Essay on Louis XVI - 506 Words

Louis XVI When Louis XVI became King of France in 1774, he was only 20 years old. As the years passed, he learned how to rule better. Then he began to make changes. He abolished the age old practice of feudalism. The calling of the Estates-General was another change in the French government which he introduced. When the monarchy was abolished, he saw it as something that would help his country. All of Louis actions were attempts to achieve one goal. Louis XVI tried to please the French people and prevent the French Revolution. For many centuries, a feudal system had been in use in France. The peasants and serfs were at the bottom of this system. They made up 75% of the population. The National Assembly (formerly the†¦show more content†¦Having the ideas of the French people in the French government would make the government closer to the people. A system with representatives from all the provinces of France would accomplish that deed. Louis XVI achieved this by calling the Estates-General into the government in May 1789. This was a group of peers and deputies from towns and provinces across France. They had not been used in the government since 1614. They were originally put on an equal level with the King. The King had to approve all the laws that were to be passed. The commoners had one of the three votes in the Estates-General, so they had their say. Laws were passed by the Estates-General and National Assembly, including removing the nobles rights over the serfs and peasants. Another law reduced the power of the church by not allowing the church to own farming land. The National Assembly was the name they used when the third estate broke away and gave themselves power, but that is a different story. By giving the Estates-General power, Louis XVI got the peopleÕs ideas into the French government. One of the wants of the insurgents in France was the removal of the monarchy altogether. To satisfy the wants of the revolutionaries, Louis XVI stepped down from the throne. He actually did this because of a measure taken by the National Assembly on August 10, 1792, whichShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of Louis Xvi1004 Words   |  5 Pagesmoderate revolutionaries like, Marquis de Lafayette around 1792 the constitutional monarchy was quickly being replaced by a radical republic. Louis XVI was put on trial for crimes by the National Convention. While no one doubted his guilt, they did debate whether the king should be executed. The Reign of Terror began in 1793 after the death of Louis XVI. Nine months after his execution, his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette was the first person to face the guillotine. The Reign was meant to fight thoseRead MoreMarie Antoinette And Louis Xvi1611 Words   |  7 PagesRevolution. By the actions of growing up, Marie Antoinette had nothing to worry about as she was the heiress to the Austrian land. Married off at 15 to Louis XVI, she was given the responsibility of ruling France a much bigger country alongside her husband. Now she had more money and a husband that would do anything for her so she uses that to her advantage. Louis was a simple and innocent man; therefore Marie was able to easily influence his decisions. Both husband and wife did not really care about theRead MoreThe Reign of Louis the XVI Essay504 Words   |  3 PagesThe Reign of Louis the XVI There is great mystery surrounding the death of Louis XVI. Many different events led up to this. His actions before, during, and after the French Revolution greatly affected his fate. The French Revolution was a very important time period in European history. However, the situation in France under Louis XVI, was a negative one. France had great financial problems and it was infested with plagues of all sorts. A lot of the financial problems were because of the AmericanRead MoreEssay on King Louis XVI and the French Revolution921 Words   |  4 Pages In the 18th century King Louis XVIs spendings on the American Revolution practically bankrupt the country which had brought 2 decades of poor cereal harvest, cattle disease, and higher bread prices. Angry peasants showed their desperation by joining groups/clans that were against high taxes, those groups could not provide getting rid of taxes on how they always had riots and looted people homes. King Louis XVIs controller general (Charles Alexandre de Calonne) came up with an solution to thereRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Execution Of King Louis Xvi2000 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout the beginning of the French Revolution to the execution of King Louis XVI, the people took drastic measures to create more freedom and justice for themselves. In doing this, the Catholic Church was persecuted and France was de-Christianized. The French Revolution damaged Catholic culture by trying to control the Church’s power, putting it under the control of the State and executing its members. This was excessive on the part of the French people. The way that the Church was treated duringRead MoreAnalysis Of King Louis Xvi And The Royal Family963 Words   |  4 PagesOn June 21, 1791 King Louis XVI and the royal family left the city of Paris in an attempt to escape the city’s turmoil, and the King’s Jacobin enemies. The King, his wife Marie Antoinette, their tw o children, the king’s sister, and a governess, began their escape east towards the Austrian border. The escape party managed to make it to Sainte-Menehould, just a couple hours away from the border, before the relay stables manager Drouet recognized them. Drouet followed the party until they stopped toRead MoreThe Death Of Louis Xvi And Marie Antoinette1374 Words   |  6 PagesIn June of 1791, the French revolution witnessed one of its most dramatic events. King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, the Austrian born queen, escaped there parisian palace, the Tuileries. They fled Paris on the night of June 20th, dressed in rather inadequate disguises heading towards France’s eastern border. Prior to the escape, Louis had entailed a telling declaration in which he essentially renounced the constitutional monarchy, contradictory to previously expressing his support. However planRead MoreWhat were the causes of the downfall of Louis XVI?2259 Words   |  10 Pagesto 1790s Fr ance was in total chaos. France was ruled by the Bourbon family King Louis XVI from 1754 to 1793, it was an absolute monarch and they had absolute power and did not share it with a legislature. The situation was already bad before Louis XVI began his reign, but situation got worse. In the end, there was a revolution in France and a vast amount changes to the society and the government of France. Louis XVI himself was executed and killed; while France was established as a democratic countryRead MoreThe Road From Versailles : Louis Xvi, And The Fall Of The French Monarchy Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesAuthor- Munro Price Title- The road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the fall of the French Monarchy Citation- Price, Munro. The Road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the Fall of the French Monarchy. New York: St. Martin s Press, 2003. Author’s Identity- Modern European Historian at the University of Bradford Date and Place of Document: France, 1792 Intended Purpose: Follow Louis XVI on his escape to Versailles and the monarchy he left behind. Intended Audience-Read MoreWhat Were The Causes of The Downfall of Louis XVI- Is he fully responsible for his own downfall?1688 Words   |  7 Pagesunfolded, King Louis XVI of France soon found himself in the centre of it and gradually became one of the victims. In the morning of Tuesday 21st January 1793, he was woken by his guards and taken to Place de la Revolution. My people, I die an innocent man were his last words to the crowd, and moments later, his head was held up to the crowd . However, what caused the end of monarchy? Was Louis XVI completely responsible for his own downfall? There is no questioning that Louis XVI is, in fact, partially

Leadership Essay - 1488 Words

Leadership certainly isn’t gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank, or degrees doesn’t qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn’t come automatically from age or experience.† (Maxwell-Right, 7) The key to becoming a successful leader is not by focusing on making other people follow you, but by becoming a person that they desire to follow. â€Å"A leader is great not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.† (Maxwell-21) Throughout this semester I have studied a various array of leaders and applied numerous leadership methodologies. When we started the class I began by discussing the leadership ability of my father and how I follow him based on the leader†¦show more content†¦Because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.† (Krzyzewski, 220). One management theorist by the name of Peter Drucker stated, â€Å"Successful careers are not planned. They develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they know their strengths, their method of work, and their values.† (Anderson, 192) When studying Coach Krzyzewski I came across a quote and have not been able to get it out of my head. â€Å"As a Coach it is my job to inspire, to help guide, to help provide a group of 12 young men with a vision of what they are working towards.† (Krzyzewski, 36) Although there is no way to see the future completely, great leaders are those who have powerfully and permanently influenced their generation by being ‘seers’. Being a leader of vision includes foresight as well as insight (DePree, 113). Leadership Principle: Goals should be realistic, attainable, and shared among all members of the team. Oswald Sanders talks about how a pessimist sees a difficulty in every opportunity whereas the optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty (Sanders, 80). Leadership Principle: Never forget a defeat, defeat can be the key to victory. It is very important to look at the past, to observe situations where there are learning experiences, but a leader should not consider the past so sacred that they sacrifice the future for it. Leadership Principle: A Leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. â€Å"For a moment Liddell semed halfShow MoreRelatedThe Leadership Of Leadership And Leadership842 Words   |  4 Pagesideals of leadership, I met with two respected and admired school leaders: the Assistant Principal/Dean of Curriculum, and the Athletic Director. I chose these two school leaders because I wanted to gain an understanding of leadership from two diverse perspectives. I am thankful for the opportunity to hear from two different types of leaders, who ultimately share a lot of the same visions for my school and for leadership in general. While both subjects shared a similar definition of leadership, theirRead MoreLeadership And Leadership Of Leadership1711 Words   |  7 Pages7. Facilitative Leadership Facilitative leadership is dependent on quantities and outcomes – not a skill, though it takes much skill to master. The efficiency of a group is directly related to the effectiveness of its process. If the group is high operational, the facilitative leader uses a light hand on the procedure. 8. Laissez-faire Leadership Laissez-faire leadership gives expert to workers. According to AZ central, sections or subordinates are acceptable to work as they choose with nominal.Read MoreLeadership : Leadership And Leadership1605 Words   |  7 PagesLeadership Examined There have been many great leaders down through history. Leaders that have influenced change throughout many aspects of society. Great leaders have great influence. The effectiveness of a leader is determined by his leadership style. With so many styles to choose from, and the fact that not one style fits all situations, becoming an effective leader is a challenging task. One reflective note is that it is important to cultivate good leadership skills. One must evaluate personalRead MoreLeadership : Leadership And Leadership1225 Words   |  5 Pages with their team. Leadership is â€Å"the behavior of an individual . . . directing the activities of a group toward a shared goal† (Hemphill Coons, (1957). p. 7). †¢ Leadership is â€Å"the influential increment over and above mechanical compliance with the routine directives of the organization† (Katz Kahn, (1978). p. 528). †¢ Leadership is â€Å"the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement† (Rauch Behling, (1984). p. 46). †¢ â€Å"Leadership is about articulatingRead MoreLeadership : Leadership And Leadership1476 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Effectiveness There are many different approaches to leadership, which can be dependent upon the task at hand. Some leaders are authoritative, making all the decisions for group members and allowing no space for error or input. There are those who may opt to take the President Obama approach with a more democratic leadership role, inviting the ideas of others and encouraging open communication and staff participation. Then there are the servant leaders whom are largely respected and followedRead MoreLeadership And Leadership Theory Of Leadership1341 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Application Jesus Cabral Brandman University The author of this paper has been in various leadership positions for over 20 years. Some positions held by the author have been team leader, Operations Manager, General Manager, and Director of Operations. The author has lead teams with various degrees of education and from many cultures. The leadership theories studied during OLCU 400 will assist this leader though experienced to become much more effective and focus on thoseRead MoreLeadership, Leadership And Leadership Development915 Words   |  4 Pagestake a leadership role in any activity. They are more valued by followers and have higher performing teams. (Cherry 2014) However, leaders are the ones that use their leadership skills to make a difference in this world, such as presidents, teachers, or even college graduates. Leadership is not something you can learn from a book, but you have to gain this skill through experiences such as holding an office, organizing an event, speaking in front of people, or participating in a leadership programRead MoreLeadership Theories Of Leadership And Leadership Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership is important because it helps followers reach a common goal. There have been several studies based on effective leadership. The definition of leadership has evolved over the years adapting to the different views of the world. Leaders have influence on their followers they are looked up to. Being a leader means there will be interaction with different behaviors and personalities. Effective leaders sometimes have to adjust their style approach by the situation they are in. Every followersRead MoreTransformational Leadership : Leadership And Leadership887 Words   |  4 PagesThe idea of leadership has transformed throughout the years to encompass varying aspects of leadership approaches, leadership types and the like. According to Summerfield (2014), C. F. Rauch and O. Behling, quote leadership as: Leadership is the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement. Given its broad definition, leadership is understood to have different meanings when applied to diverse situations. For example, there are different types of approaches toRead MoreOrganizational Leadership : Leadership And Leadership1568 Words   |  7 PagesConceptualizing Leadership Leadership is different in the eyes of each and every individual. What one person considers great leadership may be viewed by another as too demanding. Ultimately, time, place, situation, and people involved are considered some of the view variables for which type of leadership will be most effective. Through taking the Gallup Strengths Finder survey, I have been able to cement some of my top strengths and see how they come into play in my daily life. Learning about strengths

