My Son, My Executioner

â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† In the Donald Hall poem,† My Son, My Executioner, â€Å"Hall depicted a father who has grown old, holding their young child in their arms. Hall portrayed strong imagery of a fatherly figure giving up everything to care for his young child. The tone of the poem is both happy and dark. Hall’s theme showed that once a person has a child, the parent’s life is completely changed. â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† is a very well written poem with a deep, true meaning that readers could relate to. The imagery helps Hall depict a father caring for their young child.Hall is first telling the reader that the father is with his child. The child seems to be very young because the father takes the child in his arms. â€Å"I take you in my arms/quiet and small and just astir. † This shows that the father cares a lot about his child. The father could be taking out time from his day to share this moment with his child. The son, who is in his arms or lying on his lap, shares the father’s warmth. â€Å"And whom my body warms. † The father expresses how he has to give up himself in order for the son to be happy and healthy. â€Å"Your cries and hungers document/out bodily decay. Hall is saying when the child is hungry then he must get fed. As time goes on, the father gets older and the roles of father and son are reversed. The dedication has to be there for the parents to raise a happy and healthy child. The tone of this poem is a combination of happiness and darkness. The poem can be seen to have a happy tone that Halls shows well. He writes about the father acknowledging his child as his own. â€Å"My son. † Hall portrays happy images like a father wrapping his arms around his young child. â€Å"I take you in my arms. † The father also makes it known that his presence will live forever in his child.This means the father will always be with the child spiritually. On the other hand, t his poem can be taken in a direful tone. Right from the title, Hall throws a dreary feeling toward the reader. â€Å"My son, my executioner. † There are words that Hall uses in his poem that show a darker side. â€Å"And start to die together. † The reader could interpret these lines as some sort of sick meaning. This poem could either be taken in a happy tone or a dark tone. The main theme Hall is trying to express is that once a person has a child, their lives are changed forever.In the first line, â€Å"My son, my executioner,† is saying that once a child comes into the world, in a sense the parent’s life is taken away. Yet as morbid as that sounds, the parent’s life is made eternal through their child forever. The father knows his time is now focused on his son. There is a reversal of roles, as the child gets bigger and stronger, the father gets weaker and will die. â€Å"Sweet death, small son, our instrument/of immortality. † Another p roblem was that the parents had their child young. That day the child was born, their lives were changed and it will never be the same again. We twenty-five and twenty-two. † In conclusion, Donald Hall portrays a father who has grown old, holding their young child in their arms. . The way Hall used imagery, showed the reader a fatherly figure that gives up everything to care for his son. The tone of the poem was important because it let the reader know that the poem could be seen as happy or dark. The theme showed the readers that once they have a child, their lives are changed forever. â€Å"My Son, My Executioner† is a very well written poem with a deep, true meaning that readers, along with parents, could relate to.

