Leadership and Supervision Issues in Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Supervision Issues in Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea Essay Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea describes the tragic final voyage of the Nantucket-based whaler Essex in 1820. The Essex was a floating factory, a comparatively small but sturdy vessel designed to travel great distances to find, kill, and process whales, thus yielding the extremely valuable whale oil and other products. In the Heart of the Sea also describes a series of errors, mishaps and miscalculations—often with fatal results—in the management, leadership and supervision of the enterprise. These events, despite the distance in time, provide scenarios to compare and contrast present-day concepts of leadership and supervision. The story of the Essex illustrates numerous instances of (a) poor planning before and during the journey, (b) poor staffing decisions before and during the journey, (c) indecisive and/or poor leadership and (d) poor supervision which contributed to the difficult journey, the sinking of the Essex and the horrible aftermath. Typical of the practices of the era and locale, Essex was captained, but not owned and provisioned, by a sailor-officer who had risen through the ranks. This would be the first command voyage of Captain George Pollard, Jr. By all accounts he had successfully risen to First Mate of the Essex on previous voyages and was given captaincy when the former captain was given a newer and larger vessel. Unfortunately he inherited a worn ship soon to be out of commission. Accordingly the owners spent as little as possible on repairs of the vessel and even less on provisions for the multi-year cruise. There is no indication Pollard had any input in either decision. As this was his first command he was likely to remain in his employers’ good graces and refrain from insisting on better repairs and outfitting. To further compound these initial as well as future problems was the wage payment structure in which Pollard and the crew were essentially working on commission. Payment to officers and seamen alike would be a portion based on rank and seniority paid only if the valuable whale oil was safely in port. Other experienced captains had the ability and option to add to the original provisions. Pollard either decided to set sail despite the meager provisions or was unable to supplement them by his own means. This system strongly contrasts to management practices of the day as well as contemporary practices. Owner-operated businesses were not at all uncommon in the era with a strong â€Å"hands-on† style of leadership. Most striking would be the owner-operated vessels with a captain well-versed on ship maintenance and outfitting. Obviously today anyone would be considered naive at best and insane at worst to take on such a logistical task of any sort without having been given decision-making authority. Today even with companies having distant or publicly held ownership the leadership and decision-makers of the company are urged to â€Å"buy into† the company in the sense of making decisions and leading in a manner consistent with actual ownership. If Pollard can be excused to some extent for the poor decision-making at home port, the disastrous lack of planning during his maiden voyage is his burden alone. After almost loosing his ship virtually at the onset of the voyage he is either unable or incapable of tactical or strategic planning when the Essex is destroyed. With a previously damaged vessel prudence would dictate some sort of â€Å"disaster plan† short of a belief that lightening will not strike the same place twice. While the Essex was sinking it was the foresight of others who managed to salvage essential items. Some decisions defied common sense. Instead of cooking and preparing a substantial amount of available turtle meat he simply placed two live turtles with each surviving whaleboat. Perhaps Pollard did not think the unthinkable could happen again. Such planning and preparedness is not something novel, for his era or ours. It is simply the ability to survive the unexpected and the wisdom to learn from it. Contemporary leadership in management, government, and virtually any other field must be prepared for the unexpected. The unexpected and the disastrous will certainly occur, usually when least expected. It then also becomes a learning experience for leadership to plan and think for the â€Å"unplanned and unthinkable†. Consistent with the idea of poor or non-existent planning was the Nantucket concept of staffing vessels with the unskilled. Pollard’s ship was manned by a significant number of â€Å"sailors† who had never lived in Nantucket nor experienced life on a whaler. Other â€Å"sailors† included inexperienced Nantucket youngsters anxious for their first cruise as well as officers sailing in newly-promoted ranks. It was expected of Pollard and his officers to essentially conduct on-the-job training for the unskilled staff. However, once again, if Pollard can be excused for having to deal with something out of his control, the staffing decisions made during the disaster were his alone. Most glaring was the decision regarding the placement of the survivors in what would become their lifeboats. No consideration was given to skill, ability or health. Instead, it was a system based on whether a sailor was black or white, Nantucketer or not. Apprenticeships and on-the-job training are time-honored practices dating back centuries and still valid today. Both systems are based on both a lengthy or at least sufficient period of time and a non-critical or at least supervised situation. The apprentice or OJT worker will make mistakes and is given the opportunity to make them and learn from them in a controlled situation. Once skilled, the staffing pattern must be developed to maintain whatever production or quality standard is to be met. In an emergency situation such decisions must be made by leadership without being distracted by pointless issues of race, class, or place of birth. Again, Pollard can be shielded to some extent by the customs and practices of his day. Contemporary leaders have no such excuse. Decision-making is often made in the lonely vacuum of sole command, something that Pollard, at times, was unable or willing to do. â€Å"Leadership by consensus† was not something he learned, but he did indeed practice. Additionally, indecision is in fact a decision, and one that eats time. After the initial near-fatal keeling of his ship Pollard commits both errors: he abdicates sole leadership, procrastinates, reverses himself, and by trying to lead by consensus ultimately leads his ship to disaster. Again, forces work against Pollard. To turn back with a damaged empty ship would result in no wages and possibly a loss of command. By deciding to continue the voyage with a damaged ship, lost provisions, and lost whaleboats Pollard was not talking a calculated risk, he was essentially dooming his ship and crew to disaster. Modern management case studies abound with the disastrous stories of managers failing to decide and having that â€Å"activity† yield worse results than a bad decision. Most missions are time-critical and while many, if not most missions can have a built-in method of correcting erroneous decisions there is no method for reversing time lost in indecision. The texts are equally full of the horror stories of leaders who take the â€Å"ahead at all costs† attitude without a realistic appraisal of whether their â€Å"ship† can handle the journey. This inevitably results in the learned experience that â€Å"profitability at all costs† is very