Comic Book Anti-Heroes Essay Example for Free

Comic Book Anti-Heroes Essay The frequently talked about, critically celebrated – and to some extent excessively hyped – comic book miniseries Watchmen is most often described as a revisionist take on superhero conventions and narratives, and with good reason. Now retroactively referred to as a graphic novel, Watchmen sees writer-artist team Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons deal with costumed adventurers or ‘superheroes’ and attempt to place them within a ‘realist’ context. Moore and Gibbons do not appear to denigrate superheroes so much as purge them of the conceits that have become necessary for comic book readers to be able to suspend their disbelief. Watchmen takes place in an alternate reality of 1985, where Cold War tensions are at their highest and multiple term extensions have allowed Richard Nixon to remain President of the United States. Furthermore, the United States has a long and troubled relationship with costumed adventurers dating back to the late 1930s. While the sensational nature of costumed adventurers acquire much admiration in the initial decades of their appearance, public sentiment turns strongly against them and by 1977, the government passes the Keane Act, which outlaws vigilante heroism. As a result, the protagonists of Watchmen are divided evenly among those costumed adventurers who have retired and those who have not. In the former category lies the perpetually bored ornithologist named Dan Dreiberg, formerly the gadget reliant ‘Nite Owl’, Laurie Juspeczyk, a moderate feminist with assertion issues who was formerly the martial arts oriented ‘Silk Spectre’ and Adrian Veidt, a genius-level intellect and self-perfected athlete once known as ‘Ozymandias’ and now channels his talents towards a billion dollar business empire and renowned philanthropy. Those adventurers who have continued to operate despite the Keane Act provide the most fertile area for ethical and moral analysis, especially in the context of the historical background that Moore and Gibbons have constructed. These include Edward Blake, a brutally gung-ho ‘superpatriot’ known as ‘The Comedian’, Jon Osterman, a former physicist turned emotionally detached god-like being code-named by the U. S. government as ‘Doctor Manhattan’ and Walter Kovacs, an uncompromising moral absolutist and the only one who operates without government sanction as the cruel vigilante called ‘Rorschach’. Rorschach, The Comedian and Doctor Manhattan effectively function as anti-heroes in the sense that although their adventuring careers have persisted beyond the Keane Act, they are far removed from the heroic intentions that have been the traditional feature of costumed adventurers in comic book literature. Furthermore, the morality and ethics which governs their activities is shaded with far darker tones than the unwavering idealism of a Superman or the commitment to vigilance that characterizes a Batman. However, their anti-heroism character is owed in large part to the ways that they evoke the characteristics of traditional superhero archetypes. This is not an entirely unfounded observation. It is no secret that the characters of Watchmen originate with characters from a relatively obscure comic publishing company known as Charlton Comics. Pustz (146-147) and Jensen (47) both recount that the genesis of Watchmen was in a request made by Dick Giordano, then executive editor of DC Comics, that Moore apply his talents to characters that DC had just acquired from Charlton. Moore was selected primarily because of the revisionist skills he had displayed in books such as Swamp Thing and Marvelman. In the former, Moore turned a formulaic horror series into a melancholy drama with an environmentalist streak while in the latter, he toyed with what was a British Captain Marvel knock-off and subverted into an existentialist look at relationship between superhero and alter ego. Because Watchmen presented superheroes as sexually frustrated, politically emasculated and psychologically unstable, it would have presented problems for the commercial longevity of the Charlton characters, making them unusable for future stories. As a result, Moore was instructed to re-write his story with original characters, and the Charlton characters were ultimately re-introduced by DC Comics through different means. This meant that the specific histories of the Charlton characters no longer imposed any limitations on the story that Moore and collaborator Gibbons had chosen to tell. Pustz (147) observes that this was for the better: fewer readers would have the prior knowledge necessary to appreciating the Charlton characters than those who would appreciate original characters. However, for these original characters to resonate properly