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Golds Gym Essay Gold’s gym has been the authority in fitness since 1965 dating back to the original Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. It was the place for serious fitness. Thereafter, Gold’s Gym quickly became known as â€Å"The Mecca of bodybuilding†. In 1977, Gold’s Gym received international attention when it was featured in the movie ‘Pumping Iron’ that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Today, Gold’s Gym has expanded its fitness profile to offer all of the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, spinning and yoga, while maintaining its core weight training tradition. With 3.5 million members worldwide, Gold’s Gym continues to change lives by helping people achieve their individual potential. Mission Statement: To enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve, through our fitness philosophy, facilities, programs, and products; and to instill in the lives of people everywhere the value of health and fitness. We are committed to exceeding our members fitness goals by utilizing our rich history established over the last 42 years of superior training, information, support and guidance provided by the largest and the best fitness organization in the world. Service excellence is our golden rule. Vision: To inspire, support, and lead every member in their effort toward a healthy, productive, and fun life, and to provide a safe, fun, energetic, rewarding, and fair working environment. We are the inspiration and the leadership that will guide the Wenatchee Valley to be the fittest community in America. We are the Customer Care benchmark. We are passionate about helping others. We are a great company for which to work.   Core Values: Respect – Have regard for others’ beliefs and viewpoints. Candor – Speak openly and honestly. Integrity Don’t â€Å"act† as though you have values – Be your values. If you really don’t care about other people, PLEASE don’t work here. Learning and Knowledge Sharing – Intellectual capital is our most valuable treasure. Share what you learn and be open to learn from others. Teamwork – This isn’t about you or me. It is about us. Make everyone around you look good. Humility – We are all equally important†¦.and equally unimportant. Accountability – True accountability is the process of constantly asking yourself; â€Å"what else can I do to make things better?† While it may have started out as a humble hard core training gym, Golds Gym has grown into a fitness empire. So does big mean bad? Or can corporate gyms still be a good place for independently minded personal trainers? With hundreds of locations across the world, the mega fitness employers of hour fitness, Bally Total Fitness and Golds gym are going to be tempting places where personal trainers can get almost guaranteed employment. The Personal Training Job Board is packed with entry level jobs. Golds Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers commonly referred to as gyms. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas Today, Golds Gym claims to be the largest chain of co-ed gyms in the world, with more than 750 locations in 42 states and 30 countries. Golds Gym has a membership of more than three and a half million, split almost equally between male and female patrons. Golds Gym locations are equipped with cardiovascular and strength training equipment and offer group exercise classes such as group cycling, Pilates, Latin dance yoga and stretching through the company GGX (Golds Group Exercise) program. Many gyms also offer basketball, swimming pools and boxing studios. Golds Gym is privately owned. It was acquired from its previous owner, private equity firm Brockway Moran Partners, by Robert Rowlings TRT Holdings in 2004 for approximately $158 million. Brockway Moran had acquired the company in 1999. The current chief corporate officers include President and CEO Jim Snow, David Fowler as senior divisional vice president, and Aaron Watkins as senior vice president of finance and accounting. Average Golds Gym Salaries: As of May 30, 2012, the average salary for golds gym jobs is $41,000 USD. Average golds gym salaries can vary greatly due to company, location, industry, experience and benefits. This salary was calculated using the average salary for all jobs with the term golds gym anywhere in the job listing. Jobs: Employees must be at least 18 years of age. Gold’s Gym is an equal opportunity employer who recognizes the value of having a diverse workforce. It seeks and encourages qualified applicants regardless of gender, ethnicity, or other cultural or physical characteristics. Fitness Sales Manager Our Sales Managers are responsible for consistent improvement of club sales and operations through effective planning, implementation, use and exercise of independent judgment and discretion in determining how to best maximize profits, contain costs, and hold club employees accountable. Personal Training Sales Manager Personal Training Sales Managers are responsible for selling training packages for our certified personal training staff and holding Personal Training Sales Counselors and Personal Trainers accountable. Fitness Sales Counselor A Membership Sales Counselor will actively pursue enrollment of new members through self-generated and Company-sponsored programs, promotions and referrals. This includes establishing and maintaining lead boxes; calling on new businesses for corporate accounts, obtain leads from existing members, give club tours and membership presentations, utilize computer programs to track appointments and sales. Personal Training Sales Counselor A Personal Training Sales Counselor will actively pursue enrollment of new members into Gold’s Gym Pro Results Personal Training packages by providing introductory training assessments, and utilizing computer programs to track appointments and sales. Operations Manager The job of our Operations Managers is to ensure that our members receive exceptional service from a happy, friendly staff in a clean and well-maintained facility. Operations Managers hire, train, and supervise all fitness, babysitting and janitorial staff, resolve all membership issues, update past due accounts, manage payroll and supplies budget, and uphold company standards Club Staff The job of our club staff is to meet, greet and check-in members and guests of Gold’s Gym, provide excellent customer service and update member’s account information using various computer applications and be assertive, enthusiastic and punctual. Group Fitness (Aerobics) Group Fitness Trainers are enthusiastic, professional, motivated, experienced individuals who enjoy teaching group fitness. They have experience in teaching one or several of the following formats: Cycling, Step, Latin, Hip Hop, light weight dumbbells, Kick box Cardio, Aqua, Mat Pilates and yoga. Personal Trainer The main responsibility of our Personal Trainers is to design and implement programs for our personal training clients. They are expected to treat all clients in a professional and compassionate manner and be prepared to advise clients of what to do during their â€Å"off day† when they are exercising on their own. In general, the trainer position requires you to be a positive fitness role model for all our clients and club members Building Maintenance The Building Maintenance personnel must have experience in at least one of the following specialties: wood floor refinishing, tile work, HVAC, painting, CPO, plumbing, electrical. Janitor The Janitor maintains the cleanliness and beauty of the club by cleaning the locker rooms, mopping floors, emptying trash containers, wiping off counters, cleaning equipment, cleaning mirrors and windows, etc. Equipment Technician The Equipment Technician must have a solid experience troubleshooting electrical, electromechanical and mechanical systems. Job Descriptions Tasks: Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, voice mail systems, and personal computers. Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages. Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer. Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints. Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail. Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities. Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports. Type, format, proofread, and edit correspondence and other documents, from notes or dictating machines, using computers or typewriters. Complete work schedules, manage calendars, and arrange appointments. Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests . Greets each member and guests promptly, enthusiastically and with a smile to create a friendly positive entrance into the gym. Says â€Å"Hello† to all incoming guests and says â€Å"Good-bye† to all outgoing guests. Provides security and control to the front door area of the facility. Checks each member into the gym using the proper check-in procedures. Monitor check-ins to identify delinquent accounts and notifies Gym Operations Supervisor. Register all guests into the gym using proper registration procedures. Ensures that guests and appointments are directed to the appropriate fitness consultant in a prompt, professional manner. Answers phone by the third ring in a professional and courteous manner and uses proper phone greeting techniques. Addresses callers’ requests and/or takes appropriate messages. Registers all telephone inquiries in the TI register in the Master Production Binder and transfers the call to the appropriate Fitness Consultants. Responsible for following up on telephone inquiries to ensure that the appointment was booked properly. Responds immediately to member requests, inquiries and concerns. Maintain neat appearance and wear proper uniform attire with nametag while on duty. Distributes keys, towels and other materials as needed. Reserves time/makes appointments for tanning, special classes or other activities sponsored by the gym. Tools: Franking or postage machines — Postage machines Photocopiers — Photocopying equipment Scanners — Data input scanners Computers — Laptop and Desktop computer Technology: Accounting software — Billing software; Bookkeeping software; Intuit QuickBooks software Data base user interface and query software — Alpha Software Alpha Five; IBM Check Processing Control System CPSC; Microsoft Access; St. Paul Travelers e-CARMA Document management software — Filing system software; Records management software; Transcription system software Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel Word processing software — Microsoft Word Knowledge: Clerical —Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology. Customer and Personal Service — Providing customer and personal services; including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Accounting Principles — Understanding of basic accounting principles and cash processing procedures. Skills: Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others reactions and understanding why they react as they do. Time Management — Managing ones own time and the time of others. Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Abilities: Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern, according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). Work Activities: Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Requirements: Education This occupation requires a high school diploma. Related Experience Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public. Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers. Tasks: Observe participants and inform them of corrective measures necessary for skill improvement. Instruct participants in maintaining exertion levels to maximize benefits from exercise routines. Offer alternatives during classes to accommodate different levels of fitness. Plan routines, choose appropriate music, and choose different movements for each set of muscles, depending on participants capabilities and limitations. Teach proper breathing techniques used during physical exertion. Evaluate individuals abilities, needs, and physical conditions, and develop suitable training programs to meet any special requirements. Monitor participants progress and adapt programs as needed. Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations governing sports, recreational activities, and the use of exercise equipment. Provide students with information and resources regarding nutrition, weight control, and lifestyle issues. Administer emergency first aid, wrap injuries, treat minor chronic disabilities, or refer injured persons to physicians. Tools: Balance beams — Balance boards; Balance disks Exercise balls — Medicine balls; Weighted exercise balls Fitness weights — Fitness jog belts; Free weights; Water ankle weights; Weighted swim vests Microphones Technology: Calendar and scheduling software — Appointment scheduling software; Contemporary Web Plus Appointment-Plus Data base user interface and query software — BioEx Systems Exercise Expert; DietMaster Systems DietMaster Medical software — BioEx Systems Nutrition Maker Plus Project management software — BioEx Systems Fitness Maker; Get Physical! Software Personal Trainer Pro; Natural Fitness Concepts The Trainers Edge; Vesteon Software Personal Trainer-PDA Knowledge: Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Skills: Instructing — Teaching others how to do something. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods. Monitoring — Monitoring individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others actions. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Abilities: Gross Body Coordination — The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion. Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without giving out or fatiguing. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretches, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue. Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Work Activities: Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. Requirements: Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associates degree. Related Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents. Sales Manager Tasks: Manage, hire, train and develop sales staff. Generates sales leads through companys sponsored events while coordinating with the regional marketing function locally. Oversees lead generation for sales team through Company’s sponsored (walk-ins) and employee sponsored (outreach and promotions). Motivate sales staff and monitor their production levels by using the established protocols and sales system programs. Hold daily production meeting with sales team. Establish and maintain the standard company protocol for sales tours and price presentation. Maintain and direct training development of the gym sales staff. Establish and maintain an active referral system with the sales team. Establish and maintain a lead box/lead bowl system and monitor on a monthly basis. Develop and retain corporate client relationships through the sales team on a monthly basis. Audit sales team on a monthly basis. Maintain acceptable level of personal sales production. Submit monthly game plan for training, promotions and department meetings to General Manager and Area Manager. Create, implement and promote special events for the gym with regional marketing to generate new member sales. Answers phone by the third ring in a professional and courteous manner and uses proper phone greeting techniques. Addresses callers’ requests and/or takes appropriate messages. Registers all telephone inquiries in the TI register in the Master Production Binder and transfers the call to the appropriate Fitness Consultants. Responsible for following up on telephone inquiries to ensure that the appointment was booked properly. Responds immediately to member requests, inquiries and concerns. Maintain neat appearance and wear proper uniform attire with nametag while on duty. Distributes keys, towels and other materials as needed. Technology: Calendar and scheduling software — Contact management software; Scheduling software Customer relationship management CRM software — Eden Sales Manager; FrontRange Solutions Goldmine software; Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM; Vanguard Software Vanguard Sales Manager Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software; Microsoft Access Electronic mail software — Email software; IBM Lotus Notes; Microsoft Outlook Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel Knowledge: Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Personnel and Human Resources — Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems. Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data. Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. Skills: Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others actions. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Management of Personnel Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. Abilities: Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Work Activities: Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources; in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. Requirements: Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelors degree, but some do not. College degree preferred. High school diploma and some college courses completed is required Fitness certifications. Related Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. Previous experience in the fitness area as manager or sales head. Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. Internal sales training at the fitness center. Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents. Job Evaluation Point Method Analysis Defining Compensable Factors 1. Effort: earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something through the exertion of physical or mental power. 2. Skill: ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills) 3. Contact with Others: reaching out to or being in touch with another person, business or entity. For example, a salesperson may contact another person or business for a potential sale. 4. Complexity of Duties: Condition of having many diverse and autonomous but interrelated and interdependent components or parts linked through many dense interconnections. 5. Decision Making: Degree to which judgment is required to address typical problems associated with the position, and the impact that these decisions will have on the business Effort This factor evaluates physical and mental requirements of the job. It considers the amount of detail work, diversity of tasks, deadline pressures, and emergency situations. Degree Description of Characteristics 1 Minimal effort required (e.g., tasks are simple and routine, and use well-defined procedures) 2 Limited effort required (e.g., tasks are simple but varied, with some limitations set by standard practices and procedures) 3 Moderate effort required (e.g., tasks have some variation and complexity,with work governed only by broad instructions and objectives) 4 Substantial effort required (e.g., tasks are highly varied and complex, involving analysis and evaluation of many complex and important factors) 5 Extreme effort required (e.g., tasks are highly varied and extremely complex, involving analysis and evaluation of many complex and important factors) Skills This factor evaluates the ability to exercise cognitive skills, technical skills, and/or interpersonal skills. Degree Description of Characteristics 1 Little skill required (e.g. use of reading and writing, adding and subtracting; following of instructions, computer literacy and proper speech, with basic health and fitness skills) 2 Limited skill required (e.g. use of simple use of formulas and formulation of schedules; operation of equipment and machines; checking of reports, forms, records, and comparable data, with fitness training skills) 3 Moderate skill required (e.g. use of different methods of analysis; interpretation of data, equivalent to 1 to 3 years’ applied training in a particular or specialized occupation with fitness training skills) 4 Substantial skill required (e.g. use of advance methods of analysis and interpretation, all varieties of measuring instruments, equivalent to complete accredited apprenticeship in a recognized occupation; or equivalent to a 2-year health, nutrition or fitness college education and skills) 5 Extreme skill required (e.g. use of higher application of principles and the performance of related practical operations, together with a comprehensive knowledge of the theories and practices, health, fitness, management and other related fields. Equivalent to completing 4 years of health, nutrition or fitness college or university education and skills) Contact with Others This factor evaluates personal interaction with others outside direct reporting relationships (e.g. employees from other departments, customers, vendors/suppliers, the general public, etc.) and the degree to which the employee works with or through other people to achieve organization goals. It includes internal and external contacts and evaluates the frequency of the contact, the nature of the contact (informational vs. influencing), and the degree of impact the contact has on the organization. Degree Description of Characteristics Has little or no interaction with others (less than 20% of work time) and contact is internal, limited to co-workers and the direct supervisor for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information on routine matters. (Seeking and exchanging information, engaging others in conversation, and responding to questions) 2 Has moderate interaction with others (21% to 50% of work time) and contact is internal with other departments and superiors in other areas, for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information, but may require some influencing skills, tact and discretion. (Interpreting and explaining information, outlining alternative actions, and or gaining information from others) 3 Has frequent interaction with others (more than 51% or work time) and contact is both internal and external to the organization, for the purpose of supplying or obtaining information, and may require minimal influencing skills, tact and discretion. (Interpreting and explaining information, outlining alternative actions, and gaining information from others) 4 Contact is both internal and external to the organization, for the purposes of influencing and persuading in order to carry out company policy or goals. Requires communication skills, tact, discretion, persuasion, and an awareness of dynamics and organization goals with respect to external contacts (customers, suppliers, government entities, the community, or others) to gain cooperation. (Convincing other people, resolving disagreements, leading group activities, making presentations, or counselling) 5 Contact is both internal and external to the organization, primarily with top management levels, for the purposes of influencing and persuading in order to carry out company goals. Requires an awareness of strategy and timing. May involve difficult or sensitive negotiations requiring considerable tact, discretion, communication skills, and persuasiveness. (Formal or informal negotiations, resolution of complex situations, formalized debates or presentations) Complexity of Duties This factor evaluates the complexity of duties with regards to the degree of independent action, standardized job duties, exercise of judgement, job decisions, exercise of discretion, resourcefulness, or creativity in devising methods, procedures, services or products. Degree Description of Characteristics Little Judgement: Understands and follows simple instructions. 2 Some Judgement: Follows detailed instructions and standard procedures to perform repetitive or routine duties. 3 Simple Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs varied duties requiring an extensive knowledge of a particular field. Uses a wide range of procedures. 4 Complex Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs a wide variety of duties requiring a broad knowledge of company policies and procedures in addition to extensive knowledge of a particular field. 5 Advanced Analytical Judgement: Plans and performs difficult work without set precedent or procedures. Involves highly technical or involved projects that have new or constantly changing problems. Decision Making This factor evaluates the thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available options. When trying to make a good decision, a person must weigh the positives and negatives of each option, and consider all the alternatives. For effective decision-making, a person must be able to forecast the outcome of each option as well, and based on all these items, determine which option is the best for that particular situation. Degree Description of Characteristics Requires few decisions and duties are usually very standardized. 2 Exercises judgement to analyze facts or conditions to determine what action should be taken using standard practices. 3 Requires minor decision making. Requires outstanding judgement and initiative to deal with complex factors not easily evaluated. Makes decisions based on precedent and company policies. 5 Ingenuity and exceptional judgement necessary to deal with not easily evaluated factors and to interpret results. Makes decisions that involve a great deal of responsibility. Job Description for Customer Service Representative/Front Desk Processes orders, prepares correspondence, and fulfills customer needs to ensure customer satisfaction. Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and 0-3 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Customer Service Representative I U.S. National Averages The median expected salary for a typical Customer Service Representative I in the United States is $30,380. