Analysing Personal Development as a Strategic Manager

Analysing Personal Development as a Strategic Manager Management and leadership skills are needed in every industry and every walk of life. Therefore it is essential for new managers to learn the leadership skills as well as manager skills to perform effectively and efficiently. In this assignment, I investigate what leadership skills required by a manager. My chosen business is Tesco, which is UK biggest retailer and I have been able to investigate these issues by referring to related books and some internet resources. The focus of this assignment is to find which leadership skills required are by Tesco from their manager and how Tesco developed these skills in their managers. The results of this study show that if managers have good leadership skills then managers are ready to lead their team and organisations toward their goals. Introduction Management is a group of individuals taking decisions about how a business is run and also perform some duties like problem solving, decision making, planning, meeting, team management, delegation, and personal development. Despite similarities in the general activities of management, the job roles of individual managers differ widely and the work of manager is varied and fragmented according to business needs and depends on their abilities. The word management evokes power. A negative impact can be caused by having one person superior to every one else, such as a president would take the decision to go to war, even though nobody would be happy with that idea. Now we can see there are different approaches to solve the problems adopt by the managers and the leaders. However the aim of all these approaches is to turn negative thinking into positive. Management is the process of getting work done effectively and efficiently with and through other people and choose the best way which is in the best interest of the organisation and for the team. 21st century management is not business management. It is particularly important for the growth sector of a developed society and Management is the specific and distinguishing organ of any and all organisations. (Drucker, 1999) What is Manager? In any organisation, an individual who is in charge of a certain group of people, tasks or a certain department is called manager. A manager often has a group of people who take orders and give the report to him or her. As an example, a restaurant will have a manager who helps the customers and supervises the hosts as well. Managers designate according to the nature of the department within the company and they can be line managers, store managers or area managers depending upon the functionality of the department. Early in the history of management manager was defined as someone who is responsible for the work of other peoples. (Drucker, 1999) According to Mullins, a manager should be strategically aware and appreciate the origins and nature of change. They should developed themselves and be competent to deal effectively with the problems which represent opportunities and threats to the environment, the organisations culture and values, and the resources of the organisation (Mullins , 1999). Kanter states that Managers also have to be specialists in ambiguity with the ability to cope with conflicting and unclear requirements. (Kanter, 1984) Roles/Duties of Mangers within the Organisation Managers carry out their work on a daily basis and perform different roles/duties according to the situations. A single word to describe all these features would be chaos. (Peters, 1988) Managers have the both duties to manage themselves as well as their subordinates. So here under some of roles/duties of the managers which they perform everyday. Getting things done. Set the daily targets. Planning ahead. Maintaining momentum and making thinks happen. Reacting to demands and request. Communication and decision making. Dealing with customers and staff. Deal with different situations as they arise. Follow the health and safety procedure. Styles of Management and Required Skills We see above the different roles/duties of managers and now we will see various management styles and how managers are functioning in these styles. There are usually five different styles in which a manager may apply leadership attributes to operate effectively at strategic level and keep the team running in businesses. Which are as follows? Democratic Autocratic Paternalistic Laissez-faire Consultative Democratic In this style, manager invites employees to take part in the process of decision-making therefore everything is agreed by the majority. The communication is in both directions from subordinates to leaders and vice-versa. This style can be very useful when crucial decision need to be made which need more attention than others. For example, when a new ICT system needs to be put in place and the upper management of the business is computer-illiterate. In democratic style decision making process is slow but the quality of work improves and makes the best decision for the business. Autocratic An Autocratic or strict manager makes all the decisions, keeping the information and decision making among the senior management. Managers set objectives and tasks for the team and they exactly do as they are told to do. The communication in this style is mainly from leader to the subordinate. According to the critics, this style of management decreases the motivation in the employees. The main advantage of this style is that business looks well managed and the decisions will all be similar but the disadvantage is that subordinates may become highly dependent upon the leaders and supervision may needed all the time. Paternalistic Paternalistic style is good for the welfare and