Operations Management Case Studies Essay

1. Introduction This report focuses on the case studies of the Levi Jeans workers and the California Auto Club reengineering customer service. It looks at operations management as a source for gaining a competitive advantage and overcoming potential problems experienced within and organisation or workplace. The questions to be reviewed are as follows: Jeans Therapy – Levi’s factory worker are assigned to teams, and morale takes a hit: 1. What went wrong with Levi’s move to teams in their plants?; 2. What could Levi’s have done differently to avert the problems?; 3. Devise a team incentive plan that you think might work; and 4. Do you think the need to move jeans production offshore was inevitable? Could Levi’s have done anything to avert the problem of increasing labour costs? A California Auto Club reengineering customer service: 1. Discuss the customer service process at CSAA and discuss the different phases of the reengineering effort; 2. What tools from the operations consulting tool kit were applied here? Which other ones would be of value here? Explain; and 3. Discuss process enablers’ role developing the new design. 2. What went wrong with Levi’s move to teams in their plants? In order to respond to both change and complexity, most organisations are turning to new, more adaptive ways of doing their work, such as flatter organisational structures, more team orientated environments and greater support from technology. 2.1 Scientific management It is fair to say that pre-introduction of the new teamwork system, Levi’s had in place the ideals of scientific management. Around the turn of the Twentieth Century, Frederick Winslow Taylor had developed a set of ideas designed to get employees in manufacturing industries to produce more output. Taylor’s objective was to attain high productivity by eliminating inefficient motions in human labour. Hence he divided work process into the smallest elements or motions based on ‘time and motion studies’, separated intellectual and manual work, searched for the ‘first class’ employee, who would then be trained and specialised on specific tasks, and provided them with good tools and paid elevated incentives for their high-quality performance. Taylor and his disciples cited the search for efficiency, ‘one best way’ to do a job, as justification for such changes. Because scientific management consultants claimed they understood the â€Å"natural laws† of human behaviour and endurance, they argued that the implementation of scientific management would benefit both workers and society at-large. Nevertheless, skilled workers and their unions often vociferously protested these changes because such practices made their work monotonous and also trespassed upon what they perceived as their traditional prerogative to manage their own time on the job. 2.2 Implementation of teams In 1992, Levi’s abandoned its old piecework system, under which a worker repeatedly performed a single, specialised task and was paid according to  the total amount of work he or she completed. The new system would adopt groups of 10 to 35 to share tasks in the hope of higher organisational performance being gained from empowered individuals working together to contribute the best of their knowledge, skills and capabilities. While it was thought the new ‘teamwork’ system would be more humane, safe and profitable, the negative affect it had on employees and managers ultimately led to the closing down of the U.S. plants. The new system managed to cause conflict amongst employees, damaged morale and triggered corrosive infighting. Furthermore, many employees complained of shrinking pay packets and increasing workloads. What also could have contributed to the breakdown of the system could have included; individual opinions, were employees can face the struggle between competition over cooperation; establishing responsibilities, employees not assessing each others expectations and connecting them with goals; and misunderstanding, while it was essential for a team to have good communication skills, non-communication promotes confusion. 3. What could Levi’s have done differently to avert the problems? In 1993 Levi’s hired a consulting firm to analyse the problems, concluding the company should start from scratch and include all parties in redesign of pay structures and work processes. In hindsight, it is simple to say that Levi’s should not have phased out the old system as it seemed to be working. Having said this, with the introduction of the new system, there could have been greater emphasis placed on getting it right. What could Levi’s had done better? According to Keogh (2003), motivation is one of the most loaded nouns in the English language. It has an intrinsic negative, as well as positive, connotation and its trigger is different for each individual. In a corporate context, well-motivated employees can enhance a company. Those with poor motivation can generate serious workplace problems. 3.1 Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs In the late 1960’s, Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchical theory of human needs. He set up a hierarchical theory of needs in which all the basic needs are at the bottom, and the needs concerned with man’s highest potential are at the top. The hierarchic theory is often represented as a pyramid, with the larger, lower levels representing the lower needs, and the upper point representing the need for self-actualisation. Each level of the pyramid is dependent on the previous level. For example, a person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied. Employees in any organisation, let alone Levi’s, need rewards. Working long hours and spending much time away from their families takes its toll and rewarding employees represents an end to the means. The first reward, which Levi’s could have undertaken, relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. That is, employees feel rewarded with a high amount of self-esteem and a feeling of accomplishment for a job well done. This also ties in with self-actualisation as the employees have endured the many hardships in an industry notorious for low wages and lousy working conditions. Both of these needs are part of Maslow’s higher order need because they encompass more than just basic survival. 3.2 Frederick Herzberg motivator-hygiene theory In the late 1950s, Frederick Herzberg, considered by many to be a pioneer in motivation theory, interviewed a group of employees to find out what made them satisfied and dissatisfied on the job. Based on his findings, Herzberg constructed a two-dimensional paradigm of factors affecting people’s attitudes about work. He concluded that such factors as company policy, supervision, interpersonal relations, working conditions, and salary are hygiene factors rather than motivators. According to the theory, the absence of hygiene factors can create job dissatisfaction, but their presence does not motivate or create satisfaction. In contrast, he determined from the data that the motivators  were elements that enriched a person’s job; he found five factors in particular that were strong determiners of job satisfaction: achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, and advancement. These motivators (satisfiers) were associated with long-term positive effects in job performance while the hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) consistently produced only short-term changes in job attitudes and performance, which quickly fell back to its previous level. If Levi’s took on the theories of Herzberg, whether in the old or new system, employees more than likely would have embraced change. From the outset, management, could have ensured employees were happy in their environment, by providing incentives, such as, bonus pay to highlight all of their hard work. As a result, the employees feel they have a sense of job security. 4. Devise a team incentive plan that you think might work. An incentive is something that tends to stimulate or spur individual or group action. Incentives (money, treats, certificates, extra privileges, etc.) are external ways of motivating group work. They can be used selectively to build a sense of internal motivation within the group. This is accomplished through another behaviour modification principal paired association (Tracey, 1999). Incentives make group members â€Å"feel good†, and these rewards follow a major accomplishment, then sooner or later the accomplishment itself will lead to a very positive feeling. This, in a nutshell, is the longer term justification for selectively using external incentives. In the case of Levi’s in is of my opinion that the need for affiliation is a basic motivator of work groups. Belonging to a special group, should have been highlighted, and having the time and resources to hang out with that group is very motivating and engaging, rather than monotonous work. Consequently, providing team incentives that allow group members the opportunity to mix is a very effective strategy in motivating group work  (Andrews, 1999). Either incorporating the gain sharing or lump-sum bonuses and individual bonuses would suffice to help morale and productivity. Refer to appendix A. 5. Do you think the need to move jeans production offshore was inevitable? Could Levi’s have done anything to avert the problem of increasing labour costs? By early 1997, the writing was on the wall for Levi’s as their flagship men’s denim jean had fallen to 26% of the market share from a high of 48% in 1990. In contemporary business, world companies need to be innovate in order to survive. Innovation is strongly advocated and treasured throughout the whole process of production. But scientific management hardly pays any attention to innovation. Instead, it focuses on dividing the job into small tasks, increasing the volume of output and then speeding up the rate of output. Was innovation for Levi’s to produce their product in foreign plants? 5.1 Globalisation Globalisation – is the movement of goods, services and money capital or investment across international boundaries and in this way becomes a predominately economic phenomenon sweeping the world. Throughout which, what were formerly national companies become international conglomerates. Hence, countries are no longer seen as independent and closed sovereign states, but as part of one big economy. Primarily this shift in thinking is driven by corporate America’s insatiable appetite to open new frontiers in emerging countries, and claim a monopoly on the source and distribution of products. All of which in short is because they are searching for more profit at a lower cost. Globalisation is also heavily backed by international consumerism, which is seen as the dominant ‘religion’ of the era, which means that the fruits of this global production are rapidly sought after and indeed hungrily consumed. Initially this flood of products into the local markets of major economies causes prices to decrease. Whilst this lower cost to consumers contributes to a higher standard of living, it is short lived. Globalisation also brings the world closer to a central economy. In their endless search for greater profits they turn to the less wealthy, such as many of the Asian countries, i.e. Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. A large number of the poorer (or developing) countries now have rapidly rising employment rates . This is mainly due to the fact that with a lower standard of living in these countries people are prepared to work for significantly less, and still produce the same product. 