Reflection paper The roles of the olympic game Essay

Reflection paper The roles of the olympic game - Essay Example The Games have highlighted the position of the leaders who have been a pioneer in suppressing racism. It also has been far more effective in fighting with the forces of doping and eliminating them. The example of Seoul Olympic Games could be seen as force that led to the democratization of the country. After the end of the Olympic Games in Seoul, the military rule in Korea was replaced by the regime of a multiparty that has been elected by the people. The Olympic Games have also provided a platform to the host nation to portray their economic dominance and a scope to establish their position as the world leader. The award of the Olympic Games to the host nation is also the recognition of the international community as place that has the infrastructure and the potential to hold international events. Hover, the characteristic features professed by the Olympic Games have contradicted themselves. This has been evident on a number of occasions that include the integration of the Nazi regi me in the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936. The massacre of student protestors during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City is also an example which does not reflect the true spirit of the Olympic Games. Awarding the Olympic Games to Korea is another example which contradicts the principles and spirit of the Games. These factors were important for the consideration in context of the Olympic Games in Beijing, 2008. Integration of readings The history of Olympic Games suggests that the greatest international event on sports in earth has always spread the message of peace, harmony and democratization of the world economy. It has also recognized the leadership position of the host nation in making economic progress and in effectively suppressing the forces of racism and discrimination. The contradictions to these virtues of Olympic Games held in the past showed ominous signs for the Olympic games of Beijing, 2008. In the past, the Berlin Games of 1936 showed acceptance of the Nazi regime as anti-humanist forces. The 1968 Games in the Mexico City also witnessed massacre of the student protestors. These negative incidents were likely to be accepted through the Olympic Games in Beijing, 2008 as China got involved in several international incidents that affected its international image adversely (Horne and  Whannel 67). As compared to the earlier instances in Berlin and Mexico City, the public image of the Chinese economy worsened even more. The incidents include the continuous repression of China over the territories of Tibet, failure in intervening in Darfur, Sudan and the lack of safety and environmental pollution of the exported goods. It was, therefore, a concern that the Olympic Games has again been awarded to a country that is not able to sustain its international positions as per the virtues and principles of the Games. Critical analysis The Olympic Games have been a platform which was used by the host nations over the period of history to portray their economic dominance in the international stage. The Olympic Games have always spread the message of harmony and peace and recognized the host nation as the flag holder of their virtues and principles. The international image of the countries that hosted the Olympic Games has been a significant factor against the forces of racism and discrimination. The Seoul Olympic Games led to the democratization of Korea. The Olympic Games were awarded at a time when South Korea was in a state of war with North Korea.

Jaydens Rescue Alternative Ending Essay Example for Free

Jaydens Rescue Alternative Ending Essay â€Å"Well, AFGOI it’ll have to be,† said Alex. â€Å"That’s all we have. I just hope it’ll put Rechner away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Next time we will see him we will all say AFGOI at once,† suggested Vanessa. They waited patiently to see the evil Rechner again so they could use the magic word to free Jayden. Several days went by and the time was passing very quickly at camp. Every day was full of activities. At the end of the week Sam, Vanessa, and Alex all decided to go sailing because of the water skiing accident. Alex did not want to water ski again. Neither did Vanessa after what happened to Alex last time. They kept wondering when Rechner would appear again. After spending time on the lake, it began to rain cats and dogs. They ran for shelter under a pavilion and were glad that they were off of the sailboat. Sam said, â€Å"Why don’t we head towards our cabin and call it a night.† Alex and Vanessa agreed. They began their long trek to reach the cabin. The ground was very soggy and muddy and they all got their shoes extremely dirty. They were all happy to hit the hay for a good night’s sleep. Their counselor stayed up to watch them to make sure they didn’t leave again. In the morning their counselor was exhausted so he let the campers sleep longer than usual. When they awoke, they all were starving and their entire cabin headed to go eat. After breakfast Alex, Vanessa, and Sam went back to the cabin to brush their teeth and that is when the evil Rechner finally appeared. All three of them said AFGOI at once and Rechner said, â€Å"Okay I give up and you win. Jayden gets to go back to her palace.† Alex, Vanessa, and Sam couldn’t believe what they just heard. Everyone that lived in Idyllia was so happy to have the Emerald Queen back. They pushed nine hundred dollars out of the book. Alex, Vanessa, and Sam were so excited because Jayden was now safe and they each had three hundred dollars. They were finally done with Rechner once and for all! Jayden’s Rescue Written By: Vladimir Tumanov Project by: Schmo went through 2 green lights. Mane went through 1 red light. Torch went through 3 yellow lights. This is 6 lights in all (2+1+3). Then they repeated the same path so 6+6= 12 lights passed. Torch went through 3 yellow lights twice so 3+3 = 6. Each ticket was $300 so 6 lights times $300 is $1,800. He only had $100 bills so you need to divide $1,800 by $100 and you get 18. Torch passed 4 ponds which each had a duck. These 4 ducks bit his hand each one time and each bite caused 4 red bumps. So 4 bites times 4 red bumps each is 4 x 4 which equals 16 red bumps.

recovery :: essays research papers

Disaster Recovery for Linux There is no bootable Linux system on HDD in a disaster situation; therefore it is always a good idea to backup the bootable Linux system on removable media for example on floppy disks. For example if the hard disk fails, or if an important file is accidentally deleted. No matter what the cause is some recovery procedures will be needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first step to recover from a disaster is to make a custom boot disk. It is not sufficient to just copy the standard boot disk image from the Linux cd rom because it will not necessarily have all the Kernal support configured. First log into the root shell session by using the cd / command and inserting a floppy disk. Then examine the /etc/lilo.conf to find the Kernal identity and use the mkbootdisk command and device /dev/fd0 with the string, example 2.2.5-15, found in the /etc/lilo.conf. The uname –a command can be used to display the Kernal version. After the successful completion of that step eject the disk and write protect it. Another way to recover from a disaster is to make a rescue disk. The rescue disk is taken from the image in the linux cdrom. It is not like the custom bootdisk where an examination of the /etc/lilo.conf is done. What makes the boot disk created for the system valuable is that it contains the special drivers, such as SCSI drivers, that may be required to boot the system. Another alternative to recover from a disaster is to create a Tom’s Root Boot Diskette. The tomsrtbt distribution may be done on the internet: A complete Linux system on a single diskette. To create the diskette set the browser to http://www.toms.net/rb/ and download the latest version. To prepare the emergency boot disk, place the zipped tar file into a directory such as /usr/local/src and follow the install procedures. The tar file is a versatile archiving utility that is not limited to strictly tape backup. TAR files can be stored locally as files, and sent over nertworks as a method of back up. recovery :: essays research papers Disaster Recovery for Linux There is no bootable Linux system on HDD in a disaster situation; therefore it is always a good idea to backup the bootable Linux system on removable media for example on floppy disks. For example if the hard disk fails, or if an important file is accidentally deleted. No matter what the cause is some recovery procedures will be needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first step to recover from a disaster is to make a custom boot disk. It is not sufficient to just copy the standard boot disk image from the Linux cd rom because it will not necessarily have all the Kernal support configured. First log into the root shell session by using the cd / command and inserting a floppy disk. Then examine the /etc/lilo.conf to find the Kernal identity and use the mkbootdisk command and device /dev/fd0 with the string, example 2.2.5-15, found in the /etc/lilo.conf. The uname –a command can be used to display the Kernal version. After the successful completion of that step eject the disk and write protect it. Another way to recover from a disaster is to make a rescue disk. The rescue disk is taken from the image in the linux cdrom. It is not like the custom bootdisk where an examination of the /etc/lilo.conf is done. What makes the boot disk created for the system valuable is that it contains the special drivers, such as SCSI drivers, that may be required to boot the system. Another alternative to recover from a disaster is to create a Tom’s Root Boot Diskette. The tomsrtbt distribution may be done on the internet: A complete Linux system on a single diskette. To create the diskette set the browser to http://www.toms.net/rb/ and download the latest version. To prepare the emergency boot disk, place the zipped tar file into a directory such as /usr/local/src and follow the install procedures. The tar file is a versatile archiving utility that is not limited to strictly tape backup. TAR files can be stored locally as files, and sent over nertworks as a method of back up.

Monologue About Crimes

What are the most often commited crimes in Lithuania? Which types of crimes are considered the worst? Why? If you were the Minister of Justice, what actions would you take to make people feel safer? What sentences should be given for serious crimes? Nowadays our life isn’t safe. It seems that neither police, nor government can guarantee safety. Statistics shows that violent crimes at present have increased. So no one can live in peace and feel safe even in his own home. There are some of usually commited crimes in Lithuania such as drug trafficking, killing people, theft, alcoholism. All of this commited crimes mostly repeating actions is stealing of wealth. The light-fingered steals all, from flowers of windows to luxurious cars. Talking about vandalism, vandals usually are youngers. They broke small trees, windows and street’s lamps. I think that killing people is the worst type of crimes. Because when you kill people, you take out a life, and a big paint of victim familiar. If I were the Minister of Justice, I would take some actions that people feel more safer. Firstly, the only way to reduce the amount of crime is to give more money to the street lighting, to install closed circuit television, improve security and let more officers on the beat. If we want to protect our property, we must install burglar-alarm to our cars and especially to our homes, or even build in where an armoured doors. I think that for serious crimes such as murder, should be given sentence in prison till death penalty. All things considered, crime is very big problem existing all over the world. We must beware criminals. Nobody will protect you, unless yourself. Similar essay: Snatch Theft Essay

