Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Human resource in acction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resource in acction - Essay Example For example, if we go to the ‘Areas of Talent’ category, we find a list of sub categories which include the departments in which the jobs are opened, such as, call center, food and beverages, and human resources. Next, when we click on any of these links, all jobs related to the department are opened with detailed job responsibilities, as well as location of job and other requirements. However, the salary is not mentioned in any of the job openings which I would like the company to put against each of the jobs. I think the website does everything quite well in every aspect. For example, a user can obtain sufficient amount of information under each of the links included in the website. Moreover, the website is not heavy and takes the least amount of time to open any particular link regardless of the amount of text included in the webpage. As a manager, the only improvement that I would like to make for the website will be to include some colored texts at some places to ma ke the website a bit more attractive. At present, almost all of the text is written in black with white background. Addition of some colors will definitely give a more graceful look to the website. Company 2: Carlson The second company we are going to talk about is Carlson, which is the world’s most renowned travel and hospitality company. If we explore the website of the company, we find it more colorful and expressive as compared to the website described earlier. The website includes videos, pictures, and all such information that a user may wish to see. If we talk about the link to careers, we can say that the information included in this website about career opportunities is enough to meet user expectations. When I explored the link to careers, I found four more links which were did not find any information on the semi-static page which corporate careers, hotel careers, restaurant careers, and travel careers. I clicked restaurant careers because of my interest in this fie ld. I found a lot of links to the available job vacancies. However, I did not find job description for any of the job which I would like to be included against each job mentioned in the website so that users can know what activities they will have to do if they get the job. I think the website provides enough information about every aspect. Navigation is also easy but some pages really take some time to open which may be because of inclusion of some visual aids. One more thing that I did not like about the website was its inclusion of so many things in every webpage. The web developers for this website seem to have put more focus on inclusion of visuals and colors which have made this website a bit more complex for a new user. As a manager, I would like to make this website a little simple in order to provide ease to new users. Part 2 Methods of Recruitment Company: Hilton Worldwide Position: Director Brand Marketing Methods of Recruitment: 1. Internal Sourcing Internal sourcing mea ns creating existing employees aware of new job opportunities or publishing the information about job vacancies within the company. Some of the main advantages of using this type of recruitment for Hilton Worldwide will be no training costs for new employees, reduced advertising fees, time saving related to selection of candidates because of no need of background checks, increased employee dedication, and motivation for

Monday, October 28, 2019

Compliance with Nursing Homes Regulations Essay Example for Free

Compliance with Nursing Homes Regulations Essay Determine how compliance with the regulations and development of risk-management and quality-management systems for each type of organization contribute to the organization’s overall performance-management system. Nursing homes contribute to their overall performance management systems by making sure that management offer an opportunity to set goals, while clarifying expectations, always being able to reinforce a job well done, initiate change, and foster a healthy working relationship between supervisor and employee which is most important because that will affect the work performance of staff and the quality of the care that is being provided. ( Julie Ditzler Developing an effective system for performance appraisal. Drug Manufacturers contribute to their organizations performance management systems by applying the competency process of Control, Optimize, Reduce, and Extend ,better known as the CORE process. This stands for Control – You can leverage contract templates and extensive term and clause libraries with process-specific authoring and approval cycles that eliminate non-standard terms and prevent rogue contracts from cutting into an organization’s revenue. Optimize – Analytical tools and template-based authoring are just some of the tools that help you create an advanced workflow to drive the best possible deals for you, your partners, and your share holders. Reduce – You can reduce use of non-standard terms and conditions, and thus shorten time-to-contract and increase your margins, using a clause-level, multi-conditional approval hierarchy built into the authoring process. Extend – You can expand the way your organization uses contract-based risk profiles by identifying and aggregating contract-specific language that normally would be locked in a file cabinet. (www.invistics.com/drug-manufacturers-pursuing-operational-excelle) ââ€" ª In mental clinics and hospitals the management teams in quality, development, and risk support their organization’s contribution to performance management systems by Treat people fairly and respectfully regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or preference, sex, or age. ââ€" ª Regard, recognize and value differences in the needs and views of others. ââ€" ª Take advantage of the rich backgrounds and diverse talents of their staff. ââ€" ª Consider and honor different opinions, styles and ways of working. (www.linkedin.com/title/physician/at-allina+hospitals+clinics/) All hospitals want to be on top in regards to quality of care and revenue and although getting to the top is a hard job it is even a tougher job to stay there once you reached the top. The performance management systems in hospitals allows management to identify areas for improvements, plan systematic performance improvements initiative, while setting targets and tracking metrics continuously.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Male Superiority In Math: Fact or Fiction? Essay -- Argumentative Pers

Male Superiority In Math: Fact or Fiction? One true mystery of mathematics is the small number of female mathematicians. When most people think of mathematicians, they automatically assume that they are male. This leads to the idea that boys are mathematically superior to girls, which has long been a popular belief. Recent studies, however, may prove this to be wrong. The fact is that there are numerous female mathematicians who have made very important contributions to the mathematical world throughout history. Although they may not be as famous as some other comparable male mathematicians, their work is very important simply because they did significant work in a field that has always been assumed a man’s domain for some reason or another. Despite this, they still worked on mathematics because of the importance that they place on it. One possible explanation of there being more male mathematicians than female is the place that a mathematician has in society. It is a very honorable career, but in the mind of a girl, it may seem undesirable, especially at a young age. Many girls think that being a mathematician is a man’s job. They also believe that if they study mathematics, guys may view them as being "braniacs," and give up studying math at a very young age, thereby limiting their futures and career choices. A study was conducted by Gilah C. Leder whose primary objective was to "examine whether the fear of success (FS) construct, which grew out of attempts to understand the conflicting sex-related findings in achievement motivation, was helpful in explaining observed sex differences in mathematics, achievement and course participation" (4). The study was conducted with 258 boys and 233 girls in various grades. ... ...ew mathematical careers in different ways, and they may have superiorities over each other in certain areas of mathematics. However, the fact that they are different by no means proves that one sex is better at mathematics than the other; if these studies prove anything, it is that girls indeed are equally good at mathematics as boys. Bibliography 1.Volpe, Betty. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. http://www.nctm/org/mtms/1999/02/olympiad.htm. (10/26/99) 2.Fennema, Elizabeth. The Use of Spatial Visualization Mathematics by Girls and Boys. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 16(1985), 184. 3.Fennema, Elizabeth. Mathematics Learning and the Sexes: A Review. Journal for Research in Mathematics, 5 (1974), 126-139. 4.Leder, Gilah C. Mathematics Achievement and Fear of Success. Journal for Research in Mathematics, 13(1982), 124-135.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Female Genital Mutilation is Sexual Abuse Essay -- FGM, Female Genital

Female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), is a very dangerous surgery. It is done to girls of any age, from a few days old to right before their wedding. The most common age is three. In most countries where FGM is practiced the clitoris is considered dangerous to the man. At one point they thought that if a penis touched a clitoris, it would shrivel up and fall off. Girls in Africa and parts of Asia are genitally mutilated for family honor, cleanliness, protection against spells, insurance of virginity and faithfulness to the husband, or to terrorize women out of sex. In the late 70’s and early 80’s parts of Europe and the United States used circumcision as a way to â€Å"cure† over-sexed or neurotic women. No matter what the excuse for it, Female Genital Mutilation is a form of sexual abuse. There are three types of Female Genital Mutilation. The first type, Sunna, meaning tradition, is the only form that can correctly be called circumcision. Sunna is the removal of the tip of the clitoris. The second, clitoridectomy, is the most commo...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Nurse symbolises Essay