5.2 Averting increasing labour costs It is inevitable that in any organisation of Levi’s magnitude experiencing a drop in market share, that downsizing be a result because of it. Nowadays, markets have become far more global and dynamic, and the business environment turns more and more complicated and competitive. Employers and employees are faced with plenty of new opportunities and challenges. Also, manufacturing and information technology is getting more sophisticated speedily. To avert increasing labour costs, Levi’s did introduce more employee involvement, thus creating an environment in which people have an impact on decisions and actions that affect their jobs. This could have been a stayer, if not for the toffee- nosed managers. In a team-oriented environment, employees contribute to the overall success of the organisation, working with fellow members to produce results. This may have cut out some mangers, thus reducing escalating costs of consulting firms. However, whilst it’s true that the implementation of self-managing practices in the work place has achieved significant progress in terms of motivation, we must remember that there are always two sides to every story, and bottom line is that many of the U.S. plant were not performing and many workers  felt held back. 6. Discuss the customer service process at CSAA and discuss the different phases of the reengineering effort. CSAA were seeking ways in which to make operations better and more efficient. Gregory A. Smith, vice president and general manager of insurance operations, himself said that â€Å"it was obvious that the old ways of doing business wouldn’t work in the future, and that we needed to make some fundamental changes.† How was CSAA going to implement change to their outdated customer service strategy? 6.1 Pre reengineering effort Before the implementation of the reengineering effort CSAA had seemed like a trusted member of the family to its many members. But under its own admission, and for a need to improve operations, the business process at CSAA needed to go under the microscope. At the time of the old regime, the processes undertaken would not have differed much to many of the large corporations around the world. Addressing customers over the phone, whenever customers needed to rent a car, booking airline tickets, making insurance claims or just general enquiries seemed to be the norm. How they went about this though, as we look at it now, gave the impression of archaic times. With regard to how all claims, bookings, renewals and so on were made, by putting pen to paper, often service consultants needed liberation from a paper-intensive and error-prone work environment. Another problem faced by CSAA was that whenever members phoned in and made an enquiry, many of the consultants would refer their problems to other consultants until there was a resolution. Executive president himself saying, about the system, â€Å"That’s not service – that’s a pinball effect. According to Cole (2001, p.307) † Customer service is one of the most direct tools we have for building loyalty, attracting repeat business, generating word-of-mouth business and boosting profits. It might be full of paradoxes, but customer service can make or break your organisation.† 6.2 Principles of reengineering It would be unprofessional of CSAA to think that all of their problems would disappear without careful thinking and planning. In order for their reengineering efforts to succeed, they needed follow the principles of reengineering initiated by the management expert Michael Hammer. Refer to appendix B. 6.2.1 A reengineered job After much deliberation, CSAA devised a new system designed for better customer service centring around a new position called â€Å"members service consultant. CSAA felt it was time and as Cole (2001, p.8) states, â€Å"planning involves establishing a goal and objectives and deciding how best to achieve them. What needs to be accomplished? By when? What needs to be done to make it happen? Who is best equipped to do it? As the old saying goes ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ Things don’t happen by themselves: wee need to plan them carefully. After all, a goal without an action plan is just a wish.† Supporting the service consultant would be a new information system that links data that currently reside in three separate systems. This technology will enable a service consultant to most members on the spot (Chase, Jacobs & Acquilano 2004). 6.2.2 Three quickies The new system heralded huge savings for both members and CSAA. Average turnaround time for processing new business applications was reduced from six days to three days; and the proportion of new auto policies that had to  be ‘reworked’ dropped from 50% to 16%. 6.2.3 A comprehensive survey A widespread survey was carried out by four employee teams, to focus on issues encountered by CSAA members and employees. Questions ranged from services, products and previous experiences for members and what you would do if you were president of CSAA for a day, to employees. One of the subjects consistently brought up, by members and employees, was that of how a visiting member would have to go from window to window to tie up different enquiries. 6.2.4 Get Crazy For the member service consultant to work, cross-training for employees on a range of CSAA services was crucial. The new computer system would require a good understanding by employees in order to intertwine all the vital information at CSAA together and make it readily available to those who accessed it. Employees would also have a say on how the system was designed, developed and also tested a prototype that would support the new service consultant. By this they would simulate everyday situation to help modify or identify any foreseeable problems. To further make employees comfortable with the transition to the new system workshops, meetings, posters, newsletter and videotapes were provided. 6.2.5 Sell with scenario On-line prompts, on-screens prompts and what-if scenarios will replace the tedious paperwork and thumbtack memos. John Clark, a regional claims manager, says of the new system, â€Å"we’re trying to create a learning environment for the future, for all levels of employees from clerical to management† (Chase, Jacobs & Acquilano 2004 p.343). 6.2.6 One-stop shop Now members have the luxury of getting complete service with just one stop. 7. What tools from the operations consulting tool kit were applied here? Which other ones would be of value here? Explain. 7.1 Problem definition First on the agenda for CSAA to get their new system up and going would be that of problem definition. 7.1.1 Issue trees Initially, CSSA had identified a problem with their customer service. By embarking on a long-term reengineering effort, business processes were put under the microscope. For this to work, a plan had to be put into place to target problems and figure out possible solutions. By structuring the process into different phases specifies a direction CSAA can take 7.1.2 Customer surveys Chase, Jacobs & Acquilano (2004) suggest that OM consultants frequently observe customer surveys such as to determine customer loyalty. In the case of CSAA a widespread survey was conducted. 7.1.3 Employee surveys These can involve questions on employee satisfaction or as CSAA developed, a question posing what you would do if you were president for a day. 7.2 Data gathering With the goals of CSAA to improve customer service, speeding up turnaround  times is high on the agenda. To have something to aim for, gathering existing information, such as, processing new business applications and the cost of baseline expenses will serve to improve or reduce these fundamentals. 7.3 Data analysis and solution development To rid CSAA of its old working environment, it had to introduce the new computer information system. 7.3.1 Computer simulation For employees to grow accustomed to the new system, CSAA had to cross-train employees to help them understand the computer simulation. Although not as sophisticated as much of the software available, employees had to become familiar with the new package. 7.4 Stakeholder analysis Coming under the heading of cost impact and payoff analysis, CSAA’s most important stakeholder would be its members and employees. In endeavouring to put into operation a new system, the importance of considering the interest of all its stakeholders is central. 7.5 Implementation Chase, Jacobs & Acquilano (2004) indicate that creating a new process and sustaining the improvement requires more than creative application of information technology. In order for implementation of reengineering to be successful any organisation, let alone, CSAA has to follow three important guidelines. Refer to appendix B. 7.5.1 Responsibility charts Having workshops, meetings, posters, newsletters and videotapes issued to all employees would help ensure that each task is being covered by the employees. 7.5.2 Project management techniques The reengineering effort is now being carried forward by five interdisciplinary teams whose focus includes workforce retraining, reward and pefromacne management and information technology (Chase, Jacobs & Acquilano 2004). 7.6 Which other ones would be of value? After observing the operations consulting tool kit, refer to appendix C, it suggests that CSAA took up on at least one aspect of the five categories. Issue trees, customer and employee services for problem definition; data gathering; computer simulation for data analysis and solution development; stakeholder analysis for cost impact and payoff analysis; and both responsibility charts and project management techniques for implementation. 8. Discuss process enablers’ role developing the new design. A number of bridges have to be crossed to help develop the new design. The major one of these being information technology. 8.1 Information technology Information technology (IT) is considered the major enabler for spanning processes over functional and organisational boundaries and supporting process driven organisations. However, the point is not to use IT as an improver for existing activities, as which it often has been conceived, but as enabler for the CSAA. Some of the ways that IT can change the business process at CSAA include: process automation and speed; virtual presence and distance collaboration becomes possible; mobility; allows information to be shared differently; and increases interactivity and allows instant feedback. IT, when used appropriately, can enhance business processes. 8.2 Selection CSAA chose three employees from field officers for intensive training to help with the design and development of the new system. For CSAA it would have been important to select the most appropriate candidates based on the agreed job descriptions and person specifications that have been created over time. This knowledge can be transferred to other employees and the playing out of simulated scenarios would pose not problems. The selection process needs to be handled with care to avoid costs of failure to select the right candidate or legal problems arising down the track. 8.3 Additional information Constant monitoring form senior management and additional information, such as, workshops, meetings, posters, newsletters and videotapes enable a smooth transition for other employees. 9. Conclusion It seemed as though Levi’s decision to promote teamwork only frustrated employees, especially those with superior skills. The common grounding on working in teams is that businesses who have employees working together to reach a common goal are more likely to succeed than the ones that do not. Sadly this was not the case with Levi’s. Psychologically, people desire recognition, need to feel a part of a team, and want to do a good job. But people, after all, are only human. Long-term personal goals often fall prey to daily or weekly frustrations. With Levi’s, employees may have found it hard to meld personal goals with the organisation’s long-term or even short-term goals. This may have contributed to workers being absent or inexperienced and led to increased workloads on other Some people may have trouble sculpting individual performance goals at  all. As Powers (2000), describes, in all cases, excitement, interest and performance can suffer. In the case of CSAA, management needs to consider the importance of customer service in a primarily service organisations. Successful organisations, irrespective of nature or size, have one thing in common – the loyalty of their customers. Organisations that spend time, effort and money on anticipating and fulfilling customers’ needs and requirements will undoubtedly reap the benefits from loyal customers by enhancing customer satisfaction. However management should not put all its efforts in keeping customer satisfaction, as this will be generated by the overall service concept that the company provide to the customer. Certainly the customer has to be in employees’ mind all the time reminding them that they are there because there is a customer who is willing to pay.

