Understanding Lily for Woolfs To the Lighthouse Essay Example

Understanding Lily for Woolfs To the Lighthouse Essay Example Understanding Lily for Woolfs To the Lighthouse Essay Understanding Lily for Woolfs To the Lighthouse Essay Essay Topic: Mrs Dalloway Understanding Lily Understanding Virginia Woolf’s mind within the weaving prose of To the Lighthouse is an undertaking that forces the reader to step back and consider, and indeed, reconsider everything that has just been read, assuming of course, that everything within her evolving story is remembered and comprehended. Woolf is known to challenge her readers with her unstructured worldview as to how an individual appears as people perceive the world around them. She uses her novels for more than just telling stories, but her stories are not merely a method in which to ultimately tell a moral. Both the story and the messages that can be taken from them are integrally important to Woolf’s literature. To the Lighthouse shares a similar message to Mrs. Dalloway, another one of Woolf’s better known works. Lily Briscoe reveals this particular message well when she muses that â€Å"fifty pairs of eyes were not enough to get round that one woman with† (Woolf 198). This is to say, Mrs. Ramsay could not be understood from fifty different perspectives, let alone one. For Woolf, labeling someone, or choosing to view a person from only one viewpoint is a narrow understanding of an individual and is a discredit to mankind. This applies to how her books are perceived too, for it would seem that Woolf hated the idea of having her readers only come away with only one collective impression. Therefore, the moral of being sure to view an individual with many different viewpoints is only one part of To the Lighthouse, and assuming that it is the only viewpoint of this story would do injustice to Woolf’s intentions. However, it is a central part to the development of Lily Briscoe, the frustrated artist staying with the Ramsays; trying to paint what she sees. Woolf includes changing elements to all of her characters, but her major characters are especially diverse, a trait that ensures that no one viewpoint can be generalized about any of them. Lily plays a central part to the story, a part that is more obscure and hidden from the reader than the parts of other major characters, but a part that in the end is crucial to understanding the many viewpoints that built To the Lighthouse into the multifaceted piece of literature that makes it famous. Lily is not initially set up to be a character that the reader is meant to be drawn to. Her introduction is an abrupt thought from the mind of Mrs. Ramsay: â€Å"with her little Chinese eyes and her puckered-up face, she would never marry; one could not take her painting very seriously; she was an independent little creature† (17). She is terrified of anyone seeing her painting, she keeps a large part of her senses and attention on making sure no one comes up behind her instead of focusing on finishing her painting. First impressions of Lily amount to an image of some paranoid little animal that thinks itself the prey of its own species; when she realizes that Mr. Bankes had come around her and was now analyzing her painting, she â€Å"winced like a dog who sees a hand raised to strike it† (52). Another uncertainty raised against her is her character, which is continually examined throughout the story as being easily impressed upon. Charles Tansley is an individual for whom Lily harbors no love. Even so, his words â€Å"women can’t write, women can’t paint† appears many times throughout the story as a haunting reminder to Lily. It bothers her as if she almost believes it; and therefore, it may be that she keeps painting to spite Tansley’s nagging whispers. She is also portrayed as unable to take a stand on her viewpoint of any individual. This ends up being a merit of hers when lined up with Woolf’s ideas on labeling someone, but it makes her appear as indecisive when first reading about her. Her struggle lies with Mr. Ramsay. â€Å"He is petty, selfish, vain, egotistical’ he is spoilt; he is a tyrant; he wears Mrs. Ramsay to death† (24). However, she holds a profound respect for the man, even if it is reliant on her early, but deep respect for Mrs. Ramsay (25). By the end of the story, her respect for Mr. Ramsay becomes more focused just before the gentler character of Mr. Ramsay is revealed through his boat trip with James and Cam. However, first impressions of Lily before this change is revealed makes one view her cautiously, for people are often wary of individuals who are uncertain of themselves and hold contradicting views on issues that are seemingly obvious; for Mr. Ramsay is meant to hold no pity in the eye of the reader. As famous and reputable as he may be, he is petty, selfish, vain, and egotistical; Lily is not alone in that belief and by this point in the story, it seems as if the reader is meant to have that view along with many of the story’s characters. That being said, she cannot seem to take