Racism In Heart Of Darkness Essays - Chinua Achebe,

Racism in Heart of Darkness Racism in Heart of Darkness Chinua Achebe, a well-known writer, once gave a lecture at the University of Massachusetts about Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, entitled "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." Throughout his essay, Achebe notes how Conrad used Africa as a background only, and how he "set Africa up as a foil to Europe,"(Achebe, p.251) while he also "projects the image of Africa as 'the other world,' the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization."(Achebe, p.252) By his own interpretations of the text, Achebe shows that Conrad eliminates"the African as a human factor," thereby "reducing Africa to the role of props."(Achebe, p.257) In supporting these accusations against Conrad, Achebe cites specific examples from the text, while also, pointing out that there is a lack of certain characteristics among the characters. Achebe then compares the descriptions of the Intended and the native woman. Explaining that the savage "fulfills a structural requirement of the story: a savage counterpart to the refined European woman," and also that the biggest "difference is the one implied in the author's bestowal of human expression to the one and the withholding of it from the other."(Achebe, p.255) This lack of human expression and human characteristics is what Achebe says contributes to the overflowing amount of racism within Conrad's novella. Human expression, is one of few things that make us different from animals, along with such things as communication and reason. This of course, being that without human expression, the native woman is considered more of a "savage...wild-eyed and magnificent," (Achebe quoting Conrad, p. 255), possibly even "bestial." In an attempt to refute Achebe's proposed difference between the two women, C.P. Sarvan said that Conrad perceived the native woman as a "gorgeous, proud, superb, magnificent, terrific, [and] fierce" person whose "human feelings [were] not denied."(Sarvan, p. 284) In comparing the two views, one must step back and consider that both views are only interpretations on what Conrad may have intended. Since no one can ever really know what his actual meanings were for these two women being so similar (in their movements), and yet so different (in their character), only individual explanation can be brought up. This in particular, is what brings me to question both Achebe and Sarvan's points. By reorganizing Conrad's descriptive words, Sarvan was able to propose that Conrad did not intend for the mistress to be perceived as the "savage counterpart."(Achebe, p. 255) Yet, at the same time, both Sarvan and Achebe each write about what they think to be the right thing. It seems to me that Achebe was looking for racism in this short novel, and that Sarvan was so taken back by Achebe's accusations, that he himself, went and looked for ways to defend Conrad. However, this particular shortcoming of the native woman, is not the only one that Achebe finds. As stated earlier, communication is very important in our society and to "civilization" (as known by the Europeans of the time). While reading Heart of Darkness, I noticed a significant difference in the levels of communication that were allotted between the Europeans and the Africans. This drastic difference in speech was at the core of Achebe's argument that Conrad deprived the Africans of human qualities. Achebe pointed out that "in place of speech they made 'a violent babble of uncouth sounds,'" also saying that "it is clearly not of Conrad's purpose to confer language on the 'rudimentary souls' of Africa." (Achebe, p. 255) Here lies the problem that I have with Achebe's article. Assuming that the lack of speech (in Conrad's eyes) is a racist factor--which is a valid assumption--Achebe still did not support his comment that "Conrad was a thoroughgoing racist."(Achebe, p. 257) Without outside knowledge (beyond the book), Achebe had no basis to charge Conrad with this rather harsh comment. By completely agreeing with either writer, I would be denying myself the right to find my own opinion regarding racism in Heart of Darkness. So, I stand now and say that depending on one's interpretation of Joseph Conrad's writing, there will be plenty of racism found (if looked for). What I do believe is that during the time that this novella was written, Conrad lived in a society where African people were not considered equal, to man, they were even considered sub-human. Not to excuse Conrad, but racism was everywhere and what came from it was people who wrote about it naturally and who did not think of a "politically correct" way to put things. If this novella had been written today, it might have

