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The butterfly and the banana skin

The banana skin lay slap blast in the street. Tommy a jail superintendent, riding his bicycle on his way once again from the shops. Where he...

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Sustainability Reporting Benefits

Sustainability Reporting Benefits Executive summary Desire by stakeholders to keep track of organizational performance has led to emergence of sustainability reporting. The report is prepared focusing on social, economic and environmental issues that affect organizations as well as their positive and negative impacts. Implementation of sustainability reporting follows a certain sequence which ensures that final report captures all the relevant information. Management team and stakeholders are involved in identifying issues affecting their organization.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability Reporting Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These issues are then evaluated and report compiled before it is communicated. Some of the reasons why organizations report include enhancing financial value and encouraging innovation to improve competitiveness. The main features of the report include organization’s profile, strategies and analys is as well as parameters used in collecting data and compiling the report. Sustainability reporting helps organizations cut down on operations cost and improves on their profitability. Consequently, organizations ought to adopt it if they wish to continue improving their performance and profitability. Introduction Stakeholders want to keep track of organizational performance so as to tell when their organization is making progress or failing. Desire to understand organizational performance is triggered by need of the business community to respond to matters affecting sustainable development (KPMG International, 2008, p. 14). Currently, business strategies, public disclosure and operational strategies are developed in line with enhancement of sustainable performance. Overview of the task As organizations turn to sustainability reporting, there are numerous reasons that have made them take this direction. This paper aims at looking at reasons why organizations are adopting sustainabil ity reporting, some elements of the report and steps followed in implementing sustainability reporting process. Reporting purpose and structure This report aims at bringing out benefits associated with sustainability reporting thus explaining why organizations are adopting the practice. It will focus reasons for sustainability reporting, outline features of sustainability reporting and describe how it is implemented. Recommendation why organizations need to adopt sustainability reporting will also be given.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sustainability reporting reasons Exhibit transparency Through sustainability reporting, organization is able to demonstrate its dedication to managing its environmental, economic and social impacts. This provides a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on what needs to be done to help the organization realize its goals (Commonw ealth of Australia, 2010, p. 1). Enhancing reputation Organizational reputation depends on how stakeholders view the organization with respect to social, environmental and economic dimensions. As sustainability reporting enlightens stakeholders on how an organization is performing in the market as well as strategies being used to achieve organizational goals, it facilitates in managing their perceptions (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010, p. 1). Consequently, sustainability reporting helps in maintaining and enhancing corporate reputation. Creating financial value At times, sustainability reporting process entails collecting and analyzing information regarding materials and resource usage as well as assessing organizational processes. Accordingly, organizations using this process are able to identify opportunities for cutting down on operations cost and at the same time boosting their revenues. Moreover, sustainability reporting helps in coming up with measures to ensure that organiza tional materials and resources are efficiently utilized. Encouraging innovation Sustainability reporting leads to stakeholders coming up with strategies to improve organizational performance (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010, p. 1). This helps in enhancing competitive advantage. For instance, understanding various stakeholder concerns leads to creation of ground-breaking products and services. Enhancing regulatory compliance Sustainability reporting helps management identify emerging areas of compliance such as global warming thus ensuring that they comply with established guidelines. Besides, it may help organizations influence prospect regulatory responses such as mitigating regulations in areas where deliberate disclosure frameworks are found to be effective. Sustainability reporting features Strategies and analysis One of the elements of sustainability reporting is strategies and analysis. This contains statement from managers that are given the mandate to make final decisions in an organization (White, 2009, p. 125). The statement outlines relevance of sustainability reporting to the organization and measures put in place to ensure sustainability. Moreover, key impacts are describes as well as potential risks facing the organization and possible opportunities. Organizational profile The second feature entails organizational profile. Name of the organization is given as well as brands offered by the specific organization. For a company offering services, the various services offered are described. In addition, operational structure of the organization is described paying attention to different divisions found within the organization if any (White, 2009, p. 125).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability Reporting Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Organization is fully described leading to stakeholders and public understanding it better. Features such as market served by the or ganization and awards received are brought out. Report parameters These include parameters such as reporting period, course for determining report scope and boundaries and any restrictions on report coverage. Tables indicating standard disclosures contained in the report; with respect to global reporting initiative are also included. Insight into the organization’s policies and practices regarding assurance for the report is also included in the parameters (White, 2009, p. 125). Sustainability reporting implementation Preparation The first step in implementing sustainability reporting is preparation. Here, an internal dialogue has to be done at the management level to identify social, economic and environmental issues affecting the organization. Positive and negative impacts of these issues are also identified (Geraghty, 2010, p. 145). Connect This is a very important part of implementation process. It entails collecting views from stakeholders on what features to be included in the report. It helps in ensuring that all vital information is included in the final report thus ensuring that a comprehensive report is achieved (Geraghty, 2010, p. 145). Define Information gathered from stakeholders (in connect section) confirms if positive and negative features highlighted by management team (in preparation section) are the most vital (Geraghty, 2010, p. 145). This helps in defining the report’s focus. In addition, the reasons why various choices were made are made clear. Monitor This involves collecting data that will be included in the final report. Global reporting initiative indicators help organizations in identifying what to monitor or what to look for during data collection (Geraghty, 2010, p. 145). Communicate Information collected in the monitor section is included in the final report. Implementation process does not end here. Final report is prepared and compiled. Besides, decisions about how to communicate the report’s findings are ma de (Geraghty, 2010, p. 145).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Recommendation Enhancing financial value Organizations are continuously looking for ways to improve their profitability by cutting down on operations cost. The fact that sustainability reporting facilitates in enhancing financial value of an organization underlines the reason why organizations need to adopt it. Through this, organizations will be able to assess how resources and materials are utilized. Apart from monitoring material and resource usage, organizations will effectively manage their operational processes thus improving overall efficiency. Sustainability reporting looks into both internal and external factors affecting an organization. Accordingly, the practice will help organizations identify novel opportunities for increasing their revenues. Reference List Commonwealth of Australia, 2010. Sustainability reporting. Web. Geraghty, L., 2010. Sustainability reporting – measure to manage, manage to change. Keeping Good Companies, 3, pp. 141-145. KPMG International, 2 008. KPMG International Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting 2008. Web. White, G. B., 2009. Sustainability reporting: Managing for wealth and corporate health. New York: Business Expert Press.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