Planning Matrix Essay

The Decision Stage Analysis and intuition provide a basis for making strategy-formulation decisions. The matching techniques just discussed reveal feasible alternative strategies. Many of these strategies will likely have been proposed by managers and employees participating in the strategy analysis and choice activity. Any additional strategies resulting from the matching analyses could be discussed and added to the list of feasible alternative options. As indicated earlier in this chapter, participants could rate these strategies on a 1 to 4 scale so that a prioritized list of the best strategies could be achieved. The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) is a high-level strategic management approach for evaluating possible strategies. Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix or a QSPM provides an analytical method for comparing feasible alternative actions. The QSPM method falls within so-called stage 3 of the strategy formulation analytical framework. [pic] The left column of a QSPM consists of key external and internal factors (identified in stage 1). The left column of a QSPM lists factors obtained directly from the EFE matrix and IFE matrix. The top row consists of feasible alternative strategies (provided in stage 2) derived from the SWOT analysis, SPACE matrix, BCG matrix, and IE matrix. The first column with numbers includes weights assigned to factors. How to Construct a QSPM Step 1 Make a list of the firm’s key external opportunities/threats and internal strengths/weaknesses in the left column of the QSPM. This information should be taken directly from the EFE Matrix and IFE Matrix. A minimum of 10 external critical success factors and 10 internal critical success factors should be included in the QSPM. Step 2 Assign weights to each key external and internal factor. These weights are identical to those in the EFE Matrix and the IFE Matrix. The weights are presented in a straight column just to the right of the external and internal critical success factors. Step 3 Examine the Stage 2 (matching) matrices and identify alternative strategies that the organization should consider implementing. Record these strategies in the top row of the QSPM. Group the strategies into mutually exclusive sets if possible. Step 4 Determine the Attractiveness Scores (AS), defined as numerical values that indicate the relative attractiveness of each strategy in a given set of alternatives. Attractiveness Scores are determined by examining each key external or internal factor, one at a time, and asking the question, â€Å"Does this factor affect the choice of strategies being made?† If the answer to this question is yes, then the strategies should be compared relative to that key factor. Specifically, Attractiveness Scores should be assigned to each strategy to indicate the relative attractiveness of one strategy over others, considering the particular factor. The range for Attractiveness Scores is 1 = not attractive, 2 = somewhat attractive, 3 = reasonably attractive, and 4 = highly attractive. If the answer to the above question is no, indicating that the respective key factor has no effect upon the specific choice being made, then do not assign Attractiveness Scores to the strategies in that set. Use a dash to indicate that the key factor does not affect the choice being made. Note: If you assign an AS score to one strategy, then assign AS score(s) to the other. In other words, if one strategy receives a dash, then all others must receive a dash in a given row. Step 5 Compute the Total Attractiveness Scores. Total Attractiveness Scores are defined as the product of multiplying the weights (Step 2) by the Attractiveness Scores (Step 4) in each row. The Total Attractiveness Scores indicate the relative attractiveness of each alternative strategy, considering only the impact of the adjacent external or internal critical success factor. The higher the Total Attractiveness Score, the more attractive the strategic alternative (considering only the adjacent critical success factor). Step 6 Compute the Sum Total Attractiveness Score. Add Total Attractiveness Scores in each strategy column of the QSPM. The Sum Total Attractiveness Scores reveal which strategy is most attractive in each set of alternatives. Higher scores indicate more attractive strategies, considering all the relevant external and internal factors that could affect the strategic decisions. The magnitude of the difference between the Sum Total Attractiveness Scores in a given set of strategic alternatives indicates the relative desirability of one strategy over another. Limitations of QSPM A limitation of the QSPM is that it can be only as good as the prerequisite information and matching analyses upon which it is based. Another limitation is that it requires good judgment in assigning attractiveness scores. Also, the sum total attractiveness scores can be really close such that a final decision is not clear. Like all analytical tools however, the QSPM should not dictate decisions but rather should be developed as input into the owner’s final decision. Advantages of QSPM A QSPM provides a framework to prioritize the strategies, it can be used for comparing strategies at any level such as corporate, business and functional.The other positive feature of QSPM that it integrate external and internal factors into decision making process.A QSPM can be developed for small and large scale profit and non-profit organizations. Cultural Aspects of Strategy Choice All organizations have a culture. Culture includes the set of shared values, beliefs, attitudes, customs, norms, personalities, heroes, and heroines that describe a firm. Culture is the unique way an organization does business. It is the human dimension that creates solidarity and meaning, and it inspires commitment and productivity in an organization when strategy changes are made. It is beneficial to view strategic management from a cultural perspective because success often rests upon the degree of support that strategies receive from a firm’s culture. If a firm’s strategies are supported by cultural products such as values, beliefs, rites, rituals,ceremonies, stories, symbols, language, heroes, and heroines, then managers often canimplement changes swiftly and easily. However, if a supportive culture does not exist and is not cultivated, then strategy changes may be ineffective or even counterproductive. A firm’s culture can become antagonistic to new strategies, and the result of that antagonism may be confusion and disarray. Culture provides an explanation for the difficulties a firm encounters when it attempts to shift its strategic direction.