Free Essays on Reawakening The Giant

â€Å"We need to reawaken this giant.† -Ronald Reagan. When Ronald Reagan entered office, the American economy was in a state of decline. Economists were doubting the American system of free enterprise, and some thought Russia’s command economy was the answer. The Keynesian school of thought figured that the economy had reached its limit and could advance no further.1 Reagan, however, knew otherwise and pursued his domestic policy of supply-side economics. In 1981 the country entered â€Å"The Era of Reaganomics† and experienced the longest era of economic expansion in peace-time ever–for any country in the history of the world.2 This paper will show how the Reagan Administration’s policies affected the economy of the 1980’s. Most people that knew him, inside aides and journalists, had great respect for Ronald Reagan. David Broder of the Washington Post said of Reagan, â€Å"One of the most remarkable demonstrators of Presidential leadership in modern history.†3 George F. Will, syndicated commentator, noted in 1992 that the world was better off than it was 10 years ago, and that Reagan was partly responsible.4 Insiders all spoke of how Reagan was the man in charge of the administration. Reagan was the man calling the shots, not some aide. The policies of the Reagan Administration were the policies of Reagan.5 Another point is that not only was he in charge, but he made things happen. Edwin Meese said of Reagan and the tax cut, â€Å"I am certain the tax reduction program would not have been adopted under any other President in recent memory.†6 The first thing that needs to be addressed about the economic history of the 1980’s is the relatively poor economy that Reagan inherited. There is still argument over whether the recession of 1981 to 1982 was Reagan’s fault.7 Some politicians and historians have claimed that the Administration caused the recession. However, Reagan’s fiscal policy did not go int... Free Essays on Reawakening The Giant Free Essays on Reawakening The Giant â€Å"We need to reawaken this giant.† -Ronald Reagan. When Ronald Reagan entered office, the American economy was in a state of decline. Economists were doubting the American system of free enterprise, and some thought Russia’s command economy was the answer. The Keynesian school of thought figured that the economy had reached its limit and could advance no further.1 Reagan, however, knew otherwise and pursued his domestic policy of supply-side economics. In 1981 the country entered â€Å"The Era of Reaganomics† and experienced the longest era of economic expansion in peace-time ever–for any country in the history of the world.2 This paper will show how the Reagan Administration’s policies affected the economy of the 1980’s. Most people that knew him, inside aides and journalists, had great respect for Ronald Reagan. David Broder of the Washington Post said of Reagan, â€Å"One of the most remarkable demonstrators of Presidential leadership in modern history.†3 George F. Will, syndicated commentator, noted in 1992 that the world was better off than it was 10 years ago, and that Reagan was partly responsible.4 Insiders all spoke of how Reagan was the man in charge of the administration. Reagan was the man calling the shots, not some aide. The policies of the Reagan Administration were the policies of Reagan.5 Another point is that not only was he in charge, but he made things happen. Edwin Meese said of Reagan and the tax cut, â€Å"I am certain the tax reduction program would not have been adopted under any other President in recent memory.†6 The first thing that needs to be addressed about the economic history of the 1980’s is the relatively poor economy that Reagan inherited. There is still argument over whether the recession of 1981 to 1982 was Reagan’s fault.7 Some politicians and historians have claimed that the Administration caused the recession. However, Reagan’s fiscal policy did not go int...

Abortion Should Not Be Permitted

Many women in this entire world do abortion. There are many reasons why they prefer abortion such as having a fear of raising the child, rape, or not having enough money to support their life and the baby. Some important reasons of why abortion should not be permitted have to do with human morality, religious and values of conscience. First of all, why abortion should not be permitted is because of basic human morality. It is not the unborn babies fault and they have the right to live normally just like any other humans. Where is our humanitarian if we abort the unborn babies? Just because of our own mistakes and our selfishness we took away another one life that is so innocent and vulnerable. Furthermore, the baby doesn’t even know why and how he is here. You don’t need to kill one life in order to live, instead there are many solutions to resolve this problem but an abortion is not the answer. Secondly, why abort should not be permitted is based on religious values. In almost all religions, a women is not allows to do an abortion. My thoughts as a Muslim, we Muslim regard abortion as wrong and forbidden. But, abortion can only be permitted if continuing the pregnancy would put the mother’s life of real danger in Muslim law. Nevertheless, in what religion you are, women should not do an abortion as the baby have the right to live in this world. Finally, reason of why women should not do an abortion related to her conscience. When women do an abortion, she will never forget what happened and the thoughts of killing a one innocent life will always be with her. The future that could have happened with her baby which will always reminds her that she killed it. Her conscience reminds her of what she has done is terribly wrong. Conclusion is, there are many way rather that choosing an abortion. Killing an innocent unborn baby is like a woman with no heart and lack of human morality. The truth is women need to think the consequences before having a sexual relation. I feel sad for the unborn baby because they deserve to have a normal life just like other kids, to see their mum face and the opportunity to see the world. Women in this world love their baby and I know a mother who had to do an abortion is not really willingly to abort it, in fact they are sad and scared but in order to live their life without bringing the ashamed in their life, they have no choice but to abort it. Abortion Should Not Be Permitted Many women in this entire world do abortion. There are many reasons why they prefer abortion such as having a fear of raising the child, rape, or not having enough money to support their life and the baby. Some important reasons of why abortion should not be permitted have to do with human morality, religious and values of conscience. First of all, why abortion should not be permitted is because of basic human morality. It is not the unborn babies fault and they have the right to live normally just like any other humans. Where is our humanitarian if we abort the unborn babies? Just because of our own mistakes and our selfishness we took away another one life that is so innocent and vulnerable. Furthermore, the baby doesn’t even know why and how he is here. You don’t need to kill one life in order to live, instead there are many solutions to resolve this problem but an abortion is not the answer. Secondly, why abort should not be permitted is based on religious values. In almost all religions, a women is not allows to do an abortion. My thoughts as a Muslim, we Muslim regard abortion as wrong and forbidden. But, abortion can only be permitted if continuing the pregnancy would put the mother’s life of real danger in Muslim law. Nevertheless, in what religion you are, women should not do an abortion as the baby have the right to live in this world. Finally, reason of why women should not do an abortion related to her conscience. When women do an abortion, she will never forget what happened and the thoughts of killing a one innocent life will always be with her. The future that could have happened with her baby which will always reminds her that she killed it. Her conscience reminds her of what she has done is terribly wrong. Conclusion is, there are many way rather that choosing an abortion. Killing an innocent unborn baby is like a woman with no heart and lack of human morality. The truth is women need to think the consequences before having a sexual relation. I feel sad for the unborn baby because they deserve to have a normal life just like other kids, to see their mum face and the opportunity to see the world. Women in this world love their baby and I know a mother who had to do an abortion is not really willingly to abort it, in fact they are sad and scared but in order to live their life without bringing the ashamed in their life, they have no choice but to abort it.

