Greater London Authority - Analysis of environmental policy Assignment

Greater London Authority - Analysis of environmental policy - Assignment Example In developed countries the potentials for establishing successful Environmental Policies are usually high, taking into consideration the technology and the funds required for supporting these initiatives. However, failures when developing or implementing these policies cannot be eliminated. This fact has been verified in the case of GLA’s Environmental Policy. The particular policy had to faced delays and failures even if it has been continuously supported by the Mayor of London. The reasons of these failures are presented below using Gap Analysis. A survey is also employed for showing the Policy’s strengths and weaknesses. It is proved that the success of the Policy in the long term would be depended on the ability of its planners to make appropriate changes, so that the terms of the Policy are aligned with the standards of the ISO 14001. 1. Introduction The identification of effective policies for managing environmental issues can be characterized as one of the most i mportant challenges that governors and authorities worldwide have to face. In practice, it has been proved that the success of environmental policies can be delayed due to a series of factors that cannot be predicted in advance. Still, the use of ISO standards when developing and implementing environmental policies can minimize the risk for unexpected failures. Greater London Authority has established an Environmental Policy in order to address a series of environmental issues related to the greater London area. The Mayor of London has supported this initiative in all its aspects. However, the effectiveness of the Policy seems to be kept at average levels, as indicated in a survey conducted for this issue. The various aspects of this Policy are evaluated using relevant literature. A gap analysis has been also conducted for identifying the potential weaknesses of the Policy, so that appropriate recommendations for its improvement to be made. 2. GLA and the Mayor Office in London â₠¬â€œ environmental policy 2.1 Responsibilities of the GLA and the Mayor The Greater London Authority (GLA) has been established in order to address a series of critical issues related to the greater London area. The authority was introduced through the GLA Act 1999 (GLA About us 2012). The GLA Act 2007 enhanced the authority of GLA so that the needs of people in London in regard to ‘housing, environment, health and culture’ (GLA About us 2012) are fully covered. The activities of GLA mostly focus on the development of the following areas: ‘society, economy and environment’ (GLA About us 2012). For achieving the above target GLA promotes a series of values, such as ‘integrity, fairness and accountability’ (GLA About us 2012). Particular importance is also given to leadership, as a factor that can highly influence the performance of GLA in all areas presented above. The term leadership in regard to GLA is related to the organization’s Corp orate Management Team (GLA About us, Corporate Management Team 2012). The responsibilities of Mayor are mainly related to the following are

Chap 2 Homework Essay Example for Free

Chap 2 Homework Essay 1. Performance, Reliability and responsiveness, Serviceability, and Aesthetics are all significant dimensions of quality in fast food restaurants. First of all, the performance and serviceability of a fast food restaurant is very important because like the name states â€Å"fast food† is exactly that†¦ fast! So in order for it to be considered a fast food establishment it if very important to keep up the flow of traffic in and out of the drive thru and the dining room in a timely and efficient manner without compromising the quality of the food. The second thing is to provide reliability and responsive services for a fast food restaurant such as customer service. If customer service is poor and the food isn’t prepared properly or your orders keep getting messed up then by their bad experience word of mouth will spread and it could drive people away from the establishment and they will begin searching for other places to eat. The last form of quality I believe a fast food restaurant should have is Aesthetics or the way the restaurant looks and smells. For example, we went to Golden Corral a long time ago and it literally smelled like feces. It made eating there hard to do because it stunk so badly. Come to find out they had a sewer leak and had to get it repaired but my family and I stopped going there for quite a long time until it was fixed. It is very important that the facility is clean without debris and trash around it and that even the inside facility is kept up with clean bathrooms, tables wiped and floors mopped. In order to exceed my expectations I would expect to run thru the drive thru and hear a happy or courteous person over the speaker that’s not rushing me to make a decision, acknowledgment when I pay and prompt service when I reach the food window. I would also expect that my food be prepared like I asked and that there be condiments or utensils necessary for me to eat or drink my food in the bag. 2. One way that productivity could have been improved is when Jon (the cashier) needed more batteries for his headset, he could have asked someone else or his manager in the kitchen to obtain them for him so that he could have remained at the window with the customer to receive his payment. Therefore, none of the confusion with the other orders would have happened. 3. Employees Materials Needed Services Provided Jon (Cashier) Batteries for headset Took customer order, and accepted payment Supervisor None Corrected order error on computer Mary/third employee Napkins Handed customer order and napkins List of Improvements: Jon could have asked for assistance in obtaining the batteries for his headset to prevent any confusion with the orders and remained at the window with his customer. The Supervisor should have acknowledged the customer and asked how the customers’ service was and if there was anything he could do for the customer for any inconvenience. Mary should have paid more attention to the customer at her window and his needs, therefore he wouldn’t have had to ask twice for napkins.

The Social Construction of Gender Roles Essay -- Papers male masculine

The Social Construction of Gender Roles Gender or sex roles are the expected patterns of behavior assumed to follow from a person's sex. Gender roles are not natural. They are formed by and vary within society, culture, geographic location, politics and time. There is a strong relationship between the social construction of gender and compulsory heterosexuality. People are programmed into certain gender roles and social categories through socialization and interaction with others. Expectations about appropriate gender role characteristics and sexual behavior have evolved throughout history, especially for women. In the 1700’s and 1800’s, the men’s role included earning an income to support a family and working in the farms, while the female’s role included the responsibility to have and to care for children, running a household and assisting a husband in farm labor. Running a household and caring for children was considered a â€Å"full-time† job. Children were taught their roles when they were very young. Boys were shown how to farm and provide for their future families’ as they attended school. Girls learned how to do the household chores and received only the very basic education. They were taught how to be wives and mothers. By the end of the 1800’s, higher education began to become available for women. The Industrial era brought new developments for the sex roles. The male world expanded and men had the opportunity to take up new careers and the freedom to move around the country more conveniently. They were still the breadwinners and dominated the government, legal and medical agencies. Women’s roles during this time also changed but not as much as men’s. The... ...rately, use different washrooms and play different sports. Even the fact that most teachers are females and most of the administration is male cause children to realize that each gender has a different role in life. This kind of treatment makes children aware that boys and girls are different. The media is a powerful social agent that portrays gender roles and stereotyping. Many prime time television shows, movies and commercials portray young beautiful women as either sex symbols or the â€Å"typical† women who cooks, cleans and cares for the house. These situations teach young girls that beauty and their role as a nurturer is what is valued in society. If gender were a natural phenomenon to men and women, then why does it have to be taught? Why must we be told to â€Å"be a man† or â€Å"act like a lady,† and be reprimanded for doing what comes naturally when it is deemed

