Autobiography Essay Essay Example for Free

Autobiography Essay Essay Many people in today’s society think just because I am a young lady I have an easy fun filled life. Well, that is not true. Life has many ups and downs but it is up to us whether we want it to be a successful one or not. Life is filled with obstacles for us to overcome no matter how tragic. Back in 2009, the most unexpected tragedy I thought that would never happen occurred. My grandfather died in September and my grandmother died in December. It was a hard and difficult time for me because they both died within a matter of four months apart from each other. Another incident occurred that was almost fatal. My brother was involved in a car accident in Kemp Road last year May. The accident was so horrific, the right side of his body was paralyzed. He had to do therapy at Doctors Hospital so he could drive and walk properly again. Sometime in everyone’s life, they are either nervous or scared to take an examination. I had my experience of nervousness when I had to take my national examination. In the Bahamas, the national examination is a test students would have to take for the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (B.G.C.S.E.) or the Bahamas Junior Certificate (B.J.C.). The exam I had to take was Music which consists of theory and a practical exam. Theory means to listen to a musical piece and answer questions about it and practical means to play a musical piece. When it was my turn to perform my musical piece, I panicked but I tried my best to keep calm. Yes, millions of butterflies were in my stomach just like any other person would have before a big exam like that one. As I played my piece, the millions of butterflies I was experiencing were decreasing by each note I played. By the time as I finished playing my piece, I was confident I passed and I did with a B. One of my greatest successes I achieved in my life is graduating from Aquinas College Catholic High School and receiving my diploma. I was very  satisfied with my accomplishment and achievement and made my parents proud. My other success in life is obtaining my driver’s license. For a teenager, having your license is a big deal because it is one step closer to freedom. Most persons could not say they have their first godchild until the age of 30, but I had the privilege of having my first godchild at the age of 16. Her name is Danielle Rigby and she is my pride and joy. Some other successes in my life are cooking and playing the flute from the age of 10, playing my clarinet from the age of 15 and being accepted into the great Bethune Cookman University. Some of the Bahamian dishes I can make are curry chicken and white rice, friend plankton, potato salad, BBQ ribs, minced lobster and many more. I have been playing the flute for nine years and counting, and I treat it just like a young baby. My future goals and aspirations are to graduate from college with honors, obtain a career where I can prove I am worth being there by working to the best of my ability and having a family of my own someday. All of these things I went through to become the young lady I am today. This is my life, my story.

Grocery Retail Market Analysis Essay Example for Free

Grocery Retail Market Analysis Essay Grocery retailing in the US is a very mature, saturated market. Consumers will, however always need to buy food. The industry is generally a high volume/low margin market, which is made up of over 65,000 supermarkets, hypermarkets, and grocery stores combining for annual revenues of about $938 billion. The necessity of effective supply chain management, keeping costs low, has resulted in an extreme concentration of the market, where the top 20 competitors generate over 67% of the industry annual revenue. Wal-Mart, which is considered to be a hypermarket, leads in grocery retailing with 225. 12 billion sales resulting in 24% value share during 2010. The second and third leading grocery retailers in the US are Kroger and Supervalu with 76.7 billion (7%) and 40.8 billion (4%) 2010 sales (value shares), respectively. (GMID Global Market Information Database) The industry is made up of four types of channels, consisting of supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, and convenience stores. Supermarkets are the largest channel and continue to appeal to shoppers because of the proximity to their homes and workplaces. Hypermarkets, which include Wal-Mart, are predicted to be the fastest growing channel and although are often less convenient for consumers than other grocery outlets, many believe it is worth the trip to save some money and are willing to drive a bit further to visit hypermarkets. Discounters offer a low-cost option for consumers by streamlining many operations. Finally, Convenience stores are known for quick shopping trips, but consumers typically do not think of convenience stores as a place to stock up on groceries. Grocery retailing as a whole grew by 2% in 2010, however the discounters experienced the strongest growth of 6%. Retailers in the discounters channel generally hold smaller inventories and tend to carry only a single brand of each item to keep costs low. The uncharacteristically strong growth in 2010 was due in large part to the expansion of Aldi throughout the US. After seeing considerable success in 2009, Aldi decided to expand its presence in the US and reported 68 billion in 2010 sales (Hoovers). Along with the growth in 2010, the number of grocery outlets declined by 1% in the US. During this year the consumer purchasing habits changed, resulting in