Analysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kelsey

Healing Methods One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kelsey, is a novel that exposed the mental hospitals in the 1960s. The main nurse in the story is Nurse Ratched. Nurse Ratched believes in three forms of healing known as group therapy sessions, lobotomy, and ETC, Electroshock therapy. The novel displays the use of therapy and how sometimes physical therapy isn’t the best therapy for patients. The nurse uses the ward and her therapy methods cohesively to bring the patient s back to â€Å"normal†. Miss Ratched, the nurse and leader on the ward, and a former army nurse has designed a system with a rigorous maintained schedule and two styles of treatment in order to bring the patients back into a normal society. The ward which Miss Ratched†¦show more content†¦Miss Ratched has distractions so covered up that the black boys, â€Å"All three wear starched snow-white pants and white shirts with metal snaps down one side and white shoes polished like ice, and the shoes have red rubber soles silent as mice up and down the hall.†(31) Miss Ratched herself doesn’t pose as a distraction for the patients being a female with large breasts, always covering them up, or pulling them close to her body as if to show she is not there for the patient s pleasure but there to help them on the road to recovery. The ward is so meticulous about who works there that â⠂¬Å"The doctors last three weeks, three months. Until she finally settles for a little man with a big wide forehead†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (29) â€Å"Her three daytime black boys she acquires after more years of testing and rejecting thousands.†(29) The nurse has taken several years to acquire a single doctor, and three daytime black boys whom each work like clockwork with her and do not have to be given verbal orders rather they just know when and where to do their jobs and how their jobs should be done. Not only does the nurse use such a detailed plan to run her ward, she also incorporates into this plan; group therapy. Group therapy as McMurphy puts is a † ‘pecking party’.

Christian Fiction Piety Is Not Enough - 848 Words

Known as a safe read throughout the literary world, Christian fiction is devoid of true human condition such as the grotesque and the sexual. Richard Terrell proposes in his essay Christian Fiction: Piety is not Enough, that Christian fiction cannot rely on being religious anymore to earn the title of â€Å"good fiction†. He addresses the issue of Christian fiction limiting itself to a certain range of topics because it is a â€Å"religious† work and these limitations result in mediocre writing. Though the credibility is weak throughout Christian Fiction: Piety is not Enough, the elements of logic and emotional appeal are effective in convincing Christian readers that today s Christian fiction is subpar. It is a theme among Christian writing to not discuss topics that are at the core of human condition and Terrell logically explains that if the Bible talks about a subject then so can Christian fiction. Once Terrell presents the option that the Bible is the model for all Christian writing, his audience of Christian readers and writers are able to relate the fiction they ve read to the stories of the Bible. Terrell lists themes found in the Bible confidently, knowing that his audience has previous knowledge of Bible stories and its discussion of topics such as the grotesque, the earthly, the tragic, and damnation (251). Judges contains a few examples of grotesque topics such as when God s servant Enud stabbed King Eglon and the King s fat enveloped the sword or when Jael drove aShow MoreRelated Catharine Maria Sedgwick’s A New-England Tale and Hope Leslie3301 Words   |  14 Pageswomen to share their opinions publicly throughout the Nineteenth century caused an abundance of females to communicate their ideas through writing. Catharine Maria Sedgwick was among the first of American authors to publish historical and other fiction. Much of her work deals with the role of white women in society, especially involving the Cult of Domesticity or True Womanhood. Sedgwick managed to incorporate her unorthodox views on women’s behavior, relationships, religion, and people foreignRead MoreCritical Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery OConnor1573 Words   |  7 Pagesprepared for (by me anyway) by the intensity of the evil circumstances. When O Connor speaks of her Catholicism and its expression in her fiction, she is clear-headed, eloquent, and convincing. In Mystery and Manners, the posthumous collection of her occasional prose, she claims the assumptions that underlie A Good Man is Hard to Find are those of the central Christian mysteries. These are the assumptions to which a large part of the modern audience takes exception. O Connor was upset with criticsRead MoreChateaubriands Atala: An Analysis2171 Words   |  9 Pagesbetween two Native Americans whose personalities and behavior are deeply influenced by European culture and religion, albeit for slightly different reasons. Chateaubriands novel takes a strong position on the side of religion (and particularly Christian religion) as a calming, moderating force in opposition to the wild savagery of nature, and by extension, Native American culture. By examining the scene in which Atala and Chactas are effectively rescued from both their own desire and the ravagesRead MoreCritical Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find1781 Words   |  8 PagesConnor s own explanations; however, O Connor s analysis of A Good Man Is Hard to Find still seems baffling and occasionally a critic has questioned the theology of the fiction. Andre Bleikasten, focusing on O Connor s novels, claimed that the truth of O Connor s work is the truth of her art, not that of her church. Her fiction does refer to an implicit theology, but if we rely, as we should, on its testimony rather than on the author s comments, we shall have to admit that the Catholic orthodoxyRead MoreEssay on Machiavelli’s The Prince as a Modern Political Guidebook2083 Words   |  9 PagesModern Political Guidebook       Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Shakespeare, 2 Henry IV 111.1.31) Kingship and leadership is a human concept.   Contraptions and   fiction invented by human beings that hold the fabric of   society together.   It is the job of the leader to make the fiction work for the good of all.   The quote above evokes the overall feeling about kingship held by both Prince Hal and his father in Shakespeares Henry plays.   Being a leader is perhaps the mostRead MoreJane Austen’s Novels and the Contemporary Social and Literary Conventions.12979 Words   |  52 Pages11 2.1. Introduction to the Novel. 11 2.2. The Novel of Manners, Sentiment and Emulation. 12 2.3 The Gothic Romance. 13 3. Jane Austen and Her Novels in relation to the Contemporary Literature. 15 3.1. Austen’s Criticism about the Contemporary Fiction. 15 3.2. Jane Austen as a Conservative Writer and as a Social Critic. 16 3.3. Austen’s writing in her own perception. 17 4. Pride and Prejudice. 20 4.1. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy – the Reversed Ideals. 20 22 5. Emma 23 5.1. Emma theRead MoreThe Notion of Duality of the Human Soul in William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience4371 Words   |  18 Pagesillustrates how the poet uses personification to dramatize Christs mediation between God and Man. Beginning with abstract qualities (the four virtues of Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love),   the poet makes these abstractions the object of human prayer and piety. The poem does not explicitly mention Christ, but the four virtues that Blake assigns alternately to man and God are the ones conventionally associated with Jesus. Because Christ was both God and man, he becomes the vehicle for Blakes mediation betweenRead MorePlato Essay2739 Words   |  11 PagesSocratic method. The middle dialogues defend the doctrines commonly thought of as Platonism. In the late works, especially the last and longest dialogue, the Laws, Plato returns to the character of the ideal republic in a more sober manner, with civic piety and religion taking much of the burden of education away from philosophy. THE Republic of Plato is the longest of his works with the exceptionof the Laws, and is certainly the greatest of them. There are nearerapproaches to modern metaphysicsRead MoreIndian English Novel17483 Words   |  70 Pagesbeginning from that period and still going on in the current scenario, Indian novels have time and again impressed upon the reading public as well as fetching esteemed and honoured accolades both the country and overseas. Indian novels have been unbeaten enough to exhaustively reflect the history, society, political domain, economic status and tradition of Indian subcontinent, traversing ages. Indeed, the history of Indian novels has much to speak and state about such an all-encompassing genre, which canRead MoreNot Without Laughter Study Guide9912 Words   |  40 Pagesis an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beachams Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: Social Concerns, Thematic Overview, Techniques, Literary Precedents, Key Questions, Related Titles, Adaptations, Related Web Sites. (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beachams

Singapore Economic Progress Report-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Singapore Economic Progress Report. Answer: Current Events of Singapore The economy of Singapore has undergone significant turnaround in the las year. The economy has made a journey from phase of recession to a fastest rate of growth within just half a decade. A number of political and economic events have occurred in past few months. TVS-Asianics Supply Chain Solution Pte Ltd has acquired an access to the Asian Market following acquisition of Pan Asia Logistics (thehindubusinessline.com 2018). Singapore is considered as an ideal center for accessing Asian region. It has already achieved a turnover nearly equals to $100 million. This is expected to bring an increase in India and Asia. Coming to political front, Prime Minister in Singapore has recently announced the countrys budget for 2018. The budget for this year has given more focus on strategic and financial integration for securing a better future for the nation (straitstimes.com 2018). The present government has extended its support for business innovation and developed capabilities for domestic fi rms that ensure international competitiveness. GDP highlights Analysis of Quarter to Quarter Real GDP growth rate Figure 1: Real GDP in Singapore Figure 2: Trend in real GDP growth rate Summary of GDP growth The real GDP is past two decades has been risen sharply An overtime fluctuating trend in GDP growth is observed. Singapore economy has accounted highest growth rate in the second quarter of 2010 with growth rate being 7.44%. The minimum growth rate is accounted in the first quarter of 1998, the growth rate was -5.5%. The real GDP in the third quarter of 2017 has increased to 1,04,972.5 from 103243.5 in the second quarter. With increase in real GDP manufacturing sector is affected the most with its contribution increases from 25,263.7 to 26,637. Labor Market Highlights Unemployment rate in Singapore Figure 3: Trend in Unemployment rate Summary of labor market condition The unemployment rate in Singapore has constituted a fluctuating trend. However, Singapore has maintained an overall stable state with average unemployment being 2.34 For the given time period the unemployment has reached to a maximum level of 4.5 percent while the lowest unemployment rate being 1%. More employment has created in service sector than that in manufacturing sector. Price Movement Inflation in Singapore Figure 4: Overtime inflation trend The consumer price index in 2016 has slightly lowered as compared to 2015. In major categories like food, clothing and food services though cost increases housing and utilities, transportation and communication record a decrease in overall index. The sector that is most affected from ongoing deflation is the housing and utilities sector. Reference list Businessline. (2018).TVS-Asianics buys Singapore company Pan Asia Logistics. [online] Available at: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/tvs-asianics-buys-singapore-company-pan-asia-logistics/article22827458.ece [Accessed 24 Feb. 2018]. HUIWEN, N. (2018).Budget 2018 is a strategic and integrated financial plan to build a better future: PM Lee Hsien Loong. [online] The Straits Times. Available at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/budget-2018-is-a-strategic-and-integrated-financial-plan-to-build-a-better-future-pm-lee [Accessed 24 Feb. 2018].