Labor Relations

In this paper, unions and labor relations will be defined and their impact on organizations will be elaborated. Also, the impact of changes in employee relations strategies, policies, and practices on organizational performance will be examined. After this, the question â€Å"Are unions still relevant in the U.S.?† will be answered. Furthermore, the campaign, the election, contract negotiations, grievance handling, arbitrations, labor relations, and strikes will be addressed. Labor unions and labor relations Labor unions, which are the watchdogs and negotiators for the American workforce, are a way of collectively bargaining with employers for fair working conditions and fair wages. The craft unions or skilled laborers and industrial unions or laborers in the same industry, regardless of skill are the two types of labor unions that are organized. In the U.S. Groups of highly-trained carpenters, tailors, printers, and weavers in the colonial age, the seed of modern labor unions were the guilds. Guilds, which are economic and social in nature, are associations of persons who are involved in the same craft or business. The workers who members of guilds are banded together so that the quality standards would be maintained and the employers’ hiring of skilled laborers from home would be ensured. In the mid-19th century, there was an increase in the number of new industrial unions which were created for the assertion of workers’ rights. This change in the personality of the American workforce was due to the invention of the steam engine and other industrial advancements. The Knights of Labor, which inaugurated the Labor Day holiday in 1882, was one of the most important industrial unions. In the 1890s, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was formed. It is composed of the craft unions which include both skilled and unskilled laborers. The federation was formed because its member craft unions were opposed to the composition of the Knights of Labor’s membership. The United Mine Workers and the Danburry Hatters case in 1902 were ones of the early conflicts and strikes included in this period. In the 1930s, when the Great Depression took place, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was formed. Many of the members of CIO were the dissidents of the AFL who favors industrial unionism. Workers in the steel, rubber, auto, maritime, glass, and meat packing industries were some of the major constituents of the CIO. In spite of the conflicts during the 30s and 40s, a powerful body known as the AFL-CIO was formed from the merging of the two national organizations in 1955. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent agency of the U.S. government. It was created under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 or the Wagner Act and was amended by the acts of 1947 or the Taft-Harley Labor Act and 1949 or the Landrum-Griffin Act. The board affirmed the rights of the labor to organize and bargain collectively through representatives they chose or to refrain from such activities. The board which is composed of five members is assisted by 33 regional directors. The members are appointed by the U.S. President with the approval of the Senate for five-year terms. The proper bargaining units are determined, the elections for union representation are conducted, and the charges of unfair labor practices by employers are investigated by the board. Coercion, interference, or restraint in labor’s self-organizational rights is included in the unfair practices (Villanueva Siasoco). A research study revealed that the collaboration of an organization (such as community organizations) and a labor union is an impetus for change. For example, the labor unions and community organizations in Greater Boston, which have worked together in recent years, have achieved remarkable successes. Some of their victories include the passing of a Boston living wage ordinance, an increase in the minimum wage in Massachusetts, improvement in union contracts and in workplace conditions, an earned income tax credit on state income taxes, $6 million state job training program for 1, 500 workers, and a number of progressive tax policies which includes a new tax on capital gains. These significant achievements in Boston are reverberated throughout the country. This is manifested by the continuous formation of alliances by community organizations with the organized labor. Again, these alliances are formed for the purpose of tackling problems that affect the lives of the low-wage workers. The Service Employees International Union, which is known for its successful Justice for Janitors campaigns, is one of the unions that organize low-wage workers. The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Union is also a low wage-workers union. These unions are included in the most vibrant and fastest growing organizations in the country. The collaboration of labor unions and community organizations is really needed for the achievement of long-term goals of economic and social justice. The need for the collaboration is being intensified by the changes in the national economy over the last few decades. One the changes that forces for a collaboration of labor unions and community organizations is the shifting of the economy from higher-paying manufacturing jobs to lower-paying jobs in the service sector. Similarly, the public policy efforts for the promotion of the welfare of working families in general are being broadened by the labor movement. The national AFL-CIO, under the new leadership since 1995, has devoted increased resources to advocate policies. These policies include the universal health care coverage which is intended to benefit all American who are working (not only those who are members of unions) and the raising of the federal minimum wage. One of the impacts of labor unions in policies is the announcement of support of amnesty for undocumented immigrants by the AFL-CIO in February, 2000. In addition, the AFl-CIO also played a major role in organizing, planning, and supporting the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride of 2003. This ride is a nationwide effort which aims to raise the visibility of the issues of the immigrant workers (Ranghelli 4). On the other hand, the impact of changes on employees is the decrease in the purchase of labor by employers because of the higher wages won by unions. The success in asserting for higher wages and better working conditions also reduced the number of jobs available (Reynolds). Are unions still relevant in the U.S.? The question â€Å"Are unions still relevant in the U.S.?† does not need anymore time to think about. Unions are absolutely relevant in the U.S. Considering the economic situation today, wherein the trend is to shift from higher-paying jobs to lower-paying jobs, to use more machines than labor force, and to employ contractualization, the exploitation of the labor sector becomes more intense. Thus, unions play a vital role in achieving economic and social justice. Considering the opinions raised by Reynolds, it is very shallow to say that the labor unions are the anticompetitive force in the labor markets. It is very inhumane to think of workers as simply inputs that are needed to be purchased in order for a process such as production or manufacturing to materialize. It is in this thinking where the exploitation of the laborers’ rights arises. Regarding campaigns and elections, union officers are elected based on the standards established by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA). Officers in the local unions are elected through secret balloting. On the other hand, officers of the national and international unions are elected either by secret balloting of the members or by delegates who are chosen by the secret ballot. The election of the officers of the national and international unions is held at least every five years. For the intermediate bodies, the election of officers is held at least every four years and for the local unions, election of officers is held at least every three years. The funds of a union may be used in conducting an election. Also, it is an option for the employers and unions to use their funds in promoting the candidacy of any candidate (http://www.dol.gov/compliance/topics/unions-elections.htm). Collective bargaining refers to the negotiations between an employer and a group of employees. Negotiations are done so that the conditions of employment would be determined. The result of the procedures of the collective bargaining is called collective agreement. Union or other labor organizations represent the employees in bargaining. Federal and state statutory laws, judicial decisions, and administrative agency regulations govern collective bargaining. Arbitration refers to the method of dispute resolution. This method is used as an alternative to litigation. Arbitration is usually used to resolve disputes between employers and employees during a collective bargaining (http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Collective_bargaining#collective_bargaining_and_labor_arbitration:_an_overview). Usually, strike is the last resort taken by workers in addressing their grievances. Holding mass pickets is the most effective way to involve all strikers. Although strikes may mean decrease in wages or dismissal from work, success in such solidarity actions is effectively achieved through picketing the workplaces of the workers (http://libcom.org/organise/guide-to-taking-strike-action). The aforementioned concepts support the answer that unions are still relevant in the U.S. For example, the funds of unions are very vital during an election because may be used to promote the candidacy of a certain candidate who, when elected, must address the concerns not only of the workers but the families in general. Also, it is very significant in addressing the welfare of the people because what labor unions fight for is not just their interests but the interests of the masses. Again, labor union should not be viewed as a hindrance for the economic development. It is not enough to say that a country is developed based on a high gross national product which is achieved through lower cost of production that includes lower wages for the laborers. Higher gross national product which is achieved through exploitations of workers does not mean economic and social justice. Reference Collective bargaining and labor arbitration: an overview. Retrieved November 18, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Collective_bargaining#collective_bargaini  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ng_and_labor_arbitration:_an_overview John. (November 11, 2006). Guide to taking strike action. Retrieved November 18, 2006,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://libcom.org/organise/guide-to-taking-strike-action National Labor Relations Board. Retrieved November 18, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/bus/A0834954.html Ranghelli. (March 2005). Joining Forces Community Organizations and Labor Unions Form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New Collaborations. Retrieved November 18, 2006, from Unions and Union Members: Union Elections. Retrieved November 18, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.dol.gov/compliance/topics/unions-elections.htm Villanueva Siasoco, Ricco. Hard Labor. How unions fought to honor the American worker.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved November18, 2006, from http://www.factmonster.com/spot/labor1.html       Labor Relations Labor relation entails policies and daily practices that are concerned with the regulation and management of individual and team relationships within the organization. Essentially, employee relations are centered on the ability to resolve and prevent conflicts that involve either an individual or the teams in the organization which directly affect work situations and performance. Efficient communication ensures that information is passed to the employees in order to allow them understand better the company’s goals and objectives. Most employee relations managers uphold the responsibility of handling grievances, individual code of conduct while in the office, evaluation of employee performance and counseling programs. Sound employee relations are based on participation and effective communication for both the management and the employees. There are various management styles that cover the way employee relations must be conducted in order to achieve the best from the employees. (Selid, 1995) Trade unions are organized groups of employees officially recognized by both the government and their employer that have come together to promote their common interests. Trade unions have a responsibility of ensuring get the value of what they work for. They are directed to provide a communication channel between the employer and the employees. In some cases, In the United States, trade unions are registered by the specific State that it operates from and they are ratified by the federal government. The United States have a national advisory board referred to as Employee Relations Advisory Board (ERAB) that is concerned with formulating national policies which must be adhered to by individual Employee Relations Advisory Organization (ERAO) which every institution including airline companies must have. At least one representative of ERAO is elected to sit at the Employee Relations Advisory Board. In an airline setting for example, their union is responsible for providing the company’s management with suggestions on how to solicit and disseminate information on plans and programs that are designed for employees who will enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace. (Employee Relations Advisory Organization, 2004) There are impact of changes in employee relations strategies, policies, and practices on organizational performance. For example if employees within an organization are represented by a trade union fully recognized by the same organization e.g. the airline company and the government, cooperation between the employer that is airline company and its employees will be enhanced the workplace. Good and sound formulated strategies and policies that relates to labor relations in organization particularly the airline companies will lead to attainment of organizations goals and pursuing the company’s mission statement in the direct path. There are various management styles that cover the way employee relations must be conducted in order to achieve the best from the employees. These management styles are intended to teach employees the following; applicable regulations and policies, bargaining agreements, grievance and appeal rights, and discrimination and protection of whistleblowers. The impact of changes in employee relations has broadened its definition from the initial industrial relations to such aspects as employer-employee relations, personal contracts, workplace environmental safety, and socio-emotional factors. In developed countries like in the U.S and mostly in airline industries, there is a growing trend of harmonization in almost all levels of government mainly because of the government commitment to enhance employee relations programs. (Sparrow and Hilltop, 1994) Trade unions plays a very major role in trying to protect the rights of employees who form there membership and research indicates that they still relevant in the U.S. administration because they have the task of ensuring that employees rights regarding to the workplace are protected. However, due to corruption and other malpractices the effectiveness of these trade unions has been compromised over the last few years. Research indicates that the employers in the U.S. for example employers in the airline industry are reported to be harassing there employees in the pretext that they are giving out instructions to be obeyed in order to achieve the stated organizational goals, a development which does not auger well with trade unions in the U.S. (Delaney and Huselid, 1996) In general, these trade unions has the following roles, labor climate assessment, positive employee relation programs, union campaigns and election objectives, unfair labor practices such as poor wages and unfounded dismissals, dealing with workplace harassment, coordinating and implementing cooperate relations programs, and handling complaint/issue resolution processes in the respective organizations among others. The only problem that normally cause misunderstanding between the trade unions and the companies or government is that the trade unions can organize go slows, strikes, destructions etc when round table solutions to issues fails. This is very hard for a company to control but with negotiations, it can reach an agreement. Trade unions officials are responsible to their members and they are usually elected to office mainly through secret ballots. This implies those vying for any seats have to campaign for votes from the union members. Sometimes some officials use unfair campaign strategies that do not foster fairness and equality among the contenders. Also these trade union officials play a significant role in any country’s general election because they can influence their members on what directions to vote e.g. advising the members to vote out the present government because of some dissatisfaction that they have with it. Trade unions plays an important role contract negotiations; almost everything can be bargained these days and therefore with employee relations through trade unions such issues as awarding contracts, compensations, benefits, and work schedules can be sorted out by discussing them until a solution is achieved. The bargaining approach settles conflicts that arise as a result of contract matters. It also outlines the rules with which the basis of handling specific work agreements is sorted out. Normally, if this approach is well utilized, employee relations are greatly improved. Grievance handling in any organization is very crucial to all organizations and at least every company has some way of dealing with their grievances. In fact, it is considered that a few individuals in a company are so arrogant that they are font of harassing their workmates leading to poor productivity. Companies need to develop a grievance handling procedure that will ensure that conflicts are eliminated in the organization. Without proper handling grievances of the employees well trade unions may call for strikes to force the government to implement their desired changes. In the recent past strikes and go-slows have become common methods which employees use them to pass their grievances to their employers. (Brewster, 1995) It is therefore prudent for management of any organization to adopt employee recognition strategies. This is another factor that the employers put into consideration for the organization to improve its employee relations; this is basically a communication instrument, which strengthens and compensates the most significant production that the employees have created for the organization. The recognition structure is always made simple, instant, and effectively supportive to the employees’ relations and the organization at large. (Chevrier, 2003) Reference: Brewster. C (1995): Towards a European Model of Human Resource Management- Journal of International Business. Vol 26 Pp 45-67 Chevrier, S. (2003): Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups Journal of World Business. Vol.38. Pp 77-89 Delaney. J and Huselid. M (1996):- The impact of human resource management practices on perceptions of performance in for-profit and non-profit organizations. Academy of Management Journal. Vol 39. Pp 34-56 Employee Relations Advisory Organization, (2004): Labor Relations Washington D.C, Article 2. Pp 5-29 Murray, A. (1989): Top management group heterogeneity and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal Vol. 10, Special issue. Pp 13-34 Selid, M. (1995):- The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance- Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 38. Pp 54-76 Sparrow, P. and Hilltop, J. (1994): European Human Resource Management in Transition. Prentice Hall, New York. Pp 23-45               