unprofitable. After the sinking of the Essex a variety of decisions were made, some based on common sense, or lack of same, and others based on the nautical knowledge of the time. Perhaps the most glaring was the decision to allow the surviving whaleboats to operate in an individual fashion, without tying together during the night. While a questionable seafaring decision, it casts some light on broader contemporary issues. During critical situations, whether a production run or a full-scale emergency it is common sense and a practical necessity to maintain communication and command. Failure to maintain either can jeopardize the personnel and the mission. In the Heart of the Sea is filled with numerous examples of poor supervision. From the very onset there is no indication Pollard really supervised the repair and provisioning of his vessel; it all likelihood he delegated a great deal of this responsibility to his First and Second Mate. There is no indication he did a thorough, hands-on investigation of his damaged vessel after the initial near-sinking. Once whaling he was out in a whaleboat, as was the custom, instead of being in a position on deck to supervise all of the events that would unfold. There is no indication he personally undertook a surveillance of Henderson Island to determine if it could sustain the crew, or in the alternative, if it could better provision the survivors on their continued voyage. During many of the catastrophic events Pollard seemed overwhelmed and incapacitated by the situation. He was unable to command and supervise what can only be described as life-threatening or life-saving activity unfolding in front of him. Once all was lost he decided to allow the boats to go their own way, and was unable to maintain the supervision of survivors when that was his most critical duty. Throughout the disastrous journey the questionable command of Pollard is and will be debated. What is certain is there was considerable doubt at the time that he exercised the decision-making responsibilities in a prudent manner. The captain of a ship and the leader of a corporation must be able to face a situation, whether mundane or critical, and make very quick and decisive actions. First and foremost is the decision of whether to take a â€Å"hands on† approach or delegate responsibility. There is no easy or set answer, and either method can be disastrous, if a leader usurps a subordinate’s better command of a situation or if responsibility is delegated to someone incapable of handling the situation. However, the command of a ship is unique and very similar to many organizational situations in that the leader at the very top is expected to be well-versed and capable of every function in the entire organization. If that is not the case, then the leader must have a clear understanding of his personal abilities and limitations as well as that of all of the subordinates in the chain of command. Throughout the narratives and accounts which the book is comprised of there is mention of, and no doubt that the captain knew his ship better than anyone. However, it became very obvious at the onset that his knowledge of his and his officers’ capabilities was suspect. At only one point was Pollard described as acting with the authority and decisiveness normally required of a ship’s captain. He quickly and ferociously responded to an early â€Å"protest† by the crew relating to what they considered poor rations. His outburst and threatened action quelled the protest and certainly left the crew with no doubt of his intent. However, what is missing is the not-unusual comments and attitude from crewmen indicating complete respect of their captain and their willingness to follow his commands, regardless of outcome, because of their knowledge of him and his ability. It is imperative upon leaders to not just know their workplace, but to know their staff. It is not enough to â€Å"go ballistic† once in a while to let the staff know what will happen if something is discovered amiss or in response to what behavior is not to be tolerated. Command through intimidation is foolhardy; what is necessary of leadership is to prove competency to staff and subordinates to the point where there is no doubt there is respect in the leader’s ability. At that point leadership becomes â€Å"natural† if and when the staff and subordinates believe the leadership will in fact lead, but do so in a manner that takes into account the well-being, if not survival, of all. In modern society â€Å"survival† is often economic survival, and depending on the organization or industry economic survival must be paramount in management’s priorities. Pollard lost on both counts; the voyage was a complete economic disaster and resulted in the deaths of the majority of his crew. The journey was a voyage of poor planning, staffing, decision-making and supervision. It is an epic of missed opportunities and unrealistic goals. It is a blueprint for any manager or leader in what not to do. Leadership cannot afford to be unprepared in any of the areas noted above. Each interact and influence the other, often in ways unanticipated and noted only too late. It is easy, but very necessary to look at situations with twenty-twenty hindsight if lessons are to be learned and errors prevented in the future. There is a host of what-if questions presented by In the Heart of the Sea which every leader should take to heart.

Influence of the IRA and the Northern Irish Conflict

Influence of the IRA and the Northern Irish Conflict The Influence of the IRA and the Northern Irish Conflict (1970s to Present) on the Writing of Irish History Khalil Jetha It has been said that history is not an assortment of facts, but rather a recollection of instances taken in a certain context. Unlike pure fact, history is heavily reliant on the documenting party. The writing of Irish history has changed dramatically since the 1970s, altering the rhetoric in which the struggle has been presented. The crippling hold of the British Imperial machine has widely been recalled as an international symbol of oppression. However, recent developments in the Irish conflict have tempered something of a defeatist attitude among Ireland’s historians, earning the circumstance enmity and even garnering sympathy for the British government. Countries that won their independence from Britain such as the United States, India, and others share the common factor of clear-cut sides; in each case, the parties at odds were Great Britain and the colonial land in question. The Irish struggle, however, has evolved into broad acquiescence to subjugation and dominance, w ith a markedly diminished sense of outrage. What started out as a universal Irish struggle plunged into disarray, with splintering factions breaking away from a common struggle and eventually accepting the creation of two Irelands: a Catholic, Irish free southern state and a Protestant, British protectorate in the north. There are three events in the last thirty years that changed the face of the Irish struggle’s historiography, all three testaments to the waning sense of urgency shared in the Northern Irish conflict. First is the radicalization of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), second is the division of Catholics manifested in Colin Cruise O’Brien’s writing and push for leadership, and third is the evolution of Irish rebellion from 1970 from that of armed struggle to non-violent protest. The IRA has long been the strongest symbol of Irish nationalism, hotly contested by some as a partisan organization dedicated to little more than a consolidation of Catholic control. Some contend that prior to the 1916 establishment