Critique of a play to be watched Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique of a play to be watched - Essay Example In this version a variety of critical interpretations are advanced, with the interpretation most centrally being that Greek theatrical productions remain important aspects of the literary and cultural landscape not through being reimagined and reinterpreted but through the preservation of their core structural dimensions. In viewing Peter Hall’s production of the Eumenides one of the first aspects one notices is it preservation of traditional Greek structural dimensions. In the opening scene the speaker is masked (indeed, this is thematic throughout all the characters) indicative of a traditional Greek production. In these regards, Hall himself stated that, â€Å"Greek plays are impossible without the mask... its very mystery solved not only the problem of expressing unbearable feeling, but also how to make the unending laments of the chorus understandable to a modern audience". In these regards, the mask clouds the identity of the characters such that audiences throughout hu manity can cast their own insights and emotions onto the characters. In addition to these authentic elements, the play includes an orchestra that accompanies the production much like one would imagine the Greek stage of antiquity. It’s indicative of Hall’s intentions in the production of keeping the play true to authentic form as the music does not function in the background as is the case with film, television, or indeed a great many stage productions, but is intermingled with the stage action seamlessly. This demonstrates Hall’s vision as the viewer shares the same presence as would a viewer listening to the orchestra during a performance of the Eumenides in antiquity. This element also demonstrates the everlasting nature of Hall’s perspective when one considers that in great part this structural format – the melding of music and on-stage narrative – has persisted even into the mainstream contemporary social environment in terms of the mus ic video; all the more remarkable considering that this production occurred the same year as the emergence of MTV. The stage dimensions of this opening scene are also indicative of what one envisions the Greek stage place to be as, with the speaker subtly cognizant of the expansive nature of the audience. The physical dimensions of the stage space are also directly reminiscent of the ancient Greek stage with round stage platform with a backdrop outlining the screen. If there is any room to critique Hall’s production it would be in his firm reliance on this element of the Greek stage, but as the play advances one witnesses the implementation of modern methods of shot selection and editing that are melded into this otherwise authentic production. In these regards, Hall’s version of the Eumenides is not as entirely authentic in the classic Greek sense as he would have the audience believe, yet is perhaps more powerful for it, as his subtle re-workings emerge in aspects th at open the play to broader contextual meaning and purpose. In great part the screen space is outlined in black and white. While it is a filmed stage production and one can argue that this is simply an aspect of its reproduction onto the screen space, it nevertheless takes on aesthetic meaning in the context of analysis. Without delving too far into literary critique the black and white simply functions as a means of bringing out the color that has possible symbolic implications; however this critique does not delve into these literary elements but rather considers how director Hall

SWOT analysis for water sport industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SWOT analysis for water sport industry - Essay Example There are six subsidiaries under the group, short summaries of which are given below:- 2) Cape Tribulation Resort & Spa: The Resorts in the World Heritage renowned Daintree Rainforest comprise properties known as Coconut Beach Resort and Ferntree Rainforest Lodge with a combined strength of 120 rooms of three to four star categories. The hotel offers are Cuba diving, snorkelling, sea kayaking, 4WD trips, horse rides, rainforest walks and crocodile cruises etc. 3) Club Crocodile Airlie Beach: This is a three and half star hotel situated at the gateway to the Whitsundays with 160 rooms set around a large central lagoon with attractive features and a ocean/pool view from all the rooms with best price offers for national & international visitors. 4) Hides Hotel Cairns: Hides Hotel Cairns is a 19th century building located in the heart of the tourist district in Cairns. Carefully restored in 1997, it now consists of 105 rooms, with all modern & comfort facilities while retaining its colonial charm. 5) Fern tree Rainforest Lodge: The lodge is located near Cape Tribulations beach. Here you can bushwalk, horse-ride, kayak, snorkel, fish in the estuaries or you can freely walk out into Australias most beautiful settings. 6) Sunlover Reef Cruises, Cairns : This was established in the year 1991 located at north eastern coast of Australia had since then entertained more than 1 million guests showing them Coral reefs and the Marian life of one of the exquisite natural assets on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef. (Cape tribulation resort & spa – cape tribulation). STRENGTHS: All the resorts are located at places showered with natural beauty such as the Great Barrier Reef, which is attractive and gives pleasure and refreshment to the visitors. The resorts offer affordable prices and complete range of holidays from budget accommodation to luxury living as well as