An Introduction to Combustion (Burning) Reactions

An Introduction to Combustion (Burning) Reactions A combustion reaction is a major class of chemical reactions, commonly referred to as burning. Combustion usually occurs when a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. In the more general sense, combustion involves a reaction between any combustible material and an oxidizer to form an oxidized product. Combustion is an exothermic reaction, so it releases heat, but sometimes the reaction proceeds so slowly that a temperature change is not noticeable. Good signs that you are dealing with a combustion reaction include the presence of oxygen as a reactant and carbon dioxide, water, and heat as products. Inorganic combustion reactions might not form all of the products but are recognizable by the reaction of oxygen. Combustion doesnt always result in fire, but when it does, a flame is a characteristic indicator of the reaction. While the activation energy must be overcome to initiate combustion (i.e.:Â  using a lit match to light a fire), the heat from a flame may provide enough energy to make the reaction self-sustaining. General Form of a Combustion Reaction hydrocarbon oxygen → carbon dioxide water Examples of Combustion Reactions Here are several examples of balanced equations for combustion reactions. Its important to remember that combustion reactions are easy to recognize because the products always contain carbon dioxide and water. In these examples, oxygen gas is present as a reactant, but trickier examples of the reaction exist where the oxygen comes from another reactant. combustion of methaneCH4(g) 2 O2(g) → CO2(g) 2 H2O(g)burning of naphthaleneC10H8 12 O2 → 10 CO2 4 H2Ocombustion of ethane2 C2H6 7 O2 → 4 CO2 6 H2Ocombustion of butane (commonly found in lighters)2C4H10(g) 13O2(g) → 8CO2(g) 10H2O(g)combustion of methanol (also known as wood alcohol)2CH3OH(g) 3O2(g) → 2CO2(g) 4H2O(g)combustion of propane (used in gas grills and fireplaces)2C3H8(g) 7O2(g) → 6CO2(g) 8H2O(g) Complete Versus Incomplete Combustion Combustion, like all chemical reactions, does not always proceed with 100% efficiency. It is prone to limiting reactants the same as other processes. So, there are two types of combustion you are likely to encounter: Complete Combustion - Also called clean combustion, clean combustion is oxidation of a hydrocarbon that produces only carbon dioxide and water. An example of clean combustion is burning of candle wax, where the heat from the wick vaporizes wax (a hydrocarbon), which reacts with oxygen in the air to release carbon dioxide and water. Ideally, all the wax burns so nothing remains once the candle is consumed. The water vapor and carbon dioxide dissipate into air.Incomplete Combustion - Also called dirty combustion, incomplete combustion is hydrocarbon oxidation that produces carbon monoxide and/or carbon (soot) in addition to carbon dioxide. An example of incomplete combustion would be burning coal, where a lot of soot and carbon monoxide is released. Many of the fossil fuels burn incompletely, releasing waste products.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Credit Crunch and Commodities Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Credit Crunch and Commodities Market - Essay Example This issue is affecting world trade in that it is currently making it difficult for banks to provide loans to businesses given the significant losses encountered so far as following prior sub-prime mortgage lending. Following from the integration of capital markets, the credit crunch will lead to a fall in stock markets in the US and this may be transmitted through contagion to other major stock markets of the world such as the U.K, China, Japan, EU, etc. International organizations may witness a drop in their stock prices. In addition, the credit crunch may lead to greater fluctuations in exchange rates and interest rates and this will mean that international organizations need to rethink their risk management policies. This led to a tightening of credit because banks faced a liquidity problem arising out of the high rate of defaults on mortgages. The stocks of banks and financial institutions began to slide and the Dow Jones experienced a significant fall in points as several large financial institutions in the United States hovered on the brink of bankruptcy. Some financial institutions received help from the Government while others like Shearson Lehman filed for bankruptcy. The crisis in the financial institutions and the tightening credit also had repercussions on the rest of the economy, resulting in a drop in consumer confidence and purchasing with the economy sliding into a recession. 1.1Problem Statement and Research Questions Following the present global financial crisis that has created havocs into the global financial system and the world economy. The paper expects to provide answers to the following questions: How have the crises affect commodity prices in the... As the report declares the stocks of banks and financial institutions began to slide and the Dow Jones experienced a significant fall in points as several large financial institutions in the United States hovered on the brink of bankruptcy. Some financial institutions received help from the Government while others like Shearson Lehman filed for bankruptcy. The crisis in the financial institutions and the tightening credit also had repercussions on the rest of the economy, resulting in a drop in consumer confidence and purchasing with the economy sliding into a recession. This study will examine the current financial crisis caused by the decline in the availability of credit and the impact of the credit crunch on the commodities market. The major source of data for this study will be the literature review, taking into account the views of experts on the causes of the credit crunch and the consequences that arise in the commodities market as a result of the credit crunch. In addition to this secondary data, the primary data used in this study is the price indices of different commodities as reported by the IMF over the years, in order to examine the changes that are discernable in the commodities market due to the credit crunch. Attention will also be on the activities of some major banks. The rest of the paper is organised as follows: part two presents a theoretical framework where major terms and theories relating to the study are discussed, it also provides a review of relevant literature which enables the researcher to identify gaps in the literatu re.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 25

