Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Shakespeare's Midsummer night's dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Shakespeare's Midsummer night's dream - Essay Example The two woman are treated so differently because â€Å"the feminine either rebels against the restraining social order or presides in alliance with force that challenge its hegemony romantic love ,physical nature ,the love of pleasure in all its form .†Biana rebels quietly as Kate rages and use the masculine realm of language as a weapon. Biana’s rebellion is then not seen until her sister becomes silent. Hermia , white she openly challenges her father’s authority ;does not take on a masculine role as Helena are treated with distain because they directly challenge the masculine self by adopting its features Biana and Hermia instead embody the attribute of country love , because they are off limits. Biana is unattainable because her sister will not marry and Hermia because her father wants to marry one man and the heart belonged to another. This embodiment allows them to preside over the realm of romantic love which is outside the control of masculine social order (male gaze) (Natanson

Monday, October 28, 2019

Role of the church in secular concerns of its congregants Essay Example for Free

Role of the church in secular concerns of its congregants Essay As notable and important as the role of the Black church in inspiring community service by its congregants is the service provided by the church for its congregants’ secular concerns. Church programs can often encompass all areas of a congregant’s secular life. Social interaction and personal relationships are fostered among the congregation; social services such as youth ministry and care for adolescents, literacy programs, economic development programs and physical and mental health programs are provided; traditional pastoral services such as grief counseling and marriage counseling are also benefits of the membership in the Black church. Many of these services have been the subject of study and inquiry in recent years, and a review of extant literature can provide insight into the role of the modern Black church. PHYSICAL HEALTH PROGRAMS Health and preventative care programs are some of the most important secular program offered by Black churches to their congregations. The health picture of African-Americans is grim: higher rates of diabetes and heart disease, lower birth rates and life expectancies, higher infant mortality, and higher rates of psychological problems are all exacerbated by lower levels of health insurance coverage and racial discrimination in health care (NEEDS CITE). Church-based health programs are a vital resource for the underserved population of the church community. The Los Angeles Mammography Promotion in Churches Program, a Los Angeles area health initiative sponsored by the RAND Corporation, which targeted an underserved population (older Black women) for health screening care including mammograms, ran from 1996 to 1998, with 18 Black churches participating. The aims of the study were twofold: one, to determine the feasibility of churches as focal points for community health programs; and two, to test the effectiveness of church-based programs aimed at increasing preventative health care access to underserved populations. The authors considered that â€Å"the church can be an important conduit through which to inform racial/ethnic minorities about preventative care, and that the Black church, because of its ethic of service to others, is particularly well-suited for health promotion (Markens , 2005, 805). The authors of the study, Markens, Fox, Teub and Gilbert (2002), surveyed the pastors of 16 of the churches upon completion of the program to determine the effectiveness of the program and its implementation. The survey illuminated not only the effectiveness and importance of church-based health care programs for the Black community, but many of the problems with implementation and participation in these programs. The authors note that â€Å"given its historical and ongoing roles within the Black community, the church is an ideal setting in which to offer health promotion activities for African-Americans (2002, 805). † In order to obtain answers about the church leader’s perspective on the effectiveness of the program, the authors of the study interviewed sixteen of eighteen pastors of the church where the program was implemented; two of the pastors were excluded due to their short tenure with their churches, which meant that they had not been substantially involved in the program. The authors found that most of the pastors were generally enthusiastic and positive about the program and their church’s participation in it; however, there were also a number of criticisms of the study. The authors noted that what drew many of the pastors to participate in the study was their holistic approach to ministry. One participant, Reverend Henry, said: I try to have a holistic ministry, one that not only deals with the soul but the body as well†¦ there are many facets to us that make up whole people, and each one needs to be dealt with and the church can be a focal point in dealing with the needs of the whole person†¦ I feel very strongly that the physical wellbeing of the person is as important as their spiritual wellbeing. (Markens , 2002, 807). Some participants in the study went even further than Reverend Henry, expressing a dislike of the idea of the separation of spiritual and secular concerns and explicitly linking spiritual and physical health. Reverend Ellington, another participant, remarks: †¦there are a lot of people because of a spiritual mentality, they believe that the Lord will do everything and they†¦ really don’t have to be overzealous about doing anything†¦ so you have to keep telling them that the doctor is there because God put him here. So then you’re supposed to utilize that source. And so that’s my kind of emphasis, that I keep people interested in