Compare and Contrast ‘Harry Pushed Her’ and ‘Hector the Collector’ Essay

Neither ‘Harry Pushed Her’ nor ‘Hector the Collector’ have any stanzas. In ‘Harry Pushed Her’ the lines are short, most containing around five syllables. The rhyme scheme changes throughout, from every other line rhyming to rhyming couplets. This changes the flow of the poem. I think the writer does this to emphasize points, to shock the reader at times and to change the mood of the poem. â€Å"Harry push her, push her now!/Harry push the crazy cow!†, the flow of this emulates the mocking tone of children. ‘Hector the Collector’ has a mixture of long and short lines, ranging from six syllables to ten syllables. It has a regular rhyme scheme in quatrains, this creates a steady course and speed throughout. Both poems are focused on people who are not always correctly understood, they are seen as ‘different’ by many. People don’t have the same outlook as they do and therefore they are cast aside. In ‘Harry Pushed Her’ our first impressions are that Harry bullies his sister. We think this because the poem reads, â€Å"Harry pushed her;/He pushed his sister;† the reader automatically comes to the conclusion that Harry pushes her in a violent way. The repetition of the word â€Å"push† is very effective as it implies to the reader that Harry is an incessant bully. We don’t know or even suspect, until the last line that he’s pushing his sister in a helpful way. We don’t anticipate this, it comes as a shock to the reader. We think of young boys as bullies, and we count on them to push their sisters violently because of the stereotypical images we have. The author cleverly shows us how we prejudge him unfairly. In ‘Hector the Collector’ the poet also uses repetition to good effect as he creates an excessive list of useless items. This creates the impression of Hector as an eccentric character. It tells us that he â€Å"Loved these things with all his soul/more than glistening diamonds/more than glistenin’ gold† creating an image for the reader of Hector as a lonely man who only has his possessions as company. I think that in both poems the people that are seen as different have different reasons for being outcasts. In ‘Harry Pushed Her’ I think Harry gets some sort of escapism from pushing his sister in her wheelchair, â€Å"Harry pushed her without a care†. This lifestyle protects him from the pressures of other children his own age. He traps himself in his own little world where he feels safe and peaceful. While in ‘Hector the Collector’ Hector enjoys his items and has a different perspective of them to others. He thinks of these things as a, â€Å"treasure trunk† and offers others to share the delights he gets out of them, while others dismiss it as junk. The speaker calls the people â€Å"silly† and â€Å"sightless† telling the reader that the people are small minded and foolish because they can’t look any further than face value. I think that Hector sees that although they are useless, they were once useful and he feels they don’t deserve to be thrown away. I think this is a metaphor of today’s society, as we live in a disposable society and Hector is trying to escape from it. The poems also contrast slightly. Harry pushes people away he wants to be a ‘loner’. He rejects others, rather than them rejecting him. He is not understood and doesn’t need to be. Hector on the other hand invites people to be his friends, to share his belongings, but they reject him.

Impact of Baby Boomers on Today’s Workforce

Baby boomers are those born between 1945 to 1964, the boom of the US population. Data from the Department of Labor BLS, in 1998 indicate that there were 77 million baby boomers and this represented 37% of the country’s population. As of 2008, baby boomers make up 40% of US workforce. This percentage is expected to increase dramatically in the next decade and baby boomers will make up majority of the employees in many companies. (Department of Labor, 2008) Companies are now at a dilemma on the effects of this population boom of older workers. Human Resource Departments are torn between decisions to retain or terminate their services. At one hand, older workers have the experiences and technical expertise; many are valued employees. Retiring or terminating them may mean significant loss to many companies. On the other hand, many older employees have not kept pace with modern technologies; their skills have become obsolete. Older employees also are more expensive considering higher salary rates, pension and other benefits. An article from ABC by John Strossel and Frank Mastropolo, â€Å"Fired for Being Too Old: Unfair or Good for Business? † (2008) presented various age discrimination cases filed against companies. Like many, disc jockeys of 99. 7 KY Max Floyd and Tanna Guthrie were fired from work and without any warning. Though they were told that the company was changing formats, they knew that they were fired for being too old and they felt hurt and betrayed. Why couldn't they keep us? We've been there, been loyal with the company, and they didn't change the music a lot† (Strossel & Mastropolo, 2008, p. 1). They sought protection of the law for age discrimination and filed million-dollar lawsuit against the company. Sympathy may be given to baby boomers that end up being replaced with young, fresh talents. But in the competitive industry, businesses have to survive and be able to replac e their aging employees when needed.

Monetary theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Monetary theory - Research Paper Example Its value differs in different regions and parts of the world when compared. However, it is a common accepted and standard means of exchange by people within a boundary; that is why an individual from outside a nation will find himself with either few or more money after currency change in a foreign land that does not share similar currency. According to Leyshon and Thrift, there exist several forms of money, â€Å"namely; pre-modern money; commodity money; money of account; state money and virtue money† (3). Money exists as paper (certified currency notes), metallic coins, made of kinds of metals and credit money which is easily convertible and highly appreciated through cheques. In the past, a variety of commodities ranging from iron, gold, copper, silver, shells and animals served as a medium of exchange in various locations and times. The history of money can be traced back from the act of exchange; however, barter trade was not able to handle the complexity of life dealin gs and so had to be replaced with a common medium. Money must be easy to transport and identify, durable, difficult to duplicate, divisible and widely accepted (â€Å"the measure of money,† boj.org). Money supply in the economy: This is simply the amount of money circulating in an economy. Several methods have been put across to measure money supply in an economy. However, the measures differ from nation to nation, in time and the intention. According to Dwivedi, â€Å"(i) money supply is a stock variable and measure of money supply refers to the stock of money at of point in time; (ii) by measure of money supply is meant the measure of stock of money available to the public as a means of payments and store of value and (iii) the term ‘public’ means all economic units including household, firms and institution† (212) excluding some areas like commercial and main central banks where money is in circulation. To quantify money, various policy makers and econo mists use M0, M1, M2 and M3 methods. â€Å"M1includes money in circulation, checkable deposits and traveler’s checks while M2 adds savings deposits, time deposits held in depository information and money market mutual funds share on top of M1†( Gwartney, Stroup, Sobel, and Macpherson 266). M0 is the monetary base from which other measures build on while M3 is a broader measure including items that would be termed to be close substitutes for money. Money value is affected by its supply in the market; when its supply is limited comparing with its demand, its value is high at the time, but when unlimited in circulation, it looses its value; that is, one uses a lot of it to buy few items. Money supply is a very central issue in any nation; in most countries, it is handled by the government through central banks and treasury, other involved groups are credit unions and depository institutions among others with regard to a nation. Money supply in an economy will always affec t interest rates; with increase in supply, the GDP increases too in the short run while price level in the long run, otherwise they both decrease in the same manner respectively. Money supply is important to GDP calculation and its increase bids bond prices up as it slows down the interest rate to affect investments which in turn influences total output in an economy. Suppose money supply generates faster than real output, inflation tends

Assignment Listening SKILLS Video Project Essay

Assignment Listening SKILLS Video Project - Essay Example I ventured to analyze myself in the video critically through four key listening skills of Non-verbal Communication, Verbal Communication, Questioning for Understanding, and Paraphrasing. The very first quality of an effective listener is to create a comfortable environment for the speaker. In this context, I employed non-verbal elements such as body posture, body language, and facial expressions in many ways. In the journal ("Developing Effective Communication Skills", the author states how important it is for the speaker and listener to be in the same posture, that is, sitting or standing (2009). I use this strategy by ensuring both of us were sitting and facing each other and my eyes were at the same level with him. I also made sure there was the right amount of space between us with no tangible barriers like furniture, and my hands were not crossed or clasped behind my neck . All these conveyed to Jimmy a sense of comfort and ease rather than a feeling of hostility or guarded behavior from my side. However, it would have been more ideal to have a warmer environment. I constantly made eye contact and at 1:57, I leaned forward to represent understanding and interes t through my body posture. In order to avoid blank expressions, at points 00:58 and 1:09, I smiled at Jimmy or changed my facial or physical expressions as he did. This is as known as the mirroring technique where I match his physical gestures. Dr. Walker says â€Å"Mirroring someone’s expressions and gestures indicates that you are in step with them† (2009). Another effective skill I used is to nod and emit vocal sounds such as ‘mmm’ and ‘ahan’ during the first minute to demonstrate I was listening and to help him on overcome his hesitation. I took care to not move around too much so as not to distract Jimmy. I kept in mind to smile and laugh at the right time such as at 1:25