Strategic Management - Essay Example There are various strategic decisions which Tesco has to make relating to factors such as the direction of Tesco in the long run, the scope of its activities, stakeholders’ values and expectations, responding to the ever changing business environment, building on its capability as a business entity, and acquiring a higher market share relative to its competitors. These decisions tend to be complex as they have to be made in an uncertain situation. There are also various levels of strategy for Tesco such as business level strategy, operational strategy, and corporate level strategy. Business level strategy refers to the way a business organization conducts itself in a particular market to be successful. Operational level strategy is about various levels of Tesco and their contribution with regard to accomplishment of the strategy. Corporate level strategy deals with the overall scope and purpose of Tesco and how to add value to various business units. The analysis of those factors that are not within the control of a company can be termed as an analysis of macro environmental factors. Macro environment analysis is often done by Tesco to develop a sound knowledge of the issues that are present in the current business scenario. PESTEL framework is considered to be an important tool to conduct macro environment analysis by the Tesco. There are several factors that are considered in PESTEL analysis such as political, social, economic, legal, environmental, and technological aspects of a business environment. The sole purpose of PESTEL analysis is to assist Tesco management in the creation of strategies that will leverage the external factors that are not within the control of the organization to its favour. Political factors of the PESTEL analysis deal with factors such as government stability, trade tariffs, policies of social welfare that are imposed upon companies, tax policies, international business regulation laws, etc.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Hospitality Essay Example for Free

Hospitality Essay From a food and beverage manager’s perspective – Why is managing the diversity of an international food and beverage operation so important? Discuss this by using a system, or process, or method and/ or technique In the hospitality industry, managing the diversity of international food and beverage operation which is important from a food and beverage manager’s perspective can improve the quality of the hospitality services, reduce high turnover in hospitality management and make more profit from the food and beverage operation. Hospitality workforce is consisted of diverse population and visible and non-visible differences which are included gender, age, background, culture, religion, race, disability, personality, and work style. According to this, the establishment of processing food and beverage operations is able to effectively manage people who work in hospitality workplace. And also, the hospitality education and training can provide hospitality worker an opportunity that improve themselves and understand the diverse workforce. Jones (as cited in Igram, 1999) indicated that â€Å"operations concern the way that organizations deliver their product/ service to the consumer† (p. 142). This is the key of concerning for the effective practice hospitality. Johnston (as cited in Igram, 1999) indicated that the operations could be divided into three activities; customer processing operations, information processing operations and product processing operations. As manager must understand these three activities which reflect employees how they plan and control the processing operation. Thus, effective hospitality operations must incorporate planning with technology and people management. Furthermore, Mullins (as cited in Igram, 1999) pointed that hospitality operations are heterogeneous group, but they share a number of common characteristics. For example, there are a wide range of skilled staff required, but there are also high numbers unskilled staff needed; most employees are from different countries, they have different background and use English as second language; there is a large proportion of female, part time, casual staff. Due to this situation, the labour mobility and turnover are high. Thus, managing diversity in food and beverage operation must need a perfect system or an improved method as foundation. Systematic in the  design, planning and control of a food and beverage operation must be concerned by international food and beverage manager. And also, management of the operation systems within a food and beverage operation must be considered by international food and beverage manager. What benefits will be brought into international food and beverage operation by understanding the systems? To sum up, there are three benefits. Firstly, control of resources which is implemented the systems inputs aim to reduc e wastage. Secondly, efficient and effective operation can perfect international food and beverage services by using systems processes. Finally, the systems outputs assure what goal the hospitality organization can achieve. The hospitality education and training can provide hospitality worker an opportunity that improve themselves and understand the diverse workforce. The hospitality education and training are the techniques which can complement the international food and beverage management. Lynch (as cited in Robinson, 2005) pointed that† business management foci currently in vogue with hospitality and food and beverage operations education and practice† (p. 70). In other words, in order to provide effective services to consumer, the hospitality organization will implement the food and beverage operations education and practice to guide and develop skilled and high standard staff. Ingram (1999) indicated that â€Å"effective academic abilities (including abstraction, attention to detail, â€Å"hair splitting†) are not always found in conjunction with personal organization skills (such as planning, delegation, prioritizing tasks)† (p. 146). Thus, the academic education impleme nted in hospitality organization can incorporate to the international food and beverage operations with staff. 2 From a food and beverage manager’s perspective – What are the important thing to consider when planning, designing and allocating space for storage, preparation, production and service for a food and beverage operation. From a food and beverage manager’s perspective, the design and plan of a food service facility effect on the attraction from customers and on productivity of employees, and also on making profit from hospitality business. If facilities are poorly designed, customers will be inconvenienced and food  services are inefficient. If a manager wants to perfect a food service, he/she must consider what requirements are needed when planning, designing and allocating space for storage, preparation, production and service for a food and beverage operation. The considerations will be the market and operational needs, the food production areas and equipment, sustainability and hygiene and health issue. As described above, first of all, as the operational needs, food service facility design will be the first consideration in planning space for food and beverage operation. The better food service facilities design will appeal to customers and employees when manager plans space for production and service. Rodgers (2005) indicated that â€Å"food service facility design is based on the principles of space efficiency, flexibility, product flow, food safety (sanitation) and ergonomics† (p. 308). In other words, an effective food service facility design can provide safe workplace for staff and set up an environment for efficient operation flow of people and product. The facility can make employees work efficiently so that the organization can reduce the labour costs. Furthermore, the costs on facility maintenance are low. Finally, the maximum profit is gained from investment. Secondly, manager must consider the food production areas and equipment. An efficient workflow established can create a tight, smooth and productive food service operation. Afterwards, an adequate work space and suitable work sections are required to provide to employees. For example, kitchen space sometimes will be minimized in order to make more room for customers. That lead to the kitchen space is limited. The quantities of food can be supplied, however, the narrow kitchen design cannot provide employees enough room so that the food service will be delayed which dissatisfied the customers. Another thing that manager must consider is the kitchen layouts. Ninemeier (2010) indicated that â€Å"work flow-the traffic patterns employees form as they go about their work-is another factor that muse be considered† (p. 5). Different kitchen activities must be done in individual work stations. For example, as the figure below, it is a bakery kitchen. Different number stands different stations. Employees can follow the work flow step by step to prepare food. As we can see from the figure, the food  preparation space must be divided into specific areas. The station 2-5 are the places which are for food preparation and storage. The station 1 and station 6 are used for washing and waste disposal. Due to this kitchen layout design, the food contamination will decrease and the food storage time can extend. As a food and beverage manager must consider of the food contamination. Figure 1 kitchen layout (Source: Ninemeier, D. J. 2010) References list Ingram, H. (1999). Hospitality: a framework for a millennial review. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 11(4), 140-147. Ninemeier, D. J. (2010) Management of Food and Beverage Operations (2nd ed.). American: American Hotel Lodging Educational Foundation. Robinson, R. S. (2007). Plain Fare to Fusion: Ethnic Impacts on the Process of Maturity in Brisbanes Restaurant Sector. Journal of Hospitality Tourism Management, 14(1), 70-84. Rogers, S. (2005). Applied research and educational needs in food service management. International Journal of contemporary Hospitality Management, 17(4), 302-314.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

