The Metamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Essay

A Christmas Carol, a tale that revolves around a man’s fate in the past, the present, and the future. Its story speaks of a man, a man called Ebenezer Scrooge, and the changes in which he goes through. ‘’Oh! But he was tight-fisted man at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days, and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.’’ This description describes Scrooge’s character brilliantly, it is on the second page of the novel and immediately hits you. I feel that Charles Dickens could not have described his character any better. In my opinion the last sentence has great relevance to the story and his attitude towards all things merry, especially Christmas: ‘’†¦his own low temperature†¦and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.’’ Scrooge is a very cold-hearted, spiteful man, he is never cheerful or in any way nice to anyone. The only people who he at the very least endures or respects are men of great importance or wealth, but also his fellow businessmen. It would be easier to get blood out of a stone than to get Ebeneezer Scrooge to be merry; ‘’Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Scrooge has no wish to spend his time with anyone o... ... up the resulting change in Scrooge: ‘’He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old City knew†¦Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh,’’ So we see that Scrooge was indeed saved from the terrible fate that would have otherwise inevitably destroyed him. And also became a model citizen, who mended the error of his ways, strived for good and became a man with no burdens. Except, the burdens of his loved ones and the less fortunate. Works Cited Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Classics of Children's Literature. Ed. John W. Griffith and Charles H. Frey. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992.

The Future is here :: essays papers

The Future is here The idea of being able to choose the gender of a child has not always been around. This controversy did not come about until recently because now we have the technology to perform this act of sex determination. Some say that we should be able to choose the gender of our children. However, other people think that we shouldn’t be able to because they say that it is experimenting with nature. Also, that it is unnatural. I used to think the way of the second viewpoint, but not anymore. There is absolutely nothing wrong with couples being able to choose whether they want to have a baby girl or a boy. According to an article in Newsweek called The Brave New World of Sex Selection by Thomas Hayden, this is possible. The article states how it is done. To do this, scientists measure DNA in sperm cells and pass the millions of them through a tiny tube in a single file. They then separate the â€Å"girl sperm† from the â€Å"boy sperm†. They can tell the difference because â€Å"girl sperm† has more DNA. The separated sperm cells are then used, one or the other, to impregnate a woman to have a girl or a boy. In a study, fifteen out of seventeen women with the â€Å"girl sperm† had girls. Getting the Girl by Lisa Bellkin, an article in the New York Times Magazine, states a 93% success rate. Some mothers might only want a girl when others might want a boy. If a couple has a strong opinion that one sex is easier to raise over the other, such as a boy, they might not want the hardship of trying to raise a girl. A family could also want a boy to carry on the family name. In my opinion, I would go through this process to have a girl. I think that since obviously I am a girl, I could do a better job of raising a girl than a boy. A parent could think that they know more about one sex than the other and choose to raise that sex. Another reason that I think people should be able to choose the gender of their child is because if you already have three boys in your house, it could be time for a change.

Training and Development Paper

Training is an essential part of any field without which even a qualified person cannot contribute effectively to an organization. It is important to evaluate every kind of training in order to determine whether it is producing the desired goals or it needs to be improved. Evaluation mostly involves getting ongoing feedback from the learner, trainer and supervisor so that there is continuous improvement in the quality and quantity. The different ways through which training can be evaluated are as follows: · Effectiveness of training can be measured through employee performance evaluations which are carried out from time to time as a regular appraisal process. The impact of training can be known by evaluating employee’s performance and training can be altered if necessary. · Training also has impact on business performance therefore evaluating business performance through sales, production costs, output, absenteeism, and turnover. Business performance can also be evaluated through qualitative improvements like quality of products and services, customer satisfaction achieved through superior customer service and greater innovation. · The most useful way is through employee feedback. Employees should be asked directly that if the training was according to their expertise and expectations, what have they learnt and how will they put the training into action, can the training be improved so that it better work etc. Employees might hesitate to give responses face to face therefore, training assessment or evaluation forms can be used for this purpose. · Finally, observation can also be a useful technique for evaluation the effectiveness of the training. Observation should be according to the objective of the training. If the training’s purpose was to enhance the communication skills of the employees then it can be observed how employees communicate with each other and with their customers in order to determine the training effectiveness.Training should be treated as a necessity in the organizations and therefore, it should be continuously reinforced and sustained so that the employees can always show better performance than before. Training should be ongoing in order to sustain the performance of the learners. In order to accomplish this training should be never stopped instead it should be properly evaluated and improved from time to time.There will not come any time when employees don’t need training because the business environment is continuously changing which require different abilities and skills at different times. Therefore, continuous training is the right way to sustain and reinforce better performance. Another way is support from the top management. When the superiors support their subordinates in acquiring knowledge then training can be reinforced. Thus, providing training is not the end instead sustaining and reinforcing it is also critical to ensure its effectiveness.REFERENCESBramley, P. (1991). Evalu ating Training Effectiveness: Translating Theory into Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Festives of Pakistan