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies. Additional Information: O’net Source: Median wages (2011) $13.07 hourly, $27,190 annual Job Description for Fitness Instructor Coordinates all fitness programs for a facility. Organizes and instructs exercise classes for all fitness levels. Ensures that all participants are properly trained on the use of the facilitys exercise equipment. Responsible for making sure that the exercise area and equipment are safe and clean. May require a bachelors degree in area of specialty and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor. Source: HR Reported data as of June 2012 The median expected salary for a typical Fitness Instructor in the United States is $47,240. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies. Job Description for Sales Ensures the maximum effectiveness of the sales force by developing and implementing training programs. Designs and delivers training sessions on company products, business practices, and other topics as needed. Monitors and reports on the effectiveness of training programs and may conduct initial needs analysis. Requires a bachelors degree in a related area and 0-2 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Has knowledge of commonly-used concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job. Works under immediate supervision. Primary job functions do not typically require exercising independent judgment. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Directs and oversees an organizations sales policies, objectives, and initiatives. Sets short- and long-term sales strategies and evaluates effectiveness of current sales programs. Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Conclusion Recent industry compensation surveys state that employees remain in their jobs for 1 year or more. Though employee motivation is strongly derived from an individual’s passion for his or her work, compensation plays a major role in satisfaction and retention. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, fitness instructor’s average salary is $20.25 per hour, while rates for specialty instructors, yoga/Pilates instructors, group fitness instructors and personal trainers range from $23.75 to $30.50 per hour, on average. Knowing how fitness jobs are positioned within the wider employment market can help keep the industry competitive. However, with increasing numbers of career fitness professionals, progressive salary changes within the industry are perhaps equally important. Gold’s Gym follows a lag policy and although it has remained in the industry for the past decades, it is still one of the most criticized gyms in America unfavorable reviews. Reference: http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/personal-trainer-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm http://www.careerbliss.com/salary/golds-gym-salaries-284979/ http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-9061.00#AdditionalInformation http://swb.salary.com/salarywizard http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-golds+gym http://www.lafitness.com/pages/employment.aspx http://www1.salary.com/Personal-Trainer-salary.html http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/LA-Fitness-Salaries-E12445.htm

Ratignolle’s delivery Essay Example for Free

Ratignolle’s delivery Essay The story commences with Edna Pontellior, her husband and family, spending their summer holidays on Grand Isle. Ratignolle who was presently pregnant that time and her family, was also there for vacation. Reisz, a great pianist, was also there for the holiday. Her playing of the piano awakens Edna’s concealed desires and passion. We are also introduced to Robert Lebrun who courts women in the summer season, in particular married women. Edna caught his picture. Robert persuades Edna to be true to herself by articulating her own needs and desires. They fell in love with each other and since she’s married this pointed him to detach himself from her and to look for his destiny in Mexico. Upset, Edna chose to put her desires before her family. In the course of realizing her true character, she paints and sketches and deserts her obligation as a wife and mother. She continued to be good friends with Reisz and Ratignolle. She has an affair with Alcee Robin, a womanizer, but is still feel warmth for Robert. She left her house and rents a tiny house that looks like a pigeon’s house. The leasing of the house was compensated by the little income she produces by selling her paintings. When Robert came back, Edna struggle to revive her relationship with him by telling him that she is an independent woman and not concerned with social mores. She plans to leave Leonce. When she went to Ratignolle’s delivery, Edna was told to reassess her decision as it will damage her two sons. She drowns herself after she found out Robert’s goodbye note that tells of his love for her and after realizing that she cannot go on with her life with Leonce. And being a divorcee in this society was unthinkable. Purpose: The purpose of the novel is to show how women are treated and to show how valuable a woman’s feelings are. It gives us a view of the demands of society and the needs of individuals. Women should be treated fairly and that they should be given the respect they deserve. It not about how you should live in the eyes of others, but how you live your life the way you want to and you know how much you deserve that kind of life. Main Characters: Mrs. Edna Pontellier is the main character in the book that awakens to a new life as she finds out her independence. She is the young wife of Leonce Pontellier and the mother of Raoul and Etienne. She falls in love with Robert Lebrun. Edna is honest about her feelings for Robert and of her disappointment with Leonce and the tradition of marriage. This is revealed in her dismissal of social principle and traditions which she felt have caged her. During the rest of the novel, she lives in New Orleans, wasted her time with Reisz, had an affair with Alcee Arobin, moves into her own small house, deserts her old life, and affirms her love for Robert. Mr. Leonce Pontellier is Ednas wealthy, traditional husband. Although he rarely shows his love through material things, he often shows his disappointment through rage. He perceives Edna to be reckless, and seek for help from Dr. Mandelet as to her moody temperament. â€Å"It would have been a difficult matter for Mr. Pontellier to identify to his own satisfaction or any one elses wherein his wife failed in her duty towards their children. It was something which he felt rather than perceived, and he never voiced the feeling without subsequent regret and ample atonement (8). † He went to New York for a business trip as Edna moves out and falls in love with Robert Lebrun. Robert Lebrun is the younger, attractive, teasing man with whom Edna falls in love with. Robert is a clean-shaven young man with the stand for of a bohemian and doesn’t care about the world. He smokes cigarettes because he can’t pay for cigars. He works in New Orleans as a clerk and visits his mother in Grand Isle. Even though he honestly loves Edna, he leaves her two times without following through on his feelings. â€Å"Robert spoke of his intention to go to Mexico in the autumn, where fortune awaited him (4). † In the end, he left a note that said: I love you. Goodbye, because I love you (132). Robert struggle to resist on his feelings for Edna because he knows it was not right to love a married woman. Thats why he left to Mexico. The insight of this caused Edna to drown herself. Adele Ratignolle is the personification of perfect womanhood from this era, mother of five children, and idyllic wife to Alphonse Ratignolle. She becomes a close friend of Edna while at Grande Isle and watches out for her friend in the ways of love. She knows the power of her own femininity and cautions Robert not to play with the old fashioned sense of feminism that Edna has. She exemplifies everything about femininity and womanhood of the last century. She is faithful to her husband, gives birth every two years, and embellishes herself with sumptuous outfits and jewelry. She dependent on her family, and is remarkable for her beauty. Mademoiselle Reisz is the unconventional single pianist who charms Edna with her Chopin Impromptu at Grande Isle. She is a close friend of Robert Lebrun, who writes to her asking for a performance of Chopin for Edna any time she desires. Reisz embodies everything that Ratignolle does not like being independent, carefree, a single life with no children, and a life overflowing with art. She brings out the subliminal feelings of Edna to Robert and to her independent spirit. She helps in Ednas view of life and love changes. Alcee Arobin is the young, charismatic, scandalous man who