with audiences on a similar level as established characters it became necessary for Moore and Gibbons to develop them beyond what could be communicated in a finite number of comic book panels, even when allowing for flashbacks and copious amounts of background detail. To do so, Moore and Gibbons made use of various fictional documents such as a report on the political implications of Doctor Manhattan’s super-powered existence and the autobiography of Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl and predecessor to Dan Dreiberg. The characters of Watchmen, as already suggested above, ended up being evocative of superhero archetypes. As Pustz notes: â€Å"Dr. Manhattan [†¦] echoes every omnipotent superhero from Superman to Miracleman to the Spectre. The Comedian refers [†¦] to patriotic heroes such as Captain America and superspies such as Marvel’s Nick Fury. Rorschach is [†¦] every other obsessed vigilante from Batman to the Punisher. † (Pustz 147) By converging the evocation of superhero archetypes with a dysfunctional alternate history, Moore and Gibbons impose profound effects on the psychology of Watchmen’s protagonists. Simply put, Watchmen’s protagonists really are anti-heroes in multiple senses of the word. This is because what Moore and Gibbons have done is make it impossible for their characters to sustain a heroic purity over the course of their careers, especially in the face of history. Many of the longest-running comic book series are those that feature superheroes, and require a moderate suspension of disbelief that allows them to persist in a constant state of present tense. Therefore, in addition to a diminished aging rate (if any at all), the psychological and political development of the characters is limited in order to allow them to sustain continued adventuring careers. Thus, while the Spider-Man of the 1960s hangs out with his pals at soda parlors and the Captain America of the 21st century faces personal uncertainty in the face of international anti-American sentiment, neither never fully achieve any personal disillusionment or psychological resolution that would end their stories. By contrast, the costumed heroes in the Watchmen world do not and cannot possess the static personalities that have allowed the likes of Captain America or Batman to function continuously in their own comic books, despite the changes in cultural and political zeitgeist. Even if their personalities weren’t so troubled and their motivations so void of nobility, the forces of history would still have gradually eroded the initial foundations of their adventuring careers, which they do. As such, the relationship between crime fighting and society changes radically in the decades between 1938, when costumed heroes make their first appearance, and the year 1985, which is when the primary events take place. Klock notes that ahistorical conditions are necessary to support the superhero narrative, opining that â€Å"superheroes only make sense in world where masked opponents support their fantasy, and masked opponents only exist to fight superheroes,† but because history and personality carry greater weight in Watchmen than they traditionally do in other superhero narratives. As a result, Watchmen’s protagonists encompass varying levels of cynicism, neuroticism and societal alienation. They become anti-heroes simply because it is impossible to for their heroism to remain pure at all. It is from this angle that Moore and Gibbons proceed to interrogate the effect of history on the individual viewpoints of costumed adventurers and superheroes, as well as their effects upon history itself. In addition to the geopolitical implications of Doctor Manhattan’s nigh omnipotence, Moore and Gibbons examine how personal humanity is profoundly altered by nigh omniscient awareness of history, whilst the Comedian is the expression of how historical tumult and a life of violence has corrupting effects on the patriotic character, rendering an almost irredeemable cynicism. In the case of Rorschach, who is Watchmen’s most (dis)reputable anti-hero, he experiences constant exposure to the endurance of social and cultural malaise which serves to only harden his moral and ethical absolutism. The result is an unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice, one which would ordinarily and unquestionably admirable in traditional superheroes, but not in one who ultimately comes across as a fascist. Jackie Earle Haley, the actor who is to portray Rorschach in a feature film adaptation of Watchmen, notes that Rorschach’s personality centers around his contention with the oft-declared complexity of the world that is maintained as the excuse for its ills and woes: â€Å"Rorschach’s complexity is [†¦] an attacking complexity. He tries to simplify the world in black