Friday, December 27, 2019

The El Nino Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction

Often blamed for any and all out-of-the-ordinary weather, El Nià ±o is a naturally occurring climate event  and the warm phase of the El Nià ±o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during which sea surface temperatures in the eastern and equatorial Pacific Ocean are warmer than average. How much warmer? An increase of 0.5 C or more in average sea surface temperatures lasting 3 months in a row suggests the onset of an El Nià ±o episode. Meaning of the Name El Nià ±o means the boy, or male child, in Spanish and refers to Jesus, the Christ Child. It comes from South American sailors, who in the 1600s, observed the warming conditions off the Peruvian coast at Christmastime and named them after the Christ Child. Why El Nià ±o Happens   El Nià ±o conditions are caused by a weakening of the trade winds. Under normal circumstances, the trades drive surface waters towards the west; but when these die down, they allow the warmer waters of the western Pacific to seep eastward toward the Americas. Frequency, Length, and Strength of Episodes A major El Nià ±o event generally occurs every 3 to 7 years, and lasts for up to several months at a time. If El Nià ±o conditions will appear, these should begin to form sometime in the late summer, between June and August. Once they arrive, conditions typically reach peak strength from December to April, then subside from May to July of the following year. Events are categorized as either neutral, weak, moderate, or strong. The strongest El Nià ±o episodes occurred in 1997-1998 and 2015-2016. To date, the 1990-1995 episode is the longest-lasting on record. What El Nià ±o  Means for Your Weather Weve mentioned that El Nià ±o  is an ocean-atmosphere climate event, but how do warmer-than-average waters in the far-off tropical Pacific Ocean affect weather? Well, these warmer waters warm up the atmosphere above it. This leads to more rising air and convection.  This excess heating intensifies the Hadley circulation, which in turn, disrupts circulation patterns around the globe, including things like the position of the jet stream. In this way, El Nià ±o  triggers a departure from our normal weather and rainfall patterns  including: Wetter-than-normal conditions along coastal Ecuador, northwestern Peru, southern Brazil, central Argentina, and equatorial eastern Africa (during the months of December, January, February); and over the inter-mountainous U.S. and central Chile (June, July, August).Drier-than-normal conditions over northern South America, Central America, and southern Africa (December, January, February); and over eastern Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines (June, July, August).Warmer-than-normal conditions in southeast Asia, southeast Africa, Japan, southern Alaska, and west/central Canada, SE Brazil, and SE Australia (December, January, February); and along South Americas west coast, and again SE Brazil (June, July, August).Cooler-than-normal conditions along the U.S. Gulf coast (December, January, February).

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Natural Theology Was Under Deep Debate - 1806 Words

In the 20th century the question of natural theology was under deep debate. While the enlightenment had a deep confidence in gaining knowledge of God through observation of the natural world, this attitude was deeply criticised in both philosophy and theology. On the one hand Heidegger criticized this project as deeply ontotheological confusing the distinction between beings and the Being of beings. Moreover as a result of this enterprise, one was left with the philosopher’s God at best, a god to which one could not praise, pray to or sacrifice. On the other hand Barth lambasted it as denying the subjectivity of God, and submitting God to the same kind of being as humans, reducing the creator to the realm of the created while simultaneous denying the finitude and falleness of human rationality. For Barth there could be no â€Å"point of contact† and the analogy of being of the medieval period must be scrapped for the analogy of faith, an inbreaking from the top down miracle of grace . But while Barth claims Natural theology as an irrelevant for revelation, Natural theology is the condition of possibility of the human side of revelation. This will be shown through a critical examination of Barth’s doctrine of revelation, an appropriation of Jean-Luc Marion’s phenomenology of revelation and an exploration of Pannenberg’s theological method. In beginning to explore the possibility for a natural theology one must overcome its most powerful opponent—the theology of Karl Barth. AsShow MoreRelatedKant s Ethical Theory Of Abortion Essay1266 Words   |  6 Pagessince the U.S Supreme Court legalized abortion as a medical procedure, the topic of abortion has spurned several heated debates both socially and politically. In such a heightened contemporary context, it would be rather appropriate to consider the moral application of Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, one of the greatest minds in the eighteenth centuries, to the enduring morality debate over abortion. Setting the discussion regarding the morality and immorality of abortion within the Kantian ethics frameworkRead MoreClose Reading of Dr. Faustus1215 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Faustus, thou art damn’d!† Then swords and knives, | | Poison, gun, halters, and envenom’d steel | | Are laid before me to despatch myself, |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25 | And long ere this I should have slain myself, | | Had not sweet pleasure conquer’d deep despair. | | Have I not made blind Homer sing to me | | Of Alexander’s love and Oenon’s death? | | And hath not he that built the walls of Thebes |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30 | With ravishing sound of his melodious harp, | | Made music with my MephistophilisRead MoreDavid Humes Views On Natural Religion2294 Words   |  10 PagesIn Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, David Hume challenges the existence of God by presenting three different arguments from the perspectives of three philosophers. 