Contemporary Chinese Law in Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Contemporary Chinese Law in Context - Essay Example 4). Traditional Chinese Laws were practiced in China even during the latter half of twentieth century. The traditional laws were highly influenced by philosophical and political doctrines propagated by Confucius. Thus, the traditional Chinese laws, government regulations and penal code had Philosophical influence (The Spirit of Traditional Chinese Law n.d., p. 2-3). This paper deals with some of the Chinese laws which were revised and those which have kept pace with the changes brought about by economic globalisation. While some of the existing laws were amended like the Competition law, social law, Property laws, some new laws like Food and Beverages Law, Antimonopoly Law, etc were introduced. This paper reviews some of those laws by focusing on the circumstances which required introduction of new laws, components of new laws, their implementations and effectiveness in the Chinese Society. At the same time, this paper also examines categorization of laws basing upon their formation as well as their limitations or drawbacks. Chinese laws after 1976 to 2013: Contemporary laws: westernization Chinese legal system got modernized only after the country earned its Republic status, and especially after the reign of Qing dynasty. The effects of Cultural Revolution necessitated the requirement for formulation of some new laws and reformation of some. It has been observed that, during the last thirty years China has put most efforts in implementing legal provisions. Not only this, China has also achieved significant amount of success in redefining its legal norms, development and innovations in institutions and systems pertaining to laws and regulations. Modern day Chinese laws are meant for serving long term goals. Some of these include modifying public behavior, family planning policies, proper functioning of social systems, and above all making up for flaws that were committed by Chinese legal systems before modernization (Dingjian 2010, p. 40). Over time, the legal reforms in China have been results of direct influence of legal systems of developed Western countries. However, China has blended them with their specific problems and has customized the laws to create a system which would best serve its purpose. In order to introduce a new behavioral model, China had to introduce new legal standards. Thus, modern Chinese legal concepts are aiming at shaping up a large- scale, proper and consistent legal- structure for China (Dingjian 2010, p. 41- 42). The Chinese legal system can also be divided into two broad categories- the state made laws and the non- state made laws. State made Law All the formal acts and regulations that are formulated and implemented in recent times are classified under this category. The state laws consist of standard legal provisions and procedures and in every aspect are held superior to non- state laws. Chinese laws are regulated by multiple authorities, and the division of power is centralized. Thus, China has a well de fined law and regulations for its citizens, thereby promoting equality and peace (China's Current Legislation Structure). Non- State made law The non- state laws refers to those codified and un-codified laws and regulations that are practiced in a nation without maintaining any international convention. Numerous such laws could

Art essay, statement and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Art , statement and analysis - Essay Example Botticelli’s painting of Three Graces (1482) is a fragment of the tempera panel painting â€Å"Primavera†; it describes three Greek mythological goddesses Aglaia, Thalia and Euphrosyne. They are pictured dancing and holding their hands, looking at each other. The women look a kind of alike, they have the same hair color and the textures of their dresses are also similar, which shows that artist intended to picture them as a separate part from the whole composition, but didn’t want to emphasize on each of them, on the contrary, Botticelli made them as one element of the painting. The lines on the painting are soft and precise; color and shading form a three-dimensional picture – these factors influent on the naturalistic visualization of the Graces. The curling hair of the goddesses and the translucent elements of their clothes create an impression of lightness and serenity of women’s characters, and the dark background simultaneously emphasizes on t his impression by contrasting, but also alienates this group of characters from the others in the painting. Three Graces are depicted extremely naturally; with a high technique Botticelli succeed to describe the goddesses both mythically and realistically. The sculpture of Three Graces (Roman copy of a Greek work of the second century b.c (marble) is an image of three young women, holding each other’s shoulders, the one in the middle is turned backwards. Some of the women have their hands cut and they all don’t have a head details, the statue was damaged, the artist created this work is unknown. Because of the damages this work of art cannot be properly interpreted. The sculpture is made of marble, white color and smooth surface; the figures of goddesses are real human sized, they stand on ovoid base surrounded by two pillars on lateral sides. Elements of the sculpture were made smooth and polished; in addition, the connection between women in the

Individual Transition Plan for MIchael (student with learning Assignment

Individual Transition Plan for MIchael (student with learning disability) - Assignment Example Jefferson School of Arts will evaluate the drawing and assess Michael’s chances of becoming a professional artist (McDonnell, Hardman, and McDonnell 75). Michael will remain in Jefferson Middle School until September 2001 to improve on his literacy, numeracy, communication, and general life skills. In January 2002, Michael will join Jefferson School of Arts to pursue a professional career in drawing The teacher will tutor the student throughout the academic year until September 2001. The teacher will continuously evaluate Michael’s progress though observation, homework, class work, quizzes, and tests. In September 2001, the teacher will assess if the targets spelt out in the IEP have been achieved. By the end of his training in professional drawing in December 2003, Michael should be able to draw good images, market his drawing, and be qualified for employment in a drawing studio or any other organization that may require his services. After graduating from Jefferson School of Arts, Michael will return to Fine Arts Studio on voluntary basis. This will enable Michael develop his drawing skills in a business environment. Michael will also acquire practical experience that will enable him adopt properly and excel in formal employment or be able to run his own business. During his time as a volunteer at Fine Arts Studio, Michael will get 30% of the proceeds made from his drawings. When fully competent with his work, he will apply for a competitive employment position in Fine Arts Studio or any other organization that may require his services (Thoma 6). He will be placed in the production department for the first 3 months where he will work under the supervisor a professional drawing artist. He will be evaluated at the end of the first 3 months to establish if he is fit for permanent employment. Michael will continue living with his family after graduating from Jefferson School of Arts. The family will explore the long-term possibilities of independent

Partners in Health and Zanmi Lasante; Assignment

Partners in Health and Zanmi Lasante; - Assignment Example Organizational culture: Partners in Health, is a nonprofit organization comprising of healthcare workers and professionals who share in its mission statement and goals. Its programs are steered by the board of Trustees (Partners in Health, 2009). Strengths: The strengths of Partners in Health lie in its building of partnerships with like-minded organizations. By using the expertise of the world’s leading academic and medical institutions, it has maximized on its ability (Partners in Health, 2009). Partners: Partners in Health, partners with various organizations like; COPE Project, PACT, Last Mile Health, Project Muso, Possible, and Village Health Works to deliver on its mandate. It gets funding from well-wishers and fund raising (Partners in Health, 2009). Through this examination of PIH, it is evident that there exist disparities in global health especially between the rich and the poor. However, noble and philanthropic individuals like Bill Gates have noted of these disparities and are at the forefront in supporting healthcare projects aimed at helping the poor just like PIH (Herper, 2011). Through his foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has supported vaccination programs around the world (NEWSFOCUS, 2006). PIH and Bill Gates are examples of efforts geared towards a better, healthier

Oil Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oil Prices - Essay Example A customary perception based on what happened in the 1970s is that oil price shocks trigger recessions. However, the recent past does not fit this view-oil prices are about 2 1/2 times their 2002 levels-but this increase has seemingly not had much impact on the global economy. This seeming puzzle has brought attention to the need to identify the sources of the oil price increase, in particular, to distinguish the role of supply and demand reasons. [1] This box examines these issues using an extended version of the Global Economy Model (GEM) to analyze the causes and outcomes of changes in oil prices. It also looks at the global macro-economic impact of higher taxes on petroleum products. It is important to this clear this from the beginning the analysis does not take on to assess the relative importance of demand and supply causes in the recent run-up in oil prices. In contrast, the main focus is on patterning the channels through which oil prices and growth interact. Global Macro-economic Implications of a Supply Impelled Oil Price Hike First: take the case where oil-exporting economies restrict the supply of oil (as in the 1970s). Oil prices rise sharply (100 per cent at the peak of the simulation) and this results in a global slowdown as redistribution of income to the oil-exporting economies, which have a lower inclination to spend than the oil-importing economies. In addition, higher oil prices raise the cost of production a nd put upward pressure on the collect price level leading to an increase in interest rates, which- in sync with the direct influence on manufacturing outlays-would further decrease in the short run. As a result, world GDP falls 1.4 per cent below the baseline at the trough and global inflation rises about 1.5 percentage points (first figure). The regional macro-economic outcomes of higher oil prices depend on whether a country is a net oil exporter or importer, and on its oil intensity. Oil exporters run a large trade surplus, peaking around 6 per cent of GDP above the baseline, and enjoy a vigorous expansion. In contrast, the oil-importing economies suffer weakening in their external balances and a slowdown in. The impact is more significant in immerging Asian economies chiefly because of their higher oil intensities about advanced economies. On balance, the effects on inflation and GDP in this scenario are significantly smaller than viewed in many industrial countries in the 1970s . [1] First, this partially reflects the lower oil intensities of consumption and production, which lessen both the direct affects on inflation and the medium- and long-term affects on GDP. Second, these simulations assume that forward-looking inflation targeting central banks raise interest rates at once to prevent a ratcheting up of inflation expectations and a spillover into wages and other prices, unlike what happened in the 1970s. Third, many countries have fulfilled reforms that have increased flexibility in both labor and product markets, simplifying more rapid adjustment in relative prices in response to oil price shocks. Combined with creditable monetary policies that have anchored longer-term inflation expectations, these improvements have allowed containing inflationary pressures caused by the higher oil prices without excessively dampening. However, the simulations do not account for possible business and consumer confidence affects or capital market

