Strategic Planning in Educational Organizations

Introduction Strategic planning has been employed mainly in business environments to shape long-term future. This is mainly because sustainability of such businesses is crucial to their competitiveness. In the recent past, strategic planning has been implemented in educational institutions and organizations. This has resulted in mixed reactions about its achievements.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Planning in Educational Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, its effectiveness in most businesses has also received mixed reactions. This poses the question as to how and when it can be effective. Several theorists have suggested ways of ensuring strategic planning is successfully implemented in businesses and educational centers as well as other organizations. In some cases, strategic planning tries to define organization’s direction and plan for the future. Furthermore, businesse s use it to overcome or avoid completion. It is quite important to note that for strategic planning to be effectively implemented; those concerned must ensure that its conditions are met. If this is not done, the outcome is usually unpredictable. This paper will examine strategic planning in educational organizations, conditions for its implementation, pros and cons as well as provide a recommendation on its use as a change in elementary work setting (Reeves, 2007, P. 1). Strategic Planning Strategic Planning refers to the process of shaping an organization or an individual’s future. It may also imply that a mission is desired and therefore every effort is channeled towards its achievement. Long-term future of any organization is dependent on its performance. In addition, the organization must have a vision or picture that conveys its desired future. All these should be in place before starting the process of strategic planning. Again, it is crucial to note that strategic pla nning assumes a collaborative process. This may disappoint those hoping to oversee implementation as detailed in the strategic plan. Strategic planning is inclusive and requires collaboration for achievement of goals. The plan usually defines a number (small, for instance, 10) of strategic objectives, which should be met to the desired goal or vision of such an organization. This involves an exclusive examination of approaches and process of strategic planning to achieve success. These are as stated below.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Approaches to Strategic Planning Implementation of strategic planning involves choice of different approaches. These include Future search, SWOT, ZOPP/OOP/LFA, and Open space, among others. These approaches share some similar principles such as the belief that future can always be shaped. The approaches also share a belief in â€Å"whole system†, which means that all stakeholders need to be involved for any success to be achieved. Similarly, the approaches have differences, which are observed in their strengths and weaknesses. Future search This kind of approach is commonly observed in non-business organizations. It involves planning and executing actions found to enjoy mutual support. It emphasizes on â€Å"leap forward† technique, in which the organization identifies its future condition and tries to reach it. SWOT SWOT is very common in business environments. This is mainly because it tries to evaluate the weaknesses, strengths and opportunities, as well as threats to survival of the business. ZOPP/OOP/LFA This terms refers to (LFA) Logical framework approach which is sometimes known as (OOPP) Objective oriented project planning or ZOPP in German, This type of approach emphasizes on identifying the problems by use of cause effective analysis method and then looks at ways of alleviating them. Open space This meth od of approach is a precursor to the initial approach, Future search. It goes on with already agreed topics and agenda. It is usually brought forward by a facilitator who allows people to nominate pressing issues and is ready to take responsibility (Schmoker, 2004, P. 5). Processes of Strategic Planning Strategic planning involves several processes for its requirements to be met. These processes are sequential and involve various activities. Educational organizations need to follow a systematic process in strategic management to achieve their goals. These include articulation of core values for institution or educational organization, developing of its mission statement, vision statement, and determining of the organization’s strategic objectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Planning in Educational Organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Further, on, the organization should define its main activities plus responsibilities and then disseminate as well as implement its plan. Finally, the organization should monitor outcomes of its activities and amend its plan as necessary. These processes entail various steps as shown above. Moreover, each of these steps involves several activities. In order to achieve the required results, all steps above have to be executed. In addition, execution of these steps should be in their correct order. In case executions are done in a different manner, which is not in the correct order, latter processes would be compromised. This may lead to eventual failure of the whole process. These processes should therefore be followed as prescribed to avoid mixed results. Merits of the strategic planning process in schools and other organizations Strategic planning has several advantages to organizations. These include increasing probability of an organization’s survival, increasing their market share, in case of other organizations, and motivating other stakeholders within the organization. Other advantages include improving the organization’s competitiveness and planning of quantum leap, which elevates it to a new level. It also enables the organization to renew its direction in case plan is for renewal. Strategic planning is important in allowing for smooth mergers and acquisitions of organization as it conveys its mission and the prevailing position. Strategic planning is also important in helping the organization to manage both internal and external factors that may affect it. Drawbacks of the strategic planning process in schools and other organizations Strategic planning is very important in monitoring the progress of organizations and schools. However, this is not easy as any mistake in following the laid out strategic plan compromises latter stages of the whole process. This is a drawback since such failures would mean starting the whole process a fresh and would be more expensive as well as time was ting. Other disadvantages include the fact that, in a school setting, some targets such a behavior of students may not be quantified. In essence, methods of evaluating the results may not be valid. Strategic planning has several strict conditions that may not apply in school settings; this may not be helpful for the organization (Evans, 2007, P. 2).Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conditions under which strategic planning is both effective and ineffective Strategic planning can only be effective if done according to the prescribed order. This involves several steps and processes, which include activities that have to be done in accordance with the strategic plan. On the other hand, strategic planning cannot be effective if done without following correct order. This compromises the latter stages of strategic process and leads to a failure (Bonstingl, 2009, P. 3). Strategic Planning and change in your work setting Strategic planning was mainly used in business settings. Its adoption in school settings has outputted mixed results since school settings involve many activities and stakeholders. This starts from the staff, parents to students, among other stakeholders. Since strategic planning involves inclusion of all stakeholders, and given the gap between these groups of individuals in school setting, implementing strategic plan is quite involving. However, when done in accordance with the correct procedure, which may involve combination of its approaches, it can be successful. Change in work setting can therefore be attained by adopting and implementing strategic planning (Basham Lunenburg, 1989, p. 29). Conclusion Strategic Planning refers to the process of shaping an organization or an individual’s future. More often than not, it has been employed in business environments to shape their long-term futures. This is mainly because sustainability of such businesses is crucial to their competitiveness. In the recent past, strategic planning has been implemented in educational institutions and organizations. This has resulted in mixed reactions concerning its achievements. Moreover, its effectiveness in most businesses has also received mixed reactions. The paper examines four main approaches to strategic planning along with processes involved in strategic planning. These approaches are Future search, SWOT, ZOPP/OOP/LFA, and Open spac e, among others. In addition, the processes include among others, articulation of core values for institution or educational organization, developing of its mission statement, vision statement, and determining of the organization’s strategic objectives. Strategic planning has several advantages, which include among others, increasing the probability of an organization’s survival. Strategic planning is therefore important in educational organizations (Cook, 1988, p. 25). Recommendation Just as Strategic planning is important in business sector, it is also necessary in educational organizations. However, this must be done in accordance with the provided sequence of steps. Organizations should therefore ensure that all the laid out procedures are followed as agreed to succeed in strategic planning (McCune, 1986, p. 45). Reference List Basham, V., Lunenburg, F. (1989). Strategic planning, student achievement and school district financial and demographic factors. Planning and Changing, 20(3), 158–171. Bonstingl, J. J. (2009). Strategic planning during tough times. Leadership, 38(3), 8-10. Grand Canyon University Library Cook, B. (1988). Strategic planning for America’s schools. Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators. Evans, R. (2007). The case against strategic planning. Independent School, 67(1), 92-104. Grand Canyon University Librar. McCune, S. (1986). Strategic planning for educators. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Reeves, D. B. (2007). Making strategic planning work. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 86-87. Grand Canyon University Library. Schmoker, M. (2004). Tipping point: From feckless reform to substantive instructional improvement. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(6), 424-432. Grand Canyon University Library. This essay on Strategic Planning in Educational Organizations was written and submitted by user Kristopher Barr to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Strategic Planning in Educational Organizations

