Vietnam War Short Stories Essay -- Literary Analysis

The Vietnam War was the first war in history to be broadcast on national television. Due to the increasing popularity of television ownership and the introduction of the nightly news programs such as CBS and NBC, the horrors of war found a place in living rooms across the country. Between 1965 and 1975, nine million people served in the Vietnam War, and of those nine million, 58,156 were killed or declared missing in action ("Vietnam War Statistics."). Of the 58,156 soldiers killed, 11,465 of them were under the age of twenty ("Statistics about the Vietnam War"). After surviving the war, Tim O’Brien and Susan O’Neill wrote short stories and novels including Tim O’Brien’s â€Å"The Things They Carried†, and Susan O’Neill’s â€Å"The Boy from Montana†. By putting audiences in the shoes of the grunts led by Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and the surgical gloves of Agnes Reedy, Tim O’Brien and Susan O’Neill immortalized the st ruggles experienced by their compatriots and themselves. â€Å"The things they carried† is a short story about Lieutenant Jimmy Cross leading his men through Vietnam. O’Brien describes all of the things carried by the men as a way to symbolize all of the burdens they had. One thing that Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries is a pack of letters from Martha, a girl he was in love with (O’Brien). One night Ted Lavender, one of the men in Lieutenant Cross’s squad, left to use the bathroom and on his return, is shot and killed (O'Brien).This causes Cross to realize that his main priority is to lead his men, not swoon over a woman (O'Brien). â€Å"The Boy from Montana† is a short story about Agnes Reedy’s account of watching a boy die in the field hospital she worked at in Vietnam. She says that she thought that all death was the same, but one day s... ...Short Stories of Vietnam. New York: Ballantine, 2001. 3-11. Print. Roush, Gary. "Statistics about the Vietnam War." Vietnam Helicopter Flight Crew Network (VHFCN). 2 June 2008. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. . Taormina, Agatha. "Author Profile: Tim O'Brien." Northern Virginia Community College. Www.nvcc.edu, 10 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. . "Tim O’Brien Interview: The Things He Carried." Interview by David L. Edelman. Wordpress, 19 Oct. 1994. Web. 17 Mar. 2012. . "Vietnam Veteran's Terminology and Slang." VIETNAM VETERANS HOME PAGE. 22 Mar. 2000. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. . "Vietnam War Statistics." The Mobile Riverine Force Association. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. .

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Are we there yet? Have we reached our destination? We've been traveling for 13 long years. We've only had a few brief rests along the way. We're tired and we're cranky and we just want to know, are we there yet? Lookingback at our road, we see the many different routes we have taken to end up where we are now, here, at graduation day. Most of us have arrived on time. A few are still on their way, maybe broken down or sidetracked. We hope they'll come soon. But today is not our destination or ambition. It's not our journey's end. It's a rendezvous place. A site from which we'll all head out, once again, on different roads. We may never congress in one place like this again. Graduation has been our common focus for 13 years. Is there a common focus for the rest of ourjourney? Can the many routes we will choose in our lives ever lead us to a single rendezvous place again? Can we focus on a destination or objective for which we will all be driven to reach in the years to come? I think so. I agree with Robert Fulghum who wrote, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergar...