Rationale of the Stability and Growth Pact Given the Maastricht Treaty Essay

Rationale of the Stability and Growth Pact Given the Maastricht Treaty Criteria and its Advantages and Disadvanatges - Essay Example These monetary advantages augment in relation to volume of trade and with the intensity of economic integration. As for the cost of the monetary union, it emanates from the savings in loss of the exchange rate as a fine-tuning variable to soothe the aggregate demand. (Quere et al 2010:390).Further, Exchange rate movements are liable to be a basis of asymmetric shocks and Mundells approach found the monetary union as a mode to condense asymmetric shocks and enhance insurance against them (Quere et al 2010:390). As per Mundells, elimination of Transaction costs will be the direct gains whereas price transparency will be the indirect gain. Many empirical studies have shown that there will be many gains from a monetary union and one of the main benefits will be the elimination of exchange rate transaction’s costs as there will be reduction in the size of price discrimination between national markets. (Llirjani 2006:73). According to Taylor (2005), transaction costs will include sa vings in currency conversion charges , reduction in bank commissions , charges and delays linked with cross-border payments by banks. As per an EU study , the elimination of transaction costs involving conversion of one currency into another is likely to enhance the GDP of the nations concerned by an aggregate of 0.4% for the EU as a whole per annum. (Macdonald 1999:201). Single monetary union will help to attain lower transaction costs as there will be no commission on foreign exchange transactions and there will be an elimination of costs of hedging the exchange rate risk. Under single monetary union, all member nations will enjoy lower interest rates. (Grauwe 2007:78). Many of the analysis of costs and benefits of Europe’s common currency is footed upon the theory of optimum currency areas . According to this concept, the benefits that accrue by sharing a common currency across nations’ frontiers include more uniform prices (price parity), greater certainty for inve stors , lower transactions costs and increased competition.(Carbaugh 2011 :307). A single monetary union will offer more advantages to exporters as it will put a full stop to domestic currency volatility and a diminution of peripheral currency volatility, which would facilitate exporters to visualise prospect markets with larger conviction. This will let loose a larger possibility for expansion of economy for participants of the monetary union. For instance ,in the recent years , Germany experienced economic development which is footed on vibrant corporate investments and export growth in the export sector(Herr & Kazandziska 2011:194) The chief advantage connected with a monetary union is that there will be welfare advantages due to better prospects or from less uncertainty for companies to maximise their revenues as future returns will be less risky. (Llirjani 2006:73).Further, less uncertainty will also fetch financial stability among member nations. For instance ,it is interestin g to observe that Spain, Italy and France attained 100%, 100%, and 68% respectively of their prior-EMU window variances that were greater than the post-EUM variation. (Mafi-Kreft & Sobel 2006). According to Balwin, Skudelny and Taglioni (2005), due to single

Episode in my life Essay Example for Free

Episode in my life Essay Some may ponder on how merely playing hockey changed my perspective in life and on people. Even I never expected pursuing my interest would result in such a dramatic affect in my life. It all started of when I was in my last year on the school hockey team.  Due to my seniority and experience in the game, my coach began to assign me the duty of instructing my juniors to become goalkeepers like me. One of the juniors I trained was Ili Anis Athirah who was also one of the best of my so called apprentices. We became team mates for the under 18 team in my final year on the squad. Unexpectedly, our coach chose Ili as the first eleven players and put me on bench. When I asked coach why he made such a decision, he said both of us were equally talented but Ili had two advantages compared to me; her eyesight was better and she was bigger in size than me. All my eagerness and determination to play for my last tournament shattered into pieces and turned into sheer disappointment. I was never given a chance to play during that last tournament. The team even broke into two groups. One group was on my side while the other was on Ilis. I did not bother to gain empathy from my team mates but they were understanding and thought that coach was being unfair to me. He was treating me like an old rag that can be tossed away after being used for so long. Then, during the quarter finals against one of the strong teams of the league, I had an opening of regaining myself to my team mates and of course my coach. During that particular game, Ili performed badly and gave way to three goals for the opponent. All of a sudden, coach called Ili out and replaced her with me! Even when I was running to the goal post in those heavy goalkeepers equipment, I thought; THIS is the moment of truth! I wanted to prove the coachs judgments wrong. Even though I was short sighted and smaller compared to Ili, I can still play the game effortlessly. I was not nervous because of the game but I was excited to finally get the chance to reclaim my position in the team. Strength and luck was on my side that day. Not a single goal passed through me. Even though we lost the game, I walked to the bench with the abundant feeling of satisfaction that was beyond explainable. Although I did not expect my coach to apologize for abandoning me through out that last tournament, I still felt pleased to just look at his face after the game; he had the expression mixed between amazement, disbelief and at the same time guiltiness. I know it will take him ages to realize that not giving me a chance to play during my final year truly broke my heart into pieces. From this experience, I did not only get the chance to prove my coach wrong, but I also began to appreciate my friends who were always on my side during the days of my hardships. They were the ones who faithfully listened to my feelings of disappointments and gave me strength through their words of advice. If it was not for them, I would not have the courage and vigor to confront such frustration and humiliation of being the reserved player after four consecutive years of being the first player. It also occurred to me that not everything in life is permanent. The fame and reputation I gained when I was on the team could be easily taken away by just one decision the coach made; From becoming one of the best players, I became the bench resident. I became a more humble and modest person in personality due to this experience. Fame and reputation changed from becoming one of my top priorities to the least that I could care of. I realized that there is much more in life such as the faithful friends I gained though this episode in my life. Forgiveness and patience also arose to my senses from this incident. I realized that no matter what a person does to you, we should learn to forgive them with all our hearts. I began to forgive my coach although he made a choice that swelled my heart with frustration and mortification. I learned that from forgiving and being patient, one can enjoy life better as enemies and foes will not surround their life. Above all, I learned that one should make full use of the opportunities given in life. Not everyone is lucky like me to get the chance to prove other peoples perception wrong. One should grab the chances given to them and put all his strength and efforts in making full usage of it. I began appreciating chances given to me; at the same time I became a more hardworking and passionate person in the things that I do. In essence, I would not change this experience for the world because of its positive impacts in my life and personality. I have learned how to appreciate my friends better and I also realized that fame and reputation are not the most important things in life. I have indeed become a more patient and forgivable person as well. Besides that, I began to make full use of the good chances given to me in life. No doubt, the moment of truth will stay in my heart FOREVER!

What Is Talent Management?