In contrast to these three characters, the next characters show the opposition facing the accusations. Firstly I will discuss the protagonist of the play – John Proctor, whom I have already mentioned. Proctor is a steady man, in whose presence â€Å"a fool felt his foolishness instantly†. He is described as â€Å"a man in his prime, with a quiet confidence, and an unexpressed, hidden force†, which reveals his nature to the reader. Despite his affair with Abigail that becomes the source of the accusations, the reader feels sympathy towards him due to his preference of rationality over the supernatural, and his modern quality in his logic and his willingness for a better life for future generations. The Nurses, particularly Rebecca Nurse, are represented as near saints who rely upon practical wisdom and experience. Miller reveals that the Nurses have held a grudge against the Putnams both over land, and also over Putnam’s wanted man in the ministry. Rebecca Nurse symbolises the good in the community although this does not affect Putnam’s motivations and the accusations that are made. The last character is Giles Corey. He is a man who â€Å"didn’t give a hoot for public opinion†, but is able to oppose Putnam and Parris due to his contentious, and combative manner. Finally, there is the Reverend John Hale, who approaches religious matters with the conviction of a scientist. He holds the belief that they cannot rely upon superstition to solve the girls’ problems but they may find a supernatural explanation for the events. Although he does not side with anyone, he is wrapped up in the hysteria that has been created, and evokes further paranoia. He shows the essence of the conflict of religion and superstition that is at the foreground in ‘The Crucible’. The First Act of ‘The Crucible’ shows several significant themes that continue during the play. I think that one of the most important themes is the ability for accusations to snowball, gaining pace and involving others that were in the background. An early example of this is the charges against the girls and Tituba. At first they are accused of simply dancing, then of dancing naked. These accusations proceed until Tituba is deemed a witch, and others are accused of Satanism. Another important theme is the shift of blame from one character to another. This is largely due to the minority of people willing to accept the consequences of their actions. The ability of characters to choose whichever position suits their self-interest is encompassed in the First Act largely with Abigail, who uses everything for her own purpose. As I mentioned during my introduction, the play is aptly named ‘The Crucible’, which serves as an instrument in which tensions reach a climax under the cloud of accusations. In Act Three, Danforth refers to the title in saying â€Å"We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment†. This is true in the sense that all the motives of the characters are revealed, but these have to be firstly explained, and this occurs in Act One. Miller uses imagery and language to add to the tensions and conflicts encountered in the First Act. He uses double negatives as a way to emphasise and also to set the play in the right period of history. Miller uses such imagery as â€Å"sweated like a stallion†: an image taken straight from the farm to reflect the themes and set the period. Miller writes that Abigail states that â€Å"Let either of you breath a word †¦ sun go down†. This quote contains very powerful language and gives a sense of the harshness of the atmosphere that they lived in. After Act One, the accusations spiral out of control with countless others being accused including Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and John Proctor himself. The mass hysteria reaches a climax with the accused being hanged after refusing to confess to a sin that they did not do. Reverend John Hale sides with Proctor and says that these accusations are not based upon anything, just personal vendettas. In conclusion, Arthur Miller uses the First Act of ‘The Crucible’ as a strong foundation for the mass hysteria and the intensity of the paranoia that follows in the play. The themes of the play need to be sown into the play quickly and effectively so as to ensure the quick rise of tension. The main issue throughout the play of the conflict of religion and superstition is involved straight away and Miller establishes the stem of all the accusations of Abigail’s affair with Proctor quickly, as well as giving an insight into the motivations of the other characters. Miller establishes the characteristics of the Salem community that make it so receptive to the witch hunt and how accusations can ignite fears and panic which can seize a town to such a great extent. ‘The Crucible’, thought of as an allegory to the McCarthyism that gripped America is elaborately constructed to illustrate how fear and hysteria mixed with an atmosphere of persecution may lead to tragically unjust consequences. The seeds of future conflict are intricately sown in the first Act to provide ‘The Crucible’ with a solid base on which the accusations raise the tension and conflict to such extreme heights and where characters are wrapped up in the hysteria that make the play so compelling. All the important themes are encompassed during the first Act, such as the shifting of blame, and the conflicts of characters, that allow the rest of the play to spiral out of all proportions permitting ‘The Crucible’ to be so powerful and utterly riveting.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Miranda Rights Questions and Answers

Miranda Rights Questions and Answers So, were my Miranda rights violated? In many cases, thats a question only the courts can answer. No two crimes or criminal investigations are identical. There are, however some procedures police are required to follow when dealing with the Miranda warnings and the rights of persons taken into custody. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about Miranda rights and Miranda warnings. It is important to remember that the Miranda Warning is all about being protected from self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment during questioning, not about being arrested. Miranda Rights QA Q. At what point are police required to inform a suspect of their Miranda rights? A. After a person has officially been taken into custody (detained by police), but before any interrogation takes place, police must inform them of their right to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning. A person is considered to be in custody anytime they are placed in an environment in which they do not believe they are free to leave. Example: Police can question witnesses at crime scenes without reading them their Miranda rights, and should a witness implicate themselves in the crime during that questioning, their statements could be used against them later in court. If at any time before or during questioning, the individual being questioned indicates- in any manner- that he or she wishes to remain silent, the questioning must stop. If at any time the person states that they want an attorney, the questioning must stop until an attorney is present. Before the questioning can continue, the person being questioned must be given an opportunity to confer with the attorney. The attorney must then remain present during any further questioning.   Q. Can police question a person without reading them their Miranda rights? A. Yes. The Miranda warnings must be read only before questioning a person who has been taken into custody. Police are required to inform people of their Miranda rights only if they intend to interrogate them. In addition, arrests can be made without the Miranda Warning being given. If the police decide to interrogate suspects after arresting them, the Miranda Warning must be given at that time. In situations under which public safety could be jeopardized, police are allowed to ask questions without reading the Miranda Warning, and any evidence obtained through that questioning may be used against the suspect in court. Q. Can police arrest or detain a person without reading them their Miranda rights? A. Yes, but until the person has been informed of his or her Miranda rights, any statements made by them during interrogation may be ruled inadmissible in court. Q. Does Miranda apply to all incriminating statements made to the police? A. No. Miranda does not apply to statements a person makes before they are arrested. Similarly, Miranda does not apply to statements made spontaneously, or to statements made after the Miranda warnings have been given. Q. If you first say you dont want a lawyer, can you still demand one during questioning? A. Yes. A person being questioned by the police can terminate the interrogation at any time by asking for an attorney and stating that he or she declines to answer further questions until an attorney is present. However, any statements made up until that point during the interrogation may be used in court. Q.  Can the police really help out or reduce the sentences of suspects who confess during questioning? A. No. Once a person has been arrested, the police have no control over how the legal system treats them. Criminal charges and sentencing are totally up to the prosecutors and the judge. (See: Why People Confess: Tricks of Police Interrogation) Q. Are police required to provide interpreters to inform deaf persons of their Miranda rights? A. Yes. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires police departments receiving any form of federal assistance to provide qualified sign interpreters for communication with hearing-impaired persons who rely on sign language. The Department of Justice (DOJ) Regulations pursuant to Section 504, 28 C.F.R. Part 42, specifically mandate this accommodation. However, the ability of qualified sign interpreters to accurately and completely explain the Miranda warnings to deaf persons is often questioned. See: Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People from the Gallaudet University Press.​

Monday, October 21, 2019

Groups essays

Groups essays Vad r en grupp? Tv olika uppfattningar i denna frga har uppsttt, Den individualistiska synen som har sin utgngspunkt i individen och individuella utvecklingar fr att frklara ett beteende och den grupporienterade synen, som ser individen som en del av ett strre system. Det kan vara en grupp, en organisation eller ett samhlle. Det finns mnga definitioner p vad en grupp r, men frenklat kan man sga att det r en samling individer som umgs och har relationer med varandra, oftast fr att n ett ml eller att utfra en uppgift. Det finns ven mnga indelningar p hur en grupp r uppbyggd, vilket jag tycker att jag har mrkt under min tid i det militra. Nedan fljer ngra exempel p indelningar: En indelning bygger p frestllningen att varje samhlle och organisation r sammansatt av grupper som uppkommer spontant i ett samhlle, som familjer, slkter, kamrat- och umgngesgrupper Dessa kallades fr primrgrupper. Ãâ€"vriga gruppbildningar kom ur denna synpunkt att betraktas som sekundra fenomen och kallades drfr sekundrgrupper. . Jag har tex. ftt en stor kamratgrupp frn de ursprungliga arbetsgrupperna p SSS. Vissa grupper har man som referensgrupper. En referensgrupp fungerar som en mttstock i vrderingen av egen och andras status. Den positiva referensgruppen representerar mycket av det efterstrvansvrda i livet. Man kan ven skilja mellan Dom-grupp och Vi-grupp, dr vi-gruppen r en grupp som man knner sig tillhra och som man kan identifiera sig med och dom-gruppen en grupp som man knner sig frmmande infr och medlemmarna kanske uppfattas som avvikande. En annan grupp som frmst r uppbyggd fr att ta tillvara organisationers intressen r en formell grupp, de har e...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

All is Quiet on the Western Fr essays

All is Quiet on the Western Fr essays All is Quiet on the Western Front The movie All is Quiet on the Western Front is an anti-war movie. The movie expresses in so many ways the horrible aspects of war. Not only does it show of the horrible deaths and of ignorance, but also it shows the effects on the soldiers mind and their loved ones. The war destroys the morals and values of everyones lives. The movie portrays how gruesome and heartless people become after being number by the feeling of death. The way the men constantly run into the fire of the machine gun seems so pointless, it seem possible to be helping the war effort at all. At one point in the movie Paul falls into a trench with a French soldier. Paul stabs him and kills the Frenchman. Once the Frenchman is dead Paul seems to feel remorse and speaks to him talking about how they could be brothers and friends. He explains he didnt want to kill him but thats how he has to survive and that no one will ever realize we all can live together. The general feeling of anti-war comes through during his speech to the dead Frenchman The morals that people normally held high at this time were all put in the back of their minds to survive. When one of the boys begs his friend who lost his leg for his boots it was a very low thing to do but he needed them and his friend did not. Another example of the way the movie portrays the lost of morals is when the young women invite the boy over and in return of the boys bringing food the ladies give them sexual pleasures. And yet again when Paul comes home he lies to his mother and to a mother of one of his dead friends. Paul felt the need to lie to the dead mother but when she begs for the truth because she knows her son did not die an easy death he still refuses to tell the truth. The people at home are so ignorant to what really goes on it just shows how they people of the country are very uninformed w...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The first crusade 1096-1109 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The first crusade 1096-1109 - Essay Example Visiting places that were thought to be sacred was a common practice upheld by early Christians. Of particular importance was the city of Jerusalem. Since the time of Emperor Constantine, pilgrimage to Jerusalem was highly embraced by most economically able Christians. According to Khalidi, this city was thought to be holy due to the fact that it was the place where most events surrounding Jesus’ nativity, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection took place (Khalidi 82). Therefore, for Christians, visiting Jerusalem was a blessing than just a mere experience. The city of Jerusalem was under the rule of the Saracen Caliphs, a Moslem Jihad group, since 638 AD. However, up to the tenth century, Christians could still be allowed to visit the Holy city. The caliphs encouraged the Jerusalem pilgrimage and made it one of the main sources of their revenue. At the dawn of the eleventh century, everything changed. A serious Muslim group comprising the Seljukian Turks from the ancient kingdom of Persia fought the Caliphs out of the region. Unaware of the change in power, about three thousand pilgrims to Jerusalem were caught unaware and persecuted. Jerusalem was captured by the Seljukian Turks in 1065 and all its holy and important places were destroyed (Al-Athar 109). This news was sadly received by Western Europe Christians. At the same period, the Normans had permanently settled in France and conquered England and the entire Roman Empire. The next step for them now was to conquer more kingdoms in order to satisfy their insatiable desire of expanding their territories. Therefore, their leaders began to strategize on how to conquer the entire Mediterranean region and take away Jerusalem from the hands of the Islamic Fatimids and the Seljuk Turks... This essay discusses that when the First Crusade broke out, most of the Islamic countries and the ruling powers of the time were disunited. They fought one another and they had been weakened by the time the crusade was launched. They could not combine their forces against the common western enemy. For instance, the Fatimids and the Seljuks attacked the Latin Christians separately. On the other hand, some cities under the control of Muslims had traitors who betrayed their fellow Muslims. A good example is Firouz who accepted a bribe to leave some gates of Antioch open for the enemy (Khalidi 363). The crusader armies were many in number. The army comprised of more than 35, 000 crusaders. Whenever this army was starving of hunger, good Samaritans came to their aid. For instance, Baldwin supplied them with enough food when they were planning to attack Antioch. Moreover, the revelations made by some of their priests encouraged the crusaders and gave them hope of victory against their oppo nents. The First Crusade is considered by many as the most successful of all the nine crusades. This is due to the fact that it enabled the West to set up a power base in the city of Jerusalem for the very first time since the collapse of the Roman Empire. The crusade was really advantageous in that apart from enhancing the Latin Christians’ grip on the Holy City-Jerusalem- it opened several international trade routes between Europe and the Middle East. The First Crusade led to the emergence of four new crusade states.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Probation, Parole, and Intermediate Sanctions Essay - 1

