Landslide Limo Service Essay Example for Free

Landslide Limo Service Essay In regards to you request I have created a current employment compliance plan for Bradley Stonefield to ensure the process of starting a new business will be successful. Bradley Stonefield has explained his desire to start a Limousine company within the Austin TX area. Bradley Stonfield has indicated that his goal is to have25 employees within the first year of operation. The memo is to discuss and provide current employment laws and the consequences for non-compliance with said laws. Employment laws are created to protect the employer as well as the employee, failure to comply with any state or federal employee law could have an end result of complete failure, especially for smaller or new organizations. Non-compliance with employment laws can result in large or unaffordable penalties or severe actions. The memo will address 4 employment laws some are specific to Texas and the repercussion for non-compliance with said laws. The motor carrier safety improvement act of 1999, the equal employment act EEOC of 1972, employment at will for Texas, and Texas workers compensation act. The motor carrier safety improvement act of 1999: The Department of Transportation (DOT) established a separate administration with the Federal Motor Safety Administration on January 1 1999. (FMCSA, 2014) A limousine service has a standard set of regulations for smaller vehicles and larger capacity vehicles; the company must register with the FMCSA and have a current motor carrier identification report with the USDOT, must be current every two years. Each service vehicle must be insured with a minimum of the federal regulated minimum coverage in the event of a motor vehicle accident. The service driver must have and keep a current â€Å"C† class state driver’s license that includes a passenger endorsement. All drivers pre-employment must submit to a drug/alcohol test and must be willing to submit to random testing. Any service vehicle with the capacity to carry more than 9 persons and no more than 15 persons, the driver may not exceed a driving time of 10 hours. The driver/s must complete a safety inspection and maintain a vehicle safety and maintenance log before each trip prior to leaving the designated parking areas. All drivers must have a current driver’s license for the state and valid, and must either provide consent to have employer request driving records or provide current copies. Every vehicle that is used for service must be marked with a USDOT registration number and kept current. The company must keep and maintain all driving records/accident reports for drivers and vehicles for the past three years to current. (Federal limousine service and regulations, 2014) Failure to comply with federal regulations could result in a number of fees and penalties; Failure to maintain current DOT and license records can be up to or exceed $100.00 per violation, failure to maintain drug and alcohol records can be a fine up t0 $1000.00 per violation, failure to maintain current driving records can be a fine up to $2500.00 per employee, and any employee that is cited for using a vehicle during work hours for anything other than to transport a paying customer can result in up to a $10,000.00 fine. The equal employment act EEOC of 1972: The EEOC protect any persons from employment discrimination due to sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disabilities, political views, marital or family status, or sexual orientation. Failure to comply with EEOC laws can result in several lawsuits for discrimination, TSU woman’s basketball coach won a lawsuit in the sums of $730,000.00 for sexual  discrimination in 2011. She was originally hired in 2008 and then terminated shortly after, she had been threatened with a demotion and compared to a men’s coach Tony Harvey and this was terms for a lawsuit. Failure to comply with the current EEOC laws can result in a lawsuit as such and when an employee is terminated this example shows that no employee regardless of who they are should not be discriminated against due to personal feelings. Texas at-will employment â€Å"The general rule in Texas, and in most states, is that absent a specific agreement to the contrary, employment may be terminated by the employer or the employee at will, for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all.† (Employment at will Doctrine in Texas – Appellate case law 2010) Even though is a â€Å"at-will or right to work† state federal laws still apply, if an employee is on a contracted time they are exempt from the at will law. In an organization that embraces the â€Å"at will† employer law, the employer must also agree to that an employee will not be terminated unless it is for â€Å"good reason†, if an employee is performing satisfactory work of higher they are not exempt but they are also not at risk. Again failure to comply can result in a large and/or detrimental lawsuit to the company. â€Å"The supreme court recognized in Montgomery County that the courts must carefully distinguish between carefully developed employer representation upon which an employee may justifiably rely, and general platitudes, vague assurances, praise, and indefinite promises of permanent continued employment† (Employment at will Doctrine in Texas – Appellate case law 2010) Texas workers’ compensation act: The workers compensation act is designed to tentatively and temporarily replace the wages for a worker when employment hours are missed due to an on the job injury/injuries. The law only applies when an employee is able to prove that they were injured on the job/on the clock, they are entitled to a percentage of there regular earnings and medical care for said injuries. Texas is the only state that is able to choose not to offer workers compensation in Texas less than 40% will opt out of the workers compensation coverage. An employer that has chosen to enroll with the workers compensation, the threat of a law suit for not paying medical bills, or  paying a portion of wages is not a possibility, for the remaining 40% of employers who do not use workers’ compensation are suspect to possible lawsuits that could include coverage up to full wages for time missed. Texas employees are also able to decline to pay into workers compensation, and there are limitations to collecting of filing for workers compensation: If the employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, if the employee suffered from a self-induced injury, the injury was caused by a non-employee or was for personal reasons, or the injury was obtained while off duty. References: FMCSA. (January 1, 2014) retrieved from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission Federal limousine service and regulations. (2014) Retrieved from Limo service limousine service regulations: http://www.airportcommuter.com/worldwide/federal_limo_regulations.htm Employment at will Doctrine in Texas – Appellate case law (2010) retrieved from Texas opinions: http://www.texas-opinions.com/law-employment-at-will.html

