Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Case Study - Essay Example The company reviewed it’s its operations in the 2006 when SABMiller had just completed a three-year turnaround plan, establishing a platform for future growth. From that report it can be noted that in North America the company had made progress as it had continued to grow while giving better prices to the customers than its competitors in that market. SABMiller had heavily invested in that market which enabled it succeeds in price cutting without passing on the costs. It had a three year investment strategy which has enabled to remain strong despite tough conditions. From the foregoing, it can be deduced that SABMiller’s strategy in the North American market is heavy investment which in turn enables it lower prices hence driving out competitors (Hal, 2002). In relation to Europe SAB’s strategy was to increase its share and to expand its capacity. This was to be achieved through introduction of new brands and new packaging methods. This strategy has enabled it to increase its share, volume and expand its capacity in various European markets. SAB’s strategy in most of the countries has been to acquire an initial local stronghold firm to enable it advance into other markets which it had not penetrated before. It has achieved this by acquiring other brewing businesses in most cases to focus on brand portfolio which gives it a better market position, increases sales and to enjoy economies of scale in production and distribution. It seems that SABMiller has shifted its focus to developing countries having already established a substantial presence in the developed countries. It realised that its ability to succeed in developing countries has proved to be of advantage. This was noted in the company’s report of 2006. This strategy has to an increase in consumption of soft drinks by consumers in South Africa which in turn has led to increased sales ( Donald , 2008). To meet the demands of changing consumption patterns, SAB has introduc ed new sales and distribution systems and enhanced the flexibility of its production facilities. It has licensed more agents has brought more outlets into the mainstream. This means they can now operate more professionally and it can deliver to them direct - which in turn raises the performance of the business. The stakeholders expect that SAB’s businesses in Africa will continue to grow being helped by broader distribution and a clearer segmentation of SAB’s brands. The stakeholders also see plenty of opportunity to keep improving efficiency in these relatively underdeveloped countries and see the outlook for Africa as a whole to be encouraging. Possible strategic options open to SAB First of all, SAB can penetrate the market with its current products. This can be through heavy advertising or using any other strategy enable existing and potential customers get knowledge of its existing products. With this option, SAB needs to come up with a strategy to enable it incre ase sales to its current customers by convincing them without change of its original products. SAB can also gain competitors customers by improving the quality of its beer compared to that of its competitors. Since it is cheaper to retain current customers than acquire new ones, hence in this option SAB needs to improve its relationship with its current custo