their whole body. (Markens , 2002, 807). More pragmatically, many participants recognized that physical health was important to the congregation because it could affect spiritual goals. Reverend Henry noted â€Å"if you don’t keep people alive, you’re not going to have a congregation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All the respondents to the study took the health of their congregation seriously, and considered it to be a matter of pastoral concern, disputing the idea that it was a secular matter (Markens , 2002, 808). One participant in the study, Reverend Hill, echoed a common sentiment when he remarked â€Å"the only reason for a church to be in existence is to better the community†¦ otherwise, it’s not a church† (Markens , 2002, 807). The eagerness and appreciation of community projects was a common attitude among the survey respondents. In a number of churches, the Los Angeles Mammography Promotion in Churches Program served as a gatekeeper for other church-based community health programs, often instigated or arranged by church members and pastors who observed the success of the mammography program. Programs such as diabetes and blood pressure screenings, health fairs and even the establishment of permanent Health Committees and Bible aerobics (a combination of a low-impact aerobics program with Bible study) were put into place in the participating churches, widening the congregation’s access to preventative health screening and care (Markens , 2002, 807). Not all of the responses to Marken’s study were positive. There were a number of barriers to care and the success of the program cited in the pastoral survey. The most common thread was lack of time on the part of the pastor to oversee the program; the responses speak to a larger problem within the church, that of high-stress leadership positions within the church. Reverend Hill stated: †¦ pastoring is one of the most stressful positions in America†¦ Mainly because you’re constantly on the go and consistently on call†¦ in the electronic age, you have a beeper on either side, you have a cell phone in your hand. You gotta check your email every day. And every time the phone rings you’re concerned†¦ you’re looking at a stressful society. (Markens , 2002, 808). At the same time, the presence of the pastor is extremely important – â€Å"in the Black church, people want to hear the voice of the leader†¦ some things just cannot be delegated ((Markens , 2002, 808). † There were other problems with the study that did not depend on the amount of time the pastor could devote to overseeing it. The smaller churches in the study didn’t have a lot of resources to draw on for financial support, which complicated administration of the program (many of the pastors worked second jobs in addition to overseeing the administration of the church. ) As the authors note, â€Å"Ironically, then, the Black church’s history of involvement in community and secular activities that makes them ideal sites for health interventions can at the same time possibly affect a pastor’s willingness to participate in new health programs (808). † Finally, the very lack of formal programs and secular support for the congregation’s health care affected the involvement of the congregation in the health intervention program. The combination of a lack of accustomed medical care, particularly preventative care and screening available to more affluent members of society, and a history of exploitation and abuse among the group resulted in an unwillingness to participate in a research study, regardless of how worthy it was (Markens , 2002, 809). The power of the Black church, although considerable, is not always enough to overcome the external pressure of the dominant culture. Another project that undertook a community health initiative within a Black church was Project DIRECT (Diabetes Interventions Reaching and Educating Communities Together). Project DIRECT, a federally funded research project sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Reid , 569). Project DIRECT was founded in 1994 in southeast Raleigh, North Carolina,, with the intended purpose of providing community care, education, screening and prevention resources in order to reduce the high rate of type II diabetes experienced within the African-American community in the region. This research project also examined the influence of another African-American institution, the historically Black university North Carolina Central University (NCCU), located in Raleigh, as a resource for community health programs. Reid state, â€Å"Historically, African American people have turned to the church for information about services of value and importance to them (571). † The authors note that the study was designed to take into account the fact that churches often have limited resources and are often overwhelmed with requests to participate in community health studies; careful organization of the study was required to avoid negatively impacting the pastor and outreach ability. The demographic profile of the church was considered more important for targeting church participation than the denomination of the church; however, there was no easy way to determine the demographic profile of any given church. In order to determine this, NCCU students participating in the study attended services at the church (with the pastor’s prior knowledge), and introduced themselves as Project DIRECT staffers during the fellowship time, discussing the project with those who showed an interest in it. The researcher observation allowed the Project to create a congregational health assessment tool (CHAT) used to determine the needs of the demographic served by the particular church, followed by a congregational health action plan (CHAP), customized to the church’s demographic. Church leaders were then engaged in providing their congregation with the appropriate contacts for education and management of type II diabetes within their congregation. The authors note that the outcome was positive: several churches reorganized or supplemented their health and social ministries on the findings of the CHAT and CHAP, and pastor response was positive. The interaction between the NCCU students and the church leaders and congregation was also noted as a positive outcome by the researchers: the Project DIRECT experience precipitated the founding of an interdepartmental master’s program in Community Health at NCCU, using the lessons learned to create a professional community health coordinator skill set within the community.