Religion Gives Meaning to Life free essay sample

Heather Buck Religion Gives Meaning to Life Pojman’s conclusion is that religion gives life meaning, whereas a secular life is not significant to the way we view our world. He argues that autonomy is freedom with no restrictions and religion gives meaning and purpose to life, even though there are some sacrifices to our freedom. He says there has to be an explanation to how our world came to be and that our world comes from something much bigger than any of us can wrap our head around. Pojman gives such detail and description in the way that he argues his conclusion. He says that autonomy is like having one-hundred autonotoms, one-hundred percent freedom; no restrictions, and religion is like having ninety-five autonotoms, ninety-five percent freedom; minimal restrictions which refer to our morals and ethics. If your autonomical you allow your life to fill up with a poisonous gas that will kill you sooner rather than later. We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Gives Meaning to Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If you live religiously, you are allowing your life to be filled with sunshine. Religion gives us a solid idea of how the world came to be. God created the universe and created man to live on the earth until we all ascend to heaven. Autonomy as many different theories. The big bang theory or just something that appeared by chance. We have meaning and someone behind us who is willing to give us the most of this life. The world has to be balanced in order to function. Good and evil balance it out. God is good, He is here to guide us and lead us to the life after this. Evil is what tries to pull us back and create this idea that we are superior to everyone and everything else, which creates chaos. Pojman’s meaning to life is, â€Å" God loves and cares for us, so that we have a deeper motive for morally good actions, including high altruism. We live deeply moral lives, not out of fear of hell, but out of deep gratitude to One who loves us and whom we love†. I believe Pojman argues his conclusion very well. He uses scriptures to prove his point and he uses personal experiences that most people have experience as well. He compares religion and autonomy equally and knows what he is talking about. He knows how to describe each so that the reader can put themselves in that position. He is very detailed, yet to the point.

Shellys Frankenstein Essays - Frankenstein, English-language Films

Shelly's Frankenstein In the world we live in, it is nothing new to hear of young men fathering children and then disappearing, leaving the child to be raised without a father. A term for these filial flunkies has even become a part of our vernacular; the"deadbeat dad." Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a novel concerning the creation of life by a man, and his refusal to take responsibility for the life he has created. Victor Frankenstein, in his abandonment of his own creation at its "birth" and in his rejection of that creation when it seeks him out, is that parent who is not there for his child. Shelley's Frankenstein, in those passages of the creation of the monster and the monster's confrontation of Frankenstein, contain ample proof that Victor Frankenstein was indeed a"deadbeat dad." Shelley shows that Frankenstein rejects his creation, is disgusted by it and doesn't offer the parental guidance, love and compassion the creature so badly needs. Frankenstein's abandonment of a being of his own creation directly leads to his personal downfall. When the reader reaches the creation of the monster in the novel, it is known that Frankenstein has not previously fathered a child. Frankenstein is actively engaged in this task of creating a living being out of inanimate flesh, he wants to bring life forth, it doesn't happen as an accidental occurrence. This is important to note in that Shelley sets up Frankenstein as one who willingly brings life into the world. Chapter Five begins with Frankenstein's account of the night he created the monster, or as he says: " It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils" (p.42). Right off, Shelley gives us two ideas about Frankenstein as a father figure. First of all, we know that Frankenstein looks back on that night he brought life into the world, and he remembers it as"dreary." This immediately sets the scene as an unpleasant one, a tone that will last throughout this passage. Secondly, we know that Frankenstein has been indeed working for this end in that he calls it the "accomplishment of his toils." Frankenstein then recalls how he felt about what he had accomplished: "How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form?"(p.42). It would be an understatement to say he is disappointed. Frankenstein calls his creation of a new life a "catastrophe." He describes the being he has willingly, even wantonly created as a "wretch." It is interesting that Frankenstein describes the physical appearance only, and that is what is so horrific to him. Shelley uses this idea that Frankenstein sees his creation as a "wretch" and "catastrophe" to show that he is already, at the moment of creation, forgetting his parental responsibilities. The saying goes all children are beautiful to their parents...not so for Frankenstein. After this description of how visually disgusting Frankenstein finds his own creation, he then talks about how hard he worked to bring it to life: "I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation" (p. 42). Once again we are told that Frankenstein wanted to accomplish this, he wanted to bring life into the world and now that it is here, staring him in the face, he doesn't like how it looks. Furthermore, we get the feeling that he is resentful of the creature, because he has worked so hard, and the creature is such a disappointment to him. This feeling is increased in the continuation of that same line: "...now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream had vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart" (p.42). It is as if an exchange has taken place, the life, the "breath," that Frankenstein gave his creature has been replaced with "horror." With this passage, Shelley parallels the idea of expectation versus reality that occurs with new parents. Frankenstein's dream of creating new life has in reality, become his nightmare. Shelley shows Frankenstein to be a father who is not at all happy with his child, and here based solely on its appearance. Frankenstein starts out as not only a bad father, but also quite a shallow one. And how does Frankenstein now deal with the situation? He runs away and goes to sleep as he is

An Overview of the Branches of Philosophy essays

An Overview of the Branches of Philosophy essays Generally speaking, philosophy the critical examination of the grounds for fundamental beliefs and an analysis of the basic concepts employed in the expression of such beliefs. Philosophical inquiry is a central element in the intellectual history of many historical civilizations. The word is from the Greek (by way of Latin, philosophia) and means "love of wisdom" (Martinich provides a brief definition and description of three approaches to philosophical investigation: metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology (including its two branches, aesthetics and ethics). Metaphysics. This branch of philosophy deals with the ultimate nature of human existence, largely as an extension of the Metaphysics of Aristotle. This collection of treatises placed after the Physics [Gr. metaphysics =after physics ] treated what Aristotle termed the First Philosophy. The primary focus of metaphysical speculation is termed "ontology," which is the study of the ultimate nature of being; however, philosophical theology and cosmology are typically considered branches of metaphysics as well (Metaphysics 2000). This branch of philosophy leaves nothing unquestioned and proceeds entirely without assumptions; according to Walsh (1963), "The only propositions with which a metaphysician could properly be content were propositions whose truth could not be denied, or whose truth was seen to be involved in their own attempted denial" (11). Epistemology. This field of philosophy is defined as the study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. The term comes from the Greek episteme ("knowledge") and logos ("reason"), and accordingly the field is sometimes called the theory of knowledge (Martinich Axiology. This branch of philosophy is concerned with "values" and "what is good" (Morris 1961:219). "If axiological issues underlie ethical ...