Femme Fatale in Early Silent Cinema and Classic Film Noir

Femme Fatale in Early Silent Cinema and Classic Film Noir Introduction The quintessential ideal of the femme fatale was a woman who was mysterious, manipulative, and desperate with a male protagonist that in following the dangerous, yet desirable wishes of these women, would submit themselves as victims that evolved from a twisted form of love. The femme fatale grew out of earlier literature and other genres of artistic composition. Although the prototypical representation for the femme fatale dates back much earlier than the beginning of the 20th century, spanning backwards in time many centuries (Thorpe), research and examination for this paper takes place during later early silent cinema circa 1910-1919 and classic film noir 1940-1959. The paradigm of the femme fatale made its appearance by way of American cultural ideology at the time of their appearance in film, and two movies, A Fool There Was, and, Mildred Pierce, provide evidence for psychological disorder due to the progressive, ideological reforms that were fought for during these time periods, whether through mental illness, or personality disturbances. The embodiment of the components evident in the character makeup of the femme fatale characters in these films manifests themselves onscreen and showcases the intense fear that men had of a liberated and independent woman, and results in the repudiation of patriarchal oppression by the infringement of the boundaries for what was considered proper behavior for a woman by being independent, smart, and/or having menacing actions. Women and the 1910s The women that were a product of World War I did not have a good life, initially. At the beginning of the war, women were viewed as second class citizens, a view that had been held of women for many years prior. Women were the recipients of restrictions on most of their basic rights, such as not being allowed to vote, and because of this there was an infringement upon their right of choice, as they had no say in what leaders would be chosen to represent their country. Additionally, a division of socioeconomic classes was evidenced, as lower class women were employed in areas of education, nursing, shop clerks, seamstresses, secretaries, and most of all, domestic servants. On the other hand, women of upper class stature were mostly confined to their homes as domestic tradeswomen taking care of the children and looking after the home, in what most would term, the cult of domesticity. Also, upper class women would participate within the realm of charitable work, and be an overseer to a household of servants since employment that took place outside of the domesticated way of life that these women were used to was still reserved predominately for upper class men. With the arrival of World War I, opportunities became available for women to work outside of the home by giving them the chance to take over the jobs of men who were engaged in the war, which up to this point was something that women were not allowed to do. The Journal of Magazine and New Media Research published an article in Spring 1999 titled, Destructive Women and Little Men: Masculinity, the New Woman, and Power in 1910s Popular Media, that outlines the decade of the 1910s by making an argument about the Progressive-era womens reform work that was taking place at that time and how the womens suffrage movement was in its final chapter. Carolyn Kitch from Northwestern University acknowledges that there was an expansive effort underway at that time to give women more opportunities for social, political, and economic growth. Upon evaluation of the research conducted there is evidence verifying Kitchs claim of these opportunities for social, political, and economic growth slightly pr ior to, and during the period of World War I, leading into the period of classic film noir. Women in the workplace during the war gave women a vehicle upon which to showcase their talents, and this in turn brought them to the forefront of social reforms such as the right to vote, working outside of the home, and demand for better working conditions, wages, and higher education. Women of the 1910s started to see their lives change because of industrialization and technological change, and this fabricated a scenario where there was a resistance to reform, a situation that occurred where women were trying to break away from their traditional roles as domestic engineers but were met with opposition from all levels of society, including other women, who believed that women should remain in their traditional roles as wives and mothers. Although the Victorian era was finished around 15 years before World War I, the passive, innocent Victorian ideal of the fragile, pious, domestic, and sexual innocent (Sharot, 73) woman and her role in the domestic sphere had not changed. During this period of progressive reform there was a radical change in the image of the woman as the female body was starting to become freed from the 19th century constraints of dress that had kept a woman shackled to her domestic roles within the household. This reform fostered a rebellion against the traditional forms of dress: long dresses, long skirts, and long hair. This level of independence among women started showing up in cinema, too, because at that time the entertainment industry started to revere the female body and it became one of its primary attractions. Women during the decade of the 1910s were taking control of their lives, destinies, fortunes, and even their sexualities. The combination between the liberation of the female and the potential erotic components of cinema in the 1910s gave rise to a new kind of woman, The Vamp. The Vamp of Early Silent Cinema and Psychological Disorders The Vamp character of early silent cinema provides evidence for psychological disorders that come in the form of mental illness. The radical progressive ideological reforms that women were fighting for at the time made its way into cinema and appeared, and played out, as The Vamp character, and the social ideals that she personified were disordered because vamps were feminist revolutionaries and this was delineated as mental illness. Martins mentions that the Vamp cast by Theda Bara is a symbol of equal rights activism and the suffrage movement of the 1910s, and this was the showing of progressive ideals by a movie icon in a conservative film industry (95). Because the first wave of feminism was starting to take shape at that time, sexual and reproductive matters were at the forefront, but also women had this idea that they had the ability to make contributions to society at rates equal to, if not more than men. Mental illness during the period of the 1910s developed in women because of the lifestyle that the domestic sphere thrust upon them, as seen by oppression and societal expectations from the Victorian ideals that came before. Imprisonment of the kind related to the oppression of women is portrayed as madness because of the nature of the societal role in which she inhabits, leaving her prisoner in her own body (SigurÃÆ' °ardà ³ttir, 9). This discouraged women from looking to new roles because of the lens in which they are viewed. Women who were found to be in rebellion of the proper codes of conduct were deemed mad because the behavior was considered to be unnatural, and not very womanly, and was seen in some aspects as masculine behavior, where women, like their male counterparts, could display deviant behavior. By regulating a womans body, one could also regulate her mind. This sexual deviancy was seen as psychologically abnormal. As women started to become liberated, deemed demo nic by the social and cultural institutions within the middle and upper classes because of the fears of social mobility that is felt will take place, they have no hope of surviving the societal boundaries upon which they crossed, and this makes these women appear as if they are mad women. The character of the Vamp shows similarity to Dracula movies where the vampire is a terrible monster, and Dracula himself turns women into vampiresses and by doing so, releases their sexuality and carnal desires, and once this sexuality is unleashed and embraced by women it gives them power over men. The new vampiress, resurrected from the bite of Dracula, bears a direct similarity to the Vamp character in early silent cinema. World War I, symbolically, becomes the bite of Dracula that unhinges this unleashed sexuality that is viewed as dangerous for men. One example, Theda Bara, who played the character of Vampire (Dirks) in the 1915 film, A Fool There Was spoke her most famous line of all, Kiss me my fool (Dirks). The term the Vamp came into existence because of the predatory nature of the character, but also because the character construction was that of a sex goddess. This is evidenced in the cinematic production whenTheda Bara plays the part of a scheming vampire, a seductress f amous for luring men, and using them; leaving them ruined. On a business cruise to England, a man, John Schuyler, traveling without his wife and daughter was easily fooled and targeted by the irresistible Vampire aboard the ship and became her willing victim when he becomes addicted to Theda Baras character in the film by allowing her to spend all his money and driving him to drug addiction which makes him lose everything. Despite the drug addiction that John Schuyler himself experiences because of the manipulative ways of Theda Baras vamp character in, A Fool There Was, the evidence presented illustrates vampirism, a metaphorical characterization for addiction, and provides confirmation for mental disorder, a component of psychological disturbance. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, in the film, A Fool There Was, John Schuyler was driven to drug addiction by this vamp character that takes his money and makes him lose everything. Drug addiction is considered a mental illness by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which states: Drug addiction is centrally responsible for the altered states of the brain in which the addiction changes the brain so that a person no longer has needs or desires of a non-drug addict. The addiction creates new priorities that are affiliated with the use and procurement of using the drug in question. This results in behaviors that are compulsive that do not allow the addict the ability to control impulses despite the consequences. Love, in and of itself, is a drug and the Vamp character compares to a physical drug that causes addiction. By the end of the movie, Schuyler is a physical wreck and loses everything. He is powerless to turn away from the vamp, even at the expense of losing his wife and daughter, much in the same way that a drug addict loses everything and cannot pull away from his fix. The attraction of a male victim to a vamp is like the attraction of the addict to his drug. Both are destructive, and the vamp can command the loyalty of those male victims under her spell, controlling any man she encounters. Once she marks her prey she will change the life of all that she consumes, leaving the male victim in the clutches thinking about nothing but her. This hold that the vamp has on her male victims can be so consuming to the male prey that it takes over their life because of their need for more. Vampirism mirrors, in its entirety, the fundamental processes involved with addiction. This metaphor for addiction, vampirism, shows that by awakening the carnal desires and sexuality of women, which was the case during World War I when women realized their potential and what they had to offer in comparison to men, that they had power over men. Tom Pollard argues in his book, Loving Vampires: Our Undead Obsession, that the analysis of sexuality in vampire culture reveals changes to the societal dynamic and evolving issues that were currently taking place (60). These changes to the societal dynamic frightened men because the perception of women, as characterized through Theda Baras character of the Vamp onscreen, provides substantiated affirmation for not only a psychological disorder in the form of a mental illness, but emerging attitudes and beliefs about sexuality. In SigurÃÆ' °ardà ³ttirs essay titled, Women and Madness in the 19th Century: The Effects of Oppression on Womens Mental Health, she talks about Bram Stokers book, Dracula, which was published in 1897. Her interpretation was that all victims of Dracula have symptoms resembling depression, or even hysteria. Then she goes on to mention that the first victims of Dracula are male, and Jonathan Harker, the male character in the book shows symptoms of nervousness and depression, but that it was interesting how the male character, Jonathan Harker, suffers a far worse mental breakdown than the women of the story (22-23). This aligns with the ideology of the men having a fear so great that it aligns with the appearance of a hysteria which stems from the fear of a liberated and independent woman, and this fear was even greater than the fear brought about by the threat of opposing nations in World War I. Sigmund Freuds perspective on Dracula would be that the symptoms suffered by women were caused by the repression of sexual feelings and this was a threat to the pious and angelic woman that eluded Victorian society. In her thesis, Annelise Difilippantonio, discussed about Freuds psychoanalytic theory on Dracula, and argued that Freud had theories about sexuality that showed the fear of expressing sexual feelingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but that psychoanalysis is central to the examination of the unconscious and the powerful role of the sexuality in human beings, both in females and males (4-5) Also, she goes on to say that the repression of these desires inherent in individuals cannot be brought to a conscious state because it is seen as unacceptable behavior (5). Theda Baras character in, A Fool There Was, was a cinematic production that showcased the unleashed sexuality that some women of the decade of the 1910s started experiencing, which was seen as unacceptable. Theda Baras character was a symbol of the unrecognizability of women because of the change of image of women at that time from pious, domestic women to that of madwomen. Theda Bara as a Vamp represents the paradigm of the femme fatale because she is a danger to men because men become victim to her madness and sexuality, which was the case of John Schuyler whose whole life got destroyed because he became victim to her manipulative ways. The portrayal of the Vamp onscreen, most specifically Theda Baras vamp character in, A Fool There Was, has the lips of crimson which look like fresh blood, and a certain look to her clothing, which almost has this death robe appearance to it. The purity of the clothing goes along with her whole being: stained, but she is changed. As women of the 1910s were viewed by their men as angelic in nature by displaying piety, their death was replaced by a demonic looking figure; a madwoman, which is symbolic of a female rebellion which must be silenced. This awakening of female sexuali ty was the moral undoing of society and was considered evil because a liberated and independent woman potentially held the key to declaring their equality with men, therefore repudiating patriarchal oppression. Additionally, important to the argument of the archetype of the femme fatale is the feminine part of a mans personality called the anima, which was first coined by modern psychologist, Carl Jung. The anima is the female personification of all psychological tendencies in the male unconscious (Jung, 177) and the anima is normally ruled by the influence of the mother. Any negative anima could result, using Carl Jungs argument, in a man being lured to commit suicide because the anima will present itself as an insecurity or depression, and