Virtual Team success Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Virtual Team success - Term Paper Example Virtual teams have objectives similar to the traditional teams, however they use different infrastructure as compared to traditional project teams. In this scenario, they perform their tasks without having the limitations of time, organizational boundaries and geographical locations associated with communication technologies. (Casey & Richardson, 2006) define virtual team as â€Å"a team whose associates make use of the technologies such as the Intranet, Intranets, Extranets and a wide variety of other networks to coordinate, communicate and collaborate with each other on work tasks and projects even if they can carry out their tasks in different geographical regions as well as away from organizations.† Thus, the virtual team is considered as contradictory from the traditional team due to the fact that its members are located across geographical regions. Additionally, virtual teams are normally implemented and managed in multilingual and multicultural surroundings, which can b e away from organizational boundaries (Casey & Richardson, 2006; Gould, 2006; DeRosa & Lepsinger, 2010). In addition, a virtual team is normally composed of people who work from home or any other location however this is not for all time the case. Virtual team associates can work in offices also. There are a numerous reasons why virtual teams are turning out to be so popular these days. The basic reason is the reality that we live in the information age, as different to the industrial age. In view of the fact that the information travels at the speed of light, and those who have access to the most modern and fastest communication and collaboration technologies are capable to send data quickly. The capability to transmit data and information at fast speeds, combined with the power of the web, has caused the formation of "virtual corporations." However, the most influential aspect of the virtual team is that it is not limited to their physical location (Exforsys Inc., 2009). This paper presents an overview of virtual teams. The basic purpose of this research is to analyze some of the impo rtant aspects that are associated with virtual teams such as working, communication, collaboration, operational model, performance enhancement aspects and so on. Why Virtual Teams are Effective? Information technology (IT) has presented a wonderful support required to deal with the advancement of new organizational forms. The concept of a virtual team is a practical example of such organizational form. A virtual team can transform and modernize the infrastructure of the place of work as well as provide the organization with extraordinary levels of power and awareness. In view of the

To what extent does the character of inter-state relations mean that Essay

To what extent does the character of inter-state relations mean that the potential for human rights will always be limited - Essay Example Conversely, it has been propounded that customary international law is nevertheless significant as a source of law particularly in the international human rights arena (Cassese, 2005: p.389). For example, the codification of conventions, and case law of the International Court of Justice (IJC) have been cited as contributing to the â€Å"resurrection† of customary international law (Cassese, 2005: p.65). However, notwithstanding the theoretical importance of international law making in areas such as human rights and as a check on autocratic state power, these measures are only as effective as their practical enforceability, which some commentators have challenged in light of competing political interests at international level, arguing that customary law has effectively been replaced by national concerns in inter-state relations (Dixon, 2007: p.17). Directly correlated to this is the concept of â€Å"state† and â€Å"inter-state relations†, which in terms of individual human rights protections at international level has become a central issue particularly in context of rapid globalisation (Baylis & Smith, 2001). Indeed, Benvenisti and Hirsch comment that globalisation is a multifaceted concept that encompasses technological, political, economic and social trends (Benvenisti & Hirsch, 2004 p.167). Moreover Baylis et al highlight that the term globalisation refers to â€Å"the widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide internconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life† (Baylis & Smith, 2001 at p.541). As such, the rapid pace of this process in the previous two decades along with the digital revolution has meant that â€Å"cross border flows (of trade, investment, migrants, cultural artefacts, environmental factors etc) have reached unprecedented levels†. (Benvenisti & Hirsch, 2004, p.168). Directly related to this is the increase of

