Interpreting Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interpreting Financial Statements - Essay Example The number of days in inventory for Pepsico is 40 days whereas it is 64 days for Coca – Cola. It is evident that Pepsico is more effective in converting its inventory into sale and hence has a better liquidity position in terms of the revenue generated. Both the companies have almost equally geared in terms of debt. The debt to total assets ratio is an indication of the company’s long term growth capacity and its ability to generate more capital through debts. Both Coca – Cola and Pepsico have significant interest coverage, as the earnings are almost 33 times the interest expenses. Hence it is evident that the companies will not face any issues in covering the interest expenses. The cash debt coverage is a measure of the ability of the company to cover its debts with the liquid cash in hand generated from the operations. Though both the firms have a significant value, Pepsico is able to generate higher cash from its operations and hence can manage about 57% of its debts with the cash from operations. The free cash flow, as the name indicates, is measured in million USD and is found that in 2004, Coca – Cola has a free cash of $ 5,213 million whereas Pepsico has about $ 3,667 million. It is evident that Coca – Cola has significantly higher free cash compared to that of Pepsico. It is clear from the values that Coca – Cola is able to convert 22% of its revenue as earnings or profit, whereas Pepsico converts only 14% of its revenue into income. Hence the profitability of Coca – Cola is comparatively much higher than that of Pepsico. This is the percentage of revenue after all the expenses, interests and taxes that is available to the shareholders and to the company. The Asset Turnover rate determines the ability of the company to effectively utilize its assets to generate revenue. It is important to note that a company generating high revenues may not actually be effective if its utilizing much

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT Research Paper

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT - Research Paper Example Based on these aspects, the report discusses about the impact of social media on project communication management. The objective of the report is to understand the extent to which social media can contribute towards accomplishment of project success. Furthermore, the report also addresses about the crucial social management tools which are helpful for accomplishing good project communication. Keywords: Social media, project management, project communication, success factors, project success Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Background 4 Problem Statement 4 Scope of the Report 5 Objectives of the Report 5 Discussion 5 Background about IT and Social media 5 Background on IT Project Communication Success 5 Literature Survey 6 Contribution of Social Media to Accomplish Project Success 6 Important Social Media Tools for Achieving Effective Project Communication 6 Interpretation of Results 7 Use of Social Media in International Context 8 Use of Social Media in South African Conte xt 9 Recommendations 10 Conclusion 11 Summary 11 Learnings 11 References 12 Introduction The report is based on evaluating the impact of social media on project management. Central to the topic is the accomplishment of good project communication for ensuring project management success. Regardless of better planning, budgeting and scheduling, weak communication among team members can make a project incomplete. Communication plays vital part in leading and integrating team members. Besides, there must be shared vision, where project managers must recognize the interest of every stakeholder and must ensure that the requirements and problems are addressed. Different project activities must be notified and monitored for accomplishing the overall project objectives. Thus, a thorough communication plan is necessary for efficient diffusion of information (Garbharran & et. al., 2009). Project managers require excellent communication skills, which can encourage formal and informal discussion of prospects, innovation, improvement and results. Thus, the subject social media fits perfectly in the topic as it is related with communication. Social media provides the tools and techniques which assist in better interaction. In project management, the success is dependent on how effectively team members interact with each other and accomplish differentiated activities in a cooperative manner. The traditional way of communication is becoming more flexible as social media brings new technology to communicate. There are different applications, which can match with project communication requirements and thus can help project manager to concentrate on critical aspects of projects without neglecting communication (Transformed, 2010). Background Problem Statement Project management teams in present days face increasing pressure for providing strong performance, while simultaneously dealing with different inherent obstacles. These obstacles comprise informal characteristics of team mem bers, continually shifting project requirements, time burdens for project delivery, increasing virtualization of team members and problems of knowledge diffusion across the teams. In reaction to these obstacles, project collaboration expertise and communication techniques are helpful for project team members to perform together in an effective manner and to support in proper delivery of projects. These aspects of projects cause dilemma for proper management of team with appropriate rigor and without

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Globalisation

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Globalisation Job design purpose and objective is for quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, cost, health and safety. Job design is also mean by application of working principles and techniques humanization of work. This is the way of conducting their working style and working techniques. The aim of job design is to make sure and improved the job satisfaction of the company. Improved quality of product is an objective of design. New Balance Corporation is a company that stress on quality. New Balance is an athletic shoes company that mainly focus on performance rather than the outlook and style. The aim of job design is also to raise the productivity levels, challenge and responsibility of oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work. Example is the New Balance shoes come in a wide range of widths and sizes. The quality can be achieve because New Balance Company have their philosophy which is listen, learn and refine. Another method that New Balance Company uses is well-trained workers. The well train workers are train to perform different jobs and tasks. New Balance Company is creative by adapting to new technologies to shoemaking. The company also constantly give training to their employee in teamwork and technical skills so they can work by sharing and helping each other on the task to make sure everything done on time. Dependability is a job design method that New Balance Company stresses on. New Balance Corporation is a company that design and manufacture their product in the United States. Example of dependability is buyer or consumer will look into where the product is manufacture because consumer depend and trust product that are import from countries such as United States, Germany, Japan and others. Reduce employee problem is also one of the main purpose of job design. Job design is an aimed to reduce or overcoming job dissatisfaction and employee bad behaviour arising. Dissatisfaction and employee bad behaviour arising will cause the employee to make mistake. Once the employee make mistake then accident will happen and that will cause health and safety. 1.1.5 Flexibility Running shoes of new balance company is made United States. This is the culture where it produces close to the customers and also allows quick turnarounds on new design and order fulfilment. This is the flexibility of the company to fulfil the desire of customer to purchase the product. 1.1.6 Cost One of the method that New Balance Corporation is they refuse to hire superstars to endorse its product and this will also help to cut a lot of cost. Borrowing technology from apparel manufacturers is also one of the company methods. This will help the company to save money and also following the modern trend. 1.2 Globalisation Globalisation is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. There are advantages of globalisation and also disadvantages on going global. 1.2.1 Advantages of globalisation Staying in one country is not a good method to remain competitive, so the New Balance Corporation chooses to launch a strategy to distribute all over the globe. To gain more profit is a company aims. Profit can be gain by expand their products to all over the globe. Expand the products to worldwide will be a global marketing advantage. From the global business, New Balance Company can be advertised on the internet and customers can easily view and purchase wherever and whenever they want. Advertising in the internet is a good advantage for the global business. Increased sales are for sure under the advertising in the internet. Under the global marketing, higher profits can be earn and achieve. New knowledge and experience is also an advantage under the internet global marketing. Another advantages going global is jobs been created. Once the company invested in another country, the job opportunity created. Once there are jobs for people, the economy will run smoothly. Wealth can be ob tained under the global marketing and productivity can growth wider. Wealth can be obtained means that human is going to gain money and an easier lifestyle. When going global, business will not only depend on the existing market but it will also have wide scale market. This means that new markets and producing dynamic sales can be obtain easily. The brand can consistency maintains their brand image. When the consistency in brand image is achieved, the brand will became famous and popular. This will also bring to higher sales and profit. Besides that, good ideas will be gain under going global. Good ideas can be gain from any individual in the globe and that can lead to a better design. This will help to identify what consumer needs and wants for their product. Going global will also establish good relationship between countries. After establish good relationship between countries, free trade between countries also increases. Furthermore, the flexibility of corporations to operate ac ross borders increases. This will ensure the company to run their business smoothly and without difficulties. 1.2.2 Disadvantages of globalisation Global marketing also have its disadvantages which is the difference of consumer response can be unpredictable. Some of the product might be selling fast and out of stock. Differences of consumer likes will cause the product to pile up and cannot be sold. Product that cannot be sold might go for a very cheap price and that might cause losses to the company. The disadvantage on internet marketing is when their product is promoted in the internet; they will have to compete with different type of brand and product development. Besides that, the disadvantages also include differences in consumer patterns such as needs and wants that is influence by their regional. Differences in legal concerns may also create conflict to the home market. Language barrier is a disadvantage on going global because different countries have their own languages and they might not understand English. There are also additional costs to set a website on the internet. Besides that, advertising and maintaining the website will also cost another sum of money. Another disadvantage on going global is the company will faces a lot of challenges and competitive environment. The company will face challenges from other brand that offer cheaper and quality product. Cultural problems are also a disadvantage for the globalization. This will endanger the age old cultures which have been followed religiously all over the world. There are many countries which would never agree when it comes to culture or religion. The influence of local cultures and tradition will slowly start to wear down when the migration become easy. Globalization will also increase the spread of diseases. Disease can be spread because of the increase in flow people. This will cause human to vulnerable to health issues. Conclusion is there is advantages and disadvantages of going global. http://www.newbalance.com/company/ http://www.newbalance.com/usa/#/factories http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-of-globalization.html http://www.buzzle.com/articles/disadvantages-of-globalization.html