Repressed Childhood Memories or False Memory Syndrome

Repressed Childhood Memories or False Memory Syndrome My descriptive subject will focus on the rising alarm of reports of cases of child sexual abuse that cannot be documented and have questioned the validity of a number of memories of sexual abuse. The areas that will give spotlight too will include the human memory and its multifaceted progressions. We program and encode information in an interesting way such as in audio/ sound form that travels to our short term memory bank. All these memories may cause distortion due to evoking memories that may have taken place in a dream or it simply did not happen at all. A more precise definition of false memory will be shown. How the four stages of memory such as, encoding, retrieval, storage, and recounting processes apply to false/distorted memories? Afterward, the paper will take account of experimentations that have been done on the function of encoding based and retrieval based causes in regards to false memory recognition. The paper will also encompass how memories can be drastically predisposed and influenced by either authority figures, therapists, or by a family member. Eventually, the term repressed memories will come to light in the paper. It will be significant to explain what repressed memories are and how it arrives to ones mind. This will help the reader to understand the correlation between false memories and simply memories. Controversial debates will be brought the issue from one extreme to the other. How one believes that repressed memories are counted for vs. repressed memories is implanted. Ramifications of memory distortion and false memories will be added. Several research and clinical psychologists have raised grave concerns that these activities are fostering the creation of false beliefs and memories that implicate innocent people. Prior to expanding on what is false memory, I believe it is vital to shed some light on working memory and cognitive psychology. The single most central part of growth in cognitive theorization is the segment of memory, which is divided into encoding, storage, and retrieval. It is a scientific system unlike phenomenological methods such as Freuds theories. Cognitive psychology is more intoned with calculation and demonstration of thinking with scientific outputs. Let us delve into, what is working memory? Working memory is sort of like a border perimeter, division of the human memory scheme, which unites transitory storage compartment and operations of information to facilitate understanding through interpretation, instinct, and perception. Following, what is short term memory? Short term memory represents an information cubicle that has not been touched by any sort of manipulation thus far. What is long term memory? Long term memory is different from short term memory and working memory. Information that is stored in the short term memory bank may flow into the long term memory division with rehearsal and consequential association processes. Scientists claim that process of long-term potentiation, which involves a physical change in the structure of neurons, has been proposed as the mechanism by which short-term memories move into long-term storage (Peterson, 1959). Repressed Childhood Memories or False Memory Syndrome? Its time to reflect on how false memory creeps up in adults? Some adults who recover veiled memories of child sexual abuse are said to be associated with false memory syndrome or just simple truth. How does the court system distinguish between false memory syndrome and the truth? A female may argue, for instance, that her father sexually molested her frequently among the ages of 3 and 6. A man may possibly remember that a family member conducted sexual advances on numerous instances while he was about 14 years old. Frequently repressed memories surface during therapy for another problem, perhaps for an eating disorder or depression. Some experts believe that recovered memories are just what they appear to be-horrible memories of abuse that have been buried for years in the persons mind. They point out that at least 200,000 to 300,000 children in the US are victims of sexual abuse each year, terrible experiences that may leave the children vulnerable to dissociative amnesia. Studies in fact suggest that 18 to 59 percent of sexual abuse victims have difficulty recalling at lest some details of their traumas. Other experts believe that the memories are actually illusions false images created by a mind that is confused. I fact, an organization called the False M emory Syndrome Foundation now assists people who claim to be falsely charged with abuse. These theorists note that the details of childhood sexual abuse are usually remembered all too well, not completely wiped from memory. They also point out that memory in general is hardly foolproof. If the alleged recovery of childhood memories is not what it appears to be what is it? According to opponents of the concept, it may be a powerful case of suggestibility. These theorists hold that both the clinical and public attention has led some therapists to make the diagnosis without sufficient evidence. The therapists may actively search for signs of early sexual abuse in clients and even encourage clients to produce repressed memories. Certain therapists in fact use special memory recovery techniques, including hypnosis, regression therapy, journal writhing, dream interpretation, and interpretation of bodily symptoms. Perhaps some clients respond to the techniques by unknowingly forming false memories of abuse. The apparent memories may then become increasingly familiar to them as a result of repeated therapy discussions of the alleged incidents. In short, recovered memories may actually be iatrogenic unintentionally caused by the therapist. Whatever may be the outcome of the repressed memory debate, the problem of childhood sexual abuse appears to be all too real and all too common. The Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently issued a statement in response to the growing concern regarding memories of sexual abuse. In part, the statement says: It is not known what proportion of adults who report memories of sexual abuse were actually abused. Many