The Detailed Examination of the Arabs in Israel

While the nation is aware of the indignities that were forced upon the African Americans who resided in this country at the beginning of the 18th century, few people realize that similar discrimination practices are going on all over the world. One of the most prevelant examples of discrimination currently is happening in Israel against the Arabs. Arabs are being discriminated in ways that impact their ability to live a life of freedom and comfort. The plight of Arabs in Israel is very similar to what the African Americans experienced in America during the first years of the 20th century. â€Å"Few questions challenge us to consider 380 years of history all at once, to tunnel inside our souls to discover what we truly believe about race and equality and the value of human suffering. Kevin Merida (1) (on African American reparations).† During the early part of the 20th century African Americans suffered a great deal of discrimination in America. They were refused even the most basic freedoms that the constitution of the United States is supposed to provide. The right to vote, the rifht to live freely, the right against unreasonable search and seizure are all elements of life that many people in this nation take for granted. However, for African Americans of that time those were dreams that were not often realized. Today, African Americans have many recourses if their rights are not being followed, including civil or criminal proceedings as well as government intervention. It is not completely rectified but it is being worked toward. The Arabs in Israel do not have such protection currently. They are at the point in history that African Americans were during the early part of the 20th century. Housing, employment and basic living right elements are being denied to them based on the fact that they are Arabs. Arabs in Israel have been complaining about their treatment for quite awhile but many of their concerns fall on deaf ears(Winder, 2006). The Israeli government and many of the nation's citizens insist that the discrimination allegations are false and misleading. For one to fully realize and accept that the Arabs are indeed being discriminated against one only has to hold various tangible situations that they encounter against the situations that were encountered by African Americans during the first part of the 20th century. The United Nations believes that the Arabs are indeed being discriminated against and said as much in a recently published report that was released last year. It says: â€Å"The government did little to reduce institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens(Cook, 2004).† The humiliating treatment of the Arabs is one issue that the United Nations believes proves the discrimination that the Israel government currently denies exists. â€Å"Among many issues, it notes the humiliating treatment of Palestinian citizens, including community leaders, during security checks at airports and checkpoints(Cook, 2004). † During the 20th century in America, African Americans were forced to live in substandard housing and work in substandard employment environments. The quantity of available buildings for Arabs to reside in are not enough in numbers for the need. While most people in America will agree that the Arabs should not be confined to certain buildings the fact is they are often confined by societal attitudes and the available buildings are too few in number and have been for a significant amount of time. The quality of the buildings that are available are also in question. The repairs do not occur in the manner and speed that they do in other areas of the nation. The buildings that are made available to the Arabs are often in such disrepair that they are uninhabitable. African Americans when through similar problems in the early years of the 20th century. They were relegated to â€Å"Colored' area when it came to buildings that they could rent and own. The buildings were in disrepair and when they asked the landlord to repair them they were ignored or forced to pay for repairs that were legally the responsibility of the landlord. The term slum lord was originated because of the treatment of landlords regarding minority tenants and the fact that those landlords allowed their buildings to become uninhabitable yet they would allow minority tenants to live there and collect their rent each month. Another area of life that is similar for the Arabs in Israel today, that the African Americans faced in America and often times still do face is the area of education. During the early years of the 20th century students who were black were forced to attend specific schools. They were given substandard supplies and resources and they were given old used textbooks and equipment that most often did not work. Arabs today are facing the same dilemma when it comes to the education of their students(Cook, 2004). This greatly reduces the ability to teach advanced course and help Arab students better the future for themselves and their children. â€Å"Israel has also sought to undermine the value of Arabic, even though it is an official language of the state. Few Jews learn even basic Arabic, whereas Arab children are required to learn Hebrew to advanced level(Cook, 2004).† While the African Americans did not have this problem in the 20th century they were forbidden at times from singing the songs that had been popular in their homeland. Whether it was a hymn or a song of life they were whipped or punished for singing them out loud. â€Å"University courses are in Hebrew or English, as are public meetings and court cases. Many Arab workers report being sacked for speaking Arabic at the workplace(Cook, 2004).† This is blatant discrimination. It is similar to the African American ban on homeland songs and stories as well as the making it illegal to teach African Americans to read and right because the Americans wanted them to remain illiterate. Without saying so the Israel government seems to have the same goal in mind by its refusal to provide current and equal schools, supplies and textbooks for the Arab students living within its boundaries(First, Israel inside the Green Line (the de facto border after the 1967 war) http://www.mideastweb.org/israel_apartheid.htm). â€Å"Much international attention has focused on the recent decision by the Knesset to ban family unification in the case of marriages between Israeli Arabs and Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. In many cases, it is now impossible for couples to live together: under the new law, Palestinians are denied entry into Israel, while Israeli Arabs are banned by military orders from entering Palestinian areas(Cook, 2004).† In addition to the obvious discriminations that are being experienced by Arabs in Israel there are many instances in which they are being discriminated against that are not so obvious to the eye unless one looks very closely. One such area is the area of employment. Arabs are being discriminated against on a regular basis when it comes to employment. Research concluded that Arabs have an unemployment rate that is twice as high as the Jewish unemployment rate for the same regions. â€Å"The country's big monopoly corporations such as the telecoms firm Bezeq and the Israel Electricity Company have Arab employees in the single figures even though they have a combined staff of more than 20,000. Some of the worst discrimination is faced by the 140,000 beduin living in the Negev. Many of their communities have never been recognised by Israel, even though they predate the state(Cook, 2004). † The end result of this type of discrimination is that approximately 70,000 Arabs are forced to live in tin shacks and tents. They have no power, water or sewage service. Their children are traveling 40-60 miles each way to go to school and get back home. Removal of child benefits for Arabs have been top of the political agenda ever since. â€Å"Some discriminatory practices against Israeli Arabs – Systematic bias in education provision (HRW report) – Israel's worst 36 unemployment blackspots are all in Arab areas† The plight of the Arabs in Israel is extremely similar today to what the African Americans faced in the United States during the early part of the 20th century. Employment discrimination, housing issues and lack of education for their children were accepted practices at that time. Today, the same problems and practices are being thrust upon the Arabs who reside in Israel. For this to change the government and the world will need to step in and force change.

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Revolutionary Era - Essay Example Although the paper deals with significant aspects of the Revolution in connection with the African Americans, it fails to present the topic in an effective, organized way. One of the essential features of the paper is that it incorporates several essential facts in relation to this topic and attempts to establish the vital connection between the American Revolution and the African Americans. Thus, it suggests how the African Americans contributed to the revolution in America and vice versa. In order to substantiate the arguments, the paper makes reference to online textbooks such as digitalhistory.uh.edu, which enhances the relevance of the paper. The website used in the paper is authentic and reliable on the topic, especially relating to ‘Slavery, the American Revolution, and the Constitution’. It is also important to maintain that the paper effectively incorporates quotes from these sources, which include a book source. However, the paper is lacking in organization and effective presentation of the arguments. The thesis of the paper is vague and it is not presented in connection with the supportive arguments. Even the references from the websites and book are not presented in a way as to support the main arguments in the paper. It also does not use the scholarly information in reinstating the main arguments and fails to merge the material from the sources effectively in the paper.

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English - Essay Example He wants to find his father, and thinks that a black American soldier is his father, and so he goes to find him. The soldier give him gifts and bring him back to the nuns. The real point of this story, however, is to tell two stories at the same time. The first and simplest story is the search of the boy Joe for his father. The much bigger story is the problem that all human beings have: they need to figure out their own place in the world. The time and the place of the story are explained at the beginning. There is a clue to the universal nature of the themes in the first line when the children are called â€Å"eighty one small sparks of human life.† (line 1) This description emphasizes how important each child is, even though they have been abandoned by their parents. The war has meant that these children are separated from all that they knew, and some of the local German people look at them and wonder what nationality they have. The nuns do not care what nationality the chi ldren have, and just see them as children needing care. There is one child who is given a special name, â€Å"the Brown Bomber† which is the name of a famous black American boxer. This is quite amusing for the people watching but it is not funny for the boy. Actually he has no name. The nuns call him Karl Heinz, which is a very Germanic name. The people watching call him Joe, after Joe Louis, which is an American name, but the boy does not speak English and does not understand that the name belongs to a boxer. It is only when he sees the black soldiers that he realizes there are more people like him: â€Å"I ran away from the orphanage because I belong with you.† (line 193) The sergeant realizes that it is not so simpler and points out that it is not a joke, because the boy is all alone in the world. The setting in Germany is very interesting because the Nazis were very fond of blue eyes and blond hair, thinking that these were signs of a super race. Joe has blue eyes, and he has black skin, and so he holds in his nature two opposite things. He is only six years old (line 30) and it is very sad that he does not know what his real name is, or who his parents are. He learns the truth from one of the older children who tells him that his mother was German and his father was an American soldier. The author does not mention that this was seen as a very shameful thing by the Germans, but the reader can guess this from the nun’s reaction. She explains that no one knows who his parents are, and reassures him, saying that he is a good boy and so they must be good people. The young boy Joe does not even know what an American is, or where that place is, and he has no idea about the ocean. This is a very sad part of the story because he is absolutely lost and abandoned with no idea about his own origins. Children often see the world more accurately than adults, and the story shows that he understands only that he must find out where his own people are . People tease him and say his father is in the woods, but he does not understand the joke and thinks they are being serious. On a deeper level, the story is saying that the American soldiers are, in a way, the father of this lonely little boy. His attachment to one particular man is a symbolic attachment to his ethnic origin, and also to the country of his father. The chocolate that the black soldiers give him is something he has never seen before, and it, too, is a symbol of the good things

