Internal Conflict in Barn Burning by William Faulkner Essay

The works â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner and â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck at first glance may seem to have no connection, but in spite of different plot they focus on similar ideas. The story â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner discusses the inner conflict within Sartoris Snopes, a young boy who faced a dilemma. He tries to make a decision of choosing between to lieing in the court under his father’s pressiure who does not want to get into the jail and acting against his father by telling the truth. The main character is influenced by Abner, his father, who tells him, â€Å"You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you.† ( P 496). I think this quote reflects the main issue of the story, which is about blood ties. And we clearly see how Sarty is affected by these blood ties. Faulkner depicts the inner conflict and dilemma that the main character faces. We start to understand the moral dilemma of the main character from the beginning of the story. I think Faulkner make us think about the question: at what point should a person make a choice between what his parents and or family believes and his own values? The situation in which Sarty’s conflict is developeded is a trial. In this trial Sarty is asked, † I reckon any boy named for Colonel Sartoris in this country can’t help but tell the truth, can they?† ( P 154). The young boy, Sarty, somewhere deep in his heart has a feeling that he wants to act in a right way, but as he is oly 10 years old, I think it is hard for him to make firm decisions. His feelings and thoughts are influnced by his father, who pressures him, trying to prevent himself from punishment in the court. We also understand that Abner makes his son struggle with himself by the way Sarty describes him. Abner does not speak much. We see this in the way he communicates with his family and other characters. He is a person with so much pride that he is ready to do anything to revenge those who do something wrong to him or try to own him, even if he has to break the law. The choice that a young boy has to make stands between his family and conscience. When Sarty Snopes considers that he has to make a decision of choosing between blood, which is his duty to his family, and his own morality.  Sarty’s father stesses the value of loyalty to the family. He states,thatif he does not stick to hi blood, he will not have any blood to stick to. Sarty tries to make himself believe this and even starts a fight with a boy for insulting his father. At first Sarty wants to be a moral person. He is very very upset that he has to lie speaking to the judge, but he is still going to do that, knowing his father wants him to do so. As Sarty respected Abner for his values, he thought he could back up him. The boy believed his father was a brave man in the war, and that he wanted to send a warning beforehand with a slave so that no one was hurt. The battle between listening to his own heart and deciding to follow his family is the hardest struggle of Sarty’s life. He understands that it is not correct to agree with his father’s suggestions, but he is not interested in disreputing his father by disagreeing with him. The author explains that if he was older he would â€Å"resist the world and try to change the course of its events† ( P 379). Sarty learns that he does not necessaruly need bulk in irder to refuse Abner; at first he defends his father, but finally his decided to listen to his heart, which wants to help those who were harmed by obstinate and dogmatic Abner. Sarty warns the people in the big white house and goes down the road. Soon Sarty hears a a few shots, and he thinks that his father and brother are caught by the landlord and are shot by him. Regardless of what indeeed happened, he understands he can never return. The boy just continues to walk, and he does not look back. At this moment Sarty’s blood ties are broken, and he gets rid of the fear of his father’s wrath. The main character is free now. But his freedom requires paying some price. I think that the boy still feels some kind of blood tie, described by the author, and he made this choice with a lot of feelings on both sides of the issue. Sarty still cares for his family in some sense, he still feels love towards his father, even though he understands that what his father’s deeds are wrong and he really had to stop them and cease to be a part of them. The fact that the boy is not able to come back home is not a question of his  choice, I think he just canont go back. So, Sarty’s heart still suffers from some conflict that is not really resolved, even though the situation has really changed. As I have already discussed, at the beginning of the story Sarty feels a strong allegiance to his father, however, finally we learn that his views change radically. The point of culmination is at the end of the story when Sarty has warned Major de Spain of Abner’s intentions to burn the barn. I think that the main character experiences the burst of emotions, running down de Spain’s drive and hearing Major’s horse galloping behind him. The resolution to the conflict comes when Abner and his elder son are shot. But the real solution happens at night after Abner’s death, when Sarty is sitting upon the crest of a hill thinking about his actions and future life. Faulkner proves us that it is impossible to sruggle with one’s own heart . The moment when Sarty decided to choose morality over the blood pool and warned the de Spain’s revealed his true character. Though this meant the death of his father, Sarty didn’t regret of warning de Spain. Instead, it looked