and white. [†¦] Rorschach thinks that you’re not what you say you mean, you’re what you do. You are your behavior [†¦] That sort of forced me to look at my own behavior, to ask myself, ‘Who’s my behavior victimizing today? ’ [†¦] We justify our behavior with complexity. Not for Rorschach. † (Adler 2008) Thus, it is not Rorschach’s relentless commitment to the pursuit of justice that gives him his anti-heroic character, as it is a quality he shares with Batman. Although portrayals of Batman have varied over the decades in both print and film, his ideals are not closely linked with his view of society, giving him a sense of ambivalence towards society’s collective responsibilities to its own welfare. Rorschach on the other hand, views the world with utter contempt, with little faith in its ability to redeem itself. His moral absolutism originates from humanity’s consistent inability to live up to the nobility it ascribes to itself. His development as a vigilante stems from humanity’s failure and inaction. In the case of a woman who had been raped, tortured and killed outside her own apartment building, he remembers that: â€Å"Nobody did anything. Nobody called cops. Some of them even watched. Do you understand? I knew what people were then, behind all the evasions, all the self-deception. Ashamed for humanity I went home. I took the remains of her unwanted dress and made a face that I could bear to look at in the mirror. † Traditional superheroes do not view the world with this much contempt, but Rorschach does. His contempt for humanity is most strongly articulated when he declares, â€Å"This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate who butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. † While Rorschach articulates the most complex relationship between an individual’s ideals and his perception of society, Doctor Manhattan expresses how ambivalence towards the value of human affairs leads to a sense of detachment that reduces an individual’s moral compass down to dehumanized utilitarianism. This is not to suggest that Manhattan’s nigh-omnipotence makes him morally apathetic. Rather, it alters his ethical code in such a fashion that the welfare of a numerical majority takes precedence, regardless of the cost. This is made most evident when he teleports an angry mob, which is a peaceful means of negating conflict, but it also leads to two shock-induced heart attacks. Manhattan maintains that this is statistically preferable to the larger number of casualties that would have been caused by mob violence. Towards the end of Watchmen, Manhattan becomes even more indifferent towards the redemption of humanity, opining that despite the attempts of individuals such as Ozymandias to bring about a peaceful new world order, â€Å"nothing ever ends. † While Rorschach’s desire is to impose his will and â€Å"scrawl [his] own design on this morally blank world,† and Manhattan dismisses the notion that human problems can ever be resolved, The Comedian simply doesn’t care. As a nihilist, the Comedian shares Rorschach’s belief that there is no moral or ethical principle which guides the universe. Despite the fact that he fought for the U. S. during the Vietnam War, he concludes that its outcome matters only to Americans and holds no meaning to the average Vietnamese. The Comedian is so utterly devoid of delusions about the moral value of geopolitical affairs, and his participation stems primarily from his loyalty to Uncle Sam rather than from any sense of idealism. His credo is that existence is one big joke, and he’s one of the few who is in on the gag. These three – Rorschach, Doctor Manhattan, The Comedian – are antiheroes not because they are devoid of any heroism, but rather because they express how a purity of ideals will always be shaped by the forces which history exerts upon them. They do not operate from a corrupt morality let alone from villainy: several moments reveal deeply obscured or twisted nobility within them all. Instead, they are anti-heroic because the gritty realities of society and the debilitating effects of continued crime fighting take hold upon them in ways that are denied to their conventional counterparts. Works Cited Pustz, Matthew J. Comic Book Culture: Fanboys and True Believers. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1999. Klock, Geoff. â€Å"Who Watches the Watchmen? † SF Crowsnest, April 2003. Retrieved December 17, 2008 from: http://www. sfcrowsnest. com/sfnews2/03_april/news0403_6. shtml Adler, Shawn. â€Å"Is Rorschach ‘Watchmen’s’ Most Heroic Character? Jackie Earle Haley Thinks So. † MTV Splash Page, 21 August 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2008 from: http://splashpage. mtv. com/2008/08/21/is-rorschach-watchmens-most-heroic-character-jackie-earle-haley-thinks-so/

