Continuing Academic Success Essay Example for Free

Continuing Academic Success Essay There are many steps a student or employee can take to ensure success in any endeavor they may choose to undertake. Whether you are a first-time student or someone interested in getting ahead at work, finding your personal learning style is a great place to begin. Then you have a starting off point for using your strengths and improving weaknesses. My personal learning styles, feeling and doing, indicate that I learn best when I care about what I’m learning, and when it applies to my life, and by physically doing something, like a lab which is usually very hands-on. Because getting my degree in order to improve my future is very important to me, caring about what I’m learning, no matter the subject, is quite easy. It will also apply to my life after college, so the hands-on aspect is met in that way, in that I can see how the subjects might be used in my future. Another important step for success is to set small goals. This step allows for easy opportunities to do well while making progress towards the larger main goal. Finding and using all available tools is essential for success, as is being ethical; doing the best work possible will ensure the best results. With long term goals such as ‘get a degree or ‘get a promotion a raise or both, the amount of work can be daunting. Breaking those into smaller goals makes each step much easier to obtain. Those many small accomplishments can increase self-esteem, giving the student or employee a good sense of their ability to get things done, rather than faltering because they feel overwhelmed when looking at the big picture. In my situation, my long term goals are to graduate from college with a bachelors degree, and then start a career that will allow me to take care of my family if needed. These are connected, and looking at them in the long term is very stressful, and  overwhelming. Instead, I’m just focusing on the class I’m in at the time. If I can do well in my Foundations class, then I’ll start my next session on a high note, feeling like I’m already on the right path, and already succeeding. I haven’t set any small goals for my future career yet. That’s mostly because I’ve only just started looking at the details of where I might want to work. I don†™t think I’ll be sure what exactly I want to do until closer to graduation, and I’m sure I won’t know where until I know better â€Å"what†. Something I learned in this first class is that there is an easy to follow format for writing and that it can be used in many formats and situations. †It can be referred to as the â€Å"five paragraph essay† and consists of a thesis, three to five supporting paragraphs and a conclusion.† (Halusska, 2006) Learning about this basic formula was a bit of an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me. It gives a very basic way to write papers for just about any occasion that is easy to remember, and to follow. In any class where a paper is required, such as a book summary, lab results, or a short essay, this format can be applied. It also works for presentations, proposals or other professional writing settings. Using all of the resources available is a great way to ensure success. Knowing what those resources are, and how to find them is important as well. In the setting of the University of Phoenix, there are more tools for success than any college experience that Ive had before. The University Library is so much more than it seems. When I hear library, I think big building with stacks and stacks of books for all interests. The online library has that, but it also has tools like the Center for Writing Excellence (CWE), and the Center for Math Excellent (CME). I havent used the CME yet. Im fairly sure it will come into play in my next class. The CWE, however, has been an essential part of my current class. It has tutorials, live help, a grammar checker, free online plagiarism checker for students with percentage, a reference creating tool, and so much more. Another tool for success that I was introduced to recently is the ELI or Ethical Lens Inventory. Your ethical lens is your window to the world for decision making. There are several different perspectives to consider when trying to make an ethical decision, including whats best for the community (or whatever the group might be), versus what’s best for yourself. In a professional setting, an employee’s position (whether they are management or staff) might make a difference in how they perceive a problem, and how they come to a solution.  A manager might have the good of the company in mind while a staff member is likely more concerned with his or herself. McNutt, and Batho (2005) say, for example, â€Å"Values are intimately connected with moral and ethical codes, and determine what people think ought to be done. The value set is composed of rights and duties. The distinction is reasonably straightforward. For the most part, rights and duties are the opposite ends of a given spectrum. If management [or] an employer have a duty to ensure reasonable standards of health and safety for workers, workers have a right to expect it. If it is believed or if it has become a norm that workers have a right to a minimum wage, then management as employers have a duty to pay it.† In a school setting your ELI and critical thinking come into play in other ways. It is very important to cite ones sources when using anything other than your original thoughts in a paper. Anything less is plagiarism. This includes self-plagiarism, using your own previous work without citing that, unintentional plagiarism, not properly citing your source in a paraphrase or quote, and deliberately cutting and pasting someone elses work and claiming it as your own. Plagiarism doesnt just happen school, of course. Publishers see this quite often. The good news is that its becoming much more difficult to get away with using someone elses work. A great example of plagiarism in a professional setting co mes from Micron. They had to retract an article because they discovered that a micrograph was doctored with Photoshop. (Cox, Braet, Egerton 2014). Critical thinking, or looking at a situation in a clear, rational yet open-minded way, is very important no matter your situation. A good example of using critical thinking is when you must determine if a source you want to use is credible. You must consider many factors when deciding on the source. This is one major downside of using the internet for research. A lot of sources might be biased, or not well researched. When using outside sources its a good idea to check that there are references given, and also to check those references. Its also important to look at the URL of the resource. Dot Coms are often business oriented, and less reliable due to advertising involvement. Some good websites might be college pages or non-profit organizations, with authors who are authorities in the field theyre discussing. It is never a good idea to use sites like Wikipedia. They are authored by the general public, and while some articles are well documented, the majority are not. Thinking  critically can be a challenge, but it is also a learned skill, which means there are several ways to improve your ability. Knowing that youre going to have to make a decision is the first step and includes knowing what your options are. It also means acknowledging that when you have made a choice, your other options are no longer viable. You’ve chosen a path, and must move forward. Before you can do that, however, you must define your priorities. What is the desired outcome? The decision you make should focus on that, and move you toward some goal. If it looks like there are no good solutions, the best option might be to wait to make any decisions. Often other options will present themselves. Your situation might change, or you might think if something you hadn’t considered before. (Ellis Toft, 2014) All of these tools combine and work together to enhance your ability to meet your goals. They can be applied separately or together to make good choices, reach your goals, professional or academic, and succeed at life. Whether you’re a student or a professional, using ethics, critical thinking, formulaic writing, will lead to positive outcomes. References Halusska, J. C. (2006, Dec). In Defense of the Formula Essay. Academic Questions, 20(1), 46-55. McNutt, P. A., Batho, C. A. (2005). Code of ethics and employee governance. International Journal of Social Economics, 32(8), 656 666. Cox, G., Braet, F., Egerton, R. (2014, Feb). Ethics Issues. Elsevier, Micron 61(iv). Ellis, D., Toft, D. (2014). Becoming a Master Student (15th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. p.221