individuals who recover memories of abuse have been able to find corroborating information about their memories. However, no such information can be found, or is possible to obtain, in some situations. While aspects of the alleged abuse situation, as well as the context in which the memories emerge, can contribute to the assessment, there is no completely accurate way of determining the validity of reports in the absence of corroborating information. (Statement of the APA Board of Trustees, adopted December 12, 1993) References 1). American psychological Association (1994) Interim Report of the APA Working Group on Investigation of Memories of Childhood Abuse, APA (reprinted in Shepards Expert and Scientific Evidence Quarterly, 1994, Vol 2, p 465-467). The American Psychiatric Association has adopted a concern about memories of sexual abuse and the rise of reports that hold no merit. There has been a concern and puzzlement over the likelihood of false accusations. 2). American Psychiatric Association (1993, December 12) Board of Trustees Statement on memories of sexual abuse. The statement reveals that a proportion of adults who made testimonies about their child hood sexual abuses have not been able to provide proof. 3). Andrews, B, Morton, J., Bekerian, D.A., Brewin, C.R., Davies, G.M., Mollon, P. (1995) The recovery of memories in clinical practice. The Psychologist, 8, 209- 214. The authors discuss that memory recovery materialize as a frequent phenomenon. The position that patients declare are not founded on memories of real occurrences. 4). Arndt, J. (2010). The role of memory activation in creating false memories of encoding context. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36(1), 66-79. doi:10.1037/a0017394. This journal defines present day hypothesis of false memory that advocates two methods in which unites in fabricating false memory. The first one enhances false memory (error-editing processes) and the second experiment using the DRM paradigm (Deese, 1959; Roediger McDermott, 1995) discovered the influence of manipulating the number of associates studied, study item presentation frequency, backward associative strength, and study time on error-inflating and error-editing processes separately by examining speeded and unspeeded recognition decisions. The outcome of the examinations signified that comprehensive theories of false memory phenomena must propose the existence of two different factors: one that increases false memory and is available early in memory retrieval, and one that usually, but not always, decreases false memory and is available later in retrieval. 5). Arndt, J. (2006). Distinctive information and false recognition: The contribution of encoding and retrieval factors. Journal of Memory and Language, 54(1), 113-130. doi:10.1016/j.jml.2005.08.003. In this journal review by Arndt, scientists have conducted four experimentations on the function of encoding-based and retrieval-based causes with the assembly in mind of false recognition. The results of the four experimentations recommend visual features encountered at encoding can become associated with representations of unstudied items and can lead to inflated levels of false recognition when unstudied items are tested in a visual format experienced at encoding or when participants utilize monitoring processes to search memory for evidence of perceptual information encountered during encoding. 6). Gallo, D. (2004). Using Recall to Reduce False Recognition: Diagnostic and Disqualifying Monitoring. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 30(1), 120-128. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.30.1.120. In this journal review Gallo, concentrated on reducing false recognition of related lures. Subjects were utilized with instructions given such as; following standard test directions and or following the usage of recalling to reduce false recognition. Results indicated exhaustively recalling a category allowed subjects to disqualify the lure as having occurred, analogous to recall-to-reject demonstrations in other tasks. 7). Gordon, Barry (1995, July 13) Review of The Myth of Repressed Memory. The New England Journal of Medicine, p 133-134. Repressed memory is described as distinct from forgotten memory, or from avoided memory. It is also distinct from any known form of amnesia. Repressed memory, as used by both believers and skeptics, is memory of a historic fact which has left no trace of its framework available to the conscious mind, to the extent that there isnt even any consciousness that there is *something* missing. 8). Hicks, J., Starns, J. (2006). The roles of associative strength and source memorability in the contextualization of false memory. Journal of Memory and Language, 54(1), 39-53. doi:10.1016/j.jml.2005.09.004. Hicks investigated the force of associative strength and retrieval heuristics in false source memory with final result discovered and demonstrated that source details of concepts most highly related to critical items are retrieved with false memories. 9). Jones, T. C., Jacoby, L. L. (2001). Feature and conjunction errors in recognition memory: Evidence for dual-process theory. Journal of Memory Language, 45(1), 82-102. doi:10.1006/jmla.2000.2761. This journal investigated the feature and conjunction errors in recognition memory using a dual-process framework. Scientists have conducted four experiments and found that feature and conjunction errors are based on familiarity in the absence of recollection. Investigators have also stated an approach that combines an item-associative distinction with a dual-process framework (e.g.,Yonelinas, 1997) also can account for these errors. 10). Rhoades, Geroge F. (1995) Therapeutic precautions to help prevent false memory allegations. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the International Society for the study of Dissociation, Lake Buena Vista, Fl. Dr. Rhoades explains the risk of working with trauma survivors is the prospect of being sued for implanting false memories. Be sure to document all sessions and do not tell clients that you believe what they are saying is true. Dr. Rhoades gives further precautions for therapist in situations where they are faced with trauma survivors.

