Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Transport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Transport - Essay Example Then again, the effect of ventures on the earth has been separated as per a progression of variables †the degree of inclusion of these mechanical exercises in regular day to day existence shows the likely effect of these exercises on nature. Nations around the globe have received various strategies expecting to diminish the effect of their mechanical exercises on the earth. The accomplishment of this objective is frequently troublesome being relied upon the capacity of governments to distinguish the genuine reasons for the issue and to present the measures that are generally proper in the particular case. Current paper centers around the introduction and the assessment of the approaches and measures presented by the Scottish government towards the decrease of the effect of transport on environmental change. Accentuation is given on the elements that influence the exhibition of these measures. Moreover, proposals are made concerning the extra strategies accessible to the Scottish government and others meaning to control the effect of transport on environmental change. Transport has been a modern division firmly related with nature. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that the different methods for transport influence the earth however this effect can be viably controlled if proper strategies are created ahead of time. Now, the level at which condition influences the legislative strategies of a specific nation is of urgent significance; the assessment of the reaction of governments to the environmental change †as the applicable arrangements are introduced beneath †has prompted the suspicion that not all nations adjust their vital choices to the requirements of nature; in Scotland, the country’s government have given noteworthy consideration on the expected impacts of transport of environmental change; this pattern is reflected in the Climate Change Delivery Plan, an administrative structure planning to decrease the effect of transport of environmental change. The

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Book Review Ghosts from the Nursery Essays

Book Review Ghosts from the Nursery Essays Book Review Ghosts from the Nursery Essay Book Review Ghosts from the Nursery Essay Phantoms from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence composed by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley offers the peruser an inside and out articulation at kid abuse and negligence. Karr-Morse and Wiley ( 1997 ) examine the impacts of abuse and dismissal, taking a gander at power in kids. The book follows a juvenile grown-up male, 19 twelvemonth old Jeffery, who is on expire push for executing a killing when he was 16 mature ages old. Jeffery fills in as a lovely occurrence study for the journalists and perusers to break down and use hypotheses to. By taking a gander at Jeffery and different children who slaughter, Karr-Morse and Wiley ( 1997 ) Begin to recognize the facts about the sensitive and of import mature ages of infancy and youth. The authors take a gander at kid advancement and conduct curiously from build to age two. With improvement and conduct in head, they research the impacts that misuse and disregard have on children s trust, sympathy, qualms, and larning during these polar mature ages. All through the excursion of this book, the peruser learns an overplus of fascinating realities about human turn of events and how it is impacted by abuse and negligence. All through the sections the perusers are other than allowed to see the findings of such conduct with existent life occurrences and surveies. By taking the clasp to peruse Ghosts from the Nursery, one will non just have a superior fear of infancy and early child advancement however next to comprehend why negative encounters influence kids as they do and what it implies for society in general. Upon the fulfillment of this content the peruser will hold a grip for quality child rearing and cognize the demolishing impacts abuse and negligence have on childr en and its impact in making brutal children. Audit This content offers knowing parts to the peruser s dread of diaper days and youth abuse and dismissal. Karrs of this connection are introduced in each section with various condition of affairss and situations. The peruser will quickly take away this is the a large portion of import association with do and that children reflect what they have ingested organically and socially ( Karr-Morse A ; Wiley, 1997, 183 ) . The content does an incredible occupation estimating a figure of issues identified with kid abuse and disregard including however non constrained to early encephalon life systems and improvement, presentation to drugs in the uterus, the communication of child rearing and aura, and the effect of early injury, caput harms, and enthusiastic need. Every part inside this content takes a significant articulation at these issues and how they relate back to youth power. Alongside providing new and imperative comprehension, every part is opened by reconnecting with the example study o f Jeffery and providing the peruser with an individual history of the derivations of the issues being examined. By perusing every region cautiously and purposefully the peruser starts to see all the factors associated with bring forthing a vicious child and the effect these factors have on the way the child forms data, or does non treat data as it might be. Alongside demonstrating significant data to the peruser and increasing the perusers fear of the child abuse and dismissal, the content holds its remains. While perusing, one will identify that considerations are rehashed too much as often as possible doing the peruser to get down planing the stuff. The scholars have a tendency to be redundant in their initiation to a point that it harms the general effect of the book. Karr-Morse and Wiley other than prefer to gracefully in profundity accounts which take away from the central point they are looking to pass on by changing the point of convergence to brief certainty, along these lines losing their peruser s joining in. Alongside in profundity accounts, Karr-Morse and Wiley have a tendency to incorporate too much many back uping realities. Despite the fact that intriguing, the realities will in general avoid the peruser from the central explanations the authors are attempting to do. With these three issues in head, the general book is di fficult to obtain through and a relatively moderate read. With shorter, more to the point sections, the essayists may hold had the option to hold their peruser s going to for longer entirety of clasp. These advancements would other than put more complement on the aim of every section and how it impacts the formulating of a rough child, rather than focusing on the back uping realities. By and large, this content is extremely instructive and an esteemed part to any commanded newsman s conglomeration of discernment. It is recommended in any case, that Ghosts from the Nursery be perused like a content release and non like a book one would peruse before bed. With the comprehension of the origin way the essayists communicate in, one can effectively journey their way through this book and come out the opposite side with well more insight in the field of kid abuse and negligence. Reasonings There are army reasonings for anybody, exceptionally a teacher, in the wake of perusing Ghosts from the Nursery by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith Wiley. First and initial, one must get down to comprehend the permeant impacts of child abuse and dismissal and how of import those initial two mature ages of life are on improvement. Misuse and disregard have numerous faces, some of which are acceptable avoided the masses s oculus. As a teacher, especially in preschool, it is basic to be touchy to these issues and the resonations if non distinguished and treated. As a straightforward or preschool instructor, one will have the option to gauge a child s fundamental physical, cultural, enthusiastic and discerning advancement in contrasting with the child s equivalents and discover whether the child is on way or non. It is during the preschool mature ages and earlier that formative holds as a result of abuse or negligence will get down to demo up in the child. This data may loan to the teachers tendency that abuse is or is non occurring. It is key to cognize that abuse or potentially dismiss from the clasp the child is inside the female parent s uterus to introduce twenty-four hours can uncover itself all through arranged occasions in the child s advancement, and in any of the formative circles. This content explicitly helps the peruser in their interest to more readily put and comprehend the more subtle signifiers of abuse and dismiss and grok what it implies curiously for a child s social/enthusiastic turn of events. Looking all the more carefully at the crazy conduct upsets section in the content is other than acceptable to a single come ining the guidance field. Kids who have such surprises will go clear during the early school mature ages as they are overwhelming our preschools and child consideration focuses. With kids who have crazy conduct agitates their folks much of the time feel hound worn out and furious, their sentiments of affection extended slight or significantly undermined ( Karr-Morse A ; Wiley, 1997, 104 ) , puting the child at a higher risk for being manhandled or ignored and later creating oppositional resistant miracle or conduct upset. A portion of these children might be sing abuse at spot, or come to class out of willy nilly and preoccupied fortunes that leave them truly and sincerely malnourished ( Karr-Morse A ; Wiley, 1997, 105 ) . For an educator, seeing a child who has a wild conduct upset might be an admonition banner to keep up an oculus on the child and family unit and offer them additional assets to facilitate any additional accentuation they might be sing. Thusly, from perusing this content, one will hold an exhaustive fear of how youngster abuse and disregard influences a child s advancement and what that will resemble in the child s conduct. For anybody come ining the guidance field whether it be in the state funded school an area or in a youngster care focus, those people will happen themselves obligatory newsmans of child abuse and dismissal. By perusing this content, and holding a strong establishment of what abuse and disregard articulation like, one will hold the comprehension to more readily have the option to suggest for a child s requests when vital.