one side or the other. Despite her early shortcomings of being a relatable character, Lily possesses compelling qualities and ideas, and shows herself to be the character that was made to embody the thought process and style of Woolf (Panken 142). Biographer Hermione Lee makes an observation about the connection between Woolf’s and Lily’s minds, writing about Woolf that, â€Å"In the last part, moving between Lily painting her picture on the lawn and Mr. Ramsay with his two children in the boat, she wrestled, like Lily, with problems of balance† (Lee 471); implying that Woolf has issues with her writing and finding the right way to present and connect her work in the same way the Lily is struggling to connect the sections of her painting. It is Lily who first starts contemplating the way in which one views others. Other characters are used to build upon this, but it is through Lily that these ideas are given form. If the reader has prior understanding of Woolf’s views on this idea, then the development of Lily throughout the story with her raising the issue of perception and the relativity of one’s views of an individual builds an appreciation for Lily. It gives her a sense of importance alongside other characters because of how she articulates this issue in her mind. For example, when trying to understand the ways of Mrs. Ramsay, Lily presents this analogy to the sanctity of individuality: â€Å"How then†¦ did one know one thing or another thing about people, sealed as they were? Only like a bee, drawn by some sweetness or sharpness in the air intangible to touch or taste, one haunted the dome-shaped hive†¦ the hives, which were people† (Woolf 51). â€Å"Lily Briscoe indicates both that knowledge of the mind of another is a profound human wish it feels as if to have that knowledge would be to be finally at home, in ones own hiveand, at the same time, that this knowledge is unattainable† (Nussbaum 731). She is only raising the issue as a question here, but it is one example among several that shows Lily contemplating this idea, and it is one that develops with Lily. Earlier she asks, â€Å"how did one judge people, think of them? † (24), though the point may very well be that there was no way to judge people, no set way to think of them. In the case that the reader is familiar with Woolf’s position on this issue prior to reading To the Lighthouse, this is something that solidifies Lily as a central character and makes her a character to which the reader is more sympathetic, for the reader should be able to pick up on the similarities that Lily’s thoughts have to the messages of some of Woolf’s other works. Lily becomes a character that is more relatable for the reader at Mrs. Ramsay’s dinner. While Tansley’s invasive words, â€Å"women can’t write, women can’t paint† will remain with Lily almost to the end of the story, she is actually able to confront her feelings with Tansley at the dinner, which lends to her credibility as a person. Despite finding him to be the â€Å"most uncharming human being she had ever met† (Woolf 86), Lily is able to pity Tansley, and therefore is able to show interest in talking with him. She actually appears to hold authority over an individual. Before, she was jumpy, fearing any individual who may happen upon her and see her painting and share in her intimacy. Now she was influencing the mind of another. â€Å"It annoyed him that she should have made him speak like that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Tansley, â€Å"If only he could be alone in his room working, he thought, among his books. That was where he felt at his ease† (86, 87). Lily, by her influence, her appearance, or just the fact that she was a woman was able to bring someone outside their comfort zone. This lends to her confidence, or maybe determination, to finish her painting later in the story and it gives her depth and credibility to the reader. An interesting thing to note about Lily’s relationship with Tansley is their similarity in personality. The best example happens late in the story as Lily is hoping to avoid the gaze of Mr. Ramsay: â€Å"As if any interruption would break the frail shape she was building on the table she turned her back to the window lest Mr. Ramsay should see her. She must escape somewhere, be alone somewhere† (147). Ten years earlier, Mr. Tansley had voiced the same desire†¦ â€Å"To be alone. † Though, this observation may be just a coincidence to these two characters. Solitude is sought after by several characters in this story. Lily’s most profound development as a character that makes her a character to which the reader may desire to sympathize with comes in the final of the three sections of this story. Lily is almost shaken by the change she notices in herself towards Mr. Ramsay as â€Å"The Lighthouse† unfolds, and how her view of other characters changes profoundly. She no longer views Mrs. Ramsay so fondly. Where before she delighted at hugging Mrs. Ramsay around the knees and laughing, she was now somehow critical of how Mrs. Ramsay fit into