Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Museum Of Outdoor Arts - 944 Words

John Madden and his daughter, Cynthia Madden Leitner founded the Museum of Outdoor Arts (MOA) in 1981. When the museum first opened, there were nineteen art acquisitions on display, all public outdoor sculptures, establishing the mission statement of â€Å"making art a part of everyday life.† The first building the MOA offices resided in was Orchard Falls in Greenwood Village; since then, the museum moved four or five times within the Arapahoe county. Currently, the Museum of Outdoor Arts occupies a space in the Englewood Civic Center on the second floor across from the courts. In 2000, MOA moved from Greenwood Village to Englewood, incorporating indoor galleries, offices, and a workshop studio into the new location. Five to six staff members run the museum, hiring interns and independent contractors as needed. A board of trustees and an advisory committee guide the policies of the museum and make legal decisions. The board of trustees has four members consisting of the Presi dent of the Board, the Vice President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary, while the advisory committee has eight members. The museum curates and manages over 200 art pieces within its collection. The museum acquires at least one new art piece a year to exhibit in one of the public locations the museum manages. Marjorie Park in Greenwood Village and the Englewood Civic Center Sculpture Garden are the two main sites for MOA to exhibit acquisitions and large pieces from the collection. Marjorie Park, formallyShow MoreRelatedEducating Volunteer For 5 Hours1494 Words   |  6 PagesBruce Museum. I remembered that I volunteered once at the Bruce Museum with my cousins, but I couldn’t remember much of what I did because I volunteered a long time ago. So I thought that this would be a great place for me to volunteer again, and this time I knew I would remember what I did. The Bruce Museum was a great place for me to volunteer, it gave me a great opportunity to talk to some of the artists and really get to know them and their artwork. At first it doesn’t seem like an Arts FestivalRead MorePhilad elphi The United States1183 Words   |  5 Pagesregion consisting of many neighborhoods. Center City Philadelphia and the surrounding Philadelphia Neighborhoods contain some of the most sought after Philadelphia Real Estate Listings in the city. Center City Philadelphia Neighborhoods include: The Art Museum Area, Bella Vista, Queen Village, Washington Square West, Society Hill, Graduate Hospital, Point Breeze, Southwest Center City, Midtown Village, Fishtown, Manayunk, University City, Rittenhouse Square, Old City, Fitler Square, Logan Square, andRead MoreComparative Criticism of Two Museums1211 Words   |  5 PagesMark Moran Prof. Elizabeth Marlowe Masterpieces of Western Art November 8, 1999    Formal Comparison of Two Museums The Frick Collection and The Guggenheim Museum are both museums on 5th  Avenue in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood, and they are both named for famous American tycoons from the early 20thcentury.   But their similarities pretty much end there.   The Frick Collection is the former residence of steel baron Henry Clay Frick who spent forty years assembling a large collection ofRead MoreComparative Criticism of Two Museums1221 Words   |  5 PagesMark Moran Prof. Elizabeth Marlowe Masterpieces of Western Art November 8, 1999    Formal Comparison of Two Museums The Frick Collection and The Guggenheim Museum are both museums on 5th  Avenue in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood, and they are both named for famous American tycoons from the early 20thcentury.   But their similarities pretty much end there.   The Frick Collection is the former residence of steel baron Henry Clay Frick who spent forty years assembling a large collection of artworkRead MorePersonal Statement For Purpose965 Words   |  4 PagesUniversity of Leicester Museum Studies’ Jobs Desk for a London Coordinator (Sculpture) for Art UK Sculpture. As a passionate supporter of our national and regional cultural heritage, I thoroughly enjoy working with objects, ideas and stories, inspiring other to engage with art. I have long-standing knowledge of London, having lived - in North, South and West London - and worked in the Capital for many years, and I am familiar with many of London’s diverse galleries and museum collections. The positionRead MoreThe Wadsworth Athenaeum Of Art1419 Words   |  6 PagesThe Wadsworth Athenaeum of Art has been in existence since 1842. Located in Hartford, Connecticut, it is the nation’s oldest public art museum. The founder, Daniel Wadsworth, was a world-renowned art patron who acquired many famous works that would put his museum at the forefront of all its competitors. The museum has a impeccable reputation as a leader for innovation and experimentation due to its previous Director, A. Everett â€Å"Chick† Austin, Jr. Austin always pushed the envelop by continuing toRead MoreEssay On Exploring Washington State With Kids1239 Words   |  5 Pageshome to Washington’s oldest brick building (built in 1858). Bests of all, there’s a lot to do in the city center for families including the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention which contains hands-on science exhibits. The Whatcom Museum showcases art, nature and regional history. If time permits, pay a visit to Fairhaven, a neighborhood filled with art galleries, toy shops, ice-cream shops, bookstores, and boutiques. Where to eat: Game-playing families need to dine at a new restaurant called RookRead MorePost-impressionism and Artists1298 Words   |  6 Pagesdespite criticism from the conventional art community in France. The movement received its name from one of the movements most now most recognized artists Claude Monet and his piece Impression, Sunrise. It is said that a critic accused the painting of being a sketch or â€Å"impression†. (Samu, 2004) Paintings of this period tended to be outdoor scenes and panoramas. My Grandfather, Lawrence Bird, who was an artist and set designer for Disney modeled his style of art after this period. He was inspiredRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Southwestern Quebec931 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most iconic landmarks and spirited events in the country. There are plenty of outdoor thrills, amazing architecture, annual festivals, and cultural richness at every corner. From the Eastern Townships practically rubbing shoulders with Vermont and New Hampshire to a bustling city like Montreal and scenic Laurentian Mountains, Southwestern Quebec is certainly a crowd pleaser. Countryside farms, historic museums, unique basilicas, and national parks including Lafontaine Park and the well-visitedRead MoreClaude Monet and Impressionism1107 Words   |  4 Pagesbeside Claude Monet. But in this composition we will talk more about Claude Monet because he was the founder of Impressionism in the world. Oscar Claude Monet was the founder of impressionism. He is a famous french painter whose work gave a name to the art movement impressionism. Claude Monet’s famous quote is â€Å"merely think here is a little square of blue, here an oblong (having an elongated shape, as a rectangle or an oval) of pink, here a streak of yellow and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact

Monday, December 16, 2019

Personality Testing of New Hires Free Essays

Personality Testing During the Hiring Process Personality testing is not a new topic. What is new is the ongoing shift in mindset that has diluted the value of personality testing during the hiring process and only finds a value in using personality testing after the candidate has joined the organization. This will be challenged by first providing a brief history on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and reviewing the years of dedicated research that went into the development of the test. We will write a custom essay sample on Personality Testing of New Hires or any similar topic only for you Order Now Second, it will reveal the correlations of the test results to job requirements through specific examples. Third, it will discuss why applicant honesty and company policy makes personality testing necessary. Fourth, it will identify and support how many organizations successfully use the MBTI for applications other than pre-employment. Finally, organizations utilizing personality testing, specifically the MBTI, as a part the hiring process will identify the strongest and most compatible candidate for the required organizational needs. Many organizations are following the notion that personality tests have no relevance to job performance and should not be used as a tool to support the hiring process; however, it can be used appropriately for leadership identification, self-awareness and team building (Robbins Judge, 2008). The testing of personalities was at its peak in the early nineteen fifties with MBTI leading the way (Overholt, 2004). Banks initially used the MBTI as a pre-screening tool in nineteen forty six. Not one or two banks, but the entire industry was committed to utilizing the MBTI. This concept of capturing personality was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katherine Cook Briggs. They performed rigorous studies of some earlier work by a Swiss psychiatrist by the name of Carl Jung. The first assessment was a couple of simple questionnaires that would gauge people by their personality type. There are sixteen possible types that are configured out of four specific categories. The dedication of the Myers-Briggs team was unsurpassed. Even after her mother passed away, Myers spent her life advancing this body of work. Rubis et al. , 2005) For those who may not be familiar with the structure of the test, here are the parameters. There are one hundred questions that are situational based. The participant is to choose the answer that best describes the general actions or feelings they usually have when in that situation (Robbins Judge, 2008). The questions are built around general concepts of personality, and by answering the questions it helps to reveal t he participant’s personality type (Pepper, Kolesnikov-Jessop, Herman, 2005). There is no right or wrong when answering. The questions are open to interpretation, because every question is presented on logical opposition (Bentley, 2007). The participant simply determines which one fits them the best. Some examples of the questions a participant would be asked are as follows: â€Å"Would you rather be considered a practical person or an ingenious person? â€Å", and: â€Å"Does following a schedule appeal to you or cramp you? † (Ross, n. p. ) Once the participant finishes the test, the answers are consolidated into one of the sixteen personality types. Anyone that takes the test will fit into one of the sixteen personality types that the MBTI generates (Rutzick, 2007, June). To understand how the MBTI can be beneficial in the hiring process, a further definition of the different personality types is necessary. Robbins Judge (2008) state the following: Individuals are classified as extroverted or introverted (E or I), sensing or intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (Tor F), judging or perceptive (J or P). These terms are defined as follows: Extroverted verses introverted. Extroverted individuals are outgoing and assertive. Introverts are quiet and shy. Sensing verses Intuitive. Sensing types are practical and prefer routine and order. Intuitives rely on unconscious processes and look at the â€Å"big picture†. Thinking verses feeling. Thinking types use reason and logic to handle problems. Feeling types rely on their personal values and emotions. Judging verses perceiving. Judging types want control and prefer their world to be ordered and structured. Perceiving types are flexible and spontaneous. (p. 108) Examples of how the actual results would be presented and what would be learned about the participant are: the INTJ or introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging individual and would be considered a visionary; they are strong willed and could sometimes be considered bullheaded; they are creative and like to act on their own ideas and thoughts. (Robbins Judge, 2008). Another example would be the ESTJ or extrovert, sensing, thinking, judging individual and would be considered as the organizer; they are planners who like solving real problems, they work well around others and are very business minded (Robbins Judge, 2008). Using the two previous examples of personality types, consider the following scenario: Employer â€Å"A† has a position open in the operations department for a supervisor. Of the two candidates, the INTJ or the ESTJ, which one would be the better fit in an operations supervisor, knowing both candidates interviewed equally? The ESTJ would make the best choice, organized, business minded, like solving problems, and as an extrovert will do better working around other people. In contrast if the INTJ is placed in this operational position, it would not challenge his visionary traits and his strong will would work against him when trying to supervise others. It would not be long before the employer or employee, or both, realized they were the wrong fit and separating the employee may be the best solution. This would cause an increase in turnover and training costs that could have been avoided. The information personality testing provides becomes extremely useful when trying to find the proper job fit, and it would have to increase job satisfaction because now the candidate is in a position or role that suites his unique personality, increasing the potential for them to naturally excel. In conjunction with the interview process, personality testing opens up insight that could easily be missed when trying to assess if a candidate will be the right fit for the position (Baker, 2008). There are other factors that create an importance for personality testing during the hiring process. Two of these factors are: the increased levels of misrepresentation on resumes and applicants learning or paying for coaching to teach them how to give a great interview (Van Steenwyk, 2008). Another factor to be considered is that references are getting harder to validate. Many organizations have implemented policies that do not allow the providing of job specific references, they will only validate dates of employment (Van Steenwyk). Having the ability to draw consensus between the information on a resume, the information given by references, what is learned in the interview, and then match all that information up against the results of the personality test allows the perspective employer to have more points of congruency when making a final decision. It helps the employer find the personal side of what is on the resume and reduces failure based on job incompatibility (Baker, 2008). It could be argued that candidates could learn to give what they believe to be the desired answers on a personality test, like the MBTI. Although not impossible it is a bad way to start a new job and most tests check for continuity of the participant’s answers to make sure the candidate in not lying (Overholt, 2004). Some other highly accepted ways the MBTI is used in organizations are for leadership identification and selection, self-awareness, and team building (Rubis et al. 2005). When an organization needs to select or identify leaders, testing becomes very useful to find the personality traits that are essential to successful leaders (Robbins Judge, 2008). There are benefits to the established leaders learning more about their own personality. Once the leaders are armed with the characterizations of their personality type, they can make accommodations for their weaknesses or soften overly direct qualities helping them in their handling of situational outcomes (Rutzick, 2007). During the training or coaching of leaders, many professional trainers or coaches choose to use the MBTI as the first step for helping the leader better understand who they are so they can better understand and lead others (Bentley, 2007). For any leaders to be truly effective they must be able to understand others, allowing them to tap into what motivates or drives an individual or group (Bentley, 2007). Personality testing provides that essential information. Work teams find personality testing to be helpful during times of conflict resolution as many times personality differences are at the center of most communication barriers (Bentley, 2007). By understanding their individual differences, team members learns to become more tolerant of the other because now they understand why the others think what they think or react the way they react to certain situations, this understanding creates a more cohesive and productive team (Bentley, 2007). Stronger cooperation will decrease costly turnover and increase job satisfaction because it stimulates open sharing and sparks creativity. (Robbins Judge, 2008) Currently, there are eighty nine of the Fortune One Hundred businesses that employ the MBTI for their pre-hiring process, team building, and leadership identification and selection (Pepper et al. , 2005). Personality testing works and the results are trustworthy. To state it more directly, eighty nine of the top one hundred companies choose not to lower the bar, and place a higher importance on wanting to know who they are getting into business with before they make the job offer. This type of emphasis on the selection process helps these companies sustain the strong cultures that are in place, by realizing that several candidates will have the skill or the talent to perform at high levels (Robbins Judge, 2008). They only hire the candidates that possess that high level to perform and exemplify the highest compatibility with the organization’s culture (Robbins Judge, 2008). The MBTI has a history of proven success and worldwide acceptance as a pre-screening tool (Robbins Judge, 2008). Many organizations make costly mistakes in the hiring of individuals only to discover that because of their personality they just do not fit in. Organizations utilizing testing, in cooperation with the appropriate interview process, greatly reduce costly hiring mistakes and job incompatibilities, while increasing individual and team performance. The trend in people management and development has moved from hard cutting and insensitive to a softer hyper-sensitive approach. It is time to find the middle ground between the engaged work environment and putting the right people in place that will achieve greater results. References Baker, B. (2008). HIRING HINTS. PM Network, 22(9), 26-27. Bentley, R. (2007). Fit for What Purpose?. Training and Coaching Today, n. p. Overholt, A. (2004). Personality Test: Back With a Vengeance. Fast Company, n. p. Pepper, T. , Kolesnikov-Jessop, S. , Herman, M. (2005). Inside the Head of an Applicant. Newsweek, 145(8), E24-E26. Robbins, S. P. , Judge, T. A. (2008). Organizational Behavior (13 ed. . Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Pentice-Hall. Rubis, L. , Fox, A. , Pomeroy, A. , Leonard, B. , Shea, T. F. , Moss, D. et al. (2005, December 2). 50 FOR HISTORY. HRMagazine, 50, 10-24. Rutzick, K. (2007). Personality Test. Government Executive, 39(9), 22-23. Van Steenwyk, J. (2008). Using Tests to Screen Employees. Journal of Financial Planning, n. v, n. p.. Williams, R. L. , Verble, J. S. , Price, D. E. , Layne, B. H. (1995). Rel ationship of Self-Management to Personality Types and Indices. Journal of Personality Assessment, 64(3), 494. How to cite Personality Testing of New Hires, Papers

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Litereary poem notes Essay Example For Students

Litereary poem notes Essay Literary Terms for Poetry1.Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds 2.Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonants in two or more stressed syllables3. Blank Verse: Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter lines4.Concrete Poem: A poem with a shape that suggests its subject5.Consonance: the repetition in two or more words of final consonants in stressed syllables 6.Couplet: A pair of rhyming lines usually of the same length and meter7. Dramatic Poetry: Poetry that involves the techniques of drama8.Epic: A long narrative poem about the deed of gods and heroes9.Extended Metaphor: A subject is spoken or written of as though it were something else10.Free Verse: Poetry not written in a regular rhythmical pattern or meter11. Haiku: Japanese poem written in 5-7-5 needs to convey a single vivid emotion by means of images from nature12.Lyric Poem: A highly musical verse that expresses the observations of the writer13.Mood: The feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage. The mood is often suggested by descriptive details14.Onomatopoeia: The use of words that imitate sounds15.Parody: A work done in imitation of another, usually in order to mock it, but sometimes just in fun16.Personification: A type of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics.17.Pun: A play on words based on different meanings of words that sound alike18.Refrain: A repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song19.Repetition: The use, more than once, of any element of language- a sound, a word, a phrase, a clause, or a sentence 20.Rhyme: The repetition of sounds at the ends of words- internal rhyme occurs when the rhyming words appear in the same line21.Rhyme Scheme: A regular pattern o f rhyming words in a poem22.Rhythm: The pattern of beats, or stresses, in in spoken or written language23.Soliloquy: A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage24.Sonnet: 14 line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter25.Symbol: Anything that stands for or represents something else26.Stanza= Paragraph

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Social media impact on marketing HM free essay sample