Friday, July 31, 2020

Riot Roundup The Best Books We Read AprilJune 2019

Riot Roundup The Best Books We Read Aprilâ€"June 2019 We asked our contributors to share their favorite read from April to June, and thats a hard choice but it got us this fantastic list! We have poetry, thrillers, memoirs, fantasy, literature, some real LOLs and so much moreâ€"there are book recommendations for every reader! And the list includes backlist, new releases, and not-even-out-yet reads. Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan by Jamie Zeppa This memoir, by a Canadian woman embarking on a two-year teaching stint in Bhutan, initially seems like it’s going to be an amusing travelogue. But it ends up being much more. It’s a very smart, very well-written reflection on relationships as they are or aren’t affected by cultural differences, including a suspenseful will-they-or-won’t-they romantic narrative. â€"Christine Ro Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons by Kris Newby Before his death, Willy Burgdorfer, the revered scientist who discovered the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, confessed that much of his research into tick-borne diseases had been part of the U.S. military’s push to develop bioweapons during the Cold War. Records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act confirm this. In Bitten, science writer Kris Newby explores the link between Willy’s work and the epidemic of tick-borne diseases that followed decades later. Were the original outbreaks in Lyme, Connecticut, and Long Island the result of open-air bioweapons tests gone wrong? Why did Willy attribute the outbreak in Lyme to Borrelia when the blood samples from the affected population tested positive for a strain of Rickettsia known as the Swiss Agent? And why did Willy have a secret Swiss bank account filled with money? Bitten answers many questions and raises even more, shining a light into the dark corners of mid-century vector-borne disease research and our country’ s shameful history of experimenting on its own citizens in the name of defense. â€"Kate Scott The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad I normally request my advance review copies, but this one came in the mail in January, unrequested. Though I immediately fell in love with the cover, it got set aside, and one thing led to another and I found it among piles of my daughter’s picture books several months later and thought, Ah ha! I know what I’m reading tonight. And it is such a wonderful read. With djinn magic, a diverse and intriguing city, and best of all, complex and dynamic female relationships, this book mesmerized me from beginning to end. And it’s a rare stand alone fantasy. It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel. I look forward to following her work in the future. â€"Margaret Kingsbury The Chain by Adrian McKinty It’s been a bit since I’ve flown through a book in a matter of hours because of its can’t-put-down-ness, so when I started THE CHAIN and immediately got sucked in, I knew I was in for a ride. Rachel Klein receives the phone call that every parent fears: her daughter, Kylie, has been kidnapped. The only way she can get Kylie back is to pay a ransom, kidnap another child and make this same phone call to their parents. So creates The Chain that she will never be free of…and the consequences are deadly. We follow Rachel and her rush against time to get the ransom money and find the appropriate child to kidnap in exchange for Kylie. The first half of the book moves incredibly fast and defines the term “nail-biter.” The second half moves a bit slower and switches the direction of the story but it was equally enthralling. This book was an easy 5-star read and I’m still thinking about it. â€"Kate Krug Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney Sally Rooney’s debut novel is a beautiful portrait of two young women in Ireland struggling to navigate their friendship and their role in the adult world. As they are drawn into this sophisticated adult art world, Bobbi and Frances find themselves intoxicated by the lifestyle of Melissa and Nick, a married couple who take an interest in the girls’ poetry. But when Frances and Nick move beyond a mere flirtation, everything begins to unravel. Rooney’s stark, simple language is realistic and moving in the way that she portrays her characters’ inability to communicate effectively. She does a fantastic job of giving you a window into these very complex relationships and strikes an authentic chord with each line of dialogue. The story is captivating and the writing style is heart wrenching in its realism, I couldn’t put it down! â€"Katherine Packer Daisy Jones The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid I absolutely loved Daisy Jones The Sixâ€"it’s every bit as good as everyone says! It’s the story of 1970s rock n’ roll stars on their rise to fame. The Six is a rock band led by the charismatic Billy Dunne. Daisy Jones is an aspiring singer and song-writer and a magnetic beauty and personalityâ€"everywhere Daisy goes is a party. Their producer discovers that Daisy and Billy are a magical duo, and push them together with legendary results. The book is told in retrospective as an oral history interview. Each character gets an opportunity to tell their viewpoint on some of rock n’ roll’s most famous moments of the 1970s. If you’re interested in that era, or in music and celebrity, it’s very vivid and unputdownable! â€"Emily Stochl Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente This book had been on my TBR list for ages. Honestly, I don’t know why I waited so long to dive in but dear reader, I finally did, and oh my haunted fairytale heart loved it so much. It’s the story of Marya Morevna, who’s taken away by Koschei, the Tsar of Life. It is a story of their deep love and even deeper betrayals. It is a story of magic, fate, war, and death. I was absolutely wrecked by Valente’s lush prose, the heart-wrenching story of love and loss, and the artful way this fairy tale retelling was set against a war-torn Leningrad in the 1940s. This is a book to be savored. It’s decadent and unforgettable. Now I can pass this recommendation on to you. Don’t make the same mistake I did and wait. Pick up this jewel of a book. â€"Lyndsie Manusos Dressed in Dreams: A Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion by Tanisha C. Ford I love fashion memoirs, so when I read about this book, I knew I had to read it. Ford, a pop culture expert, blends memoir, research, and reportage in this book, which I devoured in little bites, because I wanted it to last. She looks at certain big trends that made an impact on her life, including dashikis, leather jackets, bamboo earrings, baggy jeans, and “coochie cutters.” In each chapter, she not only details her experiences with the fashion, but also goes into the cultural significance and history of each one. But more than this, Ford tells the story about how fashion can help form your identity, in both fitting in and as “other.” I laughed with appreciation and agreement at her memories of Wilson’s leather goods, I couldn’t stop reading about her experiences at St.   Paul’s, and the chapter on the bamboo earrings was eye-opening and pertinent to many of the “borrowing” of trends we see today. If you’ve ever found solace in fashion or felt like a rock star w ith certain outfits or accessories, read this book. You’ll never look at what you wear the same way ever again. I’m excited to read more from her. â€"Jaime Herndon Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com, 9/10/19) Nine houses enter into a puzzle, challenge, and fight to become immortal knights, each house submitting a necromancer-cavalier pair: what follows is a maze of plotting, manipulation, murder, and skeletal constructs. I loved every moment of Gideon the Ninth, especially the hate-to-trust relationship of sword-swinging lesbian Gideon with the creeping, brutal, and intelligence necromancer Harrowhark. Muir’s world-building is intricate and fascinatingâ€"this is a horror novel, a battle royale, and a murder mystery all with a big dollop of dark humor. And the ending was one of the most daring I’ve seen in a fantasy novel in a long time. Muir is wildly talented, and I enjoyed Gideon from start to finish. â€"Leah Rachel von Essen Going Off Script by Jen Wilde Queens of Geek was the most heartwarming queer YA I’ve ever read, so I had high expectations coming into this book. Luckily, it exceeded them. I was immediately pulled into the fast-paced plot, in which 17-year-old Bex is taken on as an intern at her favourite TV show, only to find out her boss (the showrunner) is a jerk. When she writes a script to prove her worth to him, he passes it off as his own and straightwashes her lesbian character to boot. Jen Wilde’s books always include such a strong element of queer found family, which I love, and like Queens of Geek, this celebrates queer fandom and drops lots of geeky references. This is a fun, satisfying read that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy: just what I have come to expect from a Jen Wilde YA. â€"Danika Ells Good Talk by Mira Jacob This book hooked me with its portrayal of talking to 6-year-olds (their questions are endless, complicated, and sometimes hilarious) and kept me reading with its nuanced, important conversations about race in America. Good Talk is a graphic memoir about Mira Jacob’s efforts to explain racism to her son and conversations with her husband, friends, and family about what it’s like to be a person of color in America today. I read this in one day and loved every moment: it’s absorbing, emotionally-wrenching, and essential reading for our time. It’s one of the most bracing and honest books about race I’ve come across. â€"Rebecca Hussey The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai This was just marvelous. Sort of heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. The writing is fantastic, the dialogue just perfect, and the parallel story lines compliment each other beautifully. The book follows two alternating time periods. The first is 1980s Chicago in and around Boystown. The story follows Yale and his group of gay friends as they wade through the burgeoning AIDS crisis and face the death and uncertainty in their community. One man’s sister, Fiona, is especially close to the group and becomes a caretaker for many. The second storyline finds Fiona in present day Paris seeking out her estranged daughter. I was completely swept up in the lives of the characters. What a moving, insightful, engrossing book. â€"Heather Bottoms How to Date Men When You Hate Men by Blythe Roberson If your first thought on reading that title was “omg SUCH a mood” then you, like me, will devour this book. Comedy writer Blythe Roberson offers hilarious, relatable, and whip-smart commentary on crushing, kissing, and dating boys in a patriarchal world (especially those “professionally insecure woke boys”). Blythe’s zeitgeisty humor hit all the right buttons for me, a young millennial woman of the interwebsâ€"from her advice on how to make it clear you’re on a date (“Refer to your socks as your ‘date socks’”) to her list of subtweets about her high school crush (“i guess if i could go back and give my teenage self advice it would be to never laugh at anything a teenage boy said”) to her discussion of acceptable and unacceptable PDA locations in New York (Acceptable: outside the subway. Youre saying good-bye! Who knows when youll ever see each other again! Other than when youre pretending not to notice that the other person is standing directly across from you on the other side of the tracks). And before anyone gets his boxers in a bunch, I’ll note that the book is written in the spirit of Mrs. Banks’s famous line from Mary Poppins: “Though we adore men individually, we agree that as a group theyre rather stupid!” â€"Emily Polson Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Homegoing tells the story of slavery and its lingering effects through the lives of two half-sisters in 18th Century Ghana, Esi and Effia. One is sold into slavery; the other is married off by her family to a slave trader. In alternating chapters, author Yaa Gyasi traces the family lines of these two women through history to the present day. It is powerful and educationalâ€"I learned something and felt so much more. I haven’t read Roots (yet) but I have a feeling Homegoing is to me what Roots was for my parents and grandparents. It made me mad, sad, hopeful, and proud. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. I can’t even imagine how Gyasi will follow this up, but whatever she writes next I will definitely read. â€"Tiffani Willis The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen (Tor Teen, 9/24/19) Caleb and Adam are two high school boys who, from the outside, could not seem more different. Caleb is the running back of the football team, and Adam is a smart, quiet loner type. But when Caleb finds out he is an Atypical, a person with enhanced abilities (in his case, extreme empathy), he becomes drawn to Adam and his emotions, and the two slowly discover how much they need each other. The author, Lauren Shippen, is the creator of the popular fiction podcast  The Bright Sessions, and The Infinite Noise is the first in a trilogy of YA novels that expands upon the podcast and some of its characters. The Bright Sessions has always meant a lot to listeners, including myself, for its creative, yet honest and validating exploration of mental health, and Shippen has successfully captured the same magic in novel form. â€"Patricia Thang The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory OMeara Did you know that a woman by the name of Milicent Patrick was the brilliant artist behind the creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon? Probably not. You also probably didn’t know she was one of the first female animators for Disney. That’s because a jealous male colleague set out to erase her contributions, leaving her all but forgotten from film history. But Mallory O’Meara, co-host of the Reading Glasses podcast and horror filmmaker, set out to get the real story straight once and for all. Told in alternating viewpoints between O’Meara’s search for answers and the fascinating life of Milicent Patrick, this is a nonfiction book you’ll find it difficult to put down. And I especially recommend listening to the audiobook since O’Meara narrates it herself. Trust me, you’ll be wishing your commute was a little longer just so you can find out what happens next. â€"Rachel Brittain Lanny by Max Porter A young family have chosen to make their home in a very normal village just outside of London. It’s a village with a pub, a church, government housing and a few larger homes for the wealthy dotted around. It’s a village like any other where everyone knows everyone else’s business and discusses it openly behind the closed doors of their homes. But this village has Dead Papa Toothwort, a creature the children sings songs about who is listening to the voices of the village and is cooking up his schemes. I’m often nervous about experimental fiction, but Lanny is experimental fiction at its best. With a mix of folklore and magical realism, Porter explores communities and relationships through one family going through one of the most traumatic experiences a family can go through. This book is beautifully written and also causes the reader to think twice about how they interact with their communities. â€"Enobong Essien  Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson Jacksons fantastic writing transports readers to a very specific music scene, time, and place: Brooklyn, 1998. After Steph is murdered in the street, with no known cause or assailant, his grieving sister, Jasmine, and two best friends, Quadir and Jarrell, decide to pretend Steph is still alive and get him the record contract he deserved. I loved the charactersâ€"a side character’s amazing scene shows off Jackson’s talent for seeing the depths of people and putting it on the pageâ€"and watching their journey through grief and discovering you don’t always know everything about everyone, as they carve a spot for themselves in a difficult world. Jackson continues to be an author whose work I’ll read sight unseen. If you’ve yet to discover her I highly recommend you read her three novels, the first two are especially must-read for crime fans: Allegedly; Monday’s Not Coming. â€"Jamie Canaves The Library of the Unwritten: A Novel From Hell’s Library by A.J. Hackwith (ACE, 10/1/2019) Unwritten stories live in Hell’s Library. It is, for the most part, a quiet place when librarian Claire, and her assistant, a failed Muse named Brevity, repair and organize and repair the books that need organizing and repairing. Until a story escapes to the human realm. Until a mysterious, young demon named Leto arrives to assist in the search and thoroughly complicates matters. Until two angels decide the librarian is hiding a powerful artifact they will stop at nothing to possess. â€"S.W. Sondheimer The Light At The Bottom Of The World by London Shah (Disney Hyperion, 10/29/2019) I literally dove head-first into The Light At The Bottom Of The World and was completely swept away by the story. Shah’s compelling narrative plunges the reader into a dystopian future where the entire world is submerged under water. It is entirely driven by its fierce protagonist, Leyla McQueen, a submersible racer who is at once brave yet fearful of what lurks within the unknown depths of the sea. Leylas deep appreciation for her Afghan heritage and Muslim faith was such a joy to read about in a sci-fi setting, which Shah manages to keep anchored to the present with references to famous landmarks, events and people (it’s pretty Wilde!). But it’s Leylas love for her familyâ€"her papa and her dog Jojoâ€"that ultimately steers the novel to its bittersweet and hopeful conclusion. â€"Nadia Ali Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T. Kira Madden I can’t quite remember where I read the excerpt. Was it BuzzFeed? But this one short piece was rendered with such lyricism and hinted at so many hidden depthsâ€"desire, coming of age, absent parent(s)â€"that I immediately knew I had to read the book from which it had been excised. And Madden’s memoir doesn’t disappoint. About growing up as a queer, biracial teenager within a dysfunctional family environment, finding fleeting connections with other fatherless girls, this book manages to unpack so much in what turns out to be a fairly quick read. â€"Steph Auteri The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht (Tor.com, 9/24/19) You all know how I feel about Gideon the Ninth by now. (WE LOVES THE PRECIOUS.) That’s why I am doubly excited about this other deliciously disturbing book coming in the fall, because it’s a perfect compliment to Gideon. It’s about a place called Elendhaven, a black oily town that exists five hundred years after the North Pole split in two. And there is a creature-man called Johann, who likes nothing more than to murder. Johann teams up with a frail sorcerer named Florian to double their evil, double their fun (and engage in an effed-up courtship). Together they set about plotting horrible plots to please their smoldering, pustule-covered hearts. This is like the antiâ€"Edward Scissorhands. It gave me total Perfume vibes, even though it’s not really similar at all. It’s a 160-page-long gothic grotesquerie that I wish was 1600 pages. â€"Liberty Hardy My Past is a Foreign Country by Zeba Talkhani In this memoir, Zeba Talkhani takes us from her childhood growing up in Saudi Arabia amidst patriarchal customs to her search for freedom abroad. As you follow her on this journey between country and culture, you can’t help but be inspired by her contagious hope and eagerness to question the status quo. While we grew up in two separate worlds, I found myself identifying deeply with Talkhani. Living an ocean away from my own culture, I am grateful to her for showing me a glimpse of what it’s like to live that experienceâ€"both the hard and beautiful moments. â€"Sophia LeFevre Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim Chef Natalie Tan is brought home by the death of her estranged mother and decides to reopen her grandmother’s legendary restaurant in this beautiful story about family, community, and a bit of magic. First, this book is going to make you so hungry. Do not read it on an empty stomach because the food descriptions are drool-inducing. But the best part is the warm-hearted story those dishes are woven around. I savored it’s subtle sentimentality as well as the explorations of grief and mental illness. â€"Sarah Nicolas The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday, 7/16/19) News breaks that the bodies of over 40 boys have been excavated on the grounds of an old reformatory school in Florida. Remembering the horrible living conditions and cruel treatment he experienced at the school, a man in New York knows he must come forward to set the record straight. Colson Whitehead is truly one of the most incredible authors writing today. With stunning prose, unforgettable characters, and a powerful plot that keeps you on your toes, this book feels like a modern classic. This is a story that demands to be told, and Im so, so grateful that Whitehead chose to tell it. â€"Susie Dumond The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker A reimagining of Homer’s The Iliad, The Silence of the Girls tells the story of women captured and enslaved by Achilles. Briesis was queen, but as   Greece’s greatest warrior, Achilless ‘prize,’ she has lost her privileged status. Still, she has it better than those forced to sleep under the huts with all of the island’s the filthy rats. When Agamemnon demands Briesis for himself, Achilles power begins to wane. The Silence of the Girls is gory and disturbing, yet written in such beautiful prose. (CW for Rape, Graphic Violence) â€"Courtney Rodgers The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Me, a week ago: “I probably won’t love this book as much as Circe.” Me: now: *standing in puddle of own tears* “Patroclus! Porqueee?” Madeline Miller, y’all. The way this woman breathes life into age-old stories is mythical magic in and of itself. The book is an homage to The Iliad (yes, another one #sorrynotsorry) from the perspective of Patroclus, the prince who was exiled to Phthia as a boy and there became companion to Achilles. It has long been speculated that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers, and Madeline Miller imagines that intimate relationship from youth through adulthood in tender, gorgeous, heart-breaking detail. You know that’s coming: the Trojan war, the fall of Achilles. I’m telling you now: none of that knowledge will spare you. â€"Vanessa Diaz Tasty Other by Katie Manning “Once upon a time, there was a mother” seems like a simple enough beginning to a fairytale. However, Katie Manning’s collection takes apart that sentence, word by word, sectioning off poems to redefine the meaning of each. Tasty Other, Main Street Rag’s 2016 Poetry Book Award winner, serves up pregnancy and motherhood in all its awkwardness. There are dream sequences. There are references to The Golden Girls and Jack Nicholson. There’s a poem after Sylvia Plath and a poem shaped like a disco ball. There’s a broken doll on the cover. This collection praises so many unspoken facets of womanhood intricately woven together poem by poem. â€"Christina M. Rau The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (Redhook, 10/10/19) If you want to get my attention, “historical portal fantasy” is a good way to do so. Add an author whose short fiction is utterly divine and a stunning cover, and I am all yours. I read an ARC of this novel and had a book hangover for a weekâ€"I was genuinely unable to read anything else because this book is so good. Every word is chosen with care and the story is like catnip for me. In the early 1900s, January Scaller lives with her father’s employer, the wealthy and mysterious Mr. Locke, for whom her father goes on treasure-finding missions. January discovers a Door (with a capital D) when she is 7 years old; at 17, she finds a book that describes the existence of doors (Doors) between worlds and another young woman who found one. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is two stories for the price of one, with January’s book told as a story within her story, and of course the two stories meet. I loved this book with my whole heart. â€"Annika Barranti Klein Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey Every once in awhile you gotta read a lighthearted chick lit. It’s been a long time since I read a book that I had to put down to LOL for a minute. It hasn’t happened since Sophie Kinsella’s earlier novels. The town mirrors Gilmore Girls’s Stars Hollow, and the kooky characters like Chloe and Gary (who Tom should play in the movie) mirror the residents. Like Tom Hanks and his movies, Waiting for Tom Hanks is genuine and hilarious. Read it this summer, you deserve a laugh! â€"Shireen Hakim we are never meeting in real life. by Samantha Irby This book is gross, crass, sometimes mean-spirited, and frequently dark. It is also the funniest book I have read in a long, long time. I literally laughed out loud, disgusting, snorting laughs with tears streaming down my face multiple times. It is 100% my kind of depressing humor. It is not for everyone, but for my fellow Daria Morgendorffers, Jane Lanes, Louise Belchers, and Wednesday Addamses, this book is for all of us. Samantha Irby is a g*ddamned gift. â€"Patricia Elzie-Tuttle With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo I love books and films (documentaries and dramas) about food and cooking, so when I saw this book, I absolutely had to read it. I had never heard of Elizabeth Acevedo at that point, but the first thing that struck me was her lyrical writing. The story centers on Emoni, a high school senior and a teenage mother with a passion and an almost magical talent for cooking. Acevedo creates a realistic and relatable set of characters, and a plot that makes the heart soar. Also, the recipes in the book made the foodie in me very happy.   Bonus: The audiobook is expertly narrated by Acevedo herself and really worth listening to. â€"Blaga Atanassova

