Listed companies are under increasing pressure from the media and Essay

Listed companies are under increasing pressure from the media and politicians to behave ethically. In recent months, c - Essay Example 7 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction In the modern day perspective, a director’s role is considered to be quite significant when concentrating upon the success factors or driving forces which can derive sustainable growth for a company. In the recent past, many occurrences have revealed the lack of ethical concerns, and the discrepancies persisting in the directors’ performances of listed companies owing to which the companies have been witnessing increasing pressure from the community including the media and even the politicians with relation to their ethical commitment and ‘green’ initiatives. It is in this context that Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 tends to play a major role in directing the roles and the responsibilities of the directors to preserve the success and the interests of the corporate being treated as two separate entities. However, in light of the prevailing occurrences of unethical conducts by directors as against the interest s of the company, it can be argued that certain amendments are required in the provisions mentioned under Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006. This paper aims at arguing on the basis of this particular aspect with reference to few case laws. Ethical responsibilities of A Director Under Section 172 Of The Companies Act 2006 The Companies Act 2006 is one of the major legislations, which governs the companies’ activities within the business periphery of the UK. It is one of the longest legislations, which has been passed in the UK with a large number of sections by its name. The main aim of the law is to modernise along with simplify the prevailing Companies Act in the UK. Moreover, it has been observed that this law is also meant to codify the duties of the directors in the companies. Furthermore, this Act would also grant much improved rights to shareholders of companies and it would also be effective in limiting the managerial burdens carried by the companies operating in t he UK1. One of the crucial impacts of the Companies Act 2006 is on the managers of the UK companies. The duties of the directors of the companies are codified with the emergence of this Act. It has been observed from the Section 172 of the Companies Act that the directors of the companies need to appreciate their duties towards organisations. The directors should work for the best interest of the companies. The directors should have to perform keeping in mind the ethical considerations. In this regard, the director should not accept any kind of benefits from any of the third parties. It would be unethical to the company if they perform activities in that manner. It has been evidently mentioned in the Companies Act that the directors would not be allowed to take any type of benefits from any of the third parties as it may harm organisations. Moreover, it has been viewed from Section 172 of the Act that the directors of organisations must act in a way that would said to be done in a g ood faith and to support the success relating to the company by considering the success of the interests of the members associated with it [Aberdeen Railway Co v Blaikie Brothers]2. Additionally, it is the duty of the directors of organisations to think about the long-term consequences of his/her decisions which are also ethically important. Furthermore, it has also been assumed from Section 172 of the Act that the directors would also have to keep in mind the welfare or interests of the employees of organisations and do

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay Example for Free

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay Athletes use performance enhancing drugs to boost their game. The professionals who use these drugs are ruining the integrity of the game. Many people don’t understand why professional athletes would go to such extreme measures to be better when they have already proven themselves. Athletes are just taking away from their natural ability by using these dangerous drugs. The risk of using performance enhancing drugs is a lot greater than the reward, because an athlete’s reputation could be tarnished and their career ruined. Money is one of the major reasons why players use them; if they perform at levels higher than what their natural abilities could do they will be offered a large sum of money. Athletes are also putting their long term health in danger. These drugs have many dangerous side effects that are going unnoticed by the players. Even kids are starting to use performance enhancing drugs. Young kids look up to professional athletes and they watch everything they do. Kids want to be just like the pros so they will do exactly what they do to become better and unfortunately that is using drugs. Professional athletes who use performance enhancing drugs are setting bad examples for young athletes trying to follow their dreams. Performance Enhancing Drugs have been available in the United States for a long time, but they have only been starting to become a topic of discussion in the last fifteen to twenty years. Almost all of these drugs are manufactured outside of the United States, so that makes them more dangerous to take. Due to the fact that the drugs were not manufactured here they have not been evaluated by the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Some of these substances are naturally occurring, easily available and completely legal, while others are manufactured illegally, or banned by many sporting organizations. One form called HGH is the most commonly used substance; it increases an athlete’s muscle mass and performance. Athletes can be suspended for using performance enhancing drugs, but some people think that the organizations are not doing enough to stop pla yers from using them. For example if a player in major league baseball is found to have been using an illegal substance they would end up receiving a fifty game suspension, but they can still come back and play once the suspension has been fully served. The punishment should be a lot greater so athletes will not even think about using them. Professional athletes are paid by how well they perform, so by taking steroids to boost their ability they will receive more money. It’s not fair for the athletes who play the game fairly, because other players will have a competitive advantage over them. Every athlete should have an equal opportunity when playing professionally, because if they see other players taking illegal drugs to do better they will start doing the same. Using performance