A Time When I Felt Extremely Proud of Myself Essay

It was a great time in my life while I was in school, feeling proud of myself. Because, that time I had an opportunity to developed many things like knowledge, relationship, emotional, mental and physical development. I always remember that great time, which I spent in my school life. It gives me a lot of happiness and also helpful to build up the beautiful memories. It still recall on my mind to memorize a successful achievement, great event and historical record which I obtained in my school life. In my school life I made lot of friends. I had a big group of friends as I believe in making friends in my life. For me, Friends are like your shoulder for you to cry on when you feel sad and weak and share your happiness when you feel happy. In my school life I had lot of fun with my friends. I can never forget the time when we had play together in the school yard and gone for shopping. We had lot of sharing regarding our dreams and ambitions. My life was very colorful and beautiful with them. School life was the best time in my life where I learnt so many things. I developed my hobbies and skills through my school activities. I learnt both social and academic knowledge while I was in school. I learnt how to work in groups and individually. I was an average student, until 5th grade. After hard study I climbed on big step and got first division with highest mark among all students. That was a great achievement for me and felt extremely proud of myself. After that I always stand in first rank in my class. In 8th grade and 10th grade, I got district top in board examination, which was other great achievement and historical record for me and for my school. I used to participate in several competition, and mostly, I always stand on 1st rank. So, that one is my great achievement too. These were the basics of my life and as I grew I learnt so many other things and have deeper thoughts about life. I consider my school time as the best time ,because my life was carefree during that time. No tensions in life and that time I developed my imaginations and dreams to chase. I had nothing to do with the whole world as I had already developed my world in my imaginations. School time was precious for me because it marked dramatic change in my life. I got not only physical growth but also mental growth as well. School life was totally different from university life and adult life. In university life I have to put those school memories behind and have to face the new environment. I feel now my life is with full of complexities as I need to work and study together to make my career which is tough for me as I don’t get enough time for myself but I have to do to make my future career. My life is not as free as it was in my school time. After I graduate from university I have to look for a job and earn money to raise my family. I feel like my adult time will be with full of complexities too. In conclusion, I want to say that my school life was the great time of my life where I felt extremely proud of myself. Because school life only happens one time in everybody life, so it is very precious. School life will teach you all kind of happiness, sadness and other emotions , so one should enjoy their school life fully.

A Timeline History of Mathematics

A Timeline History of Mathematics Mathematics is the science of numbers. To  be precise, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines mathematics as: The science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, abstractions and of space configurations and their structure, measurement, transformations  and generalizations. There  are several different branches of mathematical science, which include algebra, geometry and calculus. Mathematics is not an invention. Discoveries and laws of science are not considered inventions since inventions are material things and processes. However, there is a history of mathematics, a relationship between mathematics and inventions  and mathematical instruments themselves are considered inventions. According to  the book Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times, mathematics as an organized science did not exist until the classical Greek period from 600 to 300 B.C. There were, however, prior civilizations in which the beginnings or rudiments of mathematics were formed. For example, when civilization began to trade, a need to count was created. When humans traded goods, they needed a way to count the goods and to calculate the cost of those goods. The very first device for counting numbers was, of course, the human hand and fingers represented quantities. And to count beyond ten fingers, mankind used natural markers, rocks or shells. From that point, tools such as counting boards and the abacus were invented.   Heres a quick tally of important developments introduced throughout the ages, beginning from A to Z.   Abacus One of the first tools for counting invented, the abacus was invented around 1200 B.C. in China and was used in many ancient civilizations, including Persia and Egypt. Accounting The innovative Italians of the Renaissance (14th  through 16th century) are widely acknowledged to be the fathers of modern accounting. Algebra The first treatise on algebra was written by Diophantus of Alexandria in the 3rd century B.C. Algebra comes from the Arabic word al-jabr, an ancient medical term meaning the reunion of broken parts. Al-Khawarizmi is another early algebra scholar and was the first to teach the formal discipline. Archimedes Archimedes was a mathematician and inventor from ancient Greece  best known for his discovery of the relationship between the surface and volume of a sphere and its circumscribing cylinder for his formulation of a hydrostatic principle (Archimedes principle) and for inventing the Archimedes screw (a device for raising water). Differential Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) was a German philosopher, mathematician and logician who is probably most well known for having invented differential and integral calculus. He did this independently of Sir Isaac Newton. Graph A graph is a pictorial representation of statistical data or of a functional relationship between variables. William Playfair (1759-1823) is generally viewed as the inventor of most graphical forms used to display data, including line plots, the bar chart, and the pie chart. Math Symbol In 1557, the sign was first used by Robert Record. In 1631, came the    sign. Pythagoreanism Pythagoreanism is a school of philosophy and a religious brotherhood believed to have been founded by Pythagoras of Samos, who settled in Croton in southern Italy about 525 B.C. The group had a profound effect on the development of mathematics. Protractor The simple protractor is an ancient device.  As an instrument used to construct and measure plane angles, the simple protractor looks like a semicircular disk marked with degrees, beginning with 0 º to 180 º. The first complex protractor was created for plotting the position of a boat on navigational charts. Called a three-arm protractor or station pointer, it was invented in 1801 by Joseph Huddart, a U.S. naval captain. The center  arm is fixed, while the outer two are rotatable and capable of being set at any angle relative to the center one. Slide Rulers Circular and rectangular slide rules, an instrument used for mathematical calculations, were both invented by mathematician William Oughtred. Zero Zero was invented by the Hindu mathematicians Aryabhata and Varamihara in India around or shortly after the year 520 A.D.

The Bio-Legal Issues Surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide Essays