Virtual Campus Tours vs. Real Campus Visits

Virtual campus tours let prospective students experience college life from the comfort of their home. You can see which college amenities are available with just a computer and an Internet connection, and immerse yourself in 360-degree panoramas of lecture halls, classrooms and dorms. But do these interactive tools provide the same experience as actually visiting a college? The Benefits of Virtual Campus Tours Virtual campus tours have become popular with college applicants in recent years and provide prospective students with an alternative to visiting a school in person. Most colleges now offer interactive tours, from Harvard University to Penn State. These virtual simulations let you explore multiple locations on campus with a click of a mouse. You can zoom into points of special interest and see college buildings at street-level. Virtual tours help you visualize what it would be like if you attended a particular school. You can familiarize yourself with the college environment — student accommodation, sports facilities, local landmarks and so on — without visiting the school. Virtual tours, therefore, are perfect if you are an international student or college applicant who lacks the resources or time to travel. Even if you are able to travel to a school in person, virtual campus tours let your friends and family experience a college environment from wherever they are in the world. They can check out dorm rooms and dining rooms and classrooms. They can view sports clubs and student bars. They can help you choose the right college and give you an opinion about a school before you make your final decision about where to study. The Benefits of Visiting a School For many college applicants, nothing beats visiting a school in person. More than 40 percent of first-year college students say touring a campus influenced them when they chose their school, according to one study. When you visit a college, you can discover things that you wont always find in a college admissions brochure. You will be able to ask staff questions, for example, or talk with current students about college life. Visiting a school in person might be difficult if you are on a budget. Youll likely need to pay for travel and accommodation, and costs could spiral if you are visiting an institution on the other side of the country. To save money on campus tours, experts recommend you look into subsidized visits, consider a tour company and team up with other families to share travel costs. However, the expenses associated with college tours could pay off. Three out of four colleges say that students who show a demonstrated interest in the school — such as attending a campus event — are more likely to get into the institution, according to the 2013 National Association for College Admission Counseling survey. Virtual tours have long been used in various industries. In real estate, property listings with interactive walk-throughs get clicked on 40 percent more than listings without this option. In a college context, virtual tours let applicants look around a school without physically being on campus. While many soon-to-be students prefer to visit a school in person — for example, more than 70,000 students attended tours and information sessions at Boston University in 2014, which was 33 percent more than in 2009 — these tours offer the next best thing, allowing users to explore college grounds without leaving home. Any of you tried both? Which would you recommend?

BA essays

BA essays Civil Cases - Return to Table of Contents Civil cases are those in which individuals, corporations or government agencies seek to recover damages, enforce their rights or otherwise protect a legal interest from interference by another. Essentially, the civil law enables people to assert or defend their rights in an orderly, nonviolent manner and enables them to resolve legal disputes in a fashion which society finds acceptable. As might be imagined, civil cases encompass a broad range of legal subjects, such as breach of contract, injury to person or property, divorce proceedings and a contest of the validity of a will. In contrast, criminal cases involve a prosecution for violations of statutes that define particular crimes, such as murder or robbery. Because criminal conduct is a breach of the public order and a violation of the public interest, the prosecution is brought on behalf of the people by the state or federal government. The purpose of a civil case will vary depending on the nature of the matter involved. For example, if a person hurt in an automobile accident were to bring an action against the other driver, the object would be to recover damages for the physical injury suffered. Similarly, in a case involving breach of contract, the wronged party might seek to recover money damages caused by the breach or, if feasible, seek to have the other party fulfill the terms of the contract. Or, if a person is trespassing on the property of another, the owner might seek an injunction to prevent that conduct from happening again. Thus, many remedies are available, with the appropriate choice depending upon the circumstances involved. A civil case develops in accordance with procedures that enable it to progress in a logical manner. Assume, for example, that a person believes he has been injured or damaged by another and consults an attorney. The lawyer will first obtain the necessary information from the client, includi...

The Significance of the House in Beloved essays

The Significance of the House in Beloved essays In Toni Morrisons Beloved, the house is an important presence throughout the novel; it is present as a symbol in most of the significant events that occur within it. This novel taken on a gothic dimension, in that the house is portrayed as a character. Its personality becomes similar to those of its inhabitants; the house takes on their psychological conditions, and the surrounding societys culture and history. In a general sense, the house changes along with the fortune of its inhabitants; it is a living, growing force present as a backdrop and a unifier to the events of the novel Beloved. In the beginning of the novel, when the house is described as being spiteful, full of a babys venom, it is referring to the way the house takes on the character of the ghost. The character of the time also affects the house-Baby Suggs comments how every house out there in America is built on the bones and blood of slaves, in part referring to the way the growth of American society at that time was driven by slavery. The house symbolizes a history that must be confronted, because the past cannot be escaped. Especially evident when Paul D first walks into the house, is the evil that has been stewing for centuries of impressments and injustices. He realizes the extent of the strangeness of the house and Sethe herself. What Stamp Paid later tells him about her history only confirms it, and makes the emotional and psychological weight too much for him to handle. On the other hand, for Denver, the house in which she lives is a comfort. The house is her life, and when Paul D first arrives, he disrupts the delicate balance of solitary existence with the house and causes Denvers breakdown. He invades her relationship with the house-especially when he throws the ghost out of the house-just as Beloved invades Denvers relationship towards her mother. When Denver approaches the house, she does it as if she is a...

The Matrix Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Matrix - Movie Review Example V. In conclusion, one may note that at the time of its production, The Matrix stood apart from other science fiction films in that the successful communication of the plot and story was inextricably dependant upon the formulation of such technologies as would do so. The Wachowski brothers' 1999 film, The Matrix, has been hailed by numerous critics as a revolution in cinematography. As the professor of film and cinematic arts, Adriana de Souza e Silva (2004) remarks, the use of revolutionary cinematographic techniques successfully allowed for the depiction of unreal' space as both real and material. Apart from the fact that the techniques used both communicated and served the plot, the fact is that they allowed the filmmakers to depict the worlds of cyberspace and the mind as if they were material realms of existence, even as they constantly reminded audiences of the hazy and ephemeral nature of that world (Silva, 2004). While the cinematographic effects and techniques in The Matrix have been dismissed as eye candy' by some critics, a discursive analysis of these techniques, with specific focus on bullet time, shall demonstrate the extent to which The Matrix, not only represents a revolution in special effects technology but has successfully emp loyed those effects to actualise and materialise an otherwise immaterial world and existence. The Matrix unfolds within the ephemeral landscape of a quasi-cyberspace, difficult to depict or define. As noted by the American and cultural studies scholar, Tim Blackmore (2004), the world of The Matrix is almost impossible to define, let alone depict in material fashion, insofar as it exists somewhere within the mind and is shaped by a cyberspacian high-tech existence which is simultaneously real and unreal. The storyline, inasmuch as it derives from the traditional evil versus good, light versus darkness theme, is familiar but the world in which it unfolds is highly unfamiliar and, as such, alien to the audience (Blackmore, 2004). Within the context of Blackmore's (2004) observations, one may define two challenges before the filmmakers. The first is to exploit cinematographic and lightening techniques to their limit for the explicated purpose of both visualising and rendering real, the unreal world of The Matri

Climate change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Climate change - Research Paper Example ï‚ § The intended IMC campaign is educational in its approach and intends to educate the university students about the long term and short term consequences of climate change and what is its long-term prognosis for the Australian environment, economy, and growth.ï‚ § The intended IMC campaign is educational in its approach and intends to educate the university students about the long term and short term consequences of climate change and what is its long-term prognosis for the Australian environment, economy, and growth.ï‚ § It is a salient objective of this media campaign to help the targeted audience understand as to what small steps and lifestyle changes they can resort to, to dilute and mitigate the impact of climate change and to predict and quantify the influence these measures could have in ameliorating the short term and long term impact of climate change.ï‚ § This campaign also intends to augment the overall traffic on the "Be the Change you want" website and to secure at least 75,000 hits during the six-month period over which the campaign spans.ï‚ § There is no denying the fact that this campaign tends to heavily exploit the social networking portals like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. So one important goal is to secure a minimum of 15,000 followers for the "Be the Change you want" page of the Facebook in the six-month period for which the campaign lasts.ï‚ § The overall campaign objective is to solicit the loyalty and commitment of the target audience for the cause of climate change.... This campaign also intends to augment the overall traffic on the â€Å"Be the Change you want† website and to secure at least 75,000 hits during the six month period over which the campaign spans. There is no denying the fact that this campaign tends to heavily exploit the social networking portals like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. So one important goal is to secure a minimum of 15,000 followers for the â€Å"Be the Change you want† page of the Facebook in the six month period for which the campaign lasts. The overall campaign objective is to solicit the loyalty and commitment of the target audience for the cause of climate change3. These young audiences being university students will certainly be the opinion makers of tomorrow. So the pivotal target of the campaign is to make the optimum use of the scarce resources to run an IMC plan that achieves results with a lasting shelf life. Media Plan- A Timeline Sensitive Choice of Media Tools Being subject to a budgetary li mit of 1, 00,000 AUD and extending over a period of six months, the choice of media tools will be such as to blend with the schedule of the target audience4. Based on the assumption that all the universities affiliate to the Curtin academic calendar, the campaign will be initiated in first week of the semester 2012 (Monday February 27). The campaign will last for 6 months and will culminate in week 3 of semester 2. The campaign intends to focus on one university each in 5 states that are VIC, WA, NSW, QLD and SA. At the very start of the campaign, the selected customers and guilds will be emailed pamphlets to get them interested in the awareness drive. Once the campaign is initiated, the customized pamphlets will be