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires Research Paper

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires getting two language samples from second language learners - Research Paper Example However, in a bid to overcome barriers that could hinder one from acquiring new markets and opportunities, people have strived hard to beat all odds and perform feats previously considered impossible by their peers (Zaraysky 2009, 32). To understand the concept of second language acquisition, it is necessary to comprehend some factors that make a language harder to learn than another. The first of these factors is difference in grammatical structure of a language from another. Different languages have varied use of grammar. Whereas one language could demand that the verb comes before the subject, another could require that the subject comes before the verb. This causes initial confusion to the learner, slowing his pace and probability of grasping a new language. Second, a difference in pronunciation requirements of a language hinders one’s ability to articulate in speech a language he may have mastered its vocabulary. In addition, language learners are usually used to their lo cal accents and tone, and managing to cope with a foreign accent is sometimes nightmarish. Cultural differences between different language speakers influence their native language and the ease with which they can adapt to another cultural language (Blake 2008, 43). It is, therefore, important for a second language learner to understand the culture of the people he is learning their tongue. Aims and Objectives of the Research This inter-language data analysis aims at creating an understanding of differences between two sample languages. Upon gathering, analyzing and understanding these facts, there will be a clearer understanding of the difficulties one should expect while learning any of the two languages. In this case, German and English languages are compared and contrasted. Analysis of the languages is based on two samples of short essays (essay 1 and essay 2 available at the appendix). The objective of this comparison and contrast is to make learning the languages easy. Other th an the vocabulary aspect of the two languages, this research goes further to dissect each language in details and reveal their fine linguistic differences. Data pertaining to several aspects of the languages is a crucial facet of the research. Issues to do with pronunciation of English words against German language are considered at length. In addition, the research labors to find out grammatical differences between the two languages. The chief characteristic of this grammatical analysis is the order of verbs, subjects, nouns, pronouns and adjectives. Collected data is also used to create an awareness of the cultural differences, if any. It thereafter tries to offer solutions to the difficulties one observes in learning either English or German as a second language. Clearly, data collection and analysis of learning a second language will make the process of grasping German as a second language to a native English speaker easier. The research aims at lessening the time and effort one puts in learning a new lingo. By preparing one for the challenges to expect in learning a language and providing possible solutions to the hurdles, a learner is placed in a good position to learn fast. Data Collection Methods Methods used to collect data for this research was informed by several factors. It was necessary to put into consideration the data collection strategy, accuracy requirements of the research, skills of

Why do police officers, who are meant to abide by the rules, Essay

Why do police officers, who are meant to abide by the rules, [sometimes] bend and break them - Essay Example It is a profession which was believed previously to not possess any sort of malice but it has been found that some unethical behaviour does persist in the police force too. This has been witnessed in the police force of United Kingdom as a small number of officers have been found to commit these unethical behaviours. The police officers in the United Kingdom have been under severe criticism for scandals which took place in 1820s and 1960s. It has been found at many instances that the police force in United Kingdom has been involved in bribery, tampering of evidence, and beating up of subjects. For such a behaviour to be avoided policies such as Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 have been enacted in the United Kingdom. The problem with the police department is not limited to the developed country of United Kingdom but it also spreads to the United States. It has been found that unethical behaviour also persists in the police force of United States (Mollen 1994). â€Å"Most police departments have members who commit corrupt acts from time to time. Only some police departments, however, become corrupt police departments.† (Sherman, 1978 pg. 32) Police officers at times break the rules for a gain which might not be personal but would rather be a group gain. Police officers break rules at instances where they think that they can benefit from the whole situation. A reward for breaking rules can also be cited by these police officers as they might show a legitimate reason to commit that offence. Some of the major problems which are causing the police officers to break the rules in accordance to their will are related to their personal gains and power. Discretion being the foremost factor in determining as to if the police officer would turn out to be corrupt or not. This discretion allows the police officers to be the sole authority at particular instances where they can bend and break the laws in the way that they like. These are probably done for the bett er future of the police officers and the resources that they might be provided after being successful in those instances. Discretion of the police officers also gives rise to the question as to what are the goals of policing actually ? To answer this one can say that the police officer defines his or her goals according to a prevalent belief in the policing system. It is the seniors of the police officers who leave an impact on the juniors as to how they should handle their authority at some instances. If this authority is handled incorrectly then it leads to corruption within the department whereas if it is handled correctly then corruption would not prevail (Barker & Carter 1986, Pg. 30-45 ; Kleiney 1996 Pg. 81-96 ). Another reason for corruption in the police department is the less visibility of the actions of the police officers. Goldstein states that ‘under the best of circumstances, police agencies have several peculiar characteristics that make them especially difficult to administer. Police officers are spread out in the field, not subject to direct supervision’ (Goldstein 1990:6). As the police department is not watched upon by specific authorities many of the police officers can be involved in the practices of corruption. A possible solution to the problem of less visibility is transparency as put forward by many agencies. Police corruption can be stopped if the officers have to be transparent in their dealing and they are being looked upon by authoritative figures. Similarly these police officers are not exposed to the public too as they only have to deal with specific individuals at specific instances. If public has a transparency to the objectives of policing then it is possible that the rates of corruption would be decreased in

Poetry and society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poetry and society - Essay Example It has the ability to remind the people about the past, present and future. In short, the ability of poems or poetry in touching the hearts and souls of the people is unquestionable. Since poetry has the ability to touch the souls or emotions of the people, it is often argued that poetry can be used effectively for emotional healing. Emotional problems in this world are growing day by day. Medicines and other methods of therapy have some limitations in addressing the emotional problems such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety of the people. Since poems or music has the ability to speak to the souls, it is believed that poetry or music therapy may help the people with mental problems to get out of the troubles. According to Bouchard, poetry is one of the mediums most conducive to personal, emotive expression. This paper analyses how poetry can be used effectively for emotional healing. The number of people, suffering from emotional problems is growing day by day. The major reason for the growing emotional problems in the society is the life style changes and the loss of morality and ethics in the society. Upcoming generation, especially the children and young adults are facing a lot of emotional problems in recent times. Richard Gold (Founder of Pongo volunteers) and his volunteers conducted a study among children and young adults in juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, psychiatric hospitals, and other organizations, to know more about the ability of poetry in solving emotional problems. Gold and his team used a carefully constructed model to encourage written expression that will target those areas which are most affecting the youths’ circumstances (early childhood trauma, such as abuse, rape, addiction, death and violence). After this study, Gold has written a post on the Pongo site blog, entitled â€Å"Poetry Saved My Life†, which is giv en below: â€Å"Ive seen that lifes worst experiences can exist as strangers

Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Essay Example for Free

Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Essay Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Michael Porter provided a framework that analyses an industry as being influenced by five forces. It has been suggested that management, attempting to establish a competitive marketing advantage over rivals, can use this model to understand the industry context in which the business operates and take appropriate strategic decisions. Threat of entry This means the ease with which other firms can join the industry and compete with existing businesses. The threat of entry is greatest when: economies of scale are low in the industry technology needed to enter the industry is relatively cheap istribution channels are easy to access, e. g. retail shops are not owned by existing manufacturers in the industry there are no legal or patent restrictions on entry The importance of product differentiation is low, so extensive advertising may not be required to get established. The power of buyers This refers to the power that customers have on the producing industry. For example, if there are four major supermarket groups that dominate this sector of retailing, their buyer power over food and other producers will be great. Buyer power will also be increased when: here are many undifferentiated small supplying firms, e. g. many small farmers supplying milk or chicken to large supermarket businesses the cost of switching suppliers is low Buyers can realistically and easily buy from other suppliers. The power of suppliers Suppliers will be relatively powerful compared with buyers when: the cost of switching is high, e. g. from PC computers to AppleMacs When the brand being sold is very powerful and well known, e. g. Cadbury’s chocolate or Nike shoes. Suppliers could realistically threaten to open their own forward-integration operations, e. g. offee suppliers open their own cafes. Customers have little bargaining power as they are small firms and fragmented, e. g. dispersed around the country as with independent petrol stations. The threat of substitutes In Porter’s model, ‘substitute products’ does not mean alternatives in the same industry such as Toyota for Honda cars. It refers to substitute products in other industries. For instance, the demand for aluminum for cans is partly affected by the price of glass for bottling and plastic for containers. These are substitutes for aluminum, but they are not rivals in the same industry. Competitive rivalry This is the key part of this analysis – it sums up the most important factors that determine the level of competition or rivalry in an industry. It is based on the other four forces which are why it is often illustrated in the center of the Five Forces diagram. Competitive rivalry is most likely to be high where: it is cheap and easy for new firms to enter an industry there is a threat from substitute products suppliers have much power Buyers have much power. Reference: http://classof1. com/homework-help/earth-science-homework-help/