The Bio-Legal Issues Surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide Essays The Bio-Legal Issues Surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide Paper The Bio-Legal Issues Surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide Paper A most troubling issue in the bio-legal discourse is that of the so-called ‘right-to-die,’ which continues to receive debate in current medical and legal consideration. The concept of euthanasia implies that the dignity of human life may be compromised by the affliction of terminal illness, intractable pain or an incapacity to function without artificial life-support systems. Under this pretense, we are suggested to have an entitlement to choose a dignified passing rather than a prolonged suffering. This is an incredibly complex issue though, subject to variation based upon one’s ethical, biological and philosophical understanding of any given medical case. Ultimately, the exploration here will suggest that there is, among other defenses, a legal basis for the defense of physician assisted suicide which denotes that a failure to allow such is tantamount to a failure to relieve suffering where such is the only means that might accomplish such and a failure to apply the proper regulatory oversight to standards precipitating physician assisted suicide. In contrast, the sanctity of human life has for centuries been considered an objective fact of universal rationality, with great intellectuals such as Plato decrying suicide and any enabling of the practice as both existing in contrast with our rights of self-determination. This thinker is joined by most established religions, broad swathes of society and most of the highest offices of American governance due to a sociologically crucial interest in the sanctity of human life. In the last two years or more of executive-led religious indoctrination, it is important that one’s moral background not become the driving force behind the formation of legislative backing though. There is a clear duality in the debate, where beneath an explicit layer of semantic and legislative wrangling, there is an enormous religious subtext which calls into question the effectiveness of the separation of Church and State, as defined in the Constitution. With conservative lawmakers such as Samuel Alito and John Roberts ascending to the Supreme Court bench in the last two years, there is a certain thrust away from bioethical progressivism. However, such a reality is in clear contrast to the well-established virtues of a pragmatic protection for the right to such a decision as euthanasia. At the very base of the philosophical impulses in providing medical care, as set forth in the Hippocratic oath, is the function of relieving illness, injury, suffering and pain. This is the perspective which provided foundation to a perspective which found legal support in the last decade and a half. In 1994, the Oregon legislature passed Measure 16 of the state’s pre-existent Death With Dignity Act. Thus, now, â€Å"in Oregon, US, only physician-assisted suicide is legal, and this began in 1997. † (Pasterfield, 450) Designed to protect and ensure the medical rights of the terminally ill, the measure was approved by a very slim majority through public referendum, establishing a standard by which physicians may assist in the termination of life for patients who desire an immediate cessation of pain due to intractable and fatal conditions without fear of legal reprisal. One of the bill’s key segments, section 127. 885, indicates that â€Å"no person shall be subject to civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action for participating in good faith compliance,† with the conditions set forth in the measure. (Oregon, 7) This is to indicate that for physicians adhering to the parameters allowing for the administering of life-suspending procedures as set forth in the legislation, the State of Oregon may take no retaliatory action. Such legislation would be the first of its kind in the United States, though it has yet to achieve any genuine penetration to precedent on the federal level. Still, the ‘right to death’ movement, which has gained greater notoriety in recent decades than ever before, is informed by the premise that it is within the Constitutional body of rights for an individual to decide to terminate one’s own life. The purpose of this initiative has been to proliferate entitlement and access, to those suffering from intractable pain or illness, to those that might help them achieve death with comfort and dignity. Its supporters are typically those aligned with civil liberties organizations such as the ACLU. Likewise, many in the medical community view this is as a natural right which should be accorded to all patients, fundamentally reflecting one of the most basic freedoms regarding one’s own life. This speaks to one perspective on the capacity of this legislation to alleviate personal pain and suffering for those contained within Oregon’s public healthcare system. The terms of the 1994 legislation are quite specific in their delineation of preconditions required for the administering of a lethal injection using a legally controlled substance. These include multiple levels of physician and witness approval concerning the patient’s physical and emotional state as well as a mandatory waiting period during which the patient is enabled to reflect on the decision before reaching a final resolution. The helps to shape its effect as one which is beneficial only to those patients desiring its parameters, thus expanding the medical options available to those suffering from terminal illness. The legal implication of this legislation would be highlighted during the mid-90’s with the high-profile focus on ethical considerations entering the courts. The issue of physician assisted suicide attained its highest degree of public acknowledgement with the media-embraced case of Michigan physician Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Developing his practice around the provision of assisted suicide for those suffering irreversibly from untreatable medical conditions, Kevorkian ignited public controversy, with many viewing him as a champion of a theretofore untested Constitutional right and others still labeling him a murderer. It was his very publicly visible philosophy of entitlement which caused the state of Michigan to pass legislation denying his right to the practice, as well as retracting his license to practice medicine. This would help authorities, in nothing less than Kevorkian’s fourth trial, to place him behind bars for manslaughter. This would be consistent with the prevailing legal appropriation of his practice. Following the prohibition of physician assisted suicide in Michigan, other states adapted a similar strategy, with important distinctions and regulations being framed around the debate. For instance, a 1998 Supreme Court decision held a Washington State decision making illegal physician assisted suicide, likewise helping to clarify additional euthanasia related issues, concluding that it was lawful to end life-support systems even separate from the subject of physician assisted suicide. (Meisel, 1) For those in the ‘right to die’ camp, this would demonstrate a fear that prohibition against such practices as Kevorkian’s would undo the right for those on life-support, in a persistent vegetative state, to cease artificial life-functions. Indeed, this fear would prove somewhat justified by the celebrated recent case of Terri Schiavo. Florida Governor Jeb Bush intervened on behalf of the comatose patient’s parents to prevent the vegetative woman’s husband from having her feeding tube removed, which would have terminated her life. The governor offered a brief statement that indicated what he perceived as the legal crux of the matter, assessing that the â€Å"potential for irrevocable harm to Terri Shiavo is real and imminent. Even an erroneous decision not to terminate the withdrawal of sustenance results merely in the maintenance of the status quo. †(2). For precedent, the governor cited a court decision that captures current legal perspective in Florida on the debate: . . . the possibility of subsequent developments such as advancements in medical science, the discovery of new evidence regarding the patient’s intent, changes in the law, or simply the unexpected death of the patient despite the administration of life sustaining treatment at least create the potential that a wrong decision will be mitigated. An erroneous decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, however is not subject to correction. Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Dept. of Public Health, 497 U. S. 261, 283 (1990). † (Bush, 2). This legal intervention does not exist in the vacuum of constitutional law, as evidenced above. Instead, it casts a broad net of views on the matter, drawing the serious medical dissensions to such a terminal commitment into the debate. One of the primary impetuses for allowing the practice is the claim that a patient who is suffering from intractable and ongoing pain is in a state of such reduced quality of life that death is the only humane option. However, according to the state of Florida as represented by its governor’s actions, there are relatively few conditions of this nature which cannot be treated by current standards in pain medication. Still, it is particularly visible when one considers states such as Colorado and Oregon, that the governor’s behavior would be contradicted by legal standard. â€Å"According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, many states. . . follow the Uniform Determination of Death Act, drafted and endorsed by the American Medical Association in 1980. That act sets the ‘irreversible loss of cardiorespiratory or whole-brain functions according to medical standards of practice’ as the standard for declaring death. † (Auge, 1) The Bush administration’s conservative agenda has helped to return this issue to the legal spotlight. Though the current presidential administration has attempted on several occasions to undermine the Oregon legislation through its courts, the euthanasia of these individuals remains legal under state law. As recently as January of 2006, the Supreme Court upheld the still pertinent Oregon State law permitting the practice. In a 6-3 decision, senior justice Antonin Scalia offered the dissenting opinion, arguing that â€Å"the federal government has long used its powers ‘for the purpose of protecting public morality,’ and that Congress granted the executive branch authority to prevent assisted suicide. † (Christie, 1) It should therefore be evident that the intention of legal and constitutional efforts to provide protection for euthanasia is not to increase its implementation but to find appropriate parameters within which to protect the freedom of choice. The movement which favors an institutionalization of clearly defined euthanasia laws is guided by the need for a safer, better regulated and more readily available accessibility to the option. Bibliography: Auge, Karen. (2004). Deaths border now less defined. Denver: Denver Post. Bush, Jeb. (2004). Appellant, Case. : SC04-925. Schiavo v. the State of Florida. Supreme Court of the State of Florida. Christie, Tim. (Jan. 2006). Assisted Suicide Upheld. Eugene, OR: The Register Guardian. Keown, John. (2002). Euthanasia, Ethics and Public Policy: An Argument Against Legislation. University of Cambridge Press. Meisel, Alan. (2004). The Right to Die: The Law-of-life Decisionmaking. Aspen Publishers. Pasterfield, Diana Wilkinson, Clare. (2006). GPs’ views on changing the law on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, and willingness to prescribe or inject lethal drugs. British Journal of General Practice, Vol. 56, No. 527. Olevitch, Barbara A. (2002). Protecting Psychiatric Patients and Others From the Assisted-Suicide Movement. Praeger. Oregon. (2008). Death With Dignity Act 1994. The Oregon State Website. Online at oregon. gov/DHS/ph/pas/docs/statute. pdf. Young, Robert (2002) Voluntary Euthanasia. Palo Alto: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Online at http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/euthanasia-voluntary

Princeton and Harvard Fail to Lead the Way on Elimination of Early Admissions

Princeton and Harvard Fail to Lead the Way on Elimination of Early Admissions A New York Times article reported on February 24, 2011 that Princeton and Harvard have chosen to reinstate their early admissions programs.   Apparently they weren’t comfortable sticking out like sore thumbs in the Ivy League. As reported in The Daily Princetonian, Princeton’s President Shirley Tilghman had this to say about the decision: â€Å"We have carefully reviewed our single admission program every year, and we have been very pleased with how it has worked†¦Ã‚   But in eliminating our early program four years ago, we hoped other colleges and universities would do the same, and they haven’t.† This decision highlights how much the Ivy Leagues are bedfellows.   Harvard made its decision first, and although Tilghman claims that Princeton might have reinstated early admissions even if Harvard had not, Princetons decision was clearly heavily influenced by Harvards. Diversity Schmersity It is well-known that applying early decision markedly boosts applicants’ chances for admission, and that early applicant pools tend to be higher income and less diverse than the regular admission pool.   The initial reason for eliminating early admissions back in 2006 was the assessment that early admissions had an overall homogenizing effect on collegiate populations. Princeton’s Tilghman remains hopeful: â€Å"I think there’s a lot of confidence among the staff at the admission office - and I have to take that confidence pretty seriously - that we are going to be able to sustain the gains that we’ve seen,† Tilghman said. â€Å"I’m cautiously optimistic that we will be able to sustain the gains.† Why oh Why? I wonder what the impetus was for Princeton and Harvards choice.   The most obvious possibility is that they were losing top candidates to other schools with early admissions programs.   Isnt it interesting how the NYT, Princetonian, and AP articles dont mention that? Skeptics will likely surmise that there must be some financial gain for Princeton and Harvard in reversing their 2006 decision.   Although this might be the case, there is some mitigating news. The Associated Press reports that Harvard is increasing financial aid in the face of its 4% tuition increase, and that it has pledged improvements in minority recruiting.   I’m sure there will be many people keeping a close eye on the results of the return to early admissions, and I hope Tilghman’s prediction is on the money. Category:College AdmissionsBy Brenda BernsteinFebruary 28, 2011