shoppers making more trips to the grocery store each week and spending slightly more. Shoppers are spending 1.5 percent more weekly on groceries, bring the average to $99.90, but are spending less at their primary grocery store. At these stores the share of total grocery dollars spent fell to 75.4 percent in 2010 from 76.6 percent in 2009 according to the 2010 US Grocery Shopper Trends report by the Food Marketing Institute. The busy and fully scheduled American lifestyle leaves consumers constantly seeking convenient shopping solutions, and grocery retailing is no exception. However, with the recession in 2009, consumers focused more on value and price than on convenience. Consumers have become more willing to go out of their way to drive to and find venues that offer lower prices. This has resulted in intense price-based competition from mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs. In 2010, competition intensified across channels within the grocery retailing sector. As hypermarkets and discounters took share away from supermarkets in 2009, many supermarkets reacted by opening new formats or lowering prices in 2010 to win back consumers. Several national supermarket chains discounted prices and expanded their private label offerings. Coupon use also grew significantly in 2009 and 2010, as consumers became more comfortable looking for and using coupons (GMID Global Market Information Database). Additionally, the channel shifting caused by the economic downturn caused many new trends to help lure customers back and retain loyal customers. Many supermarkets are offering greater incentives through loyalty cards, while others are expanding product selections and focusing on the growing Hispanic population in the US. Primarily supermarkets have begun employing dieticians to be on-site in stores focusing on health and wellness. Consumers can ask dieticians questions about specific conditions and help find the right products. Another factor that will greatly affect this channel is the growth of grocery delivery in the US. Peapod currently operates in several markets, as does Safeway. Sears and Meijer both announced plans to test grocery delivery in certain cities, while Publix is testing curb-side pick-up.

Reflective Assessment on Communicative Nursing

Reflective Assessment on Communicative Nursing Explain why communication is important in nursing and using a reflective framework, describe how communication skills were used in practice specifically related to the use of the nursing process. In this essay communication will be defined from a general and a clinical point of view in order to point the differences, if this is the case. The aspects and channels involved in the communication process will be briefly explored in order to show their influence, studied by Kenworhty et al (2001). With all this points considered the importance of communication in nursing will be portrayed. Following this first part, the reflective cycle developed by Gibbs (1988) (see appendix 1) will be used to evaluate and analyze a nurse to client interaction during in one of the stages of the nursing process, in order to describe how communication skills were applied in practice. Furthermore, these skills will be related to the importance of a nursing practice framework and its relevance to the current nursing standards and policies. Watzlawick et al (1968) cited by Kenworthy et al (2001) has argued that individuals have the need to interact with each other and communication is the tool to achieve. Communication defined by Collins School Dictionary (2005). Communication is the process by which people or animals exchange information, this definition is a very general, it does not explain the process, aim or influences that communication carries. Instead Sheldon (2005) explains it as sharing health-related data, a process where nurse and client are sources and receivers of information. Sheldon (2005) remarks different ways to communicate such as: verbal and non-verbal or written and spoken. Finally, Sheldon (2005) suggests that nurse-client communication is not only sharing information but also building a relationship. Both definitions describe the process of passing information, although the second one analyzes more in depth about how messages can be transmitted and imply that information-exchange varies in differ ent ambits. Sheldon (2005) adds that the communication which builds relationship is an important factor in healthcare. This point raises questions about how and what factors influence a communication process. There are 6 aspects of communication presented by White (2000): sender, receiver, message, channel, feedback and influences. The sender is the nurse and the receiver could be a client (or a colleague). The message is the information being sent. This message is dispatched through different channels, such as verbal, visual or kinaesthetic. The feedback is the reaction of the receiver to the sent message. This helps the sender to identify whether the message is being understood properly or it has to be resend. Finally, the influences are culture, education, emotion and expectations from the interaction. This aspects can be included in 4 types of communication as explored by Craven and Hirnle (2006). The first is written. It is based on recording or informing others about a situation or an incident occurred during a workday. This is a nurses key role and it is very important for the patients care. The second type is verbal. This is sometimes a h3 alliance and other times a weapon that might cause long-lasting