Oregon Wines Essay Example for Free

Oregon Wines Essay Although winemaking dates back to 1840’s, in Oregon, commercial production began in 1960’s (Hall). Having a relatively short history of 50 years, today, Oregon is the third largest wine producer state of United States. As of 2009, the state hosts to 453 wineries which are mostly small and family-owned (Wine Communications Group). History of the Oregon Wine Industry The first grape plantation in the region was made by horticulturist Henderson Luelling, in Willamette Valley by 1847. By the 1850’s Peter Britt started growing wine grapes in his Valley View Vineyard, today’s Applegate Valley. According to the census; in 1860, wine production was 11,800 litres (2,600 gallons) in Oregon (Hall). By the 1880’s, Edward and John von Pessls planted Zinfandel, Riesling, and an unkown variety of Sauvignon in southern Oregon. At the same times in the north, in Willamette Valley, Ernest Reuter has been growing Klevner wines which brought him a gold medal at St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904 (Hall). The wine industry in Oregon closed down in 1919 because of the Prohibition. It revived by the late 1930’s as a fruit wine-based producer region. At that time there were only two producers, Louis Herbold and Adolph Doener growing grapes. Oregon’s wine industry was also damaged by the success of California winemakers (Hall). The rebirth of Oregon wines dates back to 1961, when Richard Sommer founded Hill Crest Vineyard near Roseburg. Although the production was based on Riesling, he also planted some Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1965, David Lett, the owner of Eyrie Vineyard, planted his first Pinot Noir near Convallis and after 1966, continued the production at Willamette Valley in the Dundee hills. This was the beginning of the era of Pinot Noir which Oregon is nowadays famous for (Hall). By the 1970’s many winemakers immigrated to Oregon from California. Some of them where David and Ginny Adelsheim, Dick Erath, Dick and Nancy Ponzi, Jerry and Ann Preston, Pat and Joe Campbell, Susan and Bill Sokol Blosser and Myron Redford. However, David Lett was the one who placed Oregon on the world’s wine map. In 1980, 1975 Eyrie Vineyard’s South Block Reserve Pinot Noir came second in the grand tasting of wines sponsored by the French Gault Millau guide and this called the attention of press to Oregon as a wine producer state (Hall). In 1990, Oregon was hosted to 70 wineries and 320 growers in 5,682 acres vineyard. In the early 1990s, Oregon wine industry got into the danger of Phylloxera infestation which was prevented quickly by the use of resistant rootstocks. Some beneficial laws for winemakers were enacted by the Oregon Legislature in 1995. For instance, direct in-state shipment from wineries to customers and in-store tasting were legalized (Chemeketa Community College). In 2000, the number of wineries had increased to 135 and 500 growers had been engaged in grapery in 10,500 acres vineyard. In the 2000’s producers have began giving importance to green wine production in Oregon (Chemeketa Community College). An Oregon non-profit organization, Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc. , has been certifying wineries for meeting certain environmental standards (Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc. ) In 2005, there were 314 wineries and 519 vineyards in Oregon (Chemeketa Community College). Grape Varietals Grown in Oregon Red Wine Varieties| White Grape Varieties| Baco Noir| Chardonnay| Barbera| Chenin Blanc| Black Muscat| Early Muscat| Cabarnet Franc| Gewurtztraminer| Cabarnet Sauvignon| Huxelrebe| Carmine| Melon| Dolcetto| Muller Thrugau| Gamay Noir| Muscat Canelli| Grenache| Pinot Blanc|. Leon Millot| Pinot Gris| Malbec| Riesling| Marechal Foch| Sauvignon Blanc| Merlot| Scheurebe| Petit Verdot| Semillon| Pinot Meunier| Viognier| Pinor Noir| | Sangiovese| | Syrah| | Zinfandel| | (Bernard’s Wine Gallery) Types of Wine Produced in Oregon In Oregon, wine production is mostly based on Pinot Noir and the state is one of the first Pinot-producing regions in the world. Apart from the list below indicating the wine varieties, the state also produces sparkling wine, late harvest wine, ice wine, and dessert wine (Hall). Red Wine Varieties| White Wine Varieties|. Produced in great amount| Cabarnet Sauvignon| Gewurtztraminer| Pinot Noir| Muller Thurgau| Syrah| Pinot Blanc| | Sauvignon Blanc| | Semillon| Produced in smaller amount| Baco Noir| Arneis| Cabarnet Franc| Chenin Blanc| Dolcetto| Viognier| Gamay Noir| | Grenache| | Marechal Foch| | Malbec| | Muscat| | Nebbiolo| | Petit Syrah| | Sangiovese| | Tempranillo| | Zinfandel| | Viticultural Area of Oregon Willamette Valley â€Å"Willamette Valley is the largest AVA of Oregon, running from the Columbia River in Portland south through Salem to the Calapooya Mountains outside Eugene†. The valley is 150 miles long and almost 60 miles wide (Oregon Wine Board). In the valley, summers are generally warm and arid and the winters are cool and rainy. It is ideal for cool climate grapes due to its temperate climate and coastal marine influences. During the growing season, the valley has more daylight hours than other areas of Oregon (Oregon Wine Board). â€Å"The Willamette Valley is an old volcanic and sedimentary seabed that has been overlaid with gravel, silt, rock and boulders brought by the Missoula Floods from Montana and Washington between thousands of years ago. Red Jory soil is the most common volcanic type in the region and provides excellent drainage for superior quality wine grapes. † (Oregon Wine Board) â€Å"The valley is surrounded by the Coast Range to the west, the Cascades to the east and a series of hill chains to the north† (Oregon Wine Board). The Willamette River runs through the middle of the valley. Most of the vineyards are concentrated on the west of this river, on the slopes of the Coast Range, or among the valleys and they are mostly located a few hundred feet above sea level (Oregon Wine Board). Columbia Valley Although the Columbia Valley AVA is an 11 million acre growing region, only a small section with 185 miles wide and 200 miles long lies in Oregon (Oregon Wine Board). The valley has a mostly continental high desert climate. The hot days and cool nights provide slow, even ripening and helps grapes keep their natural acidity. Annually, the area only receives 6 to 8 inches of rainfall which makes supplemental irrigation essential in the entire region (Oregon Wine Board). The area is covered with silt and sand which was deposited about 15,000 years ago. The deposited silt and sand came to the region 15,000 years ago because of a series of massive ice age floods and wind-blown loess sediment. Today the region is mostly covered by loess (fine grained calcerous silt) which is well drained and ideal for grapevines (Oregon Wine Board). The Columbia Valley mostly lies on the Columbia River Plateau. The valley is bordered by the mountain ranges on the west and north, by the Columbia River on the south and by the Snake River near Idaho on the east (Oregon Wine Board). Walla Walla Valley. As a sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley AVA, The Walla Walla Valley AVA is in the northeast of Oregon. Although most of the wineries of Walla Walla Valley are located in Washington, almost half of the vines are produced in the Oregon side (Oregon Wine Board). The region has long sunshine-filled days and cool evening temperatures. Annual rainfall is 12. 