Pyrite

Pyrite is a very interesting mineral for many reasons. The name Pyrite comes from the Greek word â€Å"pyr† which means â€Å"fire,† and was named because  it was  found that sparks would fly from it if struck against another minerals like steel. In early times, this sparking ability gave people a way of creating fire, and in later times, this  ability made it popular for  use  in early firearms devices  like the wheel lock. Today Pyrite  is called  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Fools Gold†Ã‚  because throughout  history people  have mistaken it for Gold  because of  its similar visible structure, metallic surface  and brassy yellow color.The funny thing is Gold is often found  with to  Pyrite deposits. Pyrite can easily be distinguished from Gold. Pyrite  is much lighter in color and  much harder. Even though Pyrite is a fairly hard mineral, its crystals are known to  break and crumble, because it is brittle. Pyrite is common in the Earth's crust and found in almost  every possible geological environment like sedimentary, metamorphic, magmatic and hydrothermal deposits. Pyrite's usual crystal forms are cubic, octahedron and pyritohedron.When a cube and pyritohedron crystal combine, the  face of the cube  appear to be grooved with lines. Many times Pyrite will be found  in combinations of all these forms, but also can occur in masses, globular, radiating  or reniform. Pyrite is also commonly found  as small nodules. A mixture of this nodular  form, and are called â€Å"Pyrite Suns† or â€Å"Pyrite Dollars†,  are popular for collectors. Pyrite has the same chemical makeup as Marcasite but has a different structure, and shape. Pyrite is a polymorph of  Marcasite and it can be extremely  difficult to tell apart.The name Marcasite came from the Arabic word for Pyrite. The confusion between the two minerals is common because the jewelry  trade uses the name  Marcasite, when they are actually  s elling Pyrite. Actual Marcasite can’t be used in jewelry because it is even more likely than Pyrite  to crumble into a  powder. Another mineral named Bravoite is very closely related to Pyrite,  but contains 20% more nickel. Even though Pyrite contains a high percentage of Iron and is common, it is not used as a source for Iron today. It was mined as a source for Sulfur during WWII to produce sulfuric acid.The Sulfur  component of  Pyrite was in high demand as a strategic chemical, and was found in parts of Tennessee. The Pyrite supplied them with enough sulfuric acid to get the job done. Pyrite can be used to make marcasite jewelry and it usually set in silver. Pyrite is always in the process of being created or destroyed. It is mostly a good mineral but does have its down sides. Sulfate released from decomposing pyrite combines with water producing sulfuric acid, which leads to acid rock drainage and potentially acid rain.Pyrite also has caused problems for miners . The main issue is dust explosions brought from Pyrite. To prevent these explosions the miners spray limestone on the exposed coal surfaces. Pyrite has also been known to cause some structural damage, and did so in the U. S. , Canada, and Ireland. In 2009 problems with Chinese drywall imported into the U. S. after Katrina were results of oxidation of pyrite. Stone buildings containing pyrite have been known to turn brown. Other than a few problems, Pyrite is a beneficial mineral.

Custom Essays for Money

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Writing an Anthropology Term Paper A Complete Guide

Writing an Anthropology Term Paper A Complete Guide Wondering how to write a 15-page term paper for your anthropology class? In this article, you will find a complete anthropology term paper writing guide that can make the writing of your anthropology term paper easier. You will learn about effective procedure and strategies that will help you save time and effort when doing research and organizing your term paper and allow you to concentrate on its quality to make it a polished expert project that deserves a high grade. What Is an Anthropology Term Paper? It is an academic paper based on library research on a topic approved by your professor and written from the anthropological perspective. The anthropology term paper has a specific citation format which is also used by several other social sciences. Besides, an anthropology term paper requires an expository style of writing that emphasizes the unambiguous presentation of scientific information and ideas and can be easily understood by any reader. When writing a term paper in anthropology, you should not just repeat certain information that you found in one or two sources like when writing a report that is often assigned to high school students. A college-level term paper requires more commitment and intellectual involvement when completing a report does. A term paper in anthropology has to present your interpretation and analysis of ideas and data found in several credible sources that are relevant to the topic of your anthropology term paper. When analyzing the data that you found in anthropological literature, you should organize it and summarize the key ideas to answer your topic question. But that is not enough. You have to present your own interpretation of the ideas and data that is you need to discuss the meaning and implications of your answers concerning the problems, ideas, and issues that you address in your term paper. Choosing a Topic A term paper in anthropology should be organized around a certain problem that is usually formulated as you explore the anthropological literature. So the first thing you have to do is to choose an appropriate topic that you are interested in and do preliminary research to check it for feasibility and consult with your instructor. When doing a preliminary reading, you will be able to formulate your research problem or a thesis statement. This is a very important step because the problem that you choose will be the focus of your paper. It will direct your research and limit your efforts. When doing research, you have to find credible scientific data that answer your research question and to find the ideas of different scholars who have already discussed these issues. It’s important that you use only the data that is needed to provide an answer to your question otherwise your term paper will lack unity and coherence. That’s why your reading and note-taking should be subordinated to a clear problem that you state during your preliminary research and reading. When you have chosen a topic and determined that enough information is available on it, you are free to proceed in doing your research. But, if you are facing difficulty in finding adequate information, don’t waste your time and find another topic. Here is a short list of possible topics for an anthropology term paper for your inspiration. Feel free to use them if you lack your own ideas. Anthropology Term Paper Topics Our Specialists Recommend Rituals, Culture, and Practices of Contemporary Hinduism Religious Beliefs in the Contemporary World Family Issues in Contemporary Japanese Society How Feminism and Diversity are Transforming Traditional Societies Lifestyle of the Paleolithic Age Medical Pluralism in The United States Environmental Crisis in The South Africa Social Status of Women in Ancient Egypt Class Structure in The United States How to Minimize Ethnocentrism International Students and Culture Shock Anthropology in Health Research Linguistic and Biological Diversity The Anthropology of Emotions The Use of Evolutionary Theory in Anthropology Doing a Research Before you start doing research, you should make a list of keywords related to your topic and research question. You may use brainstorming techniques and create a mind map of the key concepts and sub-topics that is sure to help you organize your reading and keep it focused. You may add or delete some key words during the research process as you have a better idea of your topic to make your research more relevant and up to the point. You may revise this mind map at any time. Creating a mind map or a preliminary outline can save you tons of time because it is easier to makes changes to reorganize your anthropology term paper by adding some sections to your mind map or crossing out some of them than rewriting the whole paper itself or starting it over again. Formulate your thesis statement. It should be well-defined and focused but you may need to revise it later. Write your thesis or research question in one or two sentences because it will control the development and the direction of your entire term paper. Now you can begin your research. You can find scholarly books on your topic in the library as well as articles in scientific journals. You can also check the internet resources and electronic databases to find relevant credible sources you that you can use for supporting your argument. You should take notes as you read and for every source that you plan to use for writing your term paper, you should write down the publication information on a separate page of your notebook or on an index card. You will need this information for your bibliography page. You should write important details, points for your discussion or examples and always distinguish between paraphrasing and direct quotes. Making an Outline As your reading progresses, you will have a better idea what information is needed for analyzing your problem and in which way it has to be presented in your term paper to make a logical and coherent presentation. Now it’s time to create a working outline which you can revise and elaborate as you need it. Keep in mind that you have to think about your term paper as a whole and ensure that it is thematically united and is integrated in structure. All academic papers generally consist of three parts: an introduction, the body, and the conclusion. All these parts must be logically connected and subordinated to the main idea of your paper. The goal of your term paper is to tell your readers about your analysis of the research question that you have formulated and researched and to provide your own interpretation of it. Your task is to make your term paper as easy to understand as it is possible. Structure of an Anthropology Term Paper The Introduction The introduction should present your topic and give some background information about it. You should state your research problem and describe in brief your strategy for doing the research and understanding this problem. Besides, the introduction should grab the attention of your reader and encourage him/her to read your paper. You should persuade your reader to make an intellectual effort and read the body of your paper. The best way to write an introduction is to do it when you have finished writing your body paragraphs. In this way, you will make your introduction the most effective. The Body The body of your term paper realizes your plan and strategy to analyze and interpret your material. Here you have to provide your argument and include specific details. You have to present the necessary information in a logical order so that your reader will be able to understand your ideas. You have to organize the body in terms of answering the questions, comparison and contrast, cause and effect. Your body must derive generalizations from data and support your generalizations with data. The Conclusion The conclusion is your last chance to impress your readers and remind them of nature and the significance of the research problem that you have formulated at the beginning. It should also summarize the meaning and the implications of your analysis. You have to tell your reader what you have actually discovered and what it means. You should concisely restate your plans and intentions and tell your readers in brief what actually happened as you conducted your research. In other words, you must summarize and synthesize the progress of your understanding the problem from the first opening statement through the in-depth research and detailed development of this problem in the body of your anthropology term paper. Writing a Draft Start writing your body paragraphs and concentrate on the content without paying much attention to minor grammar error or typos. You will fix that later when proofreading your final draft. You should write your term paper with your readers in mind and be explicit and clear so that your audience could follow your argument. You have to be concise but, at the same time, it is necessary to be complete. Never refer to some ideas that are not included in your argument unless you are completely sure that your readers are familiar with that information. Make sure that your readers have all the necessary data to follow your argument and understand your logic. Choose the most precise words to explain your ideas and always explain anthropological terms and concepts that you mention in your term paper. Follow your outline to ensure that logical connections in your term paper are explicit. A good idea is to use subtitles that will keep your material organized and help your readers to see the logic in your argument. You should keep your term paper balanced and include any material in your paper only if it is important for your argument. Revise, Rewrite, and Proofread You cannot expect to write the outstanding first draft that will bring you a high grade. Any writing process is always recursive and you are likely to do a lot of revising and rewriting to make your anthropology term paper impressive and be able to convey your ideas effectively. You will always need to rewrite some vague sections where your meaning is not clear. But even if your draft is more or less comprehensive, additional revisions and rewriting will only improve it. If you practice writing academic papers and get feedback on them, you will eventually develop a sense of what and when you have to revise, what parts of paper you need to exclude, and what material you need to rewrite. Practice makes perfect. One of the best anthropology term paper tiops you could get is be ruthless when revising your term paper. Don’t hesitate to cut out any excessive or imprecise words and throw away some sentences and even entire passages that do not communicate your ideas. Check the logical flow and make sure that your paragraphs have transitions words that help your readers follow that logic. When you are satisfied with your content, you need to finally check your draft and eliminate grammar, spelling, and punctuation error if there are any. Pay special attention to your verb tenses and make sure you do not overuse the passive voice. The Citation Format of Anthropology Papers All rules that were mentioned above can actually be applied to writing any term papers but anthropology papers differ from academic papers written in other courses because they have a distinctive citation format. You may check the American Anthropological Association Style Guide to understand how your anthropology term paper should be formatted. This format is easier to use because it requires using in-text citations instead of footnotes. It means that you will need less work as you have to include the complete bibliographic information for your source only once in the reference list. As an exception, you can use footnotes for citing your sources if you include many citations into one sentence to avoid distracting your readers’ attention from your logical reasoning and do not clutter the text of your anthropology term paper. You must give citations in every case when you use someone else’s ideas to avoid plagiarism.