What Is Talent Management? Chapter 1 Introduction Background of the study There has been a paradigm shift in the business environment across the world which has led to a growing demand of more efficient and phenomenal results from the scheduled operations and routine activities. This applies primarily to the field of human resource management which stands accountable for the acquisition, development, utilization and retention of the human capital. The present, as is evident, is immensely competitive, be it in terms of sourcing activities, investor relations, technological advancement or simply the workforce. The human resource managers are now faced with the double-edged sword of identifying, selecting and nurturing potential talent and also to formulate and implement pertinent strategies that can effectively contribute towards the achievement of organizational objectives. Hence, the biggest challenge that comes across the human resource panels is to get a hold of limited and thinning pool of skilled accessible candidates to replace important employees whe n they leave, hugely emphasizing the difficulty to attract, develop, motivate and retain the best employees in an organization. Authors, academicians and business experts alike maintain different views and opinions regarding the meaning of â€Å"talent†. Talent can be anything that predisposes an individual to success in a position or organization (Jason Lauritsen, 2010). The author further supports this view by stressing that talent is situational. A person can be advantageous because of his natural ability in one scenario but not necessarily in others. This means that in order to be successful that person has to be placed in a right role within an organization so that his abilities and capacities can manifest as talent to drive the success of the business. Another view maintains that talent can allegedly be a potential trait, a symptom of inherent ability, a foreshadowing of future greatness, or a way of describing an individuals early achievements or performance merits (Downey Greg, 2009). Whilst at the same time paradoxically, talent can be understood as the reason why some experts are more capable than others; unlike a concept like jeito, (a Brazilian term for knack), talent is more often than not generally very much task specific or specialized, even while a talented person is believed to be often quite versatile. Talent is specifically opposed to hard work or determination, implying that skill is primarily a mix of natural talent and hard work, in various proportions and quantum. Likely, talent is very much an idea or a skill that some people learn faster, more effortlessly, and with greater effect. In certain ways, talent can be thought of as a multiplier, enabling a person to achieve more out of formative experiences and activit ies. Keeping such ideas in mind, in the business purview, â€Å"talent management† is the process of matching capabilities with commitments (Donald H Taylor, 2007). This describes the aim of the entire talent management process. It underscores that talent management rather than being aimed at an individual focuses on the entire organization so as to ensure that the firm is able to achieve its set targets for both, the present and the future. The encompassed assumption here is that capability is based on an organizations sole source of value and competitive advantage in a developed economy: its human capital. â€Å"Talent management† comprises identifying a persons innate skills, traits, individuality and fitting him into the right work profile; every individual possesses unique talent that matches an exacting job profile and any other position will lead to discomfort (Salma Aliakabar, 2004). It therefore falls under the Management, specifically the HR Division, to situate candidates with discretion and prudence simply because a wrong fit can result in additional hiring, re-training and all such wasteful activities. â€Å"Talent management† is a complex assortment of associated HR processes that delivers an easy elementary benefit for any business (SHRM, 2009). Talent Management can be easily considered to be advantageous and important to both the organization and the workforce. The organization gains from: improved productivity and potential; an enhanced association between a persons efforts and business goals; commitment of esteemed workforce; reduced employee turnover rate; Better bench strength and an improved fit between individuals work and skills. Employees gain from: Enhanced motivation and dedication; career growth; increased awareness about and involvement in companys goals; Continued inspiration and job satisfaction. Analyst research has established that companies employing talent management strategies and solutions display superior performance than their direct competitors and the market in broad (SHRM Survey, 2009). About 83% of the large enterprises view integrated talent management as mission critical and upto 73% of HR professionals believe that talent management impacts the financial performance positively (Softscape Global HR Survey, 2009). As per the Talent Pulse Survey, (2005) about 1,400 HR professionals worldwide believed the attraction and retention of high-caliber employees as the most critical issue. These issues were further underscored by the fact that 54% of the respondents agree that talent issues have an influence on overall productivity and that there is a clear linkage between talent management and industry performance. HRVote, Human Resources magazines online voting forum reported that 44% of the respondents implied talent management and succession planning was a considerabl e challenge. According to an IDC study U.S. HR BPO 2005 Vendor Analysis: The Evolving Landscape, 37% of U.S. HR outsourcing expenses in 2004 was on HR and talent management services. Several taxing workforce problems confront HR, counting: Increased competition for skilled personnel. Imminent retirement of the â€Å"baby boomer† generation workers. Reduced levels of employee commitment. Realization of the high cost of the employee turnover. Onerous demands of managing global human capital. Necessity of succession planning. Outsourcing and off shoring practices. This necessitates novel thinking and a new charge to achieve success in an industry. These elements, coupled with the requirement to align workers directly with business goals, compel HR to progress from policy formation, cost diminution, process competence and risk management to lashing a fresh talent frame of mind in the organization. Therefore, talent management is an ongoing process that provides the optimal personnel for a particular business. Under this role, HR performs as the strategic enabler and a catalyst of talent management processes that empower the managers and workforce whilst developing business value. Taleos graphical representation stresses upon the mandate of talent management to be responsive to the organizational goals and accordingly be the driving force behind the business performance. Herein, talent management is denoted as a circular and not a linear, module of activities. In the present scenario, workforce expenditure is the prevalent category of pay out for most organizations. Automation and analysis of the recruitment and hiring processes of a firm delivers the abrupt labor force visibility and insights that are needed to notably perk up the bottom line. Performance management contributes towards the ongoing processes and activities to sustain a vast workforce. The future prospect of talent management is encompassed in the solutions planned from the scratch to provide for the business-centric operations on an integrated talent management platform. Decisions about talent management figure the competencies that companies have and their eventual achievement and from the perception of people, such decisions establish the path and pace of careers. In India currently, it may be difficult to visualize the crisis of possessing too much talent, but the first slump in the financial system, or even in a fragment of the economy will make things stand apart. Such mismatches are most definitely included in the primary problems that organizations and many large employers face. Over the precedent generation, companies specifically, seem to have jumped from surpluses of talent to shortfalls to surpluses and back to such a cycle. The challenge evident in front of the employers is to follow much more strongly the requirements for talent to evade both the shortfalls and oversupplies. Talent management is not an end in itself. It is not about fostering the growth of employees or charting succession plans. Neither is it about gaining definite benchmarks like a four percent employee turnover rate, having the most qualified and skilled personnel, or any such strategic outcome. The objective of talent management is the quite more general but valuable task of serving the business achieve its general objectives. And in the business world, that objective is to be profitable; be it in the short run or the long. What we need to attend to going onward is to ensure how to craft investments in growth affordable and fraction of that challenge embodies employee retention, making it probable to at least retain workers long enough to recover the training investments made in them. Problem Statement â€Å"Intense competition in the emerging Indian IT market has made talent retention and its management a challenge and therefore, questions the role of strategic talent management in being able to address such issues and being effective in an organizations overall effectiveness.† Talent Management has gained its fair share of fame in being effective in attracting, retaining and managing talented individuals. The Indian IT industry is marked with the following: The increased globalization has fuelled the growth as well as competition of the IT industry in India which is characterized by issues of talent retention. In spite of rising demand for talent, talent management has not yet completely arrived in India, making it all the more crucial in the current chaotic times and its effectiveness in the Indian scenario. Development of talent pools remains to be a sore issue with the HR professionals employed in the Indian IT sector. To summarize the above headings, the issue is the talent retention of skilled individuals in the Indian IT industry that leads to increased costs to an organization. The HR professionals have to engage in brainstorming activities in order to unearth ways to attract, retain and manage talents which are considered to be the biggest asset of a company today. Also, the talent management practices and their implementation in the Indian IT industry context have been far from satisfactory and add to the woes of a highly competitive market. Moreover, maintenance of talent pools so as to support succession planning and measures to integrate talent retention, employee commitment and employee involvement all stress the need to address the issue of talent management with a strategic bend. Aims and Objectives of the Study The aim of the study is to understand the importance of talent management in the current corporate scenario by collecting relevant information and enabling a better understanding of the strategic HR processes that a company can employ in order to manage and retain its key people. Aim â€Å"To understand the impaxt of a good talent management program on an organizations overall effectiveness, particularly in the case of Indian IT industry, in order to enable it to manage and retain its key resources; and gaining an understanding of the talent retention and employee involvement functions.† Objectives The objectives of the study are: To gain an understanding about talent management and its relevance to the current corporate scenario To explore the importance of talent management in the organizations overall success To study the role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management To understand and evaluate the challenges faced in managing talent in the organizations today To study the role of talent management in prolonged employee satisfaction To explore the importance of talent management in the Indian IT industry and the significance of maintaining a talent pipeline for companies in the Indian IT sector To study the key drivers that lead to employee commitment crucial for a talent management system to be effective Significance of the study (to be edited upon the completion of the study) The implications of this research aim at exploring the relevance of talent management programs to the Indian IT indutry. It will assist the corporate in understanding the effectivess of framing such programs so as to be able to effeciently manage and retain its key players. Through implementation of talent management practices, the organizations efficiency is likely to increase, developing a proficient pool of skilled and talented employees which can be leveraged as a competitive strategy; making the corporate more competent to challenges in the industry. The research tests an employee commitment level to his/her organization and also aims at identifying the key drivers/attributes that propel employee commitement level in an Indian IT setting. The significance of the results mark that talent management programs are not only crucial and effective, but also cost-efficient, by maintaining a consistent pool of skilled employees tehreby reducing on the hiring, training and firing costs. In the present financial crisis effective workforce is the only difference that can make an organization carry its operations smoothly. Successful implementation of such talent management programs is of remarkable significance for the business. The research solution furthers the adoption of healthy talent management processes and its various functions to create significance for the business in achieving its ultimate goal of operational efficiency, cost control and profitability. Limitations of the study The study is subject to several limitations, some of which are highlighted as under: The study is confined to the specific organizations of the India IT sector. The finding of the study, therefore, cannot be generalized for the entire Indian scenario as a whole. Sample size, being small, is not completely representative of all the employees, employers and the HR people engaged in the Indian IT sector. All this might have affected the reliability of the results to some extent. Time as well as financial constraints are also one of the limitations of the study. Organization of the paper Chapter 2 Review of Literature 2.1 Meaning and Definition of Talent Management According to several authors, an all-encompassing definition of talent management is difficult to pin down. Lewis and Heckman (2006) pointed out that identifying an exact meaning of talent management is complicated owing to both the confusion regarding the definition of terms used and the various deviations in assumptions made by the writers who consider the issue. Lewis and Heckman further support their view by noting that the terms succession management, talent strategy and human resource planning are more often than not used interchangeably, all of which form an integral part of talent management functions. They believe that there is no clear view existing on talent management and none at all that can be considered as sufficiently strategic. As is evident, there are several approaches to talent management. One such approach identifies talent management with the traditional HR practices for instance recruitment, selection, training and performance management, among various other things (Cheese et al., 2008). This approach cannot be considered new as the traditional HR practices are becoming more decisive to a business success and hence, it is gradually getting imperative to associate such practices with the talents needed by the firms. Another varying approach towards talent management is firmly linked with the notion of HR planning, succession planning and strategic HR management (Rothwell Kazanas, 2004). These authors underscore and emphasize the strategic significance of talent management, whereas others stress upon the talent pools required for the succession planning. But this literature fall short in advancing the theory or practice of HR (Lewis Heckman, 2006). A third approach towards talent management caps on a rather general view by identifying talent management with concerns like leadership (Barner, 2006), talent pools (Michaels et al., 2001), an individuals potential (Smilansky, 2006), the development of talent (Fulmer Bleak, 2008) and the attraction and retention of personnel (Rueff Stringer, 2006). Understandably, none of the above-mentioned approaches to talent management is able to clearly define the concept of talent management or to highlight the ways of managing talent through comprehensive understanding of HR planning and practices. The third approach fails in being persuasive owing to its lack of focus and the plethora of topics covered under one head. Moreover, all these approaches overlook the strategic significance of talent management and hence, fall short of linking it with the overall business strategy thereby limiting the potential and scope of talent management and perceiving it as another HR domain. Another view deals with the task of talent management, â€Å"Talent Management is the recruitment, development and retention of individuals who consistently deliver superior performance.† (Tony Davis, 2007). The author further defines a talent management strategy as â€Å"a structured and corporate approach to the recruitment, retention and development of talented individuals within the organization.† The intent of a talent management strategy remains to ensure the employment of such personnel that will consistently deliver superior performance. The writer maintains that a talent management strategy is not an overtly intellectual concept as it is evident that highly skilled employees are expected to disproportionately contribute to an organizations successful achievement of goals and hence, become an invaluable asset in the process. The author inevitably agrees that it is a challenge to manage and retain a talented workforce and hence, terms it as a strategic issue whic h involves its own fair share of planning and execution. As per AndrÃÆ' ©s Hatum (2010), â€Å"Talent Management is a strategic activity aligned with the firms business strategy that aims to attract, develop and retain talented employees at each level of the organization.