Health Care Continuum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Care Continuum - Assignment Example The concept is manifest in the application of life support machines for the extreme sick cases. Fayetteville, North Carolina has sufficient long-term care options including outsourcing of the health services. Additionally, the health centers in Fayetteville, North Carolina have acquired sophisticated medical equipment to cater for the long term health care services. The other option the region has is the offering of free guidance and counseling services because some terminal illnesses are caused by ignorance of the patients. The continuity health care services, which will be required in my community, include the provision of diagnostic equipment and proper prescription of drugs in order to promote prompt recuperation. Austine and Wetle’s claim that Mental Health Services are a Combination of Services is true because the delivery of medical services can never be unilateral. The health of a person is complex, thus it requires much attention from the medical practitioners. This initiative requires coordination of many health experts in various specializations. The recuperation of a patient results from concerted effort of more than one medical practitioner. In this regard, the continuum health care requires the service of many health care providers in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the health care sector. The integrated delivery systems ensure sound delivery of continuum health care. The continuum of healthcare ensures that there is integration of medical services in order to achieve efficiency and quality of the healthcare service. The headache of the integrated delivery system is the fragmented American health care system. According to Halloran, and Lowenstein (2010), there is a need for the integration of the health care in order to have a regulated health care system. In this regard, health care resources will be utilized for the welfare of the citizens. Additionally, the integration of the services will allow

Organizational Policies on Sexual Harassment Research Paper

Organizational Policies on Sexual Harassment - Research Paper Example The research paper "Organizational Policies on Sexual Harassment" talks about the sexual harassment, a chief vice that is facing modern organizations. Since sexual harassment can cripple the company’s operation and affluence, it is imperative finding the underlying cause of the quandary, addressing fit to the staff members and making clear and plausible policies, rules and tenets governing the behavior of the workers. Therefore, very adept decisions in a meeting with all staff members ought to be addressed and clear guidelines put forward. Therefore, the following paragraphs espouse the various approaches to tackle the setback of sexual harassment in the specific sections to avoid pitfalls that could possibly result into lame operations and poor performance by the company. The organization should stipulate a policy discouraging and barring sexual harassment and severe penalties failure to compliance. The policies should be clear and fighting malicious accusations and deliberate misconduct on the part of sexual harassment cases. The human resource officials ought to inform the members of staff on the suitable procedures in the pressing of grievances when an individual is harassed sexually. Through an array of awareness and teaching tactics, the organization ought to treat the employees to intensive teaching and training on intelligence concerning the problem at hand and how to react accordingly. Additionally, the department heads to identify any hidden cases should conduct surveys.

Explore the benifits and chalenges o conducting multi-paradiam Essay

Explore the benifits and chalenges o conducting multi-paradiam research - Essay Example Thomas Kuhn, who is known for the discussing of meaning ‘paradigm’ in his famous book  The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, characterized paradigm as â€Å"an integrated cluster of substantive concepts, variables and problems attached with corresponding methodological approaches and tools†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  (p.43).  Kuhn also specified the questions, which should be clarified within a paradigm to consider it as a valid base for a scientific research. A paradigm has to define what should be studied, what question and how should be asked, and also, which rules the researcher should follow to interpret obtained results. The notion of paradigm considers as the broadest unit of consensus, which serves to differentiate one scientific community from another. It appears to be a set of principles and axioms that relates to research process on the stage of assessment of a problem up to its solution.  Paradigms define and correlate theories, methods and instruments, accept ed within a scientific research. Analyzing the main paradigms, dominating in modern science, such as positivism, post positivism, critical theory, and constructivism, Guba and Lincoln (1994), represented their opinion about the role of paradigms, their assumptions, and the implications of those assumptions for research. â€Å"Paradigms define for the [researcher] what it is they are about, and what falls within and outside the limits of legitimate [research]† (Guba and Lincoln, 1994, p. 108). The authors states that the basic beliefs that define a particular research paradigm may be summarized by the responses given to three fundamental questions: the ontological question (what is the form and nature of reality), the epistemological question (what is the nature of the relationship between a researcher and the object of research), and the methodological question (how can the inquirer go about finding out whatever he/ she believes can be known)  (pp. 105-117). From this aspec t, we will analyze some of the well- known paradigms such as positivism and critical theory. Positivism. French philosopher August Comte (1798–1857) was the initiator of positivist paradigm, based on the philosophical ideas of observation and reasoning as the main ways of understanding reality and human behavior. According to August Comte, true knowledge is based on experience of senses and can be obtained by observation and experiment. Positivistic thinkers adopted his scientific method for knowledge generation. The main postulates of the positivist paradigm consist in understanding of nature as an objective, true reality, which is governed by unchangeable natural laws. Nature has its stable, pre-existing patterns and order that can be discovered. Positivism considers human nature to be described from the behaviorist approach, asserting the external factors play the main role in the formation of the similar specific behavior of everyone, who has been influenced the same obje ctive factors. Accurate and certain, knowledge should be described in a systematic way, and verify hypotheses that can be regarded as facts or laws. The role of research is uncovering the natural laws of reality, scientifically explaining, predicting and controlling phenomena. A researcher have to be objective, independent from influencing the subject of research, and eliminate any bias or subjective values within research. The main methods of research are empirical and experimental, structured observation, quantification or measurement. The results of research consider true, if

Green Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Green Buildings - Essay Example Conventional use of energy requires exploitation of resources such as coal in the production of electricity, use of hydropower among other energy sources that have been in use for many years. Consequently, the use of the above sources of energy in buildings leads to massive environmental pollution and environmental degradation. For instance, the use of coal to produce electricity results in massive emission of carbon dioxide and environmental degradation in areas were cola has to be mined. As a result, the entire process leads to land and environmental degradation among other negative effects. To reduce environmental degradation and pollution from emissions, buildings are designed and constructed with features that minimise overreliance on conventional energy by relying more on natural lighting and energy conservation designs. There are various standards of grading buildings on a scale, which reflects the extent of energy efficiency in such buildings. In other words, the more efficie nt a building is, the more green such a building is, with several certification bodies coming up to rate and certify energy and resource efficient buildings. The research aims at investigating different requirements before certifying a building as green and the requirements that a building has to meet to warrant the green title. A few case studies of highly rated green buildings will be analysed with respect to the perspective of energy and resources efficiency, and how such buildings contribute to environmental sustainability. Moreover, the dissertation will seek to investigate different aspects that are used to rate these buildings and the different ratings used by the recognized certification bodies with close investigation of implications of building rating in addition to the current market response to green construction. Though the concept of green building dates back to the early 90s when groups advocating for sustainable

Building Services system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building Services system - Essay Example Distribution of electric power usually entails a complete distribution network. A complete distribution network entails several components including, a distribution substation, primary distribution feeder, a transformer, distributor and the service mains (Fink and Carroll, 2013). The transmitted electric power controlled in substations for primary distribution and use. The distribution system will take the model shown below: This power is then fed to the distribution transformer via the primary distribution feeders. The system will use a voltage of 2,400V. The distribution system to use in this project will take the form shown in the diagram below: The type of distribution system will be ring main electrical distribution system. This is preferred to the radial distribution system in that in case of a transformer failure or feeder failure, power is not interrupted. This is because one ring network of distributors gets power from several feeders. This implies in case one feeder fails to work, the others will still supply power and there would be no power interruptions. Addition this system consists of various section isolates at distinct points in the system. If a problem occurs in any of the isolates, then the others are available to supply power. This system will appear as shown in the figure below For emergency purposes the power system will include an independent reserve power source which will function in case of failure of the primary power source. This power source should be able to function for several hours before the main power supply is rectified. This alternative source of power will consist of an additional independent source of power complete with its independent controls ((Nasar and Unnewehr, 2012). This can be in form of engine driven generators and in this case they will have a voltage of 500 kW. The power system will consist of cables made of copper and aluminum

Industrial Organization of Hot Rolled Steels Industry in India Research Paper

Industrial Organization of Hot Rolled Steels Industry in India - Research Paper Example The present research has identified that hot roll steel is in high demand all over the world and even the country’s growth is measured in terms of its production of steel, therefore components in this hot roll industry including the user demand, production, rate of growth, is always showing a positive trend. As per elasticity of demand, the hot roll steel industry in India is quite stable. Economies of scale, is one of the important reason for success of a firm in hot roll steel industry of India, the larger giants share more market. Raw materials are also one of the important factors in this industry. Steel billets are the major raw material along with other supporting raw materials. Mostly successful hot roll firms have their own production of steel billets, in order to avoid production delays and transportation costs. Hot roll steel product is an outcome of a metal rolling process that happens above the re-crystallization temperature of the metal. The raw material is typica lly big fragments of crude metal, for instance semi-finished casting items known as slabs, blooms, and billets. The metal billets or slabs are rolled from hot working rolls and the rollers produced a flat product that can be formed in coils as well as in hot rolled plates. There are two types of flat products resulting from a hot roll mill i.e. Plates or HR coils. More often plates are utilized directly. The HR coils (HRC) are utilized directly, but in addition to it, most of them are additively rolled and routed to manufacture products for example cold rolled sheets coils, galvanized or gal annealed sheets and coils, pipes etc.