Costa Rica Essays (577 words) - Costa Rica, Republics, Free Essays

Costa Rica Essays (577 words) - Costa Rica, Republics, Free Essays Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica is exactly what it means, rich coast. The beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts are full of beautiful plants, animals and people. That is what I consider to be rich. The beaches are not rich like others might think. Costa Rica lacked gold and silver that mesmerized the 16th century Spanish conquerors. For this very reason Spain virtually ignored Costa Rica during colonial times. Costa Rica also lacked a large amount of Amerindian population, that is why most of the people today are of purely Spanish decent. (Encyclopedia Americana p.50) Costa Rica is snuggled in between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Costa Rica is very rich in plant and animal life. Costa Rica is almost covered by forests. There are more than 130 families of trees that embrace some 1,300 species. The wildlife includes many exotic animals such as jaguars, pumas, deer, ocelot, sloths, and a variety of monkeys. At least 725 species of birds including parrots and toucans and 130 species of snakes and frogs have also been observed. (Encyclopedia Americana p.51-52) On the beaches you could find a variety of crabs, iguanas, basilisks, and sea turtles swimming in the ocean. (Egelkraut p.54-55) When sea turtles come to Ostional, Costa Rica to lay their eggs it is called la arribaba- the arrival. By 2 a.m. the Pacific beach looked like a cobblestone street where the cobblestones had come to life. (Rudloe p.97) Poaching eggs from a placid leatherback, a Costa Rican villager is one of legions who illegally take turtle eggs in Latin America. Eggs can go at two dollars a dozen and are hot in bars. (Rudloe p.104) The labor force amounted to 1,087,000 in 1992 which is about 34.1% of the total population. About half the total work force is concentrated in San Jose and Alajuela provinces. (Worldmark vol. 3 p.125) About 23% of the labor force is in the service or the government and 21% are in agriculture. (World Almanac p.756) Costa Rica is on e of the most literate populations in Latin America. There are five universities including an open university. The Open University located in San Jose operates 28 regional centers for all students that apply. The University of Costa Rica is supported by the government and enrolls about 28,000 students. (Worldmark vol. 3 p.128-129) In 1995 the adult literacy was 95%. Education is free and compulsory for ages 6-15. (World Almanac p.756) Health standards have steadily improved in Costa Rica. Hospitals are located in the principal cities, and about 95% of the hospital beds are in urban areas. Health services for the rural population are generally inadequate, and the refugee problem has severely taxed urban services. There are sanitary units and dispensaries to care for the health needs of the poor. (Worldmark vol.3 p.128) Life expectancy at birth for males are 73.4 years and for females it is 78.4 years. There is 1 physician for every 870 persons. (World Almanac p.756) One day I hope to live in Costa Rica because for me it is truly paradise. I would love to live in the tropics and not have to worry about cold weather. I also thought that the ticos (what they call themselves) are very friendly and like to learn about the new technology.

Simulation plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simulation plan - Essay Example The result shows that it is essential to develop training infrastructure before action, such as team pilot project, product development team, and product improvement team. In addition, majority of effective moves are based on the integration of departments, communication and vision of the organization. The most influential actions in the simulation include identification of the problem which garnered an overall effectiveness of 100% in timing and 80% effectiveness in method. Financial and competitiveness, which was done at the most effective time, had 100% time effectiveness. Other notable actions include stakeholder mapping that had an effectiveness level of 89% and timing at 93%, team training which was done first was also highly effective at 84%. Firing employees who resist change had 82% of good timing and 100% of effectiveness. This was the right decision. Training and mentoring new and existing team members is also good for a change and is 100% effective in timing and importance. Despite the positive outcomes of the game, there were steps that were problematic. Timing was the major determinant of success. The affected areas include; stakeholder mapping which should have been done before a core change team was identified, the current move is thus out of order. Development of the vision has 18% time effective and 60% effectiveness in action. Though product improvement is timed correctly, it is out of order since training infrastructure must be developed first. This also affected team pilot project and new product development team. Restructuring the firm into teams was out of order with a -50% timing effectiveness. This is because team training should have happened first. The overall score of the simulation game is 62%. This implies that right moves surpass the break-even point by 12%. The index can be improved by addressing the issues that pose a negative impact on the

SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OFFENDING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

SEXUAL OFFENCES AND OFFENDING - Essay Example According to Lees (2000), law reform initiatives have expanded the definitions of rape, advocacy groups have become more widespread and established, and police officers have been exposed to better training and education programmes. However, it remains less clear how these changes have been accompanied by a significant shift in police officers’ attitudes towards rape complainants. This paper seeks to examine the response of police officers to rape allegations, the manner in which police investigate these allegations, and the challenges faced by the police when dealing with these allegations. According to Epstein and Langebahn (1994), offences if sexual violation and rape have notoriously low reporting rates. Few victims are willing to approach the police on their own accord. At the same time, of the cases that are reported, few of them proceed to the point of prosecution. While several studies have been conducted on rape cases which resulted in prosecution, little research has been conducted on complainant’s experiences of reporting rape to the police. This is despite the significant reforms to law and procedures taking effect in the mid 1980s. One of the first countries to attempt key reforms in its rape laws was New Zealand. It introduced an expanded and gender-neutral definition of rape in 1986. It also abolished married men’s right to spousal immunity from prosecution for rape. Similar reforms have been undertaken in England, the United States, and Australia. Jordan (2001) draws from a research conducted in the 1990s to determine the level to which women’s experiences of reporting rape to the police had improved since the reforms in New Zealand were initiated. In the study, 48 women were interviewed, with extensive information obtained regarding reporting and statement-taking, the medical examination, and support agency contacts. Throughout the study, there was a recurring issue. This is whether or not a woman

Usage of space in shell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Usage of space in shell - Essay Example ssay aims at examining how the Shell Oil Company has utilized its operational space, particularly office space, to increase operations and profits as a result, in the United States. The Shell Oil Company is a subsidiary business of the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company, located in the United States. In 2011, the Shell Oil Company leased a total of about 1.3 million feet squared of office space at the One Shell Plaza and the Two Shell Plaza in Houston (Hines, 2011). In the One Shell Plaza; Shell Oil Company occupies the largest percentage of office space. For instance, on the first floor, the Shell oil company has a small museum which illustrates the company’s history. The whole of Shell’s head office is located at the One Shell Plaza, while most of the other floors serve as corporate offices for the company. The Two Shell Plaza, on the other hand, plays the purpose of a parking lot as well as other Shell Oil Company offices. From 2011, the lease is set to expire after 15 years, thus making the Shell Oil Company a tenant at the Hines-owned property for over 55 years. According to Hines (2011), Shell renewed the lease in accordance with the latter company’s plan of consolidating more office space at Houston downtown. According to Cook (2012), the lease was the largest office space contract in the world that year. The acquisition of this office space is a significant leap from the 650, 000 square feet that the Royal Dutch Shell started with in 1970 (Cook, 2012). Over time, Shell has made progressive steps towards ensuring that there is enough working space for the thousands of people working in the company. In the 1990s, for example, Shell made major renovations to the Shell Plaza buildings aimed at easing operations and maximizing the output of the workforce (Cook, 2012). For instance, modern elevators were installed, electrical and mechanical upgrades were done, and architectural lobbies were upgr aded, in addition to other changes. In 2011, after Shell signed