From My Cold, Dead Hands! :: essays research papers

"From My Cold, Dead Hands!" When anyone mentions â€Å"gun control,† it makes me cringe with disbelief. It is impossible for me to understand why people want to (and might some day) take away my right to gun ownership. They defend their cases by using examples of school shootings and gang violence; this is unremarkably insane to me. The idea that today’s politicians could change the laws of our great land by using the examples of a few misguided youngsters brings back into view other leaders who have done the same. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Idi Amin, Mao Tse-tung, and Pol Pot were powerful tyrants. After taking power, these men took all guns from the civilian population. Our own government has been taking the necessary steps to abolish the second amendment. Owning a gun is a right not a privilege. We, as citizens, have to protect our rights to gun ownership so we can protect ourselves if necessary. James Madison, stated, "I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." (http://www.kc3.com/editorial/freedom_or_gun_control.htm) Changes are made slowly so that the general population doesn’t notice what is happening until the changes are made. For instance, Lenin started out his carrier with everyone looking at him as a great respectable leader. But, over the 6 years of Lenin’s dictatorship more and more evidence of his cruelty emerged. Most people of his time still believed the notion of the â€Å"good Lenin† and the â€Å"bad Stalin.† When in reality few of Stalin’s policies were without roots in Leninism: Lenin built the first concentration camps; Lenin, who disbanded the last vestige of democratic government, the Constituent Assembly, devised the Communist Party as the apex of a totalitarian structure; Lenin, who first waged war on the intelligentsia and on religious believers, wiped out any traces of civil liberty and a free press. In his short reign, from 1917 until his death in 1924, Lenin created a model not merely for his successor, Stalin, but for Mao tse-tung, Hit ler, and Pol Pot; three of the worst tyrants the world has ever seen. (Remnick, http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/lenin.html) Thomas Jefferson once stated, "When the people fear the government you have tyranny... when the government fears the people you have liberty." (http://www.chvanilla.net/frogquotes.html) Tyranny, it has happened before and will happen again. It is up to us to take a stand, to hold the government back.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Disconcerting Behaviour in The Wasp Factory and A Streetcar Named Desire Essay

