Youth and Sports Essay Example for Free

Youth and Sports Essay Raising children in today’s society is not for the faint of heart. Raising children has never been easy, but it is especially difficult in youth sports today. Coaches and parents are putting a lot of pressure on our young sons and daughters. The pressure to succeed in sports at such a young age is taking the fun out of the sport by making it all about winning. A Personal Perspective My own interaction in youth sports has been many: As a parent, participant and an observer. My experiences as a child in youth sports were mostly positive. In my early days of sports in school, all children were encouraged to play for their school, skill level did not matter. There were no tryouts and no one got cut. We all were equal no matter what our overall ability. Sports were an enjoyable competition between schools and were simply for fun. I remember playing on my elementary schools basketball team. My coach was the school science teacher and my teammates were my friends and classmates. Our practices would be right after school and we would only practice for one hour. I remember the practices as an extended gym class. We would just run around, laugh, have fun and learn a few plays. I do not ever recall a coach yelling at me when I made a mistake or made a bad play. I remember the coach saying, â€Å"that’s ok, shake it off, you’ll get it next time. † I never worried about being pulled from a game if I made a mistake. We all played our fair share. We played the game as a game, with an opportunity to learn skills, compete, increase confidence, and have fun, we were able to go with the flow, relax and play for the sake of playing. Even our parents back then would just sit and enjoy the game. They didn’t yell at us to run faster or play harder. They didn’t even yell at the referee for making a bad call. I remember my parents telling me before every game, â€Å"Have fun and do the best you can† and after the game no matter how I played they would say, â€Å"You played a great game†. They always asked me if I had a fun time playing. I always did. I didn’t remember the losses. I remember playing with my friends and laughing about how bad we played some days. It seems like in youth sports today, the emphasis is no longer on developing skills through competition, with others and with yourself, but on the win-loss record, points scored, etc. Youth sports are run by adults. Adults tend to focus on the wins. When an adult arrives at end of the game, as the kids come off the field or court, what are the first words out of their mouth? Its usually Who won? or Did you score any points, get any hits, etc.? The children, meanwhile, are talking about whose mom brings the biggest candy bars for snacks! If, we as adults, teach our kids to focus on the winning, scoring, and scholarships, rather than skill improvement and having fun than mistakes or losses are not seen as opportunities to learn, but as occasions of failure and are to be avoided at all cost. If children think only in terms of winning, the pressure is on. Over the years I have seen how the youth programs are turning. Burned-out teenage athletes, coach-parent conflicts and abusive parents are indicators of a deep and continuing problem in youth sports. Youth sports programs have become the focal point of many families. The increased interest in sports over the past two decades have promoted the increased promotion of these programs, as well as developed interest on the part of parents to encourage participation by their children. It is disturbing to look behind the facade and to realize that children participating in organized sports are often pressured; they feel the pressure to fit in; they worry that they will only fit in if they are athletically talented; they feel the pressure that they need to win, to please their parents and coaches. Children develop their sense of fair play and their perceptions of ethical behavior in part within the context of these programs. These programs can also make a significant impact on the development of a childs self- perception, self-esteem and emotional health. If the messages displayed by adults in reference to the sporting events have a decidedly negative tone, the impact of youth sports programs on the emotional development of children will not have positive outcomes. There are a number of factors that can impact the influences of organized youth sports programs on the participants, and studies have shown that the results of the full picture of youth sports is not always a positive one. Some of the influencing factors include: the participation of parents in youth sports programs, the suggestion by coaches, parents and observers that winning is more important than the game itself, and the nature of sports, that lends itself to competitive and aggressive behavior. It is difficult to develop a concrete perspective about the impacts of youth sports programs without considering these influences. A Child’s Perspective Many children simply want to participate in sports programs to have fun, have a recreational activity and work together with friends towards a common goal (Kohl and Nelson, 1990). It has been recognized that competition can foster mistrust between children, when winning serves to dismiss losers, creates envy of the winners and leads children away from the focus of the game (Kohn and Nelson, 1990). It is also clear that the pressure that parents place on their children to compete and win creates its own set of inherent psychological dilemmas. Pressure to play on an elite team is an issue that should really boil down to what your child wants. A parent needs to read the signs indicating that a child wants to be on an elite team. If a child needs prodding to get ready and go to practice, the child who consistently does not want to go may not be suited for an elite team. Sometimes, the kids who complain about doing things outside their comfort zone just need a little push to discover they enjoy whatever it is they are so adamantly opposed to doing. But, after a season of being on an elite team, it should be apparent whether or not the child wants to continue with the sport at a higher level. I always make it clear to my son that he can play whatever sport he wants and at whatever level he wants. In his fifth year of hockey, he decided that he didn’t want to continue to play travel hockey despite his obvious skill level and the prodding of several teams trying to convince him that he â€Å"needed† to continue or he would fall behind. We laughed about the coaches who had told him this. I asked, â€Å"fall behind in what? † I had never been a parent who thought my son was going to be a professional hockey player. My goal was to involve him in sports that he enjoys and that would allow him to grow and experience the life lessons that sports can teach. At that point he loved hockey, but just didn’t want to have it take up so much of his social time. The following year the travel hockey flame was rekindled and he was more enthusiastic than he had ever been about playing. He still loves the game, and despite the fact I really believed he may be able to play at a collegiate level if he really wants to put in the work, he plays for fun and most likely will play for the rest of his life. The bottom line is, a family should not be pressured into anything, especially when it comes to their children. Ultimately, our children should have the biggest say in what they want to be involved in and at what level. Children who have been pressured by their parents in youth sports activities often display increased amounts of anxiety along with an increased level of awareness about the importance of the game (Weider, 1993). In other words, one child may be able to perceive the game as simply a