Essay on Fear of Intimacy in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

I am kind of a paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy. ~ J.D. Salinger During the course of Kafka’s novella, The Metamorphosis, we see in Gregor Samsa a man who fears the concept of intimacy—most notably with members of the opposite sex. It is important for us to contrast the commonly accepted definition of intimacy against that of Gregor’s. The popular definition deals with the mark of a close association between two parties, may it consist of a physical or emotional connection. Gregor’s definition seems to be a polar opposite to the conventional one; or more simply, he feels the closest connection to the women he can maintain a sizable distance from. We come to a better understanding of Gregor’s†¦show more content†¦We can come to this understanding by examining the ostensibly â€Å"intimate† relationship that Gregor has with his sister, Grete. We are told that prior to his metamorphosis, â€Å"with his sister alone had he remained intimate† (95).* The reader would be quick to assume that the u sage of the word â€Å"intimate† implies our conventional definition, which deals with the close and personal bond that two people can share. Our quote has a layer of duplicity to it because of the fact that it assumes Gregor’s point of view concerning the relationship; therefore, we are going to accept Gregor’s definition of â€Å"intimate† rather than the conventional definition. His definition can be clarified when we look at Grete’s reaction to Gregor clinging onto the picture frame: â€Å"‘Gregor!’ cried his sister, shaking her fist and glaring at him. This was the first time she had directly addressed him since his metamorphosis† (106). Grete does not strike us as someone who had ever maintained an intimate relationship with Gregor due to her lack of compassion for his dire situation. Rather than assuming a sympathetic tone with a flustered Gregor, she â€Å"shak[es] her fist and glar[es] at him.† It seems peculiar for her to act in this manner if they did, in fact, share an â€Å"intimate† bond. She makes no attempt to relate to him, but rather, she alienates him even further. Oddly enough, when she calls him by name, we are told that â€Å"this was the first time she had

Why I Am A Doctor - 1334 Words

Ever since I was ten, I knew what I wanted to grow up to become, a doctor. Eight years later, and I still have not completely decide on what type of physician I want to be. This is because every career in the medical field interests me. However, when I decided on this career field, I knew one thing for sure. I knew it entailed several different science courses. I was happy with this because I always loved science. What I did not realize was the fact that it also meant I would have to take two semesters of English after high school. I never had as much interest in English as I did for most other subjects. Therefore, due to my lack of interest, English was always an area where I struggled. That is the reason, when I signed up for classes for my first semester at Wayne State University, I was hesitant to sign up for English 1020. Even though I was hesitant, I knew this was a course I had to take. I promised myself that I would take this class, and I would put in much more effort than I had previously. This effort was mainly enforced because of the extremely high standards that medical schools hold their applicants to (the average GPA to get into the Wayne State Medical School is 3.75). Since the beginning of this class, I have improved in each of the writing outcomes, which include reading, writing, researching, and reflecting, due to the effort I have put into excelling in this class. The first, and the most basic, learning outcome that was focused upon in class is reading.Show MoreRelatedWhy I Am A Doctor962 Words   |  4 Pagesthe disease.† A doctor is someone who treats people as people, not as a list of symptoms. It is this crucial characteristic that sets a great physician apart from a good physician. I aim to be a great one. College is a time of exploration for many, and the decisions that we make will influence our future careers. My interest for human biology has driven me to choose medicine for my career. So today, I hope to leave you with an und erstanding of why I intend to pursue medicine, how I will prepare myselfRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor811 Words   |  4 Pagesof my mind when I graduated with Excellent with Highest Honours and got accepted in the best internal medicine program in Egypt, Cairo University. I thought I reached the peak of my dreams, but through the following years I realized that my journey didn’t begin yet. Back from where it first started, I believe that I grew up with medicine in my blood. I can still remember how I was really fascinated when my father who is a veterinary pathologist brought his first microscopy at home. I was captured byRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor880 Words   |  4 PagesI stood with a look of wonderment as I watched the beehive of physicians, radiologists, nurses, and paramedics collaboratively save a man’s life. The scene initially appeared chaotic with scrubs flying around and doctors swarming all over, but in actuality the team was extremely single-minded—as if driven by instinct. I was amazed by the speed and conviction with which the attending doctor made his decisions; his training and experience was evident with every move. Seeing the tearful wife thank theRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor923 Words   |  4 Pagesnever be reached by someone of their age. I have been through the same situation in which my parents were expecting a lot from me. I remembe r It came one day my father and I were home; he then called and told me what he was planning for my future he told me that he wanted me to become a doctor even though he knew I wouldn’t accept what he was saying, for I have taken Biology classes in high school, but never succeeded. Thus, I tried to explain and show him what I was planning to do right after high schoolRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor1241 Words   |  5 Pagesdo something. That’s what I was doing one day. But, my imagination got the best of me, because of how suspicious the situation looked. First of all, I was at the supermarket buying some groceries in the afternoon on a sunny summer day. As I walked to my car outside, i saw somebody in jeans and a black hoodie. I have always been interested in mysteries, even though I have just gotten a degree to be a doctor a few months ago. As i passed this person on the way to my car I saw the items in his bag.Read MoreWhy I Am A Doctor1237 Words   |  5 Pagesinterve ne somehow. One day, I was doing exactly that, yet my imagination got the better of me, because of how doubtful I was of the person’s intentions. First of all, I was at the supermarket buying some groceries in the afternoon on a sunny summer day. As I walked to my car outside, I saw somebody dressed in dark jeans, a black hoodie, and very used looking tennis shoes. I have always been interested in mysteries, even though I’d just gotten a degree to be a doctor a few months ago. I passed this personRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor Essay2143 Words   |  9 Pagesthey should go see a doctor, and then it becomes just as easy to get the proper treatment for that illness because of the vastly expanding realm of medial knowledge that doctors have. However, there are legions of individuals who go without help every year. I was among that population. From a young age, I have suffered from anxiety and depression. It is hard for me to remember when exactly this started because life had melted together into a feeling of bleak nothingness. I recall trying to talkRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor778 Words   |  4 Pagesafter my grandparents died and my dad could not obtain any answers, it was tough memories for the each person. As a child, I was always interested in medicine, never forgot my Atlas of Human Anatomy my dad gave to me as a child, then the pictures was the utmost intriguing part. These painful memories lingered and are only one of my driving forces behind my ambition to become a doctor. Doing missionary work, working at the health clinic and volunteering to feed the homeless was my reality as child. VolunteeringRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor766 Words   |  4 Pagesthe answer was simple â€Å"I want to be a doctor†. Growing up, in a countryside environment witnessing both the medical and non-medical hardships of people, it did not take much time to realize that doctors are very much more than people dealing with syringe’s and stethoscopes. Th ey play a fine balance between a friend and care giver in the lives of patients for whom the very treatment could be a life changing experience. The desire to be a physician just got stronger, when I saw my ever willing physicianRead MoreWhy I Am A Doctor898 Words   |  4 Pagesturns. For reaching my dream, I once transferred to another school, skipped a grade, and even dropped out of high school and went to America. Every time when I face challenges on my way, I will recall my father’s words: â€Å"Dreams don’t abandon people who are pursuit painstakingly, as long as you never stop pursuing, you will bathe in the brilliance of the dream.† His words always encourage me to persist in my dream and pursue it bravely. I dream to become a doctor. I have known my heart and have shown

Public Art Essay Example For Students

Public Art Essay Public art is a piece of art which is created in a public realm to respond to the needs of the community or of a place. It is supposed to address environmental or social issues in the society. Public art reflects the history of the people, or of a place (â€Å"Public art frequently asked questions†). The worked is therefore planned and before its execution, collaboration and involvement of the community is very essential as the any art must be significant to the community in which it exists. The relationship between the audience and the art is very much importance even more than the physical location of the art. The publicness of any public work rests entirely on the quality of its impact on the public audience. It must create room for the community engagement by giving them a social idea but allow them to come to their own judgment. The public realm from which the public arts should occupy have in the recent years been extended by artist to even include even more challenging and wider areas for art. This has prompted the society to seek for cultural interventions to implore the artists to engage in art forms which promote society’s well-being and make good relevant sense of the spaces which they occupy. In the modern days, identity of cities could be summarized on the public art forms and the associated public engagement and are meant to offer pride, sense of celebration, visual appeal, fund and could go further to display the city’s wealth and health(Fuentes). Public arts such as the monuments and graffiti are allowed in many cities, and some administration even pay for such services but a lot need to be done to ensure that public art make good use of spaces and communicate positive ideas to the community. Due to lack of strict regulations, some city are forced to ban public arts that are either contributing towards draining away the city’s history or are not communicating anything positive and worth treasuring to the community. In Vandals and scandals, a perfect example of a public art that failed to satisfy the needs of the community is illustrated. This kind of work brought out ill-thoughts from people and hence they hated it. They clearly were never involved in the execution of the project and although it was statute of a famous figure, it demonstrated nothing that the community could be proud of. The artist created a figure with short-skirt which at the same time is blown by wind and exposes the inner side of the artwork (Kevin). All the appeals which the artist achieved by creating the art did not relate to their daily life. The sexual and political appeals are things that the society was not going to be proud of and it had nothing to do with the history. This therefore leaves the art work on the wrong sides of the citizens. It would also be proper to say that the art did not have any message to the public and this may be reason it was viewed as a vandalized public space. It completely wasted the space and it failed to make sense out of the empty public realm. They only thing it achieved was the visual appeal to few people who derives pleasure from such sights but majority were pissed of. Pride, fun and sense of celebration was lacking and hence the art was thrown way from the city by the citizens who preferred to nurture their good history and their pride of their town Public art may be controversial but as long as it has a message or an idea to put through to members of the public then it would certainly be allowed to exist. An example is given of the modern communication statute. It shows a man standing with shoe in his mouth and fingers in his ears. The art work is strategically placed in front of a police station of Kansas City and the fire department. These two are government entities that are mandated to respond to urgent call of the public (Spencer). In most cases these entities fail to act on urgent calls and the statute may be telling their story of see no evil, talk no evil but it could also be saying how communication is broken the modern society. .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .postImageUrl , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:hover , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:visited , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:active { border:0!important; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:active , .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974 .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u553bff7f807ad4f95067ffdc3bce2974:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Human Rights Regarding Chinese Women EssayThe police and fire department must fix communication between then. Members of the public are also challenged to check on how they communicate at workplaces, at home and any other place. The social idea is that people should start have effective communication Conclusion Public art is an important part of any society and it adds value to the economic, cultural and social aspects of cities all over the world. The art also add city’s uniqueness and adds meaning to a city, while at the same time reflect the culture and beliefs of the people living in a city. Government should ensure that they have strict regulations to deter ill-minded artist from using public art in ways that are not recommended.