like the boy was trying to subsitute his memories of his father by some honorable, good person, who had strong convictions. In his story â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† John Steinbeck also reveales the conflict of a human heart, which is connected with women’s unfulfilled needs and desires. The author stresses that as human beings we have to appreciate each other, otherwise eventually we will make our lives dark and tragic. The main character, Elisa Allen, is frustrated with her present life. She is plagued with no children and her husband is not able admire her romantically as a woman. The only thing that helps her to calm down is her flower garden where beautiful chrysanthemums grow. Steinbeck shows Elisa’s thoughts nad feelings about her inner self by depicting those chrysanthemums. The story presents the idea that appreciation by the people who we love is an element of human existence. When Elisa was acknowledged by her husband, said, â€Å"maybe I could do it, too. I’ve a gift with things, all right. My mother had it. She could stick anything in the ground and make it grow† ( P  1261). At this moment the woman feels her husband’s appreciation for commenting on her wonderful flowers. This idea of recognition is shown by John Steinbeck to demonstrate the need for a felling of acceptance. Feeling a strong need for acceptance, Elisa turns to a stranger and makes attempts to be appreciated. While Elisa talks to this stranger, their conversation connects to the realm of Elisa’s flowers. â€Å"Elisa’s eyes grew alert and eager. ‘She couldn’t have known much about chrysanthemums. You can raise them from a seed'† ( P 1264). This depicts Elisa’s happiness and passion, as she has an opportunity to be appreciated through her flowers again. By undestanding the value of Elisa’s flowers, the stranger really accepts the woman, as her flowers are in some sense the expression of herself. They are everything Elisa possesses, being sometimes valued by her husband and also being valued by the stranger. â€Å"†¦ her eyes shone. She tore off the battered hat and shook out her dark pretty hair† ( P 1264). In this quote we see that Elisa opens her heart up to the stranger. She â€Å"tore off† the hat to free herself from the work which was not appreciated, and revealed her real beauty to the stranger. By acting so, Elisa is prepared herself to get the gratitude from the stranger, the gratitude that she did not receive often from her husband. . After the tinker departs, Elisa is looking forward to her evening with her husband. She hopes Henry will recognize her needs as a woman and provide her with the romance and passion which she desires. But this hope is quickly broken. The best best compliment on her appearance that Henry makes after she has changed is, â€Å"You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon† ( P 393). This unflattering comment on her appearance does not do much for Elisa’s ego as a woman nor toward her feelings toward her husband. Elisa’s hope is finally destroyed, as she finds the flowers on the road. The woman feels that her soul is completely emptied by the tinker’s thoughtless rejection of her feelings. Just like her husband, he has failed to value the qualities that make her unique as a woman. This symbolic act has vanished her hope. Elisa realizes that her life will not change. Henry will not fully appreciate or understand her femininity and sexuality. She has to l earn to be content with such  unthoughtful husband and her awful marriage. She realizes that her devastation is really complete and leaves her â€Å"crying weakly-like an old woman† ( P 394). The chrysanthemums stand for the symbol of Elisa’s role as a woman. At the beginning they symbolize her children, later they represent her femininity and sexuality. Elisa feels that her life destroyed her soul because she lacked children and romance in her marriage with Henry. Eventually, her husband fails to appreciate her feminine qualities and her emotional needs. The encounter with the tinker reawakens her sexuality and Elisa starts to hope that she still has a chance for a more exciting and romantic marriage. However, seeing the flowers on the road she realizes that there will not be any changes in her life. Finally, her soul is devastated by such a miserable and uhhappy life. I think that in contrast to the inner conflict, which Faulkner’s Sarty experienced at the beginning of the strory and resolved at the end, Steinbeck’s Elisa faced different situation. She had some hopes that her life will go in the desirable way, but all her expectations failed. In my opinion, in spite of the conflicts which different natures, both authors proved in their works that if human heart comes into the conflict with itself, it brings suffering. But I think that it is worth to suffer like Sarty for the sake of resolving the conflict; however, life turns into the tragedy, when the conflict, like in Elisa’s case, is the final of a person’s dreams and expectations. Bibliography 1.Faulkner, William. Barn Burning. Bedford Introduction to Literature. Boston; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002. 2.Billinglea, O. Fathers and Sons: The Spiritual Quest in Faulkner’s ‘Barn Burning. Mississippi Quarterly: The Journal of Southern Culture 44.3 (Summer 1991). 3.Fowler, Virginia C. Faulkner’s ‘Barn Burning’: Sarty’s Conflict Reconsidered. College Language Association Journal 24.4 (June 1981). 4. Steinbeck, John. The Chrysanthemums. Fiction: A Longman Pocket Anthology. Ed. R.S. Gwynn. Second Ed. New York: Longman, 1998. 5.Beach, J. John Steinbeck’s Authentic Characters. Readings on John Steinbeck. Ed. Swisher, Clarice. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1996.