Church Split During Middle Ages Essay Example for Free

Church Split During Middle Ages Essay Ultimately, the cause of the Great Schism of 1054 was a question of who was the highest authority. The underlying reasons why there was a split, however, developed in earliest beginnings of the Church. In those days the Church was never completely unified, and several of the original organizations, such as the Coptic Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, which date from ancient times, still exist as separate entities. By far, the largest body of the Church was the one centered in Rome, which from ancient times was made up of two main groups of people, one speaking Latin and one speaking Greek. Latin was the language of the administrative center in Rome. Greek, however, was the original language of much of the New Testament. The linguistic difference was part of a foundation of a split that developed more, and not always for reasons that had anything to do with religious doctrine. Like the Church, the Roman Empire was divided between Latin and Greek areas, and the common understanding of this is skewed. The date we are accustomed to assign to the fall of the Roman Empire was not actually the date of a sudden destruction of a country. In fact, what happened that year was the abdication of the last emperor of the Roman Empire of the West, with authority being reunited in the hands of the emperor of the Roman Empire of the East. And in theory, the Roman Empire continued with what we call the Byzantine Empire today, but what called itself the Empire of the Roman People at the time. For group of people in the East, who considered themselves the rightful administrators of law and Justice, to admit that they had lost control over the West was difficult enough, but in addition to that, the popes were demanding that they acknowledge the spiritual leadership of Rome, with increasing demands for political leadership as well. When Pope Leo Ill crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the West, in 800, it was not a religious issue, but it was a political issue that made the Greeks very upset. From the Greek perspective, Charlemagne and the Pope were usurping the authority of Empress Irene, who was ruling the empire at the time. When Emperor Michael Ill deposed the Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople in 858, the Pope, Nicholas l, declared the action illegal and acted on his own authority to return Ignatius to his position. This caused further problems, and this time it was within the Church itself. In 1014, the Pope again tried to exert authority over the ishops of the East, interfering in a change they were making to the to the Nicene Creed. Right or wrong, this created more strain. The time of continual, simmering resentment continued, as the Popes continued to try to get the Greek bishops to accept the supreme authority of Rome, and the Greek bishops always tried to avoid doing this. Finally, in 1054, a group of legates excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople because he would not take an oath to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, and he retaliated by excommunicating them. Church Split During Middle Ages By brandyHK

Stephen King :: essays research papers

Stephen King is a well-known and talented horror/fiction author who has published over eleven books in the last two decades. His great stories of horror and fantasy have been enjoyed by kids and adults starting from his first best-seller, Carrie. King's wit and style of writing has made him one of the most popular horror story authors today. Stephen King's life has not been an easy one. he was born on September 21, 1947, in Portland Maine(Bleiler, 1038). His father left when he was two and gave him only a collection of supernatural fiction stories(Bleiler, 1038). By age twelve, he was submitting short stories into different magazines such as "The Glass Floor", in 1967(Beacham, 747). After his graduation from the University of Maine with a B.A. in English teaching(Bleiler, 1038), King published many best sellers that won these awards: The British Fantasy Award(1982), The World Fantasy Award(1982), and the Hugo Award(1985)(Beacham, 748). Stephen King written many great books throughout his writing career. Carrie, King's first best seller, is about a teenager who is ridiculed and harassed throughout high school(Bleiler, 1031). After she is finally pushed to the limit, her true side is finally exposed. Cujo, involves a ferocious dog that starts out so innocent and kind , and ends up a brutal man killer(Bleiler, 1031). The Shining, takes place in a motel that is haunted(Beacham, 748). Jack Torrence is a writer who is ridden by guilt and failure(Beacham, 749). After Torrence, his wife, and his five year old son are snowed in for the week, they finally realize the evil that the motel actually possesses. In Firestarter, a little girl possesses the power to start fires with her mind. These powers were givin to her as a test by the government(Bleiler, 1041). Pet Semetary is about a man name Louis Creed(Beacham, 754). After his cat and son die, he buries them in a nearby pet cemetery, which is actually an Indian burial ground. After a certain amount of time, the once dead become living(Beacham, 753). The Eyes of the Dragon is a limited book published in 1986-

Relationship is an exploratory journey Essay

Janie grew up to find herself through each of her relationships. Her subdued lifestyle with her grandmother, her subdued and rather painful existence with her first husband Logan, her disillusionment after her initial enchantment with her second husband Jody, and her unfortunate killing of the husband she so loved, Tea Cake, all help her to recognize her for who she is and by the end of the novel, she is at peace with herself. This inner peace comes about by several twists and turns. She recognizes the various aspects of her own personality through her interactions in each of her relationships. She begins to understand that she might be more than a young girl whose responsibility has to be transferred from the matronly care of her grandmother to matrimonial bond to a unsympathetic husband during her first marriage. She realizes that she is more than an enchanted woman who wants be more than a socially acceptable companion to an ambitious and ruthless man during her second marriage. In her last marital relationship she begins to understand and appreciate her own need to be vivacious, lively and have good times with good company without the need to be apologetic or the need to be unaware of her partner’s shortcomings. In the death of her last husband Tea Cake at her own hand, she realizes that Life does not offer any linear solutions to the problems of relationships. Besides, she also understands that as a person she values her own individual survival is basic for her pursuit of happiness. Her confidence at having endured life’s trials and tests and having coming out not unscathed but with her individuality intact is mistaken for aloofness by her townsfolk. Finally, her revelations to her old friend Pheoby about her life finally give her a sense of fulfillment. Janie grows up in life through her relationships and that is why she has the confidence to tell her friend that â€Å"Ah been a delegate to de big’ssociation of life. Yessuh! De Grand Lodge, de big convention of livin’ is just where Ah been†(10) Janie started off in her childhood with a blind confidence that she was entitled to everything like everyone else. She did not realize she was colored till she saw herself in a photograph and could not recognize herself. When, the rest of the children and the people of the house pointed her out in the photograph, she exclaimed â€Å"Aw, aw! Ah’m colored! †(p. 13) She was taught by her nanny before she was married to Logan Killicks that â€Å"De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see. †(p. 20) Her completely subjugated relationship with Logan who was far older than her made her realize that perhaps she wanted more out of life. She wanted to feel a wanting in her heart and her body for a man, a true companion. That is what drove her into the arms of Jody, an ambitious, would-be politician. He was enchanting and had a manner that befitted his yet-to-acquire status. What she did not realize was Jody wanted her to be performing a particular role in his life. There was no fun in Jody because he always looked at life as a mission to be accomplished. She had to tell Jody that he was no fun to be with â€Å"Everybody can’t be lak you, Jody. Somebody is bound tuh want tuh laugh and play†(p. 76) She was so offended by Jodie’s denying her right to be herself, which she began to realize slowly with growing years and experience, she did not even care to be polite to a dying man. In fact Jodie’s death filled her with a sense of relief. Her realization that any relationship can come to the end of its utility and can fill a person with an unmentionable need for it to end came with Jodie’s death. After this growing distancing from Jody and his loftiness, which prevented Janie from living the life as a tribute to all possibility of happiness, Tea Cake entered. â€Å"Janie looked down on him and felt a self-crushing love. So her soul crawled out from its hiding place† (p. 122) Though Tea Cake gave her a brief scare by running away from her with her money, he returned to confess and begin their new life. His vivaciousness and his love for life was something that Janie had always wanted. For her the sweet pain and the all encompassing love she experienced under a pear tree were realized in her years with Tea Cake. But as all good things it also had to come to an end. The fearsome hurricane that they fled, the rabid dog that bit Tea Cake and its ill-effects on his personality and character were all revelations of the uncertainties of life. Janie had to kill Tea Cake in self defense and was acquitted in a trial consisting of all-male, all-white jury – yet another affirmation that Life had its strange ways of indicating its endless possibilities. Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly. †(3) The final place she comes back to is her hometown Eatonville. There, the act of sharing her life’s story with her friend fills her with a sense of completeness. Her relationship with her friend when she interacts very minimally with the townsfolk, allowing them to imagine all kinds of negative things about her, is a final revelation. The narration of the story was a necessity to herself as it was for Pheoby to know the facts. Her growth as a woman and a human being through her four major relationships in life is given a chance to be framed in perspective by her relationship with her friend –somebody with whom she shares no burden of expectation Works cited Hurston, Zora Neale and Jerry Pinkney Their eyes were watching God. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1991