The Background Info free essay sample

From my early childhood, I have always been a positive, happy and friendly child. I was the kid who would have long and intelligent conversations with my elementary school teachers. I was the girl who would go out of her way to befriend as many new people as possible. I asked questions, made jokes, and got people smiling. Yes, I was quirky, in love with fantastical fiction. I marched to the beat of my own drum, but I was always confident. I was always happy with myself. I remember vividly the day I felt that my raging fire had used up its supply of oxygen. The last day of fifth grade was a beautifully warm June afternoon, but walking home from the bus stop held no joy for me. There was no spring in my step, no excitement buzzed in my brain. I recall being worried, and confused. The emerald-green leaves above my head were just as beautiful as ever, but they had no effect on my monotone thoughts. We will write a custom essay sample on The Background Info or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This time last year, I would have been enjoying a high every kid knows well. Was this growing up? If this was what it felt like, then what was the point? In the coming years, I would begin to suspect that the world was hiding a secret from me. The exciting world that I had reached out to with open arms, invited into my heart with the sincere wonder of a child had held back its true nature: no one was happy. Teachers, students, parents, and friends- everyone had misery locked inside their hearts. When people spoke, they complained. When they got something, they wanted more. No contentment existed, and humans wandered without destination. I would never succeed; I was not good enough, smart enough, attractive enough or different enough to mean anything to the world. What began as a suspicion began to permeate my everyday life. Friends became shallow and uninteresting, classwork began to lose meaning. Sports became chores and sleep fled, or came only after a panic attack receded and left me gasping for air and covered in used tissues. Eleventh grade began and I was scared for my future, and for my life. Even though my once-expansive group of friends had dwindled into a precious few, with easily the most priceless being my boyfriend of three years, I was still shocked to hear the psychiatrist say, â€Å"You seem to have extraordinarily low self-esteem!† Mental illness is a tricky subject. Families hide it, the media abuses it, and unless you have experienced it, it defies understanding. No one gets through life without having a cold or a fever, but not everyone will go through the trauma of depression. Junior year of high school is commonly accepted as the most difficult year of grade school. The stress piled on by high level academics, varsity sports, clubs, jobs and the upcoming college search is a struggle for just about every teen. Personally, my junior year was not just a struggle, but a tooth and nail battle. Clinical depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive spectrum disorders and premenstrual dysphoric disorder are not easygoing classmates. Doctors’ appointments and softball practice collide. Anxiety stomachaches make for a miserable cross country practice. These private battles are difficult to hide, but even harder to explain. These struggles are not all in the past for me. Every day I continue to wage a war for my happiness and sanity- no exaggeration is necessary. The difference between today and a year ago is still astounding. I am able to be proud of who I am and how far I have come. Being able to relax enough to smile and say, â€Å"I am enough and I have done enough† is a prize more rewarding than any I have earned so far in life. I have big plans, and I intend to see them through with ambition, confidence and pride.

Does Dancehall Music Affect The Society Negatively Essays

Does Dancehall Music Affect The Society Negatively Essays Does Dancehall Music Affect The Society Negatively Essay Does Dancehall Music Affect The Society Negatively Essay Does Dancehall Music Affect The Society Negatively A Greek philosopher once said, In argument, truth is born. Even though sometimes feelings and emotions come into play that confuse the issue at hand, usually an argument results in a new insight on the subject. Even if a person holds strong views that are unshaken by anything his adversary may say, he may nevertheless gain from the debate. It forces him to organize and analyze his views, leaving him with a clearer understanding of the subject than before. Further, his opponents arguments help him better appreciate his views and their differences. Finally, the argument forces both to look inwards, at their character and value system. For these reasons, I enjoy debating issues that are important to me and of which I hold strong views. One such issue receiving great national attention is the negative effect of Dancehall music on the society. While music and culture has always been important to the Jamaican community on a whole, and more specifically to the inner-city communities where the music is a major part of their socializing and recreational activity, the focus has been shifted from the point of origin of Dancehall music?s content to spotlight its destination, as well as cowardly intensify dancehall, society, music, views, negative, issue, people, origins, once, often, emotions, culture, argument, while, stigmas, one, important, ghettoes, genre, effect, class, between, accusation, year, wrong, world, way, violence, view, upper, sunday, subject, strong, songs, social

Biography of Angela Davis, Political Activist, Academic

Biography of Angela Davis, Political Activist, Academic Angela Davis (born January 26, 1944) is a radical activist, philosopher, writer, speaker, and educator. In the 1960s and 1970s, she was well known for her association with the Black Panthers. She was fired from one teaching job for being a communist, and for a time she even appeared on the Federal Bureau of Investigations Ten Most Wanted list. Fast Facts: Angela Davis Known For: Davis is an academic and activist known for her association with the Black Panthers.Also Known As: Angela Yvonne DavisBorn: January 26, 1944 in Birmingham, AlabamaParents: B. Frank Davis and Sallye Bell DavisEducation: Brandeis University (B.A.), University of California, San Diego (M.A.), Humboldt University (Ph.D.)Published Works: Women, Race, Class, Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday, Are Prisons Obsolete?Spouse: Hilton Braithwaite (m. 1980–1983)Notable Quote: Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about a revolutionarys life. When one commits oneself to the struggle, it must be for a lifetime. Early Life Angela Yvonne Davis was  born on January 26, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama.  Her father B. Frank Davis was a teacher who later opened a gas station, and her mother Sallye Bell Davis was a teacher.  Davis lived in a segregated neighborhood and went to segregated schools through high school.  She later became involved with her family in civil rights demonstrations.  She spent some time in New York City, where her mother was earning a masters degree during summer breaks from teaching. Davis excelled as a student, graduating  magna cum laude  from Brandeis University in 1965, with two years of study at the Sorbonne, University of Paris. She studied philosophy in Germany at the University of Frankfurt for two years, then received an M.A. from the University of California at San Diego in 1968. Her doctoral study took place from 1968 to 1969. During her undergraduate years at Brandeis, she was shocked to hear of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, which killed four girls she had known. This Ku Klux Klan-perpetrated violence marked a major turning point in the civil rights movement, bringing worldwide attention to the plight of African-Americans in the United States. Politics and Philosophy A member of the Communist Party USA, Davis became involved in radical black politics and in several organizations for black women, including Sisters Inside and Critical Resistance, which she helped found. Davis also joined the Black Panthers and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). She was part of an all-black communist group called the Che-Lumumba Club, and through that group she began to organize public protests. In 1969, Davis was hired as an assistant professor at the University of California at Los Angeles. She used her post to teach Kant, Marxism, and philosophy in black literature. Davis  was popular as a teacher, but a leak identifying her as a member of the Communist Party led to the UCLA regent- headed then by Ronald Reagan- to dismiss her.  A court ordered her reinstatement, but she was fired again the next year. Activism After her dismissal from UCLA, Davis became involved in the case of the Soledad Brothers, a group of  prisoners at Soledad Prison. Anonymous threats led her to purchase weapons for self-defense. Davis was arrested as a suspected conspirator in the abortive attempt to free George Jackson, one of the Soledad Brothers, from a courtroom in Marin County, California, on August 7, 1970. A county judge was killed in the failed attempt to take hostages and rescue Jackson, and the guns used were registered in her name. Davis was eventually acquitted of all charges, but for a time she was on the FBIs most wanted list after she fled and went into hiding to avoid arrest. Davis is often associated with the Black Panthers and with the black power politics of the late 1960s and early 1970s. She joined the Communist Party when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Davis ran for vice president on the Communist Party ticket in 1980. Davis left the Communist Party in 1991, though she continues to be involved in some of its activities. As a self-described prison abolitionist, she has played a major role in the push for criminal justice reforms and other resistance to what she calls the prison-industrial complex. In her essay Public Imprisonment and Private Violence, Davis calls the sexual abuse of women in prison one of the most heinous state-sanctioned human rights violations within the United States today. Academia Davis taught in the Ethnic Studies department at San Francisco State University from 1980 to 1984. Although former Gov. Ronald Reagan swore she would never teach again in the University of California system, Davis began teaching at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1991. During her tenure there, she continued to work as an activist and promote womens rights and racial justice. She has published books on race, class, and gender, including such popular titles as Angela Davis: An Autobiography, Are Prisons Obsolete?, The Meaning of Freedom, and Women, Culture Politics. When Davis retired from UCSC in 2008, she was named Professor Emerita. In the years since, she has continued her work for prison abolition, womens rights, and racial justice. Davis has taught at UCLA and elsewhere as a visiting professor, committed to the importance of liberating minds as well as liberating society. Personal Life Davis was married to photographer Hilton Braithwaite from 1980 to 1983. In 1997, she told Out magazine that she was a lesbian. Sources Aptheker, Bettina.  The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis. Cornell University Press, 1999.Davis, Angela Y.  Angela Davis: an Autobiography. International Publishers, 2008.Davis, Angela Y.  Are Prisons Obsolete?  Seven Stories Press, 2003.Davis, Angela Y.  Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday. Vintage Books, 1999.Davis, Angela. â€Å"Public Imprisonment and Private Violence.† Frontline Feminisms: Women, War, and Resistance, by Marguerite R. Waller and Jennifer Rycenga, Routledge, 2012.Davis, Angela Y., and Joy James.  The Angela Y. Davis Reader. Blackwell, 1998.Timothy, Mary.  Jury Woman: the Story of the Trial of Angela Y. Davis. Glide Publications, 1975.