motivation of employees. However managers make the decisions in the best interest of the employees rather than the business. The leader explains most decisions to the employees and ensures that their social and leisure needs are always met. Communication is again downwards but this style is highly advantageous because in this staff looks happier and give their best for the business and the disadvantage is Employees may feel valued but frustrated because there is little scope for decision making. Laissez-faire In a Laissez-faire style, the manager role is secondary and the subordinates are free to make decisions and manage their own areas of the business. The communication move in this style is horizontal, meaning that it is equal in both directions, however very little communication occurs in comparison with other styles. This style is only successful if the team is professional and expert in their areas otherwise may lead to chaos without the involvement of the management. Regular communication and feedback is required for this style of work. Consultative There are two Consultative leadership styles; the first involves the leader sharing the problems with the relevant team members individually getting their ideas and suggestions without bringing them together as a group. Then the leader makes the decision that may or may not reflect the team member influence. The second style is similar but in this leader gets the suggestions from the group of team members and on the basis of these suggestions comes to the decision. (www.thetimes100.co.uk) What is Leadership? Leadership requires a person not to lead a different set of people in an organisation but influence and motivate them. Therefore, the term dictates a person to be followed and respected by others and for these followers to find a way through leadership to express their selves with more exuberance (Heifetz, 1994). Leadership definition according to Northouse is that leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. (Northouse, 2006) It is concerned that how leaders put their influence on followers. The basic of leadership is influence and without put any affect leadership does not exist. The Distinction between Management and Leadership Managers have to be leaders but leaders are often, but not always managers. But the distinction can be made between the process of management and leadership. What is the difference between management and leadership? It is a question that has been asked more than once and also answered in different ways. This is the same as saying that they are working for two different purposes. The easy way to understand the difference is that leadership make the new directions and the manager executes the existing directions as efficiently as possible. The other difference between managers and leaders is that leaders motivate the people who work or follow them and on the other hand managers have subordinates and they work for them but not follow them. Managers normally set the task for their team members and the team do what they are told to do so. But the manager work is not just the monitoring of everyday operations but its also includes handle the complex situations and take decision according t o these situations. Unfortunately, management is mistakenly seen as task-oriented, controlling and insensitive to peoples needs. By contrast, leaders are portrayed as emotionally engaging, visionary and inspiring. An inspiring leader induces us to change direction while an inspiring manager motivates us to work harder to get a tough job done on time. (Armstrong, 2008) What Leadership Skills are required by Manager to Perform Effectively? To manage effectively, an individual requires many skills and various personal qualities for successful completion of their objectives. The quality and the skills together make the management style of the individual and the style directly affect the final outcome of the task completion. As a manager, there are a lot of leadership skills that need to be required by a manager to effectively operate at strategic level. According to the Pedler et al (1986) these are the following leadership skills or attributes that should be possessed by a successful manager and broadly these are: Interpersonal skills Delegation Analytical Problem solver Communication ability Decision making Innovative Influential Providing direction Facilitating change The above mentioned leadership skills is very essential for any manager to perform effectively and successful companies are built by good managers and expert leaders and managers skills play a vital role for the success of the company and most successful companies have the best managers at the business whether they be traditional or internet based companies. Now I would like to discuss some important manager skills which are required by Tesco Company as an example and how their managers use their skills to make the Tesco top retailer in the United Kingdom. History Tesco is a UK-owned supermarket company with revenue of  £47 billion (about  £33 billion in the UK) Tesco is the largest British retailer and is also the worlds third largest grocery retailer with outlets across Europe, USA and Asia. In 1919 Jack Cohen founded Tesco when he began to sell surplus groceries from a stall in the East End of London.The company has recently opened stores in all over the world and this is the part of the plan to expand and grow their business all over the world. (Talking Tesco, 2009) What Leadership Skills Tesco Mangers required? A good combination of Tesco management has seen that their company rises above its competitors and dominate the UK market. Tesco management has good criteria about appointing their manager. They have a good system to develop their skills and continuous