stereotype femininity of marriage and supporting the ego of men. Lily â€Å"would feel a little triumphant, telling Mrs. Ramsay that the marriage had not been a success† (Woolf 174). It would be a triumph, for Mrs. Ramsay was as keen to making marital matches as any of the mothers in most Jane Austen novels. To contrast, she finds herself greatly changed in her views of Mr. Ramsay. No longer is she scared of his approach. On the contrary, she likes his wonderful leather boots, and as he sails away across the bay, she wants him back with her (202). Yet, Lily achieves something that neither of these other characters achieved, that is, to be remembered. Mrs. Ramsay sought to be remembered through her social interactions. While everyone she impacted is still alive, she will partially linger, but she will not last beyond that generation. Mr. Ramsay’s distress all throughout the story is caused by the anxiety of not being important, of his contribution to society being forgotten. Like other writers, he too will fade. Woolf seems to latch onto Lily with her painting. Even though her finished painting â€Å"would be hung in the attics† (208), she was content with what she had created. â€Å"I have had my vision† (209), she says. Lily’s painting, her memory, will survive. This confidence doesn’t come to her until the very end of the story, but it leaves a strong impression upon the reader. Even the fact that Woolf choose to end the story with Lily instead of one of the other major characters leaves a good impression of her to the reader. Lily’s growth as a character is never steady. She starts out as a character that gathers no sympathy from the reader, and from there it is an up and down understanding of her as a character that, until the very end of the novel, is only a very slight upward gain of sympathy. Yet, Lily holds an obvious position of importance as a character throughout the story that draws the reader to her. Among these reasons is how she is an outpouring of Woolf’s own creativity. To the Lighthouse is considered to be Woolf’s autobiographical work, mirroring her own life growing up. Lily, however, doesn’t represent any person of Woolf’s life. Instead she is an embodiment of Woolf’s intellectual thought. This comes through many times in the story with the idea of needing fifty eyes; one of the many messages that can be gleaned from one of the many ways to read To the Lighthouse. One needs many perspectives to appreciate life to a greater depth of knowledge and understanding. Bibliography Woolf, Virginia. To the Lighthouse. Harcourt Books. Orlando. 1955. Print. Nussbaum, Martha C. The Window: Knowledge of Other Minds in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse New Literary History. 2006. jstor. org/ Web. Lee, Hermione. Virginia Woolf. Chatto amp; Windus. London. 1996. Print. Panken, Shirley. Virginia Woolf and the Lust of Creation:† A Psychoanalytic Exploration State University of New York Press, Albany. 1987. Print

Enterprise Culture in the Organization and Strategy Essay

Enterprise Culture in the Organization and Strategy - Essay Example Change is inevitable and is the only constant factor that can keep on happening from time to time. Industrial environments change with time, courtesy to a number of macroeconomic factors like the buyer’s power, the influence of technology, political environments and most obviously the performance of the global economy (Grant, 2005, p. 272). To stay ahead in the global competition and sustain itself in the marketplace, global corporations as well as small and medium enterprises have to respond to these changing business environment and are increasingly trying to inculcate innovation among the products and services that they are offering to other business or to the end consumers. Product Innovation for companies offering products in the open market is very essential to survive in the competitive global war zone. Innovation can be radical or incremental in nature. A quick glance at the evolution of today’s highly popular digitized cameras will explain the two concepts in t he most perfect manner. Radical innovation happened when old Polaroid cameras were replaced by companies with the highly advanced digital cameras. Companies to keep up with fast pace of consumer demands and in order to cater to whims and fancies of consumers, due to their increased buying power have started to have an entire division of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which will be responsible for providing necessary innovations and modifications within the product offerings by staying within the boundaries of the organization or even trying to develop something on their own, which will be in line with the mother organization’s needs, requirements and objectives. Many a times, it has been found out by various studies that radical and even incremental innovations have happened on the shoulders of an entrepreneurship effort of someone within the organization or even outside the organization. Large corporations and even small and medium enterprises