enhancing drugs will just cheat an athlete out of their true talent; they will not be respected for what they had accomplished during their careers. For example, there was a professional baseball player named Barry Bonds who took a great risk in using these illegal drugs. He was an excellent player throughout his career, but over the years his body had become significantly stronger. He broke numerous homerun records while in the Major Leagues including the most homeruns ever hit during a single career. He was later proven to have been using performance enhancing drugs. This caused him to jeopardize all of his records that most players would have to work really hard to get. A couple of years later Barry Bonds was sent to court over this issue and was later convicted of obstruction of justice. This is just one of many examples on how such a foolish mistake could ruin such a promising life forever. Many world records and Olympic medals have been taken back because the athlete used performance enhancing drugs. Another example of an athlete that took performance enhancing drugs is Ben Johnson during the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He set a world record in the 100m dash. He ran a 9.79, which at the time was a new world record. A few weeks later his medal was taken away from him, because he tested positive for human growth hormones. Even though this was a great feet in the history of track and field, nobody will be able to say he did it with natural talent and athleticism. He would end up not being able to compete ever again. The senseless decision to take performance enhancing drugs could ruin an athlete’s entire career. Many High School students have started to use these dangerous drugs; this is starting to become a major problem because athletes are just cheating themselves and are not becoming better. Professional athletes are setting very bad examples for high school students. Something every student has to deal with no matter if you play a varsity sport or is just a normal student is the pressure to do well and succeed. Some school districts have even been contemplating to add drug testing to high school athletes. This will eventually stop people from cheating to become professional athletes. Students also need to know what they are doing is wrong and could dangerously affect their long term health and could possibly lead to death. One statistic that may not seem extreme is that 2.3 percent of all high school students have used some type of performance enhancing drug. This is a dangerous statistic that no one is really addressing. If a young student wants to become pro they need to work hard and not give in to the temptation of using drugs to boost their athletic abilities. If they were to get caught using these drugs they could be suspended from school and their future and dreams could be ruined by one irresponsible decision. If professional athletes didn’t use these terrible drugs less high school students would use them. It’s very important for professionals to make sure they are setting good examples for young aspiring athletes. Professional athletes are slowly starting to raise awareness about this topic and are traveling to schools across the country informing students about the consequences that could perhaps present themselves. The use of performance enhancing drugs greatly affects the idea of the American dream. The American dream is the vision of growing up and being able to do whatever you desire The USA is built on the id ea of the meritocracy, and that is the impression that only the best is good enough. Kids have dreams becoming professional and making a lot of money. An athlete who would cheat themselves to reach these goals is ruining this entire concept. If kids start to think it is okay to cheat in order to achieve lifelong goals they will end up just hurting themselves, and will grow up to think that it is ok. Athletes who cheat in order to be successful may think they are living the American dream, but in reality there not. Cheating your way to get to the top is not the right thing to do. People who work hard and put in a lot of effort have an unfair disadvantage when it comes to being successful. Using illegal drugs in order to make large amounts of money is not right and unfair. If more people start doing this the concept of living up to these expectations could be tarnished forever. On the other hand athletes who have worked and trained hard their entire life have the right to be proud of themselves for what they had achieved. They can live life knowing that they did things the right way and that is all that matters. When it comes to living up to the American dream one should be happy and feel accomplished of everything they have done. The use of performance enhancing drugs in sports is a growing problem here in the United States. Athletes are taking away from their natural ability and are cheating themselves. They take these drugs in order to perform better and gain a competitive advantage. If players are caught using these drugs the player’s integrity could possibly be ruined forever. In today’s world it is becoming more and more difficult to get away with drug use in professional sports, the testing is much more advanced and the consequences are even greater. In situations like these the risk is a lot greater than the reward. Athletes need to live up to their true potential and not worry about being better than humanly possible. If an athlete just works hard every day he or she could reach goals that they didn’t think they would be able to reach. These dangerous drugs have much more negative effects on one’s body than positive ones. Some people may think that athletes are pushed to us e these dangerous substances when in reality they are just putting pressure on themselves to be better. Many of the modern day athletes are not aware of what kind of harm they are doing to their bodies; most think that they are making their bodies so strong so they will be able to handle long term side effects much more easily. This topic should receive a lot more attention that it is receiving, and there should be more programs developed to raise awareness and discuss the dangerous side effects of choosing to participate in athletic events in this matter. It must be difficult for athletes who don’t get caught using these drugs to live their life knowing that they not only cheated themselves but the nature of professional sports. These athletes are setting a terrible example for young athletes and are only caring about their own careers and not how their actions reflect the entire world. Athletes should end their careers asking one question and that is: Do we want to hurt our bodies and ruin the integrity of sports in order to be successful.

