Describe the most challenging obstacle you've had to overcome Essay

Describe the most challenging obstacle you've had to overcome. Discuss its impact on your life. What have you learned from the experience How has overcoming this obstacle shaped who you are today - Essay Example According to me, I had answered the question right but the laughter that came from the student directly told me that something had gone a mess. Hands were up; so I was wrong. For long in my new school, I was not able to get any answer right even in Mathematics that I had always been on top in my former school. The life of embarrassments continued, and I was always the laughing stock in my class. Everybody was convinced that I was a minor. The only thing I ever enjoyed at my new school was the evening sound of the bell. It meant going home, and a burden is lifted. My mother later realized my problem in school, and she always told me that I can do much better and be on top of everybody. I had always known my mother to be right, and I was convinced I could be on top of everybody. I never wanted to be the cause of laughter in class. I never wanted to be embarrassed again. All these instilled hard work in me. My ‘motto’ was to do more than what was expected in me so that I be a free man. By extra reading and consultation with teachers and fellow students, everything started working my ways. At one point I could answer a question that no student could. I started making friends even with those who could not even greet me when I was thought to be at the bottom of the class. Even the brightest in the class wanted me to explain a concept for them. I have learnt that when you do the best and excel, you be the center of admiration. Everybody will want to hang out with you just to borrow the simple ideas you have. Additionally, I have also come to realize that with determination and hard work one can be the best and be on top of everybody (Mathews & Amazon.com (Firm), 2009). I have again realized that no hard work go unrewarded. Lastly, I have come to believe that anybody can be the best when he wants. I am a proud doctor today just because I learnt that if I do things

In-depth Economic Analysis of Brazil, Russia, India and China Essay

In-depth Economic Analysis of Brazil, Russia, India and China - Essay Example The term BRIC was in a way, created in the year 2001 by Jim O’Neill. Since then, the term BRIC has rather evolved into a concept which refers to economic growth. Each of the four emerging nations owns most of the components required to attain superior economic development in the world of today (â€Å"EconomyWatch†, 2010). Country Profiles Brazil In terms of country area, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with the country size being 8,514,877 sq km. The estimated population of Brazil in 2012 is 205,716,890; which is also fifth largest in the world. The rate of population growth hovers around 1.1% while 87% of the country’s population resides in urban areas. The age structure of Brazil illustrates that 67% of the inhabitants lie in the age bracket of 15-64 years, which is a healthy sign for any growing economy. The literacy rate, which stands at 88.6%, is pretty encouraging. Portuguese is the state’s official language. As far as the division o f population on the basis of religion is concerned, 73.6% of the population is Roman Catholic while 15.4% is Protestant. Brazil achieved independence in the year 1822, after more than three hundred years of Portuguese rule. The country continued with a monarchical government system up till the abandonment of slavery in 1888, followed by a declaration of a republic in 1889. The coffee exporters used to politically control the country until Getulio Vargas assumed power in 1930. In the year 1985, Brazil acquired freedom from military and populist rule. Ever since, it has set itself on the expedition of industrial and agricultural development. Economy Review The economy of Brazil revolves around hefty and well-managed sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, mining and services; which have made Brazil an economic leader in South America. Since the year 2003, Brazil has gained strength on a macro-economic basis, with the piling up of foreign reserves in addition to betterment of debt posit ion. Brazil has been one of the initial economies to demonstrate a recovery after the 2008 recession. By securing the position of the world’s seventh biggest economy in 2011, Brazil has been able to comfortably outshine United Kingdom (â€Å"CIA†, 2012). Russia Russia enjoys the first position with respect to country size in the world, as it has a total area of 17,098,242 sq km. The country’s estimated population in 2012 is 138,082,178, which is ninth highest among all countries. The rate of population growth has been a negative 0.48%. 73% population is located in urban areas. With reference to economic standpoint, the age structure is a promising one with almost 71% of the country’s people in the age category of 15-64. The literacy rate is very high at 99.4%. With respect to religion, 15-20% of the population is Russian Orthodox while around 10-15% is Muslim. However, Russia is known for a large number of nonbelievers primarily because of the legacy left by the Soviet era. Russian has always been the official language of the country. After 2 centuries of Mongol rule, the Principality of Muscovy was established in the 12th century. Up till the 19th century, numerous territorial acquisitions were undertaken

Robert Rauschenberg Essay Example for Free

Robert Rauschenberg Essay â€Å"Estate† by Robert Rauschenberg is by far the most interesting piece of art work seen at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Robert Rauschenberg is a well-known Abstract Expressionist of the modern art period. Robert Rauschenberg is most famous for his Combines of the 1950s, in which he uses non-traditional materials and objects in combinations. While the Combines are both painting and sculpture, Rauschenberg has also worked with photography, printmaking, papermaking, and performance. Robert Rauschenberg’s â€Å"Estate† is both abstract and expressionism. He uses abstract shapes and color patches in his work. There is a lot of use of warm colors such a red, orange and yellow in which gives one a hot and vibrant feel. The powerful colors capture vivid emotional reactions. The gesture lines allow one to see Robert’s arm at work. Repetition is used with the quick fluid strokes along with bold strokes that he uses on the canvas. The diagonal lines give a feel of explosive energy to the art work. There is an asymmetrical balance in the work because the