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UnfortunatelyRead MorePluralism in Islam3199 Words   |  13 Pages(swt); â€Å"And if they dispute with you, then say, â€Å"Allah is most knowing of what you do. Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which you used to differ (Al-Hajj: 68-69). Dispute within in different religions is natural. Quran orders Muslims not to get involved into disputes or quarrels and leave the decision up to God. Muslims are to allow other religions to follow their own path while Muslims follow the Quran. Quran says; â€Å"And if they deny you, [O Muhammad], thenRead MoreThe Last Decade Or So Has Been Difficult For Muslims In1879 Words   |  8 Pagesmisconceptions and cultural problems that until recently, were considered a taboo. While the rest of the world is naà ¯vely wondering, â€Å"what is wrong with Muslims†, a serious intellectual debate is raging in the Muslim World. Thanks to social media, particularly YouTube, confident and well-educated preachers are pulling the rug from under the conservative establishment and its preachers who controlled the pulpit and monopolized the inter-Muslim discourse agenda for too long. Muslims and non-Muslims alike, doRead MoreOrthodoxy and Progressivism: America’s Battle over Education and a Silent Majority3201 Words   |  13 PagesThere are many polarizing debates over the quality and content of the curriculum taught in Public Schools and Universities, typically there are two clearly predictable groups that emerge and square off for battle, the conservative orthodoxy and the secular or liberal progressives. As each side vigorously defends the extremes of their positions, they have apparently and unwittingly created a silent majority that may also wish to be heard. A recognized educational policy maker acknowledges a sampling

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Organizational Issues in Global Context Method

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Issues In Global Context Method. Answer: Introduction The modern-day life of a global leader is more difficult than ever. They need to motivate a group of employees who are from very diverse backgrounds with different cultures, they need to increase the productivity, efficiency and achieve the targets set by the board. Externally, they must face a global environment which is complex and ever changing, shareholders are always on a look out for better opportunities they must give them a reason to stay by exceeding their expectations (Baum Oliver 2015). This all comes along with a consideration that they must work with people from different background who have very different ways of getting the work done. Jet travel opened an all-new frontier to do business, the constraint of time and reach was solved in an instant and then internet took it one step further. Organizations saw an opportunity to go global and set up businesses in countries which were even unheard off and earn even more income. But as organizations begin to diversify the problems they face also intensify such as employee issues, personal conflicts, company structure, team problems etc (Bartlett, 2011). clearly, no business model works best for all organizations because of the opportunities and challenges they face based on the kind of business they are in. Another reason why single model doesnt fit all the global companies is because of their different histories, culture, structure and management. Companies which have grown organically on its own without acquisitions have a potential of scale and scope and align different workforces under one roof but find it much more difficult to adjust their products and services as p er local needs. Whereas, the companies which have grown mainly on Mergers and acquisitions find it easier to tailor their products as per local needs but very difficult to align a workforce which comes from diverse background behind a single value system and strategy (Glaister, 2014). Being global brings clear opportunities and benefits such as building new markets, access to newer technologies, new suppliers, new partners and above all more income and profits. But being global also bring a set of issues such as factors to consider while going global, different models to follow in different countries, different legal environment and so on. This report aims to find out the issues which an organization faces in the global context. Factors that affect firms strategies while expanding International business is very different from business in home country there are host of issues which the company faces when going international which they dont have to face otherwise, some of them are: Standardization of products: The very first factor to consider when going global is the quality of the goods and services, firms going international needs to offer high quality of goods and services to maintain a strong foothold in the market. Every country has its own standards of quality that needs to be met to sustain in the market with high competition (Bleek Ernst, 2015). Quality without consistency is no good, companies along with good quality needs to maintain consistency in their goods, which means every product should be the same. To do this a dedicated quality control department needs to be set up to ensure quality check through rigorous product testing. Flexibility: When entering foreign markets, it is essential for the business to be able to change and adapt its marketing plans, production and business plans as per the market requirements. Drastic changes in the demand patterns might add to lot of challenges therefore, it is advisable to be open to new suggestions as every country has