Earl Warren vs. William Rehnquist

Earl Warren vs. William Rehnquist Abstract This paper will discuss that, the outlook of the Chief Justice becomes the belief center for the Court; with each new Chief Justice appointed, the outlook of the Court also changes. Two major developments that the Court has gone through over a span of several years, were the periods when the Supreme Court was headed by Warren who became a liberal while on the bench and Rehnquist that remained ultra conservative; both were considered Republican yet had completely different views on how decisions should be made. This paper will compare and contrast their approaches to criminal procedure while on the U.S. Supreme Court, their significant decisions and their effects on the balance between social order and maintenance and individual liberties, and the effects of the Supreme Court’s decisions on law enforcement in the United States. Finally, the paper will discuss the Supreme Court’s approach to balancing civil liberties against public order maintenance. Earl Warren vs. William Rehnquist Introduction In the beginning of the 1950s, America had become a nation obsessed with freedom and social change. At approximately the same time, the Warren Court mirrored these developments. The following court, run by Burger built and upheld the developments that had already started. Warren and Burger’s Courts believed in a new idea, that the Constitution was in fact a breathing and living document, meant to adapt to the times. A new court surfaced, the Court of Rehnquist. This court deferred to the idea that the original Constitution was not only relevant when it was drafted, but that it remained so in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Warren Court During Earl Warren’s sixteen years as chief justice (1953-1969), the Supreme Court had profound impact on politics and government in America. The Warren Court was an extraordinarily activist, innovative tribunal that wrought far-reaching change in the meaning of the Constitution. Among its major decisions, the Warren Court out-lawed authorized racial segregation within public schools, required the equal apportionment of state legislatures and the House of Representatives, set strict national standards to protect the rights of criminal defendants, and ruled that prayers and Bible reading in the public schools were unconstitutional. And it handed down other dramatic decisions that won it both high praise and sharp criticism and engulfed it in great controversy. Riding the crest of the tidal wave of social change that swept through America in the 1950s and 1960s, the Court became a natural target of those who felt it was moving too fast and too far. The political reaction to its bold decisions was symbolized by automobile bumper stickers and roadside billboards that read â€Å"Impeach Earl Warren.† Before he retired as chief justice in 1969, Warren was asked to name the most important decisions of the Warren Court. He singled out those dealings with reappointment, school desegregation, and the right to counsel. Each of these cases symbolized one of three broad fields in which the Warren Court brought about far-reaching changes in America: the political process itself, civil rights, and the rights of the accused. In its reapportionment decisions, the Warren Court required that each citizen’s vote count as much as another’s. If the quality of a democracy can be gauged, certainly the individual’s vote is a basic unit of measurement. Until the reapportionment revolution of the Warren Court, voters were often powerless to correct basic distortions in the system of representation itself. The Warren Court’s Brown decision has not eliminated racial segregation in American schools or American society. But by striking down the officially enforced dual school system in the South, the Court implied that â€Å"all racial discrimination sponsored, supported, or encouraged by government is unconstitutional.† Thus the decision foreshadowed a social upheaval. The civil rights movement, the civil rights legislation of the 1960s, and the continuing controversy over the busing of public school children all followed in the Supreme Court’s wake. By the 1980s, the goal of integration appeared to be less important to many African Americans than freedom, dignity, and a full share of the economic opportunities of American society. Nevertheless, the Brown decision remains a judicial milestone; by its action at a time when much of white America was complacent and satisfied with the existing social order, the Supreme Court provided moral as well as political leadership. It reminded the nation that the Constitution applies to all Americans. The third broad area of decision by the Warren Court, the protection of the rights of criminal defendants, was yet another milestone for the Warren Court. In a series of controversial decisions, including Miranda, Escobedo, Gideon, and Mapp, the Court, bit by bit, threw the mantle of the Bill of Rights around persons accused by state authorities of crimes. In so doing, the Court collided directly with the electorate’s rising fear of crime; it was accused of coddling criminals and handcuffing the police. The Warren Court moved aggressively in several other areas as well, banning prayers in the public schools, curbing the anti-Communist legislation of the 1950s, and easing the laws dealing with obscenity. All this activity provided ample ammunition to the Warren Court’s conservative critics: The Court, they charged, had tinkered