Carnival Event Essay

To conclude this magical event full of happiness, dances, music, costumes and charisma produce in every single person each year a colorful spirit of carnival. To conclude this magical event full of happiness, dances, music, costumes and charisma produce in every single person each year a colorful spirit of carnival. The lovely kids that every body was waiting for arrived to the carnival event. Preschool beautiful princesses were already dancing through all the marathon gym so every single person could see the great dancers they were. We could say that this show was a triumph just because of the presentation of preschool with all the little kids that had happy faces during all the presentation so they keep us motivated and gave us energy to bravely keep shouting and applauding to them. After this amazing carnival event of the British international college finally finished, some interviews to certain teachers were made. Mrs. Sarah, primary teacher and queen of the event, told us â€Å"even though I’ve never been in a carnival event before I can say that this â€Å"lectura del bando† was totally Very exiting for me. Very serious Mr. Nelson, high school teacher, told us â€Å"well I could honestly admit that this year dew to the fact that there were no high school queen it was a very organized and colorful event and Finally with a big smile in his face , Mr. Guy , headmaster of the school told us â€Å"that he was very proud of all the work done in this fantastic event were teachers and student gave all their effort . The lovely kids that every body was waiting for arrived to the carnival event. Preschool beautiful princesses were already dancing through all the marathon gym so every single person could see the great dancers they were. We could say that this show was a triumph just because of the presentation of preschool with all the little kids that had happy faces during all the presentation so they keep us motivated and gave us energy to bravely keep shouting and applauding to them. After this amazing carnival event of the British international college finally finished, some interviews to certain teachers were made. Mrs. Sarah, primary teacher and queen of the event, told us â€Å"even though I’ve never been in a carnival event before I can say that this â€Å"lectura del bando† was totally Very exiting for me. Very serious Mr. Nelson, high school teacher, told us â€Å"well I could honestly admit that this year dew to the fact that there were no high school queen it was a very organized and colorful event and Finally with a big smile in his face , Mr. Guy , headmaster of the school told us â€Å"that he was very proud of all the work done in this fantastic event were teachers and student gave all their effort .   This surprising and colorful event started at 7:00 a.m. and took place in the marathon gym. Everyone was very exited, there were beautiful dresses every were, blue, yellow, red, black, all colors you can imagine. People were amazed o f such gracefully dances with the folkloric music. The main event of this fascinated carnival opening started with the entrance of the princesses and â€Å"rey momos† of primary. they all had spectacular carnivals costumes which in a way they â€Å"illuminated† the marathon gym with they dances and the charisma they had. This surprising and colorful event started at 7:00 a.m. and took place in the marathon gym. Everyone was very exited, there were beautiful dresses every were, blue, yellow, red, black, all colors you can imagine. People were amazed of such gracefully dances with the folkloric music. The main event of this fascinated carnival opening started with the entrance of the princesses and â€Å"rey momos† of primary. they all had spectacular carnivals costumes which in a way they â€Å"illuminated† the marathon gym with they dances and the charisma they had. Yesterday morning in the British international school we had one of the most expected event of the year â€Å"lectura del bando† one of the happiest celebration of the carnivals. Yesterday morning in the British international school we had one of the most expected event of the year â€Å"lectura del bando† one of the happiest celebration of the carnivals.