Dear Abby Letters for Learning English

Dear Abby Letters for Learning English This lesson plan focuses on modeling a lesson on Dear Abby, written by Abigail Van Burenin, in order to practice a wide range of English skills including reading, vocabulary extension, writing, and pronunciation. Its a fun exercise that helps students practice concepts they have learned in class and is suitable for upper intermediate to advanced level students. Introduction to Dear Abby For those of you who have never heard of Dear Abby, Dear Abby is an advice column in the United States which is syndicated in many newspapers throughout the country. People from all walks of life write in with their problems - family, financial, but mostly relationships - to ask for advice from Dear Abby. Writers usually sign the letters to Dear Abby with a descriptive phrase such as Hoping to feel better soon or Looking for an answer. Abby then replies to the letters with sound advice that is usually quite reasonable, even for very complicated situations. Why Advice Columns in Class? Using advice columns in class allows students have quite a bit of fun with some crazy - or not so crazy - situations while, at the same time, practicing some very high-level skills and integrating quite a lot of new vocabulary related to relationships, family life, etc. I have found students enjoy themselves. However, they also feel challenged as they will need to communicate in both written and spoken form. Lesson Outline Aim: Practice reading, writing, and pronunciation with special focus on giving advice Activity: Reading, then creating and finally presenting and commenting orally on advice column letters Level: Upper intermediate to advanced Outline Begin by introducing advice columns by asking students whether they have ever read an advice column. If they are unfamiliar with this term, describe a typical reader letter and advice response as most students will be familiar with this type of column.Read or show the students an example Dear Abby letter provided as an example at the bottom of this page.Split students into pairs.Visit Dear Abby online and present a few letters and responses to your student. Its best if you use a projector in class, but using one or more computers can work as well.Ask each pair to read both the reader letter and the response of different columns. Students should take note of new vocabulary and expressions to share with the rest of the class.Once students understand their advice column, have them switch partners and each partner should explain the basic problem and response of the advice letter they read.After students have worked through their readings, list new vocabulary and discuss idiomatic usage with the entire class. Have each student write their own advice column letter. Go around the room helping the students with grammar and vocabulary issues.Once everyone has written their advice column letter, quickly review the concept of stress and intonation as a means of improving pronunciation skills.Ask students to mark up their letter by underlining content words to help with pronunciation.Have each student read their advice column letter to the class. Students should then choose an Abby to provide suggestions on their issue.If students have difficulty in understanding, request that the letter in question be reread by the student to the class. Advice Column Letters Worried about Love Dear ...: I dont know what to do! My boyfriend and I have been dating for over two years, but I feel like he doesnt really love me. He rarely asks me out anymore: We dont go to restaurants, or shows. He doesnt buy me even the smallest of presents. I love him, but I think hes taking me for granted. What should I do? - Worried About Love Response Dear Worried About Love: I think its clear from your description that your boyfriend doesnt really love you. Two years is not such a long time to be dating, and the fact that he treats you like a toy he can ignore speaks volumes about his true feelings. Get out of the relationship as fast as you can! There are many more wonderful men out there who will appreciate, and treasure your love - dont waste it on an oaf who clearly has no clue as to your worth!

Voting and Ethical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Voting and Ethical Issues - Essay Example It also seeks to find out whether it is necessary for voters to present their ID in order to cast their votes (Griffith, 2008). In the field of voting, ethics it is important to determine whether a voter should vote or abstain. In cases where a voter is apathetic to the result of the election the voter, the voter should avoid. The voting ethics also determine how the citizens vote and how they should vote. From a moral perspective, voting is not just as ordering food from a menu. When we vote, it is like we are forcing one to everybody else. There are ethical principles that are used to govern how people behave in times of elections (Griffith, 2008). Voter identification laws are contentious because they touch one of the most important political rights. The laws relate to a simple policy that goes around difficult questions, and there arise many disagreements. One of the questions often asked is whether the voter ID affects the voter turnout and if it does, is it to prevent a specific any group of people from voting? In most nations, they advocate the integrity of election system to ensure a fair election and that legitimate vote counts and minimize cases of frauds during the election. Despite the advances in technology in the current democracy, there are cases of voter’s fraud that still arise. There is a resistance to using the use of an ID which can be a solution to this problem. Given the cases of voter fraud, and presentation of the voter's ID to allow one to vote, the majority of US citizens believe that they are required to show identification with a photo such as a driving license. Despite the fraud that occurred during elections, the US Attorney General says that the new voter ID laws were potential for racial bias.  

Dream meant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dream meant - Essay Example It disappears into the distance and I am very sad because I was not able to catch up with it. Question 2. I think the dream meant that I am missing my grandmother, and it shows me that I have not forgotten her, and still have positive feelings about her. She was a very kind and wise person, and perhaps the dream is a kind of wish fulfilment, showing me a scene that I wish I could encounter in real life. The scene of the busy road may be a depiction of the way that life moves along, sometimes too fast for us, and we want to hold on to things in the past rather than reach out for what is coming in the future. Freud notes that this kind of grieving dream is typical after a certain period: â€Å"Thus, after the death of someone dear to them, people do not as a rule dream of him to begin with, while they are overwhelmed by grief.† (Freud: 1998, p. 52) It is only later, when the strong feelings have grown weaker, that a person remembers the lost loved one, often noticing small detai ls and remembering incidents from the past. In Freud’s view dreams are triggered by events, sometimes very minor ones, that occur in the hours before sleeping, and they grow out of the power of association that exists between objects, people, moods etc that we encounter in our lives. Question 3.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 77

Summary - Essay Example The target market of this corporation is the small businesses and the home PC users. It wishes to promote its product and services using local media such as local newspaper and radio. This is because at this developmental stage its main target market is local. It will also distribute fliers within the vicinity of the company to attract the local clientele. The manager will be the owner of the business whose responsibilities will be to oversee the daily operations. Originally the staff will consist of only three individual, the technicians, sales persons and the administrative staff. Since the organization will be dealing with an area that requires great technical knowledge, it s crucial that the integration of the necessary hardware be done with precision. The customers will choose the desired look they need o their customized computers and then the company technical expert will work with this. The company will minimize costs of production by ordering computer pats in large scale form the suppliers. Daily operations will involve consultations with the salesperson and technicians and sales. The employees will be expected to work 8 hours a day for five days. In case they are required to work extra hours, this will be paid different. IN all operations, efficiency and quality will be emphasized so as to retain and attract more customers through word of mouth. The first six months, the workers will be maintained at only three staff members and this will minimize the cost. After one year into operation, computer heavens will increase its staff depending on the requirement. It is believed that the company will have a larger customer base. The staff could be increased up to six members but this will highly depend on the business requirements of that time. At its third birthday, Computer Heavens will have proved its viability and should have an even larger staff and even have plans of expanding the business to other areas. The company plans to

Five Guys Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Five Guys - Case Study Example Originally, the restaurants name was Jerry and the sons. After beginning the business, Janie and Jerry Murrell had a fifth son, with all sons involved in running the business as the Five Guys. Together, the brothers did away with ideas of broad menus; favoring a more honest and solid buggers (DATAMONITOR 2). They pride themselves in offering non-frozen buggers, which are hand-patted from ground beef, and 80% lean. The French fries preparation occurs daily including cutting the potatoes, along with in the house and fresh buggers. The restaurant created a cult following by word of mouth. Five Guys price their burgers at four dollars; yet manage to keep their clients coming back due to their appeal for high quality and fresh food. The pricing makes the restaurants enjoy increased success in areas with higher income that cater mainly to the male demographic. Rather than, depend on conventional advertising, the company relies on the customer’s word of mouth. The product’s im mediate appeal and the restaurant’s storefront ensure that they secure new franchisees and customers. One significant advantage that Five Guy’s business model holds is the simplicity of its menu. Instead of attempting to woo more customers using new products, they prefer to serve clients with well done chips and buggers. The company has shown a desire to keep expanding (Janowitz 4). The company has opened one hundred and sixty three branches in thirteen states. It intends to add at least seventy new restaurants. The company also looks for franchise candidates, whom they evaluate by their general experience in business, degree of personality fit with the restaurant, cash flow, and net worth. Their business involves approximately two thousand five hundred square foot urban or suburban spaces. The restaurant business has also acted as effective anchors for other restaurants, educational facilities, cinemas, and grocery stores. Industry

Business environment- eden project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business environment- eden project - Essay Example This acts as a supporting factor for the Eden project thereby amplifying its rate of growth and effectiveness. Moreover, this environmental factor also has helped expand this business and popularity in the entire globe so as to enhance the awareness of environmental sustainability. Economic factors - In today’s era, economic stability of UK acts as a driving force. It helps in attracting a wide range of visitors from UK and European countries thereby amplifying the reputation of the economy to a certain extent among other neighbour countries. Along with this, the visitors attracted by Eden Project also help in contributing in gross domestic product and gross national product. It helps in enhancing the economic position of the country among other developing ones thereby amplifying its brand value and long term growth. Therefore, the management might try to the project so as to increase the number of visitors. Social factors - As Eden project includes a wide range of tourist att ractions, a large number frequent visitors get fascinated towards it. For this reason, the level of cooperation and interpersonal communication amplifies to a certain extent thereby reducing the scope of conflicts in the business. Such type of collaborations of management and employees of the project with the visitors might also help in attainment of varied types of facts, information and ideas about the essentiality of plants and ecosystems. Moreover, the importance of using bio-degradable resources might also be discussed among all the members of the Eden project. The pitfalls of green house gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and many others might also be vigorously discussed thereby highlighting the concept of usage of non-renewable resources. The importance of planting varied types of trees and plants might also be highlighted in these associations thereby enhancing the level of awareness of green and sustainable planet. Therefore, the management of Eden project might try to offer higher concentration over these ideas and information. Technological factors - Plastic bags and other environment harming solid wastes which are the negative output of technological advancement and industrialization cause varied types of negative impacts on the environment of UK. This type of major environmental issue is widely discussed among the visitors of Eden Project to make them concern. Along with this, the level of awareness of the visitors are also enhanced about the pitfalls and damages caused by the high usage of plastic bags, mobile phones etc resulting depletion of ozone layer, entry of huge UV rays in the environment. Such information proved highly beneficial for the visitors and the citizens of UK as well. Environmental factors - The level of consciousness about the importance of planting varied types of plants and trees are widely discussed among the members of Eden project. As a result, the desire to prepare ecosystems and biomes enhanced to a signific ant extent as compared to others. This proves extremely beneficial for the country and the citizens of UK among other neighbouring countries. Legal factors - The laws and regulations of the government of UK proved extremely advantageous for the Eden project. Such laws helped in development and expansion of the Eden projec