game, but another child, under increased pressure from his parents, may only be able to relate to the game in terms of the amount of pressure created. This difference in perceptions puts children against each other; the children most likely to succeed and win the game are those who are least prepared to deal with any other option. It creates a scary reality for those children who perceive that they are unbeatable, but also are beaten by another team. When childrens self perceptions are directly related to their ability to win, there is clearly evidence that their inabilities then feed their lowered self-perceptions (Kantrowitz, 1996). A Coach’s Perspective and Its Unintended Effects Coaches are also putting negative pressure on our young athletes and not even realizing it through their approach and attitude towards kids. A coach’s words may carry a different message to the child hearing them than to the coach who is saying them. It is easy for a coach to phrase things in ways that are a lot harsher then they intend. Here are a couple of phrases that tend to have a negative impact on a child: â€Å"what’s wrong with you today? † â€Å"Why can’t you play like your brother? † â€Å"How long have you been playing this sport? † â€Å"Did your dad teach you that? and the list goes on and on. Here is an example of how a coach making a comment to a young athlete has a negative impact. My nephew was in his first year of football. He was nine years old and small for his age. They only had a few games left. But at practice one night the coach grabbed my nephews face mask and said â€Å"is that the best you can do? † What had happened was he had missed a tackle. My nephew interpreted that saying as, â€Å"you’re too small, bigger kids would have made that tackle. † What the coach should have said was, â€Å"you need to move quicker to have an impact during the play. A Parent’s Perspective and Its Unintended Results How does a parent know when theyre over-doing it from the sidelines? One thing that has helped a lot of parents and coaches supporting athletes is an understanding of their roles. In fact theres a push by several national organizations to know your role. Youre an athlete, coach, official, or a fan pick one then support and respect the others. (Koehler, Your Kids Sports). There are some theorists who even believe that these youth sports programs that focus on winning or losing are dangerous (Leo, 1993). Children of parents who push them in sporting events often feel they cannot ever lose because of their parents’ expectations. This process of parental control and the childs self-perception can lead to humiliation and despair (Leo, 1993).? Here is an example of parental pressure on a young athlete to win. At one of my son’s youth hockey games I observed a father berating his son after a game. The boy had had a breakaway shot with only a few seconds left in a hockey game. The young athlete skated up to the net and fired a rocket of a shot. It was a really hard shot, and it barely missed the net. Needless to say the game was over and it ended in a tie. The father ran down to the ice and waited for his son to skate off to the locker room. As the boy came off the ice the father pulled him aside and started yelling at him in front of the other players and parents. The father continued to tell the boy how lousy of a player he was and that anyone else on the team would have made the shot. This went on for about three minutes, until the boy trying to hold back his tears slumbered into the locker room. This is a perfect example of the parent putting the pressure on his son to be better than he is capable of being and winning is everything. A Society’s Perspective Most of the current literature on children and sports develops around the theory that children are negatively impacted by the competitive nature of sports programs in conjunction with the influence of observers, coaches and parents. Little League, in particular, has been the focus of a number of studies into the impact of the program on the social and emotional development of the children involved. Though Little League has been touted as a sport focused on fun for children, the competition pushed on children by the parent’s expectations turns potentially healthy fun into competitive battles pitting friend against friend (Verdi, 1990). Though the basic premise of youth sports is to encourage the enjoyment of sports activities, the focus on winning has reshaped the program (Rosen, 1996). Team sports can also be a great experience. Kids get to improve their skills and feel that team spirit as they work together toward a common goal. If youve had a bad experience with a team, maybe its time to try a new sport or a new league. Some leagues and programs emphasize skill building over competition. Many of the programs developed encourage healthy levels of competitive and cooperative behavior, help children develop a sense of fair play, and help children find self-esteem by rewarding physical activities. Programs like Little League have been recognized as a stepping-stone in the development of major baseball players, as well as presidents and successful business people. The competitive nature of sports does not necessarily mean that children will develop unhealthy asocial competitive behaviors. Over the past 30 years, a basic outline of the rules of sports competition, even as they refer to youth sports programs, has been widely accepted by coaches, parents and sports supporters in general. These rules include basic precepts like: team matters more than the individual; achievement comes from preparation, not fun; control calm under pressure, and perseverance are the necessary to win the game; criticism is more valuable than praise (Rosen, 1996). With guidelines like these as the basics for youth sports, it is no wonder that parents and players have learned that the game is more significant than the process or lessons learned while playing. ? Many people believe that one of the most valuable lessons developed from youth sports is the development of a conceptualization of fair play, in a way that young children can perceive and apply. Though the basic definition of fair play suggests justice applied to interpersonal actions, it takes on a slightly different and more specific outline when considered in terms of youth sports programs (Covrig, 1996). Fair play has been described as a very lofty set of virtues, including things like: truthfulness, self-respect, consideration for others, self-control, courage, courtesy, as well as fairness (Covrig, 1996). With these virtues as the basis, one would be led to believe that any child participating in a youth program that claims a focus on fair play could do nothing but benefit from these programs. But one of the major discrepancies in youth sports exists in the difference between the message and the messenger. Though fair play is a major focus of the premise for youth sports, the individual who create, develop and coach these programs do not often embrace these virtues in practice (Covrig, 1996).? In the same respect, parents who hope to develop a sense of fair play in their children by encouraging their participation in sports frequently display behaviors that do not reflect the same virtues. The major problem with this situation is that parents often impose the expectations relative to adult competitive sports on their children, who have not yet learned to embrace the American idealization of winning (Martin, 1986). This transference of parental expectations onto their children can result in a number of damaging psychological problems, including: burnout, injury, and feelings of rejections, causing lowered self- esteem, when children cannot meet the expectations of their parents (Martin, 1986). With over a million children participating