Cyberpunk Through Shadowrun :: Literature Science Fiction Writing Essays Papers

Cyberpunk Through Shadowrun Works Cited Missing Cyberpunk has suffered through many definitions during its growth, from author Bruce Sterling's original assessment in the preface to Mirrorshades to his latest appraisal of the movement in his article, "Cyberpunk in the Nineties." Throughout its evolution, some consistent points have been made that one can mold together to form a definition of cyberpunk: a sense of bleakness, technology's dominant effect on the world, and a tendency to showcase the illegal points within the culture. If these three traits truly define the cyberpunk genre, then the Shadowrun Role Playing System, created by FASA Corporation in 1989, exemplifies these elements of cyberpunk. Shadowrun and cyberpunk fiction are very similar in their view of the future world they present. As Sterling points out in "Cyberpunk in the Nineties," "There is much bleakness in cyberpunk, but it is an honest bleakness. There is ecstasy, but there is also dread"(Browning 6). An interesting point, but not one without merit. For indeed, cyberpunk does tend to forward the sentiment that the world spirals ever downward, to an end that no one can foresee. Tom Maddox's "Snake Eyes" embodies this point, with George's slow and continuous fall toward insanity as the machinery in his head attempts to control him. Shadowrun's chronology is very similar in this respect, from the physical plagues that rip through the world, thereby destroying over a third of the world population, to intense computer viruses that have the ability to kill people who access the data they protect. Many of the governments of the world have disbanded, including the United States -- who joins with Canada -- and Russia . Cities have become known as "sprawls" where only the strong survive, and even then it's a rough outing anytime you step out the door. The bleakness of the world plays into the hands of the shadowrunners, who live in the world of the `sinless,' those who are not registered in the world database. They find the world desolate and anarchistic, but still manage to find profit in it while keeping their skin in one piece. One quote from the Shadowrun sourcebook says, "If you did it and lived, then you probably did it right"(Shadowrun 54). One way that shadowrunners find profit through their activities and survive is through the use of technologically superior tools. Technology, according to Sterling, is also a powerful part of the cyberpunk genre. As he states in Mirrorshades, ". Cyberpunk Through Shadowrun :: Literature Science Fiction Writing Essays Papers Cyberpunk Through Shadowrun Works Cited Missing Cyberpunk has suffered through many definitions during its growth, from author Bruce Sterling's original assessment in the preface to Mirrorshades to his latest appraisal of the movement in his article, "Cyberpunk in the Nineties." Throughout its evolution, some consistent points have been made that one can mold together to form a definition of cyberpunk: a sense of bleakness, technology's dominant effect on the world, and a tendency to showcase the illegal points within the culture. If these three traits truly define the cyberpunk genre, then the Shadowrun Role Playing System, created by FASA Corporation in 1989, exemplifies these elements of cyberpunk. Shadowrun and cyberpunk fiction are very similar in their view of the future world they present. As Sterling points out in "Cyberpunk in the Nineties," "There is much bleakness in cyberpunk, but it is an honest bleakness. There is ecstasy, but there is also dread"(Browning 6). An interesting point, but not one without merit. For indeed, cyberpunk does tend to forward the sentiment that the world spirals ever downward, to an end that no one can foresee. Tom Maddox's "Snake Eyes" embodies this point, with George's slow and continuous fall toward insanity as the machinery in his head attempts to control him. Shadowrun's chronology is very similar in this respect, from the physical plagues that rip through the world, thereby destroying over a third of the world population, to intense computer viruses that have the ability to kill people who access the data they protect. Many of the governments of the world have disbanded, including the United States -- who joins with Canada -- and Russia . Cities have become known as "sprawls" where only the strong survive, and even then it's a rough outing anytime you step out the door. The bleakness of the world plays into the hands of the shadowrunners, who live in the world of the `sinless,' those who are not registered in the world database. They find the world desolate and anarchistic, but still manage to find profit in it while keeping their skin in one piece. One quote from the Shadowrun sourcebook says, "If you did it and lived, then you probably did it right"(Shadowrun 54). One way that shadowrunners find profit through their activities and survive is through the use of technologically superior tools. Technology, according to Sterling, is also a powerful part of the cyberpunk genre. As he states in Mirrorshades, ".

Anger Management

It can stem from feelings of frustration, hurt, annoyance or even disappointment. Sometimes displeasure, hostility or antagonism towards someone or something, usually combined with an urge to harm. It is a complex emotion and when released improperly, it can have devastating effects on the party on the receiving end regardless if the party is a mere object, or person. Once someone is placed on that end, it is not unusual that they may want to escape the violent encounter. Not everyone is a natural born fighter. And then there are others†¦ The ones who become defensive. More often than not, these people stop listening or counter attack. Whether you run away or choose to fight, none of these results in any type of resolution whatsoever and most of the time sows more bad feelings that creep up behind us later on in life. Anger is a very natural emotion that is experienced by all people. Everyone with proper discipline could put anger in its place. Anger isn’t a bad thing. It becomes bad when released in a poor fashion. Today, I will be discussing anger. -Specifically, techniques that enhance interpersonal communication and in turn, possibly reducing and managing poorly expressed anger. Now let’s define what is meant by â€Å"anger management†. The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger can reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects in an angered emotional state. In the paragraphs to follow I will discuss what communication authors, scholars and experts had to say about anger management, including my findings and conclusions drawn from experiments and observations I have conducted and have noted utilizing these techniques. Rationale: Admittedly, I wasn’t going to do my research paper on anger. I had to contemplate. I thought is this something that I have trouble dealing with at times as do the people that are around me. Every time I asked it, in any manner, the answer always remained the same. Why not? So it reeled me in like a fish on a hook. Through my experiments and research paper I hoped to encounter everyday methods to help me release my anger in a constructive way, as I do tend to bottle up feelings inside and then â€Å"blow my top†. I am grateful that I don’t have what is described as an anger â€Å"problem† by any means –as it isn’t frequent- but I do release it improperly at times. Sometimes being referred to as a child since children hold their feelings in and then make the world pay after, I would like to correct that. Furthermore, I had previous knowledge that a lot of research has been done on anger management and I was curious to see what was to be said on this topic since we all deal with angry people every day. Not only do I want to help myself, but I would rather like to help those that I know are less fortunate than I and spread the word to them so their lives could be a little less hectic then what it is. Research: When researching about this topic, I came across the following information by Henry Kellerman. He posted an article stating the following information: Anger all on its own is said to have its own personality. According to Henry Kellerman’s, Ph. D, Anger is the Key, he depicts anger as having, â€Å"six key characteristics. Those characteristics are described as the following: Anger is inborn so it has an aggressive drive. It makes itself expansive; wanting to get bigger and bigger. It wants to burst forth so it has explosive potential. Anger also constantly wants to attack. It has an entitled frame of mind feeling that it has the right to get tough. And lastly, it also sees itself as an empowerment so it eliminates feelings of helplessness. If one could keep in mind th e six main things that anger manifests itself by, then you could begin to learn to how to begin to work with you emotions. Meaning, we change how we see things. More so our perception. When we are angry or upset, we tend to view another’s behavior as, â€Å"controllable, characterological, and permanent. † Saying how you feel, why and what you want and calming down are all ways to prevent unwanted anger. Sometimes we may not be able to control the situations that we’re placed in so we look for ways to change the reaction even when changing the situation may not be possible. Let’s face it. We get angry and sometimes there is nothing we could really do. One way we can learn to lessen anger is by lessening the emotional impact so you would know how to express your anger in a manner that can promote resolution for the situation that triggered the anger in the first place. In my research I have found that anger is an expression of another emotion that lies underneath. In many situations, anger can be linked to intent to preserve personal worth to preserve essential needs, or to preserve basic convictions. Identifying these unmet needs is one of the goals of anger management counseling. Once these needs are identified, you may need to determine how to address those situations and relationships that may lack boundaries, or healthy structure. In the article Anger Management, by Harry Mills, he states that, â€Å"People tend to go through a predictable set of several stages while working through life-changes. Progress through the stages is largely due to a combination of motivation, technique and dedication. Some people move quickly through the stages, while others move more slowly, perhaps even taking a step or two backward before continuing on to complete their change. Since we want to enhance our communication skills, we need to first be able to learn effective anger management techniques which in turn would allow us to recognize the situations that make us angry so that we may be able to change. The four steps he says that can bring you better interpersonal skills are, awareness, preparation, action and maintaining gains. In awareness, the angry person seeks infor mation about anger management; what anger is, how anger affects health and relationships, and how anger can be controlled. In preparation, you make a decision to actually make a change in the way you will express anger. In the Action stage you start making real changes and perform the way you prepared to do. And finally, in the management stage you learn to accept the fact that you are not perfect, that you will make mistakes and act inappropriately and that you can recover from lapses in your behavior when they do occur. Achieving sustained behavior change is a project. It may take multiple attempts and multiple failures before you will achieve this goal. Each time you do lapse into old behavior, you can use the tools and strategies you have learned along the way to help you pick yourself up and recover. Anger Management Anger is an emotion we have all displayed every once in a while. However, when the anger gets out of control it is time to seek therapy. Here are some suggestions on how to handle anger management problems and how cognitive therapy may help. Controlling oneis anger is something we all have to deal with at some point. Yes, we tend to get angry with our spouse, the kids, co-workers and bosses. Or we vent our anger in situations involving motorists, or simply when someone pushes the wrong buttons. Anger management control via cognitive therapy is one way in which we can understand where the anger is coming from and how to effectively deal with any given situation in an appropriate and non-combative manner. In cognitive therapy sessions, certain techniques are utilized. These include relaxation methods and visualization techniques which allow the person to use certain images or words to relax when the anger inside rears its ugly head. For example, road rage has become quite prevalent in our society. One of the methods used in anger management is to have the person visualize an instance wherein they become angry at another motorist, and then use the relaxation methods to rid themselves of that anger. In cognitive therapy, psychologists offer different ways for patients to react to the anger. For example, they may ask the patient to look at a situation in a more appropriate and positive manner instead of flying off the handle in a negative way. There are several ways in which psychologists may use these techniques. The first is assisting their patients to become more aware of their anger. Secondly, they may show the patients how to avoid situations in which they can become angry. Thirdly, teaching patients how to recognize what exactly causes the anger. And finally, offering a plan that the patients can utilize to change the way they react to others and avoid situations that trigger the anger to begin with. The one thing that is emphasized by psychologists is that for any treatment to be effective, it should not entail a person ranting and raving about all of the things that make him or her angry. Instead, focusing on the cues that trigger the anger and utilizing relaxation techniques has been viewed as widely effective. While research is still ongoing to determine the underlying cause of anger, cognitive therapy is one method that is effective in controlling and monitoring such behavior. We all get angry, but it is how we deal with the anger that separates those who need anger management from those who do not. How many of you are guilty of yelling at your kids? If you are a yeller, these easy strategies to stop yelling at your kids may provide you with the help you need to change your yelling habits. For anyone who does yell at their kids, you know it’s a hard habit to break. You may be so used to yelling that you don’t even realize you’re doing it. Remember your children will learn more by example than what is told or explained to them. So if you yell a lot, your children are more likely to follow suit. Once you’ve broken that cycle of yelling, you’ll find life as a family is much calmer. Are your children loud? You may have started yelling out of necessity so you would be heard. However, in many cases, yelling is done to release frustrations. No matter the reason for it, many parents who yell are embarrassed and wish things could change. Plan ahead. You know your children are going to frustrate you at some point, so plan ahead how you will handle it. Pay attention to the warning signs such as clenching your teeth or fists, a slight raise to your voice or possibly shaking. * Ask for help. Allow them to give you a signal if your voice begins getting louder. This could be a ‘catch phrase’ which someone not in-the-kn ow won’t understand but you will recognize it as a clue to control yourself. * Develop coping mechanisms. Walk out of the room, take a deep breath or count to ten. Find a coping mechanism that works for you and continue using it when you realize you’re about to yell. Some people snap a rubber band which is around their wrist. * Think about your child’s temper tantrums. Why do they have a meltdown? They’re tired, hungry or frustrated. Are you experiencing the same things? * Pay attention to the times you’re more liable to yell. Perhaps you yell when you’re more stressed than usual. Once you understand when you yell, you’ll be better able to avoid those situations. * Find new ways to get your children’s attention. Don’t yell if your children aren’t paying attention to you. Use a whistle, stand on a chair or try anything out of the ordinary. * If all else fails, seek professional help. Some people have a hard time breaking habits and yelling is one of them. Speak to someone who can hold you accountable or a professional who deals with anger management. They may be able to provide you with the help you need. There are many reasons to stop yelling. It could affect your children’s self-esteem and it causes your blood pressure to rise. Using these easy strategies to stop yelling at your kids, you can change the dynamics of your home from stressful to peaceful. Give it a try and see if these methods work for you. One type of free anger management activity is relaxation, where the individual learns different techniques to help him to relax and calm down before saying or doing anything rash. Deep breathing is one technique individuals can use where they concentrate on breathing deeply in through the nose and out through the mouth, taking a minute to calm down. This breathing should be done through the diaphragm, which means the air should be pulled down toward the gut rather than just through the chest. While breathing, the individual can say a calming word or phrase to himself such as â€Å"calm down† and can picture a soothing scene or person in his mind. Exercise is another free anger management activity that individuals can use to calm down. This does not mean that an individual has to go to a sports gym, but can merely take a time out where he or she walks down the hallway or around the building a coupe of times to get some fresh air, expend some energy, breathe and work to calm down. Another free anger management activity is to work on changing the way a person thinks when he becomes irritated. This includes changing inner thoughts to more constructive patterns such as reminding himself that getting angry does not help or change anything about a situation, only finding a solution or resolution to the situation is helpful. Using a journal or notebook during this phase or reconditioning in free anger management activities can be helpful since some individuals process their thoughts better when written out on paper where they can review them to see which ones are rational and which ones might need to be re-evaluated. In addition to these free anger management activities, it is also wise to plan some fun time into every day so that the individual has time to unwind and let loose of all the burdens that he has been carrying over the course of the day. Many angry people are really at the root stressed out, feeling like they cannot carry any more burdens on their shoulders so that the least irritations seem huge and lead them to anger. Reducing stress also reduces anger in these people and building in personal time can help with this.