weight counter balances each other. There is more going on towards the right side, than the left which gives the art work an asymmetrical look. Although Rauschenberg uses recognizable images he makes them his own by titling and turning the images sideways to give them a different effect. The materials used to create this artwork include oil, silk screened ink along with photo screen. (MSN) The oil allowed Rauschenberg to blend the colors directly on the canvas. He also piled up the oil thickly giving it a ruff textured look. The oil also allows the painting to have shadows. Photo screen is used with familiar images such as the statue of liberty along with Michelangelo’s â€Å"Last Judgment. † â€Å"Rauschenberg would screen in art reproductions, images from newspapers, and anonymous photographs of city scenes. †(Art Culture) The photo screening gives the art work individuality. This art work was actually inspired by trash, Robert Rauschenberg use to walk around the block collecting things that he found interesting. He states, â€Å"I wanted something other than what I could make myself and I wanted to use the surprise and the collectiveness and the generosity of finding surprises. † (Art Info) Therefore, the art was meant for viewers to be surprised, and curious. It is meant to be a world of surprises, and open up people’s mind to what the streets and the city really is. â€Å"It makes our perception of both street and city changed. † (Art Info) â€Å"Estate† is considered to be apart of the abstract expressionism stylistic movement which was created during the American post WWII movement. This movement rejected traditional European painting styles and emphasized on expressive gestures. It is also apart of the pop art movement which emerged in the mid 1950’s in Britain and spread throughout the United States. It used objects and images from popular, commercial culture. â€Å"Estate† is very unique, and is unlike any of the art work that came before it. Before, the art work was very plain and simple with the use of dull colors. It did not have any expressions or emotions attached. This art work is very modernized with the use of bright, bold colors, photographs and the use of abstract shapes. It developed from past art styles such abstract, surrealism and expressionism; taking a little bit of each stylist movement to create this. It reflects the 21st century culture because it is very â€Å"busy. † The art work has many things going on which reflects how Americans are in the 21st century; we are all extremely busy in our lives. I consider â€Å"Estate† to be a valid work of art, I believe that is very creative and brings out a lot of emotion from the artist. I think it is a beautiful piece of art work that is one of a kind.

Training and Development Methods in Organizations

Training and Development Methods in Organizations Introduction Many companies have taken birth during this course of time but most have not impressed to get noticed, at the same time there have been a few who have got noticed and risen to become an empire (INFOSYS, WIPRO etc). The secret behind the success of these companies to have sustained in both the phases (initial stage where companies saw an immature growth, later stages where the industry matured) of the industry growth is because of innovation and effective people management skills employed. Upon interaction and detailed study of corporate world it comes to our understanding that training plays a very essential part in bridging the gap between the employee skill sets and the skills associated with a particular job. As the new industry emerged there were other sectors which boomed along with the growth of IT industry namely manufacturing. During the growth of various industries players in each industry, in order to cope with the competition concentrated on having skilled manpower in their armory, this proved to be a very lethal weapon when they fired (launching new product, implement new technology, use new strategies etc.) Thus updating their employees with the necessary skill sets and knowledge became an integral part of an employees tenure in the organization. In this report lets try and understand on what training and development is all about and various methods adopted by various organizations to achieve the above said. Definition of Training Training may be defined as a Planned program designed to improve performance and bring about measurable changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) and social behavior of employee. It is as act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. Features of Training Unable the employees to deal with the changing jobs and roles. Develop knowledge, skill and attitude for handling jobs most efficiently. Bridges the gap between the current level of employee KSA and the required level of KSA to handle job efficiently. Training is basically job-related and need-based. Short-term activity designed essentially for operatives. Role of organization in training and development An organization has a very close relationship with the trainee and the trainer because it is the first contact for both. The demand for the training in the organization increases when the organization wants; To hire new people training as a means of training new recruits. To Expand When the company wants to increase its headcount. To increase certain number of staff (in position) by a certain date. To enhance the performance of employees. Organizations name to be a part of training unit. Traditional and modern approach of training and development Traditional approach- Most of the organizations before never used to believe in training. They were holding the traditional view that managers arc born and not made. There were also some views that training is a very costly affair and not worth. Organizations used to believe more in executive pinching. But now the scenario seems to be changing. The modern approach of training and development is that Indian Organizations have realized the importance of corporate training. Training is now considered as more of retention tool than a cost. The training system in Indian Industry has been changed to create a smarter workforce and yield the best results Training Options There are four training options that an organization can consider before providing training to their employees;Outsourcing; Outsourcing exempts the organizations to concentrate on its core business. Also, with the availability of sufficient amount of know-how, proficiency in the market it does not make business sense for organizations to have a separate training division. One approach is to tic up with some reputed training