Course Project, Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements Note 1 Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles (10 items) Description of Business The Open-Road Motorcycle Company is the largest online retailer of salvage title motorcycles. We are focused on bringing the customer the best value on entry level motorcycles by providing lower prices than our competitors. Our motorcycles are sold all over the United States, and we currently have 30 stores all across the country. Property, Plant and Equipment All property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated over their useful lives.All depreciation expense incurred is derived using the straight line method. We do not depreciate our land. We estimate our useful life for our assets accordingly; buildings have a 40 year life, computer equipment has a 5 year life and the repair equipment a 15 year life. The estimated lives of our assets are reviewed periodically to determine if any impairment is present so the useful lives and depreciation can be adjusted for accuracy. Short-term Investments All of our investments are comprised of trading securities comprised of debt instruments in different industries.The securities are reported at fair value with any unrealized gains and losses stated on net income. Securities that are still held at the end of the fiscal year are evaluated and are adjusted if necessary. Inventory Valuation All of our merchandise on our website is recorded at cost or fair value, whichever is lower. The salvage motorcycle inventory is recorded at cost. We value our inventory using the average method. If the motorcycle is considered â€Å"unsellable†, it becomes disassembled and sold for parts.All parts received from motorcycles that have been disassembled are not recorded because the cost has already been recorded from the original purchase. The motorcycle would be written off as a loss on net income and all sales from the parts are considered gains and are stated on net income. Re fer to Note 2. Costs of Goods Sold Our Costs of goods sold is the cost of the motorcycles purchased, direct labor and depreciation expense. It includes all shipping and handling costs, air freight, train, and truck costs in received the merchandise and or motorcycles. Revenue RecognitionAll revenue generated from sales of inventory are realized when it has been earned. Generally when the item purchased arrives and the ownership transfers. All shipping and handling costs are included in the sales price. Revenues earned from sales are stated net of tax. Sales from disassembled motorcycles are listed as gains or losses on net income. Advertising Costs All costs associated with the marketing our website, which include television and internet ads, are expensed when incurred. Typically our advertising costs stay the same every year at $4 million, since our beginning in 2006. Accounts ReceivablesWe record accounts receivables at net realizable value. This value is the remainder of the amou nt due on sales on credit less estimated uncollectable amounts. We calculate our estimated amount based on past write-offs. Our company credit policy extends a 30 day period in which the full payment is due upon completion of sale. The item must have a prepayment of at-least 50% of the motorcycle sales price before it is shipped. We believe that because of this policy the amount of uncollectable revenue is reduces and sales have increased. Contingencies Our company is currently involved in a lawsuit pending a settlement agreement.A former employee was injured in an accident involving improper handling of the shipment. The settlement is considered probable and the estimated cost is $2 million. This amount is stated in current liabilities. Refer to Note 4. Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Our company contributes to pension and other postretirement health care plans for all of our employees. We contribute 3% of gross wages into a retirement fund specified by each employee . Refer to note 11. Note 2 Inventories Our inventory is comprised of salvaged motorcycles and fully repaired motorcycles.Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market. We base our cost on the average cost method. Repaired motorcycles have title and labor costs included in the basis of valuation. Inventories consisted of the following (in millions): December 31, 2011 2010 Salvage motorcycle inventory $ 300 $310 Repaired motorcycle inventory $250 $200Total inventories $550 $510 Note 3 Property, Plant and Equipment The following table illustrates our property, plant and equipment (in millions): December 31, 2011 2010 Land $ 600 $ 550 Buildings and garages 900 700 Machinery, repair and computers 00 350 1,900 1,600 Less: accumulated depreciation 350 300 Property, plant and equipment – net $ 1,550 $ 1,300 Note 4 Contingencies and LiabilitiesOur company is currently involved in a lawsuit that is pending a settlement. The approximate amount of the settlement is $2 million. We have determined that the contingency is probable and the amount of the settlement is accurate. This amount is stated on the consolidated balance sheet for the current period. Note 5 Changes in Accounting Principles or Estimates We are currently using the average cost method for inventory valuation in place of LIFO.We have determined this method is more accurate for valuation because prices tend to fluctuate and may skew net income unfavorably. Note 6 Post Balance Sheet Events Our company continually evaluates its motorcycle inventory to determine cost and its ability to sell. If a significant amount of inventory is deemed obsolete or â€Å"unsellable,† it is adjusted in the next period. The amount is deducted from inventory and written off as a loss.The motorcycles then become disassembled and all revenue generate from the parts are considered a gain. Note 7 Mergers and Acquisitions We recently acquired Pristine Paint Jobs Company during the year for $50 million. We acqui red all buildings, land, equipment and certain patents on paint jobs. We have decided to expand our operations by completely restoring salvage motorcycles for a lower price. The following table illustrates the assets and liabilities received from the purchase (in millions):Cash $ 3 Inventory 10 Equipment 35 Property, plant and Equipment 45 Total assets acquired 93 Accounts payable 40 Long-term debt 40 Total liabilities acquired 80 Total net assets acquired $13 Note 8 Lease Obligations We currently lease a special modification machine that restores the engine and parts to 95%. The lease agreement is based on a 5 year term for $500,000 a year. The following table illustrates our payments for the term of the lease.Years ending December 31, Lease Payments 2011 $500,000 2012 $500,000 2013 $500,000 2014 $500,000 2015 $500,000 Total cost of the lease $2,500,000 Note 9 EPS Our company has 200,000 shares authorized with 100,000 outstanding. We have no preferred stock or treasury stock. The following table will illustrate the current and previous earnings per share. 2011 2010Net Income (in millions) $ 5 $ 4 Number of shares outstanding 100,000 100,000 EPS $50 $40 Note 10 Long-Term Debt With the acquisition of Pristine Paint Jobs, we acquired $40 million in long-term debt. Our long term debt prior to the acquisition was $25 million. Our long term debt consists of a $25 million note payable at a fixed interest rate of 1. 5 percent due December 31, 2040.The following illustrates the long term debts acquired from the purchase of Pristine Paint Jobs. * $20 million total principal amount of notes due November 20, 2035, at a fixed rate of 1 percent; and * $20 million total principal amount of notes due November 20, 2035, at a fixed rate of 1. 5 percent. Note 11 Employee Pension Obligations We continue to contribute to employee retirement plans for all of our employees. These pension plans are funded and are based on salaries and years of service. The total contri bution for the year is $10 million. In 2010 our total contribution was $9 million. We contribute 3% of employee wages into the plan. The increase in contribution is due to the increase of our workforce.

Gun Ownership Essay

KENNESAW, Ga – Several Kennesaw officials attribute a drop in crime in the city over the past two decades to a law that requires residents to have a gun in the house. In 1982, the Kennesaw City Council unanimously passed a law requiring heads of households to own at least one firearm with ammunition. The ordinance states the gun law is needed to â€Å"protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants.† Then-councilman J.O. Stephenson said after the ordinance was passed, everyone â€Å"went crazy.† â€Å"People all over the country said there would be shootings in the street and violence in homes,† he said. â€Å"Of course, that wasn’t the case.† In fact, according to Stephenson, it caused the crime rate in the city to plunge. Kennesaw Historical Society president Robert Jones said following the law’s passage, the crime rate dropped 89 percent in the city, compared to the modest 10 percent drop statewide. â€Å"It did drop after it was passed,† he said. â€Å"After it initially dropped, it has stayed at the same low level for the past 16 years.