Mary Wollstonecraft and The Importance of Being Earnest Essay

Mary Wollstonecraft would have found in the witty comedy The Importance of Being Earnest a small vindication of her ideologies. Wilde touched on many issues that Mary Wollstonecraft herself had strong opinions on, such as, primarily, equality in society, including related concepts such as marriage, social responsibility, sexuality and gender roles, and independence. Wollstonecraft had argued for the rights of man, and then extended her arguments to cover women in particular, whom she felt were wrongly debased and exploited in Victorian society. She wanted a change in British law that would grant women equal rights of property upon marriage. Most known for her radical feminist stance, Wollstonecraft was deeply concerned about the status of females in society. She argued that the womanly â€Å"innocence† is actually just a better name for miserable ignorance, saying that most women were unjustifiably kept in ignorance, and were valued for, and expected to give value to, appearances only, and she argued that women were educated to be attractive to men. She argued for the education of women, and espoused the basic feminist assumptions of equality of men and women. She was particularly opposed to the idea of women being educated to become submissive. Wollstonecraft also contended that everyone, including women, had a right to be independent, and she envisioned a society where all were equal, where women had equal opportunities; she wanted women to hold power over themselves Wollstonecraft’s societal concerns are echoed in Wilde’s play. In the play, marriage is a dominant theme, and is shown as a strong moving force, a motivation for many of the characters actions. Marriage, according to the Lady Bracknell at least, is a woman’s obligation. Algernon and Jack discuss whether marriage is a matter of business or pleasure, which is in some way a questioning of the institution of marriage as it was practiced then. Wilde’s play reflected the conventional views of Victorian society, and the Victorian class system is also parodied effectively. In Victorian England society social position was everything, and the upper class viewed themselves as having virtues unquestionable by the lower classes. In Victorian society appearances were also of paramount importance; this is seen particularly in Gwendolen, when she insists on the correct performance of her marriage proposal above all else. The focus on appearances by the upper class furthered the superior attitude of the upper classes. The gulf between the upper and lower classes is widened because of this, to the detriment of other values such as equality and to the perpetuation of the exploitation of the lower classes. Wollstonecraft had wanted a revolution in female manners; in the play the women portrayed roles that contradicted reality and thus presented a possibility of a change in gender roles. Lady Bracknell had a dominant personality; Gwendolyn and Cecily are shown as relatively headstrong and in charge of themselves, as opposed to the conventional expectations of society; Algernon and Jack are somewhat passive—thereby highlighting the cookie-cutter roles persons were supposed to assume in society. There is also a suggestion of sexuality in the women characters, as evidenced by their flirtatiousness. We are also reminded of Wollstonecraft’s views on education in the play. Lady Bracknell approves of ignorance, explaining that â€Å"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence†¦ † The upper class, of course, was interested in preserving the existing social structure, which allowed for unequal treatment and subjugation of the lower classes. . This focus on appearances translates to the oppression of those who cannot keep up appearances—that is, the lower classes. Such a focus is seen in Lady Bracknell’s attitude towards Jack, to whom she is kind until she discovers his origins, or when she becomes very king to Cecily when she discovers the Cecily is rich. All in all, the play touches on Wollstonecraft’s primary ideological concerns, and is easily considered a blatant satire of Victorian England society. The play is a vehicle of ideas for social change, much like Wollstonecraft’s works. She would have approved.