are increasingly encouraging entrepreneurship and motivating current or even ex employees of organization to don the hat of an entrepreneur and work under the company’s brand name, while developing, promoting and marketing their own brands or ventures. Even many a times, it has been noticed that ex employees of large organizations after working in the organization for a lot of years, and developing the required skills, insights and expertise leave the organization in an effort to do something on their own or even to pursue their hobbies or dreams, which people can identify as zeal of an entrepreneurship drive of the individual. Companies are increasingly recognizing employees, who are giving the extra effort to push things forward and trying to being a change agent. Basically, a certain clan of people in each and every organization, who generally put in the shoes of an entrepreneur within the job role, he or she is assigned to by the company. When these groups of highly self motivated people are willing to try something on

Comparison of health and safety aspects between Bahrain & UK Essay

Comparison of health and safety aspects between Bahrain & UK - Essay Example This research paper identified the main reasons as to why OSH regulations and standards in Bahrain are not at par with that of United Kingdom. The research paper also identified the main problems that face Bahraini OSH standards. The paper has also given some suggestions with regard to improving OSH standards in construction sites. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.INTRODUCTION 4 2.RESEARCH OBJECTIVES/AIMS 5 3.RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT 5 4.LITERATURE REVIEW 7 4.1 Hazards and risks associated with construction of sites 7 4.1.1 Factors that increase risks in construction sites 7 4.1.2 Types of health and safety hazards associated with construction sites 8 4.2 Occupational Health and Safety in construction sites in Bahrain 10 4.2.1 Reasons why Occupational Health and Safety in construction sites in Bahrain are not in at par with those of United Kingdom 10 4.2.2 Current status Health and Safety in construction sites in Bahrain 12 4.3 Occupational Health and Safety in construction sites in United King dom 14 5.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 18 5.2Primary Data Collection 19 5.3Secondary Data Collection 19 6.RESEARCH RESULTS 20 6.1 Primary Data analysis 20 6.1.2 Responses from Bahrain 20 6.1.3 Responses from United Kingdom 27 7.ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE RESEARCH RESULTS 30 7.1 Comparison of OSH aspects in United Kingdom and United Kingdom of Bahrain 30 7.2 Risk Management 33 7.2.1 Risk Assessment and Management in Construction sites in United Kingdom 34 7.2.1 Risk Assessment and Management in Construction sites in Bahrain 35 8. RECOMMENDATIONS 36 9. CONCLUSION 36 10. References 38 1. INTRODUCTION Working in construction sites is amongst the most hazardous occupations in the entire Universe. This is due to the fact that workers in these construction sites are at great risks of being exposed to various health hazards (Sambidge 2009). These hazards may result into workers’ disability, injury, death or illness (DOSH 2011).Another factor that makes working in these construction sites even worse is that protecting workers against these hazards is amongst the greatest challenge facing the managementof these construction sites.The challenge of protecting workers against these hazards is due the risks involved, anddynamic nature of construction activities(DOSH 2011). Due to hazards in involved in construction sites and activities, construction occupational safety and health have been developed by various nations and internationally. Even though it is the responsibility of every construction company in every country to ensure that the safety and health of its workers are upheld, the standards at which th

Gorilla Tourism in Central Africa Essay Example for Free

Gorilla Tourism in Central Africa Essay The present essay is an investigation of ethical challenges with regard to gorilla tourism in Central Africa region. The paper undertakes a thorough research on the concerned issue and explores many a facet of this area. The purpose of this investigation is to create a better understanding of the issues present in the region so that a practical approach can be adopted to address these issues. 