its own form of producing and marketing goods (Burgel, Murray, 2010). Companies have to adapt to local culture and trends to find an optimum balance between what it wants to achieve and the means to achieve them. Language and cultural differences: When expanding into local markets there are no such considerations to be taken as businesses are already acquainted with the culture but while expanding in the foreign markets it is of utmost importance to understand the culture and language. Employees of the organizations must learn new language or find a representative to guide the business growth strategies (Cavusgil Evirgen, 2011). There are instances when bold firm strategies have failed in marketing the product while subtle hints in some countries have done wonders. These differences can only be understood through research or by consulting local agencies. Market readiness: While entering newer markets its readiness plays a very important role in the success of the organization. There should be demand of the product which the organization is trying to sell, if there is no demand for the goods organization can suffer huge losses (Contractor Lorange, 2015). Another point is availability of substitute goods in the market, if there are goods which directly compete with the product of the organization and are available at a cheaper price it is very difficult to sustain. Therefore, before entering, analyzing the markets and formulating strategies accordingly becomes very important (Lindquist, 2015). Organizational Structure: Having an organization structure that is aligned to the local market is very important. Strategies which support the expansion plan needs to be clearly defined and implemented effectively. Some strategies include finding buyers for the products, setting up a local branch or foreign branch, selection of buyers if production is to be done locally, availability of raw materials, hiring local employees etc. Strategizing these decisions is a major factor to consider while expanding. Rules and regulations: Every country has its own set of rules and regulations regarding FDI, taxation, quality etc. which the business must consider and take care off before expansion and production process to go underway. It is advisable to consult a legal counsel in the host country to understand the nitty-gritties and then formulate the business strategies to make the process smoother (Lei Slocum, 2015). Investment and capital: International expansion is not an easy and cheap task, it does not happen overnight. Time and money are needed to take the business beyond the geographical markets. For expansion business, must have sufficient capital to infuse in the activities of the foreign markets. If the capital is to be raised various financial decisions are to be taken like, whether to raise equity capital or debt capital, what would be the Return on investment, what would be the payback period after having considerable amount of research it is to be decided if expansion would be a good decision or not (Geringer, 2015). Expansion model of firms from developed countries vs Firms from developed economies Corporations in developed economies have a greater advantage while expanding business because of the following reasons: Easy accessibility to capital: Corporations in developed economy such as US, Germany, UK have an easier access to capital because of their large business. Since the business already established in developed economies have a huge sales and profit due to higher purchasing power of the population. This allows them to invest huge amount of capital into expanding their business. They have deep pockets to absorb losses arising from the business in developing economies, these companies have the capacity to offset the losses in developing economies by the profits generated from the developed countries (McDougall, Shane, Oviatt, 2013). Corporations in developing economies do not enjoy such liberty as they dont have multiple income sources and must spare capital from the existing business therefore, they make decisions when they are certain of making profits. This limits their growth prospects due to shortage of capital. Strong Brand name: Corporations from developed economies enjoy a greater advantage in terms of their brand name, due to the wide existence in various countries and huge consumer base. Having a strong brand name helps in easy acceptability by customers in the host countries, high bargaining power with buyers, suppliers and even governments, ease in raising additional capital and existing confidence in the buyers. These corporations do not have to incur high marketing costs to increase awareness about their products as they are already very famous in the international markets (Adler, 2007) and thus, creates a pull demand from the buyers in the host country. This also allows them to charge premium over their products. Firms from developing countries do not enjoy such privileges and must start from the scratch. By building their brand name and raise expensive capital. The only way to succeed and compete with such multinational corporations is to deliver products which exceed customer exp ectations and provide greater value for money. Strong technological prowess: Multinational corporations in developed economies have a strong technology in terms of its research and development, whereas the firms from developing economies do not have such technological advantage. Global multinational organizations constantly through its RD innovates newer products and processes which help them drive down costs and increase profit margins. This let them grow exponentially because of lower cost of production and easier access to markets. Firms even enjoy economies of scale which other corporations do not enjoy (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin Putsay, 2011). Selection of foreign partners: Firms that enjoy strong brand name gets better foreign partners who have enough