development plan are other components in the success of Tesco strategic management. So given below are some of the leadership skills which a Tesco manager is required to perform effectively and efficiently. Interpersonal Skills Good interpersonal skills are essential for any organization managers. For example in Tesco stores all the team members has easy access to their managers and can easily speak what they feel or if they have any problem. Delegation Delegation is another important leadership skill which a manager should have to work effectively. Delegation should be applied using the SMART principles. Where SAMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time. In Tesco stores managers is pass out all the information they have to their team members and all of them knows what they expect from them. Analytical Tesco is progressing so fast because their managers analyse the key issue in the market properly and act according to them. For example keep an eye on the prices of their competitors and change them accordingly and in this way you dont lose your customer. Problem Solver Tesco management gives advanced training to their managers to handle the difficult situations and find the best solutions which are according to the legislation and regulations of the company. Communication Ability This skill involves the ability to transmit messages, thoughts, and information and so on by talking, writing etc. Good communication is required within the workplace so that employer and its employees can maintain good working relationship. For example in Tesco when any internal vacancy available then manager have to communicate to the staff first by advertising, by oral communication or through monthly staff meeting. Managing Team This skill shows how manager make plan to manage their teams according to the need of the business and this activity in Tesco consists of designing Rota for each employee and make sure that overtimes and covering for someone who is not available are taken in consideration. Decision making Managers should have the ability to make decisions like leaders and this skill is the one which creates the difference between the effective management and standard management. In Tesco stores mostly decision made by managers and its good for the business because manager work closely with their team and customers and know better than the others who just sitting in the office. Innovative Innovation is very important for the growth of the business and Tesco manager are well aware of these. They try new ideas in the business like the idea of self checkout machines which is very beneficial and through these you can easily increase your sales and customer waiting time is reduced as well. Managing Change In order to become a market leader Tesco managers make sure that they are aware of the changes happening in the market. For example changes in consumer taste, trends and keep an eye on their competitors for counter-act. Achieving Results Managers should have the skill of goal achiever and finish the daily operational task within the given time and this way they can check performance of their team. Performance Focus Tesco manager check their staff performance on monthly or some time on quarterly basis and review their performance and give them a training to improve their effectiveness. Customer Focus In retail business mostly too much focus on customer care and for this they adopt different way to get the customer review about their services or about their products. Providing Direction Tesco have the objective to maximize their profit and for that they give their manager special training that how their manager move their team in right direction which is achieve this target and everybody of their team know what they expect from them. Risk Assessment Managers should be able to do risk assessment on their work place. Manager can calculate the risk by the help of these five steps: Firstly identify the hazards and work out how people could be harmed. Think you might be harmed and how? Evaluate the risks and decide on which precautions you adopt. Record your findings and make a plan to implement them and share with your staff. Review your risk assessment and update if necessary. You can calculate risk assessment by this simple formula Risk = Severity x Likelihood and can record the assessment by help of 3 x 3 matrix (see in appendix 1, page 20) With the help of this chart you can record your risk and make plan for health and safety. (Rowlings, 2010) To conclude, Tesco managers are well equipped with leadership skills which described above and they are very successful in their jobs role and Tesco become the leader of the UK market. Without the presence of these skills managers could be failing and will not be as effective as others, and the business will eventually fail if there is no action taken to develop these skills. After this the next step is personal gap analysis and personal development plan of the manager and its show the clear picture of where they are stand and what steps they need to take to get the desired outcomes. Personal Gap Analysis Gap analysis helps individuals and businesses to achieve their objectives and improve their performance. It is a simple but very effective tool to find the ways between actual and the desired goals or objectives. Successful organisations use this tool for the development of their employees and to identify the area of improvement. Gap analysis begins by asking you two simple questions: (Rowlings, 2010) Where are you now? Where do you want to be? By answering these questions you can easily make personal development plan and the action plan to achieve desired outcome or goal. Personal Development Plan Personal skills development plan is very necessary for any