Forms of Contract for Construction Work

Forms of Contract for Construction Work 1.0 Introduction The Scenario A leading manufacturer of confectionery in the UK suffered a devastating fire at their factory in Sheffield. Their insurers have authorised an immediate commencement of the rebuilding work and have been paying a sum of approximately  £1 5m. per month to the insured company as â€Å"Business Continuity† insurance to cover both loss of profit and to allow products to be imported from another country for packaging and sale. The factory site has been cleared using an enabling works contract and it has been decided that an experience single contractor, who is capable of undertaking this type of work would be appointed. It is now the responsibility of an experienced project manager to administer the rebuilding of the factory, which currently is thought to be in the region of  £60m worth. The time scale and who the project manager will use to achieve the delivery of the new building and process equipment to enable the manufacture of confectionery to re-start, including any trials, performance tests and commissioning at the earliest possible opportunity is for him/her to decide. On this account, time of completion and quality is the primary concern and cost is secondary, thus, a form of contract with a procurement route or strategy that would facilitate the construction of the rebuilding to start immediately, while all other preparations (e.g Engineering works) towards the building objective are going on, would be the appropriate or desired form of contract†. Chapter 2 2.0 Forms of contract Standard form of contract for the execution of work and the appointment of consultants are basically used in the construction, Engineering and processing industries. These contracts are prepared by one body in isolation or jointly prepared by bodies representing employers, consultants and contractors. Some of the forms of contracts by these bodies are: Joint contract Tribunal (JCT) forms of contract Engineering Contract (NEC 3) forms of contract Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) forms of contract Association of Consultant Engineers (ACE) forms of contract Association of Consultant Architects (ACA) forms of contract General Condition/works forms of contact 2.1 Criteria for the Selection of Forms of Contract According to the office of building and development in Australia (1996), there are a variety of forms of contract and procurement route that are available for acquiring a new or rebuilding of building, facilities or infrastructure, which are basically determined by a number of criteria, which are: Type of client Level of involvement required by the client The project size and complexity Speed Time available for construction Risk allocation Approach to the design solution Cost certainty and method of financing the project Specialist input Capacity for variations Ability to change scope of work and Contract Administration Separation of design and management 2.2 Contract Types 2.2.1 Traditional Contract Traditional contracts are the type of contracts that separate the design from the construction stages with consultants leading on design and the contractor responsible for the construction execution. In this type of contracts, a consultant (an architect in most cases) acts on behalf of the client/employer as the contract administrator and most risks are passed to the contractors and sub-contractors. Traditional contracts embraced ‘sort it out latter mentality, where time, cost and other related problems are left to the end of the project, which often leads to dispute. Overlapping of design and construction stages in the traditional contract is not encouraged and there is wide criticism that traditional contracts polarise the parties resulting in extreme inefficiencies and encouraging dispute. However, it focuses on the clients main requirements of design control, time and cost certainty. Most of the JCT, ICE and General Conditions/work contract forms adopt the traditional contr act. According to Holt (2010), examples of traditional contracts include: JCT Standard Building Contract with Quantities JCT Intermediate contract JCT Minor Works Contract NEC Engineering and Construction Contract (option A and B fixed price) 2.2.2 Design and Build Contracts Design and Build contract is probably the recent form of procurement and it is available from most of the contract producing bodies (Keown 2010). In a design and build contract, the client employed consultant to prepare documents outlining his requirement in a form of a brief initial designed scheme (Employers Requirements). A single contractor is then appointed to deliver the designed scheme as required (contractors proposals) by employing his or her own design team and then carries out the execution of the work using both the employers requirements and the contractors proposals. The contractor could also engage the original consultant to complete the design through a novation agreement and term or use his own design team for the purpose, which would be verified by the clients design team. Under the design and build method, there is no independent contract administration rather the employer uses ‘employers agent to administer the contract. Examples of Design and Build proposed by Holt (2010) are: JCT Design and Build Contract The NEC Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) -Target cost contract with Activity schedule or Bill of Quantities (Main option C). 2.2.3 Non-Traditional (Management) Contracts Non-traditional contracts such as management contracts are specialist forms of contract, where a specialist e.g management contractor or project manager manages the construction activities on behalf of the client/employer. It is suitable for large, complex and fast-track projects such as high-rise buildings. Management form of contract tends to solve the problems associated with traditional contracts by a means of collaborative working and trying to unite the various project participants in order to avoid polarisation. It claims to remove traditional contract inefficiencies and increase cost and time certainty. Construction procurement by management contract requires great care and high level of sophistication by employer and contractor. According to Keown (2010), advantages of using management contract include: It is a quick method of procuring a competitive tendered. It facilitates a quick start of construction activities on the site. Flexibility design activities can extend into the construction period. It gives the opportunity for changes in the scope of work. It avoids polarisation of parties by collaborative work. It encourages early contractor input on the programme, buildability and content of work contract packages. The employer/client has an opportunity to stop the project before proceeding to construction, for a set fee to the contractor. Examples of Non-traditional (management) contract proposed by Holt (2010) are: JCT Construction Management Appointment JCT Management Building Contract The NEC ECC, Management Contract main option F JCT Construction Excellence (CE) Chapter 3 3.0 Review of Different Forms of Contract The JCT, NEC3, ICE, and ACA forms of contract are intended to be reviewed for the selection of a suitable form of contract for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory. 3.1 Joint Contract Tribunal (JCT) 2005 JCT form of contract, which was formerly known as RIBA contract until 1977 was the first form of building contract agreed between architects and builders established in 1931 (Chappell, et al. 2001). The JCT now comprises professional bodies, which are: Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Royal Institute of British Architects Scottish Building Contract Committee British Property Federation Construction Federation Local Government Association National Specialist Contractor Council Limited The JCT forms of contract embraced the traditional procurement philosophy and are very popular in the UK. According to the survey carried out in 2004 by Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS 2006), which was tagged RICS contracts in Use Survey 2004, approximately 78% of construction contracts were procured using JCT in the UK. As noted previously that most JCT contracts are basically traditional contract, they required well- developed design before the construction works to commence. It is a form of contract that is fairly complicated and is always criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claims; this must always be borne in mind when considering selecting JCT forms of contract. However, it also offers collaborating working contracts like Construction Excellence (CE) that has not been tested in the market (Keown 2010). The JCT 2005, which is the current and updated form of contract, has varieties of procurement methods for small and large projects that are basically intended for building/construction work, particularly in the private/commercial sector depending on procurement criteria being considered. According to Keown (2010), most JCT forms of contract do not have any express clauses on ground condition, thus, they are often amended and include terms that exclude liability for ground conditions. So, JCT contracts are not suitable for: Rail or road related works; Civil or earthworks; Mechanical or electrical plant/installations works; Landscape or archaeological works; and Ecological or environmental works The JCT 2005 various forms of contract use to suit the ever changing construction industry are: The Minor Works (MW) Building Contract This form of contract is very popular and suitable for small construction works, which are relatively simple in nature. It is lump-sum form of contract that based on drawings and specifications, but not re-measurement contact and requires an independent contract administrator. According to Keown (2010), it is suitable for construction work that worth  £100,000 (2008 prices). The Minor Works with Contractors Design (MWD) Contract In this form of contract, which is a version of Minor works (MW), the contractor provides design, which is limited to discrete parts of the works. However, it should be noted that it is not a design and build contract. Intermediate Building Contract (IC) This form of contract is another popular form of JCT contract suitable for construction works of a simple content without complex building service installations (BrunswickIS 2007). It is a lump-sum contract based on drawing and specifications, ranging from  £100,000 to  £800,000 (2008 rough financial prices) (Keown 2010). It also requires independent contract administrator and a quantity surveyor. Intermediate Building Contract with Contractors Design (ICD) This form of contract is a version of the intermediate building contract, which the contractor can provide design that is limited to discrete part of the works. It should be noted that it is not a design and build contract. Standard Building Contract (SBC) The SBC is a modern and sophisticated construction contract, which is suitable for larger projects that value  £500,000 upwards (2008 prices) given by Keown (2010). The SBC requires considerable experience to operate and understand it effectively and an independent contract administrator and quantity surveyor are needed. It is unsuitable for projects with substantial substructure work, excavation and earthworks. SBC comes in three formats: Standard Building Contract with Quantities (SBC/Q) Standard Building Contract with Approximate Quantities (SBC/AQ) Standard Building Contract without Quantities (SBC/XQ) The SBC/Q and SBCXQ are lump-sum contracts based on drawings and specification, if there is a bill of quantities, then these rates and prices are for valuing variations. While the SBC/AQ is a re-measurement contract. All these forms of SBC made provision for the contractor to provide design known as ‘contractors Design Portion, which is limited to discrete parts of the works such as the piling, mechanical and engineering works. However, it should be noted that it is not a Design and Build Contract. Design and Build Contract (DB) JCT design and build is a sophisticated contract requiring considerable experience to be used effectively. The employer/client provides the initial design that sets out his requirement in the contract document (Employers Requirement) and the contractor completes the design (contractors Proposals) and commences the construction work. It is a lump-sum contract that requires adequate time and great care to draft the employers requirements as it does not encourage change of scope or variation without incurring an additional cost. Design and build contract does not require an independent contract administrator, rather the employer/client uses an ‘Employers Agent to administer the contract. Major Project Construction Contract (MP) JCT MP Contract is suitable for large projects, which both the client and contractor are sophisticated and experienced construction parties working on large projects that value around  £10m upward (2008 prices) (Keown 2010). It is similar to Design and Build, where the client provides initial design and the contractor completes the design and commences the execution work. Thus, adequate time and great care are required in drafting the employers requirement as there is little scope for change later.. Prime Cost Building Contract The JCT prime cost building contract is a cost reimbursement form in which the contractor is paid by a fixed fee or a percentage fee in addition to the incurred cost. According to Keown (2010), this form of contract is used where the scope of work could not be defined such as refurbishment work or where the works have to start immediately such as emergency work after fire damaged. In this form of contract, cost of the project cannot be ascertained until the completion, and it could be used alternatively to the NEC 3 ECC Main Options E, which is also a cost reimbursement contract.. JCT Management Contracts (MC) The JCT has two forms of management contracts, which are Construction management form and Management contract form. Both forms require great care and a high level sophistication and experience by the employer and the contractor. They are not popular in the UK but sometimes used on large, complex and fast track projects. Construction Management: In this form, the contractor acts on behalf of the client as only a construction manager to manage the construction work by supervising the trade subcontractors employed by the client. Management Contract: In this form, the main contractor acts as construction manager for the works and employs the subcontractor. The main contractor does not carry out any construction works but manages the work carry out by his subcontractor for a fee plus the prime cost. The JCT Construction Excellence (CE) This form of contract is radically different from all other JCT forms of contract because it is a partnering/collaborative contract newly introduced in 2007 to enter the collaborative contract market that is dominated by the NEC and PPC2000 forms. In JCT CE form, the parties are referred to as ‘suppliers and purchasers and it took the form of traditional two party contract used for procurement of construction works and construction services. The contract terms and condition are short and straightforward, and can be priced either by lump sum or by target cost having a guaranteed Maximum cost facility. What is unusual about this form is that the risk associated with the project is identified and then allocated the risks between themselves, particularly respect to time and cost. According to Keown (2010), â€Å"As of 2009, the JCT CE contract appears to be rarely used, thus, it has not been tested in the market†. In my opinion, JCT forms of contract are not the best option for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because: JCT forms of contract are basically intended for building/construction work, thus, will therefore, be inadequate in addressing the engineering aspect of the factory. It required well- developed design before the construction works to commence, thus, unsuitable for work that would commence immediately. It is always criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claims, thus, may not encourage a good relationships among parties involved, which is required for the success of the project. So, JCT forms of contract will not be considered for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory†. 