Five Guys Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Five Guys - Case Study Example Originally, the restaurants name was Jerry and the sons. After beginning the business, Janie and Jerry Murrell had a fifth son, with all sons involved in running the business as the Five Guys. Together, the brothers did away with ideas of broad menus; favoring a more honest and solid buggers (DATAMONITOR 2). They pride themselves in offering non-frozen buggers, which are hand-patted from ground beef, and 80% lean. The French fries preparation occurs daily including cutting the potatoes, along with in the house and fresh buggers. The restaurant created a cult following by word of mouth. Five Guys price their burgers at four dollars; yet manage to keep their clients coming back due to their appeal for high quality and fresh food. The pricing makes the restaurants enjoy increased success in areas with higher income that cater mainly to the male demographic. Rather than, depend on conventional advertising, the company relies on the customer’s word of mouth. The product’s im mediate appeal and the restaurant’s storefront ensure that they secure new franchisees and customers. One significant advantage that Five Guy’s business model holds is the simplicity of its menu. Instead of attempting to woo more customers using new products, they prefer to serve clients with well done chips and buggers. The company has shown a desire to keep expanding (Janowitz 4). The company has opened one hundred and sixty three branches in thirteen states. It intends to add at least seventy new restaurants. The company also looks for franchise candidates, whom they evaluate by their general experience in business, degree of personality fit with the restaurant, cash flow, and net worth. Their business involves approximately two thousand five hundred square foot urban or suburban spaces. The restaurant business has also acted as effective anchors for other restaurants, educational facilities, cinemas, and grocery stores. Industry

Individual coursework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual coursework - Assignment Example This theory asserts that administrators make decisions based on the state of affairs at hand rather than a "one size fits all" technique. An administrator takes correct act based on features most significant to the existing state of affairs. Managers in an institution of higher education may desire to utilize a management approach, which includes contribution from workforce while a manager in the armed forces may want to employ a domineering approach. Looking at the M.A.S holdings, Mr. Mahesh the director of this investment used this theory successfully. After the work situations in Sri Lanka had gotten hard, he sought to resolve this matter well within the required period. He decided to put into practice and experience his new-fangled thought, and hired the female labor for the real initial instance in Sri Lanka, knowing the reality that female in Sri Lanka were extremely experts in garments related fields. His target was to utilize the cheapest and most expert professionals to labor for them. Rigby, (2008) affirms that, Hiring women, as employees were not an easy undertaking because the females were not permitted to toil and they were controlled from their families. He started cheering women to abscond their homes and get chances to make wealth. Further, he started diverse operations with the aid of his spouse. He also formed free of charge residence for women, free of charge dispensaries and checkup facilities inside the factories, free of charge breakfast and lunch for women functioning for this undersized entity. This was more than adequate for the deprived families, so they had deep thoughts of it. As time went, the females from diverse parts of the state got optimistic and went for employment. After several course of time, the administrator started manufacturing Bra for the prominent corporation brand called Victoria secrets. It was a prominent corporation, and this was not easy to begin dealing with this corporation. He

Gamification of the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Gamification of the Workplace Essay The paper examines a new trend in workplace design called â€Å"gamification†. Gamification is defined as using concepts derived from video games and applying them in businesses to enhance motivation, raise productivity and lower turnover. The areas of effect discussed are motivation, cooperation, productivity and employee happiness. The text looks at which characteristics of video games make them so engaging and translates them into examples from the workplace. It presents real examples of companies that have implemented similar techniques. Gamification in the Workplace: A New Way to Think About Work Georgi Ivanov American University in Bulgaria The workforce of today is composed of young, talented and creative people, who despite their potential are less loyal and are always on the lookout for the job that better suits their qualification. As managers continue to search for ways to attract, motivate and keep them they ask themselves what makes this generation different from the previous. One of the things that separate us from other generations of workforce, video game addiction, has become increasingly relevant in the last decade. The college graduates that enter the labor market have played them since kids and consider them a hobby. The older generations learn about them as because of the app store which is a platform for easily accessible casual games. There is something in video games that makes people play them and create them and that something has made the video game industry the fastest growing entertainment industry today. With millions of people playing video games and investingmoney in their hobby, many companies implement video game concepts in an effort to make work more engaging, raise productivity and motivation and lower turnover. The process is known as â€Å"gamification†. To understand why managers would look to video and computer games of all things to improve the work life of their employees we have to understand what makes a video game so appealing to the modern employee and what part of that appeal is relevant to their productivity and satisfaction on their job. We know that some games have bigger audiences than prime time television shows, which means that these people prefer to do something, to be involved, than just sitting there and taking it in. In his book The Game of Work: How to Enjoy Work As Much As Play (1984) Charles Conrad leans on the fact that people will often work harder or even pay money to improve their performance outside of work. He outlines five principles that would transfer part of this to the business environment and empower employees – better scorekeeping, clearly defined goals, frequent feedback, better scorekeeping and consistent coaching. When the book was issued video games were not the object of the author’s discussion, however the concepts are present in today’s most popular video games. It is common have a score number in a corner of the screen showing how you are doing and every action you take changes that score. Taking this one step further is a ladder system that shows your score in comparison to other people’s score. With the popularity of video games today it is evident that people are respond very well to such a system. Through extension, if people are willing to devote so much time and energy into improving their game scores so they can climb the ladder and win intangible rewards, then, if they knew where they stood among their colleagues, they would be more motivated to do better. In her WSJ article Latest Game Theory: Mixing work and play (2011), Rachel Silverman gives a couple of examples of successful â€Å"gamification† of tasks. Live Ops Inc. runs a virtual call center. Th e company awards employees with virtual badges and points for keeping calls short and closing sales with leader boards that allow agents to compare their achievements. According to the vice president, since the system was implemented call time was reduced by 15% in some employees and sales have gone up by between 8% and 12%. I saw this in myself when I worked as a sales representative. When I joined the company it was evident who the top sales people were. Everybody’s numbers were available every day for everyone to see. From the first day that I saw that I imagined my name on the firs position of the day end report on the cash register screen just like I did on my computer screen while playing a favorite game of mine. It helped. I was always eager to keep track of my sales and strive to improve and my boss nurtured that friendly competitive atmosphere in which I thrived. This helped me in the beginning a lot because I did not feel intimidated by the more experienced members’ numbers. One of the most popular types of games today is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG). The model is basically putting millions of players from all over the world in one universe and to let them progress in this world by developing their skills and handling challenges alone or in teams of other players who have diverse skill sets for different situations. There are player rankings and guild rankings. To climb up the ladder, players need to accomplish tasks or â€Å"quests† and apart from the regular points, they get badges, if they complete the quest not in an efficient or creative manner. As you play your character increases in strength by gaining levels. Each level requires more effort to achieve than the previous and the conditions that have to be met to advance are set in stone and they never change. You know ahead of time what you need in order to progress. Every task you’ve made has an effect on the completion and your progress is clearly visible. If we take this concept to the business world, we’d have a clear employee ranking system and a company ranking system. Each employee will aim for the top places on the scoreboard, but keeping in mind that success is only possible with cooperation. This would motivate employees not only to do their best but also to be more accommodating to newcomers because they know that the better the people in your team/ department are doing, the better they would do. We do have a leveling system in the workplace – raises and promotions – but the conditions are not always as clear. If employees do not know what the requirements are and they have no guarantees that they would reach that threshold why should they work harder? Vendor invoice transactions are a tedious task, but now, with the new reward system, employees can earn points and raise their status among other SAP teams. At the end of the month, a dollar amount is awarded to a charity of the winning team’s choice. This is all done through an upgraded version of their clerk software. It adds extrinsic value to the work, makes employees contribute to a cause they can relate to. We play games because they are fun. Play is not the opposite of work as entrepreneur Steve Keil tells us in his speech â€Å"A Manifesto for play†. It is also supported by Byron Reeves, a communications professor at Stanford University and author of the book Total Engagement (2009), who says that â€Å"The idea that work is work and play is play and never shall the two meet is melting quite a bit†. Games are fun which makes them engaging and we want our employees to be engaged in their work. One of the ways we can do that is by taking down factors that restrain and choke the individual. Once our goals are clearly defined and a scoring and reward system is set up as a frame, why do we need to keep restrictions in the workplace? Changes like making workday more flexible and eradicating fear by establishing an atmosphere of trust and cooperation instead of an authority. Like the millions of gamers around the world we want our employees to feel good when they come to work because that is going to translate into better quality of work, customer service and engagement. In a MMO there is always a comfortable social network system. No matter what they are doing, a level 1 player can contact level 60 players and ask questions. There is a strong sense of community and presence, because it is easy to form contacts. When there is a task that requires 5, 10 or 20 people, the task is divided into smaller tasks and everyone’s progress in visible from start to finish. That accessibility and transparency is not always available in businesses but they would go a long way to improving communication. In his book, Byron Reeves takes this one step further saying that some people will soon do their jobs inside a game. He draws a scenario where a woman would sit on her home computer and log on to a virtual world, in which she is represented by an avatar which she herself customized with badges and clothing, earned as rewards for completed tasks. Then she would take a look at her team’s progress by meeting their avatars. This is gamification in the modern business. When implementing the strategies from above, however there are a couple of things to be mindful of. First of all, managers have to make sure that the atmosphere of friendly competition does not go out of hand. With regard to the company’s mission statement, they have to recognize at what point employees stop working for the company and start working for themselves. The goals to reach thresholds have to be balanced. A task is engaging when it is challenging, yet accomplishable with the skill set that the employee possesses. Some business may not be well suited for gamification concepts. The data on employees will make promotions and layoffs more fair and transparent but it may also undermine the importance of a manager. Certainly the concept of gamification is still young, the interest that companies show towards implementing them points to a new trend. In her article, Silverman quotes the tech industry research firm saying that â€Å"by 1214, some 70% of large companies will use the techniques for at least one business process†. What was until recent years though to be a massive waste of time now changes the way we think about our jobs. Works Cited Rachel Silverman (October 10, 2011) Latest Game Theory: Mixing Work and Play; Retrieved from online.wsj.com Charles Coonradt (September 1, 1984) How to Enjoy Work As Much As Play; Steve Keil (January 2011) â€Å"A Manifesto of Play†; Retrieved from tedxbg.com Byron Reeves (November 2, 2009) Total engagement: Using Games and Virtual Worlds to Change the Way People Work and Businesses Compete

