Acidity Of Apple Juice In Different Temperature Essays - Fruit Juice

Acidity Of Apple Juice In Different Temperature Acidity of Apple Juice in Different Temperature Question Does temperature effect the pH of apple juice? Hypothesis An increase of the temperature will lower the acidity level of the apple juice. Procedure 1. Fill 2 beakers with 10 ml of apple juice. 2. Heat one of the beakers to 90?. 3. Then add three drops of brom thymal blue to each beaker. 4. Add drops of base in each beaker until a color change has been observed. Data Table-Number of drops needed to neutralize the apple juice Juice Temperature First trial Second Trial Third Trial Average 90? 20? 23? 23? 22? 20? 22? 20? 23? 21.6? Discussion The apple juice changed from yellow to green after 20 to 23 drops of base in both the heated and room temperature juice. Conclusion The data shows that acidity level of the apple juice doesnt change whether its in room temperature or heat our data doesnt support our hypothesis. Science Essays

Evolution of management theory Essay examples

Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of Management Theory Some thoughts In the beginning †¦. Parry opines that the earliest amino acids may been formed by volcanic action (Perry, 2011). Businesses need to look for the opportunities when the environment changes. Then in the ‘primordial soup’, gene sequences that replicated themselves more quickly than other flourished [growth can lead to victory]. Suggested research topic: ‘In the post war period why was the Japanese motorcycle industry successful while the English motorcycle industry failed?’ Starting references: Yamamura E., Sonobe T., Otsuka K., (2005), Time path in innovation, imitation, and growth: the case of the motorcycle industry in post was Japan, Journal of Evolutionary Economics 15: 169-186 Wexel F. C., van Witteloostuijn A., (2005), From Scooters to Choppers: Product Portfolio Change and Organizational Failure: Evidence from the UK Motorcycle Industry 1895 to 1993, Journal of Long range Planning 11.001 Dinosaurs Then the dinosaurs ruled the earth [Size matters]. Not much management theory yet †¦ Dinosaurs ruled the earth for 120 million years. We have so far managed 2 million years. They have been much more successful than us. Suggested research topic: ‘Why did the dinosaur era last so long?’ Starting references: Brusatte S. L., Benton M. J., Ruta M., Lloyd G. T., (2008), The first 50 Myr of dinosaur evolution: macroevolutionary pattern and morphological disparity, biology letters December vol. 4 no. 6 733-736 Cooper R. G., Edgett S. J., Kleinschmidt E. J., (2002), Portfolio Management For New Products, Perseus Publishing, Second Edition Then we had some global cooling, or was it a big bang and the dinosaurs disappeared and the little furry creatures - our ancestors - began their long march. Our furry cousins hunt in gangs. So do we. [Many successful businesses have a team or gang culture] Suggested research topics ‘Teams (gangs) at Work’. Starting references: Warner M., (2013), The Sociology of the Workplace, Routledge Library Editions: Organizations Roman Empire Let us jump forward to the Roman Empire. This ran on procedure manuals developed over hundreds of years. Roman Army Formations The Romans used a variety of battle formations depending on the situation. For an open field conflict, the Romans would place their infantry in the middle with auxiliaries on the right and left sides. Cohorts of calvary formed the rear flanks, and there would be a large reserve of infantry men behind the main force. Another formation was known as the pig's head. The infantry was placed into a wedge-shaped formation and would push into the enemy with a wall of shields. When surrounded, the Romans formed a square formation with interlocking shields. When laying siege to a fort, they used a formation called the tortoise. The soldiers in front and sides interlocked their shields. The soldiers in the back lines placed their shields over their heads to form a protective "shell" over top of the men. "It was so strong that (in training) a chariot could be driven over the top!" (Williams 2003, pg 28). Here are seven specific instructions by Vegetius regarding the layout before battle: 1 On level ground the force is drawn up with a centre, two wings and reserves in the rear. The wings and reserves must be strong enough to prevent any enveloping or outflanking manoeuvre. 2 An oblique battle line with the left wing held back in a defensive position while the right advances to turn the opponent's left flank. Opposition to this move is to strengthen your left wing with cavalry and reserves, but if both sides are successful the battle front would tend to move in an anti-clockwise direction, the effect of which would vary with the nature of the ground. With this in mind it is as well to attempt to stabilize the left wing with the protection of rough or impenetrable ground, while the right wing should

Individual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual analysis - Essay Example Working on my weaknesses and drawbacks would be another key goal that I would like to set for enabling me to achieve my desired career objectives within the speculated time period (DeVol, Shen, Bedroussian and Zhang, 2013). The first goal that I would set in the process of achieving my desired career is to gain an entry level position in a reputed company that works in the investment banking domain. From there on, I would like to keep on learning new skills and enhancing my efficiency in the related area to ensure that I reach a higher position in the company. Moving up the management and corporate ladder can only be done by enforcing suitable discipline and motivation in my daily job role. Thus, the short term career goals would be to enhance my skills and capabilities, the medium term goal would be to look for a proper job in the investment banking sector and the long term goal would be to create a strong position for myself in the company that I would work in (Breannan, 2013). The current competencies and skills that I already possess are strong knowledge in finance and financial management. Also, my background of commerce studies is likely to help me in understanding the basic requirements related to investment banking in any company. I am good at crunching numbers, have sufficient interest in the domain of finance and investment and also possess much relevant knowledge of the banking industry through my college projects and internship experiences. Additionally, the fact that I have sufficient leadership skills, motivational skills and the ability to work in a group makes me a team player as well as a motivator (Schreuder, 2006). This can help me to gain entry into a company and subsequently create an influential position for myself in the same. I am also bestowed with good communication skills, fluency in multiple languages and public speaking, all of which I think would be useful for me at different phases of my career. While I am

American military tortures of prisoners of war Term Paper

American military tortures of prisoners of war - Term Paper Example Since soldiers do not usually divulge information, the military personnel who detain hostiles as prisoners of war use different methods of torture for extracting information. Similarly, during peace time also nations come under threat of terrorist attacks, which is a major problem in nations across the world. Thus, when the military or the law enforcement agencies arrest suspects, they torture them to obtain information. In the modern day the United States of America is one nation that has become the target of many countries due to political as well as religious reasons. Politically, the nation opposes communism and as a result, countries embracing the communist political ideology have become America’s enemies. On the other hand, in religious and political context, the nation is also being targeted by Muslim radical groups. Thus, the American military as well as law enforcement agencies are often forced to resort to torturing prisoners from other nations for extracting informa tion for the purpose of safeguarding the external and internal security of their nation. While there are often allegations about countries engaged in war torturing the prisoners of war and other suspects, the complaints against the US military have been mounting in recent years, especially in the context of their role in Iraq, Afghanistan and in the crackdowns against the Al Qaeda. The general perception is that torture is being meted out by low ranking soldiers but in many cases the evidence has suggested that high ranking officers in both the military and civil administration authorize such atrocities on detainees. It is also noted that while the US government promises to punish those responsible for such acts, only the people at bottom receive the punishment and top ranking leaders get away. One of the major instances of the exposure of US torture on prisoners of war in recent days is the episode in March 28, 2004 when pictures of US soldiers inflicting torture and humiliation on the