misjudgement regarding the health workers presented by Stulhmiller (2000) cited by Craven and Hirnle (2006). The third is non-verbal: gestures, facial expression, space, voice tone and volume play a very important role in communication. Craven and Hirnle (2006) argues that this type is as important as the verbal. Contradictorily Druckman et al (1982) found that non-verbal communication carries more weight and has a deeper influence than verbal statements. The last type communication described by Craven and Hirnle (2006) is meta-communication. It is involves everything that is ha ppening while the communication process is taking part. It ranges from the nurse as a worker to the hospital as a building and passing through other issues such as privacy or past experiences. While caring for a client a nurse takes up several responsibilities and roles. There are six roles that usually can be found, studied by Peplau (1952) cited by Sheldon (2005) (see appendix 2). All these roles involve working towards a patient centred philosophy, defined by the NMC code of practice (2008). Nearly every type and channel of communication is referred throughout the entire document. A nurse looks after patients rights and needs, making sure all information is provided before undertaking a treatment or when working in the primary care field. A nurse belongs to a team (the healthcare workers) therefore findings should be recorded and transmitted accurately to ensure that colleagues or services are aware of any changes on the clients situation, as reflected on the NMC code of practice (2008). All these aspects involve communication, therefore a nurse is a communicator, sometimes a sender and sometimes a receiver of the information, viewed Craven and Hirnle (2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All the aspects of communication should be practiced during every minute of a shift, highlighted by Thomas (2004). However, Thomas (2004) points out that there is good and also bad communication. For example bad communication is when a client is given too much or misleading information or private and confidential data is shared with people not involved in the clients care needs (in this case the clients consent is needed before giving information to non-care professionals). This practice violates the clients ri ghts. Although it is still communication, these actions break the NMC code of practice (2008) and the Fundamentals of Care (2003). For example, the client is given too much information or misleading information. Following this explanation about the importance of communication in nursing, I will use the Gibbs reflective cycle (1988) (see appendix 1) in order to identify communication skills and their importance in practice. Description: Focused on the admission process. Mrs. V. arrived to the ward on Thursday morning. She was confused and a bit agitated as she believed she was going shopping and never expected to be in hospital. However, her son had brought her to the ward for a 3 weeks respite while he was on holidays. Firstly the qualified nurse in charge introduced himself politely, extending his hand and asking: Welcome the ward I am M., your named nurse, how would you like to be called? Mrs. V. answered: Everybody calls me Mrs. V.. Afterwards the nurse invited her into the office, where he was going to carry out the admission process. The nurse introduced me as a student and asked Mrs. V. whether she minded my presence during the admission. Mrs. V. did not mind and did not look unoccupied about me. The nurse closed the office door and transferred the calls to the other office making sure no one was going to interrupt the admission process. The nurse sat next to Mrs. V., kept relaxed and opened body position and showed a friendly attitude. This was achieved by smiling, making her comfortable by offering a chair, also by respecting the spacing boundaries and by showing interest. The nurse explained what was going to happen during the assessment, the importance of it and reasons why it was done. T he nurse made sure that Mrs. V. was aware that if she did not feel confident answering any questions, that was not going to be a problem and it was her choice and right not to answer. Once Mrs. V. understood and agreed with the way the assessment was going to be done, the nurse started to ask question regarding her daily living activities and lifestyle. Although, the nurse had read her notes forehand, he wanted to gain further information about Mrs. Vs physical health, past treatments or any difficulties when walking or standing up and to get a general picture of her. Mrs. V. was hesitant about many answers and was unsure about some past events. During this first encounter she had said several times she thought she was going shopping. The nurse patiently re-phrased the same idea (your son brought you here, where you will stay the next 3 weeks for a respite ) and she kept agreeing, however she would again ask about shopping. Along the assessment the nurse had been taking some notes, he always kept eye contact and formulated open questions as well as closed ones. The nurse agreed verbally and non-verbally by nodding with the head, rephrasing what it was being said and showing interest in what Mrs. V. was saying and the way she expressed it. Following this interaction, the nurse invited Mrs. V. to come out of the office to be introduced to the staff on-duty and to show the bedroom where she was going to spend the following 3 weeks. Once Mrs. V. was familiarized with the ward layout, the nursing staff helped her to put her cloths away