Assessment Activity Week 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assessment Activity Week 6 - Essay Example One could say there is lack of synergy in the functioning of the company from a global perspective. The other issue in the case is that there is a disconnect with the way things are carried out, this is so because there are too many subsidiaries and fragmented teams that handle tasks which can be done by a single, core team. This would lead to information symmetry with is not the case currently. Although there is no doubt that there is going to be value addition to the company in the long run, to see significant results in the short run priorities have to be changed and looked at from a global perspective. The process has to be modified and restructured a bit to incorporate the current issues. For example the strategic team should look at the option of allocating funds based on criticality of the goal served and how the project would impact the overall development of the company. In fact a good way to evaluate a project is to see its weighted average score across the various goals sp ecified in the NRG.

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Silent Spring - Rachel Carson - Essay Example Thesis statement: Rachel Carson’s work Silent Spring exposes the unfavorable relationship between the government and chemical industry by creating awareness among the mass on the negative effect of pesticides on the living world. Background information Basically, the work deals with the after effects of the use of DDT as insecticide. Rachel Carson states that, â€Å"In this now universal contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister and little-recognized partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world-the very nature of its life† (6). To be specific, the inspiration behind the work was the author’s friend’s knowledge on environmental issues originating from the uncontrolled use of pesticides/insecticides. The use of DDT in author’s friend’s locality resulted in the death of thousands of living things, especially birds. So, she decided to attract the attention of the authorities towards the after effects of the us e of DDT on the living world. So, she decided to write a letter to a daily newspaper named as The Boston Herald, and forwarded a copy of the letter to Carson. This letter deeply influenced Carson’s mind and resulted in the work named as Silent Spring. Theme One can easily identify the fact that uncontrolled use of pesticides affects the sustenance of life on the earth. ... Charles Piddock makes clear that, â€Å"The book, which would be called Silent Spring, described the contamination of lakes, rivers, and oceans, and the death of countless life forms† (86). One can see that almost all the factors that create imbalance in nature are interconnected with the human tendency to exploit natural resources in an uncontrollable manner. Within this context, the uncontrollable use of DDT leads to large scale pollution and the same affects the peaceful co-existence of life on earth. In addition, the human war against insects is the war against life. The authorities are aware of the truth that insects help human beings because pollination is impossible without insects. Still, pesticides are used to kill harmless insects. On the other side, the author is aware of the fact that all the living things are connected and pesticides affect this connection. The use of harmful pesticides cannot be tolerated because human beings are not authorized to control nature. So, the work’s theme is related to the author’s effort to educate the mass on the problems related to pesticides. Significance The significance of the work is not limited to the context of pesticides. Instead, the work’s significance extends to the context of preservation of nature. Conor Mark Jameson opines that, â€Å"Silent Spring is said to have been the spark that ignited the modern-day environmental movement† (17). One can see that the effect of DDT is too dangerous to the living world because uncontrollable killing of insects create ecological imbalance. So, Rachel Carson’s effort is important because the chemical companies which produce DDT were forced to discontinue

