were few and far to come by. They considered using Native Americans as slaves but they were hard to capture and the owners knew that they would rebel. They eventually turned their attention to the very populous African American group. They went out and captured many African Americans and brought them into slavery. Human decision is a purposeful selection from a set of alternatives. An example of human decision is how they treated the slaves. The owners treated the African American slaves way worse than they treated the Caucasian slaves. They made the penalty for crimes committed by African American slaves far worse than those for a white man that had committed the same crime. The owners also felt that the slaves may rebel. If the plantation was attack the black slaves were not given weapons to defend themselves. This was to prevent them from every feeling in power and to prevent rebellions. These two things both factor into racism, but the main one that creates racism is human decision. Racism is not something that is guaranteed to happen. It was not set in stone that one race would hate another. It takes people to create this feeling. People themselves create this feeling and that is why it is human decision.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Margaret Thatcher’s New Right and New Labour
Margaret Thatcher’s New Right and New Labour The welfare state can be defined as the process in which the Government takes the responsibility in paying for, and in some instances such as public healthcare, directly providing services for the people. Through measures such as unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, and other social-security processes, it further provides the social and economic security of its population (Jones et al, 2007, p.680). In addition, the responsibility of the state is to help families, who need support in bringing up their children, through providing a choice of services which promotes the welfare of children and family members (VSS, 2003, p.2). The welfare state existed as far back as medieval times when the monasteries in particular looked after and supported the frail and elderly and educated the children. In the 16th century, parishes became legally responsible for looking after the poor and the people of the parish were expected to pay the cost (Bartholomew, 2004, p.29). The Poor Laws (traced back to 1536) were passed by the UK government to provide housing to the poor, homeless or disabled and in the 1800s many workhouses were built to provide shelter, work, food and clothing to the destitute. In 1914 a new code was established which encouraged more generous relief to be given to widows but only to those of good habits who would bring up their families correctly and that workhouses should be used as a threat to weaker women as it was already being argued that the welfare system was changing the morals of society (Walsh et al, 2000, p. 35;36). The birth of the modern welfare state began in 1911 when Lloyd George and Churchill introduced the first compulsary national insurance scheme against unemployment (Bartholomew, 2004, p.51). In 1941 an enquiry was launched which put forward proposals on how to tidy up the state welfare and the Bevridge report was published in 1942. William Bevridge was disappointed in what the welfare state had become and his report focused on full employment continuing within a stable economy where both Conservative and Labour worked within similar ideologies at this time to keep this stability and growth (Harris, 2004, p. 289, Alcock et al, 2004, p. 246). He was a believer of the Keynes theory that suggested there was a need for Government intervention to manage the economy which would solve the problems of unemployment and this approach was adopted by the Labour party (Page, 1999, p.24). His report further outlined defeating the five giants: want, ignorance, disease, squalor and idleness and his ma in proposal was that a national security should be universal and be compulsary everyone would pay a flat-rate contributions to a national insurance scheme. Those who fell ill, became unemployable or reached retirement age would, in return, receive flat-rate payments (Bartholomew, 2004, p.57). His report made no special provision for lone parents at all, arguing that the reponsibility of supporting the unmarried mother would be her familys although the typical family (which was that of a working man, his wife and children) lived almost in an income tax free state. At the time there was a married-couples allowance and tax allowances paid for each child which made the two parent family more likely to succeed (Bartholomew, 2004, p.255). Feminists saw his report as advocating that the womens place should be in the home serving her husband and children (VSS, 2003, p.19) as Beveridge stated that married womens duties was the vital unpaid service which would ensure the adequate continuance of the British race and of the British ideals in the world (cited in Lewis et al, 2000, p.32). The years following the Second World War radically influenced British society the NHS was formed and various Acts such as the Education Act; Family Allowance Act and the National Assistance Act were introduced and National Insurance for the unemployed was developed (Walsh et al, 2000, p.46). The Labour government helped to create a more state orientated Britain which took place with the purchase of industries by the state however this focus changed when the Conservative government came into power in 1979 and the concentration shifted to privatisation (Burton, 1987, p.26). The Conservatives, led by Margaret Thatcher, faced the burdening situation of the governments finances, rise in unemployment and NHS budget, and an increase in welfare bills. She proposed major changes in the thinking about social welfare and how it should be administered. In order to considerably reduce the increasing demand on the welfare state, which she believed to be expensive and morally weakening, she shifte d the responsibility of welfare from the state to personal, private and voluntary organisations which would be more efficient and effective (Walsh et al, 2000, p.52). During her period in office, Thatcher was influenced by her belief that the traditional nuclear family was the central force of modern life that contributed to decency, manners, respect for property and law and self-reliance, and was the best atmosphere for raising children (Jones et al, 2007, p.156). The norms and values of society began to break down in the 60s and 70s when a more tolerant society began to emerge. Changes to social policies such as divorce legislation (Divorce Reform Act, 1969) and generous welfare benefits were blamed for society and values deteriorating and this had caused an increase in irregular families and household