of the Irish Free State there was no Irish nation, and that the national identity was in its infancy at the onset of the British occupation. However, to the Irish people â€Å"the Republic was, for a few tense years, a living reality which dominated every aspect of their lives† (Macardle 29). The tumultuous 1970s are an accurate representation of how events in the Northern Irish conflict affected the writing of Irish history. The escalation of violence on British soil in the name of Irish nationalism, followed by growing Irish resentment of the IRA, and finally the disarmament of the IRA all reflect how events changed the conflict’s historiography. Though the IRA had existed in different forms since the early 19th century, the 1970s saw â€Å"violence against British rule increased, carried out in the name of the ‘Irish Republican Army’† (Kee 613). What originally began as carefully planned attacks against British armed establishments inside Ireland proper changed into â€Å"guerrilla warfare in which the majority of the Irish people, though originally opposed to violence, supported the IRA† (Kee 613). British brutality spawned Irish violent resistance, and support for such measures was widely supported as the Irish people perceived the British occupation as a series of events that could be universally and categorically condemned. As a result, history was written heavily in the favour of the Irish cause. Up until the escalation of IRA violence on British territory, â€Å"no one who knew the meaning of nationality found it difficult to understand that the Irish had, in past centuries, resisted conques t and absorption by another race; what caused astonishment, whether hostile or sympathetic, was the passion and tenacity with which the resistance had been maintained† (Macardle 30). Historians sympathized with the Irish plight, especially given that extent of the British occupation following the establishment of the Irish Free State. The world was already aware of British Imperialism and the extent of Irish civilian losses. Irish violence in the name of the IRA saw everything shy of complete support in the international stage, and history focused on â€Å"the weighty British Administration† that â€Å"continued to operate uncertainly and with violence, while, in its midst, there functioned another government, which commanded the allegiance of the people and whose decrees produced immediate results† (Macardle 29). The early 1970s saw unparalleled international sympathy with the IRA’s cause, especially following the exodus of Irish violence from Ulster and its manifestation on British soil. Though violence was not necessarily condoned, it was not wholeheartedly condemned. Northern Ireland evolved from a sectarian conflict to one that spanned national borders, a situation history saw repeated in every part of the world. British aggression in Derry soon became a rallying cry for IRA recruitment. What took place on January 30, 1972 became known as Bloody Sunday, the pinnacle of IRA domestic and international sympathy. In the â€Å"six months prior to that day, the [British] Army had increasingly brutalized the Catholic populace, but it had done so largely on a case-by-case, individual-by-individual basis†; â€Å"on that day, the Army launched a premeditated campaign of murder against unarmed demonstrators—a campaign whose ostensible purpose was to induce the IRA to stand and fight, force the demonstrators to flee, and enable the Army to kill or capture the bulk of Derry’s IRA gunmen† (Hull 48). Historiography could have taken one of two paths. Bloody Sunday could have been perceived as a hallmark of British imperialism, or it could have been shown in a sympathetic light to the British dilemma of protecting its previously sponsored Protestant ruling class. From Dublin’s standpoint, the â€Å"world undoubtedly would have concluded that British Army actions in Derry on January 30, 1972 violated international law†; however, popular support for the Irish victims was lost â€Å"in lieu of an objective investigation,† with â€Å"more British whitewash† spread over the whole affair (Hull 183). London saw the elicitation tactics of Bloody Sunday as a utilitarian decision to spare the most civilian lives. That so many civilians perished under British gunfire was a penultimate factor in the stabilization of the region. The ends justified the means in the British â€Å"peace†; the British-sponsored probe investigating Bloody Sunday dampened the immediate public outcry, and history’s favour weaned on the Irish side. This marked the end of the image of the British aggressor. The Close of Irish Violence in London and the Loss of Popular IRA Support The gruesome bombing IRA bombing campaigns led to two significant paradigm shifts in Dublin and abroad. On one hand, history began perceiving the Irish separatist cause as one that targeted all Britons, not just those occupying Ireland. Images of Britons of all racial and religious backgrounds swept across newspapers worldwide, and the Irish cause became less about foreign occupation and more about the stasis of British national security. Moreover, Irish domestic support waned among Catholic clergy as well as the Irish layman. People throughout the island were at odds with each other; prominent scholars such as Connor Cruise O’Brien not only opposed the IRA, but also began taking part in British politics, siding with political machination as opposed to armed insurgency. Historians took the side of O’Brien, depleting the IRA’s support, morphing their public image from that of popular resistance to one of horrific aggression. As a corollary, the Irish cause was mar ked as one not between the Irish and British or Catholic and Protestant. The conflict in Northern Ireland hence became one of armed struggle versus civilized politics. O’Brien’s writings against the IRA may have cost him leadership of the Irish Republic, but their influence dwindled what used to be unified armed struggle. The IRA attempted to counter this trend, calling in bomb threats hours ahead of schedule, causing panic and not violence. However, the writing of Irish history had already shifted, and the Irish people grew weary of the fighting. The new style of bloodless bombing campaigns was ironically reflective of the end of Irish political fervour; rebellion became one of tired horror, one that was less separatist and more about divisions few recognized on the international stage. Today’s Irish conflict is one of forgotten causes; in light of the British successes in quelling the whirr of public relations following Bloody Sunday, the IRA bombing campaigns inevitably led to their condemnation by Irish politicians and scholars such as O’Brien. By the early 1980s, the entire cause had lost the passion that fuelled its patrons for the previous two centuries. Today, the IRA has been reduced to a fading memory in the collective international conscience. What remains is defeatist acquiescence; the Irish conflict’s major events did not successfully portray the Irish as victims. Instead, history has viewed the Irish conflict in the same way many Irish have perceived it themselves: a hopeless political and military quagmire against a seemingly indefatigable foe. References Hull, Roger H. (1976) The Irish Triangle: Conflict in Northern Ireland. Princeton:Princeton U P. Macardle, Dorothy. (1965) The Irish Republic. New York: Farrar, Straus, andGiroux. Kee, Robert. (1993) The Laurel and the Ivy: The Story of Charles Stewart Parnelland Irish Nationalism. Middlesex: Penguin Group. Leon O Broin and Cian O H’Eigeartaigh (ed). (1996) In Great Haste: The Lettersof Michael Collins and Kitty Kiernan. Dublin: St. Martin’s Press.