Probation, Parole, and Intermediate Sanctions - Essay Example The essay "Probation, Parole, and Intermediate Sanctions" talks about the varieties of avenues for reducing crime rates and promoting correctional initiatives and rehabilitation of criminals. Probation, parole, and intermediate sanctions are some of the avenues through which these objectives can be achieved. The system ensures efficient supervision through â€Å"boot camps that place offenders in quasi-military settings, electronic monitoring, and house arrests†. There is a high number of violation of conditions of intermediate sanctions, leading to the revocation of the sanctions into imprisonment. Parole is, on the other hand, a supervisory provision over a convict who has been released from prison before the expiry of the imprisonment period. One similarity of the three approaches is the provision for supervision of the convicts. The systems are however different with respect to their level of supervision and terms of approach. While probation involves basic supervision tha t is overwhelmed, parole is more closely monitored and intermediate sanctions are strictly monitored with the aid of equipment and facilities. Based on the features of the approaches, intermediary sanctions is the best because its supervision is the most effective as aided by facilities and monitored environments. One of the diversities identified within the correctional processes is the level of strictness in the application. Supervision in probation is, for example, basic, intensified in parole, and extremely strict in intermediary sanctions.

PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank Essay

PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank - Essay Example PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank The topic of the present essay is Metro Bank PLC - a retail bank operating in the United Kingdom. It outlines the basic forces which are favorable to the banking industry in general and to Metro Bank specifically. Among such Legal, Technological, Socio-cultural, Economic and Political forces are discussed. The second part of the paper presents the PESTEL analysis of the bank in question. The threat of new entrants, power of customers, competition in the industry, power of suppliers and threat of substitutes are analyzed. The improved economic performance of the UK’s economy after the 2008 to 2010 economic recession has given businesses including banks a new lease of the life as the economic situation are favorable meaning that there is high likelihood of generating substantial amounts of profits. Yet, it must be understood that this recovery is limited and might take over a decade in order to come to a complete level of fruition. By much the same token, the nascent recovery itself could be called into question by even a simple market fluctuation in the very near future. Socio-cultural force According to Chrystal and Mizen (2006), UK is a host to some of the oldest and world-renowned banks, which means that the culture of banking pre-exists amongst the British people and therefore, Metro Bank is likely to perform well since this force favors its business. As has previously been specified, the level and extent to which trust is exhibited in the system has a profound level of sociocultural importance. Due to the impact of the lost trust associated with the bailouts that took place several years ago, a significantly reduced level of consumer confidence exist with regards to the banking industry and any further action that might seek to revive this lost trust can severely impair the manner through which such a service would be offered. Technological forces The UK as a country is largely driven by technology and the banking industry has greatly embraced information technology meaning that for Metro Bank to compete effectively it has to integrate IT within its business processes (Chrystal and Mizen, 2006). Technological forces that could be evidenced have to do with the fact of the rapid technological change that the sweeping each and every industry in the market. In such a way, the technological threat could be with respect to an entirely new platform or paradigm shift with regards to the banking industry and the inability of the entity in question to rapidly integrate with this paradigm shift and provide services to the consumer base accordingly. However, by the same token, if the service provider/bank is able to integrate with a new level of technology in an efficient manner prior to the competition, this could provide a noted benefit and exponentially increase the level of service provision that it could accomplish. Legal forces After the 2008 to 2010, Chrystal and Mizen (2006) stated that legal regulations in the UK’s banking industry have increased drastically but since Metro Bank was issued with a license it means that it was able to abide by the laid down legal requirements. Of all of the information that is thus far been engaged, the legal threats, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that exist for a given banking entity are perhaps the most important. Due to the fact that a simple law for an enti re combination of laws in the form of parliamentary legislation could adversely impact the way in which profitability, this potential for change is the most impactful of all of the others which have been discussed. Analysis of

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Entrepreneurship and new business ventures Essay

Entrepreneurship and new business ventures - Essay Example Andrew Bengry-Howell from the University of Bath, stated that the people he interviewed at 4 of the largest music festivals were there to escape their daily routines (Tickle, 2011). These people view these festivals as havens where they could experience that sense of release. Some people said that they deliberately left their cellphones at home and tried to drift aimlessly inside the festival and disappear. The music festival kit will targeted towards these consumers who frequently spend 2-4 days at music festivals, depending on the length of the festival, and require materials for overnight stays. The attendance at these music festivals can give us an idea of the target market. Below is a list of the biggest festivals around the globe and their attendance numbers (MTV Contributer , 2013). It is important to note the attendance figures as it gives us an idea of the potential market size: These numbers show that the size of the target market is relatively large. What is interesting to note is that these festivals comprise of a sizable chunk of foreign participants. The SZSW festival held in Austin comprised of registrants from 64 foreign countries (SXSW, 2013). So it is worthwhile to note the global hubs of music festivals since the participants of the music festivals do not restrict themselves to their localities. They regularly visit other cities and even countries hunting for the best and biggest music festivals to attend and hence are a part of the potential market. In Australia, attendance at such festivals went up by 0.6% since ticket prices fell by 0.7%. Revenue from this sector averaged around $1.3 billion, which shows the growth potential of this market (AlNewstead, 2012). Contemporary music was the biggest drawcard and hence contributed $539.2 million in revenue which is 41.3% of the total share. Ticket sales from this sector amounted to 5.9 million tickets. Australia is considered to be the strongest market in the world right now for music

Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example As the essay stresses everybody is equal in the eyes of God and in the eyes of law; it is man who has created discrimination. The opponents of same sex marriages use their personal interpretation of the Bible to condemn homosexuality. Homosexuality is not something you adopt, it is biological. If God was against homosexuality than why did He create such people? Same sex marriage is a right; just as heterosexual couples have the right to celebrate their union so do gay and lesbian people. People opposed interracial marriages too in the beginning but now interracial marriages are frequent. Man is becoming progressive and the institution of marriage is being revisited; it is no longer a union between a man and a woman it is about two people who love each other and want to spend their lives with each other. As the paper states legalizing same sex marriages and giving them support by extending marriage benefits and laws does not harm straight marriages nor does it encroach upon their rights so why this vehement opposition to a bond between two same sex people who love each other. Same sex marriage does not threaten the institution of marriage; if the real definition of marriage is the union between a man and a woman to procreate than why several heterosexual couples are choosing careers ahead of having children. Same sex marriage is a lie; a deception man has coined to satisfy his/her gratifications.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Entrepreneurship and new business ventures Essay

Entrepreneurship and new business ventures - Essay Example Andrew Bengry-Howell from the University of Bath, stated that the people he interviewed at 4 of the largest music festivals were there to escape their daily routines (Tickle, 2011). These people view these festivals as havens where they could experience that sense of release. Some people said that they deliberately left their cellphones at home and tried to drift aimlessly inside the festival and disappear. The music festival kit will targeted towards these consumers who frequently spend 2-4 days at music festivals, depending on the length of the festival, and require materials for overnight stays. The attendance at these music festivals can give us an idea of the target market. Below is a list of the biggest festivals around the globe and their attendance numbers (MTV Contributer , 2013). It is important to note the attendance figures as it gives us an idea of the potential market size: These numbers show that the size of the target market is relatively large. What is interesting to note is that these festivals comprise of a sizable chunk of foreign participants. The SZSW festival held in Austin comprised of registrants from 64 foreign countries (SXSW, 2013). So it is worthwhile to note the global hubs of music festivals since the participants of the music festivals do not restrict themselves to their localities. They regularly visit other cities and even countries hunting for the best and biggest music festivals to attend and hence are a part of the potential market. In Australia, attendance at such festivals went up by 0.6% since ticket prices fell by 0.7%. Revenue from this sector averaged around $1.3 billion, which shows the growth potential of this market (AlNewstead, 2012). Contemporary music was the biggest drawcard and hence contributed $539.2 million in revenue which is 41.3% of the total share. Ticket sales from this sector amounted to 5.9 million tickets. Australia is considered to be the strongest market in the world right now for music