Oscar Wilde, The Picture Of Dorian Grey

Oscar Wilde, The Picture Of Dorian Grey Content: I give my personal opinion of the picture of Dorian Grey and how the author Oscar Wilde depicted himself in the novel. This essay reads the novel from several aspects include beauty and art point of view of Wilde, the connection between the novel and the social background and how the author lives his own life in the novel. Key words: aestheticism, Victoria era, corruption, responsibility Oscar Wilde was born in 1854, when the Queen Victoria reigned and Victoria literature style was flowering. Wildes parents were successful Dublin intellectuals and when he was young he was tutored at home, where he became fluent in French and German. He was deeply interested in the rising philosophy of aestheticism when he was at Oxford led by his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin, who had a great influence on his writings later in his life. The prosperity in the Victoria era began to decline in the late 19th century. The hegemony of Great Britain was challenged by the rising Germany and domestic dispute with Ireland. Under the superficial vanity of the British society lies the corruption of the aristocracy. They led a dissolute life and their Vitoria values and beliefs began to vanish. Indulgence and hedonism took the place of a decent and respectable life style they used to live. Oscar Wilde was born to be a spokesman of this era in the field of literature. The picture of Dorian Gray is one and the only novel of his and, in my opinion, is a representative oeuvre of both his life and the declining era. The story starts on a beautiful day with Lord Henry Wotton observing the artist Basil Hallward painting the portrait of a handsome young man named Dorian Gray. Dorian arrives later and meets Wotton. After talked with the libertine lord, Dorian begins to believe that beauty is the only thing that deserves to pursue in all his life. Distraught that his beauty will fade, he wishes that the beautiful and ever-lasting portrait can grow old instead of him, which finally comes true in some way. Later in his life, the portrait keep records of whatever he does and the portrait gets older and uglier once he does something criminal or corrupt. In the end, he thinks the only way to absolve him is to destroy the painting with a knife, which ends his horrible life instead. What is ironic is that his painting becomes what it used to be but Dorian himself dies with an aged and withered face. Acknowledged as the spokesman of the philosophy of aestheticism, Wildes doctrine was Art for arts sake. For Wilde, the purpose of art would guide life if beauty alone were its object. The picture of Dorian Gray reveals the belief that beauty on the surface can only exist in tragedies. As Henry said in the story -in the presence of off behind every beautiful thing there is some tragic things are (The picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde 1891), tragedy if the nature of beauty. Wilde, a pursuer of extreme art and beauty, combined the character of both Dorians and Basils. He once said that: Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry is what the world thinks me; Dorian gray is what I would like to be-in other ages perhaps. These three main characters in the story are the spirit of the story. Dorian Gray is a handsome young man who accepts Lord Henrys idea of hedonism. He indulges himself in all kinds of pleasure, moral and immoral. Like Oscar Wilde, Dorian thinks that beauty is the only object of life and that is why he would like to trade his conscience for life-long youth and beauty. Dorian is actually an extremist of aestheticism, a person that Wilde admires. Wilde highlights Dorians pleasure of living a double life and being an example of duplicity. Although Dorian is extremely indulgent, he replies take care, Basil. You go too far when Basil accuses him of making Lord Henrys sisters name a by-word. This indicates that Dorian still cares what he looks like in peoples eyes and his image in the Victorian society. 24 hours after committing a murder, he happily attends a party and feels keenly the terrible pleasure of a double life. Dorian enjoys this double life as an integration of good and evil. I think this kind of life is what Wilde dreams of. Actually Wilde is just like Dorian. His life is a paradox because he is both good and evil, both sophisticated and simple, both honest and hypocritical. Different from other writers, he leads a much more real life than others. Being accused of sodomite (gay person) by his lovers father, he has lots of scandals and was imprisoned for two year. He abandons his wife and children for his male lover again after he is released. But he does not get what he pursues at last. Different from other writers, he belongs to the upper-class instead of the impoverished known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversations. Wilde was one of the best known personalities of his day (On Characters in the Picture of Dorian GrayAn Interpretation of Oscar Wilde 2008). He converts to Roman Catholicism on his deathbed. All those experience are the reflections of his motto I want to live rather than survive. He himself is a living character in his own life story. Wilde gives what he wants and what he respects to this person-Dorian Gray. Another character in this story named Basil Hollward is also a reflection of Wilde himself. Wilde says that Basil Hollward is what he thinks he is. I think that is because Basil Hollward is a complete artist. Attracted by Dorians gorgeous face, he paints the portrait of Dorian which proves to be his finest work. Art is the only pursuit of basil and he does not want to believe that Dorian is evil although he was murdered by him at last. He still thinks that he is beautiful yet incomplete. What he commits is just a flaw in an apparently perfect thing. In my opinion, he knows what happened as the painting changes but he just does not want to believe. Once Basil acknowledges all the evil sides of Dorian, his dream of art was destroyed. Dorian is a work of art to Basil as well as a lover deep in his heart. Whod like to admit his or her lover is evil and corrupted? Wilde once said my life as an artist depends on him. This is because basil, as an artist, possesses all the doctrines of what Wilde think an artist should have. He is a perfect reflection of Wildes witticism: all that I desire to point out is the general principle that life imitates art far more than art imitate life. Disappointed to the society, Wilde gives all the social characteristics to this Lord. He tricks Dorian to become a half-human half-evil spirit with his corrupted lifestyle. What he does in the story is to lead Dorian to be destroyed in his ideology. As he says that the purpose of life is self development and the full realization of the nature of their requirements. His position in the story is best described by basil, as never says anything good but never does anything bad.(Aestheticism in the picture of Dorian grey, 2006) Besides the theme of aestheticism, this masterpiece also reveals the social situation and peoples sense of irresponsible at that time. When Dorian visit to the opium dens of London, according to what Lord Henry asserts crime belongs exclusively to the lower ordersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I should fancy that crime was to them what art is to us. In Henrys eyes, different social status has different world view and a tainted value must belong to the lower class. What ironic is that Dorian conflates criminal and aesthete. Back in the last stage of the Victoria era, people were crazy about indulgence and corruption but did not want to be responsible for their behavior. This theme is also reflected in the picture of Dorian Grey. In my opinion, Dorian uses his portrait to avoid his responsibility. He also justifies his actions according to the philosophy of the new hedonism. At the end of the novel, he chooses to destroy the painting as a way to confess. All these behavior depicts a spirit which aims to avoid all the commitments and condemnation. Professor John Sutherland once said in his lecture that this writing would have secured Wilde only a minor place in literature, but his status is elevated by his notoriety. I am not totally on board with this statement. Wilde may not be a very successful novelist but he is a successful living human being pursuing what he really wants for all his life. He thinks that it was the artists duty to rebel against precisely sacred orthodoxies. He and his novel are of total success in this sense as a perfect reflection of art and beauty.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail :: essays research papers