‘Compare the ways writers’ present disconcerting behaviour in both texts so far.’ The following will elucidate how disturbing behaviour is conveyed in the novel The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks and the play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. In A Streetcar Named Desire, the theme of violence is very frequent in the character Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is a married, young man, who comes across to the reader as quite an enraged person with animalistic attributes. A prime insinuation of Stanley’s difference to regular humans is when Stella DuBois (Stanley’s wife) explains to her sister that Stanley is of â€Å"a different species†, foreshadowing that Williams may be warning the reader that Stanley is capable of things that are not in the norm. Additionally, his manner of walking is often described as â€Å"stalks†, which is commonly used to describe animals, such as smilodons and cheetahs and both of which are quite vicious, uncontrollable creatures. Further animalistic gestures performed by Stanley include â€Å"jerks out an armful of dresses† and â€Å"jerks open a small drawer†, not to mention the fact that he â€Å"kicks the trunk†. In excess of these being certain exemplifications of Stanley’s brutal attitude, they also indicate Stanley’s lack of self-control, which once again is similar to an animal trait, as animals are liable to be quite ruthless and don’t think abou t their actions before they carry it out. Furthermore, the fact that Stanley is acting quite rudely towards his sister-in-law and a just-arrived guest fortifies the belief that he is uncaring and confounding towards new people, thus makes him even more animal-like, since most animals dislike people or things that are new to them. Inasmuch, the above is a distinctive example of disconcerting behaviour, particularly because Stanley is an adult and adults tend to be very responsible people, however in the above case mentioned Stanley is not as he is behaving rather irresponsibly. Playwright Tennessee Williams suffered a very brutal childhood filled with abuse and mistreat. The actions of Stanley are highly significant as they reflect on and are analogous to Williams’ father, who physically abused Tennessee Williams callously when he was child up to his teenage years. Williams himself claimed that A Streetcar Named Desire was â€Å"Everything I had to say†, which goes to show the significance of the playwright’s life on A Streetcar Named Desire. Another major indication of Stanley’s violence is when he â€Å"gives a loud whack of his hand on her (referring to Stella) thigh† and gives her a rough beating when Stella tries to calm Stanley down from being abrasive towards Blanche, which is relatively disconcerting, since Stella is pregnant; hence she is in need of comfort, love and support. In opposed to Stanley giving Stella moral support and his duty as a husband to protect his pregnant wife, Stanley seems to think it is okay to hurt her, which is fundamentally wrong and very disturbing. On the other hand, the above mentioned phase of the play reinforces the fact that there was much male dominance in the early 1900s. Stella is also portrayed as one of the weaknesses than the strengths of civilisation in her acceptance of a husband who gives her satisfaction of physical desire. Critic, Nancy Tischner suggests â€Å"apparently Williams wants the audience to believe that Stella is wrong in loving Stanley, but right in living with him.† Personally, I agree with Tischner, simply because it was explicit that the 1900s was a patriarchal society. Women were inferior to men and were represented mostly through their husbands; consequently they were submissive and dependent on their husbands, because they needed a place to live and food to eat. The message of male ascendancy is articulated in a conversation between Stanley and Stella in which Stella asks her husband for money so she could buy her sister dinner, because she knows she hasn’t any money herself: â€Å"†¦you’d better give me some money† (scene II), which emphasizes that wives were reliant on their husbands for support, even if they weren’t entirely happy in their relationship. Another indication of Stella’s dependence in Stanley is when she claimed that she â€Å"can’t stand when he (Stanley) is away for a night †¦ I cry on his lap like a baby.† Although this highlights that Stella is highly dependent on Stanley, we cannot ignore the fact that she loves him too. Similar to Stanley Kowalski, the protagonist of The Wasp Factory, Frank Cauldhame also behaves violently; however in Frank’s case violence is directed mostly towards animals as he is aware of his superiority to them, just as Stanley is aware he is superior to his wife. The reader follows account of how Frank fills his long, solitary summer victimising animals such as rabbits, as well as killing wasps on a daily basis. Frank’s annihilation of rabbits on the island is a crucial example of how violence is a conventional part of his life – as if he’s accepted that killing and deliberately hurting things will always be normal to him. Frank â€Å"throttled the rabbit, swinging it in front of him †¦ its neck held on the thin black line of rubber tubing†. It is highly disturbing how a 16-year old is comfortable in inflicting pain on innocent creatures, not to mention killing them as well as finding it rather amusing, as he claims â€Å"I felt good† after his genocidal of the rabbits. Moreover, Frank does not undergo any remorse after he has committed these harsh doings, because after he killed a cute little bunny he â€Å"kicked it into the water.† Despite Stanley being violent towards his inferior (Stella), Frank’s violence is slightly different in comparison to Stanley, as Stanley definitely displays contriteness and guilt after he attacks Stella, whereas Frank demonstrates no pity whatsoever, which accentuates Frank is hysterically riotous, accordingly a person who constantly carries out disconcerting behaviour. A point that must be noted in A Streetcar Named Desire is my belief that Blanche DuBoi’s insecurity could be seen as a form of disconcerting behaviour. Blanche is constantly fishing for compliments from Stella, which may not seem disturbing at first at all, as most people like to be complimented on their beauty, however, when Stella asks Stanley to â€Å"admire her dress and tell her she’s looking wonderful. That’s important with Blanche. Her little weakness†, we begin to question whether Blanche is totally obsessed with herself and her image. The fact that Stella claims â€Å"looks† are Blanche’s â€Å"weakness† strengthens the belief that Blanche is insecure – especially because this judgement is made from her sister who is very close to Blanche. Her insecurity highlights the belief that Blanche is a very disturbed person and we can make an assumption that an incident in the past has caused this anxiety in her. In addition, when Blanche declares she still has vanity about her beauty, she looks over at her sister Stella â€Å"for reassurance†. We can deduce from Blanche’s final look at Stella to assure she still looks pretty that Blanche definitely self-doubts her appearance and is thinks it’s critical about what people think of her; which further reinforces she is a very unsettled person – perhaps the opposite of Stella, as Stella already has her own husband, home and happiness of a new addition to the family to look forward to. Furthermore, when Blanche exclaims: â€Å"Turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare† I find it slightly disconcerting, as she makes such a big deal out of her looks as though it’s gold dust for her and if a speck of it is ruined, then so be herself. The fact that she requests that she would like the light to be off can deduce that Blanche does not want to display her true reality and perhaps she is hiding something. Also the fact that she is older than Stella and has more experience in life, despite this, Stella seems to have a more mature outlook on life than Blanche. A review by a man named Benjamin Nelson theorises that â€Å"Blanche’s inability to tragically mature is a result of her incompletion and fragmentation†. What Nelson is saying is that people are responsible for their own doings provided their current situation has been truly stimulated. Then, and only then, can a classic tragic character evolve, similarly, Blanche finds herself in a situation which is completely different to how she was perhaps living before and has to keep an eye on how she is displaying her self-image to others. The reader is aware that Blanche is not an entirely honest person, as she lies to herself and others about her drinking habits as she begins with telling her sister that (drink-wise) one is her limit. The fact that the first practical task Blanche carries out in Stella’s home is â€Å"she springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whiskey bottle.†, underlines that drinking may be a usual thing is her life, so why does she attempt to hide it all the time? The answer to this of course is so she comes across as socially desirable to new people and especially in Mitch’s case, sexually admirable. When Mitch is around, Blanche stands near the light when the curtain is drawn, as to show her body to Mitch, supposedly for her sense of self-esteem, which means that she has often succumbed to passion. Nevertheless, throughout the play, Blanche avoids appearing in direct, bright light, particularly in front of Mitch. This implies that Blanche perchance looks to Mitch as a future partner. She also refuses to reveal her age, and it is clear that she avoids light in order to prevent him from seeing the reality of her fading beauty. This fits in with the analogy that Blanche can be seen as moth, as moths avoid because they can’t stand it. In addition to this theory, moths are usually very irritating creatures and tend to cause havoc wherever they go, such as nibbling on clothes and entering rooms without permission. Blanche too has a moth-like persona as she seems to be interference in Stanley and Stella’s love life, as from the moment she has arrived, the couple had an argument immediately. Stanley’s perception of Blanche is that she is a nuisance and doesn’t like the fact that she is staying in his home: â€Å"What do you think you are? A pair of queens?†, which implies that Blanche is behaving too badly for Stanley’s liking. Initially, Tennessee Williams was going to name this play ‘The Moth’, simply because Blanche is such an essential persona in A Streetcar Named Desire. Just as Ms Blanche DuBois is apprehensive about her appearance and quite uncomfortable in her skin, so is Mr Frank Cauldhame in The Wasp Factory. Due to the ‘accident’ Frank apparently faced as a child in which his male genitalia was bitten off by a dog, it is obvious that he isn’t satisfied with his image. Frank wants to be looked at as frightening to people and even stated: â€Å"Looking at me, you’d never guess I’d killed three people†, as though it’s something people should know and as though he is proud of what he did. He says he â€Å"wants to look dark and menacing †¦ the way I might have looked if I hadn’t had my little accident.† This sustains the belief that Frank feels highly uncomfortable with his looks mainly due to the accident. Killing is a very violent act, stereotypically associated with the male gender in which Frank is so desperately trying to conform into. However, he finds it rather hard and feels insecure about his masculinity due to his ‘accident’, therefore resorts to great lengths such as killing people and animals as a method of defining and assuring himself he is a boy. This is slightly similar to Blanche, as Blanche resorts to lying to paint a portrait of how she desires to be looked out, nonetheless, different because Blanche is not so extreme to the point that she harms people like Frank. Undoubtedly, I find Frank’s killings to emphasize on his masculinity rather pathetic and extremely disconcerting, since he is a teenager and almost seventeen years of age, as a result he should be more than aware of what is right and what is wrong and killing is indeed wrong. On the other hand, I do feel a little sympathy for Frank as he is very isolated and his father refused to allow Frank to officially exist in society, thence he may not have entirely been taught what is morally right and what is morally wrong by his father – especially since his mother is dead and he has no other mother figure in life to guide him. Other than Frank committing overly masculine acts to demonstrate that he is definitely a boy, Frank envisions himself as someone that is strong and powerful and is upset with his appearance as he laments the fact that he is â€Å"chubby†. This is very similar to Blanche, as she too comments on how slender her figure has remained over the years and for reassurance glances at her sister. To conclude, I would like to say that disconcerting behaviour is common in both texts and there are various similarities, as well as differences in phases of both the play and the novel.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Nursing Research Utilization Project: Section C Essay