Middle Years Development Essay

Introduction Early adolescence encompasses a diverse range of development, emotions, growth and learning. This can be categorised into the following: Sociocultural, physiological, neurological and psychological. It is the responsibility of middle years educators to be familiar with the stages of development and in particular demonstrate understanding of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (Pendergast and Bahr, 2010). It should be the pedagogy of all middle years teachers to establish relationships with students and their families offer students an engaging education and model sensitivity and acceptance of the students especially during adolescent development. This essay will touch on theoretical knowledge and understanding, practical research and identifiable characteristics of middle years students. Middle years educators should consider the implications and how pedagogical practice should be influenced to ensure a holistic educational experience for early adolescent students. SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVES â€Å"As children move into early adolescence, they begin to appreciate that people can have mixed feelings about events and other individuals. They realise that people may simultaneously have multiple, and possibly conflicting, intentions† (Pendergast 2010, p. 468). As students approach the middles years of school, ages 9 to 14, it becomes noticeable that students are developing their personalities and opinions. Whilst this is strengthens some friendships it also may dissolve others. The students in the middle years classroom quickly identify peers and develop biases and prejudices. Sadly these prejudices can lead to serious consequences and the development of unhealthy social-cognitive prejudice, which can lead to the exclusion, and discrimination of some students (Pendergast and Bahr, 2010). Carrington argues that adolescents are exposed to adult practices and popular culture as well as having a decreased amount of parental or adult supervision. One can deduce from this that adolescents are making judgments that are not properly formed and this can have an impact on relationships both in and out of school (Carrington, 2010). Kroger (2007), Moll and Arnot-Hopffer (2005) state that adolescents are  establishing more mature identities and view points. it is the teacher’s role to unbiased political view of the world to assist students in accepting and engaging in many opinions and beliefs. Erickson argues that free will can lead to a paradox, namely, that an adolescent would rather act shamelessly in the eyes of his elders, out of free choice, than be forced into activities which would be shameful in his own eyes or in those of his peers (1968, p 147). This theory can be applied to today’s middle school due to very influential factors in sociocultural perspectives such as pop-culture and the immediate environment (Carrington, 2011). Popular culture sets a trend in which it is made popular by a select few in the middle years cohort. This leads to adolescents are striving for individuality within the confines of their environment and social acceptance. Peer interaction and collaborative learning can assist in forming relationships, connect experiences and develop higher order thinking (Willis, 2007). When engaging in these kinds of learning environments opinions can be expressed, supported and argued. Educators must ensure that diversity and tolerance is paramount in the classroom supports this. (Moll and Arnot-Hopffer, 2005). PHYSIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES â€Å"I think what is happening to me is so wonderful, and not only what can be seen on my body, but all that is taking place inside. I never discuss myself or any of these things with anybody; that is why I have to talk to myself about them. † – Anne Frank (1939, p. 146) Anne Frank viewed adolescence, particularly her menarche, as a private and enriching time in her young life that must be kept to herself. This is a viewpoint of some middle years students however sadly, unlike Anne, many adolescents discover the maturational sequences of puberty a difficult and  stressful time. (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). Students are experiencing obvious physical changes however these will occur almost certainly at different rates. However brain development, hormones and puberty attribute to physical growth. McDevitt and Ormrod state that these changes are occurring in the body from 9-14 years therefore it is important for adolescent educators to be prepared and sensitive to the changes in their students. Pendergast (2010) argues middle years students feel a sense of isolation and disengagement, which can be attributed to hormonal changes. Puberty does not only influence physical changes but links to social groups, neurological and psychological perspectives. Middle years physiological perspectives also include nutrition, exercise and healthy wellbeing. Encouragement needs to be fostered in healthy eating, but introducing fruit and vegetable breaks and physical movement but encouraging Health and Physical Education or simply movement through drama and dance. Watson and Bandura argue that environmental influences impact on grooming and shaping beliefs (Pendergast and Bahr, 2010). Looking that these theorists further it can be determined that the middle years student is developing habits which are reliant on environment or habitus. Therefore middle years educators are able to influence and model healthy interactions with students, nutrition, health and peer groups. Enthusiasm and care for students and their wellbeing will ensure students are less likely to become withdrawn from classes and their peers, and to embrace the changes and view them as a natural progression of their growth. NEUROLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES As technological advances put more and more time between early school life and the young person’s final access to specialize work the stage of adolescence becomes even more marked and conscious period and, as it has always been in some cultures in some periods, almost a way of life between childhood and adulthood (Erickson 1968, p 147). During adolescence the brain is subject to huge neurological changes. The prefrontal cortex is the final stage of neural development and this period of maturation gives way to neurobiological hypothesis such as adolescents engaging in risky and impulsive behaviour (Casey, Jones and Somerville, 2011). The transition from childhood to adulthood requires the prefrontal cortex of the brain to mature, which improves cognitive ability, settles hormones and moderates the brain chemistry levels. One of the most influential chemicals in the brain is serotonin. High serotonin levels can give way to risky behaviour, sexual promiscuity and defiance. Educators in the middle years need to consider the imbalance of brain chemicals and hormones such as serotonin can lead to disengagement in learning. Whilst this neurological stage is happening it is important to ensure students safety is paramount and discourage students from making suboptimal decisions which lead to poor long-term outcomes (Casey, Jones and Somerville, 2011). Giedd (2002) states â€Å"it’s sort of unfair to expect teens to have adult levels of organizational skills or decision-making before their brains are finished being built. † According to Giedd’s research the brain whilst being 95% of its total size by adolescence the synapse and cortical connections still need to be established and connected. It is also theorized that adolescent brains are only developed properly given higher order associations, real world connections and sensorimotor practice (Casey, Jones and Somerville, 2011). Many factors influence the development of the adolescent brain including peer relations, real world connections, experience and psychological perspectives and so too is the importance of the middle years educator in the life of an adolescent. . PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Psychological maturation is measured by an adolescent’s ability to maintain or achieve a state of homeostasis. – Jodi A Quas (2011, p.263) It has been recognized that adolescents have many stress markers. These markers are prevalent and can be identified in many ways. Cognitive growth and processes change with such speed that adolescents are vulnerable to normally inconsequential events, which induce diverse psychological reactions. These events can be both positive and negative such as arousal, laughter, sadness, fright or flight. These can produce endorphin’s that allow psychological affects to appear. Middle school students are continually faces with challenges that lead to these psychological shifts in the brain. These can be academic achievement and pressure, peer pressure and collaborative learning, physical exercise and general cultural factors. It is the role of educators to realise the differences in middle years students’ psychological position and ensure nurturing, stimulating and engaging practices are offered to the students at all times (Quas, 2011). Levine & Levine’s (2007) theory of cognitive backpacks also a way of dealing and recognising psychological stressors as well as preparing them for adult life. Using the interpretation model teachers can identify the way in which students react and relate to issues and beliefs. In assessing a student’s deeper understanding and critical thinking of learning an educator can deduce the reason for a middle years student’s beliefs and how their thoughts were established. The instrumentation stage allows students to take ownership of their education and metacognition. This encourages students to have their own voice and not be too easily influenced. Interaction is a stage that is vital to student’s success in future life. The correct environment can advance interaction of peers, encourage interpersonal skills and allows students to exercise their beliefs within a peer setting. This stage then supports the final stage which is inner direction. Confidence of student’s own beliefs, understanding and opinions as well as acceptance of other’s beliefs and opinions enriches the student’s ability to be passionate and motivated to improve themselves (Snowman, 2009). IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS â€Å"We have already described the importance of the teacher in providing an environment in which children can feel challenged and stimulated intellectually, as well as feeling safe to explore and express themselves. † – McInerney & McInerney (2006, p. 491). Middle school education is a multi-faceted exciting teaching opportunity. However, it is important to realise many implications for teachers are needed to be implemented to achieve a balanced inclusive classroom. Carrington (2002) states Queensland must adopt a strong vision for teaching of middle school students. This often requires the consideration of physiological, sociocultural, psychological and neurological perspectives to be accommodated. One implication that resonates through all the perspectives is peer learning. Peer learning has been a proven effective tool when used correctly. Allowing students to have a voice fulfills sociocultural and psychological needs. The student’s voice can be valuable teaching tool as well as a learning tool. Collaborative learning with peers engages students to share and appreciate different perspectives and observations. It is also important to consider that these collaborative learning groups are highly successful in common or same paced learning such as studies of society and environment and science. It is important to ensure each group has a similar cross-section of students to allow for a holistic and diverse interaction. However, to ensure that students are also able to assume the same level in mathematics and literacy, where lessons are catered for particular ability levels rather than groups, it is important to group according to ability level (Snowman, 2009) Another implication in teaching middles years students is ensuring students are able to privately connect with a teacher or even another member of staff should any physiological and psychological changes occur in the classroom. Being prepared and aware that students may begin menarche or sings of spermarche during a class and offering students products and support needed for such an event. Erikson (1968) argues that adolescence is an egocentric stage in which the world around the adolescent is centered on them (Erikson, 1968). This can exacerbate issues such as friendships, bullying or changes within a family unit. A teacher or other staff member such as a guidance councilor or chaplain should be prepared to offer advice and support. It is integral that departmental procedure is adhered to and teachers should always ensure their relationship with their students is professional at all times. A further implication for teachers is to ensure their pedagogical process allows students to be engaged, challenged and given the opportunity to gain real world experience to make connections to their learning and the use of ICT. Education Queensland as well as professional development in this area provide productive pedagogy models. One such model ensures intellectual quality, supportive classroom environment, recognition of difference and connectedness (Education Queensland, 2007). Carrington’s constructivist view of signature practices also supports the framework for establishing meaningful pedagogy for middle years students. Particular elements to assess are incorporation of technology, interdisciplinary teacher teaming, creative use of classroom space and timetabling, strong, valuable teacher-student relationships, integrated curriculum with authentic links to real world, engagement in school, local and wider community and collaborative teaching and learning (Carrington, 2011). The implications of middle years students on teachers are endless, it is vital to recognise and appreciate that students within the years 4 to 9 can offer life long learning opportunities and students also give educators the change to change lives. CONCLUSION â€Å"The middle years of schooling are the site of vibrant educational reform. This is exciting on a number of fronts: the development and implementation of innovative curriculum; the creation of robust teacher professional communities; and, a renewed focus on the relevance of educational research for classroom practice. † – Carrington (2011, p. 1) Educators of middle years students are have a vital role to play in not only in the role of a middle years teacher, but also as an advocate, protector, ambassador and keen participant in the betterment of middle schools education. Ensuring that the middle school has a plan that encompasses the many perspectives of student’s needs and development but also in the environment that surrounds these students. Students are adolescents for such a short time and whilst it is brief it should not be regarded as insignificant. The psychological, neurological and physiological perspectives of an adolescent need constant nurturing and as a teacher this is a in a constant state of change. Whilst the sociocultural perspective it discreet it is the nurturing of all perspectives that results in preparing students for adult life and academic success (Carrington, 2011). Preparing youth for the future extends beyond classroom practice, it requires dedication of further study and being aware of change and adaptable that will see students through the middle years of schooling. REFERENCES Barry, K. and King, L. (2006). Beginning teaching and beyond. Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia. Casey, B. J. , Jones, R. M. and Somerville, L. H. (2011). Braking and accelerating of the adoloscent brain. Journal of research on adolescence, 21 (1), Pages 21-33. Retrieved from Weill Cornell Medical College http://www. med. cornell. edu/ Carrington, V. (2011). Key themes and the future: Reflections on the middle years of schooling. The University of Queensland. Retrieved from World Education Reform Australia http://www. wef. org. au Carrington, V. (2002). The middle years of schooling in Queensland: A way forward. The University of Queensland. Retrieved from University of South Australia http://www. unisa. edu. au Education Queensland. (2007). 20 productive pedagogical models. Retrieved from http://education. qld. gov. au/corporate/newbasics/html/pat. html Erickson, E. (1968). Identity youth and crisis. New York, United States of America: W. W. Norton and Company Ltd. Giedd, J. (2002). Inside the teenage brain. Frontline. Retrieved from PBS http://www. pbs. org Killen, R. (2009). Effective teaching strategies: Lessons from research and practice. Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia. Klima, T. and Repetti, R. (2008). Children’s peer relations and their psychological adjustment: Differences between close friendships and the larger peer group. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. Retrieved from Wayne State University Press http://wsupress. wayne. edu/ McDevitt, T. M. and Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child development and education. Australia: Pearson Education Australia Pty Limited. McInerney, D. M. and McInerney, V. (2006). Educational psychology: Constructing learning. New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Moll, L. C. and Arnot-Hopffer, E. (2011). Sociocultural competence in teacher education. Journal of teacher education. Retrieved from Sage Publishing http://jte. sagepub. com. Pendergast, D. and Bahr, N. (2010). Teaching middle years. New South Wales, Australia : Allen & Unwin. Quas, J. A. (2011). Measuring physiological stress responses in children: lessons from a novice. Journal of cogition and development, 12 (3), Pages 262-274. Retrieved from EDBSCO host http://gateway. library. qut. edu. au. ezp Sanders, M. R. (2004). Every parent – a positive approach to children’s behaviour. Victoria, Australia : Penguin Group Australia. Snowman, J. , Dobozy, E. , Hammond, W. , McNally, J. , Pearce, R. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia. Willis, J. (2007). Cooperative learning is a brain turn-on. Engaging instruction to captivate students. Retrieved from Middle School Journal http://middleschooljournal. com Winston, R. (2010). What goes on in my head? London, England: Dorling Kindersley Limited.

Children and Video games Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children and Video games - Research Paper Example The physical games enhanced the physique of the children, and enabled them to develop social skills (Vorderer & Bryant, 2006). In spite of all the benefits of physical games, children still spend most of their time playing video games making them forget or ignore other issues that might be important in their lives. For example, some children will ignore their homework or they might do it hurriedly with the intention of creating more time for video games. It is the role of the parents to ensure that their children reduce the time spent in playing video games by encouraging them to participate in physical games. In as much as playing video games enhances the thinking capacity of a child, and keeps him busy, it affects their health, leads to violence and affects relationships. Benefits of Video Games There also exist benefits that come with children playing video games. Since children usually spend a lot of their time playing video games, they frequently develop abilities that are essen tial in making meaningful decisions (Vorderer & Jennings, 2006). During the game play, a child usually takes a considerable time before moving onto the next level; and for good performance to be realized, a child needs adequate thinking capacity. It is clear that video games usually enhance the thinking capacity of the children. ... As mentioned earlier, when children spend most of the time playing video games, they usually ignore other issues that might be important in their lives. Apart from neglecting their homework, most children usually fail to prepare their food. In some cases, they will prepare their meals in a hurry. The food consumed usually affects the health of these children by causing them to suffer from ailments that could have been avoidable in the first place. Since the video games are highly addictive, these children usually develop a habit of consuming poorly prepared food. This situation leads to the parents spending a lot of money in treating their children due to of the developed health complications. It is the role of the parents to control the time spent by their children in playing video games. This approach will be very important in ensuring that their children are not affected negatively by the video games. The approach is also important to both the parents and children because every pa rent desires to be associated with well-behaved children. Effect of video games on children’s health Video games are usually played within the house meaning that strenuous movements do not characterize them. Unlike in physical games that involve many movements, video games is required for the players to gather themselves in a room. It is clear that video games usually eliminate all opportunities that might allow the children to engage in any outdoor or physical game. As mentioned earlier, physical games are important in promoting the interaction as well as creating physical contact among children. However, video games limit the use of muscles posing negative effects on the health of a growing child. Concurrently, outdoor games give the children an opportunity