† Mayor Leonard Church was not in office when the law was passed, but he said he is a staunch supporter of it. â€Å"You can’t argue with the fact that Kennesaw has the lowest crime rate of any city our size in the country,† said Church, who owns a denture-making company in Kennesaw. The author of the ordinance, local attorney Fred Bentley Sr., attributes at least some of the decrease in crime to the bill. â€Å"I am definitely in favor of what we did,† he said. â€Å"It may not be totally responsible for the decrease, [but] it is a part.† Although he is pleased with the outcome, Bentley said he was originally opposed to drafting the law. â€Å"I didn’t think it could be written in a constitutional fashion,† he said. â€Å"Obviously, it was constitutional, because the American Civil Liberties Union challenged it in court and we won.† Jones said the ACLU challenged the law in a federal court just after it was passed. In response, the city added a clause adding conscientious objectors to the list of those exempt. Although the law is now being credited with a drop in crime, Jones said that was not the law’s original purpose. He also pointed out that Kennesaw did not have a big problem with crime before. â€Å"The crime rate wasn’t that high to start with. It was 11 burglaries per 1,000 residents in  1981,† he said. According to the Kennesaw Police Department, the city’s most recent crime statistics show 243 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 1998, or .243 per 1,000. The city’s crime rate continues to be far below other metro Atlanta city’s with similar populations, like Decatur. In 1998, Decatur recorded 4,049 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Jones said one motivation for the council passing the ordinance had to do with publicity. â€Å"It was done in response to a law passed by Morton Grove, Ill., outlawing gun ownership within the city limits,† he said. â€Å"Several council members were upset Morton Grove had gotten a lot of attention with their ordinance so they decided to top them. â€Å"They figured the gun ownership ordinance would knock that city right off the front pages. They were right.† Jones said the ensuing publicity surrounding the law has given Kennesaw worldwide name recognition. â€Å"I have been to Australia and Europe and when I tell people I am from Kennesaw they recognize the name as the place that requires everyone to own a gun,† he said. But Stephenson said the issue was not pub licity-driven but issue-driven. â€Å"We believed in the right of people to own guns,† he said. Jones said he has sold 550 copies of a 1994 book about the first-of-its-kind law, â€Å"The Law Heard ‘Round the World.† He said the law in its final form has many loopholes, so not everyone is required to own a gun. â€Å"There are many outs,† he said. â€Å"When you look at it, almost anyone could fit into one of the exempted groups.† Kennesaw Police Chief Dwaine Wilson said no one has ever been prosecuted under the ordinance. Among those exempt are residents â€Å"who conscientiously oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine.† Others exempt include the physically and mentally disabled, paupers and those convicted of a felony. The law contains no clause addressing punishment for violating the law. If convicted, City Clerk Diane Coker said punishment would be determined by the general penalty clause of the Kennesaw Code Ordinance – probably a fine of about $100. Jones said the unusual law has not deterred anyone from moving to Kennesaw. â€Å"Our population has increased just like everyone’s in Georgia in the past 20 years,† he said. â€Å"The law really hasn’t done any harm to the city’s growth.† The city’s population in 1998 was recorded at 14,493 – a sharp increase over the 8,936 residents recorded in the 1990 census. C obb Chamber of Commerce president Bill Cooper said odd laws are typically not counted as strike against a city when a business is looking to relocate.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"These laws don’t have laws don’t have an impact on a company’s decision to move to Cobb County,† Cooper said. â€Å"Many communities have strange laws that are out of date. Businesses look at many factors when relocating, such as quality of life, education, infrastructure and available workforce.† Bentley said the law actually may have helped business development. â€Å"Kennesaw is home to more manufacturing businesses than any other Cobb city,† he said. â€Å"Companies have said they want to be located in conservative areas.† And Kennesaw isn’t the only city in Cobb with an unusual law on the books. According to Jeff Koon, who runs a Web site specializing in funny laws, Dumblaws.com, Acworth has an ordinance requiring residents to own a rake. In Marietta, it is illegal to spit from a car or a bus, but perfectly legal to spit from a truck.