The length and resistance Essay Example for Free

The length and resistance Essay The aim of this investigation is to find out how changing the length of a piece of wire will affect its resistance. Prediction I think that increasing the length of a wire will increase its resistance. This is because in a conductive metal, the electrons in the outer shell of each atom are free to move around. An electrical current is where all these electrons are caused to move in the same direction through the metal. Resistance is the property of a substance that restricts the flow of electricity through it, and is often associated with heat. As the electrons are passing through the metal, they are constantly colliding with the atoms of the metal, causing their course to be slowed down. The collisions cause changes of direction which dissipate energy as heat, which is why more resistant metals heat up more than metals which let electrons pass through more easily. It is easier for electrons to pass through metals in which the atoms are small and far apart, because the free electrons can pass through with less collision to slow their path. It is most important for the metal to contain a lot of free electrons. Fewer collisions mean that less energy is transferred to heat: this is low resistance. As the length of the wire is increased, there will be more fixed atoms for the free electrons to collide with, thus slowing their course. The length of the wire and the resistance of the wire will be directly proportional. If you double the length of the wire, the resistance will also double. This is because there will be double the amount of atoms in the wire for the electrons to collide with. The fact that it would take twice as long for the electrons to pass through in a metal twice the length is of almost irrelevant consequence because electrons move close to the speed of light, and so there is no point in taking this into consideration. If the resistance of the material is increasing, then it will need an increasingly large force to push it through: This is the voltage. The resistance (R) is how much voltage (V) is needed to drive a given current (I). R = V/I Based on my prediction, I would expect my graph to look like this: Resistance (? ) is also equal to the resistivity of the wire(?cm) multiplied by its length(cm), and then divided by its cross sectional area(cm2). Resistance (? ) = resistance of the metal(? cm) x length(cm)   cross sectional area (cm2) The cross sectional area of the wire is constant, and so is the material I am using. It is only the length that will be changing, so as you can see from the formula, the length and resistance must be directly proportional. Planning My experiment shall be set up as follows: I shall use the following apparatus:  connecting wires The power supply will be permanently set to 2volts, but it is important to keep the amperage below 1A so that the wire does not overheat. We will do this using the rheostat. The nichrome wire has a resistivity of 103 x 10-6, and a diameter of 0. 2285mm (0. 02285cm). We have chosen nichrome wire because its properties are suitable for this experiment. It is quite easy to keep the amperage low, but the experiment must still be started with the length of wire that is long enough so that the amps are not too high, as otherwise, this would result in an increase in temperature which is not related to increased resistance. We have chosen to calculate the resistance of the wire in intervals of 5 cm, starting at 5cm, and going up to 70cm. All our decisions are based on a variety of pre- tests. Fair testing The key variables in this experiment are:   temperature   diameter   type of wire length of wire In order for this experiment to be fair, it is important that these variables are carefully monitored. Temperature: It is important that any change in temperature is a result only of resistance. To do this, the room temperature must be kept the same, and the current running through the wire must be kept below 1amp. If it were to exceed this limit, it would result in an increase in the vibrations of the atoms in the metal. This would cause the free electrons to collide more often with the fixed atoms and would cause an apparent increase in resistance that is not due to the change in the length of the wire. In order to prevent this from happening, we have used a rheostat: using this, we can keep the current very low. If desired, we could keep it at a constant, but this is not necessary. Diameter: The diameter of the wire will be kept constant throughout the experiment. This is important because it affects the overall area of the wire. The resistance is inversely proportional to the cross-sectional area. The only way in which the area of the wire should be changed is in length. An increase change in diameter would affect the number of fixed atoms that the free electrons could collide with and would produce inaccurate results with regards to resistance. The smaller the diameter the better, as it will mean a smaller all-round area which will make it possible for more results to be taken, as the amperage would not have so great an effect on the wires temperature. Also, the larger the diameter, the easier it would be for the free electrons to flow through, just as water flows more easily through a wider pipe than a thinner one. Type of wire: All metals have different properties, and in order to make the test fair, the type of wire used must be kept the same. I have chosen to use nichrome as it has good properties which have been tested in the pre-test. It is also important to keep the wire straight, as this will make it easier to measure. Length of wire: The length of the wire is the variable that I shall be changing. I have chosen to do so in 5cm stages. It is very important that the wire is measured accurately, as otherwise the readings off the ammeter and voltmeter will not be as accurate as they could have been. To do this, we are using a ruler, but one problem that we are likely to encounter is the fact that is will be difficult to measure around the top of the rod on which the wire is fixed. So as not to get inaccurate readings, I am going to disregard the reading at 35cm, as that is the length that falls upon the end of the rod. Pre-test It is important to conduct a pre-test before doing the actually experiment. In this pre-test, I have tested 3 types of wire: nichrome, copper and Constantan, to which is most suitable for the experiment. I did the pre-tests on a computer program. Diameter I tested the three available metals using the computer program to find out how close to the maximum of 1 amp I could reach by adjusting the diameter of the wires. I want the amperage to be as close to 1 as possible because the amps will go down as I do the experiment, and I want to get a lot of results. The amps must not be above 1amp, because this would mean that the wire would get too hot, and the results would be inaccurate, as I have previously explained.

Ernest Hemingway Essay -- essays research papers fc

Ernest Hemingway   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway was a great American author. He was a giant of modern literature. Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899. He was the first son of Clarence and Grace Hall Hemingway and the second of their six children. Hemingway’s gather was a doctor and his mother was a music teacher. Hemingway’s parents owned a cabin in northern Michigan where he spent most of his summers hunting and fishing, being separated from the rest of middle-class society. Hemiongway’s mother was a strict person and tried to impose a moral order her children. This caused hostility between mother and son. A major dispute arose between the two when Hemingway returned home from the war and went to the family cabin to get through the physical and psychologically rough experience he had. His mother complained about his slow pace re-adjustment to normal, civilian life. Ultimately, Hemingway left his secluded cabin and went to Paris in the 1920s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemingway’s father was having a rough time during this portion of Hemingway’s life. His father was suffereing from diabetes. He also had some financial misfortune and chronic depression. This all ended in 1928 when a self-inflicted pistol shot ended his life. This is when Hemingway was just starting to see the material rewards of his developing literary career. Hemingway did not have a very good childhood. Although his youth was bad, and unhappy, Hemingway viewed it as an essential artistic and personal resource for the development of an individual ‘heroic code.’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  About the time that Hemingway graduated from high school, the Untied States was entering World War I. He tried to enlist in the army, but was not accepted due to a vision problem. When he heard that the Red Cross was taking volunteers to be ambulance drivers in the war, he took the opportunity and made it to the war. Hemingway was assigned to the front lines in Italy. After he had only been at the front for a few days, and a few days before his nineteenth birthday, Hemingway was wounded. A mortar fire at Fossalta di Pivi sent shrapenel into his legs. While Hemingway was injured, he met a nurse and fell in love with her. He proposed marriage, but like Granny Weatherall, he was jilted and his nurse married and Italian officer. Hemingway... ...sh them as â€Å"the best rules I ever learned for the business of writing.† This writing ethic was used by Hemingway and reinforced to him through lessons he learned from the works and advice of T. S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound. Hemingway had a very modernist approach to writing. Part of this was he left out all extraneous verbiage and authorial intrusion. Instead he presented sharply focused images that stood out on their own. Hemingway also developed a writing discipline. He would write one thousand words a day and refine the copy back to around three hundred words. He did not want to bore the reader with a bunch of nonsense and rambling on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemingway was a great American author. His stories were written about and through personal experiences. His stories directly reflected on his personal experiences and indirectly reflected on his unhappy childhood and his misfortune with the ladies. He had his own style and own ways of keeping that style up. He was a great man. Works Cited All Hemingway. http://www.allhemingway.com/criticism/essays.php?essay+Hemingway’s=style Hemingway, Ernest.â€Å"The Big Two Hearted River.† 1953