Free Essays on T.S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot is, to many, just another name heard, but never truly known about. For a select few, he is considered one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century and â€Å"the† modernist poet and critic of all time. T. S. Eliot had a few select influences in his life that helped him and pushed him to write both his poems and his plays. Thomas Sterns Eliot had a few major influences in his life. T. S. Eliot was born in Missouri. Living in St. Louis for eighteen years of his life. He also attended Harvard while he was here. He moved to Sorbornne, having already earned both undergraduate and masters degrees. He left Paris after a year and returned to Harvard to get a doctorate in philosophy, but then left again in 1914 back to Europe where he settled in England. In 1915 he married Vivienne Haigh-Wood. He also met Ezra Pound, one of the few major influences in his life. When Pound saw some of his writings she immediately knew that he had talent. She helped in his publishing on his very first book of poems, which include â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†. His new wife cheated on him for a short period, and she got continually worse physically and emotionally. Eliot continued to struggle to support himself and his wife’s deteriorating condition. In 1919, Eliot’s father died, lea ving Eliot without the chance to make right past conflicts about his marriage to Vivienne. In 1921 Eliot had a nervous breakdown and took physicians advice to take three months off for rest. During this three months, Eliot completed a poem he had been working on since 1919. Scofield Thayer, a friend from his Harvard days, had by this time become the editor of Dial, a magazine of the time. Thayer awarded Eliot with the annual prize that the magazine gave of two thousand dollars and to have an essay written by one of the more influential writers of the magazine, Edmund Wilson. In 1923, Vivienne nearly died, which drove Eliot a... Free Essays on T.S. Eliot Free Essays on T.S. Eliot T. S. Eliot is, to many, just another name heard, but never truly known about. For a select few, he is considered one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century and â€Å"the† modernist poet and critic of all time. T. S. Eliot had a few select influences in his life that helped him and pushed him to write both his poems and his plays. Thomas Sterns Eliot had a few major influences in his life. T. S. Eliot was born in Missouri. Living in St. Louis for eighteen years of his life. He also attended Harvard while he was here. He moved to Sorbornne, having already earned both undergraduate and masters degrees. He left Paris after a year and returned to Harvard to get a doctorate in philosophy, but then left again in 1914 back to Europe where he settled in England. In 1915 he married Vivienne Haigh-Wood. He also met Ezra Pound, one of the few major influences in his life. When Pound saw some of his writings she immediately knew that he had talent. She helped in his publishing on his very first book of poems, which include â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†. His new wife cheated on him for a short period, and she got continually worse physically and emotionally. Eliot continued to struggle to support himself and his wife’s deteriorating condition. In 1919, Eliot’s father died, lea ving Eliot without the chance to make right past conflicts about his marriage to Vivienne. In 1921 Eliot had a nervous breakdown and took physicians advice to take three months off for rest. During this three months, Eliot completed a poem he had been working on since 1919. Scofield Thayer, a friend from his Harvard days, had by this time become the editor of Dial, a magazine of the time. Thayer awarded Eliot with the annual prize that the magazine gave of two thousand dollars and to have an essay written by one of the more influential writers of the magazine, Edmund Wilson. In 1923, Vivienne nearly died, which drove Eliot a...

Irish Historiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Irish Historiography - Essay Example The Irish Potato Famine and Revolution comprise the twin pillars of the Irish nationalism's post-1923 ideal of the Republic. The two disparate events were celebrated, recalled and made into mythology for very different reasons. The Great Hunger was seen, within nationalist circles, as a largely avoidable food crisis, precipitated and subsequently exacerbated by British ineptitude and an attitude that saw the Irish as expendable quasi-citizens. The Revolution, on the other hand, was portrayed as a glorious event which successfully liberated an oppressed people, while making heroes and martyrs of men such as Michael Collins who, "in a span of six short years brought a country from bondage to a position where she could win her freedom." (Conlon & Barter, 2003, p.20). Both events would likewise serve as the twin axis upon which revisionism was to flourish - the backlash against nationalism both from within and outside of Eire. Fuelled by frustrated patriotism and the deep-rooted influence of the Irish Diaspora in the New World, post-Famine Irish Nationalism espoused an interpretive view of history which conflicted with reality. Furthermore, the practice of history in Ireland has traditionally been merged with oral tales of the past, endowing Irish historiography with a romanticised view of the real life narratives which inspired it. The combination of these two external factors produced a history that was, following the mid-nineteenth century, a potent mix of literature, folklore and propaganda with the result that fact often made way for a more apt form of fiction, unchallenged until the advent of revisionism after 1930. As expressed by R.F. Foster, "rather like generals always fighting the previous battle, cultural revolutionaries rarely get the revolution they expected" (Foster, 2001, p.20). Inspired by romantic writers such as Yeats, turn of the century Irish historians were highly critical of the British Government's sluggish relief tactics in response to the failure of the potato crops in 1845. 'Famine' was renamed 'starvation', with emphasis on the allegedly deliberate nature of the event, and it was taught in republican schools as the only correct version of events. Moreover, nationalist academic research appeared to prove the most damning charge levelled against the British, namely that there was indeed large food stocks available in England and withheld from the starving Irish. The selective use of primary sources determined that revisionist theory, following its emergence in the 1930's, be more concerned with evaluating all of the source material, rather than concentrating only on those facts that underpinned the nationalist republican political ideology. Throughout the dissection of modern Irish history, even after the 1930's, voices that dared to question the v alidity of the term 'starvation' were denounced as traitors or British sympathisers. Indeed, for many years, only those historians who shared the Nationalist viewpoint would receive patronage for their work: this was the historical compromise that mirrored the North/South, Protestant/Catholic divide in Ireland during the twentieth century. Apart from a

Critical awareness of approaches to current business research on a Essay

Critical awareness of approaches to current business research on a paper that looks at the effect that the alignment of business strategy and characteristics of - Essay Example The first limiter is the use of looking at the characteristics in the scope of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the second limiter comes from the examination of examples coming from Spain. Additionally, the study also proposes at the outset that the three points under examination would turn out to be complimentary (Entrialgo, 2002). The value of the study is greatly helped by the evidence given regarding the previous literature which shows that a study of this exact nature is not there in our present body of knowledge. The examples of previous studies given in the paper are quite useful since they do two things which add to the overall credibility of the article. First of all, the examination of previous research shows that there is a large body of material which deals with the relationship between the influence of individual managers and the results gained by an organization. The research done by Gupta and Govindarajan (1984), Miller, de Vries and Toulouse (1982) as well as the paper published by Sturdivant, Ginter and Sawer (1985) serve to establish this as a primary fact (Entrialgo, 2002). Additionally, other research work such as the papers published by Kerr (1982) and Child (1974) show that there are certain links which can be established between the characteristics of a manager and the strategic direction a company takes under the management of that individual. However, the article under discussion is clear on the point that in the opinion of the writer, the two areas can be combined since they are complimentary to each other and can work together as one unit for subjective analysis (Entrialgo, 2002). While the literature review taken by the author is sufficiently extensive and broad ranging it does seem to be limited to rather older information which had been published some time ago. In fact, the latest year used by the writer as a source for the references seems to be 2000.

The Automatic Stabilizer Essay Example for Free

The Automatic Stabilizer Essay In macroeconomics an automatic stabilizer refers to any economic program or policy that automatically increases or decreases to counteract or stabilize the present economic trend without the need for governmental assistance (â€Å"Automatic Stabilizer,† 2007). Auerbach Feenberg (2000) describe automatic stabilizers as â€Å"elements of fiscal policy† that moderate fluctuations in aggregate output. From the Keynesian viewpoint, automatic stabilizers may include those constituents of the government budget that increase government spending and reduce taxes during a recession, and do exactly the opposite during a boom (Auerbach Feenberg). Automatic stabilizers are precipitated by shocks that cause the aggregate economic activity to either increase or decrease (Auerbach Feenberg). As an example, there are certain kinds of taxes, e. g. the progressive tax, that â€Å"rise more than proportionately† to offset increases in income (Automatic Stabilizers). If these taxes did not exist, the government would have to take action against increases in income so as to prevent the inflation rate from rising in the near future. But, if the government had to take action to raise taxes in that event, it would first have to determine that income has, indeed, risen, before it would pass a law and wait for the law to go into effect. This could be a rather time-consuming process. Moreover, by the time the new law is ready to have an effect on the economy, the economic trend may have reversed (Automatic Stabilizers). Automatic stabilizers tend to help the economy regardless of whether it is experiencing or bound to experience a boom or slump. When income decreases, the economy may ultimately hit a recession. However, â€Å"[u]nemployment compensation and income supplements† for the poor may come to the rescue before the government decides to take action against the drop in income (Automatic Stabilizers). As the income drops, there are more people that are eligible for â€Å"[u]nemployment compensation and income supplements (Automatic Stabilizers). Hence, the economy may be saved from experiencing a downturn through these automatic stabilizers. Auerbach Feenberg have estimated that the payroll and income taxes in the United States have the power to offset approximately eight percent of an initial shock to the Gross Domestic Product. However, the impact of these taxes was higher during late 70s and early 80s because of high inflation. Of course, tax rates have an effect on the power of these automatic stabilizers. According to the authors, however, â€Å"the effectiveness of an automatic stabilizer depends not only on how much of an increase in disposable income it produces, but also how large a private response in consumption this increase in disposable income generates (Auerbach Feenberg). † This is because the spending of households with different levels of income is expected to differ even as the automatic stabilizers are at work (Auerbach Feenberg). Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of automatic stabilizers differs among nations with different levels of income inequality. Moreover, countries differ in their tax rates and the design of their income supplements. Therefore, automatic stabilizers are expected to have differing impacts across countries. Regardless of their impacts, however, automatic stabilizers are very helpful for the economics in which they are at work (Automatic Stabilizers). Lastly, by estimating the impacts of various automatic stabilizers, governments may design programs and policies, that is, automatic stabilizers, that would counteract shocks more effectively in the future. Methods of reducing income inequality are also expected to alter the effectiveness of the automatic stabilizers.