Criminology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Criminology - Term Paper Example The paper, on the basis of the relevant researches conducted on the similar topics, views unemployment, poverty and inequality as the basic reasons behind high homicide rate in the island. Domestic violence, lack of tolerance, class discrimination and ethno-racial hatred can also be stated the imperative reasons behind homicide in the region. The study has been conducted in the light of Marxist and Freudian perspectives, which consider class differences and sexual arousal respectively as the major factors behind committing of different crimes. The paper has also made suggestions for the quick and permanent eradication of homicide from the island. Homicide in Puerto Rico Contents Pages Abstract 3 Statement of the Problem 3 Legal Nature of Homicide 4-5 Homicide Subcategories 6-8 Homicide Statistics 8-9 Puerto Rico and Selected Metropolitan Areas Homicide Comparison 9-10 Homicide Contributing Factors 10-11 Recommendations 11 References 12 Abstract Collected in 2003, the national crime s tatistics of Puerto Rico declare homicide as one of the most dominant causes of unnatural deaths in the country. An overwhelming majority of offenders belongs to young males from 25 to 35 years of age in this Caribbean island. Consequently, the country finds the involvement of its youth in killing of the citizens in cold blood. Hence, the statistics alarm the growth of social evils like poverty, unemployment and unequal distribution of wealth and resources in the country, encouraging the desperate youth to adopt the path of destruction and turmoil for the fulfillment of their desires on the one hand, and to take revenge of social injustices and deprivations from their social establishment on the other. Statement of the Problem The researches reveal the very fact that Puerto Rico Island has turned out to be the victim of homicide in the pattern of the mainland USA, as the violence and crime rate witnessed an upward trend from late 1990s onward. Although the crime rate in the region w as lesser than that of New York and Florida even in the initial years of the new millennium, yet the same appears to be touching the dangerous point putting the social, cultural and economic activities into grave jeopardy. The present study aims to present a comparative examination of the upsurge of homicide in the region and New York by exploring the factors paving the way towards the high rate of homicide criminal activity in this unincorporated territory of the USA in order to address the actual problem on the one hand, and combat with the growing violence in the territory on the other. The Legal Nature of Homicide The notion homicide is aptly applied by the social scientists and theorists to identify the illegal murder of individuals. Homicides are those assaults intended to be fatal regardless of outcome plus those assaults that were fatal regardless of intent. (Daly & Wilson, 1988 pp. 13-14) Since homicide is a vast concept in its nature and scope, it encompasses every type of illegal and extra judicial murder, killing and manslaughter at large. Hence, the term homicide is regarded as the most nefarious offence against the very foundations of law and society, as it not only deprives a human of his life, but also leaves the family, friends and companions of the murdered in a perturbing and tormenting state of affairs subsequently. Thus, homicide and the practitioners of the same are paving the way to

Dark Play Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Dark Play - Research Paper Example During dark play, some of the players are not normally aware of their involvement in the game, for example, a con game. It is the form of paly that normally involves fantasies, luck, daring, deception and invention. Dark play can normally be private, and it is only the player that may be aware of their engagement. It can normally erupt suddenly and can involve a bit of micro play that seizes a player resulting to a quick collapse. This can normally be in the form of a wisecrack, a delirium or it may involve a deadly risk. Dark play tends to subvert orders, breaking of rules and it may involve the dissolution of frames. During dark play, the play is normally in danger of destruction. The dangers that may result to the destruction of the playing process include; cases of spying, and con games. Dark play cannot normally be compared to the carnival because the inversions in clown plays are normally sanctioned by the authorities and they are, therefore, considered legal. Dark play is norm ally subversive, and it agendas tend to be hidden. In dark play, the players are normally rewarded through disruption or deceit (Huizinga, 187). Dark play being a form of paly that involves deception or subversion, it is evident that some the players are not normally aware of their involvement in the game. This form of paly normally lacks meta-communication, as the players tend to think it is just play without thinking of its consequences. It tends to occur mostly in instances where contradictory realities tend to co-exist. In this instance, the player assumes that each instance is likely to cancel out the other. An example illustrating dark paly is evident in the creation of a flash mob. The flash mob is normally a group of people interacting through the use of electronic media with an intention to gather at a predetermined site, in order to perform a brief, but silly action. These people are normally seen to disperse as soon as they finish performing the

What about Magnet Status Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What about Magnet Status - Essay Example The Magnet program in hospitals is designed to facilitate nurses and their practices (Wise, 2009, p.g. 205). Magnet hospitals have portrayed structural qualities. These qualities allow the nurses to work efficiently. The magnet hospitals also give nurses a chance to use their knowledge and capability by which they can produce excellent patient care (Havens et al, 1999, p.g. 14). Magnet hospitals have been present since two decades. Various studies have been conducted to study the pros and benefits of magnet hospitals. Results of the studies have proved that superior working environment for nurses at Magnet hospitals is beneficial for patient outcomes. Better working environment leads to higher nurse job satisfaction. Due to these pros, less nurses leave their jobs and are not exhausted. Evidence from studies is indicative that Magnet hospitals should be classified as the â€Å"best practice.† (Kelly et al, 2011, p.g.428). To summarize excellence in nursing has a two-fold benefit as it benefits patients and nurses (Lewis et al, 1998, pg. 51). Studies have shown that finding magnet hospitals these days is quiet difficult since the requirement are more than what a hospital could offer these days. Also, the work schedule required for hospitals to get this status is not possible to be infuse into the environment of the hospital (Pizzi, 2010). Other cons that these facilities get are that they only empower a nurse’s illusion. Acquiring magnet recognition is not easy as it is a procedure that requires labor and time (Magnet Reognition, n.d). Magnet status is a term that has been circulating in the health care industry for over two decades now. Health care facilities which provide autonomy, distributed organizational structures, helpful management and self-governance to the nursing staff are given the â€Å"magnet† status. Patients admitted at magnet status hospitals have a better mortality

Analysis of Risks From Living Near an Airport Essay

Analysis of Risks From Living Near an Airport - Essay Example Long exposure to emissions from the airport was estimated to have potential cancer, asthma, liver damage, lung disease, lymphoma, myeloid leukemia, and even depression. Different findings were gathered through scientific and anecdotal evidences. Scientific studies were conducted from other location with which associated with same exposure to air pollution are high among residents would also be the same effect once the new airport will be established. According to a website report (2001), "Aircraft noise may increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease even among people who live miles from airports, according to a study out today, the highest noise levels were 80 per cent more likely than those from less noisy areas to suffer high blood pressure". In addition, high blood pressure is the risk factor for heart disease due to noised from jets flying in and out. The scientists say that the cause of the effect is likely to be stress. Another factor is air pollutants it can enter the body from different ways, through inhalation, direct ingestion from the contaminated food, water and soil, and absorption through the skin. According to a study " daily exposure to carcinogens provides estimates of risks and hazards that are unlikely to accumulate by adults and children living nearest to the airport .Breathing in large amount of jet fuels or aviation fuels pollution might actually experience higher rate of morbidity and mortality. This pollutant is responsible for over half the population caused by transportations. Different group of people varies level of toxicity due to combustion of aviation fuel. Large group of people aside from the airport staffs are exposed to both aviation fuel and vapors from it if split accidentally, but especially those living near the airport may suffer from toxicity from the products of combustion of aviation fuel. A report from other location was observed that diseases may develop such a s almost 50% higher asthma rate, 26% higher respiratory disease, and almost 50% higher infant mortality rates and also higher genetic diseases. According to The American Heart Association "extra pulmonary effects of pollution has been consistently associated with increased of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality" In addition to this, the study estimated the resulting effects of these airborne pollutants wherein there were 78 chemicals would result cancer risk for people living near the airport "was five times higher than the regional average proving just how dangerous it can be". Specifically aviation fuel is responsible of naphthalene's dangerous effects. This chemical reaction may trigger prolonged or significant eye irritation. Once inhaled symptoms of respiratory irritation may include coughing and difficulty breathing. Based to a Timbrell, John A (2000) "At

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Paraphrasing - Essay Example This question actually merits a deeper introspection for it is complex and sophisticated. Linear reasoning methods seem to provide fewer clues when it comes to having a good answer. It is clear, however, that people who have gone to universities show varied results that require a closer and deeper scrutiny. This is especially true when comparing the experiences of men and women who achieved college degree and gained relative professional success only to fail when it came to creating meaningful personal relationship in the real world. If Newman is to be believed, universities are tasked with the role of creating men and women who will have a ‘philosophical habit’ that encourages ‘freedom, equitableness, calmness, moderation and wisdom’ (Newman, 1852, p.53). Many universities have succeeded in doing this to many of those admitted therein. As such, universities prepare young people to be ready to face and survive the real world, and can be observed that those who have university degree or college education are the ones who are the most timid and more docile people in the world. These people are law-abiding citizens, who know what to do and not to do in regards to following the law. These university graduates are people characterized as having education that taught them how to conform to the society. This definition of universities by Newman is applicable to both men and women; yet, some argue that women need different education systems. It must be remembered that Adrienne Rich (1979) stated that women educational needs are different from men. Also, Rich said in her 1979 speech â€Å"No women’s college today is providing young women with the education they need for survival as whole people in a world which denies woman wholeness† (p.74). This is based on the new school of thought separating and giving women identity from what many conceive based on

Why americans will believe almost anything Essay

Why americans will believe almost anything - Essay Example A major part of the public lays the foundation of its opinions and decisions upon what it sees and hears in the news on television, in papers, or at the internet. Therefore, the conveyers of information hold great responsibility towards what they collect and transmit to the general public. Also, even if the media is being honest and transparent, it depends upon the â€Å"predispositions, especially ideology, that influence what news channel one watches and ultimately what news channel one believes† (Johansen 2). That is, the believability of news from any sort of media, on one hand, depends upon the honesty and transparency, and on the other, depends upon what ideology does the viewer or the reader hold. Hence, to protect ourselves from being susceptible, we should, as citizens, correct our own views and opinions, so that we do not believe all that is being shown to us. Johansen, Morgen. "Dont Believe Everything You Hear: Ideologys Influence on News Channel Believability." Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Inter-Continental Hotel, New Orleans, LA. N.p., 06 Jan. 2005. Web. 15 Oct 2012. . O’Shea, Tim. â€Å"The Doors Of Perception: Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything.† Mercola.com. Dr. Joseph Mercola, 2012. Web. 15 Oct 2012.