manager to perform effectively. By the audit of your personal skills development plan you can easily know your areas of strength and the areas where you need more training. On the basis of these outcomes you can make your action plan for the future. So as an example I will analyse Tesco store manager Paul Holloway. He is managing the Tesco store at Wolverton for last 8 months and has worked for the company last 23 years in various roles across the country and here is his personal skills audit and personal development plan. Personal Skills Audit and Personal Development Plan Of Paul Holloway Wolverton Tesco Store Manager SKILLS DESCRIPITON Score 1-5 (5 highest ) Communication and literacy skills I am good in communication with my team and team members easily follow me what I want to say. I also have good relation with the customer and its possible by the communication skill 4 Group interpersonal skills ( working with others) I have plenty of experience of working as part of a team and very efficient member of a group. I always try to make positive impact on others and decision which I make depend on the consultation with team and get everybody suggestion to make final decision. I am quite good to welcome to new people and easily adjust with them. 4 Organizational personal skills independent learning and working I am self motivated person and I can plan and schedule the work as I choose. Although I do my best which is best interest of the organization and my team. 3 Research problem solving skills I take problems as a challenges Rather than major obstacles. I discuss with my team and choose the best process to solve the problem and make the plan that ensures that we will not face it in the future. 3 ICT skills I am confident to use the latest technology equipment and good in handling machinery. I use the internet for research and also make contact with my colleagues and top management. 4 Enterprise management skills I try to manage the strategic direction of the whole store and try to keep it on track by making daily basis action plan and review these regularly. 3 Action Plan for Personal Development Plan Outcomes Of Paul Holloway Wolverton Tesco Store Manager ACTION RESOURCES WHEN Promote equality and diversity in my workplace Join the local community centre or some learning organizations to find out more about equality and diversity. Within 3 months Promote the use of technology in my business Promote myself and team members to get training about the new technology. Within 3 months Lead change within my organization Take leadership training course or attend the seminars about change and they implement with in the organization. Within 6 months Develop a strategic plan Try to do more e-learning about the business plan and get the skills required to put plan in the business. Within 2 months Put the business plan into action Implement the business plan and monitor at regular intervals. Within 6 months Having carried out this personal skills audit, we are able to identify the areas where he is strong and where he needs more training and development to operate effectively in these departments. So he can easily make his action plan for the personal development plan outcomes. By these assessments leaders know where they stand and take the best route to achieve their goals. It is also the first step towards their personal and professional development process required to become a strategic leader. Conclusion According to the findings leadership skills of Tesco management is playing a vital role in their success. Tesco is a successful UK organisation and over the past five years their market shares is increased and setup some new retail units as well. This has been achieved by their good management department skills that are playing a major part in their success. Leading is just as important to Tesco as other functions of the management, because Tesco spent too much on their managers training to develop their leadership skills. In other words leading can be directly linked to corporate image in the sense that whatever employees or their managers do is perceived by customers and the local community as their organisational culture. Therefore, if employees are very helpful towards customers it will lead to delight customers and delight customers leads to success of the organisation. Tesco managers have good interpersonal and communicational skills which will create a friendly environment whe re employees will feel free and happy to work and also raise the performance of Tesco and help the company to achieve their objectives. Management of Tesco are doing their best to make their company at the highest position. I have noticed that the role of a manager is very complex and broad. The manager has to try to bring harmony and peace while working in the organisation. Mostly people make a common mistake about the manger is that they must be loud, and a great drinker or a great something social to draw people to them. This is wrong, if you look in any company structure, you will find quiet modest people who manage teams with great personal success. If you are modest and all you need is to talk clearly to the people. The great managers are the ones who accept challenges and who are ready to lead their teams towards a personal vision. According to research, currently in the UK business market only one in five managers is professionally qualified and strong demand for managers who got the leadership skills is growing within the businesses. It is very important for individuals who are in position of great responsibility to be able to play both roles. The person who cannot manage will destroy an organisation just as well as the one who dont know how to lead. But the people who have both skills are on the path to success.