Festivals in Pakistan. Shab-e-Barat  :* Religious festival celebrated on 14th of Shaaban, the 8th Islamic month. Prayers, fire works, exchange of sweet dishes and visits. Eid-ul-Fitr*  : Religious festival celebrating end of fasting month on 1st of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic   Calendar. Special prayer after sun-rise, exchange of sweet dishes, visits. Sibi Festival:  (Last week of February) At Sibi (Balochistan). Traditional sports, handicrafts exhibition, folk music and dances. Sindh Horse & Cattle Show:  (Last week of February) At Jacobabad (Sindh). Similar activities as in Sibi Festival.Jashan-e-Larkana:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Last week of February)  At Larkana (Sindh). Traditional sports, exhibition of handicrafts, folk music and dances. Bassant With the advent of spring Basant Festival is celebrated with pomp and show in mid February every year in Lahore. In other words this is the spring festival. Alleging that kite flying is a Hindu event is also sheer ignoran ce. The sport originated in China about 5000 years ago, when Hinduism was in non existent. Why single out kite-flying then, especially when it is a source of joy for the old and the young men and women?The simple reason is that Hindu at Basant Festival fly kites for enjoying Basant. With times Muslims who were living together with Hindus in the sub-continent also join them in kite-flying. Since then Muslims are taking participation in just kite-flying at the time of Basant connotating it as Pala Urant. Now a days people of Lahore enjoy it by kite flying competition and by visiting the shrine of saint Madho Lal Hussein, where they assemble to pay their benediction. Lahore is becoming the main focal point for the celebration of this festival in Pakistan. People traditionally fly kites on the roofs of their buildings.It is commonly observed that rest houses, hotels and house of relatives of the participants are fully packed with guests from all over the country. Moreover some five star hotels also arrange this function on their roof top for foreigners and other high class gentry. They also arrange variety of dishes with musical concert. Sometimes Lahorities on this occasion become emotional and in this state create law and order problems for the administration. Some of them use metal thread for kite-flying. Their such a deed oftenly imposes, besides life threat, a serious problem for WAPDA when the thread touches the live wires.In spite of the fact Basant Festival which has no links with the Muslim culture is becoming very popular and being celebrated in Lahore regularly every year with zeal and fervent. Nauroze:  Ã‚  (21-23 March) Celebrated only in Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu and Chitral. Polo, foot-ball, volley-ball and hockey matches, folk dances and music. Pakistan Day *:  Ã‚   (23 March) Commemorating the anniversary of Pakistan Resolution passed on March 23, 1940. Military parade at provincial capitals and Islamabad. Mela Chiraghan (Festival of lamps): (Last week of March) Held for 01 week outside Shalimar Gardens, Lahore.Horse & Cattle Show: (End of March till 1st week of April). At Dera Ismail Khan. Local games, folk dances, music, cattle races and exhibition of local handicrafts. Jashan-e-Shikarpur:  (In April for 01 week) At Shikarpur, Sindh. Cultural activities, local sports and handicrafts exhibition. Eid-ul-Azha *  : Religious festival commemorating the great sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham. Celebrated on 10 Zilhaj, 12th month of Islamic Calendar. Collective prayers after sun set, sacrifice of   goats, sheep, cows or camels and distribution of meat among relatives, friends and poor. Joshi or Chilimjusht:  Ã‚   (14-15 May)Kalash festival of welcoming spring, held in Kalash Valleys near Chitral. Folk dances, music and exchange of dishes. Shandur Polo Festival Traditional polo tournament between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit is being held on the highest polo ground of the world – The Shandur Pass (Chitral dist rict). Allied activities include fold music, folk dances and other competitions. A tent village along Shandur Lake will be set up in cooperation with the local administration. Utchal:  (15-16 July) A harvest festival, celebrated by Kalash people in Kalash Valleys, Chitral. Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi *:Birth Anniversary of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (P. B. U. H). on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal – the 3rd month of Islamic Calendar. Independence Day *:  (14 August) Meeting, processions, rallies, decorations and illustrations all over the country. Defense of Pakistan Day:  Ã‚   (06 September) Parades and exhibitions of military equipment at Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi. Visits to the war memorials. (No national holiday except Armed Forces) Air force Day:  Ã‚  (07 September) Display of latest aircraft of Pakistan Air force and air shows at Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.Phool:  (20 – 25 September) Held in Kalash Valleys near Chitral. Reaping grapes and walnuts, dancing and singing. Lok Mela:  (1st week of October, for one week) Folk Festival held at Islamabad. Folk Music, songs, music contests, folk dances, craftsmen at   work, exhibition and sale of handicrafts. The festival presents a unique opportunity to watch the culture and craft of the whole country at one place. Chowmas:  Ã‚  (18-21 October) Held in Kalash Valleys near Chitral. Welcoming of winter with first snow-fall. Activities restrict to indoor. Karakoram Car Rally:A colorful closing/award giving ceremony was held in Hunza Valley. Prizes, shields, certificates were distributed among the ralliers. SAF-International Karakoram Car Rally was also planned for year 2001, but it was postponed. International Karakoram Car Rally has been proposed to be held during the month of November in 2002 as part of the International Year of Mountains celebrations Birthday of Allama Muhammad Iqbal:  . (09 November) National Poet * . National Industrial Exhibition Islamab ad: Exhibition and sale of Pakistan’s industrial products and handicraft items National Industrial Exhibition Lahore: 3rd week of November for 15 days) Held at Fortress Stadium, Lahore. Exhibition and sale of industrial products and handicrafts of Pakistan. National Horse & Cattle Show Lahore: (3rd week of November for 05 days ) Held at Fortress Stadium, Lahore. Cattle races, cattle dances, tent-pegging, tattoo show, folk music, dances, bands, cultural floats and folk games. The show has been described as an eloquent expression of Pakistan's heritage and an authentic account of its agricultural and industrial achievement's. It is held in Lahore Fortress stadium at the end of February or at First week of March.The fortress stadium, the venue of the show is thronged by active participants, foreign visitors and peoples who watch the festival with great enthusiasm, verve and aplomb. A large number of them are interested in watching and appreciating the best breeds of livestock. M any derive pleasure by watching other activities such as display parade of animals, dances by horses and camels, polo matches, tent pegging, dog shows and their races, vaudeville acts of stuntmen, mass display of military band, rhythmically physical exercise by the children. Tastefully decorated industrial floats and torch light tattoo shows.Additional attractions include a subtle interplay of lights to weave enticing patterns at night and breath taking acts by foreign groups. The show began as a modest exhibition organized by the army to project the cattle wealth of the country in the early fifties. Today it is an international event to which come dignitaries from abroad and visitors and foreign tourists. The organizing committee comprises representatives of a number of agencies including army, rangers, LMC schools, the police, industrialists and the art councils. Christmas and Birth Anniversary   of Quaid-e-Azam  *: (25 DecemberA