Video On Demand Services Of Netflix Information Technology Essay

Video On Demand Services Of Netflix Information Technology Essay Netflix which established in the 1997 is the largest online movie rental company in the world. It famous by the service that offers their customers subscribe the DVD online or online streaming without any due date or late fees. Until the end of year 2009, they have more than 100,000 movies in DVD catalog, and in 2010, they have over 14 million subscribers. Their competitive advantages are the CineMatch recommendation software and the automated supply chain delivery. The recommendation system that make accurate suggestion movie to their customers, and their 100 plus delivery centers across the country allows 95% customers receive DVD within 1 business day. Currently, many cable and satellite companies offer Video on demand (VOD) which make customers see the video without waiting and reduce the cost of the shipment. In order to survive in the competitive home filmed-entertainment industry, Netflix take series practical actions to strength its VOD service. Netflix offered a digital rental service call Netflixs Watch that allows subscribers to download and view movies or television programs instantly on their PC for free depends on their subscribe plan. Base on the development of entering VOD system through the streaming video, Netflix will create a differentiation compare to other competitors. On the other hand, Netflix will change from DVD online rental segment to distributor of digital entertainment. Generic strategy- Differentiation Netflix was founded in 1990s and pioneered the subscriber based DVD rental service. Compared with most of the competitions which are in store rental service such as Blockbuster, Netflix differentiate itself into a whole new business segment. Netflix created its blue ocean by being entirely different from its competitors. By dominated in the DVD rental market, Netflix required to innovated new technology to compete against competitors who could also cut down the price. For example, Netflix emphasized on customers personalization, they using recommendation system which provide customer movies suggestion according to their renting history. On the other hand, they established over 100 distribution centers to deliver the movies and let customers received the mail within one day. Netflix using Oracle ERP Database to manage inventory, customers data and CineMatch system and adding value to each business activity. http://noisebetweenstations.com/personal/weblogs/?p=2011#ixzz0zsAJGoMY Porters five forces analysis of Netflix Buyer power-low Netflix is the first company that offer online subscribe rental DVD and through the United States postal service to mail to their customers. Netflix provide their customers with many different efficient systems. For example, CineMatch recommendation software offer personalized service to customers according to their subscribed record, almost 85~90% of customers will enjoy the suggestive movies and continue their subscription. On the other hand, Netflix emphasized 95% of customers will receive the DVD in one business day. Therefore, buyer power is low because other companies dont have such recommendation system and services compare to Netflix, and also their month fees are higher than Netflix. For buyers, their switching cost is high, so the buyer power is low. Supplier power-high Netflix buy their movies from the suppliers are movie studio such as Hollywood film distributors and USPS. In the film industry, it is no other substitute can choose in the rental market. Therefore, the supplier power is high. Threat of Substitute-high The VOD (Video on demand) is a new system that allows users use set-top box, computer or other player devices to watch video at any time. VOD is a threat of substitute for Netflix because customers no longer want to wait for the mail anymore; they want to see the movie right away. Therefore, Netflix has to align with VOD system to maintain its market shares. Threat of New Entrants-low It costs a significant capital for new entrants to enter in VOD industry, so that will be a hard barrier for new entrants to get into the market. On the other hand, the existing rental retailers already has the experience in marketing, that is a huge experience advantage exceed the potential entrants. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is low. Rivalry among Existing Competitors-high This industry has several main video rental companies that engaged in price war competition, such as Blockbuster, Hollywood video and Redbox. Most of the competitors have developed the digital box to integrate with VOD system in order to satisfy the customers need. On the other hand, Apple and Amazon both offer customers downloaded digital videos and watched on their TV by Apple TV and TiVO, respectively. Therefore, the video rental market for VOD system has encountered strongly competition. Netflix value chain Primary activity: Inbound Logistics: Netflixs strategy is establishes partnership with top studios such as Hollywood studios, twentieth century Fox in order to expand its library data. Therefore, Netflix have more new categories of movies or TV episodes available for their customers. Operation: The online recommendation system provided the best movie that is not usually the high-demand new release for customers because they are frequently out of stock. Based on the recommendation system, company can arrange their inventory management without harass the deficiency of supply. Moreover, the company devoted to expanding the distribution centers to deliver mail within 1 day to their customers. Outbound Logistics: Netflix cooperate with United States Postal Service (USPS) to reduce the delivery time and costs. The returned of the movie from customers is through by USPS to the closest Netflixs distribution center. Marketing and sales: Netflixs members are available using devices of Microsofts Xbox 360, Sonys PS3 and Nintendos Wii consoles to watch movies and TV episodes; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, LG and Insignia; Internet TVs from LG, Sony and VIZIO; the Roku digital video player and TiVo digital video recorders, and until recently Apples iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are accessible as well. Service: Netflix continuing developed the new technological system such as recommendation system, distribution center, Oracle System and the development with VOD system to provide customer convenient online subscribe experience in order to enlarge their subscribers database. Support activity: Procurement: Netflix purchases titles directly from the studios to expand the library database, therefore their customers have more varied choices either on the delivery movies and online download service. Technology development: Netflix provided a free Netflix application for iPhone and iPod touch, allowing their members on plans starting at just $8.99 a month to instantly watch movies or a series of TV episodes on their iPhone or iPod touch without charging additional costs. Human resource management: To evaluate employees job performances for Netflix is the website for customers satisfaction. Therefore, employees have to realize the companys core values, openness, approachability and honesty well before offering service to customers (Patty McCord, 2009). Data Mining Netflix has also makes an outstanding data mining to create its competitive advantages. For example, Cinematch recommendation system synthesizes customer rental behavior and movie ratings to assist the company to recommend the movie to customers. This system will make customers keep subscribing and purchasing the movie. In addition, the system also helps company to invest wider range of movies. Netflix avoid to spend too much money by identify more niche film markets and expand distribution for smaller-budget films. In this situation, the company can save money by increasing demand for lesser-known films and reduce demand for big-studio blockbusters. Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM) Customer relationship management (CRM) systems helps Netflix serve their customers more efficiently. The information that collects from their customers stored in the data warehouse and analyzed by CRM system. By using this system, Netflix can analyze the needs of customers and further realized customers behaviors. The goal of CRM system is to crate positive experiences for customers instead of the negative experiences (Haag 50). One of the most important technologies that support Netflixs customer relationship management is its custom-built intelligent agent. An intelligent agent is artificial intelligence software that helps or acts on behalf of the user to perform repetitive-computer related tasks (Haag 224). By using this system, Netflix know customers preferences and disliked. Moreover, Netflix is able to give accurate, personal recommendations to their customers. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCM) By using supply chain management (SCM) systems, Netflix can keep track on its inventory and information that go through its transaction processes. Furthermore, SCM system helps Netflix to reduce its inventory at the warehouse and distribute its products more efficiently. One of the SCM systems for Netflix can effectively reduce the inventory in warehouse by notify employees where to deliver its inventory as soon as DVD arrives in the warehouse. When the inventory arrives at the warehouse, it is immediately sent off to its next destination (Haag 189). Consequently, most of the times inventories are on the way of traveling and being used by a consumer and very less time staying in the warehouse. This method also makes sure that the product reaches its next destination as soon as possible. Netflixs SCM system also tracks inventory and determines the fastest route to let the DVD into customers hands. Enterprise resources plan (ERP) Database is resources to help the company better understand customers behavior and analyze operational efficiency. Oracle System is a system that Netflix uses to manage the companys database, so it is a backbone for organizational operation (Netflix website, 2010). The system utilizes the data to manage inventory, financial result of the companys performance, and customers data (Netflix website, 2010). On the other hand, Oracle ERP database is also to support the Cinematch System. In addition, the entire DVD library and logistics are also managed through this system. The company is using this system to manage its companys information more effective. Video on demand (VOD) Cooperate with other companies: broadband-enabled devices According to the trend and the popularity of using VOD system for the rental DVD market, Netflix see the potential market and started to align with other companies to advance this new technology to viewing movies. Because consumers are not willing to wait for the movies arrive by mail, instead, they seek for the company that allows them to see the movie right away to satisfy their need. For example, Netflix have partnership with LG Electronics, Samsung Blu-ray disc players, Microsoft Xbox 360 console, TiVo digital video recorders, and the Nintendo-Wii. All these devices allowed the members through the hardware to enjoy Netflixs services. In January 2010, Netflix have partnership with Funai, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sharp, and Toshiba, which also allowed consumers to watch movies and TV episodes through the digital televisions. Furthermore, iPad from Apple developed a Netflix app in 2010, allowing members access Netflixs library of movies and television shows. Recommendation Netflix creates their values by differentiate itself between their competitors, especially Blockbuster. Its outstanding systems make the company accounted the most of the market shares in this industry. However, Netflix is not satisfied the current succeed and still develop the advance technologies, for example developed VOD system and established the partnerships with other companies to increase their amount of subscribers. In conclusion, Netflix should creates company values through innovation and improvement, also improve the CineMatch system to advance the personalized website experience. http://www.solarsquirrel.com/MIDS/System_Analysis.html#ErpDatabase http://www.stanford.edu/~aditya86/Netflix.pdf http://noisebetweenstations.com/personal/weblogs/?p=2011 http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/Netflix_%28NFLX%29 http://www.squidoo.com/what-is-blue-ocean-strategy http://noisebetweenstations.com/personal/weblogs/?p=2011#ixzz0zsAJGoMY http://cahdsu.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/infs-762-data-mining-at-netflix/

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Macbeth - Important Role of

The Concept of Fate in Macbeth      Ã‚   Literary critics disagree over the amount of leverage which fate exerted on the Macbeths in the Shakespearean drama Macbeth. Fate was quite influential, but it did not impair their free will; they remained free moral agents who ambitiously and voluntarily surrendered themselves to the evil suggestions of fate.    Macbeth: "If Chance would have me king, why, Chance may crown me without my stir." A.C. Bradley in Shakespearean Tragedy references Fate in the play to the Witches' prophecies:    The words of the witches are fatal to the hero only because there is in him something which leaps into light at the sound of them; but they are at the same time the witness of forces which never cease to work in the world around him, and, on the instant of his surrender to them, entangle him inextricably in the web of Fate. (320)    Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants the place of Fate in Macbeth's life:    Then, like a cog slipping naturally into its own notch, his thoughts turn to the Witches and their prophecy, and he concludes that he has defiled his mind for the descendants of Banquo he has murdered the gracious Duncan for them; he has poisoned his own peace of mind and given his immortal soul (eternal jewel) to the devil, the common enemy of man - all this to make the descendants of Banquo kings! Rather than face such an outcome, he challenges Fate to enter the lists with him against Banquo and champion him to the last extremity, even though that extremity be death itself. (57)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye stresses the connection between the witches and fate:    The successful ruler is a combination ... ...uin Books, 1991.    Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare's Four Giants. Rindge, NH: Richard R. Smith Publisher, Inc., 1957.    Coursen, H. R. Macbeth: a Guide to the Play. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press, 1997.    Frye, Northrop. Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1967.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Mack, Maynard. Everybody's Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Compulsory Sports Educaion Essay