Several articles have been reviewed as a research base for this project. Identification of appropriate research is critical to the successful implementation of nurse-led evidence-based practice protocols. Each article was carefully selected for what it could contribute to the quality of the project. Using the evidence in this research will help with the development of an implementation plan. Article #1 Adams, D., Bucior, H., & Day, G. (2012, January). HOUDINI: make that urinary catheter disappear-nurse-led protocol. Journal of Infection Prevention, 13, 44-48. This article discusses the use of 7 criteria that must exist in order to keep an indwelling urinary catheter in place. According to Adams (2012), the average daily risk of developing a bacteremia with an indwelling urinary catheter increases by 3%-7% for every additional day the catheter remains indwelling. The study uses the acronym HOUDINI to demonstrate the criteria. The acronym stands for Hematuria, Obstruction, Urologic surgery, Decubitus ulcer, Input and output measurement, Nursing end of life care, and Immobility. In the absence of these aforementioned indications, according to the study, the catheter should be removed to decrease the risk of catheter-associated bacteremia. Article #2 Bernard, M. S., Hunter, K. F., & Moore, K. N. (2012). A Review of Strategies to Decrease the Duration of Indwelling Urethral Catheters and Potentially Reduce the Incidence of Catheter- Associated Urinary Tract Infections. Urologic Nursing, 32(1), 29-37. This article discussed different strategies to decrease the incidence of indwelling urinary  catheter times. It was a retrospective study that analyzed data obtained from hospital databases. The study supports nurse-led or electronic chart reminders every 24 hours to assess the need for indwelling urinary catheters on a daily basis. The conclusion lists timely removal as one of the main factors affecting the incidence of CAUTI. Article #3 Clarke, K., Tong, D., Pan, Y., Easley, K., Norrick, B., Ko, C., & †¦ Stein, J. (2013). Reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections by bundling interventions. International Journal For Quality In Health Care: Journal Of The International Society For Quality In Health Care / Isqua,25(1), 43-49. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzs077 This article reviews the affect on incidence of CAUTI by bundling interventions. Also a retrospective study, this research reviewed the effectiveness of bundling four interventions for patients with indwelling urinary catheters. The bundle consisted of 1) Using a silver alloy impregnated catheter 2) Using a securement device to limit the catheter movement 3) Repositioning of the catheter tubing if it was found to be kinked or on the floor 4) Prompt removal of the catheter on post operative day one or two. Implementing this bundle of care for patients resulted in a significant decrease in CAUTI for these study participants. Pre implementation of the bu ndle the CAUTI incidence rate was 5.2/1000. Seven months post implementation the CAUTI incidence rate was 1.5/1000. The authors have proven with statistical significance that the four-intervention bundle will be successful in reducing the incidence rate of CAUTI in indwelling urinary catheter patients. Article #4 Levers, H. (2014). Switching to an antimicrobial solution for skin cleansing before urinary catheterisation. British Journal Of Community Nursing, 19(2), 66-71. This study suggests that switching to an antimicrobial cleaning solution for the area prior to insertion of a urinary catheter will reduce the incidence of CAUTI. The research recommended using Octenilin solution for cleansing the meatus prior to catheterization. The case studies are ongoing and no results were mentioned in the study except for to say the change was cost neutral and the practice change is promising. This study failed to show a statistically significant decrease in CAUTI post  implementation. Article #5 Meddings, J. A., Reichert, H., Rogers, M. M., Saint, S., Stephansky, J., & McMahon Jr., L. F. (2012). Effect of Nonpayment for Hospital-Acquired, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection. Annals Of Internal Medicine, 157(5), 305-312. This study reviewed the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) recent (2008) initiative to hold or eliminate reimbursement for costs associated with hospital acquired CAUTI. This study alluded to the misuse of coding in failing to identify CAUTI when it actually did exist, therefore claiming the financial impact on health care organizations is low for non-payment of hospital acquired CAUTI. Even when the researchers included all urinary tract infections catheter associated and otherwise, the loss of reimbursement to healthcare organizations would have been less than 1% due to improper coding. Conclusion In conclusion, the prevalence and incidence of CAUTI is affected by many factors. First health care workers need to be aware of the significance of CAUTI and be compliant with new practice guidelines to decrease risk. Second, adherence to inclusion criteria for indwelling urinary catheters and their placement using the HOUDINI protocol (Adams, Bucior, & Rimmell, 2012). Lastly, implementation of a bladder bundle to decrease the incidence of hospital acquired CAUTI. Each factor focuses on a unique evidence-based prevention, reduction, or eradication strategy to address the problem of CAUTI. Health care workers, who possess an awareness of the need to decrease this preventable infection, will add to the forward trajectory of solving this problem, and implementing this project. References Adams, D., Bucior, H., & Day, G. (2012, January). HOUDINI: make that urinary catheter disappear-nurse-led protocol. Journal of Infection Prevention, 13, 44-48. Bernard, M. S., Hunter, K. F., & Moore, K. N. (2012). A Review of Strategies to Decrease the Duration of Indwelling Urethral Catheters and Potentially Reduce the Incidence of Catheter- Associated Urinary Tract Infections. Urologic Nursing, 32(1), 29-37. Clarke, K., Tong, D., Pan, Y., Easley, K., Norrick, B., Ko, C., & †¦ Stein, J. (2013). Reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections by bundling interventions. International Journal For Quality In Health Care: Journal Of The International Society For Quality In Health Care / Isqua,25(1), 43-49. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzs077 Levers, H. (2014). Switching to an antimicrobial solution for skin cleansing before urinary catheterisation. British Journal Of Community Nursing, 19(2), 66-71. Meddings, J. A., Reichert, H., Rogers, M. M., Saint, S., Stephansky, J., & McMahon Jr., L. F. (2012). Effect of Nonpayment for Hospital-Acquired, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection. Annals Of Internal Medicine, 157(5), 305-312.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Answers to Questions About Prepositions