Issues in sports 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Issues in sports 2 - Essay Example 2. The issue of performance-enhancing drugs has been created in medicine and sport to ensure fair-play. It is considered vital that athletes should compete on a level playing field, on equal grounds, with the same advantages and liabilities provided to players from opposing teams. To articulate and enforce the concept of fair-play, there are anti-doping policies which prevent the use of performance-enhancing drugs. The use of these drugs goes against the rules of sports and is viewed as cheating (Kayser et al 2). 3. Management of the issue of performance-enhancing drugs is through the â€Å"physician involved in the athlete’s health supervision† (Kayser et al 9). The established ethics of the medical profession dictates that the physician’s role should be one of preserving the athlete’s autonomy. This is required to be done by maintaining a balance between ensuring the treatment leads to the highest degree of present and future health, while concurrently permitting the athlete to maintain a preferred life style. Principles of good practice for the role of sports physicians is an ethically rigorous need that has to be fulfilled. For this, employing independent physicians with status comparable to other sports officials, is possibly the best strategy for developing good practice. 4. The ways in which the above management action will affect the sport and society at large is an important aspect of the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. In contemporary times sports are increasingly significant for economic and political reasons. Elite sport is a self-sustaining enterprise, with extensive financial returns from â€Å"advertisement, media and audience revenues† (Kayser et al 9). Doping control cannot be considered as an internal matter of the sports community, since considerable public funds as well as governmental resources are provided for sports, for the purpose of health promotion and other sound reasons.

Training and career Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Training and career Management - Essay Example In the meantime, he has been assigned to spend a year as assistant to the current department head. This is an example of the _____ form of training. In order for needs assessment to be successful, certain key conditions have to be met. Accordingly, the following listing and discussion will be concentric upon discussing these strategies and how they ultimately impact upon the successful fulfillment of needs assessment. The first of these is obviously with regard to defining the goals for needs assessment. In order to accomplish this, a broad overview of the project must be engaged in a thorough analysis of determinant parts understood and appreciated. Additionally, stakeholders must query one another with respect to the specific purpose of the needs assessment. In seeking to understand this particular question, stakeholders can more effectively manage the way in which needs assessment is attempted and indecisiveness of information that might be drawn from it. Further, individuals within the stakeholder process will need to infer how the data will be used, set appropriate agenda, support the new program, and seek to promote policy as a means of reinforcing the inference that again. Further, it is also necessary for these same individuals to determine a timeline for the best and how each part of the previous information will be collected, and under what constraints (Weiss et al., 2014). Lastly, it is also necessary to identify a target population or group as a means of focusing needs assessment towards a specific set of individuals that will be able to provide useful inference. Depending on the type of entity involved, there are a litany of different methods utilize in developing training objectives. However, focusing upon an answer to this question based upon a universal standard, it must be understood that developing training goals, creating learning objectives, establishing learning methods, documenting learning success or failures, and

Health Care Financial Accounting Essay Example for Free

Health Care Financial Accounting Essay It is essential in any business, not just health care to understand how finances directly affect the growth, success and longevity of the business and all its parts. To truly understand how finance affects business it is important to gain knowledge and understanding of how the business generate revenue ,the cash flow of money that comes into the business, how bills are paid and money leaves the business and how investments are made in the business that can directly and indirectly impact the financial growth of the organization. In health care organizations there are different factors that come into play in the financial department but ultimately the process of generating revenue and paying debts are the same as any other business organization. The following items will be addressed in the review of Patton-Fuller financial statements: Annual report, including Patton-Fuller financial statements and relationship between revenue sources and expenses on Patton-Fuller’s financial performance. How did the audited and unaudited financial statements differ? In general the audited reports are more formal than the unaudited reports. The audited report includes the company’s history, a CFO report, a message from the CEO, and a report of independent auditors. The audited and unaudited financial statements differ slightly in data in some areas for Patton- Fuller Community Hospital. Under the assets section in the numbers for patients accounts receivable numbers differ slightly from 2009. In 2009 on the unaudited report it provides the data of 59,787 and on the audited it has 58,787. This also leaves the total current assets and the total assets to differ slightly for 2009. On the audited report total current assets for 2009 are 127,867 and on the unaudited report it has 128,867. On the unaudited report the total assets for 2009 are 588,767 and 587,767 on the audited. Under the total liabilities calculations the retained earnings for 2009 differ slightly. The data for 2009, on the unaudited report gives 126,564 while the audited report gives  125,564. What is the effect of revenue sources on financial reporting at the hospital? The effect of revenue sources on financial reporting at the hospital are that it is variable and could adjust as the reports get audited and could change year to year. Revenue comes from a few different sources and can be located on the financial statements and reports for the year. According to the information on the balance sheet, the sources of the â€Å"Other Revenue† are third party payers of patient bills. For the income statement, the revenue is used to calculate the operating income and ultimately the net income. The Net Income value is factored into our â€Å"Statement of Owners Equity† report to give us our end of the year value for retained earnings and stockholders equity. Net patient revenue is the first and foremost source of income for Patton-Fuller Hospital. Other sources of reve nue come from borrowing monies, equity from stock or capital, and company assets. In 2008, the net patient revenue was $418,509 in the audited report. The total other revenue for 2008 accounted for $2,805 in the audited report as well. These amounts did not change from the unaudited report. The net patient revenue for 2009 was $459,900, and other revenue was $3,082 for that year. For Patton-Fuller Hospital, the income statement shows the total revenues increased by $41,668 from 2008 ($421,314) to 2009 ($462,982 Upon further reading on the reports we find that the total expenses goes over the amount of revenue the hospital is bringing in. The total expenses for 2008 were $437,424 and for 2009 it was $463,293. ). However, since expenses continued to exceed the total revenues, our net income remained a net loss in 2009 ($373). So the overall effect of the sources on the hospital is that the hospital is going in debt because they cannot match revenue with expenses as part of the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). How are the hospital’s revenues and expenses grouped for planning and control? The Patton Fuller Community Hospital’s statement of revenue and expense is grouped for planning and control as it is itemized out by the different types of income and expenses. Patton-Fuller Hospital groups all revenues into two categories for planning and control, the first category is net patient revenue, and the second is other revenue. Other revenue can be broken up into sub categories like revenue from assets, capital, and stock but I believe the idea of bunching them together is so it is easier to stay organized. This gives managers a clear picture as to what type of services  are receiving the most income and causing the most expenses and designed to make it easier to calculate the total net revenue from the two main sources. Expenses are broken up a little further in the financial statements; expenses are broken up by salaries and benefits, supplies, physician and professional fees, utilities, other expenses, depreciation amortization (non-cash expenses), interest, and provision for doubtful accounts. Provision for doubtful accounts would also include any changed due to being audited. These are broken up further to show where the money goes each financial period for future planning and helping to predict future expenses; this information can assist a manager in planning future budgets and in making financial adjustments to increase revenue and decrease expenses. The total expenses for 2008 were $437,424, and for 2009 they were $463,293. In 2008 the difference between the revenue the hospital brought in versus what their expenses were was $16,110. The difference in 2009 was $311 from what there revenue was verses what their expenses were. The detailed way in which the expenses are laid out allows an individual to clearly see where finances are going and highlight any warning signs that a certain department or service is costing the hospital too much and needs to be re-evaluated. Conclusion After reviewing these statements it is a clear picture that Patton-Fuller Hospital had a undeniable difference in the 2008 versus the 2009 financial statements. The numbers and financial ratios show a decrease in revenue and no improvement for the overall growth of the hospital. A good practice for the hospital’s financial managers is to regularly review the financial reports and statements to help project and plan for the differences in the audited and unaudited reports for Patton-Fuller hospital. References Apollo Group. (2013). Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Virtual Organization [Multimedia]. Retrieved from Apollo Group, HCS405-Health Care Financial Accounting website.

Abraham Lincoln as the Greatest President Essay -- Lincoln President U

Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasn't scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that changed the war into a battle for freedom and declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy. That November, Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address, which stated how a country must be dedicated to human fre edom in order to survive. He dedicated the battlefield to the soldiers who had perished, and called on the living to finish the task the dead soldiers had begun. (Donald, 1995) Lincoln believed that democracy could be a lasting form of government. He showed a nobility of character that had worldwide appeal, and he was a man of great integrity. However, Lincoln was not only the 16th president of the United States, he was an American hero. Lincoln was a well-rounded individual and he had numerous outstanding qualities. However, it is important to remember that Lincoln also led a private life, complete with close friends and family. Lincoln was born into a poor household on February 12, 1809... ... across the world. But to those who knew him, he was more then just a president. In addition to being a man who made revolutionary changes to our nation, he was also a devoted husband and father to his four sons. Despite his intimidating 6'4" figure, he was a kind, warm-hearted man, who actually cared about the common people. His family and friends had a substantial influence on him and they played an extremely important role in his life. They supported him in whatever he set his mind to and they kept him sane when he felt like he was about ready to breakdown during difficult times. There is more to Lincoln than most people could ever imagine, and his personal life could never be complete without his family. Lincoln had a very intimate relationship with his wife Mary Todd, and he showed endless love and affection to his children. Abraham Lincoln was a true family man.