Sunday, May 10, 2020

The Implementation Benefits and Weaknesses of Volleyball Skills - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2061 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/04/02 Category Sports Essay Level High school Topics: Volleyball Essay Did you like this example? Volleyball is a team sport based on very quick and explosive movements. Some examples of movements performed in volleyball include jumping, hitting, diving and blocking. Volleyball is a physically demanding sport that takes skill and athletic ability. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Implementation Benefits and Weaknesses of Volleyball Skills" essay for you Create order Each team traditionally consists of 12 players with various different methods of player positioning. The position an individual may play is directly affected by their attributes. The positions consist of setters, hitters, opposite and outside hitters (left and right), middle blockers and liberos. Each position has a specific role within a match. The left and right outside hitters positioning is at the net. The role of left and right outside hitters is to spike the ball and block opponent attacks. The middle blocker most commonly focuses on block jumps to disturb the opponents attack. In regard to the implementation of volleyball skills, individuals that are involved in volleyball perform short run distances, vertical jumps and quick directional changes frequently in a matter of seconds during the competition. In addition to the previous examples of volleyball skills, you must implement different aspects of the game into your volleyball skillset. Specific important aspects of the game include physical activity, hand-eye coordination, social interaction and sportsmanship. Some types of physical activity you need to learn in order to progress your volleyball skills are strength, agility and cardio conditioning. These physical skills provide a foundation in order to be able to absorb the forces generated while performing jumps and sudden movements. Certain abilities must be developed during training activities such as hand-eye coordination. Hand-eye coordination is defined as the way that ones hands and sight work together to be able to do things that require speed and accuracy such as catching or hitting a ball. Volleyball requires fast response in order to change positions rapidly and maintain your balance. Since volleyball is a high-speed sport; It is necessary to implement anaerobic training to perform intense and high energy movements. Anaerobic training is defined as exercise intense enough to cause lactate to form as a byproduct of the anaerobic energy system within an individuals muscle fibers. Volleyball athletes do not only have to be in good physical condition to play volleyball, but an athlete has to be willing to socially interact with their team, referees, coaches and even the opponent. In order to remain in good volleyball health condition; You must implement some endurance training in order to be able to perform high jumps at the same height during a match without getting tired. An individual must have the energy to maintain the consistent physical stress during the match. In addition, an individual must sustain their levels of strength, power and agility. The most important factors for success are upper-body strength and good form and mechanics while completing volleyball skills. In specific to spiking velocity, the main factor is shoulder strength and endurance at high speeds. Acting as part of a team requires that you learn good sportsmanship. Volleyball forces you to work with others as a unit. Playing volleyball gives you this skillset by requiring you to pay attention to what your team members are doing so you can work together to get the ball over the net in three attempts. Playing on a team also teaches the value of hard work and fairness. Therefore, volleyball is both a competitive and physically demanding sport that tests your abilities of how well you accept losing, as well as how humble you are when you win. In volleyball, balance and coordination are required in order to comply with the demands of body movement while the athletes are on their feet. In volleyball type movements such as jumping; The glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves work together to produce the power necessary to force the body upward against gravity. Volleyball competitions may last a long period of time, but the game plays are not continuous and have many breaks during the game. Volleyball athletes need to be able to leap with agility and power while also being able to hit the ball with force while suspended in mid-air. There are also various different benefits of learning volleyball skills for a personal development of a healthy lifestyle. One of the primary benefits of volleyball is that it helps you naturally burn calories. Consistent volleyball play can tone and shape the body by increasing metabolic rate. Metabolic rate is the pace at which you digest and absorb nutrients from your food. The physical activities involved in playing volleyball will strengthen the upper body, arms and shoulders as well as the muscles of the lower body. Playing volleyball also improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. As previously mentioned, volleyball can improve hand-eye coordination. Volleyball also challenges individuals who play to obtain a healthy heart through exercise. Volleyball can build muscular strength when played on a consistent basis. In addition, playing volleyball improves your interpersonal skills; Which are your capabilities to socially interact with others successfully. Lastly, play ing volleyball has boosted my mood and energy while also increasing self-motivation. In contrast to, there are also weaknesses of learning volleyball skills for a personal development of a healthy lifestyle. These weaknesses include the risk of injury. In addition, some individuals may have preexisting medical conditions that limit their capability of performing the necessary movements. In regard to my own personal development of a healthy lifestyle, I plan to incorporate physical fitness in my own life by playing sports that I am interested in and have passion for. I would like to aim to play these sports for about one hour and thirty minutes twice a week. Therefore, I will be able to operate with the same structure as my volleyball class at Montclair State University. In specific to volleyball; I would like to transition the skills I have learned in class and apply them when I go to the beach, so I can play volleyball with my friends. In addition, I have increased my level of comfort with playing volleyball with someone you have met for the first time. This aspect of the game caused me to become a little more outgoing. I have developed numerous new friendships from the game of volleyball. The incorporation of physical fitness in my life so far has changed my perspective on life over all. I have understood the importance of being physically active. I feel so good when I have the chance to exercise and decompress all of my stressful thoughts. My decision to take this volleyball class has now inspired me to try new different physical activities. For example, I also have taken multiple yoga classes. Volleyball class has helped me gain an ability to jump into new challenges without hesitation. Volleyball has taught me commitment. In addition, I plan to incorporate physical fitness into my life by purchasing a new gym membership when I graduate this December. I am setting a short-term goal to ensure myself that I make it to the gym at least 2-3 times a week for about one hour and thirty minutes. I am setting a long-term goal to ensure myself to become tone and increase my total body muscular strength. Playing volleyball is a healthy way to get some exercise. Regular exercise is crucial for your health because it helps keep your heart in good working order, as well as helping to prevent illnesses and diseases. Some examples of the illnesses or diseases that can be prevented by exercising are cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Playing volleyball on a consistent basis is one way to increase your physical activity level, which will help you get fit and toned, as well as healthy and energetic. Regular exercise also might help decrease feelings of depression and increase feelings of happiness and well-being. One of the best things about participating in volleyball practice and games is the physical exercise that athletes can get. The aspects of the game of volleyball that help promote a healthy lifestyle are a combination of endurance, muscular strength and power. Improving on these three aspects can help greatly enhance the physical well-being of the individual and he lp him or her grow up to be a strong, fit and healthy adult. Not only is this important physically, but it also holds an importance for mental and emotional well-being. Mental and emotional gain is important in the practice of volleyball. Volleyball does not need to be competed at the professional level in order to receive joy from playing. In my own experience from playing volleyball in gym class; Everyone seems to be in a good mood when playing volleyball. Everyone was able to stop thinking about the normal stress of each day and set some time aside for yourself to simply have fun. This is very beneficial for an individual. A healthy individual consists of a healthy mind and a healthy body. The mind and body must act as one in function. If you have a problem with one it may directly affect the other. My mother was diagnosed with a mental health illness. I have a very good understanding of the importance of exercise for an individuals mind and body. My mother attempted suicide when I was sixteen and I had to call emergency medical services for her transportation to a hospital. She was then admitted into the psychiatric ward. Now, five years later my mother has incorporated physical fitness into her life as treatment along with anti-depressants and different types of coping mechanisms to decrease stress. I have never been diagnosed with a mental health illness. However, I have adopted my mothers physical exercise routine. I am currently working on becoming more positive and mindful every day and I think physical exercise at least 2-3 times a week can amplify my level of happiness. I believe volleyball stands for the joy that everyone in life could use some more of. Volleyball is a fun team building sport. Volleyball can help to improve positive communication with others because it is considered ethically wrong to be negative toward others playing the game as well. Volleyball encourages you to be attentive and mindful in life. If you are not paying attention in volleyball you may lose control of possible outcomes and get hurt. In relation to life, if you are not mindful and attentive you may find yourself in situations you regret being in. In this aspect, volleyball can help you develop good decision-making skills. Volleyball also teaches you to understand authority. You must follow the rules and treat others with respect in order to complete the game correctly. This causes individuals to learn valuable life lessons that can be easily applied for personal development of a healthy lifestyle. If you treat your mind and body you are treating your spirit. Therefore, volleyball decompresses your spirit by simply allowing you to get away from your thoughts. Then, when you are finished playing volleyball you can come back to the long agenda of tasks you have to complete. However, you will come back to your agenda with mindfulness. You create an atmosphere for yourself where it is easier to think and make decisions. It is easier because you essentially clear your mind. In conclusion, volleyball has helped me significantly. I have learned to become an individual who can work with a team to accomplish tasks. I am an athletic training major; Therefore, I can directly apply my team skills to the athletic training facility when I am evaluating athletes injuries and implementing rehabilitation step wise progressions. In addition, volleyball has helped decrease my level of stress. Before performing volleyball on a weekly basis, I felt as if I was lost. I felt like I had no roots in the ground I walked on. All I could focus on was the constant stress of being an athletic training major. Volleyball taught me how to set just an hour and thirty minutes of time aside for myself two days a week in order to present myself with positive and mindful spirituality. I previously felt like I wondered through the darkness, terrified to make mistakes. Now I feel like my positive ego guides me through life helping me make critical decisions. After completing volleyball my spirit has an increased level of energy and happiness. I often feel much more relaxed when I am able to have fun and complete some level of physical exercise on a weekly basis.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