Monty Python and the Holy Grail In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, logic is used in an unfamiliar way. This logic does not deal with the nature of life, but deals with the more complex forms of logic that require the filling of blanks to make things work out. Although, for the most part certain things did not make sense, but yet they did express logic. They used environmental attributes to make sense of the complexities they had. The first application of logic found in the movie was in the first scene with the use of coconuts. They argued about how King Arthur had coconuts here in a moderate climate while coconuts only grow in tropical climates. King Arthur’s explanation for this was that a swallow brought it back when migrating. The peasant said that is impossible because a little bird cannot carry a coconut while it migrates. Hence with no other possibilities the peasant had concluded that it is impossible to have a coconut in England, which had been brought back, from a tropical area from a small migrating bird. This is a perfect example of how the movie breaks down logic and uses the settings environmental attributes and resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another example of this uncouth logic is seen with the town’s people’s belief of the woman being a witch. The town’s people said that she shall be burned for being a witch, but the knight, in his use of logic says that if she is a witch, and must be burned then she is made of wood. The knight goes on to say that if she is made of wood then she must float, and that if she floats she must be the same weight as a duck. So they weigh her and from the magic of movies she weighs the same as the duck, concluding that she is a witch. This shows the irrational logic that is being used in the movie, as well as the use of environment to draw a basis for conclusion. From this they arrive at the same conclusion they had in the beginning, that being that the women was a witch.