Teen Alcohol Addiction Essay -- Alcoholism

Teen alcohol addiction - Is there any hope for a teenager who wants to get his or her life straightened out? It's very interesting that I find myself writing about something that not only is commonsense, but what is more, something that every one knows about in general but may not in particular. Alcohol use among teenagers is a serious problem and is responsible for death and injury in automobile accidents, physical and emotional disability, deterioration of academic performances, aggressive behavior that causes a number of other sociological problems in families and among friends. It is also the primary cause of criminal behavior and a leading cause of broken marriages. As we know it's a broad topic therefore I'll look at the role that alcohol plays in the society and its impact on teenage addiction. The teen years are a rough time in life in the normal way of human development. If the problem of constant drinking is added to this, there are very serious dangers and pitfalls ahead for these teenagers. Often, they will develop psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, or an antisocial personality that goes much further than the usual period of rebellious behavior that most teenagers go through. Uncontrollable anger can be another result of an addiction to alcohol and there are many instances where teenagers create crimes. The most recent studies of the problem show that the two main causes for the deaths of those between fifteen and twenty four years old are road accidents and suicide. There are also a high proportion of teenagers whose addiction to alcohol has led them into taking drugs. The problem of teen addiction to alcohol can bring only disaster to the young people concerned and misery to their families an... ...inking is against the law, teenagers do not perceive it as a bad thing as long as they are responsible and designate drivers. The good news is they do designate drivers. Nearly two thirds of drinking teenagers always establish a designated driver when drinking with friends. The age when young people are taking their first drink is becoming lower each year. Many studies show that preteens are experimenting with alcohol and many are already heavy drinkers. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to believe that a seventh grade student can have an alcohol problem, but a study of student drinking practices shows that 5% of seventh-grade boys and 4.4% of seventh-grade girls are seriously abusing alcohol. That's why we see the consequences in terms of antisocial behavior, school failure, attention deficit, learning disabilities and road accidents among the teenagers. Teen Alcohol Addiction Essay -- Alcoholism Teen alcohol addiction - Is there any hope for a teenager who wants to get his or her life straightened out? It's very interesting that I find myself writing about something that not only is commonsense, but what is more, something that every one knows about in general but may not in particular. Alcohol use among teenagers is a serious problem and is responsible for death and injury in automobile accidents, physical and emotional disability, deterioration of academic performances, aggressive behavior that causes a number of other sociological problems in families and among friends. It is also the primary cause of criminal behavior and a leading cause of broken marriages. As we know it's a broad topic therefore I'll look at the role that alcohol plays in the society and its impact on teenage addiction. The teen years are a rough time in life in the normal way of human development. If the problem of constant drinking is added to this, there are very serious dangers and pitfalls ahead for these teenagers. Often, they will develop psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, or an antisocial personality that goes much further than the usual period of rebellious behavior that most teenagers go through. Uncontrollable anger can be another result of an addiction to alcohol and there are many instances where teenagers create crimes. The most recent studies of the problem show that the two main causes for the deaths of those between fifteen and twenty four years old are road accidents and suicide. There are also a high proportion of teenagers whose addiction to alcohol has led them into taking drugs. The problem of teen addiction to alcohol can bring only disaster to the young people concerned and misery to their families an... ...inking is against the law, teenagers do not perceive it as a bad thing as long as they are responsible and designate drivers. The good news is they do designate drivers. Nearly two thirds of drinking teenagers always establish a designated driver when drinking with friends. The age when young people are taking their first drink is becoming lower each year. Many studies show that preteens are experimenting with alcohol and many are already heavy drinkers. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to believe that a seventh grade student can have an alcohol problem, but a study of student drinking practices shows that 5% of seventh-grade boys and 4.4% of seventh-grade girls are seriously abusing alcohol. That's why we see the consequences in terms of antisocial behavior, school failure, attention deficit, learning disabilities and road accidents among the teenagers.