† Therefore, the talent management process is linked to an organizations business and strategic-planning processes. This approach emphasizes upon the most important aspect of talent management: the employees. The author further aligns talent management with the resource-based theory of the business which maintains that sustainable competitive advantage is in possession of the companies that nurtures resources that are valuable, rare and difficult to imitate. Talent Management is but a tool to generate and maintain such resources through its human capital. With such a view, the author has conveniently delineated the focus of talent management on the talent at the organizational level and not at the individual employee level. This definition therefore clearly defines how talent management can be used to develop an organizations talent structure by attracting, developing and training people. Such a talent structure can most definitely be the source of a sustainable competitive advantage in the current scenario. Talent Management is â€Å"a holistic approach to optimizing human capital, which enables an organization to drive short- and long-term results by building culture, engagement, capability, and capacity through integrated talent acquisition, development, and deployment processes that are aligned to business goals.†, (ASTD Research, 2009). The view focuses upon the consequences of employing talent management practices in the immediate as well as the distant future. Also, it supports talent management as being able to result in building and organizational culture that encompasses the essence of the work environment of a company. The definition also stresses upon the ability of employing talent management to enhance both the capacity and capability of individuals by appropriately matching them with the right job profile suiting their personalities. Furthermore, all such modules pertaining to talent management are to be designed keeping in view the ultimate goals of an organization thereby aligning it with the entire business strategy. Derek Stockley, (2011) defines talent management as, â€Å"A conscious, deliberate approach undertaken to attract, develop and retain people with the aptitude and abilities to meet current and future organizational needs.† He further states that â€Å"Talent management involves individual and organizational development in response to a changing and complex operating environment. It includes the creation and maintenance of a supportive, people oriented organization culture.† Derek aptly emphasizes upon the dynamic role of talent management in an ever-changing business atmosphere. The view aims at the function of talent management that leads to the development of healthy organizational culture within a business that considers the involvement of employees at a more active level. This view besides being consistent with others also, adds a new dimension to the scope of talent management thereby widening the applicability and functionality of the same. Another view maintains that â€Å"Talent Management is an oxymoron† (Davies Kourdi, 2010). The authors hold that linking talent to ‘management, a term that best describes planning, organizing, leading, directing, facilitating, and controlling a business; is absurd as talent is believed its own special ability and personal capacity for achievement. According to the writers, talent management was used first in early 1990s by an IT software firm that wanted to market a new employee database, hence, the view that talent management can be best believed to work with data and not with human capital and their potential. There are clearly several opinionated ideas of different authors on talent management. Whilst some associate it with the routine HR activity and processes and consider it as an extension to the faculty of human resource planning, others define such role as meager to the scope of talent management. They believe that limiting talent management to a specific domain is very much being unassuming and therefore, a proper sense is manifested in the term only when it is viewed as being appreciably strategically skewed. Under this dimension, the role of talent management can be considered as being fruitful in the present and the immediate future and both in the short-run and the long-run as well. 2.2 Importance of Talent Management in organizational success â€Å"Talent Management has become the lifeblood of organizations. It is often seen as a primary reason for organizational success and failure and the key source of competitive advantage.† (Silzer Dowell, 2010). The authors mutually agree that the business environment since the 1990s has been witness to several groundbreaking changes such as falling trade barriers and globalization of businesses worldwide. Such an expansion has led to increased demand for global talent which is needed to support these initiatives (Sloan, Hazucha Van Katwyk, 2003). This has further resulted in immense competition for the talent on a global scale (Michaels et al., 2001). Therefore, the ever-increasing demand for talent globally along with the widening scarcity of exceptional talent has made the organization realize both the importance and benefit of talent management practices. According to Ringo et al., (2008) as companies seek to overcome challenges coupled with globalization, changing workforce demographics and the emergence of new business models, they are looking forward to their employees as the critical source of differentiation in the market. The authors firmly believe in talent management practices and consent that investment in the same leads to an organization outperforming its peers. They also found through their research that high performing firms are more likely to invest in the talent management processes. They maintain that all organizations put into practice some form of talent management, without it they would be not capable to function. But at the same time, those that invest in an integrated set of talent management capabilities closely associated with their business strategy have a leg up against the competition. â€Å"No organization in todays economic climate can afford to invest in talent management practices without a demonstrable and significant return on investment† (Ringo et al., (2008). Organizations that are able outpace their competitors in attraction; development and retention of the best talent have a several distinct advantages: considerably lower costs, invariably higher productivity, consistently better quality, more satisfied and loyal customers, and increased financial performance (Schiemann, 2011). All such merits determine the critical path to on organizations success thereby chalking down talent management as the key driver in the entire phenomenon. Talent management, beyond any confusion, is crucial to organizational success. It can be easily considered equally important for innovation, customer satisfaction, profitability and new product development of the company (Management Study Guide, 2011). Talent and leadership continue to be inadequate. Fewer qualified personnel and leaders intend to join the workforce to replace aging workers who are on the verge of retirement. Moreover, talent management practices of the 20th century need to be relooked and worked upon to keep pace with the actuality of a rapidly varying 21st century business environment (ADP, 2010). Silzer Dowell (2010) further maintain that there are several other such factors that have contributed invariably to the growing importance of talent management in an organization: There is a widely increasing demand for talented leaders and individuals with growth of the emerging markets in the developing countries. There is an acute realization of shrinking pool of skilled, talented and experienced workforce, especially in USA, Europe and Japan. Besides, increasing complexity of global business and the emerging requirement for talented individuals that can effectively adapt to the changing business atmosphere further advocates the role of talent management in organization success. The growing need that specific organizational capabilities are needed for developing a sustainable competitive advantage in a highly competitive market and a rising call for recruitment and retention of highly skilled workers with specialized competence to build upon the future capabilities. And most importantly, the increased difficulty in retention of crucial talent as a result of a shift to a self-managed professional careers where skilled personnel aggressively pursue their careers and advancement by switching over different companies and geographic boundaries. Also, talent management has led to containment of internal costs of hiring, training and firing by focusing upon centralized shared services, outsourced functions and continual investment in the state-of-art HR practices of talent management that seeks internal hiring and retention. Talent management adds up to a number of significant human resources and management inventiveness (Derek Stockley, 2011). Organizations that properly make a decision to manage their talent (i.e. human capital) embark on a strategic analysis of their contemporary HR processes. This is to make certain that a synchronized, performance oriented approach is implemented. According to Derek Stockley (2011), most often than not, organizations adopting a talent management approach should focus on co-coordinating and incorporating, in order for it to be beneficial: Recruitment Under this the organization has to ensure that the right people are attracted to the right jobs matching their attitude and personality which will lead to â€Å"best job fit†. Retention Under which the focus lays on the development and implementation of such practices that reward and support employees. Employee development It is concerned with ensuring that incessant informal and formal learning and development continues within a firm. Leadership and high potential employee development This involves particular development programs for fostering the growth of existing and future leaders. Performance management This module primarily deals with specific processes that cultivate and sustain performance, including feedback and measurement mechanisms. Workforce planning The organization here undergoes planning for business and general variations, including the older workforce and current or future skills shortages. Culture This particularly deals with the development of a positive, progressive and high performance way of operating the processes and activities. A vital step is to recognize the personnel or workers, the people and positions that are significant to the business. It is not necessary that they need be senior personnel. Many companies lost a substantial amount of organizational knowledge in the downsizing exercises during recession a couple of years ago. The impact of the loss was not realized immediately. However, with time it became apparent to many firms their mistake, when the organizations were at a loss of people with the knowledge and skills to either anticipate or solve problems that arose. Therefore, talent management processes ensure the avoidance of such blunders by recognizing and assorting talented individuals in such a format that their real potential is unleashed and the organizations stand to gain from this. Derek further maintains that the current deliberations about skill shortages and the ageing population are also hugely forcing the organizations to focus on the talent management issue. At most of the times it becomes improbable to recruit and develop new individuals to look after the operational needs. Therefore, as a solution most of the leading firms often decide to develop and foster their own personnel, instead of making an attempt to hire highly skilled individuals. The author believes that every organization should implement talent management principles and approaches. The varied views on the importance of talent management in the organizational success all converge on a single theme that it is critical for the successful achievement of business goal and more so, in the competitive times such as these. They clearly throw light on the advantages and benefits that a firm can accrue from the efficient implementation of talent management processes and can bolster the business as well as its corporate culture. 2.3 Role of strategic planning, employee retention and employee commitment in talent management Strategic Planning The talent management approach should be strategically driven in order to be successful and effective (Silzer, Israel, Dowell, 2009). It then becomes the focus of achieving the business and talent strategy. The planning of talent management has to be done strategically in Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans Discourse Community Analysis Draft: Die-Hard Sports Fans In one way or another, we have all been members of a discourse community at some point in our life. So, what is a discourse community? A discourse community is defined as a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field (Mohrenne). They share the same common goals and aspirations. It can be anything from the organizations you participate in at school, to the choir you sing with at school or church, and/or the groups or organizations you engage in at work or at home on a daily basis. According to Robert Mohrenne, John Swales suggests that a discourse community can be characterized by six distinguishing characteristics 1) a broadly agreed upon set of common public goals, 2) mechanisms of intercommunication among its members, 3) participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback, 4) one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims, 5) some specific lexis, and 6) a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise (Mohrenne). A good example of a discourse community are die-hard sports fans. Die-hard sports fans fit the description of being a discourse community because they all have the common goals of wanting to see their team dominate other teams and displaying their loyalty for their team year after year. They faithfully follow their team throughout the entire year by supporting them through the good and bad times. Die-hard fans also watch every game, know specific stats about every player on the team, and know the language and signs players and referees use on every play. Die-hard fans do not care for fans who only ride the wave of the team when they are on a winning streak. They typically call these kind of fans bandwagoners because they are not passionate or committed to the overall goals of the community. In actuality, it is somewhat hard to call yourself a die-hard fan around true die-hard fans because they tend to question the loyalty of new comers especially if they know that the person supported other teams in the past. According to my dad, Mark Jefferson, a die-hard Pittsburg Steelers fan, a die-hard fan has a ride-or-die type of attitude for their team even if theyre having an 0 -14 season. He stated that he would never jump on another teams side regardless of how bad his team is doing because he knows their potential as a team and the skills of their players. In other words, die-hard fans can clearly distinguish bandwagoners from true die-hard fans based on interest level and knowledge of the team. Die-hard sports fans also use their own language to communicate with each other during games. For example, when die-hard sports fans are preparing for and/or watching their team play, they use social media and other forms of communication to communicate their respect and admiration for their team. They might text, call, tweet, post images on Instagram, or send messages on Facebook to express their thoughts and feelings about plays, calls that referees make, or their dislike for the opposing team. They also use these methods of communication to stay in touch with each other throughout the game they are watching and throughout the season. When a die-hard fan communicates with another die-hard fan, he or she will use the language of their community. They are typically loud, uses a lot of profanity, and are very aggressive. The language die-hard sports fans use to communicate is powerful because they have the ability to bring out the best in their team and other fans and in some instance s their language can upset fans from other teams. Along with using their own language within this discourse community, die-hard fans also have a specific lexis they use to show their undying loyalty and devotion to their team. For example, they wear team jerseys and other team paraphernalia to show their support all year long. Regardless if theyre sitting at a stadium in 20-degree weather, in the comforts of their home screaming at the television, or just going to pick up items from the grocery store, die-hard fans make sure others know that they are passionate about their team. Furthermore, this public display of loyalty also gives them the opportunity to dialog and form bonds with other die-hard fans regardless if they know the person or not. In conclusion, I think die-hard sports fans is a great example of a discourse community. Its members are commonly interested in their team defeating other teams. The members have an unexplainable passion for the team (s) and/or sport (s) they support season-after-season despite their wins or losses. This type of passion for sports is what distinguishes a new fan from a fan who has supported their team for years. They have a way of communicating with one another that is unlike any other form of communication when watching sports. As a member of a family of sports fanatics (especially football), I have seen and heard the enthusiasm on the faces and in the voices of several members from this discourse community. With that being said, I understand why being a die-hard sports fan can be considered a discourse community. Works Cited Jefferson, Mark. Personal interview. 8 March 2017. Mohrenne, Robert. English 1102-Composition II. University of Central Florida, Aug. 2013, https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/984277/pages/what-is-a-discourse-community. Accessed 10 March 2017.