Film Versions of Shakespeare Comedies Essay example -- Twelfth Night M

Film Versions of Shakespeare Comedies Shakespearean plays are complex, intricate pieces of work in which a diverse range of interpretations and readings can be made. This is particularly true of his comedies, where the light-hearted humour is often offset by darker, more serious undertones. In adapting these comedies it is for the director – in the cinematic context – to decide how to interpret the play and which elements are privileged and which are suppressed. This variance in interpretation is exemplified in comparing two of the more recent cinematic adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedies, Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night and Kenneth Branagh’s A Much Ado About Nothing [‘Much Ado’]. Although both films can to an extent be seen as comedies with serious, almost tragic aspects inherent throughout, Nunn’s film deals with these serious facets as central to the depiction, whereas Branagh, although not entirely ignoring the deeper issues, prefers a more light-hearted and visual ly attractive adaptation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Twelfth Night has been described as ‘like Hamlet in a comic vein’ . In terms of Shakespearean chronology, the bittersweet edge to the play and the fact that it is essentially a comedy with the dark, sometimes disturbing elements, has been linked with the playwright’s movement toward the genre of tragedy. The range of filmic adaptations of the play illustrates the variation in the interpretation of Shakespeare’s work, with the dark edge often failing to make the transition to screen. However this is not the case with Nunn’s Twelfth Night, which achieves this exploration of the serious essentially through his interpretation of some of the play’s principal characters including Malvolio, Feste and Maria. Malvolio's character is significant to Nunn’s adaptation in many respects with it initially appearing that Malvolio brings an air of respectability and chastity to the film. However his essential flaws and his inability to recognise the reality of people's feelings, including Olivia's, remove him from the position of moral overseer to a simple player in the game of love. Malvolio's error is related to his self-perceptions and his consideration of his own self-importance, rather than his caring and compassion for his mistress Olivia. Malvolio’s function in this film is to serve as a comedic contrast to the merry-makers, as well as a vital reminder to Feste t... ... provides glimpses of these issues, yet valorises a light-hearted, aesthetic approach to the text as a whole. Works Cited: Brode Douglas. Shakespeare in the Movies: From the Silent Era to Shakespeare in Love. Oxford University Press, 2000, pp. 97-99. Cartmell, B. Interpreting Shakespeare on Screen. (2000). Cuppit, C. â€Å"Double Trouble: A Discussion of Trevor Nunn’s film adaptation of Twelfth Night.† Fine Line Features. Twelfth Night. Home Page. 2003 http://www.finelinefeatures.com/twelfth/ Accessed 28/5/03 Fine Line Features. â€Å"Trevor Nunn – Director.† About the Filmmakers. 2003 http://www.finelinefeatures.com/twelfth/filmbios.htm Greif, K â€Å"Plays ad Playing in Twelfth Night†, in Modern Critical Interpretations: William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, (1987). Marshall, K. â€Å"How do you solve a problem like Maria?: A Problematic (re)interpretation of Maria in Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night.† Literature-Film Quarterly 30, no. 3 (2002): p. 219. Richard, R. â€Å"Much Ado About Branagh†. Commentary 96(4) (1993) Sheppard, P. â€Å"Intercutting in Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night†. Literature Film Quarterly 30, No. 3 (2002)

Delegation is the assignment Essay

Delegation is the assignment of responsibility or authority to another person (normally from a manager to a subordinate) to carry out specific activities. It is one of the core concepts of management leadership. However, the person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegated work. Delegation empowers a subordinate to make decisions, i.e. it is a shift of decision-making authority from one organizational level to a lower one. delegation is good and can save money and time, help in building skills, and motivate people. Poor delegation, on the other hand, might cause frustration and confusion to all the involved parties. Some agents however do not favour a delegation and consider the power of making a decision rather burdensome. Delegation is about entrusting someone else to do parts of your job A manager alone cannot perform all the tasks assigned to him. In order to meet the targets, the manager should delegate authority managers could greatly reduce their stress by practicing a critical management skill – delegation. Delegation is one of the most important management skills. Good delegation saves the time, develops the subordinates, fosters a successor and motivates. Poor delegation will cause frustration, de-motivation and failures to achieve the task or purpose. Although it is easy to recognize the benefits that accrue from delegation, many managers still resist actually doing it The most important step for delegation is to recognize the common barriers to delegation. These barriers can come from supervisors (leaders), the team members, or the situation. 1. Barriers Related to Supervisor The biggest barrier to effective delegation often comes from supervisors. They must overcome their anxieties about giving others responsibilities in order to gain the benefits of effective delegation. In general, 6 barriers are related with the Barriers to delegation of authority from subordinate side would mean, the difficulties or problems faced by subordinate in accepting and using the authority delegated. These barriers include the following. †¢Authority delegated in theory, but means of exercising the authority not made available. For example, a subordinate may be delegated the authority to buy computer required in his department, but the purchase department drags feet  on actually buying the computer. The worst case of this type may happen when, for example, a project manager is given considerable authority for executing a project, but the project itself is not sanctioned. †¢The subordinate may not have authority over some of the people who must contribute to implementation of decisions made. †¢Required information for making decision may not be available. Many a times other supporting facilities like staff and office space may also be inadequate. †¢The subordinate may be already overburdened wit h work. †¢When a subordinate id delegated authority which elevates his position above those equal or senior to him this may be resented by them. †¢Subordinate may lack the skill and knowledge for effective decision making. †¢Limits of authority delegated not defined clearly. Generally delegation of authority with supposedly no limits is not very effective. †¢The subordinate has no motivation for accepting the additional responsibility that goes with the authority. †¢Authority delegated without matching responsibilities. This can make delegation directionless for the subordinate.

Snowboarding History

As the excitement of fall winds down, many people fall into a depression. The leaves are gone, the woods are desolate, and the chill of winter air has crept upon us. While most people find this sad, I find it exciting! Why? Because it is time for my favorite sport, snowboarding. Snowboarding’s a new, challenging sport that’s attracting new fans from all around the world. It has really changed since it was first invented. It’s become one of the largest and fastest growing sports in the world. Everywhere, people, including myself, are waiting for the snow to get a chance to go snowboarding.Snowboarding is the cross between surfing and skateboarding. Snowboarding use to be known as a child’s story, but now has evolved into a great sport. Since it was first invented, it has changed from a child’s sport to a new competitive sport that is great for both men and women. Some people saw snowboarding as an alternative to skateboarding, skiing, and surfing. Pe ople who could not afford to buy surfboards, like Jake Burton, used snowboarding as an alternative. Skateboarders saw snowboarding as a new sport that they could make their mark on.Nobody knows who truly invented the first snowboard. But in 1929, M. J. â€Å"Jack† Burchett invented one of the first snowboards. He used clothesline and horse reins to secure a piece of plywood to his feet. Thirty years later, Sherman Poppen, a chemical gases engineer invented â€Å"The Snurfer† as a toy for his daughter. He made the â€Å"snurfer† by bounding two skis together and putting a rope at the nose, so that the rider could hold it and keep it stable. Poppen licensed his idea to manufacturer when his daughter’s friends wanted a â€Å"snurfer† too.In 1966, â€Å"the snurfer† sold over a half million times. In 1979, Poppen left the snowboarding business after Jake Burton came up with the bindings and went back to his old profession. Jake Burton, another i nventor of the snowboard, became interested in snowboarding after taking part in Poppen’s â€Å"snurfer† competitions that were organized by Poppen. His parents wouldn’t buy him a surfboard so riding the â€Å"snurfer† was a new and cool thing to do. In 1977, after he finished college, Burton moved to Londonderry, Vermont to make different types of the Snurfer.He made his first board out of laminated hardwood. In 1979, while at a Snurfer competition, Burton shocked everyone by using his new board that had the first binding. It made a big difference that allowed him to control the board and made it easier to beat the other riders. In 1969, Dimitrije Milovich, after he got the idea from sliding down a hill on a cafeteria plate in college, started making snowboards. His snowboards were based on surfboards combined with the way skis work. In 1972, he started a new company called â€Å"Winterstick†.He produced lots of snowboards and even got articles in magazines like, â€Å"News Week†, â€Å"Playboy†, and â€Å"Power†. In 1980, he left the snowboarding business, but was still known as a very important pioneer of the sport. At the same time that Jake Burton was producing his snowboards Tom Sims produced his first snowboards in 1977. Sims was an avid skateboarder who made a â€Å"snowboard† in a junior high school shop class. He made his out of carpet wood and aluminum. He glued some carpet to the top of a piece of wood and put an aluminum sheet on the bottom.He started making snowboards in 1977 in his garage with his friend and employee Chuck Barfoot. Barfoot actually made the boards and came up with the â€Å"Flying Yellow Banana†. It was a skateboard deck on top of a plastic shell with skegs. During 1980 Sims signed a skate-snowboarding deal with a big company called Vision Sports. Signing the deal helped Sims get out of his financial problems, but his friend Barfoot, was left out and tried to go into business for himself. He couldn’t compete with big competitors like Sims and Burton.The first modern competitive snowboarding contest took place in Leadville, Colorado in 1981. Then snowboarding competition took off from there and became worldwide. In 1982, the first national snowboarding race was held in Suicide Six, outside of Woodstock, Vermont. Because of the conditions of the hill, the goal of the race appeared to be mostly just surviving the race. The race was on a steep icy downhill run called â€Å"The Face†. Paul Graves put it on and Tom Simms and Jake Burton competed. Doug Bouton won first place overall.This race marked the last time that snowboards and snurfer’s raced together. In 1983, Jake Burton puts on the national snowboarding championships in Snow Valley. A couple of months later Tom Sims holds the inaugural World Snowboarding Championships at Soda Springs Ski Bowl in Lake Tahoe. That contest featured the first contest with a half pipe. In 1986 the World Snowboarding Championships moved from Soda Springs to Colorado. In 1986, a new European snowboarding generation launched. Then the Europeans began to organize their own regional events like the Swiss Championships in St. Moritz. In 1987, a group of riders and manufacturers formed the N. A. S. B. A. (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) whose main goal was to create a unified World Cup tour with the Europeans. In 1988 N. A. S. B. A. got its wish and the first world cup was held in both Europe and the United States. It was the most expensive snowboarding contest ever. In 1994 everybody was happy because snowboarding was declared a Winter Olympic sport. It was finally accepted as a real competitive sport and was first seen in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Free Essays on The Sky Is Gray