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay The key to a good book is a great plot. The plot determines all the events in the story, from the first word, down to the last period. Ernest Hemingway is considered as a giant in the literary world. His book, A Farewell to Arms is a testament to his literary genius. A Farewell to Arms seems at first to be a love story. It is, but most importantly, the novel is a story about war, and the tragedy it brings. In his work, Freylag’s pyramid of narrative structure is clearly shown. Exposition The novel opens with a description of the place where the main character, Frederic Henry or simply called â€Å"Tenente† stayed. He is the narrator of the story. Hemingway illustrates late summer giving details like falling leaves turning into dust. Troops marching and flashes of fighting in the mountains create an atmosphere of doom to the reader. Hemingway prepares the setting by making a contrast of peace in nature and the disturbance brought about by the soldiers; a smaller picture of the bigger chaos that nations are facing in war. The characters are also established early in the novel. The narrator is an American volunteer ambulance driver. In the early part of the novel, he is introduced by a friend to Catherine Barkley, who is the focal point of Henry’s love in the story. Both are the main characters of the story. Others include, Rinaldi, the friend who introduced Henry and Catherine. A typical Italian male. The priest, Helen Ferguson, and other ambulance drivers also make up the characters that made World War I alive for the reader. Rising Action The novel is divided into five books. In the first book, Henry and Catherine are introduced and their relationship begins. The next few books follow the injury of Henry, and his growing relationship with Catherine while convalescing in a hospital in Milan, far from the action. Catherine becomes pregnant and Henry was forced to go back to the front, leaving her. Upon coming back, a retreat was ordered, were all officers were killed but Henry was able to escape. He was marked as a deserter and having found Catherine, travelled by boat to Switzerland. Here, Henry and Catherine lived a quiet life until she goes into labor. All these events, consist of the bulk of the novel. Hemingway had set many problems for Henry and Catherine. He wanted to show that Henry as a hero, was always stoic in adversities. Catherine’s burden started upon being pregnant but was not too much dwelled upon by Hemingway until the final book of the novel. Several conflicts were shown by Hemingway. The most apparent was Henry’s struggle with the tragedies of war. Henry’s friend was shot to death by Italians upon retreat; the killing spree of officers; Henry’s life as a deserter; the difficult escape to Switzerland by a rowboat . All these were the trials of Henry during the war, and what is ironic is that, he wasn’t in danger of the enemy, but of his comrades, of the soldiers that he had been fighting at the same side. These conflicts build up, highlighting the biggest conflict, the Climax. Climax Upon Henry and Catherine’s successful escape to Switzerland, Catherine goes into labor. The labor is long and painful for Catherine. After a Cesarean operation, the baby is stillborn; and Catherine haemorrages and dies. The Climax is the culmination of events which create the peak of the conflict. The above-mentioned scene is considered as the climax because, after all the efforts of Henry and Catherine went through to be together, all has been wasted in Catherine’s death. Falling Action After Catherine died, Henry was left alone with the doctor. He feels helpless and doesn’t want any gestures of comfort. The offers of the doctor to bring him to his hotel fell on deaf ears. After the peak of the climax, events that follow constitute the falling action. In his novel, Hemingway skillfully illustrates the unbearable grief and emptiness left upon the passing away of a loved one. The downward slide of Freylag’s pyramid accurately shows the feeling of the main character upon losing his love. Denoument The conclusion as its name suggests brings an end to the story. In A Farewell to Arms, after Henry went out and left the hospital, he walked back to the hotel in the rain. It is a sad ending that leaves a heavy heart to the reader. The novel is concluded by the image of Henry walking in rain. Rain usually represents gloom and sadness. In his conclusion, Hemingway shows the main character, the hero, no longer stoic but very much in pain. Works Cited Hemingway, Henry. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1957. Print.