in a wide variety of programs, the success of youth athletics cannot be attributed only to the enthusiasm of parents. Children, too, must perceive benefits of the programs in order for retention levels to be as high as they are (Rumpf 1992). Children, who can compete fairly, congratulate the winners with sincerity and accept victory with grace benefit from the structure and the healthy competition created within these programs (Rumpf, 1992). The most significant problems occur not because of the structure of the games, the programs developed or the basic ideals behind youth sports programs. Instead, it is clear that the disastrous effects of youth sports programs come as a result of the interaction between children, parents and coaches (Rumpf, 1992). The literature studies supports the thesis that youth sports programs can negatively impact the development of children in respect to self-esteem, self-perceptions and emotional health, though it is also clear that the impact has a direct relationship to adult interactions. Though the programs developed often support fair play and healthy competitiveness, the expectations of parents, coaches and spectators often transform seemingly friendly games into competitive battles with little respect for teammates and other players. Children who can succeed within these programs do so with the help of coaches and parents who do not impose difficult, if not impossible expectations on their childrens participation. Examining Our Perspectives Yet at what price does success come? Out of 19,000 young athletes, about 356 children will get a scholarship. Out of all those kids, only four will go pro. † (Koehler, Your Kids Sports). We just love it. Its our social life. We just love sports. And whats not to love, after all, more youth leagues are catering to the elite athlete, where winning and rankings are top priority and championships and scholarships are all the talk. I understand wanting your child to do well. College is expensive and it might seem like a full tuition sports scholarship is the way to go. However, there is a psychological price that the young athlete may pay. In order to realize the most benefits from these programs, parents must recognize the impact of their personal expectations on their childrens emotional stability. There is way too much pressure today on children. I think most parents who involve their children in several activities have forgotten how great it was to sit outside during a summer day and read a book or just daydream. Someday when these children are adults, they are not going to know how to use their imaginations, occupy themselves in a constructive manner, or just how to have fun. Are we teaching our children at a young age how to have a nervous breakdown? What happened to just playing a sport for fun? I remember when I was a kid, after school or during the summer. I would just walk out the back door, grab a baseball bat or a hockey stick and I headed out to the street or to the neighborhood park to find my brothers or other kids from the neighborhood to play with. We played for hours with no uniforms, no refs, no parents on the sidelines. Sure, I wanted to win. We all did. But if we didn’t it wasn’t the end of the world. The pressure to succeed in sports today is taking the fun out of the sport by making it all about winning.

Determinants for Demand in Private Housing

Determinants for Demand in Private Housing Principle determinants of demand for private housing. The dominant factor is price. Providing all of the other factors remain equal, one would expect a fall in price to increase demand. This increase occurs for two reasons. Firstly, the product has become better value for money and therefore becomes a preferred area of expenditure for consumers. Secondly, it enables consumers to purchase the product in replacement of a previously purchased inferior product. Household Income. As incomes rise, so does the household purchasing power. Therefore, the consumer is better able to afford products. Comparables. In incidence where, apart from price, there is a direct comparison between two products, as prices fall on product b) so consumers may substitute it for product a) where there has been no fall in price. Taste and preference. Consumer tastes and preferences change. These may be affected by outside sources such as promotion or peer pressure. In this event, such changes will have an effect on demand. Expectations. The perception of future changes in price will affect demand. If prices are expected to rise in the future, present demand will increase, and visa-versa. Therefore, if it is expected that private house costs will rise, but the present cost of purchase falls (i.e. mortgage payments), because consumers generally view property rental as inferior to private ownership, the demand for private housing will increase. Difference between supply of new housing and manufactured goods New Housing The Supply of new housing has limitations. The principle limitation is it’s fixed core element, the land. Although there can be changes made in the use of land, for example from agricultural, it is a limited resource that cannot be easily expanded. As a result, it is considered a fixed cost. Every individual product (house) will require a significant element of land for manufacture. The relative scarcity of the supply of land, this has the affect of increasing the cost of supply. Manufactured goods The supply of manufactured goods can be more easily increased. Once the fixed costs are in place, i.e. property, plant and machinery, these are equally divided over the number of goods produced. An increase in the number of products manufactured will therefore reduce the fixed cost element per unit. For example, fixed costs of  £100 spread over 1,000 products will be one tenth of that cost if it is spread over 100 products. Comparison of affordability with effective demand for a product Concept of affordability The concept of affordability (Marshall et.al. 2000) in respect of property rental is threefold. 1) That such rental is set at a level, which does not force the tenant into a position of poverty. 2) That it does not consume more than 25% of the tenant’s affordable income and 3) that the lessee is left with sufficient funds to be able to afford other basic necessities. Concept of effective demand The concept of effective demand is based upon the premise that supply and price determines demand. Whilst taking into account the available budget of consumers, effective demand works on the basis that increase of supply reduces cost, which enables lower price and therefore fuels demand. The motives for these concepts vary in that the affordability concept is based upon social precepts, whilst effective demand is based upon profitability and price. Other Criteria The criterion for assessing affordability is centred on five key issues. There needs to be an effective analysis of the RSL’s[1] own rental levels. Such analysis should determine rent averages by authority area, levels as calculated in relation to the type of property and the area in which the property is located. Comparison of rental levels with other RSL’s. Comparison of rental levels with other rental organisations. For example, those in the private sector. By evaluation of the income levels and type of household, for example single parent, pensioners, families etc. Formal assessment. Within this issue, RSL’s need to determine that households have sufficient income level to be able to afford the rent and still be able to achieve a certain standard of living. It is also needs to assist in reducing the reliance of tenants on other benefits by providing them the opportunity to rejoin the employment market. Other criteria that could be used include locality of tenant to work concentration