Accent Discrimination on the Job Essay

The topic scenario that I chose was on accent discrimination. In this scenario an employee named Maria has had her job threatened due to tardiness, attendance, and language problems. Specifically her rapid speech patterns and heavy accent had lead to communication issues within her workplace. This topic is important for the study of cultural diversity because many people who move to the United States have accents. I would like to discover whether language issues such as having an accent are sufficient grounds for termination. To me this would seem to be an act of discrimination that conflicts with the Civil Rights Act (L.A. NOW, 2012). Therefore I would need to check the language of the bill to see if Maria’s case applies. I plan to research the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2002; EEOC Press Release, 2011) as well as publications on workplace fairness and discrimination from government websites. Pertinent cases to explore would be other language discrimination suits, especially any filed against Employers for wrongful termination due to an accent. However situations could exist where the ability to be understood in plain English would be imperative to one’s employment, depending on the necessary responsibilities of a particular job. Any other cases where a precedent has already been set would be helpful to establish discrimination in Maria’s situation or possible wrongful termination (Workplace Fairness, 2009). References EEOC Press Release. (2011). Employees Fired For Speaking Spanish On The Job, Saying ‘Good Morning’ in Native Language. Retrieved from www.eeoc.gov. L.A. NOW. (2012). State Senate approves bill banning language discrimination. Retrieved from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/english-only.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2002). Language uses: Accent discrimination. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/national-origin.html Workplace Fairness. (2009). Language discrimination. Retrieved from http://www.workplacefairness.org/language

Proper Punctuation for Appositive Phrases

Proper Punctuation for Appositive Phrases Proper Punctuation for Appositive Phrases Proper Punctuation for Appositive Phrases By Mark Nichol When two terms that mean the same thing are introduced in succession in a sentence, careless writers, by omitting a crucial comma, often imply that the definition of the terms is in fact distinct. Here are some examples of misleading statements, plus discussions and revisions. 1. â€Å"Sunlight is a mixture of different colors or wavelengths, which combine to form white light.† Colors and wavelengths are, for practical purposes, the same thing, but â€Å"colors or wavelengths† implies otherwise. To signal that wavelengths is an alternative term for colors, it should be set off in an appositive phrase: â€Å"Sunlight is a mixture of colors, or wavelengths, that combine to form white light.† (Notice, too, the replacement of which with that and the deletion of the comma that followed it not all colors, or wavelengths, combine to form white light; only these do. I also deleted the usually superfluous adjective different.) 2. â€Å"Its odd properties are essential for the evolution and survival of life on Earth, particularly given its ability to form a weak connection called a hydrogen or H-bond.† The weak connection is not called a hydrogen or H-bond, and it does not have the alternative names hydrogen and H-bond, both of which possibilities are suggested by this statement; the choices are â€Å"hydrogen bond† and H-bond. To indicate that H-bond is a distinct term, that it is not an alternative to hydrogen alone, and that it is an abbreviation of â€Å"hydrogen bond† requires a minimal pair of corrections: the use of the full phrase â€Å"hydrogen bond† and the insertion of a comma after that phrase. The revision is â€Å"Its odd properties are essential for the evolution and survival of life on Earth, particularly given its ability to form a weak connection called a hydrogen bond, or H-bond.† 3. â€Å"Then, as that part of Earth passes out of the gravitational bulge, the tide goes out or ebbs.† Again, the lack of a comma between two terms separated by or implies distinct meanings (suggesting that going out and ebbing are different actions), but this sentence, in describing a scientific phenomenon, explains a process and then supplies a perhaps unfamiliar synonym, so a comma should divide them. But there’s another problem one that I haven’t seen discussed in writing guides or grammar handbooks but that has always bothered me: Why, when introducing a new term, supply the better-known synonym or a definition first what’s the use of including the new term if it’s not presented before the aid to comprehension? It seems more logical to provide the new term first, then provide context: â€Å"Then, as that part of Earth passes out of the gravitational bulge, the tide ebbs, or goes out.† (The second example in this post at least positions the appositive terms sensibly, and the first example does not apply, as one term does not define the other, as here, or clarify it, as in the second example.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidStory Writing 101The Difference Between "Un-" and "Dis-"

The clouds in the sky create a nice cool blanket f Essays