Executive Summary Branding the Nation

Executive Summary: Branding the nation: What is being branded? Journal of Vacation Marketing Volume 12 Number 1. 2005 p. 4-13 The author: The paper is written by Ying Fan a senior lecturer at Brunel Business School, Brunel University in London. Dr Fan has held faculty positions at the universities of Lincoln, Hertfordshire and Durham. His research interests surround branding and marketing communications, and cross-cultural management issues. Topic: Branding the nation: What is being branded? The major topic of the paper is what nation branding is and what the purpose of nation branding is. Research question : What is being branded? Is a nation brand a separate entity, or an element in the product brand? What is the direction of the correlation between countries that have produced strong brands and those that are strong brands themselves ? Method : The research method is a literary analysis Material and Structure of the paper: On the first page of his paper contact informations, informations on the author including a photo of Fan are given. An Abstract sums up the Keywords and gives an overview over the article. All in all the paper of Fan is 9 pages long and is structured in the chapters: Introduction What is Nation Branding? What is being branded? Nation branding and product branding Nation brand image and product-country image Paradoxes The broader context For a further understanding Fan gives 3 Tables: Terms used in the literature ; Examples of nation branding where he gives 5 examples and explains what is being branded and a table on Comparison between nation branding and product branding . In his paper Fan makes indirect citations which are listed in the references. Here the references are ordered by appearance in the text not alphabetically. The paper is easy to read and understand, it gives a good overview of the topic nation branding. The structure is easy to follow. The paper is anonymously refereed. Finding of the article : The author points out that there is no single definition on nation branding but gives a working definition for the paper: ‘Nation branding concerns applying branding and marketing communications techniques to promote a nation’s image. Nation branding can be used in different ways: using the nation’s image to promote sales and exports ; place branding which is part of tourism marketing ; political marketing for example the expression â€Å"axis of evil†; Nation branding in it's true sense like Cool Britannia. The author points out that a nation is not a product in the conventional sense . The Nation itself can hardly b e changed, the benefits are purely emotional, the Image is complicated and the ownership is unclear. A nation brand is not centered on any specific product, service or cause that can be promoted directly to the customer. But Nation branding concerns a countries whole image, covering political, economic, historical and cultural dimensions. A Nation has not one but multiple images. What image is retrieved depends on the audience , the context and the time. The author finds out that negative national image does not necessarily affect the purchase of products made by that country, by giving the example of Japan and China. The author tries to find out the direction of the correlation between countries that have produced strong brands and those that are strong brands themselves . Nation branding must be distinctive and help the country to position itself against competitors . A difficulty is that an international audience have a different degree of knowledge of a nation and each country has different cultural values, thus decodes the message differently. Nation branding often try to communicate a single image or message to different audiences in different countries . This renders for the author the message meaningless, but to try to be all things to all people will in the opinion of the author inevitably fail . What is the message a nation wants to send, give up a old but unique image in favor of the new image. This can fail like for example â€Å"Cool Britannia† did. Another difficulty in nation branding is that a national identity is very difficult to define. Furthermore in nation branding, an understanding of the customers’ existing perception of the nation is very important. A certain image is made over time. Another important aspect of nation branding is the internal audience. The author points out that Nation branding is just one part of a marketing strategy which is part of the business strategy and that often nation branding is overestimated even if it is a powerful tool. It is for example not sufficient for the country to promote its image enthusiastically to other nations if the economic basis for the nation brand is not there or the political situation is unstable. The image problem of a region or nation most often results from political and socio-economic troubles which must be solved, nation branding will not solve a country’s problems but only serves as the final touch .

Choice and the Characters of Sula

Toni Morrison’s Sula explores the power of choice and its importance in the course of human existence. Regardless of the fact that the African-American characters of Sula are of an oppressed nature, they forever maintain the freedom of choice. This theme of choice provides insight into the acquirement and personification of identity. Sula and Nel, the primary characters of the novel, are utilized by Morrison to highlight how personal identity is established at our own accord.For example, early on in the novel when Morrison is describing the childhood of Sula and Nel, both characters make the conscious decision to act according to their own ideas about the world: â€Å"In the safe harbor of each other’s company they could afford to abandon the ways of other people and concentrate on their own perceptions of things† (55). Nel eventually abandons this concept and assumes a role similar to her mother’s (that of respectable housewife,) but Sula remains this way throughout her life.Because of Sula’s disregard of others’ opinions, she is eventually looked down upon by the townspeople of the Bottom. The actions of these two characters present the question of whether unabashed decision-making is liberating or condemning in terms of social acceptance. Another question Morrison presents is whether we can choose to acknowledge our past or not. At the beginning of the novel, Nel is traveling to her great-grandmother’s funeral with her mother, Helene. Once they arrive, they come into contact with Nel’s grandmother, Rochelle.Rochelle is of Creole descent and makes a living by being an escort. Helene is quick to dismiss Rochelle: â€Å"’I don’t know,’ her mother said. ‘I don’t speak Creole. ’ She gazed at her daughter’s wet buttocks. ‘And neither do you’† (27). It is evident that Helene thinks that by refusing to speak the Creole language that she is also refusing to acknowledge Rochelle and, therefore, erasing her from her and her daughter’s past. With Helene and her behavior towards Rochelle, Morrison presents this question of whether or not we can choose which parts of our past are relevant to our current existence.Following the meeting between Nel and Rochelle, Morrison showcases that characters can choose not only to disregard their past, but also forces in the present that attempt to dictate an individual’s identity: â€Å"’I’m me. I’m not their daughter. I’m not Nel. I’m me. Me’†¦ ‘Me,’ she murmured. And then, sinking deeper into the quilts, ‘I want†¦ I want to be†¦ wonderful†¦ Oh, Jesus, make me wonderful’† (28). Nel realizes that she can make the choice about who she wants to be and about her own identity. She denies her identity being determined by her parents or her heritage.Morrison also highlights how characters utilize the freedom of choice to deter their fears of the unknown future. For example, Shadrack makes the choice to control the uncontrollable after he experiences a mental breakdown during his time in the war: â€Å"It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion that if one day a year were devoted to it, everybody could get it out of the way and the rest of the year would be safe and free. In this manner he instituted National Suicide Day† (14).Instead of letting his life be dictated by outside forces, he chooses the path his life will take by seeking power over what terrifies him the most. While every character in Sula makes a choice of some kind, there is one character who was seemingly denied the luxury of choice and that was Eva Peace: â€Å"The children needed her; she needed money, and needed to get on with her life. But the demands of feeding her children were so acute she had to postpone her anger for two years until she had both the time and energy for it† (32).Eva’s choice was made by the circumstances of her life and the lives of her children. Later on in the novel, Eva denies Plum Peace, her son, the choice to redeem his wayward ways. She sets him on fire after she discovers he has a heroin addiction following the war. In contrast to Eva and her lack of choice in providing for her family by any means necessary, Nel’s husband Jude did possess the power of choice and chose to abandon his family following an affair with Sula: â€Å"’Every man I ever knew left his children. ’ ‘Some were taken. ’ ‘Wrong, Nellie.The word is left’† (143). Morrison uses this conversation to highlight the stark contrast between Nel and Sula and their diverging beliefs in the freedom of choice. Sula maintains that Jude chose to leave his family while Nel argues that he had no choice in being taken away following his shame abo ut the affair. Morrison also portrays how characters make choices based on personal perceptions: â€Å"But thinking Sula had an odd way of looking at things and that her wide smile took some of the sting away from that rattlesnake over her eye† (68).Jude articulates the notion that we can choose how we see things and this can impact the way others see us. Many of the townsfolk of the Bottom perceive Sula as evil based on the appearance of her scar. Morrison’s detailed description of the various images people imagine the scar to be showcases how each individual has the personal power to choose how to view others. While one person may perceive the scar to be a treacherous snake, another perceived it to be a smudge of dirt or a butterfly wing.It is in Sula that readers are presented with various notions regarding the power of freedom of choice. Sula poses the question of what earthly forces influence choice and it also showcases how the power of personal decisions dictate our lives and identities. With Nel and Sula, readers are provided apt character studies in the ramifications of choice. Morrison also presents the rationale behind what actions classify as â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† when choosing our moral paths in life. Sula is portrayed as â€Å"evil† simply because she chooses her own path, regardless of social norms.In contrast, Nel is considered â€Å"good† because of her ability to assume the role society casts her in, whether it be faithful wife or doting mother. In the end, we come to realize that Sula’s â€Å"careless choices† dictated the prosperity of the town and the behavior of the townsfolk. In her absence, the Bottom and the townspeople suffer from their careless choices that were previously held at bay because of Sula’s presence. Morrison presents the notion that we always possess the power of choice, but whether our choices will be viewed as good or evil is in the hands of others.