Social media is a term for a wide variety of tools and applications that give the Web its social capabilities – capabilities that allow the community to come together, communicate, and build upon each other’s opinions and ideas. Social media applications and tools are numerous and include e-mail, instant messaging, blogs and video blogs, internet forums and message boards, social networking sites and applications. All of them have become popular because of the practical, social and psychological benefits they provide. Before the popularization of the social media, companies reached their audience in a straightforward manner. The most prominent means of communicating a message was through banner and display ads placed in key areas of web sites. Today, while banner ads are still a high viable mean of web marketing, social media has created a numerous other opportunities for marketers to identify and reach their audience. Consumers of social media, unlike consumers of traditional media, can interact instantly and directly with either the originators or the authors of the uploaded information. We will write a custom essay sample on Social media impact on marketing: HM or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They can interact with each other, too. The interaction and cross-communication that social media makes possible is precisely what makes social media so world-changing. Social media offers a business some benefits that no other form of public interface does: the ability to monitor public perception of its brand, products, and services in real time. And although the business benefit of social media is indirect – the effect of social media advertising cannot be easily measured in relation to sales, it is mainly directed to customer â€Å"identification† with the company and its products. Identification is critical: from it grows online interaction, and from online interaction grows customer loyalty. Furthermore, people feel more connected with a company when they have direct communication on an ongoing basis and opportunity to express their opinion. The statement that social media is important in marketing is proved by the fact that 94% of the marketers indicate that they employ social media for marketing purposes and 83% indicate that social media is very important for their businesses (as at 2012). Other main benefits that social media provides to marketers are: Cost efficiency: Social media tools allow marketers without large advertising budgets reach a target audience. If a message is crafted correctly, marketers can often rely on the audience to spread the word for them, sparing marketers the high cost of ad placement. Broad visibility: If desired marketers can reach a broad and general audience through social media. According to Patton â€Å"social media presents tremendous opportunities for networking, collaborating, sharing best practices, communicating and connecting to a nearly unlimited pool of people with similar needs and wants†. Narrow visibility: Similarly, marketers can reach more narrowly defined audiences through vertical or niche outlets that reach a specific market demographic. Pulse of the market: By paying attention to the blogosphere (the blogging community as a whole), social media trends, and user opinions, marketers can track how users feel about their brands. Marketers can take this information and develop their business and marketing plans to respond effectively. Increased trust: By allowing consumers to express public opinions – about their brands through social media, marketers can gain the trust of their audience, who want to believe that the brands they buy will be responsive for their needs. Self-made community: Brands can use social media applications to create their own online communities. Marketers build strong connections to their brands by giving people news, product updates, information, and the ability to express themselves. Increased revenue: Ultimately, the increased visibility and interaction with consumers should lead to increased revenue and sales. Social media allows audiences and marketers to interact in ways that they have never been able to before, leading not only to more effective marketing, but also to better service and improved understanding about what each has to offer the other. Social media marketing is the utilization of social media specifically as a marketing vehicle, and typically falls into one of three categories: Public Relations: As more news are generated by users and traditional news are increasingly spread through online communities, public relations professionals are looking to social media to get their message to their target audience. To do this, news must be trustworthy and valuable to the reader, or it risks getting lost or ignored in the crowded social media universe. Marketing Content Generation: Blogs, videos, and other content created for a marketing purpose need to be crafted in such a way that they will be relevant to the desired audience. Although not necessarily as news-oriented as the information distributed via traditional public relations methods, brand-generated content must still be compelling in order to capture readers’ attention via social media networks. Viral Messaging: Viral messaging campaigns are typically shocking or unusually entertaining videos (or sometimes, text) that pique such a high level of interest in an audience that people feel compelled to pass the file or information on through e-mail, social media networks, or other means. In instances where the content is particularly engaging or entertaining, viral messages can make their way to millions of people in an extraordinarily short period of time. There even is a marketing strategy called social media optimization which encourages people, companies and organizations to get their content distributed as widely as possible throughout the social media universe. This strategy is based on the idea that marketing is more effective when seen by more people; therefore, marketers and content developers work to spread their messages through a multitude of social media networks. In fact, social media is used not only in Business-to-Consumer marketing, but in Business-to Business marketing although B2B marketing focuses more on the tools LinkedIn, Twitter and blogging. 2. Major social media tools Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and YouTube were the top five social media tools used by marketers, in that order. They were followed by Google Plus and photo sharing sites like Instagram. a. Facebook Facebook is the social networking leader with more than 500 million users in early 2011. Competing with the likes of Google and YouTube for visitors but dominating both in terms of activity and length of time, Facebook allows users to build their own profile and connect with other users. With a profile the users can add video, images, recent purchases, status updates, location check-ins and discussions with friends. Facebook allows businesses to create a profile page for the business. Businesses can interact with their fans the same way that users can interact with each other. Businesses can communicate with their fans through the Facebook email and allow fans to upload images and pictures and provide information or promotions specifically through Facebook. Loyalty, retention programs, and branding dominate the business usage of Facebook, because very few are using it to acquire new customers because it is rare for people to â€Å"like† a company in Facebook until they have done business with them. For retention, Facebook creates an easy communication channel by allowing businesses to send updates to their fan base, as well as send innovations and messages. b. Twitter Twitter is a social networking site. This platform allows anyone with an account to post short messages. To tailor the onslaught of messages being broadcast from the â€Å"Twitter-sphere† of 200 million current Twitter subscribers, users can create lists of those they wish to â€Å"follow† so they only receive Twitter feeds from those they select. Thus, consumers can â€Å"follow† their favorite brands and be exposed to different advertisements. Twitter also has various phone applications so consumers may be reached whenever and wherever they are. c. YouTube YouTube, which was founded in 2005, burst on the scene as a video-sharing service. It allows users to create an account, upload videos, and simply send a link to the video rather than the video itself. Without having actually to send a video, the speed of sharing increased significantly, as well as the access to the videos. Five years later YouTube’s success was astonishing – it had more than 2 billion views a day, it was the third most viewed website, and 24 hours of video were uploaded every minute. Hence, companies, which wanted to reached people considered YouTube as well. d. Google Plus Google Plus is a multilingual social networking and identity service owned and operated by Google Inc. It was launched on June 28, 2011 and within four weeks of its launch, the number of Google+ users shot up to 18 million. Google plus enables the user to separate his contacts according to different groups they fall into, thus creating different ‘Circles’. This is extremely helpful on the commercial front aside from being of immense importance in the social context. A businessman will be able to group his clients according to their chosen product /service preference. They would most certainly appreciate not being flooded with information and promotional news or offers about products and services they have no interest in. Thus, only relevant information need be shared with each of these contacts apart from the common message pool. Social media tools and the power they yield in bringing communities together have been a boon for marketers. By adding these tools to their own Web sites and by marketing their brands through social media networks using site optimization techniques and the direct inclusion of new content, marketers have contributed to the rise of social media and have been able to expand the reach of their message. Now let us focus on the example of HM Hennes Mauritz AB, a company with a strong and effective marketing strategy, and how it implements the social media to increase its value to customers. II. Case study: HM Hennes Mauritz AB (HM) is a Swedish multinational retail-clothing company offering collections for ladies, men, young ladies and men, accessories and a full children’s department which features quality clothing starting at newborn up to kids age 14. From a single womenswear store in 1947, to a global company offering fashion for the whole family, and their home, under the brand names of HM, COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday, Other Stories and HM Home. Today HM has around 104,000 employees and around 2,800 stores which are spread across 49 markets. 1. HM’s business concept HM’s business concept is to give the customer unbeatable value by offering fashion and quality at the best price. Its own designers interpret the latest fashion trends and create collections that are accessible to all. HM ensures the best price by: having few middlemen having a broad, in-depth knowledge of design, fashion and textiles buying the right products from the right markets being cost-conscious at every stage HM is driven by seven important core values: Keep it simple Straight forward and open-minded Constant improvement Entrepreneurial spirit Cost conscious Team work Belief in people Quality is a central issue, from initial idea to final product. Their quality testing is extensive. They also work hard to make sure goods are produced with the least possible environmental impact and under good working conditions. HM does not own any factories. Production is outsourced to independent suppliers, primarily in Asia and Europe, through HM’s local production offices. Nor does HM own any of its stores. Instead HM rents store space from international and local landlords. HM’s growth target is to increase the number of stores by 10–15 percent per year, and at the same time increase sales in comparable units. This growth, which is entirely self-financed, will proceed with an emphasis on quality, sustainability and continued high profitability. Target market The target customers of HM belong to the group of fashionable and trendy consumers who see shopping as a social activity providing pleasure in their daily life. They acquire the most fashionable clothes each season and want to follow the trends without investing a lot of money. In order to fulfill the needs of the customers, HM launched EDLP (Every Day Low Prices) products. In addition, they invited the top fashion designers in the industry such as Karl Lagerfeld to be their partners for designing the new collection. As a result, HM is successful in making the combination of the best design under the name of an inexpensive clothing label. 2. Vision and policy HM aims to offer fashion and quality at the best price. In doing this, the company has an impact on the world around us. Quality includes ensuring that products are manufactured in a way that is environmentally and socially sustainable. Thus, according to its sustainability vision, HM’s business operations aim to be run in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. By sustainable, they mean that the needs of both present and future generations must be fulfilled. All HM’s activities are based on a drive for continuous improvement. It has a responsibility towards everyone who contributes to its success, including those who are not employees of HM. That is why they work closely with their suppliers to develop sustainable social and environmental standards in the factories that manufacture HM’s products. They have to ensure that their employees’ human rights are not violated, and the same applies to employees of their suppliers and other co-operation partners, and to their customers. The company applies the precautionary principle in its environmental work and has adopted a preventative approach with the substitution of hazardous chemicals. It strives to use resources as efficiently as possible and to minimize waste. By adopting new technologies and methods, it can work preventatively to minimize its environmental footprint through improved production processes and its choice of materials. It must continuously review the company’s goals and strategies to reduce the company’s climate impact. The company’s decisions are based on careful consideration, where shorter or longer-term environmental benefits are weighed up in order to ensure that it chooses solutions that are sustainable in the long term. It wants to be a good global citizen and act responsibly in its business relations. It takes a clear stand against all forms of corruption. It engages in dialogue with all its various stakeholders to build trust in its operations within the environment it relies on for its long-term success. 3. Sustainability Strategy HM Conscious is the name for all HM’s work for a more sustainable fashion future. It is an approach to managing its business based on the vision that all its operations should be run in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. This means that the needs of both present and future generations should be respected in everything that it does. People, planet and profit: at HM, they believe that being fully aware of the interconnected nature of these three elements is the key to the long-term success of their business. In order to help them achieve its vision, they have broken it down into seven strategic, long-term commitments. These commitments are an integral element of HM’s business strategy and they cover every stage of its product life cycle, from designing its fashion to how its customers care for the garments they buy. Based on constant dialogue with its external stakeholders and the colleagues across the business, they have built a process to identify and prioritize the actions that they need to take over the short and medium term to help them meet each of these long-term commitments. HM calls all these its Conscious Actions. Throughout the year they monitor the progress they make towards completing these actions, review and improve their methods and add more actions as their understanding of how to fulfill their commitments improves. 