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategy - Essay Example ..13 Conclusion........................................................14 References........................................................15 Introduction Tesco is a multinational organisation with its headquarters located in the United Kingdom. Tesco has been in operation for over half a century and it is currently the biggest UK supermarket chain (Sadler, 2003). Tesco currently operates in markets around the world with 14 divisions around the globe spread over five continents. This paper examines the strategy of Tesco. It analyses the elements of strategic management employed by Tesco to attain and maintain competitive advantage and optimise resources. It evaluates the history, corporate structure, internal competencies, the micro environment, competitors as well as the globalised and British macro environment within which Tesco operates. History of Tesco’s Strategy Sir Jack Cohen founded Tesco after the Second World War with the belief that the higher the volume of goods s old, the lower the prices for the seller and the consumer. So Sir Cohen started as a retailer focusing on bulk sales and increasing the number of outlets (TescoPLC.com) By the 1980s, Tesco had chains of supermarkets across the UK. However, in the late 1980s, Sainsbury and Waitrose were preferred retail merchants in Britain. Investors complained Tesco had lost touch with customers. So according to Sadler (2003), Tesco embarked on a large scale market survey and incorporated four things in its strategy: 1. Lower prices 2. Better and improved customer service 3. Give customer diversity through differentiation 4. Focus on non-food products In the 1990s, Tesco built more superstores with the aim of avoiding queues, deploying a sales team that will give customers a personal touch in their operation, include financial products in its array of services and also sell through the use of e-commerce. In 1996, Tesco beat Sainsbury as leader in UK retail. In 2001, Tesco hit the ?1 billion mark in its annual sales and increased earnings per share. In 2002, Tesco had 37% of its shops located overseas. Non-UK sales was about ?3 billion. Tesco now operates internationally with the slogan, ‘think global, act local’. (References about Tesco’s historical facts made from TescoPLC.com (Our History Page) and Sadler, 2003 pp 236 – 243) Tesco is a great competitor in the field of retail in the UK and beyond because of several reasons. In 2010, it made a group sales of ?62.5 billion and out of this, 53% was from international sales. (Tesco PLC Website, Annual Report Page). The Annual Report also indicates that the profit before tax for Tesco for 2010 was ?3.4 billion. In 2010 also, Tesco had a total of 4,811 stores around the world. Strategic Management of Tesco Tesco is run by a Board of Directors and a Team of Managers. The Board of Directors is made up of 8 Executive Directors and 7 Independent Non-Executive Directors. The management team is led by a CEO an d 14 other CEOs drawn from the fourteen units and branches around the globe. Together, these two teams are tasked with the strategic management of the Tesco Group. Organogram of Tesco PLC Website (Executive Committee) â€Å"Strategic management is the art and science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross functional decisions that enable an organisation to achieve its objectives† (David, 2003) Strategic management entails a set of decisions that affect the overall functioning of an organisation over a long period of time. It is the task of top-level