The Reason of Enlightenment Essay Example for Free

The Reason of Enlightenment Essay Society today is in a paradox. Everything is infected with sameness and repetition. Every sensual experience of the individual is subjected to standardization. Acceptance is the key in success as the capitalist mode of production continually influences behaviour of the individual as well as society as a whole. The capitalist mode of production becomes a powerful tool in manipulating the masses as well as affecting the creative process of human consciousness. What matters for most cultural industries is not the creativity of products or mere understanding but rather a passive acceptance and monetary return. Society is the subject of the industry as it continually addresses the consumer’s concerns rather than society dictating the flow of the industry. Because of the industry’s ‘customized’ goods, society has no room for imagination, creativity, and understanding since these products already fit the ideal description. The culture industry also delimits the aesthetic aspect of human nature as the arts are also subjected to production and return of profit. The essence of art and creativity is lost and also become mere products of the industry. In Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer’s Dialectics of Enlightenment, the thinkers present a Social Critical Theory of the contemporary society and the adverse ideologies brought about by science, empiricism, and reason, all of which are products of the age of enlightenment. The Development of Critical Theory It is essential to mention the development of Social Critical Theory in lieu of the viewpoint that Adorno and Horkheimer used in their attempt to criticise the false notions brought about by the change in culture and the industry. Social Critical Theory has its roots from the Marxist ideologies that openly criticises the capitalism ideology (Ray 1993: ix). Marxism suggests that there is an imbalance with the structural social class as it is marginally separated by two polar opposites in society: the abusive bourgeoisie, and the proletariat or the working class. Marxist doctrine states that man’s essence is himself, and labour, which is the power to create, is merely an extension. At the presence of labour and society, man becomes a necessity or a commodity. If a poor man who has no material wealth, becomes a mere commodity at the presence of labour and exchanges the only thing he has – his essence. Man becomes for sale, while the rich get richer as they continue to capitalize on the plight of the poor man’s essence. From the Marxist doctrines, this social theory eventually separated into two – the revisionist and orthodox Marxist ideologies which retain the ideals of Marxism but differ in method. Marxist revisionist proposes a bloody revolution for the complete eradication of social classes (Ray 1992). Critical theory attempts to dig deeper into other existing binaries of ideologies and subvert them in such a way that the meta-narratives becomes petite. The rise of the Frankfurt school slightly deviated from the idea of criticising social norms but instead focused on the idea of the Enlightenment which paved the way for the development of science and technology. Frankfurt school thinkers such as Adorno and Horkheimer tackled the idea of the Enlightenment as a false notion in the development of society. The Frankfurt school of thought argues that essence and originality are lost as consumers are placidly fed with the same objects that satisfy them temporarily. The mass-produced products and ideas are transforming society into technocracy and docility – that society’s happiness is based on mass happiness rather than individual and subjective satisfaction. Science and technology ultimately enshrines efficiency and affectivity that dominate political governance so that we see a society ruled by technocrats. The industry forms culture rather than culture forming the industry. Critical Theory plays a significant part on the idea of how society aims to live life everyday. Critical theory also provides an opportunity to criticise fallacious social norms and allows the chance for discourse (Ray 1992). Adorno and Horkheimer In view of Adorno and Horkheimer’s The Dialectics of Enlightenment, the authors offer a clear and definitive implication of the 18th century Enlightenment movement and how it suppressed society in terms of ideologies and production. Enlightenment is understood as the advance of thought that aims to liberate human beings from â€Å"fear and installing them as Masters† (Adorno 1997: 1). This concept also shares similar ideas with Immanuel Kant’s summation of the Enlightenment during the 18th century. â€Å"Dare to Think! † was the banner of reason during those time (Ray 1992: 5). Reason should be used in order to individuate man, to dispel myth, to rid of fear of intellectual docility, and to provide the ability to know. Reason became the main weapon for this intellectual movement, as it attempted to break away from the mystical, dogmatic, and mythological foundations of knowledge. Adorno argues that the Enlightenment’s program was â€Å"to dispel myths, to overthrow fantasy with knowledge† (1997: 1). The formation of reason was a complete deviation from the rebirth of philosophical explorations of the Renaissance, which gave emphasis on the use of classical philosophy from Plato, Aristotle, and such. Enlightenment and reason were the foremost tenets of the movement and arguably countered the use of myth and mysticism as the basis of human knowledge. Reason led to the development of empiricism and science, the systematized thought of acquiring knowledge through observation, experimentation and synthesis. Knowledge, acquired through such methods, establishes man as the master of nature. However, Adorno states that this knowledge is abused by man himself as â€Å"knowledge, which is power, knows no limits, either in its enslavement of creation or in its deference to worldly masters† (1997: 2). Technology is the essence of such knowledge as it aims to manipulate concept into method and exploitation. To Adorno, technology does not provide concepts, ideas, or the simple joy of understanding, but rather suppresses the individual to docility. Further, Adorno explains the nature of Enlightenment as a movement dispelling the myths of old. As observed from the pre-Platonic and classical philosophers themselves, they were the ones who pioneered the use of reason or logos as the truthful method of acquiring knowledge rather than basing on mythological narration. As the development of reason became the foundation of science, man discarded meaning to be replaced by formula, causal rules, and probability. The obsession on the use of empirical basis as a method of acquiring universal truths led to the false formation of an industry that not only caters to the need of its consumers but also subjects them into docile and content buyers that guarantee success through monetary return (Ray 1992). The Culture industry, in essence, is the product of the false notion of Enlightenment and reason. Everything has to be proven in order to be verifiable and accepted. Laws, beliefs, and thinking are systematized; they are now bound to the governing laws of reason and empirical knowledge. Though the movement still has its positive effects on development, and the start of a radical change in thinking has definitely brought about breakthroughs in modern science and technology, it also has an adverse effect on society. Adorno suggests: â€Å"For culture now impresses the same stamp on everything† (1997: 120). This widespread movement also relates to the culture industry, where everything loses its individuality for the sake of standardization and acceptance in return for economic benefits of the industry. The whole world is passed through the filter of the culture industry. Everything is affected by such change. The formation of the industry in our context has becoming the mould in which culture is formed and trimmed. Things that had once an aesthetic value lose their real sheen and become mere cliches. Today, our actions fall under what we know as popular and will serve the general purpose of the culture industry: mass producing in order for the economy to function properly (Adorno, 1992: 8). The standardization of things that are produced in order to serve the general interest of the public is quite ironic. The public, which is supposed to be the providers in the economy, become the subjects of the industry itself. In turn, the industry is the big shot boss that makes use of every need of the employee in order to bloom. Society is then the false blood that gives life to the industry, which continues to exploit every aspect of our need, in order to grow and develop an unbreakable barrier in which our supposed-to-be powerful freedom may never break. By continuing to patronize what the industry keeps on producing, it then forms consciousness of popularity — the general idea that the mass accepts. â€Å"It is claimed that standards were based in the first place on consumer’s needs, and for that reason were accepted with so little resistance† (Adorno 1997: 100). The cycle continuous; from fashion trends, food, lifestyle, music, and the arts, these modes of expressions has fallen to this false notion of culture. It loses its identity to become a standard among the people that once used to uphold its individual essence. â€Å"The familiar experience of the moviegoer, who perceives the street outside as a continuation of the film he has just left, because the film seeks strictly to reproduce the world of everyday perception has become the guideline for production† (Adorno 1997: 99). What the people want to see is the continuation of the reality he lives in but only decreased to a lighter note as a means of escape from the hustle and bustle of the corporate world. Entertainment has become a means of escape. The only escape from the work process in the factory and office is through entertainment. Amusement then becomes boring, since to be amusing, it must cost no effort to think. The spectator must need no thoughts of his own. Amusement is then a mindless reel of farce that acts as a distraction from reality. It has no real meaning because the spectator does not need meaning in order to be distracted from the pressure of everyday work (Adorno 1997: ). The same goes with films. â€Å"Film denies its audience any dimension in which the mind might roam freely in imagination† (Adorno 1997: 100). Movies present an alternate reality as a means of escape from the business of the industry. Man, tired from work, resorts to amusement and film to produce a necessitated concept of another reality. That it presents the ideal world inside the theatre and the moviegoer is presented with reality after the film is finished. Thus, films in our context today serve as a basis of lifestyle. From the alternate reality presented by the movies, human behaviour is influenced through an unconscious effort of influence. The industry, apart from the standardized goods and ideologies, also feed the only retribution of man from the pressure of material capitalism. Ideas and concepts are also manipulated to standardization. Thus, placidity is not also applied in the individual’s actions but also to the natural system of consciousness and thought. The ultimate purpose then is for benefit and popularity rather than the art of making a movie. That is why the formation of indie (independent) films attempts to break from such typical notions of Hollywood movies in order to preserve the real essence of movie-making. However, in comparison to major blockbuster