with legislative apportionment, forced school integration, overprotected the rights of criminals, banished prayer from the classroom, tolerated Communists, and encouraged pornography. Moreover, as many of the Court’s critics frequently pointed out, it decided many important cases by a one-vote margin. The Rehnquist Court After Warren Burger retired in 1986, President Reagan elevated William Rehnquist to chief justice and appointed Antonin Scalia, another conservative, to the Supreme Court. Even though Rehnquist was not as conservative as Burger, his associates were all supportive and pleased, even his Democratic opposites. His nomination was received with honest excitement on the part of not just his friends on the Court but also others who he had only had minimum contact with. The appointment of Anthony Kennedy in 1987, and President Bush’s appointments of Justices David Souter in 1990 and Clarence Thomas in 1991, meant that for a time, eight of the nine members of the Court had been appointed by Republican presidents. In the space of a relatively few years, the members and political philosophy of one of the three branches of the federal government had changed measurably. When William Rehnquist was sworn in as chief justice of the United States in September 1986, many political observers expected that his appointment would usher in an era of conservative decisions by the highest court. One location that various researchers expected to view substantial alterations in was the limiting of power of the federal government and increasing the power of the federal government and increasing the power of state governments. In time the Court did become more conservative, but that was not the case initially. During the Rehnquist Court’s first term, the liberals won all but two of the major cases and the conservatives prevailed only in the area of criminal law. A moderate-liberal coalition, led by Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. decided cases on affirmative action, teaching creationism in the public schools, protection for pregnant workers, and political asylum for illegal aliens. Moreover, the Court, by a vote of 8-0, threw out the Reverend Jerry Falwellà ¢â‚¬â„¢s suit against Hustler magazine. In so doing, the Court declined to curb criticism of public figures. But by 1988 the Rehnquist Court shifted in a more conservative direction, giving public school officials the right to censor school newspapers and plays, for example. However, many of Rehnquist’s wins directed toward the federalist objective of limiting Congress’s authority over the states had minimal practical impact. And after the appointment of Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court in several decisions made it more difficult for workers to sue employers for discrimination. The Court’s action alarmed liberals and led to speculation that a conservative majority had finally emerged. In May 1988, in another decision that some analysts seemed to believe reflected a more conservative trend, the Court ruled 6-2 that police may, without a warrant, search through trash that people leave outside their homes to be collected. Rehnquist voted with the bulk of the Justices in City of Boerne v. Flores and later referred to the decision as a model for requiring Congress to give way to the Court in regards to the interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause and including the Fourteenth Amendment, in several cases. Boerne stated that any statute that Congress used to enforce the guarantees of the Amendment had to demonstrate both proportionality and a congruence between the injury that was deterred or fixed and the means adopted to this end. Rehnquist’s Court proportionality and congruence theory took the place of the ratchet theory that had controversially been advanced in Katzenbach v. Morgan. Due to the ratchet theory, Congress was able to ratchet up civil rights beyond the Court’s recognition, but Congress would be unable to ratchet down the rights the courts already recognized. The Rehnquist Court’s congruence and proportionally theory made it less difficult to revive older models th at prevented Congress from over extending itself in enforcing equal protection of the laws. But, as always, the decisions varied; the Court in 1990 struck down the federal law that sought to ban flag-burning. And in 1991, it invalidated New York’s â€Å"Son of Sam† law, which had barred criminals from earning money from books about their crimes; the Court said the state law violated the First Amendment’s provisions of free press and free speech. In 1999, Rehnquist was the second Justice to oversee a presidential impeachment trial, against President Clinton. Rehnquist, in 2000, delivered a consenting decision in Bush v. Gore, the case that ended the election controversy in Florida. He agreed with four justices in the case that the Equal Protection Clause did not allow a standard less manual recount of votes as was ordered by the Florida Supreme Court. Conclusion In conclusion, the Rehnquist Court moved more cautiously in the 1970s and thereafter and narrowed the sweep of some of the Warren Court’s decisions, particularly in the areas of criminal justice and pornography. The Supreme Court might do so even more dramatically in the future. The doctrines of equality, freedom, and respect for human dignity laid down in the numerous decisions of the Warren Court cannot be warped back to their original dimensions. Generations hence it may well appear that what is supposedly the most conservative of American political institutions, the Supreme Court, was the institution that did the most to help the nation adjust to the needs and demands of a free society. As this paper demonstrates, the decisions of the Supreme Court are often unpredictable, and the Court’s direction is not always easily categorized. Although by the year 2000 the Court’s conservative bloc was often a dominant force, it did not always prevail. References Herrman, J. (2009). Theres a Fine LineAdolescent Dating Violence and Prevention. Pediatric Nursing, 164-170.