Education should mean a perfect balance between imparting physical and academic education to the child. Education means all round development of personality i. e. physical, mental, aesthetic and spiritual. As children grow, they need balanced development of both the body and the mind especially up to the teens when they spend a major part of the day in school. At least one hour of sports of any kind is essential to recharge the minds of the children for better concentration. Schools are not for studies only. This narrow sense of education is to be corrected in the minds of the parents as well. Of course, sports and games would be followed by schools depending on the sports infrastructure they possess. In today’s enclosed colonies with severe crunch of playing fields, sports in schools can be extremely beneficial for children. Considering the fact that the obesity graph for children has been growing drastically since the past few years, the value of sports for children in the school cannot be underratedr. Undoubtedly, games and sports help in recreation and are very good for de-stressing, encouraging team building and also teaching them to accept defeat. Sportsmanship and team spirit displayed by the players on the field can be imbibed by the students. Their display of punctuality and self-discipline could be adopted for betterment. Moreover, exercise invigorates the mind and body and helps to keep fit. Making sports and extracurricular activities mandatory at the school enables kids to realize their own strengths and that is what schools are for. When young kids enter school they are unaware of their strengths and are still developing interest in various things. If extracurricular activities would not be compulsory at school many kids will never get a chance to try them out. Sports should be made compulsory in schools to introduce a healthy lifestyle to all the school going children. However, there should be more variety of sports and activities like swimming, tennis, track and field, weight lifting (gym), as well as competitive and noncompetitive games. Outdoor games are recreational and they ensure that children are exposed to fresh air and exercise, which they may not get at home. The TVs and computers are dragging the students away from any form of physical workout. Unfortunately, in our country the state of sports is dismal and sportspersons lack proper training and sponsorship. Most of the schools lack the area and the infrastructure for sports. The State governments, school boards and Sports Authorities of India should enact laws to make sports a compulsory subject in schools and also provide financial assistance to schools. So, schools must consider the fact that games are not just wastage of time rather they are such rare treasures that shape the future prospect of a student. So students, Play games, not only to hit, But also to be 100% fit.

A Book Review on ‘A Man on the Moon’ Essay

Not all great authors can come up great educational book such as Andrew Chaikin’s ‘A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts’. Moreover, not all true-to-life-stories writers are lucky to deliver such factual account having first-hand information gained through interviews. As Chaikin have provided necessary details such as scientific technicalities, knowledge and feelings involved, running down from the role of politics, biographies, competitions, emotions, failures, accomplishments, trials, motives, sacrifices, faults, private thoughts and comments, up to the extent of constructing the blueprint, plans and programs of planetary explorations, his readers might not just be well-informed about it but completely aware of the ins and outs of manned space flight and landing on the moon. See more:Â  The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Essay In this book, what the author wants is to expose most of the elements of the Apollo missions that only few people could know. He makes it possible as he did a thorough investigation of his craft. Doing a series of in-depth interviews to almost hundred percent of the people behind the Apollo missions especially the twenty four moon voyagers is never easy. Likewise, pretending that the time doing the interview is dramatically inflict as it is makes his audience feel very closely enough to the scenario if not apprehensively feel updated. Hence, to be hooked in this astonishing book is nothing but normal. The main argument of the author is set to make available for everyone his own discovery of the profound history behind the historical explorations and discoveries from the initial first manned flight of the Apollo 8 around the moon’s vicinity in 1961 to the successful first landing on the moon of the Apollo 11 in 1972 and even beyond that as he reveals reflections of the sixth landing on the moon of the Apollo 17, which is also the last landing as of today. This thesis is well-supported by first-hand interviews, academic reviews, scientific approach, and the legal and technical aspects which played very important roles in the Apollo missions’ golden age and its declination. Writing his work in a very comprehensible approach for easy reading and understanding of every historical detail paints the colorful adventures and voyages of every man and events behind the mission. Thus, it could also serve as a very rich reference for any research about space technology. Having been read ‘A Man on the Moon’ inspires me not to stop believing of my every potential. As Chaikin discloses man’s unlimited discoveries once ignite and properly supported of external factors, enlightens young minds to seek for the infinity. However, knowing that the final landing, as written on the book, happened decades ago can trigger the notion of stopping one’s eagerness to dream and explore. Personally, I could say that the book is not just a thought-provoking one but heart-stopping as well. With those vivid illustrations of the interviewees that are intelligently interpreted and written by the author, it could make me feel as if I myself have competed for the moon’s flight seat or even touched moon’s face. Therefore, making me feel reviving my innermost interest to liberate my wildest dream of becoming an astronaut is the best proof that this book is truly an amazing masterpiece. R E F E R E N C E Chaikin, Andrew. A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Atronauts. New York: Penguin, 1998.

Criteria for Heroes Essay

For individuals to be seen as heroes in ancient world they had to meet specific criteria. Above all, a man needed to be a skilled warrior, who had to respect authority, both governmental and religious. Heroes were given no room for pride, they were to be modest, not only giving credit to their culture and the gods for any great deeds they had done, but also accepting everything that happened as fate, not scenarios they had created for themselves. In other words, they did not make themselves who they are, rather they had been predestined to become it. The final requirement of being a hero was composure. Heroes were not permitted to be blinded by rage or have mood swings. Perhaps the greatest example of Achilles fighting skill is when he fights with and kills Hector, the greatest of the Trojan warriors. However, this fight may have never happened if Athena had not disguised herself as one of Hectors brothers and convinced him to fight. Achilles fails miserably at respecting anyone in authority, whether governmental or religious. He not only disrespects King Agamemnons authority, but also the goddess Athena herself. This lack of respect begins when Achilles calls an assembly of the Greeks, something only Agamemnon was able to do. He then proceeds to insult the king, telling him he is greedy, shameless, a cheater, and a drunk. To top it off, Achilles contemplates drawing his sword to strike down Agamemnon, and is only stopped by Athena grabbing his hair. Needless to say, killing the leader of your nation would be the ultimate act of disrespect to the government. Although he does so badly with respect for government authority, Achilles has no problem respecting human religious authority, only because he has no encounters with priests, prophets, and etceteras. However, he does show some disrespect to Athena for stopping his murder of King Agamemnon. Instead of following the goddess orders whole-heartedly, he does it quite reluctantly and talks back in the process. Humility is another requirement Achilles fails to meet. His excessive pride is seen throughout The Iliad. When he tells Agamemnon that he is withdrawing himself and all his forces from the Trojan War, Achilles makes it sound as if he has done greater things than anyone, putting himself on a pedestal. Never does Achilles credit anyone or anything for his success, including the  gods. It is always he himself who has done something. Although Achilles is so prideful about his deeds, he is able to accept Fate. As he reprimands his horses as if it were their fault Patroclos was killed, one of them tells Achilles his death is near. Achilles tells the horse he knows this, indicating he accepts it. Hector does not credit himself for his accomplishments. He usually gets around glorifying himself by thanking the gods. Achilles pride contributes to his downfall, and it also shows Hector to have far less hubris than his opponent. Composure may be the requirement Achilles is furthest from meeting. Almost every time his name is mentioned, he is in some fit of rage. His very first tantrum is when he about kills Agamemnon, only being stopped by Athena. His next episode of anger comes after the death of Patroclos, but it is actually helpful to the Greeks. Achilles charges over the battlefield, destroying all Trojan warriors he crossed paths with. The final act of Achilles great anger is after he kills Hector. Achilles is still deeply hurt by the death of his friend Patroclos, so he drags Hectors body behind his chariot, mutilating it. The Epic of Gilgamesh embodies the national ideals of the Sumerians who believed that coming of age of a young man especially one who would become king, required a ritual experience. That aided the young man to face his monsters, nature, gods, and the reflection of Gilgamesh found in his mirror image Enkidu. The Sumerians understood the need for such a quest of self because there is a person that resides in all of us, both benefactor and destroyer that must be identified and controlled before we can accept our adult responsibilities. This is why the story incorporates emotions, but they are also unrealistic. Gilgamesh must face his anger and learn to replace it with a sense of community that is much closer to love, not hate. His ego must also be trained to respond appropriately to both winning and losing because this is what life is for each of us. The ancient Greeks had strict criteria for individuals to follow if they were to be seen as heroes. Those requirements were skill in battle, respect for authority, humility, and coolness under fire. Not many men met all requirements, including Achilles and Gilgamesh, but they were still viewed  as heroes. When the emotions are brought under control, when each person is successful at slaying their â€Å"dragons,† then they can move into an adult position that requires control over all the dualities of love and hate, power and weakness, anger and joy, selfishness and community. Between Achilles and Hector, Hector was the better choice for the title of hero, he was respectful of authority, humble about his success, and was very levelheaded. Achilles had great fighting skill as well. However, he had trouble respecting authority and keeping his cool, both results of his excessive pride. If Achilles had not been so prideful, he could have been a much greater warrior and hero, perhaps achieving status equal to the gods. He simply had too much pride. As desired, Gilgamesh learns to do good deeds, and this is truly all that society asks of anyone.