5 inches due to the Cascade Mountain Range. Therefore, irrigation is necessary for grape growing (Oregon Wine Board). The soils of the region consist of varying combinations of well-drained loam, cobbles, silt and loess (Oregon Wine Board). The valley is located at the foot of the Blue Mountains, with vineyard elevations varying from 650 to 1,500 feet. Cascade Mountain Range borders the western side of the valley (Oregon Wine Board). Umpqua Valley The Umpqua Valley AVA is surrounded by the Coast Range from the west, the Cascade Range from the east, the Willamette Valley AVA from the north and the Rogue Valley AVA from the south. The valley is 65 miles long and 25 miles wide. Umpqua River runs nearby the valley (Oregon Wine Board). There are three different climatic sub-zones in the valley. First one is the northern area around the town of Elkton which has a cool, marine-influenced climate suitable for cool-climate grape varieties. Annual rainfall is around 50 inches; therefore, the viticulturists only benefit from the rain to grow their vines. Second is the central area to the northwest of Roseburg which has an intermediate climate allowing both cool and warm varieties to grow. Last area is located on the south of Roseburg. It is suitable for warm-climate varieties, such as Tempranillo, Syrah and Merlot. This area is more arid which makes irrigation necessary (Oregon Wine Board). The Valley has diverse soils with more than 150 soil types. â€Å"The valley floor levels have mostly deep alluvial or heavy clay materials, while the hillsides and bench locations have mixed alluvial, silt or clay structures† (Oregon Wine Board). The Umpqua Valley is made up of a series of interconnecting small mountain ranges and valleys. The complex topography of the valley is a result of the collision of the Klamath Mountains, the Coast Range and the Cascades (Oregon Wine Board). Rogue Valley The Rogue Valley AVA is located in the border of California. It is 70 miles wide by 60 miles long. Rogue Valley has the highest elevations of Oregons winegrowing regions on the east. However, it is also the warmest and the driest, allowing the winemakers to grow warm-weather varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Cool-weather varieties, including Pinot noir do well here due to the mountain and ocean influences (Oregon Wine Board). Rogue Valley has various soil types, ranging from sandy loam to hard clay (Oregon Wine Board). Vineyards are generally located 1,200 to 2,000 feet above the sea level and planted on hillsides. The Klamath Mountains, the Coastal Range and the Cascades converging in Rogue Valley lead to a diverse landscape. Besides, the namesake river and its tributaries, the Applegate, Illinois and Bear Creek Rivers run though the valley (Oregon Wine Board). Viticultural Practices in Oregon In Oregon, viticulturists mainly use vertical shoot position (VSP) training. However, combination of Scott Henry and Lyre is also used, with lesser amounts of GDC and hanging. Standard rootstocks used in Oregon are 101-14 and 3309, with a lot of 5C and SO4. Low to moderate vigor sites are being developed to keep the canopies small. Although some meter by meter plantings exist, majority of the vineyards are falling into the 84 to 95 range for quality. Creative viticultural practices are being used in Oregon, for example, â€Å"Joel Myer, a local vineyard consultant, uses a sensible linear feet of trellis formula to determine yields. He suggests that a pound of fruit per foot of trellis will give optimal fruit quality. At Bethel Heights Vineyard, Ted Casteel thins all Pinot Noir to one cluster per shoot. He is also experimenting with planting vines side by side, about a foot apart, and training to single guyot, to increase vine competition and slow vigor. He is also taking one of his most successful Pinot Noir fields on vertical shoot position (VSP) training and converting it to Scott Henry, just to see if opening the canopy will help enhance the ripening process and flavor development (Chien). † â€Å"Oregon has been committed to sustainable winegrowing and earth-friendly practices. Numerous vineyards of the state are certified sustainable, organic, or biodynamic† (Voorhees). Two main organizations that certify Oregon’s vineyards and wineries as sustainable are LIVE and OCSW. Low Input Viticulture Enology (LIVE). LIVE is an organization that provides education and independent third-party certification approving that the vineyards and wineries use international standards of sustainable viticulture and enology practices. They have been certifying vineyards and wineries in Oregon since 1999, in Washington since 2006 and nowadays in all of the Pacific Northwest. LIVE cooperates with Salmon-Safe in order to point out the watershed impacts and administers the Carbon Reduction Challenge, an organization helping wineries achieve energy efficiencies (Voorhees). Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine (OCSW). Founded in 2008, OCSW highlights the commitment of Oregon wineries to the responsible grape growing and winemaking. The organization certifies wine growers who meet both agricultural and winemaking requirements on sustainability and provides them a certification logo to be easily recognized by customers. To meet the agricultural requirements, 97% of the grape must be certified by LIVE, USDA Organic, Demeter Biodynamic, or Food Alliance and Salmon-Safe. On the other hand, to meet the winemaking requirements, the winery must be certified by LIVE, USDA Organic, Demeter Biodynamic, or Food Alliance (Voorhees). Producers within Oregon Valley View Winery Valley View Winery, owned by Wisnovsky family, is located in the Applegate Valley AVA, Southern Oregon. Valley View was founded in 1972 and it is one of the oldest wineries in Oregon. Valley View is famous for its pioneering efforts in producing Bordeaux varieties and blends. They mainly use grapes from the Applegate and Bear Creek Valleys of Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley and produce Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Viognier, Sauvignon blanc, Rousanne, Chardonnay and Syrah (Valley View Winery). The Eyrie Vineyards. The Eyrie Vineyards was founded by David Lett in 1966. It is composed of 49 acres in several different vineyards in Dundee Hills, Oregon which is a sub-American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Willamette Valley AVA. David Lett produced the first Pinot gris in the United States and first Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley. The Eyrie Vineyards divide their production into three as Estate Reserve wines, Estate wines, and Limited Bottlings. All grapes for their Estate Reserve wines; Pinot noir and Chardonnay, come from Eyrie’s original planting. This is the oldest plating in the Willamette Valley at 40 years. The grapes for Eyrie’s Estate wines come mostly from their three other vineyards; Stonehedge, Sisters, and Rolling Green Farm which were planted in the 1980’s. They grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Finally, their small production, limited bottling wines include Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier (The Eyrie Vineyards). Abacela Vineyard and Winery In 1992, Earl and Hilda Jones bought a 19th century homestead in southern part of the Umpqua Valley to produce Tempranillo wines which they fell in love to in Spain. In 1994 they built the winery and began planting the Tempranillos they purchased from California. They chose the Umpqua Valley because of its similar climate to the one of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions where Tempranillo grapes are grown. Today, in addition to the eight different Tempranillo clones at Abacela, they grow grapes and produce wine from Spains white variety, Albarino, as well as other Iberian varieties including Graciano, Tinta roriz and Bastardo (used in the production of port-style wines) and French varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit verdot and Viognier (Wines Northwest). Bibliography Abacela Vine Wine Center in Oregons Umpqua Valley Wine Region. Wines Northwest. N. p. , n. d. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. http://www. winesnw. com/abacela. htm. About The Eyrie Vineyards. The Eyrie Vineyards. N. p. , n. d. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. http://www. eyrievineyards. com/journal/? page_id=4. Chien, Mark L. The Oregon Wine Community and Its Viticulture. Pennsylvannia Wine Grape Network. Penn State Cooperative Extension, n. d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. http://www. pawinegrape. com/uploads/PDF%20files/Documents/Travelogues/Other%20Locals/The%20Oregon%20Wine%20Industry%20and%20its%20Viticulture. pdf. Hall, Lisa Shara. History of the Oregon Wine Industry. History of the Oregon Wine Industry. Ed. Mitchell Beazley. N. p. , n. d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. http://avalonwine. com/Oregon-Wine-history. php. History of Oregon Wine. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 May 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_Oregon_wine. Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc. N. p. , n. d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. http://www. liveinc. org/. Northwest Viticultural Center: Oregon Wine Historical Milestones. Discover Chemeketa Community College. Chemeketa.