Dangers of Using Cell Phones while Driving

Dangers of Using Cell Phones while Driving Michael D. Stripling Rationale: The rate at which road carnages are reported have increased significantly especially within the 21st century. Many people have been involved in accidents because of recklessness and inattentiveness in the roads as motorists. Statistics on these establishments creates the need of effective address before further harm and deaths are experienced. Many aspects in life have contributed recklessness relative to phone use by motorists. Theories relative to multitasking, movies, and ideologies devised by cell phone companies are among major contributors to phone use in cars. The young members of society bare the harm of using phones in cars because of misinformation, lack of information or ignorance to road safety measures. The youth are among the population most affected by road carnages and effects. There is need to give information to the youth on the dangers of using cell phones in cars before they engage in driving lessons and eventually driving. The information to the young people is important as it would help inculcate good cultures in driving and being considerate while on roads. The significance of the dangers of using cell phones by motorist is addressing recklessness that contributes to the death of road users through unjustified ways. Through addressing such an issue the importance of road safety will be illuminated. Road carnages have been for long related to vices like drinking and the use of drugs that interfere with cognitive abilities while on the road. This aspect will contribute an understanding of the relationship between using cell phones and using drugs while driving. Therefore, the presentation seeks to enable positive contribution in saving humanity through knowledge on ways to reduce and prevent road accidents. Outline of the Presentation Introduction The changes that have been experienced in the modern society prompting the need for the constant use of cell phones The oblivious nature and ignorance involving drivers of the dangers on road ways. The use of cell phone on own and other people’s lives Insurance Institute of Highway safety stipulates higher chances of motorist indulging car accident based on two reasons. The motorists have to divert attention to the phone’s interface. The motorist gets immersed in the conversation and attention is limited. According to Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and National Highway Traffic Safety. Use of hand-free phones are dangerous compared to hand held phones while driving The excuse of not holding phones while driving to avoid accidents is unjustified. Motorists that use hand-free phones while driving are 18% slower when braking. This stipulates that multitasking is an inconsiderate myth while driving in major roads. Young people are mostly oblivious of the recklessness and are involved in car accidents unjustifiably. Conclusion Cell phones contribute positively and immensely to people’s lives. There is need for care to avoid unjustifiable death on the roads. Introduction The modern society comprises of businessmen, students, lawyers, doctors and people of different occupations. These people have to ensure that they are constantly connected to clients, family and other people of significance in their lives. The popularity of cell phones has ensured a constant connection and updates in the lives of such people. However, most people tend to indulge in the wrong use of cell phones. This is because some people are either forgetful, oblivious or ignorant of the dangers of using cell phones while driving. The chart above stipulates how drastic accident levels are among the young people in the United States of America; which have highest cell phones popularity and usage. The popularity of cell phones has contributed to a culture which is costly to the society based on the number of deaths on roads because of recklessness. Regardless of the urgency of a call, it is not justified to put other people’s lives at risk because of own neglect and perceptions . The prohibition of using cell phones while driving is based on the imminent threats to people lives. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, motorists are four times likely to get injured while driving and using their cell phones (Violanti Marshall, 1996). The high possibility of indulging in a car accident while using of cell phones is based on two factors. While dialing, most people have to look at the phone interface. This establishes a distraction from the incoming vehicles or objects, which increases the risk to crashing into an oncoming car or object. Another evident aspect that transpires in the use of cell phones is that people can be absorbed in the cell phone conversation to the extent that their thinking is impaired. This effect is similar to driving while drunk as the driver is not within proper reasonableness to make decisions while on the road. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of hand-free phones is also dangerous compared to hand held phones (Rosenboom, 2006). In a study conducted in 2004, the motorists that used hands free phones have to redial approximately 40% of the time compared to the hand held phones by motorists (Rosenboom, 2006). This postulates the unjustified arguments which most people tend to engage as the excuse to use cell phones while driving. According to this research, the use of hand-free phones by motorists is more dangerous compared to the hand held phones. In the cases of near accident experiences, motorists that are on hands free phones are 18% slower in braking compared to those using hand-held phones (Lamble, et al, 1999). This statistic is similar to that of a person driving while intoxicated. These statistics support the ideology that is formed against the conventional knowledge of multitasking. Multitasking is a simple myth which does not suffice on the dangerous roads as truth or wisdom. Talking and driving are both activities that require attention. Therefore, performing both tasks at the same time is subjecting the brain to impossibilities and endangering other road users’ lives. The culture has grown popular especially among the youth who make statistics as they also suffer from road carnages due to recklessness. Conclusion Cell phones are vital gadgets to people’s lives especially in the 21st century where people have the need to be connected constantly. However, despite the convenience they offer, people have to consider the relative negative attributes. In the United States, it is reported that 6.4% of all crashes are because of inattentive driving (Strayer, Et al, 2003). Driving on any road, especially highways, is a matter that should not be taken lightly. This is because many people’s lives including unaware bystanders are dependent on the attentive level of motorist. Responsibility on the roads is a matter that requires the strictest rules against offenders to avoid road carnages. Potential Questions: Q: What are the best and most effective policies that can be implemented during cell phone usage in cars to reduce road accidents? A: Yes, more comprehensive driver education and technology and just 2 ways to improve driver safety. Q: The multitasking myth is commonly associated to females, therefore, are there narrower statistics of cell phones and car accidents relative to victim’s sex? A: There is no conclusive data to suggest that female drivers are any more likely to have an accident than males due to multitasking. Q: Is the level of road accidents set to get higher in the coming future and if so, what is the best way of creating awareness at both national and international levels? A: As the population increases in the coming decades, it is logical to say that road accidents will increase proportionally. One possible way to create awareness is a national campaign akin to the DARE drug awareness program of the 90’s. References Lamble, D., Kauranen, T., Laakso, M., Summala, H. (1999). Cognitive load and detection thresholds in car following situations: safety implications for using mobile (cellular) telephones while driving.Accident Analysis Prevention,31(6), 617-623. Rosenbloom, T. (2006). Driving performance while using cell phones: an observational study.Journal of Safety Research,37(2), 207-212. Strayer, D. L., Drews, F. A., Johnston, W. A. (2003). Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving.Journal of experimental psychology: Applied,9(1), 23. Violanti, J. M., Marshall, J. R. (1996). Cellular phones and traffic accidents: an epidemiological approach.Accident Analysis Prevention,28(2),