seduces Edna into his arms. He’s one of which Edna spends time with. He is a womanizer, gambler, and businessman. Raoul is one of Edna and Leonce Pontelliers sons. He becomes slightly ill making Leonce to shout at Edna for being irresponsible. Etienne is the other son of Edna and Leonce Pontellier. The Colonel is Ednas father who was an officer in the Confederacy in the Civil War. He like the parties, singing, dancing, and drinking at the Ratignolle parties and tries to influence Edna to come to his sisters wedding. He questions why Edna and Leonce do not spend more time together at night. Madame Lebrun is Robert and Victor’s mother. She manages the cottages in Grande Isle, and is friendly with Edna in New Orleans. Victor Lebrun is Roberts younger brother and the fortune of Madame Lebrun. He flirts with Edna and frequently tells her how beautiful she is. He also went to Ednas dinner and spends time with her in New Orleans. Conflict and Resolution: One of the conflicts in the novel is the married life and society’s prospect of men and women. It is a prejudice of gender roles in the society. Women did not have the freedom to do what they want because they are viewed as dependent to men and just to stay at home. The mother-women seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle. It was easy to know them, fluttering about with extended, protecting wings when any harm, real or imaginary, threatened their precious brood. They were women who idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels. (8) Leonce believes that Edna is not doing her womanly task and is an irresponsible mother. He believes women must be inclined to their children, household chores, and their husbands. And when Edna starts to show signs of independence, he lost his temper and was filled with disappointment and resentment. It relates to the novel as Edna looks for a source of income and eventually sells her painting to earn an income. And because of that, the consequence of the things she did was imposed to her child. â€Å"He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of her children. If it were not a mother’s place to look after children, whose on earth was it? (6)† Edna realized that she can’t portrays the person the society wants her to be and resolves that problem by changing the way she lives her life. Edna takes actions according to her own desire, with no consideration to Leonce. She goes out alone, visits friends by herself, and eventually annoys her husband. Leonce has trouble dealing with his wifes new free character and thinks her to be mentally uneven. Edna believes that she can be an artist and a lover and be independent. It was evidently clear that women were seen as property of their husband. This is illustrated from Leonce Pontelliers straightforward comments like â€Å"Looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage (2). † This was resolved when Edna left the house and when she eventually gave up and went to the ocean to drown than go back and enslave herself from the hands of her Leonce. Edna doesn’t want to depend on other people and doesnt want anyone to depend on her. She just wanted her independence, to be what she wants to be in her own way, and to not to give up her life and soul for her children. She wants to live her life for herself and to her affair with Robert. Edna admits to never belong to anyone again which in turn, brings her ahead of her time and out of the typical female of her time. Setting: The novel was set in 1899. This is the time when the Industrial Revolution and the feminist movement were starting to become known but were still outshine by the general attitudes of the 19th century. Grande Isle is the summer dwelling place for the Pontelliers and Ratignolles. They reside at the Lebrun cottages during the summer months. Edna and Robert meet and spend their time together while on Grande Isle. The Lebrun family owns the cottages at Grande Isle where the beginning of the story takes place. Madame Lebrun manages them and befriends Edna Pontellier. Next is at Kleins, it’s the hotel close to Grande Isle where Leonce Pontellier use up much of his time and money. The Carondelet Street in New Orleans is where Leonce Pontellier does much of his big business and bump into Robert Lebrun for quite a few times. The pigeon-house is Ednas new small home, where she has only one servant. This is where she paints, and finds freedom and independence. She sometimes visits her children at their grandmothers and goes back home to her independent, single life. She likes having time to herself, and knowing on her own when and where she wants to see other people. Edna and Robert rouse their relation by the ocean. Edna loves the water and learns how to swim, spending most of her time. Edna expresses her outlook of the beach, with the blue sky and ocean that makes her imagine of her youth. She talks of the view as a painter longing for a canvas to create an art. She then meets her end, while drifting deep into the ocean. Language Devices: The novel was full of symbolism where in each narrative section, there is a central and dominant symbol that adds meaning to the content and to emphasize some delicate point the author made. First symbol is the Art because it is a symbol of freedom and failure. It is through the progression of trying to be an artist that Edna achieved the utmost point of her awakening. She perceives art as a way of self-expression and of self-assertion. When Edna arrives, Adele Ratignolle is folding laundry. She abandons it to entertain her dear friend. Edna shows Adele her paintings and desires to paint Adele. She values her opinion greatly and hopes for positive feedback on her work. She humbly revels in Adeles overt appreciation of her painting. She gives her several as gifts, greets Monsieur Ratignolle and leaves, contemplating her life and her feelings for her friend. Birds are the major symbolic images. They symbolize the means to communicate and entrapment of women like the two birds in the cages. Flight is another symbol linked with birds because it acts as a place for awakening. The capability to spread your wings and fly is a symbolic theme that happens often in the novel like when Edna escapes from her home, her husband, her life and leaves for the pigeon house. Reisz address Edna for the need of having strong wings in artistic happenings â€Å"The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth (96). † Like these birds, Edna is ensnared by societys expectations of women, since she is not suited for the role of a mother and domestic wife. As the parrot talks with a language which no one knows, Edna convey her inner desires to flee from societys truss that stay silent and invisible to those around her. And like a newly emerged baby bird, she finds safety in the pigeon house, as she find out of her place in the world and fight against societal principle. In the last chapter of the story, Edna saw a â€Å"bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water (135). † Like the bird, Ednas wings are not strong and spirited enough to survive as a person fighting against societys advocate to be traditional. Edna is fully dressed when first introduced in the novel. Slowly over the line of the novel, she removes her clothes. This symbolizes the peeling of the societal rules in her life and her increasing awakening and stresses her physical and external self. Ednas dress counters the peripheral nature and it also opposes her inner nature. It signifies the partition between her and her surroundings and between her social character and her awakening nature. When she commits suicide, she was naked. She drops everything she has in her quest. The moonlight symbolizes the fight Edna has with the perception of sexual love and romantic love. At the end of chapter ten, subtle images of strips of moonlight (34) are introduced with strong sexual feelings. It suggests that this combination characteristically expect the problems Edna will have shaping the connection between sex and romance. The ocean is a sign for freedom and escape. Edna remembers the Kentucky fields in her childhood as an ocean, she learns to swim in the bay, and she then flee into the sea. The ocean is also a foundation of self-awareness, both an external knowledge of the growth of the universe and an inner obsession with self. The sound of the waves calls to her, console her throughout the novel, and proceed as a constant sign in the novel. Womens bodies are prone to moisture, blood, milk, tears, and amniotic fluid, so in drowning the woman is immersed in the womanly natural element. For Edna who had found freedom in the ocean, drowning brings her back inside