Safeguards and Policies to Protect Children from Harm

Safeguards and Policies to Protect Children from Harm Protecting children from harm When children are attending school, their parents and carers expect them to be learning and enjoying their day in a safe and secure environment. The Health and Safety at work Act 1974 has been put into place to ensure the environment the children work in is safe and well maintained and safe for children to move around in. The environment in which the children and adults are working within should be safe and clean, and any equipment and resources that are being used by the children should be safe and in good working condition to ensure they are protected from any harm. Children should be able to learn in a safe environment and being able to learn and thrive to their full potential without the risks of illness or injury. Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from harm it also includes issues such the following. Children’s health and safety Bullying Racist abuse Harassment and discrimination Use of physical intervention Meeting the needs of children with medical conditions Providing first aid Drug and substance misuse Internet safety Safeguarding children is the responsibility of all school staff members and governors. They should do the following to protect children from harm. Provide an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to Ensure children know that there are adults in school who they can approach with any concerns Provide information that enables children to develop the skills they need to recognise how to stay safe and free from harm Children should be able to feel safe and secure in the school setting. Staff should receive the sufficient training relating to safeguarding children and should identify signs of abuse in order to protect the child from any harm. Children who are protected enjoy and thrive at what they like to do best and this motivates them and gives them a self belief of all the things they enjoy. Children who are not protected in the school setting lack self esteem issues and this would also have a negative impact on their development. Safe guards have been put into place to ensure the following. Protects children and young people from harm and abuse Enables staff to know what to do if they are worried Shows that the group is responsible and has pride in its work Prevents children from under developing Builds children self esteem and self belief Builds confidence in the child Gives the opportunity for the child to enjoy childhood and have no worries that they should not have Gives them a good start to life Prevents them from being under bad influence that could cause long term effects References/bibliography www.gov.uk www.safeguardingchildren (3.4) Policies and Procedures In a school environment there are a range of policies and procedures in place to protect the children and the adults who are working at the school. Policies and procedures are important in schools because they help to ensure that staff and children know what is expected of them, they would receive fair treatment and enjoy the safest conditions possible. Safety in schools is better assured when clear policies and procedures exist. Everyone works better when there are rules that are understood clearly. Policies and procedures set out the rules that must be followed and if not followed there would be consequences. Children behave and perform better when they know the guidelines and when teachers are consistent with enforcing the rules. Some of the procedures set in a school are. Safeguarding and welfare of children policy Safeguarding and school security procedures Statutory school policies School health and safety procedures School improvement policies School support and healthy lifestyle policies General school policies Special educational needs policies School premises policies Educational policies are rules that are used in schools to effectively and efficiently teach children and keep them safe. Policies and procedures enable schools to make good decisions that optimise well being. Schools do this by the following. Involving children in school decision making about governance and policy Involving children and parents in the regular review of school policies and procedures and the determination of computer use, class and playground rules Encouraging children to take active steps in tackling bullying, prejudice and other behaviours that have a negative impact on wellbeing Aligning policy and curriculum References/bibliography www.safenetwork.org.uk (3.5) Reporting poor practice When working with children it is very important that any concerns regarding poor practice are reported. Also to ensure those who’s behaviour is causing concern is reported to protect those who have reported the concern are protected. Reporting concerns about poor practice is very serious and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Within the school setting there will be procedures put into place for reporting concerns. When discussing poor practice with the manager poor practice should be accurately identified and if possible, include dates, times and situations when the issue occurred. It is essential to provide as much information as possible. Whistleblowers are protected by law as long as certain criteria are met. The types of whistle blowing eligible for protection (called qualifying disclosures), they include when someone reports the following. That someone’s health and safety is in danger Damage to the environment A criminal offence That the company is not obeying the law That someone is covering up wrongdoing Whistleblowers are protected by law as long as they believe that what they are doing is right and that it is in the public interest. The human resource department will usually play a large role in ensuring that the correct procedures are followed. The human resources department will provide information on the employee’s rights, including their right to representation. If a young person or adult has concerns, it is important that they are able to report them to someone at the school. It is therefore important that the school know how to respond, and who will do this. Once a concern has been reported, it is important that appropriate action be taken. It will not be the school’s responsibility to decide if action needs to be taken, unless a child is at immediate risk of harm. It is however the schools responsibility to respect the concerns appropriately in accordance with the policies, procedures and systems that have been put into place. When someone is reporting their concerns the following should be used to help the situation. Stay calm Reassure the person reporting their concerns that they have done the right thing in telling you Keep an open mind Listen carefully to what is said and take them seriously Explain that the information would have to be shared with others and do not promise to keep secrets. Child abuse can and does occur inside and outside the family environment. It is not always easy for teachers to identify where abuse has occurred. However, all teachers working with children have a duty of care to be vigilant and respond appropriately to suspicions of poor practice, abuse or bullying. Whistle blowing is the process of disclosing wrong doing. Within the school setting this may mean exposing a member of staff to poor practice or behaviour. This could be a member of staff bullying a pupil or a colleague. The way a worker can blow the whistle on wrong doing depends on whether they feel they can tell their employer. A worker cannot be dismissed because of whistle blowing. If they are, they can claim unfair dismissal they will be protected by law as long as certain criteria are met. The following people are protected. Employees A agency worker People that are training with an employer Self employed workers Work in a school A worker will be eligible for protection if They honestly think what they’re reporting is true They think they are telling the right person They believe that their disclosure is in the public interest Reference/bibliography www.whistleblowing.uk www.gov.uk (3.6) Protecting yourself during everyday practice In the school setting there are various policies and procedures in place which support assistants must adhere to in order to protect themselves. The safeguarding if children are usually covered within the induction programme and this will inform teaching assistants of the roles and responsibilities with regard to children and how teaching assistants can be protected against unwanted allegations. Policies within the school setting should be followed to protect you from harm. This includes health and safety policies for example, not standing on the tables to pin a poster on the wall. If an