The clouds in the sky create a nice cool blanket f Essays The clouds in the sky create a nice cool blanket from the hot sun. I can smell the rain that was once falling. The sound from the cars and the people create a nice little harmony that one could easily lay down and relax to. Not too far off in the distance I see the old softball stadium. And scattered around the park are huge oak trees. I can also see the playground, and the muddy path that the runners take. Now, the clouds are breaking and shinning just a hint of sun into this wonderful picture. The temperature is one that is dreamed of on the hottest and the coldest days. It is not to hot, and it is definitely not to cold. This new sunlight seems to change the color of everything. The grass which was once a forest green has now turned into green. The trees which seemed dark at first, now actually resembles brown bark and green leaves. Even the metal fence that goes around the softball stadium has turned from grey into silver. There seems to be more movement now, and I hear a bir d chirp every so often. The sun seems to be playing hide-and-go-seek with the clouds. I could definitely spend all day at this heavenly place. The clouds imprison the sun. The trees, in the breeze, shake like little kids on their first day of school. The sound of the cars and people remind you of how busy the world is. An old abandoned softball stadium looks as though it hasna t seen a player in years. The playground, that once held the smiling faces of children, now too is as lonesome as an old widow. The rain has left behind puddles. The mud, as if it were quicksand, waits for peoplea s feet. The mix of the humid air and the smog from the cars seems to clog my nose. This dark day makes me feel like I am lost in eternity. The icy wind whistles through the finger like branches of the bare trees, a light covering of snow lying heavily on their extremities. Brittle autumn leaves dance dramatically around in a great swirl of colour . Children are skating on the icy surface of the pond making large cracks like gaping wounds. Sledges hurtle down the piebald hills, rosy faces glowing and laughing, amidst the flurry of ice particles. Snowball throwing children cry with pain, their swollen red fingers throbbing with cold, their gloves wet and icy. An isolated snowman looks out over the glacial landscape, its coal eyes surveying all before it, somebody's old bob-cap perched crookedly on its cold head. People scurry along, their hats and scarves protecting them from the blustery weather, the sallow sun casting a weak shadow across the deserted play area. Those who can no longer brave the weather take shelter in the cosy warmth of the cafe. Hot drinks are welcoming against the arctic elements outside. They chat about the inclement conditions, all of them looking forward to the first awakening signs of spring. A lone swan walks gracefully towards children throwing bread, its perfect white plumage camouflaged against the crisp whiteness of the snow. Robins perch on the trees waiting for any scraps or crumbs they may find, their feathers dishevelled from the breeze. The gates on the tennis courts are locked, they lie deserted and unused waiting for the first players of the year to arrive. The bowling green and crazy golf have an eerie silence about them, they lie like a forgotten town, deserted and derelict. I leave my lonely bench now. The cold is seeping through into my bones, the blood icy through my veins. My thick coat pulled tightly to keep me a little warmer. Maybe I will come again next week to sit and watch the winter wonderland before me. C hildren run excitedly towards the chiming of the ice cream van, its familiar tune carried on the warm summer breeze, the raspberry sauce dripping blood like down their hands. Families with swimming costumed children paddle in the paddling pool, their faces contorted with laughter and delight. Some baby's lie asleep in buggies their rosy cheeks scorched by

The Historical Formation of West Virginia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Historical Formation of West Virginia - Essay Example According to Lessing (1996) "West Virginia basically consists of two areas: namely, the western area which is called the Appalachian Plateau Province, a plateau of relatively flat-lying rocks and the eastern part in which the Valley and Ridge Province lay which consist of folded and faulted rocks. These two areas are divided by the Allegheny Front. In the eastern part of West Virginia the oldest rocks can be found and as one proceeds westward, the rocks are younger and younger". At the beginning of the Devonian Period the Helderberg group was being formed, followed by the Oriskany Formation, the Millboro Formation, the Brallier Formation, the Foreknobs Formation and the Hampshire Formation. In this report the most important geological features are being explained in a historical order. At the beginning of the Devonian time (Upper Devonian) the Helderberg Group was being formed. Baedke and Fichter (2000) state that "during the end of the previous period (which is called the Silurian Period) West Virginia had been a desert since the sea had regressed. But by the beginning of the Devonian Time the Tippecanoe sea began its major transgression, which caused a rise in sea level and as a result of this the land flooded". According to Dorobek and Read (1986) the Helderberg Group is a "is a mix of siliciclastic-carbonate sediments that was formed during a relativ stable tectonic environment, namely on