A Night To Forget

The wind blow violently through the church-yard, wiping the hair off of Abi's face, as she looked down at her mothers grave. At the corner of a church a man with dark hair and piercing green eyes stared across at her. â€Å"It's no good girls we are going to have to call it a night. It's been absolutely fantastic, hard to believe it's my last night as a single woman, but I will be in no fit state to get married tomorrow if we don't go now,† wailed Jeannie. The mob of giggling girls tumbled out of the night-club, none of them noticing the tall dark man who floated out after them. Wanna lift home Rachel, we're all taking a cab,† screamed one of the girls, clutching on to Jeannie with one hand round her neck holding her upright. â€Å"No, I'm fine you lot, I've drank a bit much, perhaps walking home will clear my head. Anyway it's not far. † â€Å"Ok Rachel, we all know you can look after yourself,† said Jeannie with a wink, and a fit of laughter met her words. With a last fleeting look at the remnants of the wild hen night, Rachel turned to walk the few streets home. Rachel turned the corner, humming softly to herself reminiscing about the night and her friends, † I cant believe there's only one of us left who's still single,† she spoke the words with slight regret, â€Å"At least Jeannie found the man she had always wanted†. â€Å"Pete wouldn't be too happy about the man that was paying me rather too much attention, in the night-club. I wish he was going to be home tonight, we could talk more about, perhaps, getting married ourselves†. She hugged herself at the thought, perhaps it would be her turn to get married next! At that moment two men in the park caught her eye both walking quickly but far apart from one another. One had a huge German shepherd which wagged its tail at the sight of her, but as the man bent down to reprimand it, and she smiled to herself, â€Å"There are loads of people out tonight must have been something big going on†. She debated if she should cut through the park, â€Å"Should I, shan't I, well it'll be quicker. † She crossed the street and entered the park, the swings were squeaking, and the wind whistled through the trees, picking up speed and making her hair cover her face. Someone coughed behind her, she jumped in the air, peering around she breathed a sigh of relief, it was only the butcher Frank. She greeted him and carried on home, the wind continued whistling around her. There was a huge rustling in the evergreen bushes near her feet, she held her breath and looked pointedly up at the increasingly darkening sky, until she felt something brush her hand. She looked down suddenly at the wet floor, the black tarmac path covered with a festering film of moss and the sight that met her eyes was very surprising as it was the great shaggy head of the German Shepherd she had seen earlier. Rain started pouring down in droplets the size of 50 pence pieces and began running of gutters and roofs, the rain plastering her hair to her sweaty face as though buckets of water were being repeatedly dropped on her head. The moon which had given her light, now became covered by the heavy black storm clouds, and it was the occasional lightening strike which seemed to land increasingly closer each time which gave a second of illumination before plunging the street around her into darkness yet again. The sound of a fire alarm rang in the distance but she focused her mind it wasn't something for her to deal with tonight. She started to walk quicker, and glanced behind her but the man seemed to be the same distance away, she broke into a frantic kind of run, her face contorting as she tried to keep her mind, she was so close to the end of the park. As she rounded the next bend, only two streets away from her house, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She peered over her shoulder and was more than a little bit surprised to see the man who had been walking across the park behind her. His hair was dark, and he was exceedingly tall, was he the man who had flirted with her at the night-club? His face was covered in shadow and his eyes were looking at the floor and his hands were in his pockets. She sighed, of course, she did live in a busy area it wasn't that odd for someone to be walking this way. She carried on walking checking behind her every now and then and becoming increasingly worried that after several minutes he still was following her, this couldn't possibly be normal, could it? She started humming again but the tune was slightly distorted as her breathing became shallow and she had to gasp for air as her throat was constricting. She plunged her hand into her bag, it crawling around searching, searching for her keys. Pete always complained that she could never find her keys, suddenly her hand grasped around then. The lights in the house were out, her flat mate wasn't in either, she sprinted up the drive to the house, one last lightening strike making her panic stricken face light up, â€Å"shit, shit† she cried thrusting the bent key into the lock. She gave one vital turn on the key and hear the lock snap open, she threw the door open and slammed it shut behind her and leant back on the door her breath coming out in great rasping breaths. She gave a huge sigh of relief and sunk down onto the rough, wooden floor. â€Å"He was probably innocent and wasn't doing anything wrong but, phew that was just too scary†. Rachel, slowly got to her feet and climbed the winding staircase made of old pine with the creaky first step. As here feet found there way to tiled landing floor she pushed open the door and slowly made her way through the catastrophic mess of books and clothes that was her bedroom all scattered over a periwinkle blue carpet. She then slowly tiptoed through the junk to the bathroom and leant over the bath to turn on the exceedingly rusty, hot tap. A sound met here ears which could not have had anything to do with her, the step at the bottom of the stair had given an almighty creak, her head shot up and she turned to face the door on to the landing. â€Å"That couldn't have been anybody. No I must have imagined it. † Rachel then slipped out of her pale lilac, dress which had rested a couple of inches above her knobbly knees, and pulled on her woollen dressing gown. The water flooded into the bath as she made her way out of the room and slowly descended the old staircase and stumbled into the kitchen, â€Å"I must have drunk far too much† she moaned softly slightly slurring each word. She reached for kettle to fill it with water only to notice the tap was dripping. That couldn't have been her, so she leant forward to turn it on properly. The door creaked behind her and she spun round, no one was there but the door was swinging slowly. Open, shut, open, shut. She crept to the door, but before she had got two paces across the room she uttered a small, quickly stifled shout. She felt something-soft winding itself between her legs. It was Emily, her cat. Rachel got back up from stroking her scary little friend to turn the dripping tap off. No longer was it dripping. She shook her head violently, blond hair cascading over her face, â€Å"no one is in here, its fine. † She cautiously, walked through the door into the hall and felt the soft sheepskin rug rub between her toes, her heart beating hard against her ribcage, and her palms oozing sweat. She turned the corner to climb the stairs, and silently ascended the stairs yet again, and she walked into the bathroom. The water was no longer running, this was no longer a joke someone had to be in the house? â€Å"Raquel are you here? Please tell me your joking around? Its not funny you know, please come out,† she cried into the silence her breath coming out in short gasps, her eyes flitting from the landing and the stairs to her bedroom, the two closest places to her. She fled down the stairs to the kitchen her feet echoing loudly, on the wooden steps. â€Å"No. No, who's in here,† her shouts went unanswered in the big house. She leant back wards against the kitchen ledge and put her hands behind her each on a part of the kitchen worktop. She squeezed her hands against the rough marbled side, and felt some thing rustle under one of her palms. She picked it up, a single scrap of paper and turned round to read it on the kitchen side. Looking forward to seeing you again sweetheart. Her hands began to tremble, and the hairs on the back of her neck stuck up. Bang! The door swung open on its hinges. â€Å"I told you we would meet again†. He said smirking at her, his eyes looking her up and down, his gaze then lingering on her face. â€Å"Y-y-you, shouldn't b-be in here†. She stammered. â€Å"What do u mean I shouldn't be in here, darling. I'm in love with you. We are destined to be together. † â€Å"You've no right to be in here, how'd you get in† Rachel said her voice slightly stronger now, as she regained her senses after the shock of seeing him there. â€Å"Why, do all, of the girls say that, I hated it when the other girls said that! † he said, his greasy voice becoming less cosseting and more fierce. W-w-what do you mean by others,† the stammers returned, her fears now staring her in the face as she realised what he could do. â€Å"Oh, I just meant the other women I liked, not that they are still around anymore. They decided they didn't like me. † His voice suggesting that this was nothing out of the ordinary. â€Å"There was, Miranda, Polly, Florenec and, oh, Abi. † He said counting them off on his fingers. â€Å"W-what do you mean there not around anymore? † she asked tentatively. â€Å"What do you think I mean darling? † he replied. Trying to placate him she responded, â€Å"oh, I expect you mean that they just moved away. † He laughed, â€Å"course they did darling, moved to heaven or hell. † Rachel realised that the man in her house was seriously deranged and that she was in mortal danger. She knew she needed to get away from him, as quickly as possible, but with legs that felt like jelly she wasn't sure how she would achieve this. A strange clicking noise could just be heard coming from the direction of the hall they both turned to it, he asked sharply, â€Å"what's that? She replied, â€Å"Oh I often here that noise I don't know what it is, don't worry about it, knowing that it was the door bell with its nearly flat battery. Rachel knew that all she needed to do now was get to the doorbell with out alerting his suspicions. Suddenly with no warning he lunged forward, wrapping his muscular arm around her defenceless neck. He hissed in her ear, â€Å"Do you think I'm stupid there is someone at the door isn't there? † Rachel slumped forward, her weight catching him unprepared, he staggered under her weight. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his lower body, he stepped backwards shaking his head, moaning â€Å"what's going on,† not quite comprehending what was happening and completely unprepared for the next sharp blow that struck him over the head knocking him to the floor. There was a huge commotion at the front door, clearly somebody was trying to open it without the benefit of a key. The door suddenly gave way and several huge men powered through the door looking around, in there midst was a familiar hairy face. As the men dealt with the now unconscious would be attacker, Rachel buried her head in Rex the German shepherds shaggy coat. She took a deep breath and turned to her colleagues to ask, â€Å"what the hell kept you. † Her inspector patted her on the back saying, † well done Sergeant you played your role well, the way you stumbled home those orange juices must have been very strong but at least this murdering bastered will soon be under lock and key. â€Å"By the way sergeant exactly w2hat did you do to him before we got here? † she replied smiling, â€Å"that's what comes from having a boyfriend who's a Karate 6th Dan. The operation went smoothly enough, mind you I though Rex was gonna blow our cover when he came to see me through the bushes in the park! â€Å"