types (Douglas, 1990, p.412). Thatcher and the New Right believed that the only way social problems would end would be if the golden age returned in which people lived in conventional family units, women stayed at home, divorce was not considered, benefits for lone parents were low and tax allowance for children were paid out (Douglas, 1999, p.414 ). They further argued that the traditional values of womens roles and the tradition of marriage was important to hold society together (Jones, 2007, p.156). New Right thinking, although influential in the 80s during the Thatcher Government is not new and has been around since the 17th and 18th century. The belief was that the government should not intercede in peoples lives and freedom, and that any intervention would cause social problems to become worse rather than improving them. The New Right also differentiated between people who were thought to be deserving of help and welfare services (poor through no fault of their own) and those who were unemployed, lazy and wasted money who should not receive welfare and support (Page et al, 1999, p.23; 78). Although Thatcher was keen to encourage and maintain the roles and responsibilities of the traditional family unit for personal security, emotional satisfaction and care for family members, it became difficult due to changes in society and law, which allowed women more freedom. Abortions were legalised and the contraceptive pill became available for free. In addition several Acts were introduced which gave women the opportunity to be more equal to men such as the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), Equal Pay Act (1970) and the Equal Opportunities Act (1995). Furthermore the marketization of the economy; deregulation and privatisation of labour markets and spreading owner occupation in an unstable housing market all played their part in the family breakdown and womens access to, and need for, jobs (Chadwick et al, 2003, p.8). As womens lives began to change, they moved away from their natural role of housewife and mother as divorce rates climbed and more lone-parent families became the nor m. The idea of family responsibility and informal care by the existing family was formally made public but in reality, it became more difficult for family members to support each other. The belief was that the normal nuclear family should be a family of two heterosexual adults, who were married and in a sexual relationship, producing children and instilling traditional moral values in them. Therefore the breakdown of the family and specifically the increase in lone parent families and illegitimacy were recognized as the cause of the increase in crime, unemployment, delinquency, educational underachievement and child poverty (Douglas, 1999, p.412; 413). Charles Murray whose New Right ideas greatly influenced Thatcher and Conservative thinking believed that society in the 1960s had done nothing to improve the life of the poor but instead had caused it to be worse by creating an underclass. Despite any evidence, he further argued that the welfare programmes had produced a rise in unemp loyment, crime and illegitimacy in the American underclass and defiantly stated that people were not owed a decent standard of living, it was something they had to work for (Page et al, 1999, p.79). Murray particularly blamed the children of lone parent families for social problems as he argued that the lack of both role models would increase their chance of living in poverty, becoming dependent on drugs, alcohol and benefits and therefore would increase the chance of them resorting to crime. He further stated that the welfare state encouraged dependency and a break from traditional values and argued that large benefits led to families not working, but remaining dependant on state benefits (Page et al, 1999, p.304; 78). Thatcher therefore believed that the only way to reduce poverty was by ending the benefit culture, removing this dependency and encouraging self-reliance. She would have preferred mothers not to work, as their responsibility was to be at home to care for and protect their children. More over it would have been desirable if there were no single mothers claiming income support. Dunn Toroosian (2009, p.74) argues that the terms legitimate and illegitimate referring to children born in or out of wedlock are old fashioned, value laden terms that reflect societies attitude to marriage and childbearing which reinforce the New Right view and the Conservative pro-family movement, derived from Christian morality. Thatcher addressed the increase in welfare costs by cutting social expenditure, withdrawing services and introducing a new form of means tested support, which she believed targeted those in real need. She reduced the level of benefits and replaced certain benefits with others, which meant some people lost all or some of their benefits. Furthermore child benefit was not increased in line with inflation. Discretionary payments for people in deprivation were completely removed and the Social Fund introduced to help struggling people was mostly given out in the form of loans and not grants. The effect of these changes left many people and families who were receiving benefits a lot poorer. It is however argued (Pascall, 2002) that these changes to social policy left women in a stronger position by the end of the Conservative era due to improved access to work and enabled lone mothers to do paid work which made women less dependant within families. Although many of the changes happened more because of the womens movement than to Thatcherism, Thatcherite policies played a part in the process. However regardless of the womans new position, the New Rights ideology of the nuclear family is not all it is made out to be. Functionalist in particular ignored the potential harmful effects of family life and inequalities of domestic life. Nuclear families are very stereotypical and discriminatory (other family types are not families and therefore inadequate), patriarchal (there is an unequal distribution of power and status as it is male dominant and women are exploited) and not inclusive (gay relationships, reconstituted families, unmarried parents and especially lone parents ar e all ignored). There was no discussion or argument about whether the nuclear family was the only one that could carry out the vital functions of the family or whether the role of nurturing children could possibly be carried out by other family types such as lone parents or two women/ men. In addition nuclear families, as with all other types of families, can be equally unfavourable especially if there is domestic abuse and violence or child and drug abuse. Women may have gained more rights to be considered equal to men but in most circumstances the man has remained the