films, indie films never achieved the same level of popularity and income even though the indie directors and producers never intended for their movie to be even recognized. That is because such actions are against what is generally accepted and popular. The Madness of Music As a student of music himself, Adorno characterizes the notions brought about the effect of the culture industry with regard the arts, especially on music. He characterizes popular music from serious music. Music is defined as the arrangement and accordance to its form and arrangement. To Adorno, classical music is considered as serious music, for it strictly follows the laws from which they are based and made. The rigidity in the discipline makes the composition itself bound to the parameters of perfection; hence, music is a masterpiece. It follows time signature, tempo, harmony, tone construction, etc. that when such composition is first heard, it is appreciated as a whole and even more appreciated when the parts are examined specifically. On the other hand, the distinction between serious music and popular music lies within its formative structure. Popular music, based on the culture industry’s precepts, capitalizes on standardization. Pop music is predictable upon close observation. Its predictability lies with its musical structure. At first, it may fool the listener of its catchy and creative theme, but, contrary to serious music when parts are examined specifically, its harmonics are built on simple and almost simplistic tone structure that it cannot be left alone without the other. The essence of the music is lost as it lacks the qualities of a ‘serious’ music that may have otherwise refined its colour (Adorno 1997: 104). In our present context, the rise of the music industry has become the ambition for most music artists today. Songs are composed in order to gain widespread popularity, especially among the youth. If we are to look closely at each band’s composition and harmony of their songs, it has rather simple arrangement of chords and repetition of melody from the start up until the beginning. The flimsy form of the music is compensated by the loud execution and performance of their songs and electrifying guitar solos in order to cover up the repetition. It lacks creativity and limits the music to only a few chords. Plus, such simplicity is also the key of some rock bands of not ‘making it’ or not enduring an imprint of legacy from their music. They only enjoy a brief period of popularity that does not leave a lasting impression on the target audience they wish to capture. Standardization extends from the most general features to the most specific ones. Pop music is refined to suit the untrained ear of the masses. It is also mass-produced in order for the artist and the recording company to achieve its benefits. In order for people to like it, music is arranged which is appealing to the public, for music, the same with art, cannot be reproduced without any guarantee of economic remuneration. Novelty and creative are not emphasized since novelty cannot be applied to what is already standard and generally accepted by the people. It is also a form of entertainment and escape; simplified and catchy so as to serve a distraction rather than stimulating oneself in Symphonies or Sonatas (Adorno 1997: 101). Ultimately, for Adorno, the main point of the critique is focused on the development of the individual’s creative tendencies – especially on the arts. According to Witkin, Adorno did not give a blatant connotation that to appreciate art means sophistication in the individual’s part but rather the use of the arts as perpetuated in the industry. â€Å"However, it was not skill or talent that mattered to him, here, but the interests it served and the use to which it was put† (Witkin 2003: 2). As the age of Enlightenment ushered in the development of science, the process of acquiring knowledge developed from a mystical and contextual approach to an empirical and experiential process. Ironically, enlightenment meant that the individual is self-aware of his or her own actions and liberated of fear from the human consciousness. However, as science led the way to the development of newer systems of thought, it produced the development of media (film, music, print) that became ‘standard’ products of consumption. To Adorno and Horkheimer, society becomes placid consumers to these forms; music becomes ‘popular’ and depends on record-breaking sales in order to sell. Films present an alternative to reality, distracting the individual from the bustle of the industry as a means of escape, and print/visual media becomes accessible to all. What the culture industry produces consequently influences behaviour. Standardization in the culture industry meant that the process of invention and innovation is in lieu with the needs of society. What society wants, the industry produces. Freedom, according to the Dialectics of Enlightenment, is sacrificed, as consumers are ‘tamed’ into cooperation. Thus, the industry thrives on income and profit, without any thought or conscience. For the industry, it does not matter for the products to be morally or ethically acceptable as long as the consumer accepts it and benefits the industry in turn. Contemporary Critique The pioneering efforts of Adorno and Horkheimer in the critique of the culture industry gave rise to the formation of contemporary theories on the said subject. On the subject of the culture industry’s critique, David Hesmondhalgh provides a technical explanation of the processes the culture industry undergoes. His arguments retain the critique presented by Adorno but focus more on the shift changes and patterns of continuity in the cultural industries. Hesmondhalgh presents a different viewpoint on Adorno’s subject, as he attempts to bridge the cultural industry as a main distributor of information as well as an unconscious influence over society. Today, cultural industries have changed radically. â€Å"The largest companies no longer specialise in a particular cultural industry such as film, publishing, television, or recording; they now operate across a number of different cultural industries† (Hesmondhalgh 2002: 1). The scope of the cultural industry is not anymore specified into one criterion of the arts; rather, through the development of technology and information systems, the industry now focuses on print, media, and information through the internet, publications, etc. However, contrary to Adorno’s viewpoint, the cultural industries and the goods that it produces, according Hesmondhalgh, are â€Å"complex, ambivalent, and contested† (2002: 3). He argues that the text and information disseminated by the industry do not adhere to the doctrine of capitalism or structured domination. In addition, Hesmondhalgh also differs from the arguments presented by Adorno that the culture industry subjects consumers into passivity, wherein there is no room for the imagination to play. Adorno gives importance to the deeper aesthetic appreciation of art, which he differentiated into ‘serious’ and ‘popular’. For Hesmondhalgh however, there is still creativity in the cultural industry: â€Å"The invention and/or performances of stories, songs, images, poems, jokes, and so on, in no matter what technological form, involves a particular type of creativity – the manipulation of symbols for the purposes of entertainment, information and perhaps even, enlightenment† (2002: 4). Further, he separates art into symbolic creativity and artists into symbol creators and these different kinds of artists reflect the extremities of society in which they live in (2002: 4) Paradoxical Ideology In the Dialectics of Enlightenment, society has this unanswered and unnoticed threat growing in the background. The industry and the generally ‘popular’ things are becoming the basis of everyday life. Adorno and Horkheimer suggest that popular culture is like a â€Å"factory producing standardized cultural goods to manipulate the masses into passivity; the easy pleasures available through consumption of popular culture make people docile and content, no matter how difficult their economic circumstances† (Adorno 1997: n. p. ). The different viewpoints presented by contemporary thinkers support the arguments presented by Adorno, contradict them, or simply expound the different ideologies and applying it into a more modern perspective. Hesmondhalgh especially notes the cultural industry’s motivation in cultivating imagination and creativity for there is still creativity through innovation of new ideas and symbols even though they ultimately influence society in the end. However, the main idea still exists — that the culture industry is a by-product of the Enlightenment and the capitalist mode of production. Hesmondhalgh’s arguments still present the ideas of capitalist multinational corporations that manipulate symbols in order to disseminate such into society. His use of the term ‘symbols’, instead of ‘art’, necessarily perpetuates his notion on manipulation of ideas. Art is essentially the expression of human nature, but in the culture industry, essence does not exist. Thus, Hesmondhalgh’s arguments necessarily imply that symbolism is still creativity, although on a much lower scale. Capitalist companies, especially in modern scenarios, not only manipulate art but also communication and the media. For Hesmondhalgh, the control of the cultural industries over text and information are more pronounced than ever (2002: 7) Thus, the cultural industry’s shift change of scope has greatly differed from Adorno’s time, yet still maintains the capitalist coercive nature. What remains is that society’s needs are still catered by the culture industry. Furthermore, it is claimed that standards produced by the culture industry are based on consumers needs, and that is why accepted with little or no resistance at all. â€Å"The result is the circle of manipulation and retroactive need in which the unity of the system grows ever stronger. No mention is made of the fact that the basis on which technology acquires power over society is the power of those whose economic holds over society is greatest. A technological rationale is the rationale of domination itself. It is the coercive nature of society alienated from itself† (Adorno 1997: 121). The capitalist structure still maintains its firm hold over society as it influences behaviour through catering specific needs of its consumers while transcending a different level of consumerism. The essence of human expression is lost through standardization of art, music, film, and such. Society becomes docile, leaving no room for imagination, and the culture industry grows because of this ignorance. References Adorno, T. and Horkheimer, M. (1997) Dialectic of Enlightenment. London: Verso. Curran, J. (1979) Mass Communication and Society. Beverly Hills, California: Sage. Garnham, N. (1990) Capitalism and Communication: Global Culture and the Economics of Information. London: Sage Publications Garnham, N. (2000) Emancipation, the Media, and Modernity: Arguments About the Media and Social Theory Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hesmondhalgh, D. (2002) The Cultural Industries London: Sage. Martin-Barbero, J. (1993) Communication, Culture and Hegemony: From the Media to Mediations. London: SAGE Publications. McGuigan, J. (1996) Culture and the Public Sphere. London: Routledge. Miege, B. (1989) The Capitalization of Cultural Production. New York: International. Ray, L. (1993). Rethinking Critical Theory : Emancipation in the Age of Global Social Movements. London: Sage. Witkin, R. (2003) Adorno on Popular Culture. London: Routledge.