Free Essays on Violence Among Children

Violence among children, especially teenagers, has become a disturbing trend these days. It seems there is a school shooting on the news every other week. Parents have blamed the violence on television’s glorification of bloodshed and sex, the lyrics from some rap artist or rock group and games that promote violence. They have blamed everyone and everything other than themselves. Teenage violence has reached unimaginable heights, not because of the media but because of the lack of parental intervention at home. Crimes committed in the past do not seem as widespread compared to crimes in the present. Every year it seems violence in children is more prevalent. Each year in the United States, at least 1000 individuals below the magic â€Å"adult† age of 18 years are jailed for acts of homicide. In most years, since the 1980’s, there have been significantly more, 1500 young killers and up. By 1999, it seemed impossible to finish out a school year without three or four reported massacres on scattered campuses, and murders in the home†¦were numbingly routine (Newton 1). For example, on April 21, 1999, two high school students committed an incomprehensible crime. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who belonged to a group dubbed â€Å"the Trench Coat Mafia†, went into their high school, killed 12 students and one teacher before taking their own lives. Crimes of similar fashion have been occurring all over the United States and as a society we have yet to come up with a logical reason as to why this happens. Parents are constantly displacing the responsibility of the actions of their children. Placing the blame on music, television and games have done nothing to solve this problem. Eric Harris and Dylan Kelbold said it best with an email that was sent to the local police the days before the Columbine High School massacre. â€Å"Surely you will try to blame it on the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, or the w... Free Essays on Violence Among Children Free Essays on Violence Among Children Violence among children, especially teenagers, has become a disturbing trend these days. It seems there is a school shooting on the news every other week. Parents have blamed the violence on television’s glorification of bloodshed and sex, the lyrics from some rap artist or rock group and games that promote violence. They have blamed everyone and everything other than themselves. Teenage violence has reached unimaginable heights, not because of the media but because of the lack of parental intervention at home. Crimes committed in the past do not seem as widespread compared to crimes in the present. Every year it seems violence in children is more prevalent. Each year in the United States, at least 1000 individuals below the magic â€Å"adult† age of 18 years are jailed for acts of homicide. In most years, since the 1980’s, there have been significantly more, 1500 young killers and up. By 1999, it seemed impossible to finish out a school year without three or four reported massacres on scattered campuses, and murders in the home†¦were numbingly routine (Newton 1). For example, on April 21, 1999, two high school students committed an incomprehensible crime. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who belonged to a group dubbed â€Å"the Trench Coat Mafia†, went into their high school, killed 12 students and one teacher before taking their own lives. Crimes of similar fashion have been occurring all over the United States and as a society we have yet to come up with a logical reason as to why this happens. Parents are constantly displacing the responsibility of the actions of their children. Placing the blame on music, television and games have done nothing to solve this problem. Eric Harris and Dylan Kelbold said it best with an email that was sent to the local police the days before the Columbine High School massacre. â€Å"Surely you will try to blame it on the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, or the w...

Free Essays on Fibonnaci Sequence

Fibonacci Sequence In the 13th century A.D. Leonard Fibonacci introduced Liber abaci, which means â€Å"The Book of calculations.† Fibonacci was best known for a series of numbers which were introduced in Liber abaci, and later named the Fibonacci sequence in his honor. The sequence begins with 0 and 1. After that, use the simple rule: Add the last two numbers together to get the next. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377†¦ In Fibonacci's day, mathematical competitions and challenges were ordinary. In 1225 Fibonacci took part in a tournament at Pisa ordered by the emperor at the time, Frederick II. During this competition the following problem arose: Beginning with a single pair of rabbits, if every month each productive pair bears a new pair, which becomes productive when they are 1 month old, how many rabbits will there be after n months? This rabbit breeding problem that caused Fibonacci to write about the sequence in Liber abaci may be unrealistic but the Fibonacci sequence really does appear today. For example, some plants stem in such a way that they always have a Fibonacci number of growing points. Flowers often have a Fibonacci number of petals; daisies can have 34, 55 or even 89 petals. Next time you look at a sunflower look at the arrangements of the seeds. They appear to spiral outward, both left and right. There is a Fibonacci sequence in the number of spirals. This arrangement keeps the seeds evenly packed regardless of how large the seed head. The Fibonacci sequence appears every day in a normal person’s life, they just never knew.... Free Essays on Fibonnaci Sequence Free Essays on Fibonnaci Sequence Fibonacci Sequence In the 13th century A.D. Leonard Fibonacci introduced Liber abaci, which means â€Å"The Book of calculations.† Fibonacci was best known for a series of numbers which were introduced in Liber abaci, and later named the Fibonacci sequence in his honor. The sequence begins with 0 and 1. After that, use the simple rule: Add the last two numbers together to get the next. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377†¦ In Fibonacci's day, mathematical competitions and challenges were ordinary. In 1225 Fibonacci took part in a tournament at Pisa ordered by the emperor at the time, Frederick II. During this competition the following problem arose: Beginning with a single pair of rabbits, if every month each productive pair bears a new pair, which becomes productive when they are 1 month old, how many rabbits will there be after n months? This rabbit breeding problem that caused Fibonacci to write about the sequence in Liber abaci may be unrealistic but the Fibonacci sequence really does appear today. For example, some plants stem in such a way that they always have a Fibonacci number of growing points. Flowers often have a Fibonacci number of petals; daisies can have 34, 55 or even 89 petals. Next time you look at a sunflower look at the arrangements of the seeds. They appear to spiral outward, both left and right. There is a Fibonacci sequence in the number of spirals. This arrangement keeps the seeds evenly packed regardless of how large the seed head. The Fibonacci sequence appears every day in a normal person’s life, they just never knew....

Economy of Ireland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Economy of Ireland - Essay Example Inflation rate is a low two percent (2.7%). Ireland has chalked up a strong annual growth in Gross National Product and Gross Domestic Product. The National Development Plans are giving the economy a boost. Ireland can be considered as a small, open, trade-dependent economy and is one of the fastest growing economies in the developed world. Its openness is reflected in the international mobility of capital and by encouraging levels of foreign direct investment. With low tax rates, Ireland presents a very attractive economic climate for international and local businesses. In the field of international trade, the UK is the most important exporter to Ireland accounting for thirty-seven percent (37.1%) of all the Irish imports. The second biggest exported is the US at three percent (3.8%). The third exporter is Germany at nine percent (9.2%). Finally, the Netherlands accounts for more than four percent (4.5%.) The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) consists of two entities. The first entity is the Central Bank, which carries responsibility for the monetary policy functions, financial stability, economic analysis and currency, and payment systems. The second entity is the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, which has the mandate of safeguarding the financial sector and providing consumer protection. The CBFSAI has a supervisory responsibility for over 1000 financial entities in Ireland, of which more than 80 are banks and around 400 are credit unions.The banking sector is a reliable contributor of the country's economic growth. The banking sector contributed six percent (6) to the Irish GNP in 2005 compared to three percent (3%) in 1998. Employment in banking has risen from 29,400 in 1998 to 37,700 in 2005, of which 82% represents retail banking. These retail banks have over a thousand branches and satellite offices. TOP IRISH BANKS The two major Irish banks, AIB Bank and Bank of Ireland, are both publicly listed companies. These companies have generated their capital through the Irish Stock Exchange. In each case, ownership is widely diversified, with over 100,000 shareholders, most of whom are private individuals with relatively small holdings. In the case of AIB Bank, 41 per cent of shareholders own fewer than 1,000 shares each, while in the case of Bank of Ireland this figure is 54 per cent. Taken as a whole, these small bank shareholders own only 1 per cent of the total bank shares. Moreover, the Irish clients normally transact with the bank branches for retail banking services. They continue to be the predominant form of access to banking services. The growth of new suburbs and the emergence of suburban shopping malls has led to the opening of bank branches in or near these centres. The top four banks in Ireland are Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland, the National Irish Bank and Ulster Bank. Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. was formed in 1966 when three banks merged. The three banks had been established in 1825. The AIB's emphasis is on business banking in Britain in the 1970s. In the 1980s, the AIB formed a subsidiary, the FMB, which marked the

The Primary Reasons for the Creation of Central Banks Especially in th Essay

The Primary Reasons for the Creation of Central Banks Especially in the U.S - Essay Example Another reason to create the central bank was to restrict the practice of small independent banks to open branches across the state boundaries. Actually, with the significant decentralization of the banking system of US, the problems increased especially during the recession, when the multi-bank panics and frequent bank collapses happen. For example, between the closure of the Second Bank of the United States and in the late years of first decade of the twentieth century, total nine multi-bank panics happened. In consideration to the frequent collapses of small banks, the need of a structure of central bank with regional banks was identified. Eventually, after the panic of 1907, in 1913 a commission of inquiry was set up and the Federal Reserve Act was passed. In the absence of a central bank in the 19th century, the federal government used to act its own banker and the treasury could favor the specific geographic, economic and financial interests. Therefore, another aim of creating central banks was to finance and meet the centralized needs of the Treasury. The central bank of the United State, Fed was set up with an aim that it could operate independent of both the private financial business interests and duly constituted government authorities. The key players in shaping the Federal Reserve Act were Glass Steagall Act 1933 and Regulation Q. These two key players not only allowed the Federal Reserve Bank to reduce the riskiness of system but they also enhanced the authority of Federal Reserve Bank. It was being assumed before the creation of regional fed banks that central banks are too large and it was against the democratic ideals of the USA for example, in 1832, USA president argued that Second Bank of US had given the power to few irresponsible people. Actually, the establishment of a central banking system has always been parallel with the fear of excessive control from the centre. Therefore, rather than setting up a single bank, the Federal Reserve Act established a system of twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks overseen by a Federal Reserve Board.  