herself. Sleep is a significant figurative pattern consecutively through the novel. Ednas seconds of awakening are often lead by sleep and she does a great compact of it. Sleep is also a mean of escape and patching up her worn out emotions. Another language used in the novel is a metaphor. The author uses metaphor to speak about the character of Edna towards the end of the novel. The author uses feelings to utter the feeling and entrapment that in the long run, lead to a lethal end. Describing Edna starts in a descending coil into the rebirth of her mind, to conclude in a sensual reawakening when Edna recognize what fear is, but also what strengths she had. The author assimilates a water pattern as a metaphor for Edna’s rebirth and sexual awakening. In Chapter 6, as Edna begins to awaken to her position in her world, the voice of the sea describes the start of a new world. The start of things, of a world especially, is necessarily unclear, muddled, and very troubling. â€Å"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude: to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace (135). The sea is a dominant metaphor in the novel. The sea has stood for ancient chaos and danger. In Chapter 10, Edna swims out into the ocean, only to feel an unruly fear. The author also draws awareness to the sea as a source of life and new birth. Ednas learning how to swim present a point as she swims with dominated control towards the limitless in which to mislay her. The sea has opened up a new area of discovery for Edna. By the storys end, Edna had given in to the authority of self-discovery and self-actualization that was voiced by the sea. As Edna begins her final walk into the bay, the sea signifies new birth, as Edna go into the water naked in the open air (135) as susceptible as a newborn infant. By combining these water metaphors with diverse awakenings, the author constructs a link between the ocean and Ednas feelings. Sleep and wakefulness also serve as metaphors throughout the novel. For Edna, to be awake is â€Å"to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her (14). To be awake is to recognize. To be awake is to be open-minded. At times, the author makes the metaphor precise. Like having literally awakened from her sleep, Edna metaphorically awakens to the dramatic details of the world and asking How many years have I slept? The whole island seems changed. A new race of beings must have sprung up, leaving only you and me as past relics (43) As with the metaphor of the sea, the metaphor of wakefulness concluded in the last chapter. Edna did reflect and realized her essential seclusion from the old world, and her need to enter a new one, when she lay awake upon the sofa till morning (134). They are associated with restlessness, and unawareness with sleep that Edna avoided. She is, greeted by the sea to an untainted kind of sleep as the sea, like a mother comforting a sleepy child. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace (15). unaided in the sea, Edna will sleep the sleep of death but the story entails her to be more awake than those she left in the old world. Work Cited Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Bantam Books. New York, 1992.

Assess the significance of Judith Butlers work

Assess the significance of Judith Butlers work The modern meaning of the word 'gender' emerged in the 1970s. Its original purpose was to draw a line between biological sex and how particular thoughts and behaviours could be defined as either 'feminine' or 'masculine' (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). The reason for using the word 'gender' was to raise awareness of the exaggeration of biological differences between men and women. The popularity of this meaning for the word 'gender' resulted from the efforts of second wave feminism in the 1970s. This essay examines how second wave feminism attempted to construct a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression. It then examines Judith Butler's contribution to post-modern feminist theory through her performative theory of gender and how this fits into post-modern feminist debates. A product of second wave feminism, which began around 1970, was the attempt to place women within a 'grand narrative' history of their oppression. One of the seminal writers on this narrative was Simone de Beauvoir. Her work in describing how women had become 'the other' in her book The Second Sex (de Beauvoir, 1961) laid the foundations for what was to come in the second wave of feminism (Gamble, 2002). De Beauvoir argues that the way in which men think about women is only in relation to their fantasies, that they have no substance of their own. Unfortunately, for de Beauvoir, women have come to accept men's fantasies of womanhood as constituting their own conception of themselves. For de Beauvoir, it was for women to conceive of themselves in their own terms, to take back the power themselves. A criticism of de Beauvoir's approach was that it tended to blame women for their current condition (Gamble, 2002). The second wave feminists of the 1970s, however, such as Millet (1970), pointed to patriarchy as the root cause of women's oppression. It is patriarchy, so Millet argued, that has become a political institution, and from this flows all the other forms of women's oppression. Firestone (1970) also took a strong line against patriarchy, equating women's oppression to a caste or class system. Ideological support for patriarchy, in Firestone's view, has come from institutions such as the family, marriage along with romantic love. These ideas are referred to as constructing a 'grand narrative', a way of charting the history and development of particular ideas, in this case women's oppression (MacNay, 1997). One of the problems that much feminist thought has come up against in trying to provide a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression is that it is difficult to effectively give all women a common identity (Whelehan, 1995). If the very idea of gender flows from cultural origins, then it is only natural to conclude that gender has different meanings in different cultural contexts. How then can a common identity be posited? Other critics such as Richards (1982), examining second wave feminism from a liberal perspective, have seen it as a movement that has failed. Richards sees many of the feminist approaches as being extreme and unattractive, and not focussing, as she sees it, on rational debate. She criticises feminists for utilising 'eccentric' arguments which do not conform to the normative expectations of philosophical debate. Further, she criticises feminism for ignoring the obvious differences between men and women such as women's ability to have children and thereby presenting an unrealistic picture of utopian gender relations. Another vibrant stream of criticism against second wave feminism has been that it assumes that what is required is a reversal in the relative positions of men and women. In other words, if women can take the position of men in society then their oppression will finally be undone (Brooks, 1997). Instead, however, post-modernist forms of feminism have tended to criticise the placing of women and men in oppositional categories. Post-modernist writers, such as Judith Butler, Brooks argues, help the feminist debate move on from the grand narrative to the focussing on deconstruction and identity (Brooks, 1997). Judith Butler's work as a social theorist has been extremely influential. Some of the major themes of her work include important contributions to queer theory and her criticism of the way in which gender has been constructed (Clough, 2000). Her breakthrough work was Gender Trouble which strongly criticised existing feminist theory on gender such as the work of Firestone and Millet. Butler (1990) points out that feminist approaches have tended to emphasise the difference between gender and sex. In these perspectives sex is seen as a biological fact, while gender is a cultural construction. The problem for Butler is that this split has gone too far, such that it is not possible to analyse how the sexed body is constituted (Salih Butler, 2004). Rather than splitting gender and sex, then, Butler's work has actually collapsed one into the other (Fraser, 2002). Sandford (1999) explains that this is achieved by showing that gender actually produces sex. Butler (1990) asks whether it is possible to talk about the 'masculine' attributes of a man and then talk about their 'feminine' attributes and still be able to ascribe sensible meaning to the word 'gender'. Butler (1990) argues that when the idea of 'woman' and 'man' are dispensed with, it is more