breadwinner and women were still considered to undertake the emotional role of the domestics, housewife, mother and carer. Women often work part time or flexible hours in order to allow them to continue to fulfil their childcare and household responsibilities (Dunn-Toroosin, 2009, p.63). In addition, because of the changes in the economic, demographic, political and cultural trends in the industrialised world, people s work and home lives had changed. Although great change had taken place, it seemed that other areas of society such as government, religion and business had not yet caught up with the new reality. The Labour Party led by Tony Blair came into power after a landslide victory in 1997 and one of his main agendas was welfare reform. Although he continued with many of the Conservatives themes and stated that the welfare state must offer a hand-up rather than a hand-out'(Page, 1999, p.306), he wanted people on benefits to pull their weight with his rights and responsibilities approach. However, in his attempt to break away from Thatherism, the new government adopted the Third Way which was about promoting opportunity instead of dependance, with a welfare state providing for the mass of the people, but in new ways to fit the modern world (DSS, 1998b, p.19). Although New Labour accepted that the government had a duty to provide appropriate training and education, Blair wanted certain people receiving benefits (including single parents) to be encouraged into work and training rather than continuing to receive benefits (Page, 1999, p.309). Blair stressed the importance of individuals bei ng socially independent, however he also emphasised the importance and morals of families arguing that the breakup of community in turn is consequent on the breakdown in family life (Lavalette et al, 1999, online). Blair promised that his policies would modernise and renew Britain however the ideas that they were based upon were hardly new. He frequently discussed his Christian beliefs and values and how they influenced his policies New Labour very much wanted to return to family values (Lavalette et al, 1999, online). Frank Field (Labour minister for welfare reform, 1998) adopted many of the views of Charles Murray and he again highlighted the role of divorce, family breakdown and illegitimacy as the main contributors of the underclass and that welfare should openly reward good behaviour and enhance those roles which the country values (cited in Lavalette, 1999, online). Labour used social welfare policy to assert a new moral agenda and similarly to the policies of the New Right f ocused on the problem of teenage pregnancy, single mothers and the one parent family which resulted in benefits being cut (Page, 1999, p.129). The New Deal (introduced in 1998) was concerned with moving people off benefits into work through better access to training and subsidies being offered to employers who employ young people who had been out of work for six months. Furthermore the New Deal for Lone Parents did not apply to lone parents with younger children and it did not consider how difficult it was for them in actually taking up paid work (Hills, 1998, p.26). The poor working class families were told that they would be held responsible for any crimes their children committed as New Labour focussed on strengthening families and communities and also shaping the institution in which children are brought up, on the basis of enduring values justice for all, responsibilty from all (Chadwick, 2003, p.32). Benefit recipients were told that work is their salvation, even if it meant working for benefits, and being unemployed was not an option. Another strategy on his agenda was to tackle social exclusion groups of the poor who lacked the income and the opportunities to access social establishments which again included young single mothers. New Labour saw paid work as the best way to improve the position of the socially excluded rather than creating dependancy on welfare payments and services (Page, 1999, p.307). Ironically his agenda led to increasing levels of unemployment and a greater divide between rich and poor. It is a continuation of a number of themes that have been central to British Government policy for the last 30 years and is based on a deeply conservative moral agenda where the poor working class is increasingly identified as a problem that must be forced to accept the values of modern capitalism. Both New Right and New Labour attitudes and personal belief in how the family does work and should work has significantly impacted and influenced the Governments decision on social policy. However Page (1999, p.15) argues that social policy has always been shaped and influenced by social factors such as gender, class and age. This has in turn had consequences for women in family and public life. The effect of encouraging traditional family structures and the labelling of single parents has had both psychological and physical effects on families and such stigma often shapes and overshadows life. There was no evidence that proved the nuclear family was better than other family units or that lone parents were unsuitable yet this influenced policies. Furthermore, it was seen as a life style choice for single parents to be on benefits but benefits offer little chance for lone parents (and/or their children) to get out of the poverty cycle and it needs to be recognised that poverty strips dignity and makes a person powerless. Although the solution was to blame individuals and therefore change and introduce new policies and benefits, it would have been better to deal with the inequality and the lack of choices faced by some women. Providing more jobs and opportunities with better pay would have enabled women and their families to claw their way out of poverty and their reliance on welfare. Although the increase in capitalism meant progress for women as it enabled them to enter the workforce, they still remained unequal as they continued to bear the burden of the family role. Childcare facilities which could have allowed women to go back to work were scarce due to the lack of Thatchers commitment to spend public money on expanding childcare facilities (Douglas, 1999, p.413). Whilst much has been achieved, women are still at a definite disadvantage compared to men and therefore remain economically dependant. The aim of state welfare was to remove divisions in society, political and class inequality however b ecause of the attitudes of the changing political powers which influenced the welfare state, the effect has been to make those divisions more visible: lone parents and the underclass who have little choice than to live in impoverished environments where there is overcrowding and crime WORD COUNT: 3051
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