or educational institutes and send employees for training. This way, company gets to avail the required expertise and high-quality training programs and saves money on content development, recruiting, and maintaining training team. The only issue in outsourcing training is that the quality of training has to be frequently tracked so as to ensure the trainers performance and training effectiveness. Internal Training: A lot of questions has been raised whether to go in for training outsourcing or setting up an internal division for training. Some companies recruit external trainers and call them to the company site make them use their tools to train employees. This alternative is generally for the new joiners who arc given the fundamental or job-related training in-house and then send outside for higher training. Product-related Training: The dealer who delivers (he apparatus or installs the system offers the initial training. The user may negotiate with the dealer tor a regular upgradation of product-related know-how or expertise in place of a one-time training. The apparatus dealer may choose to send their trainers or recruit outside trainers. Independent Professionals: Considering the emerging threats and opportunities, the professionals need to keep themselves updated of the developments. In this option, the responsibility of training is entirely on the individual and a better-trained professional will always have better market worth than others Training In an organizational setting Any organization has to opt for some or other type of training for increasing the knowledge and skills of its employee for performing a particular job. Training is mainly job-oriented; it aims at maintaining and improving current job performance. Training is needed to achieve the following purposes in an organization: Newly recruited employees require to undergoing structured training inputs so as to learn and perform their tasks effectively. The nature of training they receive determines their competencies in handling the job(s) assigned to them. Imparting need-based training to existing employees for grooming them to handle their current jobs better and to prepare them to handle higher level jobs. Existing employees require refresher training so as to keep them abreast of the latest developments in the concerned job-related operations. In the face of rapid technological changes, this is an absolute necessity. Training is also necessary when a person gets transferred from one job to another (job rotation) or when there is enhancement in this job domain (job enlargement). Training makes employees mobile and versatile. They can be placed on various jobs depending on organizational needs. Training improves overall job productivity / employee productivity. Training, when proactively and selectively imparted to employees(s) to prepare them to shoulder higher level jobs, is known as succession planning. Training Policy Every organization should have a declared training policy, which is understood and supported by employees at all levels. Training can be abortive it there is no commitment on the part of those being trained. Training should not be seen by employees as a penalty but as an opportunity for them to further their knowledge and expertise both in their own and the organizations interest. The climate needs to be created in which they are eager to seize such opportunities and in their enthusiasm may well be able to identify some their own needs. The Need for Training Good communications and consultation arc essential for efficient operation in any organization. However, their impact is often diminished by a lack of skill or knowledge on the part of the participants. It is important, therefore, to provide both managers and employees with training in the skills and techniques required for communication and consultation. Training can help employees better understand the information they are given and can encourage them to play a fuller part in the way the organization conducts its affairs. Training courses in particular can be a useful way of giving employees factual information about their employment because they necessarily include a substantial clement of explanation and provide opportunities for questions to be answered. Managers have an important role to play in communicating and consulting and good training can enable them to: Ø become more aware of the importance of good communication and consultation practice Ø understand their roles and responsibilities as communicators Ø Support those who are less outspoken and improve their ability to communicate. Training is particularly important for supervisors who have important communications responsibilities but often limited experience. Communication and consultation skills should have a place in any development program for them as well as for other managers. Trade unions should also ensure that they provide adequate training for their representatives to enable them to take a full part in employee communications and consultation. Wherever possible training should be participative and trainees should be encouraged to exchange views, take part in discussions and share ideas and experiences. Such participation not only makes for more effective training but also helps to foster the idea of employee involvement which is an underlying principle of consultation and communication. It is good practice to evaluate periodically the effectiveness of any training undertaken. Why training need analysis? Training need analysis is conducted to determine whether resources required are available or not. It helps to plan the budget of the company, areas where training is required, and also highlights the occasions where training might not be appropriate but requires alternate action corporate need and training need arc interdependent because the organization performance ultimately depends on the performance of its individual employee and its sub group. Organizational Level Training need analysis at organizational level focuses on strategic planning, business need, and goals. It starts with the assessment of internal environment of the organization such as, procedures, structures, policies, strengths, and weaknesses and external environment such as opportunities and threats. After doing the SWOT analysis, weaknesses can be dealt with the training interventions, while strengths can further be strengthened with continued training. Threats can be reduced by identifying the areas where training is required. And. opportunities can be exploited by balancing it against costs. For this approach to be successful, the HR department of the company requires to