areas, which would reduce tenant expenditure and increase job opportunity. Expectation of affordable housing schemes An ideal affordable housing scheme should provide occupiers with reasonable living accommodation sufficient for the needs of the household unit, at the same time allowing a standard of living that provides for all their basic needs. For the provider who finances the scheme it should allow for a reasonable return on their investment, plus sufficient capital replacement to enable them to continue the provision of such housing. Learning Activity 10 Supply differential between houses and other household product requirements Supply of houses differs from other products such as cars, white goods and luxury goods in that it is not as easily adaptable to meet demand. A car can be readily supplied and that supply rapidly replaced. This is not the position with a house. Here the supply source takes longer to react to any movement in price, because of the motivation of the house seller. A number of factors that affect supply, such as the motivation of the occupier to sell. If they are satisfied with their accommodation and the location, they are less likely to sell, limiting supply. Similarly, if they perceive prices will continue to rise, they will delay selling, a reverse effect will happen when house prices are depressed. Houses completed The chart above generally shows that the increase in house prices has not been met by a significant rise in the level of new builds, in fact, House builds supply has remained at a similar level throughout the ten years from 1995. If one wanted to construct a genuine graph for new house other data would be required, including variety of construct, for example flats, houses etc, and take into account the population demographics. Learning Activity 12 Scarcity Scarcity occurs within the social housing market where there is a lack of availability of the core element of house building, namely the land, and where house occupiers do not put their houses up for sale. Opportunity cost Many landlords have seized the opportunity of increasing their housing stock during the periods of deflation or housing slumps. In such cases, there is a need to weigh this cost against future gains. The conditions of demand In the housing market if the price is right and compares favourably with other housing options, such as renting, and that price is within the budget of the householder, then they will purchase a property. This is generally the preferred route of households. The conditions of supply To conditions that determine supply is the availability of products, in this case houses, at the right price. Supply will also be affected by the future expectations of the market in terms of price. Perverse demand behaviour In the housing market the major action that perversely affects demand is the substitution behaviour. Consumers generally perceive house ownership being preferable to renting and will therefore seek to move to this status as soon as is possible. External effects Several external situations affect the housing market. These include the inability of young people to get onto the property market; changes in employment conditions and types of households. Similarly, issues such as planning and taxes will affect the market supply and demand. Sources of inefficiency Inefficiencies within the housing market, particularly with social housing, where results of data analysis do not take into account all of the relevant factors and the resources are not being used to create the maximum economic welfare.. Sources of inequity issues Inequity can arise in the housing market because of the house-building programme failing to keep pace with the rate of demand. Monopoly power Monopoly power exists where there is no alternative to the product cost or the method of acquisition. It gives a monopoly the ability to affect the price of their product without reference to market trends. Nostradamus Housing Association Nostradamus is a social housing organisation. They are faced with a situation of reduced occupancy as a result of mortgage rates being reduced to a level where repayment are at a significantly lower level than the association charges. The occupancy issue is exacerbated by the fact that the council has transferred its housing stock to another association. Current research shows that the trend in the move to ownership is likely to continue for the near future. Therefore Nostradamus have decided to sell off their surplus stock, under a right to buy scheme, in order to rectify it’s worsening financial position. HA Rented Housing Owner-occupied Housing Low cost housing Reduction of mortgage rates Selling of houses Ownership Right to buy Within the case study presented, we see that the association is operating a system of allocative efficiency, in that the sale of their houses benefits them by reducing their financial difficulties, thereby making the business more efficient. It is equitable to both parties, as the association benefits by reducing its financial difficulties and the occupier benefits by acquiring a property at a cost, which is less than they were previously paying. It is found that owner-occupied housing is also provides equity, as it assists with the distribution of wealth between individuals who were previously disadvantaged. Thus, the association is also fulfilling its role in economic welfare. Determinants On Demand Owner-Occupied Housing Market price of product Rent exceeds mortgage payments, therefore exceeds market price Levels of household income Incomes have improved as the region is recovering economically Comparable prices The cost of ownership is below that of the rent being charged making rents no longer comparable Taste and preference Generally consumers prefer ownership, seeing renting as of lower social standing. Expectations Those who are moving to ownership expect to benefit from better neighbours. The sale of redundant houses by the association does give rise to a number of criticisms in addition to the fact that these were transferred from the local council. One of the most important criticisms is that it leaves the association with a much lower stock of houses, thereby it would be ill prepared to be able to provide housing for those who need social housing, should the local economy suffer a future reverse of fortunes in the future. A further criticism is that such houses could have been utilised to reduce the difficulties being experienced in other areas of the country. With areas such as the South East suffering shortage of low-cost housing for rent or sale, there could have been some relocation effected to have reduced this difficulty. This would have also have had the effect of assisting those in need in those areas by providing them with the opportunity of possible work as well. Furthermore, by selling the houses below the original cost, the association can be said to ha ve misused council funds. These funds essentially would have been provided by the members of the local community, through the payment of local taxes. As a result of all of these issues, a criticism could be levelled at the association that it failed in its duty of social care and welfare by not undertaking a study of other possible ways in which it could have utilised the excess housing stock and, at the same time, addressed its financial issues. The social imbalance could have been addressed in other ways. Primarily, it could have been offered to the government at an equitable rate, for use in helping them to address local and national homeless problems. This would have satisfied the issue of welfare. Secondly, the association should have looked at the possibility of reducing the rate of its rent to that which would be comparable with current mortgage payments. This would have