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Yates :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article that I chose is one from TIME magazine entitled â€Å"The Yates Odyssey†. It tells the story of the tragic murder of five children by their 37 year old mother, Andrea Yates. The article traces her mental history throughout the years of the marriage and even before the marriage. The article notes that one of the reasons that she even initiated a relationship with her husband Rusty is because she was feeling down about a recent break up and â€Å"she got to a point where she needed companionship.† Reporters from TIME did an in depth investigation into the life and mind of Andrea Yates in an attempt to reveal the truths about one of the most appalling and disturbing murder cases of our time. Reporters spoke with Rusty Yates as well as doing interviews with family, friends and various doctors that cared for Andrea in the past. It talks about the various treatment methods that were used in her treatment, which will be a main focus in this rep ort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two articles, one from a publication called Patient Care and the other from The Journal of the American Medical Association, mainly speak along the lines of diagnosis and treatment for the depression that Andrea experienced prior to her final breakdown on the fateful day of June 20, 2001. They both state the fact that depression in women occurs at a rate that is about twice that of men. This is partly due to the fact that women seem to be more open when it comes to talking about their emotions, although temporary factors such as menstrual cycle can play a large role in these emotions. They also note that depression as a result of pregnancy is a very common occurrence, which is relevant because Andrea was pregnant a total of six times, one of which resulted in a miscarriage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the media’s coverage of this event and its roots seemed to be very in depth, a look into the studies on the topic of depression show that there are a few aspects that were neglected in the report. One of the major facets of the case that I feel was not discussed in enough detail was that of the treatment, or lack of. The media noted several occasions in which Andrea was given medication in order to control her depression. Some of these medications such as Zoloft and Haldol, which are antidepressants that induced positive changes in her personality and demeanor, were given periodically to Andrea.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Dkny Media Studies, Advertisement

DKNY Assignment Donna Karan: At sixty four, Donna Karan is still one of the most influential fashion designers in the world of classic and comfortable clothing; Donna Karan International (DKI) defines the metropolitan flair that bridges the difference between stylishly casual and conventional wear. The company designs and sells men’s and women's clothing, including suits, sportswear, accessories, and shoes, under the Donna Karan New York, DKNY, DKNY Jeans, and DKNY Active labels amongst several others. DKI sells to upscale department and speciality stores as well as its own its own establishments.It also licenses third parties to run most of its international stores. Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy holds a majority stake in Donna Karan, although designer Karan still remains in creative control of its fashion lines and helps maintain her namesake brand. The main themes in both the print and TV adverts present DKNY as a perfume and a brand as both seductive and desirable, yet accept ed as professional for successful businesswomen globally. Focussing on the print advert, the representation of the brand through the model fits with the male gaze ideology, applying to this advert even though the product is targeted at women.Many fashion photographers and directors are male, this specific shot taken by Mikael Jansson, therefore sell the product through the male eyes, and now women will automatically view it through those eyes too, after it having being used in the media world for years. DKNY strikes the balance between passion and nature, reflecting our needs for belonging and relationship, a modern take on the story of Adam and Eve which is suggested by the apple as a focus point in the ads and finished product.This is shown by the lighting and focus in the print and an extreme close up in the TV advert. The apple represents the forbidden fruit in the bible story of Genesis (meaning Lara Stone would be seen as playing the character of Eve) which connotes irresistib ility and temptation. Furthermore, the apple is already bitten in the print advert, suggesting that the fragrance holds the secret to the woman’s allure. In the TV commercial it is made clear that Lara Stone becomes more attractive to the man after she thanks him for his help with a seductive bite.The connotation of an apple is fresh and invigorating, which adds a certain flare to the simple romance narrative of the ad and suggests the scent may do the same to the buyer’s love lives. Lara Stone somewhat follows the guidelines for the ‘stereotypical blonde’, reinforcing the ‘ bimbo’ expectations of society. Almost floating around her flawless natural face is her golden hair, perceived to be so perfect and innocent it is almost heavenly; this connotes an angelic side to the otherwise sensual advert.Adding to the seductive