Building Services system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building Services system - Essay Example Distribution of electric power usually entails a complete distribution network. A complete distribution network entails several components including, a distribution substation, primary distribution feeder, a transformer, distributor and the service mains (Fink and Carroll, 2013). The transmitted electric power controlled in substations for primary distribution and use. The distribution system will take the model shown below: This power is then fed to the distribution transformer via the primary distribution feeders. The system will use a voltage of 2,400V. The distribution system to use in this project will take the form shown in the diagram below: The type of distribution system will be ring main electrical distribution system. This is preferred to the radial distribution system in that in case of a transformer failure or feeder failure, power is not interrupted. This is because one ring network of distributors gets power from several feeders. This implies in case one feeder fails to work, the others will still supply power and there would be no power interruptions. Addition this system consists of various section isolates at distinct points in the system. If a problem occurs in any of the isolates, then the others are available to supply power. This system will appear as shown in the figure below For emergency purposes the power system will include an independent reserve power source which will function in case of failure of the primary power source. This power source should be able to function for several hours before the main power supply is rectified. This alternative source of power will consist of an additional independent source of power complete with its independent controls ((Nasar and Unnewehr, 2012). This can be in form of engine driven generators and in this case they will have a voltage of 500 kW. The power system will consist of cables made of copper and aluminum

Intuit case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intuit - Case Study Example Through consumer research, intuit is able to understand the particular customer needs, launch improved products and predict future trends in terms of needs of financial products. Having successfully beaten Microsoft in the market for financial software and solutions, this is the time for intuit to further focus on unveiling products which answer the needs of every customer. It becomes the giant in the market this could lead to complacency and relaxation with a net effect of losing its trust among customers. Such tendency among market giants gives way for emerging companies to avail better products and take a share of the market with significant impacts. As such therefore anything could go wrong and for intuit to avoid such a turn of events they should focus more on market research, segmentation and unveiling products for the specific customer segments. The company has extended its product profile to cover also solutions for mobile devices and this expected to lure younger customers to acquire financial solutions. Carrying out successful consumer studies among these young customers requires the company to understand their behavior perfectly. Young consumer would typically share their ideas and opinions on social media thus the company should capitalize on social media channels in trying to gauge research results among this generation of