and put her toiletries in a named box. Mrs. V., afterwards she happily sat in the living room and started to interact with the staff and other patients. Feelings: When Mrs. V. was admitted I felt that the nurse was very welcoming, respectful and thoughtful when interacting with the client. Moreover, the nurse had introduced all the ward staff on-duty by their names and I was introduced as a student, and consequently Mrs. V. was asked to give her consent for me to be in the admission process. I thought this was a homely and natural way of starting Mrs. Vs stay and she seemed less tense about the situation and settled into the ward routine quicker as she could recognize all the staff. I was amazed to see the nurses good communications skills and the way they were used. The nurse, via verbal and non-verbal communication, helped Mrs. V. to feel like at home and built trust in a very short period of time. Evaluation: The nurse demonstrated his knowledge of the client rights, the Fundaments of Care (2003) and the NMC code of practice (2008). This was shown by treating Mrs. V. as an individual, asking her how she wishes to be address, requesting her consent for others to participate during the first stage of her stay (myself in this case), ensuring that information was given at all the time, respecting privacy and confidentiality, being patient with her feelings and assessing her situation as a whole. During the intervention the nurse interacted with the client using genuineness and unconditional positive regard, developed by Roger (1961) cites by Sheldon (2005). These were mostly applied along the admission assessment in the office, although genuineness was a part of the whole process of the admission. This could be found in the behaviour of the staff towards the first encounter with the client. Here the nurse acts with honesty and respect towards Mrs. V., building confidence and clarifying his willing to help and understand the clients needs and feelings. The nurse also compiled all information of the admission process in the appropriated manner, so other members of the service or external agencies involved in Mrs. V.s care can access accurately when preparing further interventions, such as physiotherapist appointment or O.T. team visits. Furthermore, all the members of the staff on-duty and the ones coming onto the next shift were appropriately informed about the admission, following the NMC code of practice (2008) by record keeping and sharing information procedures. Consequently, Mrs. V. care could be kept save and carried out as planned by other members of the team. I could not see any weaknesses through this intervention. I believe there were many positives aspects, as I tried to evaluate them above. Overall, I think communication skills were used appropriately to ensure the comfort of the client and to undertake the nurses duty of care. Analysis: Firstly, I understand the need to apply the nursing process in the caring set in order to recognize individual needs and capabilities. This was described by Arets and Morle (1995) cited by Holland et al (2003) as a systematic problem solving method (see appendix 3). Despite that assessing is a constant activity that a nurse should undertake on daily basis as needs or strengths of a client might change, exposed by Roper et al (2000), I will focus this analysis on assessment as a single action during the nursing process. Here the nurse is responsible to recognize and identify the patients problems, needs and capacities through observation and verbal communication. This stage involves data collection. This was done by using Roper et al (1996) Daily Activities of Living assessing tool (See appendix 4). For the purpose of this analysis the next daily activities of living (dying, breathing and circulation, expressing sexuality and controlling body temperature) will not be included as they were not discussed during the admission assessment. However, body temperature was taken as a routine check in conjunction with other body indicators measurements. In order to assess verbally Mrs. Vs capacity, the nurse asked closed and opened questions. The advantages of these types of questions as suggested by Sheldon (2005) are data is easily gathered, assessment of information is more complete, acknowledge of the clients experience and also summarizing the assessment feedback is more explicit (See appendix 5). Regarding the observational data collection Holland et al (2003) give some questions that can be asked to one self for the daily activities of living assessment of Roper et al (1996) (See appendix 6). Also here it is highlighted the need to use a framework to systematically gather information in order to find or foresee possible problems. Secondly, the nurse maintained a consistent approach when talking with Mrs. V. or asking for feedback about the information that was being given. White (2000) describes 6 aspects of communication. These are part of the whole interaction. Sometimes communication is influenced by falling into elderly people stereotypes, which may make them feel treated as simpleton or as child. Ellis et al (2003) explains this as the tendency to modify the language when speaking. It can be done by using baby talk, raising the voice when an elderly is hearing impaired or by using invalidating statements. From the way the nurse assessed Mrs. V., I did not notice any commentary or behaviour that involved a misconception of the clients intellectual capability. This is reflected on the description part when the nurse reinforces to Mrs. V. that she can take all the time