Answers to Questions About Prepositions Answers to Questions About Prepositions Answers to Questions About Prepositions By Mark Nichol Here are several questions from DailyWritingTips.com readers about use of prepositions, and my responses. 1. I was always taught, â€Å"Never use a preposition to end a sentence.† For example, â€Å"I want to go with† should be â€Å"I also want to go,† or â€Å"Use the dustbin to throw the rubbish in† should be â€Å"Throw the rubbish in the dustbin.† Yet you have done so with the word out in the sentence â€Å"California gave a record $100 million loan to bail schools out.† Is it OK to end sentences with prepositions? The admonition to never end a sentence with a proposition has no valid grammatical basis: For example, â€Å"She was the one he wanted to go out with† is correct. (Here is one of several DailyWritingTips.com posts on the topic.) Earlier placement of a preposition in a sentence makes the sentence sound more formal, but efforts to consistently do so sometimes result in awkwardly stiff syntax, as in â€Å"She was the one out with which he wanted to go.† (However, â€Å"I want to go with† is a different matter; as a truncated version of â€Å"I want to go with you,† it’s colloquial and not suited for formal writing.) 2. I am reading a very well-written book, but I’ve run across an expression that grates: The author wrote at least twice of â€Å"a couple weeks† or â€Å"a couple trees† (or whatever), where I have always said â€Å"a couple of.† I can’t figure out which expression is the correct one. Have you covered this, or can you advise me? This post is one of several at DailyWritingTips.com that discusses couple. â€Å"A couple of† is the correct form, but either the author chose to be colloquial, or neither he nor his editors know the correct usage. 3. I have always thought that â€Å"outside of† is incorrect when used this way: â€Å"The man was outside of the house† (as opposed to â€Å"The man was outside the house†). Am I right? Using the preposition of is usually superfluous in such constructions, but it’s not incorrect, and in the senses of â€Å"besides† and â€Å"apart from,† it’s necessary. Some grammar handbooks advise playing this usage by ear. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Beautiful and Ugly WordsWhat's a Male Mistress?What is an Anagram?