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay What will be the key challenges for British Trade unions in the next decade? Using materials from across the course identify these challenges and make your predictions about the size, nature and influence of unions throughout the forthcoming decade. INTRODUCTION Industrial Relations in Britain have been at the centre of attention and analysis for many years. There has been a concern on its substance and its future. Its development is associated with the rise and growth of trade unionism. Since the 18th century, it has been a system that relies on voluntary arrangements for negotiation and consultations. Today, industrial relations in the UK has suffered harsh strains and pressure. This is largely attributed to factors such as the change in employment pattern, the growth in scale of industrial organisations amongst others. Also, stories of strikes, wage demands and industrial disturbance constantly hit the news. However, Industrial relations today is very much different from what it used to be. So many things are happening; from the recent recession, to the decline of union membership and the economic changes taking place. Hence, for the purpose of this essay, I shall be examining the trade unions and the possible future challenges they might encounter. Furthermore, it is important to note that one cannot look into the future of trade unions without going on a journey to the history of how they emerged, the present state of these trade unions and then predict what their future might turn out to be. History of British Trade unions The Early years up to 1979 British Trade unions had their origin in the mediaeval craft society which was established to control access to crafts, ensure that craftsmen were not engulfed by numbers and also monitor the degree of price control. In a nut shell, they controlled the market. The society set down rates and gave its members benefits particularly in cases of sickness, accidents and retirements. By the 18th century, when the markets began to expand, there was the need for more people to be employed. This brought about the emergence of craftsman organisation whose aim was to provide joint aid, support and assist a number of people that were facing difficult times. During this period, a number of strikes took place in localities with regards to increase in pay and reductions in working hours and this put so much pressure on employers to ban what was referred to as combinations. Pieces of legislations aimed at banning combinations within 1720 and 1799 led to the emergence of two important combination acts in 1799 and 1990 that prohibited combinations and strikes in Britain. However just before the end of the 18th century, the craftsman societies had developed into trade unions. This period observed growth in the factory system, speedy social change and social disorder. The combination act still didnt do much and was revoked in 1824. By 1825, a new measure emerged which confined combination only to specific actions over hours and wages and new offences were introduced such as molestation and intimidation of workers. Furthermore, an attempt to set up a Grand National Consolidated Trades union in 1834 to bring all union together was never supported. Prior to 1850, unions were just local events (except miners), but by the middle of the century, a number of union mergers began to spring forth and this was as a result of the growth of railway which ensured easy communication. The first was the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) established in 1850. It was a friendly society that catered for unemployment, sickness, etc. Then, there was the emergence of the Trade union act in 1871 directed towards protecting the union funds. Other mergers following the footstep of ASE included wood work and tailoring. It is essential to note that jobs in this period were restricted to men even though women had begun to gain entrance into the labour market. With the development of national unions came trade councils from 1858 in main cities and towns. The first meeting of what was to be called a trade union was organised in Manchester in 1868 and thereafter in Birmingham in 1869. By 1870, TUC had a general secretary and in 1895, the representation at TUC was restricted only to unions thereby excluding trade councils to avoid dual representation. This period also characterized endless industrial disputes which were due to the change in work practice and the technologies. In addition, the strikes during this period were concerns relating to how work should be done and the kind of people employed to do particular tasks. The Late 1880s saw the emergence of what was called a new unionism. This was the beginning of large scale organisation of unskilled workers, all fighting for better wages through hard fought strikes at the national level. An example was the popular London dock strikes in1889 and the seamens strike also in the same year. The period between 1896 to1914 witnessed very high costs of living and falling wages and as a result led to strengthening of the newly emerged labour party which allowed for more people to join the trade union. The First World War during this period had tremendous effects on industrial relations. By 1919, unions became militant and required long term benefits in negotiation almost immediately after the war when labour was scarce. There were several amalgamations of unions like the Transport and General workers union and the union for Building and Trade workers. Subsequently, small local unions that could not compete soon faded out. By the end of the 1920s, there was a rise in unemployment and trade unions decided to protect jobs rather than increase wages (Tyson, 2006). There was also the emergence of the triple alliance between the transport workers, railway workers and miners which was to reinforce mutual support in times of difficulty and confrontation. The Second World War brought about co-operation between unions and government. Between 1939 and 1951 there was shift in growth of manual labour workers. Also during the wars (first and second world wars), institutions of negotiation were established to