be involved in strategic planning. In this planning HR develops strategies to be sure that the employees in theorganization have the required Knowledge. Skills, and Attributes (KSAs) based on the future KSAs requirements at each level. Individual Level Training need analysis at individual level focuses on each and every individual in the organization. At this level, the organization checks whether an employee is performing at desired level or the performance is below expectation. If the difference between the expected performance and actual performance comes out to be positive, then certainly there is a need of training. However, individual competence can also be linked to individual need. The methods that arc used to analyze the individual need are: Appraisal and performance review Peer appraisal Competency assessments Subordinate appraisal Client feedback Customer feedback Self-assessment or self-appraisal Operational Level Training Need analysis at operational level focuses on the work that is being assigned to the employees. The job analyst gathers the information on whether the job is clearly understood by an employee or not. He gathers this information through technical interview, observation, and psychological test: questionnaires asking the closed ended as well as open ended questions, etc. Today, jobs arc dynamic and keep changing over the time. Employees need to prepare for these changes. The job analyst also gathers information on the tasks needs to be done plus the tasks that will be required in the future. Types of Training A. On-site training Ø On-the-Job Training On-the-job training (OJT) is one of the best training methods because it is planned, organized, and conducted at the employees worksite. OJT will generally be the primary method used for broadening employee skills and increasing productivity. It is particularly appropriate for developing proficiency skills unique to an employees job especially jobs that are relatively easy to learn and require locally-owned equipment and facilities. Morale, productivity, and professionalism will normally be high in those organizations that employ a sound OJT program. An analysis of the major job requirements (identified in the position description and performance plan) and related knowledge, skills, and abilities form the basis for setting up an OJT plan. To be most effective, an OJT plan should include: The subject to be covered. Number of hours. Ø Apprentice Training Apprenticeship is the process of learning a skilled occupation through both on-the-job training (practical, paid experience) and learning the related technical knowledge in a classroom. You must be 18 years old, or be 16 years old with parental approval. The length of training varies from one to six years, depending on the occupation. Training is given under the guidance of experienced master workers. Apprenticeship training is a method that combines actual work experience with classroom related instruction and produces a worker skilled in the occupation, who is capable of exercising independent judgment and who subscribes to the highest standards of professional conduct. There is a written agreement between the apprentice and the employer, which acknowledges their joint commitment to the training process. This agreement is approved by the New York State Department of Labor. Registration of your apprenticeship training program guarantees that your workforce will be consistently trained at the highest skill levels, that your program will be nationally recognized, and that you are entitled to the benefits of registered apprenticeship under Department of Labor laws and regulations. Mentoring principles and techniques Rather than simply give the answers, the mentors role should be to help the mentors find the answers for him/here. While giving the answers is usually better than giving no help at all, helping the mentor to find the answers for him/herself provides far more effective mentoring, because the process enables so much more for the mentored in terms of experience of learning. Give someone the answers and they learn only the answers; instead mentors need to facilitate the experience of discovery and learning. The mentor should therefore focus mentoring effort and expectations (of the person being mentored especially, and the organization) on helping and guiding the mentored to find the answers and develop solutions of his/her own. If a mentor tells a mentored what to do, then the mentored becomes like the mentor, who is neither right nor sustainable, and does not help the mentored to find his/her own true self. The mentors role is to help the mentored to find his/her own true self: to experience their own attempts, failures and successes, and by so doing, to develop his/her own natural strengths andpotential.(his relationship between a parents and a child. If a parent imposes his or her ways, methods and thinking upon a child, the child becomes a clone of the parent, and in some cases then falsifies his or her own true self to please and replicate the model projected by the parent. The true self might never appear, or when it begins to, a crisis of confidence and purpose occurs as the person this to tend and liberate his or her true self. Ø Job Rotation This kind of training involves the movement of trainee from one scat to another, thus helping him to have a general understanding of how the organization functions. Apart from releasing boredom, job rotation allows workers to build rapport with a wide range of individuals within the organization, facilitating future cooperation among departments. This personnel strategy offers a great amount of flexibility for organizations when transfers, promotions or replacements become Inevitable. Job relation may pose several problems, especially when (he trainees arc rolled on various jobs at frequent intervals. In such a case, trainees do not usually spend long enough in any single phase of the operation to develop a strong degree of expertise. For slow learners, it does not give enough room to integrate resources properly. Trainees can become confused when they are exposed to rotation, with contrasting style of operation. Ø Refresher Training The purpose of this training is to make the trainee undergo the steps / activities of the job with some updated inputs so as to brush up the knowledge of the trainee on the basic principles and theory. By organizing short term courses, which incorporate the latest developments in a particular field, the company may keep its employees up-to-date and be ready to take the emerging challenges. It is conducted at regular intervals by taking the help of outside