Analysis of Southwest Airlines Essays

Analysis of Southwest Airlines Essays Analysis of Southwest Airlines Paper Analysis of Southwest Airlines Paper Analysis of Southwest Airlines Module: Business Management Vanessa Eelma Alyssa Julianna Farkas Thomas Schillinger Peter Lukacs Attila Radvanszki Adam Radvanszki 29th November, 2010 Word Count : XXXX Contents 1. Introduction3 2. Literature Review4 2. 1General Introduction of Theories Used4 2. 2SWOT Analysis4 2. 3External Factors4 2. 4Organizational Structures4 2. 5Hofstede’s Theory5 2. 6Cultural Elements5 2. 7Motivation5 3Analysis of Southwest Airlines5 3. 1Industry5 3. 2Company’s Overview6 3. 3SWOT Analysis7 . 4External Analysis8 3. 5Organizational Structure8 3. 6Hofstede’s Theory9 3. 7Organizational Culture9 3. 8Motivation10 4. Conclusion and Recommendations11 5. References11 6. Appendices13 1. Introduction The chosen company for the analysis is called Southwest Airlines. It’s operating in the tourism industry, providing air travel. The company’s main differentiating attribute from its competitors is the main reason for our choice. The business is known for its cabin crew and outstanding customer service. This is proven by numerous prizes and awards that the company has won in the last three decades. In 2008, TIME. com ranked the company as the #1 Friendliest Airlines. According to their website their aim is: â€Å"To get the passengers to their destination safely and comfortably with a laugh or two along the way†. It is their attitude that caught our attention and encouraged us to analyze it in a deeper matter. The organization allows their employees to be innovative and individual with their daily tasks and duties. This ensures a pleasant work environment for the employees who then provide a good service to the customers. One of the qualities of Southwest airlines is „to do things differently†- meaning for example the explaining of safety regulations is made more entertaining by the cabin crew’s rapping while the customers are clapping along with the beat. A clip on Youtube of the described scenario got over 300  000 views and put the Southwest Airlines in the media light. This shows how outstanding organizational thinking and great human relations in treating the employees as individuals and letting them contribute with innovation can create an authentically friendly image and trough that, differentiate from the competitors on the market and achieve success. We believe that Southwest Airlines is a very successful company in its industry, and will continue being it if the organization’s management sticks to this spirit and open minded way of thinking. 2. Literature Review 2. 1 General Introduction of Theories Used To strategically analyse an organization, there are certain analytical techniques that come in handy. Firstly, we have chosen the SWOT analysis to evaluate the internal and external components. More closely, we look into the details of the external factors to see how the business is affected by them. Secondly, we decided to get insights into the company’s structure and decision making process. Thirdly, we decided to analyse the cultural effects and factors through Hofstede’s theory. We also go into more details to comprehend the company’s national culture. Last but not least, we decided to see what kind of motivation systems are used in this company. 2. 2 SWOT Analysis According to Tatum (2010), the SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool that includes external and internal factors and is utilized by businesses and other organizations to ensure that there is a clear objective defined for the project or venture, and that all factors related to the effort positive and negative are identified and addressed. The process of SWOT involves four areas of consideration: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 2. External Factors External factors of a business organisation can be divided into two parts: Macro-environment and Micro-environment. Macro-environment factors are the SLEPT factors: Social, Legal, Economic, Political and Technological. These factors affect the decisions of the managers. Micro-environment factors are much less controllable. Certain industries are also affected by Porter’s â€Å"Five Forces† model (especially the air travel industry). 2. 4 Organizational Structures This refers to the way an organization arranges its employees and jobs in order to meet their goals. If the group is very small and there is active communication, a formal structure is often not necessary. However, if we are dealing with a larger organization, it is often harder to make decisions and therefore, there must be established procedure for tasks and responsibilities’ allocation. 2. 5 Hofstede’s Theory Hofstedes research gives us insights into other cultures so that we can be more effective when interacting with people in other countries. It includes areas, such as Power Distance, Masculinity, Individualism, Uncertainty Awareness, and Long-Term Orientation. . 6 Cultural Elements According to Bauer and Erdogan (2009), culture may not be immediately observable, identifying a set of values that might be used to describe an organization’s culture helps us identify, measure, and manage culture more effectively. The organization culture profile described by Bauer and Erdogan includes 7 main dimensions – innovative, aggressive, outcome-oriented, stable , people-oriented, team-oriented, and detail oriented ( (Please see the Appendix 1 for visual information). 2. 7 Motivation Motivation consists of internal and external factors that stimulate the desire and energy in people to be interested and committed to a job. They put persistent effort into their jobs in order to reach the goals. 2 Analysis of Southwest Airlines 3. 8 Industry The recent economical and financial downturn severely impacted the airline industry in 2009 and brought only small increases in 2010. The recession negatively influenced the discretional income of travellers. More precisely, the leisure travellers’ and business travellers’ budget changes resulted with a sudden decrease in their demand. Therefore, corporate policies tightened and generally the demand for travelling decreased. On the other hand, demand for substitute products, such as video conferences and surface travel, has increased. As a result, many airlines, including Southwest Airlines, responded with capacity cuts and fare discounting. On the other hand, Southwest used the opportunity also to further expand and because of its low-fare services, it could enter new markets as well. 3. 9 Company’s Overview Southwest Airlines is described on the NASDAQ profile as â€Å"a major passenger airline that provides scheduled air transportation in the US†. The company primarily serves short-haul routes, but over the recent years they have expanded their services to medium and long-haul routes as well. Their unique feature is that it only operates with Boeing 737 as it is a domestic low cost carrier company and it was necessary to have aircrafts that are easy to maintain and repair. If a company only uses one type of aircraft, the technical issues are easy to minimize. It is important to mention that according to its annual report (2009), its low fare system and point-to-point service, despite the overall decline in the aviation industry in the 2009 recession; Southwest expanded by opening four new routes ( New York, Minneapolis, Boston and Milwaukee). Based on the most recent data available from the U. S. Department of Transportation, it was the largest air carrier in the United States (measured by the number of originating passengers boarded). Today, the company’s headquarter is in Dallas, Texas and employs 34,726 people. Based on the company’s NASDAQ profile and according to the annual report of Datamonitor, Southwest recorded revenues of $10,350 million during the financial year ending in December 2009, a decrease of 6. 1% compared to 2008. The operating profit of the company was $262 million during 2009, a decrease of 41. 6% compared to 2008. The net profit was $99 million in 2009, a decrease of 44. 4% compared to FY2008. Their New York Stock Exchange ticket is LUV, which is cleverly used also in their internal and external marketing as well, connecting it as an easy going way of saying LOVE. 3. 10 SWOT Analysis Strengths Applying Herb Kellehers unorthodox leadership style, which executes a different hierarchical framework to solve the customer problems more efficiently. Employees can ask for advice more flexibly because if necessary they can go around the direct superiors. * Unique features: â€Å"Bags fly free †promotion,â€Å" Ding desktop gadget for tickets and an â€Å"Online T ravel Guide Community† feature. * Providing point-to-point, and low cost service. Which results in the optimizing the key assets (aircraft, gates, and employees). * Specialâ€Å"In-Flight Entertainment† as product differentiation. * Saving maintenance expenses by using the same air carrier. Using SWABIZ a free online reservation tool specifically designed for business travellers. * Executing a remarkable fuel hedge strategy that saves the airline vast number of costs every year. Weaknesses * Not using the usual â€Å"Reserved Seating† and seat scaling of different classes. * Being dependent on a single manufacturer (Boeing) * Onlyon domestic market. Opportunities * Room for expansion still exists (national and international markets). * Rapid growth of Hispanic population could serve as the basis of a new marketing campaign targeting the Hispanic youth as their future target segment. Offering private flights designed for business travellers, Southwest could reach out to a very profitable segment. * Investing in technology could increase the company’s profitability by reducing costs or by offering more unique services. Threats * Satisfying the passengers’ demand of different classes without scattering the image. * Since the pilots’ average fly ing hours were above the industry’s hours and the flight attendants are cleaning the planes, employee dissatisfaction could increase and result in lower customer service. Constant updates on competitors’ online ticket reservation systems. * The economic phenomenon of fuel price fluctuation. * The security issues after 9/11. * The appearance of legal regulations that might impact the use of Boeing 737 (noise reduction policies etc. ) To correctly interpret the above data, it is important to realise that Southwest has much less weaknesses than strengths, both external and internal. In addition, if we carefully observe those weaknesses, they are actually the characteristic features of low cost carriers. Therefore, they are not considered as real weaknesses that could ultimately be solved in the future. Moreover, the unique fuel hedge strategy they have protects them from most external threats. The organizational culture they have developed protects them from most internal threats. 3. 11 External Analysis In case of the Airline industry, this is the most important force nowadays, since the market is completely oversupplied. However, Southwest has performed extremely well in recent years but the new low-cost entrants remain as potential threats. 3. 2 Organizational Structure The organizational structure of Southwest is a typical hierarchical structure – centralized and formal. According to Rivera et al. (2003), only the Executive Vice Presidents and top managers have the task of reporting directly to the CEO and they are also the ones who are responsible for making strategic decisions that are significant for the future of the organization. It seems that the CEO and top managem ent team trust the middle managers. Moreover, the top managers make themselves available to employees on the front line. Southwest has a „Loose tight design† (Buller 2006). Employees are encouraged to try new things because they have an informal job description. In addition, they are also given the freedom to innovate as long as they keep the necessary safety standards. They do what is necessary in order to satisfy the customer needs. Besides the customer awareness system the company provides â€Å"room to grow†. The top management team develops leadership and communication skills for lower level management, and 90% of supervisory positions are filled internally. Therefore, it follows both a mechanistic model and an organic model. The first model is used on the upper level (corporate office and cabin crew) and the organic model is used where safety and time is not of high priority. 3. 13 Hofstede’s Theory * Power distance: Employees have informal job descriptions and are encouraged to be innovative. We can say the less powerful members of the organisation accept that power is distributed unequally because they are satisfied how they are treated. * Uncertainty avoidance: It’s quite low because employees are not afraid of ambiguous situations. Roles are less written down than among other competitors. Employees use their image and knowledge. * Individualism: Team work is an essential requirement at Southwest. However, the evaluation of employees is based on individual performances (e. g. collecting compliment cards from passengers can result in promotions). * Masculinity: Southwest Airlines is a feminine company. Cooperation plays significant role; the atmosphere is friendly and the stress level is low. * Long-Term Oriented: They have a way of thinking and acting that it is better to move at a slow pace and do it well. The proof of that is the fact how many restrictions they had in the beginning yet made it to the level they are at today. 3. 14 Organizational Culture Southwest Airlines has a very team-oriented culture. They cross-train their employees so that when there is any need, they can help each other. Furthermore, the company emphasizes on the importance of intact work team. They have daily meetings twice a day („Morning overview meeting† and „Daily afternoon discussion†). In those meetings, they try to understand the problems and potential solutions as a team. Moreover, when the company hires people, one of the key characteristics that they look for is being a team player. If the candidate doesn’t fit those criteria, he/she is not hired. This is a great culture, as the interpersonal relationships in the company are much less tense and less competitive, which eventually creates a positive work atmosphere and employee loyalty to the company. Not only is there a good attitude among the employees, but also among the workers and their managers. Even though Service is not included in those dimensions, Southwest Airlines is very strong in that area too. This means that the employees are taught to serve the customers well (â€Å"The customer is the king†). Employees have the power to decide to solve issues with the customers – they decide on the right course of action as they have direct contact with the customers (Please see Appendix 2 for more details). 3. 15 Motivation Southwest Airlines is a perfect example of how the employees are motivated to such high degree that they „Luv† their job. The employees can come to work dressed in shorts, sneakers, and polo shirts. They’re encouraged to be positive and joke around (hence the name „Fun-in-the-sky airline†). The CEO, Herb Keller, believes that a company is stronger if it is bound by love, rather than fear. Southwest Airlines has become one of the most loved companies in the world and even their mission explains why – „Employees are our first customers†. It makes sense – if you treat the employees well, they treat the customers well. They send cards to all of their employees on their birthdays, anniversary of employment, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Furthermore, they have fun competitions held regularly (e. g. Halloween costume contest, Thanksgiving poem contest, an Annual Chilli Cook-off). They have also received awards for being the best for on-time performance and baggage handling and the least complaint receiving, which also motivates the employees. The employees are also rewarded and recognized if they have performed outstandingly. 4. Conclusion and Recommendations Alyssa 5. References 1. Southwest Airlines (Internet) Available from:†¹ southwest. com/about_swa/why_fly_southwest. html †º [Accessed on November 24. 2010] 1. Youtube (Internet) Available from: †¹ youtube. com/watch? v=tnOxvbGOTbM †º [Accessed on November 24. 010] 2. Naylor, J. (2004), Management, Prentice Hall Financial Times, the United Kingdom 3. Bauer, T. amp; Erdogan, B. (2009) â€Å"Organizational Behaviour† Available from : †¹ flatworldknowledge. com/node/28971#web-28971†º [Accessed on November 24. 2010] 4. Nelson, B. (2002) â€Å"Motivation Matters : Southwest Employees LUV their job† Available from : †¹http://meetingsnet. com/corporatemeetingsincentives/meetings_motivation_matters_southwest/†º [Accessed on November 24. 2010] 5. Tatum, M. (2010) â€Å"What is SWOT Analysis? † Available from: lt; isegeek. com/what-is-swot-analysis. htmgt; [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 6. ‘May 2009 Airline Traffic Data: System Traf fic Down from May 2008’ Available from: lt; bts. gov/press_releases/2009/bts039_09/pdf/bts039_09. pdfgt; [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 7. Southwest Airlines (2010) Available from: lt; southwest. comgt; [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 8. (2010) Southwest NASDAQ profile Available from: lt;http://quotes. nasdaq. com/asp/SummaryQuote. asp? symbol=LUVamp;selected=LUVgt; [Accessed on November 23. 010] 9. Southwest Annual Profile (2010) Available form: †¹ datamonitor. com/store/Product/southwest_airlines_co? productid=DEFBDE99-9B78-4A63-BE9C-7EA7568D476E†º [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 10. Heynold, Y. and Rosander, J. (2006) â€Å"A new organizational model for airlines† Available from: †¹https://www. mckinseyquarterly. com/A_new_organizational_model_for_airlines_1700†º [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 11. Unknown Author, â€Å"The Airline Industry And Porter Five Model Forces† (2010) Available from: †¹ oppapers. om/essays/Airline-Industry-P orter-Five-Model-Forces/122555†º [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 12. â€Å"Organizational Culture and Management at Southwest Airlines† (2009) Available from: †¹ docstoc. com/docs/9480710/Organizational-Culture-and-Management-at-Southwest-Airlines†º [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 13. Brews, P. J. amp; Tucci, C. L. (2004), â€Å"Organizational Structure† Available from: †¹ oppapers. com/essays/Airline-Industry-Porter-Five-Model-Forces/122555†º [Accessed on November 23. 2010] 6. Appendices Appendix 1: The Organization Culture Profile Appendix 2:

Anyone Can Be a Poet with These Four Simple Steps

Anyone Can Be a Poet with These Four Simple Steps Poetry is elusive and standoffish, somewhat like your high school crush was when they didnt know you existed. Thats why most how to guides or blog pieces seem to miss the mark, giving you suggestions but not quite practical steps in the process of writing poems. Its just hard to do.Dan Chiasson, a poet and contributor to the New Yorker who covers up-and-coming new poets, puts it this way: The writing of poetry is notoriously mystified, almost occult in its resistance to rules or step-by-step methods. If youre a poet, the precision, discipline, and tact of painters or photographers seem enviable indeed. The entire process, by being externalized, seems repeatable, unlike the chance encounters of poets with their muses.Despite a seemingly impossible challenge of breaking down the process of writing poetry into simple steps- steps anyone can take- its possible to do. In fact, Ill go ahead and write the inflammatory words that will make many published poets annoyed: Everyone can be a poet . Yes, that means even you. The same breathtaking results that happened from great poets throughout history following this process can happen to you.Step 1: Pick an experienceUnless you are an established poet with years of experience writing, the first step to writing a poem should be to pick an important experience. The experience should be something that was significant in your life- a great loss, a moment with someone you love(d), an awe-inspiring natural event. These are the types of experiences that will help you write great poetry.Poet and performing artist Leonard Cohen once wrote, Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. This is his (very poetic) way of saying that life experiences are what make poetry what it is, and that any great poet must first have great life experiences before the poetry itself can be written.This is the reason that the experience you pick should be an amazing one. Do you have one in mind? Good†¦n ow on to step two.Step 2: Brainstorm your sensory memory surrounding the experienceTo complete step two, youll need a piece of scratch paper. On that paper, go ahead and write down five categories of senses: Sight, smell, taste, touch, sound. Then close your eyes and take a minute to recall the experience in your mind. Keep your eyes closed for as long as it takes to put yourself back in the moment and remember details. What were you wearing? Was there music playing? Were you inside or outside? What sensations do you remember feeling on your skin? What colors do you remember from the environment?When these details come to mind, start writing them down with as many descriptive adjectives as you can remember. Your list might look something like this:Sight: copper penny, red dress, penny whirling in circles, blue sugarSmell: cotton candy, grease from funnel cake stand, sweatTaste: sugary sweet cotton candy, bitterness of copper penny against lips, taste of blue sugar on his lipsTouch: cool penny against lips, his arms around my shouldersSound: people screaming on nearby rides, thunder of metal wheels rolling on tracksIts important that you dont rush through this step and maybe even return to it often during the writing process if you get stuck at later steps. Its also important to include as many details as you can. The above list is just an example and not complete. For those of you more accustomed to academic writing, consider this brainstorming session to be a kind of unstructured outline for your poem. The more details you include in the outline, the easier it will be to write the first draft.Step 3: Start finding metaphors (and/or similes)Remember back in elementary school when you were introduced to the concept of poetry? Metaphors and similes were introduced around the same time because if there is one literary device that is the absolute, unchanging foundation of poetry- it is metaphor.As a quick review, a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money).Similarly, a simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as (as in cheeks like roses).So now lets go back to the list you made in step two. Look at some of the clauses you wrote down and start to brainstorm metaphors for them. For example, in my list, I wrote, His arms around my shoulders. To turn this into a metaphor, I might write, His arms around my shoulders are a pythons squeeze. To turn it into a simile, I might write, His arms around my shoulders are like a snakes coil.See how thats done? Now- you try it. Go through your list of sensory memories and change as many as you can into a metaphor or simile. When you are finished with this exercise, move on to step four.Step 4: Find musicality in the metaphorsWhile the heading might make this step seem complicated, it really isnt, so lets break it down. Musicality in this context means the quality or state of being musical : melodiousness.How is language musical you might ask? There are several ways language can have musicality, which in the jargon of the literati, just means it is pleasing to the ear. Rhyme is one way. Assonance and alliteration are others. Science has long studied the effects of repeating patterns on the brain and why the brain is programmed to enjoy it, but what it boils down to this: Find patterns in the sound of your words.Do some of your descriptive clauses repeat a consonant at the beginning of the word? Thats alliteration. Do you see repeating vowels in the words you wrote down? Thats assonance. Is there a rhyme somewhere in what you wrote or can you make a rhyme as you put the words together in stanzas (paragraphs of poems)?Speaking of rhyme- one of the most widely misunderstood traits of poetry is that there must be rhyme. This is simply untrue. In fact, a lot of modern published poet s dont use rhyme at all, but rather choose other ways of bringing musicality into the language (such as alliteration, meter, cadence, etc.).You also dont have to use end rhyme (rhyming at the end of the lines) to use rhyme in poetry. There are other types of rhyme, such as internal rhyme and eye rhyme- all of which are explained in this Poetry Foundation glossary on rhyme.The resultLets look at the results of this process. Jenny Xie is an up-and-coming poet who was just awarded the 2017 Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets for her first collection, Eye Level. As you read through the poem Naturalization, notice where she uses musicality through alliteration (e.g., snacks for snakes), and the senses (what she sees, hears, etc.).NaturalizationBy Jenny XieHis tongue shorn, father confusessnacks for snakes, kitchen for chicken.It is 1992. Weekends, we paw at cheapsilverware at yard sales. I am told by motherto keep our telephone number close,my beaded coin purse closer. I do this.The years are slow to pass, heavy-footed.Because the visits are frequent, we memorizeshames numbing stench. I nurse nosebleeds,run up and down stairways, chew the wind.Such were the times. All of us nearsighted.Grandmother prays for fortuneto keep us around and on a short leash.The new country is ill-fitting, linedwith cheap polyester, soiled at the sleeves.