Does Media Bias Cause Islam to be Misunderstood Research Paper

Does Media Bias Cause Islam to be Misunderstood - Research Paper Example The research paper "Does Media Bias Cause Islam to be Misunderstood" analyzes if Islam is misunderstood because of the media biases. And Islamophobia, as can be seen in the western media portrayal of Islam and Muslims, can be traced back to the mid-part of the 20th century – sometime in the 60s and 70s. For some reason, this negative portrayal has not changed over the decades. Derogatory terms such as â€Å"camel jockey† obviously show contempt against this group. During the 80s and 90s, world war vision of Huntington and the theory of â€Å"clash of civilization† incited fear among the U.S. population. This was furthered by the 9/11 attacks in 2001. But things did not end there. The media then began, more and more, to put Islam and Muslims in a bad light. Even cartoon shows such as â€Å"The Simpsons† try to mix Islamophobia with humor. This means that even kids are not immune to this cultural reality of stereotyping this group of people as terrorists. Wh en it comes to the news industry, one of the most controversial channels is â€Å"Fox News.† For the past several years, â€Å"Fox News Channel† has been accused of inciting ethnic or religious animosity. With these as just a few examples of media biases and Islamophobia, it is then a wonder how a land of supposed constitutional rights and freedoms ends up forming a new kind of racism just after the institutionalization of the civil rights? While this area may just be a small percentage of the media, it speaks a lot of the challenges that the U.S. society faces to this day.

The Pianist Essay Example for Free

The Pianist Essay The film The Pianist is about a man, Szpilman, living in Poland during the war. It tells his story as one of the themes in the film is clearly the holocaust. The film presents the horrors of the holocaust in the experience of one man, Wladysaw Szpilman as he hides from the Nazis. The film makes an honest approach to the condition of holocaust. It presents the shades of humanity in between the good and the bad. It shows how the war gave people a chance to triumph over the holocaust and their humanity while others to succumb to it and humanity. Circumstances force people to do strange things. The war genre requires a lot of sensitivity to enable the audience to put themselves in the shoes of a character as he interacts with his environment. The point of view is quite important to achieve this. In my analysis I intend to find out if the point of view of Szpilman helps the movie achieve the desired outcome. The film begins with music as Szpilman plays a piano for Polish radio. Even though the scene is interrupted by a bomb, Szpilman remains momentarily caught up in his music. His devotion to music becomes the strength he needs to survive because despite the horrific circumstances, he does not give up playing for the radio again. As he tells the SS officer who helps him, he wants to play for the polish radio. By virtue of his dreams, he believes the war will end even when an SS officer asked him what he wanted to do after the war. Music and all art thus come out in the film as worthy weapons against the struggle. In terms of leading actor the film has Adrien Brody play Szpilman. The actor as the film opens is caught up in fulfilling his dreams of music. He seems a little preoccupied and absorbed. He is a regular guy. The lead actor gives the film its perspective. We see the war through his eyes and his experiences. In the span of the film, contrary to what one would expect from a war film, he remains more alone and does not rise to become an astonishing person who saves the day and lots of human life. Instead his main achievement is that he manages to remain concealed and survives the invasion of the Nazis. The lead actor is not a conventional hero. He is mostly passive trying to understand what is going on in the world around him. As we accompany him in the movie, we get locked up with him in hiding places and watch him ravaged by the war as he loses weight, confused and fall to pieces. Adrien performs his role by being totally immersed in his character. How he moves and talks and acts reveals the transformation he is undergoing including losing weight as his character gets starved and severe malnutrition. He is striking in that he represents the humanity of many and the story of survival is the survival of humanity against ravages of war. The leading actor is not about being a super good character but embodiment of bare human circumstance and the amazing journey of survival during terrible circumstances. The film does not give in to the cultural assumptions that all the Jews were good people and all the Germans bad people. The leading actor as well as other suffering victims are not all of humanity. They too are problematic and are not represented as saints. The suffering they underwent is horrific by virtue of being human despite what kind of people they are. The film represents in addition the reality that some Nazis had humanity too. An SS officer took care of Szpilman for the last stretch of his survival. The mise-en-scene of the film displays great aspects of setting, costumes and make-up and staging. Portions of the film are set and shot in Germany using the old building and barracks that were actually used during the war. Much of the film was filmed in Praga district while some was filmed in Germany’s Babelsberg film studios. Here a recreation of the ghetto was made. The ruins of the ghetto were also filmed inside an army base in the former Soviet. That effectively creates a real feeling to the film. The set creates a backdrop to the life of the prisoners. The costumes clearly identify the time period of changes that were occurring as people lost more and more. In addition the costumes and make-up help set the stage for action character. The point of view used in the film is that of Szpilman the leading actor. While the story begins there are many characters but quickly the point of view of the leading actor takes over. After his escape, Szpilman eyes become what we see the world through. The film unrolls with scenes of Szpilman interacting with his confined world. We see him trying to keep from the Nazis and basically try to survive. In the meantime, the world inside his head comes on and off as he hears music in his head. The director , Roman Polanski, gives a true and brilliant film by being true to the autobiography story of the real life Szphilman. He brings to the film his own past. In his childhood, Roman Polanksi underwent a similar situation. During the war, he escaped Krakow Ghetto. This was after his mother died. He hid for the duration of the war in a Polish farmer’s barn. He survived the war along with his father. He therefore draws from his personal experience as well as his experience with other film that have similar themes. In addition Polanski has had experience with films that deal with confinement and its disturbing effects on people. This is in his movies The Tenant, Repulsion and Bitter Moon. Long shots characterize the movie. In several scenes Szphilman looks at the outside world as we look at him. Through the shots the audience gets to see him processing the world. He stares at people being hunted down and killed. He gets little glimpses of the world and his numbness easily comes out through the long shots. Aspects of technical elements in the film are used to highlight the themes. Low lighting and shadows create a feeling of limited vision. When Szpilman is in hiding, we see him covered in darkness. The indignity of living in subhuman condition underscore the humiliation many holocaust victims were exposed to. As he moves from hiding place and scavenges for food the flooding of light highlight how deserted he is. It is all bright and empty around him and no matter which way he looks he is met with emptiness. Dialogue in the film especially as Szpilman interacts with others show the effect of the long suffering on the victims. Forced to be quiet for long periods of time and unable to fully understand what is happening, dialogue is kept at minimal and no revealing. The characters can not express the depth of their experiences and they preserve themselves though direct dialogue. The sound in the film is kept at bare and music at minimal. There are no swelling scores allowing for the audience to stay with their bare emotions. The piano even when ‘silent’ is a beautiful addition to the film. When Szpilman comes across a piano in his hiding place he finds he can not play lest he will be discovered. However, he moves him fingers over the keys and the audience hears the music he is playing in his mind. The nostalgia and hope that Szpilman harbors comes through. The audience glimpses the source of strength for Szpilman’s survival. In comparing this film to others in the same genre some differences can be seen. One of the differences with another movie in the genre, Schindler’s List, is that the pianist is a film that is based on one person. Schindler’s List is broader in dealing with the holocaust in terms of the point of view. The pianist narrows down the holocaust by concentration on one man’s story. From him the audience can understand the holocaust and not the other way round. Schindler’s list has the story of two people; Schindler and Goeth. The cast in The Pianist is also heavily European while Schindler’s List is not. Another difference in that while the hero clearly comes out in Schindler’s List The Pianist does not give to the leading actor the usual hero traits. While Schindler is clearly a hero Szpilman is not a hero by overt means. He is a hero in choosing to survive and simply not giving up despite the difficulties. In addition, The Pianist does not draw clear lines between the good and the bad or assign blame. While it is clear there are bad people killing and hurting others, the film is largely non judgmental. Having watched the film, I feel that The Pianist is a great film. It lives up to its potential because one is completely caught up in Szpilman’s story and begins to understand the holocaust in that light. While other movies show the great suffering and heroes of the war, this film shows the quiet heroism that might go unnoticed by many, yet it is this sort of heroism that was more rampant than the celebrated one. The film is also capturing in the use of elements. The shooting and the delivery come together and the audience gets lost in the film without getting caught up in the ‘vehicle’ that is the technicalities of the film. The film deeply touched me and made me realize that war is terrible not just in what it physically does to people but also because of the psychological and traumatic effects. One of its effects is that it created a disturbance in me. I did not feel that someone came and rescued the day because for many holocaust victims their day was not saved. The realism of the film was quite refreshing. At the same time the film restores hope in humanity. Despite all the horrific events during the war, there were ample cases of people risking life to protect others. Many people helped Szpilman including the SS officer who was taking a great risk. Just as some people can stoop low beyond belief, so can others rise above expectations. In the end, the human spirit rises up against its adversity and that is the best effect of the film considering its genre. Szpilman’s point of view enables the audience to see the holocaust keenly without getting carried away by too much information or characters. References. Bordwell David and Thomson Kristin, Film Art: An introduction. 8 ed. (New York: McGraw- Hill Higher education, 2006). ‘Schindler’s List’: Internet Movie Data Base. 1990-2010. Web. 16 July 2010. ‘The Pianist’: Internet Movie Data base. 1990-2010. Web. 17 July 2010.