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

8 Surprising Reasons to Live with Purpose

8 Surprising Reasons to Live with Purpose Do you wake up every day with a sense of purpose? I know I often don’t. I open my eyes in the morning more with of a sense that I will soon be dragged around by my â€Å"to do† list. First on my mind is my agenda for the day and all the stuff I need to DO. Or I go to my computer to let my inbox tell me what to do. Sound familiar? Living this way is one sign that I am not in touch with my purpose. And I don’t mean the BIG significant purpose that most of us think of when we think of â€Å"life purpose.† While some people might know what that is for themselves, most of us aren’t sure, or are afraid of not getting it â€Å"right.† Maybe we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves. Purpose is in the moment. Last week I went on a leadership retreat with the Wright Foundation for the Realization of Human Potential where the theme was â€Å"Purpose.† What I learned is that purposeful living is about living every moment with a purpose in that moment. It could be something as simple as giving our gifts or living with aliveness and presence, in service of ourselves and others. Purpose is who we are being, not what we are doing. What a concept. We can actually try on different purposes each day to see which one motivates us to lead a more fulfilled life. One of the moment by moment purposes toward which I gravitate is using my creative talents. To that end, I wrote a little song and made a video that I will share with you here. Despite the spoof on a commercial spot, this song is all about the real, scientifically proven benefits of living with purpose. Thank you to Rick Bread Kempf, Jacki Davidoff, and Tammy Taylor for singing with me, and to Silvana Favaretto for recording us on my iPhone! Here are the lyrics to my masterpiece, The Purpose Thermos: Purpose you’ve got so much to do Purpose much more of being you Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose it’s who you are each day Purpose repairs your DNA Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose gives you a song to sing Purpose gives you more mattering Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose you’ll feel much more alive Purpose will rev up your sex drive Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Are you in touch with your purpose from moment to moment? What is your sense of purpose right now, reading this article or watching the video? How can you make a difference for others and for yourself in this moment? And this one? And this one? Please share.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example Through the use of good argument construction her position on the energy and environmental needs in America is made clear and consistent with her formal platform stance. Warren’s campaign position where energy and the environment are concerned is based on five different perspectives. Those five perspectives are to improve the economy, to keep families healthy, to protect national security, to address climate change, and to protect and preserve the environment for our children. These arguments are first based upon the emotional aspects of how they relate to the issues of environment and energy. She uses imagery of family, children, and the future to support her beliefs in an attempt to sway her readers about her commitment to family and safety. The ethos that she addresses is the concept of family values in American society as it relates to the issues. Warren has a specific stance on the working class and in her capacity as an advocate for the working class she uses the concept of family values to support her positions on various topics. ... n is for the seat of the Senate that is designated for the state of Massachusetts, it is important to not only address American citizens, but to address the people of the state in which she is running for Senate. Each of her argument points are not only to the American people but also to those in Massachusetts in order to ensure that their specific needs are connected to the greater landscape of the American public. Her role as a Senator will be two-fold as it will be to represent the concerns of the whole nation as well as those of her direct constituency. Creating this connection and speaking to her beliefs as they relate to both entities provides for a convincing argument as to why her beliefs will be beneficial within the context of her role as Senator. The logos that is used in order to create a logic of the discussion is through using examples to prove the claim. Each of the aspects of the reasoning that is used is developed through examples of how her position supports a bette r future in regard to problems that are currently being faced. As an example, she lists under her position of finding clean renewable energy and protecting the environment for the purpose of improving the economy as a means to efficiency, to create jobs, and to protect resources so that they will be sustainable. In addition, she mentions those natural resources that are related to Massachusetts and how her stance supports those resources for the people of the state. A position that supports both the ethos and the logos of her argument in relationship to current expectations in regard to theme, she relates her position on oil production and the need for clean energy to terrorism. Although she does not directly address terrorism, she discusses the issues in relationship to the war in Iraq and