prevent strikes, although a number of strikes still occurred. Trade union membership grew mostly in the white collar jobs in the late 1950s and 1960s. However their density did not increase until the 1970s. The change in occupational structures brought about more white collar jobs and allowed more women to join unions. Trade unions from 1979-2000 During this period, there was a dramatic decline in trade union membership in the UK. Four notable features were responsible for this decline which the British trade union had little control of. They were the changes in employment, the growth of individualism, managements human resource strategies and a very hostile government (Stirling, 2005). The changes in employment led to closures of factories and a huge number of redundancies in manufacturing sector, expansion of private sectors and growth of part time jobs. Also in many cases, the HR strategies were often devised to circumvent union organisation. Furthermore, the hostile government inherent in both employment legislation and the process of privatisation was also responsible for the decline. Lastly, individualism was inherent in workplace, where rewards and benefits were tied to individual appraisal and performance related pay rather than on collective agreements. It is worthy to note that trade unions were able to respond to these changes in various ways. The first was their move towards organisational restructuring by adopting new systems of internal management (Brewster Allen, 1998). They also adopted the new realism which was effectively a give in to employers strategies. They countered derecognition by focusing on single union agreements and high profile no strike agreements (Bassett, 1986). In addition, trade unions were committed to recruiting new members as they also wanted to be more organisational friendly, include part-time workers, women and those from minority ethnic groups. Lastly there was the development of a consumer trade unionism where members were seen as consumers and offered individual services and benefits (Bassett Cave, 1993). By the mid 1990s, the TUC and unions decided to change their approach when they realised that relying on political change, waiting for economic improvement , spending so much on consumer service and the struggle for members were results that didnt work. The year 1997 saw several changes with labour returning to government. This brought about the employment relation Act of 1999 which helped unions claim recognition. Also in recent years there have been several changes such as National Minimum Wage, rights to maternity leave and rights of part time workers. KEY FACTS TO NOTE In 2007, TUC had 66 allied unions compared to 109 in 1979 There was a decline of TUC membership at around six and a half million since the mid-nineties. Emphasis on Trade union has changed. There has been rapid growth of legal advice and representation of members at tribunals The importance of training has also been emphasised with government funding a scheme where workplace learning representatives have been developed. Lastly over the years, unions have come to embrace the agenda on equality and diversity. Having looked at the history of the British trade union, lets take a look at where they are presently. Present State of British Trade Unions There are quite a number of trade unions in Britain today. These unions look after the welfare of their members. They also help their members deal with issues of pay, job cuts and pensions in the workplace. Thus, they represent their members in pay negotiations, grievance procedures and also protect their members against clients and the state (Bryson, 2007). Little wonder when employees are asked the question as to why they join unions, they give answers like they join unions for protection, political belief, solidarity, traditions, pay conditions and so on. Recently there has been quite a number of strikes in Britain, all centred on pay cuts, work-life balance, redundancies amongst others. For example, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in 2009 engaged in a bitter dispute with the Royal mail over pay, job losses and modernisation which led to a series of nationwide postal strike. Also bus drivers and bin men decided to stage 24 hours walkout in some parts of the country in 2009. In addition, unions intended to ballot staff at British Airways and Network Rail. However by January 2010, Unite and British Airways embarked on fresh talks. Furthermore, workers at the Fijitsu electronic company started their first of six nationwide strikes on dispute over pay, pension and jobs in December. Trade unions today are in crisis. They do not only face internal difficulties but also have to cope with external, economic and political change. One central problem they might face is that they may be too weak to make a difference. But with the current recession and globalisation, we just cannot tell what they can do. However, a surprising reality is that the rate of union membership (union density) of employees is swiftly declining. In 1979, 13.3million people were members of trade unions and the proportion of employees who were union members stood at 55%. By 2003, union membership as estimated by the labour survey had dropped to 7.42million with the proportion of members at 29.1% and in 2005 to 29%. By the end of 2006, the rate of union membership fell to 28.4%. This subsequently declined to 28% in 2007. As at 2008, the union membership cut down by 27.4%. Furthermore, the density in private sector fell by 0.6% to 15.5% while public sector fell 1.9% to 57.1%, both in 2008. (SOURCE: Labour Force survey, Office for national statistics, department of employment (1892-1974); certification office (1974-2006). Against this background, it is imperative to understand the reason for the decline in union membership and the challenges unions encounter. Current Challenges for British Trade Unions British trade unions have gotten to a point where they need to sit and rethink their strategies. These unions are faced with various challenges ranging from political, economic, to financial that if not resolved soon might pose a major challenge for them in the future. A lot of scholars