Video Games and Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Video Games and Violence - Research Paper Example However in the recent years with the development of video games and violent sports it is seen that children are indulging a lot in gaming. And this has forced many individuals to carry out researches to find out the effect of games on children. It is found that violence in real life has a direct relationship with people who are involved in playing these games. The aim of this research is to promote that the violent content of video games has been contributing to the aggressive behavior of the individual player. History and Extent of The Problem Media is an important and inseparable part of our daily routine in the modern age. It provides us new and technologically advanced modes of learning, working and doing the regular activities rightly and accurately in a timely manner. Media plays a crucial role in altering our thoughts, perceptions and viewpoints about certain personalities, relationships, issues and in turn the whole society. The extremely harsh exposure of media about current affairs results in negative or positive changes in our attitudes and point of views about those events under consideration. The extreme integration of media in our lives point towards the alarming situation where our lives and actions are all immensely affected by the media portrayal. Media does not affect a single group, stereotype or class but its effects surround the whole social constructs due to its presence in the lives of every individual today. Video games are one of the forms of media which are greatly influencing the behavior and attitude of people. Video games are getting increasing attention of the consumers as the technological advancements are getting more and more flexible, rich and user-focused. Video games serve as one of the most popular form of media to entertain children. The involvement of people in video games and their continuous interaction with video game environment affects them negatively. This is specifically adverse when the games are of violent nature with destruction, fighting or combating as the major themes in it. There has been a strong relationship between exposure in video games and rise in crime rate of younger generation. The violent activities, behaviors and attitudes are observed as a result of continuous exposure to video games. The popularity of video games has been increasing as shown by the investments made to meet the increasing demand. The innovations and technological advancements played a vital role in increasing the demand for video games. It has been observed that children of ages between 8 and 18 are found to have spent at least 40 hours per week in some form of media. This also includes the sharp rise in the exposure to video games by younger generation. The increasing popularity of video games has encouraged the exposure to video games to children aging 2 years with a minimum of 1 hour per day spent on games. Children falling in the age group of 8-13 years are observed to have played video games nearly 7.5 hours a week. Anderson’s (2001) research further illuminates the fact that children are exposed to video games which are never supervised by their parents or elders. Adams (2010) further explains the problem in terms of age-directed games that 85% of children play game which are designed and launched for adults. Adams’s argument points towards the heavy exposure of violence and negative exposure about female body, relationships and negative ideals in

CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Study Example Conversely, the Seven-S Model was chosen as it considers broader external measures of company efficiency. While a variety of diagnostic models could be applied to the Boeing situation, these specific models provide a strong contrast in that one focuses more heavily on human resource elements and the other focuses on external and structural aspects. In examining the Boeing situation, it’s clear that both situations must be considered in considering the organizational framework. 2. When examining the Boeing situation the Six-Box model encapsulates a number of important elements in the company’s structural framework. In these regards, it’s noted that the six elements of the model includes, â€Å"the organization’s strategy, structure, rewards, internal relationships, helpful mechanisms, and leadership (‘Organizational Diagnostic Models’ 2009).† While the majority of the challenges within the Boeing structural framework are larger organizational issues, it’s clear the human resource issues reflected in this diagnostic model are also essential elements. One of the major cultural issues at Boeing was identified as the merger with McDonnell Douglas. The aspect of the six-box models concerned with internal relationships, helpful mechanisms, and leadership are all diagnostic means of considering the cultural challenges that were presented by this merger. In these regards, the internal aspects of the six-box model con sider both the cultural changes brought on by the merger of these companies with previously disparate visions, but also considers the leadership challenges that emerged as company president Harry Stonecipher assumed the CEO position at Boeing. While the six-box model largely diagnoses the internal aspects of the Boeing corporation, it’s clear that the primary areas of concern are larger structural elements. In these regards, it’s necessary to consider the Seven-S Model. This model indicates that the major areas of concern are,