Effect of Social Policy on Personal Life

Effect of Social Policy on Personal Life ‘Discuss the claims that social policy constructs personal lives   In evaluating the evidence that social policy constructs personal lives, it is necessary to explain the terms ‘social policy’ and the ‘personal’ as they are both imbued with ambiguity and complexity. For example, the meanings inherent in social policy can be understood two-fold as both sets of government policies which have specific aims or intended outcomes as well as the academic study of such policies in relation to their causes and consequences. Thus the ‘policy’ and the ‘social’ can be separated to determine greater understanding when discussing the interaction between personal lives and social policy. The complexity of the ‘personal’ lies in that it is not simply the intimate aspects of someone’s life but that it is a multi-layered reflection of wider influences, such as sexuality, age, emotions, friends, family, social networks and societal expectations. Thus while it will be argued that social policy cons tructs personal lives, evidence will be produced to illustrate that it is not a one-way top-down process, but a multi-directional interplay of interactions between the two as they collide at different times and locations at the three levels of mutual constitution; the individual/psychic level; the service user level; the national level. As a result, by means of resistance, challenge or negotiation, the ‘personal’ both, individually or collectively not only impacts upon, but also has consequences for, social policy in ways that partially shapes or constructs the other thus forming new or different policies. This complex process of mutual constitution, will be expanded upon in context to reveal this relationship at the individual and psychic level, the service-user level whereby it effects the ‘personal’ of welfare professionals, and the national level. The primary focus of this discussion relates children and young people and their issues in the context of ‘sexuality’ and ‘care’ although this will inevitably overlap with ‘work’ and ‘citizenship’ as multiple sets of relationships and sites of policy intervention are revealed such as the family, health and social care. Further to this, I will apply evidence from my own qualitative research which was compiled from two interviews with an adult care-giver (Brennan, 2008b) and a young care-recipient in a children’s residential home (Brennan, 2008c). The focus on children and young people will also be further analysed through the lens of poststructuralism and feminism although again, there will be overlapping elements of Marxism and psychoanalysis imbedded within the discussion. These perspectives when viewed through their various theoretical lenses help to provide a more multi-dimensional view of how social policy is experienced in its mutual constitution with more diverse subject-positions occupied by ‘personal’ lives. In taking on a more subjective view it reveals how and in what ways social policy is inclusive to some and exclusionary to others triggering challenges, negotiations and resistance. The conclusion will indicate that while there is evidence that social policy constructs personal lives, the challenges, negotiations and resistance or what Lewis and Fink conceptualise as ‘excess’, ensures that the ‘personal’ both collectively and individually also constructs social policy thus ensuring that the dynamic processes of society are constantly evolving and producing what one hopes will be positive and equal social change (Lewis and Fink, 2004, ‘Course Companion’, p.22). When conceptualising care from a poststructural perspective, its meanings become fluid and unstable as continuity and change informs the mutual constitution of care policies and the ‘personal’ of both caregivers and receivers. As Fink (2004) argues, the normative assumptions about care practises, identities and locations are challenged because care is dependent upon the discursive properties inherent at the various levels of care both as a provision and as a recipient (Fink, 2004, ‘Care’, p.3). Care is relational and reciprocal and often perceived as an unspoken, unwritten taken-for-granted aspect of the everyday on many levels. In reality however, the giving and receiving of ‘care’ can be a burden to some, a source of discomfort for others, and a site of oppression for many. This is because levels of care vary in different situations and for different actors as the overlapping dualisms of male/ female, adult/child, private/ public, paid/ unpaid , deserving /undeserving inform political agendas that shape ‘care’ policies. Such dualisms are explained by Foucault’s (1970) poststructural analysis in how language is utilised to define the differences between the dominant norms and those which stand outside the accepted criteria (Fink et al. 2004, Course Companion, p.62). In other words, something is defined by what it is not – for example, it is light simply because it is not dark. Similarly this is exacerbated and utilised discursively in relation to class, ‘race’, gender, age and disability. Thus a suitable place to commence a discussion about the mutual constitution of policies surrounding care and its interaction with the ‘personal’ of children and young people lies within the home – the family. Poststructuralism reveals how the normative assumptions surrounding the caring identity is gendered and subsequently ‘naturalised’ into a traditional female role. Thus the dominant identity of carer of children within the family is generally the mother – an unpaid, taken-for-granted given role based upon the essentialist model of the biological attributes and ability to give birth. As Foucault (1979) argues the subject-position of mother is not rooted in biology, but discursively rooted in culture and history. Similarly, a feminist analysis argues that the so-called ‘natural’, ‘caring disposition’ of women is a myth stemming from the post-war Beveridgean welfare state which claimed to privilege married woman by enabling them to stay at home full-time and raise the children while caring for their husbands. If they do not fit with the these norms then they are deemed as bad mothers as expressed by one of my interviewee’s in my own research when he declared that in four months; â€Å"I have only seen my mum once since I moved in here, and then she just dropped in last February, it was not an arranged visit or anything† (Brennan, 2008c). Here, the mother is negatively perceived, thus it is with certain irony that despite no mention of his father, the status of men remains greater than that of women. For example the construction of the homemaker/carer/ within the nuclear family norms was enabled based upon their husband’s contributions to the state. However, feminists argue this served only to restrain and subordinate women further by extending their dependency. The home became the site of oppression and struggle which the second and third wave feminists have sought to ameliorate as subordinate female positions shifted ‘paid’ work to one that is ‘unpaid’ ‘work’ within the construction of the nuclear family. However, when those dominant nuclear family norms and values are destabilised, the assumption is that it is anything but ‘normal’ and considered a threat to the welfare of children and young people. This demonstrates how the ‘personal’ in its c ollective form as inherent in all New Social Movements of ‘race’ and disability among others, produces social change as it impacts on social policy in the implementation of excess against these norms and values. Demonstrating the psychic element of the ‘personal’, a poststructural analysis argues that such normative assumptions of childcare are internalised which is evident when Carabine (2004) draws on the personal narrative of Max, for whom, a heterosexual marriage stood outside of his comfort zone. However, social policy dictated his public heterosexuality based upon learned expectations which relates to what Lewis Fink (2004) argue are processes of non-identification, are commonplace within both racialized and sexualised discourses, as they subsequently trigger the expansion of the ‘personal’ to wider social relations in a bid to find a collective socio-cultural identity and meaning outside of the psyche. Closely related to postructuralism, a psychoanalytic lens reveals that being physically in but not of the imagined community negatively affects the ‘personal’ in lacking any sense of belonging (Carabine, 2004, ‘Sexuality’, p.5). Meanings produce assumptions which, in identifying Max as a homosexual ensured he exercised what Lewis conceptualised as passing, as deviating from the heterosexual ‘norm’ is problematized indicating the inequalities of citizenship and social power derived from the ‘hierarchical ordering of difference’ (Lewis, 2004, ‘Citizenship’, p.20). This demonstrates how social policy produces normative assumptions that identified the signifying practices that placed Max outside of the hegemony of heteronormative nuclear family. Marriage is an expected trajectory in life’s path, which he obligated through denial of his own private emotions and self-identification. While, his dream of becoming a fathe r was realised, the marriage ended upon meeting a man and embracing his homosexuality. This dispels two myths, as Max resistance to the dominant norms ensured that heonly became full-time carer to his children but also his wife had not taken to motherhood so enthusiastically and therefore became the part-time mother with fortnightly access (Rice, 2002:p.27, in Carabine, 2004, p.5). Max states that even in 2002 it remains unusual for men to be the primary care-giver. Carabine (2004) argues that the notion of sexuality maintains the heteronormative assumptions that heterosexual intercourse occurs in the private sphere, within the legally binding contract of marriage. Children born out of wedlock or the victims of divorce are therefore excluded from certain social policies such as decent housing and