Aging Workforce in Singapore Essay Example for Free

Aging Workforce in Singapore Essay Populations in many developed countries are ageing, and Singapore is no exception. The first batch of post-war baby boomers will reach 65 years of age by 2012. The number of seniors will increase from 8.4% in 2005 to 18.7% in 2030 (refer to Table 1). According to the 2010 Population Report,  The proportion of residents (i.e. citizens and PRs) aged 65 and above increased from 7.0% of the resident population in 1999 to 8.8% in 2009. Correspondingly, the number of younger residents aged 15-64 for every resident aged 65 and above (i.e. the old-age support ratio) fell from 10. 1 in 1999 to 8.3 in 2009 (refer to Table 2). (Singapore Department of Statistics, 2010, p. 4) Today, one out of every 12 Singaporeans is aged 65 or above. By 2030, this ratio will become one out of five. On January 2011, the parliament has passed down the new employment law of changing to retirement age from 62 to the age of 65 from January 2012. This is a good news to many Singaporeans who felt that they are still capable of working beyond the retirement age of 62 (Nayak, 2011, para. 3). An ageing population brings both challenges and opportunities, having tremendous effect on all parts of our society – individuals, families, communities, businesses and government. Therefore, we ought to prepare early for the challenges of an ageing population to ensure the well-being of our seniors and their families to provide the first line of support. At the same time, we must be ready to seize the economic opportunities that will emerge from the demographic shift. Aging Workforce in the Hotel Industry With relevance to the major demographic trends, aging population, this revolution will change the face of our labour market. Correspondingly, the workforce is not only ageing, but also growing at a much slower pace. Increasingly, companies are facing problems in recruiting replacements for retiring employees. This is a reality that companies have to grapple with and adapt to. Nevertheless, not all companies are being affected equally nor are they moving at the same rate to identify and address how the ageing trend will be impacting their businesses. Impacts In the hospitality industry, service is the factor that differentiates hotels from its competitors. Therefore with a large amount of aging workforce in the frontline, it will bring down the image of the hotel in terms of appearance; a younger worker would look fresher and have a better appeal to guests. As a guest of a hotel overseas, he or she would be preferred to be served by younger workers than people of an old age. As older employees are naturally more prone to illnesses, they would tend to take more medical leaves thus decreasing the manpower. When one gets sick, it affects the employees’ mood to work and thus less concentration when working. This in turn reduces the efficiency of the operations of hotels. In addition, the needs and interest changes with aging workforce. According to the study by Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) (2010), â€Å"rising health and insurance costs, concern about physical abilities, and adaptability/willingness were ranked as the top three challenges† (p. 3). With the ever changing preferences and needs of the society, hotels have to constantly upgrade their standard of services. However, older employees may not be equipped with latest skills and knowledge needed to achieve the hotel’s competitive advantage. Thus, there is a need to constantly upgrade the skills of their older employees. Older employees are more resistant to changes and improvements. This may be mainly due to their thinking of already having the appropriate experience and knowledge and there is no need for further training, especially in the situation of â€Å"leapfrogging†, where a younger worker is put in charge of a more experienced worker. Many hotels will have an advantage by having a large pool of elderly employees. It is mainly because there are many job positions which young employees would be unwilling to take up. Most time, foreigners would be hired to fill up the rest of the job vacancies that do not appeal to the young employees; however, hotels can have another avenue of recruitment – the elderly workforce. This will give hotels a great advantage to handpick the best candidates out of the pool of elderly workforce. In hotels, there are certain positions that elderly employees occupy, for example managerial positions. Being loyal to the company, they would not want to leave their positions easily as compared to the younger workforce who usually job hops for a better pay. This relieves the hotel’s need to constantly recruit and train new workers, thus helping to cut the costs during the process of recruitment and training. Challenges A) The Human Resource (HR) unit has a challenge to allocate the older employees in suitable positions that is beneficial for both the hotel and the aging workforce. The HR unit also has to ensure that the hotel would maintain a good image and increases their productivity. There is also a need for the HR unit to create a supportive culture for the older workers in order to manage such diverse workforce. B) Keeping older employees motivated at work along with the right attitude is important when serving their customers. In addition, with the older employees being more prone to illnesses, hotels have to struggle with ways to keep their costs low and at the same time provide adequate medical benefits for them. During such periods it is more crucial for managers and supervisors to show them care and patience. C) Values tend to change from one generation to another as well as during different life stages. The thinking of the older generation is more conservative than those of the younger generation. It would thus be a challenge for the hotels wanting the older employees to improve their values in their job scope. With a more conservative mindset and thinking, they would be afraid to try new things and be more innovative. In turn, the hotel will lose its competitiveness if new changes are adopted. Hence, the HR unit in a hotel has to place their older employees in the most relevant training to help them prepare for changes in their current jobs. Besides that, older employees would normally take a longer time to adapt to changes, thus the management has to work out appropriate schedules to help their employees to have a proper balance with their job and trainings. D) Older employees tend to have more skills and knowledge in the industry due to the experiences they have gone through. Retaining this skills and knowledge is critical for hotels to ensure that the younger generation will also have these basic skills and knowledge as a platform for them to have an advantage over their competitors. E) Although there is a need to retain these skills and knowledge, there will definitely be a time when one has to retire. However, the aging workforce is usually reluctant to leave their positions as they are emotionally attached to the hotel. This would be a challenge for the hotel to find ways to recruit younger employees, without resulting in excess manpower and high costs, especially for positions in the higher management. If the hotel were to retain most of the older employees, they may miss opportunities on recruiting young employees who can be a more valuable asset to the hotels which helps to bring their standards to a higher level. Solutions It is time for employers to start responding to the potential consequences of the ageing workforce on their businesses. If not well-prepared, employers may find themselves suddenly faced with labour loss, experience and expertise that will be difficult to offset, given the relatively small pool of new employees. With many companies facing the same problem, competition for new talents is likely to surface. A) Hotels can have interviews to know which areas older employees would prefer to work in and the languages they can speak. With the information gathered, hotels will be able to know their strengths and weaknesses which help to determine where to allocate each individual. With the proper job assignment, hotels will be able to maintain a good image, by reassigning the older employees with language barriers to the backhouse such as room attendant. This allows them to be in their comfort zone and after getting used to their task, the productivity will be maximized in both the frontline and backhouse. B) In order to keep older employees engaged and motivated, it is vital for the HR department to maintain constant communication with the older employees and understand any problems, issues and concerns that they are encountering. By treating their employees like family members, it may be a major job happiness-driver for them and thus motivating them to do better for the hotel. Besides that, communication and treating each other with respect ensures that the spirit of their employees is always high. Through job empowerment, employees will have more decision making responsibilities and hence they will feel more respected as an employee as they are given a chance to handle more difficult situation on their own. As for medical benefits, hotels can pay a certain percentage of their medical fees. For example, the hotels will pay 50% of their employee’s medical fees while the other 50% is paid by the employees. C) Facing the challenge that older generation is more conservative, companies can focus on creating a positive work environment for older employees by allowing flexible hours, more communication and constantly motivating them. Some of the actions can be allowing the older employees to have an option to consider different jobs and different sets of responsibilities. Some older employees may wish to devote their later career years to jobs that allow them to develop new competencies. Others may want jobs that are less demanding, these older employees may be interested in making transitions to different jobs within the company or make lateral moves or even to lower positions with a pay reduction. Other than that, the hotel can allow them to have a choice over the number of hours worked and provide them with flexible schedule for trainings. For example, older employees work on reduced-hours such as part-time or job sharing, so as to schedule the rest of their time for trainings that are a rranged for them. D) To retain the skills and knowledge, the older employees can train and guide the younger employees before they retire to ensure that the skills and knowledge are passed down. After retirement, they can come back and help out by overlooking and having workshops to give further training that is needed. E) To attract the younger people, creative ways are needed. For example, the hotel can come up with a program like the popular show â€Å"The Apprentice† by Donald Trump to search for the best employee. However, we must ensure there is no excessive pool of manpower and costs are kept low. The hotels can allow their older employees to be on-call workers or have flexible work schedules. On-call workers are employees who are called to work only when needed, although they can be scheduled for work for several days or weeks in a row. In days when the hotels need a massive number of employees, the on-call workers will be called back. By providing flexible work schedules, older employees are allowed to plan their work schedules with the choice over the number of hours worked. This will prolong the retirement period for older employees by allowing them to work but at a lesser duration, so that younger employees have the chance to excel and there will not be a surplus or shortage in th e manpower. Case Study: Royal Plaza on Scott The Royal Plaza on Scott is a 5-star leading hotel in Singapore. 50% of the hotel 300 employees are classified under the mature and older category. The company recognized the importance of mature employees and has sets out strategy as Singapore faces human capital challenge of managing a mature and older workforce. According to Fiat (2010), The mature employees are valuable assets to the organization as they are able to share their wealth of experience with the younger employees. The hotel taps on their expertise by pairing the mature employees with the younger generation of new hires to provide guidance and encourage cohesiveness. The hotel also implemented a buddy system where a new mature employee is paired with a younger co-worker or vice versa to work together and learn from each other. For example, younger employees may learn from mature and older employees on how to handle difficult customers while guiding their older colleagues on the effective usage of technology at the workplace. (TAFEP, p. 45) Royal Plaza on Scott has developed recruitment strategies like implementing Flexible Working Arrangements (FWA), where there is a flexible work arrangement which includes flexi-time, part time, job shares and compressed workweeks. Health benefits and programmes will also be implemented including regular health screening, health talk, yoga courses, sushi-making classes and others. This is to encourage for a healthy work life balance. Another great strategy used is to set up a Recreational Committee that was assigned to take care of the well being of co-worker. This committee will be in charge of organizing health awareness events, initiatives to create awareness of healthy lifestyle as well as to bond employees of difference generations (TAFEP, 2010, p.46).