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Energy Saving Potential of Green Facade in Hong Kong Dissertation

Energy Saving Potential of Green Facade in Hong Kong - Dissertation Example The up to date technology of green wall system in other countries will be reviewed. Existing examples were examined for assessing the potential development in s Hong Kong setting. 1.1 Objective The social, environmental and visual impression that a green wall system can make towards providing a sustainable built environment in cities are accepted worldwide. One of the objectives of this dissertation is to conduct a thorough review of the update design principle and technology on the green wall system in order to increase public understanding and awareness. Basically, the purpose of this dissertation is divided into three parts. 1.1.1 The first purpose is to present the findings of the desktop literature search into the worldwide green wall innovations. This includes, but is not limited to; A brief definition and classification of green wall systems; A list of the benefits for the public and private sectors; A brief list of the benefits for the environment; 1.1.2 The second purpose is to review green walls development in Hong Kong including: Review of present government pilot project and commercial project; Review of constraint for the application in Hong Kong; A brief of the present green building assessment method in Hong Kong. 1.1.3 The last purpose is to demonstrate how to demonstrate the green wall could be applied in a Hong Kong setting. ... Green walls need to be maintained routinely in order for the plants to survive. Counties that use green walls will be examined. The difference between residential and commercial green walls and the purposes will be described. The green walls have different forms in order to fill the area’s specific need. The irrigation, run-off and water retention of the green walls is a consideration that should be looked at in the developmental stage of a new construction project or in the construction of the green wall. All of these topics will be discussed in this section and sub-sections. 2.1 Definitions of the green walls In the current market there are minimal discrimination between domestic and commercial products and systems. Although there are some major differences relevant to this study. The scale of commercial green wall systems for multi-storey buildings requires a different standard to the domestic scale systems. The materials need to have a relatively high quality and longevity to cater for the rigors of extreme conditions such as weather, pollution, and other conditions relevant to the green walls location. For example, the excessive solar radiation in the high-density urban environment would damage UV unstable materials in a short period. Structural loading on the building framework to support the green wall system, wind loading in addition (i.e. the higher the green wall the greater the wind loadings to be induced), requires more precise structural design than with smaller scale domestic applications. Furthermore, the issue of repair and maintenance must be integrated into the building systems, rather than applied as an add-on component (Graeme, Christine, Milos and Michael Andrew 2010), such a

Country Case Report for China Essay Example for Free

Country Case Report for China Essay The third largest land area in the world belongs to the People’s Republic of China. Presently, its population is the largest on the record and its capital, Beijing is the economic and cultural center. China’s economic growth greatly improves due to the trend of poverty reduction during the period of 1980-1990. From 542 million to 375 million, shrinking by 167 million, China’s poverty population exceedingly reduced. Angang stated that China’s achievements in poverty reduction made huge contributions to the cause of poverty reduction of the world (2). According to World Bank, the poverty population of the world dropped off by 98. 3 million. Among the five Asian countries with the most condensed poverty population are India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and according to the industrial poverty line, China’s current proportion of poverty population is the lowest. Statistics show that China has experienced a period of human history in which poverty population decreased by a largest margin in the past 2 decades, and reversed the trend that poverty population has been increasing in the past five decades in the world history, causing the poverty population of the world to decrease for the first time. That is to say, without China’s efforts of poverty reduction, the poverty population of the world would have increased from 848 million in 1980 to 917 million in 1990. (Angang, 2-3). Ambassador Baodong stated that the Development-oriented Poverty reduction program for Rural China for the period of 2001-2010 generated grand effects in the global poverty reduction. The number of rural population in China declined to 21. 48 million and 2. 3% of national poverty incidence was accounted for the 55% of global poverty reduction in 2007 (Baodong, 1). Technological development plays a vital role in the country’s economic growth. From 1980 to 1990, China’s expenditure amounted to US $17billion for imported technology. The trend of research and development made an immense leap. As a result there has been a modest amount of growth in the country’s development however the inefficiencies posted to be the chief dilemma. At the end of 1990, statistics illustrated that 50 of Shanghai’s large and medium enterprises only reached 10 percent of international level of quality standards and 30 percent arrived at the prototype stage using the new programs. From the year 2001 – 2005, this country became a major IT nation in the world, standing third place in manufacturing setting and first rank in telecommunications. The business cycle of the Chinese economy had undergone substantial magnitude from the time when the government established in the mid1950’s centralized economic management and planning. The period from 1979-1990 was depicted with relative stability and high escalation. In 1955-1978 economic growth rates, the movement went from 5. 7 percent to 9. 3 percent in 1979 to 1993 period. Investment cycles, harvest fluctuations, political disturbances, inflation and periodic retrenchments are the major factors that affect business cycles. Downturn was evident during 1980-1981, then an upswing from 1982 – 1989 and the business cycle in 1989 was another downturn and an upturn in 1990. Imai’s stated that his conclusion on Chinese business cycle stated that cycle interacts with exogenous shocks and generates business cycles with dissimilar amplitude and duration. An investment cycle is generated by patterned reaction of central planners who adjust the level of fixed investment in response to capacity pressure, an indicator of macroeconomic tension. An instititutional prerequisite of this cycle is the weak financial accountability of state enterprises (178). Economists added that the efficiency wedge, which represents institutional change and technology advance, was the main source of economic fluctuations in 1978 2006. The amplitude of it fluctuation declined after 1992, which resulted in moderation of business cycle fluctuations. Distortions manifest themselves as taxes on investment, which represents frictions in the capital market, became another economic fluctuation source after 1992, which is different from results of business cycle accounting on US and Japan data. Results also show that government consumption and net exports played minor roles in generating business cycles (Gao). China’s world trade generated a strong impact on its growth. Imports and exports led China to be among the world’s most significant export destinations for other Asian countries. Since the year 1979, the country’s global trade gradually improved. Presently, Japan’s exports of 11 percent came from China, before it was only 2 percent during the end of 1990. The Chinese government implemented tariff reductions in order to continue its longstanding trend in world trade. During 2004, China’s tariff rates dropped from 0. 6 to 10. 4 percent. Part of the country’s trade reforms to (WTO) World Trade Organization is to lessen tariff rates and eliminate import quotas and licenses, opening sectors for foreign country involvement such as telecommunications, financial and insurance services. Complete access to foreign participants is greatly assured through automatic licensing procedures. Eradication of limitations on trading and domestic distribution for majority of goods is also part of the plan. According to WTO, China will retain import state trading for wheat, rice, corn, sugar, tobacco, cotton and chemical fertilizers, as with export trading, corn, tea, rice, coal, silk, crude and processed oils, cotton, tungsten and ammonium products are included. In addition to this, China had been permanently bestowed with the most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment by other participants of WTO. As response to this honor, some countries have abolished restrictions on China’s imports. The contributing factor for the possible boost in China’s trade is when quota restrictions are lifted. China’s membership to World Trade Organization made enormous effect on some of the trends in relation to the role of China in international trade. Examples comprise of its magnetism to foreign investors and developing role in global export base. This is evident in IMF statistics that showed its market share in Japan, United States and Europe, from the period 1980 to 1990, an overall total of 10. 3 percent, and end of 2003, a whopping 37 percent (Source: IMF, Direction of Trade Statistics). â€Å"Just as water always flows to the lowest point, China is bound to be the first option for foreign capital investment (â€Å"Chinas Cheap† A1). China’s labor force is considered cheap and also of good quality. It is estimated that 100 million of employees in rural areas are likely to be waiting to be changed to urban workers. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is a significant gauge to quantify the labor supply of PR China. In the period of 1980-1990, the LFPR in China is higher among other countries. The most likely basis is moderately low income level. There is high participation in the labor force among women because one wage earner is inadequate to support a family. In the last 5 years (2002-2007), women’s participation in the labor force exceedingly increased according to APEC statistics. Presently, the government was executing the guidelines which were implemented during 1997, which was the division of labor market between urban and rural areas. The labor market is exclusively for high school graduates or those with lower educational background. This probable outcome of this situation is the layoffs in urban places and labor surplus in rural areas. In the coming years, it has been forecasted that China might face a nationwide labor shortage. The country is fast approaching the â€Å"Lewisian turning point†. It is a theory by Arthur Lewis stating the turning point from surplus labor to labor scarcity. In the year 1980, State Council issued a decree prohibiting the use of foreign exchange for making payments in China. Foreign exchange rates or Waihui, equal in value to the Renminbi at effective rate, were put into circulation for use by nonresidents only. It could be use for transportation fares, hotel bills and purchases at Friendship stores. Then in 1981, the foreign trade rate was since fixed at 2. 80 from 1. 750. In 1985, the internal settlement rate was abolished and all trade was governed by the Effective Rate. A foreign exchange retention quota also exists for a portion of export proceeds. Authorization was granted for Chinese residents to hold foreign exchange and open foreign exchange accounts and to deposit and withdraw funds in foreign exchange. In the year 1986, The trade-weighted basket of currencies was abandoned and the Effective Rate was placed on a controlled float based on developments in the balance of payments and in costs and exchange rates of Chinas major competitors. Shanghai International Trust and Investment Corporation was authorized to handle exchange business. In 1988, early this year, all domestic entities which are allowed to retain foreign exchange earnings were granted permission to trade in the adjustment centers, and by October 1988, 80 adjustment centers were established. Initially, a relatively small volume of transactions took place in these markets, but the volume has increased substantially since access to the centers was expanded. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 6. 60 from 3. 72. In 1989, regulations were issued governing the use of foreign exchange obtained in foreign exchange adjustment centers. Imports of inputs for the agricultural sector, textile, and for technologically advance and light industries were given priority. Purchases of foreign exchange for a wide range of consumer products were prohibited. Such corporations are permitted to sell in China for foreign exchange provided that the sales involve purchases under the Governments annual import plan, sales in Special Economic Zones and other promotional areas, and sales of import substitutes. The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 40 from 3. 72. By the end of 1990, The Foreign Exchange Swap Rate was 5. 70 from 5. 22. (Ka Fu) Presently, Premier Jiabao stated in the Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank Group in Shanghai that the government continues to push the Renminbi exchange rate reform in order to confer larger range to the role of the market. The reform permits citizens to purchase more foreign currencies and commercial banks. Financial market development has been highlighted with China’s monetary reforms. The Peoples Bank of China (PBC) has made great strides in modernizing its monetary policy frameworks but their effectiveness will diminish as the sophistication of the economy increases. Empirical evidence supports maintaining a reference to money in Chinas monetary strategy and enhancing the role of interest rates in its conduct (Maino, 44). The most suitable monetary strategy for China would be an eclectic monetary policy framework, whereby the growth in money supply and bank credit extension are used as intermediate guidelines for the determination of short-term interest rates. In addition, in deciding on the most appropriate monetary policy stance, developments in a number of other variables need to be taken into consideration, because the monetary aggregates are loosing some of their usefulness as indicators of future inflation due to structural changes in the economy (Maino, 40). The IMF also points out that Chinese monetary policy could improve noticeably if the central bank were granted more discretionary power to set interest rates. In the last two years, increases in the trade surplus and significant inflows of foreign capital have led to a large accumulation of international reserves, which has further complicated monetary policy handling. In this respect, the IMF has welcomed the changes introduced into the Chinese exchange rate system as a significant step towards making this system more flexible. Although it is difficult to define an equilibrium exchange rate, and not just revaluation, must be adopted if china is to increase the independence of its monetary policy and shield its economy against external shocks (Ruete, 8). Works Cited Angang, Hu. China’s economic growth and poverty reduction (1978-2002). 2 June 2003. IMF. 20 April 2008 http://www. imf. org/external/np/apd/seminars/2003/newdelhi/angang. pdf. Baodong, Li. Remarks by Ambassador LI Baodong At Ministerial Roundtable Breakfast of Economic and Social Council On Food, Nutrition and Agriculture: Working Together to End Hunger. 12 July 2007. China-UN. 22 April 2008 http://www. china-un. ch/eng/xwdt/t339666. htm Chinas Cheap, High-quality Labor Lures Foreign Investment. Editorial. Xinhua News Agency 21 December 2002, A1. Gao, Xu. Business Cycle Accoounting for the Chinese Economy. N. p. : n. p, n. d. http://www. wdi. umich. edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp795. pdf Imai, Hiroyuki, Explaining Chinas Business Cycles. 6 June 1996. IDE. 22 April 2008 http://www. ide. go. jp/English/Publish/De/pdf/96_02_03. pdf. Ka Fu, Wong. International Economics. 1 January 2007. 23 April 2008. http://intl. econ. cuhk. edu. hk/exchange_rate_regime/index. php? cid=8. Manio, Rodolfo. China: Strengthening Monetary Policy Implementation. 1 January 2007. Social Science Research Network. 23 April 2008 http://papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=959761. Ruete, Javier. The Development of Chinas Export Performance. 7 March 2006. Central Reserve Bank of Peru. 23 April 2008 http://www. bcrp. gob. pe/bcr/dmdocuments/Ingles/Comunicaciones/Press_200602. pdf.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Characteristics In Autism Children Psychology Essay