education or simply enough money to lead a life similar to their peers which negatively impacts on their ‘personal’. Despite this, marriage is historically and socially specific and therefore continues to discursively subordinate the personal lives of women and children in the private sphere in the policies made by men, for men, in the male dominated public sphere. One such policy ‘Every Child Matters’(2003) focuses on a different element of private and informal methods of care within the home and unpaid, which are an ongoing concern for many British families. While the policy pledges to reward informal carers as being an asset to society, parents of disabled children are, it claims, not using local authority direct payments. However, the policy then states that many local authorities are reluctant to administer direct payments. The ambiguity of direct payments is evident when used by the middle classes who already possess the cultural capital to secure the best care and the ability to cover any financial shortfall. In contrast, the working class, direct payments would be frugal to prevent over-expenditure, thereby potentially excluding their child from all the care available. This again indicates a poststructural perspective as it demonstrates how knowledge is in fact power. When coupled with issues of guilt about hiring a strange r to care for their disabled child, psychoanalytic issues re-emerge in this mutual constitution at the individual level and at the service-user level because for the carer, inflicting pain on a child in need of treatment triggers a defence mechanism that blocks awareness of their pain, which, Mawson argues, prevents job satisfaction. As such, as well as infantalizing clients, many caring practises deny dignity, privacy, and autonomy to the client, affecting their ‘personal’, as care becomes a public issue(1994, p.68, in Fink, 2004, ‘Care’, p.22).. Similarly, the feminization of care is embedded in discourses of sexuality as male carers doing ‘women’s work’ are assumed to be gay; therefore they are considered to possess ulterior motives – a gender differential that affects the ‘personal’ of men with potentially serious consequences. This no doubt was an issue that underpinned my first interviewee’s lack of success in his attempts to work with social care; â€Å"It was something that always interested me I suppose, while I was working I decided to do some volunteer work and liked it, so decided that I would like to continue in the care area (Brennan, 2008b). â€Å"I went for an interview and thought I did well, () to be honest I was very pleased with myself and thought I had a good chance of getting the job, unfortunately (laugh) that was not the case, they phoned me to say that I was unsuccessful but they did offer me relief work instead which I took, from there I got my foot inside the door of Social Care† (ibid). Indeed it has recently been mediated that there is a stark absence of male teachers within the primary education sector, but with assumptions such as these ensuring that the negative thinking surrounding the mutual constitution of male teachers and current policies then it is not surprising. However, it is apparent that social policies on for example discipline, falls to the male teacher who is often isolated by gender due to the vast majority being female. To be the sole person administering punishments to naughty boys has a negative impact on the ‘personal’ of both the male teacher and the one being punished in this unofficial mutual constitution (new.bbc.co.uk). However, the feminization of care is turned on its head when adults needing care are the focus as young people and children are conveniently situated to take on the caring role – free of charge (Fink et al., 2004).The policy highlights their plight and insists local authorities must assist, but in reality they are merely enable without any form of advertisement to ensure awareness of the provision, therefore little assistance is forthcoming as local authorities are keen to maintain low budgets which they depend on young carers to ensure. Furthermore, the likelihood of benefit dependency maintains material inequalities that further exclude young carers from the lifestyles of their peers. Their caring duties also impinge on education and leisure – deemed by the Green Paper as essential for their future in terms of growth, socialization, mental health and their future. However, veiled threats for parents of truants and offenders are revealed if they fail to accomplish this end as the mutual constitution of social policies and the personal of young carers renders them at risk and vulnerable to attack, by definition which serves to facilitate the intervention of Social Services, the irony of who, although not universal – are mostly women. The issuing of compulsory parenting orders that claim to halve re-offending, can also remove children from the family home – thus echoing the past. Indeed my own qualitative research indicates how this works in practise and demonstrates how lived experiences of personal lives is impacted upon by social policy as they become mutually constituted. For example, the sixteen–year-old resident of a care home was clearly unhappy with the way policies were implemented stating his distaste of social work intervention and his disappointment of his mother when stating; â€Å"Yeah well the Social Worker found where I was staying and refused to allow me to stay there.. My mother agreed to a voluntary Care Order because they [social workers]are interfering so and sos who think they know what is good for me† (emphasis added)(Brennan, 2008c). However, upon critical analysis of my research methods I also realise that my role as a residential care worker shaped the outcome in negative ways firstly by declaring that employed subject-position and then by offering advice: â€Å"All I can say is that you should take what ever is out there in the way of help and make it work for you† (Brennan, 2008c). Also in response to my question on the adequacy of care he stated; â€Å"What care? Staff dont f..g care† (Brennan, 2008c). I replied with: â€Å" Now W I am sure that is not true, perhaps you feel that staff dont care maybe because it is not the type of care that you are looking for† (Brennan, 2008c). While this demonstrates the need for reflexivity in terms of ensuring an objective approach is implemented by the researcher putting their own feelings to one side, it is illustrative of the difficulties of conducting qualitative research through semi-structured interviews to produce an empirical and valid contribution about the social world. Even classic sociologists such as Durkheim (1964), who once claimed that an experiment produced social ‘fact’ if the experiment when repeated twice produced the same outcome, was later reflexive about this upon the realisation that no research whether quantitative or qualitative can ever be value-free (in Churchill, 2004, RAAB; Part 3, 2004, p.55). Similarly, in my semi-structured interviews with a residential care manager his responses indicated that he was responding only in ways that did not reflect negatively on himself. This indicates that despite the best efforts of the researcher, the interviewee will only impart with what he he/she wants you to know, and not necessarily what the researcher should or wants to know. Despite this, measures are taken to prevent subjective shaping of the researcher such as in Goldson’s research – although again, it can never be deemed as value-free despite his lengthy experience. Nevertheless, Goldson (2004) argues these mixed messages by the social workers and by the spoken word of children in care reveals that childhood is socially constructed towards legitimizing the control of children. Again, this is discursively produced as two centuries ago, children were treated as adults until philanthropists’ and reformists’ reconstructed the childhood discourse through interventionist methods that removed children from the streets and ‘dysfunctional’ families. They were then institutionalized, until reforms by the self-proclaimed ‘public mother’ Mary Carpenter, orchestrated the emergence of ‘institutional schools’ (2004, ‘Care’ p.88). Prior to this there was little distinction between ‘deprived’ victims in need of care, and ‘depraved’ threats in need of control, as they were placed together often within adult prisons (Carpenter, 1853, in Goldson, 2004:p.88). Similarly, the G reen Paper targets families deemed unable to care adequately for children revealing how the earliest reformers constructed the idealized image of the family as a self-regulating entity. As Goldson argues, children today are constructed via inter-generational differentiation from adults, but are then further differentiated on an intra-generational level in terms of social divisions (2004: ‘Care’, p.81). The pluralism of British society problematizes any generalization of children in ways that the Green Paper states – instead they are categorised according to class, gender, and ‘race’. Goldson places the care and control theory in the context of Victoria Climbà © who was represented as a deprived victim who was in need of care (2004, ‘Care’, p.83). However, the language employed surrounding children shifts as textual connotations mediated in another headline constitutes children as depraved ‘thugs’ in need of control (ibid). This shapes public opinion, constructs negative identities and stereotypes that legitimize the dichotomy of deserving/undeserving and subsequent punishment. Thus, as Cohen argues, the ove rlapping parameters of care and control are inseparable (Cohen, 1985, p.2, in Goldson, 2004, ‘Care’, p.85). Continuing the poststructuralist view of Goldson’s research argues that the institutional fix is equal for both for victims and threats in contemporary Britain (2004, ‘Care’, p.87). He focuses on the gender differentials as a disproportionate number of boys are incarcerated within youth offender’s institutions towards protecting the community, whereas girls tend to go into