she needs and also when explaining to her things in different ways. These 2 behaviours are a sign of good nursing practice when collaboratin g with the people in a nurse care, described in the NMC code of practice (2008). Thirdly, the nurse applied a holistic model of nursing when assessing Mrs. V. In this case the nurse used the Roper et al (1996) assessing tool, as mentioned above. The nurse treated the assessment as a very important part of Mrs. V.s respite. The nurse allowed time for Mrs. V. to express her thoughts and worries freely, privately and without interruptions. The nurse had prepare the admission assessment priory to Mrs. V.s arrival, this helped to exclude note reading during the assessment and to allow more time for the nurse-client relationship building. During the assessment the nurse applied the nursing literature and used a framework to gather information, and took some notes but this did not take over the communication process. But this is not always possible, as Jones (2007) found out the admission process is likely to differ from the standards and policies in nursing literature. However, the nurse was able to conduct the admission assessment with enough time, as Mrs. V. was the only admission for that day, so the nurse has no timing pressure. This was very adequate because Mrs. V. was taking out of her daily routine for a long time of period therefore she had to be assessed conscientiously. All the techniques and models the nurse was using during the assessment highlight the importance to keep up to date knowledge and skills. This is reflected in the NMC code of practice (2008) in order to work towards delivering high standard personalized care. Conclusion: The admission assessment was carried out following the procedures laid by the NMC. The nurse showed acknowledgement of his role and responsibilities as a professional, as well as a broad usage of interviewing and counselling techniques. Furthermore, the nurse applied a holistic nursing model theory to practice. Each of these points illustrated how the first stage of the nursing process was handled and also the importance of communication skills in the nursing profession. Action Plan: At this stage of the nursing course, I realize the importance of the nursing process and how nursing literature is related to practice. In the future admission process where I will be involved in, whether as an observer or assessor, I will try to bring forward the relevant literature and theories studied, in order to improve my practice an enhance the clients care. In conclusion, communication is a process of transmitting and receiving information. This process involves several aspects, one of them are the channels. These are widely used in nursing and are key points for the nursing process. As a nurse engages in its roles the honesty and reliability in communication grows and is achieved with a client. Consequently, the care is delivered as individualized as possible and the clients needs are identified and met. Communication in nursing is important in order to listen, understand, inform, explain, feedback and update a client, therefore the rights, ideologies, choices and backgrounds of the individuals and their families should be prioritized, always complying with the statuary legislation and guidelines. For future improvement of the communication, and the clinical practice, acknowledgement of properly communication methods are essential. In addition to this, professional development and self-awareness should be reached through life long education programs. References: Collins School Dictionary (2005) Glasgow: HarperCollins Publishers. Craven R F and Hirmle C J (2006) Fundamentals of Nursing: Human Health and Function. Philadelphia; Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. (5th edition). Druckman D Rozelle R M Baxter J (1982) Non-verbal Communication: Survey, Theory and Research. London; Sage. Ellis R Gates B Kenworthy N (2003) Interpersonal Communication in Nursing: Theory and Practice. Edinburgh; Churchill Livinstone. Fundamentals of Care (FOC) (2003) Guidance for Health and Social Care Staff: Improving the Quality of Fundamental Aspects of Health and Social Care for Adults. Welsh Assembly Government. Holland K Jenkins J Solomon J Whittam S (2003) Applying Roper-Logan-Tierney Model in Practice: Elements of Nursing. London; Churchill Livingstone. Jones A (2007) Admitting Hospital Patients: a qualitative study of everyday nursing task. Nursing Inquiry. 14 (3) 212-223. Kenworthy N Snowley G Gilling C (2001) Common Foundation Studies in Nursing. Edinburgh; Churchill Livingstone. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008) The Code. (NMC, London) Roper N Logan W Tierney A J (1996) The Elements of Nursing: A Model of Nursing Based on a Model of Living. Edinburgh; Churchill Livingstone. Roper N Logan W Tierney A J (2000) The Roper-Logan-Tierney Model of Nursing: Based on Activities of Daily Living. London; Churchill Livingstone. Sheldon L K (2005) Communication for Nurses: Talking with Patients. Sudbury; Jones and Bartlett. Thomas L (2004) Good Communication Is About Hearing What Is Unsaid As Much As What Is Said. Nursing Standard.18 (46) 27. White L (2000) Foundations of Nursing: Caring for the Whole Person. New York; Delmar Learning. Appendixes Appendix 1 http://www.nursesnetwork.co.uk/images/reflectivecycle.gif Accessed on 13/01/09 Appendix 2 Peplaus 6 nurses roles cited by Sheldon (2005): Stranger: The nurse receives the client the as a stranger providing a climate that promotes trust. Resource: The nurse gives information, answers