have tried to identify the challenges that British trade unions face. According to Mcllroy (2008), British trade unions today are faced with challenging conditions such as globalisation, neo-liberal politics, recession and a host of other issues. To Frege Kelly (2003), trade unions are facing challenging conditions in representing their members, they face crisis of membership density, the wearing out of structures of interest representation and declining mobilisation capacity. They stated that a reason for the decline in density has been as a result of the changing structure of employment, the decline of employment in traditional manufacturing industries and the increased employment in service industries They identify several factors that have and would continue to pose a challenge to unions. I find these factors really interesting and they include: Economic and social change (the trends in labour market) The Institutional environment (for example the structure of collective bargaining, legal and arbitration procedures and political system) the state and the employers strategies The structure of the union itself such as union leadership, relationships, networks and organisation of movements. As it has been noted already, Britain currently faces economic crisis which is attributed to the recent recession. In these difficult economic times, when there is a high level of unemployment and drastic cuts in wages and benefits, unions would find it almost impossible to please their members. Borrowing the words of Koelble, (1988) it is worthy to note that the more brutal these economic crisis are the more problems union leaders have to face. Today, unions also face the risk of extinction if they do not progress. A major challenge unions have is in their structure and policies. They need to balance relationship between their members and the employers by showing that they can get through to workers without sidelining employers and deliver to employers while also looking out for the interest of their workers. In some of the articles I read, research carried out shows that so many workers are of the belief that unions need to work more with employers so as to increase productivity which is as important as any action taken on pay, impartiality and fairness. Also, unions like every other voluntary organisation have to provide incentives whether positive or negative so as to attract prospective members. Having attracted membership, they are then faced with the problem of maintaining these members so as to ensure the union survival. Significantly, economic growth has been seen as a requirement for the provision of positive incentives by unions; therefore, in periods of economic growth, it is easy for trade unions to squeeze out some compromise from employers and the state. On the other hand, when there is a decline or stagnation in economic growth, it reduces the ability of unions to provide more benefits (Koelbe, 1988). It might be wrong for me to say that unions are not recognised in some organisations. However, according to Guest who was cited in Storey (2007), he stated that traditional unions may only be tolerated in some business not because they are special but because they have always been in existence and also because they do not incur any unwarranted cost. Some organisations today have the tendency of abandoning collective bargaining without formally derecognising the unions. The presence of HRM in workplaces has further reduced the roles of trade unions and if some organisations could do without them, they would not hesitate. The result of all these is that unions have some members that are not covered by collective bargaining and thus face the difficult duty of convincing such members to remain in the union. They also have to convince employers that they can be trusted. What about the financial crisis these unions face and might continue to face if they lose more members? Unions are facing some financial crisis. This is not surprising though as they rely heavily on membership subscriptions as the primary source of income. Consequently, if membership density continues to drops, their income would drop as well unless they decide to increase subscription fees of members or get their revenue from other means. The question unions should ask themselves is if they can help their existing members without relying so much on voluntary activities. Also, unions organising potential is badly damaged. Trade unions are now confronted with issues such as their inability to organise new workplaces and new workers as they used to. As a result of this a number of workers have never been a member of any trade union. In addition, some relatively new organisations hardly ever recognise unions for pay bargaining. If they cant sort this out, it is definitely going to be a big challenge they would face in the coming decade. It is also important to add that in the case of tight finance; unions might not want to gamble by spending money on organising new workplaces unless they are partially sure of success. It is imperative to state that we currently live in an era of global economic and industrial restructuring. Globalisation has prompted the urge for the development of world economy. It involves several issues like deregulation of the labour market, liberalisation and privatisation, development of communication network technology, the internalisation of financial markets amongst others (Akteruzzaman, 2006). All these issues have posed a challenge to workers and their trade union. Today, unions have a feel of globalisation as there has been a lot of job loss, decline in wages etc. Workers have become one of the many victims of globalisation. Thus globalisation is seen as a threat to trade unions. Still, there is the impact of the current recession of the labour market which has increased tremendously the unemployment rate in the last 20months. Labour market report states that the unemployment rate has risen by 1.3% to reach 7.1% since the third quarter of 2008. In a recent Cipd article (January 2010), it is postulated that unemployment would hit a high rate of 2.8 million by summer 2010 with job markets only slowly recovering in the second