The Effects of Smoking on the Developing Fetus Essay -- Health Medical

The Effects of Smoking on the Developing Fetus The exposure of the fetus to nicotine during development has several effects. The most well known result of smoking is low birth weight of the infant. There are also some studies that reveal nicotine as a drug that can affect the brain of the developing fetus. Nicotine also has direct effects on the neurotransmitter systems in the CNS and may cause a decrease in cell growth which could result in mental impairment. The correlation between maternal smoking and low birth weight has been strongly established. Nicotine affects the placental function by inducing the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine into the maternal blood, which causes decreased blood flow to the placenta (1). The decreased blood flow causes a decrease in delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. This may have an effect on cell growth and development. High levels of carboxyhemoglobin are present in the blood of the mother and the fetus. This may decrease the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen and fetal hypoxia is the result (2). Fetal hypoxia and ischemia are major contributors to developmental defects, but nicotine has been implicated, in various studies, to have a direct affect on fetal development (3). Several studies suggest that nicotine interferes with cell acquisition and development in various brain regions. The developing nervous system seems to be more vulnerable to nicotine exposure than the rest of the body (4). This is important since nicotine readily crosses the placental barrier and fetal blood concentrations are equal to or above that of the mother (1). DNA can be used as a index for measuring cell acquisition. An experiment on rats by Lichtensteiger et. al. reported that DN... ...r. (1988) Prenatal adverse effects of nicotine on the developing brain. Progress in Brain Research. 73:137-157. 2. Moore, K. L. The Developing Human: Clinically oriented embryology, 4th edition. Philadelphia PA: W.B. Saunders Co., 1988, p.146. 3.Navarro, H. A., F. J. Seidler, J. P. Eylers, F. E. Baker, S. S. Dobbins, S. E. Lappi, T. A. Slotkin. (1989) Effects of Prenatal Nicotine Exposure on Development of Central and Peripheral Cholinergic Neurotransmitter Systems. Evidence for Cholinergic Trophic Influences in Developing Brain. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 251(3):894-900. 4. Navarro, H. A., F. J. Seidler, R. D. Schwartz, F. E. Baker, S. S. Dobbins, T. A. Slotkin. (1989) Prenatal Exposure to Nicotine Impairs Nervous System Development at a Dose Which Does Not Affect Viability or Growth. Brain Research Bulletin. 23:187-192.

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Edward FitzGerald's Translation. 1 Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight: And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light. 2 Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry, â€Å"Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup â€Å"Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry. † 3 And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before The Tavern shouted–â€Å"Open then the Door! â€Å"You know how little while we have to stay, â€Å"And, once departed, may return no more. † 4 Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,Where the WHITE HAND OF MOSES on the Bough Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires. ***** 5 Iram indeed is gone with all its Rose, And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one knows; But still the Vine her ancient Ruby yields, And still a Garden by the Water blows. 6 And David's Lips are lock't; but in divin e High piping Pehlevi, with â€Å"Wine! Wine! Wine! â€Å"Red Wine! â€Å"—the Nightingale cries to the Rose That yellow Cheek of hers to incarnadine. 7 Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring The Winter Garment of Repentance fling: The Bird of Time has but a little way To fly—and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing. And look—a thousand Blossoms with the Day Woke—and a thousand scatter'd into Clay: And this first Summer Month that brings the Rose Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away. ***** 9 But come with old Khayyam, and leave the Lot Of Kaikobad and Kaikhosru forgot! Let Rustum lay about him as he will, Or Hatim Tai cry Supper—heed them not. 10 With me along some Strip of Herbage strown That just divides the desert from the sown, Where name of Slave and Sultan scarce is known, And pity Sultan Mahmud on his Throne. 11 Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse—and ThouBeside me singing in the Wildernessâ €” And Wilderness is Paradise enow. 12 â€Å"How sweet is mortal Sovranty! â€Å"—think some: Others—â€Å"How blest the Paradise to come! † Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest; Oh, the brave Music of a distant Drum! ***** 13 Look to the Rose that blows about us—â€Å"Lo, â€Å"Laughing,† she says, â€Å"into the World I blow: â€Å"At once the silken Tassel of my Purse â€Å"Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw. † 14 The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon Turns Ashes—or it prospers; and anon, Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face Lighting a little Hour or two—is gone. 15And those who husbanded the Golden Grain, And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain, Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd As, buried once, Men want dug up again. 16 Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day, How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp Abode his Hour or two, and went his way. ***** 17 They say the Lion and the Lizard keep The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep; And Bahram, that great Hunter—the Wild Ass Stamps o'er his Head, and he lies fast asleep. 18 I sometimes think that never so red The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled; That every Hyacinth the Garden wearsDropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head. 19 And this delightful Herb whose tender Green Fledges the River's Lip on which we lean— Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen! 20 Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears TO-DAY of past Regrets and future Fears— To-morrow? —Why, To-morrow I may be Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n Thousand Years. ***** 21 Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest, Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before, And one by one crept silently to Rest. 22 And we, that now make merry in the RoomThey left, and Summer dresses in new Bloom, Ourselves mu st we beneath the Couch of Earth Descend, ourselves to make a Couch—for whom? 23 Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend, Before we too into the Dust descend; Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and—sans End! 24 Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare, And those that after a TO-MORROW stare, A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries â€Å"Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There! † ***** 25 Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, are thrust Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to ScornAre scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with Dust. 26 Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wise To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies; One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies; The Flower that once has blown for ever dies. 27 Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same Door as in I went. 28 With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with my own hand labour'd it to grow: And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd— â€Å"I came like Water, and like Wind I go. † ***** 29 Into this Universe, and why not knowing,Nor whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing: And out of it, as Wind along the Waste, I know not whither, willy-nilly blowing. 30 What, without asking, hither hurried whence? And, without asking, whither hurried hence! Another and another Cup to drown The Memory of this Impertinence! 31 Up from Earth's Centre through the Seventh Gate I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate, And many Knots unravel'd by the Road; But not the Knot of Human Death and Fate. 32 There was a Door to which I found no Key: There was a Veil past which I could not see: Some little Talk awhile of ME and THEE There seemed—and then no more of THEE and ME. **** 33 Then to the rolling Heav'n itself I cried, Asking, â€Å"What Lamp had Destiny to guide â€Å"Her little Childre n stumbling in the Dark? † And—â€Å"A blind Understanding! † Heav'n replied. 34 Then to this earthen Bowl did I adjourn My Lip the secret Well of Life to learn: And Lip to Lip it murmur'd—â€Å"While you live â€Å"Drink! —for once dead you never shall return. † 35 I think the Vessel, that with fugitive Articulation answer'd, once did live, And merry-make; and the cold Lip I kiss'd How many Kisses might it take—and give! 36 For in the Market-place, one Dusk of Day, I watch'd the Potter thumping his wet Clay:And with its all obliterated Tongue It murmur'd—â€Å"Gently, Brother, gently, pray! † ***** 37 Ah, fill the Cup:—what boots it to repeat How Time is slipping underneath our Feet: Unborn TO-MORROW, and dead YESTERDAY, Why fret about them if TO-DAY be sweet! 38 One Moment in Annihilation's Waste, One Moment, of the Well of Life to taste— The Stars are setting and the Caravan Starts for the Dawn of Nothin g—Oh, make haste! 39 How long, how long, in infinite Pursuit Of This and That endeavour and dispute? Better be merry with the fruitful Grape Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit. 40 You know, my Friends, how long since in my HouseFor a new Marriage I did make Carouse: Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed, And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse. ***** 41 For â€Å"IS† and â€Å"IS-NOT† though with Rule and Line, And â€Å"UP-AND-DOWN† without, I could define, I yet in all I only cared to know, Was never deep in anything but—Wine. 42 And lately, by the Tavern Door agape, Came stealing through the Dusk an Angel Shape Bearing a Vessel on his Shoulder; and He bid me taste of it; and 'twas—the Grape! 43 The Grape that can with Logic absolute The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute: The subtle Alchemist that in a Trice Life's leaden Metal into Gold transmute. 4 The mighty Mahmud, the victorious Lord, That all the misbelieving and black Horde Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul Scatters and slays with his enchanted Sword. ***** 45 But leave the Wise to wrangle, and with me The Quarrel of the Universe let be: And, in some corner of the Hubbub coucht, Make Game of that which makes as much of Thee. 46 For in and out, above, about, below, ‘Tis nothing but a Magic Shadow-show, Play'd in a Box whose Candle is the Sun, Round which we Phantom Figures come and go. 47 And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in the Nothing all Things end in —Yes—Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what Thou shalt be—Nothing—Thou shalt not be less. 48 While the Rose blows along the River Brink, With old Khayyam the Ruby Vintage drink: And when the Angel with his darker Draught Draws up to Thee—take that, and do not shrink. ***** 49 ‘Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays: Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays, And one by one back in the Closet lays. 50 The Ball no Question makes of Ayes and Noes, But Right or Left, as strikes the Player goes; And He that toss'd Thee down into the Field, *He* knows about it all—He knows—HE knows! 1 The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. 52 And that inverted Bowl we call The Sky, Whereunder crawling coop't we live and die, Lift not thy hands to *It* for help—for It Rolls impotently on as Thou or I. ***** 53 With Earth's first Clay They did the Last Man's knead, And then of the Last Harvest sow'd the Seed: Yea, the first Morning of Creation wrote What the Last Dawn of Reckoning shall read. 54 I tell Thee this—When, starting from the Goal, Over the shoulders of the flaming FoalOf Heav'n Parvin and Mushtara they flung, In my predestin'd Plot of Dust and Soul 55 The Vine had struck a Fibre; which about If clings my Being†”let the Sufi flout; Of my Base Metal may be filed a Key, That shall unlock the Door he howls without 56 And this I know: whether the one True Light, Kindle to Love, or Wrathconsume me quite, One Glimpse of It within the Tavern caught Better than in the Temple lost outright. ***** 57 Oh, Thou, who didst with Pitfall and with Gin Beset the Road I was to wander in, Thou wilt not with Predestination round Enmesh me, and impute my Fall to Sin? 58 Oh, Thou, who Man of baser Earth didst make,And who with Eden didst devise the Snake; For all the Sin wherewith the Face of Man Is blacken'd, Man's Forgiveness give—and take! KUZA-NAMA (â€Å"Book of Pots. â€Å") 59 Listen again. One Evening at the Close Of Ramazan, ere the better Moon arose, In that old Potter's Shop I stood alone With the clay Population round in Rows. 60 And, strange to tell, among that Earthen Lot Some could articulate, while others not: And suddenly one more impatient cried— â€Å"Who *is* the Potter, p ray, and who the Pot? † ***** 61 Then said another—â€Å"Surely not in vain â€Å"My Substance from the common Earth was ta'en, â€Å"That He who subtly wrought me into Shape Should stamp me back to common Earth again. † 62 Another said—â€Å"Why, ne'er a peevish Boy, â€Å"Would break the Bowl from which he drank in Joy; â€Å"Shall He that *made* the Vessel in pure Love â€Å"And Fancy, in an after Rage destroy! † 63 None answer'd this; but after Silence spake A Vessel of a more ungainly Make: â€Å"They sneer at me for learning all awry; â€Å"What! did the Hand then of the Potter shake? † 64 Said one—â€Å"Folk of a surly Tapster tell â€Å"And daub his Visage with the Smoke of Hell; â€Å"They talk of some strict Testing of us—Pish! â€Å"He's a Good Fellow, and ‘t will all be well. † ***** 65 Then said another with a long-drawn Sigh, My Clay with long oblivion is gone dry: â€Å"But, fill me with the old familiar Juice, â€Å"Methinks I might recover by-and-bye! † 66 So while the Vessels one by one were speaking, One spied the little Crescent all were seeking: And then they jogg'd each other, â€Å"Brother! Brother! â€Å"Hark to the Porter's Shoulder-knot a-creaking! † 67 Ah, with the Grape my fading Life provide, And wash my Body whence the Life has died, And in the Windingsheet of Vine-leaf wrapt, So bury me by some sweet Garden-side. 68 That ev'n my buried Ashes such a Snare Of Perfume shall fling up into the Air, As not a True Believer passing by But shall be overtaken unaware. ***** 9 Indeed the Idols I have loved so long Have done my Credit in Men's Eye much wrong: Have drown'd my Honour in a shallow Cup, And sold my Reputation for a Song. 70 Indeed, indeed, Repentance oft before I swore—but was I sober when I swore? And then and then came Spring, and Rose-in-hand My thread-bare Penitence apieces tore. 71 And much as Wine has play'd the Infidel And robb'd me of my Robe of Honour—well, I often wonder what the Vintners buy One half so precious as the Goods they sell. 72 Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youth's sweet-scented Manuscript should close! The Nightingale that in the Branches sang,Ah, whence, and whither flown again, who knows! ***** 73 Ah Love! could thou and I with Fate conspire To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire, Would not we shatter it to bits—and then Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire! 74 Ah, Moon of my Delight who Know'st no wane The Moon of Heav'n is rising once again: How oft hereafter rising shall she look Through this same Garden after me—in vain! 75 And when Thyself with shining Foot shall pass Among the Guests Star-scatter'd on the Grass, And in thy joyous Errand reach the Spot Where I made one—turn down an empty Glass! TAMAM SHUD (It is completed. )