Arctic Mining Consultants Essay

This particular case looks into how Arctic Mining Consultants’ crew did not effectively do their job in Eagle Lake, Alaska. Tom Parker is a geological field technician and field coordinator for the company. He acted as the project manager on the job near Eagle Lake, Alaska. His crew of field assistants consisted of John Talbot, Greg Boyce, and Brian Millar. Tom had worked with all three field assistants before. Tom has specialized skills in claim staking, line cutting and grid installation, soil sampling, prospecting, and trenching. This particular job involved skating 15 claims, which consist of marking a line with flagging tape and blazes along the perimeter of the claim. A claim post is cut every 500 yards, meaning 60 miles in line total. Tom hoped to complete the job in a week, and offered the field assistants each a $300 bonus if it was completed in time. This would be added to their fairly low daily wages. As the job progressed, tension was thick because the deadline was approaching. The field assistants were working long days, and two of them were continually not meeting Tom’s expectations. Tom particularly took his frustrations out on Millar. Key Issues The field assistants are given little motivation to work hard. They are paid fairly low daily wages and are putting in long days. Tom Parker does not offer positive encouragement either, yelling and making the field assistants feel bad could make them care less about the job. The field assistants are provided meals and accommodations, but even Tom admitted that a lot was expected of them in a short amount of time. Tom Parker is not a good leader. He is the one who does the hiring, training and supervising for all of Arctic Mining Consultants programs. It could be possible he is not properly training field assistants to thoroughly meet his expectations. Tom Parker, on more then one occasion, exploded with anger. He did not coach his team, he just yelled at them. If he was supervising there work on Day 3, he should have communicated with the field assistants and told them how to improve their work then. On Day 6, when the field assistants did show improvement, Parker did not give them any positive reinforcements. Also, even after Paker picked on only Millar for bad performance, he asked him to work for him again. The field assistants seem to have very different capabilities and attitudes. Boyce did not get picked on by Parker, but admitted to Millar that he only worked as hard as he had to. Boyce had the worst results of everyone. Talbot met his quota and stayed to help Boyce meet his. He was a team player. Millar put in more time and effort, by being the first one dropped off Day 6 and 7, last one picked up Day 6 and 7, and not taking lunch Day 5. He worked himself so hard, that he collapsed at dinner, to tired to eat. Define the Problem The key problem in this case is that Tom Parker is not a good leader. He is in charge of hiring, training, and supervising field assistants. Couldn’t the field assistants’ work be reflected on Tom because he did not properly train them? Also, Tom selected the field assistants for this job. He should have known what they were capable of before selecting them. He had worked with al of them before, so he should have had reasonable expectations for each of them. Tom also made a hostile working environment with much stress and little positivity. Alternative Solutions Solution 1: Tom needs to be retained as a project manager. Being a project manager means being a leader. Tom is not a good leader. An effective leader is one who leads by encouraging the employees and making them want to succeed, thereby making the organization meet and exceed its goals over time. (Thakur, 2005). Tom did not handle conflict well; he took his frustrations out on one particular field assistant. Relational leadership is one form of effective leadership. Relational leadership centers around person-to-person relationships. One of the significant components of all relationships is how conflict is handled. (Ferch & Mitchell, 2011). The advantage of retaining Tom to gain leadership skills would be that Tom potentially could more effectively train field assistants and make a better team dynamic. The disadvantage is that Arctic Mining Consultants would have to spend time and money to re train the trainer, Tom. It would be beneficial for him to develop new leadership skills, but it might be difficult not having a project manager. Solution 2: Tom and Arctic Mining Consultants should offer more incentives to his field assistants. It doesn’t even have to be monetary. Offering positive reinforcement for work well done would be beneficial to Tom and his team. â€Å"While money is important to employees, what tends to motivate them to perform – and to perform at higher levels – is the thoughtful, personal kind of recognition that signifies true appreciation for a job well done. (Eastern, 2012). The advantage of this solution would be that employees would feel better about the work they are doing, and feel good hen they excel. Field assistants would be working in a positive environment. The disadvantage would be employees would start to expect positive reinforcements and bonuses, feeling they are entitled to it. Solution 2: Hire new field assistants. Tom could more carefully select his field assistants for a job. He should do more research on candidates’ capabilities and experience if he has high expectations. The advantage of having a different team of field assistants would be that he could filter out those who do not meet expectations before hand. The negative side of hiring new field assistants is the time it would take to evaluate new candidates as field assistants. Selected Solution I believe the first solution would bee best to solve this case. Tom needs to reevaluate his leadership tactics. He does not communicate effectively with his crew. He needs to think of the crew working together like a team, and he is coach. Tom is not being effective by focusing on the negatives; he needs to analyze what is being done wrong, and coach field assistants to correct their problem. Implementation/Recommendations First, Arctic Mining Consultant should have Tom trains another potential project manager that already works for the company. The candidate should undergo some type of leadership training. Then Tom will engage in a leadership-training program. The candidate will be the project manager while Tom is absent. Then, the two project managers, Tom and candidate, will work as a team to direct field assistants. Tom needs a new outlook on his management style. Implementing this plan will help achieve that. This will also help make more effective work teams.