a slope that consisted of low-relief tectonic highlands on the eastern side of the Appalachian Plateau Province. Dorobek at al. state that the Helderberg Group lasted bout 8-10 million years. In this timeperiod three transgressive-regressive eras can be distinguished from each other. Each sequence was shaped over 2-3 million years. Finally the Helderberg Group was buried by t hick Middle Devonian siliciclastic sediments". "By the end of the Upper Devonian Period the sea level had reduced again because of a major regression of the Tippecanoe sea. Rocks that had been deposited in West Virginia were removed because of erosion. Pure black quartz sand was spread across West Virginia through which the Oriskany formation was formed. This all happened during a rare period of tectonic stability" (Baedke and Fichter (2000)). "Brame 2001 claims that at the beginning of the Middle Devonian Period the sea level changed again because of transgression of the sea. Through the rise of the sealevel the Millboro sequence, a deep water black shale, could be formed" (pp25-26). During the end of the Middle Devonian Period (when the tectonics where unstable again) and the beginning of the Lower Devonian Period the Brallier sequence was formed. According to Brame (2001) "a part of the Brallier Formation, namely the Back Creek Silt-stone Member, has been formed by a tectonically caused clastic wedge. Brame (2001) states that another sequence of the Brallier Formation, namely the Minnehaha Springs Member, has been formed by erosion as a result of sea-level regressions" (pp27-29). During the Lower Devonian Period, when the shoreline was shifting, the Foreknobs Formation was deposited in a shelf environment. "The Foreknobs exist according to Brame (2001) of siltstone and sandstone. Brame (2001) adds that "the Foreknobs Formation was separated into five sequences: namely, the Mallow, Briery Gap, Blizzard, Pound Sandstone, and Red Lick. The Foreknobs Forma

Public argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public argument - Essay Example It opposes the highly punitive and restrictive approach to copyright in digital media because it has not and will not solve digital piracy and instead, innovative business models with collectivistic values can help curb it. Increasingly punitive copyright laws are not effective in ending digital piracy because technology is faster than lawmaking. Several laws have been passed for the past twenty-five years that support copyrighted media, but up to now, digital media continue to be pirated and shared through P2P and other networking systems. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA) provides a structure that implements a system of copyright protections, which include important automatic restrictions with criminal and civil sanctions, wherein they generally define â€Å"knowledge as an asset more than a public resource† (Filby 207). The 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) reinforced the CDPA, as it treated various media products as corporate assets, even when t hey were previously perceived and used as public resources. Despite these laws, digital media piracy continues, particularly affecting the industries of movies, TV shows, and music. Corporate media firms allege that they are losing billions of dollars because of piracy and free content sharing online. Supporters of stricter copyright policies promote the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in Congress and its Senate bill, the Protect IP Act (PIPA). These bills aim to stop websites and organizations, including those outside the United States, from selling or sharing pirated copyrighted digital media material and fake counterfeit goods. These are additional laws that will fail as others have because technology changes rapidly enough to support digital piracy and free sharing of copyrighted products. A good example of failed copyright laws is the Rojadirecta Case, where technology facilitates the ineffectiveness of these laws. On February 1, 2011, the U.S. government seized the rojadirecta.c om and rojadirecta.org domain names. These websites provided a guide to Internet TV (Picker). Compared to the initial business of Napster, Rojadirecta gives links, not direct hosting, to assist P2P TV (Picker). Rojadirecta might have lost its U.S. domain names, but it easily fixed the problem by establishing new domain names offshore and relocating them to Spain at rojadirecta.es (Picker). In other words, it is back to business as usual. Organizations, groups, and individuals that support free sharing know international laws, and they have a large and supportive network, as well as the money and technology to help them continue their services in any part of the world. Globalization through the Internet has expanded the boundaries and opportunities for these stakeholders. The U.S. government and media corporations can paint them as the bad guys, but for their allies and customers, they are the good guys, who are using technology for freedom of speech and digital media content. Thus, the case of Rojadirecta shows that people with technology will always find a way to circumvent these copyright laws because they believe that they are right in using digital media as public resources. The tighter the laws, the more rebelliously creative they become. What should the government do instead? Look away as digital pirates sell content that others own and many customers pay