An Explanation Of What Chartism Is

An Explanation Of What Chartism Is Chartism was a movement born of working class resentment at their exclusion from the newly expanded franchise. It was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world. There were two ideological views in Chartism; physical force or moral force, depending upon ones attitudes to violent protest. It was particularly active during times in which the economy was doing badly. For example, during the economic downturns of 1838-39; 1842; 1847-48. The movement of Chartism did not last; its high point could be said to be 1848. This essay will examine the movement; its beginning to its end and whether it can be definitively said to have either succeeded or failed. Chartisms origins lie in London and Birmingham. The London Working Mens Association (founded in 1836) and the Birmingham Political Union focussed on this failure of the act to do something for the working class.  [1]  The London Working Mens Association composed what would eventually become The Peoples Charter during 1837. As Preston W. Slosson wrote, While the phrasing of the Peoples Charter varied somewhat at different periods, the text of the 1837 petition of the London Working ­mens Association is typical of later forms.  [2]  A national meeting to promote the Charter was held in 1837 and also 1838. In May 1838 Henry Vincent was arrested for making inflammatory speeches. He was tried and found guilty and sentenced to twelve months in jail. He was not allowed access to writing materials and only books on religion were available to hm. Chartists in Wales were furious and subsequently, violence broke out. John Frost made speeches across Wales, advocating against breaking the law. He instead felt that a protest would better serve to indicate the strength of the outrage this sentence had caused. The protest was to take place in Newport, where the release of Vincent would be demanded. The authorities in Newport grew fearful when news of this planned protest reached them and when the protesters arrived they discovered that more arrests had been made and that some of their number were being held in Westgate Hotel. Soldiers had been placed inside the Westgate Hotel and when the order was given they began firing into the crowd. Several of the men, including John Frost, were charged with h igh treason and found guilty. They were to be hanged, drawn and quartered. The sentences led to many protests taking place across the country. The government debated the sentences and announced that in lieu of execution they would be transported for life. On the 6 August 1838 the two groups formally adopted the 6 points of the Charter. Soon, it could be seen that the working class public approved of the charter despite the fact that Radicals saw it as overly moderate and did not entirely approve. A large meeting was held on Kersal Moor, Lancashire on 24 September 1838 which attracted many people from all over the country. Rallies were also held throughout 1848 in Glasgow, Birmingham and Leeds. A National Convention gathered in London on February 4, 1839. The Chartists met to prepare for taking their petition to Parliament. The movement organised a group of 50 members to better co-ordinate the presentation of the petition. The first Convention would end badly. Rioting in Birmingham led to the arrest and imprisonment of the Conventions secretary and the author of the Charter, William Lovett. Arrests were made in Birmingham in July, due to the defiance by supporters of a ban on meetings. A week after this, a motion to consider the petition was rejected by 235 votes against to 46 for. After this event, many came to believe that violence was the only way to succeed. Violence broke out in many areas and as a result, arrests followed. The National Charter Association was formed in July 1840 from the wreckage of the previous year to co-ordinate future activities  [3]  as Eric J. Evans states. The partys administrative concerns were overseen by a convention of delegates chosen by the local Charter associations. The organisation was the result of the London Working Mens Association, led by William Lovett and Henry Vincent, and the Birmingham Political Union, including Thomas Atwood and John Collins, joining forces and also unions organised by Feargus OConnor. These merged groups became known as the National Charter Association. To join, one had to purchase a membership card (renewed four times a year).The association elected an executive, which had the use of half the funds of the association. Feargus O Connor was instrumental in holding it together- this was due to his charisma and his newspaper, the Chartist Northern Star which were both prominent aspects of the movement in the coming decade.  [4]  O Connor organised another National Convention. However, it was organised only for members of the National Charter Association. A second petition was presented to Parliament; this was rejected with 287 votes against to 49 votes for. On 10 April 1848, a mass meeting was organised on Kennington Common, the objective of which was to gather a procession to present another petition to Parliament. The number of attendees was disputed; OConnor estimated 300,000; the government, 15,000. It is most likely that 150,000 attended. The government did not believe that the Chartists intended to organise an uprising, but they did fear that a revolution would occur and were therefore determined to make a display of strength to counter the possibility and also potentially get rid of Chartism in a year in which revolutions were taking place across Europe. The military were prepared to act were the Chartists to try and cross the Thames. The petition was estimated to have only around two million signatures, while O Connor claimed the number was around five million. The signatures included those dead and people such as Queen Victoria. While this was a source of ridicule for the Chartists, it is possible such signatures were the resul t of many being illiterate or at threat from their employers were they found to support such a movement. However, Chartism was not destroyed by the ignominy. The question of whether Chartism succeeded or failed is a divisive one, and additionally depends on the way in which one defines the terms. There are many contesting opinions on the issue. In a literal sense, the movement undeniably failed in its goals. The movement achieved little with regards to the government; the constitution was not amended, per the suggestion of Engels. It also did not itself achieve any of the six aims laid out in its Charter. The abolition of the property qualification for MPs was achieved in 1858; universal male suffrage was achieved in stages in 1867/8, 1884, 1918, 1928; the secret ballot was gained in 1872 and a salary for MPs in 1911. The last time it could have been said to have presented a significant challenge to authority is in 1848, the year generally seen as its climactic year. There are several different opinions on the legacy of Chartism. Edward Royle argues against the attribution of the later achievement of these aims to the movement; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦To say that the Ballot Act and other measures came after Chartism and were therefore caused by Chartism is fallacious. These Acts cannot even remotely be attributed to Chartist pressure. It would be more accurate to say that the Ballot Act would probably have come earlier had it not been for Chartismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [5]   However, he does concede that Chartism was successful in some respects. He states that it had a powerful political impact, bringing a new urgency to the philanthropic impulses of private individuals and the reforming tendencies of those in government.  [6]  He states that the Ballot Act may have come earlier had it not been for the movement; the tactics employed by the movement were not always those that would have been best recommended. Events such as those with the petition with the forged signatures of the dead and the non-existent damaged its reputation. Eric J. Evans argues that the movement should not be judged by how much of a threat it was but rather as an important political education of working class people. He writes that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Chartism imbued its adherents with both a cultural identity and a strong sense of hope which transcended immediate failures. Nothing in working-class politics would be unaffected by the Chartist experienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [7]   As Evans states, the movement had a profound effect on working class politics. The experience of Chartism educated the people and Slosson agrees on this point: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The un ­en ­fran ­chised class ­es had come to know them ­selves; to be con ­scious both of their strength and of their weak ­ness. The very faults and blun ­ders which wrecked Char ­tism have been turned to good ac ­count as a warn ­ing to lat ­er work ­ing-à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…’class move ­ments. If the Chartist move ­ment did not im ­me ­di ­ate ­ly ob ­tain for Eng ­land the Char ­ter, at least it or ­ga ­nized the peo ­ple to make full use of democ ­ra ­cy when it cameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [8]   He acknowledges the fact that the movement made mistakes, did things wrong and states that these in fact educated the working class movements to come on what actions were and were not inadvisable. While this aspect is a failure, the objective of Chartism was to gain social-economic betterment for the class using political power as a means to and end, and to such an end even the failure of the movement can be seen as a success in that it provided lessons to future movements seeking the same goals. Aspects of the ideology of Chartism can be seen in these future movements; eventually, their six points were realised and it is arguable (and indeed has been argued) that Chartism was the inspiration behind this. Even despite the fact that Edward Royle believes that one cannot state that Chartism has any responsibility for the passing of the acts, he does not deny the importance of the movement itself which was significant. John K. Walton states that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It did not achieve any of the Six Points and after its defeat lost from view for half a century; but without its surging and intermittent threat it is hard to imagine the governments of the 1840s making the concessions they did. Chartism declined, in part, because some of the goals that drew people into the movement had been attained. To ask why Chartism failed is to misunderstand its nature; the interesting questions are about the extent to which it succeededà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [9]   While the three do not entirely agree, a consistent theme in their commentary is that it did have some success and did have at least some lasting effect on the political landscape. In Waltons commentary, he states that what is seen as part of its failure (I.e. the decline of the movement) is in fact a consequence of its success; people had achieved their ends and therefore departed, having achieved their ends. I believe therefore that it can be stated that the movement was in fact successful.