incident is witnessed by another member of staff, they should be asked to document what they have witnessed, sign and date it as evidence When a school trip has been arranged, the teacher and support assistant will usually carry out a risk assessment to ensure that the venue is safe for the class to visit. They will usually need to do the following. Ensure the risk assessments are completed and when appropriate individual safety plans and safe working practices Support the governing body in any decision on approval Assign competent staff to lead and help with trips Verify that all accompanying adults have been CRB checked Make sure that all consent and medical forms are obtained Keep records of visits and provide after visit evaluation to aid future visits All relevant risk assessments must be carried out by the teacher before any proposed visit or activity takes place. Key issues from the risk assessment or safe working procedures completed for the trip must be communicated to all adults before the visit commences. Risk assessments must also be completed for the transport. When hiring a coach or minibus drivers of the transport must have received training within the last four years. The risk assessments are completed to ensure the safety of the teachers and children and are covered if anything does go wrong (insurance). References/bibliography www.gov.uk

Incentives For The Future Essay -- essays research papers

Economic incentives are instruments that use financial means to motivate polluters to reduce the health and environmental risks posed by their facilities, processes, or products. These incentives provide monetary and near-monetary awards for polluting less and impose costs of various types for polluting more, thus supplying motivation for polluters to change their behavior. The report distinguishes seven basic types of incentives: Pollution charges, fees, and taxes; deposit-refund systems; trading programs; subsidies for pollution control, liability approaches; information disclosure; voluntary programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic incentives offer several advantages that make them attractive environmental management tools. First, economic incentives, in some circumstances, can be structured to achieve larger reductions in pollution than would result from traditional regulations. Second, economic incentives often can control pollution at lower costs than can traditional regulations. Third, the use of economic incentives, in contrast to that of traditional regulations, can more easily control pollution generated by a multitude of small and dispersed sources. Fourth, economic incentives can stimulate technological improvements and innovations in pollution control in situations where traditional regulatory mechanisms may not. Progressive companies are shifting rapidly from an approach of compliance to one of proactive environmental management. The revolution in thinking has gone through three stages: 1) the widespread business practice in the 1960s and 1970s of coping with environmental crises as they occurred and of attempting to control the resulting damage; 2) the reactive mode in the 1980s of struggling to comply with rapidly changing government environmental regulations and minimizing the costs of compliance; 3) the proactive environmental management strategy in the 1990s, through which corporations began to anticipate the environmental impacts of their operations, take measures to reduce waste and pollution in advance of regulation, and find positive ways of taking advantage of business opportunities through total quality environmental management.(4) For many firms, environmental values are now becoming an integral part of their corporate cultures and management processes. In a growing number of com panies, environmental impacts are being audit... ...id- to late-1980s executives in many larger corporations began to realize that waste reduction saved money. The forces described earlier began to push many firms into strategies that went beyond compliance. In the late 1980s proactive environmental management and the total- quality-management movement began to converge. TQM initiatives gave firms unexpected insights into how to make environmental management cost-effective and market-driven. By the beginning of the 1990s, waste minimization programs had been adopted by a diverse group of U.S.- based MNCs, among them Allied Signal, General Dynamics, Dow Chemical, Chevron, Boeing, AT&T, Amoco, General Electric, IBM, Polaroid, and Xerox.(15) Many successful businesses were voluntarily performing internal environmental compliance audits to identify and correct their environmental liabilities, demonstrate good-faith effort, and reduce government pressures. More importantly, the voluntary audits forced businesses to evaluate operating systems, identify the actual cost of controls, and develop environmental performance strategies to eliminate liabilities altogether.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://environ.uiuc.edu/epareport.htm

High Heels Essay -- Fashion Shoes Papers

High Heels "To be carried by shoes, winged by them. To wear dreams on one's feet is to begin to give reality to one's dreams." -Roger Vivier Shoes of every make and style are loved by women across the globe but it is the heel, whether stiletto or platform that is coveted, adored, desired in such abundance simply in and of the shoe itself. They're everywhere. They run rampant in books, calendars, photographs, album and movie covers, dangling in miniature precious metal versions from earlobes and chains, women's closets and even their living rooms, and let's not forget their most important place of residence- women's feet. They're a constant obsession in pop culture, endlessly talked about and fetishized in television, movies, song lyrics, and seem to be worn without fail by glamorous celebrities no matter the occasion. The most notorious of the shoe loving pop culture media is of the smash HBO series Sex and the City, in which shoes are one of its main themes. Cast of Sex and the City at http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,grossbild-233666-286899,00.html What's in a shoe? Perhaps it was originally intended to protect one's feet from the elements but today the shoe has evolved from its practical origins to grandiose heights, and at the highest level is of course, the high heel. Heels are not something one simply wears on their feet, but a passion, hobby, personal expression, source of authority, sexual independence, staple of gendered feminine culture, mark of flaunted femininity, psychologically empowering, and joy. Women choose to wear high heels for many reasons; the key is that they indeed are the ones who proactively choose to endorse the high heel, often at the expense of their own physical com... ...t the decision to wear high heels is one way to rebel within a system. Women who wear these tall heel it because they like to, for their own pleasure. Whether they like the erotic connotations, excitement, height, delicate structures, dangerous points, phallic penetrative qualities, royal history, haughty independence, aesthetic beauty or a confusing combination of all of that and more, women who love high heels do so of their own volition and desire. Manolo Blahnik, the "high priest of high heels" (Benstock & Ferriss) sums up the patronizing idea that women should be pitied for their chose and love of high heels. He was once asked if he, "ever felt sorry for all those women teetering through their lives on the spikiest of high-heeled shoes," to which he responded, "Oh, my God, how could I feel sorry for them? Sorry. Sorry for who? They love it." (Specter, 388)

Christianity and Hinduism Essay