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals Born March 22nd, 1930, Stephen Sondheim seemed destined to become one of America’s most beloved figures in American theater. When he was only ten years old, he moved with his mother to the Pennsylvanian countryside. There, he became neighbors and friends with the family of Oscar Hammerstein II. In his teens, Sondheim began writing musicals. When he showed Hammerstein his work, the famed lyricist explained that it was awful – but he also told him why it was awful. An amazing mentorship began. Hammerstein provided him one-on-one instruction and advice and gave Sondheim difficult yet creative challenges which honed the young artist’s songwriting skills. In 1956, Sondheim was chosen to write the lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. Soon after, he created the lyrics for the amazingly successful Gypsy. By the early 1960s, Stephen Sondheim was ready for his compositions to premiere on Broadway. Today, he is beloved among sophisticated audiences and performers alike. Here is a list of my favorite musicals by Stephen Sondheim: #1) Into the Woods I had the pleasure of watching the original Broadway production when I was 16 years old. At the time, I absolutely loved the first act, which plays like a wonderfully crafted and complex fairy tale comedy, ideal for the entire family. During the second half, however, I was quite disturbed by all the chaos and death. The story became too much like real life. And, of course, that’s the point of the show, a transition from fantasy to reality, or from adolescence to adulthood. Gradually, after listening to the soundtrack, and growing a bit older myself, I have come to love and appreciate both acts of this fun and fascinating musical. #2) Sweeney Todd It’s difficult to find a more violent musical than Sweeney Todd. And it’s difficult to find a more haunting melody than Sondheim’s â€Å"Johanna Reprise,† a hypnotic song that mixes beauty, longing, and murder. This is the story of a demented barber who seeks revenge, but goes way too far, driven mad in his lust for bloodshed. (It’s one thing to reap vengeance; it’s another thing to stuff people into meat pies.) Despite the carnage and cannibalism, there is a dark, infectious humor throughout Sweeney Todd, elevating this dreary story to genius. #3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum If you’re looking for a show that has a simple, laugh-out-loud happy ending, then Stephen Sondheim’s first success as composer/lyricist is the musical for you. During the show’s test run in Washington, D.C., Forum received negative reviews and apathetic reactions from the audience. Fortunately, director and self-proclaimed â€Å"play doctor† George Abbott suggested that they scrap the opening song, â€Å"Love Is in the Air.† Sondheim agreed and created the bouncy, hilarious number, â€Å"Comedy Tonight.† The new opening number energized Broadway audiences, eliciting laughter (and long lines at the box office). #4) Sunday in the Park with George Filled with beautiful songs and exquisite sets, Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George was inspired by the artwork of Georges Seurat, in particular his painting â€Å"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.† I love stories that examine the lives of artistic geniuses – even if their history is fictionalized a great deal, as is the case with Sunday in the Park with George. The first act focuses on Seurat’s passions: his art and his mistress. The second act transitions to the 1980s, showing the struggles of a modern artist, George (the fictional grandson of Seaurat). Whenever I’m working on a creative project that takes a lot of concentration, I inevitably start to sing â€Å"Putting It Together,† one of my favorite Sondheim tunes, and an insightful commentary on the artistic process. #5) Company For me, this is the most â€Å"Sondheimish† of Stephen Sondheim’s musicals. The lyrics are funny, complicated, and emotional. Each song is like a cathartic experience for the characters. The basic premise: It’s Robert’s 35th birthday. He is still unmarried, and tonight all of his married friends will be throwing him a party. In the process, Robert analyzes his life and the relationships of his friends. It ran for 705 performances on Broadway, and earned six Tony Awards. So, why do I have it as my 5th favorite Sondheim musical? Perhaps it’s simply a personal thing. When I was a kid, listening to show-tunes such West Side Story and Sound of Music, I was vaguely familiar with Company. I liked the songs, but I could not connect with the characters. I assumed that when I became an adult that things would change, that I would eventually like to drink coffee, discuss real estate, and behave like the characters in Company. None of those things happened. Despite my own short comings, I still enjoy the songs and the non-linear storytelling style of Company. What’s Missing? Of course, there are many other great Sondheim works that didn’t make my personal list. Musicals such as Follies and Assassins never struck a chord with me. Tony Award winning Passion almost made my list, but because I’ve watched the video and not a live production, perhaps I wasn’t as entranced by the show as others have been. And what about Merrily We Roll Along? Although it flopped on Broadway, some would argue that it features Sondheim’s most heartfelt songs.

Mega Simulator Game Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mega Simulator Game - Research Paper Example According to the findings, it can, therefore, be said that Kolb’s theory of reflective learning entails a four-stage cycle. The processes involved are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation (Atkinson & Murrel, 1988, p. 15). Concrete experience entails the subject undergoing a learning activity for instance in fieldwork. The subject is faced with a situation that will ultimately shape his future perceptions. Reflective observation entails the subject making sensible reflections concerning the experience. The subject looks at the influence that the experience he/she has undergone has on him/her. Abstract conceptualization entails the subject’s attempt to intellectualize the perceived model. The person tries to comprehend the theories underpinning the experience he/she has undergone. Active experimentation entails the subject’s attempt to apply the model. The person then tries to apply the lessons learned in the experience in his/her situation. There are other reflective techniques and models, for instance, Schon’s model. This model has two fundamental concepts of reflective thinking. That is the reflection in action and reflection on action (Schon, 1991, p. 45). Reflection in action entails experiencing an event, thinking about the next step and acting instantly. Reflection on the action on the hand entails thinking about an event that already occurred, thinking of a different strategy and taking time to implement it (Schon, 1991, p. 78).

Develop finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Develop finance - Assignment Example b) On what basis do McKinnon and Shaw argue for financial liberalisation? Answer: McKinnon and Shaw were of the opinion that ceilings in interest rates, requirements of high reserve and restriction on allocation of credit can be accounted for the poor performance of investment mechanism. The work of the researchers is based on the role of the liberalized rates of interest on mobilization of savings as well as distribution of funds to investments that are high in earning. They indicated the role of the financial sector in order to increase the volume of savings. c) What imperfections in financial markets were disregarded by the McKinnon-Shaw style models and with what result? Answer: The hypothesis of Shaw and McKinnon is of the opinion that savings can be chocked by financial repression. They opined that only financial liberalization can lead to higher savings as well as investment which are the step to achieve accelerated growth. The hypothesis has failed to settle the debates on fi nancial liberalization. The process of financial liberalization is not at all smooth and continuous. Exogenous shocks can be held responsible for liberalization reversals in the developing countries. It is difficult to take the costs and benefits of financial liberalization into account. ... The net earnings of a country are recorded in the current account while the net change in the ownership is recorded in the capital account. The former is the sum total of balance of trade, cash transfers as well as factor incomes. The later consists of reserve account as well as the loans and investments between the country and the globe. There are mainly three types of financial capital namely equity capital, debt capital and specialty capital. The debt form of capital is injected into a business knowing that the capital must be returned back at a future date that is predetermined. The equity form of capital is the cash written by the holders of shares as well as the owners of the business into the organization that has no offsetting liabilities. The last from of capital is gold standard. It is among the few sources of capital that have almost zero economic cost. b) What are the dangers associated with international debt flows? Answer: The dangers of international debt flows are dan gers in credit rating, bankruptcy danger, judgments, loans and late payments. The credit rating is negatively affected by debts. Bankruptcy can also be thought of as one of the dangers of debt. When the debt level reaches at such a height that is infeasible to pay, bankruptcy acts as the option. But it will be unfair to think bankruptcy as debt free card. A situation of bankruptcy can also negative effects on the credit report and can also affect the availability of credit in future. A high level of debt can result in multiple late payments if the available resources are not able to cover up the payments. c) Have developing countries benefited from FDI? Answer: FDI plays a more significant role in the developing countries than in the developed countries.

Problem Intervention Outcome in Hospital Sphere Essay

Problem Intervention Outcome in Hospital Sphere - Essay Example As such the overall incidence of the HAI is relatively large and can become a significant cause of deaths if hospitals fail to actually implement effective hygiene controls within the hospitals. Hand washing is considered as the single most important prevention which can ensure that this infection is reduced and controlled. Frequent hand washing before and after making contacts with the patients is one of the critical steps which should be properly implemented in order to ensure that hospital-acquired infections are reduced. This change proposal will exactly provide a step by step change proposal to implement handwashing in healthcare workers. Through this change proposal, higher management will be pursued to implement this step by step plan in order to implement this change. Management will be requested to actually provide resources as well as the necessary support to implement the changes at the healthcare worker level to ensure reduction in infection. This plan will outline as to how the hospital can actually implement the process of frequently washing hands by the hospital staff in order to reduce the hospital-acquired infection. As discussed above, almost 2 million patients are affected by HAI and one of the single most important precautions which can be implemented in order to reduce the impact of the same. Healthcare workers do not put much effort and focus on frequently washing their hand before and after they come into contact with the patients and other things. Since hospitals have relatively higher risk of acquiring this infection due to different reasons therefore it is critically important that the healthcare workers must follow strict practice of washing their hands. Currently, though this practice is followed but is not implemented properly and many healthcare workers avoid washing their hands properly. This lackluster practice can increase the HAI in our hospital and hence  the overall mortality rates can be higher.  