consultants who specialize in a particular subject/process. Ø Brainstorming Brainstorming is a practical exercise to stimulate creativity in a group, and is a very useful training technique. Brainstorming is based on the premise that it is possible to generate more ideascollectively than the sum of the ideas, which would be produced individually. This arises from the interaction among members, which enables once member to trigger off new ideas in another. The process of brainstorming demands discipline by the group and not to succumb to the temptation to pass judgment on ideas as soon as they arc read out. The subject of the session having been decided, the members are required to write down a many ideas as possible for dealing with the problem without attempting to evaluate them. They should let the ideas flow freely and write them down even if they at first seem impractical. After a suitable period of time, each member reads out his list and the other members arc asked not to criticize, however impractical a suggestion might be. A combined list is produced and the group is then encouraged to evaluate each item. The cross-fertilization that lakes place at this stage leads to the development of new ideas, which may or may not be directly related to the original ones. How the process develops from this point depends on the purpose of the exercise. The final list of ideas is prepared by taking cues from all members who are totally practical suggestions and acceptable to all concerned in the group. B. Off- Site Training Ø Lectures/Seminars A lecture is the method learners often most commonly associate with college and secondary education. Yet, it is also considered one of the least effective methods to Use for adult learners. In this method, one person (the trainer) does all of the talking. He or she may use handouts, visual aids, question/answer, or posters to support the lecture. Communication is primarily one-way: from the instructor to the learner. Pros: Less time is needed for the trainer to prepare than other methods. It provides a lot of information quickly when it is less important that the trainees retain a lot of details. Cons: Docs not actively involve trainees in training process. The trainees forget much information if it is presented only orally. Ø Role Playing During a role play, the trainees assume roles and act out situations connected to the learning concepts. It is good for customer service and sales training. Pros: Trainees can learn possible results of certain behaviors in a classroom situation. They get an opportunity to practice people skills. It is possible to experiment with many different approaches to a situation without alienating any actual customers. Cons: A lot of time is spent making a single point. Trainers must be skilled and creative in helping the class learn from the situation. In some role play situations, only a few people get to practice while others watch. Ø Simulations Trainees participate in a reality-based, interactive activity where they imitate actions required on the job. It is a useful technique for skills development. Pros: Training becomes more reality-based, as Trainees arc actively involved in the learning process. It directly applies to jobs performed after training. Simulations involve yet another learning style, increasing the chance that trainees will retain what they have learned. Cons: Simulations arc time-consuming. The trainer must be very skilled and make sure those trainees practice the skills correctly. Only perfect practice makes perfect. Ø Computer based training Content for the training experience comes primarily from a videotape or computer-based program. Pros: It is easy to provide this training and the trainer can follow-up with questions and discussion. It is also easy to assure that the same information is presented to each trainee. o Cons: It is expensive to develop. Most trainers choosing this option must purchase the training from an outside vendor, making the content less specific to their needs. Conclusion Finally when we have reached the last stages of our journey to understand and interpret the training practices adopted by organizations, it comes to our understanding that training is a very essential part in any organization for its development along with its employees, basically it is them who run the organization at the end of the day. Employees in any organization arc considered as a vital asset, who arc initially chosen from a select group of individuals aspiring to serve the organization, after selecting the right candidate for the right job, they are given adequate training to make them familiarized with the job, upon which they resume their jobs. During their journey in that particular organization, periodic training sessions are held to extract more mileage from them. During this journey we have also encountered many individuals working for organizations who share similar views on the cost and time incurred to organize periodic training sessions, but ultimately only the knowledge and the skill set possessed by an employee through these training sessions took over (he cost and time factors. In the present day competitive world every organization is trying to make a mark for itself by trying to be unique in their own way which in turn would be beneficial to maintain their stature in the market and the society. In trying to attain the uniqueness organizations go all guns blazing in using their manpower in the most effective and efficient way. Ultimately that is where they look back if a new technology or strategy has to be implemented. In order to achieve above said, organizations have to keep updating their employees about new technology which exists and the ones in the years to come by means of training sessions at additional cost. This in turn becomes an investment for the organization called Return on Investment. Return on Investment: when an organization invests on its resources (employees) it expects some return out of its investments which would be more than the amount invested. Return on Investment: when an organization invests on its resources (employees) it expects some return out of its investments which would be more than the amount invested. There are two way handshake happening between the organization and their employees where one on side the organization believes in empowering its employees with skills and knowledge to achieve its objectives and on the other side aspiring employees accept the training program given to them with an objective to scale up in their respective careers hence the objectives of organizations and employee arc met on a single platform.