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 34

Reading Response - Essay Example In this film, director Lourdes Portillo shows various testimonies from the victims’ families, which, if only used properly, can help catch the real criminal/criminals. The film also indicates a possible collusion between the police and the criminals, where it is highly probable that some of the police are rapists too, since they have not duly resolved this long-standing investigation. Unfortunately, the local and central government are blind and deaf to the pleas of families, friends, and supporters of the deceased. To make matters worse, the cosmetics industry, through MAC and its collaboration with Rodarte, shows either apathy or absurdity in creating a cosmetics line called â€Å"Juarez.† Julianne Hing reports how consumers negatively reacted to the line. I appreciate that beauty and fashion bloggers made an outcry against this tasteless beauty line. These works underscore how insane these killings are because they reveal the ugliness of gender and social class codes and the ugliness of beauty brands. These works are connected to the social construction of gender, specifically, the visibility and invisibility of gender. Judith Lorber, in â€Å"Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender,† talks about how society creates and reinforces gender through different social, economic, political, and legal structures. Lorber stresses that â€Å"the most powerful means of sustaining the moral hegemony of the dominant gender ideology of the dominant gender ideology is that the process is made invisible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (58). My analysis is that gender makes femininity and masculinity visible and then makes it invisible through making society accept gender beliefs and attitudes. In the case of disappearing and raped women in Juarez, their gender and social class are the main reasons that they are invisible to their government. Nieves argues for the connection between gender and lack of

Persuasive paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive - Research Paper Example By criticizing tobacco politics and highlighting financial burden, health hazards, and its prevalence, paper tries to persuade the readers about the danger of secondhand smoke and necessity of adopting effective laws and policies to protect people from secondhand smoke. On 18 June, 2002, Lynn French, a non-smoking flight attendant who worked for TWA airlines from 1977 to 1998 when smoking was still permitted in commercial flights, was awarded astonishing compensation of 5.5 million US dollars by the Miami Jury in a historic verdict against some of the leading cigarette manufacturing companies such as, Philip Morris, Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Brown & Williamson Tobacco unit, and British American Tobacco (A WSJ News Roundup, 2002). The case against tobacco companies was filed under the accusation that Lynn French’s nonstop work in smoky, enclosed cabins of airlines caused significant negative impact on her health, including sinus problem. Lynn suffered from serious sinus infection due to the constant exposure to secondhand smoke, requiring long-term medical treatments (A WSJ News Roundup, 2002). The Lynn’s case is just another example of numerous victims of secondhand smoke all over the world, however, majority of them are not as lucky as Lynn in getting the justice. Today, the number of active smokers is rapidly increasing in the world. Consequently, at the same time, a large number of non-smoking populations, including children, has been exposed to secondhand smoke. Various researches and scientific studies have regularly highlighted serious negative effects of secondhand smoke on the physical and psychological health, yet the issue of secondhand smoking is widely neglected. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize on the severe negative effects of secondhand smoking and necessity of implementing effective measures against it. Before revealing health hazards of

Human Resource Management in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Human Resource Management in China - Essay Example In past building, money and the products were considered as the vital assets, but today Human resource is right up with the other monetary and liquid assets and in successful organizations it is considered as the most important strategic asset of the organization. Human Resource management has a great role in changing the business ideologies and modern rationales up to this point (Bhatia & Dey, 2005). This changed labeled the Human Resource department as the advocates of the employees, rather then the advocates of the employers as in the past. The modern world has admitted that Human Resource department is an important strategic department and has a key role in organization as it deals in managing the most vital asset of the organization, the Human workforce. Previously this department was considered as a wasteful and completely unnecessary expense center where as now it is considered as the strategic partner with other departments in achieving the organizational goals. Human Resource managers manage organizational activities through different practices. These practices are not a constant in all the organizations. Not all the managers all over the world use the same Human resource management methods (Daft, 2001). It is because they operate in different organizations that are placed in different countries and cultures. Therefore the responsibilities of the Human resource managers play a vital role for the organization as a whole. For example consider an Organization that is placed globally. Then the job of the Human Resource manager is to find out about the labor force of the country, their diversity, age trends, skills and culture. Where as other factors should also be considered such as the economical conditions, government regulations, infrastructure, laws and culture of that country. Managers must also screen the external environment before entering the market. If these factors are handled lightly before setting up a business in the country, organization may end up in loosing vast amount of money and resources. That is why HR managers should consider all the aspects very carefully as the availability of the required labor force and its nature of motivation may also depend upon these factors (Globalization & Environment, 2009). Other than that a company has to answer the questions, which must involve all the departments of the organization. These questions may include why they want to go to that country, who will be the workers, what will be the structure, from where will the finances come and what are the legal requirements to consider. These questions bring all the departments like Finance, legal and Human Resource department into play. As a HR manager ones job is to find out about the labor force availability and the legal issues dealing in the labor and the human resource laws of the country. Both the areas are the most important areas for the organization, as it enters a new country. As workers are the one who are responsible for running the business, where as legal laws keeps a check on companies activities and management in the treatment of the that workforce. The final decision maker must seriously consider the report submitted by the HR manager if the business is to be successful (Heller, 2007). PEST Analysis of

Leadership and Sustainability Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership and Sustainability - Assignment Example In fact, leaders have come under consideration to be the most substantial elements for the organization and its success. This is because leaders are the people who implement and bring into practice the new strategies and methodologies, as these new techniques or the innovations are the prospective features that facilitate the organizations to accomplish constructive financial outcomes and overall profitability (Gallos, pp. 1-10). Leadership likewise has also come under observation as a process, rather than a trait or a characteristic. However, leadership has come under definition by its promoters as â€Å"process of  social influence  in which one person is able to enlist the aid and  support  of others in the accomplishment of a common  task† (Chamorro-Premuzic, pp. 144). In addition, it also refers to gather, systematize, and manage a cluster of population that can work towards the accomplishment of a shared and widespread goal. The leaders have the ability to infl uence others in a way that they respond willingly to the leader. Besides, it has also come under notice that leaders regulate their leadership style with reference to the situations as well as to the directed people (Chamorro-Premuzic, pp. 143-148). ... Nevertheless, extensive studies suggests that the current leadership styles is immense, colossal, complicated and multifaceted that is in a constant process of magnification. In fact, more and more companies nowadays are looking to sustainability leadership as the core competency in the competition (Pride & Hughes &  Kapoor, pp. 179-186). Scholars even view the fact that patterns of thoughts and actions are not the only attributes that comes under leadership styles, as it is something more than that. However, according to few of the authors, leadership style has come under reference as the method or approach that a leader leads that include his or her communication style and skills of leadership, the way of practicing power and authority, and the impact of these techniques on others (Pride & Hughes &  Kapoor, pp. 179-186). Researchers even bring into limelight that leadership styles lay its foundation on several frameworks, despite the fact that they indicate different and divers e viewpoints, yet the core and fundamental principal behind all continue to portray the same meaning. Empirical studies in the wake of the leadership styles not only illustrate the affiliation and liaison between various factors that support leadership styles, organizational culture and the demands of its environment, but also depict the effects on the performance of the organization (Pride & Hughes &  Kapoor, pp. 179-186). While looking at diverse types of leadership, every sort of leadership works and proves to be efficient, but only in certain cases, where the organization’s business functions and operations are the key responsible elements in determining which

Leadership and management in nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and management in nursing - Essay Example General strategies for effecting changes in human systems are power coercive strategy; empirical-rational strategy; and normative/re-educative strategy. Though there are many change strategies, and responsibilities of pathway leadership is challenging, successful change will materialize only with the cooperation and commitment of those involved in the change process. Under these circumstances a case study of the challenges faced by a registered nurse, newly posted in orthopaedic ward of a regional hospital, is attempted to identify efficacy of different change strategies. All professional nurses prefer autonomy and control of their practice and want to apply their nursing knowledge and skills without interference from nurse managers, physicians, or persons in other discipline. â€Å"Changing clinical practice involves addressing deeply held beliefs and traditional rituals† and â€Å"developing new services often involves changing professional roles, boundaries, and loyalties,† because each profession has a unique set of values (Ridout 2002). Leading change is the mainstay of leadership skill, and â€Å"the person responsible for moving others who are affected by the change through its stages† is identified as a change agent ((Daly, Speedy and Jackson 2003, p.195). â€Å"The ability to harness internal motivation, the readiness to take responsibility and to persist, and the drive to stretch for higher performance, take risks, and accomplish goals typify leaders high in achievement, orientation and initiative† (Roussel & Swa nsburg 2008, p.123). General strategies for effecting changes in human systems identified by Robert Chin and D. Benne (1976) that are based on reasons people change their behaviour are: (1) power coercive strategy; (2) empirical-rational strategy; (3) and normative/re-educative strategy (cited by Nickols, 2003) â€Å"The power-coercive style is a top down dictatorial style to change† (Ridout 2002). The basic tenet of power-coercive