Richard III - Did Richard Kill the Children? :: Richard II Richard III Essays

Did Richard III Kill the Children? Â   We really cannot know for certain. If there was a cover-up to protect the actual murderers, it was done exceedingly well and so thoroughly that we will never be able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what really happened. In spite of what I see as very persuasive evidence that Richard did not kill the children, there are many very intelligent, highly successful, and unquestionably reputable historical scholars out there who believe that they have evidence that the king did commit the murders and that this evidence is equally as compelling as anything I believe. Â   But since you ask, let me give you my reasons. First, Richard did not have a strong enough need to kill the boys or enough of a reason. He seems to have successfully had them declared bastards legally--based on evidence of bigamy against his elder brother (their late father) Edward IV-- before he (Richard) ascended the throne. This action removed the boys from the line of succession to the throne of England. Killing them might thereby rid Richard of two people who later might try to prove their own right to inherit, but killing them also might alienate him from his own supporters as a murderer of his own family. This logic, however, does not save Richard from the charge of having had someone else--most commonly thought to be Buckingham--assassinate them secretly. I still do not feel this is likely, for reasons I will explain as I go. But Richard's successor, the usurper Henry Tudor, had all sorts of good reasons to kill off any Plantagenet heirs to the throne, the main one being that Henry was out to establish his own family--the Tudors--as the reigning dynasty. Henry celebrated his success in taking over the throne by hiring his own historian to write an account of how this all came about, and we are still relying on this account, even though we know that it is pro-Tudor propaganda. Â   Second, Richard's family is known to have been extremely close in their affections for each other. Richard's older brother, Edward IV, seems to have trusted Richard a great deal; when the younger sibling was a mere teenager, Edward had him commanding armies in the battles over the succession (a.k.a. The Wars of the Roses). When Edward made his will, he left Richard as Regent to protect the two sons--Edward, Prince of Wales and Richard of York--of the dying king and his wife Elizabeth.

Nonconceptuality and the Emotions :: Conceptuality Psychology Papers

Nonconceptuality and the Emotions I present an argument for the existence of nonconceptual states. A nonconceptual state is an intentional state which does not require the bearer to possess all requisite concepts in order to represent the state. I frame the debate by outlining two constraints that an argument for nonconceptuality should meet. First, successful argument must present a platitude of concepts and illustrate that there are intentional states which both actually violate this platitude (the empirical constraint) and explain behavior independently of conceptual states (the robustness constraint). This ensures that the notion of nonconceptuality established by the argument will have a significant part in the explanatory arsenal of the intentional psychologist. Secondly, I formulate a platitude of concepts based on the intuition that an individual can only legitimately be held responsible for behavior caused by conceptual states. After qualifying the platitude, I argue that emotional states actually violate th e platitude and meet the necessary constraints. Finally, I defend my argument against two challenges: one which denies that the empirical constraint has been met and the other which denies that the robustness constraint has been met. I conclude my discussion with some general remarks on the nature of nonconceptual representation. Any satisfactory model of the emotions must at once recognize their place within intentional psychology and acknowledge their uniqueness as mental causes. In the first half of the century, the theories of James and Freud had considerable influence on reinforcing the idea that emotions are non-intentional. (1) The uniqueness of emotions was therefore acknowledged at the price of denying them content, of denying them a place within intentional psychology proper. More recently, cognitive reductionists like Joel Marks and Martha Nussbaum recognize that emotions are intentional but, by reducing them to beliefs, judgements, desires, etc., fail to capture their distinctiveness as mental causes. (2) In other words, their place within intentional psychology is acknowledged at the price of denying them their uniqueness. Anti-reductionists, as I see them, are committed to the idea that emotions are both intentional and unique. This uniqueness, however, is rarely, if ever, traced to emotional content itself. An anti-reductionist is more likely to single out, e.g., a phenomenological, evaluative or perspectival feature which, as purportedly distinctive of emotional experience, precludes the reduction of emotions to, say, cognitive states. (3) My intention is not to assess these efforts. Rather, I want to offer an argument which shows that emotions are unique in virtue of the kind of intentionality they have.

Tenure at NU Essay -- Education Teaching Essays

Tenure at NU *Please note: Portions of this article and some information appeared in the Northeastern News, in the issue of December 3, 2003, Vol. LXXVII, No. 45. The respective text and information was extracted, solely, from the student reporter’s own writing and news-gathering. Appealing an Administration: A Professor’s Struggle to Remain at NU Six years ago, Northeastern’s Modern Languages Department asked an incoming professor, Harry Kuoshu, to build a Chinese Studies program. With minimal faculty support, he did just that, providing integral courses for the uprising interest in Asian Studies at the university. So when Kuoshu applied for tenure last March, the process seemed a mere formality. With unanimous support from both the Modern Language Department and the College of Arts and Sciences committees on tenure, his dossier was sent to the office of the Provost Ahmed Abdelal—who then rejected Kuoshu’s request. â€Å"I was very shocked,† said Kuoshu, from his office in the Modern Languages Department. â€Å"I try to forget about it. I focus on my work and on my research.† An author of three books, Kuoshu believes his rejection stemmed from criticism of his scholarship by external reviewers—experts from other institutions that evaluate the research of tenure-track professors. Recently nominated and named to â€Å"Who’s Who Among American Professors,† Kuoshu teaches virtually all classes in the Chinese Studies program. As a result, his tenure rejection has brought forth a wave of protest from his students, who have been actively writing to President Richard Freeland. Upon the provost’s decision, Kuoshu sent his dossier to an appeals board on tenure—comprised of 13 members—who voted 7-6 to uphold Abdelal’s prerogative. Un... ...rn. Now well-established in the Suffolk community, Haughton believes that his tenure rejection from Northeastern worked out for the betterment of his career. Having spent the majority of his teaching career in the greater Boston area, earning his Ph.D. in 1983 from Harvard—where he taught briefly before arriving at Northeastern—he has become a senior analyst at the Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy, a place he juggles his time with along with teaching at Suffolk. â€Å"It’s funny the way things work,† he said. â€Å"But you know, life goes on. I teach at Suffolk now and I’m very happy.† In terms of his tenure rejection at Northeastern, Haughton said that while the incident caused some stress, he remembered that such episodes are common. â€Å"Everyone is academia realizes that’s the game,† he said. â€Å"If you have solid skills, you’ll land on your feet somewhere.†