Four Views to The College Conspiracy Essay

In May of 2011 a video by the National Inflation Association (N.I.A) surfaced on YouTube gathering over two million views and opening the eyes of people to the American college system. According to the producers of this video, â€Å"College is the largest scam in US history!† Is college a worth-while investment? Is it just a way for the government to stimulate the economy? Are college degrees really a necessity in performing on the job? All of these questions have been asked and answered with both yes and no. Four writers with different views on this matter have written up articles concerning this issue. While reading through the articles one will notice that the views for each author are backed up by examples and statistics but differ in viewpoints, resulting taking different sides to this topic. In the first article, by The Christian Science Monitor, examples of successful entrepreneurs without degrees like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Peter Thiel of Paypal were given to the audience. The writer then expresses his belief that not everyone is cut out for college, some would be better suited to vocational training, but the United States needs more well-educated people to compete in the world economy. Statistics on how college degree recipients have a decreased likelihood of unemployment and receive increased wages on average are then given. The next article, from the New York Times, opens up by revisiting America’s past decision to make high school open to the public and how education has benefitted the United States. The writer makes a comparison between the current situation of the importance of higher education to the America’s past decision. Studies stated that prove a bachelor’s degree is an asset even for those whose jobs do not require any degree. He states that, beyond the monetary value of a degree, education seems to make people happier and healthier. Quoting M.I.T economist, David Autor, writer states his opinion on how not sending a child to college would be a disaster. Different statistical evidence were then used. Once financial aid was taken into account, the average net tuition of public four-year college were approximately $2000, a lot less than what most people presume the cost to be. A recipient of a college degree makes 83 percent more than those with only a high-school diploma. Citing the Hamilton Project, a research group in Washington, an investment in a college degree has a 15 percent annual return, 8 percent more than stock investment, and 14 percent more than in real estate. On the other hand, article three, by John Stossel disagrees with the potency of a college education in the working world. He starts the article with examples of successful non-degree holders, Michael Dell, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, Richard Branson, Simon Cowell and Peter Jennings. Stossel then shares his opinion that for many people, college is a scam. He then states the opinions of his Fox Televison partner Richard Vedder. Sharing similar view points, Vedder reasons out that students who do well in college often did well in high school, even though most students, even those who did poorly in high school, are pushed into college. He then asks as to why colleges accept the lower-tier of students and answers that question by stating that government loans ensure students are able to pay for college, even at the risk of long term debt, which fuels the academia. Giving out some statistics to back up the claim, Stossels points out the high percentages of baggage porters, bellhops and taxi and limo drivers have a college degree that they did not require to obtain their current jobs. The last article comes from Marty Nemko, a career counselor. She gives her personal experiences during her job when students are disturbed by the amount of money they have already spent on their education but still lack the units to complete their degree program. She then gives out the statistic that among college freshman who graduated in the bottom 40 percent of their high school, 76 percent won’t earn a diploma even if given 8  ½ years. Yet colleges admit these students and take their money. 23 percent of the students themselves are unprepared for college and students learn less in college than what is led on to believe, only having 16.4 percent of students satisfied with the instruction given to them. These four sources gave their own personal opinions and back them up with sufficient evidence in the form of examples, testimonies, and statistics. The Christian Science Monitor takes into account, not only each individuals need for a college degree, but also the country’s need for college graduates to compete in the world market. The New York Times’ article takes finances into account giving reasons to why college degrees are actually affordable, with the proper financial aid, and how they pay off once they’re put to good use. John Stossel takes his views the college system as a for profit organization, where, although some are able to use their education in the working world, many don’t and the college system takes advantage of the mass of hopefuls who try to better their lives, successful or not. Marty Nemko draws from her own personal experiences as a career counselor dealing with college students and their problems in taking the college route. What the discussion comes down to is how are the four authors interpreting the data they are given and how do their own viewpoints make them subjective to the matter. One side believes that a college education is a worth-while investment while the other believes that it is just a waste of time and money. Works Cited â€Å"America’s Most Overrated Product: Higher Education.† What Colleges Must Do: What Parents Must Do. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. â€Å"The College Scam.† Fox News. FOX News Network, 06 July 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. â€Å"Is College a Scam?† The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. Leonhardt, David. â€Å"ECONOMIC SCENE; Even for Cashiers, College Pays Off.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 June 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2013.