led to higher levels of occupancy and increased the income of the association, thus reducing over time the level of its cash flow difficulties. The third way of reducing the social imbalance would have been by helping to address the issues that first time buyers suffer, namely not being able to gain entry into the property market. In line with other organisations, the association should have looked at the possibility of a â€Å"Rent and Buy† scheme. Under this scheme, the buyer purchases part of the property equity and the association purchases the balance, for example, the buyer may buy forty percent and the association sixty. Over the years, and as the buyer’s income levels rise, under this scheme the buyer would be able to then purchase the remainder of the property equity, on an instalment basis, from the association. These future equity purchases would have been at current market rates. This would have had the additional benefit of enabling such people to be able to remain within the location of their choice, close to families and their work environment. Accounting Issues Indicators Loss of Income Increasing turnover of tenants. Rentals too high Reduction in ownership mortgage rates Improvement in local incomes Housing turnover exceeding budget Tenants attracted by ownership Rentals too high. References Marshall, D., Grant, F.L., Freeman, A. and Whitehead, C (2000). Cambridge Housing and Planning Research. Retrieved 12 October 2006 from http://www.dataspring.org.uk/Downloads/Discussion Paper 2.pdf Live Tables on Housebuilding (2006). Department for Communities and Local Government, Retrieved 11 October 2006 from http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1156032 Demand and Supply for housing (2006). Tutors2u. Retrieved 12 October from http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/housing/housing_demand_supply.htm Research Project. The UK Housing Market. biz/ed. Retrieved 12 October 2006 from http://www.bized.ac.uk/current/research/2004_05/090505.htm Footnotes [1] Registered Social Landlords

Emerson, Melville and Whitman :: Free Essay Writer

The way I view the world has been greatly affected by my reading this semester. Thought I had read Emerson and Melville before, I never before was able to sound the depths of their work and fully appreciate it. This semester was my first real exposure to Whitman, as well. The best analogy for my new outlook is an image of the universe as a yin-yang; it is a complete, unbroken whole within which two polar opposites are constantly in conflict. But more significantly I have taken to heart the doctrine of "Self-Reliance," which is one shared by all three authors. Emerson presents a different system of learning than I had ever encountered. Throughout my previous education, I was taught to learn whatever was in the book. The only place original thought was accepted was in occasional creative writing assignments, and even then a stylistic formula was required. The sentence from "Self-Reliance," "A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages." was a completely new idea to me. My mind originally dismissed the concept from his journals that "The dead sleep in their moonless night; my business is with the living. . . ." But on further reflection, it made sense. Self-reliance is an intimidating concept. Students are taught to externally justify any position we take. If we make a thesis statement we must find support for it in the crumbling stacks of the library. Yet in the end I have found that self-reliance is the most satisfying way t o grapple with life. Melville frequently supports these ideas in his writing. When Ishmael encounters the whale skeleton that a tribe of islanders have elevated to the status of a god, he demonstrates the gravity one should grant to others' ideas of religion: "Cutting me a green measuring-rod, I once more dived within the skeleton. From their arrow-slit in the skull, the priests perceived me taking the altitude of the final rib. 'How now!' they shouted; 'Dar'st thou measure this our god! That's for us.' 'Aye, priests—well, how long do ye make him, then?' But hereupon a fierce contest rose among them, concerning feet and inches; they cracked each other's sconces with their yard-sticks—the great skull echoed—and seizing that lucky chance, I quickly concluded my own admeasurements.

Brief Encounters :: essays papers

Brief Encounters Brief encounters do seem to be accidental, but I also think that they are part of a plan that nobody understands. Like in the short story "Pen of My Aunt," the man just shows up at her door and she seems to know what to do about it. All the lies just come to her, and that encounter changed him and her for the rest of their lives. She probably saved his life by giving him the names of safehouses down the road a ways. Brief encounters can break down barriers not only between people, but also between people and animals. Maude Martha shows this when she finally traps the mouse in the trap. They seem to be communicating to each other about who won and what to do about it. She sees how the mouse is in acceptance about being caught, and the mouse is supposed to be her enemy. She then feels dirty in the fact that it is helpless and decides to let it go. That shows that a brief encounter like that broke down the wall between Maude Martha and the mouse. There do lie hidden qualities in each of us that a brief encounter will bring out and show to the world. The story that proves this is "The Grains of Paradise." I picked this because Pete Hoyle is in a pepper-eating contest with the Indians and they have all their money on the table that they probably own. Pete knows that he can beat the Indian and also realizes that if they loose, they will become even lower in the town. He gives up when he almost won and this shows that he has compassion for the people who are less fortunate than he is. A brief encounter can change somebody's life forever. This is true in the short story "The Good Samaritan." In this story there is a man who got severely beat and all his money got stolen. Brief Encounters :: essays papers Brief Encounters Brief encounters do seem to be accidental, but I also think that they are part of a plan that nobody understands. Like in the short story "Pen of My Aunt," the man just shows up at her door and she seems to know what to do about it. All the lies just come to her, and that encounter changed him and her for the rest of their lives. She probably saved his life by giving him the names of safehouses down the road a ways. Brief encounters can break down barriers not only between people, but also between people and animals. Maude Martha shows this when she finally traps the mouse in the trap. They seem to be communicating to each other about who won and what to do about it. She sees how the mouse is in acceptance about being caught, and the mouse is supposed to be her enemy. She then feels dirty in the fact that it is helpless and decides to let it go. That shows that a brief encounter like that broke down the wall between Maude Martha and the mouse. There do lie hidden qualities in each of us that a brief encounter will bring out and show to the world. The story that proves this is "The Grains of Paradise." I picked this because Pete Hoyle is in a pepper-eating contest with the Indians and they have all their money on the table that they probably own. Pete knows that he can beat the Indian and also realizes that if they loose, they will become even lower in the town. He gives up when he almost won and this shows that he has compassion for the people who are less fortunate than he is. A brief encounter can change somebody's life forever. This is true in the short story "The Good Samaritan." In this story there is a man who got severely beat and all his money got stolen.