Forever Alone Pros of Celebrating Valentines Day Solo

Forever Alone Pros of Celebrating Valentines Day Solo Bunch of chocolate, cheesy cards, and flowers†¦who needs it? No one seems to care anymore that V-day is named after a Christian martyr that dates back to the 5th century! Here’s the gist: the most widely circulated story is that this guy, who the saints named Valentinus, was imprisoned and executed for ministering to Christians and performing forbidden weddings under the oppressive Roman Empire of that time. What does this have to do with Valentine’s Day cards, jewelry, dinner dates, and boxes of candy? There’s the forbidden wedding angle, okay, but what the holiday’s turned into and how it’s been commercialized should be an outrage! If you have the same opinion or just dont have a date to celebrate Valentines Day here are some reason to spend this day happily alone. You Can Spoil Yourself Guilt-Free Unlike all the couples in love you dont have to bother what to get your beloved one, how to organize the celebration. what to surprise them with. You can dedicate this day for you entirely. At the end of the day, you are your most valuable asset. Use this day to thank yourself for all the good things about who you are and about being you. There’s no one else in all the universe like you, and you are an absolutely mind-bogglingly extraordinary being; conscious, self-aware†¦you’re alive! However much cash you would’ve shelled out for a special someone, spend it on yourself instead. Imagine what you would do for someone that you’re head over heels in love with, selflessly, and do it for you! No narcissism needed, just good old fashioned self-appreciation. You Can Take Enjoy a Solo Date Valentines day is actually not about the gifts and declaring love. Its about spending good time together. So, why not do it on your own? Dont be such a boring couch potato, surprise yourself by taking yourself out on a date (no matter how ridiculous or pathetic it may sound). Dinner and movie? Zoo then the club? A day in a spa? How about the opera then a moonlit walk through the park? Whatever. Go hit the gym and workout extra hard as a reward and an acknowledgement of your prowess. V-Day can be the â€Å"all about me† day and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. You Can Meet New People Dont want to spend this day alone and all of your friends will be somewhere out with their dates? No problem, you can meet new people to hang out with. After all, 60% of breeding-age people in the modern world are single. Go to a single’s hotspot and mingle with all the other romantics who wish they were arm in arm with their one and only True Love. At least you will be sure you have one thing in common you are sing;e on Valentines day. Do your homework though and take this seriously. Investigate all the potential places to go and hang for a bit. You’ll likely end up focusing your resources on 1-3 places. Now, regardless of where you go, be sure you show up in your best outfit ready to celebrate being single. On Valentines day you will definitely have. You Can Throw an Un-Valentine’s Day Party! Instead of lovey-dovey movies and comic romances, how about action adventures or perhaps even horror? V-Day could be one of the best days for a â€Å"Die Hard† or â€Å"Lord of the Rings† party. These Un-Valentine’s day parties are increasingly common, so if you live in a bigger city or metropolis there’s likely a few going on within Uber, Cab, or driving distance. You never quite know what you’ll find when people put parties together to be the antithesis of V-Day. You Can Save Money and Even Profit Being a commercialized holiday, Valentines Day literally empties your wallet you buy gifts, cards, chocolates, pay for entries and dinner. Having no date cuts a half of these spending if you still want to have fun alone, or doesnt require any finances. What is more you can make profit of it. Here are some opportunities to make some money on valentines day: Buy roses en-masse and add a little margin Create and sell your own specialized V-Day cards Offer your services as a babysitter These are just some of the options, you can be creative and make up much more ways to benefit from this whole V-day idea. You Can Volunteer or Do Something for a Stranger Seriously, this will pretty much quench any of those icky feelings you may be experiencing. Go work at a shelter, read at a children hospital, make a new friend at a nursing home, or hand out free calories at a soup kitchen. This is actually, in reality, among the most appropriate ways to celebrate this day. If you want to take it one step further, you can do things for people anonymously. So, for example, you could anonymously pay the month’s utility bill for a poor family. You could send flowers anonymously to someone that just recently went through a bad heart-wrenching breakup. You get the idea. You Can Spend the Day with Your Dearest As we all know, romantic relationships and marriages can come and go. They DO come and go for most people these days throughout our lives. But family’s different. And, most of the time our best friends are different as well. Make the day about the people who love you. If you need, you can check out even more ideas on how to spend Valentines day if you are single. And there you have the cream of the crop solo-V-Day strategies to make it count. But, that’s just our opinion. If you’re going to be a solo act, what do you plan on doing this year? We’d love to hear!

50 Great Topics for a Process Analysis Essay

50 Great Topics for a Process Analysis Essay If youve ever read an instruction manual or written out a set of directions, then you know what a process analysis essay is. This form of composition is often used in the field of technical writing, where complex systems need to be clearly explained in a logical, orderly fashion. As such, process analyses can be very detailed and sometimes quite long. Process analysis  writing is more than just a set of simple instructions. As a writer, you must go beyond merely identifying the steps involved and examine that process with an analytical eye. This analysis requires expertise- if not firsthand, then from research. Your topic needs to be focused, usually how to do one specific thing, and written in a clear, straightforward tone that readers can follow easily.   Tips for Writing a Process Analysis Essay When developing a paragraph, essay, or speech through process analysis, keep these tips in mind:Be sure to include all steps and arrange them in chronological order.Explain why each step is necessary, and include warnings where appropriate.Define any terms with which your readers may not be familiar.Offer clear descriptions ​of any tools or materials needed to carry out the process.Provide your readers with a way of determining whether the process has been carried out successfully or not. 50  Topic Suggestions: Process Analysis You shouldnt find it difficult to follow the guidelines above if youve chosen a topic that you know quite well. These 50 prompts are meant to help you discover that topic. How to mow your lawnHow to win at Texas hold emHow to lose weight without losing your mindHow to find the perfect roommateHow to get rid of a roommate- without committing a crimeHow to succeed in (or flunk out of) collegeHow to pitch a knuckleballHow to plan the perfect partyHow to survive a night of babysittingHow to pitch a tent in the rainHow to housebreak your dogHow to kick a bad habitHow to overcome insomniaHow to stay sober on a Saturday nightHow to rent your first apartmentHow to avoid a nervous breakdown during examsHow to enjoy the weekend for under $20How to make the perfect browniesHow to keep peace with a spouse or a roommateHow to bathe a catHow to complain effectivelyHow to survive a recessionHow to toilet train a babyHow to develop self-confidenceHow to use Twitter sensibly and effectivelyHow to wash a sweaterHow to build a great music collection- cheaply and legallyHow to get along with an instructor without sucking upHow to give yourself a haircutHow to plan the per fect class schedule How to apply the Heimlich maneuverHow to end a relationshipHow to select the best portable media playerHow to take decent photographs with your cell phoneHow to quit smokingHow to survive without a carHow to make the perfect cup of coffee or teaHow to save money while saving the environmentHow to build a great sandcastleHow to edit a videoHow to make (and keep) friends on FacebookHow to insert a contact lensHow teachers make up examsHow parents (or children) make us feel guiltyHow an iPod worksHow ice cream is madeHow a cell phone takes picturesHow a magician saws a woman in halfHow a pocket calculator worksHow to choose a major

Argos of Leadership and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Argos of Leadership and Management - Essay Example Argos is a fully owned subsidiary of Home Retail Group, UK. Argos sells general merchandise and products for household consumption from about 700 stores in UK, online and also through telephone. In the previous financial year, sale of Argos amounted to ?4.3billion and had also employed about 33,000 people across the business (Argos, 2011). Multichannel sales have grown in recent years and represents about ?1.9bn or about 46% of the total sales of Argos. Sales through internet represented about 36% of sales and the remaining 10% through in store sale or by telephone. Argos is the second largest internet retailer operating in UK comprising of about 400 m websites visit during a year (Argos-a, 2011). Argos has adopted the differentiation strategy of Porters generic strategy as the stores of Argos act as a key component of the multichannel model which provides convenient pick up points for its customers. Also with latest technology like ‘voice put away’ which enables the sto res to chose the location of the stocks and thus maximize the utilization of space available from stockroom, the multichannel retailer aims to create a competitive advantage (Argos-b, 2011, p.14). Argos faces a stiff competition from Amazon, internet retailer and has been suffering from consumer downturn and also the likes and demands for Amazon and other competitors. As compared to price, Amazon products was rated cheaper than Argos and in an online survey it was revealed that electrical of Argos was ranked 20 with customer score of 62% as compared with Amazon of 88% (The Guardian, 2012). 2. Monitor the environment Organization tends to monitor the environment by many different ways as per the convenience and requirement by the company. Most of the organization conducts market research to analyze the environment and to know the strategies that its competitors have adopted to overcome the challenges in the competitive environment. Some does it through scenario planning, benchmarking and also through industrial publications. Argos multichannel retailers use the method of benchmarking in order to monitor the environment. Scenario planning has also formed an important part of Argos while dealing with the environment. Benchmarking is an important tool as it helps organisation to gather information about its competitors and the globe, highlights the area which are in need of improvement and set performance standards (Evans, Walters & Palmer, 2002, p. 19). According to Sara Weller the Managing Director of Argos have commented that Argos has set benchmark for the model of multichannel retail and because of its strategy the multichannel retail stores has been doing well than its competitors. The retail giant continues to focus on the customers and delivery as per their requirements. The firm has benchmarked profit before tax to about 60% less at about ?102million (News Reach, 2012). With respect to scenario planning, Argos has realised that the role of physical stores are changing and thus it needs to incorporate to the change in order to stay competitive. The mostly likely scenario is that retail stores will serve two purposes, as showroom and secondly as convenient transaction point. Thus Argos plans to segment their related estates. Some of the flagship stores would focus on the function of the showrooms and

Visitor Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visitor Management - Assignment Example But if he happens to be inside a casino, he'd like to enjoy the latest hip music to be played along. Service quality plays a crucial role in popularizing the tourist spot and generating revenues. Some of the most important aspects of the overall service quality in visitor management are; Policies of the government: Tourist inflows to any tourist site depend on the policies and role of the federal government. For example the ancient monuments of Lord Buddha in Bamiyan (Afghanistan) bore a testimony of inept attitude of the local administration. These towering statues used to be a major tourist attraction and a revenue earner playing a crucial role in the economy of Afghanistan. Coordination with tour operators: Tour operators happen to be a smarter race in understanding the needs of the visitors and they appear to be more accessible. Tour operators can regularly include a tourist spot in the itinerary of the visitors depending upon the kind of facilities he is getting from the management of the tourist spot. To this end, the management may consider offering some discounts in the entrance fees etc. to the tour operator in lieu of consistency in visitor numbers. Operating proper guided tours: The first thing a visitor expects from the management... arly include a tourist spot in the itinerary of the visitors depending upon the kind of facilities he is getting from the management of the tourist spot. To this end, the management may consider offering some discounts in the entrance fees etc. to the tour operator in lieu of consistency in visitor numbers. Operating proper guided tours: The first thing a visitor expects from the management of a tourist spot is understandable signboards and guided tours. The visitors also require refreshments, snacks in the middle of the visit. Therefore restaurants, bars etc. should also be there. But these facilities must be developed as a support to the visits and must not in any way denigrate the ambiance of the site. For example the restaurant and bar must not become a place for partying of the hoodlums. Instead it should cater to the visitor as a place to take some rest and recoup his energy, who feels tired after visiting the site for long hours. Segmenting the visitors and identifying their needs and requirements: The visitor community could be students, archeologists, historians, nature lovers, researchers, Art lovers, young couples, party troupe etc. These different groups need some different types of marketing. Marketing strategy requires that customer's needs and interests be identified and then the visitors be divided into segments depending upon their interests and needs. For example the purpose of researchers in visiting a historical site is to historical facts, archeological features etc. while young students may take the visit as a day out and prefer to enjoy the picnic in their own way. Informative and educative sections for different segments: After having segmented the visitors, the management of site is supposed to devise marketing plan for different groups as per