Deviance :: essays research papers

Being labeled and institutionalized as a social deviant proves to be stigmatizing in life. In Dina Temple-Rastons A Death in Texas, she chronicles the murder of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper, Texas during the summer of 1998. The author suggests in Chapters 1-4 that suspected murder Billy King is more than a case study of abnormal psychology and that his actions may be explained as a career criminal who has been marginalized by society. While most authors fixate on the psychology within killers, she also includes the town’s historical background and the social context in which the murder took place. Sociologist, Kai Erikson would applaud his style as he postulates that deviant behavior becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Erikson states that once a person commits an act, they are labeled and treated as deviant and they have little opportunity to act any differently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Billy King was labeled and treated as a deviant this maltreatment had the greatest influence on King. On page 44 of the text, Kylies mother refers to King as â€Å"an ex-con† and does not want her daughter to hang around with someone â€Å"like that.† When labeled as a deviant, people are suspicious of you and begin treating you with a lack of respect and see you as different. Even though â€Å"he had kept his nose clear, Sheriff Rowles made a mental note when he saw the picture of Bill King† (Pg. 45).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The prison where Bill King was remanded was at the end of a wooded road and hidden behind shabby homes and a trailer park. Billy was a man of small stature and had to act with bravado to not be injured while in prison. He was jammed into a facility with â€Å"3,00 young toughs† (pg 70) who â€Å"wielded a lethal combination of intimidation and one upmanship.† The men were segregated and survived by making (like) racial alliances. King was called a peckerwoods – he would fight but he was not tough enough to fit into the prisons many gangs for protection† (pg 71). The author suggests that Kings nose was broken and that he may have been sodomized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On page 77, the author states that Billy was the adored center of a dysfunctional family and that his step-mother may not of held him accountable for his actions. It may be that Billy felt traumatized by his real mother abandoning him and it put him â€Å"off stride for life† (pg 77).