Developing Innovation at Nokia

Developing Innovation at Nokia Abstract: This paper looks into the current situation at Nokia, a company that deals in the production of mobile phones as well as mobile software that are intended to run on. The current workforce at the company has been facing the challenge of lack of innovation in and requires a diagnosis and recommendation of the problem that the company is facing. The lack of innovation in the current world situation is detrimental to the company since it requires innovative employees so as to ensure that it is in line with technological advancement in the world today. As the world is moving forward and making major technological advancements companies like Nokia need to be innovative so as to stay ahead of the pack. The lack of innovation will lead to other companies taking up a greater share of the mobile phone industry meaning that Nokia will lose a lot in terms of capital and investment. This paper looks at the problem at Nokia, the possible causes of the problem and also suggests recommendations on h ow to deal with the problem of lack of innovation at the company. Introduction: Innovation in a working unit of employees can be defined as the act of starting something new for the first time, it is the act of coming up with a product that the world has never seen before or coming up with a product that easily solves the problems that the world is facing. Nokia needs to innovate and come up with a product or a series of products that have yet to be implemented by any of its competing organizations. Creation of a new product may be as a result from a study, experiment or even current problems that are facing the world. Innovation can be said to be the brain child of creativity of the company and its employees. In order to have innovation in the company proper motivation of employees is needed so as to be able to promote proper innovation in its employees. The companys employees must have a clear guideline and understanding of what innovation is and what it entails and what constitutes innovation. The company and its employees must first brace the benefits that c ome with innovation. These are discussed below: Benefits of promoting innovation at the work place: Promoting innovation in the team has great benefits for the team of employees as well as the company. Promoting innovation increases curiosity in the companys team of employees since it expands their thinking capabilities and lets them think outside the box. Innovation nurtures a character of wanting to know more so as to solve a problem. This is critical because curiosity leads to the team trying out and playing around with new ideas and concepts, this contributes highly to the learning process. Promoting innovation leads to increased productivity of the team. This can be through positive competition within the team. Promoting innovation leads to the team building and cohesiveness. The team acts as a single unit in order to meet the goals of innovation that have been set. Promoting innovation will increased employee motivation and morale. Promoting innovation encourages the team with passion in undertaking their tasks. Innovation leads to the team having more praise other than criti cism and these increases and boosts the teams spirit when facing a problem. (Rafinejad D. 2007) Promoting innovation in a team also has great benefits on not only the team members but also to Nokia as a whole. Nokia benefits greatly by being the first organization to take a product or service to the market before any of their competitors. Innovation gives Nokia an edge over its competition. By being the first organization to take a new product or service to the market Nokia gains a large market share. Due to having a large market share and increased team productivity Nokia benefits by the increase of profit margins. This in turn increases the share price of Nokia. Innovation also leads to increase in shareholder dividends due to the increased profit margins of the company. Innovation will increase the overall production of Nokia by having a highly motivated team. (Prather. C. 2001) Problems that lead to lack of innovation at Nokia: The lack of innovation is a dynamic constraint that affects the company. So as to solve the menace it would be important to first ask ourselves the question where does the problem lie? The company and its employees must understand the underlying problems that are leading to lack of innovation. Employees at Nokia also lack motivation and morale to develop any new products. Motivation is described as the mental push or pull that stimulates the companys workers towards a certain desired action that will lead towards the achievement of innovation goals. Employee enthusiasm directly affects an employees work input and output of an employee. Innovation requires a lot of employee effort and Nokia is facing the challenge of ensuring that it constantly motivates its employees so as to allow the company to operate at optimum efficiency. As discussed innovation is a direct effect of work output and input and it is greatly influenced and affected by motivation. Especially in the kind of volatile global market that companies like Nokia are dealing with. It is important for the employees to be well motivated so as to make sure they are innovative. Nokia needs also to look at building a team that works because it is important for employees to work together so as to ensure that they are i nnovative as well as productive. The recent financial meltdown that the world has brought about an increase in the prices of materials and production of new products, the company lacks enough funds so as to promote and nurture innovative ideas at the work place. The prices of energy, resources and labour have all shot up and the company is having problems trying to produce any new products in the market. The company is facing a very hard time trying to produce goods for its market in the United States let alone the global market. The company is on the receiving end of unfair competition from other mobile phone manufacturers for example Samsung who are operating in China which offers better market conditions as well as reduced cost of production. Without enough funds the company cannot come up with any innovative products for the current market since Nokia would be forced to make the cost of their product so high that customers would opt for other brands. Recommendations: How to foster innovation in employees: In an effort by the company to promote innovation Nokia could adopt a few strategies which encourage the team members to be as innovative as possible. The company needs to set up a team that will champion innovation in the organization. The team should lead the way for other employees. So as to increase innovation Nokia must first select the suitable employee team to tackle the problems at the organization. The team member should be selected and employed in a free and fair manner and it should only contain people who are qualified in the particular field that Nokia is dealing in. the team selected must include young and energetic people who are willing to learn