Reflection - essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reflection - - Essay Example y include water for sanitation use, but also drinking water bottles, and it needs to be known that they are highly expensive across the country, almost around the same price as petrol. We need to take some measures as a country to ensure we utilize water efficiently so as to ensure the resource lasts for a while and our younger one are not deprived of the key resource. To start off with we should limit out use of water, which sheds light on our fist R-Reduce (Roca and Curto, 2007). WE can do this by only consuming water when required, switching off taps when the water is not in use and placing fines on wastage of water. The second R-Reuse tells us to reuse the water rather than wasting used water. To think of it, water used by human can be used for watering soils amongst other things. Also drainage water should be stored and diverted to where it can be used, rather than supplying fresh water. The third and final R is Recycle and focuses on recycling water once it has been used. The water used up can be recycled by plants that can be setup by the UAE government, and then be supplied to the people living in UAE. While its acceptability may cause questions, people sh ould be explained about its benefits to the society as a whole and its use should be

Personal Budget Case Study

Personal Budget Case Study Personal Budget Suggestion As my personal budget table is shown, my total income is all from my parents’ contribution per month. I have not done a part-time job. I should consider to find a part-time job and earn some money to reduce the pressure of my parents. Every month I can save some money. In the Future, I could save a lot of money when I get weekly wage from my pat-time job. Therefore, I am able to do a low risk tolerance saving product to earn more interests from banks. I rented a small house that is far from school and charges cheaper rent fee with some friends. It is not convenient for me in term of traffic by walking or taking school bus. In the next chance, I can increase a little bit of rent expenditure for renting a nearer home. In 2014, I have not bought any books because of expensive prices. However, this attitude is not good for studying. Therefore, I decide to expend expenditure on buying books. Every week I will go shopping with friends. I hope that I can reduce the frequency and cut the cost on eating out and buying clothes. Savings Case Study Mr Rutherford is a 50 years old man as company executive. His age is a bit high that he faces to get sick and lose job anytime. His earning is quiet high about  £150000. Therefore, he can make regular savings of  £200 per month. The client is looking for a low risk savings product where his capital is safe and the rate is a bit higher that it can gives more returns to Mr Rutherford. The condition of investment market is not optimistic. According to This is Money Internet, latest inflation figures raised up to 1.3 per cent. However, the prospect of interest rates still hold unchangeable at present (Lambert, S., 2014). Markets and economists have put off expectations of interest rate that it has a first increasing tendency by 0.5 per cent in late 2015 on account of being concerned to â€Å"lowflation†. In developed countries, the forecast which is given by the economists will not come true if inflation happens suddenly and continuously (Lambert, S., 2014). Andrew Haldane, who is the chief economist of the Bank of England, emphasized that the interest rate will rise up gradually in the next year. Moreover, according to a interview with Gavin Thompson, worked in the Bristol Post, the figure of interest rates has sustained around 3 per cent for many years (Lambert, S., 2014). Howard Archer, who works as a chief UK economist, analysts the HIS Global Insight. He said that the Bank of England will not increase interest rates before late 2015, though MPC minutes are impossible to decrease expectations on interest rates tremendously in the November. However, it is probability that interest rate tend to go up slightly around August (Lambert, S., 2014). These are shown that interest rates are still around 3 per cent before late 2015 and they will go up in the future. Nowadays, market is not good for saving. Because rates of many banks can keep still at 3 per cent and saving is low tolerance, Mr Rutherford could do a saving product and prepare for the next year (Lambert, S., 2014). Financial websites is suggested to consult for Mr Rutherford, such as Moneysavingexpert.com and Thisismoney.co.uk. If Mr Rutherford is not able to meet his saving payments, he could buy products of payment protection insurance as consumer protection. According to Money saving expert Internet, the TSB classic Plus current saving account is chosen as it has one of the top interest rates comparing with other products. This account offers 5per cent AER up to  £2000. Arranged overdraft cost is up to  £100 fee free with 19,94% EAR plus  £6 per month fee. Unarranged overdraft fees is  £10 buffer with  £5 per day under  £25,  £10 per day for more than  £25 (max  £80 per month) or  £10 unpaid item fees (max 3 per day). It needs to pay in  £500 per month and register for online banking with paperless statements (Lewis, M., n.d.). Under this product, Mr Rutherford put and keep  £2000 in the account as Calendar month. The future value is  £3591.7 after one year and  £2873.36 after taxation. Loan Case Study Mr Hoy consider to buy a second hand Fiat 500 about  £4000. He looks for a car financing product for it over 2 years period. The product needs to pay 20 per cent taxation. The client is looking for a product which has low risk tolerance, low APR representative rate and low total amount payable. The product could be good for Mr Hoy to buy a second hand car as paying less money and spending less time. Since the Bank of England reduced its Bank Rate by only 0.5 per cent, mortgage and savings rates have reached the lowest point for more than five years. In the bank’ quarterly inflation investigation on Wednesday, the economists and observers have given the surprising forecast that inflation will be possible to fall even much lower, then will stay there for a longer period (Pollock, I., 2014). Due to lower interest rates, it puts more borrowing benefits in the hands of consumers so that borrowing markets turns to control by consumers (Roos, D., n.d.). Because interest rates are so low, it is indicated that savings accounts of consumers will not earn more benefits in a bank. Therefore, consumers could use them to fund into financial products or make contribution into the cost of the car rather than keeping your savings and mortgages at a lower interest rate (â€Å"What’s the best way to finance buying a car?†, n.d.). For Mr Hoy, financial websites are considered to consult, for example, Lovemoney.com, Moneysupermarket.com, Comparethemarket.com and Moneyfacts.co.uk. For Consumer Protection, Mr Hoy could buy a payment protection insurance product. Mr Hoy has the potential risk to loss money when he goes sick lose his job and does not have enough to pay for loan. Payment Protection Insurance aims to help Mr Hoy keeping away from fine charges by paying his loan. Insurers apply to much cheaper PPI than lenders. For Mr Hoy, it is worth making a good decision and buying a PPI by comparing with many products of different companies (â€Å"What is Payment Protection Insurance†, n.d.). The Credit Plus Product is suggested to consider for Mr Hoy. Comparing with other products, this has the lowest Assumed borrowing of  £4,000.00 over 2 years at an annual rate of 4.9% based on a representative rate of 4.9% APR (fixed). Therefore, the 24 monthly repayments is  £175.12 and total amount repayable is  £4,202.88. This product apply to have a current account with CreditPlus because it is just available to current CreditPlus customers . The age of consumers must between 18 and 75. What’s more, consumers will not be charged a fee if they repay this loan and repayment holidays are available with this loan (â€Å"Loans Centre†, n.d.). (Words: 1166) References Lambert, S. (2014). When will interest rates rise? Economists tip no move until late 2015, as ‘lowflation’ concerns dominate. Retrieved from http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-1607881/When-UK-rates-rise.html#ixzz3KC9m1tpd Lewis, M. (n.d.). Best Bank Accounts. Retrieved from http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts#lloyds Loans Centre. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lovemoney.com/loans#/?amount=4000timeQty=2timeUnit=yearsscenario=scenario1predicate=Defaultreverse=falsepage=1shortTerm=false Pollock, I. (2014). Will mortgage and savings rates fall even further?. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30052201 Roos, D. (n.d.). How Interest Rates Work. Retrieved from http://money.howstuffworks.com/interest-rate4.htm What is Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/loans/payment-protection-insurance/guide/ What’s the best way to finance buying a car?. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/whats-the-best-way-to-finance-buying-a-car

A Philosophical Discussion in Contemporary Music: Janes Addiction and Bush :: Music Musical Jane Addiction Bush Essays

A Philosophical Discussion in Contemporary Music: Jane's Addiction and Bush The purpose of this paper is to examine philosophical and theological themes in the work of two modern musical groups. The alternative rock bands Jane’s Addiction and Bush will be the focus of this study. I have chosen these two artists since I have observed what I believe to be contrasting ideas in their work. Perry Farrell was the songwriter for Jane’s Addiction. His band’s release in 1988, titled Nothing’s Shocking contains views on God, man’s place in the world, and instruction on living a life that adheres to Zen philosophical views. Songs on the album include â€Å"Ocean Size," a memoir about how life should be lived; â€Å"Had A Dad," Perry Farrell’s beliefs about God; and â€Å"Ted, Just Admit It...", that will be discussed in more detail below. Bush’s lyrics, written by Gavin Rossdale on the album Sixteen Stone, argue directly with the ideas contained on Nothing’s Shocking. I believe that his song â€Å"Everything Z en† is a response to Perry Farrell’s beliefs. I will first attempt to fit the ideas of Perry Farrell into a philosophical Zen framework. A good starting point is the song â€Å"Ocean Size† that points to the Zen theme of a oneness with nature. The speaker in the song seeks to get beyond his thinking self, and become like the ocean. The almost interminable suffering of human existence is described by Farrell as, â€Å"Like a tooth aching a jawbone† (2:6). He writes of his own human weaknesses, â€Å"I was made with a heart of stone/ to be broken/ with one hard blow." (2:7-9). His frailty contrasts with the strength of nature, â€Å"We’ve seen the ocean/ brake on the shore/ come together with no harm done" (2:10-12). The song’s verse states, â€Å"It ain’t easy living.../ I want to be/ as deep/ as the ocean/ mother ocean" (2:13-17). He calls upon the common theme that words fail to convey the true meanings in Zen with, â€Å"I want to be like the ocean/ no talking/ all action" (2:21-23). In t he words of Lao-tzu â€Å"Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not know† (Watts xii-xiii). Only through an escape from his thinking, talking self can the author can stop experiencing the suffering of being human. Zen themes may be familiar to a student of religion, since they arise from Buddhism. The Buddha, Sidhartha Gautama, is said to have achieved his four noble truths about the nature of existence through meditation.