Cell Phone and Anti-Social Behavior Essay

There is a great sense of irony when one comes to the realization that a device originally created to keep people connected has evolved into a device that causes a strong social divergence between one another. The mobile phone, a revolutionary concept of creating the ability to communicate with others casually as well as easily, has not only created a new era of communication, but also a supplementary social standard that has reshaped the process of human interaction between people, or lack there of. This so-called â€Å"social barrier† created by the habitual and constant use of cell phones is obvious now, more than ever. As written by Adam Burgess, modern day author of Cellular Phones, Public Fears, and a Culture of Precaution, the use of mobile telephones has completely stripped modern day culture of the interpersonal connection people once shared, when person to person correspondence was the only option available. Cell phone use has become a second-natured habit to the majority of today’s society. The preponderance of people would view someone as outlandish if he or she is living in todays world without owning a cell phone. One simple device can and does have a considerable influence on the current American culture, but with that being said, an influence such as this does not simply emerge overnight. The purpose of the mobile phone upon its creation is exactly as it sounds, to create a telephone that accessible at any time and any place. This gives people the capability of having phone conversations despite their location. Despite the fact that this is a quite obvious concept in today’s society, that wasn’t the case for consumers living about twenty years ago. How can such an incredible influence occur in such a short period of time? Evolution. As stated in Kirkley Luttman’s scholarly Health & Science article, the mobile phone was created for the single purpose of sending and receiving telephone calls on-the-go. As time goes on, this simple device becomes one that serves multiple purposes for the consumer. The first advancement in the cell phone was the enabling of text messaging; Instead of conversing via phone call, one can simply type out their desired message and send it  instantly via text to their receiver. Now people are capable of having a complete conversation read through a cell phone screen and eliminating almost all intimacy of communication. The next step of evolution is then the creation of social media. Once only intended for computer users by virtue of the world wide web, this was now accessible through a mobile phone. This evolvement also means that cell phones can now access the internet, opening up an entirely new realm of communication from the same device that could once only make a simple phon e call. According to Dr. Emily Murray and her entry in KwikMed: Cell Phones Make Us Socially Oblivious, the additional capabilities with limited time for society to adapt caused a spark of interest as well as excitement in cell phones. With a device that can now send and receive not only phone calls and text messages, but also access the internet, send and receive emails, access websites, and utilize social media, a new culture emerges. All of the new features of a cell phone have one thing in common and that is the fact that they were all created on the premise of making it effortless to communicate with others, whenever and wherever. Growing up in an age where the use of cell phones is second nature, it is obvious that people truly do communicate with one another on a constant basis. It is of high importance to update ones Facebook status, tweet about the latest trend, post a picture of the weather. It is significant to obtain the most â€Å"likes† on a post or picture or the most â€Å"retweets† on a thought. It is also crucial to constantly text message a friend, even when the content of the conversation isn’t crucial at all. Such a strong emphasis has been put on communicating with everyone via every single network and outlet available that people have begun to forget what genuine communication actually stands for. This is where the irony comes into play. Comparable to a domino effect, the use of cell phones within today’s culture has grown into so much more than what is was simply intended for. Much like any innovation, developments are made and in response, adjustments occur. Not only have cell phones created an antisocial stigma within people, but have also caused this behavior to become habitual and â€Å"second-natured.† It is obvious that human interaction has drastically changed, even in a mere  twenty years. One generation ago, owning any sort of mobile phone was a rare privilege. Even with that advantage, these devices still only served a single purpose, differing greatly from today’s cell phones. Today, a cell phone is not longer viewed as a phone, but a form of assistance in planning events, sending messages and emails, video chatting, entertainment, music, and much more. With a single device in the hands of the majority of today’s society, how can one remain as social as before the creations, development, and spread of this technology? Going beyond the more obvious arguments that have previously been addressed, cell phone use has opened up the opportunity to act in a disgraceful way without immediate sanction. According to the article, The Relationship between Technology and Cyber Bullying in The Journal of Student Wellbeing, â€Å"Due to the advent of modern communication, children are now able to harass their peers with mobile phones†¦a behavior known as cyber bullying† (Beran, 2007). Without physical confrontation with one another, brutal actions can easily occur, even anonymously at times. If this sort of behavior has become habitual to the current generation, how can a positive outcome be rationally expected? Cell phone use has not only created an antisocial environment within todays society, but also the allowance of insensitive actions without punishment. It is arguable that person to person, face to face interaction is the most sincere and most intimate form of connection. For the majority of humankind, in-person transmission was one of the few options for humans to communicate. As the way of life has changed, so have the forms of communication, but the new form of disclosure has entirely stripped the affinity of human connection. People are implausibly focused on such an artificial form of interaction. Generations will soon be born into this unnatural habit and it will become the way of life from the beginning unless society understands the importance of intimacy and the cosmetic facade that cell phones have not only created, but promoted. Socialization will forever remain as the message from one person to another, but the channel for them to do so can and will inevitably effect social behavior. The paradox that ties together cell phones and promotion of social behavior will continue to diminish the  gregarious importance of physi cal connection unless society begins to suddenly become alert to the problems cell phones have and will continue to cause.

Research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Research methods - Essay Example Burnout at work can happen for different reasons and in different circumstances. It usually takes place when people are giving too much at their workplace and receiving very little in return. The little return could be the absence of appreciations, rewards, and social interactions (Schaufeli and Enzmann, 1998) Research suggest that negative appraisals at work usually lead to a stage where employees start feeling burnout and suffer from the thought that they can’t give anymore to their jobs. The negative appraisals could be from managers as well as colleagues. Employees feel left out from rest of the workplace colleagues after such appraisal and feel let down.(Kohan and Mazmanian, 2003) One of the researches in human service sector expanding 5 years and including 2,391 employees from all parts of the professions found out some interesting facts about work burn out. The research found that there can be three types of work burnout; they are related to work, customer, and personal life. Some professions had work burnout due to office related workload and stress, others profession in which interaction with customers was direct and daily basis had customer related burnout, last but not the least; personal burnout happens in all professions of human service sector. The study also found some penalties as a result of burnout which included poor physical condition, low job satisfaction and non-attendance at job. These consequences ranged from emotional to physical damage depending on the situation. (Borritz et al., 2006) It is notable that the problems at workplace are not only caused by extra workload but also by less appreciation and low sense of accomplishment. This usually leads to mental problems, in many cases people quit their jobs or take early retirement in order to get their life back. (Keel, 1993) It was made clear in a research the emotional exhaustion is one of the key reasons why people feel burnout at jobs. Organizations fail to realize that

