Reflecting on one’s Communication Skills Essay

Introduction Nursing students can enhance their learning through reflection that is, reflecting on a situation that involves nursing care (Parker 2006, p.115). In line with this thought, I shall reflect on an experience and discuss the communication skills I used or should have used during the patient encounter. I will use the three what model based on the work of Borton (1970) and Boud (1985) to help structure my reflection. Before going any further, I am invoking the provision in the NMC (2008) code which declares the need to respect people’s confidentiality; hence, the identity of the patient who will be cited in this reflection will be kept anonymous. He will be given a pseudonym and will simply be referred to as Mr. B What? Mr. B is a 75-year-old patient in a nursing home diagnosed with dementia. Initially, it was my mentor who initiated nursing care to him and I was instructed to continue its delivery. The rationale why my mentor assigned me to Mr. B was so I can sharpen my communication skills. During my interaction with Mr. B, I tried to remain calm and spoke in slow and short sentences. I also used simple words although at times, I cannot help but repeat what I have already said because I was not sure whether the patient understood my statements. So What? At first, I was honestly hesitant and quite nervous when I interacted with the patient. I was already aware of his condition; hence, I was in a dilemma as to how I can communicate with him. This experience helped me realise that communication is truly an important part of nursing practice. Mastering all the routine nursing tasks and other complicated nursing interventions will all have been for nothing if a nurse does not know how to initiate a nurse-patient therapeutic relationship or interaction which naturally begins with communication. To simply put it, Ellis, Gates and Kenworthy (2003, p.214) declare that good communication is vital to effective nursing. According to Collins (2009) good communication helps build a therapeutic relationship which is central to nursing. It is a must for a nurse to be able to communicate effectively with the patient because communication is the tool that will allow the nurse to reassure a patient, empower the patient, motivate the patient, put a patient at ease, and convey understanding of the patient’s concerns (Collins 2009). I realised that communicating with a patient with dementia is more difficult than I have actually predicted. His condition was definitely the barrier that hindered effective communication. Even though I spoke in clear, short and simple sentences, there were still instances when the patient did not understand what I said or may be pretended to have not heard what I said. With this, I realise that one effective counter against such circumstance is to establish and maintain genuine rapport with the patient which can be done through frequent therapeutic conversations with the patient. Rapport entails trust and confidence of the patient to the nurse. Without, a nurse will have difficulty convincing a patient to follow instructions or adhere to advices. The experience also led me to realise the importance of valuing non-verbal communication. Before, I honestly took for granted non-verbal communication because the patients I handled in the past had no cognitive impairments that hindered verbal communication. It was only during this experience that verbal communication is less reliable due to the patient’s condition. This experience pointed out that a patient’s facial expression, presence or absence of eye contact, and bodily gestures can all help decipher a patient’s mood, feelings and attitude towards the nurse and the interventions given by the nurse. Videbeck (2010, p.107) relate that it is crucial for a nurse to understand what a patient is trying to communicate by means of observing non-verbal cues. I learned that a truly competent nurse is someone who is able to assess not only what a patient can verbalise but also assess those non-verbal cues displayed by a  patient which may lead the nurse to truly unde rstand how the patient feels and what the patient needs. Now What The experience helped me learn the importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication. As an aspiring nurse, I have to continuously sharpen my communication skills because I shall be interacting with more varied patients in the future. I have to be able to establish rapport with each new patient and I can do this by communicating with them. I must maximise my communication with my patients because I can do a lot of things by communicating such as motivate, empower, educate and understand my patients. Conclusion To sum up, reflecting on an experience will help discover different important learning. It will increase one’s knowledge identify strengths and weaknesses in one’s skills. Communication is key to building rapport and therapeutic relationship with patients. A nurse must always improve on his or her communication skills in order to better deliver nursing care. References Collins, S. (2009). Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship. (online) available at: http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinicalspecialisms/educators/good-communication-helps-to-build-a-therapeuticrelationship/5003004.article Ellis, R., Gates, B. and Kenworthy, N. (2003). Interpersonal communication in nursing: Theory and practice. London: Churchill Livingstone. Nursing & Midwifery Council (2008). The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC. Parker, M. (2006). Aesthetic ways in day-to-day nursing. In: Freshwater, D. (Ed.). Therapeutic nursing: Improving patient care through self-awareness and reflection. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Videbeck, S. (2010). Psychiatric-mental health nursing. 5th edn., Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Introduction Aseptic technique is the practice of carrying out a procedure in such a way that minimises the risk of introducing contamination into a vulnerable area or contaminating an invasive devise (Dougherty and Lister 2011, p.129). Aseptic technique includes several methods such as sterilising instruments, using antiseptic hand scrubs, and donning of sterile gowns, gloves, caps and masks (Cho and Alessandrini 2008, p.43). In line with this thought, this essay will explore the underlying rationales and evidence for the performance of two common methods of aseptic technique. These methods are hand washing and gloving which I personally performed many times during practice placements. Practising Aseptic Technique The delivery of effective nursing care rests on the hands of the nurse. This statement does not only apply figuratively but also literally because the hands of a nurse must not only be capable of performing tasks, it must also be clean while performing such tasks. Hand washing is simply indispensable in the performance of any and all kinds of nursing care activities. It becomes too mundane that sometimes it is intentionally or unintentionally neglected or performed in a manner that is less than satisfactory. As a student nurse, it was made clear to me that proper hand washing is a very important initial step in the delivery of nursing services. I have performed hand washing countless times, some at an acceptable standard while others below standard. The origin for strongly recommending or rather enforcing the need to perform hand washing may be traced from Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis who advocated the performance of hand washing with a chlorinated solution among doctors before assisting women in labour (Case 2011). White (2005, p.527) defines hand washing as the rubbing together of all surfaces www.newessays.co.uk and crevices of the hands using a soap or chemical and water. It is a part of all types of isolation precautions and is the most basic and effective infection-control measure to prevent and control the transmission of infectious agents. Hand hygiene which includes hand washing and gloving, is the single most crucial means of preventing transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci or VRE (LeTexier 2011). The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2003, p.28) or NICE in its guideline for infection control dictate that hand washing and gloving are two fundamental modes of preventing healthcare-associated infection. The World Health Organization (2006) highly recommends that health care workers wear gloves to prevent microorganisms present on the hands to be transmitted to patients and to reduce the risk of workers acquiring infection from patients. The effectiveness of donning gloves in preventing contamination of infectious agents has been confirmed in many clinical trials (WHO 2006). To reiterate, both hand washing and gloving are two of the most indispensable methods of aseptic technique; however, amidst the overwhelming evidence on the benefits of both procedures, there are still erring professionals. Nurses, doctors and other health care professionals still do err in the performance of such procedures. In my case, I have done it many times before but sometimes, I still forget to do it or consciously neglect to do it. Perhaps, the problem lies not within the knowledge of the need to perform it but rather on the manner by which it should be perform. There are varying ways and means of performing hand washing. In fact there are different kinds of hand washing. There is the medical hand washing which is similar to ordinary hand washing and there is also the surgical hand washing. Every institution has its own version on how to perform hand washing. This is also true for donning gloves. There are different brands of gloves each of which advertise some form of advantage over the other. There are also different modes of donning gloves such as the open technique and the close technique. There are also different varieties of gloves like clean gloves and surgical gloves. The differences and varieties with the way hand washing and gloving may be performed may account for the reason why some professionals err in the performance of these two important aseptic technique procedures. Another factor in the possible non-compliance of some healthcare professionals may be related to convenience in the performance of such procedures. For instance, when a nurse is overwhelmed by work-related stress due to high inpatient census, sometimes, the simple act of washing hands is intentionally neglected. As a solution to this, it is recommended to make hand hygiene convenient (JCR 2009, p.64). Instead of the traditional soap and water, it is possible to achieve the same effect with alcohol based scrub; thereby, eliminating the need for washing hands with water. It is also advisable to choose gloves that have special fit for different sizes of hands rather than the fit-all type of gloves. Conclusion In summary, hand washing and gloving are two common types of aseptic technique which are indispensable in the everyday practice of nursing. It has been well established that hand washing and gloving are crucial in the efficient delivery of services particularly in the aspect of preventing the spread of infection. Despite this known fact, some still err in complying with such procedures. References Case, C. (2011). Handwashing. [online] Available at: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/CC/hand_background.php Cho, C. and Alessandrini, E. (2008). Aseptic technique. In: King, C., Henretig, F. and King , B. (Eds.). Textbook of pediatric emergency procedures. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Dougherty, L. and Lister, S. (2011). The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures: Student edition. 8th edn., Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Joint Commission Resources (2009). Meeting joint commission’s infection prevention and control requirements: A priority focus area. 2nd edn., Illinois: Joint Commission Resources. LeTexier, R. (2011). Preventing infection through hand washing. [Online].Available at: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/2000/07/preventing-infection-throughhandwashing.aspx National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2003). Infection control: Prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care. [online]. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG2fullguidelineinfectioncontrol.pdf White, L. (2005). Foundations of nursing. London: Thompson Delmar Learning. www.newessays.co.uk Nursing Essay: Sample World Health Orgnization (2006). The first global patient safety challenge: Clean care is safer care. [online]. available at: http://www.who.int/gpsc/tools/Infsheet6.pdf www.newessays.co.uk

Mobile Phones Should Be Banned While Driving Essay

The risk of getting into a car accident while talking on a mobile phone while driving is growing as the number of mobile phone subscribers increases. Engaging in a phone conversation on a mobile phone while driving distracts the brain and delays reaction times which are more likely to cause drivers to swerve between lanes, slow down and miss important signs. Mobile phones should be banned while driving because they are risky. An Australian study conducted in 2005, estimated that the risk of a collision when using a mobile phone was four times higher than the risk when a mobile phone was not being used. 456 drivers who owned phones, were involved in crashes. By collecting these drivers’ mobile phone records, scientists determined those who made telephone calls just before the time of the crash. Case crossover analysis of mobile phone habits enabled the scientists to calculate the increase in risk. Even hands-free devices were not that safer. An earlier study in 2003, integrated data from questionnaires, mobile phone companies and crash records kept by the police. It found that the overall relative risk (RR) of having an accident for mobile phone users when compared to non-mobile phone users averaged 1.38 across all groups. The RR was then adjusted for kilometers driven per year and other crash exposures. When this was done RR was 1.11 for men and 1.21 for women. The study also revealed that increased mobile phone use correlated with an increase in RR. However, there are some objections to the call for the ban of mobile phone use while driving. According to the Associated Press, CTIA – The Wireless Association, a mobile phone trade group in America, objected to a complete ban. Its vice-president, John Walls, is reported as saying, â€Å" we think that you can sensibly and safely use a mobile phone to make a brief call.† Although there are objections, there is sufficient evidence to prove that using a mobile phone while driving is risky. Using a mobile phone while driving, taxes the cognitive skills of the brain at the expense of driving. The vast majority of drivers have no idea that using the mobile phone while driving is risky. >argumentative essay<