American Fashion Free Essays

Since the advent of globalization, there has been an eruption of fashion trends that break the barriers of clothing design like never before. American clothing apparel and other foreign products are now able to share and adopt each other’s styles, giving them unlimited opportunities to constantly innovate in order for them to remain on the top of the business. The latest technologies also allow them to mass produce and sell their products with much ease. We will write a custom essay sample on American Fashion or any similar topic only for you Order Now The developments in today’s fashion industry have allowed it to become one of the biggest economic institutions in the world. But fashion will not have become what it is today without the influences of its past. Therefore it is only but necessary to discuss American fashion’s history and the changes it had gone through to become what it is today. American fashion first took shape during the colonial era. Although the clothes were noticeably copied from the British, this laid the foundation to what will become the distinct American style. America saw a different picture during this time. Although trade had already become an everyday activity to them, there was hardly any technology that offered them the assortment of clothes we have today. Only natural fabrics were available for them at that time and the clothing the people used were usually sewn by the female members of the family. Wool and linen were the most common as they were readily available. Farmers obtained their wool from the sheep they own, and linen which was regularly used by the more deprived people came from a field crop called Flax plant. Although the soil in America was suitable for growing cotton crops, they were forbidden by the British government to grow them. The British had the monopoly over the cotton industry as one of their other colonies- India was the leading producer of cotton. The importation of British cotton to America made it expensive and was only patronized mostly by the rich as they were the only ones who could really afford them. Silk which mainly came from China was a prized commodity as it was also uncommon. Wealthy men included silk as well as cotton in their attire as replacements to the regular wool and linen. On ordinary days, men typically wore coats and tight trousers while women usually wore long sleeved dresses. It is interesting to note that the Americans during this period still did not consider undergarments as part of their wardrobe. During the late 1880’s, wave after wave of immigrants came to the United States as its booming economy presented opportunities to them. The spate of immigrants caused American fashion to evolve as their influences were no longer limited to the British fashion. The different styles from different countries were now being introduced as well. American fashion became more distinct in the 1920’s as the Americans became less conservative. The changing views within the society also gave the women the opportunity to express themselves. They were increasingly being part of the work force, they were now allowed to vote and they were now also granted the independence to do the activities that they weren’t usually allowed to do before. To simply put it, the women in the 20’s were beginning to play more active roles in the society. Dancing was popular in the 20’s so the women wore shorter skirts for these allowed them to swing freely as they moved. The chemise dress and the coat dress were common during this period. Women also sported short hairstyles to suit their cloches- a type of hat which became trendy among women toward the end of the 1920’s. The great depression in the late 1920s that went on until the early 30s almost brought America to its knees if it was not for their determination to become a World power once more. During this time, buying new clothes was not a priority as the majority of the people barely had enough money to get them through the days. But this did not stop American fashion from evolving. America’s economic breakdown brought about simpler, yet creative designs which were practical and relatively cheaper to make. Gowns with bow ties on the back and fur accessories were popular among women while men wore striped suits with padding and straight pants which was considered the early design of today’s business suits. Blazers were also popular among men as they were in England. Americans returned to being conservative in the 50s as they became more and more anti-communism. The Americans wanted to instill to the rest of the world their religious, conservative side. Girls started wearing longer skirts again while men wore jeans and denim jackets on top of plain white shirt like James Dean who happened to be a very popular actor during this time. A new fabric called nylon also found its way in the clothing industry right after World War 2. From being used in parachutes, nylon became the fabric used in women’s stockings as well as other apparels. The 60s and the 70s were very significant to the transformation of American fashion, and of course the American culture as the youth had the urge to free themselves from the current conventions of the society. The new perspective on life brought about by the emerging hippie movement also carried with it a new sense of style. The hippies often sported American-Indian inspired outfits in earth tones. This supported their image as ‘tree-huggers and peace defenders. But other than the hippie fashion, Punk also came into play in the fashion scene. The extreme styles reflected the radical ethos of the youth. The 80’s was the period when Americans attempted to fully utilize technology and incorporate it in their everyday lives. This was the time when the people seemed so eager to turn the stuff from sci-fi movies into reality. Synthesizers became a staple musical instrument as new wave became popular, the designs of the cars became more aerodynamic, and there were also important innovations in video technology which gave way to home movies. Spandex outfits in bright neon colors were very fashionable as their being stretchable matched the athletic lifestyles of the people, not to mention that the material also had the ‘futuristic’ look to it. Outrageous hairstyles which were ‘big’ and ‘heavy’ were also very fashionable during this period. Although bright colors from the past decade were still tolerated, the dawn of the 90’s was greatly in contrast to the flamboyant 80s. It was the time when the youth chose a simpler lifestyle. Rubber shoes, T-shirts and jeans were regularly worn by the teenagers. Grunge, a popular musical genre during this period was a huge factor in the 90’s fashion scene. Grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam despised the loud costumes rock stars wore on stage and chose to wear simple clothes instead. Their fans followed suit and the new grunge style soon turned out to be very popular and stayed its place all through out the 90’s. The simplistic style from the 90’s is still carried on today. And now that globalization is in full throttle, foreign styles are playing their parts in American fashion. The modern American outfit incorporate the classy designs from fashion hubs like Italy and Paris, and the simplistic style form the 90’s that is still carried on today. 2000 onwards saw a subtler approach to fashion, and at the same time offered the people a larger variety of styles to choose from. A certain style is no longer exclusive to a certain place. Trends in fashion are now shared by people all over the globe, may it be in Japan, Italy or America. But even without the technologies we have today, even without the kind of business we have today, it is still inherent in us to share our progress to each other, may it be new devices or clothes. It has occurred since the dawn of civilization and it without a doubt will continue occurring in the present and the future. And now that we are fast becoming more and more of a global community, it is only but certain that the different concepts from every culture will influence us in the way we dress, the way we think and the way we do things. No one is really certain of what the future of American fashion is. But it certainly promises a lot of changes. Better fabrics will continue to be developed. Someday we might not need to wash our clothes anymore as microscopic chemicals or robots sewn in our shirts will automatically remove the stains. Nanotechnology is now becoming a big part in our lives, and will most definitely be utilized in the future. And as technology furthers itself, nanotechnology will start finding its way in the clothes of the future. But as for now, we can only imagine the wonders of what the future will bring us. How to cite American Fashion, Papers

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Why Puritans Came To America Freedom Essays - Congregationalism

Why Puritans Came to America: Freedom When the English came to America to escape religious persecution, things commenced at a shaky start. For example, Puritans fled from England because of religious persecution. They were being physically beaten because of their religious beliefs therefore they attempted to create a Utopia or "City upon a hill" in the New World. There "City upon a hill" began with a government based on religious beliefs. It developed into a government which condemned those who did not believe in the Puritan beliefs. For example, one had to believe in the Puritan religion and attend church to vote and become a member of the Puritan society. This practice further developed into a situation in which you were beaten or killed if you did not believe in the Puritan religion and remained in Puritan "Utopia" -- the exact situation which they had fled from England. Later, it would take the gathering of American thinkers to deduce what liberties were guaranteed and which were not, to avoid mistakes made by puritans and others in history. The Forefathers of the United States conjured up the Bill of Rights which illustrated which rights were endowed to the people of the United States. They adopted the Bill of rights, which was drafted for political motivations, and it evolved into a document which shelters American people's civil liberties. When the Bill of Rights was adopted, political motivations superceded libertarian views. James Madison claimed that this "nauseous project of amendments" would "kill the opposition[for the ratification of the constitution] everywhere..." In the beginning, the Bill of Rights was first drafted up to appease the Anti-Federalists and coax them into ratifying the constitution. For without the Bill of Rights the constitution may have never been ratified. After its ratification, the Bill of Rights evolved into more realistic terms. The Federalists began to notice the importance of the Bill of Rights as much as the Anti? Federalists had. During the next few years the Bill of Rights began to be accepted by the American people as the essence towards freedom. As it was noticed more and more over the years, the Bill of Rights became the basis for individual rights. It entitled the American people to rights which they had not experienced before such as the freedom of press and speech. In Tennessee's "Monkey Trial" of 1925, John Scope, a science teacher, was convicted for teaching evolution. Only 43 years later would that state law be overturned. This constant evolution of the Bill of Rights has made it what it is today, a document claiming that the American people have certain 'unalienable' rights. In 1868, the 14th Amendment was drafted to insure that peoples rights towards life, liberty, and property would not be deprived by the state governments without due process of law. Here, the most basic rights of the people were secured from the state governments. In Minersville School District vs. Gobits, Lillian Gobitas refused to salute the American flag. She was a devout Jehovah's Witness and was told not to "`Heil Hitler' nor any other creature." This straight-A student was eventually expelled and here father, Walter, took the case to the Supreme Court. In 1940 the Court ruled for Minersville School District, yet this decision was overturned on Flag Day, 1943. Lillian Gobitas, now 67, realized that she was entitled to the freedom to speak and to express herself, or freedom to not speak or not to express herself. The Bill of Rights today is in need of revision;however it still protects civil liberties and is the best declaration for human rights that America has. Only 31 years ago did the Court rule that prayers would not take place in the business of government. In 1971 a defense analyst turned over the Pentagon Papers, which documented a hidden involvement with Vietnam. Nixon claimed that the papers were a "threat to national security." In this case, somebody had to defy the government in order to let the public know what the government was doing. The government today is still not telling the public the rest of the story and shouldn't the public have a right to know what is going on with foreign relations in our government? Only 2 years ago did the Court free Gregory Johnson. He was arrested for burning a flag in 1984. In the first amendment, the right to hold a peaceful assembly should not be prohibited. If burning a flag causes this much controversy should it be noted as a peaceful assembly? Now, 200 years later, does the Bill

Friday, March 20, 2020

History of the Atari Video System

History of the Atari Video System In 1971, Nolan Bushnell together with Ted Dabney created the first arcade game. It was called Computer Space, based on Steve Russells earlier game of Spacewar!. The arcade game Pong was created by Nolan Bushnell (with help from Al Alcorn) a year later in 1972. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney started Atari (a term from the Japanese game Go) that same year. Atari Sold to Warner Communications In 1975, Atari re-released Pong as a home video game and 150,000 units were sold. In 1976, Nolan Bushnell sold Atari to Warner Communications for $28 million. The sale was no doubt aided by the success of Pong. By 1980, sales of Atari home video systems had reached $415 million. That same year, the first Atari personal computer was introduced. Nolan Bushnell was still employed as president of the company. Sold Again Despite the introduction of the new Atari computer, Warner had a reversal of fortune with Atari with losses totaling $533 million in 1983. In 1984, Warner Communications unloaded Atari to Jack Tramiel, ex-CEO of Commodore. Jack Tramiel released the somewhat successful Atari St home computer and sales topped $25 million in 1986. Nintendo Lawsuit In 1992, Atari lost an anti-trust lawsuit against Nintendo. That same year, Atari released the Jaguar video game system as competition to Nintendo. Jaguar was an impressive game system, however, it was twice as expensive as Nintendo. The Fall of Atari Atari was reaching the end of its legacy as a company. In 1994, Sega game systems invested $40 million in Atari in exchange for all patent rights. In 1996, the new Atari Interactive division failed to revive the company which was taken over by JTS, a maker of computer disk drives that same year. Two years later in 1998, JTS sold Atari assets as intellectual property scraps. All copyrights, trademarks, and patents were sold to Hasbro Interactive for $5 million.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Types of Meat Consumed in the Middle Ages