fresh ideas and who are willing to take risks as well as being ready to branch away from the norm products that Nokia produces. The organization must select a competent team. It must ensure that employee dynamics in the team selected are good so as to increase the productivity of Nokia. The most important part of an organizati on is its employees. The employees should work together towards a goal. Employee diversity is a major setback to employees working together. Therefore Nokia should be able to harmonize all its employees so as to be able to achieve its goals. Employee relation intercession would be very important when there are many conflicts at the work place, when there is a recruitment of new employees and low employee morale. How to ensure the team works together: Employee training: Nokia could choose to hire a professional to train employees in the organization on the benefits. Employees could be trained on the importance of working together with their fellow employees. Mentorship plans and futuristic leadership: Nokias top leadership for example, the board of directors should offer the required mentorship to the organizations employees. The management should also be responsible for leading the companys workers towards meeting its goals and objectives. The company should also talk to the workers as a group and as a unit that requires working together. Nokia should resolve all conflicts that exist between the employees. Nokia must encourage open dialog as well as an open channel for communication between workers. Nokia should encourage team building and offer incentives for teams that have good performance. Nokia should then come up with an approach to innovate its team members. From time to time Nokia should reflect upon its approach so as to ensure that Nokia has in place proper measures and strategies that are in tune with Nokias morals, plans and objectives of Nokia. Nokia should then inform the whole team of the strategies and motivate the team to come up with new ideas for a new product or service (Konstadakopulos, 2001). Nokia should adopt a strategy of free flow of ideas within the team whereby the team members should be free to exchange information and ideas for the betterment of Nokia. Nokia should come up with an award scheme for some of the most innovative ideas. Awards could be in the form of salary bonuses to the team or team member who came up with the most innovative idea. Nokia must also ensure that the owner of an implemented idea get recognition for their work done (Konstadakopulos, 2001). Nokia must also be able to avail enough funds, resource and time so as to facilitate the research, design, testing and implementation of the innovative ideas. Nokia must encourage team member not to give up and take chances with ideas. Nokia should encourage the team to learn from its mistakes in the past. In as much as the team should be able to take risks Nokia must be able to teach the team how to pick between the risks and the benefits of taking the risk. To be able to differentiate the two should be well explained to the team members. Finally Nokia should have a perfect action plan so as to be able to implement the strategies that have been discussed above. Without the action plan the strategies discussed above will have no beneficial use to the organization (Konstadakopulos, 2001). The team selected by the organization should be able to anticipate future trends. Innovation is all about being the future. Nokia must be able to cater for research in future trends by collecting data from consumers and opinion polls. Nokia must be able to come up with practical and realistic ways for the team to overcome the problem facing Nokia. The organization must provide an environment that encourages and supports the team to do its best, to the best of its ability (William, 1989). Nokia must desist from internal or external interference of the teams work and should encourage the team to make its own independent decisions without having external pressures this could affect innovation. In as much as Nokia does not interfere in the teams work Nokia should continuously challenge the team to come up with innovative ideas and alternative ways of solving a problem. In an effort to maximize on innovation and profits Nokia must be ready to branch out and invest in emerging markets. It should promote innovation by encouraging the team to find new opportunities and concepts. Team members should be encouraged to be curious and experimental since its only by taking risk that they could learn. The policy of free flow of information should be implemented for the team so as to increase and boost the team building effort. Team building could also be enforced by, as discussed above, financial incentives to the team for having innovative ideas. Incentives will constantly challenge the team to be better. They also boost the teams spirit, morale and enthusiasm towards their work. These incentives could include pay rises, bonus pays and job promotions (Rajat, 2009). How to control employee motivation and performance: Nokia can use incentives and gifts to motivate employees into. Nokia should propose a system which offers employees financial incentives which are pegged on the profits that the company makes from any innovative. This will increase work input and output. This will in turn increase the companys profits. The employees participating in the scheme directly affect the companys profits. Nokia must ensure that the scheme motivates the selected employees to be more productive (Konstadakopulos, 2001). The goals and ambitions must be realistic and attainable. Nokia must spell out goals that can be achieved. It would be best if the goals were based on the history of the company. If the goals are set too high it would demoralize the employees. Nokia should provide a suitable climate for the development of employee careers. Promotions should be given on the basis of merit not on the basis of years of service. This will enhance career development for hardworking employees. It will also act as a motivating factor. Nokia must also plan for leadership and management. Only qualified employees should be promoted to leadership and management positions. This will ensure that Nokia has competent leadership and thus increase the companys productivity. It is important to increase employee performance so as to increase the overall performance of Nokia. Nokias goals offer the reference to performance. Nokia should clearly state its objectives and the progress to the goals must be monitored regularly. Nokia should have a feedback system that tells the employees hoe close or how far they are from Nokias objectives. So as to be able to meet this objectives employee performance is critical. The first step to performance management is the statement of Nokias performance goals. Nokia must have clearly stated and defined goals. The employees should be made aware of these goals. The next step would be coming up with a performance plan. The company must routinely monitor and track this plan. Nokia should evaluate performance and reward where due. The performance plans of Nokia should be open to development. They should allow for improvement. Conclusion: So as to be able to achieve an organizations goals and objectives its important for Nokia to embrace effective intercession. Organization development intercessions are aimed at increasing the performance and output of Nokia. So as to be successful organization development intercessions should affect the whole organization and should go down to individual level. The intercessions should be sponsored by the head of the company and should be supported by Nokias staff. Intercessions that should be implemented in this case should involve respect for employees and the administration, having a working administration in Nokia, having trust and open channels of communication between the administration and the employees. The intercessions must be able to support open confrontation of problems that are facing Nokia. Major stakeholders in Nokia must also participate actively in the intercessions. This will somehow give the intercessions a bit of weight and seriousness.