Introduction to accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to accounting - Essay Example Sun pharmaceutical is considered as one of the largest and also fastest growing pharmaceutical company of India. It’s most famous and powerful brands are handled by good marketing executives. Sun Pharmaceutical is the largest drug company of India; it earns revenue of around $4.3 billion. Accounting policies that are laid down require a selection of the accounting standard which is needed to be followed by the company and their application and estimation. Accounting policies affects the goodwill and intangible assets, the benefits provided to its employees, its acquisition. A consolidated Financial Statement is to be prepared and reviewed as they help in reflecting the operating, financing and investing activities of the company and also it helps in assistance of Employee Stock Option Plan for the employees working in the company. The expected return on the investment of the company and other planned asset should be estimated. Accounting policies will provide guidance to Sun P harmaceutical in the acquisition of Ranbaxy. Under the purchase method of the Consolidated Financial Statement it helps in the operation of an acquired business from it’s starting to its completion of acquisition. Fair value is very essential to be determined by the company for estimation of price of the product. Fair value is influenced by the Efficient Market Hypothesis and the intangible assets of the company that is the brand value or the goodwill of the company basically depends on the assumption of the expected future cash flow. The brand value of a product is a long term and it goes along with the company , therefore the brand value of a company is affected by number of factors product life cycle, market share, macroeconomic environment, market share, competitive environment of the countries in which the country is willing to sell the brand(Gary and Curtis 2014). Accountants are more

American History to 1877 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American History to 1877 - Essay Example England was able to maintain tentative alliances with many of the few remaining indigenous clans that had not yet been totally annihilated and wiped off of American soil; restricting the colonist from entering the Appalachian territories. This must have made the monarchy feel confident that they would have little problem keeping their American colony in check. However by 1760, with the increasing threat of slave rebellion and Indian insurrection1, the colonialist rich and poor were feeling rather antsy and insecure. Nonetheless, there had been no less than eighteen colonial uprising aimed at overthrowing British control (Zinn, 59). In time, this combination of British over-confidence and domestic insecurity would become an enormous political accelerant. It would take only the machinations of the elite and the will of a people to make revolution a fait accompli. What Brittan discovered was that it could not hold up the examples of the Magna Carta (1215), and the English Bill of Rights (1689) to their far-flung relatives overseas without expecting challenges to their indisputable right to govern from afar. In the colonies, the elites discovered that the rhetoric of liberation, cloaked in the hubris of patriotism, and adorned with religious zeal was the only spark that they needed in order to ignite the White working classes into full blown rebellion: "to bind that loyalty with something more powerful even than material advantage, the ruling group found in the 1760's and 1770's a wonderfully useful device. That device was the language of liberty and equality, which could unite just enough whites to fight a Revolution against England, without ending either slavery or inequality". (Zinn, 1980) The aftershocks of the Great [Religious] Awakening (1739-1740) could still be felt on American soil, and people were increasingly ready to equate the religious hierarchy of the crown with outright tyranny. Now that they had freed their souls, what would be next The courage, bravery, and skill that had been expended on North American soil helping England to defend its possessions against the French, the Spanish and other colonial powers was soon to be turned upon England herself. While Great Brittan was shoring up its colonial presence around the world, the colonists were growing increasingly agitated at having to adhere to laws that they felt should not have been applicable to them on American soil. They were sick and tired of paying for initiatives of which they had no concern; and they were growing increasingly upset at being taxed by a government of which they had no representation. Ironically, their situation was somewhat similar to the situation of nearly three quarters of a mil lion residents of Washington D.C. today.2 Nevertheless, anger had been mounting in the colonies for quite sometime. Consequently, "[F]rom 1750 to 1776 four hundred pamphlets had appeared arguing for one side or another of the Stamp Act, [the] Boston Massacre, [and] The [Boston] Tea Party (Zinn, 69)". From 1660 to 1764 there had been no less than 29 Acts of Parliament restricting colonial commerce in favor of the crown (Ramsay, 1811). Between 1764 and 1767 the English passed a series of taxes (Navigation Acts) on goods imported to the colonies, aimed at forcing goods to either be sold in England or purchased from England. The Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Personal Statement - Essay Example I play a number of sports, including uni-hockey, tennis, karting, skiing and golf. Sports enable a person to discover things about themselves that might elude them in normal life. They have taught me perseverance, courage and the ability to accept both victory and defeat with grace. As part of my extra-curricula activities I have taken part in yearbook activities and, as stated earlier took a trip to Mali in 2005 in order to teach children English. I learned what it is to be a stranger in a foreign land, and will empathize more with those I find in a similar position in my home country of Switzerland. I also learned the great benefits that accrue from helping others, both for society in general and the individual involved. The children I taught had little contact with the outside world before they met me, and expressed a fascination with this stranger in their midst that made me realize how privileged my life had been. Things I had taken for granted, such as always having enough to eat, living in a secure home and having a complete family cannot be relied upon by many of the children that I taught. Many had known times when they went hungry, when they feared for their lives because of civil strife, and when they did not know where they would be living from one day to the next. But none of them seemed to feel bitter or depressed about these facts. These experiences made them more eager to learn, especially the English language that they saw as a way to education and the way out of poverty. Their hope and enthusiasm taught me a lot about the most positive sides of human nature, especially those that can shine even when the physical circumstances of the person do not seem very promising. To conclude, I have led a full life up until now and am looking forward to the next stage of my education. My experiences in Mali showed me that hope, enthusiasm and optimism are the best manner to move forward in life. I learned as much from the children I taught

Quiz 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quiz 2 - Essay Example Save the attachment (.doc) or copy and paste the quiz and the answer sheet to your word processor. Enter your answers directly  into your word processor version. When you have finished entering your answers, save your answers to your computer (always keep a copy of your work).   To submit your quiz, please go to your Assignments Folder and click on the tab for QUIZ 2. Copy and paste your quiz answers into the text box and click on "Submit For Grading." (Attachments are acceptable but try copying and pasting first, let attachments be your last resort). Using the Rich Text Editor (RTE) will help preserve the formatting of your answer sheet; consult the Help Desk if you need help with installing or using the RTE. (In the upper right-hand corner of your screen, see Options, then Account Preferences to enable the RTE.) If you have any questions please contact WebTycho support line! Q. 1 – 30: Objective-Type Questions (2 points per question) Please use alphabet answers where app licable. 1. C 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. D 6. C 7. D 8. D 9. A 10. D 11. D 12. D 13. B 14. E 15. D 16. C 17. B 18. B 19. C 20. A 21. FALSE 22. TRUE 23. FALSE 24. FALSE 25. FALSE 26. TRUE 27. TRUE 28. TRUE 29. FALSE 30 TRUE Essay Questions (10 points each). Choose and answer only four (4) essay questions. If you answer more than four, only the first four will be graded. Essay #1 There are 6 categories of leucocytes in the human body. These are as listed below together with their roles: a. Eisinophil- Are tasked with the responsibility to handle all parasitic infections alongside hives, allergic reactions, asthma and hay fever. b. Basophil- release a chemical recognized as histamine which has a response to both antigen and allergic threat that might cause inflammation in the body. c. Neutrophil- are the first one responsible for fighting any potential microbial infection whether bacterial or fungal and any type of diseases. d. Monocyte- Perform the functions of a 'vacuum cleaner' by collecting pathogens pieces in the blood and allows the T cells to destroy them. They flow throughout the blood stream removing debris of dead cells current in the blood. e. B-Lymphocytes- Binds the pathogens thus, destroying them as well as produce antibodies. f. T-lymphocytes- They destroy the tumors and viruses infected body cells. The typical process of phagocytosis occurs when the cell changes shape and sends out projections known as pseudopodia. This process is a non-specific body defense mechanism in which the various phagocytes engulf and destroy the disease causing microorganisms (Campbell & Reece, 2002). The pseudo-pods are the ones that engulf the microorganisms. The intruder in this case is the microorganism and the type of leucocytes that destroys it is the white blood cells. Essay #2 Characteristics of veins Characteristics of arteries Have thin membrane walls Have slightly thicker membrane walls Carry deoxygenated blood Carry oxygenated blood Less elastic than arteries More ela stic than veins Blood flows through them under low pressure Blood flows through them under high pressure Have larger lumens than arteries Have smaller lumens as compared to veins Essay #3 a. Calcium and Potassium. b. The skeletal system provides the body with its basic framework, as well as the structure. It also aides in the safeguard of the human body as well as in enabling easy movement of the body parts. Looking at a skeleton sometimes might be scary but, it is one of the

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

Groupon - Essay Example But, this company proves that there is something for everyone. What Makes Groupon Unique Groupon is unique because it offers coupons that are usually good for only the day that the person purchases the coupons on. Groupon offers a signup membership and once people sign up, they receive daily deals and side deals for their signing up. Through the personal details about preferences that people give, coupons are customized to the purchaser’s characteristics. As the customers began to purchase the deals, Groupon could provide better deals based on what the customer purchased in the past. This was a very good way for customers to gain great bargains on many things that they would normally purchase. The inventors of Groupon were smart in finding the deals that were the most popular and offering them to people who really wanted these deals. Groupon was able to hire people to go to businesses and get them interested in the idea, which was also a brilliant idea. When you have people wh o are skilled at selling to businesses, it makes acquiring businesses easier. Social Media Social media played an important role in reaching customers. By putting Groupon on Twitter and Facebook, the company could expand to greater numbers. This was a good idea because these two social media giants would spread the word very quickly about the offers and bargains for people. The expansion to 70 American cities and 80 European cities was a big boon for the company because this growth showed how good the opportunity was for the company and for their customers. Working with Business Groupon was very smart in taking 50% of the revenues that came in on the deals. Since the business decided how many deals they wanted to do at a particular price, the business kept control of how quickly they wanted customers. Also, businesses did not have to spend anything until the customers actually used the coupon. This was a very good idea. Also, customers did not have to spend on a deal until it reache d the number of people that would close the full deal. This made it easier for customers to buy more deals. Marketing Marketing was very easy for Groupon because they used Twitter and Facebook and encouraged their customers to share the deal with their friends and family. When customers referred people to Groupon and their referral bought a deal, the referral source received Groupon dollars which could be used for other Groupon deals. By hiring creative writers and also copy editors Groupon was able to highlight their unique offers. Groupon had very good ideas for marketing and they were able to bring together people who believed in their concept and who were willing to keep the company moving forward. Groupon was also smart because they did not offer run-of-the-mill offers to customers. Instead, they found deals that were interesting and fun, and things that customers may not have tried in the past. This made them more popular and opened doors for the customers to try new things. L ike any good deal, other companies began to follow Groupon’s example, but because they chose specific niches, Groupon was still able to excel. Their ability to excel had to do with the people they hired to help. They still are one of the biggest companies in this industry. Opinion I believe that Groupon did not need to sell to Google. They have a large market share and they are ever expanding. The business has done very well without