Types of Meat Consumed in the Middle Ages The average medieval cook or housewife had access to a variety of meat from both wild and domesticated animals. Cooks in the households of the nobility had a fairly impressive selection available to them. Here are some, but by no means all, of the meat medieval people would consume. Beef and Veal By far the most common meat, beef was regarded as coarse and was never considered exclusive enough for the nobility; but it was very popular among the lower classes. Though more tender, veal never surpassed beef in popularity. Many peasant households had cows, usually only one or two, that would be slaughtered for meat once their days of giving milk had passed. This would usually take place in the fall so that the creature would not have to be fed through the winter, and whatever was not consumed at a feast would be preserved for use throughout the months ahead. Most of the animal was used for food, and those parts that werent eaten had other purposes; the hide was made into leather, the horns (if any) might be used for drinking vessels, and the bones were occasionally used to make sewing implements, fasteners, parts of tools, weapons, or musical instruments, and a variety of other useful items. In larger towns and cities, a substantial portion of the population had no kitchens of their own, and so it was necessary for them to purchase their meals ready-made from street vendors: a kind of medieval fast food. Beef would be used in the meat pies and other food items these vendors cooked if their customers were numerous enough to consume the product of a slaughtered cow in a matter of days. Goat and Kid Goats had been domesticated for thousands of years, but they were not particularly popular in most parts of medieval Europe. The meat of both adult goats and kids was consumed, however, and the females gave milk that was used for cheese. Mutton and Lamb Meat from a sheep that is at least a year old is known as mutton, which was very popular in the Middle Ages. In fact, mutton was sometimes the most expensive fresh meat available. It was preferable for a sheep to be from three to five years old before being slaughtered for its meat, and mutton that came from a castrated male sheep (a wether) was considered the finest quality. Adult sheep were most often slaughtered in the fall; the lamb was usually served in the spring. Roast leg of mutton was among the most popular foods for nobility and peasant alike. Like cows and pigs, sheep might be kept by peasant families, who could make use of the animals fleece regularly for homespun wool (or trade or sell it). Ewes gave milk that was frequently used for cheese. As with goat cheese, cheese made from sheeps milk could be eaten fresh or stored for quite some time. Pork, Ham, Bacon, and Suckling Pig Since ancient times, the meat of the pig had been very popular with everyone except Jews and Muslims, who regard the animal as unclean. In medieval Europe, pigs were everywhere. As omnivores, they could find food in the forest and city streets as well as on the farm. Where peasants could usually only afford to raise one or two cows, pigs were more numerous. Ham and bacon lasted a long time and went a long way in the humblest peasant household. As common and inexpensive as keeping pigs was, pork was favored by the most elite members of society, as well as by city vendors in pies and other ready-made foods. Like cows, nearly every part of the pig was used for food, right down to its hooves, which were used to make jellies. Its intestines were popular casings for sausages, and its head was sometimes served on a platter at festive occasions. Rabbit and Hare Rabbits have been domesticated for millennia, and they could be found in Italy and neighboring parts of Europe during Roman times. Domesticated rabbits were introduced to Britain as a food source after the Norman Conquest. Adult rabbits more than a year old are known as coneys and show up fairly frequently in surviving cookbooks, even though they were a rather expensive and unusual food item. Hare has never been domesticated, but it was hunted and eaten in medieval Europe. Its meat is darker and richer than that of rabbits, and it was frequently served in a heavily-peppered dish with a sauce made from its blood. Venison There were three types of deer common in medieval Europe: roe, fallow, and red. All three were a popular  quarry for aristocrats on the hunt, and the meat of all three was enjoyed by the nobility and their guests on many an occasion. The male deer (stag or hart) was considered superior for meat. Venison was a popular item at banquets, and in order to be sure of having the meat when it was wanted, deer were sometimes kept in enclosed tracts of land (deer parks). Since the hunting of deer (and other animals) in the forests was usually reserved for the nobility, it was highly unusual for the merchant, working, and peasant classes to partake of venison. Travelers and laborers who had reason to stay at or live in a castle or manor house might enjoy it as part of the bounty the lord and lady shared with their guests at mealtime. Sometimes cookshops were able to procure venison for their customers, but the product was much too expensive for all but the wealthiest merchants and nobility to purchase. Usually, the only way a peasant could taste venison was to poach it. Wild Boar The consumption of boar goes back thousands of years.   A wild  boar was highly prized in the Classical world, and in the Middle  Ages, it was a favored quarry of the hunt. Virtually all parts of the boar were eaten, including its liver, stomach and even its blood, and it was considered so tasty that it was the aim of some recipes to make the meat and innards of other animals taste like that of  boar. A boars head was often the crowning meal of a Christmas feast. A Note on Horse Meat The meat of horses has been consumed ever since the animal was first domesticated five thousand years ago, but in medieval Europe,  horse  was only eaten under the  direst  circumstances of famine or siege. Horse meat is prohibited in the diets of Jews, Muslims, and most Hindus, and is the only food ever to be forbidden by  Canon Law, which led to its being banned in most of Europe. Only in the 19th century was the restriction against horse meat lifted in any European countries. Horse meat does not appear in any surviving medieval cookbooks.   Types of FowlTypes of Fish Sources and Suggested Reading by Melitta Weiss Adamson edited by Martha Carlin and Joel T. Rosenthal edited  by C.M. Woolgar, D.  Serjeantson  and T. Waldron edited by E.E. Rich and C.H. Wilson by Melitta Weiss Adamson

Monday, February 17, 2020

Developing Professional Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Developing Professional Practice - Assignment Example From this paper it is clear that   there is a need to focus on the financial position of an individual. The two options have varying costs. Therefore, the financial position will be vital in making a decision. There is a need to focus on the time taken for each option. For instance, a course that will take long before completion may have dire effect on career development. Similarly, there is a need to focus on the time schedule. For instance, some curses offer evening and distance learning. This may be a prudent course. Taking a diploma in human resource is a prudent approach especially when in the human resource department. This will increase chances of getting a promotion. On the other hand, the course may be expensive when compared to the certificate in human resource management. Two aspects of group dynamics are group ideology and group cohesion. Research these two and briefly discuss them in around 100 words each in the space provided. Remember to reference your work. How does an understanding of group dynamics, including Tuckman’s model allow HR professionals to be able to perform efficiently as part of a working group? Illustrate your answer with work examples in no more than 150 words in the space provided.  

Monday, February 3, 2020

Human Factors in Aviation Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Factors in Aviation Safety - Essay Example At the time, it received high-profile attention from the media, which covered the incident on live television (JetBlue plane, 2005; JetBlue passengers, 2005; JetBlue Airways, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to explore the human factor as it relates to this mishap. The pilot and crew are the first to become the focus of any airline mishap. Other human factors involve maintenance, traffic control and aircraft design. As noted by Wikipedia, "the ability of the flight crew to maintain situational awareness is a critical human factor in air safety" (Air Safety, 2006). A broad definition of situational awareness in flight is observing everything that happens in the immediate area and determining its importance in a complex environment. Initiation of a pilot checklist in 1937 and the relatively new concept of situational awareness have contributed to aircraft safety. Even so, pilot error is considered the most common factor of aviation crashes. Although it is often a factor in midair collisions, additional causes might be due to adverse weather conditions. Crew resource management (CRM) training is another recent effort to reduce pilot error. Terrorism has been added to the human factor list following 9/11/1001, which involved four different commerc ial aircraft (Air Safety, 2006). In the case of the 2005 JetBlue mishap, ... In fact, Robert Boser, editor of Aviation Safety.com, commended the pilot, Captain Scott Burke, who managed to stop the plane in the middle of the 12,000-foot runway at LAX without having the nose break off. The only damage to the plane was in the front wheel area and no one was injured. Because of sparks and smoke, Burke asked if there was any fire visible, but did not receive an answer from the tower. He therefore used air stairs to disembark the passengers for safety reasons (Boser, 2005). This was his response to an emergency in progress, but was there some way he could have known the problem existed before takeoff What Were the Contributing Factors What were the human factors involved in this incident and how well was the emergency handled In addition, why did it happen at all In the case of pilot error, possible factors that could be involved are alcohol use, nicotine addiction withdrawal, error in copying air traffic control clearances, or mental illness. In the JetBlue incident, the pilot and crew were exonerated of any blame and in fact were lauded. Other factors include oversights in aircraft maintenance, mistakes in air traffic control, or weaknesses in aircraft or equipment design. One question in the relatively short history of JetBlue Airlines is whether such a problem has occurred before. And if it has, what was the cause and what human factors were involved JetBlue has only been in business for six years and offers low fares and extra incentives such as live television, leather seats and wireless Internet, which are not available on other popular low-cost airlines such as Southwest. Because of the passengers' ability to watch CNN on the airline's DirectTV hook up, however, with televisions at every seat, they were able to follow the

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Armys Approach To Situational Leadership Management Essay