Madame Bovary And The Death Of Ivan Ilych Essay

What is the nature of man? Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych portray not only a glimpse of what man’s nature is, but also in so doing provide a criticism of it. Both works look into the life of people who want more out of life, and yet ironically what they desire only adds shallowness and not meaning to their existence. Whereas Flaubert’s Madam Bovary shows the depressing end of a woman consumed by passions, Tolstoy gives hope with a dying man’s last days where he gets an epiphany of what the nature of man should be. Emma is Madame Bovary, a young woman who lived in her world of romantic fantasy. She came from the country and read romantic novels when she was in the convent, and believed in earnest that love and marriage will make her happy. But after marrying a simple-minded and incompetent doctor Charles, she grows disillusioned as she sinks in the routine activities of daily life. She wanted romance, passion, excitement, and although her husband loves her and adores her, she wanted more. She wanted the latest trends in fashion and she felt that she was born unjustly to a lower class than was supposed to be for her, the aristocrat. But Emma does nothing to earn the admiration or the respect of the people she admired: she can copy their outward mannerism and clothes, but she does not have the refinement or the manners to be truly aristocratic. She merely believes in her fantasy world where the aristocrats live in luxury and a life of excitement. She was ambitious, but did not have any means to acquire her material cravings but for using her beauty and body. She gets into extramarital affairs because she finds her married life dull, even when she gives birth to a daughter. She does not take care of her daughter because she wanted a boy, and instead romps off with Rodolphe Boulanger, and does not care what other people say. She is oftentimes indiscreet and cares not of her reputation or her husband’s. Emma is self-centered and she had a sense of entitlement and superiority which had no basis but drove her to act without a thought to the consequences of her actions. She is, in a way, always likening herself to playing a role that sparks her imagination at the moment: a young woman being married to a foreign doctor, a middle class with a noble’s spirit, a bored wife having an affair, a lover, a woman of rich tastes. She could not accept that her reality was the norm and that her fantasies were exaggerated, dramatic ideals. When she was young she wanted the same romance she read in her romantic novels. When she became exposed to the high society at the ball she wanted to become like them. When she saw the melodramatic opera â€Å"Lucia de Lammemoor† she adopts the character and like her commits suicide. She drove herself to debt by buying expensive items which she sometimes gave as gifts to her lovers even when she had no means of paying for these in the first place. She signed promissory notes even when she did not understand them because the merchant Lheureux played with her fantasy that she was meant for the finest things in life. When her first lover leaves her, she is distraught and falls gravely ill. With her second affair she acts as the man, covering the costs for the affair and taking charge of where, when, and how they will meet. Her debts pile up as she purchases more and more to fill the gaping hole in her being. She believed she needed passion and excitement, but it seems that what she really needed was purpose and direction, for her life held no meaning. Her innocent tendency towards romance is transformed into full blown moral corruption as she was unable to hold herself together and keep her urges and desires under control. Emma is not productive, she has no desire to improve herself or her skills, and she does not nurture her relationships with her husband, her daughter, not even with her lovers. She just saw them as means of escape from her dull life, and when they fall short of her expectations she just drops them. When the consequences of her actions finally catch up on her and her world becomes smaller and smaller, she decides to play a role – that of a tragic heroine and kills herself with swallowing arsenic. She could not face up to the trouble that she has caused and decides to escape rather than take responsibility as she could not imagine a life of poverty and shame – although her whole life she was never wealthy and she lived a scandalous life with her known affairs. Up until then she saw her life differently – believed she had wealth, pride and breeding because that was what she wanted, but sadly these did not bring her the happiness she sought. Emma had a good life but was not able to appreciate it with her preoccupation with the things she did not have. By focusing her energies on her fantasies of wealth and romance she failed to live her life to the fullest, and for the most part it could be said that she was living in a dream and when she woke to find herself in the gravity of her real life situation, she killed herself to escape, but there was no going back to her fantasy world, and no redemption as even after her death her husband discovers her infidelity which kills him and her daughter sent off to work on a cotton mill. In her, we see the nature of man as ruled by emotions, desires and appetites, without caution or control, without compassion to others. Emma was not able to see and recognize the humanity in her, all the time she was acting out, even her motherly functions, her martyr facade. She never truly enjoyed life because she never saw anything and anyone beyond their appearances, and never learned to appreciate the little things that make life worthwhile. The theme of life and death is also examined in Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych, where he uses the characters to critique the artificial life that people live in society characterized by materialism and shallowness. Tolstoy puts forward a picture of society with striking honesty and insight: individuals do not behave as individuals but rather aspire to be like everybody else, trying to live a correct life as appropriated by norms, striving to have a comfortable life accentuated with material wealth even if their spiritual life and human relationships are dry and empty. With his narrative, Tolstoy then poses the question of what is important in life, how life should be led, and ultimately, how important life is and how people take it for granted by deluding themselves into believing they are exempt from death. Most of the characters in the story are portrayed as materialistic social climbers, who equated material wealth and position in society as determinants of success and happiness. Ivan, his wife and daughter, his supposed friends, all troubled themselves with appearances – they were preoccupied with proper decorum and attires, of looking well off, of having power over others. But these are all temporal, for these things do not really matter in the face of death. Ivan finds out that what is important is living one’s life according to one’s own vindication, not blindly following trends in society which results in a shallow, routine, meaningless life. He belatedly understood that empathy and recognizing the individual as an individual with thoughts and emotions rather than as subjects with mere faces is what mattered in life, that to live humanly is what gives life its meaning. Only Gerasim and his son are the ones in the story that have empathy and humanity in them – in Gerasim it is made obvious by his understanding that everybody, regardless of position or appearance, are all equal, with the same fate waiting for them in the end, especially when he said, â€Å"We shall all of us die, so why should I grudge a little trouble? †. The son, on the other hand, is the only one in Ivan household who showed any feelings for his dying father – he took his father’s hand and kissed it while crying. This can be taken as the boy was young; he was still innocent and not yet tainted with the demands of society. Ivan himself was dissatisfied with the boy because he behaved differently from him, his wife and daughter, but in his last days it was his son who showed him that there is a human soul in the world who regarded his life important. Also, this depiction of the innocence in childhood is mirrored in Ivan’s experiences: the only times he felt truly alive was when he was a boy, before he went to Law School. Being assimilated into society, he found that he trapped himself into a prison of standards, and lived a largely artificial life. Tolstoy showed that an artificial life is characterized by materialism and social climbing. At the beginning of the story, we find Ivan dead but his friends were chiefly concerned with the position that he will be vacating, the promotions and changes in the workplace and what they have to gain from it, all the while denying to themselves that they too will end up like Ivan sooner or later, that they will die eventually. They act as though they could live forever and concern themselves with the trivial everyday things. Even in his wake, his friends put a show of grievance because it was what was required of â€Å"friends†, but were more interested in playing bridge. They did not see the inevitability of death and suffering, of the hollowness of their lives. Peter Ivanovich, Ivan’s perceived closest friend, somehow felt disturbed and concerned, but rushed to quell these feelings because he reasoned he was alive and Ivan dead and there should be no reason to â€Å"hinder their spending the evening agreeably†. When he was still alive, Ivan himself saw how he had lived superficially in the way his doctors treated him, as though he was some subject whose sentence they hold in their hands, his life holding no real importance or meaning to the doctors. What mattered to the doctors was their perception of themselves that they feel important and significant by virtue of their occupation; that is what gave them satisfaction and purpose. Ivan himself acted the same way many times in his life – with the accused brought before him he reduced them to facts on paper and did not see them as individuals, he got married for it was expected of a man of his station and chose a bride not out of love or devotion but out of the social status it will benefit him. In the end, the story teaches that material wealth and position in society are not what matters. In the face of death, one looks back at the quality of life that he has led, and the most precious times would be the ones he felt most alive, when he was free and himself. The Death of Ivan Ilych and Madame Bovary teach us the nature of man as susceptible to fantasies of the happiness that wealth and material possessions can bring, but in reality these are more likely to corrupt us than give us real happiness. The nature of man is that of desire – desire to achieve in all aspects of life, and in this man should always apply himself to make himself a better person. However, desire for achievement is different from greed. Achievement should not only be limited to the professional and material aspects of life, but more importantly to the relationships with others. The meaning and purpose of life is not about the material achievement but how well one lived his life. Man’s nature reflects that of his society, and society that of man, as the individual is part of the whole and the whole consists of its parts. Both protagonists were deeply influenced by their time and what was regarded as important then. They have let others dictate, influence and take advantage of them, and by not taking responsibility d control over their lives they eventually found themselves in situations they did not dream of. This could have only come up to those who did not examine their actions and the kind of life they lead. Emma and Ivan believed that wealth and material things can bring happiness, but they both ended up dead – although here the stories’ protagonists differ. Whereas Emma chooses suicide to escape her suffering, Ivan comes to terms with his death and accepts it. Although Emma’s final act was of her own decision, we cannot say that she was finally taking things in her hands as before that she was always feeling hindered and trapped by her circumstances. She did not have a realization of what brought down her downfall, even in her final days she did not know what held meaning and not. Her suicide, like all her actions before, was an attempt at escaping reality, and this time she succeeded. Emma was not able to redeem herself, nor was she able to see what would make her life happy, but Ivan was changed and in his last days was able to make sense of his suffering. Tolstoy showed that no matter how sullen or materialistic a man behaved and lived, there is still hope for him to change as long as he lives. That man’s innate nature is towards living an authentic life, towards goodness, and that even if society is corrupt and superficial, pure love and humanity also exists, and it is always within us, and also in our capacity, to choose what kind of life to lead.