difficult to see how these gendered attributes can still be viable. Butler (1990) states that gender cannot necessarily be referred to in terms of these attributes, or as a noun, a thing of itself, but rather as a verb. In this sense Butler considers gender to be performative, to be an act which constitutes itself rather than flowing from some other source. The criticism aimed by Butler (1990) at feminist theory is precisely that it has argued there must be a source for actions. This means that gender cannot be 'performed' of itself; it must be performed by something. Butler (1990) provides an example in the relationship between sexual desire and gender. Freud's explanation that attraction comes from biological sex is considered by Butler. She argues that sexual attraction, rather than coming from sex, is a process that is learned over time, that is a performance we work on, not something flowing directly from biological sex. The political implications of this argument are vital, especially for homosexuality. Kirsch (2001) argues that some people in the queer movement have accepted the primacy of biology. This idea is related to essentialism which relies on factors such as the 'gay gene' to explain homosexuality. In contrast to this view, a constructionist approach concentrates on the ways in which society encourages certain types of behaviour through social norms. 'Men' and 'women', within Butler's theory, are no longer essentialist universal categories but rather free-floating categories which are socially produced. The norms to which Butler is referring are those which see the body as being directly related to the types of sexual desire and practices that are associated with it (Salih Butler, 2004). Sexual desires and practices which do not fit within this matrix are 'not allowed'. In order to understand how sexed bodies are produced, Butler uses Lacan's reading of Freud (Salih Butler, 2004). Lacan argues that it is through fantasy that the sexed body is created. Salih (2002) points out that it is Butler's use of Freud that is one of her most important achievements. Here, she analyses Freud's idea of the Oedipus complex. This is where the child is forced to give up its desire for its parents by the incest taboo. Butler reinterprets this by arguing that the child desires the parent of the same sex, but finds that this is taboo. Sex and gender identities are then formed from this taboo. Butler argues that everyone's gender identity is formed from this homosexual ta boo. Butler refers to the formation of gender identity in terms of melancholic identification (Salih, 2002). The place where this identification can be seen, according to Butler, is on the body in the form of gender and sex identities. While Butler's theory of performativity along with her work in post-modern feminist theory has been extremely influential, it has also provoked a fair degree of criticism. Benhabib (1995) has argued that the death of the subject, which is at the heart of Butler's thesis, leads to an incoherent picture. Benhabib (1995) points out that it is difficult to believe there is nothing behind the mask of gender, that agency appears completely absent. In a parallel argument to Benhabib, Kirsch (2001) makes the point that this negation of the subject has negative consequences for ideas of identity and collective action. A sense of collectivity, in particular, is often seen by those 'coming out' as providing support. In Butler's theory, however, there is only the focus on the individual. To Kirsch (2001) it seems that Butler's theory tends to reduce the ability of the wider community to provide support to the individual. A more generalised criticism of modern feminism, however it is labelled, is that there is a sense in which it is an exclusive club. Butler's ideas relating to the performativity of gender are only available to a certain restricted group in society: white, middle-class, intellectual (Whelehan, 1995). Each feminist sub-movement implicitly creates its own lists of what can be done, and what cannot. Women, therefore, can find it difficult to label themselves as feminists as there are now many apparent bars to entry and negative associations with it (Whelehan, 1995). Perhaps in this sense second wave feminism, as enunciated by Firestone and Millet, provided a vision with which it was easier to associate. In contrast, post-modern perspectives, a category in which Butler's work has been put, provide a much more complex and illusory analysis of gender; even, as some critics would have it, making it harder for those attempting to live outside society's norms. It has been argued that theories such as those put forward by Butler have lead to the need for a new type of feminism (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). This is precisely because postmodernist thought has rejected the 'grand narratives' associated with second wave feminism. As a result, women may find it difficult to claim the identity 'woman' as its nature is so contested in postmodernist thought (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). This is part of the problem that so-called 'post-feminism' has attempted to address. This leads to an attempt to answer the question: What gender am I? Viewed through the influence of Butler's theories, it is increasingly difficult to provide a clear answer. The two answers that are most 'natural', male or female suddenly become obsolete expressions which appear devoid of their previous meaning. With the 'subject' apparently removed from the equation, it is difficult to lay claim to any particular gender. Certainly Butler's theory does not imply that both men and women can travel without hindrance across the boundaries of gender, far from it. Naturally society's norms still apply and even transgressions are carried out in relation to the norms themselves. Ultimately, though, the question comes back to the problem of agency. If it is up to me to choose my gender, as I wish, then who is doing the choosing? When Butler even rejects the idea of there being an actor at all, all meaning fades from the question What gender am I? In conclusion, the second wave of feminism brought a grand narrative view of the history of women's oppression. It pointed to oppression as a political institution enforced through social mechanisms such as the family, marriage and economics. Critics of this approach, however, questioned whether it was possible to set women up in direct opposition to men. Judith Butler responded to the second wave view by collapsing the ideas of gender and sex into each other. Gender, she argues, is performed, and so the subject in feminist thought, was apparently destroyed. But, argued critics of Butler, these notions of gender appear to restrict the political power of feminism, to leave it toothless, without its subject. Attempting to answer the question What gender am I? when viewed in the light of Butler's theory, leads to a sense of confusion. I could be both, I could be either, I could be neither. Is this freedom, or is it just too free-form? References Benhabib, S. (1995). Subjectivity, historiography, and politics: Reflections on the feminism/postmodernism exchange. In: S. Benhabib, J. Butler, D. Cornell, N. Fraser (Eds.). Feminist contentions: A philosophical exchange. New York: Routledge. Brooks, A. (1997). Postfeminisms: Feminism, cultural theory, and cultural forms. Oxford: Routledge. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Gender and the Subversion of Identity. Oxford: Routledge. Clough, P. T. (2000) Judith Butler. In: G. Ritzer (Ed.). The Blackwell Companion to Major Social Theorists. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Beauvoir, S. (1961). The Second Sex. Translated by HM Parshley. New York: Bantam. Firestone, S. (1970). The dialectic of sex: The case for feminist revolution. New York: William Morrow and Company. Fraser, M. (2002). What is the matter of feminist criticism? Economy and Society, 31(4), 606-625. Gamble, S. (2002). The Routledge companion to feminism and postfeminism. Oxford: Routledge. Kirsch, M. (2001). Queer theory and social change. London: Routledge. MacNay, L. (1997). Foucault and feminism: power, gender and the self. London: Polity Press. Millet, K. (1970). Sexual politics. London: Ballantine. Pilcher, J., Whelehan, I. (2004) Key concepts in gender studies. London: Sage. Richards, J. (1982). The sceptical feminist: a philosophical enquiry. London: Penguin. Salih, S. (2002). Routledge critical thinkers: Judith Butler. Oxford: Routledge. Salih, S., Butler, J. (2004). The Judith Butler reader. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Sandford, S. (1999) Contingent ontologies: sex, gender and â€Å"woman† in Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler. Radical Philosophy 97, 18–29. Whelehan, I. (1995). Modern feminist thought: from the second wave to post-feminism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Death :: essays research papers