secure accommodation towards protecting themselves, which is evident in the extracts reference the provision of childcare for teenage parents returning to education implicating that in their premature maturity resulting from caring for parents is evidence of embarking prematurely on sexual relationships (ibid). This again is discursively constructed as historically girls were locked up for sexual misconduct, revealing the heteronormative continuity and protectionist discourses. This is closely examined in Thomson’s (2004) research on sex education within schools which takes a feminist view that girls are responsible for avoiding pregnancy as well as ensuring the sexual health of both herself and her partner (Thomson, 2004, ‘Sexuality’, p.103). The study revealed that the power imbalance between the genders discouraged the female’s insistence on using condoms for two reasons – not wanting to gain a bad reputation; and admitting that the transition to sexual activity was taking place (ibid.). Thus risks were taken all too often. Goldson’s study of secure accommodation reveals contradictory personal narratives of both those being cared for, and their adult carers. One girl admitted she would not be alive now if she had not be taken into care, while another declared she could look after herself thus they had no right to lock her up as she had coped alone for years. While this demonstrates Higgins’ (1988) claim that while the personal is unique, it is also mirrored and experienced by others, thus not an individualistic phenomenon (Higgins,1998, pp.3-4 in Lewis Fink, 2004,p.22). Nevertheless, both accounts were mirrored by their respective care workers (Goldson, 2004, ‘Care’. pp.99-101). Here, control is paramount to care. A Marxist analysis of teen pregnancy would argue that lone mothers are both the consumers and producers of welfare in their provision of the future child-bearers and workforce of Britain. However, the restrictions imposed on young women today is discursively imbedded in the past as the Poor Laws of 1838 dictated in its claims that illegitimacy was indisputably the fault of the young female because â€Å"continued illicit intercourse has, in almost all cases, originated with the mother† (Extract 1.16, The New Poor Law View, 1938, in Carabine, ‘Sexuality’, 2004, p.39). For example, qualitative research data on teenage conceptions linked poverty to teenage pregnancy (Thomson, 2004, p99). However, there was no consideration of what Bourdieu (1977) termed the ‘logic of practice’ for these teenagers, as the choices they make, which make sense to them, were influenced by local cultural and social class values which may see parenthood as a sign of maturity and in many ways the only route to adulthood (cited in Thomson, 2004, p96). While the ‘logic of practise’ is a convincing argument, it fails to mention how the rate of abortion for middle class girls far exceeds that of working class girls. Nevertheless, these values provided teenagers with the resources to resist, or apply ‘excess’ to the powerful effects of normalising social policy and their subject position within it (Lewis Fink, 2004, p23). Thus, these teenagers are active agents rather than passive recipients of policy discourse, and do not recognise this d iscourse that views teenage pregnancy as problematic, as being applicable to them (Carabine, 2004, p33). In contrast to the control of girls, care for boys is constructed in ways that control as Goldson’s research into young offender’s institutions embraced a different discourse – fear. Rape, beatings, extortion, and suicide were prevalent according to all the boys. This represents what Higgins’ (1988) claims that collective understanding is viewed both socially and historically which were evident in the interpellation that provided understanding of their sense of self. However, the narratives of the prison officers revealed a language shift in that child abuse claims was redefined as bullying. The mutual constitution of new social policies and the personal lives of these boys were negatively impacted, exacerbated by the resistance of staff to implement the new policy that all new inmates require proper care and counselling upon arrival. That it was never met, shows how the mutual constitution at the service-user level can become complex and dangerous as the staff’s ability to detach themselves from the caring role protected their own ‘personal’ by activating their defence mechanisms before crossing the public/private boundary to freedom at the end of the working day(ibid. pp.101-5). However, as Goldson (2004) argues, a Marxist element is more than present in the discourse of ‘care’ relating to children as all prisons in the last decade have been built by private corporations. Similarly the adult interviewee in my research stated that: â€Å"In the last year the number of Residential Homes have doubled, mmm new homes are opening every week, so therefore it will take longer to get around to inspecting all of the homes† (Brennan, 2008b). This could explain the need for Goldson to bring to our attention the U-Turn regarding Tony Blair’s pledge in 1999 to â€Å"eradicate child poverty†, which shifter two years later to how we must â€Å"catch, convict, punish and rehabilitate young offenders† (Blair, 1999/2000, quoted in Goldson, 2002d: p.687). This being a complete U-turn also on the Children’s Act 1989 which claims that every child has the right to a happy and loving childhood within the care of their families. In conclusion, it is evident that the mutual constitution of social policy and personal lives concerning sexuality and care is experienced in vastly differing ways when applying it to children and young people. This is made more apparent through the use of theoretical perspective as it provides multi-dimensional perspectives of how policies are experienced according to various levels of diversity showing therefore how this impacts upon status and citizenship. While all these critical approaches have been applied to a variety of care and sexuality discourses, they can only produce a snapshot of the social world, however, the value of research in collective forms help us to understand in part, the epistemological and substantive nature of how social policies are constantly challenged by personal lives at the psychic, individual and collective levels including by welfare professionals at the service-user level. Social policy, within the content of this essay seeks solely to enforce soci al control and economic gain by defining and redefining the shifting boundaries of power in its mutual constitution with personal lives. However, the claim that social policy constructs social lives is not as substantive as the very fact they are constantly evolving is due to the continuing challenge, negotiation, resistance and excess employed by personal lives – no matter how miniscule. Reference List Bourdieu, P. (1977) Outline of a Theory of Practise, Cambridge University Press. Brennan, A. (2008b) Unpublished TMA05 submitted in partial completion of DD305 Personal Lives and Social Policy, The Open University Brennan, A. (2008c) Unpublished TMA05 submitted in partial completion of DD305 Personal Lives and Social Policy, The Open University Carabine, J. (Ed) Sexualities: Personal Lives and Social Policy Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Carabine, J. (2004) ‘Sexualities, Personal Lives and Social Policy’, in Carabine, J. (Ed) Sexualities: Personal Lives and Social Policy Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Carabine, J. Newman, J. (Ed’s) (2004) Course Companion: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Churchill, H., Fink, J. and Harris, F. (2004) Research Analysis and Assessment Booklet. Part 3 DD305 Personal Lives and Social Policy, Copyright  © 2004 The Open University Cohen, S. (1985) Visions of Social Control, Cambridge, Polity Press. Fink, J. (Ed) (2004) Care: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Fink, J. (2004) ‘Care: Meanings, Identities and Morality’, in Fink, J. (Ed) (2004) Care: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Fink, J. (2004) ‘Questions of Care’, in Fink, J. (Ed) (2004) Care: Personal Lives and Social Policy Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Goldson, B. (2002d) ‘New Labour, social justice and children: political calculation and the deserving-undeserving schism’, British Journal of Social Work, vol.32, no.6, pp.683-95 Goldson, B. (2004) ‘Victims or threats? Children, Care and Control’, in Fink, J. (Ed) (2004) Care: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Government Green Paper (2003) Every Child Matters, The Stationary Office, 2003, Cmnd 5860. Higgins, P.C. (1988) ‘Introduction’, in Higgins, P.C. Johnson, J.M. (Eds) Personal Sociology, New York, Praeger. Lewis, G. (2004) (Ed) Citizenship: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Lewis, G. (2004) Do Not Go Gently†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢: Terrains of Citizenship and Landscapes of the Personal. In Lewis, G. (Ed) Citizenship: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Lewis, G., Fink, J. (2004) Themes, Terms and Concepts. In Fink, J., Lewis, G., Carabine, J., Newman, J. (Ed’s) Course Companion: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Lewis, G., Newman, J., Carabine, J., Fink, J. (2004) Theoretical Perspectives. In Fink, J., Lewis, G., Carabine, J., Newman, J. (Ed’s) Course Companion: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Thomson, R. (2004) ‘Sexuality and Young People: Policies, Practices and Identities. In Carabine, J. (Ed) Sexualities: Personal Lives and Social Policy, Bristol, Policy Press, in association with The Open University Other Sources: The Open University (2004) CD-ROM 1: ‘The Children’s Act 1989’, DD305 Personal Narratives and Resources [CD-ROM], Milton Keynes, The Open University. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4336092.stm 4,707 words with 700 extra words to assist the client with greater understanding of the wider aspect of mutual constitution.