Civil Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Civil Rights - Essay Example Following World War II, a lot more African American and whites combined together to object the prejudice and segregation that existed in the United States society. Before World War II, a minor figure of blacks and whites had struggled for equality. Nevertheless, with the ending of World War II a significantly prepared Civil Rights Movement was hatched. There were numerous reasons why the Civil Rights Movement came into being at this spot in American history. In their thousands, African Americans served their country all through World War II. They revealed that racial prejudice was not virtually as domineering in European countries like Britain and France. Undoubtedly, many people appreciated the fact that the United States could become a land without traces of racial discrimination. Another principal reason for the development of the Civil Rights Movement towards the end of World War II was the G.I. Bill. To assist World War II veterans completely re-adjust to life after coming back home, the federal government assisted compensate the fee of college education. A large number of African Americans, reaching their thousands, took advantage of this assistance and then realized after graduating from college that whites got well-paying jobs. As result, many African Americans found themselves in jobs they could have received without a four-year college degree. Dispassionate that the United States did not justly provide freedom and equality to all its citizens, a lot of African Americans and their white sympathizers formed a lot more planned movement to accomplish equal rights (Murray 50-67). All through the 1950s and the early 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr., resurfaced as a significant leader of the Civil Rights Movement. For instance, in 955, King assisted in planning the Montgomery Bus Boycott and expected to abolish segregation in public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama. Further, he next created the Southern Leadership Conference. This union, recognized in 195 7, was committed to uniting churches across the South to boycott racial isolation and the need for equal rights in the United States multi-cultured society. King spearheaded this organization for the rest of his life. He called for non-violent protest. King was of the view that American citizens of all races would appear auspiciously on a lobby group that advocates for peace and equality did not meet inequality with violence. King’s nonviolent message appealed to thousands of supporters of all races who decided that racial segregation and inequality against African Americans needed to be abolished. He planed protest meetings, sit-ins, marches and boycotts. King expected that thousands of American Citizens demanding serenely and politely for equivalent rights would rally support to the Civil Rights Movement (Jackson 40-45). Booker T. Washington was brought up in slavery in Virginia, and during the Civil War he worked in a coal mine and studied at night. At a very young age, Bo oker. T. discovered the importance of education; he also discovered that blacks in the South had very measly power; that is, little income, unequal rights, and in spite of the Fifteenth Amendment, were incapable of voting. According to Booker T. he suggested a clause that later came to be known as the Atlanta Compromise. It advocated that blacks receive better-paying jobs in

Exploring current government policy on improving the nations health Essay

Exploring current government policy on improving the nations health through the change for life campaign - Essay Example There are six healthy behaviors that people are encouraged to adopt through this particular public health crusade. The first one is the 5 A day call, which gives suggestions on how to eat the recommended five portions of healthy vegetables and fruits every day (Change4Life, 2015). The second component is advice on reducing the amount of salt intake per day. The campaign also encourages sugar swaps by giving vital information on the sugar content of various foods as well as the available alternatives. The other aspects are cutting down on alcohol consumption, cutting back on fats and leading an active life. The message is spread through different avenues with the TV and online advertising being the major channels (Change4Life TV commercials, 2009). The integrated approach adapted in the campaign also allows for the use of radios, social media and the direct marketing channels. Dealing with obesity requires behavior change in terms of the kind of food one takes and the lifestyle that an individual leads (Department of Health, 2004). Britt, Hudson & Blampied (2004) point out that behavior is a product of both individual and collective action and plays a central role in the health of the public. This is the reason why lifestyle risks have for a long time been considered to be the leading cause of morbidity and deaths in various nations (Sweney, 2008). In order to deal with obesity, which is a lifestyle health condition, the policy was created based on the transtheoretical model. Kemm (2015) states that this model takes change of behavior to be an ongoing cycle rather than the final state. During the process of change, individuals may relapse in the initial stages though this does not mean that they have to start all over again. The model, therefore, describes the individuals in terms of the progress they make in series of behavior states and in relation to o ther dimensions (Michie & Johnston, 2012). Its use in the drive has been effective in

Political Heights Achieved by Theodore Roosevelt Essay

Political Heights Achieved by Theodore Roosevelt - Essay Example He had a comfortable childhood, owing to his family’s affluence and he was homeschooled because of his health complications. Much of his childhood was spent in reading and in the exploration of natural history (Thayer 22). At the age of 18, he joined Harvard for four years, and excelled both at academics and in sports, following which he studied in Germany for a year and ultimately entered politics in his hometown by joining the Republican Party in 1880 (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†; â€Å"Timeline†). Upon being elected into the Assembly of New York State in 1881, Roosevelt held office for 3 years during which he introduced many reforms (Pringle 70). He became the youngest man ever to be elected into the Assembly (â€Å"Timeline†). His first book, The Naval War of 1812, was published during his stint at the Assembly. During his tenure, he also joined the National Guard and was the Chairman of the Committee on Cities, during which his effort s led to major modifications in the Charter of New York City (â€Å"Timeline†). In 1884, Roosevelt suffered a great personal loss with the demise of his mother and wife on the same day, after which abandoned his political endeavors for a while (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt†; â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†). ... In 1886, he married Edith Carow and re-entered politics (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt†). In 1887, his third book, Life of Thomas Hart Benton, was published, followed by the publication of four other books, Life of Gouverneur Morris, Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, and Essays in Practical Politics in 1888 and 2 volumes of The Winning of the West in 1889 (â€Å"Timeline†). Roosevelt was appointed as a US Civil Services Commissioner in Washington until 1895, after which he became assistant secretary of the Navy under President McKinley’s administration (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†). Several of his books including the History of New York, The Wilderness Hunter, and American Ideals were published during this period. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American war in 1898, he left for Cuba as lieutenant colonel of the first US volunteer cavalry regiment called the Rough Riders, raised by himself from among the cowboys and hunters from the West (â₠¬Å"Timeline†; â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†). After the Battle of San Juan Heights, he was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he denied (Pringle 460). In 1898, Roosevelt was nominated as Governor of New York State by the Republican Party, after which he was elected as Governor and served for two years. He was then elected as the Vice President of the United States after which he went on to become the president following the assassination of President McKinley (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†). He became the 26th president of the United States and the youngest one at that. In 1994, he was again elected as President for a full term. Under Roosevelt’s presidency, the International Court of Arbitration was opened at The Hague (â€Å"Theodore Roosevelt – Biography†).  