4. Responsible marketing HM communicates its business idea of fashion and quality at the best price through the various advertising campaigns they produce each year throughout the world. HM’s marketing has a major impact and it is essential for them to convey a positive image. HM’s advertising images do not aim to communicate any specific ideal, but rather a range of styles and attitudes. HM’s advertising campaigns are produced centrally in Sweden by HM’s marketing department in cooperation with creative professionals located in the major fashion hubs of the world. The campaigns are designed to be clear and simple and aim to inform their customers of what is new at HM. All of the campaigns show the season’s designs and the price of the clothes pictured. The advertisements that they produce are largely identical in all of their markets, but the media strategy is adapted to local requirements and conditions. Each season they strive to feature models with different looks, styles and cultural backgrounds to advertise their concepts for women, men, teenagers and children. Models are chosen in collaboration between internationally recognized agencies and their own representatives. As outlined in their advertising policy, the models depicted must portray the current fashion in a positive and healthy manner. The company deliberately distances itself from drug and alcohol abuse, and will not use models that do not portray HM in a way that is in accordance with that policy. Special guidelines for advertising of their children’s concepts HM has special guidelines for the advertising of their children’s concepts. The target audience is parents, not children, and they place advertisements in media that are not aimed directly at children. Children who take part in their campaigns must take part of their own free will. If children are cast in a photo shoot, there is always an HM representative present to ensure the safety of the children and to maintain a professional environment. Cause related marketing They also run cause-related marketing campaigns such as Fashion Against Aids, aiming to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among young target groups. 5. HM promotion strategy To promote the company and its products, HM uses video advertisements, print advertisements and the concept of e-marketing. These promotion and communication strategies tend to meet the consumers from different places anywhere in the world, especially those from the target markets or the consumers in the working place. Moreover, since the trend in the market place today is the usage of e-marketing, the company will provide a website that any client can access. The use of the Internet is changing high-tech marketing overnight while different industries have been trying to use it as part of their marketing strategy. It does not only reconfigured the way different firms do business and the way the consumers buy goods and services but it also becomes instrumental in transforming the value chain from manufacturers to retailers to consumers, creating a new retail distribution channel. E-marketing is a powerful tool used by different business organizations around the world. It is defined as the process of achieving marketing objectives through the use of electronic communications technology. E-marketing is also known to be the online marketing strategy utilized by different companies whose objective is to be the best company in their field. Thus, the HM will create its own website (www. hm. com). The main objective of utilizing e-marketing strategy is to keep in touch to different internet users to be able to attract more clients and consumers. All in all, through the website, whether the user is a customer, employee, stockholders, vendors, retailers or end customers, the true strength of e-marketing is acceleration of the business portfolio. While the company does utilize the digital world to a certain extent, there are three main objectives which could greatly aid in the improvement of its online initiatives. These objectives include increasing HM brand recognition; restricting and reorganizing its website to improve conversion rates and overall sales; and building user engagement and loyalty online by improving customer service through social media platforms. 6. HM in social media Through social media, HM can Inspire, Inform and Interact with customers, wherever they are in the world. These three are the main objectives in the social media policy of HM. HM has established a strong social media presence that will only continue to grow. It has added a Social Media Room to their website. Here, anyone can browse through what everyday consumers are saying about the brand in the social networks and blogs. Today, it is part of its customers’ daily life through its pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube as well as the Chinese social networks Youku and Sina Weibo. Each network is updated on a regular basis. Through social media, millions of HM fans and followers share ideas and opinions and get quick answer to their queries. New fashion videos and reports are uploaded onto YouTube weekly and have already been seen more than 30 million times. Through the HM apps, customers can explore the latest collections and campaigns, find out what’s new at HM and locate their stores. At the launch in August 2010, the iPhone app was the most downloaded application in almost all of HM’s markets. a. HM on Facebook 14,314,214 people like the page, while 297,428 talk about it and 230,409 reported they were in the shop. Meaning there’s at least two categories of people, those who are just fans of the brand, and those who actively like it, share about it, and are proud and able to report when they were in. The page is very active, and gains 100 000 new likes on average each day. On Facebook HM publishes mostly looks, styles and pictures. It asks for opinions, focusing on one particular product or type of product, and generates interaction around those topics they launched. So it does indirect promotion, through tips, advices, opinions asking, and also by offering some goodies, as for now, customized summer postcards. The reactions depends on the posts and their nature (whether it is a new product, posters from the campaign, or opinions asking) but globally, it has about 5,000 likes in average. When it is about opinion concerning a style or a product, the comments are numerous, about 600. When it’s only about promotion, generally meaning a picture and a link to the website, the comments are less than 100. HM is at the basis a banal clothes brand, relatively cheap. So they need to create and entertain the image they want to have, that would give value to the brand, and take away the cheap store chains image. By creating content, and posting about specific events, they want to relate their brand to a certain image, by associating their brand and products into a certain way of living, a certain way of thinking, through events, cultural or fashion. HM Landing Page As with all brand pages in Timeline, the first thing a visitor to the HM page will see is the wall. HM makes good use of the more visual nature of Timeline and the page pops with images from their latest collections. However, the page comes across as very product heavy. The channel functions more as an information source than a truly interactive page. In essence, the wall reads like a catalogue – visually appealing, but lacking the human factor that sets social media apart from other media. Its page also includes links to several tools housed on the company’s main website, HM. com: Project Black Book HM’s collaboration with 18-year-old designer Andre Lorenz Stock to create a line of t-shirts featuring images of everyday people. Andre and HM have asked fans to submit photos by e-mail to [emailprotected] com. HM Fashion Studio An interactive tool where users style looks on male or female models of their choice, choosing from a huge variety of HM clothing, shoes, and accessories. Color options, price, size availability, and collection origin are shown for each item. HM Fashion Video Videos take viewers behind the scenes for a glimpse at up-and-coming clothing collections, to the streets of cities such as Paris for a look at what the locals are wearing, and to the desk of HM designers. Fashion Against Aids It can be seen that the community is active through another tab of the HM page. It is the Fashion Against Aids page, where users share their kisses pictures, to contribute to a $1 donation to AIDS association. In there, for about 17,000 pictures, there are more than 118,500 likes and 4,700 comments. HM Contests Trendsetting is crucial for the fashion industry and nothing is more important than finding out what the kids are wearing these days (be it fanny packs, funky scarves or colored denim). In an effort to engage its audience and provide galleries of fashion trends, HM developed two different global contests that focused on photos, sharing and vote gathering. HM Trend Scouts 2012 To find the trendsetters from across the world, HM created a contest, called Trend Scouts, where users submitted photos and shared fashion stories, inspirations and favorite trends, creating a user-friendly gallery of unique, global fashion trends. The people who garnered the most votes were put in front of a panel of famous fashion judges who selected the 2012 Trend Scouts. These winners attended the Roskilde Festival in Denmark (July 5-8), where they received a special assignment to take photos of the coolest outfits and styles at the festival. These photos were uploaded to the Facebook page and the Trend Scout with the most votes on their photo won the grand prize of an HM gift card for 1,000 Euros. The contest page has a fantastic image gallery; however, it’s missing an opportunity for sharing and fan engagement. Although there are share buttons on each entry, they generate a generic message asking people to enter the contest, not vote for the trendsetter, which could be the reason some of the winners only have two votes. HM Summer Spot The second contest is more generic and doesn’t focus on trends or fashion, instead focusing on visually appealing photos of fans’ favorite summer spots – creating a lower barrier to entry, which should drive more traffic. Though HM Summer Spot contest is on Facebook, the contest is actually held on Instagram. Fans submit a geo-targeted photo of their favorite summer spot with the hashtag #HMSummerSpot. The Facebook app is programmed to automatically pull photos with the hashtag into the app. People who submit photos are automatically entered to be one of five lucky winners of a $200 HM gift card. On the tab, fans are able to learn about the contest and Instagram, as well as explore other fans photos and where they were taken. While the contest is held on Instagram, HM does a great job of bringing the two channels together. Instagram provides a great platform to curate visually appealing photos, while Facebook allows for better fan engagement. While fans can share the photos with their friends on Facebook, HM didn’t provide users the opportunity to share with their other networks. With the clothing retailer utilizing so many different social channels, it’s surprising they missed the opportunity for increased views and engagement. HM’s Autumn Collection 2013 This app that it used to live stream its Paris fashion show in February. It promoted the live stream with several posts inviting fans to enjoy â€Å"an exclusive front row seat† and a highlights package is still available on its Facebook page. Though live streaming through Facebook isn’t necessarily a new idea, it is a good way of rewarding fans and giving them a reason to navigate to the brand page. HM E-Gift Cards E-Gift cards are wonderful and can save you when you accidentally miss a friend’s birthday. HM made it even easier for you by creating a tab that lets you purchase your HM gift card right on Facebook. So when Facebook reminds you it’s your friend’s birthday you can write on their wall and send them an e-gift card via Facebook or email. And, when you go to check out, you receive a friendly reminder of all your Facebook friends who have birthday’s coming up. You’ll never miss one again! HM Historical Timeline No longer will you need to search Wikipedia to find out when ‘M by Madonna’ launched at HM (which was 2007, just in case you were wondering). HM has taken advantage of Facebook Timeline and provided its fans with a detailed history, featuring all of its special collections from its foundation in 1947 to now. This is a great visual representation of how fashion has changed over the years and who the company’s influencers have been. This is especially appealing to all the fashionistas out there who love fashion history. HM Wall Engagement HM could benefit from engaging its audience more. Fans are sharing content and discussing their likes and dislikes on the page and thus the brand is successful in communication with its customers. HM are also doing a decent job responding to customers when they post questions to the wall – this helps foster brand loyalty and has the potential to drive sales to the stores. Finally, the use HM makes of Facebook is about both interaction and reputation. As they describe it, they use it to inspire and interact, but also inform, meaning they are willing to be the leader of a specific image. b. HM on Twitter HM opened his Twitter account in March 2008, meaning they’re on this media for 5 years now, while Twitter is just beginning his very large expansion. We can then say they are quite early adopters. Today, they have 1,917,719 followers, while they follow 186 accounts and they tweeted 6,1803 times. HM has created separate Twitter feeds for each of the local markets in which it operates, but each one uses the same background and header image so the branding is obviously closely controlled. HM tends to answer more than singly to post. They answer questions mainly about services, openings of new stores, but also tips for ways of wearing certain product. They use Twitter as a customer services in one side, but also to conquer new markets. Announcing new openings planned, making buzz around services they provide, they create a very close relation with their customers, and also obtain promises of customers that aren’t yet able to buy HM products, because of location problems mainly. It means they succeeded to create a trust relation with their clients and they are entertaining them by tweeting news, but also styles and products. Twitter is, in its nature, a micro-blogging platform that doesn’t allow hard promotion through long texts. In there, HM discuss with their customers directly, and set up a close relation with them by answering personally. In this way, they sound more accessible, and of course improve their image. It is also a way for them to be present in the social media background. In fact, by generating interaction, people talk to you, and you gain in visibility. One noteworthy Twitter campaign by HM recently was a QA with brand ambassador David Beckham. The footballer responded to around 30 questions from fans using the hashtag #AskBeckham, including queries about his fashion mistakes, plans for the future and his favorite goal. This is a great use of Twitter as it gives fans a unique opportunity to speak to a global celebrity, though it obviously required HM to spend millions on sponsorship. So, Twitter is completely about interacting with people, one of the HM social media policy. In this way they also gain in reputation by getting closer to their customers. c. HM on YouTube and Instagram 41,306 are subscribed to the HM YouTube channels and videos have been seen 32,397,457 times. The channel is composed of four tabs: HM Life, HM on TV, Campaigns and Local. HM has 643,396 followers and follows 124 on Instagram. HM on TV is a summary of all the TV campaigns HM launched. Local is more about the events that happened, as opening, or pop-up stores. It is about keeping a trace of these events, and allow people to see what happened. HM Life and Campaigns are more axed to influence customers. In fact, it is about creating a