The Grand Canyon Railway

One interesting feature of the southwestern United States is the area known as the â€Å"Four Comers. † the only place in the United States where four slates meet at one point. Within the 130,000 square miles of the Colorado Plateau in this region lie many wonders of nature. The plateau contains eight national parks, twenty national monuments, as well as numerous other nationally designated areas and huge tracts of national forests. This wealth of natural features and the cultures of the various Native American tribes in the region have made the area an important destination for tourists, especially those interested in natural history and culture. The â€Å"crown jewel† for this region is generally considered to be the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This wonder of nature is 190 miles long, one mile deep, and between 4 and 18 miles wide. The Grand Canyon covers 1. 900 square miles of the Colorado Plateau and is home to 1,000 species of plants 250 species of birds and 70 species of animals. A number of Native American tribes are found in the region of the Grand Canyon, including the Hualapai, Hopi. Navajo and Havasupai (who live on the floor of a side canyon) The principal attraction to visitors is the sheer size and beauty of the canyon itself. The walls of the Grand Canyon are made up of many layers of rock, with widely varying textures, colors, and hues. This panorama of nature changes by the season, weather, and time of day. Generally, the morning and late afternoon offer the most striking views for visitors to the canyon. The South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon NP) is open year-round, whereas the North Rim (also in the park) is closed in winter. In the summer months, Grand Canyon NP becomes quite crowded with visitors and motor vehicles. Consideration is being given by the National Park Service to ban vehicles from the park and move visitors around the park by shuffle buses. Williams, Arizona, serves as one important â€Å"jumping off† point for visitors traveling to Grand Canyon NP, with the South Rim of the canyon only fifty-nine miles north of the town. Williams is closely identified with travel to the canyon and has even registered the trademark â€Å"The Gateway to the Grand Canyon,† which no others may use. At an elevation of 6,800 feet, Williams, by itself, has many attractions in the town and surrounding area such as lakes for swimming and fishing, horseback iding, and a downtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The surrounding Kaibab National Forest in the vicinity of Williams offers opportunities for camping, fishing, and hiking for both visitors and resident alike. The town has for many years been an important transportation hub for both rail and highway. Williams is closely identified with Route 66, also known as the â€Å"Mother Road,† that connected Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California, long before the interstate highway system was developed. Williams has the last stretch of the original Route 66 bypassed by the interstate system (in this case, 1-40). Even before highways became highly developed, Williams has served as a railroad terminal (since 1882) for the forerunners of the Atchison, Topeka, & the Santa Fe Railroad (Santa Fe) the latter continues to serve the town today with freight-only service. The most popular way for visitors to get from cither Williams or Flagstaff (thirty-two miles to the east) to Grand Canyon NP is by motor vehicle, although the pending restrictions on vehicles might be expected to change this somewhat. An attractive alternative for some visitors is to travel between Williams and the Grand Canyon by rail. The Grand Canyon Railway (GCRy) offers this option with one round-trip per day. This rail service, which operates purely as a tourist railroad, began operations in September 1989 and has provided daily service since that day (except for December 24 and 25). Historically, rail service on this line began much earlier but passenger service was abandoned in the 1960s due to economic pressures from the automobile. Freight service from the Santa Fe was abandoned in 1974, with no work performed on the track between Williams and the Grand Canyon until 1989. The work to get the GCRy running was monumental, because all engines and passenger cars had to be acquired and completely rebuilt. In addition, the depot at Williams and the adjoining Fray Marcos Hotel were in need of substantial refurbishing. In the depot, operating offices, ticket offices, a waiting room, and souvenir shop are found. All of this work was accomplished in a span of seven months to be ready for the September 1989 opening. Today, the GCRy provides an interesting and nostalgic way for visitors to travel to the canyon. During the summer months, daily round-trip rail service is provided by steam locomotive, and in the winter diesel locomotives are used due to the severity of weather conditions. For all service, passengers travel in railcars that date from 1923 and are reconditioned to approximate that time period. Departure from Williams is at 9:30 A. M. and arrival at Grand Canyon NP is at 11:45 A. M. , in the center of the park's historic district at the 1910 Grand Canyon Depot. The train departs from the Grand Canyon at 3:15 P. M. and arrives back in Williams at 5:30 P. M. No smoking is allowed on the train in â€Å"any of the railcars. Reservations can be made by calling a toll-free number, 1-800-THE TRAIN. Information about the train ride, but not reservations, is available on the railroad's website, wvw. thetrain. com. Different classes of serviceareoffered to travelers, depending on the fare paid and the car in which a passenger rides. The basic coach service is priced â€Å"at $49. 50 per adult and $19. 50 per child. Snacks are available for purchase; Diet Coke and Coke are complimentary in this class, with the latter served in GCRy keepsake bottles. Club Class, which includes the availability of alcoholic beverages and complimentary coffee and pastries in the morning, is priced at an additional $14. 50. The Coconino Main Class provides recliner chairs, a full continental breakfast, appetizers and champagne in the afternoon and the availability of alcoholic beverages for an additional $49. 50 per person. Coconino Dome Class represents a further upgrade. The service level is the same as Coconino Main Class, but passengers ride in an upper level enclosed dome which provides unsurpassed views of the surrounding landscape. The highest class of service, Chief Class, is provided in a railcar with an open-air rear platform; complimentary continental breakfast, coffee, tea, and juice are provided in the morning and champagne and appetizers in the afternoon. This class of service is priced at an additional $64. 50 per person. For all classes, the entrance fee to Grand Canyon NP is an additional charge. Oilier services are also available from the GCRy for additional charges. Continental breakfast is served in the terminal for $5. 95 per person until the train departs. Narrated motorcoach tours of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are available from the Fred Harvey Transportation Company (the concessionaire for Grand Canyon NP) of varying lengths, some of which include lunch. Packages are available which may include one or two nights at the Fray Marcos Hotel in Williams and one night at a hotel in Grand Ganyon NP. During the ride from/to Williams many natural and man-made venues can be seen. There is formal narration for some of these venues and a printed guide is available for purchase, which describes these sights and provides a history of the GCRy. Interestingly only a very limited view of the Grand Ganyon is available from the train just as it arrives at and departs from the park. In Coach Class, each railcar has an attendant who serves beverages (Coke and Diet Coke), goes around with snacks for sale, and engages in conversations with the passengers. During the summer, many of these attendants are college students on break from their studies. The Grand Canyon Railway uses costumed performers in a number of different ways to simulate an earlier time period. Before the train departs from Williams, performers stage an â€Å"Old West† gunfight, just as was found some 100 years ago, Performers also move among the railcars: often singing songs of the â€Å"Old West, during the trip to the Grand Canyon. Passengers are encouraged to sing along with the performers. All of the performers are costumed in the' type of dress found at the â€Å"turn-of-the-century. † On the return trip, the activities are slightly different. A group of performers stage a train robbery, just as was found during earlier times in the southwestern United States. Passengers are included in portions of the action, but none are actually robbed. Eventually, the sheriff captures the train robbers and takes them away to be put in jail. Passengers, especially younger children, enjoy this activity, which makes the trip back to Williams seem much shorter than it actually is. The other activity that some engage in is to take a nap, because many are fired due to their activities at the high altitude and in the low humidity of the Colorado Plateau. A recent survey conducted by the GCRy found that many passengers rate their train trip experience as excellent. Perhaps just as important, these passengers say that they would recommend the GCRy trip to friends. Additionally, the most satisfied passengers were likely to return again. Passenger satisfaction derives from the varied experiences received during the round-trip ride and the Grand Canyon itself wish the latter experience not under control of the GCRy but rather the National Park Service. ?This case was prepared by Dr. Fredrick M. Collision and is intended for classroom use. The situations portrayed here do not imply either effective or ineffective management on the pun of the Grand Canyon Railway. The cast: was written based on published materials of the railroad, the National Park Service, the, Williams-Grand Canyon News and the author's personal experience.