Use of iPads in schools Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Use of iPads in schools - Research Paper Example This document sets out to explore the major opposing views of implementing the iPad technology into academic learning. Most schools across the country are still finding or rather struggling to find just how new technological developments might educate students in a better way. Recent research shows that in thirty one US states, approximately 275,000 K-12 students were taking online classes (Valstad, 2011). Administrators of different schools are handing out iPads and encouraging students and teachers to find new and better ways in which they can use these gadgets to learn. Whereas the issuance of individual iPads to students and teachers is highly present in high-income earning students, those on the other end have a disadvantage in terms of access and use of the gadget. As much as many may be saying the technology-driven learning eases the whole learning process, making it more streamlined and efficient; a close attention needs to be paid with respect to the negative impacts associated with the use of this education-driven technology in school. One Matt Burns believes that iPads should not be in classrooms due to the fear of them turning into another prop for current scholars just in the same way calculators have made sure that children or rather students actually no longer need to know how to do mathematics (Henderson and Yeow, 2012). According to Valstad (2011), kids in the temporary classes are now taught to pass tests. Knowledge is externalized, stored on some server or gadget up to when they are needed. Despite the learning process being prevale nt in schools, the storage of thoughts and facts is not. iPads and their digital textbooks will only serve to further this problem as all it takes is a click on a word to get its meaning and or definition. In addition, Henderson and Yeow (2012) mention that students in classrooms are likely to suffer from potential distraction where

Bolshevik Biscuit Factory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bolshevik Biscuit Factory - Essay Example Since 1992, Danone, although holding a majority share (87%) in Bolshevik, has had only consulting status that changes could take place only with the approval of the Russian management. Danone took full managerial control of Bolshevik from 1997. The present staff at Bolshevik are said to be apparently having problems to include the nuances of having a multicultural workforce (ibid.). This report provides some four challenges met in the case and suggests for changes so that Bolshevik may become compatible with the Danone Group, while allowing for Russian cultural context in fulfilling their objectives. These challenges may somehow overlap in some ways. The facts used in the following discussion lean heavily on the de Vries et al. (2004) case study. Challenge 1) Power structure and reaching out to all or integration. A local Russian worker said, 'We need to understand what the priorities are. This is very clear to westerners because they are working in their own system. It's not clear to us because capitalism is very new to us. It is very important to know what the consequences are for certain actions or non-achievement of tasks. We are playing a new game and the rules need to be explained clearly.' (Quoted from Camiah and Hollinshead. In: de Vries 2004). There is a need to reach out to all workers, no matter how subordinate they are in the power structure of the business. Managers must pass on relevant information to all workers in the system. This means providing equally all employees with what they need to know about career advancement, communication, leadership, management, organizational culture, power, networking, interpersonal skills, and all the other unwritten rules, norms, and cues for success (Copeland 2003). The following ideas can help integrate cultures like those of Russians who prefer a more defined corporate structure where leaders lead and employees follow, with other cultures who like much looser exchange of ideas even on coffee shops (Noik-Benet 2004) - Hold season celebrations that encompass several different holidays and observances under one banner. Establish support networks like clubs for specific groups Use multicultural calendars. Allot to staff three or four discretionary days to cover "non-majority" holidays. Hold season celebrations. Hold a diversity month. Challenge 2) Moving from diverse to diversity-aware organization. There is also the need to be trained in cultural diversity. People from a different cultural background have diverse world views based on religion, philosophy, experience. From diversity to diversity-awareness, groupings should not be emphasized but the wholeness of the organization, therefore as much as possible groups should be treated as one without impinging on the rights of subordinate groups. Diversity awareness training (Payne 2003). Diversity is said to be one of the most serious issues for workers today, but employers are not even prepared for it. They are actually "culturally deprived," not having experienced the kinds of situations arising in today's multicultural settings. Russians and Fins and Americans in Bolshevik or Danone may undergo these trainings. Diversity awareness trainings [offered by some organizations for the purpose] provide an understanding of the issues underlying cultural systems, to help improve communication and its effectiveness in distinct multicultural

Book Revew Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Book Revew - Essay Example Acknowledging that her information is strung together by a lifetime of personal interest in the field and journalistic information gathering during her career as a writer for the New York Times, Dean’s book promises an overview of the issues involved and a reasoned plea for restraint in building up the beaches. In the final analysis, though, this book delivers high-quality information presented in a readable style that conveys not only the problems facing the nation’s beaches, but also the significance of this problem to the rest of the world. As an attempt to convince Americans not to build on the beaches, thus contributing to the erosion problem, the book is a success. Dean pulls her readers in by starting the book with an account of the devastating effects of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane and how the city responded. After outlining the city’s natural sense of vengeance against the uncaring ocean and its Herculean efforts to place it out of harm’s reach, she then outlines the long-term effects the sea wall and raising of the city have had on the coastline itself. Interspersing personal stories regarding coastline studies and devastating storms or other issues caused by erosion with factual and explanatory information regarding what these studies actually mean creates a solid argument against the process of building on the beach or attempting in any way to protect those buildings once constructed. Although she claims no scientific or special expertise on her own part, Dean’s work is widely recognized as a credible source for a number of other volumes including American Disasters by Stephen Biel (2001) and The Earth Around Us: Maintaining a Livable Planet by Jill Schneiderman (2003). As she outlines storm after storm and lost town after lost town, Dean continues to highlight the involvement of human encroachment on the