The Significance of the Last Stand :: History Historical essays

The Significance of the Last Stand I. Fictionalizing History Relating history of past to history of present [1] What do historians create with the history they account? History is a story that never ends. The events of the present in essence have already happened in the past. Historians try to make sense of the present by deconstructing the past. Only through analysis of the past can one understand the present. I remember playing cowboys and Indians as a child. I would always play the part of the cowboys, and consequently the cowboys always won. At the end of my day's adventure I went to my parents to tell them of my conquest against the Indians. I made certain to include every detail of the battle -- from first charge to last saber stroke. History was made that day in my backyard with the green figurine—soldier on horseback—whose defeat of the Indian nemesis forces was both courageous and honorable. [2] Past history is connected to the occurrences of the present. History repeats itself as present action gains significance from past events. President Clinton was recently impeached. To date he is the first President to receive this less-than-honorable acclaim. In my opinion, no critical repercussions resulted. The only reason why Clinton’s impeachment was important was because it was the first such instance in our nation’s history. If President Nixon had not resigned and had been impeached and removed from office, the importance of Clinton’s impeachment would have appeared far less important in retrospect. Because of the past history of our nation, the present history became significant. II. The Purpose of They Died With Their Boots On Recreation of American Cause 1876 [3] American film demonstrates history as narrative. The historical classic They Died With Their Boots On is a recreation of the history of General George Armstrong Custer’s life. This movie adds to the already prevalent myth of the Boy General. The movie was released in 1941, when Germany, under Adolf Hitler, had control of â€Å"Fortress Europe," and threatened to end democracy as the world knew it. The United States prepared to defend democracy in total war. American soldiers needed a cause to die for.

Progression Of Music From The 1940s To The Present Essay -- essays res

Progression of Music From the 1940's To the Present The progression of music from the 1940's to the present has seen extremes, it has been controversial at times, traditional at times and inspirational at times, but never have the American people turned away music in its entirety. There have been times when parents did not approve of the music that their children chose to listen to, but the parents had never turned away music. Music has been criticized and promoted. Since the 40's music has progressed from Ballads (which were still lingering around from the 30's) to blues (popular among Blacks) to rock and roll, to pop, and back again. In the 1940's ballads were popular. Ballads were dancable music performed by big bands. They were composed of stringed instruments, wind insteruments, and a singer or two. This was the time period when music started to be broadcasted live over television and record albums were entering the home. (Hays) The 50's marked a beginning for a new era of music to be known as Rock & Roll. Many of the artists took advantage of the Electric guitar, developed for popular music in the 1930's but never really became popular until the 50's. Rock & Roll was a combination of many music styles in an upbeat sort of fashion. One example of when country had an impact on Rock & Roll was with Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry's career was huge, with his hits like "Whole Lotta Shakin' goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire". That is, his career was huge, until the it was made public that he fell in love with a married his 13 year old cousin. In 1957 Rock & Roll had been turned upsidedown when Buddy Holly hit the airwaves with "That'll be the Day." Buddy Holly rolled out hit after hit after hit. That is, until his plane went down in Iowa. He died at the young age of 22. That night his music was playing non-stop and has not stopped playing to this day. The blues and gospel of James Brown and Jackie Wilson was popular with the black community. "Someday, maybe someone will discover the reason that Chuck Berry, Do Diddley, Fats Domino, and Little Richard never connected with black audiences" (25 years,p15). This may be because they might have almost been embarrassed from their blues roots. In the 60's such st... ...n the 90's or present day, the synthesizer is still being used in dance and techno music. Also introduced into the 90's was the computer. The computer has been around a while, but not been used in the music industry. Today just about anyone can produce their music using this tool. Also metal has become more aggressive, popular and contains political lyrics. Lite rock has also developed and has captured the ears of many listeners. Music has progressed from fun to an industry in itself. People can now earn a living off of music, often luxurious life. Along with the music progressing the American people have progressed. The world of music continues to change and may never stop progressing until the world stops progressing. Footnotes 25 Years of Rock & Roll (USA:Lorelei Publishing Co. Inc.,1979) William Hay, Twentieth-Century Views of Music History (USA:Berne Convention.,1972) Bibliography 25 Years of Rock & Roll. USA:Lorelei Publishing Co. Inc.,1979 Ewen, David. American Popular Songs. New York:Random House, 1966 Hay, William. Twentieth-Century Views of Music History. USA:Berne Convention, 1972 Wilder, Alec. American Popular Song New York:Oxford University Press, 1972

Yellow Ribbon Project

PR Assignment 1 Background Sheet: Generating Yellow Ribbon Project Campaign Awareness 1. About the Organization: Singapore Prison Services Singapore Prison Services (SPS) is a division of the Singapore Police Force that concentrates on the care and rehabilitation of prisoners who have committed social or criminal offences. The organization does not merely concentrate on housing and providing guidance for inmates while they are in remand, it is also dedicated to ensure that no repeat offences ensue. Thus, a major portion of their efforts also concentrate on providing inmates with basic employment skills in hopes of preventing past criminal behaviour from surfacing upon their release into society. This indicates that the SPS provides preventive and after-care measures to maintain former prison inmates compliance with the law as much as possible. (Source: http://www. prisons. gov. sg/about_us. html) 2. About the PR Situation In 2005, SPS services realized that former inmates released into society faced social stigma in the form of negative public opinions of being ex-offenders and are often denied employment or rejected by society. Such public opinions are harmful and repressive. Seitel (1998, pp50) describes Public Opinion as the aggregate of many individual opinions on a particular issue that affects a group of people by forming consensus or popular attitudes and thoughts. The role of the PR practitioner then is to positively influence an individual’s attitude. As seen in the above definition, public opinions represent popular thoughts that can prove an inmate’s re-integration into society a daunting task. Without the means of finding acceptance or a proper means of living, many relapse back into a life of crime, a paradox that can be resolved through a public relations campaign that aims to educate and seek acceptance. As such, the Yellow Ribbon Project as a public relations campaign in a long-term program that sought to change public perceptions of ex-offenders was launched in order to deliver a second chance. In this situation, the SPS has been providing culinary training to a group of inmates in conjunction with Raffles Hotel (Singapore) that has culminated in a cooking competition. A renowned chef has been at helm in training them and he has marvelled at their ability to pick up skills in a short time. The newsworthiness of this initiative begins with prison inmates partaking in a grand cooking competition not unlike the Iron Chef series. Thus, a Media release highlighting the background of the cooking competition and a feature article in the form of a personality profile written by an SPS Public Relations Executive will be provided for the purposes of fulfilling this assignment. 