Marriages and Families Essay Example for Free

Marriages and Families Essay Course Description Welcome to Marriage and the Family Online (SOCIO 210-IN1/IN2)!! As the course title suggests, we will explore key sociological concepts related to the social institution of marriage and the family. Individual success in this online course will come to those who are self-disciplined and work collaboratively to make the course a success. I look forward to working with all of you as we try to make sense of the world’s social forces and their impact on individual lives within marriages and the family. The College’s formal course description for SOCIO 101 states: â€Å"This course provides an understanding of sociological concepts, theories, and research methods in relation to marriage and family issues. It focuses on the ever-changing dynamics of relationships and the influence of contemporary society on family life. Special emphasis is placed on communication in relationships, dating and mate selection, love, parenting, balancing work and family, violence in relationships, and divorce† (Official Course Description, Prairie State College 2012-2014 Catalog). Course Objectives Students who complete SOCIO 210 will be able to: 1. Apply the major sociological perspectives to marriage and family issues. 2. Discuss the importance of communication, power, and gender in shaping relationships and family dynamics. 3. Explain the diversity of experiences for couples and families, with attention to issues of social class, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and the life course. 4. Describe the impact of other social institutions—such as the economy, education, religion, and the legal system—on marriages and families. 5. Identify the key issues related to family violence, divorce, and successful marriages. 6. Discuss the trends involving single-parent families, remarriage, and blended families. 7. Demonstrate skills of public deliberation within context of on-line classroom discussions. 8. Demonstrate critical thinking skills through writing. 9. Articulate viewpoints on contemporary sociological issues affecting marriages and families. Classroom Policies Absence Policy: As stated in the Prairie State College Board policies: â€Å"Regular class attendance is an essential component of successful learning. Students are responsible for prompt attendance and participation in all class meetings of every course for which they are registered. Students have the responsibility to contact professors in case of unavoidable absence.† Attendance in this online course is linked to your consistent and meaningful participation in online discussions and timely completion of assignments and chapter quizzes. Late or Missed Work/Plagiarism: In order to receive full credit, all assignments must be completed and submitted by the due date. Partial credit may (or may not) be accepted for work submitted after the deadline. Plagiarism, or other forms of cheating, will not be tolerated and students in violation will fail the assignment and face possible failure of the course. Meeting deadlines is an essential element of this online course. Once a deadline passes, there is no longer access to the course assignment. For example, if a student fails to complete an attempt on a 45-point Chapter Quiz, then that student earns zero points for that assignment. Missing 45 points may have significant negative consequences on a final grade. Evaluation of Student Performance Online Chapter Quizzes (630 points) Our text includes 16 chapters. For each chapter, there is a Chapter Quiz. Each Chapter Quiz includes 15 multiple choice or true/false questions and each question is worth 3 points (45 points/quiz). For the first half of the course, which covers Chapters 1-8, I count the best 7 Chapter Quiz scores toward your final grade. The Chapter 8 Quiz is an opportunity to improve on an earlier quiz score on one of the previous seven quizzes. For the second half of the course, which covers Chapters 9-16, I also count the best 7 Chapter Quiz scores toward your final grade. The Chapter 16 Quiz is an opportunity to improve on an earlier quiz score for Ch. 9-15. In total, I count 14 quiz scores, each worth 45 points for a total of 630 points. Please note that there is a time limit of 15 minutes (with a 2-minute grace period) to complete each Chapter Quiz. The purpose of this is so that students do not rely on their textbooks for answering all of the questions. You may use your book, but you must read the chapter prior to taking the quiz so that you can move fairly quickly through the 15 questions and finish within the time limit. In fact, given the high value of these Chapter Quizzes—accounting for over 60% of the total points in the course—I strongly recommend that you read the chapter closely twice prior to taking the quiz. Points will be deducted for going past the 2-minute grace period (one point deduction for each minute over). I do allow two attempts, with the highest score counting toward a student’s final grade. I encourage reading the chapter a third time if you are disappointed with the outcome of your first attempt. Deadlines for Chapter Quizzes are typically on Sundays at 11:59 p.m. Examinations (200 points) There is a Mid-Term Examination covering Chapters 1-8 and there is a Final Examination covering Chapters 9-16. Each exam includes 40 questions, worth 2.5 points apiece. Each exam is valued at 100 points. There is a 45-minute time limit with a 5-minute grace period. For each minute taken beyond grace period, one point will be deducted from score. Online Class-based Discussions (170 points) For this part of the course, students participate in weeklong online conversations about the textbook material or about sociological assignments that are connected to the course material. The intent of these conversations is to encourage a close reading of our Henslin text and to reach a deeper understanding the sociological perspective on human behavior. Past students have really enjoyed hearing the thoughts and perspectives from their fellow classmates. There are several class-based Discussions throughout the course. The first one involves Student Introductions and takes place during Week 1 (worth 20 points). The next five Discussions are spread out over the course of the semester (Weeks 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13). Each of these Discussions is valued at 30 points and takes place across a 7-day period running from Monday-through-Sunday. The Discussion forum is split into two stages, with the first stage ending on Thursday (11:59 p.m.) and the second stage ending on Sunday (11:59 p.m.). First stage posts of 300 or more words are due on Thursday (worth 15 points), and at least three second stage posts of 50-75 words each (5 points each; 15 points total) are due on Sunday. Your first stage posts will respond to the writing prompt I post for each Discussion, typically a question or set of questions. Again, as with the completion of chapter quizzes, the key challenge is meeting the deadlines. I will do my best to post points earned for the Discussions on the Monday morning following the Sunday night deadline for second stage posts. There will be a make-up Discussion offered during Week 15 of the semester. Here is a breakdown of the components of the course and point value: Online Chapter Quizzes (14 at 45 points each)630 points Online Discussions (5 at 30 points plus 20 points for Intros)170 points Mid-term Examination (40 questions at 2.5 points each)100 points Final Examination (40 questions at 2.5 points each)100 points   When assigning Final Grades, I will use the following point ranges: A=900-1000 points B=800-899 points C=700-799 points D=580-699 points F=0-579 points Some Final Thoughts: One of the challenges of online learning involves the issue of communication. In a traditional face-to-face course, everyone meets on a weekly basis and those meetings are reminders of our course commitments. In the online environment, communication is different. I communicate frequently via email, with Email Updates almost every week and sometimes more than once a week. The D2L system links your PSC email accounts to the class so when I send an email to â€Å"all users† the information is sent to the PSC email accounts of the 40+ students enrolled in this course. This information is very important and your accessing it is essential. Please note that it is possible to have your PSC email forwarded to another email address—maybe even to your mobile phone—but I want to make clear that it is your responsibility to access the information I send to you. Whenever you have questions, contact me by email ([emailprotected][-1]) or by phone (709-3625). Keep in mind that it is essential that you participate on a consistent basis throughout the course in order to be successful. Good luck, hold on to you hats, and enjoy what I hope will be a challenging and meaningful learning experience!