Satire In The Musical Urinetown

Satire In The Musical Urinetown The musical Urinetown, by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, falls in the class of the modern anti-musical with its untraditional structure and content, not only breaking the mold of what makes musical theatre, but making satire of itself and its relatives in the process. This essay will investigate how Urinetown uses satire to create a new, participatory role for audience unimplemented by its predecessors. This is relevant theatrical topic as it suggests a contrast from musical theatres historical structure, as well as changing social roles in the theatrical culture. To approach this proposition, I will investigate by researching the creation of Urinetown, as well as traditional musicals to serve as a comparative structure. I will use this research to draw conclusions about Urinetowns satirical nature and the role it creates for the audience. Introduction My interest for Urinetown came with the announcement of a local high schools theatrical season, which included the musical. Having heard the name but being unfamiliar with the show, I began to research the plot and was enthralled by the story. As wacky as it is, Urinetown has contemplative themes with social commentary. The musical tells the story of citizens in a town where all restrooms are government operated. As crude as it is, much of the focus of the musical is on having to pay to pee. While Hollmann and Kotis take a humorous approach, the show does embody the peoples oppression by their own government, a theme all too familiar in a historical and current context. Urinetown creates a culture of desperation, the frequent consequence of unequal wealth distribution. Corrupt members of the Urine Good Company, or UGC, live in lavishness while average citizens cannot even afford to fulfill their most basic needs. Essential to the plot are the characters which embody theatrical archet ypes. These archetypes will be included in my scope of investigation along with Hollmann and Kotis creation of the musical. My interest in audience role came with my attendance of the North Carolina Governors School in the area of theatre. During our five weeks, we created a show which challenged traditional audience roles. The expectation of a theatre patron is to sit and be entertained, perhaps laugh and cry, and then go home. This actor-audience relationship has been upheld majorly through Vaudeville, opera, dramas, comedies, and most theatre imaginable. My investigation intends to prove that Urinetown does not adhere to these traditional audience roles, and instead uses satire to challenge its viewers, making them uncomfortable and offering a more participatory, engaging theatre experience. My methodology for this essay will primarily be analysis of research regarding record of Urinetown and its formation, and traditional musical theatre structure and the satirical comparison of it. Investigation Urinetown was inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, specifically Threepenny Opera. Threepenny Opera, which transformed old-fashioned opera and operetta forms, incorporated a sharp political perspective, and the sound of 1920s Berlin dance bands and cabaret, is most strikingly similar to Urinetown. From the shows opening number, the audience is introduced to an oppressed society run by a corrupt government, shown through operatic chorus chords and lyrics. The show mimics others through its number, Too Much Exposition , poking fun at the notion of an excess of background knowledge to ruin a show, taking stabs at Threepenny Opera and other musicals such as Les Miserables. Dark and dramatic with crude humor laced on top, Threepenny Opera certainly bears a resemblance to Urinetown. Urinetown is a prime example of ironic detachment, but it wasnt the first musical to use this perspective. Though this approach has not been standard practice for most of the history of musical theatre, it has appeared in Of Thee I Sing (1931), The Cradle Will Rock (1937), Guys and Dolls (1950), The Threepenny Opera (1954),How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961), Hair (1968), Company (1970), Grease (1972), Chicago(1975), 42nd Street (1980), Assassins (1990), Bat Boy (1997), and others. These shows broke the traditional role of musical comedy. Urinetown strays from self-importance in favor of self-deprecation. John Bush Jones writes in his book Our Musicals, Ourselves, It seems no accident that a cluster of solemn musicals came right at the end of the century. Among serious and thoughtful creative people, the ends of centuries have often provoked a lot of serious and thoughtful thinking, and the production of works of literature, art, or in our case, musical theatre of especially unsmiling seriousness. Urinetown rebels against this seriousness, even mocking it. This show acknowledges its own art form, but is also part of what it mocks, taking on issues such as corporate corruption, environmentalism, civil liberties, class warfare. Ironic detachment has now become so present in television and modern culture that it no longer packs the same artistic or political punch. As our culture evolves, so must storytelling. Rodgers and Hammerstein were groundbreaking in 1943, but times have changed. Contracting to their elaborate storytelling , new musicals are more honest, breaking the fourth wall, that barrier of lies between actor and audience. Urinetown, first opening in New York in the summer of 1999, referenced dozens of movies and other bits of American pop culture, including The Wizard of Oz. Contrasting though, where Dorothys selflessness and bravery saved the day in Oz, the traits result in hopelessness in Urinetown. Even though both stories take place in an era of depression, they have separate audiences. Referenced in the musical is a response to Thomas Robert Malthus Essay on the Principles of Population (1798), which discusses the tendency of human beings to outstrip their resources. This heavy and dark allusion contrasts to the traditional musical, even in Urinetown with its light potty-humor. Urinetown breaks the mold of the traditional musical and yet, in certain ways, is true to conventional musical theatre, the shows structure taking after a Rodgers and Hammerstein model. The score ranges from direct homages to Threepenny Opera to traditional ballads to hymns, gospel, Bach, and the B-52s. The work, Urinetown, though it seems shallow and crude, is carefully constructed theatre, presented by outrageous circumstances. Urinetown registered with audiences on many levels, like any good fairy tale, providing for each audience member a slightly different message, question, or experience. The show received ten Tony nominations, winning for best score, best book, and best director. Bruce Weber in The New York Times called it a sensational piece of performance art, one that acknowledges theatre tradition and pushes it forward as well. Linda Winer inNewsday called it elevated silliness of the highest order that makes a gratifying case for the restorative return to knowing foolishness and the smartly absurd. Rex Reed in The New York Observer wrote, What kind of musical is this? A fresh, unique, original, impudent, colorful, exciting, irreverent, surprising and wonderful musical, thats all. Clive Barnes of the New York Post called it a wild and happy mix of biting satire and loving parody. Urinetown is both a satire of American political and social forces, and also a parody of musical theatre as an art form, both aspects equally well crafted. The show ran 965 performances, more than two years, a run that might have lasted far longer if not for September 11 and its crippling of Broadway. Unlike traditional musicals, Urinetowns extreme emotionalism is followed by cynicism. When a metaphor pops up, it is promptly diffused by literalism, such as the gazes to the distance. Even the resolution of the plot contrasts idealism with tragedy and harsh reality. Literalism is present throughout the show, from the conversations between Lockstock and Little Sally about the show itself, to the opening number that tells the audience where the bathroom is and what should be on their tickets. Of the two love songs, one focuses less on emotion and more on the literal body, and the other is relayed through Little Sally, as one of the lovers is already dead. Urinetown is satirical, laughing at the sappy old-fashioned musical comedy, but also laughing at shows like Les Miz or Passion which reject those conventions and perhaps go too far the other way. Urinetown raises questions about what we expect from musicals, whether or not musicals confronting an issue are satisfying entertainment, why certain stories or topics are musicalized, whether or not serious musicals are too serious. Hollmann and Kotis use musical theatre clichà ©s ironically throughout the show, using traditional musical comedy and making it more cruel, dark, and modern. Each time Officer Lockstock and Little Sally talk about what musicals shouldnt do, theyre also talking about devices certain musicals have used traditionally. When Urinetown kills off its hero, the joke is on Carousel. The violent-rage dance number, Snuff That Girl, consciously parodies Cool in West Side Story, right down to the finger snaps. Cladwells self-justification songs comically mirror Javerts Stars in Les Misà ©rables. In the original Broadway production ofUrinetown, one bit of choreography even invoked the now famous Les Miserables March. The scene in which Cladwell bribes Bobby mirrors the same scene in The Cradle Will Rock. And of course, Urinetown both uses and abuses the devices of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill and their Threepenny Opera. The song Mr. Cladwell is a stab at traditional musicals which laud over the lead, like Hello, Dolly, Mame, and others, but instead of celebrating love for the leading lady and her optimistic spunk, here the adoring chorus is celebrating murderous, unchecked capitalism. The Cop Song is both a tribute to Threepenny but also an ironic nod to hip-hop culture. While hip-hop music has historically taken violence against the poor and turned it back on the police, here the violent imagery usually used for anti-police rhetoric is given to the police themselves, with the violence now turned back on the poor again. Other names in the show follow the Dick Tracy, with Robbie the Stockfish, Billy Boy Bill, Soupy Sue, Little Becky Two Shoes, Tiny Tom, and Hot Blades Harry. Sallys description of why Urinetown isnt a good musical is funny precisely because the aspects she thinks are missing are no longer essential aspects to musical theatre. She thinks all musicals are 1920s musical comedies, but one of the central jokes of this show is that almost no musicals are like that anymore. Urinetown takes musical comedies, serious book musicals, political musicals, and concept musicals and takes them at extremes, showing us exactly how far we have strayed from the 1920s. Its very existence mocks anyone in the audience who still holds those mindsets about musicals in this age of Rent, Assassins, Passion, Bat Boy, Reefer Madness, Chicago, Floyd Collins, A New Brain, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Urinetown demonstrates that at conventional musical is no longer the convention. Bobby Strong is the archetypal American musical comedy lead being charming, cocky, and heroic. This traditional character extends back to George M. Cohan in his 1904 musical Little Johnny Jones, Billy in Anything Goes, Joey in Pal Joey, Larry Foreman in The Cradle Will Rock, Billy in Carousel, Woody in Finians Rainbow, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Nathan in Guys and Dolls, and Ponty in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Ms. Pennywise is another archetypal musical theatre character, the immoral but realistic older woman that Bertolt Brecht seems to have invented with Threepenny Opera, and well as in other musicals such as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, and Joanne in Company. Josephine Strong is the archetypal older wise woman, joining Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!, Nettie in Carousel, Lady Thiang in The King and I, the Mother Abbess inThe Sound of Music. But here, the older woman does not have much to offer in the way of wisdom. Urinetown also takes much inspiration from Marc Blitzsteins 1937 political musical The Cradle Will Rock, which was itself heavily influenced by Brecht and composer Kurt Weill. The Cradle Will Rock label names like Mr. Mister, Editor Daily, Dr. Specialist, Reverend Salvation, Harry Druggist, and Larry Foreman. Greg Kotis did the same thing in Urinetown, with the heroic Bobby Strong, the well dressed Mr. Cladwell, the optimistic and rich Hope Cladwell, the amoral but practical Ms. Pennywise, and the cops Lockstock and Barrel. The cops names are funny in relation the literal meanings of the phrase. But its also why the original staging of The Cop Song was ill-conceived; if Lockstock and Barrel are the only two cops on the force, if they are the whole police force, lock, stock, and barrel. Urinetown is created with the spirit of Bertolt Brecht, particularly his Threepenny Opera and other political theatre. Brecht aimed to engage the audience through their brains instead of their hearts, to get them to think about the issues and questions put before them on stage and constantly reminding them of the over the top nature of storytelling while maintaining levels of wonder and self-criticism. The set projected an environment rather than representing it; the small chorus, songs to the audience, and elegance with which even the most serious scenes are performed commented on the fable nature of the show and the actions shown on stage. Reflecting the mindset of his work, Brecht once wrote, Nothing is more revolting than when an actor pretends not to notice that he has left the level of plain speech and started to sing. Its a bold statement, but not an unfair one. Brecht wanted truthfulness and realism on stage, not the performance. He rejected the ignoring of the Fourth Wall and thought that the Rodgers and Hammerstein naturalistic acting isnt actually the least bit naturalistic since most people in the real world dont break into four-part harmony. To Brecht, the act of singing onstage is more honest, more real, and connects the actor to the audience more fully because hes not trying to fool them. This isnt an approach that works with shows such as Brigadoon, but is almost necessary for Urinetown. Urinetown uses all of these ideas presented by Brecht. Urinetown is satirical in its theme, plot, characters, and music numbers, parodying traditional musicals as well as modern anti-musicals. Urinetown particularly gains influence through the satirical principles of Berlolt Brecht.

Patient Transition into Hospice Care Essay -- Analysis of Care Transit

I. Introduction The patient presented in this paper is Ms. H an 83 year old African American woman that appears younger than stated age with a history of Multiple Myeloma. The patient chart was reviewed and an interview conducted. Interestingly the patient had retained every note, lab, hospital H&P and discharge summary in a file folder in her possession. Ms. H was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in April of 2008 when she was being worked up at her dentist for a toothache. X-rays performed revealed she had bone lesions in her zygomatic process and in her skull above her right eye. She was referred to Oncology Hematology Care for further work-up. A bone marrow biopsy revealed she had Multiple Myeloma. During the course of treatment the patient received Thalidomide, Revlimid, Velcade, Aredia, Zometa, and Decadron. Remission was achieved and the patient underwent stem cell transplant in February of 2009. The transplant was successful and the patient was cancer free until August of 2012 when she receiv ed news that her cancer had recurred. Current meds are Lisinopril 20 mg PO daily for HTN, Omeprazole 40 mg PO for GERD, Topamax 25 mg BID for headaches, Calcium 500 mg PO TID for osteoporosis, Zofran 4 mg every 6 hrs/prn for nausea, Vicodin 5/325mg every 4 hours/prn for pain control. Ms. H has 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren that are in their early 20’s. During the initial treatment phase Ms. H was employed part time at J.C. Penney. Once she was sent to Jewish for bone marrow transplant, she retired. She is on traditional Medicare with Medicaid due to reaching the cap on her secondary Humana plan. Ms. H is divorced but has a supportive friend Mr. P that has been at her side throughout her diagnosis and treatment. He... ... benefit. V. Analysis of Transition Admission Forms Admission forms include Consent, HIPPA Acknowledgement Form, Patient and Family Rights Statement Receipt, Permission to Bill Medicare. Forms required for hospice admission are few and concisely written to reflect the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Patients who are compromised enough to sign their own forms are usually ill enough that the number of forms needed are appreciated. Ms. H and family were amazed and happy with the need for fewer signatures to admit. References (1.)Blood. 2008 March 15; 111(6): 2962–2972. doi: 10.1182/blood-2007-10-078022 PMCID: PMC2265446 (2)ASH 50th Anniversary Review Article on Multiple Myeloma†¦(look up) (3)Publication Date: 2008-03-18Medicare Benefit Policy Manual Chapter 9 - Coverage of Hospice (4) JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE Volume 9, Number 6, 2006