half of 2010. As a result of this, the redundancy level has increased. In the recession, the private sector would continue the trends of having lower levels of industrial actions as this is caused by the change in staff attitudes and the increasing need to sustain competitive advantage on the global scale. However, it has been predicted that there would be more strike actions in the public sectors (CIPD, November 2009). As a result of this, unions need to fight for their members in public sectors since strikes might be inevitable. According to Amble (2005), for unions to increase in size again, they need to drop their militant and confrontational attitude and be more dependent and co-operative. He argues that some potential members may be put off by unions style of struggle, strife and strikes which has very little appeal to employees who care more about getting on rather than getting even. Lastly, unions have a problem with their strategy. What appealed to yesterdays workers might not be attractive to todays labour force. They need to set new agendas around so many issues they currently face such as low pay, work-life balance and equality. Although the future challenges of British trade union cannot really be determined by present occurrences, one can however predict what these unions are likely to face in the future. Having looked at the current challenges British trade unions face, unions need to ask themselves some questions: do they have the ability to meet the challenge of an aspirational agenda Are their thoughts channelled to what they want to do or rather how they do it? Can unions achieve the objective of servicing, partnership and organising? How flexible would their role be in meeting the demands and need of members in the next decade? Would they be able to contain different strategies for different employment relations environment? If unions cannot provide answers to these questions, then this might be some of the future challenges they would encounter. The Future of British Trade Unions A lot has been said and predictions have been made with regards to the future of trade unions. Several scholars have come up with predictions and possible solutions to the challenges unions face currently and possibly in the future. There has been the question of what unions can do to achieve membership. According to Metcalf (2005), unions are faced with two potential ways for revival. First, it is either employment in unionized sectors of the economy grows in relations to non union employment or secondly, unions must employ more rigorous means of organising activity with the aim of enhancing their appeal to both employers and potential members. He further goes on to states that unions should invest more in organising and servicing so as to produce significant returns. Furthermore, even if unions are able to put a stop to the decline in membership, there might be a problem with achieving steady growth. Unions need to break more into the contemporary service sector economy. Although there have been a lot of jobs in the public sector, the actual employment growth might come from organisations where trade unions have not been so successful at organising. Thus trade unions might be faced with the challenge of changing themselves even further to remain relevant to certain groups. There is also the need for trade unions to develop better political relationship with the government and other parties. They must learn to abandon the pattern of making unrealistic demands and realise that not all their demands can be met since the government must also govern in the interest of the country in general. In addition, Partnership needs to be encouraged. Unions need to adopt a better process of engagement. They should learn to appeal to employers making them see that effective co-operation helps a great deal in the improvement of performance in organisations. Also, the financial state of unions could have a lasting effect. Unions need to re-evaluate and ask themselves if they can provide for their members without depending on voluntary endeavours. Many scholars are of the belief that unions will be successful only if they align themselves with the new realities of the labour market and can also plead to both the top and bottom of the economy. Unions need to broaden their horizon by aiming at new or previously neglected class of workers into membership and extend organisation and representation towards the low waged employees (Lucas, 2009; Oxenbridge, 1997; Heery, 2002). Several strategies have been identified by scholar as ways of generating renewal for trade unions such as servicing, organising and partnership approach (Heery, 2002). However, some scholars argue that all these strategies can be used together and are well matched. A very brilliant way to address the problems of trade union in Britain is giving by Frege Kelly (2003) who came up with six strategies: organising (gaining of membership) partnership (working together with employers, employees and trade unions would bring about motivated trust and benefits) organisational reforms (such as mergers and internal reorganisation) political action (Lobbying with a focus on legislation and labour market regulations policies) coalition building with other social movements Lastly, possess strong international links to exchange and share information. In my opinion if these strategies are put in place; trade unions would survive extinction and disappearance and remain relevant in the future. CONCLUSION There is so much uncertainty as to what the future of British trade unions would be. These trade unions have come a long way, through thick and thin and their ability to survive the test of time depends on the strategy they employ. One fact is clear though that although there has been a modest amount of industrial disputes in recent times, Britain is not likely to face a repeat of the wide spread strikes that was present in 1979. In conclusion therefore, unions should not be relegated to the background. Employers need to communicate with their employees, the government would need views from workplace and above all, the employees need a collective voice which makes the unions very important.