in this case this anima becomes the equivalent of a death demon. This is frequently the description given to the paradigm of these femme fatales. However, sometimes this anima can be positive because of a good experience with his mother and this will result in his anima that gets preyed upon by women leaving the man the inability to cope with his hardships as they come along in his life (Jung, 179). This binding effect of a dangerous female figure whose sexuality dooms the male, regardless of his negative or positive anima, mirrors the prototype of the femme fatale. The decade of the 1910s, and World War I, forever changed the economy going forward into the future from that point because it lifted many women out of the realm of domestic service. Because of this, women were transformed and were seen by many as madwomen upon the awakening of their sexuality. This slowly led to the era of the rising middle class of the 1940s and 1950s and the femme fatale of classic film noir that was birthed from the independence that World War II afforded women when it came to their place in the workforce to fill the vacancies that the men left behind when they went off to fight in the war. Women of the 1940s and 1950s Like World War I before it, World War II also had women called upon by the government to fill the traditionally male jobs and roles that were available while the men went off to war. Women joined everything from nurse corps to jobs in defense. Women became a crucial part of the war effort and the workforce and because of this they reshaped the prescribed gender norms and roles that were taking place at this time in history. The job opportunities offered during World War II were targeted for fulfillment by married women that lived in the cities, and those women who had experience that came from the domestic sphere because they never worked outside of the home. The war provided women with an opportunity to learn job skills that they may have otherwise never been able to learn, and by providing women with employment, job training, and skills, women became liberated and this led to the deviation of women from traditional roles in the domestic realm. During this time, women outnumbered me n in the workforce and men began to have problems with the idea of women as wage laborers because they saw it as a threat to the traditional marriage and family roles that had women as the iconic representation of piety, submissiveness, and stay at home wife and mother. Melissa A. McEuen, argues that there was a certain social stigma attached to women working and that a challenge would ensue in getting it removed (2). World War II for a lot of women during this time was about gaining strength, and as more men were leaving their homes and families to be deployed away from home to fight in the war, women gave up their roles as domestic engineer to take on traditionally male roles as wage earners. Femme Fatale of Classic Film Noir The women who took part in the workforce while the men went off to war were seen as placeholders and attempts were made to push these women back into the traditional roles they held prior to the war. The femme fatale of classic film noir was birthed as a result of this push back into traditional roles. In the journal article, Female monsters: Horror, the Femme Fatale and World War II, Mark Jancovich contends that at the end of the war the femme fatale makes its appearance and is demonstrative of a historical reconstruction of an economy based on a division of labor in which men were the sole means of production (133). Approximately 18 years after the end of World War II, Betty Friedan, wrote the book, The Feminine Mystique, which outlined the main ideology that was associated with women, not only before the war, but after as well, due in part to media exposure at the time that pressured women into taking subordinate roles. This fit under the concept of the feminine mystique because c ultural domesticity in women at that time was the societal ideal (20). While womens roles were in a period of expansion, the level of domesticity within the feminine domain was influenced by American culture and media and was in the instrumental stages of collapsing under patriarchal oppression. Jancovich contends that after World War II the patriarchal order starts to fail and in order for it to be reconstructed women have to give up the jobs they held and return to the domestic sphere (135). This caused women to fight to keep their jobs, and men, feeling threatened by their independence, started to view these women as harbingers of deviant behavior because men were always the head of the household, and the primary breadwinners. This freedom afforded to women made men feel emasculated and they became fearful of a reverse of patriarchal control. It was at this point that dissatisfaction starts to flare up in regards to the domestic roles to which these women were expected to take part in as confusion surrounding the roles of men and women starts to shape the workplace and the home. The femme fatale in classic film noir was a representation of the bewilderment of women in society at that time in history and was a threat to the status quo. The cinematic representation of, Mildred Pierce, is a film from the 1940s that shows us what anxieties there were for working women, in this case the protagonist (Mildred), and how she was viewed as a threat to the society in which she lived. Throughout the film Mildred constantly passes back and forth through two different worlds: domestic realm as a mother, and public sphere as a career business woman. Like many other mothers of post-World War II America, Mildred occupies both spheres. This fostered the development of psychological conditions that were showcased onscreen that surround the femme fatale of classic film noir, as she was a product of the shifting cultural ideals, and a change in the role of American women after the period of World War II. This was reflective of a large amount of frustration within women because o f the label their gender carried as some kind of traditional domesticated servant within their households, in addition, there was a search for their own autonomy and self-sufficiency. At this point, there is a turning of the tides where women start challenging their place within society and there is a transformational shift that takes place that changes how women are seen in the future. Psychological Conditions surrounding the Femme Fatale of Classic Film Noir Psychological conditions that drive my argument deals with personality disorder, which is a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior where the person acts counterproductive to their environment where it can cause difficulty in the functioning of society (Mayo Clinic). Specific personality disorders would be those in the cluster B group because the femme fatale of classic film noir withstood various cinematic productions where this fatal woman who manipulates men into these dangerous or compromising situations was created. In the Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, Scott Snyder, affirms in his article, Personality Disorder and the Film Noir Femme Fatale, that film noir depicts this societal view of American culture that is in degradation, full of crime and corruption, and this leads to this view of humanity as disparaging and meaningless, but at the same time is unprincipled and has this mysterious existence. The cinematic quality that is representative of some form of charac ter pathology in classic film noir is the femme fatale herself. Mark Jancovich agrees with this claim when he argues in his article, Vicious Womanhood: Genre, The Femme Fatale and Post War America, that there was a shift that took place in these films that present these vicious women as the sufferers of psychological disturbance and compulsion (107). This eccentric woman is like a black widow spider, as her bite is fatal, and like the black widow, lures the male into dangerous situations that mostly result in harm, and sometimes death. The nature of these femme fatale women leads to the destruction of the male (prey) and challenges the integrity of his morality, if not destroying it altogether. Her behavior exemplifies these hidden symptoms of psychological conditions that present during Cluster B personality disorders. The first Cluster B personality disorder, histrionic, is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriately seductive behavior, usually beginning in early adulthood. These individuals are lively, dramatic, vivacious, enthusiastic, and flirtatious. One example of histrionic personality disorder is evident in the movie, Mildred Pierce. In this movie, Mildred Pierce, a middle-class housewife, has a difficult relationship with her manipulative and greedy daughter, Veda and becomes a waitress but does not tell Veda because it would make her ashamed. Mildred works hard to please her ungrateful daughter who appreciates none of it. Veda constantly is the attention seeker who works hard to acquire the worship of others through her beauty, and later through her ability to sing. Veda controls the men in her life, including her mothers l overs, with her sexuality because of her constant demands for more luxury (Cook. qtd in Jancovich, pg. 144). As the definition from the American Psychiatric Association outlines, these behaviors normally take place beginning in early adulthood, and this is when the film takes place, while Veda is 17 years old. Veda has sexual relationships with men as an attempt to seek more admiration. Veda demonstrates the lively, dramatic, seductress that comprises histrionic personality disorder. Jancovich argues that the women in question oftentimes are a product of domesticity, in which case they are in direct opposition to women that were viewed as independent. These women were women that were sluggish and lazy (134). In, Mildred Pierce, Veda is a product of domesticity and is the antagonist to her own protagonist mother. Mildred, who opened her own restaurant business and, therefore, was considered independent, was viewed as a monster to those from the domestic realm, including her own daughter Veda. The femme fatale that was displayed in the cinematic productions of classic film noir have been viewed as some kind of force that exudes energy, intelligence, and power, but are able to receive strength from the sexuality that they display. American filmmakers at that time tried to depict the femme fatale as some kind of genuine, yet mildly harsh sexually overcharged women that has the potential to murder, engage in corruption, and take part in greed, just like any male actor counterpart in film. The persistent effort to push women back into their culture of domesticity resulted in a demonization of independent working women (Jancovich, pg 100) who would not surrender their jobs they held during the war. The femme fatale decides on the course of her own sexuality, which sets her (femme fatale) apart from the patriarchal system that previously had suppressed her. Snyder argues: There was this cultural ideation concerning the femme fatale in classic film noir that allowed women to break away from the traditional power structures of the ruling patriarchal authority. The vision of a woman that wraps her finger around the trigger of a pistol erases the idea of the genetic predilection that women were a product of cultural repression. For the femme fatale, she becomes every mans most mistrusted fantasy, and exemplifies histrionic personality disorder. The second personality construct of the disordered femme fatale of classic film noir is that of narcissism. With narcissism there is likely to be a need for an increased level of sexual coercion that is brought on by the femme fatales own cognitive distortions that emanate from her need to preserve her self-esteem and keep the perception of herself in high regard. Normally, with narcissism there is an excessive need for self-admiration, and a deep lack of empathy. In the case of Veda in Mildred Pierce, the deep lack of empathy shows its face in the scene where Veda feigns pregnancy to funnel money from her soon to be ex-husband: the son of Mrs. Forrester, in an attempt to get away from her mother (Mildred) and shows no shame for doing so. With the femme fatale, the narcissism can also be demonstrated by the appearance of mirrors throughout the film, whether the mirror is used for her own gaze, or as a means to showcase a double identity. The woman becomes totally self absorbed into her own self. Femme fatale women are often in scenes that use some type of involvement with mirrors. This may personify the deviousness, as well as, the cunning nature of these women, where nothing and no one is what it seems (Snyder). In film noir, mirrors are a technique that is prevalent in cinema that show the visual caricature of this idea of the self indulged narcissist. In, Mildred Pierce, there is a mirror that was used in the film and it was a crucial part of the narrative for moving Mildred back and forth, as mentioned earlier in this paper, through the domestic and public sphere. This mirror gives evidence for narcissistic behavior throughout the film. Veda is the shadow that illustrates Mildreds dark double. Veda is the femme fa tale of the story who is a deadly woman that hinders Mildreds ability to be a good mother. Veda preys on everyone who is close to her for her own selfish gains and , although she sees her mother working outside of the domestic realm as evil, she has no problems in spending all of the money her mother earns. Veda steals her mothers husband and then murders him. Mildred and Veda are so intertwined with each other that it takes the detectives at the end of the film to separate the two. This separation is foreshadowed by the pierced mirror (Mancini, 24) in the beach house that was hit by the bullet of Veda when she shot and killed Monty. Mildred herself, although mild mannered and hard working in the restaurant business, also displays narcissistic behavior, but unlike her daughter Veda, hides it extremely well. Mildred, too, in her own way is just as manipulative and exploitative. In an article, The Ultimate Femme Fatale? Narcissism Predicts Serious and Aggressive Sexually Coercive Behavior in Females, Blinkhorn et al quote Morf and Rhodewalt, 2001 as saying that when it comes to narcissism that women can sometimes use more indirect and discreet ways of fulfilling their narcissistic goals (220). That becomes evident during an argument that took place between Mildred and Veda in the film when Veda insists that her mother has no right to criticize her for trying to get what she wants because she (Veda) argued that her mother Mildred really is not that much different than she is because, Father, Monty, Wallyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦you take what you need. There is some truth to Vedas claims because Mildred does not care at all fo r Wally and uses him to do her legal bidding, and Monty does not appear to garner her interest even though she is fascinated by him. Mildred uses Monty to fulfill her sexual needs and to chauffer the younger Veda around, but later to lure her back home. Snyder argues that the femme fatale have wishes and receive those wishes by becoming the growth on the side of men who are rich, but also those they believe to be powerful. These women marry to achieve financial freedom or social advancement but in the process they manipulate the very desire that men hold for them (161). Despite her drive to be successful, as well as, the inner strength that she carries within her, Mildred does not have no real ingredients for self-respect, rather she ascribes to a form of desperate narcissism that wants to be privy to an ideal, yet glamorous life, even if it is for her parasitic, unappreciative daughter. Conclusion The paradigmatic representation of the femme fatale c