2- Gorilla Tourism and Challenges Gorilla tourism is to date becoming a universally accepted activity because of certain positive signs for gorilla conservation, promotion, and future stability of the species in Africa. Gorilla tourism is also considered as an effective tool that can be made use of to foster the gorillas of African region. Another important point to note is that, today, gorilla tourism is seen as a successful business for the countries that utilize this tool for the purposes of gorilla conservation. They now receive ample volume of revenue in connection with gorilla tourism. Some of the countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo (ex-Zaire) are mentioned especially in this regard because of the revenues that they generate for the endangered gorilla species. However, with all these activities taking place, and more and more people from all parts of the world are moving toward African region for gorilla tourism, some other threats has risen. These range from disease to ethical treatment of the issues. How these challenges count toward gorilla tourism, and how they can be effectively confronted, is, then the central issue of today’s gorilla tourism in African region. This area is considered vital in conservation efforts of gorillas because of its impact on gorilla tourism (Homsy, 1999). Critics and experts state that in order to take Africa for future gorilla tourism, it is highly imperative to address such challenges as ethical issues; only this way will it be possible to reduce the widening gap between African and western nations; as well as, this is the way to promote successful gorilla tourism in Africa, a region tormented by war, internal political instability, and other grave issues. Cross-cultural communication is one solution which is being discussed in this connection through media communications. However, all these areas take ethical consideration as the core point of gorilla tourism (Okaka, 2007). 3- The Root Cause Although it has been noted that gorilla tourism is seen as one vital solution to a wide spectrum of problems present in central Africa that range from gorilla conservation to regional development, it is important to look at the core issue that is seen as basic to present day ethical challenges to gorilla tourism in central Africa. This takes as back into the past as several decades by which we can see that the region of central Africa is tormented by numerous political and tribal rivalries which gave way to several problems; but ethical challenges became all the more raging. This panoramic scene or tribal and political wars and conflicts in the region became all the bloodier in the 1990s. A number of countries and communities are seen involved in this struggle. The impact of these rivalries fell on gorilla tourism and ethical challenges became a critical area of discussion in this region. Hence, initiatives were taken to address these. However, today, the region is still in a position where still much is needed to be done (International Wildlife, 1999). 4- Challenges Looking specifically at the situation, it is revealed that with the initiatives to increase tourism in central Africa a number of challenges are coming to the forefront. Perhaps, the most critical of the challenges is the pressure being placed on ecological system of the region. This has mainly been caused the recent development of isolated areas for recreational purposes. The problem is so severe that is rings an alarming bell for the concerned authorities. For example, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park presents a bleak situation. Here, â€Å"gorilla deaths from infections have increased along the border as a result of more frequent trekking groups and human contact† [italic added]. Moreover, Rwenzori Mountains gives rise to another mounting problem in the region: wasted left behind in the area by nature hikers. This is seen as a serious health problem and a monstrous future challenge in the region regarding gorilla tourism. Ahead, we find other problem associated to the overall count of these issues. For instance, at present increasing amounts of complaints are registered among Ugandans with regard to the â€Å"trivialization of ethnic rituals for tourism†. Hinged on this very problem is the eviction of communities which have been there for centuries. The major purpose of this eviction is none other than the present trend of developing recreational parks and other protected zones for gorilla tourism. However, this is gaining wider criticism worldwide among critics and opposition among the local peoples. What is more? There is constant reference to the ethnic challenges linked to gender-related inequalities. In particular, â€Å"the rise in tourist-related prostitution and the transmission of HIV-AIDS† [italics added]. Furthermore, there is another ethical disparity rooted in the region with regard to women-centered labor work. Although women here are basic source of tourism handiwork, there is little that has been done to address their work-related problems. For instance, women who produce handicraft have to travel long distances every day only to get the required materials used in their handcraft products. With all these problems, there is still no certain word about political stability of the region which is seen a critical challenge for the present as well as for future development of gorilla tourism in Central Africa (Ringer, 2002). 