Choreography Styles Essay Example for Free

Choreography Styles Essay Dance Dance is a type of art that generally involves movement of the body, often rhythmic and to music. It is performed in many cultures as a form of emotional expression, social interaction, or exercise, in a spiritual or performance setting, and is sometimes used to express ideas or tell a story. Dance may also be regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans or other animals, as in bee dances and behaviour patterns such as a mating dances. Definitions of what constitutes dance can depend on social and cultural norms andaesthetic, artistic and moral sensibilities. Definitions may range from functional movement (such as folk dance) to virtuoso techniques such as ballet. Martial arts kataare often compared to dances, and sports such as gymnastics, figure skating andsynchronized swimming are generally thought to incorporate dance. In some cases, themotion of ordinarily inanimate objects may be described as dance (the leaves danced in the wind). There are many styles and genres of dance. African dance is interpretative. Ballet,ballroom and tango are classical dance styles. Square dance and electric slide are forms of step dance, and breakdancing is a type of street dance. Dance can beparticipatory, social, or performed for an audience. It can also be ceremonial,competitive or erotic. Dance movements may be without significance in themselves, as in ballet or European folk dance, or have a gestural vocabulary or symbolic meaning as in some Asian dances. Choreography is the art of creating dances. The person who creates (i.e., choreographs) a dance is known as the choreographer. Ballet Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary. It has been globally influential and has defined the foundational techniques used in many other  dance genres. Ballet may also refer to a ballet dance work, which consists of thechoreography and music for a ballet production. A well-known example of this is The Nutcracker, a two-act ballet that was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a music score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Stylistic variations have emerged and evolved since the Italian Renaissance. Early variations are primarily associated with geographic origin. Examples of this are Russian ballet, French ballet, and Italian ballet. Later variations include contemporary ballet and neoclassical ballet. Perhaps the most widely known and performed ballet style is late Romantic ballet (or Ballet Blanc), which is a classical style that focuses on female dancers and features pointe work, flowing and precise acrobatic movements, and often presents the female dancers in traditional, short white French tutus. Ballet dance works (ballets) are choreographed and performed by trained artists, and often performed with classical music accompaniment. Early ballets preceded the invention of theproscenium stage and were performed in large chambers with the audience seated on tiers or galleries on three sides of the dance floor. Modern ballets may include mime and acting, and are usually set to music (typically orchestral but occasionally vocal). Ballet requires years of training to learn and master, and much practice to retain proficiency. It has been taught in ballet schools around the world, which have historically used their own cultures to evolve the art. Ballet is the foundation of many types of dance. Etymology The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around 1630. The French word in turn has its origin in Italianballetto, a diminutive of ballo (dance) which comes from Latin ballo, ballare, meaning to dance,[1][2] which in turn comes from theGreek ÃŽ ²ÃŽ ±ÃŽ »ÃŽ »ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ¶Ãâ€° (ballizo), to dance, to jump about.[3][4] [edit]History The history of ballet began in the Italian Renaissance courts of the  fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It quickly spread to the French court of Catherine de Medici where it was further developed. The creation of classical ballet as it is known today occurred under Louis XIV, who in his youth was an avid dancer and performed in ballets by Pierre Beauchamp and Jean-Baptiste Lully. In 1661 Louis founded the Acadà ©mie Royale de Danse (Royal Dance Academy) which was charged with establishing standards for the art of dance and the certification of dance instructors. In 1672, following his retirement from the stage, Louis XIV made Lully the director of the Acadà ©mie Royale de Musique (Paris Opera) in which the first professional ballet company, the Paris Opera Ballet, arose.[5] This origin is reflected in the predominance of French in the vocabulary of ballet. Despite the great reforms of Jean-Georges Noverre in the eighteenth century, ballet went into decline in France after 1830, though it was continued in Denmark, Italy, and Russia. It was reintroduced to western Europe on the eve of the First World War by a Russian company, the Ballets Russes ofSergei Diaghilev, who ultimately influenced ballet around the world. Diaghilevs company became a destination for many of the Russian-trained dancers fleeing the famine and unrest that followed the Bolshevik revolution. These dancers brought back to their place of origin many of the choreographic and stylistic innovations that had been flourishing under the czars. In the 20th century, ballet had a strong influence on broader concert dance. For example, in the United States, choreographer George Balanchine developed what is now known as neoclassical ballet. Subsequent developments include contemporary ballet and post-structural ballet, seen in the work of William Forsythe in Germany. Also in the twentieth century, ballet took a turn dividing it[clarification needed] from classical ballet to the introduction of modern dance, leading to modernist movements[clarification needed] in both the United States and Germany.[6] Styles Classical ballet Classical ballet is based on traditional ballet technique and vocabulary. There are different styles of classical ballet that are related to their  areas of origin, such as French ballet, Italian ballet and Russian ballet. Several of the classical ballet styles are associated with specific training methods, which are typically named after their creators. For example, the Cecchetti method is named after its creator, Italian dancer Enrico Cecchetti. Neoclassical ballet Main article: Neoclassical ballet Neoclassical ballet is a ballet style that conforms to classical ballet technique and vocabulary, but deviates from classical ballet through such differences as unusually fast dance tempos and its addition of non-traditional technical feats. Spacing in neoclassical ballet is usually more modern or complex[clarify] than in classical ballet. Although organization[further explanation needed] in neoclassical ballet is more varied, the focus on structure[clarify] is a defining characteristic of neoclassical ballet. Tim Scholl, author of From Petipa to Balanchine, considers George Balanchines Apollo in 1928 to be the first neoclassical ballet. Apollo represented a return to form in response to Sergei Diaghilevs abstract ballets.[clarification needed] Balanchine worked with modern dance choreographer Martha Graham, expanding his exposure to modern techniques and ideas, and he brought modern dancers into his company (New York City Ballet) such as Paul Taylor, who in 1959 performed in BalanchinesEpisodes. During this time period[when?], Glen Tetley began to experimentally combine ballet and modern techniques. Contemporary ballet Main article: Contemporary ballet Contemporary ballet is a form of dance influenced by both classical ballet and modern dance. It employs the fundamental technique and body control (using abdominal strength) principles of classical ballet but permits a greater range of movement than classical ballet and may not adhere to the strict body lines or turnout that permeate classical ballet technique. Many of its concepts come from the ideas and innovations of 20th century modern dance, including floor work and turn-in of the legs. This ballet style is often performed barefoot. George Balanchine is often considered to have been  the first pioneer of contemporary ballet through the development of neoclassical ballet. One dancer who danced briefly for Balanchine was Mikhail Baryshnikov, an exemplar of Kirov Ballet training. Following Baryshnikovs appointment as artistic director of American Ballet Theatre in 1980, he worked with various modern choreographers, most notably Twyla Tharp. Tharp choreographed Push Comes To Shove for ABT and Baryshnikov in 1976; in 1986 she created In The Upper Room for her own company. Both these pieces were considered innovative for their use of distinctly modern movements melded with the use of pointe shoes and classically trained dancers—for their use of contemporary ballet. Twyla Tharp also worked with the Joffrey Ballet company, founded in 1957 by Robert Joffrey. She choreographed Deuce Coupe for them in 1973, using pop music and a blend of modern and ballet techniques. The Joffrey Ballet continued to perform numerous contemporary pieces, many choreographed by co-founder Gerald Arpino. Today there are many contemporary ballet companies and choreographers. These include Alonzo King and his company, Alonzo Kings Lines Ballet; Complexions Contemporary Ballet, under the direction of Dwight Rhoden; Nacho Duatos Compaà ±ia Nacional de Danza;William Forsythe, who has worked extensively with the Frankfurt Ballet and today runs The Forsythe Company; and Jiřà ­ Kylià ¡n, currently the artistic director of the Nederlands Dans Theater. Traditionally classical companies, such as the Kirov Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet, also regularly perform contemporary works. Cotillion The cotillion is a type of patterned social dance that originated in France in the 18th century. It was originally made up of four couples in a square formation, the forerunner of thequadrille; in the United States the square dance, where the figures are called aloud by the caller, is a form of rural contredanse that also descended from the urban cotillion. Its name, from French cotillon, petticoat, reflected the flash of petticoats as the changing partners turned. The cotillion, of repeated figures interspersed with changes of different figures to different music,[1] was one of many contredanses where the gathered participants were  able to introduce themselves and to flirt with other dancers through the exchange of partners within the formation network of the dance. By the 19th century, the cotillion evolved to include more couples with many complex dance figures. In British usage, cotillion has disappeared, save in French or historical contexts.[2] Cotillions were introduced in London about 1766[3] by French dancing masters. They came to America in about 1772. There is a reference to a dance in the French manner, implying a cotillon, in John Gays Beggars Opera of 1728, where the low-life characters of London dance in imitation of the fashions of the wealthy. [4] There is also a reference in Robert Burnss 1790 poem, Tam o Shanter, where upon seeing a group of witches and warlocks dancing they are described to the reader as Nae cotillion brent-new frae France. A German cotillion, in contemporary accounts, was reintroduced to New York society at a costume ball with a Louis XV theme given by Mr William Colford Schermerhorn in the early winter of 1854.[5] The Philippine Debut incorporates a Grand Cotillion Dance which is usually a classic waltz. Contra dance Contra dance (also contradance, contra-dance and other variant spellings) refers to several partnered folk dance styles in which couples dance in two facing lines. Sometimes described as New England folk dance, contra dances can be found around the world, though they are especially popular in North America. History At the end of the 17th century, English country dances were taken up by French dancers; hybrid choreographies exist from this period using the steps from French court dance inEnglish dances. The French called these dances contra-dance or contredanse. As time progressed, English country dances were spread and reinterpreted throughout the Western world, and eventually the French form of the name came to be associated with the American folk dances, especially in New England (this Gallicized name change  may have followed a contemporary misbelief that the form was originally French).[1][2] Contra dances were fashionable in the United States until the early to mid-19th century, when they were supplanted in popularity by square dances (such as the quadrille andlancers) and couple dances (such as the waltz and polka). By the late 19th century, square dances too had fallen out of favor, except in rural areas. When squares were revived (around 1925 to 1940, depending on the region), contra dances were generally not included. In the 1930s and 1940s, contra dances appear to have been done only in small towns in widely scattered parts of northeastern North America, such as Ohio, the Maritime provinces of Canada,[3] and particularly northern New England. Ralph Page almost single-handedly maintained the New England tradition until it was revitalized in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly by Ted Sannella and Dudley Laufman. By then, early dance camps, retreats, and weekends had emerged, such as Pinewoods Camp, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which became primarily a music and dance camp in 1933,[4] and NEFFA, the New England Folk Festival, also in Massachusetts, which began in 1944.[5] These and others continue to be popular and some offer other dancing and activities besides contra dancing. In the 1970s, Sannella and other callers introduced movements from English Country Dance, such as heys and gypsies, to the contra dances. [6] New dances, such as Shadracks Delight by Tony Parkes, featured symmetrical dancing by all couples. (Previously, the actives and inactives —see Progression below— had significantly different roles). Double progression dances, popularized by Herbie Gaudreau,[7] added to the aerobic nature of the dances, and one caller, Gene Hubert, wrote a quadruple progression dance, Contra Madness. Becket formation was introduced, with partners next to each other in the line instead of opposite. The Brattleboro Dawn Dance started in 1976, and continues to run semiannually.[8][9] In the early 1980s, Tod Whittemore started the first Saturday dance in the Peterborough Town House, which remains one of the more popular regional dances.[10] As musicians and callers moved to other locations, they founded contra dances in Michigan, Washington, California, Texas, and elsewhere. Gender-free contra dancing started in the 1970s, with the Boston Lesbian and Gay Folk Dance as perhaps the first group regularly contra dancing without gender roles. In 1981, a group in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, called Les be Gay and Dance was  started, in which contra dance was done without any reference to gender, avoiding calling moves with any reference to ladies or gents. In 1987, Chris Ricciotti started a gay dance group in Providence, RI, using the terms ladies and gents although dancers were not lining up according to gender. Other gender-free dance groups started up in the area after that, and in 1989, at the gender-free dance group in Jamaica Plain, MA, a group of dancers led by Janet Dillon protested the use of these terms, and the armband system was devised: the traditionally male-role dancers would wear armbands and be called armbands or just bands, and the traditionally female-role dancers would be called bare arms or just bares.[11] The Lavender Country and Folk Dancers organization now serves as an umbrella organization for dances in Massachusetts, New York, Georgia, and California. Gender-free philosophy can be used almost anywhere conventional traditional dances are currently being held. It is useful for community dances where â€Å"keeping on the correct side† is difficult because of a large gender imbalance, for children’s dances and for groups who want to add a little variety and a creative learning experience to their traditional dance venue. Contra dances are arranged in long paired lines of couples. A pair of lines is called a set. Sets are generally arranged so they run the length of the hall, with the top or head of the set being the end closest to the band and caller. Correspondingly, the bottom or foot of the set is the end farthest from the caller. Couples consist of two people, traditionally but not necessarily one male and one female, referred to as the gent, gentleman or man, and lady or woman. Couples interact primarily with an adjacent couple for each round of the dance. Each sub-group of two interacting couples is known to choreographers as aminor set and to dancers as a foursome or hands four. Couples in the same minor set are neighbors. Minor sets originate at the head of the set, starting with the topmost dancers as the 1s (the active couple or actives); the other couple are 2s (or inactives). The  1s are said to be above their neighboring 2s; 2s are below. If there is an uneven number of couples dancing, the bottom-most couple will wait out the first time through the dance. There are three common ways of arranging dancers in the minor sets: proper formation, improper formation, and Becket formation. There are many additional forms a contra dance may take. Five of them are: triple minor, triplet, indecent, four-face-four, and whole-set. (For diagrams and full descriptions, see Contra Dance Form main article.) Progression A fundamental aspect of contra dancing is that the same dance, one time through which lasts roughly 30 seconds, is repeated over and over but each time you dance with new neighbors. This change is effected by progressing the 1s down the set and progressing the 2sup (also up the hall and down the hall; see Contra Dance Form main article for full characterizations of the progression in the eight dance forms mentioned above). A single dance runs around ten minutes, long enough to progress 15-20 times. If the sets are short to medium length the caller will often try to run the dance until each couple has danced with every other couple both as a 1 and a 2 and returned to where they started. With longer sets (more than ~40 people) this would require long enough sets that the caller will usually only run the dance all the way around on (rare) non equal-turn dances. Choreography Main article: Contra dance choreography Contra dance choreography specifies the dance formation, the figures, and the sequence of those figures in a dance. Notably, contra dance figures (with a few exceptions) do not have defined footwork; within the limits of the music and the comfort of their fellow dancers, individuals move according to their own taste. Most contra dances consist of a sequence of about six to 12 individual figures, prompted by the caller in time to the music as the figures are danced. As the sequence repeats, the caller may cut down his or her prompting, and eventually drop out, leaving the dancers to each other and the music. A figure is a pattern of movement that typically takes eight counts, although figures with four or 16 counts are also common. Each  dance is a collection of figures assembled to allow the dancers to progress along the set (see Progression, above). A count (as used above) is one half of a musical measure, such as one quarter note in 2/4 time or three eighth notes in 6/8 time. A count may also be called a step, as contra dance is a walking form, and each count of a dance typically matches a single physical step in a figure. Typical contra dance choreography comprises four parts, each 16 counts (8 measures) long. The parts are called A1, A2, B1 and B2. This nomenclature stems from the music: Most contra dance tunes (as written) have two parts (A and B), each 8 measures long, and each fitting one part of the dance. The A and B parts are each played twice in a row, hence, A1, A2, B1, B2. While the same music is generally played in, for example, parts A1 and A2, distinct choreography is followed in those parts. Thus, a contra dance is typically 64counts, and goes with a 32 measure tune. Tunes of this form are called square; tunes that deviate from this form are called crooked. Sample contra dances:[18] * Traditional the actives do most of the movement Chorus Jig (Proper duple minor) A1 (16) Actives down the outside and back. [The inactives stand still or substitute a swing] A2 (16) Actives down the center, turn individually, come back, and cast off. [The inactives stand still for the first 3/4, take a step up the hall, and then participate in the cast] B1 (16) Actives turn contra corners. [The inactives participate in half the turns] B2 (16) Actives meet in the middle for a balance and swing, end swing facing up. [The inactives stand still] Note: inactives will often clog in place or otherwise participate in the dance, even though the figures do not call for them to move. * Modern the dance is symmetrical for actives and inactives Hay in the Barn by Chart Guthrie (Improper duple minor) A1 (16) Neighbors balance and swing. A2 (8) Ladies chain across, (8) Half hey, ladies pass right shoulders to start. B1 (16) Partners balance and swing. B2 (8) Ladies chain across, (8) Half hey, ladies pass right shoulders to start. Many modern contra dances have these characteristics[19]: * longways for as many as will * first couples improper, or Becket formation * flowing choreography * no-one stationary for more than 16 beats (e.g. First Couple Balance Swing, finish facing down to make Lines of Four) * containing at least one swing and normally both a partner swing and a neighbour swing * 95% of the moves from a set of well-know moves that the dancers know already * comprised mostly of moves that keep you connected to the other dancers * generally danced to 32 bar jigs or reels played at between 110 and 130 bpm * danced with a smooth walk with lots of spins and twirls An event which consists primarily (or solely) of dances in this style is sometimes referred to as a Modern Urban Contra Dance. Music The most common contra dance repertoire is rooted in the Anglo-Celtic tradition as it developed in North America. Irish, Scottish,French Canadian, and Old-time tunes are common, and Klezmer tunes have also been used. The old-time repertoire includes very few of the jigs common in the others. Tunes used for a contra dance are nearly always square 64-beat tunes, in which one time through the tune is each of two 16-beat parts played twice (this is notated AABB). However, any 64-beat tune will do; for instance, three 8-beat parts could be played AABB AACC, or two 8-beat parts and one 16-beat part could be played AABB CC. Tunes not 64 beats long are called crooked and are almost never used for contra dancing, although a few crooked dances have been written as novelties. Until the 1970s it was traditional to play a single tune for the duration of a contra dance (about 5 to 10 minutes). Since then, contra dance musicians have typically played tunes in sets of two or three related (and somet imes contrasting) tunes, though single-tune dances are again becoming popular with some northeastern bands. In the Celtic repertoires it is common to change keys with each tune. A set might start with a tune in G, switch to a tune in D, and end with a tune in Bm. Here, D is related to G as its dominant (5th), while D and Bm (dorian) share a key signature of two sharps. In the old-time tradition the musicians will either play the same tune for the whole dance, or switch to tunes in the same key. This is because the tunings of the banjo are  key-specific. An old-time band might play a set of tunes in D, then use the time between dances to retune for a set of tunes in A. (Fiddlers also may take this opportunity to retune; tune- or key-specific fiddle tunings are uncommon in American Anglo-Celtic traditions other than old-time.) In the Celtic repertoires it is most common for bands to play sets of reels and sets of jigs. However, since the underlying beat structure of jigs and reels is the same (two counts per bar) bands will occasionally mix jigs and reels in a set. In recent years, younger contra dancers have begun establishing crossover contra or techno contra contra dancing to techno, hip-hop, and other modern forms of music. While challenging for DJs and callers, the fusion of contra patterns with moves from hip-hop, tango, and other forms of dance has made this form of contra dance a rising trend since 2008; it has become especially prevalent in Asheville, NC, but regular techno contra dance series are spreading up the East Coast to locales such as Charlottesville, VA, Washington, DC, Amherst, MA, and Greenfield, MA, with one-time or annual events cropping up in locations further West, including California and Washington state.