resources to invest in the business when it needs to increase the scale of operations, this is because multinational corporation brings technology which helps the local partners to grow and give global name for themselves. Whereas, companies from developing countries find it very difficult to find local partners whose mission align with theirs. This influences the model of expansion where multinationals increase its scale exponentially while firms from developing countries take it slow and expand only when they feel its the right time (Mohr Spekman, 2013). Backend infrastructure: Companies having operations in developed countries have a very strong back end infrastructure in terms of logistics, delivery skills, handling demand fluctuations and warehousing etc. this makes it easier for them when expanding into newer markets to replicate the existing systems with few minor changes. Firms in developing countries due to poor infrastructure do not have advantage over backend infrastructure but they have an advantage when it comes to adapting to the local needs and demand fluctuations. Because of lower per capita income and tough economic situations companies in developing economies have a competitive advantage and thrive in such environment which becomes difficult for the multinationals (Doutriaux, 2012). Companies from the developing economy avoid the traditional method to expand business by opening its subsidiaries, they either enter business in niche segment or they enter through MA in the host nation. As they usually do not have enough resources to build from the start. Most of the times it is seen such companies try to revamp the existing business which matches their business plans and enter through mode of acquisition (Glaister Buckley, 2011). Whereas, the firms in developed nations due to easier access to capital, technology, strong brand name, support from local partners and strong back end infrastructure follows a traditional approach of forming subsidiaries and expand into newer markets. Global organizational leadership issues: The global challenges of leadership within organizations can be very difficult within the context of global roles. As the leaders, must motivate a diverse workforce to keep ahead of the competitors and exceed the expectations of the stakeholders (Krubasik Lautenschlager, 2013). Managing Diverse Workforce: Due to firms operating in multiple locations throughout the world they employ people from different backgrounds of life, raised in different cultures, different educational qualifications and it becomes very difficult to align their interests with the organizational interest under one value system and strategy. Each employee has unique characteristic by a host of attributes such as experience, religion, social norms etc. To lead effectively the managers, need to understand the influence of such factors on the behavior in the functioning of the organization (Hamel, 2015). Distributed team members: In the global scenario where production happens in one country while marketing happens all over the globe, customer service executives are in one country while customers are all over the world. Raw material is sourced from all over the world. Managing all the verticals of business activities becomes very difficult because of different geographies and times zones (Hamel Prahalad, 2015). Managers must keep the communication channel clear and open especially when the face to face communication is limited. Managers often struggle in defining the clear roles and responsibilities because of which employees do not have clear idea to what is that they are responsible for. Since, employees in different locations have different reporting standards and officers it becomes extremely important to provide right leadership support to each one of them to keep them motivated. Managing Change within laws: Managers must understand the business, its products and must have an acumen to perform in the environment which is ever changing because of technology, consumer demands, competition and laws of hiring and firing in different countries. Temporary and part time workers play a very important role in todays work force. Laws regarding these workers differ from countries to countries. For ex. Indonesia, doesnt have a concept of part time workers they only recognize full time workers and have a law that part time workers are entitled to same benefits as the full-time workers. Such issues are of concern for organizations which work in different countries as they must adhere to different laws of the lands. Global issues in International marketing: The main motive of any business organization is to earn profit which is only possible if the product succeeds in creating demand for itself and for that it is very necessary to create marketing strategies. But before creating those the following factors are to be taken into consideration: Language: Language here in particular refers to translation, companies needs to pay very close attention when marketing their products in the countries other than home country. There have been various cases where companies had to face serious financial losses because of advertising mistakes. For ex when Coca-Cola entered china the name translated to bite the wax tadpole because of which they never really succeed in entering the Chinese market later after the research they had to launch a campaign telling the meaning. General motors suffered the same with their car named Nova which meant it wont go in North America and it was complete failure. Therefore, when entering foreign countries, it is advisable to research and then market the products accordingly (Jones-Evans Westhead, 2014). Taste: Entering the foreign markets for some companies can be very difficult because of the countrys eating habits. McDonalds and KFC who globally serve only non-veg menus had to change their complete menu and add veg burgers and remove beef burgers from their original