Transformational corporate leaders

Transformational corporate leaders Introduction Leadership is a practice that has been around for very many years though there has been no single definition to completely describe it. This could be due to its continuously evolving nature and variations depending on context. Leadership is generally a complicated concept that can be applied in many areas while the results that it creates are highly dependent on the context in which its being applied. The term ‘transformational leaders was first formed by J.V. Downton in 1973. During his study of political leadership, James Macgregor introduced for the first time the concept of transformational leadership. According to Macgregor, transformational leadership is a not just a set of specific behaviours but a continuous process through which leaders and followers uplift one another to high states of motivation and morality (The transformational leadership report 2007). Transformational leaders provide a purpose that goes beyond the short term goals looks at the higher order intrinsic objectives. These leaders will always raise the bar by engaging to higher ideals and values of their subordinates. This way, the leaders are able to model the values themselves as well as use appealing methods to lure people to the values and to the leaders themselves. Transformational leadership requires high level of self actualization and self esteem in order to be an authetic and transformational leader. Essentially the work of a transformational leader is to induce people to be conscious of their feelings, to feel their true needs strongly and to meaningfully define their values so that they can be moved to a determined action (Chance Chance 2002 p.79) Macgregor was among the first scholars to insist that true transformational leadership does not just create change and attain goals within an organization but also changes the individuals involved and makes both the leaders and followers to be ennobled. According to () transformational leadership is also defined in terms of how the leader impacts his subordinates who are in turn supposed to respect, admire and trust the transformational leader. Transformational leadership has evolved from elements of preceding types for instance behavior and trait theories, situational, charismatic and transactional leadership. Transformational leaders are actually natural leaders. They automatically take charge of group of workers with great confidence and authority and they motivate their followers to do things with ease. Such leaders who are admired and envied for their natural qualities in leadership skills are actually born with leadership qualities in them. Astrologists argue that qualities of leadership are given at birth. For instance they believe that individuals born under the Aries zodiac sign are usually natural leaders and will always find themselves in leadership positions as adults. According to ( ), its not doubtable that certain people are born with natural characteristics and traits that make it easier for them to inspire and have power over others. Some people are born with natural confidence which is an advantageous characteristic for leaders. Such people are therefore more attractive for their determination and drive which creates an impetus that other people find easy to follow. Those people with proper communication skills and empathy which are generally admired by people, and the ability to relate well with people even in stressful situations, attract a sense of respect and liking from other people. This paper evaluates the characteristics of transformational leaders and how they are made. The paper tries to illustrate that transformational corporate leaders are actually born and not made. Theories and models of transformational leadership According to Gosling, Marturano Dennison (2003), transformational leadership is procedure in which organizational leaders take actions to enhance the awareness of their associates on what is right and crucial (p.16). These leaders raise the motivational maturity of their followers which makes them to go beyond their own individual interests for the betterment of their group as well as the whole organization. Transformational leaders provide their followers with a feeling of purpose that exceeds a simple receiving of rewards for their efforts. Transformational leaders are unique leaders whose leadership qualities are believed to be natural. These leaders not only optimize the general performance of their associates but also the development of an organization. Organizational or business development involves the maturation of values, ability, attitudes and motivation (Gosling, Marturano Dennison 2003 p.16). Transformational leaders are aimed at developing the maturity level of their f ollowers needs from the basic security needs to the needs of self development. Theories A number of recent theories on leadership have tried to describe leadership effectiveness according to how leaders transform or change an organization (Chance Chance 2002 p.94). One of the theories in leadership is the transformational leadership theory also known as the leadership theory. This theory states that leadership is interlinked or can not be separated from the needs and goals of the followers, and that its as a result of interaction between the followers and the leaders. According to Chance Chance (2002), there are two important forms of leader follower interaction which are transformational and transactional (p.94). In transactional relationship the leader influences the follower through an exchange of something valued by both of them. Transformational theory assumes that the main focus of leadership should be the capacities and commitments of organizational individuals. Their should also be