Sippican Corporation

Product Gross Margin Calculation vs. Product Contribution Margin Calculation Assigning the overhead costs to the products shows how profitable the products are after deducting all cost. However, it is important to find the appropriate method of overhead cost allocation. In Sippican’s case the traditional accounting method is used, which does not reflect the real resource usage of the different product lines. The correct method in this case would be to apply the time-driven ABC approach for cost allocation.Such method apart from showing the actual profitability after all cost deductions also depicts the differences in resource usage rates between the products and, thus, allows for identification of cost drivers. A contribution margin approach provides only insight into the products profitability after variable cost deduction, but it does not show whether the profit of a particular product is still profitable after all cost deductions. This could lead to a false perception of pr oduct profitability. In addition, this approach could lead to wrong decision making in terms of pricing or expansion actions.Moreover, with this approach it is not possible to identify any cost drivers. Thus, many profitability improvement opportunities might be lost. Moreover, in particular, in the Sippican’s case the overhead costs are not really fix. They are fix only in the short term but variable in the long term as with an increase in volume of the products or the number of various products more machines and labor are required. The correct term for such cost is step-fix cost. Thus, the overhead costs in this case are not really a period expense (only in the short term).Thus, the volume of each product line does indirectly drive the overhead cost in the long term. Consequently, it is important to see how each product affects the overhead costs or, to say it the other way around, what amount of resources does a product use and how does it differ from to the usage rates ot her product lines. Therefore, the executives should definitely not abandon the overhead assignment to the products, but instead use a different accounting method. Practical Capacity and Capacity Cost RatesFrom the information given in the Exhibits and in the text I have calculated the practical capacity and the capacity cost rates for the different resources. Table 1 summarizes the results. The practical capacity rates were calculated by multiplying the number of employees/machines with their respective total effective hours per month. The capacity cost rates were calculated by dividing the total monthly cost by the respective practical capacity to become the cost rate of the particular resource per hour. Table 1: Practical Capacities and Capacity Cost Rates Note: For exact calculations please see the attached excel file.Cost and Profitability Based on Time-Driven ABC Approach Table 2 shows the revised costs and profits of Sippican Corporation when calculating those according to the time-driven ABC approach. Table 2: Cost and Profitability Based on Time-driven ABC Approach Note: Total machine expenses include the expenses for machine production runs and the expenses for machine setups. For exact calculations please see the attached excel file. The expenses in each category were calculated by multiplying the actual usage of the resource (taken from Exhibit 3 and Exhibit 4) by the respective capacity cost rate.It can be inferred from the table that valves is the most profitable product line with a gross margin of 42. 8% and not of 35% as obtained by the traditional cost accounting system. The pumps have a gross margin of 19. 7% as opposed to 5% and the flow controllers have a negative gross margin of -3. 6% as opposed to a gross margin of 38% as calculated using the simple accounting method. These differences in the cost and the resulting profitability of the product lines arise from the fact that according to the time-driven ABC approach the cost are allocated to the product lines based on their real usage of the company’s resources.In the simple accounting method the manufacturing cost were allocated as a percentage of direct labor cost at a rate of 185%. This method did not account for any specific cost arising from the complexity, diversity or other production related specifics of the product line. In contrary, the time-driven ABC approach does account for all the nuances of each product line. From the table can also be inferred that the practical capacity is not totally used since at the end there is a total of $28,288 of unused resources. Table 3 summarizes the capacity utilization of various resources.Table 3: Capacity Utilization Rates Note: For exact calculations please see the attached excel file. The significant shift in cost and profitability of flow controllers can be mainly explained by the considerably higher engineering and setup expenses (machines and labor). The latter arises due to the higher component number (10) of the flow controllers (resulting in higher complexity) which leads to a higher number of production runs and, thus, raises the number of setup hours. The number of production runs is further increased by the on average small batch sizes (see Table 4).Table 4: Average Batch Sizes for Production Runs and Shipments Note: For exact calculations please see the attached excel file. The time-driven ABC approach reveals that flow controllers use disproportionally higher amount of the company’s resources per unit (see Table 5). It can be derived from Table 5 that flow controllers have much higher per unit cost than other two product lines across all cost categories. According to the time-driven ABC approach the total manufacturing overhead per unit cost amounts to $63. 4 as opposed to $24. 055 as derived by the simple accounting system.As already explained above, the high per unit cost for flow controllers across the categories are mostly due to on average small batch sizes. For th e majority of activities (setup, receiving and production control, partially packaging and shipping) the costs occur independent from the volume, but they do depend on the number of batches. For these reason the total manufacturing overhead per unit cost for valves and pumps are lower than estimated via the traditional accounting method as in these product lines the average batch sizes in production runs as well as in shipments were very high (375/188 for valves and 125/125 for pumps).Table 5: Cost per Unit Note: For exact calculations please see the attached excel file. Recommendations Flow Controllers Starting with flow controllers, there are two ways to deal with the negative gross margin. First way would be to keep on producing the flow controllers and increase the batch sizes and thereby reduce the setup- and shipping related cost. If the batch sizes for shipments and production were increased to 25 units, the gross margin would amounts to 8. 