Nuclear Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nuclear Weapons - Essay Example Though the stockpiling of such weapons has been justified by many countries, notably the U.S., as being a deterrent for war, the many negative consequences associated with the use of nuclear weaponry even in a limited capacity has been loudly trumpeted by politicians, scientists, scholars and the majority of the world’s citizens alike. The term ‘limited nuclear war’ is ambiguous at best and considered an oxymoron by some who are confused by the concept of combining ‘nuclear bomb’ and ‘limited use’ together within the same phrase. The guiding principles of force used in a ‘limited war’ can be described as â€Å"the ‘minimum necessary’ and ‘the maximum feasible’† (Brown, 1988: 177). One person’s definition could include a ‘limited’ nuclear strike of a populous city, a clear violation of the moral and ethical standards of most people yet the minority opinion may be the one making that decision. The result could be catastrophic for the victims as well as the region and the collective psyche of the nation who caused the destruction. Germans for example, still have to cope with the national shame of the Holocaust. Military engagements are fraught with imprecise and unpredictable events, seldom precisely regulated. In troducing nuclear weapons escalates the engagement but does nothing to make the situation less volatile thereby only acting to exacerbate an already tense and dangerous conflict. It is unlikely that anyone could provide a reasonable argument demonstrating that using nuclear weapons on any scale could be sustained in a limited form. Nuclear weapons are immensely destructive whether large or small and even restrained use would inflict great harm to people and property. â€Å"Radiation released from each step in the nuclear weapons production cycle causes cancer, congenital defects, mental retardation, immune destruction, cancer,

The advantages of and precautions needed when using waste water for Essay - 1

The advantages of and precautions needed when using waste water for agricultural uses in developing countries - Essay Example This review seeks to show how waste water holds the key to solving the water deficiencies that exist the world over plus the advantages of using this method. It will also highlight the challenges that come along with the usage of this type of water source and the methods of dealing with these challenges. It is common knowledge that the world is faced with the challenge of an ever increasing population. This means that there has to be an increased level of agricultural activity in order to cater for the increased demand. However the main challenge of this is that there are dwindling sources of water to cater for the agricultural activity. This is especially true when one considers that the majority of the world’s agricultural activity, that is dependent on rainfall, has been disrupted due to many factors such as climate change and increased pollution levels of water bodies the world over (UNEP). This has also been coupled by the increasing non-agricultural demand for water such as for industrial usage has put additional pressure on the scarce water resources that exist. The challenges of an increasing water scarcity for agricultural purposes have led to nations the world over turning to the use of wastewater to support their agricultural activities. Wastewater can be defined s imply as water that has been contaminated by any material that does not occur naturally in water itself (UNEP). Waste water can be used to irrigate in two main forms; one as water that has been reclaimed from wastewater otherwise known as treated water and in the second form it is used as non-treated water, in its raw form. When it is used as non-treated water in most cases the water is most cases applied directly to the plants and is used as a means to prevent the pollution of water bodies such as rivers and lakes. In most cases especially in the industrialised nations the water is used after

THE ORIGINS OF ART Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE ORIGINS OF ART - Case Study Example Nowadays, the situation is not different. This is evident in televisions, billboards and magazines where men and women with ‘perfect’ bodies are used to advertise goods and services. Through this concept, we can conclude that ancient man and modern man are not different. However, using modern culture to explain a past culture may not be entirely reliable. First of all, there are special cultures that were totally different from us. Take for instance the Egyptians. They were not affected by peak shift and did not see the need to design unrealistic human forms. Secondly, all artists are different. Though they are connected by the desire to create art, artisans differ in many ways; for example they have different sources of inspiration, what works for one might not work for the other. The sources of inspiration for ancient artists are not the same as modern artists. It is therefore not plausible to use modern art to try to decipher ancient art. Prehistoric paintings are not depictions of shamanic trance visions. The paintings were based on creatures that were present the time like horses and reindeer that were in existence in Europe. These were creatures that were either eaten, used or seen by the ancient man. It is worth noting that different archeological sites had different set of animal paintings. The paintings in Europe comprised animals that were there at the time, Africa had its own set of animals and paintings, as was the rest of the world. If they were trance visions, then we could expect paintings of alien creatures in various archeological sites. For instance, we could expect to find paintings of American animals in African sites. No, it does not. It is difficult o deduce this issue due to the amount of time that separates modern times and the prehistoric times. No amount of thinking will enable us to know what made them start