Death   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death is the thing most people fear the most. I myself however do not, death can mean a lot of things. To me death is a restraint on life, a barrier which holds people from living life to its fullest. I hate being restrained, being set boundaries. However death also deserves respect, because if you do not respect death, you die, literally!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What causes death? Well, there are a lot of things that cause death. Disease, old age, Natural and un-natural occurrences, and suicide. The focus of this essay is to tell my views on the leading cause of death. What is the leading cause of death? I believe it is AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency, is the disease that renders the body's immune system unable to resist invasion by several microorganisms that cause serious infections. AIDS is transmitted by blood, through intimate sexual contact, from infected mothers to their babies in the uterus, and perhaps through infected mother's milk. Currently there is no cure for AIDS, however research is showing hopeful signs. Research has made breakthroughs the past years and have come up with ways to slow things down, but not cure AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many ways to prevent AIDS. I believe the leading way is abstinence. No sex until your sure of your sexual partners past sexual history should you consider sex. If you must have sex then have safe sex. Safe sex includes using any instrument or object which does not allow bodily fluids to be exchanged. Preventing AIDS is something we all can do. No one is forced to have sex (unless raped), no one is forced to do drugs with infected needles and no

Through My Eyes :: essays papers

Through My Eyes Part One: I decided to adopt the voice of an African American male to gain a different perspective of my society. Every day I live my life as a white female and perform everyday activities without a second thought. Never do I stop to think what it would be like to be black or disabled in my surroundings. Ever since I was young, I was taught not to discriminate against minorities and not to judge the handicapped. But, never was I taught what it was actually like to be a minority, be homosexual, or be disabled. I can honestly say I am not a racist and that I’m sensitive to the needs of others. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I know what it is like to be a minority or struggle with a disability everyday of my life. This assignment opened my eyes to the wide variety of people within my society and helped me try to understand another person’s perspective in life. To better understand the voice of an African American male, I searched the web for information, interviewed someone with my voice, and pretended to think and act like that voice for one day. The first web site that impacted my previous white female notions was a site entitled BlackFamilies.com. The site contained information pertaining to African American families like current news, family issues, and other happenings. One item that I found particularly interesting was the baby name page. Here, one could view the list of black baby names and even submit their own favorites. As a white female, I have only browsed through â€Å"white† baby name books. I’m aware that many black Americans have names unique to their culture, but I never saw a name book designed specifically for them. Once again, I was only viewing the world through my own eyes and experiences. I’ve always wondered how Blacks â€Å"find† the names of their children since they are usually so unique and different from what I am used to. I also enjoyed reading the names and trying to pronounce them on my own. There were many other links to sights similar to this one, including more black baby names! Secondly, I talked to an African American male who is a student at La Salle University. We discussed what it was like to be a black male on our campus and within the city.

It’s Time to Regulate the Use of Cell Phones on the Road :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

It’s Time to Regulate the Use of Cell Phones on the Road When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders. No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones were implicated in three fatal accidents in November 2003 alone. Early in November, two-year-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgan’s mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver â€Å"ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat.† A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call (Besthoff). On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8). Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9). In a survey published by Farmers Insurance Group, 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a driver’s ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones. Scientific research confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 2003 an important study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills available in order to confirm the times when they had placed calls.

Orphanage

Orphanage is the name to describe a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable to care for them. Parents, and sometimes grandparents, are legally responsible for supporting children, but in the absence of these or other relatives willing to care for the children, they become a ward of the state, and orphanages are a way of providing for their care and housing. Children are educated within or outside of the orphanage. Orphanages provide an alternative to foster care or adoption by giving orphans a community-based setting in which they live and learn. [1] In the worst cases, orphanages can be dangerous and unregulated places where children are subject to abuse and neglect. [2] An orphanage is sometimes called a group home, children's home, rehabilitation center or youth treatment center. The first orphanages, called â€Å"orphanotrophia,† were founded in the 1st century amid various alternative means of orphan support. Jewish law, for instance, prescribed care for the widow and the orphan, and Athenian law supported all orphans of those killed in military service until the age of eighteen. Plato (Laws, 927) says: â€Å"Orphans should be placed under the care of public guardians. Men should have a fear of the loneliness of orphans and of the souls of their departed parents. A man should love the unfortunate orphan of whom he is guardian as if he were his own child. He should be as careful and as diligent in the management of the orphan's property as of his own or even more careful still. [3] The care of orphans was referred to bishops and, during the Middle Ages, to monasteries. Many orphanages practiced some form of â€Å"binding-out† in which children, as soon as they were old enough, were given as apprentices to households. This would ensure their support and their learning an occupation. Such practices are assumed to be quite rare in the modern Western world, thanks to improved social security and changed social attitudes, but remain in force in many other countries. Since the 1950s, after a series of scandals involving the coercion of birth parents and abuse of orphans (notably at Georgia Tann's Tennessee Children's Home Society), the United States and other countries have moved to de-institutionalize the care of vulnerable children—that is, close down orphanages in favor of foster care and accelerated adoption. Moreover, as it is no longer common for birth parents in Western countries to give up their children, and as far fewer people die of diseases or violence while their children are still young, the need to operate large orphanages has decreased. Major charities are increasingly focusing their efforts on the re-integration of orphans in order to keep them with their parents or extended family and communities. Orphanages are no longer common in the European community, and Romania in particular has struggled to reduce the visibility of its children's institutions to meet conditions of its entry into the European Union. In the United States, the largest remaining orphanage is the Bethesda Orphanage, founded in 1740 by George Whitefield. In many works of fiction (notably Oliver Twist and Annie), the administrators of orphanages are depicted as cruel monsters.