3.2 NEW ENGINEERING CONTRACTS (NEC 3) FORMS OF CONTRACT The New Engineering Contracts (NEC 3) is a family of NEC standard contract launched in 1991 that was revised in 2005 to replace NEC 2 suite that promotes a partnering culture, and has been cited has the preferred form of contract in ‘Constructing the team, a report by Sir Michael Latham (Knowles 2001). The New Engineering Contract (NEC 3) suite adopts a different approach to the procurement and execution of construction engineering through a proactive means to construction problems as the work progress. It is a Non- traditional form of contract that embraces early collaboration of all parties involved to avoid polarisation that is claimed to be caused by traditional form, and also, intended to create an equitable balance of risk between the parties to the contract. NEC 3 is applicable to a wide variety of major and minor construction works, which include: Building and Civil engineering works; Mechanical and electrical plant/installations works; Process engineering; and Offshore fabrication. Some of the ways by which NEC 3 stage proactive features include: Early collaboration and involvement of all parties, which include the client, project manager, contractor, subcontractor, etc. The contractor proposes how to solve arising problems. It embraces parallel activities between the design and construction activities. It gives no chance for storing up of claims until after the work is accomplished. It is better suited for a project that must be completed quickly, even if that faster completion makes the project more expensive i.e. timely procedure/response and programmes are primary and cost is secondary. The pro-active approach that embraces collaboration of all parties and more man-hours administration is emphasised in the first core clause of the NEC 3, which states that ‘The Employer, the contractor, the project manager and the supervisor shall act as stated in this contract in the spirit of mutual trust and co-operation (core clause 10). The NEC 3 forms of contract that are currently in use are: NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Subcontract (ECS) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Subcontract (ECSS) NEC 3 Tern Service Contract (TSC) NEC 3 Framework Contract NEC3 Professional Services Contract NEC3 Adjudicators Contract. NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) NEC 3 ECC is the most widely used NEC 3 contract for appointing the main contractor for building, civil and all other engineering works including any level of design responsibilities i.e. it allows the contractor to provide design (Clause 21). However, it should be noted that NEC 3 has no specific design and build contract. The ECC has six (6) main options and twenty-two (22) secondary options to choose from. The main options are: Main Option A: Contract type priced contract with Activity schedule. Pricing Mechanism Lump sum Risk Allocation Contractor Suitability suitable for contract that the client wants maximum cost certainty but the need for a complete design is important. Main Option B: Contract type Priced contract with BoQ Pricing Mechanism Re-measurement Risk Allocation Contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there are grounds works and there is uncertainty on the final quantities of the work. Main Option C: Contract type Target contract with Activity Schedule Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement with pain-gain mechanism Risk Allocation Shared between the client and the contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there is a need for an early start on site or the design is incomplete or inadequate. Main Option D: Contract type Target contract with BoQ Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement with pain-gain mechanism Risk Allocation Shared between the client and the contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there is a need for an early start on site or the design is incomplete or inadequate. Main Option E: Contract type Cost Re-imbursement Contract Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement Risk Allocation Client Suitability suitable for contract where it is difficult or impossible to define the scope of work (e.g. refurbishment work) or where the construction works have to start immediately (e.g. emergency work after fire damaged). Main Option F: Contract type Management Contract Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement Risk Allocation Client Suitability suitable for contract where both the client and contractor have experience in construction work that has to start immediately. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Subcontract (ECS) The NEC 3 ECS contract is similar to ECC but used to appoint a subcontractor after the main contractor has been appointed through the ECC. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC) The NEC 3 ECSC contract is used for small and medium sized simple and well-defined projects that worth up to  £500,000 (2008 price), where the sophisticated systems of the ECC are nor appropriate. It does not have main options, but can be a lump sum or re-measurement contract. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Subcontract (ECSS) The NEC 3 ECSS contract is similar to the NEC 3 ECSC contract, but used to appoint subcontractors after the main contractor has been appointed under NEC 3 ECSC. Ø NEC 3 Tern Service Contract (TSC) The NEC 3 TSC is similar to the ECC and is used for projects where regular work is required from a contractor over a period of time such as the appointment of suppliers to manage and provide a service. A plan or scheduled of work to be carried out is agreed upon by the client and contractor, and then payment is made using any of the options A, C or E. Ø NEC 3 Framework Contract (FC) The NEC 3 FC is a simple contract which is meant to be used in conjunction with other NEC 3 forms that will provide the contracts for call off contracts. It is used to appoint suppliers to carry out construction work or to provide design or advisory services on an ‘as-instructed basis. According to Keown (2010), the JCT framework contract is probably a better choice now. In my opinion, NEC 3 ECC with option E form of Contract is the best for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory base on the reasons given in the concluding part†. 3.3 Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Forms of Contract The ICE standard form of contract first edition was established in 1945 for mainly civil engineering and sometimes on building work that involved a large amount of earthwork. It is considered to be a traditional contract that requires a well-developed designed before the construction work can commence and contract administration under this form of contract is similar to that of the JCT. Experienced practitioners sometimes claimed that the ICE form of contract is complicated and not easy to understand, and are also frequently criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claim just like the JCT form. According to Keown (2010), ICE contracts have different version, which include: Measurement Version Contract: it could be re-measurement or lump sum contract suitable for large civil engineering work that worth  £300,000 (2008 rough prices). Minor Work Contract: it is a shortened form of the measured version suitable for simple works with 6 months duration and up to  £300,000 worth (2008 rough prices). Design and Construct Contract: it is similar to the measurement version, but the employer provides the initial design (Employers Requirement), which would be completed by the contractor (Contractors Submission) and then carries out the construction work. Term Version Contract: it is used where there is variety of construction works or works at different locations to be executed over a period of time. It also accommodates emergency call out type work. Archaeological Investigation Contract: it is a simple contract for archaeological investigation. Ground Investigation Contract: it is similar to measured version and suitable where the employer intends to develop a site and required specialist contractor to perform substantial on-site investigation. Target Cost Contract: it is essential for a cost re-imbursement contract. However, a target cost mechanism option is provided to give the contractor incentives to control cost. In my opinion, the ICE form of contract is not the best option for the confectionery factory because†: It is mainly suitable for civil engineering works and building work that involves substantial earthwork, thus, may not be adequate for other engineering works like plant installation that is required. It requires a well-developed design before construction work could start, thus, unsuitable for this confectionery factory rebuilding situation which the work has to start immediately. It tends to polarise the construction team and encourages claim, which may be a threat to the progress of the work. 3.4 Association of Consultant Architects (ACA) Forms of Contract The ACA forms of contract is a non traditional collaborative contracts introduced in 1982. It is the only multi party standard form construction contract in the UK, where parties including the client, key consultants, main contractor and specialist subcontractors sign up the same contract i.e. all the parties are in a contract with each other, owe each other a duty of care and can sue each other for breach of contract and duty of care (Keown 2010). There is no suggested limit on cost or type of contract which this form is best suitable for because of its flexible accommodation of alternative clauses (Clamp, Cox and Lupton 2007). The ACA has different forms, which are: Project Partnering Contract (PPC 2000): it is a sophisticated and complicated partnering contract, which requires great care in setting up and running, particularly when preparing the project partnering Agreement. Specialist Partner Contract (SPC 2000): it embraces the PPC 2000 procedures and philosophy, but focuses on sub-contracting and relationship between main contractor, main sub-contractors and specialist. Term Partnering Contract (TPC 2005): it is suitable for works and services that extend over a period of time or where there is periodic/planned maintenance and can also accommodate to call out work. Extend the multi-party contract philosophy to Project Partnering Contract (PPC). In my opinion, the ACA forms of contract are unsuitable for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because it does not give options for which someone can choose from†. Conclusion In my opinion, NEC 3 ECC form of contract with Main Option E and probably Secondary Options 5, 6, 7, 12 and 14 would be the best form of the contract options for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because: It is suitable for engineering and/or construction work, which includes civil engineering, building, mechanical and electrical plant/installations work, process engineering and all allied industries that are adequate for the rebuilding of confectionery factory. It does not require well- developed design before the construction works to commence i.e. it encourages a parallel operation between the design and construction activities, thus, suitable for work that would commence immediately as applied to the confectionery factory. It embodies an efficient management process and stimulates good management of the relationship among all the parties involved, thus, avoid polarisation of parties involved. Its collaborative working across the entire chain optimises the project success. It uses clear and simple language, which is straightforward and easily understood. The NEC 3 ECC forms of contract with option E: cost reimbursement contract among other options of NEC 3 ECC would be considered for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory pursuant to the information given from the project proposal that it has been agreed that a single contractor would be employed to carry out the construction work and time cannot be spared for a well-developed design, since the construction work has to start immediately. 4.1 Confectionery Factory Rebuilding Project Parties and Organogram For the rebuilding of the confectionery factory, the identified parties that are likely to be involved in this project are: Client/Employer Project Manger Architect Structural Engineer Civil Engineer Mechanical Engineer Electrical Engineer Technology Specialist Quantity Surveyor Quality Assurance Officer Cost Manager CDM Regulator Facilities Manager Planning supervisors Lawyer Main Contractor Building works Subcontractor Mechanical Electrical Services Subcontractor Plant Installation Specialist Subcontractor Suppliers A detail organogram that shows these parties and their contractual relationship is attached below. 4.2 Contractual Relationships and Agreement For the NEC 3 ECC, option E: cost reimbursement contract chosen for this project, with a project manager leading and plan for a single contractor to execute the project, the contractual relationship will exist between: Client/Employer and Project Manager