Whisper of Aids

Samantha Blum Comp 1 Mrs. L-P 20 January 2012 â€Å"The Whisper of AIDS† is a very powerful speech. Mary Fisher wrote a very effective speech; one that would change a lot of American’s views on AIDS. This speech triggered emotions and brought forth an issue rarely talked about in that time of the world. Mary Fisher’s main point was to rid the stereotypes of people who contracted the sexually transmitted disease, AIDS. Fisher was a Caucasian female. She was not poor, not African American, and not homosexual. She did not contract AIDS from being with multiple partners; she got it from her husband.Fisher wanted people to know that AIDS can happen to anyone. In her speech she said, â€Å"It [AIDS] does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. † In this speech, she was talking to the Republican National Convention. By comparing the two completely opposite poli tical parties (Republicans and Democrats), it shows that truly anyone can be victims of this disease. Fisher really made people think when she stated, â€Å"Though I am white and a mother, I am one with a black infant struggling with tubes in a Philadelphia hospital.Though I am female and contracted this disease in marriage and enjoy the warm support of my family, I am one with the lonely gay man sheltering a flickering candle from the cold wind of his family’s rejection. † She used a method known as â€Å"pathos†, which is using emotions to convince an audience in what you are saying. By a normal woman comparing herself to the typical stereotypes of AIDS, Fisher opened eyes about this disease. Many people thought only African American’s could contract AIDS because the disease is said to be originated from Africa and the disease was well-known there. Fisher was known to be very wealthy.This also helped people realize it’s not just the poor it can h appen to. Fisher also talked about President Bush Sr. ’s family supporting her through this time. This is interesting because Republicans are known as the â€Å"conservative† party vs. the Democrat party, so typically democrats would have been more likely to accept AIDS epidemic. I believe Fisher brought up President Bush to make Republicans more open to the idea of â€Å"normal† people contracting AIDS. When Fisher told people from the beginning that she got contracted her STD from her husband, she was automatically thought of as honest.It was good for her to be known as honest because then the audience trusted her and really believed in what she had to say. Fisher used pathos many times in this speech. When she started talking about her family, she really hit home to many Americans. Everyone who had children could relate to her at that point. She stated, â€Å"My son Max, now four, will take the measure of his mother. My son Zachary, now two, will sort throug h his memories. I may not be here to hear their judgments, but I know already what I hope they are. I want my children to know that their mother was not a victim.She was a messenger. I do not want them to think, as I once did, that courage is the absence of fear. † In my opinion this was the most touching part of her speech. Talking about her children was really emotional to read and by her stating that she might not be there to hear her judgments made people realize that this disease is serious and deadly. Her final statement, â€Å"To all within the sound of my voice, I appeal: Learn with me the lessons of history and of grace, so my children will not be afraid to say the word â€Å"AIDS† when I am gone.Then, their children and yours may not need to whisper it at all. God bless the children, God bless us all. Goodnight. † showed America that AIDS is not something to be ashamed of and not something that needs to be hidden. Mary Fisher did an outstanding job at i nfluencing people’s thoughts about AIDS. In this time and day, AIDS is well known and it’s not something people are embarrassed to talk about. She made it her goal to let people know AIDS can happen to anyone and warned people to be cautious of it. Fisher changed the life’s’ of many and how we look at AIDS today.