Characteristics In Autism Children Psychology Essay Approximately one in every 88 children in the United States has been diagnosed with Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, a complex neurodevelopmental disorder of unusual social and communication behaviors that begins in early life (Peterson and Barbel, 2013). This type of disorder has been more prevalent in recent years, occurring primarily in children. Even though many researchers have not yet found the exact cause of autism, they have pointed out several possible risk factors that contribute to autistic individuals. Without a specified cause of autism and universal intervention, the challenges of diagnosing and having care for the disorder causes more difficulty. However, it is important for parents to seek early intervention for children with autism. This causes many controversies and confusions from diagnosis to treatment. Yet, it is expected that new research will assist in discovering some of these mysteries aspects of autism. Characteristics in Autism Children with autism show a wide range of signs and symptoms that vary from child to child. It is difficult to phrase all the characteristics and signs into simple words. Characteristics found in autistic children have appeared in early ages, from toddlers to infants. However, they may improve overtime as the child develops. A study has been designed to assess the parents experiences regarding with their autistic child, and the majority of the parents said that the autistic child experiences unusual verbal communications and motor behavior (Guinchat et al, 2012). Additional core symptoms are unusual interests in activities or play (usually focus on little things of the toy, get upset at little things), nonverbal/ verbal communication (unable to interpret emotions, catch meaning in a word, delay or lack of communication skills), and social interactions and relationships (unable to make eye contact, make friends, feel what other people are feeling). This research was done to help docto rs to easily diagnose patients that are at risk of autism. However, this is a spectrum disorder, meaning that this affects each individual to a certain degree, ranging from mild to severe. Each child with ASD has his or her own individual pattern of unusual behavior that some parents questioned, what is wrong with their child. As a result, it is suggested that early detection of autism is up the parents and will make a huge difference on the childs life. Risk factors Many individuals questioned the cause of autism, but the question has remained open. The biggest mystery in the study of autism appears that researchers have linked possible risk factors. Autism diagnosis suggested that a combination of environmental and genetic risk factors contribute to higher chances of autism (Deth, Muratore, Benecry, Power-Charnitsky and Waly, 2008). Exposure to toxins or pollution, such as pesticides in the environment generates an increased chance of autism during pregnancy, and those toxins surrounds a genes DNA can affects the gene activity (Shelton, Hertz-Picciotto and Pessah, 2012). In addition, another study has shown that genetics influences the risk of autism; gene mutations and sex chromosomes are linked to ASD. Medical conditions with syndromes such as Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis have shown signs of autism characteristics, but further research is still needed to prove this point (Johnson, Giarelli, Lewis, and Rice, 2013). Although much research has been conducted to build this mysterious case, researchers have yet to come up with a definite conclusion to the cause of autism. There are also controversial claims that mirror neurons are found to be delayed or dysfunctional in autism, but there is no evidence that mirror neurons in humans illustrate that correlation. Giacomo Rizzolatii, a scientist at the University of Parma, discovered mirror neurons in macaque monkeys; when the monkey observes an action from an individual, the monkey copies the same action (2004). He believes that humans behave in much the same way. The role of mirror neurons give us the ability to imitate, have empathy, and ability to understand social cues. According to an article in the Journal of Psychiatric Neuroscience and Therapeutic (2010), most children develop strong mirror activity while autistic individuals seem to have weak mirror neurons in their youth that lead to social deficits (Bastiaansen et al). However, other studies did not find mirror neuron contribute to the autistic individuals. IIan Dinstein and his colleagues doubted the mirror neuron hypothesis. His research fou nd that when the brains were scanned, there were no differences between autistic and normal individuals while the individuals performed specific tasks (Dinstein et al, 2010). Some studies show that autistic individuals mirror neurons are slower than usual while viewing the emotions or actions of others while other studies do not (Ramachandran, 2006). Due to the opposing conclusions of different studies with regard to the mirror neuron hypothesis, the link between mirror neurons and autism remains controversial. Early Intervention Evidence suggests the importance of early intervention in autistic children. Children who enter programs at younger ages will improve autism symptoms than those who enter programs at older ages. One approach to the early invention is the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). According to the article in Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry (2012), autistic children who received the ESDM intervention, which involves structured teaching, a relationship-based approach, showed substantial improvements in IQ, language, adaptive behavior, and autism diagnosis (Guinchat et al). Second approach to the early intervention is the Applied Behavior Analysis Programs, most notable treatment approach. This approach maximizes the encouragement of positive behaviors while discouraging negative behavior in order to improve a variety of skills (Matson et al, 2012). Another approach is the therapy-based intervention. This approach provides a specific therapy that targets specific di fficulties such as speech/language therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. There are many kinds of interventions that can help to treat autism, and parents should take action as soon as possible, even if his or her child is not at risk of autism. Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., a chief science officer of Autism Speak, suggested that even brief intervention will result in better improvements of social behavior such as imitation and small changes due to early preschool program will give some benefits to young children with autism (2012). Also, encouraging the child to play with objects and communication is important in early development. That being said, imitating others will help improve other aspects of autism. An example of how early intervention is involved is my little cousin, Conner. I did not understand the characteristics of autism before doing this research paper. Every time we had family gatherings and I tried to acknowledge him, he would run away in fear toward a nonfamily member. I stepped aside and asked his mother what his problem was. She told me he is diagnosed with autism and has some difficulties approaching other people. As I observed, he looked normal. The nonfamily member is a behavioral intervention specialist, also known as his nanny, who watches over him. He would not interact with the other little cousins, but only with his nanny. According to his mother, he was not able to be accepted into day care due to his special needs. He is the only family member that is autistic. Conclusion Overall, doing a research paper on this topic led me to determine that autism is an extremely difficult disorder to understand. This topic on autism will evolve over time and further research will be conducted with the aim of discovery of the causes and proper treatment. The biological aspect of the disorder is a mystery. Continued research on the development of the autistic child relative to a normal child will assist in diagnosing and treating. With the help of diagnosis, we can develop proper early intervention techniques to positively reduce the disorders effects. There are many research ventures that are being done concerning this disorder. The purpose of this research for future is to enhance awareness to parents about their early child that maybe at the risk of autism. Additionally, they can seek characteristics followed by early intervention that will help easily diagnosis and treat.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Baz Luhrmanns Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Essay -- Papers