Government Intervention (Microeconomics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government Intervention (Microeconomics) - Essay Example Microeconomics, a division of economics deals with the decisions taken by individuals, firms and governments under constraints in order to maximize their goal. The individual or common man’s decision may be controlled by his income which is a constraint. Within his income limit he has to make his buying decisions to increase his happiness. A firm’s decision on its sales and selling price, hiring charges and production costs may be controlled by technology it uses and by the competition prevailing in the market, demand of the product etc. The decision taken should improve the total revenue of the firm. The Government’s decision will be based on the well-being of its people but is controlled by limited technology and resources it possesses. The government might impose tax, laws and quantity of production to protect the people. Thus, we can say that microeconomics, deals with various economic decisions taken by individuals, firms, Government, which affects the deman d and supply of goods and services, prices of commodities, quantity of output etc. Thus Microeconomics â€Å"looks at the smaller picture, and focuses more on basic theories of supply and demand and how individual businesses decide how much of some thing to produce and how much to charge for it† . Demand and Supply can be regarded as the basic principles of economics. Demand can be described as the want of people with the required ability to buy goods and services at a particular price. There prevails a variety of alternative prices for the goods at a particular time. Supply on the other hand is the amount of goods and services bid by sellers for sale at a particular time and at a particular price. The relationship between the demand and supply is the major force which controls the market economy. This force guides the market economy. In a free market or market economy, resources are allocated based on the demand of the product. The supply decisions are made

Toxicology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Toxicology - Research Paper Example Furthermore, epidemiologic studies have established that cigarette smoking seriously aggravates the symptoms of asbestosis and increases the risk of cancer. However, the synergistic interaction between tobacco smoking and inhalation of asbestos remains yet to be established and is subject to hypothesis. Asbestos as well as tobacco smoke is a well-established lung carcinogen. It is known that inhaled asbestos fibers remain in the lungs for years eventually assisting in the formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species that subsequently cause excessive scarring, tissue injury, and cellular growth in the lungs via large scale loss of chromosomes. Although several hypothesis has been put forward to explain the multiplicative effects of asbestos and tobacco smoke, it is possible that asbestos fibers on the lungs surface concentrate the tobacco carcinogens thereby enhancing delivery of the large amounts of carcinogens to the nucleus of the target cell. Indeed, this hypothesis is s upported by a modeling experiment in which it was shown that phospholipids coating the lung epithelium adhere to the asbestos fibers, which ultimately enhance the hydrophobicity of the fiber (Gerde & Scholander, 1988).

How does stigma and discrimation hinder recovery of patients with Essay

How does stigma and discrimation hinder recovery of patients with schizophrenia - Essay Example Research Method: Qualitative research will be done on this study and a thematic approach will be used as the study seeks to examine, investigate, locate and record patterns. A survey will be conducted. Sample: Non probability sampling method. A total of 60 sample units will be used, 40 being schizophrenic patients and 20 nurses or family members. Data collection: Interviews and focus groups will be used as tool of data collection. Data analysis: Data analysis will be conducted through SPSS software and the Burnard model of coding, which provides a model for data organisation. Findings and Result: Stigma and discrimination were observed to affect the schizophrenic patients through hindering recovery and even exacerbating the illness. Conclusion: Without the stigma and discrimination, schizophrenic people would recover fast and easily thus contributing to the society. The stigma and discrimination that follows a person after being diagnosed with schizophrenia is usually what leads them to an early grave. Schizophrenic patients have been misunderstood by many people for a long time How does Stigma and Discrimination hinder Recovery of Patients with Schizophrenia? Introduction Many individuals with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia have confirmed that the stigma they face from other people usually leads to more pain than the disease itself. Stigma reduces the patient’s self-esteem and denies them many social opportunities stigma. Stigma can be explained as the negative attitudes that people have towards others while discrimination is explained as unfair treatment of people due to their social grouping (Parle, 2012:2). Schizophrenia refers to a mental condition that extends over a long period of time, and causes numerous distinct psychological symptoms such as, hallucinations, delusions, and unusual behaviours (Sachdev and Keshavan, 2010:4). It is a psychotic condition where patients are incapable of discerning reality from their own thoughts and imagina tion (Chan and Sireling, 2010:107). The people suffering from this condition are pre-judged, therefore, finding it hard to maintain and sustain relationships, friendships and employment. Stereotype portrayed by the media have been blamed for the fear and ignorance about schizophrenic people (Bos, 2009:510). Background I came across a report at the beginning of the year, which suggested that out of every six workers in the United Kingdom, one usually suffers from a mental illness at a certain time in their career (Bevan, et al. 2013:5). With the country experiencing tough economic times recently, there was an upsurge in the number of working age people suffering from a variety of mental illnesses. A lot of attention was put on anxiety and depression but the health care sector seemed to forget about some extremely intense mental conditions like schizophrenia. It dawned on me that proper attention should be paid on schizophrenic patients and I decided to look at ways that a patient cou ld recover from such an illness. That was when I got the idea of investigating stigma and its effect on the recovery of schizophrenic patients came into mind. Research question formulation An excellent research question has to be accurate and precise. The research question formulated in this study is:In what ways does stigma and discrimination hind

Toxicology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Toxicology - Research Paper Example Furthermore, epidemiologic studies have established that cigarette smoking seriously aggravates the symptoms of asbestosis and increases the risk of cancer. However, the synergistic interaction between tobacco smoking and inhalation of asbestos remains yet to be established and is subject to hypothesis. Asbestos as well as tobacco smoke is a well-established lung carcinogen. It is known that inhaled asbestos fibers remain in the lungs for years eventually assisting in the formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species that subsequently cause excessive scarring, tissue injury, and cellular growth in the lungs via large scale loss of chromosomes. Although several hypothesis has been put forward to explain the multiplicative effects of asbestos and tobacco smoke, it is possible that asbestos fibers on the lungs surface concentrate the tobacco carcinogens thereby enhancing delivery of the large amounts of carcinogens to the nucleus of the target cell. Indeed, this hypothesis is s upported by a modeling experiment in which it was shown that phospholipids coating the lung epithelium adhere to the asbestos fibers, which ultimately enhance the hydrophobicity of the fiber (Gerde & Scholander, 1988).

Science and Society Essay Example for Free

Science and Society Essay Science has come a long way since the existence of man. It made several breakthroughs that made life on earth more convenient and profitable. Science has advanced knowledge and applications in medicine, transportation, environment, space, technology and others. More so, it has provided solutions to many problems of mankind as well as offered opportunities that have enhanced the purpose of man on earth. But all of these would not be possible if humans have not utilized their capability to innovate and discover new things. In the modern society, majority of the people became highly dependent on science to help them navigate their lives. Without science, people would be at lost in the complexities of the world Moreover, it is a fact that science has influenced how humans live, interact and think. It has become an indicator of a countrys power and wealth. Because of this, global leaders strive to develop science in their own territory to gain worldwide status as a powerhouse nation. More so, having citizens who are well versed in science would be very advantageous for any country in achieving development and success. Also, in the saying â€Å"two heads are better than one,† suggests that the greater the number of people who are involved in the process, the more likely that the result would be notable and substantial. In this case, many minds can contribute to the amplification of scientific knowledge that can be of general significance. As a result, their outputs can deliver a contemporary understanding of the relationship between science and society and cultivate a superior quality of existence and a