William Staffords Traveling Through the Dark Essay -- Stafford Travel

Profound Meaning in William Stafford's Traveling Through the Dark The power of the poet is not only to convey an everyday scene into a literary portrait of words, but also to interweave this scene into an underlying theme. The only tool the poet has to wield is the word. Through a careful placement and selection of words, the poet can hopefully make his point clear, but not blatantly obvious. Common themes of poems are life, death, or the conflicting forces thereto. This theme could never possibly be overused because of the endless and limitless ways of portraying life or death through the use of different words. In William Stafford's "Traveling Through the Dark", there are conflicting themes between birth and death, man and nature, and ultimately creation and destruction. It would take several years for a fully grown doe to develop, but it would only take a few seconds for that doe to be killed. Using the tools of the poet, Stafford vividly illustrates a scene in which man has completely destroyed and felt no remorse for a product of nature. This disrespect would only lead the driver to travel through the moral darkness of insensitivity and desecration towards nature. There it lay. A dead doe in middle of the road. The previous driver obviously had not thought twice after hitting the deer and had no sincerity towards nature nor the decency to at least move the carcass off the narrow road. The deer lay in the road, unburied, uncared for, unmourned, and untended. Ironically, if the carcass had remained on the road, it might have meant the taking of the life of another driver as Stafford stated in line 4: "that road is narrow; to swerve might make more dead". The tone of this poem is one of sadness, but also blata... ...le impact of a car, lasting no longer than a few seconds. With few moral decisions made, the only road that lies as a result, is the road to death and ultimate degradation of society and nature both. In Stafford's poem, it was only the duty of the narrator to roll the carcass off the road and into the river, this duty fulfilled was only provoked by the lack of duty of another. Through the use of several poetic techniques, Stafford describes in a few words what would take somebody hundreds of words to describe. The brutal and harsh theme of his poem is supported by vivid images and symbols, which spotlight the situation at hand. By applying a common situation like an incidence of road-kill to all of human-kind's view towards nature, Stafford finished with a simple situation with a profound meaning. Work Cited Stafford, William. "Traveling through the Dark"

Free Handmaids Tale Essays: An Analysis :: Handmaids Tale Essays

The Handmaid's Tale The novel, The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood focuses on the choices made by the society of Gilead in which the preservation and security of mankind is more highly regarded than freedom or happiness. This society has undergone many physical changes that have led to extreme psychological ramifications. I think that Ms. Atwood believes that the possibility of our society becoming as that of Gilead is very evident in the choices that we make today and from what has occured in the past. Our actions will inevitably catch up to us when we are most vulnerable. "We are for breeding purposes..There is supposed to be nothing entertaining about us, no room is to be permitted for the flowering of secret lusts..We are two-legged wombs, that's all: sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices (p. 176)." In the society of Gilead, the most highly valued aspect of life is giving birth to a healthy child without deformities. Gilead was the aftermath of a nuclear world war (or some type of chemical mishap involving most of the world). As a result of this, some women and men are left sterile and unable to increase the significantly decreased population. The women who are fertile are placed in institutions where they are trained in the process of pregnancy and child bearing, those who are not are left to die in areas with concentrated radiation. This society has undergone a change so extraordinary that it has taken us from one extreme to the next, leaving many people wondering what happened to make it so. The things that were most highly honored and respect are now treated with disdain. These changes were not all detrimental but the majority of them we could have done without. Ms. Atwood poses that humankind has a nature to develope, whether that development is for the empowerment or destruction of our society is unknown until the consequences take place. "I used to think of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an implement for the accomplishment of my will...There were limits, but my body was nevertheless lithe, single, solid, one with me...Now the flesh arranges itself differently. I'm a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping (p.