Baz Luhrmann's Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's use of language reflects the theatre of his day. There were no elaborate set designs, costumes, lighting or sound effects and there were also only a small number of actors playing many different parts. This could get confusing and therefore the language and imagery had to do all the work for the audience, as the words were the only tools available to help them imagine the scenes vividly. In the prologue of "Romeo and Juliet", line number twelve; "Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage" and the very last words; "our toil shall strive to mend", have significant meaning. These sentences, spoken by the chorus, highlight to the audience the key plot elements to come. It gives the audience an idea of what they are about to watch or read and makes the ensuing action more intelligible. This dramatic convention therefore acts almost like a movie trailer. In Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the play, the prologue begins with a long shot of a television (within a television), with a reporter speaking to us from inside of it. Behind the reporter's left shoulder are the words "star-crossed lovers" and a symbol of a broken ring. This, in the first minute of the play, already introduces us to the fact that Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers, which is a major theme throughout the entire play. The news reporter then delivers the whole prologue from beginning to end, before the camera zooms further and further in until the point of extreme close up, at which point the prologue changes. This is how Baz Luhrmann achieves a similar effect to Shakespeare's dramatic use of the pr... ...rologue! At the very end of the prologue, the title "Romeo + Juliet" comes up and the 'plus' sign is actually made to suggest a Christian cross. This subtly reminds us of the religious side of the play. This includes the Friar, who is a religious personage, the wedding that Romeo and Juliet have and also the whole theme of destiny and some divinity or higher power looking over and controlling us in life. So in conclusion, this is how Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the prologue from "Romeo and Juliet" successfully visually highlights Shakespeare's rich language and imagery. We can see how he has gone through the prologue and then fairly systematically translated its deeper meaning, in remarkably creative ways. He effectively translates all the messages of the prologue in a contemporary and entertaining context.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Representation of Evil in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay

The Representation of Evil in Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde This essay will show how evil is represented in Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' is about evil and the duality of people's personalities. To show this I will focus on Stevenson's use of characterization, setting, historical, social and cultural context, settings, symbols and language. Robert Stevenson lived in the Victorian era, this was a very repressive and strict society where it was expected that middle class men would visit prostitutes. This was because people were not supposed to be like animals and have animal instincts such as lust. This meant that middle class men would only sleep with their wives so they could have children and carry on the bloodline. This society would have influenced Stevenson as he was a middle class man himself and he would have experienced his own stifled emotions and hidden instincts, such as lust and rage. Stevenson may also have taken inspiration for the character Mr. Hyde from the crimes of Jack the Ripper who was committing his violent crimes on women at that time. Stevenson may have also been influenced by Mary Shelly's 'Frankenstein', which also deals with the themes of dual personalities and evil. In the text Stevenson uses a lot of powerful imagery when describing Mr. Hyde. He uses words such as detestable and deformed. These words create a picture in the readers mind and give them a general feeling of horror, evil and mistrust. Through out the play Stevenson refers to Mr. Hyde as an animal "God bless me the man seems hardly human". This makes the reader picture Mr. Hyde as s... ...one is particularley important and relevant due to the advances of science, which have seen scientists able to clone human embryos. As we can see in 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' and also in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein" people who play with nature and do not take responsibility for their work and creations ultimately end up creating evil things which they do not understand or know how to control. It could be said that Stevenson wrote the story as a warning to Victorian society about repression and science or maybe it was just an interesting mystery story, which happens to have like many fictions and stories to have become almost true. To conclude I think that evil is effectively portrayed in 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. Stevenson does this by focusing mainly on the themes of duality and suppression of and in human nature.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Luhrmann version of Act 1 Scene 5 brings it to life Essay

Spielberg’s latest epic, Saving Private Ryan, has shocked audiences around the world with his brutally realistic, down-to-earth World War II invasion of Omaha beach. The film opens with the landing boats full of petrified, white-faced, conscripted soldiers, who struggle to cope with the pure terror imposed upon them from the enormity of the task they face. No sooner do you see a close up of their trembling faces and each person’s emotions and worries, the doors opened and the first wave of men were torn to shreds by German machine gun fire. Many men drowned as they were dragged under by their heavy equipment, and those who made it to the shore found themselves seriously outnumbered and out gunned. Specially-designed, frantic freehand camera-work creates the impression you are in the middle of the carnage, so Spielberg puts the audience on the beach with the Allies. Eventually the soldiers complete the takeover of the beach but as the scene draws to a close, the former hand-held camera is now far more panoramic, scanning the beach from a height, but regardless of the thousands of bodies strewn across it, you do not see one face showing war de-humanising all the real people involved in it, who have families back home, but also turning those real people into just numbers and cannon fodder. The scene ends with a close-up of a dead soldier’s pack which contains the words Pvt S. Ryan and the scene cuts. Throughout the entire scene there was a tremendous amount of clever sounds and moving music. For instance, in the panoramic opening scene the music is rather dark and solemn, with a lot of low strings and brass, especially horns. This sets the tone for the scene to unfold. In the first scene there is no music to emphasise actually being there, however there are numerous non-diegetic sounds added such as the underwater bullets piercing the struggling soldiers, the way when Captain Miller gets confused and deaf that the sound is blurred and returns to normal when he comes round but there is also diegetic sound when the explosions are going off as the film crew used hundreds of set explosions in the scene, the lapping of the waves and the monologue were all diegetic sounds. The next scene is a wonderfully made piece that is truly emotional and is a silent one. There is a woman in a crowded office with light shining through, a complete contrast to the dark, de-saturated war scene a moment before. The lady sees three telegrams from the same family and takes it to the senior staff. It is reassuring to see how these men-in-power have some humanity left, taking the case higher and higher until it found the commander-in-chief played by the talented Bryan Cranston who decides that the remaining sibling should be pulled out and sent back to the grieving mother. The point where the mother received the news was fantastically portrayed by Spielberg. It is set in the countryside with a traditional American home surrounded by golden fields yet in the corner of the sky it is dark grey and symbolises the bad news on its way. The car crawls up the small, winding, country lane viewed panoramically from in front of and behind the house. There was one shot that was astoundingly emotional, where Spielberg captured a close-up of the mother’s reaction while showing the car and effectively the news creeping closer, through using the reflection of the window. As she rushes to the door she is cleverly silhouetted out showing that it could be anyone receiving the news and that vast amounts of parents go through this. Also as part of the mise en scene, when she opens the door, she is blacked out and the car pulls up along the house then the officials climb out, the woman falls to her knees. However, throughout this whole dark shot, to the right is a coffee table with light streaming on to it, there is a photo of the four boys in their army uniform showing that they all went but also expanding the plot as you know that there were only three telegrams. All over the table there are flags and patriotic items, this tries to show that the people are behind the war, and that it is the ordinary people who have to stand up to the tyrant. Finally, Spielberg covers many aspects of war in his brilliant production and uses vast amounts of extremely intelligent shots and clever, emotional to portray the emotions and effects that the de-humanising war had on normal people such as Miller, the small town English teacher at home and on the front. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

The Nature and Relationship of Hitler and Geli Raubal.