Armys Approach To Situational Leadership Management Essay The Armys approach to situational leadership is based on the fact that leaders must lead in all situations and ajust to environments that are always changing. In order to prepare leaders for these challenges, the Army uses the concept of situational leadership as a platform. It teaches leaders the impotance of situational leadership, team dynamics and peer leadership (Applied Team Leadership, 2009). The Army stresses that leadership is not about setting rigid, unbending expectations and dictating orders. Good leaders match a style of leadership that matches the current situation, and those that they lead. This paper examines the Armys appoaches situational leadership. It reviews the basic concept of situational leadership, looks at how the Army defines leadership and examines the different perspectives and theories the Army believes to be critical to success. The paper discusses leadership traits and behaviors, and how they are the building blocks for the Armys Leadership Requirement Model. It examines how the Army applies its leadership model using the elements of leadership, both transactional and transformational. And finally, it discusses adaptive leadership, its characteristics, and how the Army builds adaptive leaders. . Table of Contents Introductionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..1 The Basic Concept of Situational Leadership à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.2 The Army and Leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦3 The Army Relationship Requirement Modelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦4 Transactional Leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..5 Transformational Leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦6 Which Style is Best?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦6 Applied Adaptive Leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..7 Conclusionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦8 Leadership remains the most baffling of the artsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as long as we do not know exactly what makes men get up out of a hole in the ground and go forward in the face of death at a word from another man, then leadership will remain one of the highest and most elusive of qualities. It will remain an art. James L Stokesbury The art of leadership the Stokesbury alludes to is a subject studied more seriously in military schools than in civilian institutions. Given the life-and-death nature of our business and the importance of the military to a nations survival, this should surprise no one. What is surprising, however, is that most professional military education schools rely almost exclusively on the civilian-orientated Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership model to help teach military leadership and management. (Waddell, 1994) The Army believes that leadership is a complex human behavior, and there is no one single way to view it. In order to be an effective leader, one must study more than one model or theory of leadership. This is why the military leader must make use of the studies and histories of military units and figures, and not repeat the mistakes of the past. (Yukl, 1986) While many scholars, sociologist, and historians have analyzed the methods of leadership, there remains no single way to create a great leader. Young Army leaders attending professional development programs need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different styles and theories. Military leaders are different than leaders in other types of organizations because they are appointed and not emergent. (Yeakey, 2002,) To become truly effective leaders, the Army officer must be more than a one trick pony who can apply only one leadership model. Army leaders lead more intensively than most of their counterparts in civilian life do, in situations where the lack of effective leadership will have catastrophic results (Foundations of Leadership, 2008) The Army Leadership Requirement Model centers on what a leader is and what a leader must do. Because of the stress of combat, the military leader must build trust and confidence with subordinates. To do this, the Army has developed a standard set of attributes and core leader competencies designed to aid in development of leaders who can succeed in a wide variety of difficult situations. US Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100, Army Leadership, also added transactional and transformational leadership styles in the 1980s. Today, the manual has been updated and these two proven styles continue to assist Army leaders in shaping behavior, emotions, and the organizational climate. (Yeakey, 2002) Transformational leadership is at the core of what constitutes adaptive leadership, according to U.S. Army doctrine Field Manual (Bass, Jung, Avolio, Berson, 2003). This leadership approach allows the modern Army leader the ability to adapt to an ever changing environment. Adaptive leadership is an approach by the Army, designed to give the leader an edge in the Contemporary Operating Environment (COE). However being adaptive is more than reacting to a situation. Army leaders anticipate and employ their style of leadership based on that situation. They are able to assume risk, make well informed decisions, and adjust accordingly. The Basic Concept of Situation Leadership According to modern theories of situational leadership developed by P. Hersey, K.H. Blanchard, and D.E. Johnson in their siminal work, Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources, there is no one best way to influence people. In Army terms, their theory holds that the leadership style you select and use will depend in the environment and the readiness or ability of the individual soldier (Applied Team Leadership, 2009). Situational leadership is based on an interplay among (1) the amount of guidance and direction (task behavior) a leader gives, (2) the amount of sociomotional support (relationship behavior) a leader provides, and (3) the performance readiness level that the followers exibit in performing a specific task, function or objective (Hersey et al., 2008) Task Behavior Is defined as the extent to which the leader engages in spelling out the duties and responsibilites of an individual or group (Hersey et al., 2008). Examples of task behavior may include developing a list of things to accomplish, establishment of priorities. It might even include following up and assessing the progress made by individuals or teams. Relationship Behavior Is defined as the extent to which the leader engages in two-way or multiway communication (Hersey et al., 2008). Relaionship behavior includes listening, teaching, or counseling. The more you adapt your behavior to the situation, the more effective your attempts to influence will be. No one style is effective in all situations. Each style is appropriate and effective depending on the situation (Hersey et al., 2008). Peoples level of readiness tends to be different, depending on their task. Readiness has nothing to do with values, life experience, or traits; it has everything to do about ones willingness and ability. Willingness is the combination of confidence, commitment, and motivation. Ability is the knowledge, experience, and demonstrated skill that the follower brings to the task and is based on an actual display of abilities. Leaders should not select a leadership style by assuming that the follower should know (Yeakey, 2002). The Army and Leadership An Army leader is anyone who by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals. Army leaders motivate people both inside andoutside the chain of command to pursue actions, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization. (FM 6-22, Army Leadership, 2006) For decades, scholars, business leaders, and organizational researchers have continually refined the definition of leadership-based on their findings and expereince, and the latest real-world models and situations. The variety of their theories about leadership stems from leaderships multidimesional nature (Foundations of Leadership, 2008). The Army is always looking for ways to improve itself. Weather developing new tactics for fighting the war on terrorism, or improving its ability to provide care for wounded warriors, improving the force is always at the forfront of the Army. This goal to improve can also be seen in Army leadership. Greater efficiency and effectivness in its leaders led the Army to reevaluate its application of leadership principles. The Army drew on several leadership theories from business and academia to develop its own leadership frame work and definition of of what leadership entails (Foundations of Leadership, 2008). By examining different perspectives and theories, Army leaders are better equiped to deal with the complex nature of leadership in the contemporary operating environment. The Army Leadership Requirement Model The Army devotes significant resources to studying and promoting in-depth discussionof many leadership theories. Its aim is to help develop leaders who can succeed in a wide variety of challenging situations (Foundations of Leadership, 2008). The requirement models basic componets center on what a leader is (attributes BE and KNOW) and what a leader does (competencies DO). An Army leaders character, presence, and intellect enable them to master the core competencies through didicated lifelong learning. The balanced application of the critical leadership requirement model empowers the leader to build high performing and cohesive organizations. It also creates positive organizational climates, allowing for individuals and team learning, and empathy for all. Three major factors determine character: values, empathy, and Warrior Ethos. Some charactoristics are present at the beginning of a leaders career, while others are developed over time. Physical presence determines how others others perceive you. The factors of physcial presence are bearing, phyical fitness, and resilience. Intellectual capacity helps to conceptualize solutions and aquire knowledge to do the job. A leaders conceptual abilities apply agility, judgment, innovation, interpersonal tact, and domain knowledge. Domain knowledge encompasses tactical and technical knowledge as well as cultural awareness. Leader competencies develop from baleanced combination on institutional schooling, self development, realistic training, and professional experience. Building competence follows a systematic and gradual approach, from mastering individual competencies, to applying them in concert and tailoring them to the situation at hand. Leading people by giving them a complex task helps develop the confidence and will take on progressively more difficult challenges. Competencies provide a clear and concise way of conveying expectations for Army leaders. Current and future leaders want to know what to do to succeed in their leadership responsibilities. The core leader competencies apply across all levels of the organization, across leader positions, and throughout careers. Competencies are demonstrated through behaviors that can be readily observed and assessed by a spectrum of leaders and followers: superiors, subordinates, peers and mentors. This makes for a good basis for leader development and focused multi-source assessment and feedback. Transactual Leadership Transactual leadership is based on a transaction or exchange of something of value the leader possess or controls that the follower wants in return for his/her services (Homrig, 2001). The transactual relationship between leader and follower follows an approach where there is either a reward or incentive for achievement; the leader uses punishment or corrective action as a response to unacceptable performance; or the leader actively monitors the progress of work, and uses corrective action to ensure the desired standard is met. While the transactual style of leadership may not be the most popular, or prefered method, it cannot be denied that it produces results. Young recruits who entry the Army live under the transactual style of leadership. These young men and women are placed in a environment designed to break undesirable habits, and build new ones. In order to motivate, and build cohesive teams out of individuals, Drill sergeants who have very limited time, follow the transactual style of leadership using rewards, or punishment to meet acceptable standards. Army leaders often times, because of their situation use the tranactional style of leadership. This is usually only for short periods of time where there is no time to react to other than a direct approach. Examples of these types of situations may include safety situations, or when a unit comes under direct fire from the enemy. Choosing to use transactual leadership involves more than the readiness level of subordinates. The style will change as the situation changes. The goal of the Army leadership today is to create bonds between soldiers with stregnth to motivate even when the leader is not present. To build the kind of lasting bonds that enhance unit cohesion, moral, and performance, Army leaders must look to a higher order of leadership: transformational leadership (Foundations of Leadership, 2008) Transformational Leadership With the introduction of transformational leadership theory into the literature, greater attention has now been paid to understanding how certain leaders are better equipped to elevate a followers motivation and performance to the high levels of accomplishment (Bass, 1985). Tranformational leadership is based on the assumption that people will follow a leader who inspires or motivates them. This method to motivate and inspire is often used to develop a compelling vision by selling it and focusing on developing relationships with followers as a teacher, mentor, and coach might. The transformatioanl leader thus spends a great deal of time building trust and demonstrates a high level of personal integrety to engage his/her followers. His or her ultimate goal is to transform followers while achieving results. In military engagements, leadership, moral, cohesion, and commitment have long been identified as critical ingredients to unit performance (Bass, 1998) Military units demonstrating a high level of esprit de corps and moral have frequently produced the best results (Shamir, Zakay, Breinen, Popper, 1998). Transformational leaders have developed a set of internal values. They have gained a high level of commitment that transends down to their followers. Transformational leaders have the ability to to operate in a manner that best fits the situation. The military professional must weigh the pros an cons of these leader/follower relionships to judge which is best when. This is by no means an easy task and usually results in a great deal of thought, for being a leader is work (Homrig, 2001). Which Style is Best? Each style has its advantages and its limitations. The Army teaches that when choosing an appropraite style, one must consider the amount of time available to accomplish the objective, your abilities and those of the subordinates, and the current situation. Bernard Bass, co-author of Adding to contingent-reward behavior: The augmenting effect of charismatic leadership says The best leadership is both transformational and transactional. Transformational leadership augments the effectiveness of transactional leadership; it does not replace transactional leadership (Waltman, Bass, Yammarino, 1990). People in general look to leaders for guidance and direction; however they want to be encouraged to to negotiate challenges. The successful leader will inspire and motivate groups or teams in the organization to create synergy among them to tackle that challenging situation or obstacle. Transformational leaders will ultimatly build long term pride, competence, and commitment within the organization that goes beyond what can be achieved by using transactual leadership. Transformational leadership is at the core of what constitutes adaptive leadership, according to U.S. Army doctrine Field Manual 22-100 (Bass et al., 2003). Applied Adaptive Leadership Dr. Leonard Wong, a twenty year Army veteran, and author of Developing Adaptive Leaders: The Crucible Experience of Operation Iraqi Freedom, cites leadership researcher Warren Bennis, who defines adaptive leadership: The critical quality of a leader that determines how a leader will fare in a crucible experience is adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacity allows leaders to respond quickly and intelligently to constant change. It is the ability to identify and sieze opportunities. It allows leaders to act and then evaluate results instead of attempting to collect and analyze all the data before acting (Wong, 2004) According to Wong, adaptive leaders need to be mentally flexable and agile. They must possess strong conceptual and technical skills. Adaptive leaders are strong under pressure, and can operate will little or no supervision. Flexible, adaptive leadership is important for leaders to adapt to different situations. Hersey Blanchard point out that more delegation and less monitoring is needed for subordinates who are confident and competent than ones who are not. Change is the only constant. Adaptive leaders know the strengths of self and subordinates, understand the mission, and can quickly diagnose the situation. They manage and adapt while leading and motivating the team. There are no leader institutions within the Army that guarantee leaders become adaptive. The charactoristics of adaptive leadership indicate that training and eduacation are the foundation. The ability to critically think, recognize situations, adapt, and act, requires time and effort. The Army believes that you can learn to be an adaptive leader. As leaders experience different challenging situations, they develop new skills needed to move on to new levels of achievment. According to Wong, adaptive Army leaders competently deal with three aspects of the contemporary operational environement: ambiguity, complexity, and change (Wong, 2004). Ambiguity Army leaders are taught the importance to completely understanding the senior officiers intent. Leaders deal with unpredictabiltiy on a day to day basis, and while the planning is critical to mission accomplisment, do not become consumed with the plan. Leaders need consider the overall intent, and build plan that work for the team. Complexity Adaptive leaders must learn to deal with complexity. Wong interviewed one yooung officer in Iraq, I cant tell you what Im doing tomorrow. I can tell you what Im suppose to be doing tomorrow. Things change so frequently, and you just expect that. You know that every day you live a day at a time. Things you plan change, based on intel reports, based on different changes in the mission. Change This is the only constant. The adaptive leader must anticipate and master transitions. Changing conditions can change the priorities of the mision, and provide new challenges. Leaders need to find a balance, adapt to the situation, and execute while motivating and inspriring the team. Conclusion James Stokes describes leadership as an art. The United States Army agrees, and therfore embrased the widely popular situational leadership as the foundation for its leadership training model. It shows Army leaders that theres no one best way to influence people, and that only through the study of different theories, styles and behaviors, will you master that art. The Army, through its leadership requirement model, has developed a framework that I believe is useful in assisting young leaders with their leadership. Adaptive leadership is critical for Army leaders as they operate on todays modern technically advanced battlefield. Because of the complexity of and ambiguity of the environement that they face, flexible leadership is required more than ever.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Follower Readiness as It Relates to Situational Leadership Model