How does Ray Bradbury use language to create tension? Essay

Ray Bradbury uses a lot of different techniques to create tension in his short story, â€Å"A Sound of Thunder†. The techniques used are adjectives, adverbs, verbs, metaphors, similes, short sentences and he varies the sentence structures to create tension. The first technique Ray Bradbury uses is Adjectives. He uses them in lists of three, â€Å"†¦ great oiled, resilient, striding legs.† This emphasizes that part of the description and it has more effect on the reader because it creates a strong image. Secondly, Ray Bradbury uses interesting verbs to great effect. He uses verbs like, â€Å"flushed†, â€Å"murmured†, and â€Å"pronounced†. This contrasts from the boring â€Å"he said†, and it also describes how the character reading the speech says it so there is a more detailed description of how the speech is read. Thirdly, the writer uses adverbs in the text to allow a better description of verbs. This also helps to clarify the verbs. An example of this is, â€Å"†¦ jerked angrily.† Ray Bradbury uses metaphors to enhance descriptions. â€Å"Its mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This helps create a better image in the reader’s mind because he describes the Tyrannosaurus Rex’s teeth as something else that is easier to express. The writer uses similes to create tension. â€Å"†¦ Sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the mail of a terrible warrior.† This technique is good because it also, like the metaphor, helps the reader to create a mind-image of what is happening in the text. Bradbury uses short sentences and short paragraphs to a great effect so create tension. A good example of this is: â€Å"Suddenly it all ceased, as if someone had shut a door. Silence. A sound of thunder.† This creates tension because it makes the reader, read the sentences faster. This makes the reader think that something is going to happen but they don’t know what it is. Another technique used well is having â€Å"Silence† on its own paragraph. This emphasizes it a lot. Another technique used by Ray Bradbury is varying sentence structure. Some of the sentences have then main clause first but then others have the subordinate clause first and this happens with complex and compound sentences too. An example of a complex sentence with the main clause first is: â€Å"It ran, its pelvic bones crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned feed clawing damp earth, leaving prints six inches deep wherever it settled its weight.† An example of a sentence with the subordinate clause first is: â€Å"Out of the mist, one hundred yards away, came Tyrannosaurus Rex.† Overall Ray Bradbury uses language to create tension well by using many different techniques like adjectives, adverbs, verbs, metaphors, similes, short sentences and sentence varying. These together can make a story much more interesting.