Covers of the High and Low: Attractions and Reflections Essay -- Book

Covers of the High and Low: Attractions and Reflections When preparing a book for publishing, companies surely convene to agree upon a suitable cover - its design, size, color, texture, print size and design, and so on. Not one of these ingredients would be arbitrary, but each seems to perform two functions - attracting the appropriate reading audience, and reflecting the text's content in an intriguing manner. In short, the bestseller cover seems to work to create a certain "aura" which acts as a stylized extension, and/or abbreviated summary of the atmosphere produced by the words within. Often a picture appears centralized on the cover - an image to catch the eye more quickly than mere printed words would. At a moment's glance, the passer-by has already noticed an image, and then continues to process its meaning, aided by the ensuing title and perhaps author's name. Certain expectations and questions are inspired, as techniques of the cover take effect in the mind of the potential reader. The meaning derived from the cover's collaborat ing external signifiers is often fulfilled within the internal text. Because the cover is reflective of the novel's internal workings, and often its "high/low" cultural classification, the first reader/cover encounter could both determine a reader's initial acceptance or rejection of the book, and be somewhat prophetic of his/her subsequent reading experience. In this way, the bestseller cover is effective in reflecting the inner substance of the writing (including "high" or "low" cultural quality) in an intriguing manner which attracts appropriate readers. Danielle Steele's Vanished portrays a small picture - an almost outlined (rather iconic) suggestion really - of a young boy in what ... ...s traits of the "low cultural" bestseller converge together in the compact, physical realm of the cover to reflect the content's most "popular" strengths in a way that is provoking, and often enigmatic. The use of image and other signifiers of the cover is handled differently by "high cultural" bestsellers, as their literary self-perceptions are different. Hence, although both "high" and "low cultural" bestsellers use similar methods of content reflection, their covers are remarkably dissimilar, owing to 1.The difference in the publishers' perception of the book's strengths (such as "art", or "entertainment"), and 2.The target audience the publisher wishes to attract, based upon these perceptions. All bestsellers are popular, and their charismatic covers, when channeled to the appropriate audience, must be imperative in their achievement of such immense popularity.

A Very Brief History on the Existence of God Essay -- Philosophy, Des

The subsequent essay will provide a brief overview on the existence of God from Renà © Descartes through Immanuel Kant. First, section (1), examines Descartes’ proof for the existence of God. Section (2), explores G.W. Leibniz’s view on God’s existence in addition to his attempts to rectify the shortcomings of Descartes’ proofs. Before continuing, it is imperative to understand that both Descartes and Leibniz believed that the existence of God could be proved via reason. The remainder of the essay then examines two additional philosophers, David Hume in section (4) and Immanuel Kant in (5), who contend that God’s existence cannot be rationally proven. (1) Being a devout Catholic, Descartes undeniably believed in God. He makes this clear in the letter of dedication preceding Meditations on First Philosophy. He writes that we must â€Å"believe in God’s existence because it is taught in the Holy Scriptures, and, conversely, that we must believe in the Holy Scriptures because they have come from God† (Descartes, 1). Nonetheless, in the actual Meditations Descartes casts doubt on everything, including religion in his search for absolute certainty. In the Third Meditation, however, Descartes provides his first rationalistic proof for the existence of God. In doing so, he first doubts the very existence of God, conceding that he does â€Å"not yet sufficiently know if there is even a God† (25). He then deliberates on this issue, pondering â€Å"whether there is a God† (25). However, even though he questions God’s very existence, Descartes maintains his innate idea of God. After some deliberation, h e concludes that because he has an innate idea of God, (which is not fabricated by the mind or drawn from the senses), it must be God who endowe... ... to exist, then a necessary being does exist. 6. It is possible for a being to have all perfections. 7. Therefore, a necessary being (God) does exist. (3) (3) On the contrary, David Hume did not believe an argument could establish the existence of God. In fact, Hume attacks both Descartes’ and Leibniz’s methodology for establishing the existence of God in the following: â€Å"there is an evident absurdity in pretending to demonstrate a matter of fact, or to prove it by any arguments a priori. Nothing is demonstrable, unless the contrary implies a contradiction. Nothing, that is distinctly conceivable, implies a contradiction. Whatever we conceive as existent, we can also conceive as non-existent. There is no being, therefore, whose non-existence implies a contradiction. Consequently there is no being, whose existence is demonstrable† (Bailey, 79).

Flautists Battle To Help Tiny Silent Losses

Have you ever lost someone close to you? You probably remember their laughs, and all the memories you had with them, but what if you had never shared these moments? What if they had slipped away before you even had a chance? Flautists used their talents at London's Royal Albert Hall yesterday to raise money to help raise miscarriage awareness. Twenty eight year old Tiana Webb from Croydon decided to set up the concert after suffering her fourth miscarriage in two years, she expressed her feelings â€Å"I felt so alone, and wondered why this kept happening to me, I realised I had to help do something so other women would not have to feel so alone whilst going through such a tough situation. Music helped me through the tough times, and as a flautist myself, I thought I could use my talents to help†. Leaflets were sent out asking all flautists to unite from all over the county, no matter what their ability or style in music. Over a hundred and fifty musicians came forward ranging from beginners to professionals, young to old. Tiana said she was surprised at the amount of support that had been gained, as she was not sure if she would be successful. The Miscarriage Association is a charity set up to help raise miscarriage awareness. The charity supports grieving woman, be it soon after their miscarriage or a while after by providing information, support groups and helplines. It also offers a service in which mothers can be put in touch with other women who have experienced a loss. Miscarriage facts are quite unknown, more than one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage, a shocking quarter of a million each year in the UK. Recent research amongst a sample of over three hundred women who had experienced loss in pregnancy showed that 45% of women did not feel well informed about what was happening to them. Only 29% of them felt well cared for emotionally and nearly four out of five received no aftercare. Claire Walker, a spokesperson from TMA said â€Å"we are so thankful to Tiana and everyone who took part in the concert. Miscarriage affects so many women in society and feel it goes un-noticed, but this event shows that there is hope for them†. Tickets sold out within a week of going on sale, filling the magnificent hall. Tiana held an auction of old music, CDs, flutes and other musical equipment, all donated by the musicians themselves, of local organisations. One of the flautists, Fourteen year old Levi King from East London said † I'm proud to be part of something which is for a good cause, the response is incredible†. The concert was set off with all 158 flautists playing Karen Taylor-Good's song, ‘Precious Child' together, which was written especially. Karen herself sang the feeling filled words, â€Å"There wasn't a dry eye in the building† she explained, â€Å"everyone was obviously very touched†. Rachel Kindler The sound rang, creating a close atmosphere inside. Many members of the audience described it as a heart-warming experience to be amongst others with the same feelings, as many of them had suffered a miscarriage either themselves or in their families. This was followed by each of the flautists playing solos, duets or trios in a variety of music styles. There were reports that many of them felt privileged to be able to perform in the Royal Albert Hall as it was a ‘once in a lifetime experience'. Tiana played 4 individual solo's, including two that she had written herself. Amongst the musical pieces, poems were read many people spoke of their experiences, 23 year old Sara West told us of her story † I was 20 when I fell pregnant, it was a mixture of excitement and worry as I was young but I knew I wanted to keep my baby, I had a supportive partner and finished my degree at university. When I miscarried at 10 weeks, I was heartbroken. Words cannot describe how hard it is to lose something so precious. Many people do not understand it and are insensitive towards the subject, but coming here tonight made me realise I am not the only one that felt this way, and there is support out there for me. I am pleased to have helped The Miscarriage Association, and thankful to Tiana for putting so much work into this event.† The audience was surprised by the appearance of James Gallway, a famous flautist. He played several pieces, including some with the youngsters which many felt was touching. James said that he would not have missed the concert for the world, as it was not on an opportunity to share his talents and skills with others, but also to help make money for a very good cause. The evening was ended with an outstanding firework display, and people releasing balloons with messages for their losses within. It was spectacular to see so many people come together to remember silent losses that most people will not know of. The occasion was clearly very successful, it raised an amazing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 for The Miscarriage Association. Tiana added, † I am overwhelmed at the amount of support for the charity and the event. It is comforting to know that I have helped other grieving mothers, I hope to organise something similar in the near future. I would like to thank all the flautists for participating and everyone who donated money to the charity†.