I wanted to compare Hinduism to Christianity. I did not know anyone around here so I contacted a family member that lives in the Philippines. His wife’s family fallows Hinduism. I interviewed them over the Internet through video chat. That was very interesting. I had to have my family member translate to me somethings. But it was fun. I also have them write what they were answering to me. I e-mailed them the questions in advance so it would not be a shocker when I asked. I felt as if I was rude at times asking some of the questions. I kept apologizing and all they kept laughing at me. The interview was with Byra and Hansa Bose. Translation was Sandra and Justin Usry. Hinduism is generally regarded as the world’s oldest organized religion and the world’s third largest religion. Christianity is the largest religion in the world. Hinduism consists of thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BC. Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of the supreme God. Hinduism has about nine hundred and fifty million followers that is about fourteen percent of the world’s population. It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Christianity was founded in the early 1st century AD. Christianity has around two billion followers. That is around thirty three percent of the world’s population. Hinduism is a constantly changing religion. It was not founded by a person or prophet. Hinduism is characterized by its beliefs in reincarnation. Hindus believe in one Supreme Being but in many Lords. There are said to be three hundred and thirty-three million Lords. The lords are perceived as divine creations of that one being. Hinduism views compose of three worlds, the physical universe, subtle astral, and the spiritual universe. Christianity was founded by Jesus Christ. To be a Christian you have to believe only in Jesus and acknowledge him as your only savior. The Bible is the main source of the principles and values of Christianity. The Veda is the Hindu holy book. The Veda consist of four books; Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. The books include over 100,000 verses.  The knowledge imparted by the Vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Christianity is an organized missionary religion. The Christian Church is divided into three major groups, the Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant Churches and the Orthodox Churches. Hinduism does not have a centrally controlling organization it has some ancient scriptures to guide it. That is a joke. Christianity believes that God created the world out of nothing. Hindus say that is not true. Nothing can come out of nothing. That everything has to exist from something. So Hindus think God created the world out of himself using the elements and qualities of his energy. Christians believes that God and men are different. God created man in His own image. The world and men exist separately from God. Hindus believe the whole universe is enveloped and inhabited by God. Hindus believes that the universe was created billions of years ago through a gradual process of materialization brought out by Prakriti and that the earth is just one world in a series of thousands of worlds. Christiani ty believes that the world was created a few thousand years ago over a period of seven days. That the earth is the center of the universe. Hindus do not believe in conversion of people. A person becomes a Hindu either by birth or through conscious that is by choice. Christians accepts conversion as a way of saving them from certain damnations. It is the responsibility and sacred duty of every Christian to save everyone who are not Christians by bringing them to Jesus. Hindus do not believe that you go to heaven or hell like Christianity rather they believe in the concept of Karma. Hinduism men are judged by their own karma. If you do badly in one life you have many more to work the bad karma off. The only way to get out of the cycle of life and death is to achieve true enlightenment. When a person achieves enlightenment he or she doesn’t go to heaven or hell, he or she is beyond heaven or hell. He or she would have become part of the entire universe. When enlightenment is reached they become part of God. Hindus believe that the death of a human being only extinguishes the bodily form of existences as the soul reincarnates in  another life form. They believe that a human being has it within his ability to attain Moksha, the final extrication of the soul, by applying the principles suggested by the scriptures. Christianity believes a person commits sin against God by bracken the ten commandments. If someone leads a life of sin without acknowledging God and without believing in Jesus, he will become a victim of the Devil and fall into temptation. If he is a true believer, God will save him and grant him an eternal life in heaven. It is the conduct of a person on earth that determines the person’s fate. A sinner can seek forgiveness of God and Jesus through repentance and submission and he will be forgiven according to the strength of his belief. On the Judgment Day all souls are resurrected and judged by God according to their actions on earth. Both Hinduism and Christianity believe in the eventual destruction of the world. However Hinduism does not believe in the permanent destruction of the world but in the repetitive nature of creation. There will be repetitive cycles of creation followed by destruction. In Christianity after that happens they reside either in the heaven or in hell eternally. Hindus worship a lot. They commonly worship shrines in three different environments, in temples, in the home, and in outdoor public spaces. Hindus believe that if proper care is not taken of a temple’s images, the deity will abandon the temple. Hence priests reside at the temple and take care of the gods’ needs. Priests perform puja at sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight. For a layperson, however, visiting a temple every day or even regularly is not mandatory, and many devout Hindus worship at home. The essential aspect of puja is not congregational worship but an individual’s offering to a deity. Worship in the home usually takes place daily. Christians will worship anywhere. However when they come together to worship they will usually come together in a church. Prayers are usually done before a meal and before bed. It can be done at any time whenever a Christian fills the need to pray. Some holidays that Hindus celebrate are Shivarathri â€Å"The Night of Shiva† a festival celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva, Holi, Raksha Bandhan which is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Sravan (August-September). It is one of the important Hindu festivals. Hindus who  wear a new holy thread offer their respects to the ancient Rishis by offering them water on this day. Telugu New Year’s is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra (March-April).This is a happy day and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. This is New Year’s Day for the people of Andhra Pradesh and also the Telugu people all over the world. Navarathri is celebrated twice in a year, once it is celebrated in the month of Chaitra and then again in Aswayuja. It lasts for nine days in honor of the nine forms of goddess Durga. During Navaratri devotees of her observe a fast. Brahmins are given food and prayers are offered as it is believed that this provides protection of health and property. Ganesh Chaturthi is most popular of all Hindu festivals. It is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the most sacred day for Lord Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of fortnight called Bhadrapada. It is observed throughout India as well as by devoted Hindus in all parts of the world. Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna, who is the eighth Divine Incarnation. It is believed that Lord Krishna was born at midnight. Many people go on a twenty-four hour fast on this day, which is broken at midnight. Ramnavmi is the last one. Christianity has a lot of holidays too but the really important ones are Christmas Eve which is the day before Jesus Christ was born. Christmas Day is the day Jesus Christ was born. There is Ash Wednesday which derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents. Doing this is a sign of mourning and repentance to God. When God was walking to be crucified there was a village that laid palm tree leaves down for him to walk on. When he left they burned them and that is where the ashes come from. It also starts Lent. During Lent, many of the faithful commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence. Good Friday, the passion or and death on the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Easter is the day Jesus resurrected. Now let’s talk about food. Christians have no limitations to what they eat, but the Hindus do. They cannot eat onions or garlic. Onions and garlic cloud the mind with passion. I think that is funny. Also onions and garlic gives the breath an odor which offends Lord Krishna. Mushrooms cannot be eaten because they grow in dung and an unclean ground. Anything from a cow is forbidden. Cows are sacred. They are known as â€Å"the mother†. So they cannot  eat cheese, milk, butter, or any of the cow’s or cow’s meat. They also cannot eat pigs. Pigs are forbidden also. Vegetarianism is very common in the Hindu religion. About thirty percent of Hindus are Vegetarians. In conclusion I had a lot of fun learning about both these religions. I learned that Hindus have a lot of gods and pray a lot. I don’t think I could pray that much. Christianity only has one god that is thought to be three other things. I had a little trouble understanding that one. They both are very complex. They have many other religions that branch from them.