5- Conclusion To address a number of present ethical challenges and to fight any future issues in the region, there have been quite a few collaborative efforts that have been initiated in Central African Region for as long as last 15 years. Although major programs are sponsored by single donors, there is one notable exception of Dzanga-Sangha Project. This project involves a number of working organizations such as WWF, GTZ, and Peace Corps and numerous other donors from US and Germany. There is mention that several of the informal initiatives undertaken to address ethical issues and other problems did not meet a successful standard in the region. However, it has been well recognized that transboundary management of ethical issues and natural resources is the key solution to major problems in the region. This has been recognized mainly due to the development of a tri-national park which spreads in Dzanga-Sandha. This has proved to be significant in days of conflict and numerous issues related to conflict situation (Blom and Yamindou, 2001). There are other number steps that are being taken to address challenges to gorilla tourism in the region. For instance, research regarding present issues and challenges is seen as a vital solution to a number of problems in the region (Green Campus, 2007). References Blom, A. , Yamindou, J. (2001). A brief history of armed conflict and its impact on biodiversity in the Central African Republic. World Wildlife Fund, Inc. Retrieved on March 2 2009 from: http://www. worldwildlife. org/bsp/publications/africa/141/CAR. pdf Green Campus (2007). The AJ Environmental Education Directory 2007: Green Campus Life and Learning. Alternatives Journal. Volume: 33. Issue: 5. November-December 2007. Page Number: 15+. COPYRIGHT 2007 Alternatives, Inc. Homsy, J. (1999). Ape tourism and human diseases: how close should we get? Retrieved on March 2 2009 from: http://www. igcp. org/pdf/homsy_rev. pdf International Wildlife (1999). Soldiers in the Gorilla War. Magazine Title: International Wildlife. Publication Date: January 1999. COPYRIGHT 1999 National Wildlife Federation. Okaka, W. (2007). The role of media communications in developing tourism policy and cross-cultural communication for peace, security for sustainable tourism industry in Africa. Retrieved on March 2 2009 from: http://www. iipt. org/africa2007/PDFs/Okaka. pdf Ringer, G. (2002). Gorilla tourism: Uganda uses tourism to recover from decades of violent conflict. Alternatives Journal. Volume: 28. Issue: 4. Publication Date: Fall 2002. Page Number: 17+. COPYRIGHT 2002 Alternatives, Inc.

Against Reinstating the Military Draft Essay -- essays research papers

Against Reinstating the Military Draft On July 1, 1973, Congress chose to end the draft in favor of an All Volunteer Army. According to "The Professional Bulletin of Army History, No. 27," the last man was drafted in December 1972 and reported for training in June 1973. Now, not only might the renewed military draft come back but also the age of compulsory service in the meat grinder might be extended from its former limit of 26 years up to 42 years of age. As Ken Adachi, the editor of ?Educate Yourself,? reports, a new draft will include BOTH men and women. While at various points in history the United States military has operated effectively and efficiently with the draft, reinstating the draft would contradict the ideals of freedom and patriotism that the United States stands for and is supposedly fighting for. People who support the military draft will say that it is the obligation of every citizen of the United States, and every other person residing in the United States, who is between the ages of 18 and 42, to perform a period of national service. Aren?t there many other ways--less deadly ways--to contribute to the country?s well being? Should we, as citizens, be allowed to evade this ultimate obligation by turning it over to the poorer members of society, those who can't find good-paying jobs or training except in the military? In "A War for Us, Fought by Them," William Broyles, a Vietnam war veteran and the father of a young man who is a soldier in the Marines, argues that the military draft should be brought back, and this time it should be done right: everybody should be drafted, not just ?the profoundly patriotic or the economically needy" (Broyles 695). On the other hand, one of the checks that help main... ...e unnecessary moneymakers, products of lies and deception behind the scenes, orchestrated by powerful and rich men who usually never suffer but, rather, gain from their machinations to create war. I support a National Service Obligation system that would draft all persons, at age 18, to serve for 18 months in some form of public service. This would allow American citizens to contribute to the country in different ways. But it should be one?s own decision how to contribute to the country. As said before, I believe that reinstating the military draft will not increase patriotism or a sense of duty, but will rather decrease the effectiveness of the military and will create huge protest feeling among country?s citizens. Therefore we should explore every possible way to contribute the country?s future instead of just putting our future and ourselves in the Meat Grinder.