The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot :: English Literature

The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot Silas Marner The novel, Silas Marner by George Eliot is a prime example of a tale which enlists the use of the literary archetype of the quest. Silas Marner is a lonely man who lives in the town of Raveloe with nothing but his hard-earned gold to console him. His call comes unexpectedly when a man by the name of Dunstan Cass steals the money. This marks the point where Marner sets out on his quest to find the gold. The protagonist’s other in the novel is in the form of Dunstan’s older brother, Godfrey Cass. While Silas and Godfrey are complete opposites on many levels, they are ultimately the same person. Godfrey is a man still in his youth, who has been blessed with a luxurious lifestyle, whereas Silas is portrayed as a miserly old man. Differences in social class aside, both Silas and Godfrey are lonely; a product of their own actions. Godfrey is lonely because he chooses not to tell Nancy of his secret marriage, and Silas is alone because he chooses not to associate with the townsfolk. That is, until he is called upon to do so with the theft of his gold. Silas is aided by his adopted daughter Eppie, who acts as the helper, or guide. Silas’s journey is both physical and psychological. At first, Silas sets out to discover who it is that has stolen his money, and means to get it back, and has no intention of punishing the thief. It is evident that this is not the quest the author has in mind for him. Through the journey of raising Eppie, George Eliot has Marner discover true happiness, even though it is not what he set out for in the first place. Even though, through the events that transpire, Marner is able to get back his stolen money, in the end, he is able to obtain a treasure far greater than the gold he anticipated, that is, happiness with another person. At the conclusion of the novel, Silas Marner is a man who has transformed from a cold-hearted and lonely person, to one who has found love and acceptance in another. One of the major themes George Eliot employs is that of the individual versus society. Throughout the novel, Silas is contrasted to the community in which he is situated. In Lantern Yard, Silas is excommunicated because the rest of his church does not believe in his innocence, and in Raveloe, Silas is seen as a crazy witch doctor of sorts. Most people feel it is safe to stay away from him, and Silas