Bestbuy’s Strategy Essay

According to the case, BestBuy is trying to create a competitive advantage in three areas: customer-centricity, employment policies, and exclusive branding. After studying the VRIO framework, I have found that BestBuy’s three areas of strategy do fit into the VRIO framework. BestBuy believes that an effective strategy is a commitment to customer-centricity. A business that implements customer-centricity caters to specific customer needs and behaviors. According to the book, BestBuy wants to steer away from a product-centered marketing approach to a more customer-oriented marketing approach which will have them asking what problems its customers are facing, and then providing solutions. Furthermore, BestBuy wants to segment its customers into four different profiles: Upscale Suburban, Urban Trendsetter, Empty Nesters, and Middle America. In different regions around the U. S. you will find these diverse groups. BestBuy has been able to utilize the rare attribute of the VRIO framework with its ability to serve the needs of the predominant customer segment in a given region. BestBuy is unlike any company in the consumer electronic industry because as the book mentions, â€Å"Nearly all companies claim to be customer oriented, but being customer centric required a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. † BestBuy has reformatted the physical space in its stores and related products have been bundled together to meet the needs of certain segments. Store teams have also been trying to answer the following questions: What kind of traffic do we have coming in our stores today, how effectively are we selling to the people in the stores, what does our customer information look like, what segments do we have coming in, and what kind of market share do we have for those segments? To answer those questions BestBuy has been investing in the right tools so that the field knows what to focus on. BestBuy has taken customer interest a step further, and so far it has given them a rare advantage. BestBuy has also done a good job of organizing its employment policies to capture value. According to the book, BestBuy has set up an employee listening program that uses open communication to better understand the needs of its workers. This program has done a great job of exploiting the company’s capabilities because it is implementing tools such as annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. BestBuy is capturing value because they are listening to their employees and discerning information that was previously unknown to management. The final area that BestBuy is focusing its strategy on is exclusive brands. This last area is very important to BestBuy because it is valuable, rare, and costly to imitate. BestBuy currently owns these private labels: Insignia, Dynex, Init, Rocketfish, and Geek Squad. As far as background goes, Insignia produces TVs, monitors, home-theater systems, and portable video/ audio players. Dynex produces storage media, data and power cables, webcams, and office supplies. Init produces media storage, equipment bags, totes and furniture for home theaters. Rocketfish is a top notch producer of cables that are mostly used for TVs. And most famously, Geek Squad provides computer repair and installation services. BestBuy realizes that they cannot solely rely on these small private labels to create, on their own, enough revenue to stay in business. But nevertheless, these private labels are valuable because they add attractive features to the company. Most of the products offered by these small labels are accessories that add value to the more expensive products which in turn increase the profitability of BestBuy. In particular, I think Geek Squad is valuable because a lot of older people do not know how to set up the more complex electronics and often run into problems. Easy-to-setup installation and troubleshooting is a very attractive feature to most consumers. Along those same lines, these small labels are rare because their products are only being sold in BestBuy stores. If you’re a huge fan of Rocketfish cables or really appreciate the helpfulness of Geek Squad then you have to come to BestBuy to get you want. These private labels are also costly to imitate I imagine because it could be costly to implement and staff a repair and installation service in all of your stores like BestBuy has done with Geek Squad. Also, these private labels have a few unique products that could be hard to replicate. I know that Init has created some nice, high quality equipment bags and furniture for home theaters. I believe that after weighing the benefits of all three of these areas that BestBuy has indeed created a competitive advantage. In one way or another they have valuable, rare, costly to imitate, or are organized to capture value with their products and services. BestBuy’s business level strategy is to focus on its people through customer centricity and employment policies. The managers in both areas want to listen to the people and discern how to best appeal to them. Managers have planned to become customer centric by profiling its customers and then design the stores and provide products according to the profiles in the region. The cost driver associated is the cost of input factors because it requires a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. Stores need to be reformatted and related products need to be bundled. The main value driver for this focus has been customer service. BestBuy has excelled at customer service because they are able to identify customer needs and appeal to their wants because of the unique profiles that have been created. The main cost driver for employment policies has also been cost of input factors because I imagine it has been costly to implement the new annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. The main value driver for the employment policies is customer service. BestBuy has created distinctive techniques for company-wide communication that in turn provide better customer support. Managers now know what the consumers are thinking because the employees are able to share information with their superiors in an efficient way. The competition between BestBuy, Amazon, Apple, and Wal-Mart has been fierce over the last several years. BestBuy has found itself to still be at the top of consumer electronics in the minds of its customers with 40% of the votes. However, BestBuy comes in 11th place in the Top 15 most valuable retail brands. Furthermore, Apple has recently made a large push in the race by reaching $2. 8 billion in sales in 2010 which puts them in third place behind BestBuy and Amazon. However, BestBuy is in last place according to share performance in 2010 and 2011. After looking at all of the different results and surveys I would say that BestBuy is right in the thick of things and battling for the top spot. Amazon may be more a valuable company but the consumers still view BestBuy as the leading consumer electronic company. One of the critical problems facing BestBuy is people coming into the store and testing the products and then leaving and buying the product elsewhere. I think that BestBuy’s strategy to become customer centered is a good strategy. Many of the same products are sold by multiple companies, but if BestBuy can appeal to the segments and profiles of people coming into their stores then they can get people to buy the products in their stores. Identifying the profiles of people coming in is the first step and then being able to bundle products and arrange displays in an appealing way is a good strategy. If BestBuy continues to value its consumers I think they will find a way to sustain a competitive. After all, people want to feel important and be given what they need and desire.

Economics of India essays

Economics of India essays 50 Years of Independence ; 5000 Years of History The Republic of India possesses tremendous contrasts and enormous ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. Since independence in 1947, the Indian civilization has expanded in every facet - from its increasing population to its to its intertwining cultural and social systems. There are over 1600 languages, nearly 400 of them are spoken by more than 200, 000 people. Ethnically, the country is comprised of mostly of Indo-Aryans and Dravidians while Hindus are the majority in the religious groups. The distinguishing characteristic of India is that is unofficially uses the caste system to differentiate between socio-economic classes and to prevent a fusion of various groups. Like the US , India is a democratic republic with a federal form of government. Geographically, India lies east of Pakistan, west of Bangladesh, south of China, and north of the island-country of Sri Lanka. India's population is the world's second largest continues to grow at a rate faster than that of China, threatening to overtake it in the next century. Over thousands of years of its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, and the West. "The Indian people have absorbed and changed these influences to produce remarkable racial and cultural synthesis" ( US Dept. of State, 1997, p 3) .They have had a continuous civilization since 2500 BC., when the inhabitants of the Indus River Valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and agricultural trade. Around 2000 BC, Aryan speaking tribes migrated from the northwest into the subcontinent. As they settled, they adapted to the previous Dravidian cultures. In the fourth and fifth centuries AD, northern India was unified under the Gupta Dynasty. During this period, know as India's "Golden Age", Hindu culture and political administration reached new heights. Islam spread over the continent o...