Analysis Of The Airline Industry Of Pakistan

Analysis Of The Airline Industry Of Pakistan In 1955 Pakistan International Airline formed. It is the 16th largest airline in Asia, operating scheduled services to 73 destinations throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, as well as an extensive domestic network linking 24 destinations. PIA is three stars International Airline. In our report we did SWOT analysis and PEST analysis on PIA, identify major strength we find as leading market position, brand recognition, superior operating structure, network presence, hub airport at Karachi, and effective use of technology. Formulation on GOVT rule, High dependencies on passenger revenues, high debt, and reliance on oil prices are major weakness, opportunities are like having MAX route and fleet, growth demand for low cost airline, customer loyalty, shifting customer needs and industry recovery, and major threats are high interest rates, accidents, strong competition by Air blue, interest and foreign currency exchange rates, and decline in industry. In PEST analysis we discover major Governments active role in increasing competition in the airline industry, inflation rate, turning of social environment of Pakistan liberal with the new regime. Innovation in technology, and its impact on distribution and cost synergies from industry consolidation. We recommend PIA for better service to decentralized its management system, develop SBUs, adopt transparent promotion polices, employee empowerment to increase the employee motivation and moral. Try to decrease its overhead cost, adopt effective marketing policy, two way communication and TQM. Upgrade its fleet; purchase new Airplane with twin engines these will reduce the operating cost of PIA. Improve control over fares. Hire the services of IT specialists; improve service standards focusing on quality. Pakistan International Airlines Introduction: When Pakistan was founded in 1947 it comprised two territories on either side of the expanse of India. It was in this unusual circumstance that Pakistan International was formed in 1955. Despite wars and economic trouble, the carrier survived to grow and prosper. Pakistan International Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan, based in Karachi. It is the 16th largest airline in Asia, operating scheduled services to 73 destinations throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, as well as an extensive domestic network linking 24 destinations. Its main bases are Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and the Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad/Rawalpindi. The airline also has secondary bases, including Peshawar International Airport, Faisalabad International Airport, Quetta International Airport and Multan International Airport, from which it connects the metropolitan cities with the main bases, the Middle East and the Far East. The airline is owned by the Government of Pakistan (87%) and other shareholders (13%). It has 19,263 employees (at March 2007). AIRLINE INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN: There are 36 operational airports. Karachi is Pakistans main airport but significant levels of both domestic and international cargo are also handled at Islamabad and Lahore. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the public sector airline, though facing the competition from a few private airlines, carries approximately 70 percent of domestic passengers and almost equal domestic freight traffic. The transportation sector accounts for about 10.5 percent of the countrys GDP and 27.4 percent of Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) in FY06. It provides over 6 percent of employment in the country and receives 12 to 16 percent of the annual Federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP). Government agencies dominate the sector. Hierarchy of PIA: This organization is divided into following departments: Human Resource and Administration, Marketing, Corporate Planning, Information Services, Finance, Flight Services, Flight Operation, Engineering, Procurement and Logistics, Customer Services, Training and Development, Quality Assurance. The organ gram of the organization follows, with the Chairman at the top and directors of departments reporting to him. The structure is centralized with the top-level management making the decisions. CORPORATE VISION OF PIA: To be a world class airline exceeding customer expectations through dedicated employees Committed to excellence. CORPORATE MISSION As a Symbol of National Pride, We Aspire to be a Choice Airline, Operating Profitably on Modern Commercial concepts and Capable of Competing with the Best in the International as well as Domestic markets. VALUES: 6.1). Customer Expectations: PIA is the most trusted name in the industry. The reason of its goodwill is according the expectation of their customers that PIA has fulfilled always. By providing competitive tariff, extensive care, and convenience to their valued and potential customers. 6.2). Service: PIA aims at providing valuable and unique services to its customers. They are more personalized and courteous to their customers. The services are valuable and rare; this is the reason why customers trust PIA. 28 Nov 2004, Pakistan International Airlines PIA passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) benchmark for global safety management The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the benchmark for global safety management in airlines KARACHI, 22 October 2007 Abacus Pakistan officially launched Abacus Travel Secure with AIG, providing local travel agents and travelers easy and convenient access to AIGs travel insurance policies. Available for the first time in Pakistan, Abacus Travel Secure brings real time and immediate activation of travel insurance policies to the Pakistan travel industry with a more streamlined and time saving application process for travel agents 6.3) Innovation: PIA currently has a number of 43 fleets and aims at increasing this numbers to 53 by the next few years.PIA is adoptive to changes and believe in innovation thats create new ideas and translating these ideas into action. 6.4) Reliability: PIA is the most experience airline with its service with more than 53 years. This has built in PIA has become the most reliable airline. PIA is known for its loyalty and consistency. 6.5) Safety: The most challenging responsibility of any organization is to provide complete satisfaction to its employees and customers together. This satisfaction rewards favorable and easy working conditions. The in-flight services are customers friendly and the organizational the organizational environment is also employees oriented. 6.6) Cohesiveness: PIA has 12 departments working in their own direction and also provides a number of services including speedex courier service, catering etc. The most impressive part is these all department and services are integrated in a cohesive way. Services PIA offers two types of services. Business Class Economy Class Business Class Its the only Business Class service that feels like First Class. A comfortable seat makes all the difference on a long flight. PIAs Business Class Seats elevate the concept of luxury to a new level, fully endorsing your decision to choose PIA Business Class Sit back and relax in our exclusive Business Class Lounges at the Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports. Our hospitable staff will ensure that youre well looked after during your stay with us at the airport Business Class passengers arriving at Airport will receive a warm welcome from PIA. Our representatives will walk you right through all the arrival formalities so that you dont have to stand in line or worry about clearance. Economy Class: PIAs economy class is also comfortable for passenger as Business class. Economy Class offer seats with a 32-inch pitch, adjustable footrests and winglet headrests for improved neck comfort. The personal TV provides on-going entertainment including audio and video on-demand choices. Passengers enjoy the same caring service from our flight attendants, along with skillfully prepared meals and a wide range of in-flight entertainment options to choose from. Free newspapers are also provided to all Economy class passengers. The PIA in-flight magazine, Hamsafar, is provided to all passengers on all international flights. Humsafar was introduced on PIA flights in 1980 and it is published bi-monthly.PIA is providing its service in twenty-five cites of Pakistan domestically which are as follows: Giigit Chitral Skardu Saidu Sarif Islamabad Peshawar Sialkot D.I,Khan Lahore Faisalabad Multan Zhob D.G.Khan Quetta Bahawalpur Rahim Yar Khan Dalbandin Sukkar Panjgor Sukkar Jacoababad Turbat Moemjodaro Gwadar Pasni karachi Revenue Composition: According to the latest report of PIA, 87% of revenue generates from passengers, 8% of revenue generates from cargo and remaining 5% consists of others. Fleet Pakistan International Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (as of May 2008) Major Competitors: PIA is holding the first position in market. It has 48% market share. Its major competitors are Airblue and Shaheen International Airline. Airblue has a market share of 35% while Shaheen International Airline has 17% market share. People feel prestigious to travel with PIA as compare to Airblue and others. Latest products by PIA nad qulaity achievements: Boeing-777 operating to middle east Flight Barcelona Linking Abu Dhabi and rahim yar khan Flights from D.I.Khan to Peshawar and Islamabad Early buy cheaper fly Bradford- Islamabad Nov stop! Pak Glasgow Flight from Multan and D.G khan to Dubai Lowest business class fare paksitan Dubai Connecting Multan and Quetta, Islamabad with Chitral and Nawabshah with Hyderabad. Promoting web ticketing and SMS booking, Ticketing delivery at Door step 9.1) IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) benchmark: 28 Nov 2004, Pakistan International Airlines PIA passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) benchmark for global safety management The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the benchmark for global safety management in airlines. 9.2) E-Ticketing: KARACHI, 22 October 2007 Abacus Pakistan officially launched Abacus Travel Secure with AIG, providing local travel agents and travelers easy and convenient access to AIGs travel insurance policies. Available for the first time in Pakistan, Abacus Travel Secure brings real time and immediate activation of travel insurance policies to the Pakistan travel industry with a more streamlined and time saving application process for travel agents. 9.3) 3Star Ranked airline : SKYTRAX introduced the World Airline Star Rating ® programme in 2000 the Quality Analysis system that ranks airline product and service standards, based on professional evaluation by airline audit specialists. To achieve SKYTRAX Approved Airlineà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ status, airlines are subjected to a very detailed Quality evaluation across all areas of their front-line Product and Service standards by Skytrax covering all areas that passengers will typically experience during their trip. SKYTRAX Approved Airline evaluation covers over 750 aspects of product and service quality measurement, and is split across both airport and onboard environments airport services based around an airlines home base airport. QUALITY RANKING USED IN AIRLINE RATING SUMMARY BELOW = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor = Very poor :: PIA PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL :: a 3 Star Airline PIA Pakistan Intl Passenger Comments Home Base Airport Ranking = Karachi Airport SUMMARY RANKING Combined Quality of Product / Staff service in airport and onboard environments Business Class Premium Economy Class Economy Class Airport Services Check-In service Business Class Check-In service Economy Class Transfer Services Business Class Transfer Services Economy Class Arrival Services Business Class Lounge product facilities Business Class Lounge staff service Onboard Features Inflight entertainment may vary according to aircraft type Cabin Safety Procedures Inflight Entertainment Amenities, Blankets, Pillows, Towels etc Airline Magazine, Newspapers other mags Cabin Seat Comfort Seat Guide Seating may vary according to aircraft type Business Class long haul Business Class short haul Premium Economy Class long haul Economy Class long haul Economy Class short haul Onboard Catering Business Class long haul Business Class short haul Premium Economy Class long haul Economy Class long haul Economy Class short haul Cabin Staff Service Business Class service efficiency Business Class staff attitude friendliness Premium Economy Class service efficiency Premium Economy Class staff attitude friendliness Economy Class service efficiency Economy Class staff attitude friendliness Responding to Passenger requests Cabin presence through flights Assisting Parents with children Staff Language Skills SWOT ANALYSIS 10.1) STRENGTHS: . LEADING MARKET POSITION: PIA is one of Pakistans leading air carriers, with more than 800 daily flights. Around 150,000 passengers a month fly on PIA, making it one of the major operators in the domestic market in terms of passenger kilometers. PIAs international market share was 43.5%, In the Domestic market, its market share was 69.4%. On a system-wide basis, PIAs market share was 51.2% at the end of year 2007.Its strong market position is driven by consistently low fares as well as reliable service, frequent and convenient flights, use of new technologies like e-ticketing and self check-in terminals, comfortable cabins and superior customer service. BRAND RECOGNITION: PIA has high brand recall. It is recognized by travelers all over the country. PIA is a national airline, operating passenger and cargo services covering eighty-two domestic and foreign. PIA has earned the number one ranking in customer satisfaction. This strong market position gives the company a scale advantage and helps it strengthen its brand image. SUPERIOR OPERATING STRUCTURE: PIA has maintained its position as the low cost carrier. It has been first class Pakistani airline to use the latest technology. Factors contributing consists of different series of Boeing and Airbus and an efficient, high-utilization and point- to-point route structure. Flying one type of aircraft significantly simplifies scheduling, maintenance, flight operations, and training activities. PIA has continually achieved high asset utilization and employee efficiency. Superior operating structure serves as the primary competitive advantage of PIA. NETWORK PRESENCE: PIA enjoys a strong network in key domestic and international destinations. The companys network includes three the major airports in Pakistan, as well as major international airport such as Dubai International Airport. Having a strong network means that PIA can generate traffic feed for both its domestic and international Flights. HUB AIRPORT AT KARACHI: PIA operates from its hub in Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Jinnah International is one of the worlds busiest airports in terms of number of passengers carried. It is also one of the largest international gateways to Asia. It is also the leading international air passenger (and cargo) gateway to Pakistan. The companys strong presences in airports with heaviest traffic levels in Pakistan give it a competitive advantage. EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: PIA has successfully incorporated latest technology in all its systems, giving it an edge over competitors. PIA takes credit for introducing most new technologies to the Pakistani market. It was the second carrier in Pakistan to incorporate the c-ticketing system and the second in South Asia to introduce self check in systems at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. 