higher level of individual dedication to organisational objectives and greater capacities for fulfilling these objectives. According to Bush T. (2003), transformational leaders succeed by acquiring the followers commitment to such degree that the higher levels of accomplishment become a moral imperative (p.77). The transformational model is for instance broad in that it gives normative approach to school leadership which aims basically on the process by which leaders endeavour to manipulate the school outcome and not the nature of those outcomes (Bush T. 2003 p.77). Transformational leadership has the capability of becoming autocratic because of its well-built heroic and charismatic features. According to Chance Chance (2002), transformational leadership stimulates others to look at their work from new dimensions while creating the awareness of the mission and vision of the organization (p.95). Transformational leaders stimulate others to be creative and innovative. This creativity and innovation is promoted through looking for new ideas from others. These leaders attend the needs of their followers and help them in growth and development by acting as their mentors. The underlying principle of these leaders is their commitment to personal values and moral purpose which are important in bri nging about organizational change. Models in leadership Models on leadership assist us to understand what makes leaders to operate the way they do. The different types of behaviours discussed in models help us to understand that every situation calls for a specific approach. One of the models is the four framework approach where leaders illustrate behaviours in leadership in one of the four types of frame works. These frame works are the structural, political, human resource or symbolic. The leadership style can either be effective or not depending on the behavior chosen in certain situations. In a working leadership situation the leader is usually a social architect whose style of leadership is analysis and design. On the other hand leaders in failing leadership are just tyrants whose styles of leadership consist of mere details. Structural leaders put more emphasis on strategy, structure, environment, experimentation, implementation and adaptation. In the human resource framework, the leader in the effective leadership conditions is a catalyst and servant whose style of leadership is support, empowerment and advocation, while in a non working leadership the boss is a pushover whose style of leadership is fraud and abdication. Human resource leaders hold believe in people and they communicate that believe. They are accessible and encourage increased participation and sharing of information. These leaders involve everybody in the organization when it comes to decision making. For a political framework the leader in effective leadership circumstances is an advocate whose style of leadership is a coalition and building while in the ineffective condition the leader is a hustler whose style of leadership is manipulation. Political leaders indicate clearly what they can get and build relationship with other stake holders. They first apply persuasion then coercion and negotiation only if necessary. In symbolic framework, the leader in working leadership is a prophet whose style of leadership is inspiration while the leader in a non performing situation a fool whose style of leadership is smoke and mirrors. The other model in used in leadership is the managerial grid. This model uses two axes whereby ‘concern for people is plotted using the vertical axis while the ‘concern for task is plotted on the horizontal axis. The managerial behaviour is then described using the two dimensions that are drawn as a graph. Both axiss are plotted on a range of 0 to 9 and the leaders are then grouped depending on what they score on both sides. Those who score 9 points on the task side and 1 on the people side are authoritarian, those who score 9 on both sides are team leaders, those who score 1 on both sides are impoverished while those who score 1 on task and 9 on people are country club leaders. Authoritarian leader are more task oriented and are tough on their employees. These leaders are very tough on schedules and expect the workers to do everything without question. Team leaders lead by good examples and are concerned in promoting a team environment. They encourage their followers to attain their goals effectively and to strengthen the bonds between employees. On the other hand the country club leaders mainly use the power of reward and recognition in maintaining discipline among their employees while the impoverished leader uses delegation of duties as a management style (Chance Chance 2002). These leaders are neither concerned with maintenance or task accomplishment. References Bass B. M. Riggio R. E. (2006) Transformational leadership London: Routledge. Hacker, S, Roberts, T (2003) Transformational leadership: creating organizations of meaning American Society for Quality. Avolio B. J Bass B. M. 2002 Developing potential across a full range of leadership: cases on transactional and transformational leadership Routledge: New York. Gosling, R .B, Marturano, A Dennison, P. (2003) A review of the leadership theory and competency frameworks. Centre for leadership studies: Dunsford Hill. Schwartz M. K. , Gimbel K. G. 2000 Leadership resources: a guide to training and development tools Center for Creative Leadership. Chance, P. L. Chance, E. W (2002) Introduction to educational leadership organizational behavior: theory into practice Eye on Education. Bush T. 2003 Theories of educational leadership and management SAGE. The transformational leadership report (2007) (http://www.transformationalleadership.net/products/TransformationalLeadershipReport.pdf)

Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre E

Techniques Bronte Uses to Evoke Sympathy from the Reader in Jane Eyre The essay looks at ways and especially the people that evoke sympathy for the reader in Jane Eyre’s younger life. Bronte uses many ways to provoke the reader’s empathy and compassion. People and techniques used to do this, are shown in the following. Sympathy is evoked in the reader through Mrs Reed. Although we are given no details on Jane’s childhood before she comes into Mrs Reeds care, we may presume it was a happy one. The contrast is shown when Mrs Reed kept and held Jane separately from her own children. Jane knows that â€Å"She (Mrs Reed) regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance†. Also â€Å"She must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy little children†. Jane is trying to empathise with Mrs Reed and understands that she does not belong with the family, and therefore feels lost and unhappy. Many adults in the novel dislike Jane because she is an outspoken individual. She is a non-conformist and goes against the grain of the typical female child of her time. She was told to do as she was told and not to think for herself. Today she would be more accepted by having her own views. She is told that â€Å"There is something truly forbidding in a child taking her elders in that manner, be seated and until you can speak pleasantly remain silent. Jane hides and reads behind some curtains to escape what she perceives as her captors. Her favourite book is Bewicks History of British Birds. She dreams she is visiting islands and far off shores as she travels the globe. The reader can almost visualise her journey and also longs for her freedom. As she reads it is noted that outside the weather is dull... ...l to cut her beautiful locks off, she remonstrates and passes a hanker chief over her lips as though she is trying to hide or brush away her feelings of the stupid accusations. Jane is humiliated in front of the whole school because of Mr.Brocklehurst for false accusations. Mrs.Temple later announces to the school and reassures Jane and everyone that she is a good girl and that what Brocklehurst said was not true, the reader feels vindicated for Jane. Bronte describes her characters knowingly and with insight. The reader is drawn into the sad unjust world of an orphan, especially the female orphan in Victorian England. I feel that Jane is a determined young woman someone who I would like to become friends with, not because we would have much in common but that her life philosophies are wise and she is the product of a well experienced short life time.

Underground Railroad :: essays research papers

One Way Trip to Freedom One hot day in 1850, a man named Jeb staggered out of the woods, looked about him to get his bearings, and plunged down a lane toward the river. He only had a few moments of freedom before he heard the baying of hounds. He splashed up to his knees in the shallow stream and wade. The dogs tried desperately to pick up the scent but the water had destroyed it. He had no time to waste. All he could think of was the North Star. That was his hope. That was where his freedom lay. (Flight to Freedom, Henrietta Buckmaster.) The Underground Railroad was a desire for all slaves. They would use the Underground Railroad when they were fed up with working for their owners to escape for freedom. The Underground Railroad is a part of my history. It has always interested me so I decided to look deeper into the history, the influential people, and the actual journey of the Underground Railroad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slavery had lain like a terrible sore on our country for two hundred years. Many were ashamed of it. Slave smuggling had became so profitable that the master of a slave ship could permit nine slaves out of ten to die from neglect and still lose no money. Humane men were deeply shock. They protested, and then they did more than protest they helped the Negro. The Black Africans who were enslaved fought against it from the start. Men like Thomas Jefferson, preparing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution tried to have slavery outlawed. To abolish slavery meant to abolish profits which were astronomical, profits which were shared North and South. But to not abolish slavery struck at some of the deepest principles of Americans. For the next sixty years-until the crash of the Civil War- no issue was as important as slavery. It divided homes, it spoke for the conscience, it made political parties, it challenged religion, and it turned men into brutes and in to heroes. It created the Underground Railroad. The first slave who helped a fellow slave to escape drove the spike in this invisible railroad. The unknown first fugitive, the softly stepping men and women who dared the dangers of swamps and mountains and of cold and rain, the outstretched hands of friends, the disguises, the courage, the gunshots along the border, and a long invisible â€Å"train† which chugged so silently and sent up such invisible smoke- all these proved in the end irresistible.