Emma Bovary and the Covent School Essay -- Emma Bovary covent School E

Emma Bovary and the Covent School Emma Bovary; intelligent, spoiled, and utterly obsessed with material concerns, is ironically placed by her father into a convent school where she fails to learn the lesson that would be most useful in her life: how to seek fulfillment through her platonic side. The convent section is very important because it will set the stage for all of Emma’s material obsessions and spiritual failures throughout the story. The entirety of Madame Bovary is diffused with a sense of hopelessness; the world is uncaring, fate is cruel, and God, if he exists at all, is painfully unsympathetic. This diffusion is carried out by the narrator, Flaubert, who seats himself on the empty observation post of god and regales us with this story in a matter of fact, scientifically cold way which fits so perfectly with the era’s transition to secularity. It is quite funny then, that this detached narrator informs us of Emma’s early life at the convent; a place that should distance its inhabitants from the material world. Here, despite the wishes of the nuns, she finds se... Emma Bovary and the Covent School Essay -- Emma Bovary covent School E Emma Bovary and the Covent School Emma Bovary; intelligent, spoiled, and utterly obsessed with material concerns, is ironically placed by her father into a convent school where she fails to learn the lesson that would be most useful in her life: how to seek fulfillment through her platonic side. The convent section is very important because it will set the stage for all of Emma’s material obsessions and spiritual failures throughout the story. The entirety of Madame Bovary is diffused with a sense of hopelessness; the world is uncaring, fate is cruel, and God, if he exists at all, is painfully unsympathetic. This diffusion is carried out by the narrator, Flaubert, who seats himself on the empty observation post of god and regales us with this story in a matter of fact, scientifically cold way which fits so perfectly with the era’s transition to secularity. It is quite funny then, that this detached narrator informs us of Emma’s early life at the convent; a place that should distance its inhabitants from the material world. Here, despite the wishes of the nuns, she finds se...

Russ Feingold :: essays research papers

On March 2, 1953, in Janesville Wisconsin, a United States Senator was born. He was named Russell Dana Feingold, and he grew up shaping, and discussing his political views around the dinner table with his father, Leon, a founding member of Wisconsin’s Progressive Movement. 51 years later, Feingold is a third term U.S. Senator known for work both on Campaign Finance Reform, and on other issues critical to the people of Wisconsin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feingold first ran for office at the age of 29, and immediately began to get recognition as a rising star in Wisconsin politics. After defeating a longtime incumbent State Senator by the thin margin of 31 votes out of 47,000, Feingold sat down and began the real work of politics. After 4 years as a State Senator from southern Wisconsin, Feingold began to gain respect and admiration from his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feingold was re-elected to the State Senate in twice before joining a three way primary for U.S. Senator in 1992. Feingold was the least known candidate in the race, but through hard work, and popular TV ads, Feingold received 70% of the vote, and became the Democratic Nominee. Defeating an incumbent Senator is never easy, but Feingold managed to do it, by receiving 52% of the vote, and defeating 2-time incumbent Robert Kasten.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Senator from Wisconsin, Feingold is known for his independence and free thinking. Feingold once said. â€Å"I find it to be the most satisfying moment in politics when people of differing ideologies come together in support of an issue.† He is widely regarded as a man who has the best interests of the people of Wisconsin at heart, what earned him this reputation was his pledge during his first Senate campaign in 1992, to hold one listening session in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties each year. This way, any Wisconsinite could discuss issues directly with Senator Feingold, without an appointment. One issue that was continually coming up in those early listening sessions was Campaign Finance Reform.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the help of his friend John McCain, Republican Senator from Arizona, Feingold worked for almost 7 years on his flagship piece of legislation, what would later become known as the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act. The bill, when it was eventually passed in 2001 succeeded in banning unlimited soft money contributions given by corporations to political parties in exchange for favors, or access to politicians.