Polticaal situation of nepal Essay

Introduction The mass movement of April 2006 in Nepal sought to restore parliament for the democratic process to continue and to initiate a peace process for the end of a ten-year long armed conflict. This required the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to join democratic competition which in turn necessitated the devising of a constitution to manage root causes of conflicts afflicting the nation. Hence, a Constituent Assembly (CA) election, that would pave the way for an inclusive state responsive of social diversity and sustainable peace, was seen as the compromise solution among all the political forces. A train of processes and events was thus set off resulting in the advent of current Nepalese politics. A Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed between an alliance of the seven political parties (six after the merger of Nepali Congress and Nepali Congress-Democratic) and the CPN (Maoist) on November 21, 2006. An Interim Constitution drafted and the restored parliament dissolved to pave the way for an interim legislature and interim government that included the CPN (Maoist) in 2007. The ruling seven-party alliance (SPA) announced substantive structural reforms, such as declaration of the country secular, federal and republican. Civilian control of Nepal Army (NA), nationalization of royal property, empowerment of the Premier as head of state, abolition of the national unification day and substitution of the national anthem were announced as time went by. There were also reform measures such as greater inclusiveness regarding marginalized people in the CA, the bureaucracy and police. However, all these measures have allowed a neo-patrimonial regime to incubate, sapping the political will necessary to alter the policy and strategic development vital to transform the â€Å"structural causes of conflicts†. This has hindered efforts for cultural, social, economic and political transformation needed to establish a well-organized virtuous state capable of instituting sound democratic governance. The political transition has remained highly turbulent due to the open-ended nature of the conflict system. It is, therefore, hard to say whether Nepal has actually entered a post-conflict phase. The continuation of high political dynamics in the country now indicates a steady erosion of the writ of state and the low level of constitutional and government’s stability. This has resulted in a new bargaining environment for armed non-state actors and movement-oriented ethno- regional forces thus further  limiting the scope for complex reforms, both involving long-term institutional restructuring and short-term policy interventions. The weakness of state institutions has further spoiled efforts to promote relief to vulnerable sections of the population and address conflict residues. Social movements of marginalized groups– women, Dalits (untouchable underclass), Janajatis (ethnic groups), Aadibasis (indigenous groups) and Madhesis (people living in the southern plains) â €” for identity, proportional representation, federalism and self-determination and insurrectionary activities of two-dozen non-state armed actors have upset the coherence of state-society relations in an unprecedented manner. While the mainstream parties have interest in restructuring the state, the social forces favor restructuring political parties to expand the social base of politics. As a result, the SPA has missed three deadlines (June 14 and 20 and November 22) for the CA elections to draft a new constitution. It was forced to amend the Interim Constitution three times in eight months-(May 9, June 14 and December 18) to give in to rising demands that the political process was exacting and to give in to the voice of various agitating groups. Among the provisions included in the amendments the more significant ones empower the parliament to abolish the monarchy, if found plotting against the CA elections, and declare the country a federal democratic republic, subject to ratification by the elected CA, or even before that by a two-thirds legislators if the King poses a threat to the elections. Despite voices emerging for a space for monarchy and efforts of CPN (Maoist), NC and CPN-UML to woo its suppo rters, King Gynendra remains aloof from the power struggle. All this has not changed the political dynamics for the better. The Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF), a group which organized violent protests in the Tarai where scores of people were killed last year, is demanding a fourth revision of the constitution to address the grievances of the Madhesis. The peace process kept in limbo by the political events appears to have been finally taken up with the 23-point accord reached among the SPA constituents on 23 December. It finally decided that it would establish a high level Peace Council and the six basic pillars of peace within a month. Accordingly, the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal has been assigned to probe into rights violations during past emergency rule, managing cantonments and providing remuneration to Maoist  combatants, return of illegally seized public property, end to forced donation by Maoists, etc. It vows to hold the CA elections by April 10, 2008, has increased the number of seats for CA from 497 to 6 01 and began a common process of electoral socialization through joint mass meetings. The process is marred by mutual accusations. On January 16, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction R. C. Paudel, made a public call on all the agitating groups for dialogue and facilitate CA elections. He has to be more strategic with the ability to strike a balance between achieving the human rights protection objective and responding to changing narratives of discourse, contexts, actors, issues, rules and political priorities. Constituent Assembly Elections The Election Commission (EC) has already published the CA election schedule and enforced the election code of conduct from January 16. The parties contesting it will have to submit their closed list of candidates for proportional representation system by February 22, registration of candidature for direct voting will be opened from February 22 to 25 and the candidates will be given election symbols on March 2. The Interim Constitution recognizes the SPA but says that anyone else willing to register a new political party must submit 10,000 signatures to EC. Many opposition parties – MPRF (Yadav), MPRF (Bishwas), Rastriy Prajatantra Party (RPP)-Nepal, Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), RPP, Nepal Sadbhava Party and Tarai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) have depicted the SPA as undemocratic in spirit and attitude and argued that setting the date for elections without creating a proper security and political environment is meaningless. The MPRF and TMLP blaming the deployment of Special Task Force â€Å"for creating terror in Tarai and helping the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL), have threatened to stage a decisive agitation if their demands are not addressed by January 18. Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), a coalition of 54 ethnic groups, has put its dilemma this way: if it wages its movement, the SPA will be demolished; if not, the SPA refuses to implement the 20-pint accord it signed with the government. The meeting of the high level seven-party coordinating committee, a SPA coordination mechanis m, is currently discussing the possibility of conducting elections in two phases, keeping in mind the security situation in the Tarai. It  decided to request the EC to postpone the implementation of the code of conduct for 15 days so that local bodies can be constituted. Finance Minister R. S. Mahat has requested Nepal’s international development partners to extend an additional assistance of $4.76 million to implement the 23-point accord among the SPA and to hold the elections. At the same time, an influential section of NC has warned of â€Å"Tarai disintegration† if election takes place in two phases. The decision of the government to distribute $15,870 to each legislator for the development of their constituency also stoked the fire of protest in the civil society. The pre-election perk out of the government coffer does not make the election competitive process. It is such controversies that overturned the election apple-cart in the past. A badly designed election can easily foment social divisions, fragment the political sphere, institutionalize sub-national conflicts and embroil the nation into the centrifugal pressure of regional geopolitics. Tarai’s Geopolitics Twenty-two districts in Nepal’s southern plains bordering India constitute the Terai or Madhesh. It is fertile area and is linked to Nepal’s major supply routes to hills. After the declaration of secular state and talk about redistributive land reforms, the glue that bind hill and Tarai communities got lost. The Madhesi movement spearheaded by the MPRF wants the declaration of the Madhesh as an autonomous region, talks with armed Madhesi groups, balanced distribution of state revenue and income to Madhesh, proportional representation in all the governance institutions including the NA, appointment of chief administrators in Madhesh from the Madhesi communities, return weapons captured by Maoists to the concerned people and declaration of those killed during the Madhesh movement as martyrs including compensation for their families. The TMLP has expressed its desire to have its own state organs for the plains. The two radical components of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha ( JTMM) demand international mediators like the UN to resolve their issues and a separate independent state. India’s assertion that â€Å"Tarai’s demands should be addressed,† has provoked a prickly reaction from various political forces. Premier Koirala who had earlier assertion that the â€Å"Tarai problem can be resolved within a minute with India’s cooperation† has led to suspicions about an ‘Indian hand’ in the  unrest. India’s main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, criticizes the Indian government for remaining silent on the collusion of Indian and Nepali communists for creating turmoil in both countries and quashing of the symbols of Nepal’s stability and unity-Hindu state and monarchy. An open border with India, existence of co-ethnics across the border and affiliation of each group and political party with like-minded ones in India create a context in which resolution of conflict requires confidence-building measures from both sides. The violent conflict in the Tarai has forced the hill people to migrate to safe places and create their own mechanisms in the area, like the Chure Bhavar Unity Society (CBUS) that positions itself in the foothills border ing the Terai and the mountains, for autonomy and self-defense. The autonomy movement in the Madhesh has snowballed into ethnic Tharus, Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Gurungs, Magars, Dalits and Newars also demanding autonomous federal states based on the right to self-determination. But, there is no unity among Madhesi groups due to their multiple caste, language, religious and ethnic identities. For example, TMLP leadership is dominated by high caste groups, MPRF by intermediary caste groups and JTMM by lower caste groups. The government’s Special Task Force (STF), deployed in Kathmandu and eight Terai districts, has failed to penetrate, divide and destroy criminal networks and create public security for local governance to operate. Nepal’s problems cannot be tackled without taking this regionalism into account and identifying ways to address it. No matter how one looks at this problem, it seems obvious that there is no military solution. The political package must create a situation favorable to all groups where they see they have more t o gain through peace than violence. An election in a security and authority vacuum will neither have legitimacy nor ability to institutionalize democratic polity. Law and Order The Nepalese army has expressed its commitment to democracy and a nationally-owned security sector reforms. But, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. R. Katawal clearly said â€Å"No† to integrate the CPN (Maoist) combatants. The UN has verified 19,602 politically indoctrinated People’s Liberation Army (PLA) out of its total force of over 32,000. Premier G. P Koirala agrees with the army’s viewpoint and has given options to Maoists- to integrate the PLA into  industrial security groups or give them priority in foreign employment. Nepal’s total strength of security forces stands at 165,000– NA (92,000), the civilian police (48,000) and Armed Police Force (25,000). The NA is holed up inside barracks as per the peace accord. The existence of these two adversarial structures does not provide any incentive for confidence building and to pursue a viable peace process for the future. Similarly, without disarming all autonomous armed groups and improving civil-milit ary relations, the chances of free and fair elections remain fragile. Erosion of state