Project Management and Tran Essay

Tran was taking his dog Callie on her evening walk as the sun began to set over the coastal range. He looked forward to this time of the day. It was an opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet. It was also a time to review events on the Ajax project and plot his next moves. Ajax is the code name given by CEBEX for a high-tech security system project funded by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD). Tran is the project manager and his core them consisted of 30 full-time hardware and software engineers. Tran and his family fled he was 18 and used the education stipend to attend Washington State University. He joined CEBEX upon graduating with a dual degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. After working on a variety of projects for 10 years Tran decided he wanted to enter management. He went to night school at the University of Washington to earn an MBA. Tran became a project manager for the money. He also thought he was good at it. He enjoyed working with people and making the right thing happen. This was his fifth project and up to now he was batting. 500,with half of his projects coming ahead of schedule. Tran was proud that he could now afford to send his oldest child to Stanford University. Ajax was one of many defense projects the CEBEX Corporation had under contract with DOD. CEBEX is a huge defense company with annual sales in excess of $30 billion and more than 120,000 employees worldwide. CEBEX’s five major business areas are Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Information& Solutions, and Space Systems. Ajax was one of several new projects sponsored by the Integrated Systems & Solutions division aimed at the homeland security business. CEBEX was confident that it could leverage its technical expertise and political connections to become a major player in this growing market. Ajax was one of several projects directed at designing, developing, and installing a security system at an important government installation. Tran had two major concerns when he started the Ajax project. The first was the technical risks inherent in the project. In theory the design principles made sense and the project used proven technology. Still the technology had never been applied in the field in this matter. From past experience, Tran knew there was a big difference between the laboratory and the real world. He also knew that integrating the audio, optical, tactile, and laser subsystems would test the patience and ingenuity of his team. The second concern involved his team. The team was pretty much split down the middle between hardware and electrical engineers. Not only did these engineers have different skill sets and tend to look at problems differently, but generational differences between the two groups were evident as well. The hardware engineers were almost all former military, family men with conservative attire and beliefs. The electrical engineers were a much motlier crew. They tended to be young, single, and at times very cocky. While the hardware engineers talked about the Seattle Mariners, raising teenagers, and going to Palm Desert to play golf, the software engineers talked about Vapor, the latest concert at Gorge amphitheater, and going mountain biking in Peru. To make matters worse, tension between these two groups within CEBEX festered around salary issues. Electrical engineers were at a premium, and the hardware engineers resented the new hires’ salary packages, which were comparable to what they were earning after 20 years of working for CEBEX. Still the real money was to be made from the incentives associated with project performance. These were all contingent on meeting project milestones and the final completion date. Before actual work started on the project, Tran arranged a tow-day team-building retreat at a lodge on the Olympic peninsula for his entire team as well as key staff from the government installation. He used this time to go over the major objectives of the project and unveil the basic project plan. An internal consultant facilitated several team-building activities that made light of cross-generational issues. Tran felt a real sense of camaraderie within the team. The good feelings generated from the retreat carried over to the beginning of the project. The entire team bought into the mission of the project and technical challenges it represented. Hardware and electrical engineers worked side by side to solve problems and build subsystems. The project plan was built around a series of five tests, with each test being a more rigorous verification of total system performance. Passing each test represented a key milestone for the project. The team was excited about conducting the first Alpha test one week early—only to be disappointed by a series of minor technical glitches that ook two weeks of problem solving to resolve. The team worked extra hard to make up for the lost time. Tran was proud of team and how hard members had worked together. The Alpha II test was conducted on schedule, but once again the system failed to perform. This time three weeks of debugging was needed before the team received the green light to move to the next phase of the project. By this time, team goodwill had been tested, and emotions were a bit frayed. A cloud of disappointment descended over the team as hopes of bonuses disappeared with the project falling further behind schedule. This was augmented by cynics who felt that the original schedule was unfair and the deadlines were impossible to begin with. Tran responded by starting each day with a status meeting where the team reviewed what they accomplished the previous day and set new objectives for that day. He believed these meetings were helpful in establishing positive momentum and reinforcing a team identity among the engineers. He also went out of his way to spend more time with the â€Å"troops,† helping them solve problems, offering encouragement, and a sincere pat on the back when one was deserved. He was cautiously optimistic when the time came to conduct the Alpha III test. It was the end of the day when the switch was turned on, but nothing happened. Within minutes the entire team heard the news. Screams could be heard down the hallway. Perhaps the most telling moment was when Tran looked down at the company’s parking lot and saw most of his project team walking by themselves to their cars. As Callie chased some wild bunnies, Tran pondered what he should do next. 1. How effective has Tran been as a project manager? Explain. 2. What problem(s) does Tran face?