questions and interprets clinical information. Teaching: The nurse serves as a teacher to the learner/patient, giving instructions and providing training. Counseling: The nurse provides guidance and encouragement to help the patient integrate his or her current life experience. Surrogate: The nurse works on the patients behalf and helps the patient clarify domains of independence, dependence, and interdependence. Active leadership: The nurse assists the patient in achieving responsibility for treatment goals in mutually satisfying way. Appendix 3 The 4 stages of the nursing process described by Arets and Morle (1995) cited by Holland et al (2003): Assessment Planning Implementation Evaluation Appendix 4 Roper et al (1996) tool which is composed of 12 daily activities of living: Maintaining a safe environment Communication Breathing and Circulation Eating and drinking Elimination Personal hygiene and dressing Controlling body temperature Mobilising Expressing sexuality Social care/family involvement Sleeping Dying Appendix 5 Nurse direct questions: Do you know where you are? / How are you feeling? / Do you know why you are here? Do you cook your own meals? / Have you got a varied diet? / Do you do your own shopping? / Do you have any religious preference? How is your sleeping pattern? / Do you wake up during the night? Do you live on your own? / Do you live in a house or a bungalow? / Does anybody visit you? / Does your son live near you? How do you manage with your daily personal care? / Do you have difficulties on dressing? Appendix 6 Questions suggested by Holland et al (2003) Does the client use a walking aid or wheel chair? How far can the client walk? Has the client the capacity to use both hands? Does the client appear to be reluctant to talk? Is the client able to swallow effectively? Does the client have bones/joints illness? Does the client smoke? How many and how long has the client smoked? Are the cloths clean or dirty? Does the client have a smell? Does the client have skin problems? 2

Film Score Music :: Music Films Musical Essays Soundtrack Sound track

Film Score Music To say that music plays a large role in our society would not do justice to one of the most important and popular art forms of yesterday and today. We underestimate the effectiveness and power that music, in any form , can have over even the most insensitive of people. In almost everything we do and see music is involved in some form or another. Be it a piece played at a wedding, a song played on the radio or even the music played in the background in a television commercial. The music is always there, reminding us of past experiences, making us smile and feel exhilaration and sometimes even making us cry. It is this power that music has over us that film score composers take advantage of when they are writing the music to accompany the movies. As listeners we often do not appreciate that the music that is scored for films or played in films is put there on purpose to create a certain feeling, emphasize a point, give more life to a character or sometimes to simply add humour. What the average moviegoer does not usually realize is that a great deal of time and thought goes into writing the score for a film and choosing the background music for a scene. None of the music is arbitrary; themes and sub themes have been created with specific ideas in mind and have been put in place only to add to the story and the characters. It is also important to acknowledge that the evolution into the type of film scoring that we are accustomed to today was not a quick or easy transition. It has taken almost a century to develop the specific techniques that are used in todays films. When the first moving pictures were seen they were known as silent films, although they were not actually silent. They contained a very primitive type of musical accompaniment that laid the foundation for what was to later develop. As time passed the type of music found in films developed into a fine art containing specific guidelines and techniques that most composers tend to follow. The average person does not usually pay astute attention to the music that is being used in a film, however, if it were to not be there the films would seem empty and as if something was missing. The actors, the writing and the direction is what is primarily noticed in a film but the music is the inconspicuous supporter of all

The Ostler by Wilkie Collins and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck :: English Literature

The Ostler by Wilkie Collins and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. 'The Ostler' was written by Wilkie Collins (1824-89), a Victorian novelist. Collins' work became popular because he wrote plots that often included mystery, suspense and crime. His stories always had extremely well constructed plots. Collins also reflected the Victorian era's interest in gothic stories. These are stories that contain supernatural or horror themes. Readers at this time enjoyed stories like 'The Ostler' and other work by Wilkie Collins like 'The Moonstone' and 'The Woman in White', although sometimes the events were a little far-fetched and improbable.'The Ostler' supports this, as it is improbable that a hallucination could in fact come to life. John Steinbeck (1902-68) was born in California and used the state as the background to his early stories and novels. Steinbeck, like his characters George and Lennie, had worked on a ranch like the one in 'Of Mice and Men'. He was shocked by the plight of many agricultural workers, whose lives were thrown