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Tianamen Square Essays - Language, Communication Design, Writer

Tianamen Square Essays - Language, Communication Design, Writer Tianamen Square Tiananmen Square is where thousands of Chinese people gathered to try to overthrow the Chinese government. Every writer there witnessed and viewed this event in his or her own way. The writers different versions contradicted so much the audience had every reason to be confused over what really happened. The goal of these writers was to persuade the audience to see this event the way the writer saw it. This event in history can show readers how one event that happened only one way, can be told in many different ways. The Beijing Review interviewed a Chinese Military Official, naturally his story will favor the Chinese government. The leaders of the revolt were referred to as bad people; these bad people were accused of influencing the students and viewers to shamefully overthrow the government. This official also said that their losses were great because of the good mingling with the bad, this caused a mass state of confusion resulting in personal loss. He then made it look like the government assault on the people was necessary, and this showed the integrity of the peoples army. A writer for the New York Times wrote from a neutral perspective. This writer didnt take a side or judge either group. The writer just gave a story from what he or she eye witnessed. This version was descriptive and filled with facts. The writer also explains why the revolt was taking place. Compare Contrast 2 The Military Official sided with the government, and the New York Times Writer was neutral. The Official labeled people the Times writer did not. The Official used his opinions in his version. The Times writer used facts to demonstrate his or her eye witnessed account. Both writers wrote about things they saw during the event to prove a point, like when the tank drivers were forced from safety by fire then beaten when they would evacuate. After all the versions were viewed the audience couldnt help but be confused over this event. Every different writer told the story of this event his or her way. Some of the writers took sides others stayed neutral. Reading different versions of a story can confuse the reader and misguide him of her from the truth. The reader must always realize what he or she is reading can be misleading.

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Make Glowing Printer Ink

How to Make Glowing Printer Ink You can make homemade glowing ink that you can use in your printer to make glow in the dark letters, signs, or pictures. Its easy to do and works on all kinds of paper or even for making iron-on transfers for fabric. Glowing Ink Materials glow powder (sold in craft stores; if you cant find it you can substitute glowing paint)printer ink refillempty printer cartridgesyringe (available at any pharmacy) Prepare the Glowing Ink Basically, youre adding a chemical to normal ink that will cause it to glow in the dark. Ink formulations, especially for printers, are complex, so the resulting ink may not print as smoothly as it ordinarily would. You may wish to adjust the ratio of ingredients to get just the right ink for your needs. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 teaspoon of glow powder with 3 teaspoons of ink from your refill ink cartridge.Microwave the ink for 30 seconds to help it mix better.Use a syringe to draw up the ink.You may be able to locate the refill holes on the cartridge (often under the label) and inject the ink into the cartridge without breaking it open, but it you cant find the holes then remove the cap from an empty printer cartridge and inject the glowing ink. Re-seal the cap back onto the ink cartridge (if necessary) and insert it into your printer.Print a few pages to give the ink a chance to flow, then print out your glowing document.Charge the ink by shining a bright light onto the printed image for about a minute. Sunlight or a black light works best, but you can use any bright light source.Turn out the lights and see the glow! The glow from the ink will fade after a few minutes in the dark, but if you keep the ink exposed to black light it will continue to glow.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Boulevard Haussman's Department Store and Boulevard des Capucines's Essay

Boulevard Haussman's Department Store and Boulevard des Capucines's Opera House as two key elements in the Haussmannization of P - Essay Example The boulevard is between Boulevard des Italiens and the Avenue de Friedland and runs a length of 2.5km. The two famous department stores found in the Boulevard Haussmann are the Galeries Lafayette Department store and the Printemps Department store. The two stores are a depiction of state of the art architectural articulation despite the fact that they were built in the late 1800’s1. The Printemps Department Store The Printemps department store will be the main building in focus on the Boulevard Haussmann. The store is an architectural center piece located at the corner of Le Havre and Boulevard Haussmann. The building was officially opened on 3rd November 1865 in its original form. The architects who were responsible for the building of the Printemps departmental store were Jules Jaluzot and Jean-AlfredDuclo. Before joining the Printemps project, Jules Jaluzot was a supervisor at the Le Bon Marche department store. The first store building was small and in 1874, the building was renovated. The main agenda of the renovation was to expand the building. The most notable installation that occurred during the expansion process was the installation of elevators. This was a major architectural innovation and installation since elevators were unveiled during the 1867 universal exposition2. In 1881, the Printemps store, despite all the renovations and innovative installations, burnt down. The building was left desolate for a couple of years until the reconstruction process began and was completed in 1889. The newly reconstructed Au Printemps covered an area of over 3000 square meters and stretched from the Rue Caumartin and Rue de Provence. The reconstruction of the building also made history. This is because the Au Printemps used electric lighting. This was in the year 1888 and was the first building in Paris to use electric lighting. The store was farther enlarged in 1907 and a new shop was built increasing the area of coverage of the Au Printemps to 5000 squa re meters. This new shop covered the space that was between the Boulevard Haussmann, the Rue de Charras, Rue de Provence and Rue Caumartin3. The architectural plan of the store and the Boulevard Haussmann was monumental in that it helped the department store get direct access to the subway after the metro was connected around the year 1904. In 1921, the Au Printemps suffered a major set-back; it experienced another fire and burnt down. Reconstruction began immediately and by the year 1924, the reconstruction of the building was complete. This reconstruction process invoked architectural tactics from ancient Rome and saw the incorporation of a cupola above the main restaurant; this cupola was both historical and architectural monument. In the late 1930’s, the World War II posed threats because of the bombings and for this reason, the cupola was dismantled and stored at Clichy for fear of destruction. The designer of the cupola had archived plans for installing the cupola since it was a family business and it was re-installed in 1973 by his grandson4. Boulevard des Capucines’ Opera’s House Among the four Grands Boulevards in Paris is the Boulevard des Capucines. Before the French revolution, a convent of Capuchin nuns had a garden in the south side of the boulevard. The boulevard was named in relation to the Capuchin nuns. Palais Garnier Opera House