Comparison between Lennie Smalls and Isaac Statchard Essay

These two texts, â€Å"Of Mice and Men† and â€Å"The Ostler†, seem extremely different when you read them through. Once you have thought about them though, they do have many similarities. The two texts are set in very different times with many social, historical and cultural differences. â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is about two friends who are looking for work during the Great Depression. â€Å"The Ostler† is about a stable buck who has a dream, which becomes reality but ends in a tragic way. Both texts are set in different times and both the characters come from very different backgrounds. Lennie, for instance, has some form of disorder, which affects his speech and memory, and he had been looked after for all of his life. Isaac has lead a very conservative but unlucky life. There are many similarities despite their obvious and not so obvious differences. After the excitements of the 1830s and ’40s, mid-Victorian England was relatively quiet, with the family being regarded by most mid-Victorians as the central institution in society. This is extremely likely to have something to do with Isaac wanting to settle down. The differences in the rights people had were quite shocking. For instance women didn’t have the vote and men were judged whether they were allowed to vote on the size of their estate. The U.S. economy had gone into depression six months earlier; the Great Depression may be said to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929. The result was a large decrease in output and large increase in unemployment. There are similarities linking the backgrounds of the two texts. The employment situation is similar as in â€Å"The Ostler† it is hard to get casual work and in America where â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is set work, is almost non-existent. Women are considered the lower sex and they both have pretty much the same position in, living at home and tending to children etc. We are introduced to Isaac in a dream, in which it tells his story we think but really, it is foreseeing what is going to happen to him. It is a bit confusing for the reader because we get no information about setting or what has happened, we are launched into it knowing nothing. It changes narrators in the third column, â€Å"after a little hesitation, he compiles with my request. Some years ago†. This is where the text leaves his dream and starts the whole story over again but in greater detail. We know that Isaac lacks intelligence by his mother saying that he has a poor memory. I think Collins has chosen a protagonist such as Isaac because he is a very normal person. I think he wanted to create a character that people could almost relate to and look into their personality. Collins creates a seemingly real character by creating a life and a lifestyle that he follows. Every aspect of a person’s life seems to be covered. He takes the reader into the mind of Isaac and you could almost control him after you have read the text because it is so detailed. We are introduced to Lennie Smalls after he and George are on the run from their native Californian town, Weed after Lennie is involved in an incident with a women. We learn in section one that Lennie is travelling with a friend, George Milton who is like a Father to Lennie. We find out that he is a very large and slow man and he has a very pleasant temperament from what we read. Lennie’s description is significant. He is a â€Å"huge man† and â€Å"dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws† and also the way he speaks: â€Å"where we goin’, George†. The descriptions from other characters, â€Å"a child’s mind locked inside a mans body†, also when George is talking to the head of the ranch he describes Lennie as not being very intelligent. Steinbeck comes across very truthful in the way he describes Lennie he uses words, which make us build up images in our minds. Steinbeck has used words such as ‘gentle giant’, ‘huge’ and ‘nice fella’. The way he is described is a complete contrast to his personality. I think he uses these words to show that Lennie does have strengths but he also has quite a considerable number of weaknesses such as his speech. Lennie has been compared to several animals throughout the first section of the book. I think Lennie’s characteristics are either similar to these animals, or he is copying them.It is obvious that he has a liking for animals, especially rabbits. Third person narrative has been used effectively, it gives the reader the story from different points of view which brings out different things in characters which you may not have got otherwise. Lennie and Isaac are surprisingly similar; they are both people anyone I believe can relate to in some way or another. Neither of them are particularly bright especially Lennie who suffers from an unspecified illness. They both want different lifestyles. Lennie wants to tend the rabbits and Isaac wants to get married. They are in very different circumstances at the start and the whole way throughout the books, Isaac living with his mother and having her support and Lennie having no family. George is not really the same kind of support. Lennie looks upon George as a friend not a parent figure. Steinbeck’s way of developing characters is similar to Collins. He tries to make the characters seem as realistic as possible. He gives them each their own way of doing things. The way Steinbeck has done it makes you want to read on because you feel closer to the characters and you almost feel a part of them and you experience there emotions and thoughts. Lennie has a disability, which affects his speech, and this I think is the reason for such short sentences from him. I do not think he has the intelligence to put together a large sentence. A few examples of his dialogue, â€Å"I am not takin’ it away jus’ for meanness† and â€Å"I ain’t gonna say nothin'†. Using slang, colloquialisms are effective because it makes it a bit more realistic. It is using terminology, which the characters would have done. Some examples of this are â€Å"I think Curley’s married a †tart† said by Candy or â€Å"an live of the fat of the land† said by Lennie. It is all part of developing a character you have to get every characteristic