into disorder during the depression in farming. This occurred in California, during the 1930's. Steinbeck's novella, 'Of Mice and Men' is effective as he was able to describe in depth the emotions that those who worked hard on the land felt. He was able to empathise with his characters, as he had experienced these hardships himself. This means that readers are able to sympathise with the workers far more. The book, at the time, was an extremely successful way to draw attention to a serious issue. Although the book doesn't dictate the rights of workers, nor bombard you with figures, the situation of the men on the ranches is still portrayed effectively. The message still gets across due to Steinbeck's excellent use of the emotions and empathy. Both 'Of Mice and Men' and 'The Ostler' begin with journeys in unpleasant circumstances. In 'The Ostler', the reader first learns of Isaac Scatchard and his 'ill luck'. In fact, Isaac is famous for this and in the story we are told of how Isaac had missed out on another job. Isaac had walked to a large manor house to apply for the job of stable hand. However, Isaac arrived at his destination late at night and thought it best to lodge at an inn. On presenting himself to the gentleman he found that "Only a day before, the stable-helper's place had been given to another man." As Isaac returns to his mother on the long journey home, "The rain came on and the wind began to rise." This is an example of pathetic fallacy. In this case the change in the atmosphere of the text is one towards darkness, of bad and evil.

Learning Team Deliverable Essay

Credibility is the most important part of the group’s discussion last week. The members of the team agreed that credible sources must have a backup make a valid argument otherwise an argument or claims could become an opinion or an invalid argument. One disadvantage of not having credible information is it could tarnish one’s reputation and mistrust from audiences. Once the information has been put out to the public, the receiver or audience could verify the information to ensure that it comes from credible and reliable information. The speaker builds trust among the audiences when a claim or an argument presented are credible information and comes from a trustworthy source. The group also discussed the process of a claim becoming a belief using critical thinking. When a claim occurs, active listeners will analyze the total image of the message. The message image includes the words they heard, the emotion they felt and all the nonverbal cues they saw. They evaluate all the information they received against what they know to be true, to verify the credibility with the claims content and source. When fallacies in the claim get uncovered, they must be further dissected taking out the rhetoric and emotive instigators thus, leaving the contents of a valid argument and a response to the claim formulated. If the response shared, the communication cycle has a chance to circle back to the sender to further argue their claim. The message is successful when a claim is found favorable. Since the internet is where we get most of our information, it is important  to examine the source of the information and ensure factual evidence and not the author’s point of view. In evaluating the credibility of internet sources, one must examine whether information is a fact or the author’s opinion. Does it contain original information or simply just links? Is the information accurate? The information needs to be validated against other reliable resources for comparison and evaluate the author of the information. The author should come from a reputable and known organization in his field of expertise. The website must have a list of biographical information of the author to include his position, education, affiliation, and address. Judging the reliability of sources and site on the internet is crucial since there are no regulating body that monitors its reliability and authenticity. The lists of criteria to consider are as follows; the author or sponsor of the webpage should be identified and have apparent qualifications, must contain a copyright symbol and no obvious reason for biases. Reference Moore, B.N. & Parker, R. (2009). Critical thinking. (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Retrieved from the University of Oklahoma website: http://www.ou.edu/deptcomm/dodjcc/groups/02A/

Marie Ziegler of John Deere Essay

The characteristics of effective sustainable business leadership consist of having a vision of what the business is aiming to attain, seeing the value in the process and providing the leadership to attain the goal. The leadership starts with believing in yourself knowing that your capable of making your dreams come true. John Deere was born on February 7,1804 in Rutland, Vermont. In 1836 John Deere moved to Grand Detour, Illinois to escape from depressing business conditions he had in Vermont. Capable and hard working John Deere used his skills as a blacksmith were instantly in command. John Deere opened his shop in 1837 allowing him to operate as a general repairman as well as a manufacturer of small tools such as pitchforks and shovels. Using a broken saw blade Deere created a plow in the year of 1837. By 1841, Deere produced 100 plows annually. Two years later became an alliance with Leonard Andrus to fabricate more plows to increase demand purchasing a new land for the building of a new two-story factory alongside of the Rock River in Illinois. This factory produced about 400 plows in that same year. Regardless the success, Deere’s