Free Essays: A Comparison of Iliad and Odyssey :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of Iliad and Odyssey    Although both works are credited to Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey provide two remarkably different views on the nature of the Olympian Gods, their relationship to humanity, and the general lot of mortals throughout their all too brief lives. As a result of these differences, both stories end up sending contrasting messages about life in general. In the Iliad, the supernatural denizens of Olympus are depicted as treacherous, power-hungry, and above all temperamental beings that are always at each other's throats. Factionalism abounds, and neither the bonds of marriage, nor the ties of kinship can contain keep it under control. A perfect example is when Ares betrays his mother, Hera, and his sister, Athene, by aiding the Trojans instead of the Greeks. When he is discovered, Athena strikes him down in battle through Diomedes. In the Odyssey, however, the Gods of Olympus display far more unity and civility toward each other. They argue and disagree, but their disagreements are never carried out to the extremes found in the Iliad. When Poseidon punishes Odysseys for blinding the Cyclopes, Athena does not take revenge. Even though Odyssey's is her favorite mortal, she respects Poseidon's right to punish him. Also, the treachery among the Gods that is so prevalent in the Iliad, is nowhere to be found in the Odyssey.    In Iliad, Hera, enters into a conspiracy with Poseidon, Aphrodite, and Morpheus to aid the Greeks by putting Zeus to sleepÉ thus rendering him unable to help his beloved Trojans. Nothing like this incident can be found in the Odyssey. References to past disagreements and arguments between the Gods (such as in the Poet's tale of Ares and Aphrodite) are scattered throughout the book, however, so the views between the Iliad and the Odyssey are not exactly diametrically opposed. The role of the Gods in the affairs of humanity is much greater in the Iliad then in the Odyssey. In the Iliad, the Olympians are constantly meddling in the conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. At best, they view mortals as amusing petsÉ to be cared for, played with, and loved. At worst, humans are just pawns to be shuffled around, sacrificed, and set against each other in order to resolve inter-Olympian ego-clashes.

How We Find Meaning in Life Through Love Essay -- Essays Papers

How We Find Meaning in Life Through Love Life’s offerings such as: interests, talents, jobs, religion, or relationships are the catalysts through which we put meaning into our lives. When we find someone or something that we love or feel passionate about that puts meaning into life. It makes people feel as though they are fulfilling a want or desire, which would also lead to feeling very accomplished and happy. Finding a passion gives life a purpose. Jay Earley said it best when he wrote, â€Å"I define life purpose as a contribution to the world that uses your whole self fully and gives your life passion, fulfillment, and meaning through dedication to something larger than yourself† (Early 6). We are able to feel that we are here for a reason. Everyone needs something in their life that they strive for or love to execute. If we weren’t to look for these passions then there would be no purpose in living. We don’t want to go through life not caring about anything and having nothing that br ings great joy to our life. Not having a passion would put a void in one’s life and a feeling of emptiness. There are many ways to achieve this love or to find a passion. Many people obtain their purpose in life by seeing their interests or talents and pursuing them. Other people find meaning through their job. Many people turn to religion, primarily I would say that people find meaning in life through relationships. Finding love or fulfilling a passion in an interest or talent is an easy thing to do. Lots of people are able to find meaning through their interests. Collecting coins, stamps, comic books, porcelain dolls, magazine articles, spoons ect. are interests that some love to pursue. The spoons, or other collections, are a ... ...ave some one else’s company and having them to talk to makes life easier. Close friends that are with a people through everything give them a purpose in life. Whether people have a hobby, a talent, a job, religion, or if they have a close relationship with another person there is something that they are passionate about or love to do. It could even be finding a support structure or finding something that helps you escape from reality. Finding a passion or interest in life fulfills your purpose. There is a meaning in life and something that contains value for each person. Others might not understand what you think brings meaning to your life, while you might not understand how they find meaning in their life. That is why you have to know what you love hold that close and make it important in life, and this will help you with a more pleasant enjoyable life.

Descriptive Essay – My Daughter’s Birthday

My Daughter’s Birthday I was almost nine months pregnant at the beginning of September, the summer coming to an end, but nonetheless, the bun in the oven was cooking on very high temperatures making me feel hot and miserable. As I waited in the doctor’s office for my weekly routine visit, I thought to myself, â€Å"I have two more visits left before I meet my sweet baby girl. † My doctor told me that due to the presumed size of my baby if I did not go into labor by the next morning, she was going to induce my labor.Being a new mom, I did not know what that meant but I had heard from other moms that this was a painful process and undoubtedly, I became scared. Sympathetic of my anxiety towards the induction, my doctor gave me some advice. She said go home, eat some greasy foods and have sex with your partner and that should make you go into labor. So needless to say, I followed my doctor’s orders. The calzones we ordered from our local pizzeria were deliciou s, dripping entirely with gooey cheese and grease.I jumped into bed to make love to my hubby and we were fast asleep by no later than 10:00 p. m. At about 1:00 a. m. , I woke up to subtle tightening on my belly. I thought to myself, â€Å"was that a contraction I just felt? † After about 10 minutes, sure enough I felt a lighting strike across my belly causing me to jump out of bed startling and waking my husband from his sleep. He suddenly laughed and said, â€Å"Did your doctor’s tip work? † Evidently it did, because a couple of hours later, we were headed to the hospital to deliver a baby.After arriving at the hospital it all seemed to have happened so fast because before I knew it, I was already undressed, robed and made as comfortable by the nurses. The discomfort of my labor pains had grown stronger and intensified each time I had a contraction taking over my belly. At about 10: 00 a. m. , the anesthesiologist and was ready to administer the epidural and th e fear of the long frightening needle, became a blessing in disguise.Within seconds the anesthesia began to work and the pain became much more tolerable. Shortly after a lengthy nap I heard the nurse say, â€Å"I’m calling the doctor, it’s time to start pushing. † By this time, mom and my sisters had arrived at the hospital and were also in the room. Of course my husband was also in the room which made the room headcount to about eight or nine people. My nurse told me, â€Å"just remember, screaming doesn’t help get the baby out you need to push with all you have†.I hung on to those words thinking I needed to focus and not be so dramatic which is pretty much what she implied. I needed to be ready, like a professional boxer is when he steps into a ring to meet his match. After three attempts of trying to push what felt like a basketball at the time, I became frustrated and fiercely told the doctor â€Å"get it out! † I looked over to my mom a nd she was crying as both my sisters were as well, and thought to myself shouldn’t I be the one crying?After a couple more pushes, I soon got what I and everyone else in that room wanted. At four minutes after five that evening, Sydney was born. Immediately after the nurses got her cleaned up and laid her on my chest and I was able to hold her in my arms and I looked at her beautiful soft face, my eyes welled up with tears as she so strongly took my breath away. Sydney was the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen in my entire life. From that point forward, my life changed completely for the better and it will never be the same.