The Innocence of Socrates Essay -- essays research papers

The Innocence of Socrates The goals of this paper will be to explore the death of Socrates and to support the thesis that the jury at Socrates' trial was not justified in its decision to sentence him to death. One of the major charges against Socrates in his trial was that of "impiety." This allegation specifically referred to Socrates' neglect of the accepted public gods of the city and introducing new gods. "Neglecting the public gods" may have referred to Socrates' individualistic optimism when regarding their nature. He believed that the gods were benevolent beings and disagreed with the written legends that depicted them as evil. Most Greeks did believe the pessimistic theological speculation of popular poets, and Socrates' failure to follow this trend likely contributed to his being accused of neglecting the gods. As for the charge of introducing new deities, it was actually a common practice for Greek cities to modify their roster of public gods. Therefore, Socrates' only crime may have been doing so on his own rather than following changes in accepted religious dogma. A second charge against Socrates was that of "corrupting the youth." Specifically, this referred to the allegation that he made his followers idle, lazy, and weak. He also supposedly undermined parental authority, encouraged disrespect for one's elders, and promised to make youths wiser and otherwise superior to their parents. It was feared that Socrates' teachings would...

Religious Symbolism in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay

Religious Symbolism in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck portrays the movement of a family of migrant workers, the Joads, from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression. Steinbeck's novel, though it is surprisingly lacking in surface-level symbolism, was "conceived [on] simultaneous levels of existence, ranging from socio-economic determinism to transcendent spirituality" (DeMott, xiii). One of the many levels on which this novel can be read is as a parallel to the stories of Christ and the Exodus (Louis Owens, John Steinbeck's Re-Vision of America, quoted in DeMott, xiii). Steinbeck intertwines allegories based on these two stories throughout his novel. Through these intertwined religious textures, and the destitution and depression that constitutes the greater part of the novel, Steinbeck conveys the message of the impending "death of religion" while at the same time establishing his novel as a sort of new gospel for the people. On the surface, one can read Steinbeck's novel in one of two ways: by reading the longer, even-numbered chapters, one gains a close understanding of the life of this particular family. But by reading the shorter, odd-numbered, "intercalary" chapters, which could almost constitute a short novel in and of themselves, one begins to comprehend the "epic sweep" of the exodus of multitudes of workers to California, the apparent promised land. Steinbeck intended to separate these two stories in the reader's mind, as we see in his journal kept while writing the book, published later as Working Days: I find that I am not very satisfied with the numbering of these chapters. It may be that they simply will be numbered with large nume... ...apes highlight the differences between the times in which the two stories were written, and the flaws of the culture in which Steinbeck wrote. The approach of looking at this epic as it relates to the Christian tradition sheds some new light on it, and in addition shows that Steinbeck truly meant this work to be remembered for all time.    Works Cited DeMott, Robert. "Introduction". The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1992: vii-xliv. Levant, Howard. "The Fully Matured Art: The Grapes of Wrath". The Novels of John Steinbeck: A Critical Survey. Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri Press, 1983. New Revised Standard Version Bible. New York: American Bible Society, 1989. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1992. Steinbeck, John. Working Days: The Journals of the Grapes of Wrath. Ed. Robert DeMott. New York: Viking, 1989.