Food is Art Essay

According to writer, Albert Camus, â€Å"Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurants revolving door. † A good restaurant should contain a luminous environment, delicious food, and have a friendly staff. Benihanas excels in all of these categories, which is what makes it such a great restaurant. Now let me tell you a few reasons why this restaurant is so good. Benihanas has a beautiful environment from the exterior to the interior. When you first walk up you notice that the exterior always is well picked up and the bushes are always trimmed and the paint looks always new. There is a waiter waiting to open the doors for your entrance and direct you to the bar while you wait, that is if you need to be waited. The inside always has wiped down tables, fresh plates, and silverware that are neatly folded in a napkin. There is beautiful Japanese art like Samurai Soldiers, Straight 2 Buddha’s and cherry blossom plants that fill the walls. The restaurant makes you feel like you are relaxed, comfortable, and at peace. In addition to their great art and good environment, they have amazing food. The most interesting fact about Benihanas is that they cook on an amazing hibachi grill. They serve fried rice, filet minion, shrimp, scallops, and calamari all cooked to your taste. Dinner comes with a salad and onion soup as a side dish or sushi rolls if you choose to order them. The chefs, while cooking, perform countless tricks. One is known as the â€Å"egg roll†, which is when they spin the egg and make it roll down the spatula before they break it and add it to the rice. The other is the onion volcano were they stack the onion layers on top of one another and add oil to the inside and then the heat from the grill causes smoke to rise above the onion shaped volcano. Lastly the heart beat rice, they shape the rice into a heart and put their spatula underneath it and pump it as if the rice has a rapid heartbeat. The best part is seeing them cook right in front of you so you know the food is fresh, cooked right, and not tampered with. That being said along with their amazing food they also have an amazing staff. Benihanas staff is wonderful and they have the friendliest individuals with great personalities that make your time there really fun and interesting. When you first walk in depending on what time you go of course, they greet you with the most welcoming of smiles. They have you seated and treat you with the utpmost respect and pay attention Straight 3 to each detail to make sure you get the best satisfaction. The chefs entertain you the whole time by either making jokes or doing funny tricks to make sure everyone is having a good time, so they really interact with their guest to make you feel like you’re at home with a bunch of family and friends. The waitresses and waiters always make sure you are enjoying your meal as well. From a recent experience, I had dropped my pop on the floor, which to my dismay I was as a red as a siracha bottle. She told me it was ok which made me feel safe and less embarrassed. Benihanas is the best Japanese restaurant. Yes there are other hibachi grills but nothing compares to Benihanas. They have a wonderful, fun, and clean environment with amazing food and a wonderful staff. The chefs and waitresses always make sure your well taken care of and that you have a good time. This will always be a restaurant I want to go to, and I will always crave the hibachi grill. and iIf you don’t believe me, thean go see for yourself. Evaluation Essay Grading Rubric ENG 121 Instructor: Kathy Mullins Student: Brittney Outstanding Strong Adequate Limited / Unacceptable Writer’s Approach analysis presents fresh and defensible insights into the topic academic in tone, demonstrating a clear sense of purpose and audience writer’s voice is evident—confident, competent, and sophisticated vocabulary and phrasing are academically appropriate and persuasive writer is clearly engaged with and moved by her/his thinking process Audience The writer clearly conveys through tone, vocabulary, and approach that he/she has identified a specific audience for the essay. Introduction engaging introduces the essay’s general topic and inspires thinking about that topic logically proceeds to thesis (if appropriate) clearly written or revised to reflect thoughts that developed during the writing process Thesis easily identifiable, well-phrased argument that addresses a specific idea to be analyzed and proven in the essay reflects sound critical, analytical thinking entire essay remains focused on this clear thesis Body Paragraphs each paragraph focuses on a single point that is clearly connected to the thesis graceful and logical transitions between ideas within the paragraph and from paragraph to paragraph. Conclusion The conclusion does more than simply summarize the points of each paragraph. In short, it sizzles instead of fizzles. Outside Sources writer makes sophisticated, insightful points and uses concrete details from at least _____ reputable outside sources to support these points and the thesis powerfully chosen evidence is thoroughly examined, explained, and clearly relevant to the thesis ratio of outside sources to writer’s words/ideas does not exceed (roughly) 20/80 Direct quotes, summaries, and paraphrases always include a â€Å"signal phrase† to introduce the source, establish credibility, and provide context for the source Quotes