themes of the advert is the innocent yet knowing stare of Lara Stone into the camera lens, embracing her inner ‘sirenâ €™ and her slightly parted anticipating dewy lips, as if expecting a kiss rather than having taken a bite of an apple. She instantly becomes somebody the target audience would aspire to either be or look like, suggesting how the fragrance may impact the audiences self-esteem making them wish to wear it, self-esteem hitting Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.The product itself, which is designed to look like an apple has a reflection of New York on it, this represents ‘The Big Apple’ the audience will be able to make the connection. New York is seen as the epicentre of modern world, the desirable life, a ‘city that never sleeps’ a reflection of both success and fashion simultaneously, DKNY’s brand reflection also. The imagery of New York in relation to the brand name also fits. Titling the printed advert below the model are burnished gold letters spelling ‘delicious’, a statement, ‘golden’ tilting slightly over the top le ft corner of the text in a cursive type face.This links to the falling apples in the TV ad, the falling of the word. Aside of this, the rest of the ad’s copy is simple, white and straight to the point. The main themes of the print advert are carried through to the broadcast version of the ‘Delicious’ campaign, conveying the same ideologies and messages to the audience. However I personally think it adds another dimension both to the model/actress and the product itself, seeming more developed and relaxed, not as intense as the staring portrait of Lara Stone in the print advertisement.It narrates the model on a morning walk to work, or so the audience can assume, showing the successful life she leads holding down a job in the ‘Big Apple’ whilst being so relaxed and naturally perfect. This breaks the stereotype earlier mentioned, though is soon subverted when she plays out the character of the classic ‘damsel in distress’ as her clumsiness is made evident at an apple stall, soon rescued by a typical dark haired handsome ‘hero’ figure.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Challenges Associated with High Fixed Costs †Airlines Essay

What are the challenges associated with managing in a business with high fixed costs like airlines? To understand the challenges firms face with regard to high fixed costs we must first have a basic understanding. A fixed cost is a routine cost the company incurs despite production, and changes in volume. It is a cost that must be paid routinely, but the amount of the expense may vary. Firms with high fixed costs must have complete understanding of what fixed costs exist that will be incurred, and how much revenue they need to generate in order to cover those costs and remain profitable. Companies operating in the airline industry face several opportunities in managing and developing strategies that take into account the following challenges: rivalry, high-fixed costs, low capacity, and price competition. The high fixed costs faced by airline companies are the costs of planes, fuel, pilots, flight attendants, and additional staff for baggage and customer service. The airline industry is fiercely competitive and the ability to manage these costs and deliver revenue is what makes a firm successful. In a growing market the amount of entries and competitive offers can hinder the ability to remain viably profitable. â€Å"In short, companies that operate with a high fixed cost business model, particularly companies that operate in cyclical end markets, get hit the hardest when there is a cyclical downturn or a push out of an expected spending pattern.† (â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?† (2012). When the industry struggles, competition to meet revenue goals increase, and airline firms tend to either encounter significant unexpected expenses to keep up or get caught in a price war situation. As far as competition in the airline industry, labor is a fixed-cost that can significantly impact a firm. With the level of competition in the aviation industry, and the amount of firms competing, it can be challenging to retain the skilled pilots, staff, and customer service employees. Pricing strategy is a challenge as well, in that, in order to be the most productive firm and minimize the effect of these high fixed-costs, airlines must maintain just enough equipment and enough route offerings to meet demand, and therefore remain profitable. The difficulties experienced by high-fixed costs according to Paul McWilliams, â€Å"†¦companies with high fixed costs models have inherently low cost flexibility and are, therefore, very sensitive to fluctuations in  revenue.† (â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?†) High-fixed costs allow the ability to produce high profit if the company runs at a high productivity and is in a growing market. If a company cannot produce revenue, it will detrimentally impact the firm’s ability to remain profitable. To sum up the challenges in terms operating in the airline industry, James Joyner says, â€Å"We’ve had commercial aviation for nearly a century now and nobody has managed to make a sustained go of it yet. As the business starts to look profitable, we’ll inevitably see more entrants into the competition, driving down price, and demands from labor for their fair share, driving up costs.† Therefore, the ability to minimize the challenges faced in operating with high-fixed costs comes down to awareness of the fixed costs, the ability to remain competitive while operating in volatile industry, and a firms ability to generate revenue. Works Cited McWilliams, Paul. (2012). â€Å"Alcatel-Lucent: Turnaround or takeover?† Retrieved from http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=4bab7644-01a6-4b4e-b636-443995abad2b Joyner, James. Publisher, â€Å"Airlines Make Profit!† Outside the Beltway Retrieved from http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/airlines-make-profit/