Analysis of Biff in Death of a Salesman

Camilla Tanzi Year 12 An analysis of the character of Biff. Biff Loman is portrayed as the root of Willy’s mental illness and instability. He is also the only member of his family who acknowledges his own failures in life. On the whole, Biff Loman stands out as the most intriguing and strong character in â€Å"Death of a Salesman. He is not a successful man and never will be, he is however able to admit this, even in a harsh society as the one of the 1960s America. Biff knows he is a â€Å"nothing† and tries to make his father see that he is â€Å"no good.I am a dime a dozen, Pop, and so are you. † He begs for Willy to communicate with him and accept him for who he is. Although Willy is forced by Biff to see some of his own failures, he never accepts that Biff will turn out the same way. At the end of the play, Biff seems to have developed a strength of his own; he has faced and accepted the truth about himself and his father. Now that he acknowledges his proble ms, there is a hope that he will be able to reach his potential. If â€Å"Death of a Salesman† offers any hope, it is only through the character of Biff. Also read: Expressionism in Death of a SalesmanMiller implies there is a chance that he will one day be able to live a normal life, away from the shadow of Willy Loman. Biff stimulates reactions out of his father’s lunacy and is portrayed as the main cause of Willy’s problems. We understand that Willy has been a bad influence on his son and in spite of this; he has big ambitions for Biff and does not want to admit that he will never reach the goals he wishes for him. Being Willy’s oldest son, Biff seems to be the perfect child to his father.However, as the play develops and especially when it shifts from Willy’s dreams to the reality, we see a change in his attitude towards his son. When Biff was the star rugby player, the only thing that mattered to Willy was his success in the sport. As a matter of fact, when Bernard informs Willy and Biff about the possibility of him being â€Å"flunked in math†, Willy’s reply is stiff and arrogant:  "Don’t be a pest, Bernard! (To his boys) What an anaemic! † The use of the word â€Å"anaemic† is a perfect example to show what the man’s morals are; he considers Bernard a teenager who lacks vitality, boring.The author could possibly be implying that Willy is actually envious of Bernard and even though he doesn’t want to admit it, his is just jealousy when he shows aversion towards him. Willy has different ambitions for his sons’ futures than most people had for theirs at the time; he believes that sport will be enough to help Biff succeed in the business world, make him rich and notorious; â€Å"That’s just what I mean, Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you’re going to be five times ahead of him. Arthur Miller provides us with a lot of evidence that Willy has been a bad influence on Biff. While Biff is in some ways desperate to impr ess his father, he is also conscious about the fact that Willy has failed his attempt to be successful in his career. He considers his dad’s dreams materialistic and unreachable. As a matter of fact, in the Requiem, even after his father’s death, Biff says: â€Å"He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong. † Unlike Happy and Willy, Biff is self-aware and values facts; Willy never was a successful salesman and he never wanted to face the truth.On the other hand, Biff is conscious about his failures and the weaknesses of his personality. During an argument with his father, Biff admits that his dad made him â€Å"so arrogant as a boy† that now he just can’t handle taking orders from a boss. I think this is what truly differentiates Biff from the rest of his family; he is honest and sincere about himself and would rather work on a ranch than try to be successful in a work field that he knows will never accept him. Biff is also the only character that acts as a reminder that the American Dream is not an every man’s dream.Bernard has become a successful lawyer as his father Charley, Willy and Happy try to pretend they have too, but Biff is the only one who surrenders to his destiny. Rather than seeking success and money, he wants a basic life working on ranches. He does not try to push into the crowd of people aiming for a good job and a wealthy life-style, but instead wants to be seen for who he truly is: â€Å"Happy: The only thing is- what can you make out there? Biff: But look at your friend. Builds an estate and then doesn’t have the peace of mind to live in it. In a way, Miller is trying to tell us that Americans are made victims of the country’s success. â€Å"Death of a Salesman† seems to argue that America as a whole does not value people who look for simple pleasures such as working in the countryside, and the American Dream pushes people to only aim for jobs in the industry. It is ironic how Ber nard turns out to succeed as a successful and well-known lawyer. It is ironic because during high school Willy used to mock him for studying hard and always praised Biff for not studying at all.Bernard is presented as a weak and shy character and Miller wants us to believe that Biff will turn out to be successful rather than him and not the contrary. However, things turned out differently to how both Willy and Biff expected them to. Bernard’s success irritates Willy because his own sons’ lives do not measure up to Bernard’s: â€Å"(after a pause): I’m- I’m overjoyed to see how you made the grade Bernard, overjoyed. It’s an encouraging thing to see a young man really-really- Looks very good for Biff- very (He breaks off, then) Bernard- (He is so full of emotion, he breaks off again). Once again, Biff is the cause of his father’s despair; he does not want to pursue Willy’s dreams, he wants something other than material things fr om life, and this destroys the man. Biff has learnt from his father that to be â€Å"well-liked† and attractive are the most important ingredients for success. Up to now, I have only analysed the differences between Biff and Willy, however, it is also very important to highlight the few similarities between the two characters. When he was a teenage boy, Willy’s authority on Biff was evident.We find that when the three Loman men are talking about Bernard, Biff echoes small bits of his father’s view on life when he says that his friend is â€Å"liked but not well-liked†. This implies that Biff once used to have respect towards Willy; he admired his strong personality and approved his view on the business world. Biff Loman is aware that he will not succeed as a salesman or any other job without his maths degree. On the other hand, his father is convinced he will and does not what to face the reality of facts. However, towards the end of the play we see a cha nge in both the men’s attitudes.As a matter of fact, they have switched opinions; â€Å"Biff: (horrified, gets down on one knee before Willy): Dad, I’ll make good, I’ll make good. (Willy tries to get to his feet. Biff holds him down. ) Sit down now. Willy: No, you’re no good, you’re no good for anything. † Biff is now desperate and is obviously worried for his father’s mental health and tries to encourage him to be positive in any way he can- even if this involves lying to himself about his potential. As I previously mentioned in my introduction, Biff seems to be the only character that offers any hope whatsoever in â€Å"Death of a Salesman†.At the beginning of the play, he tells the audience about his dreams of living in the south: â€Å"What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty-eight dollars a week! I’m thirty-four years old, I oughta be makin’ my future. That’s when I coming running home. And now, I get here, and I don’t know what to do with myself. † This clearly shows that biff aspires to better things, but does not know what to do in an industrial city as New York. He wants to succeed and build a future, but at the same time he enjoys the pleasures of living in the countryside and not having any stress.Here is where we understand that Biff is fundamentally lazy. He would like to have a nice and wealthy life, but he just does not have the strength or the motivation to work for it. On the whole, through the illusions that Willy believes, he cannot see Biff as a â€Å"nobody† and cannot accept that he won’t be successful as he hopes. Eventually, Biff finally sees the truth and realises that he is â€Å"no great leader of men†. He also comprehends the delusions that Willy lived on. Biff is destined to no greatness, but he no longer has to struggle to understand what he wants to do with his life; â€Å"I know who I am, kid. â₠¬ 