â€Å"The Sky Is Gray† Deals With Racism and Offers a Courageous Solution That Challenges The Rules of Society. In a society that is divided by the polarities of black and white, all citizens must abide by the strict rules of separation. However, there are some, and usually only a few, who realize that this ominous society in which they live must not dictate such terms. Eight-year-old James from rural Louisiana travels with his mother to a white-dominated town, in order to visit the dentist: James narrates Ernest Gaines’ story â€Å"The Sky Is Gray.† The author proposes that those refusing to accept society’s rules on race relations may provide part of a solution to eradicate prejudices. He is able to accomplish this with a young black man who uses education and reasoning as support, and through an elderly couple who exercise compassion in the story. The young college man demands radical change in race relations when he suggests that educating oneself in a white-dominated society is part of the solution. The nameless young man quickly becomes alienated in the small waiting room of the dental office, when he confronts the black community’s status in society by asserting that, â€Å"We don’t question is exactly our problem.† He advocates to â€Å"Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken. Everything,† as he does not trust the symbols or the ideology of democracy. The young man stirs many emotions among his own people in the crowded room with his way of thinking, especially that of an outraged preacher and a baffled but amused elderly lady, when he challenges the very existence that they have learned to live within. While the reader is unsure whether the young man’s logic has been widely heard outside the dentist office, he/she can confidently presume that in time it will be, as the determined young man pursues a college education which will enable him â€Å"to read and to ask questions.† It quickly b... Free Essays on The Sky Is Gray Free Essays on The Sky Is Gray â€Å"The Sky Is Gray† Deals With Racism and Offers a Courageous Solution That Challenges The Rules of Society. In a society that is divided by the polarities of black and white, all citizens must abide by the strict rules of separation. However, there are some, and usually only a few, who realize that this ominous society in which they live must not dictate such terms. Eight-year-old James from rural Louisiana travels with his mother to a white-dominated town, in order to visit the dentist: James narrates Ernest Gaines’ story â€Å"The Sky Is Gray.† The author proposes that those refusing to accept society’s rules on race relations may provide part of a solution to eradicate prejudices. He is able to accomplish this with a young black man who uses education and reasoning as support, and through an elderly couple who exercise compassion in the story. The young college man demands radical change in race relations when he suggests that educating oneself in a white-dominated society is part of the solution. The nameless young man quickly becomes alienated in the small waiting room of the dental office, when he confronts the black community’s status in society by asserting that, â€Å"We don’t question is exactly our problem.† He advocates to â€Å"Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken. Everything,† as he does not trust the symbols or the ideology of democracy. The young man stirs many emotions among his own people in the crowded room with his way of thinking, especially that of an outraged preacher and a baffled but amused elderly lady, when he challenges the very existence that they have learned to live within. While the reader is unsure whether the young man’s logic has been widely heard outside the dentist office, he/she can confidently presume that in time it will be, as the determined young man pursues a college education which will enable him â€Å"to read and to ask questions.† It quickly b...

The Importance of Jade in Precolumbian America

The Importance of Jade in Precolumbian America Jade occurs naturally in very few places in the world, although the term jade has been often used to describe a variety of minerals used since ancient times to produce luxury items in many different regions of the world, such as China, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Neolithic Europe, and Mesoamerica. The term jade should be properly applied to only two minerals: nephrite and jadeite. Nephrite is a calcium and magnesium silicate  and can be found in a variety of colors, from translucent white, to yellow, and all shades of green. Nephrite doesn’t occur naturally in Mesoamerica. Jadeite, a sodium and aluminum silicate, is a hard and highly translucent stone whose color ranges from blue-green to apple green. Sources of Jade in Mesoamerica The only source of jadeite known so far in Mesoamerica is the Motagua River valley in Guatemala. Mesoamericanists debate over whether the Motagua river was the only source  or ancient peoples of Mesoamerica used multiple sources of the precious stone. Possible sources under study are the Rio Balsas basin in Mexico  and the Santa Elena region in Costa Rica. Pre-Columbian archaeologists working on jade, distinguish between â€Å"geological† and â€Å"social† jade. The first term indicates the actual jadeite, whereas â€Å"social† jade indicates other, similar greenstones, such as quartz and serpentine which were not as rare as jadeite but were similar in color and therefore fulfilled the same social function. Cultural Importance of Jade Jade was especially appreciated by Mesoamerican and Lower Central American people because of its green color. This stone was associated with water, and vegetation, especially young, maturing corn. For this reason, it was also related to life and death. Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Costa Rican elites particularly appreciated jade carvings and artifacts and commissioned elegant pieces from skillful artisans. Jade was traded and exchanged among elite members as a luxury item all over the pre-Hispanic American world. It was replaced by gold very late in time in Mesoamerica, and around 500 AD in Costa Rica and Lower Central America. In these locations, frequent contacts with South America made gold more easily available. Jade artifacts are often found in elite burial contexts, as personal adornments or accompanying objects. Sometimes a jade bead was placed within the mouth of the deceased. Jade objects are also found in dedicatory offerings for the construction or ritual termination of public buildings, as well as in more private residential contexts. Ancient Jade Artifacts In the Formative period, the Olmec of the Gulf Coast were among the first Mesoamerican people to shape jade into votive celts, axes, and bloodletting tools around 1200-1000 BC. The Maya achieved master levels of jade carving. Maya artisans used drawing cords, harder minerals, and water as abrasive tools to work the stone. Holes were made in jade objects with bone and wood drills, and finer incisions were often added at the end. Jade objects varied in size and shapes and included necklaces, pendants, pectorals, ear ornaments, beads, mosaic masks, vessels, rings, and statues. Among the most famous jade artifacts from the Maya region, we can include funeral masks and vessels from Tikal, and Pakal’s funeral mask and jewels from the Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque. Other burial offerings and dedication caches have been found at major Maya sites, such as Copan, Cerros, and Calakmul. During the Postclassic period, the use of jade dropped dramatically in the Maya area. Jade carvings are rare, with the notable exception of the pieces dredged out of the Sacred Cenote at Chichà ©n Itz. Among Aztec nobility, jade jewelry was the most valuable luxury: partly because of its rarity, since it had to be imported from the tropical lowlands, and partly because of its symbolism linked to water, fertility, ​and preciousness. For this reason, jade was one of the most valuable tribute item collected by the Aztec Triple Alliance. Jade in Southeastern Mesoamerica and Lower Central America Southeastern Mesoamerica and Lower Central America were other important regions of the distribution of jade artifacts. In the Costa Rican regions of Guanacaste-Nicoya jade artifacts were mainly widespread between AD 200 and 600. Although no local source of jadeite has been identified so far, Costa Rica and Honduras developed their own jade-working tradition. In Honduras, non-Maya areas show a preference for using jade in building dedication offerings more than burials. In Costa Rica, by contrast, the majority of jade artifacts have been recovered from burials. The use of jade in Costa Rica seems to come to an end around A.D. 500-600  when there was a shift towards gold as the luxury raw material; that technology originated in Colombia and Panama. Jade Study Problems Unfortunately, jade artifacts are hard to date, even if found in relatively clear chronological contexts, since this particularly precious and hard-to-find material was often passed down from one generation to another as heirlooms. Finally, because of their value, jade objects are often looted from archaeological sites and sold to private collectors. For this reason, a huge number of published items are from unknown provenience, missing, therefore, an important piece of information. Sources Lange, Frederick W., 1993, Precolumbian Jade: New Geological and Cultural Interpretations. University of Utah Press. Seitz, R., G.E. Harlow, V.B. Sisson, and K.A. Taube, 2001, Olmec Blue and Formative Jade Sources: New Discoveries in Guatemala, Antiquity, 75: 687-688

How is the Enlightenment connected to the Scientific Revolution Essay

How is the Enlightenment connected to the Scientific Revolution - Essay Example People thought the globe was the midpoint of the cosmos (Bacon 1960). That meant that the moon, planets, and the sun revolved around the earth. Europeans used ideas based on the physical world while Romans and Greeks believed in the Bible. However, attitudes changed in the mid 1500. A spirit of curiosity gave rise to a scientific revolution (Burns 2003). Scholars were willing to question old ideas and the level of focus was improved with much observation. Europeans were leading in the exploration leading to discovery of new lands and the establishment of universities. Francis Bacon, an English writer, assisted in fostering this approach. He urged scientists to base their opinions on what they could see in the world (Bacon 1960). R. Descartes used mathematics and logic to exert his immense influence. In the mid 1600, Isaac Newton established the law of gravity. He used mathematics to show the law of gravity controlled the motion of the planets and objects on earth (Burns 2003). Paris became the European cultural center in 1700 (Oslar 2000) where people from the entire Europe gathered to new ideas about enlightenment. Marie Therese became popular for hosting and funding ideas on enlightenment. According to the letters by Isaac Newton, religion and uniqueness were necessary for innovation. In the letters, Newton said that the discovery came as a result of patient thought. The letters contained significant propositions but were imperfect in some parts. According to Isaac Newton, no matter how matter was scattered, it would be infinitely attracted towards the center (Hankins 1985). This meant that at the center there would have a particle that is attracted to all other particles at equal measure (Goodman 1973). This became known as a state of perfect equilibrium. According to the observations of the great instauration by Francis Bacon, human intellect is responsible for its own challenges and difficulties (Oslar 2000). Therefore, man should use the help at his dispo sal to address the difficulties that he faces. This exposed the levels of ignorance and the damage it causes to the quality of life. He argued that through human efforts and determination life can be restored to the perfect condition or reduced to better condition that it is now (Burns 2003). Mathematics and philosophy grew so rapidly that the two had to be separated (Sax 2001). The impact is still being felt today. Scientist came to know that observing and explaining would help them in discovering the natural laws. The scientific method became increasingly prominent (Portar 2001). The discovering had an impact on education in all levels. As more people trained in science and physics, technology advanced and new technologies were discovered. Enlightenment had unprecedented impact in the quality of life (Goodman 1973). Complicated farm machinery and textile industry were discovered causing scientific and the industrial revolution (Sax 2001). Scientific revolution sought a break from a religious and theological approach to life (Hankins 1985). In medieval times, society was largely governed by church views and traditions which discouraged open-mindedness (Oslar 2000). Enlightenment was a movement that challenged people to think and make independent decisions. Newton, Descartes and Priestly played a significant role in the discovery of sextants slide rule and

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR DECISION MAKING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR DECISION MAKING - Essay Example Long-range forecast involve timeframes of over three years involving capital expenditures, R&D, new product planning and expansion (Heizer & Render). There are two different approaches of forecasting. The first approach is subjective or qualitative where factor’s such as the manager’s intuition, experience, emotions and opinion are utilized in reaching a forecast. The second quantitative approach involves the use of some historical data coupled with the use of some mathematical models in order to predict possible future outcomes. The qualitative approach is often useful in estimating sales for certain new consumer products or services that rely heavily on customer needs and preferences. Under the qualitative approach to forecasting there are four different types of methods used (Heizer, et. al.): Jury of executive Opinion- the opinion of a group of high level managers or decision makers is used in combination with some statistical models to arrive at a conclusion Sales Force composite- the individual salesperson sales forecasts are all combined and reviewed for accuracy in order to determine an overall forecast. Delphi Method- in these approach there are three types of participants: staff personnel, respondents and decision makers. The decision makers typically consist of a panel of 5 to 10 experts who will be making the actual forecasts.