10.2) WEAKNESSES: FORMULATION OF GOVT. RULES: The Basic flaw of this organization is its consolidation that is centralized system. The key policies, strategies and set of laws are designed by the upper management. The centralized system is one of the biggest obstacles of long term success of PIA. PIA centralizes structure lead to barrel between different level of management, decreased motivation, hard access to information. HIGH DEPENDENCE ON PASSENGER REVENUES: Passenger revenues accounted for 87 percent of the PIAs total revenue in 2007. Cargo services allow airlines to generate additional revenues from existing passenger flights. In addition, cargo revenues are usually counter cyclical to passenger revenues and have lower demand elasticity than passenger business, which allows airlines to pass on fuel price hikes to customers. DEBT: PIA has a significant amount of 42 billion debts. Current and future debts could have important consequences for stakeholders of the company. For example, debt could impair PIA ability to make investments and obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or general corporate or other purposes. Debts could also put PIA at a competitive disadvantage to competitors that have lesser debt and could also increase the companys vulnerability to interest rate increases. RELIANCE ON OIL PRICES: PIAs sustainability, growth and revenues directly depend on oil prices. A steep rise in oil prices can seriously damage the long term viability of any airline. Recently many airlines around the world went bankrupt due to rising oil prices. Airlines need to hedge against this risk by taking proper measures. OPPORTUNITIES: . HAVING THE MAXIMUM ROUTE AND FLEET: PIA is having the maximum route and fleet domestic and international destinations network in Pakistan as compared to its Competitors. Route and fleet expansion will positively impact the companys operations by increasing revenues. GROWING DEMAND FOR LOW COST AIRLINES: The growing demand for air travel is driven by lower fares and consumer confidence. A survey by International Aviation Authority showed that ticket price is the number one criterion for passengers when selecting a flight, well ahead of the availability of a non-stop service. CUSTOMER LOYALTY: PIAs frequent flyer and loyalty programs can help it retain customers. PIAs Awards+plus (frequent flyer program) was established to develop passenger loyalty by offering awards and services to frequent travelers. Such schemes encourage repeat travel on PIA, as passengers seek to accrue the benefits given to regular travelers. This enables the airline to retain customers and reduce costs, as it does not have to spend money targeting new customers to replace those lost to other airlines. SHIFTING CUSTOMER NEEDS: The needs of air passengers are increasingly changing, as they are becoming more and more price sensitive. If PIA succeeds in making its prices more competitive, then the company will be able to gain significant market share. INDUSTRY RECOVERY: Market analysts believe that the global airline industry will experience an upturn in fortunes over the next few years. This represents an opportunity for PIA, as it could generate increased revenues and command market share if it capitalizes on increases in demand. . THREATS HIGH INTEREST RATES: The past few years have seen State Bank of Pakistan impose high as well as low interest rates to check inflation and the over heating of Pakistani economy. Inflation in Pakistan may see another raise in the short-term. ACCIDENTS: There had been five accidents with PIA listed as below: Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK 705 was a Boeing 720 040 B that crashed while descending to land on Runway 34 at Cairo International Airport on May 20, 1965 resulting in 119 fatalities. Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK740 was a Boeing 707-340C that crashed after takeoff from Jeddah International Airport on November 26, 1979. All 156 aboard were killed. Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 was an Airbus A300B4-203, registration AP-BCP, which crashed on approach to Kathmandus Tribhuvan International Airport on September 28, 1992. All 167 on board were killed. PIA Flight 554 is the flight number of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Fokker F27 that was hijacked on May 25, 1998. The flight started its journey at Gwadar in Balochistan after originating in Turbat, and was flying to Pakistans southern port city of Karachi. The aircraft was carrying 24 passengers and 5 crew members. Pakistan International Airlines Flight 688 (PK688, PIA688) was scheduled to operate from Multan to Lahore and Islamabad at 12:05 pm on July 10, 2006. It crashed into a field after bursting into flames a few minutes after takeoff from Multan International Airport. All 41 passengers and four crewmembers on board were killed. PIA has to continuously ensure utmost safety and security of its passengers. Accidents can adversely affect customer confidence in PIA and result in declined revenues intensifying competition. STRONG COMPETITION BY AIRBLUE: PIA is now competing against carriers such as Airblue and Shaheen Airline. PIA remains Airblues strongest competitor because of the huge market it has gained over time, strong brand image and customer loyalty. PIA has started new low-fares subsidiary PIA Express to stop the Airblue market share growing to fast. Moreover, major legacy airlines have been focusing on restructuring costs, which has improved their competitiveness. With costs restructured, the legacy airlines are becoming more formidable competitors in terms of increasing capacity, matching prices and leveraging their frequent flier programs. Increasing competition could adversely affect the companys margins. INTEREST AND FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES: Fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates can have a significant impact on PIAs earnings. For example, as PIA is providing its services to the UK. Negative or positive effects arise from exchange rate movements as change in expenses. Strengthening of foreign currencies against the British Pound will positively impact PIA and vice versa. DECLINE IN AIRLINE INDUSTRY: A number of factors have caused the current decline in the airline industry. For example, the threat of further terrorist attacks since September 11 and a fall in the number of business travelers have both caused passenger numbers to fall. These and other factors may continue to affect demand for air travel in the future, which will affect revenues of PIA. The threat of terrorism may discourage people from traveling by air and could especially reduce the number of passengers traveling on international flights. PEST ANALYSIS The macro-environment includes all factors influencing a company that are not within its control. These include political, social, economic and technological factors. These are known as PEST factors. A technique of analysis of the macro environment is PEST analysis. Environmental analysis should be continuous arid precede all aspects of planning. Since the airline industry is very much influenced by changes taking place in the environment and has undergone rapid and dramatic changes during the last decade, this analysis is especially important for PIA. POLITICAL FACTORS: Political factors always have a great influence on the way businesses operate in the airline industry and the spending power of customers. In recent years it has been observed that government played an active role in increasing competition in the airline industry. A number of new airlines such as AirBlue and JS Air have been awarded licenses to enter the domestic market. Pakistan has achieved some political stability in recent years. If the management of PIA believes that the present government will perform well (consistently), then there will be more investment in the form of purchase of new airplanes and latest technology. The over all industry will grow resulting in more luxurious and comfortable flights. With the military takeover government policies have become more liberal. ECONOMIC FACTORS: Currently, Airlines industry has three major players: Pakistan International Airlines, an Airblue, Aero Asia and Shaheen Airlines. Their target market includes domestic travelers as well as Pakistanis living abroad particularly in the UK and USA. These countries have strong economies coupled with high purchasing power. Customers purchase behavior depends very much on prices of the competing airlines as well as services offered. As inflation rate is unstable in Pakistan, spending power of consumers has effected in the long term. In fact growth in Pakistani economy has resulted in an increase in spending power and has positively impacted the airline industry. Economically, the new millennium has been highly volatile; the September 11 attacks revolutionized the whole world. Consequently, there was a global depression in the North America, South America, Australia and Europe. However, in Asia especially Pakistan the effect in the short term was otherwise. The economy began to boom because of greater remittances from abroad and whole sum immigration by expatriates. As a result, demand for air travel in South Asia rose. Economic conditions of Pakistan are however improving. PIA has cost a advantage over its competitors because of its newly acquired, improved, long distance aircrafts from Boeing which give longer range and better fuel economy than any other jet currently produced. This cost advantage is a barrier to entry for new firms. However, this cost advantage will not be significant on domestic routes. SOCIAL FACTORS: The social arid cultural influences on business vary from country to country. The social structure of Pakistan is closely tied. The trend is now changing as the general public is educated and is pursuing professional goals. Customers are more aware of market conditions and available options and want to get best value for their money. They spend considerable time and money on entertainment hence increasing the need of in-flight entertainment systems. Also, word of mouth has a significant impact in the use of airline services. Hajj attracts a huge number of customers. The social environment of Pakistan is turning liberal with the new regime. The initiative to automate check-in and ticket booking process might not be very popular with the general public (even educated population) is still technology averse. E-ticketing might also face significant challenges as consumers are generally reluctant to provide their credit cards information over the phone and the internet. The consumers, however, have a warm reaction to the prospect of less costly but quality service flights. vi) TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS: Technology is vital for competitive advantage and is a major driver of the airlines industry. Major technological changes are taking place in the airlines industry with innovations in the reservations and booking systems. In-flight entertainment systems and auto check in counters are two examples of such innovations. Internet plays a key role in e-ticketing as consumer can easily reserve tickets or check the status of the flight. A key issue will be the extent, to which technological advancements (such as Internet) impact distribution and cost synergies from industry consolidation, can offset upward pressures on costs. PIA has always led the path of technological innovations by introducing new technologies ahead of its competitors such as its auto check-in counters which has helped it gain market share. It was the first airline in Pakistan to install Sabre system followed by the market leader. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES Decentralization: PIA should decentralize its structure that would lead to the easy management, increased motivation, easy access to information and resolution of the conflicts (as they would be resolved by the immediate manger time span would then reduced). Since employees issues regarding their behavior would lessen, so it would ultimately lead to more satisfied employees that would result in enhanced productivity of the organization. Strategic Business Unit: PIA should make its different departments into Strategic Business Unit. Every SBU should have a defined business strategy and a manager with sales and profit responsibility. As PIA is a large organization, so it must be convert into SBUs.Different factors should be determined for the success of SBUs which as follows. The degree of autonomy given to each SBU manager. The degree to which an SBU shares functional programs and facilities with other SBUs The manner in which the corporation evaluates and rewards the performance of its SBU managers Transparent policy adoption: PIA should adopt transparent policy that employees should be promoted on merit basis. And Chairman of PIA should be appointed from with in the organization. Union should support it, it will motivate the employees and PIA will grow in profit. PIA should not induct new employees till the time they are needed on the basis of my personal observation at Rawalpindi station I have seen that a task which can be performed by person PIA had 3 employees for that.PIA should give bonus to the industrious and competent employees. Employee Empowerment: PIA should make efforts towards empowering the employees that is going to lead to more employee participation in the decision making process and also result in more employee satisfaction and enhanced motivation. Apart from this, employees would feel more independent to discuss the issues explicitly without hesitation. This would also enhance team work process at PIA as quality team and cross-functional teams. The employees will work with more commitment and dedication and every employee would work to his/her fullest due to increased motivation. <