monopoly on power, taxation and loyalty of citizens, growth of competitive violence and failure of statehood in governance have confiscated the state’s capacity to provide security in the country. As a result the ability of the political system to maintain balance of power between different governance organs is severely undermined which is telling on its capacity to enforce rule of law, provide service delivery and resolve the multi-layered conflict. SPA’s control over the legislature, the executive control over the judiciary and a lack of legitimate opposition have established monopoly rule. There is an absence of institutions protecting property rights and promotion of collective goods. Nepal has a very weak middle class and poor mediating agencies to protect the rights and welfare of the poor. Tax contributes 12 percent to GDP and the contribution of public sector output to GDP is only about 7 percent. Foreign aid constitutes 70 percent of developmen t outlays. Domestic revenue raising capacity is very poor. Easy borrowing from international institutions has established the government’s autonomy from their tax paying citizens. As a result, the government is less concerned with institutional capacity of the state to deliver governance goals. The substantial contribution of remittance to GDP (17 percent) too has detrimental effect on the accountability of government. GDP growth rate of 2.3 percent hardly balances out the population growth of 2.2 percent. The daily per capita income of $ 1 puts Nepal’s human security condition at the bottom of world development statistics. Feudalism, caste hierarchy and patriarchy have suppressed social mobility of the underclass. This lack of social and economic security has made Nepal’s politics highly inflammable amidst radical appeals and growing frustration. Nepal’s bureaucracy, police and public institutions are highly politicized along partisan lines, de-motivated, show poor esprit de corps and weak to enforce  rule of law and deliver essential public services. â€Å"The rulers have no trust in the constitution, leading to its failure,† Ch airman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, Laxman Aryal said on January 15. To him, the constitution emerged as a compromise among SPA constituents for the transition politics until the CA election is conducted. It, therefore, does not hold the principles of constitutionalism. He added, â€Å"We saw nothing during its first year, but chaos and deterioration of law and order.† This condition has made national integrity system ineffective in controlling crime, corruption and impunity. Public institutions and enterprises are still monopolized by ruling parties. Sense of public trust in the authority, assuming that the government is trustworthy and acting in the public interest, is sharply declining. Lack of a boundary between leaders’ personal and institutional interests has given birth to a political culture of clientalism although new social movements of women, youth, Dalits, indigenous people and ethnic groups are increasingly challenging the position of authority fixed at birth, lineage and patronage. They are seeking to remold the pre-modern political culture of mutual distrust, betrayal and revenge and into post-conflict modern culture of a shared future based on social justice, democracy and peace. Voice and Participation of Marginalized The struggle for human rights in Nepal for liberation, entitlements and social opportunities still remains unfinished. Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal (NHRC) K. N. Upadhaya stresses the need for joint efforts among the human rights organizations and individuals to mitigate human rights violations in an effective manner. The government’s presence is felt to some extent only in Kathmandu and some urban nodes. Killing, kidnapping, extortion, strikes, food shortages, rocketing prices, shrinking job opportunities and growing fear have deteriorated human rights conditions in the periphery. Last year, 130 civilians got killed by various forces. Seventy-two political parties have applied in the EC for registration. This number represents asymmetry and diversity in Nepalese social life. A number of social groups are struggling for social, gender and inter-generational justice in the party structure of mainstream parties. Internal party democracy is essential t o make political power proportional  to its representativeness and end the fissiparous tendencies that have sapped their social integration potential. The country has 102 ethnic groups and more than 82 languages. No single group claims more than 18 percent of the population. This means it is a country of minorities and there is no institutional mechanism to prevent the minority from becoming a majority. Civil society groups are columnized along partisan lines. This condition has marred the possibilities for cooperative action for public service. Despite the legislation of the Right to Information Act, the media is unevenly distributed just like the per capita income and, therefore, people of backward and remote areas have no access to the public sphere in shaping the agenda. In contrast, the apex body of media persons, Nepal Federation of Journalists, revealed the condition of media freedom this way: Between April 24, 2006 to December 1, 2007 one journalist was killed, one disappeared, 74 detained and 128 threatened. There were 203 attacks on media houses, 129 journalists lost their jobs and 55 media houses were shut down. Engageme nt of the International Community For an international community caught in a fluid political climate, it will be hard to enlarge the development space as agreed in the Basic Operating Guidelines (BOG), other than relief and humanitarian supplies. The presence of the international community in Nepal acts as a deterrence against excessive use of violence and abuse of human rights. Japan has put Nepal in the category of a â€Å"fragile state.† By definition, a fragile state creates a situation for humanitarian intervention owing to anarchy of free wills, poor governance and failure to enforce rule of law. India has often insisted that elections to the CA must take place on time at any cost, but remained silent when the SPA failed to create a favorable security and law and order situation. The European Union and the US are insisting that the security situation in Nepal must improve for a credible, free and fair election. On January 18, the US Ambassador to Nepal, Nancy J. Powell suggesting the government and political parties to fulfill earlier commitments made in the peace accord said, â€Å"The CA polls will not guarantee sustainable peace in Nepal. What is necessary for the sustainable peace is loyalty to the nation.† On January 11, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon submitted his report to the UN Security Council proposing a six-month extension of UNMIN’s  mandate to support Nepal’s peace process through CA elections. He has advised against downscaling the UN’s presence, emphasizing that it could imperil prospects for a successful election, except in the cases of technical assistance which has already been provided. The UN too favors a credible CA election with improved security, government’s engagement in a dialogue with disgrunt led groups and abolition of the culture of impunity. Unlike the EU, however, India, the US and China have geopolitical priorities. India’s role in bringing the SPA together against the ‘monarchy’ in November 2005 and their joint struggle forced King Gyanendra to hand over power to the political parties. As the SPA established their monopoly over power and resources but failed to maintain security and rule of law, it evoked the security concern of neighbors. China has voiced against â€Å"any foreign intervention in Nepal,† showed interest to actively involve itself in Nepal’s peace process, expressed anxiety about the events taking place in the Tarai and asked the Nepalese leaders to take independent decisions depending less on outside forces. Aid coordination and coordination of government-donor practices have become particularly important in Nepal, especially to engage both sides in abolishing the historical practice of clientalism and paternalism, building trust on each other’s role and engaging in multi-dimensional aspects of the peace-process, such as state-building, support to constitution-making, transport, communication, energy development, education, agriculture, rural development, water supply, finance, health and sanitation and sustainable development. Conflict mitigation projects should involve rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructure and internally displaced people, rural reconstruction and eradication of the root causes of mal-development which, in the first place, triggered the cycle of conflict. Expectation of People at the Grassroots Level The media and the political leaders have generated unrealistic expectations among the population that the CA is the panacea that will fulfill all their needs and desires. It was important to cast the message that CA is meant to frame a draft of the constitution and the necessary laws for governance. People at the grassroots level are expecting informed and reason-based knowledge about the constitution-making process, the suitability of the  election system, improvement in security and are concerned about political stability, cooperation from outside, avoidance of unnecessary foreign intervention, knowledge about the modern state, functions of political systems, government, political parties and leadership, enfranchisement of citizens and their stake-holding in public institutions, social cohesion, support in education, health and economic activities and social justice. Minorities are increasingly questioning about their human rights in a majority dominated federal state. They want to know about their role in the multi-staged negotiation with the CA, suitability of federalism, concept of a republic and the vision of a New Nepal. Ordinary people also ask about the mixed election system that has been adopted and which presents a new challenge- what with the twin-ballot paper for voters and administration. FES training series on civic education has created a synergy as demands for such activities from various quarters have increased, advocacy documents have been utilized by all sides, resource persons interviewed by the media and published in the local papers. They were even involved in non-partners’ activities with the same advocacy resources. In general, our programs have strengthened the civic competence of citizens as they can debate on equal terms with their leaders and contest their view points. In many conflict-hit places, our activities provided space for dialogue among heterogeneous participants and directly contributed to building public opinion, democratic will-formation and reconciliation. We also tried to encourage participants to speak up and share their views rather than just receiving top-down dissemination of knowledge and information. In many places, they suggested to us to provide training to central level leadership and demanded more seminars in the districts and villages so that dialogues across diverse communities can build trust between conflict-torn societal groups and improve their relations with the state. Road Ahead A credible, free and fair election depends on the ability of the political parties to create a secure environment for political actors and voters, cross-party consensus on security plans in the Tarai, engagement of movement-oriented and armed non-state actors opposed to the elections in constructive dialogues to address their outstanding grievances, dispelling the threat of pro-monarchy forces through inclusive measures and a common  process of socialization and goal-orientation towards democratic peace. What happens if elections do not take place on April 10? In case the CA election does not take place as scheduled, then this constitution, parliament and government will suffer from legitimacy deficit. The first scenario is well articulated by Minister without Portfolio Sujata Korala, â€Å"The constitution of 1991 will return.† This will satisfy the traditional forces and its resistance to change. But, there will be a dangerous polarization between the radical and the conservative forces. The second scenario is the creation of a civilian government with the backing of NA. A CPN (Maoist) ideologue calls it a â€Å"democratic coup,† because civilian politicians, not the King, will be utilized. A lot of things depend on the move of the international community because Nepal is an aid-dependent country and its policy, power and legitimacy flow from it. Similarly, it requires to win the confidence of India, the US and China as they are geo-strategically enmeshed in Nepal’s internal developments. A group of civil society and opposition parties are opting for a broad-based national government to hold elections. The third scenario seems optimally satisfactory if the major insurgent groups are engaged in dialogue and national consensus. Civil society groups should serve as a mediating ground for all pol itical perspectives and mobilize national and global