QUALITATIVE STUDY OF REASONS FOR NON- PARTICIPATION IN REGULAR Essay

QUALITATIVE STUDY OF REASONS FOR NON- PARTICIPATION IN REGULAR PHYSICAL RECREATION - Essay Example Therefore, it is vital to address this issue and comprehend the reasons why some women do not take part in leisureliness activities. The ‘qualitative’ study in this report deliberates the chief subjects or motives for non-partaking from women and likens these motives between matrimonial men and women. In the beginning this research, will provide a brief review of some previous research in this field mainly the reasons for not taking part in physical activity. In the second part, this research will provide a short description of the research method employed to collect data for quantitative research and lastly, it will illustrate and demonstrate the main reason for non-participation in physical recreation of married women and men. Literature Review There have been various studies concerning the subject of non-participation of married men and women in regular physical recreation. From various studies carried out earlier, a significant number of married men and women have li mited time to take part in regular physical activity because of various roles at hand. Time insufficiency according to research is the feeling that a person does not have adequate time to carry out all things that one would like to carry out. This has become one of the big complications that both men and women are encountering currently. Various researches have reported that time issues are the most regularly stated explanations or causes for not taking part in regular recreational activities (Thomsson, 2004). Lack of adequate time is also considered as the most limiting aspect to various individuals who desire to take part in a multiplicity of recreational activities, as well as for not using homegrown park and recreation services. Research shows that married women are at a greater disadvantage concerning time for regular recreation than men. This is because of various household responsibilities and family devotions compared to their male counterparts. Further studies have revealed that both working and unemployed married women have limited time for recreation activities than their husbands.it has been emphasized by research that limited time because of family responsibilities was noted by women as a primary barriers in early and later family stages. In addition, lack of enough finances also causes lack of participation in regular recreational activities. Research shows that low income limits access to the resources and abilities necessary to take part in a range of recreation activities. This is because finance is positively related to participation in various sorts of leisure activities, as well as use of public park and recreation resources. For instance, the development of outdoor recreation has also been ascribed to an increase in the gross national product and individual incomes. Family magnitudes have reduced over the years and the fraction of married partners with children in the populace has minimized. Concurrently, the portion of ‘single-paren t’ families has increased; however, single-parent families characteristically have lesser earnings, a lesser amount of movement, and a lesser amount of free time than do two-parent families do (Torkildsen, 2007). Thus, single-parent families are expected to profit from outdoor recreation chances that are near to their homes. In addition, coming from unprivileged homes or lack of sources because of proceeds means that some married couples cannot take part in recreational acti