are followed by analysis, explanation, interpretation, examples, etc. Appropriate MLA in-text citations used Paraphrases (or summaries) were clearly written by the student and do not reflect a â€Å"copy-paste-change-a-few-words† approach Not applicable Works Cited appropriately formatted Works Cited page that follows all MLA rules and conventions Works Cited entries match appropriately formatted in-text citations Not applicable Mechanics, Syntax, and Grammar Effective mechanics, syntax, and grammar demonstrate a mastery of writing conventions, do not confuse or distract the reader, and serve the author’s purpose. Other (for specific writing assignments): The writer has identified clear and specific criteria for the evaluation. The essay is between 2 ? and 3 pages long. It is double-spaced, uses 12 point Times New Roman font, and has the appropriate headers. Writing Workshop – The writer brought the assigned number of printed copies of a complete rough draft to the writing workshop(s) and fully participated in the peer review process. WORKSHOP POINTS See D2L Gradebook TOTAL ESSAY POINTS 40/50 Mid-Point Writing Reflection (and Kathy’s response) Here is what you wrote on the D2L Discussion Board as you were in the process of writing this essay. We did not do this with the first essay. This section is for essays 2 – 5. Dear Kathy Letter (and Kathy’s response) Here is what you wrote when you were finished with your essay. Dear Kathy, I think my paper wasn’t necessarily hard but I did think I could have put more similes or more details in there to make it sound a little better. I did struggle a bit knowing exactly how to write an evaluation, but I did read the evaluations in the book but I just couldn’t understand the steps to follow. So I went ahead and printed an evaluation outline which helped a lot and writing the paper ran more smoothly. I would like a lot of feedback in the detail area and I would like it if you could help me find areas in the paper that I can brighten more. I feel that I should use Purdue owl or perhaps read a poem or something to get an idea of how to lighten up my writing. Since my last essay reflection I feel I have gotten better with my grammar and my punctuation. Brittney, your strength in this essay is definitely organization. I’m glad you looked online for an example outline. Way to be resourceful! ? One thing to watch out for is that you stick with the criteria you identify for your evaluation. You tell your reader that a good restaurant should have â€Å"delicious food,† but you never once describe the mouthwatering, savory goodness of Benihanas’ food! I also agree that you could â€Å"lighten up† your writing, but I think you’re making great progress already. I could see good examples of descriptive writing throughout your essay. I think it will just take practice to make it feel more natural. You’re definitely on the right track! I’m looking forward to reading your next essay. Kathy Reflection on Personal Writing Goals (and Kathy’s response) Here is what you wrote about your progress toward your self-identified writing goals. You have not set goals yet. This section is for essays 2 – 5. WRITING PLAN Follow the instructions in each of the sections below. When you are finished, upload the new document to the appropriate D2L Dropbox by the specified due date. Reflection on Feedback Re-read your essay. As you read your words, stop and read the feedback I wrote in the margins of your essay. Also look at the grading rubric and my comments at the end of your essay. In the space below, reflect on this feedback: What feedback made the most sense or was the most helpful? Be specific. (â€Å"When you said, _____, I realized ______. †) Did any of my feedback confuse you? If so, what was it? Again, be specific. Now that you have a fresh perspective on your essay, what do you like best about your writing? Writing Goals and Plans Identify 1 or 2 goals for your next essay. Goals do not have to be related to my feedback. They can be about any part of the writing process, but they should not be about grammar! Goal One: How will you work on this goal? What, specifically, will you do? Goal Two: How will you work on this goal? What, specifically, will you do? Editing Challenge What is your editing challenge for your next essay? (I will identify an â€Å"Editing Challenge† somewhere in your essay. ) Run-on sentences How did you learn about your topic? Highlight all that apply. How to Write Anything textbook Writer’s Help (www. writershelp. com) Video (list video creator/site below) Website (list website below) A friend/parent A teacher Writing Center consultant Writing Center handout Grammar guide/book (list title below) Other (please explain) Tell me, in your own words, about this topic. What are the rules/best practices? Write the original AND the edited version of your highlighted sentence here. (If you did not have a highlighted sentence, just write â€Å"N/A† here. ) Upload this new document to the appropriate D2L Dropbox by 8:35 am on March 3! Grading Rubric Points Criteria 8 – 10 Each section of the Essay Reflection is complete, and the quality of the work reflects obvious care, interest, and a true commitment to improving your writing practice. 6 – 7 Each section of the Essay Reflection is complete, but one or more sections may be overly brief or lacking depth. 1 – 5 Limited responses and/or incomplete sections. 0 Essay Reflection not turned in.