Erosion of Shorelines Essay -- Nature Environment Papers

Erosion of Shorelines The erosion of shorelines is a natural process that can have beneficial or adverse impacts on the creation and maintenance of habitats. Sands and gravels eroded from the shores of coastal bays maintain the beach as a natural barrier between the open water and coastal wetlands. Beaches move back and forth onshore, offshore and along shore with changing wave conditions. The finer-grained silts and clays derived from the erosion of shorelines are sorted and carried as far as the waters of wetlands or tidal flats, where benefits are derived from addition of the new material. However, excessively high sediment loads can smother submerged aquatic vegetation beds, cover shellfish beds and tidal flats, fill in riffle pools, and contribute to increased levels of turbidity and nutrients (http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/MMGI/Chapter6/ch6-4.html). Longshore drift is the movement of sand parallel to the shoreline, in the â€Å"along-the-shore† direction (H. Nepf). Longshore drift is caused by the water waves breaking against the shore. As the waves break, they thrust water forward, creating movement of water in the direction the wave is traveling. If a wave approaches a beach at an angle, the forward rush of water is directed partially parallel and partially perpendicular to the shore. The parallel component of motion creates the longshore current, a steady movement of water parallel to the shoreline, that carries sand and contributes to the longshore drift. The longshore current is confined to the region where the waves break, called the surf zone (the frothy, white water created by the breaking waves). In regions of strong wave activity the longshore drift steadily carries sand away, eroding the coast. In... ...tions are poor or where little penetration is possible, a gravity-type structure such as a stone revetment may be preferable. However, all vertical protective structures (revetments, seawalls and bulkheads) built on sites with soft or unconsolidated bottom materials can experience scouring as incoming waves are reflected off the structures (http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/MMGI/Chapter6/ch6-4.html). Shoreline erosion is a problem widely attributed to by commercial and residential development. Many methods can be used to prevent erosion and promote sand accumulation. However, most man-made structures are simply made to protect buildings and surrounding land, not the entire beach. Some believe beachfront homeowners should move their houses or simply move. Whatever the decision, erosion is a natural process and will continue whether a house exists in its path or not.

Chip and Bins Case

The project is not fully-developed: Because the project is not well-prepared which leads to more problems when it was carried out in Southeast Norfolk like : Technical Failure, Lack of knowledge†¦ 2/ Examine the problem Definitions: After discussing the above definitions, we decided to classify the problems as below: We think that the cause of all troubles is because the project was not well- planned. 3/ Here is our alternative solutions for the problems: Solutions Time Money Practicability Hold a workshop about the benefit of this project x Find out alternative technologyCreate a competition for household in which house have least waste they will win and get reward X Conducting a survey on the residents' opinion and collecting their suggestions for the problem. X Enforcing fly-tipping legislation, prosecuting those dumping rubbish. X Reward for households that have the least waste. Reward for denouncing fly-it peers. Reducing a reasonable amount of council tax for the residents Postpone the project for at least 6 months. Showing people the negative effect on their lives if they don't recycle. X using some celebrity endorsement/ambassador.David Beckman, Adele†¦ ) X FREE Establish a technical team that can fix the system 24/7. 4/ Finally, we decide to choose these solutions: Establish a research on Southeast Norfolk District. This solutions will help us understand more about the people, what do they want from the project, what do they misunderstand about the project. Showing people the negative effect on their lives if they don't recycle. This solution will take a direct impact on people's kindness when they realize what they've done to the environment around them. Using some celebrity endorsement.They will act as Environment Ambassador to help promote the project, usually they will do it for free because this is also a good chance to promote their images. Hold a workshop about the benefit of this project. After TA king research, we will organized a wo rkshop to deliver the message to the people about the project, the environment to make them understand the true purpose of the project. Reward for households that have the least waste. It will encourage people to be more active, competitiveness is something that everybody has so they will be more happy to join the project.

Standards & Discipline: “Discipline” Video Case Study

Facilitator: Watching the video twice often ensures that participants are prepared to discuss the issues. Remember that SSG John Diem volunteered to share this story and served admirably and heroically in combat. Video summary: John Diem discusses the importance of discipline within the unit and the individual. â€Å"Just because you are overseas does not mean you do not continue to follow rules/standards/disciplines. You may not understand the reasoning behind these rules, but as professionals, you are expected to enforce and adhere to them. Length: 2:59 ? SSG Diem says, â€Å"When you allow your lack of understanding of these rules to become how you lead Soldiers and you allow yourself to discount them, that’s when you start having a negative effect. † o What should a leader do when they don’t understand Army rules & standards? o Have your group write down and discuss when they’ve enforced a particular standard. ? Diem says, â€Å"So I don’t exp ect lieutenants, sergeants, privates, even staff-sergeants to understand all of these rules. But I think the Army has the right to expect them to enforce them. † o What do you think of this statement? o How can a leader use their military expertise to learn rules in order to enforce them? o Ask the group to share what impact a leader’s misunderstanding of rules or SOPs had on them as a subordinate? ? Diem also said, of upholding standards, â€Å"You have to find when to ease up on that and (when to) harshly enforce it. † o How can â€Å"easing up† on a standard affect the performance of duties?