Design Argument for the existence of God Essay

The Design Argument can be split into two sides: design qua purpose and design qua regularity. The key idea of design qua purpose comes from William Paley. He used analogy as the basis for his argument, noting how the complex design of a watch allows all the parts to work together perfectly to achieve its purpose. He then noted the complexity, order and purpose of the universe, stating that â€Å"every manifestation on design, which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature.† Therefore if a watch’s intricacy stands as evidence that it has been designed, by analogy the universe must also have a designer and, as the designer is required to be supremely powerful, the designer must be God. Aquinas also presented an argument to support design qua purpose. Similarly to Paley, he argued that all natural occurrences show evidence of design. He claimed that this suggested there is a being which directs all things, and as humans have knowledge this being must also be knowledgeable. Therefore there is an intelligent being that directs everything towards its purpose, and Aquinas stated that this being must be God. Unlike Paley, Aquinas explained that God is a designer at work who continues to direct us towards our purpose as well as regulating the universe (e.g. the planets and the seasons). He also attempted to explain how free-will plays a part in design, claiming that we are programmed to reproduce but free-will allows us to choose who we reproduce with. Through these points he also demonstrated a key aspect of the design qua regularity side of the Teleological Argument. Another aspect of the argument is the anthropic principle, which was first introduced by F.R. Tennant. The significant difference of this principle to Paley and Aquinas’ ideas is that it doesn’t reject the scientific principles for existence, as Tennant said that the conditions for the development of human life were intrinsic to the Big Bang. The strong principle says that the reason and purpose of the universe is to support human life, supported by the way the conditions on earth are perfect in order for us to survive.  For example, the atmosphere is 21% Oxygen which is near enough the exact amount that humans need. Consequently a greater being created the universe to support us, and the only being powerful enough to do so is God. On the other hand, the weak anthropic principle doesn’t accept that life was inevitable from the beginning and instead suggests that it just happened to have occurred. Richard Swinburne developed this by suggesting that the creation of the universe came down to probabilities rather than chance. He recognised that the universe could have easily been chaotic, but the fact that it isn’t suggests some element of design. Tennant described this as the world being â€Å"compatible with a single throw of a dice†, and said that â€Å"common sense is not foolish in suspecting the dice is loaded.† This explains how Swinburne and Tennant believed that it took an incredibly small singularity to create the cosmic explosion which created the universe, but the order and purpose is so beyond chance that there must have been a greater being behind it. This therefore shows how the anthropic principle is used to prove the existence of God. This principle has been supported by many other philosophers, including Fred Hoyle and Anthony Flew. Comment on the claim that this argument totally fails to prove the existence of God Charles Darwin used the idea of ‘Natural Selection’ to challenge the Design Argument. This is a theory that claims that the strongest and most adapted species survive and therefore species develop and evolve naturally through time. Darwin argued that the illusion of design is actually a result of natural and random process caused by Natural Selection, and not by God as the designer. Steve Jones described this process as â€Å"a series of successful mistakes†, which again doubts the involvement of God in the design of species. Nevertheless, Christians could object to this disproving that the Design Argument proves the existence of God as the anthropic principle suggests that Natural Selection and Evolution are caused by God, as they are too unlikely to have occurred by chance. As a result, one would argue that Darwin’s theory doesn’t hold up under its counter argument because Natural Selection can still occur with God being the designer of the universe. Freud also questions the Design Argument’s success at proving the existence of God in his book ‘The Future of an Illusion’. In it, he describes religious faith as an illusion based on wishful thinking, arguing that religion exists because people fear living in a chaotic and unordered world. Therefore we project order on to the universe out of fear and so our minds are predisposed to see order. Freud uses this idea to dispute that the order and regularity of the universe is a result of design, thus questioning the existence of God overall. One would say that Freud’s argument supports the claim that the Design Argument fails to prove God’s existence as it suggests that the universe is in fact not ordered perfectly as we perceive, and so God’s work as a designer is an illusion arisen from fear of chaos. Additionally, the Epicurean Hypothesis disputes that the designer of the universe could be the God of classic theism by exploring the idea of evil and suffering. Epicuris says that if God is willing to prevent evil but isn’t able to then he can’t be omnipotent, and if he’s able but not willing then he can’t be benevolent. From this argument, he concluded that either God isn’t the God of classic theism or God isn’t the designer of the universe at all. On the other hand, Christians could counter this by arguing that evil and suffering is a test from God as an opportunity to prove our faith to him. Therefore based on this, evil and suffering doesn’t disprove that God is the ultimate designer. However, the argument still stands as if God was omniscient he wouldn’t need to test people as he would know whether or not they were faithful. Also permitting evil and suffering would still make him malevolent. Consequently  one would say that the Epicurean Hypothesis still supports that the Design Argument fails to prove the existence of God. Overall, despite the Design Argument’s in depth ideas such as the anthropic principle and design qua purpose and regularity, there are stronger scholarly arguments to support the claim that the Design Argument fails to prove the existence of God. Although the use of Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection can be cancelled out by its counter, Freud’s idea of illusion both successfully argues that the apparent design is created out of fear of chaos and not the result of a supremely powerful source, and the Epicurean Hypothesis argues that the God of classic theism can’t exist under the premise of evil and suffering. Therefore these ideas effectively support that the Design Argument doesn’t prove that God exists.