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Crime   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is crime? Crime is an act committed in violation of law for which punishment is imposed upon conviction. It also can be unlawful activity, a serious offense, especially in violation of morality. Crime effects anyone, and everyone. People that commit crimes are of all gender, color, ethnicity etc. Crime effects all towns, cities, states, and countries; even though many places are significantly different in matters of crime that takes place there. Take for example: Johnstown, Pennsylvania with a crime rate of 16.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in 1999 and Miami, Florida with a crime rate of 87.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in 1999. Crimes in these two cities are on the opposite ends of extremes. The United States has lo...

Portrait of the Poet as Landscape Essay

The basic attribute that cane extracted from the persona of the character is his dilemmas in life. The vivid description of the surrounding community does not really have any sympathy to what a particular individual is going through as long as life goes on for each of people in the background. The terms â€Å"death† and â€Å"alive† do not really have much of an importance since the reference character does not really involve him to the actual events happening in the surroundings. The persona seems to be disgusted with how the world works and that finding a sense in living is futile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of terms â€Å"moods† and â€Å"remember† suggest that the persona may not actually be an entity at all. He is just like a ghost of his own dilemma wherein what he can only do is to cherish the life he once had. All the character can see is how busy the world is and that nothing really matters whether someone is in agony. It is only possible to create an illusion of change among the social structure but being a ghost himself cannot actually impart change. Everything is perceived by the persona to be temporary and materialistic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is apparent that the poem presents the disgust of the persona towards artificial power over tangible things which are directly insinuated by the phrase â€Å"Fame: the adrenalin†. It tells that having a name can be a great tool not for a beneficial imagination but for a destructive illusion. This is the same as â€Å"defying gravity† which can almost imply absurdity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, the poem presents that once a person achieves a kind of satisfying illusion, there is no other way to go but to go down. Otherwise, he would just look into matters beyond his illusion which can only cause unending search for perfection. The term â€Å"sixth sense† provides this incapacity of a person to achieve greater worth more than illusionary and artificial goals as these provide comfort in life (Bloland). Bushed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem Bushed is particularly concerned over how a man perceives his surroundings in the presence of wild life influences. Although the literary article provides some sort of descriptions about the natural entities in the background, there is a difficult identification whether the perceptions were actually happening or just a figment of the man’s imagination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also evident that contrasting benefits and disadvantages are provided for the main character. He can basically utilize the natural resources around him while at the same time being threatened by the dangers lurking in the setting. Clear examples of advantages can be identified with the terms and phrases â€Å"building a shack†, â€Å"roasting porcupine† and â€Å"wearing quills†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The term â€Å"dawn† played an important part by presenting the fact that the character was first lured by the beauty and benefits of the surroundings. However, a sudden change of the time frame would suggest that what the character was actually deceived for unanticipated danger lurks around him. The effect of the moon in the darkening of the atmosphere, the mocking of the owls and the seemingly fading away branches of the cedars impose loneliness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The line which designates the â€Å"resting of the wind in the mountains† provide a clear glimpse of the dangers which are about to come. The term â€Å"arrowhead† is the most significant identification of the notion of danger. Although there is a complete time frame before it arrives to the persona, it is actually going to happen. As with the flints are expected to come which practically represent the slow influence of the coming dilemma. Works Cited Bloland, Sue Erikson. â€Å"Give the Atlantic.† The Atlantic Online. 1999. The Atlantic. 24 Jan 2008 .

No Good Reasons To Believe in Dualism Essay

Are there any good reasons to believe in dualism? Dualism, the philosophical theory that states that there are two kinds of substance: mental and physical, is now largely discredited by the world’s leading philosophers. It first came to prominence through Renà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Descartes in his Meditations as he tried to come to terms with the fact that most of his knowledge was either false or that he did not have enough evidence to believe in it firmly enough. For many centuries the idea was debated and reclassified, changing slightly from philosopher to philosopher and being totally rejected by others. The alternative to dualism is monism, the idea that mental and physical substances are one and the same; that is that the mind is or is contained within (in the tissue of), the brain. At first it appeared that dualism was indeed a logical conception, as features of the mind and the body seemed very different indeed. Descartes pointed out that while one could imagine oneself without physical features, it was impossible to imagine oneself without a mind; indeed the very action of attempting this was enough to prove that a mind was present. This was the basis of Descartes’ theory to draw out basic knowledge that he could not be deceived about. Due to this distinction it seemed logical to conclude, using Leibniz’s Law, that physical and mental entities were indeed separate. However, Descartes had made a mistake in assuming that his clear and distinct perceptions of a thing made that thing possible. For example, I can clearly and distinctly conceive of a unicorn, but that does not mean that they exist. (Lewis Carroll parodied this in Through the Looking Glass, in which the Red Queen tells Alice she imagines several impossible things before breakfast. Presumably she has a clear and distinct perception of these things, as when Alice attempts it, she is told she is not trying hard enough.) Also, I can just as clearly perceive of something not being as of it being, and as something cannot both be and not be, it would seem that this theory for basing something upon an unalterable internal proposition falls down. So, the argument from clear and distinct perception cannot be used here as it is just as easy to conceive of the mind and body being separate as it is for them to be one and the same. There are many scientific and logical arguments in favour of monism, Occam’s Razor, for example, a theory which asks us to take the simpler solution to a problem over the more complicated theory. For example, before the biology of animals was worked out scientifically, it was believed that all living creatures had an attribute called vitalism, which kept it alive. Now we know the biology, we can use this much simpler explanation. Here it can be applied easily: obviously it is simpler to believe in one substance than two, one of which does not conform to the laws of physics. There is also scientific evidence that shows us how damaging or experimenting with the brain, which is undeniably physical, can affect a person’s mental behaviour. Performing a lobotomy, for instance, can totally alter a person’s personality – turning them from being calm and rational to being crude and rash, or vice versa. Similarly, stimulating neurons on the Thingybob Strip, which crosses the top of the brain, can cause sensations all over the body. It may be that prodding a part of this strip can make your elbow tingle in a most delightful manner or make your thumb feel as if it is being dragged through warm treacle. It would seem from this that the these feelings are to be found in the prodded part of the brain and this is where the mental is to be found within the physical. These reasons show that monism is probably the more scientifically favourable position, but are there any reasons that can show Dualism to be the more logical choice? Leibniz’s Law might argue for dualism in that there being differences between the physical and the mental, they must therefore be separate substances. For example, having a chunk of the physical removed does not mean a part of the mental has also been removed. In fact, an awful lot of the physical body can be harmed, even in the brain, before there is a definite mental side effect. Surely, say the dualists, if the some parts of the mental were contained within certain parts of the brain, for example, if the capacity to taste lentils were located solely in a small part of the brain, and that part were to be removed we would no longer have the capacity to taste lentils. But a lot of the brain can be removed, and so, if there were set areas we would be removing certain abilities of the mental. Therefore, the mental must be separate from the physical. However, it is true that removing some areas of the brain will prevent the mental from performing certain capabilities. It is possible to find out which areas of the brain are functioning when fuelled by particular stimuli, and if, when doing this we slice out those areas of the brain, in some (but not all) cases, those functions will no longer be possible. Also, the left side of the brain and the right side provide vastly different functions – one being more practical and other being more intellectual. This would seem to back up the monist theory that the mind is located within certain parts of the brain. Another counter argument to Dualism could be contained within Feigl’s concept of Nomological Danglers. If the mental is indeed distinct from the physical it cannot be present within the same world as the physical things we know of, as removing physicals things would inevitably reveal the mental substance. Therefore it follows that it is connected to this physical world in some other way. However, Feigl tells us that it is ridiculous to believe that there is a separate type of law for these substances, which allows them to exist dependently of the rest of physics. Surely the mental substances cannot be ‘dangling’ outside of the realms of reality? These masses of arguments for monism overwhelm the poorer, outdated arguments for dualism, which stem from a less scientifically advanced age, in which the solutions appeared to work logically, based on a more internal philosophy of contemplation, which is now being replaced by a more practical philosophy, backed up by the sciences. Hence it is not unfair to say that previous ideas that worked in favour of dualism are no longer good reasons to believe the theory and that as we have better reasons to take the theory of monism seriously, we must subscribe to it, and not dualism, as the correct theory.

The Roman and Anglo-Saxon conquest Essay Example

The Roman and Anglo The Roman and Anglo-Saxon conquest Paper The Roman and Anglo-Saxon conquest Paper There were 3 main reasons why The Romans wanted to conquer Britain: 1st Big amount of corn; 2nd Rome was a slave owning society and they needed more slaves; 3rd In the first century b. C. Rome was in war with Gaul and the Cells from Britain helped Gaul to fight against the Romans. It took 98 years for the Roman to conquer a part of Britain known today as England. 55 years b. C. Julius Caesar undertook the first attempts but failed because of the very strong Celtic opposition . 54 years b. C. Caesar came back with an army of 25. 00 people and conquered a small terrier near present day London . His aim, however, was not to conquer the terrier as such, he took everything he wanted (corn, slaves) Introduced heavy taxes Celebrated. 43 years a. D. (after Jesus was born) Emperor Claudia finally conquered the terrier of pres day England and pushed the Cells, who lived there to the less fertile and more mountains area of present day Scotland and Wales. The Roman legacy: 1. They build a large network of solid military roads some of which exist and are used even today. Ex: The road that connects 2 cities London and Chester and Is called Witling Castro) these camps later developed into a number of English towns, so If today the name of an Eng town has the suffix Chester, it means that to was founded by the Romans. Ex: Manchester, Chester, Lancaster,Lester,Windcheater. 3. The Romans brought reading and writing, naturally in Latin. 4. They brought the tradition of Baths to Britain. (They founded hot mineral springs near pres day town of Bath and established the first SPA -area In Britain. 5. The Romans build a number of protective walls to defend themselves against the hostile Cells. Ex: The Hadrons wall, which nowadays stands on the border between England and Scotland and was build in the 4th century. 6. The Romans developed a small village of Linden into a own and maid it their capital with the name Aluminum. In pres day English there is a number of Latin borrowings that came from the Romans . There are some groups : 1 . Words connected with food and drinks :wine, cheese, peas. 2. Words connected with clothing : shirts,belt. 3. Rods con with Christianity: In the year 395 Roman Empire was divided into 2 parts and all the Romans in England were withdrawn to defend the rest of the empire against the Barbaric attacks from the Germanic lands, unfortunately in 476 the Roman Empire finally collapsed and there started a knew era of Middle Ages. The Angle-Saxon conquest. In the middle of the 5th century 3 Germanic tribes started their invasion in England. 1st the Juts; 2nd the Angles (they both came from pres day Denmark and established the following small kingdoms!! : 1. Northumberland, 2. Hurls. 3. East Anglia, 4. Kent. Ad tribe Saxons. They came from Another Germany and established the following small kingdoms : 1) Wastes: 2) Essex; 3) Sussex. The Anglo- Saxons and the Jutes were close to each other in speech and customs so they gradually formed into one group called Anglo-Saxon. However Wales, Cornwall and Scotland remained unconquered , so many Cells that survived after the Germanic attacks fled to these territories and thus the culture of Cells continued Its existing, conquered the Picks and the territory formed into the Scottish kingdom in 1 lath century. The struggle between the Cells and Anglo-Saxons gave place fore manifold tales most famous of which are legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round table. The Anglo-Saxons were pagans and worshipped different gods, their names are reflected in the names of pres days of the week : Tit (Tuesday) was the god of war, Wooden(Wednesday) god of kings, Thro (Thursday) god of storm, Frigid (FRR) Woodened wife, goddess of nature and love. Saxon villages consisted of 20 to 30 families all faithful to their leader. The Saxons kingdoms fought between one another and in the 9th century Wastes became the leading kingdom and united the rest of England to fight against the Danes and since 829 the greater part of the country was united under the name England. An important event that united the country and developed the culture was the adoption of Christianity in England in 664. Christianity began to develop much earlier. It is connected with the name SST. Augustine that found the Church of England in 597.