right. Collins describes Mrs Scatchard with words that describe the mother. He uses positive descriptions with words like happy. She is a typical mother person who looks out for her son and tries to do the best for him. We know she is quick and witty unlike her son because when Isaac comes to her with his problem she takes down a description of the girl and puts it away. It is almost like she knows that Rebecca is going to turn up. We have learnt that she is very happy being a mother and loves her sons very much, she has fallen on hard times but still marches on she is determined to do her best for herself and her son. She is always there if he has a problem he has; we have a problem in the story of Rebecca being part of her son’s life. George in Chapter one is described as an exact opposite to Lennie. George has all the qualities that Lennie does not have. George has a hard time looking after Lennie. He finds all the food, work and shelter. He keeps Lennie in order taking things like dead mice away from him. George and Lennie are equally as close as Isaac and Mrs Scatchard. They both depend on the more intelligent one of each pair; they seem to be able to overcome a lot when they both work together. Collins makes us feel sympathetic with Rebecca, the first time you actually meet her he describes her as â€Å"a poorly dressed woman†. I think he is trying to mislead us he is making Rebecca look harmless when she is really a murderer. Our suspicions are aroused when Mrs Scatchard meets Rebecca and she wants to see the paper with the description on. Physiognomy has been used when Mrs Scatchard reacts to Rebecca. She treats Isaac with respect at first so that she can get close to him and lead him up to marriage. When she got close to him her attitude changes completely, she becomes violent towards Isaac it is like she wants to marry him for money then kill him off. Isaac’s mother stays the same the whole way throughout she continues to be supportive, she plays the mother figure. Rebecca is a very deceptive character she plays the nice she plays the innocent responsible adult to get really close to Isaac. When Mrs Scatchard meets Rebecca, she realises before Isaac that this person is really the person out to the dreams. Then Rebecca seems to use that as a turning point in her attitude towards Isaac. She becomes emotionally unstable and goes on the rampage with violence and hatred. We are introduced to Curley’s wife when she wonders into the bunk house. They are both considered as no go zones. George gives her a negative picture where as Lennie when he is in the stable playing with the pup thinks she is a nice person. Lennie is just too dumb to take on people’s real personality but he seems to charm people with him manor and people are nice back to him. Our reactions to Rebecca and Curley’s wife are very different. Rebecca we start to not like because we see her turn from good to evil or from loving Isaac to wanting to kill him. Curley’s wife on the other hand we do feel sorry for because she has no one to talk to nor anyone to socialise with, she is expected to just amuse herself and live in her own little word. Rebecca does deceive Isaac, she puts on a false character, which is the ideal person for Isaac to love and to hold, but then she changes her character completely, everything about her seems to change her behaviour, her attitude towards Isaac and they way she does everyday chores. Victorian writing was all about mystery or melodrama. This is certainly present in â€Å"†The Ostler†Ã¢â‚¬ . The mystery in this text revolves around the arrival of Rebecca. Melodrama I do not think is present that much in this text. Melodrama is all out over exaggerating movements and there is not much of this. When you try doing some background research into â€Å"The Ostler†, it is almost impossible. If you do some research into Collins, it always refers to his more famous pieces of writing. He does create tension very well by having Rebecca on the loose and having Isaac on the run. Collins is like Steinbeck he gives you an amazing wealth of knowledge about each character. He gives them a very life like personality. Steinbeck set his book in the 30’s, so it is obviously a lot more modern and up to date. He has set his book just outside Weed and as the author is American, he can relate to their way of life. He sets it just after he Great Depression and it was probably set on two real characters at the time. I think that the level of suspense is equally as high in Steinbeck’s novel because you do get signs on what is going to happen but you don’t know when they are going to happen. This is because they have their dream and it comes so close. It is very successful because it makes the reader want to read on. It gives small hints about what is going to happen â€Å"If you get into any trouble come and hide by river and wait for me† but it doesn’t make it clear what is going to happen. This makes the book more interesting and it makes you want to read on. The aim in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† was I think to show readers the lives of two normal everyday people after the depression and the recovery. I think Steinbeck would have written this to tell people what going through the depression was like and how much of a struggle it really was. â€Å"The Ostler† is really a mystery and I do not think there is really an aim to this book. Collins may have written this to show the readers an example of life in the 19th Century and wrapped a story into it to make it interesting. I preferred â€Å"Of Mice and Men† only because I felt I could relate more to it. I have seen these ranches in work just outside Weed which also made the story more interesting whilst reading it. It seemed to be a more normal text with things which definitely could have taken place, where as in â€Å"The Ostler† we don’t know where it is set or any other key details. The stories both portray two less than bright individuals who survive in life. I believe Lennie Smalls is les cleaver than Isaac Scatchard due to Lennie requiring George to live. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Ostler by Collins Dreams play a crucial role. Lennie used dreams as a way of inspiration where as Isaac Scatchard’s life was dictated by a dream he had, had in a hotel.