The last time the public had seen Geli Raubal was when Hitler was heard to shout at h as he was about to get into his car: â€Å"For the last time, no! † She shouted. After he left Raubal shot herself through the heart with a revolver. It has been said and believed that Hitler and his niece Geli Raubal were romantically involved; although there is no forthright proof, the vicious consequences Raubal was forced to go though throughout their time together is strong enough proof to convince a majority of the people that she was driven so far to the edge that she committed suicide. Geli Raubal was a typical content adolescent before she came into the likes of her uncle, Adolf Hitler. When Adolf Hitler rented a house in Obersalzberg after he was released from prison, he asked his half-sister, Angela Raubal, to be his housekeeper. She agreed and in August 1928 brought Geli with her to stay with Hitler. This is when his admiration for the love and youth of the Aryan race were able to be exercised as he looked into the eyes of Raubal. It was the fact that her presence released Hitler as she was â€Å"Allowed to laugh at her Uncle Alf and adjust his tie when it had slipped. She was never put under pressure to be specially clever or specially witty. She could be simply what she was – lively and uncomplicated. † – Emil Maurice and her pure Arian-bred features intrigued Hitler so much to the point in which his infatuation was more important than morality and the incorrectness of incest. Hitler proudly introduced Raubal to members of the Nazi party and other guests at social events. Baldur Von Schirach quotes â€Å"In his tone of voice there was a mixture of pride and tenderness as he introduced ‘My niece, Fraulein Raubal. † However, he made sure she was watched closely due to the fact that he protected her to a great extent. As Hitler rose to power as the leader of the Nazi party, he insured a tight rein over Raubal. Nevertheless, Hitler's efforts to control Geli were at times unsuccessful as she was a free-spirited young woman who often did as she pleased whenever and wherever possible. He did not allow her to associate wi th friends freely and attempted to have himself or some one he trusted greatly near her at all times, accompanying her on window shopping excursions, the movies and the opera. However, Raubal did not seem to return his feelings and became linked to Emil Maurice, a founding member of the SS and Hitler’s chauffer. Subsequent to when Hitler discovered their relationship he dismissed Maurice instantly. In a letter from Raubal to Maurice that was found, Raubal says â€Å"Uncle Adolf is insisting that we should wait two years. Think of it, Emil, two whole years of only being able to kiss each other now and then and always having Uncle Adolf in charge. I can only give you my love and be unconditionally faithful to you. I love you so infinitely much. Uncle Adolf insists that I should go on with my studies†. Many believe this was not the case, since Adolf said himself to Heinrich Hoffman that he could â€Å"marry her†. Due to this, the jealousy Hitler felt was taken to a whole new level and began so noticeably suffocate Raubal with his jealousy. It was said that Hitler was not the only one who was protestant. Raubal began to become concerned about Hitler’s relationship with nineteen year old, Eva Braun, whom Hitler used to â€Å"take out for rides in his Mercede’s† (Quote: Unknown member of the S. S) which then led to a public relationship. The demonstration of feelings such as jealousy is what led the public to believe that Raubal also had feelings for Hitler. An SA officer, Wilhelm Stocker, who Raubal often confided in told in an interview that â€Å"She admitted to me that at times Hitler made her do things in the privacy of her room that sickened her but when I asked her why she didn't refuse to do them she just shrugged and said that she didn't want to lose him† also illustrating that she was flattered by Hitler's gallantry and generosity. She also complained about the way Hitler controlled her life. On September 8, 1931, Hitler left for Hamburg after having a blazing row with her over her desire to spend some time in Vienna. Hitler was heard to shout at her as he was about to get into his car: â€Å"For the last time, no! † After he left she shot herself through the heart with a revolver. Raubal was found dead from the gunshot wound in Hitler’s Munich apartment on the morning of September 19, 1931, at the age of twenty three. The official cause of death was listed as suicide; most historians surmise that Raubal was distraught over her incestual relationship with Hitler, could not escape it, and killed herself as a result. However, at the time Hitler already had considerable influence with the Munich police, so it cannot be known if they were being objective. There were many rumours, including one that Hitler had in fact shot her (or had her shot) for infidelity, since the bullet came from Hitler’s gun and that she committed suicide because she was expecting Hitler’s child. By all accounts, they argued intensely in the days leading to her death. Nobody knows what really happened between the two. After her death, Hitler threatened to commit suicide himself. Historians have written that Hitler was deeply in love with her, that she was the love of his life and that after her death he was a changed man for the worse. He even turned vegetarian as he claimed â€Å"meat reminded him of Raubal’s corpse†. Hitler had early ambitions to make his way as an artist and continued to draw sporadically after he entered politics. The many sketches of his which survived the war included some ordinary nudes and at least one of these depicted Raubal. Bibliography: Spartacus Educational, 2009 – http://www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/GERraubal. htm Spiritus Temporis, copyright 2005 – http://www. spiritus-temporis. com/geli-raubal/ Lycos Retriever, copyright 2005 Lycos Inc – http://www. lycos. com/info/eva-braun–geli-raubal. html All Experts, About, Inc, 2007 – http://en. allexperts. com/e/g/ge/geli_raubal. htm

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Year 1987 as a break point in the development of the chinese Fifth Essay

Year 1987 as a break point in the development of the chinese Fifth Generation filmmakers - Essay Example The decades also saw a rapid growth in the education of the people. A special group of people, studying the art of film making defied the norms for film making, questioning and scrutinizing every single act of their profession. They devised new methods of taking shots, and they were eager to showcase their talents and break the inherent rules of film making. The consequence of which is the birth of fifth generation filmmakers - Zhang Yimou, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Chen Kaige, etc. They revolutionized filmmaking and opened new markets for Chinese films in the West. The critically acclaimed western directors took notice of their talents and the films of these directors such as Yellow Earth, Red Sorghum, etc., won high accolades from the film ‘circle’. To analyze more about the development of fifth generation and its implications on the Chinese film industry, a critical review of the films released during that period can be taken into consideration. Xudong Zhang and Rey Chowâ₠¬â„¢s critical analysis of the films â€Å"King of the Children†, directed by Chen Kaige and â€Å"Red Sorghum† by Yimou Zhang can lead the right pathway to understand why 1987 is considered to be the breakpoint in the development of fifth generation filmmakers. ... It was the third film of Chen Kaige, revolving around a simple man, who goes out to a remote place, outside of his city to teach illiterate people. In the process, he finds out the troubles and suffering of the people with the lack of proper materials to educate themselves and the consequences of the socio economic changes. Chen tries to portray the lack of food, poverty, unemployment and lack of education prevalent in China during this period. In a period where martial arts and urban culture reigned supreme, Chen’s work proved to be an unthinkable one, defying the rules laid out by the censor boards of that time. Irrespective of all its critical appreciations, the film somehow failed to achieve commercial success both in international as well as domestic level. Xudong Zhang’s views According to Zhang, â€Å"King of the Children† released in 1987 needs to be appreciated for two major reasons – its aesthetic nature of film making and its bold way of storyte lling breaking all the norms of the social culture present in that era. Despite this and â€Å"Red Sorghum† being the only films with a more rural background of all the movies from the fifth generation film makers, they actually epitomized the significance of these people. What really impresses Zhang about the film is the ability and skill of the director to bring out his own personal experience combined with the social plundering happening across the country in a melancholic and subtle way, pushing the cinematic modernism to its peak. The thing that befuddles the author is the failure of the film which is considered to be the â€Å"ultimate emblem of China’s Fifth Generation Film† (Zhang 1997). Although the film maker considers it to be an expected occurrence from

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Self Evaluation in Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Self Evaluation in Business law - Essay Example The paper is done using the Harvard referencing system and proper in-text citation and bibliography is provided. There is also a list of appendices used in the research report. Familiar cases and ruling have been applied appropriately, for example the case of in liability for allergic reaction of goods purchased under the sale of goods agreement. Most importantly has been submitted in good time. Last but not least the answer provide in different question have demonstrated that reasonable reach has been conducted and there is understanding of the Sale of good Act of 1974 and the Consumer Credit Act. It is one thing knowing about the Acts, and it is another thing being able to apply the provisions in handling complex real situations.Under the Sale of Goods Act, Julia has a right to complain to the seller of the washing machine. It is the buyers duty to inspect goods once there are delivered and to notify the seller of any faults within reasonable time. Some products have warranty perio ds but the Sale of goods act stipulates that the rights of a buyer can not be curtailed by simple warranty terms and conditions. A buyer has the right to inspect goods within reasonable time and place before accepting them. Generally, a buyer who finds goods purchase too be faulty is entitled with the responsibility to proof that the goods were faulty at the time of purchase. This way, a buyer can request for a full refund. Had Julia inspected the washing machine before six months, it would have been agreed that the machine was fault at the time of sale. However, Julia has reasonable circumstances as to why she did not return the machine earlier. She was traveling and thus had no time to inspect the machine. Julia was not in position to inspect and check the washing machine when it was delivered because she was called immediately the machine was delivered to an emergency and was away for 6 months. Her responsibility in this case is to just proof that the machine was not in satisfact ory condition at the time of purchase because she has never used it even once. It is her right as a consumer to get goods of acceptable standard and that are fit for their purpose (National Consumer agency 2011). It is now Julia’s responsibility to act promptly. She can seek refund, replacement or repair under the sale of goods Act. Oliver bought a luxury deep filled duck –down pillow so he would sleep well. However, he did not ask the sellers for man –made fibre pillow. The sellers were unaware of his allergy reactions to feather. Therefore, the sellers acted in good faith while selling Oliver the luxury pillow; he wanted to sleep well and he never told them about any problems with feather. The seller’s responsibility under consumer Act was to let the buyers know that the pillow had feather in it. The case would have been different if Oliver had told the seller that he was allergic to feather. Then, he would have statutory rights to be compensated for the harm suffered and may get another feather free luxury pillow. The product was not faulty or defective, it is just that he was allergic and other buyers may be not allergic. In the case of Adelman-Tremblay V.Jewel Companies, Inc in 1988, it was

Monday, October 7, 2019

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example Web 2.0 which has brought about revolution in different marketing concepts, like advertisement and many other ideas, the C.R.M concept is equally affected by web 2.0. Through blogs, social media (face book, twitter), the customers are kept in touch with the organizations. The web 2.0 provides fan pages and other similar links which enable staying in touch with the pulse of masses and customers. C.R.M has certain set of components, and each of them is vital for the overall productive working of C.R.M. each component works in a complementing way towards the other and these components are as following: Customers’ retention is an important factor. It is being said that a satisfied customer brings along 3 to 4 customers with himself while a dissatisfied customer takes away three to five customers with himself therefore customers response is very important either way. Large number of enterprises have taken up C.R.M work and processes in their routines within their organizations. These organizations realize the impact of C.R.M and the dividends that can be extracted through it. Benefits of C.R.M: the benefits of C.R.M are multifold. It is a source f direct contact with the customers. C.R.M enables saving time and through direct methods the direct questions are addressed. Other benefits involve doing more with less that is saving money and saving time. C.R.M allows working to the will of clients and since clients are the backbone of any given organization, hence C.R.M is the pivot towards the organizational success. Other goals and advantages of C.R.M include reliable measures, enabling of taking on board the customers and then resolving the issues and obstacles relative to the problems at hand and customers demands. Canada’s company Bell is C.R.M enabled and it brings into action all the functions which are necessary for successful execution of