Robert G. Ingersoll, America’s Preacher of Freethought

Robert G. Ingersoll, America’s Preacher of Freethought Robert Ingersoll was born in Dresden, New York.  His mother died when he was only three years old.  His father was a Congregationalist minister, adhering to a Calvinist theology, and also an ardent abolitionist.  After the death of Robert’s mother, he moved around New England and the Midwest, where he held ministerial positions with many congregations, moving frequently. Because the family moved so much, young Robert’s education was mostly at home.  He read widely, and with his brother studied law. In 1854, Robert Ingersoll was admitted to the bar.  In 1857, he made Peoria, Illinois, his home. He and his brother opened a law office there. He developed a reputation for excellence in trial work. Known for:  popular lecturer in the last 19th  century on freethought, agnosticism, and social reform Dates:  August 11, 1833 - July 21, 1899 Also known as:  The Great Agnostic, Robert Green Ingersoll Early Political Associations In the 1860 election, Ingersoll was a Democrat and a supporter of Stephen Douglas. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1860 as a Democrat. But he was, like his father, an opponent of the institution of slavery, and he switched his allegiance to Abraham Lincoln and the newly-formed Republican Party. Family He married in 1862. Eva Parker’s father was a self-avowed atheist, with little use for religion. Eventually he and Eva had two daughters. Civil War When the Civil War began, Ingersoll enlisted.  Commissioned as a colonel, he was the commander of the 11th Illinois Cavalry.  He and the unit served in several battles in the Tennessee Valley, including at Shiloh on April 6 and 7, 1862. In December of 1862, Ingersoll and many of his unit were captured by the Confederates, and imprisoned.  Ingersoll, among others, was given the option of release if he promised to leave the Army, and in June of 1863 he resigned and was discharged from service. After the War At the end of the Civil War, as Ingersoll returned to Peoria and his law practice, he became active in the radical wing of the Republican Party, blaming the Democrats for Lincoln’s assassination. Ingersoll was appointed Attorney General for the state of Illinois by Governor Richard Oglesby, for whom he had campaigned. He served from 1867 to 1869.  It was the only time he held public office.  He had considered running for Congress in 1864 and 1866 and for governor in 1868, but his lack of religious faith held him back. Ingersoll began to identify with freethought (using reason rather than religious authority and scripture to form beliefs), delivering his first public lecture on the topic in 1868. He defended a scientific worldview including the ideas of Charles Darwin. This religious non-affiliation meant that he was unable to run successfully for office, but he did use his considerable oratory skills to give speeches in support of other candidates. Practicing law with his brother for many years, he was also involved in the new Republican Party. In 1876, as a supporter of candidate James G. Blaine, he was asked to give the nominating speech for Blaine at the Republican national convention.  He supported Rutherford B. Hayes when he was nominated. Hayes tried to give Ingersoll an appointment to a diplomatic job, but religious groups protested and Hayes backed down. Freethought Lecturer After that convention, Ingersoll moved to Washington, D.C., and began to split his time between his expanded legal practice and a new career on the lecture circuit.  He was a popular lecturer for most of the next quarter century, and with his creative arguments, he became a leading representative of the American secularist freethought movement. Ingersoll considered himself an agnostic.  While he believed that a God who answered prayers did not exist, he also questioned whether the existence of another sort of deity, and the existence of an afterlife, could even be known.  In response to a question from a Philadelphia newspaper interviewer in 1885, he said, â€Å"The Agnostic is an Atheist. The Atheist is an Agnostic. The Agnostic says: ‘I do not know, but I do not believe there is any god.‘ The Atheist says the same. The orthodox Christian says he knows there is a God, but we know that he does not know. The Atheist cannot know that God does not exist.† As was common in that time when out-of-town traveling lecturers were a main source of public entertainment in small towns and large, he gave a series of lectures that each were repeated many times, and later published in writing.  One of his most famous lectures was â€Å"Why I Am an Agnostic.†Ã‚  Another, which detailed his critique of a literal reading of the Christian scriptures, was called â€Å"Some Mistakes of Moses.†Ã‚  Other famous titles were â€Å"The Gods,† â€Å"Heretics and Heroes,† Myth and Miracle, â€Å"About the Holy Bible,† and What Must We Do to Be Saved? He also spoke on reason and liberty; another popular lecture was â€Å"Individuality.†Ã‚  An admirer of Lincoln who blamed Democrats for Lincoln’s death, Ingersoll also spoke about Lincoln.  He wrote and spoke about Thomas Paine, whom Theodore Roosevelt called a â€Å"filthy little atheist.† Ingersoll titled a lecture on Paine With His Name Left Out, the History of Liberty Cannot Be Written. As a lawyer, he remained successful, with a reputation for winning cases.  As a lecturer, he found patrons who funded his continued appearances and was a huge draw for audiences.  He received fees as high as $7,000. At one lecture in Chicago, 50,000 people turned out to see him, though the location had to turn 40,000 away as the hall would not hold so many.  Ingersoll spoke in every state of the union except North Carolina, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. His lectures earned him many religious enemies. Preachers denounced him. He was sometimes called â€Å"Robert Injuresoul† by his opponents. Newspapers reported in some detail his speeches and the reception of them. That he was the son of a relatively poor minister, and made his way to fame and fortune, was part of his public persona, the popular image of the time of the self-made, self-educated American. Social Reforms Including Women’s Suffrage Ingersoll, who had earlier in his life been an abolitionist, associated with a number of social reform causes.  One key reform he promoted was women’s rights, including the legal use of birth control, women’s suffrage, and equal pay for women. His attitude towards women was apparently also part of his marriage. He was generous and kind to his wife and two daughters, refusing to play the then-common role of a commanding patriarch. An early convert to Darwinism and evolution in science, Ingersoll opposed social Darwinism, the theory that some were â€Å"naturally† inferior and their poverty and troubles were rooted in that inferiority. He valued reason and science, but also democracy, individual worth, and equality. An influence on Andrew Carnegie, Ingersoll promoted the value of philanthropy. He counted among his larger circle such people as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, Eugene Debs, Robert La Follette (though Debs and La Follette were not part of Ingersoll’s beloved Republican party), Henry Ward Beecher (who did not share Ingersoll’s religious views), H.L. Mencken, Mark Twain, and baseball player â€Å"Wahoo Sam† Crawford. Ill Health and Death In his last fifteen years, Ingersoll moved with his wife to Manhattan, then to Dobbs Ferry. While he was participating in the 1896 election, his health began to fail.  He retired from law and the lecture circuit, and died, probably of a sudden heart attack, in Dobbs Ferry, New York, in 1899.  His wife was at his side.  Despite rumors, there’s no evidence he recanted his disbelief in deities on his deathbed. He commanded large fees from speaking and did well as a lawyer, but he did not leave a great fortune. He sometimes lost money in investments and as gifts to relatives. He also donated much to freethought organizations and causes.  The New York Times even saw fit to mention his generosity in their obituary of him, with an implication that he was foolish with his funds. Select Quotes from Ingersoll Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so. All religions are inconsistent with mental freedom. The hands that help are better far than lips that pray. â€Å"Our government should be entirely and purely secular. The religious views of a candidate should be kept entirely out of sight.† â€Å"Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows.† â€Å"What light is to the eyes - what air is to the lungs - what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of man.† â€Å"How poor this world would be without its graves, without the memories of its mighty dead. Only the voiceless speak forever.† â€Å"The Church has always been willing to swap off treasures in heaven for cash down.† â€Å"It is a great pleasure to drive the fiend of fear out of the hearts of men women and children. It is a positive joy to put out the fires of hell. â€Å"A prayer that must have a cannon behind it better never be uttered. Forgiveness ought not to go in partnership with shot and shell. Love need not carry knives and revolvers.† â€Å"I will live by the standard of reason, and if thinking in accordance with reason takes me to perdition, then I will go to hell with my reason rather than to heaven without it.† Bibliography: Clarence H. Cramer.  Royal Bob. 1952.Roger E. Greeley.  Ingersoll: Immortal Infidel. 1977.Robert G.  Ingersoll. The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll. 12 vols. 1900.Orvin Prentiss Larson. American Infidel: Robert G. Ingersoll.  1962.Gordon Stein.  Robert G. Ingersoll, A Checklist. 1969.Eva Ingersoll Wakefield.  Letters of Robert G. Ingersoll. 1951.