alliance with Andrus finished in 1848, when Deere moved to Moline, Illinois which offered advantages of water power, coal and cheaper transportation than to be found in Grand Detour. In 1850, approximately 1600 plows were made, and the company was soon producing other tools to complement its steel plow. In 1858, Deere transferred leadership of the company to his son, Charles, who served as its vice president. John Deere retained the title of president of the company, but now turned his attention to civic and political activities. John Deere was active in public life throughout his career in Moline. Among other roles, he was a founder and president of the National Bank of Moline, was an active member of the First Congregational Church, and served as the city’s mayor for two years. John Deere died on May 17, 1886, at his home in Moline. (â€Å"Past Leaders â€Å", 2014). After the death of John Deere the company was producing a collection of farm tools in addition to plows, plus wagons, corn planters, and cultivators. At the same time the company expanded into the bicycle business during the 1890’s, but the essential focus stayed on agricultural imp lements. Increased  competition during the early 1900s from the new International Harvester Company led the company to expand its offerings in the implement business, but it was the production of gasoline tractors which would come to define Deere & Company’s operations during the twentieth century. After Charles Deere death in 1907, William Butterworth Deere & Company new president started the business expansion into the tractor business. During the years John Deere has been increasing profits as well as production becoming one of the best equipments for farming. According to â€Å"Past Leaders † (2014), (Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services and is committed to the success of customers whose work is linked to the land – those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure. Since 1837, John Deere has delivered innovative products of superior quality, built on a tradition of integrity). As of 2014, Deere & Company employs approximately 67,000 people in 27 countries worldwide, including the United States, Australia, Turkey, Canada, United Kingdom, China, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, India, Poland, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Morocco and South Africa, among many others and is the greatest agriculture machinery company in the world. Inside the United States, the company’s primary locations are its administrative center in Moline, Illinois and manufacturing factories in central and southeastern United States. (â€Å"John Deere†, 2014). Marie Z. Ziegler is Vice President and Treasurer for Deere & Company, a position she’s held since November 2010. Ziegler is responsible for the company’s worldwide treasury and investor relations activities. Ziegler joined Deere & Company in 1978 as a consolidation accountant and has held management positions in finance, treasury operations, strategic planning and investor and banking relations. She served as Director of Investor Relations, and in May 2001, was appointed Vice President, Investor Relations for Deere & Company. (â€Å"John Deere†, 2014). The John Deere portfolio of businesses is varied, yet interrelated. Two of our businesses – Agricultural and Construction equipment – are in an excellent position to take advantage of global growth. Two additional  businesses – Turf and Forestry equipment – support and enhance worldwide channel development. And additional supporting businesses – Financial Services, Power Systems, Parts Services, and the Intelligent Solutions Group – strengthen and differentiate our equipment businesses. Strategy. (2014). The key for John Deere success is having exceptional operating performance, disciplined SVA growth, and aligned high-performance teamwork. These factors direct success for this company as they are important for the future of John Deere as they leverage and create core strengths.. John Deere future successes will require more people working for them. For that reason, they are creating strength in four additional capabilities: Deep Customer Understanding, Delivering Customer Value, World-class Distribution System, and Growing Extraordinary Global Talent. These additional success factors are critical in order to achieve sustainable SVA growth through global growth. Shareholder Value Added (SVA) – the difference between operating profit and pretax cost of capital – is a metric used by John Deere to evaluate business results and measure sustainable performance. Why Invest. (2014). John Deere tracks their progress as they follow their growth goals by monitoring Performance metrics and Health metrics. Performance metrics is the traditional financial measures based on what they deliver to their stakeholders. Health metrics is based on the company’s success factors such as their qualities, attributes, and actions being introduced to ensure the sustainability of our performance over time. Measures of Success.(2014). The â€Å"How† is represented by John Deere core values of Integrity, Quality, Commitment, and Innovation. Customers can see the value of the products and processes. People recognize how John Deere manage an every day business, including the manner of how employees, customers,suppliers, dealers, and stakeholders are taken care of. John Deere core values define them as they come together and distinguish from competitors. John Deere commitment to these core values is optional, and never waivers. Core values.(2014).