Quotes From President Andrew Jackson

Like most presidents, Andrew Jackson had speechwriters, and as a result, many of his speeches were elegant, brief, and rather low-key, despite some of the chaos of his presidency. Andrew Jacksons election to the United States presidency in 1828 was seen as the rise of the common man. According to the election rules of the day, he lost the election of 1824 to John Quincy Adams, although in fact Jackson had won the popular vote, and tied Adams in ​the electoral college, but lost in the House of Representatives. Once Jackson became president, he was one of the first to truly utilize the power of the presidency. He was known for following his own strong opinions and vetoing more bills than all presidents before him. His enemies called him King Andrew. Many quotations on the internet are attributed to Jackson, but lack citations to give context or meaning to the quotation. The following list includes quotes with the sources where possible--and a handful without. Verifiable Quotes: Presidential Speeches Verifiable quotations are those that can be found in specific speeches or publications of President Jackson. In a free government, the demand for moral qualities should be made superior to that of talents. (from a rough draft of his Inaugural Address) It will be my sincere and constant desire to observe toward the Indian tribes within our limits a just and liberal policy, and to give that humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants which is consistent with the habits of our Government and the feelings of our people. (from Jacksons First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1829) Without union, our independence and liberty would never have been achieved; without union, they never can be maintained. (Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1833) There are no necessary evils in government. Its evils exist only in its abuses. (message to the U.S. Senate regarding his veto of a proposed Bank of the United States, July 10, 1832) Verifiable Quotes: Proclamations The individual who refuses to defend his rights when called by his Government deserves to be a slave, and must be punished as an enemy of his country and friend to her foe. (Proclamation before he became president, declaring martial law in New Orleans during the War of 1812, December 2, 1814) The moment we engage in confederations, or alliances with any nation we may from that time date the downfall of our republic. (Warning to John C. Calhoun who had announced to Congress that he was going to be attending a conference in Panama to improve relations and discuss the possibility of Northern intervention in Latin America, in 1828) The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality. (Proclamation to the People of South Carolina, written by Edward Livingston and issued by Jackson on December 10, 1832, at the height of the Nullification Crisis) Unverified Quotations These quotations have some evidence that they may have been used by Jackson, but cannot be verified. Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error. (also attributed to General Peyton C. March) One man with courage makes a majority. (This is an old adage which was written by the 16th-century Scottish reformer John Knox, that may or may not have also been quoted by Jackson) This quotation appears on the Internet as attributed to Jackson but without a citation, and it doesnt sound like Jacksons political voice. It could have been something he said in a private letter: I can say with truth that mine is a situation of dignified slavery. Sources Dirck BR. 2007. The Executive Branch of Federal Government: People, Process, and Politics. Sacramento: ABC-CLIO.Farwell B. 2001. The Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Land Warfare: An Illustrated World View. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.Keyes R. 2006. The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When. New York: St. Martins Griffin.Northrup CC, and Prange Turney EC. 2003. Encyclopedia of Tariffs and Trade in U.S. History. Volume II Debating the Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group.issues : selected primary documents.