Filipino language Essay

Celso Ressurecion – half-indio and half-spanish youth from Pampanga Feliza Reyes – daughter of a Filipino insurgent general Nanding Reyes – Feliza’s father and head of the nationalist rebel group in Baler Azon Reyes – Feliza’s mother Gabriel Reyes – Feliza’s younger brother 2nd Lt. Saturnino Martin Cerezo Capt. Enrique Fossi de las Morenas – replace Lt. Mota as the head of the Spanish in Baler Col. Calixto Villacorte Commandante Teodorico Luna Novicio Fr. Candido Gomez Carreno – parish priest Lt. Jose Mota – head of the Spanish army in Baler Lope – friend of Celso Luming – friend of Feliza V.SUMMARY/PLOT: The story happened during the siege of Baler. A battle between the Filipino forces and Spanish battalion in 1898. A young Filipina, named Feliza who fell inlove with a half Spanish and a half Filipino young man, named Celso who prefer to be a Spanish soldier rather than to be a Filipino katipunero. Feliza and Celso’s love has to be kept as a secret because Feliza is the daughter of Nanding, a rebel leader who has the burning desire to completely annihilate Spanish soldiers in town of Baler. Filipino troops including the father of Feliza started to attack Spanish soldiers. The Spanish battalion inhabited the church as their barracks to protect them from attacks of up armed Filipinos bounding the church. As the siege prolongs, little by little the Spaniards’ supply of foods diminish and many soldiers got sick because of no more supplies of food to eat. Commander Las Morenas and other subsequent commanders got wounded and sick because of being isolated for a number of months. There were some soldiers surrendered because they could no longer bear their sufferings. Even Celso who knew that Feliza got pregnant planned to escape together with his colleagues. That night of their escape Celso was trapped due to his friends’ own fear. He was betrayed by his own friend. Feliza who was patiently waiting for Celso, knew nothing about the execution happened to her love inside the church. Filipino troops have many times tried to convince the Spaniards to surrender because Spanish fleet in manila was already defeated and the war was actually ended. But still they refused to leave. â€Å" Viva Espaà ±a! â€Å" their principle. The last commander who discovered that the news was true. After the confirmation of the news, at last he and his follower peacefully surrendered. The sad thing was that poor Feliza, who longed for her love, who could instead be the happiest woman in the world that time because finally she and her love could be together, did not find Celso in the flock of freed soldiers rather found him inside the church with no more life. A.EXPOSITION In 1898, a band of Spanish soldiers heroically defended Baler (which would later be the capital municipality of Aurora in 1951) against Filipino forces for 337 long and grueling days. Dubbed as the Siege of Baler, the Spanish troops holed up inside the church of San Luis Obispo. This is the setting of the movie Baler, a love story between a young Filipina barrio lass Feliza (Anne Curtis) and Filipino-Spanish soldier Celso (Jericho Rosales) are caught in a forbidden love, torn apart by the societies they came from. Feliza’s father Nanding (Philip Salvador) is an anti-Spanish government fighter, which puts pressure on the young couple to keep their relationship a secret. Outnumbered and out-gunned by the Indios they once governed and abused, the Spanish soldiers in Baler, including Celso and buddy Lope (Mark Bautista), are now forced to hole up in a church as they wait for non-existent military reinforcements to rescue them from the band of Filipinos who have now surrounded them and are waiting for their surrender. B.RISING ACTION Baler wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t good either. It was a very simple story – a love affair between Jericho Rosales’ half-blood Spanish soldier and Anne Curtis (Feliza) native maiden (whose father – Philip Salvador – happened to be a particularly bitter freedom-fighter). This romance was set against the last days of Spanish power in the Philippines when the garrison at Baler – including Jerico Rosales (Celso) character – was forced to hole-up in the local church for almost a year, surrounded by the well-armed local militia. Under these trying circumstances, the two leads keep the faith as best they can, against all odds. And that was pretty much it. Despite its pretensions at being a period historical romance, the entire movie came off almost as blandly as though it were journalistic, rather than dramatic. The crux of the movie should have been the aching of the two lovers; more specifically, Anne Curtis (Feliza) defiance of her father and Jerico Rosales (Celso) ultimate decision to defy his Commander – and by extension his own dreams of eventually seeing his father – in order to finally be with his love. C.CLIMAX The story of doe-eyed Feliza (Anne Curtis), a young Filipina from the capital of Aurora province who falls in love with Celso (Jericho Rosales), a Filipino-Spanish soldier fighting for Spain as the once mighty empire is now on a losing battle defending its overseas territories from the US. Feliza’s dad (Phillip Salvador) an anti-Spanish government fighter which means their love is anything but permissible, and thus are struggling to keep their relationship secret. Outnumbered and out-gunned by the Indios they once governed and abused, the Spanish soldiers in Baler, including Celso and buddy Lope (Mark Bautista), are now forced to hole up in a church as they wait for non-existent military reinforcements to rescue them from the band of Filipinos who have now surrounded them and are waiting for their surrender. D. Moral Lesson: Love is worth fighting for! Love is not easy in a time of uneasiness. But above all, Filipinos were really a freedom fighter. As Spaniards did not surrender, much more the Filipinos. E.REACTION: Baler is primarily a love story between Feliza, the daughter of a rebel commander (Anne Curtis), and Celso, a half-Spanish soldier (Jericho Rosales), set at the twilight years of the Spanish regime in the Philippines. The young couple struggle to keep their forbidden love alive despite familial and political tensions culminating in an almost yearlong blockade known as the Siege of Baler. â€Å"Love is difficult in times of war,† says a Filipino soldier named Lope (Mark Bautista) who is also serving the Spanish army just like Celso. His statement perfectly encapsulates the movie’s theme. Complementing the primary conflict of Anne and Jericho’s relationship is a backdrop of clashes between father and son, mother and daughter, duty to family and country, and loyalty and self-preservation. Throughout the movie, Baler explores the question of whether love-be