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Critical thinking - Essay Example For once, social media was abuzz with a video which showed the impact that bullies in school have on general children. More than sensation, this video instilled fear in the minds of the people who were parents, teachers, and policy makers in education institutions. Would this have taken place if bullies were not treated to zero tolerance at school? Or was the world giving way to bullies and not actually creating an education system that controls such acts or thoughts, but succeeds in only controlling individuals? There is a strong suggestion that whether out of habit or frustration, the bully’s acts are only heightened when the school adopts a zero tolerance towards them and chooses to suppress them. Through our article we will take in all the aspects of bullying in school that we see in this and many other episodes around the world, and try to indicate why schools should not enforce zero tolerance policies in schools. To address the thesis the body has been divided into four main sections - Against Hope Hopened?, Psychological impact on children, Social Degradation and Demented Student Culture. The first section highlights the expectations of parents while sending their children to schools. The second section talks of the psychological aspect of bullying faced in schools. The third subheading underlines the anti-social implications of bullying and the fourth one emphasizes the recommended policies to be undertaken by schools to promote a healthy culture among students. Every time a child heads for school, his family looks forward to seeing him well educated and placed in a respectable position in the society. However, our education systems leave parents distraught when incidences of bullying and teen violence plague their child’s growth and personality development. While many worry about the safety of their children from these students, parents of bullies are

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Secret School by AVI Essay Example for Free

The Secret School by AVI Essay â€Å"The Secret School† is a wonderful book written by Avi. The author Avi was born on December 23, 1937 in New York City. ‘The Secret School’ is a popular children’s book. The book is about a 14 year old young girl named Ida Bidson. The other characters include the tall and skinny best friend Tom and the often absent and mischievous Herbert. It also includes minor characters of various ages and sizes including Charley, Susie Spool, and Natasha Ashneski.   The setting of the story is in 1925 in rural Colorado. The central character ‘Ida’ is a motivated eight grader and the daughter of a farmer in Elk Valley. She desperately wants to attend high school so she can become a teacher. She needs to pass her eighth grade exams at the end of the school year. However, the teacher Miss Fletcher, who teaches at her one room school, has a family emergency in the spring. Miss. Fletcher receives a telegram that her mother in east Iowa is very sick and she has to leave immediately.   The school has to shut down and Ida sees her dream of becoming a teacher impossible. Mr. Jordan even tells her that girls don’t need a high school education. Ida doesn’t want to let go off her dream so easy so she and her classmate Tom come up with a brilliant plan to keep the school open. Ida decides to take over as the teacher of the one room school. Realizing that the school board would disapprove of their plan they decide to keep the whole thing a secret. They need an older person to help them launch their plan. Miss Gertrude Sedgwick, the County Examiner becomes their ally when she stumbles onto their plan one day. Miss Gertrude Sedgwick lived in Silver Springs near the high school. She inspected the school from time to time. She had the authority to give the students an exit exam.   After inspection she allows Ida and Tom their eighth grade exit exams but she also makes them promise that the other children will also take and pass the final exam.   Now, Ida falls under the pressure to not only pass her own exams but make the other children pass their exams. She also has to change the mind of her classmates who wanted to take the rest of the year off. Herbert makes sure that he gives Ida as much trouble as possible. In addition to this, she has to make them cooperate enough so that they don’t get caught by the parents and the community. Lastly, she must also keep up with her farming chores. As a result of the intense pressure on Ida she risks losing her dear classmate Tom. Nevertheless, Ida proves herself as a strong heroine in the book with her intelligence and courage.   Tom is an important character in the story. Every time Ida feels she’d fail as a teacher Tom encourages and supports her. She returns home late, does her everyday chores, prepares the family dinner, grades schoolwork and finally does her own studying. She would go to bed more and more exhausted everyday. However, Tom would leave apples at her desk to relieve her tension and stress. The other students helped out with the sweeping, mopping, cutting and hauling wood, dusting, taking out ashes, polishing desks, cleaning the privies, window washing. One day when she is enjoying being the old Ida in recess time the County Examiner Miss Gertrude Sedgwick walks in. Ida Soaked and mud-spattered right in the middle of the pond looks nothing like a teacher. The County Examiner even after seeing Ida in such a state informs them that there is nothing wrong with Ida being their unofficial teacher. She promises to return on the morning of June the seventh to conduct the examinations. One stormy afternoon when the children are busy studying at the secret school, Mr. Jordan makes a surprise visit. He tells all of them angrily to go home where they belong and the school will be closed from this day onwards. The students are left with no choice but to stay home. Ida’s brother Felix tags along with his father while Ida starts taking care of baby Shelby. The next day, Herbert walks a mile to Ida’s house to inform her about a meeting of parents and the board. The meeting was going to be held to make sure the school stays shut. The very next evening the four members of the Elk Valley School Board Mr. Jordan, Mr. Hawkins, the Methodist Church minister, Ebenezer Morris and Mr. Plumstead, head of the Elk Valley Bank get together with the children and parents to discuss the fate of the school. The children are accused for trespassing property and Ida accused of pretending to be a teacher. Mr. Morris, a good man, tells Mr. Jordan that since they haven’t destroyed the property or done any harm they must not be punished. The board realizes that Ida has not only helped students learn but also saved the board money. The board comes to a decision that the pretend school will go on for two weeks so the children can take their exams. Mr. Jordan makes two conditions to be fulfilled by the students. Firstly, the families involved have to take responsibility for the building. Secondly, every child is expected to pass their exams. If they don’t pass it will be the teacher’s fault and not the board’s. Finally, the day of the exam arrives. The students had spent every day quizzing each other, going over recitations, parsing sentences, working on penmanship. With a few minutes remaining to the exam Felix and Ida lose their way on the road. Tom saves the day when he arrives in his Ruckus and gives them a ride to school. All goes well for the students and Miss. Bidson. A week later Ida finds letters from the examiner stating that not only has she passed but her students have also cleared their exams. Herbert was the only exception. The story ends happily with Ida getting a scholarship to continue her high school. I enjoyed the book because the plot was simple, the language easy to understand and the characters brave and humorous. I would strongly recommend the book to others.    WORKS CITED: Avi. (1997). The Secret School. New York: Harper

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Feminist Aspects of The Yellow Wallpaper -- Feminism Feminist Women Cr

Feminist Aspects of The Yellow Wallpaper    The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman can by read in many different ways.   Some think of it as a tragic horror story while others may find it to be a tale of a woman trying to find her identity in a male-dominated society.   The story is based on an episode in Gilman's life when she suffered from a nervous disease called melancholia.   A male specialist advised her to "live a domestic a life as far as possible.. and never to touch a pen, brush or pencil..."  Ã‚   (Gilman, 669).  Ã‚   She lived by these guidelines for three months until she came close to suffering from a nervous breakdown.   Gilman then decided to continue writing, despite the physicians advice, and overcame her illness.   By writing The Yellow Wallpaper, she attempted to save others who suffered from her illness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story takes place in the late eighteen hundreds (published in 1892), a time when feminism was at a rise.   Many connections can be made between the characteristics of this time period and images in the story.   These include the main character's creative outlet, the main character's suppression by her husband, and the image of the woman behind the bars in the later half of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the story, the narrator who is a woman diagnosed by her physician husband as "sick" finds a creative outlet by writing.  Ã‚   She expressed her need to express herself in some way by stating,   " I don't   know why I should write this... but I must say I feel and think in some way it is such a relief.. I must put it this way- he (John) hates for me to write a word " (Gilman 662).   We can see how her husband kept her in a subordinate position as she was restricted from letting out her creative energ... ...lpaper" is a story of a woman who suffers from a "sickness" that her dominating husband tries to cure with rest until the wife finally goes mad.   The qualities of the characters, setting, and plot can each be correlated with characteristics of the women's movement.   Literature was used as a creative outlet for many females as they were suppressed with the life of a male-dominated society during the time of the Femenist Movement. Works Cited and Consulted McElroy, Lorie.   Women's Voices:   A Documentary History of Women in America.pp.195-204.1997. Newman, Loise Michele.   White Women's Rights.   pp.7-11, 23-37.1986. Ogden, Annegret S.   The Great American Housewife.   pp. 55-60, 71-72. 1980. O'Neil, William.   Feminism in America: a history.   pp.33-34, 130-133, 275.   1989. Woloch, Nancy.   Women and the American Experience.   pp.326-327, 344-347. 1994. Feminist Aspects of The Yellow Wallpaper -- Feminism Feminist Women Cr Feminist Aspects of The Yellow Wallpaper    The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman can by read in many different ways.   Some think of it as a tragic horror story while others may find it to be a tale of a woman trying to find her identity in a male-dominated society.   The story is based on an episode in Gilman's life when she suffered from a nervous disease called melancholia.   A male specialist advised her to "live a domestic a life as far as possible.. and never to touch a pen, brush or pencil..."  Ã‚   (Gilman, 669).  Ã‚   She lived by these guidelines for three months until she came close to suffering from a nervous breakdown.   Gilman then decided to continue writing, despite the physicians advice, and overcame her illness.   By writing The Yellow Wallpaper, she attempted to save others who suffered from her illness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story takes place in the late eighteen hundreds (published in 1892), a time when feminism was at a rise.   Many connections can be made between the characteristics of this time period and images in the story.   These include the main character's creative outlet, the main character's suppression by her husband, and the image of the woman behind the bars in the later half of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the story, the narrator who is a woman diagnosed by her physician husband as "sick" finds a creative outlet by writing.  Ã‚   She expressed her need to express herself in some way by stating,   " I don't   know why I should write this... but I must say I feel and think in some way it is such a relief.. I must put it this way- he (John) hates for me to write a word " (Gilman 662).   We can see how her husband kept her in a subordinate position as she was restricted from letting out her creative energ... ...lpaper" is a story of a woman who suffers from a "sickness" that her dominating husband tries to cure with rest until the wife finally goes mad.   The qualities of the characters, setting, and plot can each be correlated with characteristics of the women's movement.   Literature was used as a creative outlet for many females as they were suppressed with the life of a male-dominated society during the time of the Femenist Movement. Works Cited and Consulted McElroy, Lorie.   Women's Voices:   A Documentary History of Women in America.pp.195-204.1997. Newman, Loise Michele.   White Women's Rights.   pp.7-11, 23-37.1986. Ogden, Annegret S.   The Great American Housewife.   pp. 55-60, 71-72. 1980. O'Neil, William.   Feminism in America: a history.   pp.33-34, 130-133, 275.   1989. Woloch, Nancy.   Women and the American Experience.   pp.326-327, 344-347. 1994.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Employee Training and Management Essay