The Guns or Butter Nazi Economy

The Guns or Butter Nazi Economy A study of how Hitler and the Nazi regime handled the German economy has two dominant themes: after coming to power during a depression, how did the Nazis solve the economic problems facing Germany, and how did they manage their economy during the largest war the world has yet seen, when facing economic rivals like the US. Early Nazi Policy Like much of Nazi theory and practice, there was no overarching economic ideology and plenty of what Hitler thought was the pragmatic thing to do at the time, and this was true throughout the Nazi Reich. In the years leading to their takeover of Germany, Hitler didn’t commit to any clear economic policy, so as to widen his appeal and keep his options open. One approach can be seen in the early 25 Point program of the party, where socialist ideas such as nationalization were tolerated by Hitler in an attempt to keep the party unified; when Hitler turned away from these goals, the party split and some leading members  (like Strasser) were killed to retain unity. Consequently, When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, the Nazi Party had different economic factions and no overall plan. What Hitler did at first was to maintain a steady course which avoided revolutionary measures so as to find a middle ground between all the groups he’d made promises to. Extreme measures under extreme Nazis would only come later when things were better. The Great Depression In 1929, an economic depression swept the world, and Germany suffered heavily. Weimar Germany had rebuilt a troubled economy on the back of US loans and investments, and when these were suddenly withdrawn during the depression the Germany economy, already dysfunctional and deeply flawed, collapsed once more. German exports dropped, industries slowed, businesses failed and unemployment rose. Agriculture also began to fail. The Nazi Recovery This depression had helped the Nazis in the early thirties, but if they wanted to keep their hold on power they had to do something about it. They were helped by the world economy beginning to recover at this time anyway, by the low birth rate from World War 1 reducing the workforce, but action was still needed, and the man to lead it was Hjalmar Schacht, who served as both Minister of Economics and President of the Reichsbank, replacing Schmitt who had a heart attack trying to deal with the various Nazis and their push for war. He was no Nazi stooge, but a well-known expert on the international economy, and one who’d played a key role in defeating Weimar’s hyperinflation. Schacht led a plan which involved heavy state spending to cause demand and get the economy moving and used a deficit management system to do so. The German banks had tottered in the Depression, and so the state took a greater role in the movement of capital – borrowing, investments etc. – and put low interest rates in place. The government then targeted farmers and small businesses to help them back into profit and productivity; that a key part of the Nazi vote was from rural workers and the middle class was no accident. The main investment from the state went into three areas: construction and transportation, such as the autobahn system which was built despite few people owning cars (but was good in a war), as well as many new buildings, and rearmament. Previous Chancellors Bruning, Papen and Schleicher had started putting this system into place. The exact division has been debated in recent years, and it’s now believed less went into rearmament at this time and more into the other sectors than thought. The workforce was also tackled, with the Reich Labour Service directing the young unemployed. The resu lt was a tripling of state investment from 1933 to 1936, unemployment cut by two-thirds (Nazi faithful were guaranteed jobs even if they weren’t qualified and if the job wasn’t needed), and the near recovery of the Nazi economy. But the purchasing power of civilians had not increased and many jobs were poor. However, Weimar’s problem of a poor balance of trade continued, with more imports than exports and the danger of inflation. The Reich Food Estate, designed to co-ordinate agricultural produce and achieve self-sufficiency, failed to do so, annoyed many farmers, and even by 1939, there were shortages. Welfare was turned into a charitable civilian area, with donations forced through the threat of violence, allowing tax money for rearmament. The New Plan: Economic Dictatorship While the world looked at Schacht’s actions and many saw positive economic outcomes, the situation in Germany was darker. Schacht had been installed to prepare an economy with a large focus on the German war machine. Indeed, while Schacht didn’t start off as a Nazi, and never joined the Party, in 1934, he was basically made an economic autocrat with total control of the German finances, and he created the ‘New Plan’ to tackle the issues: the balance of trade was to be controlled by the government deciding what could, or couldn’t be imported, and the emphasis was on heavy industry and the military. During this period Germany signed deals with numerous Balkan nations to exchange goods for goods, enabling Germany to keep foreign currency reserves and bringing the Balkans into the German sphere of influence. The Four Year Plan of 1936 With the economy improving and doing well (low unemployment, strong investment, improved foreign trade) the question of ‘Guns or Butter’ began to haunt Germany in 1936. Schacht knew that if rearmament continued at this pace the balance of payments would go crippling downhill, and he advocated increasing consumer production to sell more abroad. Many, especially those poised to profit, agreed, but another powerful group wanted Germany ready for war. Critically, one of these people was Hitler himself, who wrote a memorandum that year calling for the German economy to be ready for war in four years’ time. Hitler believed the German nation had to expand through conflict, and he wasn’t prepared to wait long, overriding many business leaders who called for slower rearmament and an improvement in living standards and consumer sales. Quite what scale of war Hitler envisioned isn’t certain. The result of this economic tug was Goering being appointed head of the Four Year Plan, designed to speed rearmament and create self-sufficiency, or ‘autarky’. Production was to be directed and key areas increased, imports were also to be heavily controlled, and ‘ersatz’ (substitute)  goods were to be found. The Nazi dictatorship now affected the economy more than ever before. The problem for Germany was that Goering was an air ace, not an economist, and Schacht was so sidelined that he resigned in 1937. The result was, perhaps predictably, mixed: inflation had not increased dangerously, but many targets, such as oil and arms, had not been reached. There were shortages of key materials, civilians were rationed, any possible source was scavenged or stolen, rearmament and autarky targets were not met, and Hitler seemed to be pushing a system which would only survive through successful wars. Given that Germany then went head first into war, the failures of th e plan soon became very apparent. What did grow were Goering’s ego and the vast economic empire he now controlled. The relative value of wages fell, the hours worked increased, workplaces were full of the Gestapo, and bribery and inefficiency grew. The Economy Fails at War It’s clear to us now that Hitler wanted war, and that he was reformatting the German economy to carry out this war. However, it appears that Hitler was aiming for the main conflict to start several years later than it did, and when Britain and France called the bluff over Poland in 1939 the German economy was only partially ready for the conflict, the goal being to start the great war with Russia after a few more years building. It was once believed that Hitler tried to shield the economy from the war and not move immediately to a full wartime economy, but in late 1939 Hitler greeted the reaction of his new enemies with sweeping investments and changes designed to support the war. The flow of money, the use of raw materials, the jobs people held and what weapons should be produced were all changed. However, these early reforms had little effect. Production of key weapons like tanks stayed low, due to flaws in design negating speedy mass production, inefficient industry, and a failure to organize. This inefficiency and organizational deficit were in a large part due to Hitler’s method of creating multiple overlapping positions which competed with each other and jostled for power, a flaw from the heights of government down to the local level. Speer and Total War In 1941 the USA entered the war, bringing some of the most powerful production facilities and resources in the world. Germany was still under-producing, and the economic aspect of World War 2 entered a new dimension. Hitler declared new laws – the Rationalization Decree of late 1941 – and made Albert Speer Minister of Armaments. Speer was best known as Hitler’s favored architect, but he was given the power to do whatever was necessary, cut through whichever competing bodies he needed, to get the German economy fully mobilized for total war. Speer’s techniques were to give industrialists more freedom while controlling them through a Central Planning Board, allowing for more initiative and results from people who knew what they were doing, but still kept them pointed in the right direction. The result was an increase in weapons and armaments production, certainly more than the old system produced. But modern economists have concluded Germany could have produced more and was still being beaten economically by the output of the US, USSR, and Britain. One problem was the allied bombing campaign which caused massive disruption, another was the infighting in the Nazi party, and another was the failure to use the conquered territories to full advantage. Germany lost the war in 1945, having been outfought but, perhaps even more critically, comprehensively out produced by their enemies. The German economy was never functioning fully as a total war system, and they could have produced more if better organized. Whether even that would have stopped their defeat is a different debate.