Consultancy Report Essay

As a subsidiary of one of the largest cosmetics organizations in the world, you are in a position to dramatically increase your potential and further capitalize on your brands recognition. My hope is that you will establish and maintain a broader, more diverse customer base and increase your overall profitability. Based on an in-depth analysis and research conducted on your organizations behalf, I have identified several problematic areas in need of immediate attention. The following document will serve to provide valuable information to address these issues accordingly. One such issue and perhaps one of the most crucial is that of the organization’s brand awareness levels in the United Kingdom. This is due in part to the fact that Mary Kay U.K. is not as widely recognized in the United Kingdom as it is in the Americas. I recommend increasing your presence to reach potential customers who would otherwise be unaware of your organization. We will seek to address the significant growth of new potential competitors while developing a means of competing effectively against already established competitors. You will learn of new methods in which to remain relevant and a viable global contender in the cosmetics industry. New products will serve to provide your organization with a competitive edge and differentiate your organization from all its competitors. New policies and changes in the organization’s infrastructure will increase employee satisfaction an important factor for employee retention. These enhancements to the organization’s current dealings can ultimately increase profitability, improve customer satisfaction levels, and increase employee productivity. As Mary Kay U.K. adopts these changes and once in effect, there will be a need to take on additional employees to tend to the day-to-day operations and supplementary qualified/experienced executive-level professionals, allowing for a more focused approach on the management aspects of the organization. Effective documentation of the organization’s financials will allow for more educated and informed decision-making procedures. Adequate fiscal records serve as effective management tool for predicting future success, identify problem areas and to make decisions that will assist in the organization’s overall effectiveness. In addition to significantly changing the inner workings of the organization in the United Kingdom, substantial changes to the organizations image and frontend interfaces may be required to assist with the issue of brand awareness. The organization must become a well-oiled machine internally as well as an aesthetically pleasing entity for potential customers, future investors and for those considering strategic business alliances. Creating a more convivial atmosphere with which your organization would then be associated will give these interested parties a respectable first impression. It is apparent that lacking presentation and unfocused management gives rise to the decrease or stagnation of profitability and employee retention. Changes to policy, organizational image, and infrastructure will not only prove beneficial but may in fact be necessary for the success of the organization and its future viability within the United Kingdom. In addition, there must be changes in customer behavior to increase the probability of the organization’s adoption. The organization needs to appeal to a broader customer base after shifting consumer views of cosmetics to match that of American consumers. Thus, by implementing novel, eye-catching, and feeling invoking imagery or advertisements, people will in turn be more inclined to purchase Mary Kay products. In order to be more successful, I recommend the transformation of current marketing strategies. Implementation of a marketing plan that encompasses the arguably successful word-of-mouth strategy in addition to overt and persistent adverts by way of social media will benefit the organization’s image. Because a constant stream of information pertaining to the actual products will allow the consumer to easily recall the information and develop a need for the product as presented by the advertisement. In addition, there must be a vested interest in appealing to the variety of potential consumers within the United Kingdom. Mary Kay U.K. would be wise to capitalize on United Kingdom’s ever-growing and diverse population, via the translation and representation of the multitude of languages spoken within the target areas of operation. This will allow for a more comfortable customer experience and personalized identification with the Mary Kay brand. Brand Awareness is at an all-time low as target populations fail to recognize the Mary Kay Brand. The organization must increase its visibility in the growing cosmetics market in the United Kingdom. This is possible with improved advertising and re-imagined brand association. Increased brand recognition will assist with declining profits. The proposals presented in this consultancy report, should Mary Kay U.K. opt to adopt them will serve to promote the organization’s business aptitude and increase overall profitability and effectiveness. My hope is that this educated and informed counsel will effectively navigate the organization into a state of increased viability and the optimization and growth of Mary Kay U.K. business operations and clientele. INTRODUCTION This consultancy report will serve to provide the Mary Kay U.K. Ltd. Subsidiary of Mary Kay Cosmetics with informed suggestions to increase the organization’s revenues and improving the day-to-day dealings of the organization from a management perspective. Following extensive research of the organization’s operations, I have prepared a comprehensive examination of the organization in its entirety. This research has been comprised of a thorough analysis of the organization’s fiscal and promotion facets. This report also takes into account the consumer aspect of the organization, and the organization’s image as viewed by the public. In addition, it will serve to demonstrate the manner in which the target audience does or fails to accept this image. Crucial organizational issues have been identified and addressed accordingly, supplemented with recommendations for minimizing or eliminating potentially negative effects. These suggestions may prove insightful for the achievement of further profitability and consumer satisfaction should the organization choose to implement any or all of the changes proposed in this report. The information provided in this report comes via thorough research and analytical dismantling of data and industry trends and its reassembling in the form of a well-formulated business plan. Suggestions provided will seek to address Mary Kay U.K.’s organizational structure, the organization’s inclination to incorporate a corporate social responsibility element, consumer satisfaction, employee turn-over rates, decreasing or non-existent profits, brand recognition and awareness among target consumers and product quality, to name the most imperative of organization’s issues. In all, if implemented, these changes could ensure a significant turnaround for the Mary Kay U.K. entity. Numbers will rise to the status of or potentially rival those of its American contemporary. The organization would hold a strong position before its global competitors and open the door for future business strategic affiliations. The organizational redesign will prove beneficial for Mary Kay’s United Kingdom division as an organization, for the consumers now receiving increased quality services, and for the leveling of the cosmetics industry in the United Kingdom. ANALYSIS OF CLIENT BUSINESS Company Description and History Mary Kay Inc. is one of the largest cosmetics companies in the world to date. Headquartered in Addison, Texas at 16251 Dallas Parkway Addison, TX 75001 in the United States, it has manufacturing plants located in Dallas, Texas, Hangzhou, China and La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland for its European market. Mary Kay Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Mary Kay Holding Corporation. Founded by Mary Kay Ash in 1963 and based on personally established values that guided her everyday life she sought to help women live the life of their dreams. Company values include integrity, honesty and a belief in the Golden Rule; â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.† The mission, to assist and provide the vehicle that would allow prospective independent beauty consultants to have their respective dreams come true via the distribution, promotion, and retailing of a handful of products. Mary Kay Inc. identifies itself as a â€Å"Generation Everything† organization, meaning it serves everyone from all walks of life and of all ages. The organization recently posted that its revenues are up to 3 billion due to sales in its 35 + markets globally. All made possible by its 25 million global independent sales force.

Love letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Love letter - Essay Example I did not want things to become awkward between us, so I have been keeping my feelings inside. However, due to the strength of our friendship, I feel that I would be insulting you and our friendship if I did not confide in you about how I feel. We have been through so much together, growing up together, and my feelings for you have only increased over the years. While I would love something more to come from our friendship, if you do not return my feelings, then I would like your help in figuring out what I should do about these feelings that I have been having. Your friendship means a lot to me as it is; I would rather have you as just a friend, rather than nothing, so I am willing to make this work in whatever way you feel comfortable with, and that we can further benefit our friendship. I do not want my feelings to get in the way of an already amazing friendship. If you are willing to, I would also be willing to give us a try without others knowing. We can try out something more than a friendship under the radar, just until we can know if we can work this out or not. We could keep this on the down low until we understand more of what we want to do, and if we want to further our relationship. Again, if you are unwilling to do this, then I am up to working out something else with you. I would like to take our friendship to the next level, yet I also want to protect what is already there between us; your feelings in regards to this are very important to me, and I do not want to hurt them, nor do anything that might damage the friendship that we already have. My friendship for you has grown into a deep love and respect that I could never have thought possible. I would like to see something come of this, yet I am also willing to settle on the wonderful friendship that we have always had. You will always mean a lot to me, regardless of what you are to me – a