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 1

For my readers, by request ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks, again, to the usual suspects: my agent, Nick Ellison, and Sarah Dickman, Arija Weddle, and Marissa Matteo at Nicholas Ellison, Inc.; Jennifer Brehl, Kate Nintzel, Lisa Gallagher, Michael Morrison, Mike Spradlin, Jack Womack, Debbie Stier, Lynn Grady, and all my friends at William Morrow; and, of course, to Charlee Rodgers, for putting up with the frozen turkey bowling. Chapter One Get Over It, a Lot of People Are Dead â€Å"You bitch, you killed me! You suck!† Tommy had just awakened for the first time as a vampire. He was nineteen, thin, and had spent his entire life between states of amazement and confusion. â€Å"I wanted us to be together.† Jody: pale, pretty, long red hair hanging in her face, cute swoop of a nose in search of a lost spray of freckles, a big lipstick-smeared grin. She'd only been undead herself for a couple of months, and was still learning to be spooky. â€Å"Yeah, that's why you spent the night with him.† Tommy pointed across the loft to the life-sized bronze statue of a man in a tattered suit. Inside the bronze shell was the ancient vampire who had turned Jody. Another bronze of Jody stood next to him. When the two of them had gone out at sunrise, into the sleep of the dead, Tommy had taken them to the sculptors who lived on the ground floor of his building and had the vampires bronzed. He'd thought it would give him time to think of what to do, and keep Jody from running off with the old vampire. Tommy's mistake had been drilling ear holes in Jody's sculpture so she could hear him. Somehow, during the night, before the bronzing, the old vampire had taught her to turn to mist, and she'd streamed out of the ear holes into the room, and – well – here they were: dead, in love, and angry. â€Å"I needed to know about what I am, Tommy. Who else was going to tell me if not him?† â€Å"Yeah, but you should have asked me before you did this,† Tommy said. â€Å"You shouldn't just kill a guy without asking. It's inconsiderate.† Tommy was from Indiana, and his mother had raised him to have good manners and to be considerate of other people's feelings. â€Å"You had sex with me while I was unconscious,† Jody said. â€Å"That's not the same,† Tommy said. â€Å"I was just being friendly, like when you put a quarter in someone else's parking meter when they aren't there – you know they appreciate it later, even if they don't thank you personally.† â€Å"Yeah, wait until you go out in your jammies and wake up all sticky in a cheerleader outfit and see how grateful you are. You know, Tommy, when I'm out, technically, I'm dead. Guess what that makes you?† â€Å"Well – uh – yeah, but you're not even human. You're just some foul dead thing.† Tommy immediately regretted saying it. It was hurtful and mean, and although Jody was, indeed, dead, he didn't find her foul at all – in fact, he was pretty sure he was in love with her, he was just a little embarrassed about the whole necrophilia/cheerleader thing. Back in the Midwest people didn't mention that sort of thing unless a dog dug up a pom-pom in some guy's backyard and the police eventually discovered the whole human pyramid buried under the swing set. Jody sniffled, completely for effect. Actually she was relieved that Tommy was now on the defensive. â€Å"Well, welcome to the Foul, Dead Thing Club, Mr. Flood.† â€Å"Yeah, you drank my blood,† Tommy said. â€Å"A lot.† Damn, she should have pretended to cry. â€Å"You let me.† â€Å"Again, being considerate,† Tommy said. He stood up and shrugged. â€Å"You just let me because of the sex.† â€Å"That's not true, it was because you needed me.† He was lying, it was because of the sex. â€Å"Yes, I did,† Jody said. â€Å"I still do.† She held her arms out to him. â€Å"I really do.† He walked into her arms and held her. She felt amazing to him, even more amazing than she had before. It was as if his nerves had been dialed up to eleven. â€Å"Okay, it was because of the sex.† Great, she thought, in control once again. She kissed his neck. â€Å"How do you feel about it now?† â€Å"Maybe in a minute, I'm starving.† He let go of her and stormed across the loft to the kitchen, where he pulled a burrito out of the freezer, threw it into the microwave, and hit the button, all in one smooth motion. â€Å"You don't want to eat that,† Jody said. â€Å"Nonsense, it smells great. It's like every little bean and pork piece is sending out its own delicious miasma of flavor vapor.† Tommy used words like ;miasma; because he wanted to be a writer. That's why he'd come to San Francisco in the first place – to take life in big bites and write about it. Oh, and to find a girlfriend. â€Å"Put the burrito down, and back away, Tommy,† Jody said. â€Å"I don't want you to get hurt.† â€Å"Ha, that's cute.† He took a big bite and grinned at her as he chewed. Five minutes later, because she felt responsible, Jody was helping him clean bits of masticated burrito off the kitchen wall and the front of the refrigerator. â€Å"It's like every bean was storming the gates of repressive digestion to escape.† â€Å"Yeah, well, being refried will do that to you,† Jody said, stroking his hair. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"I'm starving. I need to eat.† â€Å"Not so much eat,† Jody said. â€Å"Oh my God! It's the hunger. I feel like my insides are caving in on themselves. You should have told me about this.† She knew how he felt – actually, she had felt worse when it happened to her. At least he knew what was happening to him. â€Å"Yeah, sweetie, we're going to have to make a few adjustments.† â€Å"Well, what do I do? What did you do?† â€Å"I mostly fed off of you, remember?† â€Å"You should have thought this through before you killed me. I'm fucked.† â€Å"We're fucked. Together. Like Romeo and Juliet, only we get to be in a sequel. Very literary, Tommy.† â€Å"Oh, that's a comfort. I can't believe you just killed me like that.† â€Å"And turned you into a superbeing, thank you very much.† â€Å"Oh, crap, there's burrito spooge all over my new sneakers.† â€Å"You can see in the dark, now,† Jody said cheerfully. â€Å"Wanna try it? I'll get naked. You can look at me in the dark. Naked. You'll like it.† â€Å"Jody, I'm starving over here.† She couldn't believe that he didn't respond to the naked persuasion. What kind of monster had she created? â€Å"Okay, I'll find you a bug or something.† â€Å"A bug?! A bug!? I'm not eating a bug.† â€Å"I said there'd have to be some adjustments.† Tommy had been dealing with more than a few adjustments since he'd come west from his hometown of Incontinence, Indiana – not the least of which had been finding a girlfriend, who, while smart, sexy, and quick-witted, drank his blood and tended to fall unconscious at the exact moment of sunrise. He'd always suspected that she might have just picked him because he worked nights and could walk around during the day, especially since she'd once said, â€Å"I need someone who works nights and can walk around during the day,† but now that he was a vampire, he could close the door on that insecurity and open another onto a whole new world of insecurities he'd never even considered before. The appropriate age for a vampire is four hundred years old – he should be a world-weary and sophisticated creature, his human anxieties long since overcome or evolved into macabre perversions. The problem with a nineteen-year-old vampire is that he drags all of his adolescent insecur ities into the dark with him. â€Å"I'm really pale,† Tommy said, staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. They'd figured out early on that vampires do, indeed, cast a reflection in a mirror, just like they could tolerate proximity to crucifixes and garlic. (Tommy had run experiments on Jody while she slept, including many involving cheerleader outfits and personal lubricants.) â€Å"And not just winter in Indiana pale. I'm, like, pale like you.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Jody, â€Å"I thought you liked the pale.† â€Å"Sure, it looks good on you, but I look ill.† â€Å"Keep looking,† Jody said. She was leaning against the door frame, dressed in tight black jeans and a half shirt, her hair tied back and streaming down her back like a flaccid red comet tail. She was trying not to appear too amused. â€Å"Something's missing,† Tommy said. â€Å"Something besides color.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† Jody grinned. â€Å"My skin cleared up! I don't have a single zit.† â€Å"Ding, ding, ding,† Jody onomatopeed, signaling that Tommy had hit on the correct answer. â€Å"If I had known my skin would clear up, I'd have asked you to change me a long time ago.† â€Å"I didn't know how to a long time ago,† Jody said. â€Å"That's not all, take off your shoes.† â€Å"I don't understand, I – â€Å" â€Å"Just take off your shoes.; Tommy sat on the edge of the tub and took off his sneakers and socks. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Look at your toes.† â€Å"They're straight. My little toe isn't bent anymore. It's like I've never worn shoes.† â€Å"You're perfect,† Jody said. She remembered finding out this condition of vampirism and being both delighted and horrified because now she felt that she'd always need to lose five pounds – five pounds that were preserved for eternity. Tommy pulled up the leg of his jeans and studied his shin. â€Å"The scar where I hit myself with a hatchet, it's gone.† â€Å"And it always will be,† Jody said. â€Å"You'll always be perfect, just like you are now. My split ends even went away.† â€Å"I'll always be the same?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Just like I am now.† â€Å"As far as I know,† Jody said. â€Å"But I was going to start working out. I was going to be buff. I was going to have abs of steel.† â€Å"No, you weren't.† â€Å"I was. I was going to be an awesome hunk of muscular man-meat.† â€Å"No, you weren't. You wanted to be a writer. You were going to have little stick arms and get winded when you hit the back-space key more than three times consecutively. You're in great shape from working in the grocery store. Wait until you see how you can run.† â€Å"You really think I'm in great shape?† â€Å"Yes, I thought I made that clear.† Tommy flexed his chest in the mirror, which showed not at all through his flannel shirt. He unbuttoned his shirt and tried it again, with little effect, then shrugged. â€Å"What about the writer thing? Will my brain always be like this? I mean, will I get any smarter, or is that stuck in time, too?† â€Å"Well, yeah, but that's because you're a man, not because you're a vampire.† â€Å"You spiteful harpy.† â€Å"I think I've made my point,† Jody said. Jody had put on a red leather jacket, even though she could no longer feel discomfort from the cold fog coming in off the Bay. She liked the way it looked with her black jeans and a low-cut black lace camisole she'd rescued from a Nordstrom Rack Store before some slut got hold of it. â€Å"Come on, Tommy, we need to go find something for you to eat before we run out of night.† â€Å"I know, but I have something I have to do. Give me a minute.† He was in the bathroom again, this time with the door shut. Jody heard the zipper of his jeans go down, then a slightly breathless man-scream. The bathroom door flew open and Tommy, his pants and underwear around his ankles, bunny-hopped in two great leaps across the bedroom. â€Å"Look at this. What's happening to me. Look at this!† He was pointing furiously to his penis. â€Å"It's like I'm some radioactive mutant freak.† Jody went to him and grabbed his hands – held him steady, looked him in the eyes. â€Å"Tommy, calm down. It's just your foreskin.† â€Å"I don't have a foreskin. I'm circumcised.† â€Å"Not anymore,† Jody said. â€Å"Evidently, when you turned, it grew back, just like your toes straightened and your scars all went away.† â€Å"Oh. You don't find it creepy, then?† â€Å"No. It's fine.† â€Å"You want to touch it?† â€Å"Thanks. Maybe later.† â€Å"Oh, sorry, I freaked. Didn't realize. I – uh – I still feel like I have to finish what I was going to do.† â€Å"That's fine,† Jody said. â€Å"You're fine. You go finish up. I'll wait.† â€Å"You're sure you don't want to give it a quick fondle?† â€Å"If I do, can we get out of here?† â€Å"Probably not.† â€Å"Well then, back in the bathroom you go.† She spun him around and gave him a gentle shove. He bunny-hopped his newly recovered foreskin back into the bathroom and closed the door. Jody shuddered at the sound of the door closing. She hadn't thought about whether or not Tommy would retain his incessant horniness after he turned, she had just wanted a companion who could understand what she was, what she felt, what the world looked like through vampire eyes. If it turned out that he was going to be nineteen forever, she might end up having to kill him for real.