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MKTG - Essay Example Using posters, banners, carry bags and even consumer goods to promote one’s product and services has become common. Sponsorship of events like sports events, cultural festivals and carnivals have become highly attractive propositions for big and small business. But in the recent times, the companies have started using mobiles phones as their media of advertisement. The huge database of mobile phone users offers the companies with wide options to send messages regarding products to the prospective customers. While mobile advertisement might be a big nuisance value for the mobile users, it nevertheless provides the firms with huge opportunities to exploit new market. The companies like Suzuki, Vodafone, AIG etc are using this media to promote their products and services. Indeed, the new approach and innovative ideas of promoting products have increasingly transformed alternative media into highly accessible and effective tools of advertising. (words: 242)

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Case Study - Essay Example Having discussed the requirements of the document, the other team members John and Theresa decided to leave the task of writing the document to be done by Laura alone. In the meeting it seems John is frustrated by the document that has been done by Laura and after some discussions, they agreed on certain amendments to be made on the document. Having done that, they still delegated Laura to work on the amendments on her own. Given this situation, it can be seen that there is no proper willingness to work together as a team where all the members would pull their contributions together towards the attainment of one goal. In an organisation, workers ought to contribute their ideas as well as resources together so as to attain the organisational goal. In this case, it is the responsibility of the team to work together in designing the document on behalf of the client but it seems they are neglecting the task but indeed leaving it to be done by only one person who is a junior in the organisation for that matter. At the end of the day, it is the organisation’s responsibility to make sure that they give the client a satisfactory order since it will suffer the consequences of being discredited by clients in the event that they fail to provide a standard document to the client. It is not Laura who will be blamed but the organisation as a whole. The way they even conduct their meetings show that there is lack of proper cooperation to a certain extent. The last meeting is characterised by jokes and the way John leaves the meeting inexcusably shows that he is not very considerate about what is taking place. It can be seen from the given case study that there is an element of insubordination where the juniors are expected to do much of the tasks within an organisation. Other team members feel that they are not supposed to be doing that task but it is their responsibility together as a team.