6% (see excel sheet for precise cal culations).To reach the target gross margin of 35% by only adjusting the batch sizes one would have to increase the batch sizes of both shipping and production to 190 units. In reality the increase in batch sizes can be implemented by either imposing a minimum order size or reducing the variety of the flow controllers (this would reduce the number of production runs and allow for higher batch sizes). The freed up capacity from these actions can be used to increase the overall volume of the product lines.One could also try to reengineer the flow controllers to require fewer components which also would result in fewer production runs and, thus, fewer setup hours. Moreover, as the past price increase has proven the demand for flow controllers to be quit inelastic Sippican could further raise prices for flow controllers and drive up the contribution margin. In reality the price increase should be accompanied with a promotion campaign which emphasizes the superiority of Sippican’s flow controllers to prevent the potential market share losses from the price increase.If the prices were to raise by 10% the resulting gross margin would account to 5. 8%. Moreover, one could also try to reducer the hours of engineering. Table 6 shows an example of gross margin effects of the various actions outlined above. The total effect on the gross margin when applying all these actions would amount to + 24. 2 % which results in a gross margin of 20. 6% (by deducting the current -3. 6%). This is just an example. Further margin increases could of course be realized by further improving the identified cost drivers (please see the excel file to see the gross margin effects if changing the discussed cost drivers).Table 6: Gross Margin Effects of Various Actions Note: For exact calculations please see the attached excel file. Another way to deal with the negative gross margin of flow controllers would be to abandon the production of them completely and thereby reduce the fix cost ( step-fix cost to be precise). Thus, abandoning the production of flow controllers would lead to high reduction in resources and thereby saved costs. However, such a measure could lead to negative indirect effects on the image of the company which, hitherto, could result in market share losses in other products.Therefore, this method of dealing with negative gross margin of flow controllers is highly unfavorable. However, in instead of laying off the employees and reducing the number of leased machines one could use the freed up capacity from abandoning the flow controllers production line for other purposes, such as volume increase in other production lines or taking a new production line into the portfolio. Pumps and Valves To deal with the price pressure apparent in the pumps market Sippican could attempt to further increase the batch sizes in production and shipment.In addition, by combining higher batch sizes with an increase in the volume of pumps Sippican could increase the re venues and additionally fully utilize its capacity. Similar improvements can be applied for valves. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. 2 3 Brem, Lisa (2002). Sippican Corporation (A). HBS Publishing. February. HBS Note # 9-100-055. p. 4. Exhibit 2 [ 4 ]. 5 Brem, Lisa (2002). Sippican Corporation (A). HBS Publishing. February. HBS Note # 9-100-055. p. 4. Exhibit 2

A Ideal Partner

To be able to completely trust your life on a simple word from your partner is a soul quality of admiration. A man that I know is going to be there for me through all the complexities that life puts forward, pleasant and not so pleasant no matter what the consequences. Women have consistently been recognized for their desire and style of communication, for the means of expressing emotions, frustrations, and information exchange. The quality of sincerity is one that can be the foundation of a life long relationship. Commitment is a quality that forsaking all other, you are faithful to your partner in life and life-eternal. The quality of integrity is one that I hold very high on my standards for a man. Each of these proceeding characteristics contributes to a man of desire. The reasoning that I firmly believe this is because I†tmve found my ideal partner in my husband. The definition of sincere is to be free from pretence in behavior or feelings, to be genuine and honest. A man can be compassionate towards his friends or family. Having a man whom you can count on wholeheartedly by his word is irreplaceable. For my partner to risk his life or surrender himself on my behalf would be of complete aspiration. The perfect companion that would be for myself would be a man of sincerity, integrity, compassion, and commitment. The qualities that intrigue me are not of material or superficial possessions, but internal contentment and confidence.

The Impact of Families Upon The Watchmens Rorschach and...

The manner in which an individual is raised can impact their lives forever. This idea is proven to be true with two characters from the works that were studied this semester. Although they come from completely different worlds, the similarities between these two characters and the manner in which they face the world can be associated with the relationships they had with their families. These two characters are Walter â€Å"Rorschach† Kovacs, from Alan Moores graphic novel which is called Watchmen, and Antoinette, from Jean Rhys novel which is called Wide Sargasso Sea. First, there is the character of Rorschach. Rorschach is a very angry character, who has a lot of psychological baggage that influences the way that he views the world around†¦show more content†¦In the case of Rorschach, he did not have a stable father figure in his life at all. Rather, Rorschach was raised by his mother before being subjected to foster care. This is made clear to the readers on page ei ght of chapter six in the pages first panel, when the character Dr. Micheal Long writes, â€Å"...he was removed from his mothers custody and put into care.† (Watchmen) However, he was still negatively effected by the few men that are seen in his early life. It is revealed on page thirty of chapter six that his mother, Sylvia Kovacs, is a prostitute, and that there was never a stable father figure for Rorschach to connect with. Rather, at least once, he saw a strange man engaged in a sexual act with his mother. He walks in on his mother and this man on page three of chapter six, worried that his mother is being harmed as he hears strange noises, which is shown on the second panel of the page. This already traumatic fact is made much more difficult because Rorschach is taunted by other people due to his mothers occupation and or reputation. It is illustrated that Rorschach is taunted and physically bullied by others on page six of chapter six, when two teenagers refuse to let him past them, refer to him as â€Å"whoreson† and shove food into his face. It can be argued that Rorschach might not have been subjected to this treatment if he had a stable father figure or a more stable home environment.