3. Reasons for Using PR Communication: 3. 1 Media Release: It is deemed that to generate positive publicity and awareness of the ‘bizarre’ cooking competition in conjunction with this year’s Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP), a media release will be sent to newspaper editors in Singapore in hope that the story will be printed and generate interest and positive awareness. A media release has been described by Seitel (1998, pp175) as a document of record to state an organization’s official position or to influence a publication to write favourably about the material discussed and stimulate editors to cover a story. As readers tend to perceive news articles with more credibility, it is hoped that the use of a media release information transformed into a news article will fulfil the communicative objectives of the YRP better in terms of reach and credibility than using an advertisement or provision of information on the organization’s website. 3. Feature Article-Personality Profile: For the second communication tool, a personality profile of a former prison inmate who has found moderate success as a food hawker will be written by an SPS Public Affairs executive and published in a local Singapore Newspaper, The Straits Times special edition that covers the YRP in October. In addition, the personality profile will also be posted on the SPS we bsite for maximum coverage. A feature article has been described by Seitel (1998, pp203) as articles found in magazines or newspapers that are the opposite of hard news items, often light, humorous or enlightening. In this scenario, the feature article is utilized to disseminate less newsworthy (there is less news-worth in a story about a former convict turned cook) information in more subtle ways to break misconceptions that ex-offenders, like leopards, never change spots. The feature article is thus useful when less important information needs to be conveyed to the publics of a PR campaign that nevertheless, represents a supporting communication device in meeting campaign objectives. References: Seitel, FP, 1998, The Practice of Public Relations, 7th edn, Prentice-Hall, NY, USA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (LOGO) INMATES SHOWCASE CULINARY TALENT AT FIRST-EVER YELLOW RIBBON COOKING COMPETITION Singapore, September 9, 2010 – Twelve inmates pit their culinary skills against one another in the Yellow Ribbon Cooking Competition held in Changi Prison Cluster A today. This milestone activity is the first in a series of Yellow Ribbon Project activities in 2007, organised by the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network. The cooking competition was jointly organised by Raffles Hotel. Chef de Cuisine Jean-Charles Dubois from the hotel’s French fine-dining restaurant Raffles Grill was one of the judges at today’s finals and was also heavily involved in preparing the inmates for the competition. This cooking competition simulates the kitchen environment and challenges faced by professional chefs. Participants were required to produce an original Western-style dish within a strict three-hour limit using predetermined ingredients and equipment. The participants showed promise and a genuine eagerness to learn, and this experience has been rewarding as I have been able to see the improvements they have been able to make,† said Chef Dubois. To prepare participants for the competition, Chef Dubois visited the institutions five times and provided video instruction to introduce the ingredients and cooking methods to the inmates. â€Å"The participation of inmates in this competition further reaffirms their determination to contribute to their families and society. We’re proud to have our inmates’ creation featured at the prestigious Raffles Hotel. Chef Dubois’ contribution to our inmates also shows that the community is willing to take the lead in helping inmates in their rehabilitation and reintegration,† said Mr. Desmond Chin, Chairman, Yellow Ribbon Project Organising Committee. Winning recipes will also be recreated at a special reunion lunch, A Tribute of Love, to be held in three days’ time for winners and their family members. Raffles Hotel will also feature the best dish on a Raffles menu, making it available to her patrons and guests. *ENDS* About Yellow Ribbon Project The Yellow Ribbon Project is a nation-wide campaign to raise the awareness of Singaporeans about the need of inmates, ex-offenders and their families for societal acceptance. For more information, please contact: Jale Byrd, Executive Public Affairs Branch, Singapore Prison Service Telephone: 6565-6565 Email: [email  protected] gov. sg From The Fire Into The Frying Pan By Jale Byrd The bang and clatter you hear when you step into the hawker centre at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 is undeniably a dragon’s roar. Rueburn Liang’s Chia Song Fried Kway Teow stall, which he has operated for the past 13 years, is synonymous with good food. It is also the most prolific stall at the busy food centre. The setup comes complete with a portable television and loud speakers that broadcast the latest soccer and professional wrestling matches. â€Å"Frying a good plate of Char Kway Teow is an art. I bang loudly on the edge of my wok to attract customers to my stall. The TV keeps them entertained,† booms Rueburn, as he gesticulates with his charred spatula. Loud, vociferous and a former Ang Soon Tong (a Secret Society in Singapore) enforcer, you will be inclined to agree. Rueburn is a karate expert plastered with tattoos of flaming dragons over his massive frame, which are made conspicuous with his well-greased white singlet. The missing last finger on his right hand makes the man’s dark, pockmarked face even more intimidating. But lest you get alarmed, Rueburn’s lashings are taken out on his trusty wok, where he conjures mouth-watering plates of delicious, spicy and sinful Char Kway Teow. â€Å"I had to chop off my last finger as a ‘settlement’ for leaving the society in 1987, and a $800 Ang Pow (a red packet containing money, is seen as an auspicious sign by the Chinese),† he reveals without a hint of regret. Otherwise, ‘they’ will never leave me alone. Now, those days are over. Luckily, some of those people respect me, never really give me trouble. † (A secret society member has to sever a finger to maintain his code of honour and pay an ‘exit fee’ to leave the underground organizati on without fear of repercussions) With all his dubious