10 Signs It’s Time to Quit Your Job

10 Signs It’s Time to Quit Your Job Let’s be honest: many of us aren’t in our dream jobs, for whatever reasons. And even if you are working in your ideal field, there’s a good chance that the experience isn’t what you daydreamed it would be. It’s important to know when it might be time to cut bait and start over in a new role. 1. You dread going to work in the morning.If you hit your snooze button 15 times or roll out of bed every morning frowning about what your day holds, this is a problem. Even the most chipper coworker in your office has less enthusiastic days, but if it becomes an everyday dread, this could impact your overall happiness and health.2. You can’t hide your disdain at work.If other people are noticing that you are cranky or unhappy, it’s not good. It could impact your relationship with your boss and be noted as a performance issue.3. You dislike your team.If you have issues working together with your immediate group on projects or their everyday habits are like nails on a chalkboard to you, the problem might not be them. It could be that you would fit in better somewhere else.4. You dislike your team leader.There are plenty of terrible bosses out there: mean, arrogant, and just plain incompetent. It’s also possible that he or she is a great person, but you just can’t flourish under their style of management. If you find yourself rolling your eyes every time you get an email from this person, it could be time to leave.5. Your personal life is affected by your job.Feeling overworked and unhappy can drag down other parts of your life. This can show itself in a variety of ways: feeling short-tempered with family or friends, having issues with sleep, or feeling anxiety over things that may not seem work-related. If you find that your general feeling of well-being is lower because of your work activities, it’s better to err on the side of self-interest.6. Your health is affected by your job.Stress-related illnesses are very much a thing. Working too hard or experiencing consistent stress can make you more susceptible to colds, flu, or any number of illnesses just waiting for a gap in your immune system caused by poor self-care. Anxiety disorders and depression are also conditions that can be made worse by staying in a job that causes you consistent stress.  Few jobs are forever, but your health is always going to be with you.7. Company morale is low.Shared misery can be a rallying point for coworkers when things are rough, but it could be that everyone is unhappy because something is seriously wrong at the upper management level. Even if you feel loyal to your company, it’s important to keep an eye on how things are going in general and to decide whether any issues are likely to be resolved in the short term. If not, you are not obligated to stick around if there are other opportunities.8. You don’t see how this job will advance your career.If you’ve moved up as far as y ou can in your current role without major personnel or company changes, consider whether there would be better chances for advancement somewhere else. Be proactive, instead of waiting patiently for someone else to retire or quit.9. You’re consistently bored at work.If you find yourself slacking or filling long hours between projects, it may be because you’re not being challenged enough by your job. Every job will have its boring moments, but overall it should be a role where the tasks make you feel engaged and productive. If that’s not happening, this job likely isn’t the right fit for you.10. You feel undervalued.We all have moments where we grumble that we aren’t being paid enough to deal with this *bleep*, but if you feel like your job responsibilities have seriously outpaced your paycheck, it’s time to re-evaluate. Do some research into salary ranges and compensation for your role at other companies. If you still feel like you are being under-compensated (and there’s no chance to negotiate more for yourself at your current place), it’s probably time to move on.

Your task is to compose your own review of book called Unbroken by Essay

Your task is to compose your own review of book called Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - Essay Example legendary soldier Odysseus of the ancient Greece, and the trials and challenges he faced are compared to Homer’s Odyssey, and even more intense and agonizing in nature. The author applauds the brave man, whose courage never wavered at the face of hardships during his captivity under the Japanese cruelties, as the Japanese personnel left no stone unturned to torture the POWs belonging to the USA in order to prove their hatred and abhorrence for the Americans. It was the time when the hostility and revulsion between both the countries was at its peak; consequently, the Japanese corps inflicted every type of atrocities on the American prisoners in order to take revenge of the losses Japan had suffered in men and material (129). Since Zamperini had refused to yield before the atrocious Japanese, the author calls her as the â€Å"unbroken one†, who can neither be bent, nor could be overcome by the enemy at any cost (4). Consequently, the struggle made by this legendary soldi er, fills the hearts of the readers with feelings of loyalty and patriotism, and urges them to render services for the great name and fame of their motherland without surrendering before the mountains of hardships as well as series of difficulties on their way. The book reveals the perturbed state of affairs the world was undergoing in the aftermath of the UK’s declaration of war against Germany, which left indelible imprints of death, destruction, chaos and turmoil for the future decades to arrive. Commenced from the central Europe in 1939, the Great War II immediately captured the entire globe in its ugly and awkward fold. The war observed intensity day by day, and German-led Axis Alliance dominated the war. At last, British statesmen had to seek the support from the USA in order to combat with German and Japanese successive triumphs in the battlefields. Consequently, the USA arrived for the rescue of the Allies, and declared war against the Axis Powers in 1941. Instead to calming down the

The Worst Print Media Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Worst Print Media Design - Essay Example According to the studies conducted by Palshaw (1986), these companies’ advertisers are trying to reach out to their potential customers through the use of these media. Television advertising, being the most expensive way of promoting products or services, directly approaches the public. However, advertising through television requires ample budget because these TV commercials should be enticing enough in the eyes of the public. TV commercials should be interesting enough, something that would make their imaginative minds work. Moreover, TV commercials should possess qualities that would hit the companies’ goals; thus, making it very specific (Leebron, 1997). Palshaw (1986) added that with the use of radio advertising, the commercial should be better inclined with either a TV or print media so that it could, in a way, better affect the public. Radio advertising also requires a lot of effort on the part of the companies’ advertisers. Print advertising, on the other hand, can also reach out to the public and directly influence its target market only if the print ad itself is evoking enough. Palshaw (1986) concluded that the best way to promote products or services is through the use of combined or mixed media. For example, a company could promote its products or services using the media cited above. Meaning they can take advantage of TV commercials, simultaneously supported by radio commercials, in addition with print advertising. With this method, the companies can take advantage of every media that reaches out to public market through various waves. And since each of these media have their own advantages and disadvantages, by usin g mixed media, these media compromise each other. In addition, with the use of mixed media advertising, the company can pinpoint exactly which of the advertising methods do most of its integral purpose. Another media that companies could use is, by far, more effective than TV advertising. It is

Data Driven Marketing Assingment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Data Driven Marketing Assingment - Assignment Example By disaggregation, the present value of lifetime  customer  cash flows are seen in two main ideas: how much cash a customer  pays per period and how many periods a  customer  pays.  Customer  longevity is often associated with loyalty. Analysis in Cell2cell is based on the Net Present Value (NPV) principle: Customer  NPV = PV of lifetime  customer  cash flows - acquisition costs PV of lifetime cash flows = cash flow per period x number of period Cell2cell wireless telecom has a more formal and regular interaction with customers through their service sales points, where various issues and technical problems are resolved. Cell2cell runs two major payment packages: post paid and prepaid payment plans. With the prepayment package, many customers who are not very interested in bills or may not be able to afford a post payment plan can enjoy the flexibility of cellular network services over easily absorbed or smaller bill packages lower than a dollar, this is an effecti ve means of generating revenue for Cell2cell. Customers in general prefer lower priced goods yet they value quality, in line with the demand theory â€Å"the lower the price, the more the quantity demanded.† A predetermined billing arrangement with customers on the post pay plan pronounces ease in predictability in terms of cash flow streams. Even at the prepaid level, the customer still maintains a predictable line rental fee. A reasonable amount of data is stored in the archives of Cell2cell on the numerous customers. Based on relationships, behavioral patterns, income levels, social criteria, nature of business, emotional complexities, and a number of factors, Cell2cell makes adscititious predictions on cash flow streams. Churning is possible if total utility falls, the sum of utilities from each quantity consumed, of the goods and services provided by Cell2cell, from one to the number actually consumed. Utility denotes satisfaction or benefit, utility is essentially based on individual feelings and not on things which have objective or physical existence and it relates to a particular time. Timing for Cell2cell introduces bundling, adding new products contributes massively in cutting down churning. Model Predictions for Cell2cell - Predictive modeling support churn management by tagging customers likely to churn - Campaign targeted to the most profitable at-risk customers - Customers on high risk churning percentage should first be sorted by profitability Factors Driving Churn Telecommunication has seen considerable increase in efficiency, growth and profitability. Growth in the industry for the players has meant fierce competition, consumers on the other hand are more and more demanding and to sustain this continuous need to be on top of the market would mean enchaining affordability and reliability. Ensuring that customer gets full services readily and without any hindrances would mean an extra cost in purchasing more powerful equipments with high speed capabilities, Cell2cell has made a substantial investment in leading edge technologies and has placed itself on a viable platform in retaining the price leader in the market. With poor technologies, the ability to meet the demands of customers is reduced; churning increases and profitability is affected. Customers are very interested in new technologies to do away with boredom, inventing new approaches to business and offering

The Main Difference between Wage Rate for Teacher and Sportsman Assignment - 4

The Main Difference between Wage Rate for Teacher and Sportsman - Assignment Example The current US federal minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour, which was set in 2009. If the minimum wage rate is increased from $7.25 to $7.50 per hour, it will be good for the minimum wage workers. Increased wages will help minimum wage workers live a better standard life and will ultimately result in increased business productivity for the companies. At present, very few people go into the profession of teaching because people do not consider it a very good profession because of low wages. However, if the government equals the wages of teachers and business personnel, more people will try to join the profession of teaching because teaching is comparatively easier to do and requires less time than business. It will destabilize the economic progress of the country. If there will be no limit, more and more people will want to join the profession of lawyers because of attractive salary packages. In this case, other professions will be affected. Moreover, practicing lawyers will not want a large number of new lawyers to become a threat to their jobs. Therefore, they limit the entry of new layers in the profession of law. Considering the change in the total revenue resulting from the quantity and quality of the output produced by Michael Jordan, the amount given to the player was fair because he served his club very well during the whole season. Increase in wages will make the employees do more for their companies. When the employees will receive higher wages, they will definitely work hard with full dedication and commitment increasing their overall productivity and output. According to the output effect, a decrease in the wage rate will decrease production costs, so the price of final goods will decrease. The number of final goods produced will decrease, so the demand for labor will increase.