Mountain Biking Is My Favorite Sport Essay

Sweat dripping into my eyes, blurring my vision. My legs feel weak, making it difficult to pedal. I pause and allow myself to take a deep breath before speeding down hill. The adrenaline rushing through my veins, and the thrilling thought of what is to come next demands my body to get ready and keep going. I speed down the hill narrowly missing a couple of big jagged stones sticking up through the trail and trees. The intensity and extremity of mountain biking make it undoubtedly my favorite sport. Furthermore, mountain biking is my favorite sport because it is great for the body and mind, it brings about a challenge, and it allows me to have a positive environmental impact. Mountain bike riding is a great way to exercise both the body and mind. It is a sport that allows you to build muscle in addition to building up your cardiovascular endurance. It targets almost every muscle in the body, particularly arms, abs, shoulders and legs. Furthermore, it is a great way to boost your energy, remain in shape, and in fact according to many studies, by biking at least three hours per week, your chances of heart disease can be decreased by approximately 50 percent. However, the biggest benefit from mountain biking is being able to exercise outdoors. It allows the mind to open up and expand its thoughts. Personally, I get a sense of clarity and I feel more in tune with details. There are also no worries, doubts or fears crossing my mind. Aside from the unquestionable benefits for the body and mind, mountain biking inspires a great sense of confidence and authority. Before and as I take on the many obstacles and hurdles in the trails, I either plan or have to think on the spot to prevent injury. While biking, I have control of my approach, performance and outcome. Facing challenging obstacles and being able to successfully beat them, builds a sense of empowerment. In the real world these feelings evolve my ability to know what I want and to act on it effectively. It further boost my leadership skills at work, in school and in everyday situations. In addition to its positive physical and mental impacts, mountain biking has a positive environmental impact. As a mountain biker, I enjoy a pollution free environment to ride in. Mountain bicycles use no fuel, do not require toxic batteries or motor oils and take less energy to make than a car. It also increases outdoor advocacy by generating a connection to nature. Many mountain bikers, including myself, are dedicated to protecting and maintaining the natural and cultural resources of where they ride. Adopting trail designs that eliminate soil erosion, avoiding sensitive habitats and protecting wetlands, are some examples of how to minimize environmental impacts. Mountain bike riding is my favorite sport because it is a way in which I disconnect my mind and soul from reality, and allow all of my senses to engage in the moment. Moreover, it is a sport in which I build strength, power, stability and agility. Also, through the obstacles and hurtles encountered in the exhausting yet exhilarating trails, I gain a stronger sense of authority and confidence that I implement in the challenges of the real world. Lastly, it is my favorite sport because it is pollution free and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.