America Must Move Forward into the Electronic Age of Voting :: Politics Political Science

America Must Move Forward into the Electronic Age of Voting The levels of excitement grew throughout election night all across the nation. The respective parties gathered in various convention rooms all over the United States. The tension in the air could be felt as one entered the rooms hosted by any candidate’s party. As the evening progressed, one could tell this would be a close election. November 7 is a day many people in America take for granted. I have heard many times people muttering, ‘my vote is not going to even make the difference so why should I vote?’ Many Americans don’t feel their vote is important enough to even get off their butts to go and vote. However, as a political science major it is imperative to me to exercise my right to vote. Not only have people died fighting for rights such as this, but it also gives me the opportunity and the right to voice an opinion after the election. If you don’t vote what gives you the right to complain? Nothing. Since we are a democracy we should not take the right to vote lightly and a great majority of Americans do. For some reason, this election proved to be different. The voting percentages were higher than most election years. According to the www.msnbc.com the majority of votes come from retired people and military voters. College students throughout the past years have decreased percentage-wise in voter turnout. In 1996 the number of college students who cast their ballots had decreased 23% since 1992. Student Advantage Magazine (SAM) lists various issues for the decline in college voter turnout. The top two reasons SAM lists, as reasons for the dwindling numbers are apathy and laziness. However www.msnbc.com has stated with more students becoming politically active, the numbers should increase in future elections. For example, voting numbers increased a small percentage for this election. Why are people voting now? Is it because we have good candidates running? Is it because American’s finally feel the pressure to get off their lazy butts and make it to the polls? Does it have anything to do with absentee ballots being used at the highest rate in our nations history? Americans tend to think in the manner, â€Å"I will vote for this person if he wants what I want.† At least they have substance on their reasons for voting for someone.

Uses of a College Education Essay -- University College Degree Purpose

Uses of a College Education Is there really a difference between common sense and book sense? In general, common sense is that sixth sense or that survival intuition that has been given to every animal on earth. Therefore, common sense is literally an instinct or an advanced understanding about one’s surroundings. Many people think of common sense as intuition or wisdom that comes from living a life that exposes one to many different experiences and circumstances. On the other hand, book sense can be derived from the same experiences and circumstances as common sense, but there is a difference. Book sense is learning and analyzing other people’s intuition or wisdom. Many of the courses we learn in college are not based on our individual experiences or circumstances. A college education comprises of other people’s insights, wisdom, and intuition about the world and how things work in this world. Many people believe that college is not for everyone. They believe that knowing and learning about life cannot be gained by reading books. In the meantime, there are many people who believe that college does prepare students for the real world. They believe college offers students valuable tools that will equip them for the real world. For instance, open classrooms where students can engage in stimulating conversations prepare students for professions that pay people who can think fast and come up with creative ideas for their companies. Moreover, professors assign homework, exams, and papers to stimulate thinking and prepare students for deadlines and job assignments. However, college may prepare students for the professional world, but does it really prepare students for the real world. The purpose of this essay is... ...s intuition and understanding of his surroundings could handle a CEO position with the added training of a college education. A commonplace is that the person last in his class in medical school is generally called a doctor. It is the experiences one goes through in college that prepares the students for the real world. Common sense and perseverance are more important than book sense. According on one philosopher, â€Å"it is a thousand times better to have common sense without an education than to have education without common sense.† A college education alone is not sufficient. Life experiences, perseverance, and common sense are proponents that many people believe they possess. However, a college education should refine these qualities. People should not dwell on book sense because a college education is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

Ashitaba herb Essay

Ashltaba Is a large herb that grows primarily In the central region of Japan. Its root, leaf, and stem are used to make medicine. Ashitaba is used for â€Å"heartburn, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout, constipation, and fever. It is also used for cancer, smallpox, fluid retention, blood clots, and food poisoning. Women use it to increase the now ot breast milk. The fresh leaves and dried powder are used as food. There is not enough information to know how ashitaba might work. Some chemicals in ashitaba seem to work as antioxidants. Other chemicals might block secretions of stomach acid. But most research has been done on animals or in test tubes, not people. *Disadvantages Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of ashitaba during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. The appropriate dose of ashitaba depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for ashitaba. *Advantages One of the fundamental actions of Ashltaba Is that It is great at activating Blood. The application for this is apparent in the treatment in the menstrual problems. It removes stagnation in the uterus, which will help with many menstrual difficulties. It also increases blood flow. Ashitaba is a useful Lactagogue, that is, an agent which Induces the secretion of mother’s milk. There Is anecdotal evidence from Japan of a cow that was fed Ashitaba and had record milk production. By analogy, Ashitaba could be used with mastitis or low milk production after delivery.