activities, an inevitable brush with the law saw Rueburn put behind bars for nine months. Rueburn broke the arm, skull and penis of a credit defaulter in a savage fight. The bone-breaking experience threw him into the ‘fire’ of Queenstown gaol, a humbling experience for the former gangster. I really got burnt by the prison ‘fire’. We were made to kneel and live in a mini-hell. Sipeh Chor leh (Really Tough) Outside, I was a ‘terror’, but the others were hardened criminals and I seemed like a sissy compared to them. I didn’t want to spend my life strolling in and out of jail. Sio jit pai kow liow! (Getting burnt once was enough) I decided it was good for me to leave the society and turn to a decent living. I was right,† says Rueburn with hindsight. (The criminal slang for serving time in prison is ‘tio her sio’ or getting burnt by fire) Rueburn, who only completed pr imary education, was at a loss. The only decent job he was good at was cooking. His vocation as a military cook in the Singapore Armed Forces during his national service in 1983 cemented his culinary passion and served him in good stead. At the encouragement of his then girlfriend Fion (now Mrs Liang) and some savings, he successfully bid for a hawker stall and set up Chia Song in 1988. However, he learnt to perfect his Kway Teow frying skills only much later. â€Å"Not easy to fry a good plate. True, it looks easy but I had to experiment many times before I was satisfied†¦now, I think I am getting there,† Rueburn says modestly. Getting there? It’s very good already! One of the best in Singapore! † quips Elson Boey, a retired civil servant. â€Å"There is always a long queue during lunch time. I think his secret is in the intensity of his fire. † Hard work as it seems, Chia Song is a labour of love. The couple dedicates 12 hours a day amidst unforgiving flames to create a uniquely Si ngaporean masterpiece. â€Å"The fire must always be strong and the leow (ingredients) must be fresh! Timing is also very important, as you do not want to overcook the dish. Bah You (pork lard) must be used liberally, as it gives that special taste. You only live once ah, so live it good! No need to be so healthy one. † Indeed, words of culinary and hedonistic wisdom. It is lunchtime and an almost scandalous crowd forms. A haze of smoke clouds the sizzling sound of stir-fried garlic as they simmer in a pool of aromatic lard. Chee Seng furiously stirs in his noodles and kway teow into a heated wok smoldering under a furious fire. Within moments, arrays of delicious condiments are thrown into the fray, soaking in the thick flavour. When the rich smell of caramelized sweet sauce wafts under your nostrils, Rueburn has served another satisfied customer. A stolen glance around the hawker centre reveals an assortment of harried but happy workers haphazardly sliding tantilising morsels of Fried Kway Teow down their throats. Echoing Elson’s sentiments is Rachel Tua Kang, an auditor who works nearby. â€Å"Simply fantabulous! My diets never take off, this temptation is too much! † When told, Rueburn Liang brushes off his accolades as if they were burnt garlic bits on his flaming wok, his reddened face warms up into a big grin as he takes another drag of his Marlboro cigarettes. Ying siu nia,† (they are just entertaining me) he jokingly retorts. It is closing time for the busy hawker and he takes a well-earned respite from the day’s backbreaking battle with his wok and emerges at the end of the day with a rosy complexion, no doubt made pink by the tremendous temperatures he has to endure. As Mrs. Liang cleans up the slobber knocker of a hawker stall, Rueburn takes delight in a leisurely smoke. Rightfully, he see ks solace in his daily bottle of bitter-cold ABC stout. Gleefully, he chugs down a glass of the icy brew. Ha ha, these days I only fight with my wok. My life could have turned out much worse! There is no fear of getting burnt now. † As he breaks into another cheerful smile, he bursts into a self-indulgent laughter, as if to remind himself of his good fortune. It is lunchtime again, and Rueburn busies himself over a brilliant hot wok. You might think a fire-breathing dragon was fueling the fire, as the flames turn to a ferocious blue fireball. However, the dragon is above the stove, controlling the fire. He has made the transaction of jumping from the fire into the frying pan.

Hamlet: Tragic Hero, Indecisive Villain

Let it be known that Hamlet spent every single act of Hamlet, give or take a few scenes, attempting to justify a reason to follow through with killing his uncle. He suffered through a brutal, miserable, and more-than-slightly ridiculous period of time where his indecision tirelessly tore him to emotional shreds. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s actions (and inaction) were dictated by intense opposing factors of the id, ego, and superego factors of the mental human psyche. Hamlet’s id reflected his burning desire for a sexual relationship with his mother, the ego was characterised by the grueling lengthy time period Hamlet spent trying to finalize his decision, and the superego was defined by a constant ongoing battle between the ghost of King Hamlet giving Hamlet directions on what to do and Hamlet’s own person conflicts with procuring the death of his Uncle Claudius.Hamlet Feels ThingsIn Freudian psychology, the id is the impulsive part of human psyche that consist s of all biological personality traits; also known as â€Å"it.† It can be referred to as â€Å"the pleasure principle,† the idea that every impulse should be satisfied immediately. It instinctively decides what a being truly wants and is strongest in a person when they are an infant, and seek attention at their every basic need. As it is not affected by reality or consequences, it must be greatly repressed to keep a being from making mistakes (McLeod). In context of Hamlet, Hamlet’s id is his unresolved, tauntingly conflicting feelings for his mother, Gertrude. This Oedipus Complex allows for the physical representations of Hamlet’s id, which thus intensifies his already burning desires for a sexual relationship with Gertrude as Hamlet has a palpable release for his urges (Chiu).Her character causes further conflict as she seems to consciously provoke excessive anger and passion from Hamlet, most evidently as she so quickly angers Hamlet from her â€Å" incestuous deeds† in Act 3, Scene 4 (and because of this, shows how she herself is affected by the Oedipus Complex and retaliates the feelings that her son has for her). Gertrude is the focus of the anger and passions of not only Hamlet, but the two other main male characters in the play as well — Hamlet’s father and his brother, Claudius. Her strong physical and sexual appetites are brought  to life in popular film representations of Hamlet, specifically Laurence Olivier’s version. In his portrayal of the closet scene, Hamlet furiously throws Gertrude on to her large, central canopied bed and continues of to verbally assault her while having her in an uncomfortably close embrace all the while.G: Have you forgot me? H: No, by the rood not so. You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife, and (would it were not so) you are my mother. G: Nay, then I’ll set those to you that can speak. H: Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge. You go not till I set you up a glass Where you may see the (inmost) part of you. (III. 4. 