We Are Young

What percentage of new Jobs requires postsecondary education? Nearly two-thirds of Jobs require postsecondary education. 7. Are communication skills acquired by nature or by nurture? Explain. Nurture. No one is born with perfect communication skills It's something that can be perfected with effort such as effective listening skills, and the process of bettering these skills Is ongoing and can only Improve. 8. List seven trends In the workplace that affect business communicators. Be prepared to discuss how they might affect you in your true career.Flattened management hierarchy, more participatory management, increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, Innovative communication technologies, new work environments and Focus on Information and knowledge as corporate assets.. 9. Give a brief definition of the following words: A. Encode- put message into coded form B. Channel- directs towards a particular end or object C. Decode- to co nvert from code or plain text 10. List 11 techniques for improving your listening skills. Be prepared to discuss each.Stop talking, Control your surroundings, Establish a receptive mind-set, Keep an open mind, Listen for mall points, Capitalize on lag time, Listen between the lines, Judge Ideas. Not appearances. Hold your fire, Take selective notes, Provide feedback. 1 1 . When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, which are receivers more likely to believe? Give an Original example. Well it depends on the message being relayed. If so-in-so said something like â€Å"l found a thousand dollars on the ground† and you look at his friend who rolls his eyes and shakes his head meaning that he's lien or exaggerating I'm more like to believe that person.But this could also work both ways. I think It depends on what's being said. 12. Would your culture be classified as high- or low-context? Why? Low because Americans rely on facts, data and logic. We also value independence, Imitat ive and self-assertion. 13. What is ethnocentrism, and how can it be reduced? The belief in the superiority of one's own culture is known as ethnocentrism. This natural attitude is found in all cultures. Ethnocentrism causes us to Judge others by our own values.In these cultures, however, personal relationships must be established and nurtured before earnest talks may proceed. 14. List seven or more suggestions for enhancing comprehension when you are talking with nonnative Speakers of English. Be prepared to discuss each. Use simple English, Speak slowly and enunciate clearly, Encourage accurate feedback, Check frequently for comprehension, Observe eye messages, Accept blame, Listen without interrupting. 15. List five suggestions for Improving communication among diverse workplace audiences. Be prepared To discuss each. Understand the value I similarity.

German Unification essays

German Unification essays The German unification and industrialization in 1871 has multiple effects on todays Germany. These effects brought quite difference from Great Britain, another vital power in European Union along with Germany. The major effects are: 1) Germanys marble-cake federalism that differs from Great Britains strong one centralized government, 2) its multi-party political system while British frequently has single-party government, 3) its unresolved issue of collective identity where Britain has fundamental idea of its identity, and 4) its governments active involvement in industrialization. In the fourth effect, British Government does not guide the market unless in cases of crisis. Thus, Germany has taken and continues to take a very different path from Great Britain to be one of the major powers in the world. One of the major influences of the late German unification in 1871 was the establishment of federalism. Due to its unification with Prussia and many states with different background, it was inevitable for the state to completely be unified as one central government with one identity. This led to todays marble-cake federalism in Germany, respecting regional diversity. Todays Germany has a strong sense of state tradition. Compared to Great Britain with centralized policies that apply to every part of the nation, sixteen Lander, or state governments, each has considerable powers independent from the federal government in Germany. Lander mainly uses this independency to develop its own regional industrial policy for economic growth. Land government encourages banks for investment and loan and private firm cooperation in order to stimulate its economic growth. It also invests on strong vocational education in order to provide the skills to produce high-quality products. Naturally, this system concludes that each German state has the authority to shape and prosper its own state, rather than one ...

American Independence essays

American Independence essays There has been a lot of things that led to American Independence. Many things were done by both the colonies and Great Britain that all built up to the Declaration of Independance and the Revolution. Economics, religion, society, and government all had parts in the American Independence. Economics was a big issue with the colonists. The King of Britain issued many unfair taxes on them. He taxed tea, stamps, and other things. The money from the taxes went into the King's pocket and he also used it to pay for the military, which is unfair because a free people shouldn't have to pay for the British military just because the King wants to force the military on the colonists. The colonists had no choice in whether or not they recieved help from the British military. Britain helped them and made them pay for it. Today, taxes pay for the well being of the country. It funds the government and the military, which protects America's welfare. Religion was a big reason the colonists came to America in the first place. In Britain, they had no choice in religion, so they came to America where they are free to practice any religion they want. Although Britain allowed them to come to America, it still tried to maintain almost complete control over the colonies. The colonists enjoyed many new freedoms in the American colonies, but Britain would not loosen it's grip on them. Britain refused to let them expand their colonies West of the Appalachian Mountains, and it imposed many unfair laws and acts on the colonies. After a while, most of the colonists became fed up with Britains unfairness. Some colonists, on the other hand, prefered the life that Britain offered them: no opporitunity, but definite money. The people who opposed Britain wrote articles like Common Sense, to persuade the other colonists to revolt. Soon, Thomas Jefferson composed the Declaration of Independence and sent it to Britain. Today, America is a cultural...

Management Solutions in Practice Research Paper

Management Solutions in Practice - Research Paper Example A person can access the applications as long as he/she has an access to the internet. â€Å"As long as a computer has Internet access it will be able to use the application† (Cheow 2010). Cloud computing is usually partitioned into three main categories, which include utility computing, web services, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). SaaS is considered the simplest way of computing because it is a single application. â€Å"Because there is only one application it is very easy for the company to maintain† (Cheow 2010). SaaS model of cloud computing helps companies save their expenses on buying hardware and software. This model also removes the maintenance costs of the computer systems and applications. â€Å"Some common examples of these types of programs are any online e-mail service or instant messaging† (Brodsky n.d.). If we talk about utility computing, we can say that it is, at present, supplemental kind of computing because it is used for the fulfillment of such needs that are not very critical by nature. However, companies like Amazon and IBM are using this technology to run different processes of their businesses. We can say that with the rise in the popularity level of this form of computing, it may soon become the most useful form of computing for the companies. The third type of cloud computing, .i.e. web services, is used by the companies for a variety of purposes, such as, making online presence of the company, dealing with online customers, and performing web based business activities. â€Å"Providers can offer things such as discrete business services, and other kinds of APIs that are offered by such systems such as Google Maps† (Cheow 2010). In cloud computing, people make use of web services which help them perform their business activities online instead of using traditional methods. Stevens and Pettey (2008)

Legal, Saftey, and Regulatory paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Legal, Saftey, and Regulatory paper - Essay Example The institutions that the US government has created to protect the rights of both the employer and employee include the United States Department of Labor, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Homeland Security, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The legal, safety, and regulatory requirements are implemented to ensure equality and fairness in organizations. Human resource processes that comply with the legal, safety, and regulatory requirements ensure protection of rights of both parties in the employment contract. The employer and employee form a binding relationship once they sign an employment contract. Both the employer and employee are guaranteed some rights and obligations during the contract period; a contract of employment describes the terms of employment that affect both parties (Briscoe, Schuler & Claus, 2009). The necessity to protect themselves against the implications of non-adherence to contract terms requires implementation of external forms of protection. Legal, safety and regulatory frameworks prevent chances of unfair treatment by either party during the employment contract execution. Observing safety standards creates a safe workplace without threats risks of illnesses and injury of harassments. The organization, therefore, is able to protect its valuable assets, which comprise of human resources. The current workplace in the US is standardized and promoted by three critical workplace regulations: the state level compensation laws, and Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and OSHA that operate at the Federal level. The Department of Homeland Security focuses on protection of employees from both external and internal aggression. Laura (2010) argues that employee security has gained much interest in the recent past because of increased violence at workplaces. Employers are advised to comply with this Homeland