it romantic, familial, or patriotic-can survive the most brutal of human endeavors: war. VI.HISTORICAL ANALYSIS Baler is a history-inspired Filipino movie mainly on a prohibited love between Filipino maiden Feliza Reyes acted by Anne Curtis and Filipino-Spanish Soldier Celso Resurreccion acted by Jericho Rosales. The couples’ love is difficult because of different culture they came from. Feliza is a daughter of an insurgent leader Nanding portrayed by Philip Salvador and Celso is a soldier serving Spanish regime. Their relationship is kept alive even with hindrances such as the famous historical event Siege of Baler where Spanish Army including Celso assigned at Baler, Quezon is trapped in a church surrounded by Filipino Army anticipating for their concede as Philippine-Spanish war is ending. The siege lasted almost a year where it defied the love of the young couple. The film begins on a scene depicting how admirable Baler until the characters and scenes introduced consequences of their fate that becomes a strong emotional medium in actualizing the plot. The way that Lieutenant Mota killed himself instead of surrendering to Filipino troops surrounding him while Celso is watching is genuinely revealing that sacrificing blood and life is evident throughout the story. Indeed it did not fail because the film illustrated first about the love of a young couple and ended tragically with bloodshed. Characterization of Baler was a credit of the movie. Characters complimented each persona portrayed. Anne Curtis as Feliza is quite ironic to be a full blooded Filipina because of her looks but managed to defer it by her acting which made viewers imagine a real beautiful and in loved young Filipina. She portrayed it with grace as though viewers see it as an actual scene from the past. Also, we can acknowledge Philip Salvador as Nanding who symbolized oppressed Filipinos whom are eager to fight Spanish government. This portrayal is effective because it lets the viewers feel how gruesome the treatment of Spaniards. Other than that, Jericho Rosales as Celso acted smoothly throughout the film though some criticize him not fit for the role half Filipino and half Spanish since his beauty was truly for a Filipino Man. Despite that, he portrayed the role that viewers had suspension of disbelief. Seeing him as a true Filipino but was just lucky enough to have a job and to have been born in Spain. He also acted fair enough that he represented both sides of what he loves and what he ought to do. Basically, the setting of the movie, Baler, is also an important symbolism of the movie. It connotes that the place is significant for the young couple who fought for their love and life through wars. It implies their persistent love which was only ended by death. Also, as the movie also denotes, another meaning would be perceive from Baler is that it represented how firm the belief of Spaniards. They managed a year-long battle unknowingly to win or not but was urged because of their pride. Symbolisms are not evident throughout the film but Baler is the leit-motif which was the main point why the movie progressed. The style of the director is highly commendable that even young ones can capture the emotions of the movie. All throughout it depicted scenes and shots that emphasize worthy subjects that contributed to the maturity of the film. The film touched aspects differing from familial, personal life until political feuds. Hence, this film is a must for a person who seeks a touch of history and romance. VII.LITERAL ANALYSIS A.THEME â€Å"Love is difficult in times of war!† B.POINT OF VIEW The Baler screenplay tries to present the Filipino point of view on the issue of the siege, and the international significance of the event for the fledgling Philippine Republic. C.SIGNIFICANT The movie portrayed three (3) significant happening in which we may perceive that created conflict or harmony. First, the reality of Filipinos relationship with the Spaniards was illustrated thoroughly. In the movie, it was established how inviolable the love of the young couple and also how inviolable matters concerning priests or Spanish government rulers. Here they have communicated implicitly that it is unlawful for them to be in these affairs. In present time, this reality is apparent. A good example maybe perhaps our Filipino culture of girls should be conservative. Some continue to obey the belief while the others who don’t are labeled flirt. We cannot escape the fact that some if not majority dwell with this kind of perspective. However, as technology advance, so is our mental openness. Some embrace this kind of philosophy forgetting the old habit which was known worldwide that is â€Å"Mara Clara† style. Second, a reality portrayed was that a person is loyal to its own country no matter what. Established in the movie was how the Spaniards and Filipinos were firm with their own beliefs. The Spaniards remained loyal to their country despite the evidence that were shown to them telling that Spanish era is long gone. On the other hand, Filipinos remained fierce with their battle giving grace to the Spaniards. In these days, we can also relate the loyalty of these people with their respective country in our daily lives. A great example would be a broken family who despite of intense quarrel mange to unite if other clan while oppose to one of their family. This family will join together defending their own ill-treated family member. In this case, we can say that our loyalty remains fully firm from where we came from. Lastly, a reality shown was Love conquers all even if death comes. Tragically, the movie ended revealing that Celso was executed due to accused treachery. In this case, we can see that no matter how big or small circumstances, the love of couple is still present though they are eternally apart. D.CONFLICT While Baler is a story of conflict, betrayal, suffering, self-preservation, selfishness, obstinacy, and self-interest, it is also a story of heroism, courage, love of freedom, patriotism, endurance, chivalry, humanity and above all, it also tells about a noble story of love in time of war— the story of Feliza and Celso. Feliza is the beautiful daughter of Nanding (Phillip Salvador), who’s a member of the rebel movement. This is the very reason why she and Celso have to keep their love a secret. Nanding, whose primary goal is to completely wipe out the Spanish soldiers stationed in the town of Baler, can never accept Celso, a half- Indio, half Spanish soldier who chooses to serve the enemies more than the Filipino insurgents who are struggling and fighting for their independence, their freedom. Feliza is in love with the man her father despises but who and what could stop the two young people who are madly in love with each other?