Quality Control of Car Seat

To All Valued Customers: Tchou Tchou is fully committed to serving the product needs of infants and children.   As such, we want to address a recent market development of our infant car seat model number: 0907-888-TTICS. As you may know, Tchou Tchou has issued a voluntary product recall of all infant car seat purchased in the last three months. In the wake of this development, we are offering to replace your newly purchased infant car seat with one of our earlier model at no extra cost on your part. To ensure the safety of your children, we would like to request you to either return the infant car seat at the store where you purchase the product or email us at [email  protected] and we would be glad to arrange for a pickup. We recognize the inconvenience this causes you.   However, this action reflects Tchou Tchou’s commitment to high quality standards and ensuring that our products fully meet your expectations. Please know we are working hard to provide you with the high-quality products and customer service you have come to expect from Tchou Tchou.   If you have any questions, please contact our toll free 24/7 customer service hotline at 1-800-82468. Sincerely, (Your Name) Manager, Sales and Marketing Analyst Date:   January 4, 2008 To :   Fred Lucas, Manager, Manufacturing Department From:   (Your Name), Manager, Sales and Marketing Analyst Subject:   Quality Control of Car Seat Model Number: 0907-888-TTICS English Language Training Due to the recent complaint that we have received from our client with regards to the tiny fragment of glass in the upholstery of the infant car seat, we have voluntarily recalled the products that were purchased within the past three months.   This step was undertaken to give us the opportunity to thoroughly check the quality of our recalled product. Although our overhead cost would be greatly affected we would like your department to replace the upholsteries of all the recalled infant car seats.   In addition to the quality control inspection that we have been doing prior to the release of all our products, our engineering department will also perform a thorough check on all the machineries and equipments that are being used in the production of all our products. We appreciate the suggestion made by some employees to improve the workplace in your department.   The management officers have considered their suggestion and have recently made an arrangement with a language instructor who could provide a program that would facilitate ease of communication and learning of a second language among employees in the department.   The in-house language instructor will visit your department tomorrow and will present the program to you and your staff. Please keep me posted on any development.   Thank you very much. Hi Ms. Kathy, I have recently written a letter addressed to all our customers who have purchased the infant car seat model number: 0907-888-TTICS.   I have informed them about the company’s decision to recall the product and our willingness to replace the infant car seat with one of our earlier model at no extra cost on their part.   This is in line with our commitment to provide them with the best quality products which our company has been noted for. I have also written the manufacturing department and asked them to replace all the upholsteries of the recalled infant car seat.   The engineering department will likewise conduct a thorough inspection on all the machineries and equipment in the production area to ensure that none of the fragment of glasses came from our production area.   Furthermore, the language instructor will be coordinating with Fred Lucas in line with the in-house language program that will be provided to the employees. Although the complaint of one customer is an isolated case, the company’s overhead expense will be greatly affected as a result of the product recall.   However, the reputation of Tchou Tchou and our customers’ satisfaction is our foremost concern.   This may be the first time that we have recalled a product in our six years of existence but given the time, the public will be fully aware that we have been at par with our product standard. Please be assured that I will use my skills and expertise in projecting the good image of the company and to make the public aware that this problem did not arise from our company. I will keep you posted on any development. Sincerely, (Your First Name)   

What are acid rains?

What are acid rains? â€Å"Acid rain is another side-effect of civilization. As soon as acid rain was discovered and understood, it was attributed to human action.† (Jurgen Stock, Arthur R. Upgren, p.4)Acid rain can be called any atmospheric precipitate (rain, snow, smog, rain with snows, etc) which has the following characteristics: the increased level of acids (mainly sulphuric acid); and the hydrogenous index of pH is less than average index of rain water (average pH for rain water is 5.6), mainly it is rain with pH

The New SAT What You Need to Know

The New SAT What You Need to Know The New SAT: What You Need to Know Originally called the â€Å"Scholastic Aptitude Test,† the SAT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the US. Understanding the SAT is therefore essential for anyone looking to enroll at a US college. However, starting this month (or May 2016 for international students), the SAT has changed. And if you’re thinking of applying to college this year, you’ll need to know the difference. Main Changes In terms of structure, the new SAT still focuses on math and English skills, but with an ‘evidence-based reading and writing’ section replacing the separate writing and critical reading components of the old test. The essay component is now also optional and scored separately, rather than compulsory. Old SAT New SAT 1. Critical reading 2. Writing 3. Math 4. Essay 1. Evidence-based reading and writing 2. Math 3. Essay (optional) On top of these structural differences, some of the main changes include: Scores will now be given on a 1600 point scale (800 for math; 800 for reading/writing) instead of the old 2400 point scale Incorrect answers will no longer be penalized on multiple-choice questions Less focus on obscure vocabulary, more on understanding words in context and evidence-based reasoning Math component now only permits use of a calculator on some sections Preparing for the New SAT Since this new SAT differs significantly from the old one, it’s vital to prepare accordingly. This might involve: Learning the New Test Format The simplest and most important thing you can do before sitting the new SAT is learning exactly how it has changed; knowing the general structure and format of the SAT will allow you to focus your revision and ensures you won’t be surprised when the test day arrives. Honing Your Critical Reading The new SAT focuses more on evidencing your claims, critical analysis and understanding information in context (rather than answering sentence completion questions). This makes it essential to work on your reading skills as well as your vocabulary. Taking a Practice Test As ever with exams, the best way to prepare is taking a practice paper. For the new test, your best option is the Khan Academy Official SAT Practice site.