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Commercial Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Commercial Law - Essay Example Consequently, it is not impossible, theoretically, for a bank to have a charge over the cash deposited by one of its customers and which functions as the security with regard to a loan provided to the customer. This effectively discounted the Court of Appeal’s conceptual impossibility contention that had been supported by it (McCormack, 2002, p. 7). Such reciprocity in indebtedness is common to several commercial transactions and this decision by the House of Lords has provided immense relief to the commercial community. This is due to its capacity to do away with ambiguity and promoting transactions that are of immense benefit. The fact that there are legally valid and effective alternate transactions does not reduce the importance of the aforementioned category of transactions (Re Bank of Credit and Commerce International S.A. (No. 8), 1998). These alternatives cover the contractual rights of set off and rendering the deposit a flawed asset, which the third party in the position of the depositor or depositor cannot withdraw. The court ruled with great insight that the device of a charge back ensured powerful protection to a bank. This was by means of the flawed asset techniques and the contractual set off, and not due to the charge over the asset (Re Bank of Credit and Commerce International S.A.... 187). Commercial transactions are always exposed to the risk of insolvency or default. This is mitigated by employing credit derivatives, which create exposure to or hedge the credit risk inherent in debt instruments, like bonds and loans. There is nothing novel about this function, which had been undertaken by debt syndication, cash securitisations, and loan participations. These initiatives had been utilised to control the credit risk of debt instruments. Such credit risk had been managed by the practice of sell – down of the investor of lender’s risk in the debt instrument (Ali, 2004, p. 326). All the same there is a crucial difference between the previous credit risk management strategies and credit derivatives. The latter separate the credit risk of a debt instrument from itself and this risk is transferred to a third party. In addition, the debt instrument is retained or disposed of to another party. This renders credit derivatives, tools of credit risk management that have much greater precision. Lenders and investors are protected against credit risk, due to credit derivatives; and the economic benefit of the debt instrument is not transferred (Ali, 2004, p. 326). Moreover, insurance and reinsurance companies, banks, bond insurers and hedge funds are the chief sellers of credit protection. Credit risk protection is provided by these financial institutions, first, by the sale of protection under credit default swaps to investors or lenders. Second, by the making investment of funds in securities issued under a programme of synthetic securitisation (Ali, 2004, p. 326). Companies of Scotland were not permitted to create a floating charge with regard to the whole or part of their undertakings and

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Analytical Study on the Issues Related to Gun Control Essay

Analytical Study on the Issues Related to Gun Control - Essay Example The issue of gun control is augmented with the present tendencies of using handguns by the civilians and students, who cause for much havoc among the people. The sniper shootings in America have made a deep threat among the civilians in America. In such circumstances it is worthwhile to redefine the American democratic system with its application in the present issue. Therefore, this essay tries to analyze the issue of gun control with the democratic features of pluralism, stratificationism and hyper pluralism. The Issues related to Gun control in America show a specialty of the democratic aspect, that is, Pluralism. There are different notions regarding gun control in America. The BBC reports, â€Å"Americans now appear equally split between urban liberals who want gun control and tough environmental controls, and country dwellers who oppose abortion on demand and support hunting with guns† (BBC News). Some of the states like California, Illinois, New York and the District of Columbia support some sort of control in gun rights. The states like Washington, Florida and Texas stand for the gun rights. In the states like Alaska and Arizona the concealed carry laws are so simple and so everyone can have guns. The gun control has been viewed differently by Democratic Party and Republican Party. The Democratic Party stands for the gun control measures whereas the Republican Party stands against the gun control (BBC News). So it can be stated that the issue of gun control is a partisan issue. Some states, some groups and some political parties support gun control whereas some, on the other side, critically object it. The gun control in the country remains to be a sharply attacked by the gun lobby prevalent in America. NRA (National Rifle Association) is the most powerful lobby arguing for the citizens’ rights of gun. It adheres to the Bill of Rights as put forward by the 2nd Amendment which ensures the citizens to possess gun. The gun lobbyists in Americ a stand as a supreme interest group in America projecting the dominance of interest groups in American democracy. The bill on gun control was presented in the different Houses of the state but was denied support by taking the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution which states that every American citizen has the right to protect his/her life from others, and therefore, the Constitution gives him the right to bear arms. This constitutional right could not be changed even in the modern scenario due to the influence of the gun lobbyists. The Second Amendment of American Constitution stands for the rights for guns. It ensures the citizens’ rights to own the firearms. The modern incidents of mass killing by the firearms have made the people to rethink about the excessive use of guns in America. The mass killing 32 innocent people on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University at Virginia, and the similar incidents at various parts of the country, have put the stat es to regulate on the use of guns by the civilians. The proposal of the states to ban gun was thoroughly failed by the influence of gun lobbies in America. In America around 145 groups are arguing for the gun culture and NRA is having the most influence of these all. The Pluralistic aspect of democracy has excessively played its role on this issue. Pluralism is a

Friday, October 4, 2019

Organic food Essay Example for Free

Organic food Essay We have all heard the phrase â€Å"What you don’t know won’t hurt you† and it has undoubtedly applied to many situations in our lives that we are still unaware of. We like to toss around this phrase without worrying too much about what it implies because that is the whole point of the phrase, not to worry. When it comes to what we are putting into our bodies, though, what we do not know can indeed hurt us immensely. In the United States, we have grown accustomed to not thinking much about what we are consuming. The main factors we look for in food are taste and price. We live in a consumer society where money rules our nation, it rules our lives, and it rules us. Money has become the main focus for every decision we make, but when it comes to something as important as our health, should we look at a few other factors? With societies concerns focusing on wealth and profit, there is no surprise that the food industry finds the cheapest ways to produce the most food. Consequently, this produces many negative effects on aspects of our lives such as our health and the environment. When choosing what foods to consume, we should begin to pay more attention to factors other than the price tag. The food industry obviously plays a big role in this epidemic of processed food, but they are not the only ones to blame. Yes they are the ones taking advantage of our ignorance by mass-producing cheap food that they know we will not think twice about, but the ignorance is our fault. Author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan, describes the current foundation of the food industry, â€Å"Our food system depends on consumers’ not knowing much about it beyond the price disclosed by the checkout scanner. Cheapness and ignorance are mutually reinforcing† (Pollan 245). Pollan is correct in his assumption that most Americans do not know much about their food besides how much it cost. Most of them are not even aware that they do not know what is in their food. They subconsciously assume that chicken is chicken and cheese is cheese, but unfortunately that is hardly ever the case. Many people choose to live along these guidelines of â€Å"ignorance is bliss† by not paying attention to the horror stories of the food industry; they turn their heads from documentaries on animal treatment and plug their ears at the mention of the real ingredients of their precious snacks. As long as the food they are eating tastes good and did not cost a lot of money, they are content with not knowing how unhealthy it might be. Pollan further explains another reason people buy the cheapest available food: It makes good economic sense that people with limited money to spend on food would spend it on the cheapest calories they can find, especially when the cheapest calories—fats and sugars—are precisely the ones offering the biggest neurobiological rewards. (Pollan 108) People with lower incomes are confined to buying cheap food, typically the most processed and unhealthy food, because with their limited funds they cannot afford to care about the quality of what they are eating. They buy what is cheapest because that is all they can get. As long as they have food in their stomachs, they do not complain or worry too much about the side affects. Eating food that may not be very healthy definitely outweighs the alternative of eating nothing and starving. Americans are ignorant of the food that they purchase either because they choose not to educate themselves or because they really have no choice. Either way, they are missing out on other possibilities of obtaining food that have many advantages. Not knowing what our food is made of also prevents us from knowing what alternative food options are available to us. Because we see no problems with our current food choices, we see no reason to discover new ones. The processed food at the supermarket is all we know because it is the most convenient and affordable from of nourishment we can obtain. Pollan’s book includes the testimony of someone who buys food from a local, organic farmer, â€Å"†¦for me it’s all about the taste, which is just so different—this is a chickinier chicken. Art’s chickens just taste cleaner, like the chicken I remember when I was a kid† (Pollan 252). The food available from local farmers is not only better for our health and the environment but it also tastes better. We have grown accustomed to the artificially flavored food we buy from grocery stores and do not realize that the food we eat could taste better and more natural. The locally grown food tastes healthier and more natural because that is precisely what it is. The artificially engineered taste of chicken in a common chicken nugget is not what a chicken should taste like. Besides enhanced taste, buying from local farmers offers many other benefits as well. An organic farmer interviewed in The Omnivore’s Dilemma explains some more benefits of buying locally, With our food all of the costs are figured into the price. Society is not bearing the cost of water pollution, of antibiotic resistance, of food-borne illnesses, of crop subsidies, of subsidized oil and water—of all the hidden costs to the environment and the taxpayer that make cheap food seem cheap. (Pollan 243) One of the main reasons why people do not want to look into these alternative methods of eating is because they are more expensive. People overlook these opportunities because the organic food appears overpriced, but when you evaluate all these factors it might not be as overpriced as you might think. Yes the food is more expensive but it stands true that you get what you pay for. When paying more, you are receiving a whole lot more that benefits your health, community, and environment. The extra money that would be spent on food, you might save on your medical bills and taxes. Locally produced food is healthier for you and it carries a much less chance of containing disease and illness. Another bonus of buying from local farms: there is less pollution created than in the factories and slaughterhouses of the globalized food industry. If people became aware of alternative food options and the benefits associated with them, they would be more inclined to pay better attention to what they are buying. This would not only improve ones personal health, but also the environment. Although money remains a very important role in deciding what we purchase, it would benefit us to consider a few other aspects of the food that we buy. Paying attention to details such as what goes into the food, where it is produced, and how it is produced would lead us to make healthier decisions. More often than not, a satisfying answer to these questions will not be found in the food at our local supermarkets, but rather a local farmer. Buying from these farmers would mean supporting a healthy environment and body. Their production methods are healthier and much more environmentally friendly than any factories in a big-name food industry. While it may seem that this is a simple choice, many Americans will continue to ignore these truths. When it comes down to it, money rules everything and it will take a lot more than the promise of better health for people to overlook a price tag. They say ignorance is bliss, but when that ignorance leads to decisions that contaminate our bodies and our environment, the bliss will be short lived.