Blue Monday Strip by Rebecca Horn: Themes and Techniques

Blue Monday Strip by Rebecca Horn: Themes and Techniques Artist: Rebecca Horn. Title/Date: Blue Monday Strip, 1993. Materials: Typewriters, ink, metal, and motors. Dimensions: 192 1/8 x 137 inches. Site: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Provenance: Gift of the artist. Introduction to Blue Monday Strip by Rebecca Horn The work of Rebecca Horn is appealing to many in the art world. To me, it is appealing in ways that I, as a fellow artist, find particularly compelling; although we work in different media, a common theme seems to resonate when I observe her work and compare it to my own. There is a sense of the fleeting nature of our corporeal existence against a background of the mundane details of life. Her works are animated, though in a much different way than my own art is ‘animated’ The sense of activity and movement I see in her work is something that is appealing and energizing. It brings to mind the limitations of the human body, yet at the same time it brings to light the concept that human activity goes on, even though we as individuals do not. According to one biographer/critic, Horn’s work is ‘located in the nexus between body and machine’, and it ‘transmogrifies the ordinary into the enigmatic’ (Ragheb, 1993). Horn’s ability to do this with such deft yet subtle precision is part of her appeal to me as a practitioner. She can take everyday objects and juxtapose them with such uniqueness that viewers look at them in new ways. Doing this within my own medium is something I can strive for, and hope on some level to achieve; what she has done with her sculpture, in her unique way, sets a standard I can aspire to in my own chosen medium. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Blue Monday Strip, a 1993 piece that was a gift from Horn to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Blue Monday Strip: Salient characteristics of Form and Content Horn’s piece, Blue Monday Strip, was actually a gift that the artist bestowed upon the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. This dynamic work measures, in inches, 192 1/8th by 137, and is composed of ‘everyday’ (although some are somewhat dated) materials: older, or ‘vintage’ typewriters, ink, metal, and motors. A crucial aspect of this particular piece is that it is mechanized, so there is movement: it is essentially, animated, and in quite a literal sense. As an animator, this is a feature that is important to me. Ragheb has described Blue Monday Strip as a group of ‘vintage typewriters’ that ‘are liberated from the orderly office world and set akimbo, transformed into an unruly lot whose keys chatter ceaselessly in a raucous dialogue’ (1993). The monotony of the droning typewriters is clearly symbolic of the relentless sameness that was at one time experienced by the secretaries who operated them each week, starting on the first day of the work cycle—the ‘blue Monday’ An occasional splotch of blue paint—presumably ink? Might we go so far as to say sweat, or possibly tears?—breaks the monotony. The ability to breathe life into inanimate forms in such an effective and dramatic way is something that I, as an animator, find truly compelling. Another feature of Horn’s work that appeals to me is her sense of perspective; her work is based in reality—a quantifiable and verifiable reality, as I would like mine to be. In other words, much of modern art has been criticized for its abstract qualities; often a sculpture or painting will be impossible to describe until we read the title. Then we can say, ‘oh, yes, it’s clearly a pear, anyone can see that’—when in reality it looks nothing like a pear at all. Horn’s work does not have this type of abstractness: its primary components are easily identified as typewriters, but because of the mode of presentation, we are forced into seeing them in a new way. As Winterson has written, ‘art has the knack of helping us to see what we would normally miss. . . Artists see better than we do, and help us to look twice. Horns way of seeing is to go past the sensible, obvious arrangements of objects and people, and rearrange them in a way that is not obvious at all’ (Winterson, 2005). In this specific piece, the objects before us are authentic, but they are in an unusual setting, one which calls attention to them and forces us to consider them in unusual ways. Blue Monday Strip is, as the title suggests, a ‘strip’, or section, of a life that includes not just one, but several typewriters. What does this suggest, other than an office? An office on a blue Monday? A setting in which individuals—most likely women—find themselves trapped again and again, Monday after Monday, with little likelihood of change beyond the Saturday and Sunday that separate the weeks. This is the kind of thought process I would like to spark with my own work—it need not be mysterious to the viewer; it need be nothing more than what it appears to the average eye. But to those who care, or dare, to look, it will suggest ideas and themes in subtle, yet consciously planned ways. As Ragheb says of Horn’s sculpture, the viewer can see a disorganized row of machines and nothing more; or, he or she can see something further. One can feel the drain of wasted lives, the emptiness of disappointed hopes, the frustration of unfulfilled desire, by taking a second look at the forlorn collection of typewriters: ‘Whether mechanomorphic bodies or anthropomorphic machines, all of Horn’s works are fraught with sexual allusions and the ache of desire’ (Ragheb). Horn’s career has spanned over three decades, and though she has experimented with form and theme throughout, she has returned again and again to somatic themes. At times, her work is a celebration of the body, in respectful, awed praise of its power; at others, it seems a reproachful and cynical statement on the treachery of the body. Ideas, Practices, and Issues Relating to the Body Horn’s early reading stirred an interest in Surrealism and the absurd; this was further inspired in young adulthood, when she was introduced to the works of Franz Kafka and Jean Genet, and by the films of Luis Buà ±uel and Pier Paolo Pasolini (Ragheb). The absurdist philosophies of Kafka and Genet, and the obscure themes of Buà ±uel and Pasolini, are evident to a great extent in all of her works. Yet what affected her life and her work most was what she has interpreted as a betrayal of her own body. In an interview with Jeanette Winterson last year, Horn described two of the key events that caused a change in the course of her life and work. First was the onset, at age 20[i], of a serious lung condition. This was the result of working, by her own account, unprotected, with glass fibre. No one had told her that it was a dangerous material. As a result, after a period of intense work, while living in a cheap hotel in Barcelona—‘one of those hotels where you rent rooms by the hour’—she found herself dangerously ill. During this unfortunate period, she also found herself alone—both parents had died. ‘I was totally isolated’, she told Winterson. To recuperate, she was forced to spend time in a sanatorium, a setting in which her sense of isolation was magnified. This enforced period of extended rest became an experience that ultimately led her to consider the workings of the body in a new way. She began to view the body it in terms of isolation and vulnerability. ‘Thats when I began to produce my first body-sculptures. I could sew lying in bed’ (qtd. in Winterson, 2005). What resulted from this period were a series of designs ‘that would extend her body’ explains Winterson (2005). Apparently, this was more than a reactionary phase, as Horn continued on this trajectory after her release from the sanatorium. Back at art school, she worked with soft materials, such as prosthetic bandages and padding, creating protective, cocoon-like pieces. Works from this early period include Finger Gloves (1972), Pencil Mask (1972), and Black Cockfeathers (1971). According to Winterson, ‘isolation becomes a message in a bottle; the viewer can retrieve what is inside’ (2005). Eventually Horn gravitated more and more into performance art, but instead of abandoning the body-extension sculptures, she used them as part of her performance (Ragheb). The limitations of the body, and of one’s time on earth, are apparent even as the actions of Horn’s mechanized sculptures suggest endless time. There is a beauty in the symmetry of Blue Monday Strip, a duality in the suggestion of the mundane in a setting of what appears to be perpetual motion. To express animation through inanimate objects is to do the unexpected, particularly in Horn’s chosen format. This is what I would like to achieve in my own art. Conclusion: A Contextual Investigation All art is contextual in that it is dependent upon its environment. What it is, as well as the time in which it is brought into existence, are both aspects that must be considered when assessing its value. Art that relates to the body is unique in the sense that although our individual bodies have a limited amount of time on this earth, the body, such as it is, is perpetual. It will always exist, though each of us as individuals has a limited time span on this earth. The work of Rebecca Horn is appealing in a timeless sense; one gets the feeling that it will be appreciated and valued even in the far distant future, in a time when machines such as ‘typewriters’ have ceased to play a role in society, other than as a symbol of the past. Her work is relevant in ways that I, as a fellow artist, find significant and familiar—and this familiarity exists despite the fact that we work in media that are altogether different from each other. Despite this difference, a common theme exists and seems to resonate when I observe her work and consider it against my own. Though we work with different materials, there is a common theme, a sense of the fleeting nature of our corporeal existence against a background of the details of life. Her works are animated, though in a much different way than my own art is ‘animated’. The sense of activity and movement I see in her work is something that is appealing and energizing. It brings to mind the limitations of the human body, yet at the same time it brings to light the concept that human activity goes on, even though we as individuals do not. Doing this within my own medium is something I can strive for, and hope on some level to achieve. As Ragheb has written, Horn’s work is ‘located in the nexus between body and machine’, and it ‘transmogrifies the ordinary into the enigmatic’ (1993). I would take these even further; Horn’s ability to find a niche between body and machine has been accomplished with dexterity and precision, yet at the same time with a subtlety that lends itself to individual interpretation. This, in essence, is the crux of her appeal to me as a practitioner. She can take everyday objects—typewriters, motors, ink, bits of metal—and juxtapose them in such unique ways that viewers look at them in ways that are new and yet familiar at the same time. References Cork, Richard. 2005. ‘Rebecca Horn invades our senses’.  Times Online, Weekend Review, Arts, May 21, 2005. Retrieved from  http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14933-1620638,00.html Ragheb, J. Fiona. ‘Rebecca Horn’. Retrieved from  http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_66.html Smith, Roberta. 1993. ‘Review/Art; Fountains of Mercury, a  Piano Spitting Out Keys: Sculpture as Dramas’. New York Times, July 2, 1993.  Retrieved electronically on 5/12/06 from  http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3D81E3BF931A35754C0A965958260&sec=&pagewanted=print Winterson, Jeanette. 2005. ‘The Bionic Woman’. The  Guardian. Monday, May 23, 2005. Retrieved from http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1489933,00.html [i] In the Winterson interview, Horn is quoted as explaining that the onset of her illness occurred at age 20, although critic J. Fiona Rahgreb and others have written the age as 24.

Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction Essay -- Aesthetic Attitude

Visit any major museum of art, at any given time, and one could find an abundance of monumental names listed on tiny plaques hanging next to even more recognizable works of art. The excitement felt by any art enthusiast when walking into these buildings of time and creation, is undeniable and especially unique. Could it be the atmosphere of the building, the presence of artwork, the people, possibly the grandeur of the space, or perhaps, could it be the spirit of the artists themselves, peering through the work they created? As onlookers peer into the artworks in front of them, there is no question as to whether or not they considered what the artwork means, where it came from and what the artist was interested in who created it. The intrigued viewer quite possibly could also want to have a conversation with that artist and ask them questions about the artwork and what it was that they were thinking about when producing it, with a goal of better understanding what they were looking at. As the viewer and after serious contemplation, would you believe you understood the artwork as the artist or artist’s society believed the work? Could you appreciate the work the same? Walter Benjamin, a well known German-Jewish Marxist literary and cultural critic, philosopher, translator and essayist introduced ideas and questions similar to these in his epic essay, â€Å"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.† He wrote about many different ideas concerning the concept of art, writing, po litics and society. Benjamin was born in Berlin on July 15, 1892. He worked and lived in Germany for the majority of his life. He earned a Ph. D in 1919, but never held an academic career (egs.edu, 2009). â€Å"He dedicated his life’s work to writ... ... 41-46. Ebscohost. Web. 12 Nov. 2009 Luehrman M., Unrath K. â€Å"Bringing Children to Art- Bringing Art to Children.† Art Education. Jan. 2009: 41-47. Print. Peim, Nick. â€Å"Walter Benjamin in the Age of Digital Reproduction: Aura in Education: A Rereading of ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.’† Journal of Philosophy of Education 41.3 (2007): 363-380. Wilson Web. Web. 2 Nov. 2009. Stolnitz, Jerome. â€Å"One The Apparent Demise of Really High Art.† The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 43.4 (1985): 345-358. Wilson Web. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. Stolnitz, Jerome. â€Å"The Aesthetic Attitude’ in the Rise of Modern Aesthetics.†Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 36.4 (1978): 409-422. Wilson Web. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. Townsend, Chris. â€Å"Knowledge as Spectacle.† Art Monthly 322 (Dec.2008/Jan.2009): 11- 14. Wilson Web. Web. 15 Oct. 2009.

Early American Writers Essay -- essays research papers

Early American Writers In the literature of early American writers there is one common trait among all the writings: religion. Among Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards all speak of their opinion of religion, god, heaven, and material things. Anne Bradstreet was a puritan wife, originally from England but then moved to America. Upon moving and settling into her home, her poems became full of emotion and spoke about concerns from her heart. She was religious and believed that men had superiority over women. A common concern in these religious writers was the unimportance of material things on Earth. In Bradstreet's Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666, her house was burned to the ground. Nevertheless, she did not shed to many tears because she knew that "Thou hast an house on high erect," meaning that her real home was in heaven. She found comfort in god and her belief in her made her strong and able to move on in her life. When she starts thinking about all her possessions that she had lost she would "Raise up thy thoughts above the sky . . . " and remember these things do not matter, what matters is her "house on high." Jonathan Edwards also found comfort in god, "leading me to sweet contemplations of my great and glorious God." Jonathan was also a puritan from the early America, however, he was a preache...

Robert D. Furchgott’s Contribution to the Discovery of Nitric Oxide as

Introduction In 1998 the Nobel Prize in physiology was awarded to three scientists for their contribution to the discovery of nitric oxide (NO) as a physiological singling molecule, particularly in vascular smooth muscle: Dr. Robert F. Furchgott, Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, and Dr. Ferid Murad1,2. Although the Prize was only initially awarded to Furchgott and Murad, it was later admitted that without the work of Ignarro an important link would not have been made. More specifically, in 1977 Murad found that nitric oxide was the active molecule causing vasodilation when studying the effects of vasodilatory effects nitroglycerine1,2. In 1980 when studying the effects of vasodilatory effects or acetylcholine in rabbit aorta, Furchgott found that vascular endothelial cells are necessary for vascular smooth muscle relaxation3. He concluded that endothelial cells produce what he called endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), a signaling molecule that caused vascular smooth muscle to relax1,3. Lastly, in 1986 Ignarro, showing that vascular endothelial cells produced similar responses when stimulated to produce EDRF and when exposed to NO, determined that nitric oxide and EDRF were the same molecule, thereby uniting the work of Murad and Furchgott into a cohesive vasodilatory model1,2. Nitric Oxide and Vascular Relaxation Nitric oxide is an abundant and diverse secondary signaling molecule throughout the body, playing roles in memory, learning, inflammation, and blood pressure. It is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) from L-arginine and oxygen, though there are three known types of NOS: NOS 1, NOS 2 and NOS 34. NOS 1 and 3 are stimulated by high intracellular calcium ion concentrations, as caused by vasodilators l... ...el Prize Awarded to Scientists for Nitric Oxide Discoveries. Circulation 98, 2365-2366 2. Raju T. (2000). The Nobel Chronicles. The Lancet, 356, 346 3. Furchgott R. F. (2003). Nobel Lecture. Nobel Lectures, Physiology or Medicine 1996-2000. 4. Barrett K. E., Barman S. M., Boitano S., Brooks H. L. Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology (2012). Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology. McGraw-Hill 5. Nobel Prize.org (2014, February 25). Robert F. Furchgott - Biographical. Retrieved from http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1998/furchgott-bio.html 6. Furchgott R. F., Zawadzki J. V. (1980). The obligatory role of endothelial cells in the relaxation of arterial smooth muscle by acetylcholine. Nature, 288, 337-376 7. Martin W. (2009). Robert F. Furchgott, Nodel laureate (1916-2009) - a personal reflection. British Journal of Pharmacology. 158(3), 633-637