Arrested for Murder in Dublin Ireland Research Paper

Arrested for Murder in Dublin Ireland - Research Paper Example Murders in most countries attract different punishments and this is mostly influenced by the circumstance under which the murder was actually committed. Most regions use capital punishments for intentional murders even though current human rights bodies have advocated for the abolition of this punishment. The constitution of the republic of Ireland prohibits the death penalty and this has been in force since 2002 when constitutional amendments were undertaken. The legal processes involved in handling murder suspects in Dublin Ireland and the United States will be compared to highlight some of the legal differences that exist. Suspects have legal liberties and freedoms provided by the constitution of different countries including that of Dublin Ireland. As a murder suspect arrested in Dublin, Ireland, the legal procedure in the country exposes me to various processes which are considered under the due process law of the country. Due process rights are legal protections which are developed by law to protect suspects against unfair treatments and abuses during the arresting, interrogation and sentencing process. The due process rights differ depending on country in question and the process I will face in Ireland differs with that which I may be subjected to in the United States. Despite being accused of murder, the Dublin law demands that I be subjected to a fair process with fair treatment before being presented before a court of law. As an accused, the law does not require me to prove my innocence and may therefore maintain my silence during the initial phases of the trial (King, 2004). As an accused whose crime is still under investigation, the due process law in Dublin Ireland protects from self-incrimination and allows me the right to be represented by an attorney before the court of law. Before being arrested, the law enforcer has to read out the charges to me before I can be taken into police custody. The witnesses

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice Article

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice - Article Example As an accountant, she has minimal influence on the activities of the human resource department and her actions in the case are therefore faulted and misplaced. As an employee of the organization, she may recommend employees but the right of appointment rests with the human resource department. Her actions while at the human resource department further portray lack of respect and should thus attract stringent and punitive measures with the view of instilling discipline in the rest of the employees. The organization reserves the right to hire and fire the employees. However, in doing this the organization must adhere to specific laws as entrenched in the constitutions and laws governing the country. There are different mechanisms through which an employee can obtain the human resource each reliant on a specific set of laws. One of such is a contract; a contract refers to an agreement between different parties to undertake a particular job for a duration. Most employers prefer contracts as a method since it safeguards the interest of the organization. The parties consent to the contract only after accepting the terms and conditions of the employment, the terms and conditions of a contract vary depending on the organization and the nature of the job. The right to hire employees from the applicants permits the department thus the organization to carry out any action to ensure that they obtain the best employee for the organization. Contracts give the organizations the authority to manipulate the terms of engagement and whoever accepts such thus becomes bound to the terms of the contract document. Despite the freedom organizations enjoy because of the contract mechanism, they are equally bound to respect different virtues of humanity and such include the contract termination procedure, the hiring process and remunerations. Contracts are always a temporary feature that demands that organizations enumerate their contractors effective for their services. The human resou rce department thus carries out extensive interviews on every applicant regardless of their background thus validating the action by the human resource department at Ironside for not considering Max an applicant recommended by Mrs. Connors. The termination of a contract is liberal to the employee but may not be to the employer. The contract term should always elapse before an organization lets off its employees. Just as stated in the definition, a contract runs for a specific duration, a time within which both the employer and the employees agree to work together. In the event of a termination therefore, both the parties must meet with the view of protecting their personal interests. Both parties may instigate the termination of the contract only that in each case, the two parties must accept the ramifications of such an act. The employer may terminate the contract at any time depending on the interest of the company. However, in doing this they must provide written statements that explain the reasons for such an act and remunerate the employee for the remaining time. The employer may also initiate the termination of the contract. In such a case, the employee must provide the employer with a written document explaining such a move and in this case expect no remuneration for the remaining time to the elapse of the contract. The other employment type is the permanent and pensionable. The mechanism is more demanding for both the employer

Arrested for Murder in Dublin Ireland Research Paper

Arrested for Murder in Dublin Ireland - Research Paper Example Murders in most countries attract different punishments and this is mostly influenced by the circumstance under which the murder was actually committed. Most regions use capital punishments for intentional murders even though current human rights bodies have advocated for the abolition of this punishment. The constitution of the republic of Ireland prohibits the death penalty and this has been in force since 2002 when constitutional amendments were undertaken. The legal processes involved in handling murder suspects in Dublin Ireland and the United States will be compared to highlight some of the legal differences that exist. Suspects have legal liberties and freedoms provided by the constitution of different countries including that of Dublin Ireland. As a murder suspect arrested in Dublin, Ireland, the legal procedure in the country exposes me to various processes which are considered under the due process law of the country. Due process rights are legal protections which are developed by law to protect suspects against unfair treatments and abuses during the arresting, interrogation and sentencing process. The due process rights differ depending on country in question and the process I will face in Ireland differs with that which I may be subjected to in the United States. Despite being accused of murder, the Dublin law demands that I be subjected to a fair process with fair treatment before being presented before a court of law. As an accused, the law does not require me to prove my innocence and may therefore maintain my silence during the initial phases of the trial (King, 2004). As an accused whose crime is still under investigation, the due process law in Dublin Ireland protects from self-incrimination and allows me the right to be represented by an attorney before the court of law. Before being arrested, the law enforcer has to read out the charges to me before I can be taken into police custody. The witnesses

ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) Service Desk Essay

ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) Service Desk - Essay Example They have, thus, transformed from having an IT centric focus to business service focus (that is organizations now adopt service oriented approach to managing IT services rather than the technology oriented approach) and this fact has affected the business entirely. (Knapp, 2010, p. 14). Furthermore, organizations have started to value the service desk and work on its expansion as it has given great boost and support to their business services and increased customer satisfaction tremendously. Brief Introduction of ITIL and Service Desk ITIL is among the many standards that provide best practices and frameworks to business professionals and organizations on how to manage, optimize and improve the quality of their business services through the management of IT services. However; such attempts have been made previously before ITIL came into being. So what is the difference between ITIL and other concepts before it? ITIL differs from other concepts because it contains all of the Service M anagement best practices along with the best practices related to the management of IT services for the betterment of business functions. ... (Grande-Bretagne, 2004, p. 3). ITIL was first produced in 1980. At that time, it had ten books which were on two main topics: Service Support (which is a user oriented point of interface) and Service Delivery (which is a customer oriented point of interface) . Five of the books targeted the former topic and the other five targeted the latter. The ITIL guidelines progressed and version 3.0 was published in 2007 that consists of five books which include Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Service Improvement. All these five books discuss a total of twenty processes that can help to implement and manage IT services effectively. Also the functions that carry out these processes are discussed. In the Service Operation book, one of the functions discussed is the Service Desk function. The Service Desk function is a business function that involves all the ten processes that come under the Service Support and Service Delivery and thus it provides a sin gle point of contact from customers to the information technology. (Knapp, 2010, p. 129). Furthermore, all service requests, incident reporting, problems and changing of requests by customers/users of a business organization go through the service desk of the organization as it is the interface through which a user can connect to the IT Department of the organization. The service desk function in an organization binds the users with the service providers (IT department professionals) and through this function the service providers are able to perform the end users informed of service action and events that may affect their daily transactions and any other IT related issue. Hence, it becomes a single point of communication which helps in