Gambling among Adolescents in North America Essay Example for Free

Gambling among Adolescents in North America Essay Lottery, card games, sports betting and money wagers. These are a few kinds of gambling that adults engage in; however, the youth of today are also found to be gambling more than adults (Derevensky Gupta, 2002; Huang Boyer, 2007). According to Derevensky Gupta (2002), there is an alarmingly high percentage of children and adolescents engaged in gambling activities. In a long-term analysis between 1984 to 1999, it was found that the prevalence of youth gambling in North America increased from 45% to 66% and that the proportion of the youth who have serious gambling-related problems have increased as well from 10% to 15% in the same time period (Huang Boyer, 2007). In the past 25 years in the United States and Canada, it has been found that the youth is significantly associated with gambling-related problems; the percentage of youth classified under the Sub-clinical or problem gambling (Level 2) and the pathological gambling (Level 3) were at 14. 6% and 4. 8% respectively in 2006, which is more than twice of the adults who only have a percentage of 2. 5% and 1. 5% each (ibid). Among the youth, it has also been found that more young men gamble more than women and they are also identified to be problem gamblers than young women and even among adults (Huang Boyer, 2007). In North America today, approximately 80% of adolescents have participated in some form of gambling for money within in their lifetime (Felsher, Derevensky Gupta, 2003; Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). This is an alarming rate. The number of youth who are engaged in adolescent gambling is higher today more than ever before and it is starting to become a serious public health issue that many nations, especially the United States and Canada, are trying to address (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). Considerable research by psychologist and sociologists are being conducted regarding this problem. This paper will identify the causes of adolescent gambling, its consequences and what psychologists and the government are doing to treat this issue. Causes of Adolescent Gambling The availability and accessibility of gambling increased progressively in the United States and Canada from 1984-1999, which was also the time that an increase in youth gambling also occurred (Derevensky Gupta, 2002). This increase in youth gambling has been attributed to the support of the two governments in the lucrative gambling industry. Political economy theories of Sauer maintain that this is due to the need for revenue generation of the large governments (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). The youth have become exposed to numerous gambling establishments, directly and indirectly (Felsher et al, 2003). The widespread legalization of the different kinds of gambling in North America has greatly exposed the youth to the addictive game (ibid; Huang Boyer, 2007). Gambling has already become a â€Å"well-established recreational form of entertainment† (Felsher et al, 2003) and there is already an estimated 15. 3million adolescents in North America who have engaged in gambling activities and 2. 2 million of these are problem or pathological gamblers (Huang Boyer, 2007). Among 12-17 year old Americans, 4%–8% of them are already pathological gamblers and another 10%–15% of the youth are at risk of developing a serious problem (Felsher et al. , 2003; Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). Adolescents gamble because they are tempted by the â€Å"lure of excitement, entertainment, and potential financial gain associated with gambling† (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). Increased exposure to gambling will teach the kids to gamble, and the social learning theory of Albert Bandura points out the role of observation and imitation in the acquisition and maintenance of socially desirable and undesirable characteristics (Felsher et al. , 2003). The increased exposure they have in gambling influences them to do the same. Family and friends are the primary reference groups, but it is the parents who have a stronger influence since they occur earlier than the peer group (ibid). The parents are observed to be having fun and adolescents surveyed said they gamble because their parents play for enjoyment and excitement, and it is the parents who play their children and engage them in gambling (ibid). In the social learning theory, there are six mechanisms identified that is involved in the development of gambling and these are: 1) affective states such as anxiety or depression; 2) cognitive distortions about gambling; 3) behavioral reinforcement schedules; 4) social and institutional determinants such as opportunity to gamble; 5) sub-cultural conditions like prevailing attitude towards gambling and values of the adolescent’s social context and reference groups (as seen in the preceding paragraph); and 6) internal fantasy relationships with personifications like the parents or â€Å"lady luck† (Upfold, 2007). Lottery is the most favored form of gambling by adolescents because of its ease of accessibility and the minimal amount of money required to participate in the draw (Felsher et al. , 2003). Parents purchase the lottery tickets and they include their children in their gambling activity by asking for their advice, such as what number/s they should pick, let them carry the money, fill in the lottery stubs, scratching the numbers, etc. (ibid). This observation and direct participation of gambling from significant reference groups, such as the parents, influences the youth’s participation in gambling activities (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). The parental acceptance of gambling as a recreational activity further encourages the youth to partake in it (Felsher et al. , 2003). Adolescents who gamble say that they have learned it from their parents. 15% of children made first bet with their parents and another 20% with other family members (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). Parents gamble in close proximity to their children and they have a poor understanding of the negative consequences that this will have on their child (ibid). The Cognitive-Behavioral Model, which is part of the social-learning theory, may explain this cause. The model is based on the principles of learning from imitation, observation, schedules of enforcement and cognition or how the youth would interpret and draw conclusions about the events around him or her (Upfold, 2007). They are enforced to gamble since the adolescents report that their parents are aware of their gambling and that they do not object to it; 50% of parents are aware and are not worried, disregarding the age of the child (Felsher et al. , 2003). 58. 5% of children in the study of Felsher et al. (2003) also say that they wager money with their parents, hence they are taught to gamble; some parents even purchase lottery tickets for their child’s behalf and it has been found that the more severe gambling a child is doing, the more tickets there are purchased by parents. Also, adolescents who were found to be regularly gambling report that they gamble with their family members and 40% say they do it with their parents (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). â€Å"Problem gambling is governed by a complex set of interrelating factors, causes, and determinants: biological, familial, behavioral, social, and environmental† (ibid). Under environmental, ease of access of online-gambling sites on the Internet is a new problem since the youth can easily access it and can be enticed by the visual appeals of Internet gambling (ibid). Another important reference point and part of the environmental factor which indirectly teaches gambling to children and reinforces it is the school. There are schools who promote gambling through fundraising activities including lottery, raffle draws, bingo, casino nights, and by permitting card playing within schools (ibid). Another explanation for causes of gambling is the Psychodynamic Model, which proposes that personal problems â€Å"lie within the psyche and are an attempt at self-healing or a strategy of resolving unconscious psychic conflicts†¦beyond voluntary control,† (Upfold, 2007), hence the individual continues to engage in gambling. There are three main components in this model and they are: 1) Gambling is an unconscious substitute for aggressive outlets; 2) Gambling involves an unconscious desire to lose- a wish to be punished in reaction to guilt; and 3) Gambling is a medium for continued enactment of psychological conflict (ibid). Adolescents do not engage in gambling for money but for excitement and enjoyment; through video lottery terminals, sports betting, cards, lotteries, bingo and other forms of gambling, adolescents with a gambling problem exhibit a number of dissociative behaviors such as escape into another world where they have altered egos (Derevensky Gupta, 2002). Their personality traits that are correlated with risk-taking behavior such as excitable, extroverted, anxious and lower self-discipline show that they have poor coping and adaptive skills, so when they cannot cope with many hardships in their life or the stress of being a teenager, they gamble to â€Å"escape from the realities of daily life† (ibid). Gambling has been a way for adolescents who experience negative life events and use emotional-coping strategies to escape their problems, even if they have claimed to have social support from their peers (ibid; Bergevin, Gupta Derevensky, 2006). The Trait Theory of Gambling is also part of the psychodynamic model and it show that there are certain personalities that is related to the problem of gambling such as depression, anti-social personality disorder- particularly for pathological gamblers, and narcissism- as seen in the compulsive gamblers (Upfold, 2007). Other identified risk factors that may lead to adolescent gambling include male gender, alcohol and drug use, deviant peers, family history of gambling, and impulsive behavior (Pietrzak, Ladd Petry, 2003). Consequences of Adolescent Gambling The consequences of adolescent gambling are somewhat similar to that of adult gamblers; they not only affect themselves but society as a whole. Adolescent gambling does not only affect the individual adolescent but their families, peers, communities and health services (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). The consequences the adolescent gamblers face are widespread and affects their psychological, behavioral, legal, academic, family and interpersonal domains- they become delinquent, have poor academic performance, impair their academic performance or even drop out from school, disrupt their relationship with family and friends, and display criminal behavior (ibid). They face negative health, psychological, social, personal and financial consequences that is why gambling is becoming a public health issue (ibid). It has been found that there is a strong correlation between adolescent gambling and the increased likelihood to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco and use drugs (Hardoon, Gupta Derevensky, 2004). Huang Boyer (2007) also says that adolescent gamblers are more likely to experience psychiatric problems, especially substance use disorders. The common factors that lead to this among adolescents are low self-esteem, depression, suicidal thoughts, victim of abuse, poor school performance, history of delinquency, poor impulse control, being male, early onset of gambling, parental history of gambling, and community/family acceptance of gambling (ibid). This will greatly affect the future of the youth since all that they indulge in is gambling. They become dissociated from the real world and spend much of their time gambling that they do not get to develop themselves as individuals anymore. They become more susceptible to suicide ideation and attempts, they replace their old friends with their gambling associates and they have a higher risk to develop an addiction or poly addictions (Gupta Derevensky, 2002). In the study of Felsher et al. (2003), they found that 94% of young male gamblers and 93% of young female gamblers are not afraid to get caught. This shows their lack of concern on what may happen to them if they are caught and this may also show the acceptance of their parents. Since parents and most institutions fail to recognize gambling as a serious problem or certain activities to be gambling (Derevensky and Gupta, 2002), the adolescents are at a higher risk to further develop their gambling addiction. The course of gambling varies from one individual to another; however, the social learning theory shows that since gambling behavior is acquired it can be thought of as a continuum or stages from problem-free gambling all the way to pathological gambling (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005; Upfold, 2007). Messerlian Derevensky (2005) states that â€Å"as gambling escalates and one moves along the continuum of gambling risk, the negative outcomes begin to outweigh any potential benefits† and this is when they would start experiencing different kinds of impaired personal, health, financial and social consequences. Treatments to Adolescent Gambling The numerous psychosocial costs of gambling to the individual, his/her family and to the community shows that this is a problem that must be addressed and treated (Derevensky and Gupta, 2002). Some adolescents do not know that they have a gambling addiction or disorder and this prevents them from getting proper treatment (ibid) however, with the intervention of family, friends or event the school, the adolescent may get treated. There are several kinds of treatment for adolescents who are already problem or pathological gamblers. Before these are discussed, prevention models for gambling will be discussed first since prevention is better than cure. Government policies should be stricter regarding gambling, particularly On-line gambling since that is readily accessible to the youth. Public policies that can influence the social environment and minimize unhealthy gambling behavior such as â€Å"legislation on advertising and promotion, laws regulating minimum age-requirements and their enforcement, provision of programs for harm minimization, fiscal measures, and regulation of the availability of products† should be balanced with the economic gains of the gambling industry (Messerlian Derevensky 2005). Other prevention models suggested by Derevensky Gupta (2002) include the need for awareness of the problem; activities that increase knowledge on adolescent gambling; programs to help modify and change attitude that gambling is not harmless; teaching of effective coping and adaptive skills to prevent problematic gambling; changing inappropriate conceptions about skill and luck, the illusion of control and independence in gambling activities; and identification, assessment and referral of students who are indicative of being at risk to gambling problems. Psychosocial approaches are one of the methods used to treat pathological gambling and this for adults this includes Gamblers Anonymous (Pietrzak et al. , 2006). For the adolescents several youth groups have been formed such as youthbet. net in Canada and wannabet. org in the United States; these website are managed by youths and non-governmental organizations to offer assistance and collaboration to adolescents (Messerlian Derevensky, 2005). Piertzak et al. (2006) found that cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and eclectic therapy have been helpful in reducing problematic gambling behaviors. CBT involves altering the inaccurate perceptions, beliefs and attitudes of adolescents about gambling. The eclectic therapy is the individual approach to treating gambling problems and consists of: detailed assessment, acceptance of the problem, development of effective coping skills, restructuring of free time, involvement of family and social supports, cognitive restructuring, establishment of debt payment plans and relapse prevention (ibid). The motivational enhancement therapy (MET) is also used and is based on the concept that behavior change occurs through identifiable stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, action and maintenance (ibid). In this approach, the therapist is non-confrontational and elicits the adolescent’s understanding of the consequences of gambling and strengthens the commitment to change the ways of the individual; since it has a shorter duration that CBT and other therapies, MET is recommended for onset problems (ibid). A disease model is also sometimes used to treat gambling problems. In this approach, the compulsive gambler is made to embrace abstinence from gambling, to participate in self-help groups and to maintain abstinence by going through therapy to deal with previous or latent psychological problems (Upfold, 2007). There is also the Ecological Approach wherein gambling behavior is viewed from multiple perspectives and addresses the behavior from an individual and socio-environmental level where interventions are made at five levels that affects an individual to gamble: biological, familial, behavioral, social and environmental (Messerlian Derevesnky, 2005). Internal and external factors cause an adolescent to gamble. Occasional gambling is harmless but once exposed to gambling especially at a young age, gambling problems may occur and develop into an addiction, which may affect the social, academic and personal life of the adolescent. Treatments vary such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, eclectic therapy, motivational-enhancement therapy and ecological approach; however, prevention of adolescent gambling is still the best and this can be done through increased awareness about the public health problem and stricter government policies regarding access of adolescents to gambling venues, especially online gambling. Bibliography Bergevin, T. , Gupta, R. and Derevensky, J. (2006). Adolescent gambling: Understanding the role of stress and coping. Journal of Gambling Studies, (22), 195-208. Derevensky, J. L. and Gupta, R. (2002). Youth gambling: A clinical and research perspective. The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issues. Retrieved April 9, 2008 from http://www. camh. net/egambling/issue2/feature/index. html Felsher, J. R. , Derevensky, J. L. , Gupta, R. (2003). Parental influences and social modelling of youth lottery participation. Journal of Community Applied Social Psychology, 13: 361-377. Hardoon, K. K. , Gupta, R. and Derevensky, J. L. (2004). Psychosocial variables associated with adolescent gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18 (2), 170 – 179. Huang, J. H. and Boyer, R.. (2007). Epidemiology of youth gambling problems in Canada: A national prevalence study. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52 (10). Messerlian, C. and Derevensky, M. (2005). Youth gambling: A public health perspective. Journal of Gambling Issues (14). Pietrzak, R. H. , Ladd, G. T. and Petry, N. M. (2003). Disordered gambling in adolescents: Epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. Pediatr Drugs, 5 (9), 583 – 592. Upfold, Darryl. (2007). An introduction to conceptual models of problem gambling. Center for Addiction and Mental Health. Retrieved April 13, 2008, from http://www. problemgambling. ca/EN/ResourcesForProfessionals/Pages/AnIntroductiontoConceptualModelsofProblemGambling. aspx

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Students, faculty, family, friends, on this exciting day, I speak to optimism, laughter, and grins. As I was gathering input for this graduation speech, several people suggested including a profound quote offering â€Å"encouraging advice to the young graduates†, and then there were others who said, â€Å"eh don’t worry about it, no one listens to those anyway.† Fortunately, I was actually able to take from both suggestions and found a happy balance. You see, I won’t tell you today to: â€Å"Dare to dream† or â€Å"Find your own vision† or even to â€Å"Strive for excellence,† or any trite clichà © that’s ever been said in a graduation speech. So this might not be your typical commencement. I have no list of â€Å"Do’s and Don’ts† for you. I don’t have any funny stories about politicians or teachers. I don’t have any jokes, nor do I have any interesting quotes from real famous people. And so you may be wondering. Why? Because there are only a few times in life where you can really have time to sit, relax, and at least pretend to be interested in another kid’s advice on what works for them. This is one of those times where I get to fill you in on what has kept me going, trusting that you can relate. First, in attempt to take the advice to include a symbolic quote, it became quite clear that no matter what, life is an endless stream of contradictions and inconsistencies. You see, they tell us that â€Å"haste makes waste,† but then, â€Å"the early bird gets the worm.† And â€Å"don’t put off until tomorrow what you can get done today,† but we’re supposed to â€Å"stop and smell the roses†? When do we have time to smell the roses when we’re busy doing everything today? And how do you â€Å"shoot for the moon† when you are being told to â€Å"wish upon a star†? I mean come on.... ... and be proud of all you have accomplished here at McNeil. Sure it’s long, sure we have tons of kids in our class, but stare at everyone’s shoes or something. Laugh it up at the kid who is wearing flip flops. Chuckle at the girl who is only 4’11† and takes 5 strides for each of your 2. Er, wait, that’s me. Enjoy this moment. Don’t rush through these motions. This is a significant event. It does deserve grins, laughter, and an optimistic attitude. Life will run you by if you don’t take time to enjoy all the small things. And remember, it’s those little things that make life funny. People should laugh at most of the things in life, cry at a few, and be neutral at hardly anything. Guys, I thank you. It has been an honor to serve as your class president. Good luck. Now, I am going to make like America Online Instant Messenger and sign off with an L-O-L. Good bye.