It is healthy for the operation of the business to have, although not that frequent, an evaluation of our co-employee/s for the betterment of the organization as a whole. With this, the company could attain its goals with fewer hindrances and achieve impressive growth in a shorter period of time. This paper aims to have a Coaching and Performance Improvement Analysis to my CEO, to whom I work as a secretary, in order to provide us with facts on how our CEO influence his subordinates as well as on the manner he fulfill his duties in the company. I have been a secretary to the CEO in our company for about ten years and I think that span of staying here is enough for me to give criticism or opinion regarding the professionalism of my bosses with regards to performing his duties and responsibilities. The current CEO of the company has been in his position for about 6 months. Since he is the one responsible for almost all of the operational details of the company, it is a must for us to know how competitive he is. The future of the company depends on him and any incompetence could lead to any losses not only to the company but as well as to the employees. During the recent months, the company has been experiencing down turns in the sales and profits. Even if the various units of the company are doing their job well, still, our target market continuous declines every single day. After conducting the investigation, the company officials found out that the problem boils down to the office of the CEO. The specific problem would be the CEO of the company took a couple of time planning for the instructions that must be given to the various units of the company as well as forwarding them to the vice-presidents of various units. Basically, the officers of the various units know the problem exists that is why they conducted an investigation to pin point the root of the problem. They also know the performance expectation that a CEO must fulfill in order to lead such complex company that covers wide operational services. This action caused delays in the daily operation of the business, thus, made the customers disappointed with the current performance of the company which before leads the market with providing delivery services to most of the cities in America. There are no hindrances outside the organization/team’s control that affects the performance of the CEO. Coaching Analysis Flow Chart This flow chart is being used as a strategic tool used to find out if we have to proceed in the performance improvement process and to identify the extent to which we can proceed in the performance improvement process. This is being used mainly to assist in the performance improvement process (Brocato). I believe that the problem is worth solving at since it already concerns the future of the business with regards to its performance to the market. The CEO of any company is the one that is responsible for the delicate operations aspects of the business and the source of most of the decisions that should be done by various units in order to achieve their goals and growth to have market stability. If this problem would not be solve, there will come a time wherein customers would no longer avail the services of the company, thus, could cause much more problem to the company. The competition now a day in the industry of delivery services is very tight due to the profitability in this type of business. Companies such as UPS and DHL are just a few of the threats to the company that needed much attention. With this, there is no room for any errors or incompetence on the part of any members of the company. Stockholder of the company could pull out their shares due to the risks involving the stability of the organization. It is much better it this problem would be treated right away so as to avoid any further complications and losses. The postponement in the imposition of the CEO with the specific plans per unit of the business cause delays in the operational process of the organization as a whole, specifically, the plan for the imposition of new delivery strategies to compete with the emerging delivery companies in the market. As based from the behavior of the market for the past years, they tend to easily shift their loyalty to those companies that can offer services that conform to their needs and type of living (Killoran). In short, innovative products’ are the one that gains market acceptance. Therefore, it is a must for the company to be on time with the delicate operational aspects of the organization so as not to be over shadowed by other companies belonging to the same industry. Every step in the operational process is important and requires constant observation on the part of the CEO so as to have a basis in conducting plans and strategies for the company. Therefore, it is a must to have a competitive and efficient CEO for the company to achieve their goals and stability in the market. The CEO fails to make new strategy regarding the imposition of an innovative delivery strategy that would attract more customers. The only reason that I can see here for the incompetence of the new CEO is his lack of experience. Six months in the position would not be enough for him to familiarize himself with the regular operations of the business and on what is the market trend in the economy. The CEO of the company also did become extra confident with the market status of the company during the years before his assume the position of being the CEO. Because of this, he was not able to maintain the stability of the company and only cause chaos in the financial as well as to the sales of the company. Stockholders panicked because of the undertakings of the CEO as well as his performance with regards to performing its functions well. We can now see the effect of having an incompetent person handling a very delicate position of in an organization. The stake of the stockholders, employees and the clients that put their trust to the company for many years is in danger. With regards to the job structure of the organization, I believe that his roles and involvement to various aspects of operations has contributed to his inefficiency as the top manager of the organization. I believe that he is not yet ready to shoulder many responsibilities and must delegate some task to middle and lower level managers. His role as the main icon of the organization requires him to appear in public to represent the whole organization could also be a contributing factor for him not to finish his responsibilities well. During the recent months, he had to travel to some places in America to generate additional stockholder to finance the plan of expanding the company into some states in America. With this, he spends less time in his office while the employees of the organization wait for the next step that they will do. This is one of the disadvantages of an organization that relies most on their CEO; they lack initiatives to make suggestions for their respective areas of concern so as to lessen the responsibility of their top manager. Moreover, having initiative to plan for the welfare of the middle managers area of concern helps they develop their abilities since they have to use their creativity in making strategies and decisions. If they only follow the command of the CEO and not suggesting other strategies with which they think more beneficial than with the plan of the CEO, then, the organization would really become stagnant and can be considered as a â€Å"one-man-team† organization. As for the managerial behavior, the CEO of the organization lacks the ability to encourage his subordinates to use their creativity to make plans regarding some small aspects of the operation of the business. With this, the responsibility of the CEO would be lessened and can now concentrate to more delicate aspects of the operation of the organization. On the subject of the personality of the CEO towards the fulfillment of his responsibilities, I think, this overconfidence regarding the organization has leaded the company to this problematic situation. Because of this personality of the CEO, his concentration towards the attainment of the organizational goal is not that enough for the customers avail our services. Regarding the question on whether the proposed solution of delegating some responsibilities to lower and middle level managers, I think that it would only costs less time and money since the implementation of this strategy will only affect a small part of the time of those managers. Besides, they are the one must know what is happening in their area of concern, thus, they have most of the information as compared to the CEO of the company. With this solution, the problem can be addressed and would only take a few weeks to experience the positive effects to the company. Proposed Solution For the CEO to have enough time to concentrate to those more delicate aspects of the organization, he should pass some of the planning responsibility to the various units of the company (Jackson). For instance, the problem regarding the marketing strategy of the organization, the CEO could assign the vice president to marketing of the company to deals the said problem since the said person has more knowledge with regards to conducting market analysis and has more experience regarding capturing the tastes of their target customers. This solution need not to conduct any trainings or could cause much costs to the company since this solution only delegates the tasks that is intended to each units of the organization. This solution would also develop the sense of creativity of the middle and lower level managers since they have to think unique strategy and plans so as to gain large share of market in the industry. This will also help them boost their morale since they will start to feel that they are important in the organization and has a part in attaining their goals and targets in the whole operational process.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A strong sense of class consciousness in “Emma”