The Concerns of the Management Team of All Star Industries Essay

The Concerns of the Management Team of All Star Industries - Essay Example Considering all the facts of the case, it is fairly clear that the potential public relations backlash that the management fears is purely their problem. Consequently, Yvonne is entitled to have a full refurbishment of costs for the surgical procedure. The suspicion that she may have acquired the kidney via unauthorized channels is again a problem for the regulators and policymakers, taking for granted the basic entitlement of a citizen to. Looking exclusively at the issue of buying body parts, one can take guidance from principles of environmental ethics in ascertaining the legitimacy and ethicality of particular decisions. (Ashley et.al, 2006, p.47) It is important to remember that regulating transplants and aiming to stamp out illegal trading in organs is the need of the hour, for this practice is seen as tainting medical standards and causing a shortage of donated organs for those most in need. Critics of the practice bemoan how transplant surgery  in China has now become â€Å"a cash cow, due to the rising trade in illegal organs and the fact that many hospitals offer the operations despite having staff who are poorly qualified to carry them out or inadequately supervised. The illegal organ trade has led to a severe shortage of donated organs, to the extent that it is estimated that only around 20,000 transplants can be carried out annually despite up to 2 million Chinese people needing these operations every year.† (Perspectives in Public Health, 2006, p.152) Social class also plays a major role in who gets the transplant and who does not. For a Chinese company like All Star Industries, this is a sensitive issue, for, despite all the genuine intentions behind approving Yvonne’s claim, they could be perceived as siding with the elite – an image that could damage their business prospects. Further, many foreigners from advanced nations also visit China for  transplants as they â€Å"are far more affordable than prices for the same operations in Western Europe, thus pushing the poorer Chinese people (80% of whom have no medical insurance) still further down the queue†.  

Facilities Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Facilities Management - Essay Example Use of ‘going green buildings’ will serve to address these measures and concerns. (Cooper, ‘The Future is Bright Green’) The article provides a clear definition of the requirements of what developers should encompass in designing a green building. The building should ensure improvement of interior air quality, reduction of green house gas emission, conversion of waste to energy, reduction of water consumption, improvement of energy efficiency and reduction of waste through reuse or recycling. With these factors in mind, buildings will enhance productivity as a result of their environmental friendly nature and the wellbeing of people, both inside and outside the buildings. These factors have facilitated the development of ‘intelligent’ buildings which are adaptable and easy to use and manage. The article further demonstrates how the initiative has been embraced by shopping centers. The buildings are designed in the image of ‘going greenâ₠¬â„¢, as they are green in nature. These latest design and technological developments have ensured that buildings have increased their asset performance as well as their value (Cooper, ‘The Future is Bright Green’). The initiative reduces the element of the building depreciating and thus the building is a good value for investment. As a result of the success of green building in shopping centers, developers are eager to spread the development of these ‘intelligent’ buildings to other retail sectors that would be better suited for this initiative. The measures are mainly intended for the offices as it has been revealed that the use of the going green initiative would best be implemented in the office sector. The high level of interaction between people, machinery and systems in the offices, has called for the office sector to integrate going green measures, so as to improve the performance and effective operations of workers (Cooper, ‘The Future is Bri ght Green’). The success of the green buildings in shopping centers serves as evidence that the measure is applicable in buildings that require a lot of systems and people to co-exist, hence applying the initiative in offices would be easy and effective. In conclusion, green buildings have proven to be a success in shopping centers, and as a result, it is very ideal for the technology to be applied in the other sectors. It is important for buildings to become part of the ‘future is bright green’, as this will provide a catalyst effect to going green initiative, which seeks to protect the environment. In so doing, the world will be a healthier place to live (Cooper, ‘The Future is Bright Green’). It is evident that the effects of green gas emissions, has facilitated the death of humans and parts of the environment. Risk-Based Maintenance The article is an illustration of how risk assessment is applied in the operation of a manufacturing plant. It reve als the measures that can be applied as well as their application in increasing the level of production. Application of risk assessment by a maintenance manager can help a firm save a lot of money by reducing its production costs. In the article, risk maintenance is demonstrated using scenarios of how the application of risk assessment measures would serve to improve operations. Important equipments and machineries should be grouped, and their risk priorities established so as to ensure that they are kept running at capacity. (Barr, ‘