Construction Planning and Scheduling

Introduction Construction activities are often exposed to various weather conditions, and often construction productivity is dependent on these weather conditions. Weather conditions are local, seasonal, and sometimes unusual. Inclement weather conditions often result in project disruptions, delays, and disputes between the project parties. Many trades such as earthwork, concrete, roofing, and landscaping are often affected by severe weather, meanwhile other trades such as carpet installers or sheetrock installers may not be directly affected by the weather.Owners, general contractors, and subcontractors all face many risks associated with weather conditions. In order to mediate weather risks, all of the involved construction parties adopt various strategies; purchase insurance, and contract options. Typically project owners try and allocate the risks related with weather delays by adding weather clauses in the contract provisions. The goal of this paper is to discuss the impact of w eather delays in construction projects. A construction schedule should include a developed plan to allow for adverse weather. The weather considerations should be addressed during contract negotiation.By accounting for weather integration in the contract and in the baseline schedule owners and the contractor can reduce the risk of disputes from weather impacts and avoiding the rejection of claims dealing with unforeseeable or unusually severe weather. Most contracts nowadays have integrated weather calendars in the schedule. Adverse Weather Adverse weather, commonly referred to as severe weather, is any weather condition, rain, snow, temperature that exceeds historical data gathered over a specific period of time to establish what could be reasonably expected over the course of the construction project.Establishing unusually severe weather can be a challenging task. The most common method is to compare the actual weather experienced on the project to a historical normal for the same location. By using historical data a normal or expected level of severe weather can be established for a given time period. (Long 2010) Normal Weather Severe weather conditions should be incorporated in all construction contracts and in the contract it should specify the difference between normally and abnormally severe weather conditions.In contracts today, it is normal for some owners and contractors to provide the anticipated number of weather days in today’s contracts. The contracts now specify the average number of adverse weather days for certain project locations. It is in the best interest of projects to identify weather statistics, and contracts should provide the number of anticipated weather delay days based on those statistics. Temperature Temperature is well defined in construction contracts. The standard specifications in a contract include the minimum and maximum temperatures for many construction materials.However, temperature directly affects the productivit y of workers. Most construction materials have thresholds. However, temperature is a type of weather effect in which construction does not necessarily have to be delayed when exceeding these thresholds, as long as the project can absorb expenditures for controlled measures such as heated enclosures. Wind Wind can affect certain construction operations, but the effect of wind on temperatures is equally important. The combination of low temperatures and wind causes wind chill, which can reduce productivity and can even be dangerous to workers.Wind alone can force several construction activities to shut down, for example high winds can make cranes unstable, which could lead to accidents. High wind also may cause fresh concrete to dehydrate on the surface. Wind not only affects the temperature and construction activities such as crane work, but wind also affects materials and material processes. Soil Temperature Soil temperature does not directly affect labor productivity, but it does h ave an effect on operations and equipment. The biggest impact of soil temperature is on earthwork. Frozen ground magnifies the difficulty of movement and compaction of soils.Frozen soil conditions greatly reduce the equipment productivity. As cold weather affects the operator of the equipment, the soil conditions affect the effectiveness of the equipment. Weather Delay Day What type of weather qualifies as a weather delay day? A weather delay day is a day in which work must be completely stopped because efficient construction operations will be difficult to achieve with the weather conditions. Three key factors affecting weather delays and disruptions are; type of construction, on-site drying conditions, and the intensity of rainfall.The threshold values for adverse weather vary from location to location. The threshold values also depend on the trades working and various other social and natural factors. However, a weather day should be decided based on the combination of the thresh old values, type of work affected, and common sense. Table 1 below shows a sample adverse weather day calendar. (Glavinich n. d. ) Table 1: Sample Adverse Weather Allowances MonthJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC Adverse Weather Days665452245544 Weather Calendars Once threshold values are determined, the adverse weather days can be incorporated into the plan.Normally many weather incorporation methods can be used to satisfy the contract requirements. In order to claim time for unusually severe weather, it is common practice that the documented adverse weather days in excess of the monthly allowances must affect the completion of critical path activities. A good way to track and plan for weather days and planning for the activities they impact is a scheduling model that incorporates adverse weather days into a weather calendar. The weather calendar is tied to the weather sensitive activities.This task typically involves: †¢Documentation of all activities in the schedule that are prone to adverse weather †¢Application of the weather calendar to activities subject to adverse weather †¢Development of a baseline schedule in accordance with the project scheduling specifications †¢Calculation of the new finish date (Sabol 2004) Type of Work The type of construction work greatly influences the impact weather has on a project. Certain activities are particularly sensitive to weather conditions; meanwhile other tasks are not as sensitive to weather.Others factors such as equipment being used, materials being used, and the activity durations for each activity influence the activities sensitivity to wind, temperature, and precipitation. The projects weather sensitivity also depends on the phase of construction. For example the initial phase of building construction is usually more sensitive to weather than when the building has an exterior shell up. Consequently the allocation of anticipated monthly weather delay in contracts is not sufficient.The s cheduled activities and sequencing of activities should be known before the number of monthly weather delay days has been determined because the weather impact is strictly associated with the type of construction activities being performed. Lingering Days Severe weather can have impact on a construction project for many days after the actual severe weather has passed. These lingering days may extend past severe weather periods because of drying time for soils, and accumulated water on the site and before and after snowy conditions. These lingering days are also known as dry out or mud days.Even when trying to specify the number of adverse weather days, a contract is still ambiguous if it does not determine how to deal with lingering days. It is important to differentiate between lingering days caused by predictable and unpredictable weather conditions. Contracts should clearly spell out whether lingering days are included in the monthly normal weather days. For example in Tennessee, adverse weather may include dry out or mud days at a rate of no greater than one make up day for each day or consecutive days beyond the standard baseline that total 1. inch or more of rain. (Syzdik 2012) Lost Days Adverse weather can greatly reduce productivity. Working under adverse weather conditions causes the jobsite efficiency to decrease even though the work might not stop. The decreased productivity due to adverse weather can contribute to schedule delay. The adverse weather not only delays a project due to such direct lost days from a weather event, or dry out days, it also prolongs schedule activities due to lost productivity or inefficiency. This in turn, can delay the overall project schedule.In many circumstances, a contractor is not entitled to compensation incurred by lost labor productivity caused by unusually severe weather, usually only lost time that is associated with unusually adverse weather can be recovered. Personal Opinion If the contract does not specify w hat constitutes as normally severe weather and determines the weather thresholds for different work to be performed a consistent analysis of severe weather will be impossible. The contracts should specify monthly anticipated weather delay days.Contractors should account for these days when planning their work and planning their baseline schedules. These delay days should include anticipated lingering days based on the construction activities scheduled in the periods of anticipated severe weather. My experience working on a farm has taught me that weather delays happen frequently and these delays throw a wrench in all of the plans. For example during custom harvesting, a rainstorm will bring a halt to all combine harvesting.Often if it rains more that a few hundredths of an inch work is stopped for at least one full day. This becomes an issue when there is another customer waiting to have their crops harvested but we have to sit and wait in one location for the crops to dry out enoug h to be cut, before we can move to the next location. If the crops are not harvested soon there is a chance that the crops could be destroyed by a hailstorm, or the crop could lose value if it gets rained on because the coloring gets washed from the grains.This has taught me that proper planning and scheduling can help to minimize the losses associated with severe weather delays. Conclusion Adverse weather conditions and delays in construction are a source of costly claims and disputes in construction. Contracts should include monthly anticipated weather delay days, and a system to define or determine anticipated lingering days should be clearly defined in the contract along with threshold values for weather parameters.These weather threshold values play a critical role when determining if weather is unusually or usually severe. Finally contracts should address the requisites to request a time extension cause by inefficiency due to unusually severe weather conditions. Much of the li tigation resulting from weather delay disputes is based on the lack of adequate terms in the contracts. Whether a day with adverse weather is workable or not depends on the weather thresholds. The bottom line is, plan as for normal adverse weather, and know what the contract requires for adverse weather.Records should be kept of adverse weather occurrences, and time extension request should be submitted as required by the contract. When a project experiences adverse weather, the best case scenario is that weather considerations are included within the contract and in the schedule as applicable standards with respect to approach and evaluation. If weather impacts become an issue and are not present in the contract, the project management team and scheduler should develop reasonable weather allowance.If it becomes necessary to implement a method mid project, it is very important that the weather allowance standards are acceptable to all the construction parties and that all the assump tions used in the risk analysis are consistent and accurate. Bibliography Glavinich, Thomas. Construction Planning and Scheduling. Edited by Second Edition. The Associated General Contractors of America. Long, Nguyen. Analysis of adverse weather for excusable delays. American Society of Civil Engineers. 5 26, 2010. ascelibrary. org/coo/resource/1/jcemd4/v136/i12/p1258_s1? iew=fulltext> (accessed 4 4, 2012). Morosko, Nick, interview by Andrew Barthel. Project Manager Bozeman, MT, (4 2, 2012). Sabol, Kevin. Integrated Framework for Quantifying and Predicting Weather related delays. American Society of Civil Engineers. 8 16, 2004. ascelibrary. org/coo/resources/1/jcemd4/v136 (accessed 4 6, 2012). Syzdik, Brian. Weather Considerations for Construction Project Scheduling Models. Society of American Military Engineers. 10 12, 2012. militaryengineers. wordpress. com/2010/10/12 (accessed 3 24, 2012).