Comparative Analysis of Amazon and Webvan

Webvan was founded by Louis Borders in 1999 after he saw the opportunity in the growing number of people making online purchases. Borders created Webvan as an enterprise that would offer greater variety than conventional stores and at the same time provide the necessary convenience to online shoppers. Webvan started by offering groceries that were frequently bought by online shoppers to ensure economies of scale in their orders.After establishing a critical customer base, it planned to use its distribution system to expand its sale to product lines that were not being frequently offered but with high profit margins such as books and consumer electronics. The company developed the web store and constructed its distribution and fulfillment center in the San Francisco Bay area from 1997 to 1999. After implementing its trial delivery system in May 1999 to 1,100 customers, Webvan was launched in June of the same year as a venture whose primordial mission is to deliver to its customers eve rything from groceries to palm pilots in a cheap and efficient manner.After raising $1. 2 billion as start-up capital from its stock offering, it began to execute grandiose plans of establishing strings of futuristic warehouses with motorized carousels and robotic product-pulling machines which costed $35 million, hoping it would minimize the cost of operations. With profit-margins so thin, Webvan failed to cover its growing cost of operations. Demand was so weak to sustain the income that Webvan needed to raise. Finally, after suffering a net loss of $217 million and accumulating tremendous deficits amounting to $830 million, Webvan found itself in a loosing situation.By July 2001, Webvan Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Webvan-Bay Area, Inc. , Webvan Operations, Inc. , and HomeGrocer. com, Inc. filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United Stated Bankruptcy Court in July 2001 and ceased operations. Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, after he noticed the promising growth of Web sites and internet access. Bezos was said to be particularly â€Å"optimistic about online retail opportunities and set out to develop a business model that will leverage growth of internet access in the United States†.Bezos decided to start with bookselling as its initial retail category, with the belief that online business model possessed superior economics to established competitors. Amazon was so successful in its initial public offering that it was able to sell 3 million shares at $18 per share, thereby raising $54 million as part of its start-up capital. And so they say the rest is history. Amazon evolved from a tiny warehouse to a leading internet retailer in the world. Bogler and Johnson (2000) wrote:â€Å"The company’s growth was phenomenal: it expanded from books to offering 28 million items across numerous categories and acquired 29 million global customers along the way. By 2000 according to Interbrand, Amazon. com beca me the forty-eighth most valuable brand in the world, embodying the principle of electronic commerce for people worldwide. † However by late 2001, Amazon experienced a tremendous loss of $2. 3 billion. Its share price which ascended rapidly in 1999 went down significantly. Fortunately, it was able to borrow $2.1 billion to sustain its international investments. With innovations such as the one-click system and creative strategies to raise revenues from publishers and increase in sales from wider product selection, Amazon was able to survive the slump in the subsequent period at the NASDAQ. (Burgelman, 2001) By 2008, Amazon emerged as a global brand with 76 million active customer accounts and order fulfillment to more than 200 countries. With this volume of sales, on December 31, 2007 Amazon employed approximately 17,000 full-time and part-time employees. COMPARE & CONTRASTIt would be interesting to note that the founder of Webvan actually started in the business of booksellin g. In terms of experience in the dot-com business, Amazon started earlier in 1994 while Webvan started in 1999. Webvan started operations in 1999 and was publicly-listed on November of the same year, with its share price zooming to $34 from the offering price of $15 on its opening day. This allowed Webvan to raise a whopping $1. 2 billion in start-up capital from the offering and other sources such as venture capitalists, thereby putting it within the league of Amazon.com. ([email  protected], 2001) In other words, both companies were of equal footing in 1999 when Webvan caught up with Amazon in terms of dot-com stature and financial backing. Both companies also established strategic alliances in the course of their operations. In the case of Webvan, it established partnership with Eve. com, an online prestige beauty products retailing company. It also established strategic alliances with Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, and Chlorox Company. This was done by Webvan to reduce its pr ocurement costs.Amazon partnered with Drugstore. com (pharmacy), Living. com (furniture), Pets. com (pet supplies), Wineshopper. com (wines), Sothebys. com (auctions) and Kozmo. com (urban home delivery). In most cases, Amazon purchased an equity stake in these partners, so that it would share in their prosperity. Such partnerships helped Amazon extend its reach into the customer-base of other suppliers, and of course, customers who buy in one category such as books can be encouraged to purchase into other areas such as clothing or electronics.Webvan carried mostly perishable grocery goods in its retail categories while Amazon had the policy of selling only non-perishable and conveyable items. Since profit margins were so thin for perishable goods compared to non-perishable goods, it would be easy to undertsand why Amazon had greater chances of success than Webvan. Furthermore, perishable items have greater risk and cost in inventory handling. This is the reason why Webvan had to in vest too much money in its warehousing infrastructure. This spelled the difference in the success and failure of the Amazon and Webvan.Webvan had to invest too much money on a system that must ensure the freshness of its perishable goods. It had to establish a highly technological and robotic warehousing infrastructure that was very expensive to begin with in contrast to Amazons system which required its employees to â€Å"touch† its products. In the case of Amazon, since most of its items sold online were non-perishable, it had lesser inventory risks. In addition to that, its business model allowed it to shift it cost of carrying most of its inventory to its suppliers.Thus, Amazon had better grip in its infrastructure costs. The savings it obtained from its leaner operations allowed it to invest its money in developing its software systems that facilitated greater efficiency in its distribution. Finally, the viability of both business differed mainly from its customer-base a nd funding support during hard times. Webvan had a weak local customer-base that was often dissatisfied by its delivery service while Amazon had a strong customer-base that was not only confined to the US but also overseas.More so, NASDAQ just gave up on Webvan when it continously experienced financial setbacks while Amazon was able to secure additional investments to sustain its global operations. CAUSES FOR FAILURE OR SUCCESS One of the main reasons why Webvan failed is because it made the wrong decision of investing the money it successfully raised in a very expensive infrastructure and rapid expansion of operations. According to Strom (2001): â€Å"Webvan spent huge sums on high-tech warehouses that were designed to revolutionize distribution, but they turned out to be mostly a waste of money.The problem is that all the technology was meant to reduce labor costs, and labor is relatively cheap. Worse, Webvan designed the warehouses so they could scale to 8,000 orders per day, bu t that's a lot of unnecessary expense when you're receiving less than half that many orders. † Another factor that led to the failure of Webvan is the decline in the quality of its service delivery. When Webvan took over HomeGrocer, an internet grocery shopping store which was absorbed into Webvan’s grandiose expansion plan, customers noticed the deteriorating effectivity of customer service.Before the takeover, there were no complaints with HomeGrocer specially interms of customer service. Emails from customers were being promptly addressed by customer service such as providing refunds in cases of occasional mistake or damaged food. This quality of service worsened when customers started to receive rotten fruits from the delivery. Webvan was buying inferior produce in order to save on cost. Such decline in customer service resulted in customers going back to the conventional way of picking up their groceries and patronizing the local groceries once again.(Mcafee, 2006) Finally, it can be seen that Webvan’s botched acquisition of HomeGrocer led to its failure as it did’nt handle the merger of resources and assets wisely. HomeGrocer’s competency and strength in terms of operations and marketing were not totally assimilated into Webvan’s system. Amazon’s e-commerce technology platform, brand power and fulfillment infrastructure was a key to its success. It had technological innovations that efficiently facilitated online order such as the â€Å"one-click check out process†.Amazon provided its customers with an online system that allowed shoppers to purchase products online without filling lengthy registration and shipping forms that would usually turn-away buyers. Amazon was able to create an online system that also helped repeat purchases by buyers to be executed by just one click of a button – a system whose patent was eventually awarded to Amazon. One important factor why Amazon succeeded is becaus e of certain inherent strengths in its business model.Its negative operating cycle allowed Amazon to get credit card payments from its customers in a few days while enjoying a time lag of thirty to sixty days to pay its vendors after the sale. This gave Amazon a financial advantage that allowed it to generate interest in the full price of its goods for over a month. Another inherent strength in Amazon’s business model is its less dependence on physical infrastructure such warehouses. Amazon was able to sell it products with out actually carrying in most of its inventory thus shifting the risk of its inventory to its vendors.Amazon’s suppliers carried the burden of storage, thereby lessening its cost due to minimal inventory handling. Amazon also instituted free shipping offers to encourage increase in basket size since customers have to spend over a certain amount to receive free shipping. The level at which free-shipping is set is critical to profitability. Because of this, Amazon got a competitive edge as promotional battles evolved with its competitors. LESSONS LEARNED AND CONCLUSION Growing Too Fast Too Soon The lesson that can be learned from the experience of Webvan is that of timing.Some would think it’s a business that is way ahead of its time; others would say it grew too fast too soon. In his review of the â€Å"Top ten dot-com flops†, German (2009) wrote that: â€Å"A core lesson from the dot-com boom is that even if you have a good idea, it is best not to grow too fast too soon. But online grocer Webvan was the poster child for doing just that, making the celebrated company our number one dot-com flop. In a mere 18 months, it raised $375 million in an IPO, expanded from the San Francisco Bay Area to eight U. S.cities, and built a gigantic infrastructure from the ground up (including a $1 billion order for a group of high-tech warehouses). Webvan came to be worth $1. 2 billion (or $30 per share at its peak), and it toute d a 26-city expansion plan. But considering that the grocery business has razor-thin margins to begin with, it was never able to attract enough customers to justify its spending spree. The company closed in July 2001, putting 2,000 out of work and leaving San Francisco's new ballpark with a Webvan cup holder at every seat.† Getting Big Fast Ironically, in the case of Amazon, the same business principle of getting big fast was said to be the most important decision that lead to its success. In an interview with Jeff Bezos by Fortune Magazine, he said that the initial strategy was very focused and very uni-dimensional†¦It was GBF: Get Big Fast†¦What once looked foolish can seem smart now. When we started the company on July 15, 1995 we offered one million titles. We were advised by very knowledgeable people to offer only three hundred thousand titles.That was twice the size of the inventory carried by the largest physical bookstores. The catalogue was hard for us but d oable. Obtaining the books was really hard. But the success generated word of mouth. (Brooker, 2000) Supply-chain management was also a crucial lesson in the experience of Webvan and Amazon. The company that was able to efficiently and effectively manage its online retail business with minimal inventory cost and risk was the company that turned out to be successful.The difference in the supply chain management of both companies ultimately distinguished between the company that was financially viable and which one was not. References Bogler, Daniel and Edgecliffe-Johnson, Andrew (2000). Jeff Bezos: The Man of Last Year Revisited. Brooker, Katrina (2000). Beautiful Dreamer. Fortune Magazine. Burgelman, Robert and Meza, Philip (2001). Amazon. com: Evolution of an e-tailer. Graduate School of Business. Stanford University. [email  protected] (2001).Webvan Finds that Shopping for Food Online Hasn’t Clicked with Consumers. [Online]. Available: http://knowledge. wharton. upenn. ed u/article. cfm? articleid=321 German Kent (2009). Top 10 dot-com flops. CNET Networks Incorporated. [Online]. Available: http://www. cnet. com/1990-11136_1-6278387-1. html Mcaffee, Andrew and Ashiya, Mona (2006). Webvan. Harvard Business School. President and Fellows of Harvard College. Strom, David (2001). Where Webvan Went Wrong. TidBits #588. [Online]. Available: http://www. strom. com/awards/255. html