Sickle Cell Anemia: Treatment and Effects

Sickle Cell Anemia: Treatment and Effects Sickle cell anemia is an inherited genetic blood disorder characterized by bouts of intense pain, organ damage, infection, depleted oxygen levels and at times premature death. Although it has come to be known as a disease that affects mainly people of African decent; affliction with sickle cell anemia has also been observed in those individuals with ancestry stemming from parts of the Middle East, India, Latin America, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. The genetic aspect of the disease is as such; one gene for the illness must be inherited from both parents for that person to be determined to have sickle cell disease. Therefore, a person with sickle cell disease has inherited one mutated copy for the trait from both of its parents. The mutated trait that leads to sickle cell disease impacts the creation of hemoglobin by the body. In a normal individual without the sickle cell trait or disease, they create hemoglobin A (HbA). However, in persons with sickle cell disease, their bone marrow creates a form of hemoglobin called hemoglobin S (HbS). It is the creation of Hb(S) that causes the formation of abnormal red blood cells. In a healthy individual, the red blood cells are usually disc-shaped but with Hb(S), the red blood cells have a stretched out sickle shaped appearance (Figure 1). Although it has been around for hundreds of years, sickle cell anemia was only scientifically observed in the early 1900s when in 1910 Dr. James B. Herrick noted the presence of sickle cells in the blood of Walter C. Noel. Further scientific study showed that the sickling of the red blood cells was related to low blood oxygen. Major advancements into the study of sickle cell anemia were first achieved in 1949 by Dr. Linus Pauling who postulated that the hemoglobin produced by those with sickle cell disease was abnormal and secondly by Vernon Ingram who in 1959 discovered that the difference between Hb(S) and Hb(A) was a single amino-acid substitution in the ÃŽÂ ²-polypeptide chain (ÃŽÂ ²6Glu à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Val)(Wikipedia). Other scientists followed this line of thinking (Figure 2) and found that this switch in the ÃŽÂ ²-polypeptide chain was due to a substitution of thymine for adenine in the DNA codon for Glu (GAG à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ GTG). This was the first example in any species of the effects of a mutation on a protein (ibid). Genetics of Sickle Cell Sickle cell anemia, like other traits such as height, hair and eye color is an inherited attribute. Both parents must be carriers of these particular traits in order to pass on copies of these genes to their offspring. In the case of sickle cell which is an inherited autosomal recessive point mutation (see Figure 3), the hemoglobin beta gene (HBB) that is located on chromosome 11p.15.5 is affected. The mutation that affects this gene is the direct result of a glutamate being substituted for a valine. This exchange of the ÃŽÂ ²-globin gene occurs in the sixth codon of the HBB gene and signifies that the disorder is caused by a single mutation in the nucleotide, an A to T changeover resulting in a GAG to a GTG sequence (see Figure 4). The substitution of the glutamate for valine causes a Figure 4change to the structure and the function of the HBB gene and causes it to produce structurally abnormal hemoglobin (Hb), called hemoglobin S; HbS (National Center for Biotechnology).The importance of Hb is that it serves as an oxygen carrying protein that gives red blood cells their characteristic color (ibid). As previously stated, the allele responsible for causing sickle cell anemia is autosomal recessive and can be found on the short arm of chromosome 11 (Wikipedia). This means that an individual that has been diagnosed with sickle cell disease has received both copies of the mutated gene from their parents who each carry one copy of the mutated gene. Sickle Cell Anemia and the Malaria Influence In understanding the genetics of sickle cell anemia, it is important to recognize the role in which the mosquito born disease malaria played in the high incidences of sickle cell trait. With the introduction of malaria into areas of sub-Saharan Africa over 4000 years ago, naturally occurring genetic defense mechanisms have evolved for resisting infection by malaria (Tishkoff, 2001). One such defense has been the sickle cell trait. How is this possible? The initial answer comes from the relationship between the two. As illustrated in figure 5, areas hit hardest by malaria, where the disease is endemic, also show a high frequency of individuals that carry the Hb(S) gene. The data also indicates that in areas where malaria occurs at a much lower rate, such as in cooler drier climates, the gene expression of the sickle hemoglobin is greatly reduced or nonexistant. In West Africa, where malaria is so common that most children are infected with the disease, the incidences of sickle cell trait are as high as 40%. Though many suffer symptoms that are severe enough to warrant trips to the hospital, for most, the disease is not fatal. The key to their resistance is in their genes. Genes are all paired with each parent supplying one half of each pair. If either hemoglobin gene undergoes a mutation, the hemoglobin it makes will be changed. This particular mutation called the sickle cell gene is tiny but it is enough to change the shape of the hemoglobin molecules it makes. In areas where malaria is endemic, carriers of the Hb (S) gene have gained some resistance to malaria. This resistance results from the red blood cells that the Hb (S) carriers have. When the malaria parasite attempts to infect the red blood cells of an Hb (S) carrier, the abnormal hemoglobin present tends to sickle and this causes it to rupture. The rupturing prohibits the malaria parasite from reproducing. Due to their sickle shape, the infected cells die, are processed in the spleen and are then eliminated out of the body. The frequency of sickle-cell genes is around 10%. The existence of four haplotypes of sickle-type hemoglobin suggests that this mutation has emerged independently at least four times in malaria-endemic areas, further demonstrating its evolutionary advantage in such affected regions(The Medical News). Thus, people that had one copy of the gene were able to survive the malaria infection. They were able to grow up, get married and have children and pass the genes on to the next generation. This is selective pressure; that gene had an advantage in that particular environment for those carriers. We all have lots of small gene mutations; they mostly go unnoticed but if the environment changes, one may suddenly show unforeseen effects both good and bad. In this case, one copy of the gene is beneficial but two can be disastrous. In the USA, where there is no endemic malaria, the prevalence of sickle-cell anemia among blacks is lower (about 0.25%) than in West Africa (about 4.0%) and is falling (National Center for Biotechnology). As such, the sickle cell trait is gradually being selected out of that population. Inheritance of Sickle Cell Trait/Disease Figure 6In order to inherit the sickle cell trait one parent must be a carrier of the HBB, ÃŽÂ ²-globin S mutation and the other a carrier of an HBB mutation such as ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia (M.A. Bender). A person develops the disease when they receive a copy of the defective gene from both parents. An individual that is heterozygous for the trait; in which they have one mutated and one healthy allele will remain healthy, but will be able to pass on the disease to their offspring. As such, this person is referred to as a carrier. Take for example two parents who are carriers (Rr) for sickle cell trait. Were they to have a child, there is a 25 percent chance that their child will develop the disease and a 50 percent chance of that child being a carrier. These examples as well as the other statistical possibilities are depicted in Figure 6. Individuals that are heterozygous for the sickle cell trait have a higher fitness than either of the homozygotes. This is known as heterozygote adv antage (Brigham and Womens Hospital). As this has remained a favorable adaptive advantage, the high prevalence of carriers in areas where malaria is still widespread brings to the forefront the reality that sickle cell disease is still pervasive in those regions. Hemoglobin: the story of Sickle Cell I had the idea in 1945 that sickle cell anemia might be a disease of the hemoglobin molecule. No one had ever suggested the idea of a molecular disease before. As soon I had this idea, I thought it must be right. From what I know of the properties of these patients I believed that this is a disease of the molecule; that if we looked at the blood of these patients we shall find that the hemoglobin molecules are different from other people. Linus Pauling Figure 7. Linus Pauling. BioRichUSALinus Pauling began his research into sickle cell disease by paying particularly close attention to the role that hemoglobin played in its manifestation. Hemoglobin is an oxygen carrying protein found inside red blood cells. Pauling theorized that the hemoglobin that characterizes sickle cell disease is abnormal. His studies showed that sickle cell Hb (S) does differ from Hb (A) in that it has a lower negative charge and pH. In sickle cell anemia, which is a common form of sickle cell disease, hemoglobin S replaces both beta-globin subunits in hemoglobin (Genetics Home Reference). Further inspection into the nature of hemoglobin shows that the hemoglobin protein produced in adults is divided into four sub-units that are joined together. These grouped sub-units are known as protein chains. Two types of these protein chains exist: 1) the alpha (ÃŽÂ ±) globin chain and 2) the beta (ÃŽÂ ²) globin chain. Hemoglobin protein is made up of two alpha globin chains and two beta globin chains. It is important to note that the genetic information used by the body to make the two hemoglobin chains can be found in two different hemoglobin genes located on two different chromosomes (Barlow-Stewart, 2001). The two identical ÃŽÂ ±-globin genes that code for ÃŽÂ ± globin chains is located on chromosome 16. Figure 8The ÃŽÂ ²-globin gene codes for the beta (ÃŽÂ ²) globin chain is located on  chromosome 11 (see Figure 8). Two copies of each of these chromosomes can be found in body cells. Everyone therefore has four copies of the alpha globin gene and two copies of the beta globin gene in their body cells (ibid). According to statics posted by the World Health Organization, it is estimated that five percent of adults are carriers for a hemoglobin condition with approximately 2.3% of that number accounting for those adults diagnosed with sickle cell disease. Interestingly enough, there is a correlation between a persons ancestry and the influence it has on the likelihood of that person being a genetic carrier for a hemoglobin condition such as sickle cell anemia. Detection and Treatment Detection of sickle cell disease can take place in one of two ways amniocentesis and blood testing. Blood testing on newborns is now conducted in more than 40 states. The use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is also being utilized to help those parents that are undergoing in vitro fertilization and are also carriers of the sickle cell trait identify those embryos that have the defective sickle cell hemoglobin. In so doing, this allows the parents to choose only to implant those embryos that are free of the defect. The