menu as in India beef consumption is considered off limits. Therefore, adaptability is necessary to enter such markets (Mitchell, K. Singh, 2014). Regional values: Many times, a country may have an extreme regional difference which are to be taken into account when entering such countries. For ex in Canada they have a large French speaking population in Montreal and Quebec that are very different in cultures than rest of the country which speaks English, therefore, companies have to individually target these two regions by marketing the products in French. Investment restrictions: Many countries like India have restrictions on the amount of FDI which can be brought in by the companies. For ex Walmart from last so many years has been trying to enter Indian market. But Indian regulations of not more than 51% FDI is allowed in multi Brand retail, also out of all the raw materials purchased by the company 30% must be sourced from Indian enterprises which Walmart is not agreeing to therefore, such issues are hindrances towards the entry of Walmart in Indian market. Companies which comply to such regulations can do business in such countries (Trompenaars, 1997). As technology gets more advanced the world has become more closer and becoming smaller day by day. The business or companies that market their product and services effectively in foreign markets, gain from the huge potential that they offer them. Therefore, the marketing team of the companies must consider the following factors before deciding upon the marketing strategies (Eisenhardt, 2015). Conclusion: Organizations now a day are going global with all the benefits that come from going international there are hosts of factors which an organization must consider before entering foreign nations such as standardization of products, investment and capital, market readiness, organizational structure and also rules and regulations of different lands. Organizations from developed nations and developing nations both are expanding their business but have different models of expansion because of the environment in which they function are completely different. Firms from developed markets have an easier access to capital, a strong brand name, better technology, easy availability of local partner and better backend infrastructure, whereas, firms in developing nations have a better adaptability towards local situations which helps them formulate strategies which suit the local needs (Mowery, D. C., I. E. Oxley Silverman, 2014). Doing business in different countries also bring host of issues for the organizational leadership such as managing the diverse workforce which belongs to different cultures and backgrounds, with globalization different verticals of organizations are in different countries creating coordination between verticals a difficult task as they are situated in different geographical time zones and face to face interaction is negligible. With such a fast-moving environment, the laws of the land also change which must be complied by the organizations. There would be no existence of the companies if they wont earn profits and that is possible by successful marketing of the products which can be done by taking care of following factors such as taste, language, regional values and investment restrictions. For an organization to be successful all the above-mentioned factors are to be taken care off and then strategies to enter foreign markets are to be formulated. References Adler, N. (2007) International dimensions of organizational behaviour, 5th ed., South-Western College Publishing, Cincinnati.Hofstede, G. (1994) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind - Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for Survival, Harper-Collins, London Baum, J. A. C., and Oliver C. (2015). Institutional linkages and organizational mortality. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36, 187-218. Bartlett, C. (2011) Transnational Management: Text, cases and readings in cross-border management, 6th ed., 658.049 BAR.6 Bleek, J., and Ernst, D. (2015). The Way to Win in Cross-Border Alliances. Harvard Business Review, Nov.-Des, 127-135. Burgel, O., and Murray, G.C. (2010). The International Market Entry Choices of Start-up Companies in High-technology Industries. Journal of International Marketing, 8 (2), 33-62. Cavusgil, S. T., and Evirgen, C. (2011). Use of expert systems in international marketing. An application for co-operative venture partner selection. European Journal of Marketing, 31 (1), 73-86. Contractor, F. J., and Lorange, P (2015). Why should firms cooperate? The strategy and economics basis for cooperative ventures. In Cooperative Strategies in International Business, F.J. Contractor and P. Lorange, eds., Lexington Books, Lexington, MA, 1988, 330. Doutriaux, J. (2012). Emerging high-technology firms: how durable are their comparative start-up advantages. Journal of Business Venturing. 7 (4), 303-322. Eisenhardt, K. M. (2015). Building Theories from Case Study Research. Academy of Management Review, 14 (4), 532-550. Geringer, M. J. (2015), Strategic Determinants of Partner Selection Criteria in International Joint Ventures, 22 (4), pp. 41-63. Glaister, K. W. (2014). UK-Western European Strategic Alliances: Motives and Selection Criteria. Journal of Euro-marketing, 5 (4), 5-36. Glaister, K. W., and Buckley, P. J. (2011). Task-related and Partner-related Selection Criteria in UK International Joint Ventures. British Journal of Management, 8, 199-222. Hamel G. (2015). Competition for competence and inter partner learning within international strategic alliances. Strategic Management Journal, 12 (1), 83-103. Hamel, G., and Prahalad C. K. (2015). To revitalize corporate performance, we need a whole new model of strategy. Harvard Business Review, May-June 7(3), 63-76. Jones-Evans, D., and Westhead, P. (2014). The high technology small firm sector in the UK. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour, 2 (1), 15-35. Krubasik, E., and Lautenschlager, H. (2013) Forming Successful Strategic Alliances in High-Tech Businesses. In Collaborating to Compete, J. Bleeke and D. Ernst, eds., John Wiley Sons Inc., New York, 1993. Lei, D., and Slocum Jr. J. (2015). Global Strategic Alliances: Payoffs and Pitfalls. Organizational Dynamics, 19 (3), 44-62. Lindquist, M. (2015). Infant Multinationals. Institute of International Business. Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden. Mahoney, D., Trigg, M., Griffin, R., and Putsay, M. (2011). International Business; A managerial perspective (2nd edn). Pearson Education, Australia. McDougall, P.P., Shane, S., and Oviatt, B.M. (2013). Explaining the Formation of International New Ventures: The Limits of Theories from International Business Research. Journal of Business Venturing. 9 (6), 469-487. Mitchell, W., and K. Singh (2014). Survival of businesses using collaborative relationships to commercialize complex goods . Strategic Management Journal, 17(3), pp. 169-195. Mohr, J., and Spekman, R. (2013). Characteristics of Partnership Success: Partnership Attributes, Communication Behaviour, and Conflict Resolution Techniques. Strategic Management Journal, 15 (2), 135-152. Mowery, D. C., I. E. Oxley., and B. S. Silverman (2014). Strategic alliances and inter-firm knowledge transfer. Strategic Management Journal, Winter Special Issue, 17, 77-91. Trompenaars, F. (1997) Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business, 2nd ed, Economist Books, London.Zhu, C. Dowling, P. (2000) Managing People during Economic Transition: The Development of HR Practices in China, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 38(2)

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Margaret Atwood Essays (2558 words) - Margaret Atwood,

Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood is a widely recognized literary figure, especially known for her themes of feminism. Her novels, including Alias Grace and The Handmaids Tale are widely known for their feminist subject matter, and one finds the same powerful themes within her poetry. Judy Klemesrud, in her article for The New York Times, once made the wise acknowledgement that People follow her on the streets and in stores, seeking autographs and wanting to discuss the characters in her novels- most of whom are intelligent, self-absorbed modern women searching for identity. These women also suffer greatly, and as a result, some Canadian critics have dubbed her the high priestess of angst(March 28, 1982). Indeed, Margaret Atwood has a talent for the conscience feministic perspective, and the tone of much of her work seems to indicate her sense of political responsibility. Her poem Spelling, for example, is a testament to the power of words and it depicts the victimization of powerlessness of women wit hout language. Atwood describes her daughter on the floor, learning how to spell for the first time, and then leads the reader through a history of persecuted, helpless women. For instance, Atwood depicts the woman caught in the war/ (803). Such disturbing portrayals of women have earned Atwood the reputation as a daring feminist. Yet it is important to recognize that her poetry is not just about feminist themes, it is also an exploration into the depths of human consciousness and loneliness. This consciousness, paired with her curiosities about the power of language, is seen in many of her poetic themes. Atwood focuses on different literary and artistic genres in her poetry, ranging from postcards to photographs to magazine depictions of love, in order to explore human connections. Although much of her work may seem fearlessly feministic, in the sense that it brings explores female condition without reserve or embarrassment, Atwoods poetry probes into a genderless consciousness to explore feelings of human connectionedness and painful separations. The first poem that will be examined in this paper is Variations on the Word Sleep. The narrator of the poem immediately addresses their conscience need to connect with the other person, and they also recognize the hopelessness of this goal: I would like to watch you sleeping, / which may not happen. The opening to the poem, as we see here, could be considered typical of Atwoods writing in the sense that one person longs to bond with another, and recognizes the difficulty. It is this type of vulnerability that we have come to expect in Margaret Atwood's writings, because as with many feminist writings, we are aware of the power struggle between men and women, and even between women. But this poem refrains from identifying sexes; it only discusses a deeply internal need of one person for another, who is on a journey through he dark maze of their consciousness. The first stanza evolves from a simple plea from the genderless speaker to watch their lover sleep, to a deeper, spiritual nee d. Atwood chooses to remain ambiguous in this respect, which helps a wider audience identify with the work. The poem also has merit because within seven short, simplistic lines we glide from a gentle longing to a love complex and intense, with two minds merging together in a dream: I would like to watch you, / sleeping. I would like to sleep/ with you, to enter/ your sleep as its smooth dark wave/ slides over my head. The action of the poem continues to evolve as Atwood carries the reader through what appears to be a lovers dream or fantasy. The narrator at first wishes only to watch their lover sleep, then they desire to enter the same sleep with them, then they envision themselves descending through the layers of consciousness. As the reader follows along with the admiring narrator and his or her companion, they become increasingly aware of the narrators need for transcendence. Atwood uses words that help guide us along the action, such as watch, enter, over, descend, follow, and become. All of these words are effective in making the reader feel as if