The Concept of Follower Readiness As It Relates To Situational Leadership Model Developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard, situational leadership is a contingency model that focuses on the followers. The model suggests that successful leadership is accomplished by selecting the right leadership style, based on the level of followers readiness. Emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leader. Regardless of what the leader does, effectiveness depends on the actions of his or her followers. Fred Fiedler, developed the Leadership Contingency Model; and, I think that situational leadership uses the same two leadership dimensions that Fiedler identified: task and relationship behaviors. However, Hersey and Blanchard delved a step further by considering each as either high or low; and also, combining them into four specific leader behaviors: telling (high task-low relationship). The leader defines roles and tells people what, how, when, and where to do various tasks. It emphasizes directive behavior; selling (high task-high relationship). The leader provides both directive behavior and supportive behavior; participating (high relationship-low task). The leader and follower share in decision making, with the main role of the leader being facilitating and communicating; and also, delegating (low relationship-low task). The leader provides little direction or support. An example of task behavior, for instance, is when I asked my neighbor to show me how to prepare a dish referred to as â€Å"arroz con pollo† in her culture. It is a chicken and rice meal that is full of flavor and is truly delicious. She was very precise and descriptive in telling me what and how much ingredients to use. Also, she clearly explained the steps required to properly prepare the meat and rice. Four Levels of Follower Readiness The four levels of follower readiness applied to what I’ve read as follows: †¢ Level 1: the follower is unable, unwilling, or insecure; lacks confidence, commitment, and motivation. †¢ Level 2: the follower is unable but willing, motivated, or confident; lacks ability but confident with leader’s guidance. †¢ Level 3: the follower is able but unwilling or insecure about performing task alone. Level 4: the follower is able and willing or confident. A high school student, in example of a level 2 follower, is hired for his very first job as a crew member at a local fast food restaurant. Although he does not have any prior experience, he is motivated and confident that he is able to learn the task with on-the-job training provided to him by his supervisor . Four Leadership Styles Style 1, Telling: is characterized by demonstrating, guiding, explaining, and giving feedback on performance. An example, â€Å"Just stand by and observe me perform this task. I’ll give you an opportunity to try it as well, so don’t worry. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. I’m here to help you in any way you may need. † Style 2, Selling: is characterized by coaching, persuading, instructing, and clarifying. It is very similar [in terms of structure] to Style 1. The difference is found in the higher amount of supportive behavior provided by the leader, whom engages in more listening and advising. If necessary, the leader will help the follower gain necessary skills through coaching methods. Style 3, Participating: is characterized by supporting, collaborating, facilitating, and reinforcing. The leader shares responsibility for decision-making; the leader does not tell or direct the follower. Style 4, Delegating: is characterized by a hands-off approach that gives the follower room to make and implement decisions. Matching Leadership Style to Follower Readiness: Situational Leadership Model R1/S1-Directing low readiness, telling: The follower has low ability, low willingness; lacks motivation and/or insecure. The leader has high task focus, low relationship focus. It may be a situation where a follower cannot perform a task or lacks confidence (motivation). In this case, the leader will take a guiding role by telling the follower what to do, how to do, and when to do without any concern for the relationship. R2/S2-Guiding low-to-moderate readiness: The follower has some ability and is willing; motivated and confident. The leader provides high direction combined with high support. Coaching is still needed because of followers limited experience. Also, two-way communication is highly used to build followers motivation and confidence to learn new things. R3/S3- Supporting moderate-to-high readiness: The follower has high competence, is able but unwilling or insecure. The leader has high relationship focus and low task focus. In this case, the follower is capable of performing a task but is refusing to do so. The leader needs to be available and become a good listener, in essence, find out why the follower is refusing; hence, persuading them to cooperate by encouraging the follower to take the lead. R4/S4-Delegating to high readiness: The follower has high ability and high willingness; secure and motivated. The leader has low relationship and low task focus. At this level, followers have less need for support or praise. They have sufficient knowledge, skill, and confidence to perform the task. Although feedback and recognition is not a strong desire, it is welcomed by the follower. Followers need the leader to provide them enough space to [independently] get the job done. The leader gains more freedom at this level and may keep watch from a distant to ensure all is well according to the organizational goals. Leadership Style Applied by Lewis Based on the information I have learned from this case study, Lewis varied in utilizing different leadership styles based on the type of situation she was faced with during here tenure at Staples, Inc. In my initial reading of her case study, she explained that company merger distractions were going on and some issues were taking place without resolve. In this particular situation, Lewis pointed out that as a new person on board she wanted to clarify what her goals were for the organization. She wanted things to happen quickly; and, in fact she incorporated the Style 1 leadership due to follower readiness being at an R1 level. Lewis further explained that when things appeared as a new problem or when a sense of timing is obvious; she intervenes and demonstrates an effective way to complete the task to make change happen quickly. When Lewis became director of operations in 1994 for New England, she concluded that the stores were not performing highly due to a lack of effective leadership. She used the Style 1 type leadership which resulted in her replacing several store associates over a course of one year. Lewis’ leadership style was described by one of her followers as hardworking, inspiring, with disarming charm. It seems that Lewis achieved referent power based on the leadership skills she possessed and demonstrated. Based on the various opinions mentioned throughout this case study about Lewis’ leadership style, her followers gained trust, acceptance, affection, willingness to follow, and emotional involvement for her as their leader. One example is when Krasnow asked her to lead the marketing and advertising merger team. She found her followers readiness level at R3: able but unwilling or too apprehensive to do what she needed as a leader to accomplish her goals. Lewis found her followers exceedingly disconnected from the strategic objectives of merchandising and operations. She adapted the leadership style 2 behavior because she believed if they knew more about each other (in terms of each other’s job responsibilities) and the marketing results, inclusive of knowing more about company’s overall objectives, they would do a better job. One of Lewis’ followers described her leadership style as a style 3 explaining that, â€Å"She asks the kind of questions that provoke real interaction, so it really is a joint discussion. . . In another example of follower readiness is when Lewis was asked to move into merchandising as vice president and divisional manager for furniture and decorative supplies. She entered the department as an â€Å"outsider† and the people who reported to her followers had a strong experience base. Lewis couldn’t afford to waste time having her followers teach her because she needed matters to repair quickly. As a result, Lewis used the participating leadership style #3, which she shared the responsibility for decision making with her followers, however, facilitating and communicating with them as well. One follower maintained that he initially worried that Lewis were a micro-manager, but he soon realized that she inspires dialogue and debate to ensure that her team dug deeply in their decision making. The readiness level of her followers on this team was at a R4: both able and willing to do what was asked of them. Lewis and her team developed a successful strategy for turning the department around by â€Å"replacing over 75% of product assortment. † Although Lewis started off by using leadership Style 1 as director of operations, she shifted her leadership style according to the maturity of her followers in each situation. As the maturity of her followers improved to her organizational goals, she shifted her leadership style ranging from a â€Å"telling† style 1 to a â€Å"selling† style 2, to a â€Å"participating† style 3; and, finally, to a â€Å"delegating† style 4. Suesse, J. M. (2000). Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. Pp. 1-14 (78-91). Hersey, P. , Blanchard, K. H. , and Johnson, D. E. (2008). Management of organizational behavior-leading human resources (9th edition). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.