Interview With A Leader: Analysis

Interview With A Leader: Analysis In the first part of the course work, I made a report about a business person who made impact on me. His behavior and aims which he has already achieved made him my idol in my life. Nothing is perfect this quote is true, the person I chose does not know English, so I have just talked with him in Uzbek, and asked his opinion and ideas about following five criteria personality, motivation, leadership, team and group working skills, and decision making. I chose a person who made impact on me because he has very strong emotional control on himself, also he is very optimistic; he is a business person who manages a credit union in Tashkent. His name is Ilyaos, he was born in Samarkand in a simple family in 1981. In his childhood he wanted to study and work in Tashkent. During these all time I have learned many practical things from him. As he says: I became independent in 1994, and started my own way. So that is why he is so independent nowadays. In 1999 he passed entrance exam to the Finance institute in Tashkent, successfully. He had financial difficulties while he studied in institute. Because of that he had to work after the studies. He studied very hard and the result was a graduate ship red diploma of Tashkent Financial Institute in 2003. In 2005 he began working as a teacher in Finance Institute in Tashkent. In 2010 he got a PhD degree from Insurance. In addition, nowadays he teaches Insurance subject in the Academy of Bank and Finance and also in one time works as a manager of Credit Union. If we look to the theory to the personality it could be said that personality is the sum of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others (Robbins, 2003). In the reference from the Jungs theory that the personality of the individual I chose, can be clarified as an extraverted. Because, he speaks a lot, as we know that extraverted people first speaks and thinks. And also, according to the Big Five Model, Ilyos aka can be put into the personality group of extroversion, because he tends to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. In my opinion, difficulties in his student life made him very strong. When we talked, I said that difficulties make person stronger if he does not give up and solves them. Then Ilyos aka said that: You will be stronger if you know something to give up and do not be upset. He always says: If you are making decisions, always remember that new things must be more useful and beneficial than your older ones. His life experience and skill which he is gaining made impact on me. Because, when we are having discussions he always wins. He reads books every day, watches news and analysis. That is why, he always the first in discussions. Once I wanted to reflect on him, I wanted to be like him in talking and thinking. It was difficult, but one day I won him in discussion and then he said: Good job, boy! Motivation Motivation is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status (Robbins, 2oo3). As we learned from lectures there are two types of motivation such as internal and external. For example, for the person I chose intrinsic motivation is his own future plans and extrinsically motive is money. Before motivating others, you yourself should be motivated first, for the reason that if, someone hesitates, he/she will hesitate others, too Ilyos aka said. As for him, money is the strongest motivator in the world. In addition, in order to be motivated himself, a person should have strong personality, and optimism, said Ilyos aka. According to the Joyce S. Osland, 2001, most effective leaders are alike in one crucial way: they all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It is not that IQ and technical skills irrelevant. And also in this book there was given a research in Leadership and management which was done by author and his friends. They have found five components of emotional intelligence at work. Self awareness is the first component of emotional intelligence which makes sense when one consider that Delphic oracle gave the advice to know you thousands of years ago. Also, self awareness means having a deep understanding of ones emotions, strength, weakness, needs, and drives (Joyce, 2oo1). When I asked him to speak about leaders and leadership skills, he bound leadership skills with motivation, as for him motivation is the most important tactic for leaders and managers, and said that without knowing motivation no one can be can have leadership skills. As I mentioned above he likes to read books about psychology, during the interview he gave example of ideal leader. He said the words of the leader who got one million dollar a month, There is nothing bad for employees except the punishment of their manager. As for me the same situation, I always tried to encourage the people with good words. Leaders should know what his employees want, and always should respect others ideas. Ilyos aka said that: Your works and results should speak instead of you. For example, when he worked in commercial bank as a manager, he had always a good communication with his colleagues. I think, having good communication is good, however manager should remember that he leads the company. So, my o pinion is that managers should be a bit strict with his employees. Team and group working skills A team is a small number of people, with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they are mutually accountable. A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who come together to achieve particular objectives. Groups can be either formal or informal. (Katzenbach and Smith, 1993) The nature of Teamwork occurs when a group of members work together in ways that utilize their skills well to accomplish a purpose. The person I chose has some lack of team and group working skills because when I observed his speech in some meetings he always tries to be first and talks a lot and loud. According to Arts of Communication by Dale Carnegie there was written about that if a person wants to have more audience and friends that person must learn to listen to them. However, he always tries to be in the center of the attention. Speak a lot, gives interesting facts. As for me, it is cannot be seen as a good skills, he has some minus in team working. For example, he should learn how to listen to the others idea. Decision making Then he gave an example of buying his flat as a decision for his own purpose. On the other hand, when he chaired the meeting in his credit union almost always decides regarding to the purpose of the organization.

Death Penalty and Electric Chair Essay examples -- essays research pap

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Moran writes that he aims â€Å"to demonstrate how our most cherished social values can be manipulated to serve pecuniary interests: the way in which public policy is affected by behind-the-scenes maneuvering of powerful and often ruthless business interests,† I think he is talking solely about the death penalty (xviii). There are various aspects within the death penalty that make it a much more dynamic issue. Throughout his book, Moran writes about the inhumanity of the death penalty, including the barbaric methods and public spectacle of the act prior to William Kemmler, and most importantly, the safety and efficacy of direct current versus alternating current in the eventually preferred method of the electric chair. Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, along with a few others, were the players who manipulated how the public, and therefore the lawmakers, felt about this social policy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it is today, the death penalty was a big debate issue in the early part of the nineteenth century. I think it is interesting that, considering his major public role in this issue, Thomas Edison was initially against capital punishment. When Dr. Southwick solicited Mr. Edison’s advice on the electric chair, Edison wrote â€Å"as a progressive and a free thinker, he was a lifelong opponent of the death penalty† (74). With further prodding, and deeper review, Edison realized how getting involved with this issue would help his personal business cause. Thomas Edison’s light business was quickly losing ground to rival George Westinghouse. He knew he was widely respected as an electrical engineer and claimed not to change his stance on executions, but acknowledged the necessity and offered a humane alternative with electricity. More specifically and strategically, he offered up George Westinghouse’s alternating current dynamos as a possibil ity because he claimed, â€Å"the passage of the current from these machines†¦produces instantaneous death† (75). These statements made their way to the Elbridge Gerry, an Edison admirer and man appointed to head a review commission on the death penalty. Not surprisingly the focus of the policy soon changed to the barbarity and inhumanity of executions, especially hangings, and ways to make the process more civilized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elbridge Gerry’s commission report, influenc... ...dison hoping to get Edison to say something about Westinghouse. Moran writes, â€Å"but Edison was too shrewd a businessman, and too conscious of his reputation, to say anything negative about his rival† (179). Ultimately Kemmler was resentenced to die by electrocution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, Thomas Edison knew his power and prestige and he saw the potential to remove his biggest competitor by manipulating how the public felt about the safety of alternating current. George Westinghouse hoped that he could save his reputation and business by appealing to the unknown regarding electricity. He manipulated the public’s concern over the possible painful and ineffective electric chair. Both were driven not by progress and humanity, as Edison claimed, or concern for the criminal, as Westinghouse claimed, but by power and money in the industry that both men were pioneering.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography Richard, Moran Executioner’s Current: Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Invention of the Electric Chair. (New York: Vintage Press, 2002), pp 74, 75, 84,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  105, 160, 179.

beach erosion Essay -- essays research papers

. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the 208-foot tall landmark was just hauled more than a quarter-mile back from its former perch, where it was threatened by the encroaching sea. Coastal erosion chewed away about 1,300 feet of beach, bringing the waves to within 150 feet of the 4,800-ton sentinel. When the light was erected in 1870, it stood about 1,500 feet back from the waves. The lighthouse, on the Outer Banks, North Carolina's long barrier beach, was built to warn ships from waters called "the graveyard of the Atlantic." Ironically, the move should serve as a warning about the growing problem of coastal erosion. Erosion is not just plaguing the Outer Banks. Coastal residents up and down the United States are worrying about undermined cliffs, disappearing beaches, and the occasional dwelling diving into the briny. Beaches are constantly moving, building up here and eroding there, in response to waves, winds, storms and relative sea level rise. Yet when commo ners like you and me, and celebs like Steven Spielberg, build along the beach in places like Southampton, N. Y., we don't always consider erosion. After all, real-estate transactions are seldom closed during hurricanes or northeasters, which cause the most dramatic damage to beaches. Yet Southampton, like all the barrier beaches that protect land from the sea, is vulnerable to obliteration by the very factor that makes it so glamorous: the sea. And the problem is increasing because the sea is rising after centuries of relatively slow rise, and scientists anticipate that the rate of rise will continue to increase in the next century. Land, in many places, is also slowly sinking. The result is a loss of sand that places the occasional beachside home inconveniently near -- or in -- the water. Still, erosion cuts in two directions. Without the process of erosion, we would not have the beaches, dunes, barrier beaches, and the highly productive bays and estuaries that owe their very exist ence to the presence of barrier beaches. Erosion of glacial landforms provides most of the beach sand in Massachusetts. A popular destination The beach-erosion problem has many causes. Among them are: Â · The ubiquitous desire to live near the sea. Â · A historically rapid ri... ...er -- as determined by the grounding line -- the upshot seems to be relative stability. "The ice streams do not appear to be susceptible to the kind of unstable retreat once envisaged," says Bentley. "Their flow is largely insensitive to the presence of the ice shelf so the grounding line would remain the same." Instead of possibly collapsing in 100 years, as was considered possible 10 years ago, Bentley says the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is more likely to collapse -- if at all -- in perhaps 5,000 years at the soonest. Dean, Cornelia. Against the Tide: The Battle for America's Beaches. New York: Columbia UP, 1999. Hanley, Robert. As Beaches Erode, a Debate on Who'll Pay for Repairs.The New York Times, Apr. 20, 1998, P. A1. Kossoff, Julian and Kate Watson-Smyth. Fake Beaches Wreak Havoc on Sea Life. The Independent (London), Aug. 2, 1998, p. 5. Moran, Kevin. Future of Beach Homes Is Uncertain as Shifting Sand.The Houston Chronicle, May 1, 1999, p. A1. Lambert Bruce. Lines in the Sand: The Beach as Battleground. The New York Times, May 23, 1999, p. LI14. Martin Douglas. Report Warns New York of Perils of Global Warming. The New York Times, June 30, 1999, p. B5.