There is a strong sense of class consciousness in â€Å"Emma†. What is Emma's attitude towards social position? How do the Martins and the Cole's reflect changes in the class structure of 19th century England? How willing is Emma to accept these changes? Compare and contrast Emma and Mr Knightley's attitudes towards Robert Martin. â€Å"Emma† was written at the beginning of the Nineteenth century when dramatic change was going on in social structures. Up until then society was governed by a rigid class system and mixing of classes was very rare, however the ‘middle class', the land owners and work-force owners were beginning to carve their own place in society. Increases in international trading and the start of the Industrial Revolution were key factors in the rise of the ‘middle class'. Emma as the daughter of a substantial landowner and at the top of society resists these changes with immense social snobbery although she is aware the change is imminent. â€Å"Emma conceives of her society in terms of rigid inequalities; Miss Woodhouse cannot visit Mrs Martin, the Coles will not presume to invite the Weston's, Mr. Elton may not aspire to the heiress of Hartfield† writes Helen Dry, â€Å"Syntax and the Point of View in Jane Austen's Emma†, (1977), 87-99. Emma clings to ancient established ideas of social hierarchy: but only when it suits her. She ignores Harriet's illegitimacy purely for her own fancy and sees no problem in a match between Harriet and Mr. Elton, or Harriet and Frank Churchill; however the idea of an unequal match between Harriet and Mr. Knightley shocks her, â€Å"Such an elevation on her side, such a debasement on his!† She is also feels extremely insulted when Mr. Elton proposes to her: Should suppose himself her equal in connection or in mind! Look down upon her friend, so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be blind to what rose above, as to fancy himself shewing no presumption in addressing her!-it was most provoking. Emma objects highly to Mrs Elton, partly due to her self-inflated ideas of social status: â€Å"She brought no name, no blood, no alliance. Miss Hawkins was the youngest of two daughters of a Bristol merchant†, â€Å"The idea of being indebted to Mrs. Elton†¦The dignity of Miss Woodhouse of Hartfield, was sunk indeed!† Mrs Elton shows a great deal of snobbery herself; she is harsh, brash and arrogant, she boasts on numerous occasions about â€Å"Maple Grove†, and the â€Å"barouche-landau† belonging to her brother-in-law. She constantly compares everything and everybody to his circle: the only good society she knows. Mr. Weston marries a â€Å"portionless governess†, yet Emma does not oppose this because Mrs Weston happens to have been her governess. And Emma angrily defends Mrs Weston when Mrs Elton expresses her surprise at her ladylikeness. â€Å"I was rather astonished to find her so very lady-like! But she really is quite the gentlewoman†. Emma's inherent snobbery is demonstrated when the Coles host a party in Highbury. â€Å"The Coles were very respectable in their way, but they ought to be taught that it was not for them to arrange the terms on which the superior families would visit them. This lesson, she very much feared, they would receive only from herself; she had little hope of Mr. Knightley, none of Mr. Weston†. Emma feels the Coles are attempting to rise above their station; however she recognizes that neither Mr. Knightley nor Mr. Weston will agree or support her here because as Robert Miles writes, â€Å"they have better judgement†¦Knightley's flexibility absorbs the threat, whereas Emma's stiffness augurs friction† (Jane Austen [Northcote House, 2003], p.105) Emma's dislike of the Coles stems from their recently acquired wealth: â€Å"They†¦by this time were, in fortune and style of living, second only to the family at Hartfield.† High rank in society was dictated more by family history than current wealth. Hereditary wealth was perceived as infinitely superior to recently earned ‘new money'. However, change was imminent with the increase in trade wealth and the upper class had to accept this, some even embraced it, Emma however refuses to accept these changes and adapt to this new way of thinking. The Martins are an honest, respectable family and Emma's attitude towards them shows the extent of her snobbery, conceit and class consciousness: â€Å"amused by such a picture of another set of beings and enjoying the youthful simplicity which could speak with so much exultation of Mrs Martin's having ‘two parlours†. Here Emma laughs at the idea of less fortunate people than herself and is exceedingly patronising towards Harriet; however Emma is not perceived as cruel because she doesn't know any different and has not experienced life outside of Highbury and the unchanged community she was born into. â€Å"A young farmer†¦is the very last sort of person to raise my curiosity† She discourages Harriet's attachment to the family and in particular Robert Martin, â€Å"I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air. I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility† Emma warns her that the accident of her birth obliges her to dissociate herself from any connections which would lower her social status further; Harriet is probably of the same class as the Martins, but Emma feels that the association with herself has raised Harriet far above an association with a farming family. This demonstrates the arrogant, hypocritical and interfering characteristics which flaw Emma's character. When Mr. Martin proposes to Harriet, Emma is surprised by the quality of his letter, â€Å"She read, and was surprised. The style of the letter was much above her expectation†, this reveals the extent of her superiority and condescension. â€Å"You banished to Abbey-Mill Farm!-You confined to the society of the illiterate and vulgar all your life! I wonder how the young man could have the assurance to ask it. He must have a pretty good opinion of himself.† This shows humour and irony because what Emma says is very spiteful and untrue (although she does not mean it to be so), but also hypocritical because she has an extremely high opinion of herself. Mr. Knightley, on the other hand, has a high regard for Mr. Martin and his family; â€Å"I never hear better sense from any one than Robert Martin. He is an excellent young man both as son and brother.† Mr. Knightley is outraged when he learns of Harriet's refusal. He is a realistic, sensible man and knows Martin is a good, respectable match for Miss Smith. â€Å"Robert Martin's manners have sense, sincerity and good-humour to recommend them; and his mind has more true gentility than Harriet Smith could understand.† Emma, although aware changes in social position are happening and being accepted, is reluctant to change, and as the first lady of Highbury does not welcome the break-down of the rigid class structure. The Martins and the Coles represent these changes and we see them accepted warmly by nearly everyone except Emma. Characters such as Mr. Knightley and Mr. Weston are much more realistic, with a wider understanding of social issues than Emma, who has never left Highbury.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

French Cinema Essay Example

French Cinema Essay Example French Cinema Essay French Cinema Essay French Cinema Scene analysis The scene from the movie Rules of The Game by Jean Renoir shows many camera techniques and uses the camera to clench the true meaning of the screen. I will be discussing and analyzing the scene. The film beautifully demonstrates the use of precise shots and perfectly executed scenes. Throughout the scene of The Rules of the Game the camera is like another person in the room. It is invisible and wanders throughout the building almost like it is someone following what is happening. This makes for an interesting and new perception never seen before by film viewers. At one point in the scene the camera gets trapped and has to zoom out as though it is being caught. Along with the presence of the camera you can notice rack focusing, the lighting is obviously controlled. The scene begins with a near foreground and pans out to far background as they move throughout the building. One of the greatest aspects of the scene and the film is the incredibly long takes and long shots. This allowed us to be able to grasp whatever we wanted to see in every shot. Jean Renoir used montage editing; this gave the audience the freedom to choose what they wanted to see within the scene. The viewers are able to edit their own idea of the shot. As the scene progresses the camera moves weightlessly with the focus on the foreground while the two in the background escape through a door. The use of separation from the hallway to the main room acts as a sort of barrier between shots. : Although on take it feels as though it is separated into two. The primary focus of this shot is to establish the idea that Schumacher is looking for Saint-Aubin. The concept is that the viewer needs to choose who to look at. It forces the viewer to be crossed between the main focus and the deep focus. There is no cut of the camera which would cause all prior viewer attention to be diminished. Because of the fluid camera movement it makes for a realization of what is going on in the background. The final concept is the montage that Jean Renoir uses. The faint light hearted piano music adds to an overall mood and feeling of the shot. For the most part the movie could be seen as dreary but this scene adds an almost lighthearted tone as they move from the conversation in the hallway to the bigger room. Overall the film scene is a masterpiece in that the camera moves in such a way that allows the viewer to feel like you are right in the action. With All the techniques put into this particular shot you can clearly see that this is one of the greatest films ever made.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Being Heard

Being Heard Being heard Is something Important because It gives your audience a chance to see different sides of yourself. Being heard could do as little as make someone feel content or very Important. Listening to one another could be very useful In that we obtain Information, understand, listen for enjoyment and last but not least learn. In a recent article that Ive read, Talking a stranger through the night by Sherry Antihistamine, a great portion of the message that she sends out, has all to do about listening.Making someone feel heard makes him or her feel understood and a connection has been built. As a young student that I am, I have yet to learn many useful tools that my parents, peers and most importantly my professors will teach me in the near future. Through that learning journey it is their Job to listen to us students in order for them to have fulfilled their task. What I believe I can bring to the table are many things. Personally I am very experienced In starting over having moved three times. My very first move was fromSpain to Chile, Chile to New Jersey and New Jersey to Texas. And here I am, big latexes. For all of my life I resented my parents for having to put me through all those moves but as I grew older, fonder and a tab wiser Im very thankful for everything. Many people would kill to start over or even move to a different country and my parents were able to give me that. Yes, starting over does suck but the beauty of it is that you get a chance to become a better and newer person. Meet new people and learn a new totally different type of culture than your own.One of my professors once told me that we all have a chance in going out to the world and making something of ourselves; Be a new person A new you. I am very thankful for the life that god has given to me. Even through the little bumps along the road, It makes you a stronger person right? Well I believe so. Life Is full of surprises. Every single human being In this planet has something unique to offer to the table. Not all of us are the same thats what makes every single person special. Some of us may be great at math or great at writing and some may not be DOD at those things at all.This is when we listen and learn from those who can teach us to become better. So to answer your question yes, you should listen to every single one of us. Give us a chance. Even if were wrong thats where you correct us and we then learn. Lets take Martin Luther King Jar. For example. He wrote an incredibly outstanding speech and spoke out and people took chance to believe in him but especially listen. How are people supposed to make a difference if their isnt anyone to be there to take a chance and listen.By starred Being heard is something important because it gives your audience a chance to see content or very important. Listening to one another could be very useful in that we obtain information, understand, listen for enjoyment and last but not least learn. In a recent article that Eve read, Talking a stranger through the night by Sherry Through that learning Journey it is their Job to listen to us students in order for them experienced in starting over having moved three times. My very first move was from latexs.For all of my life I resented my parents for having to put me through all everything. Many people would kill to start over or even move too different country beauty of it is that you get chance to become a better and newer person. Meet new bumps along the road, it makes you a stronger person right? Well I believe so. Life is full of surprises.