treatment of sickle cell disease has taken on the form of prescribing hydroxyurea, an antitumor drug that aids in the creation of fetal hemoglobin. Increased production of fetal hemoglobin helps to prevent the hemoglobin from sickling. New therapies have begun to be developed to treat sickle cell disease at the genetic level. Since December 2001, scientists have conducted research into looking at curing sickle cell disease by correcting the defective hemoglo bin; further testing needs to occur to determine the effectiveness of these genetic treatments. Conclusion Sickle cell is a uniquely fascinating disease in that it is one of a few genetic abnormalities that actually have a positive effect: it can be immensely beneficial protecting its carriers from facing the full brunt of the malicious malaria virus, as it renders the cells the virus invades as inhospitable. On the other end of the spectrum, however, it can also be a devastating affliction that leaves its victims with lives marked by constant pain crises and frequent stays in hospitals. Unfortunately, for those suffering from particularly severe sickle cell disease, there is no guaranteed cure for it, but there are potential treatments that scientists are researching to determine their plausibility. How Celtic was Iron Age Britain? How Celtic was Iron Age Britain? The concept of classifying a period of prehistory as the Iron Age was first introduced in the 19th century, and later validated by the massively significant discoveries at Hallstatt and La Tà ¨ne. Subsequently, the era was broken down into chronological periods, against which the British Iron Age is now defined. For ease of definition, The British Iron Age tends to be broken into three periods, Early, Middle and Late, spanning roughly 1000 years, from 800 BC to the 2nd century AD, and is so named owing to the discovery and development of iron taking prevalence over the use of bronze. The term Celtic, having passed into the vernacular, is now nothing more than a vague generic term. The traditional view was that Iron Age Britons were part of a vast Celtic Commonwealth which then stretched across Europe, a world of peoples who spoke related languages, and who shared a distinctive set of values, social institutions, spirituality, art and other aspects of life and culture. (James 1997, 2). This is now acknowledged to be a massive oversimplification, a romanticised notion born of theories put forward by 18th century scholars, based on classical Latin and Greek sources. Edward Lhuyd proposed that Welsh, Scottish and Irish languages all stem from the ancient Gaulish. The label Celtic was then transposed from the languages to the people themselves, landscapes, and their perceived culture and art. Historically and archaeologically speaking, this word is unhelpful and uninformative. Indeed, Simon James has suggested that calling the Iron Age Celtic is so misleading that it is best abandoned. (James S. 01.06.98) As the term Celtic is virtually meaningless, for the purpose of this piece we shall investigate to what extent the indigenous population of Britain were influenced by their continental counterparts. It was thought that the Iron Age Britons (comprising of diverse and often warring tribes and were in no way unified) were subject to a number of Belgic invasions during the Iron Age. Some of the evidence for this model comes from Caesar, who states that prior to his own expeditions of 55 and 54 B.C., the population of the coastal regions of south-eastern Britain had themselves migrated from Belgic Gaul, first in search of plunder, and subsequently in order to settle permanently. He also reported that in his own lifetime, Diviciacus had been not only the most powerful ruler in all Gaul, but had also exercised sovereignty in Britain. (D.W. Harding 1974, 201) There is archaeological evidence which has been used to support this model. The discovery of the Battersea shield in 1857, an intricately decorated piece, is similar to a bronze shield found in the river Witham in Lincolnshire. Both are similar in design to artefacts found at La Tà ¨ne. These finds, combined with cemetery sites in Aylesford, Welwyn and East Yorkshire, which bore close relation to Gaulish burial rites, were taken as verifying the theory of invasion as the principal, even sole, cause of change in prehistoric Britain. (James 1997, 12) With the coming of iron came a number of fortified defences or hillforts. There are approximately 3,300 such defences on mainland Britain. It was originally thought that these were a response to an invasion in the 3rd century B.C. letting loose bands of Celtic warriors over large parts of the south country. (Harding 1974, 54) However, subsequent investigation has found that techniques such as timber lacing, which was prevalent on the Continent, was also adopted in Britain. This presents us with the fact that there were indeed links with the Continent, which were not necessarily hostile, as their technology is shared and assimilated. Some tribes depended entirely on agriculture where the land and soil permitted; others in coastal regions where the land was not so hospitable, subsisted entirely from the sea. Settlement types varied accordingly, from the commonly used roundhouse, to the Lake Village near Glastonbury in the Somerset levels, to the stone built brochs of Northern Scotland. Such diversity does not seem to have been echoed on the Continent, although there were similarities in some areas. Referring to a settlement in Kent, Caesar wrote that the buildings were situated in close proximity to each other, and very similar to the settlements of the Gauls. However, there remains little evidence to date to suggest a strong relationship between the dwellings on the continent, and those in Britain. The economy mainly relied on agriculture and the manufacture of certain goods. Barry Cunliffe describes it thus: a broadly parallel development between Britain and the Continent, the two areas retaining a close contact, which encouraged a free flow of ideas and an exchange of goods, while indigenous traditions remain dominant. (Cunliffe 1991, 442) The use of coinage came into practice around 100 B.C. and directly emulated the Gallic system. There were comparisons with the economy of the Continent, but the British remained insular to some extent until the later Roman invasion. We have some archaeological evidence of the funerary practices of ancient Britain, but only classical references inform us as to the gods, druids and priesthoods intrinsic to these beliefs. According to Caesar, the Gauls and the British shared several practices, including the training of Druids. In the early Iron Age, the disposal of bodies left no archaeological trace. The middle iron age sees cemeteries and inhumations with goods, whilst the late Iron Age sees the introduction of cremations form Gaul. In addition, many bodies from this era have been retrieved from peat bogs throughout northern Europe, often with signs of multiple causes of death, perhaps indicating ritual sacrifice. Evidence suggests that similar beliefs are held throughout Europe at this time, and would seem to denote a belief in some form of afterlife. Much is made of the Celtic head cult, but this largely depends on interpretation of the evidence. ‘There is no doubt that the head was considered the most im portant part of the human body the emphasis on head-hunting demonstrates this and the stress on the head in Celtic art is incontestable. Yet I believe it is a mistake to think in terms of a specific head-cult’ (Green 1986, 216). In conclusion, how Belgae Gallic was Iron Age Britain? Certainly, many aspects of Iron Age life were influenced by the Belgic Gauls, to varying degrees throughout the period. But to call the British Iron Age Celtic is a simplified generalisation; some areas were touched by Continental practices, others, more geographically remote from the south coast will have felt their influences far less. However, it seems far less likely that Britain was invaded per se. Simon James states that Britain in the Iron Age grew with vital, if not erratic, contributions and influences from continental Europe in the form of trade, kinship links, and pretty certainly some localised immigration, especially in the late Iron Age South. (James 1997, 84)The revisionist theory seems at this moment far more plausible than the concept of wholesale invasion. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cunliffe, Barry, Iron Age Communities in Britain, Routledge 1991 Green, Miranda, The Gods of the Celts, Gloucester 1986. Harding, D.W., The Iron Age in Lowland Britain, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1974 James, S. Rigby, V., Britain and the Celtic Iron Age, British Museum Press 1997 James, S., 1998 Peoples of Britain (online) UK; Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/prehistory/peoples_03.shtml Accessed 29th April 2005

All for Show †The Post-Petrarchan Poetry of Wyatt, Sidney, and Spenser

The difficulty of discussing the representation of women in the work of sixteenth century English poets like Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Philip Sidney, and Edmund Spenser is the need to address authorial intent in its historical context. As a critic, one cannot attribute to words what the author did not intend; however, one can attribute intentions that the author did not word. For example, it is easy to justify the objectification and subordination of women in the English-Petrarchan sonnet tradition but is it entirely factual? Does object of desire necessarily mean desired object? Does such a designation deny the agency or even apply to the beloved? The question to ask is whether contemporary criticism can be applied retroactively; that is, whether theories concerning objectification or ‘othering’ are relevant merely because they fit. The real challenge is to decide if evidence of objectification can be discovered or simply applied to a text that has no concept of it. It is p articularly disconcerting that much of the modern renaissance criticism researched for this essay sees no possible contradiction in linking rhetorical evidence to intent; that is to say, they show little evidence of investigating the possible discrepancies between treating objectification as ahistorical and socially contextual, even when they argue for the historically situated nature of identity. One must also consider the fact that theories of objectification interpret and interrogate the text, not the author; that is unless one presumes they are the same thing. To do so, however, commits one to a series of requisite and problematic assumptions. The first of these is the exchange of mimesis for art as an imitation of the author, a shadow of a shadow. Speaking his... ...ing Astrophil and Stella to implode under its own contradictions Sidney ensures that its only lasting consequence is the affect it has on the beloved. In the same way Spenser tries to forge a tangible bond between himself and the beloved by rendering them both physically present in the words of Amoretti, Sidney tries to promote his signifiers to signifieds in an effort to exchange â€Å"semiological [intimacy] for sexual desire† (Stephens 93). The difference is that Spenser offers the beloved a shared space while Sidney seeks exclusive control of the courtship. Much like Wyatt tries to have the last word in Whoso List to Hunt, Sidney and Spenser write their sonnets in anticipation of the beloved’s response. As their efforts to adapt her subjectivity show, all three poets recognize the beloved as powerful, but is this the power of a reader or a social and sexual equal?

Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist by James Joyce Essay -- James Joyc

Stephen in A Portrait of the Artist by James Joyce Stephen Dedalus, the main character in most of James Joyce's writings, is said to be a reflection of Joyce himself. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the reader follows Stephen as he develops from a young child into a young artist, overcoming many conflicts both internally and externally, and narrowly escaping a life long commitment to the clergy. Through Joyce's use of free indirect style, all of Stephen's speech, actions, and thoughts are filtered through the narrator of the story. However, since Joyce so strongly identifies with Stephen, his character's style and personality greatly influence the narrator. This use of free indirect style and stylistic contagion makes Joyce's use of descriptive language one of his most valuable tools in accurately depicting Stephen Dedalus's developing ideals of feminine beauty. As a very young child Stephen is taught to idealize the Virgin Mary for her purity and holiness. She is described to Stephen as "a tower of Ivory" and a "House of Gold" (p.35). Stephen takes this literally and becomes confused as to how these beautiful elements of ivory and gold could make up a human being. This confusion is important in that it shows Stephen's inability to grasp abstraction. He is a young child who does not yet understand how someone can say one thing and mean something else. This also explains his trouble in the future with solving the riddles and puzzles presented to him by his classmates at Clongowes. Stephen is very thoughtful and observant and looks for his own way to explain or rationalize the things that he does not understand. In this manner he can find those traits that he associates with the Blessed Mary in his pro... ...human desires and realizes how beautiful love, passion, and devotion can be from an artist's perspective. Stephan Dedalus's transformation into a "priest of the arts" is parallel to the early life of James Joyce. Both struggle to deal with the conflicts of childhood and adolescence to find a balance in which they can happily live. Since A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is written in third person, yet employs the characteristics of the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, the use of descriptive language is essential to the reader's understanding of the novel as a whole. James Joyce excellently uses his talent to successfully communicate Stephen's feelings so that we, the reader, can understand the development of his attitudes and ideals about feminine beauty. Works Cited Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: Penguin Group, 1977.

Chaucers Views on Women: Griselda and the Wife of Baths the Loathly L

Chaucer's Views on Women: Griselda and the Wife of Bath's the Loathly Lady As a man fascinated with the role of women during the 14th Century, or most commonly known as the Middle Ages, Chaucer makes conclusive evaluations and remarks concerning how women were viewed during this time period. Determined to show that women were not weak and humble because of the male dominance surrounding them, Chaucer sets out to prove that women were a powerful and strong-willed gender. In order to defend this argument, the following characters and their tales will be examined: Griselda from the Clerk's Tale, and the Wife of Bath, narrator to the Wife of Bath's Tale. Using the role of gender within the genres of the Canterbury Tales, exploring each woman's participation in the outcomes of their tales, and comparing and contrasting these two heroines, we will find out how Chaucer broke the mold on medievalist attitudes toward women. Chaucer introduces us to several types of women in the General Prologue of his famous work the Canterbury Tales. Among these women are women of rank and social status: the Prioress, the Nun, and the Wife of Bath. Although they are surrounded by various types of men, these women told tales that made men think twice about crossing their paths. As we read about these women in the prologue, we also get a sense of whom they are: they have money, authority, and an air about them that suggests that they are not just on the pilgrimage just to save their own souls (the Wife of Bath definitely shows this trait better than her religious counterparts.) However, it is not just the women who stand for their sisters; the Clerk jumps on the female bandwagon with a tale of his own. Gender provides a way of reading aspects o... ...n, Lesley. (1994). Feminist Readings in Middle English Literature: The Wife of Bath and All Her Sect. Routledge: London. (pgs 72-73, 196-203) Hansen, Elaine Tuttle. (1992). Chaucer and the Fictions of Gender. University of California Press, Ltd: England. (pgs 188-208). Mitchell, J. Allan. (2005). Chaucer's Clerk's Tale and the Question of Ethical Monstrosity. Studies in Philology. Chapel Hill: Winter 2005. Vol.102, Iss. 1; pg. 1, 26 pgs Rigby, Stephen Henry. (2000). The Wife of Bath, Christine de Pizan, and the Medieval Case for Women. Chaucer Review, (pgs 133-165) Stanbury, Sarah. (1997). Regimes of the Visual in Premodern England: Gaze, Body, and Chaucer's Clerk's Tale. New Literary History 28.2, (pgs 261-289) Weisl, Angela Jane. (1995). Conquering the Reign of Femeny: Gender and Genre in Chaucer's Romance. D.S. Brewer: Cambridge, (pgs 2-3, 91-96)

Advantahes and Disadvantages of Public Transport

Advantages and disadvantages of public transport This is a website informing towards young people some advantages and disadvantages of public transport. Many of us are in these days use our own vehicles to get to our destination and utilizing it as our ‘daily use’, whereas numbers of public transport are reducing since many people are passing their driving test and buying their own cars. This is leading to pollution in the Earth; hence I will be mentioning some advantages and disadvantages of public transport. Firstly, I will be talking about the disadvantages of it.Disadvantages Delay Public Transport causes some passengers to wait at the station or at the bus stop, which really wastes a person’s valuable time. It may also lead someone losing their job. If there’s bad weather i. e. snow, rain etc, then a person can’t get any heating system in the bus stop nor can he get it in the train station. This can be another reason for falling into a serious i llness of someone. In this case any children or any other adult person will lose out on something which is really essential. Safety/SecurityOne of the disadvantages of public transport is that they do not check a person’s bag or properties if there’s any dangerous property, like the way it gets done in the airport. Therefore, public transport gives everyone the opportunity to ride in it safely. Therefore, there could be any terrorist attack or hustling if someone uses the public transport, due to that number of people die this includes children as well. Many people return to their destination and they end up losing their property. This situation everyone faces, especially when there’s people are packed inside the bus or train.Comfort/Hygiene/Cleanliness Public transport doesn’t make anyone feel comfortable nor does it make anyone feel hygienic. This causes because of those people who smokes, stays dirty and like to vandalise those items due to these it pu t up a bad image on public transport. Not everyone abide by these rules and it makes other people influenced when they see a person doing those bad actions. Only one or two of us decide to take action upon it, whereas the others don’t really care since they are riding it only for temporary time.It’s more likely for a person to get seriously ill, because of the condition of a bus, train and trams etc. Most of the time you see the bus or the train is littered with rubbish, alcohol bottles which is not very nice to see. Privacy In public transport there isn’t privacy to occupy yourself in: – reading books, sleeping, doing your work etc. There are a lots of time you can get find someone who is really irritating. Unlike if you have your own car then you can get whoever you want and reject the unwanted passenger. Nevertheless, when using public transport so many people huddle around and try to steal one's property.This makes it really uncomfortable for the one to use the public transport, due to the lack of privacy. Whereas, in your own car there are no crowds or nothing which will irritate you, but instead you can occupy yourself in some of your own activities. Embarkation Point Additionally, if a person desires to use public transport then he has to go to a specific embarkation point. An embarkation point is where the buses, trains etc leave from. This could be a great hassle for a person who has a lot of luggage to carry, and it might also make someone miss their bus or train.This can cause a lot of problem for a person’s study or work. The vehicle won’t start whenever you want it; there are specific timetable for their departures. Sometimes the vehicle stops at a different embarkation point or at the wrong embarkation point due to some road works. This is the main cause of people who are losing out in their works. Advantages Safety Public transport tries as much as possible to provide their best services for the public. They have provided safety and security for the passengers, by putting: – CCTV cameras, fire alarms, fire extinguishers etc. ost of the time crime takes place and it causes the public to avoid using it. Unlike one’s own car there is no safety, and a driver would only keep some spare tyres and tools only for his car. Time saving Public transport allows you to be punctual by knowing its specific timetable. This can cause you to be on time for catching up on your ‘essential needs’. There are other transports which don’t have to stop themselves in the traffic due to them having some specific routes e. g. train, trams. This makes it really effective, as well as time saving. They run at the speed of 150m/h.In the same way the buses have some specific routes to run on. Unlike, if a person owns his own car then he has to wait for the traffic, and it can cause a lot of problem. Conclusion In conclusion, I think that public transport is really ideal for the wh ole of the public. By looking at its advantages, it shows the how can a person can attain benefit out of it. Therefore, I recommend that all public should start to use public transports as it can bring a lot of benefits to us and the Earth. It also reduces the amount of pollution the Earth is facing.