Discuss the Narrative Method of Kurt

Discuss the Narrative method of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five is a that in no way can be treated as one-dimensional one. It deals with the historical events like the bombing of Dresden, socio-cultural reality of America in the 1960s and the alternative world of Tralfamadorians. Although three different realms are combined, the novel does not present anything that could be perceived as unseen. Its exceptionality comes from a less explored perspective – the novel’s unique narrative structure.It seems obvious that the text could not have been interpreted with the use of traditional interpretational tools therefore Vonnegut introduced a new method of narration. The main focus of the analysis are several devices Vonnegut uses to create his narration. First of all the story has in fact two narrators not one. In this way the reader sees more clearly that he narration technique is in a way turned upside down. The narrator not nec essarily loses his traditional role and still influences the way readers perceive the plot but a slight difference can be noticed.What is more, contrary to the potential assumptions of the reader, Slaughterhouse-Five not entirely breaks out with the convention of an anti-war book. The second issue that needs to be looked upon are the stylistic devices use by the author. Those are: the collage technique, the foreshadowing of some of the events and multitude of repetitions. These tools can be traced in every chapter of the novel. Moreover both of them connect different levels in the plot. The third aspect of the novel is Vonnegut’s attempt to explore the subconscious of the protagonist with the use of Tralfamadorian reality.It might be argued whether the author’s intention was to make the reader believe in alternative world or to present the main character as schizophrenic. By the matter of fact such question is legitimate as the topic of schizophrenia can be easily asso ciated with Billy Pilgrim’s travels in time and space. From the first sentence in the novel the reader becomes aware that it is impossible to state whether the story is true or fictitious. â€Å"All this happened, more or less. † (p. 5) Throughout those words the reader is confronted with is the question of truth.In this way Vonnegut gives the reader a thrill and achieves the effect of reality. On the one hand the reader feels that the story is a fiction on the other however some parts of the story seem to be far too realistic to be artificial. Moreover Vonnegut calls his novel â€Å"a failure. † (p. 14) With this expression he again brings it into question the truthfulness of the reported facts. The question whether the novel tells a real story or is only a successful mystification is left to the reader to answer by himself. The story begins in chapter II.The author introduces the protagonist named Billy Pilgrim who describes his time travels. As the story unfo lds the reader gets more details about the alternative world of the Tralfamadorians. The idea of time traveling as well as the utopian life on another planet is, by the matter of fact, just a renewed and transferred to the modern versions of topics introduced to literature centuries earlier by Thomas More or Jonathan Swift. There is however one aspect, which is worth a particular amount of attention – the way the story is presented.Taking into consideration the fact that it is Billy who describes what happened it is odd that every expression, Billy utters, is commented on with the words â€Å"he says†. (p. 20) At first sight this may not seem important but it points to the question of truth. Does Billy travel to remote areas, or does he only say so? Vonnegut asks this question every time he repeats those words. Another device used by the narrator is the foreshadowing of important events. As an example one may look at the following expression: â€Å"Billy sat down in t he waiting room. He wasn't a widower yet. † (p. 4) By foreshadowing some of the important events in the story the author breaks with the concept of time. He deliberately upsets the chronology in the novel. It is visible especially when Vonnegut places the first and the last sentences of the novel next to each other. That procedure forces the reader more focused while reading the novel, more careful in search of full understanding. What is more not only the concept of chronology but also tension is rejected in the novel. Vonnegut avoids tension by anticipating some of the events which are connected with a given character, for example: â€Å"His name was Howard W.Campbell, Jr. He would later hang himself while awaiting trial as a war criminal. † (p. 63); Next technique used by Vonnegut repetition of some phrases. The repetitions appear throughout the novel in different contexts. â€Å"I drive my wife away with a breath like mustard gas and roses. † (p. 6) This quot ation occurs in the first chapter which describes the genesis of his novel. It is used again in chapter four, when Billy imagines that he can smell somebody’s breath and once again in the war episode when the protagonist describes the bodies: â€Å"rotted and liquefied† and the smell was â€Å"like roses and mustard gas. (p. 105) The smell is a kind of a sign which links the past with the present. The repetitions also join several episodes of the novel in order to make it less chaotic and incoherent and introduce a kind of structure. That in turn makes the novel more coherent and easier to follow. Apart from stylistic devices which Vonnegut, with all his mastery, uses to create the unique atmosphere Slaughterhouse Five turns out to be also a in-depth study of human psyche. The psychological aspect of the book is, however, deftly disguised with the use of alien society of the Tralfamadorians.The symbolic meaning of this alternative reality is in fact more than a symbol , as it becomes true to some extent at some of the points of the novel. What is more Billy’s stay also make the reader raises more questions than it would be possible to provide answers to. Who or what are Tralfamadorians? Are they a symbol of an ideal society that is a far cry from the one known and used on Earth? A morality which just like many which preceded it should show us the way?Or maybe the planet exists only in Billy's imagination and is nothing more than a plaint of a mind tormented by regret, a world existing in Billy's reality only? It is difficult to state whether Vonnegut wants to impose the expression that Billy is schizophrenic or whether he tries to convince the reader that the Tralfamadorians really exist. It is essential to notice that Vonnegut does use the word schizophrenia from the very beginning of the novel. â€Å"This is a novel somewhat in the telegraphic schizophrenic manner of tales of the planet Tralfamadore, where the flying saucers come from. † (p. ) Ambiguous as it is this statement still points out to the fact that the author’s intention was to mislead the reader a make him believe that schizophrenia might be the key issue, an element that should not be omitted. What is schizophrenia? According to R. D. Laing schizophrenia can be described as: â€Å"a special strategy that a person invents in order to live an unlivable situation. † This definition contrary to the strictly medical, that is traditional view seems to focus less on the fact that schizophrenia is a serious mental illness and more on the opportunities a split personality provides.According to this definition the fact that one’s personality can be torn apart because of the negative environment is a understandable defensive reaction. Might it be then a coincidence that the Tralfamadorians themselves might be treated as schizophrenic as they all the time neglect any negative implications in life and exclusively focus on the positive m oments. Taking into consideration all the troubles Billy experiences during his lifetime, it seems obvious that Slaughterhouse Five tells a story of a man who can perceive his life as a failure.The protagonist has a negative childhood, marries a woman whom he pities but not love, so he is relieved when he loses her. He experiences much during the war, almost dies in a plane-crash and his children are hard to raise and difficult to love. For those reasons Billy’s life might be described as unlivable. Can one find a better reason to break the identity in half and try to find shelter in the depths of one’s mind? It seems to be a logical consequence for the protagonist. Mental illness perceived as a kind of barrier is also referred to several times in the novel.As an example Rosewater, one of the characters in the novel utters an assumption that life is too heavy a burden to be bearable for some eg. â€Å"Another time Billy heard Rosewater say to the psychiatrist, ‘ I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living. ‘† (p. 50) Also one of the descriptions given refers to one of the characteristic feature of schizophrenia – hallucinations – by stating: â€Å" Billy Pilgrim was having a delightful hallucination. He was wearing dry, warm, white sweatsocks, and he was skating on a ballroom floor.Thousands cheered. This wasn't time-travel. It had never happened, never would happen. It was the craziness of a dying young man with his shoes full of snow. † (p. 26) Again the author uses those expressions not without a reason. With a few sentences he reveals the delicate inside of his character, makes him more approachable as if he felt obliged to provide an explanation to his visions of a better life on another planet. Vonnegut makes even a step further by deriving Billy’s illness from the physical consequences of the plane-crash.Apa rt from the fact that Billy was the only person which managed to survive still he suffered from severe brain damages. This might have created the perfect mental environment for creating Tralfamadorians. Another device the author uses in narrating is placing information about novels written by Billy’s favorite author Kilgore Trout. The plot of those novels also influenced Billy’s â€Å"time travels† as one of them, entitled The Big Board (p. 105) tells the story of a couple which have being abducted by aliens and shown in a zoo.It is than possible that Billy might have taken this story as a real one and projected the idea on himself. Vonnegut confirms this belief in chapter nine writing: â€Å"So they were trying to reinvent themselves and their universe. Science fiction was a big help. † (p. 50) Nevertheless the mental state of the main character is in no way clear for some parts of the chapter are narrated as if the protagonist experienced the travel: â €Å"Billy was unconscious for two days after that, and he dreamed of millions of things, some of them true. The true things were time-travel. † (p. 7) It seems obvious that the author deliberately makes the reader confused. This assumption can be proved as the narrator makes a clear distinction between time-travel and plain fantasy. However one can also say that â€Å"Vonnegut seems to supply internal evidence for a psychological explanation of Tralfamadore while at the same time denying that evidence with a contradictory narrative statement. † (Harris 235) It can only imply that reading Slaughterhouse-Five, one can suspect that Vonnegut’s intention is far from being interested in accuracy as far as the subdivision between reality and fiction is concerned.Only by such narration technique Vonnegut was able to allow the protagonist to solve the conflicts which thorn him apart, even if the only way to do it was to split his identity by introducing schizophrenia. Sl aughterhouse-Five is obviously one of the novels that could not be forgotten for it differs to a large extent from other works from this genre. The author, on purpose, neglects all values and norms. What is more no principles of logic can be applied to the plot. Therefore just like the novel is narrated in a completely new way, it needs also to be read differently in order to fully understand it’s unique utterance.BIBLIOGRAPHY: (1)Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five. Great Britain, Jonathan Cape Ltd 1970 available in PDF version on: http://chomikuj. pl/Angouleme/e-booki/Kurt+Vonnegut+-+Slaughterhouse-Five,58449367. pdf (2)A quote by R. D. Laing found on: http://www. quoteland. com/topic/Madness-Quotes/538/ (3)Charles B. Harris, â€Å"Time, Uncertainty, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr. : A Reading of Slaughterhouse Five,'† Farmington Hills: Gale Group. October, 2001 Can be viewed at: http://infotrac. galegroup. com/galenet? cause=http%3A%2F%2Fgalenet. galegroup. com%2Fservlet%2FDC% 2F%3FfinalAuth%3Dtrue&cont=&sev=temp&type=session&sserv=no