The Market Place of The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne and Hester - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 978 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/05/08 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Scarlet Letter Essay Did you like this example? Hester is described in the chapter â€Å" The Market Place† when a group of townspeople gathered outside the jail to witness her release. The woman in the crowd have a poor opinion of Hester, calling her a malefactress, a female criminal (Hawthorne Pg 35). Hester is described as a beautiful woman. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Market Place of The Scarlet Letter: Hawthorne and Hester" essay for you Create order â€Å"Had there been a Papist among the crowd of Puritans, he might have seen in this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, anad with the infant at her bosom, an object to remind him of the image of the Divine Maternity†¦ something which should remind him,indeed, but only by contrast, of that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem in the world† (Hawthorne Pg 39). Despite of her public shaming, there is a beauty about Hester which people can not help but notice. Hawthorne compares her beauty and elegance while on the scaffold to an image of Divine Maternity. Hester is also described as a humble and caring person brings the poor food and clothes and does not what nothing in return. â€Å" Hester bestowed all her superfluous means in charity, on wretches less miserable than herself, and who unfrequently insulted the hand that fed them†. â€Å"She employed in making coarse garments for the poor. It is probable that there was an idea of penance in this mode of occupation, and that she she offered up a real sacrifice†(Hawthorne Pg 57). Even after she is punished for her crime of adultery and publically humiliated by being forced to wear a scarlet A, Hester does not give in. Chillingworth is first described as a person of intellect. â€Å"There was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mound the physical to itself, and become manifest by unmistakable tokens† (Hawthorne Pg 42). Later on the book Chillingworth is described as a person who is empty on the inside and a person who lived his life in vain. â€Å"It was my folly! I have said it. But, up to that epoch of my life, I had lived in vain† (Hawthorne Pg 51). In the next page Chillingworth is consumed by revenge to find the person who had an affair with his wife. â€Å"I shall seek this man, as I have sought truth in book; as I sought gold in alchemy (Hawthorne Pg 52). Chillingworth’s obsession with revenge affects his appearance. Although he is unattractive at the beginning of the novel, with crooked shoulders and an aged appearance, the hatred and vengeance transformed him into a devilish figure. Chillingworth’s primary motivation and driving force is revenge. When he arrives in town, he expects to find his wife waiting for him and to start a family with her. Later he finds out his wife had an affair with someone else. Instead he is left with nothing but the desire of revenge. In Chapter 10 Hawthorne describes Chillingworth as a person who had lost their free will. Chillingworth is trying to dig into the clergyman’s heart like a miner searching for gold. â€Å"But, as he proceeded, a terrible fascination, a kind of fierce, though still calm, necessity seized the old man within its gripe, and never set him free again, until he had done all its bidding† (Hawthorne Pg 88). A characteristic that Dimmesdale has is that he is a coward because he does not say his name when he asking Hester who is the father of the child. In a way he is a hypocrite because he is a minister and the fact that he had an affair with Hester and knowing that having an affair is a big sin. Dimmesdale privately acknowledges his sin, but until acknowledges it publicly, he cannot begin to repent for his sin. In chapter 11, The Interior of a Heart, Dimmesdale was more than once in want to tell of telling his congregation.He tell his congregation that he was a vile person and is the worst of sinners. After his congregation had heard this he became more respected by his church because they believed that he very humble. Despite the fact that Dimmesdale declines to recognize his transgression, regardless he looks for types of penance. He tries to lessen his guilt by whipping himself repeatedly with a bloody scourge but only causes himself additional pain. Dimmesdale is being consumed with guilt. He continually was fighting an inner battle between telling the truth and saving his reputation as a spiritual leader within the town. Dimmesdale is too frightened and selfish to reveal his sin and to bear the the burden of punishment with Hester Pearl is described as having an innocent life and has a native grace (pg 61). Pearl is the living, breathing scarlet letter, the token of her mother’s adultery. She is the being that made her mother’s sin known. Pearl’s birth comes with great joy but also terrible pain. Hester loves her daughter but she is also a physical reminder of Hester’s sin. Pearl is a blessing to Hester because she saves her life from the snare of the Devil. After being told that Hester may keep her daughter, Mistress Hibbins requests Hester to go with her into the forest with â€Å"the Black Man†. Hester denies the request, but instead she must â€Å"tarry at home, and keep watch over her little Pearl†. Had the town leaders taken Pearl from Hester, she would willingly have gone with Mistress Hibbins into the forest, and sign her name in the Black Man’s book and that with her own blood (Hawthorne Pg 80) Pearl is described as outcast of the infantile child becaus e she different child from the rest of the other kinds. Pearl was born outcast of the infantile world. An imp of evil, emblem and product of sin, she had no right among christened infants (Hawthorne Pg 64)