Facebook Strategic Management History Of Facebook Media Essay

Facebook Strategic Management History Of Facebook Media Essay History of Facebook Facebook as a social networking site is famous among all age groups and users across the globe. Tracing the history of facebook is really impressive to start with. In a short span of time facebook popularity have not only increased tremendously, but also user interface and registered user to the portal have increased manifold. This is where we can relate as to what facebook is all about. In other word that is to say its history and beginning. To begin with, facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in the early part of 2004. A graduate from Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg idea to launch the site was simple and effectively complemented the need to create a domain for people to get in touch, especially student who have passed out from Harvard to know each other better. That is where the name Facebook also came into the fore. (Roeder) What so-is significant to the history of face book is that the idea nourished by its founder Mark Zuckerberg was to foster a domain over the internet for in which Harvard student can get in touch and know each other. (Roeder) That is where the story and when we relate to facebook history began. To top it all, in a matter of months, the popularity of facebook among initial users in Harvard became so popular, which by the end of the year during its launch facebook also opened up to other colleges. (Roeder) However, the story did not end there. Within a span of one year, facebook has list of investor to the company, which includes PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, Accel Partners and Greylock Partners (Roeder) The impressive record for facebook however was in 2007, when Microsoft Corporation made a move to invest in the company for US$ 246 million for a percentage share of interest that is calculated at 1.6% (Roeder) since then, there was no looking back for facebook. The developmental process that took roots also emphasizes to keep user need and their requirement as one basis of the portal and its purpose, which we feel is impressive enough, given the simple idea that is a worldwide rage today. What Facebook does best The social networking site, facebook significantly attends to the needs of its user across the globe to help bridge the gap of distance and to make the idea of social networking more valuable and meaningful in a sense than any other site and competitors. From our understanding of facebook as a social networking site, we are of the opinion that facebook dos best to ring in the idea of social networking more hip in a sense. Moreover, facebook idea as a social networking site also is relevant in a sense that it helps trace and make the idea of friends and their story worth a million miles. As we relate and interpret from facebook Blog (http://blog.facebook.com/) the idea as to what facebook does best, there are different an dinmpressive experience shared by users as to what facebook does best. Take for example the idea shared by Erick Tseng, a blogger, in which he commented that the notion of facebook networking is a really happening thing where life happens and sharing in that regard is made possible through facebook, especially in th backdrop of facebook mobile application that helps users to get connected and share details on the move. (Tseng, 2010) In addition to the above, many bloggers have their own experience to share, wherein in all instance there is a clear definition that facebook and its substantial value is to bring into fashion the idea of social networking that attends to the needs, requirement and most importantly the satisfaction of its users across the globe. Facebooks competitors There is no denying the fact that facebook is well ahead in the arena of social networking domains. Social networking portals such as Friendsters, MySpace Orkut, Hi5 can be looked as competitors. But it should be noted that facebook popularity among users also can be emphasized to the fact that MySpace and Friendsters and some of their features are tremendously being harnessed by facebook as a combined features, which we feel have drive users to facebook. (Anderson, 2010) However, the manner in which facebook gained its popularity and to register itself with million of users across the globe is really impressive and fabulous, which we feel and from our experience of using the portal is that facebook does best to understand its users and the social networking needs and trends of the time, which is why we feel competitors have a hard time to face such a competition, especially in the backdrop when developmental processes of facebook is gaining a solid ground. . Conclusion When we trace the history of facebook, we can drive home the idea that today the social networking portal founded by Mark Zuckerberg was and is nothing ordinary, but a trend that is fast catching up among users of different breed, age, and social groups. As far as social portal is concerned, there is everything and anything that can be connected with in facebook, which is one impressive factor f the portal. Together with it, the manner in which it attracted investment from Microsoft Corporations also give a clear exemplification of the facebook tremendous potentiality to reaps home the benefits of the internet and to facilitate a social networking portal that is huge in class, quality features and significantly meet its users and the their satisfaction in almost all aspects. We feel that the success of facebook can be emphasized to the management of the portal. Take for example the strength of facebook, wherein there is a clear representation that fan base, photos, wall post and all in between videos and posted items in the site (Jhaveri) is a huge hit among users. In addition, weakness of facebook also can be looked within the domains such as infrequent updates of fan page, group domains, search that is not visible in facebook search results, (Jhaveri) which also accordingly rings in the threat as far as facebook goes. Although facebook opportunities also take into account factors such as the fact that it gives the youth and its users to voice what matter to them and their thinking, the liberalization of the site in a logical sense. Together with it, blogs and campaign page also are exposed to users, and above all, the fact that facebook in all aspects engage group users, which work with other applications. (Jhaveri) Finally what we can conclude to facebook six marketing strategies we believe that facebook significantly identify its marketing strategy with its customers, market, philosophy, principles, technology, concern for employee and self concepts. Hence, in that capacity, marketing strategy f facebook thus can be emphasized to fact that factors such as online advertising, product promotion, it services, internet marketing, domain registrations, optimizing business through social networking, marketing initiative for users and business in context of SEO and SMM (Hale) altogether reflect the diversification, concentrations, vertical and horizontal integration as a format of growth strategy of the company.

Race and Culture in American Films :: Media Latin Americans Movies Film Essays

Race and Culture in American Films "One of the side effects of American cinema was often crushingly brutal portrayals of other races and cultures, depictions that spread to larger audiences than eve before possible around the nation and even around the globe."(Keller,5) The visual images depicted through the video montage "Gringo in Mananaland" support many of Keller's views on the harsh portrayals of Latin@s through American media. The video succeeds in emphasizing the particular roles that Latin Americans played in the early years of film. Latin@s were seen as entertainers that would "appear in a context that makes them either foils to or sex objects of Anglos."(Keller,39) This idea is particularly evident through the specific gender roles that Latin@s played throughout the video. Keller describes the three most common roles for Hispanic females in American film. The role that seemed to most often be filled by the Latinas was that of a cantina girl. Basically a dancing, singing sex object, the cantina girl is a "naughty lady of easy virtue, who is also outgoing and exhibitionistic."(Keller,40) As Keller states, "outside the parameters of romance or sex, there are virtually no roles for Hispanic females. The Latina was portrayed as a pursuer of the Anglo man, always waiting for him to enter her life, and always willing to "discard her Latin suitor in favor of the Anglo."(Keller,40) In general, the Latinas in the video montage were portrayed as sexual temptresses with little respect for themselves or their values. Hispanic males were most often portrayed either serving to the Anglo males or lusting after the Anglo women. The various roles that Hispanic men played in American films were usually limited to negative characters such as bandits or greasers. The depiction of Latin@s in early American cinema is far from accurate and rarely displays realistic living situations of Hispanics. It is evident from both the video and from Keller's descriptions in Hispanics and United States Film that the Latin@s were portrayed as ignorant, uneducated, unproductive people in American films. They were primarily entertainers, and were never placed in real life situations in the Latin American community. Keller's belief that "white Americans believed in the superiority of the white race and depicted this superiority on the silver screen"(32) was clearly evident in the video montage.

Urban Legend of Bloody Mary :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Bloody Mary Part One: Collection of the Story The story of â€Å"Bloody Mary† was told to me by a twenty year old male. He is a current student at a University, studying accountancy. He has very conservative beliefs regarding politics. His father is an insurance broker and his mother stays at home. This story was collected on March 18, 2006, at his residence. This is the story as he told it to me: I originally heard this from my brother when I was like ten years old. I also saw it in the movie Urban Legends. But I’ll tell you the version my brother told me. You have to go into a bathroom in your house. You turn off all of the lights and stand facing away from the mirror. You then spin around thirteen times and say ‘Bloody Mary’ thirteen times. After you finish spinning you turn around and you will see Bloody Mary looking back at you through the mirror. My brother and his friends made me do it one day at my house and nothing happened to me. The teller showed no unusual emotion while retelling this story to me. He was positive that it was not true. He told the story in a mocking tone; he sometimes finished his sentences with laughter or a smile. Part Two: Compare Versions of the Story The story of Bloody Mary is a very extensive urban legend. Bloody Mary is one of many names that can be chanted to summon this ghost. Snopes.com lists that â€Å"Bloody Mary, Bloody Bones, Hell Mary, Mary Worth, Mary Worthington, Mary Whales, Mary Johnson, Mary Lou, Mary Jane, Sally, Kathy, Agnes, Black Agnes, Aggie, Svarte Madame† are all names that have been used in the retelling of this story. With an increased number of retellings comes an increase in the variation between individual stories. The version of the story told to me did not include Bloody Mary punishing the one that summoned her. Versions in which the summoner is punished describe a wide variety of fates.. Snopes.com lists that Bloody Mary â€Å"May strike her summoner dead, drive her mad, or fiercely scratch her face. She may merely peer malevolently out through the mirror, or she may drag one of the girls back through it to live with her.† This legend has several other deviations; such as the number of times you have to say the name of the spirit, and the room in which you perform the ritual. Urban Legend of Bloody Mary :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories Bloody Mary Part One: Collection of the Story The story of â€Å"Bloody Mary† was told to me by a twenty year old male. He is a current student at a University, studying accountancy. He has very conservative beliefs regarding politics. His father is an insurance broker and his mother stays at home. This story was collected on March 18, 2006, at his residence. This is the story as he told it to me: I originally heard this from my brother when I was like ten years old. I also saw it in the movie Urban Legends. But I’ll tell you the version my brother told me. You have to go into a bathroom in your house. You turn off all of the lights and stand facing away from the mirror. You then spin around thirteen times and say ‘Bloody Mary’ thirteen times. After you finish spinning you turn around and you will see Bloody Mary looking back at you through the mirror. My brother and his friends made me do it one day at my house and nothing happened to me. The teller showed no unusual emotion while retelling this story to me. He was positive that it was not true. He told the story in a mocking tone; he sometimes finished his sentences with laughter or a smile. Part Two: Compare Versions of the Story The story of Bloody Mary is a very extensive urban legend. Bloody Mary is one of many names that can be chanted to summon this ghost. Snopes.com lists that â€Å"Bloody Mary, Bloody Bones, Hell Mary, Mary Worth, Mary Worthington, Mary Whales, Mary Johnson, Mary Lou, Mary Jane, Sally, Kathy, Agnes, Black Agnes, Aggie, Svarte Madame† are all names that have been used in the retelling of this story. With an increased number of retellings comes an increase in the variation between individual stories. The version of the story told to me did not include Bloody Mary punishing the one that summoned her. Versions in which the summoner is punished describe a wide variety of fates.. Snopes.com lists that Bloody Mary â€Å"May strike her summoner dead, drive her mad, or fiercely scratch her face. She may merely peer malevolently out through the mirror, or she may drag one of the girls back through it to live with her.† This legend has several other deviations; such as the number of times you have to say the name of the spirit, and the room in which you perform the ritual.