Must Atheology Prove Gods Nonexistence (Willian L. Rowe Evil is Essay

Must Atheology Prove Gods Nonexistence (Willian L. Rowe Evil is Evidence against Theistic Belief) - Essay Example Rowe considers the view of the theists that there exists an all powerful, all-knowing, perfectly good being (God) as ‘restricted theism’ as it â€Å"does not include any claim that is not entailed by it† (183). To find out whether the occurrence of evils in the world lower the likelihood of God’s existence, Rowe brings out two premises based on which he concludes that God does not exist. The two premises are, Rowe points out that theists have to reject either one of these premises if they have to prove the existence of God, and that they mostly accept the second premise, thereby rejecting the first one. Therefore, the theists will have to accept the fact that for every horrendous evil that takes place, there has to be an outweighing good for which God has no way of materializing without permitting the evil. Rowe provides two analogies to counter the argument that there is a justifying reason for God to permit horrendous evils. One is of a fawn horribly burned in a forest fire caused by lightning. It dies only after five days and has to undergo intense suffering until then, lying on the forest floor. The second analogy is of a five year old girl brutally beaten, raped, and strangled in Flint, Michigan, on New year’s day a few years ago. In both the cases, it cannot be argued that the suffering inflicted on the fawn and the girl are justifiable for some reason, as they personally do not benefit anything from the suffering and die without getting any relief. Rowe goes on to analyze two theistic responses to these analogies that point to the non-existence of God. The first one addresses the first premise and argues that the fact that we fail to understand the good that is meant by God when seemingly meaningless suffering is inflicted on us. The analogy of a child that is put to suffering by its parents for an unavoidable surgical procedure

Global Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Global Marketing - Assignment Example y than others and this means that for a nation to acquire certain commodities from such nations then they have to pay relatively higher prices (Weithers, 2011:44). The report above shows for a period of four years where the value for U.S Dollar has been steadily increasing. The figures show that more than 80% of the currencies studied have lowered in value as compared to the U.S Dollar. There are several reasons why the U.S Dollar has had an increase in value for the past four years. One of the reasons is the high demand of the dollar in the international market. With increased production and active participation in the international market, the U.S supplied the world with products and services and this increased the ‘attachment’ it has had through trade. To make their commodities valuable, an increase in currency value would occur. Market forces in the international trade are critical in determining the currency value of a country. Looking at those countries that U.S majorly supply, it is obvious that their currency is less valuable compared to the U.S Dollars. However, Britain and Switzerland have currencies that are much higher in value than the U.S dollar because of their control of the market in terms of supply (Towbin and Weber, 2011: 177). Among the things that the U.S government probably did was to regulate the interest rates so as to increase value for its currency. This might have been done through restricting and controlling the money that runs in the international framework. When the currency is not easily found yet it is on great demand, its value normally go up automatically. The U.S government might have also deliberately set certain elastic rates that change with time. For instance, within a period of 48 hours, the currency’s value goes up by some figure. Since the international traders need this currency to help them trade with other partners, they would still buy it at those ‘expensive’ prices making the value to progressively