How does Shakespeare show the changing relationship between Juliet and her parents in Act 3 Scene 5 Essay Example

How does Shakespeare show the changing relationship between Juliet and her parents in Act 3 Scene 5 Essay Example How does Shakespeare show the changing relationship between Juliet and her parents in Act 3 Scene 5 Paper How does Shakespeare show the changing relationship between Juliet and her parents in Act 3 Scene 5 Paper Juliets relationship with her father at the beginning of the play was not a normal relationship between a father and a daughter in that period of time. Usually there was conflict between father and daughter as in many societies daughters were considered to be regarded as property, to be given marriage to the most suitable man who offers. Lord Capulet is not like this at the beginning of the play, he tells Paris that he considers Juliet to be far too young for marriage and that she is still a child. He asks him for her to have two more summers as a child left before marriage. He is very concerned that many young brides die from childbirth because they have married and had children far too early.But saying oer what I have said before:My child is yet a stranger in the world;She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;Let two more summers wither in their prideEre we may think her ripe to be a bride.However, Juliets relationship with her mother is totally different. Lady Capulet has ob viously never spent much time with Juliet and a prime example of this is when she goes to talk to Juliet about the noble Paris wanting to marry to her. In Act 1 Scene 3 Lady Capulet sends the nurse out but then when she realises that it would not be as easy as she thought it might be recalls her into the room so as to help her if she could not cope on her own. She also knows that Juliet and the Nurse have a much closer relationship than they do because the Nurse has been looking after Juliet for all of Juliets life. She was her wet-nurse and breast fed her when she was a baby. The Nurse has looked after her since. The language between Juliet and her mother is very formal; Madam, I am here. What is your will?This is the matter. Nurse, give leave a while;We must talk in secret. (NURSE begins to leave)Nurse, come back again;I have remembered me, thous hear our counsel.Thou knowst my daughters of a pretty age.At the beginning of the scene the atmosphere is tense as Romeo has only just l eft Juliets bed chambers. Before Lady Capulet enters her room, Juliet expresses her surprise at her mothers visit.Who is it that calls? It is my lady mother.Is she not down so late, or up so early?What unaccustomed cause procures her hither?This suggests that Lady Capulet does not naturally come to see her. It also suggests that there is a large distance between Juliet and her mother. The word unaccustomed tell us that Lady Capulets visit is strange and that it only happens rarely. Lady Capulet uses formal and blunt language which shows no affection. Even when Lady Capulet finds that Juliet is crying she is insensitive and uncaring. She tells her that she should stop this nonsense and get on with it. She expresses that no good can be done by all of this crying and that Tybalt will not be brought back by whatever she does. Therefore, have done. Whilst Juliet and her mother are having a conversation about Tybalts death and the villain that killed him, Juliet uses lots of double meanin gs and soliloquys to the audience.The word Villain is repeated over by both Juliet and Lady Capulet. Lady Capulet says it with the meaning of it being the person (Romeo) who killed Tybalt. However, Juliet is using this as a double meaning, so her mother hears what she wants to hear, but the truth is being spoken, just secretly. Lady Capulet continues all the way through the scene in a crisp and businesslike manner. She is very sure that they will get revenge on Romeo over what he did to Tybalt. There is irony and a shadow on the future when she speaks sometimes. That he shall keep Tybalt Company: when Lady Capulet is telling Juliet about the marriage that has been arranged she refers to her as her child.Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn,The gallant, young and noble gentleman,The County Paris, at Saint Peters church,Shall make thee a joyful bride.She warns Juliet that he will not be at all pleased and thinks that she knows how he will react. Lady Capulet tells Lord Capulet th e news grudgingly and she knows what his response will be. She lets him know that she disapproves. I would the fool were married to her grave! this is irony. Lady Capulets parting words to Juliet after Juliet has pleaded with her are orders and demands and she disowns her like Lord Capulet. Talk not to me, for Ill not speak a word: Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. She confirms what Lord Capulet says. Shakespeare manipulates the audiences reaction to Juliet throughout this exchange is how Juliet kept talking to the audience as well as the characters on stage. And because the audience have more insight than most of the characters, their reaction is more sympathetic towards Juliet.Lord Capulet is in a good mood when he enters Juliets room. At first he sets a picture of a good day. The air doth drizzle dew. But when he realizes that Juliet is upset he automatically thinks that she is crying over her cousins death. He is concerned, but even though trying to comfort her, his ge neral message is to get on with it. He refers to Juliet as a small ship sailing on a stormy sea and that she cannot take it.How now, a conduit, girl? What, still in tears?Evermore showering? In one little bodyThou counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind;For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea,Do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is,Sailing in this salt flood; the winds thy sighs,Who raging with tears and they with them,Without a sudden calm will oversetThy tempest-tossed body.This mood is short lived as his tone changes abruptly. How now, wife! Have you deliverd to her our decree? This language is now very businesslike and to the point like Lady Capulets language. The word decree says that they have already decided and that it cannot be changed. Once Lady Capulet has told her husband that Juliet refuses to marry Paris lord Capulet expressive his disbelief, but it quickly turns into anger. He uses a series of rhetorical questions and repetition that expresses his disbelief.S oft, take me with you, take me with you, wife.How will she none? Doth she not give us thanks?Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest,Unworthy as she is, that we have wroughtSo worthy a gentleman to be her bride?Juliet begins to try to explain but he dismisses it. How, how, chop logic! Lord Capulets anger increases very quickly. He echoes her words mimicking her explanations. He makes it very clear that he is disgusted in her. He uses language that refers to her as an animal. But fettle your fine joints he gets into an angry flow of insults t hat he hurls at her continuously. He uses repetition and alliteration, he threatens her, saying, I will make you go if you dont, and if you dont go I will disown you. Lady Capulet is shocked at how angry he is and she tries to intervene. Lord Capulet takes no notice of her and just ignores her. Juliet pleads to be heard out but he will not listen to her. He is on a tirade and just continues to throw insults at her, more every time that sh e tries to speak. His lines are full of abuse and orders, he is frightening and threatening. He uses three imperatives that mean the same thing, but it makes the speech flow better.Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!I tell thee what: get thee to church o Thursday,Or never after look me in the face:Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blestThat God had lent us but this only child;But now I see this one is too much,And that we have a curse in having her.Out on her, hilding!The nurse tries to calm him down and tries to defend Juliet with a brave outburst even though she is horrified. Lord Capulet turns on to the Nurse instead, and he hurls insults at the Nurse instead. Lord Capulet is irrational because he is so angry. Finally he has no other witty remarks so he has one last huge rant at Juliet. It is jagged and broken up. There are mostly single syllable words and it is choppy. He creates a picture of a perfect Paris, and then co ntrasts him to Juliet. He mimics Juliet so as to humiliate her. There are again, more orders and more commands.

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