18-25)Olivier’s film, as others similar to it, portray a deceitful woman that uses her sexuality to arouse strong responses and powerful reaction in men, as well as to obtain an advantage over them. This gives readers and audiences a clearer view of Gertrude’s character and allow a view of what affects Hamlet’s emotions. (Smith)Claudius himself also physically represents Hamlet’s id. As Claudius is the man that so rapidly replaced King Hamlet, Hamlet is able to direct negative, murderous thoughts towards him without repression. Hamlet wants to and is even directed to take Claudius’ life, and Hamlet’s grief over his father pushes him to do so. (Tuohy)Hamlet is Conflicted, As AlwaysThe ego is the sector of the human psyche that develops to mediate conflict between the unrealistic id and conflicting superego. In contrast to the how the id works thro ugh impulse and desire, the ego operates by the â€Å"reality principle,† finding ways to realistically attain the wishes of the id. This, however, often leads to delayed satisfaction. â€Å"The id is the horse and the ego is the rider,† compared Freud in one of his researches. The submissive ego is often dominated by the controlling id, constantly attempting to meet the needs of the id while taking reality into account. (McLeod)The ego in Hamlet is simply his indecision and the immense amount of time it takes him to make his decision. Hamlet frequently plays a mental mind game with himself, trying to justify finally killing his uncle but always finding a reason to put it off. Hamlet’s task is only to kill Claudius, but that also means killing the man who is living the life he wants, the man who embodies his childhood fantasies. The loathing that should drive him to kill is replaced by self-reproaches that remind him that he himself is no better than the sinner whom he is to punish. (Schaeffer)One other factor that kept Hamlet from acting was that if he did kill Claudius, he would then be king, and he did not take interest in that position. â€Å"O God. I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infantile space, were it not I have bad dreams† (II. ii. 248-250). If he were king, Hamlet would gladly ignore his public office. He wouldn’t be able to, though, because his conscious would bother him and force him to take care of his responsibilities. (Walsh) Hamlet’s internal battle with himself is probably the most dominant representation of ego in the play. He is torn with emotions: pity and outrage for his father, shame and scorn for his mother, and guilt over his reluctance to follow through with his orders, his responsibility than he inwardly repudiates. (Walsh)Hamlet Has Morals, Who Knew?The superego part of the human psyche incorporates the values and morals learned from an early age. The main function of the superego is to control the id’s impulses, especially those that society looks down upon such as sex and aggression. It also has the power to persuade the ego towards moral solutions instead of just realistic ones. The superego is the most complex sect of the psyche as it is made up of two parts: the conscious and the ideal self. The conscious is responsible for the emotions felt after a decision is made, which is guilt more often than anything else. The ideal self is an imaginary, made up picture of how a person ought to be. It represents career goals, how one ought to acts towards others, and how to become a functioning human being in society. These two parts combine to form the superego and to aid in the attempts of hindering the id. (McLeod)In context of Hamlet, there are multiple conflicting superegos that hinder Hamlet in his decision to kill Claudius. The ghost of King Hamlet is the primary superego in favor of killing Claudius. â€Å"Taint not thy mind, nor le t thy soul contrive / against thy mother ought. Leave her to heaven. / And to those thoughts that in her bosom lodge / to pick and sting her.† (I. v. 85-88) Hamlet is extremely conflicted, because his father’s ghost found him, and specifically ordered Hamlet to avenge his death.This unwelcome paternal superego exacts the killing of Claudius even as it forbids Hamlet to kill himself. In his request, King Hamlet reveals that because Gertrude fell so quickly to Claudius, the King feels emasculated. King Hamlet engenders sexual confusion in Hamlet as he asks him to identify with his feminized self. Claudius killed King Hamlet, and thus King Hamlet â€Å"is in the feminine position of being penetrated by the man who has already penetrated his wife,† according to Stone. The King impedes the son’s mind by saying that Claudius â€Å"won by lustful sin, the heart of my most seeming virtuous queen.† (I. v. 53)By highlighting Gertrude’s fickleness and s hallowness in this quote, the ghost characterizes her as a damsel that Hamlet needs to save. Hamlet feels as if he’s morally obligated to complete the task for his father, and to â€Å"save† his mother from such a monster, and these intense feelings supplement as a secondary superego in favor of killing Claudius. There were many other minor superego factors opposed to killing Claudius, however. Some were simple, such as the law, religion, and Hamlet’s own morals.The law simply forbid murder, especially in Hamlet’s case as he was the Prince of Denmark and having the prince kill the king would be an abomination. Hamlet’s religion held him back from his task because Hamlet was taught that killing was a sin, therefore it should not be committed and vengeance should be left to God and God alone. Hamlet’s own morals also stood in his way, as he had firm beliefs that killing was wrong. (Stone)Claudius himself, though he is a facet of Hamlet’ s id, is also a representation of Hamlet’s superego. Hamlet’s loyalty to his father breaks down into subconcious identification with the brother who murdered him; and is â€Å"the brother† now possess exactly what Hamlet desires: Gertrude. Because of this, Hamlet is engrossed in a subconscious rivalry with Claudius, as he  constantly battles him for Gertrude’s attentions. (Walsh)In the EndUltimately, Hamlet’s refusal to make a decision became his decision. â€Å"My fate cries out!† (I. iv. 58) He is in turmoil for so long, he becomes mad with despair. His despondency seems more focused on his mother’s remarriage than it does on his father’s death, even after the revelation of his uncle’s crime. There were countless opportunities to kill Claudius, but Hamlet always found excuses to avoid it. The real reason why Hamlet never killed Claudius: killing Claudius would mean that Hamlet would also be killing a small part of hi mself; the part that loved Gertrude..Things soon change, however. After Gertrude dies in the final scene, Hamlet no longer has a need to repress his sexual desires. His strength returns, and thus he is finally able to kill Claudius. After Claudius’ death, Hamlet no longer struggles, and can therefore finally rest (die peacefully). (Tuohy)The factors that arise from Hamlet’s inability to make the decision to kill Claudius or not arise from his id, ego, and superego. The id being his desire for an Oedipal relationship with his mother, the ego being the time it took to follow through with a decision, and the superego being many factors, dominantly the ghost of King Hamlet. The id was a stronger force than the the super ego, which was the reason behind all of Hamlet’s emotional outbursts. Hamlet was only able to find inner peace and kill Claudius after Gertrude died, which takes the possibility of his desires away. After he had completed his mission and he did not h ave to live for Gertrude anymore, he could finally die in peace.