Ishmael Bernal and Religious Interpretations Essay Example for Free

Ishmael Bernal and Religious Interpretations Essay Ishmael Bernal’s films have received countless acknowledgements throughout the years because of his unique style of â€Å"working out patterns of symbolic details† (Lumbera 25). And through these patterns, Bernal was able to portray his views on things as an auteur. This paper examines his interpretations of religion and religious activities through his films. But this only includes three of his works: Manila by Night (1980), Himala (1982), and Hinugot sa Langit (1985). These three films’ devotional approaches are analyzed by both their mise-en-scene and fabula. On that note, religion as tackled in this paper only pertains to the Philippine religion of Christianity/Catholicism, since Bernal’s films appear to be only on the Catholic’s view. How did Bernal attack Catholicism? Why did he represent the country’s most widespread religion in that manner? What are the implications of his works on the era during such films were distributed? How do these films affect the contemporary time? And what do these films impose on the society and on the religion majority of it believes in? Hence, this paper has these films examined through the eyes of a spectator, and relates that analogy to Bernal’s own philosophies as an auteur. Religion in Mise-En-Scene and Iconographies Through the apparatus theory, Bernal’s religious interpretations in his works can be examined. Ponsford’s Film Theory and Language from media. edusites. co. uk says apparatus theory suggests that film is created to illustrate different ideas and that everything has meaning even starting from the camerawork up to the editing. Manila by Night is a drama film made by Bernal in 1980. It is a multiple-charactered film where the characters’ existences in the city were unveiled as they live by the ruthlessness of drugs, poverty, adultery, and lust. In Manila by Night, Bernal constantly used iconographies and effigies of divine entities in several sex scenes through elaborate camerawork and editing. An example is a scene where a couple (Adelina, played by Moreno and Pebrero, played by Ojeda) who routinely cheated on each other made love while religious icons peered over them (Santos 21). There is another sex scene where instead of figures, Bernal focused a shot on a chaplet necklace worn by the indolent college guy (Alex, played by Martinez) for a few seconds just before he had premarital sex with his girlfriend (Vanessa, played by Alajar). Bernal not only used these icons in sex scenes. In one scene where the neurotic mother of Alex, Virgie (Solis), trashed their home when she found out he was doing drugs, multiple shots of religious statues were shown simultaneously with the scene of flying plates and broken furniture in the screen. Hinugot sa Langit also has a remarkable mise-en-scene in terms of religious interpretations. It is a film about infidelity, unwanted pregnancy, and abortion. In the scene where Carmen (Soriano) was rushed to the hospital after attempting to commit suicide, the disparity between the two conflicting characters of Aling Juling (Solis) and Stella (Austria) was clearly depicted. Aling Juling, being the sanctimonious that she was, gave the feeble Carmen her Holy Bible, hoping that it helps Carmen as it did to her. Seconds after Aling Juling left the room, Stella put a bag of apples on top of the bible as she jokingly referred to it as â€Å"holy mansanas (apples)† which may be interpreted as the apple Eve took from the treacherous snake in the Garden of Eden. The style Bernal had in Manila by Night was still used in Hinugot sa Langit. There was the scene of Mang David’s (Ventura) child’s wake where an image of Christ hung over Carmen and Mang David’s backs as they talked about the latter’s debts from Aling Juling. There’s still that style but other sightings of the religious icons and statues were not shown in that ambiguous manner anymore; instead they were shown conspicuously to prove a point like every time Aling Juling conducted prayer meetings and worship time. The irony in showing religious images and sinful acts simultaneously is an apparent symbolism of the societal hypocrisy towards faith and Christianity. Morality Issues on Manila by Night, Himala, and Hinugot sa Langit These three films are all packed with morality issues and what are morality issues if there is no religion? Morality, I believe, is bound by the norms and rules of whatever religion an individual believes in. Therefore, people do what for them is â€Å"right† because the religion they keep their faith in tells them to do so. Himala is a story of a girl named Elsa (Aunor) who claims to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary on the top of the very hill where she was found by her non-biological mother years ago when she was still a baby. Since then Elsa started to â€Å"heal† people through the use of the power that was allegedly bestowed upon her by the Virgin Mary. She was situated in a small town called Cupang where the soil was always dry because of a â€Å"curse† from long time ago. Since then people came flocking to Elsa’s house to seek treatment from her miracles. She had her own followers and a bunch of detractors. In the end, when she faced piles of troubles—from not being able to â€Å"heal† anymore to being raped along with her best friend who later on committed suicide—she came clean and announced that there is no miracle, that it is the people who create their own miracles. She was shot dead at that same moment. The morality issues in this film is particularly apparent during the time when documentarist Orly (Manikan) battles with himself whether to have Elsa and Chayong’s (Centeno) rape video shown to the public. In the end he seeks help from the priest, which only made it clear that his decisions still depended largely on the â€Å"Catholic opinion† even though he was a self-proclaimed atheist right from the start. Manila by Night touches more morality issues than Himala. Since it is a film using a multiple-character format, the struggles each persona faces vary. There was a cheating guy (Pebrero), a liar prostitute (Adelina), a hypocritical ex-prostitute (Virgie), a happy-go-lucky gay (Manay Sharon), a dope-pusher lesbian (Kano), a blind whore (Bea), a college dropout (Alex), and his girlfriend (Vanessa). Their characters differ from each other but what’s uncanny about it was that their lives intertwine one way or another. Set in the city during a time when people’s freedom was being suppressed, these characters faced the question of what to do in times like that. Whether they hold on to their principles and strive to live for the good or just continue their dishonest lives to be able to endure everything and coexist. In a country where Catholicism is dominant, what Bernal showed in Manila by Night questions the values the religion upholds for its followers. The ending of the film where after all the mayhem that happened in the city during the past night seemed to be forgotten and the characters are portrayed as monotonous citizens living their routinely-charged lives is a strong point for proving how people trapped in the confusion of what’s good or evil can act as two-faced individuals who eventually become victims of the system. Hinugot sa Langit, on the other hand, tackles a more brazen topic that’s related to religion: abortion. When Carmen found out she was having Jerry’s (Tantay) child, she was faced with only two options: one is to keep it and the other is to abort. The problem the film earlier gave was that Jerry was already married with someone else and he made it clear right from the start that he didn’t want anything to do with the child Carmen was carrying. This, on top of the incessant urging of her straightforward cousin Stella, pushed Carmen to the edge of option number two. But her landlady, Aling Juling, insisted otherwise—saying abortion is a sin to God. As Carmen’s pregnancy became relatively closer to three months (which is the point when a mere embryo becomes human according to the abortionist) she began thinking about the issue of whether abortion is already an act of killing or not. But eventually, she chose to have abortion. Near the end of the film where she pounded on Mang David for stabbing Aling Juling to death, Bernal used a brilliant camera shift from Mang David’s staring face to Carmen’s while she was yelling, â€Å"Wala kang karapatang pumatay ng tao! You have no right to murder anyone! ),† as if giving the former a reason to say that she did not have any right to kill her child either. As Oggs Cruz put it in his blog, â€Å"Hinugot sa Langit may be branded as preachy and anti-abortion but in reality, the film has side stories that suggest a more pressing issue: societal hypocrisy. † This is not only apparent in the abortion issue but also in Aling Juling’s actions. It’s just that, as Cruz again puts it, â€Å"abortion is the most telling of issues. The Philippines being a prominently Catholic nation declares abortion as criminally and morally wrong yet funnily, the practice is unwrittenly accepted among women who are time-pressed with a decision. † Elsa and Aling Juling While Manila by Night’s interpretations of religion banks largely on its mise-en-scene, what Bernal created in Himala and Hinugot sa Langit were characters who seemed to embody the â€Å"divine† and through them, Bernal showed how false devotions and idolatry can be misleading. Elsa’s alleged involvement with the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary made her just as acred as the holy mother of Christ in the people’s eyes. She became, in an obvious way, the people’s source of blind faith that led them to their own pits of darkness as shown in the last part of the film where healthy and sick people alike experienced a stampede that caused them physical pain. This false faith is also ostensible in Aling Juling’s character in Hinugot sa Langit. Even from the start of the film, her character already proved to be a hypocrite. She dressed conservatively, regularly attended prayer and worship meetings, firmly discouraged Carmen to do an abortion, and constantly spoke about the Divine. But she also wanted to have the informal settlers removed from her land at any cost just to be able to build a chapel, claiming it is for the greater good. Aling Juling proved to be the perfect devotee, but failed to act as a true child of God for the other people; and there lies the biggest fallacy built in her persona. There was also one scene where Carmen and Aling Juling went into a brief screaming match about how should the former handle her problems. In the one line of Carmen saying, â€Å"Ano pa bang gusto Niya (pertaining to God), ano pa bang gusto mo?! What else does He want, what else do you want?! ),† the character of Aling Juling seemed to be a symbolism of the â€Å"god† Carmen had come to believe in. Instead of the all-powerful, all-knowing One, because of her problems, Carmen landed on believing Aling Juling’s preaching as that of God’s. Elsa and Aling Juling both died at the end, and both by being brutally attacked. What I see in this phenomenon is the attempt to â€Å"kill off† the wrong and misrepresentative beliefs brought about by these two characters, and probably the only way Bernal suggests to do that is through a vicious, one-time manner. Bernal as Auteur This paper is not about Bernal but about the works of Bernal. But since he is an auteur, understanding his background is essential in understanding the concepts behind his works. The auteur theory proposes that the director is the author of the film and that the director is the primary creative source, therefore the films produced express the director’s distinctive vision of the world (Pramaggiore and Wallis 398). Therefore, his politics mirror his representation of religion, thus making his films a reflection of his own beliefs. According to Bayani Santos’ Bernal as Auteur, Ishmael appreciated the values of Gregorio Aglipay and Catholicism. He also admired the disciplines of Iglesia Ni Cristo but criticized it for its exploitation of religion in politics. It was also said that he â€Å"respected Catholicism as faith, but always qualified it with a historical reminder of its political and economic crimes against the nation† (Santos 19). It was also said in the same article that Bernal’s view of shallow Catholicism among Filipinos as facts of Philippine life was not just mocking jibes against superficial religiosity but rather â€Å"accurate descriptions, as synecdochical of Philippine reality† and having the satirical impact arrive after a realization by the audience that, indeed, the descriptions are ‘us’ (21). Bayani continued on to saying that Bernal’s politics are â€Å"deeply buried in many of his works† (31). His politics involve not only his aforementioned views on Philippine religion but also his involvement in communism. This notion is perceivable in the three films being analyzed by this paper. In Manila by Night, Bernal took jibes on Martial Law more than anything. In Hinugot sa Langit, he â€Å"showed the desperate situation of the poor in a script that scrupulously avoided overt political commentary† (31). In Himala he managed to speculate a Marxist view of religion as an opiate when Elsa’s death became a dismaying reversion to mass hysteria and fanaticism (31). Bernal’s Films then and now These three films were produced during the second golden age of the Philippine cinema, during the years that mark off the end of the Marcos Martial Law regime. Bernal’s films were acclaimed during those times because both the films and timing were apt to belong to the cinema that recognizes the struggle as the most gigantic cultural, scientific, and artistic manifestation our time, the third cinema (Solanas and Gettino 47). This is what makes Bernal’s films timeless. The impact these films made during those times were huge. Bernal revealed how the Marcos regime exploited the Filipinos. This is overtly seen in Manila by Night, where his depiction of the supposed city to signify the â€Å"New Society† is the exact opposite of it. The term â€Å"New Society† claimed that the dictatorship had eradicated corruption and transformed Philippine society (Lumbera 359). This same â€Å"New Society† was also exploited, although for good reasons, by Bernal in his film Himala. According to Lumbera, Himala criticized the manipulative religiosity of this society which â€Å"drew the people’s attention away from the realities of poverty, violence, and moral decay† (359). This, however, is still manifested in the present time. There is this one scene in Himala that is applicable to both the past and present times. When people started coming to Cupang for Elsa and Elsa’s â€Å"apostles used the water Elsa blessed for profit, it was a hypocritical move on the side of Elsa and her followers to lure people into giving them money when all they were meant to do in the first place was to offer treatment for everyone who asked for it. The past screams about the pretentious â€Å"New Society† and the present stages the scene in real life whenever such religious items or services that are supposed to help them are still sold for amounts to the people. (e. . : a priest’s service fees, blessed rosaries, mass guides) Another thing that might have helped in the success of Himala is the fact that superstar Nora Aunor played the lead role. In the Noranian Imaginary, it is said that Himala is as much about the popular hysteria mediated by the idol Nora Aunor as it is about the mass hysteria endemic to Catholicism as held by many (Tadiar). People saw Elsa in Nora and Nora in Elsa—th e same poor, unfortunate protagonist who strive against all odds to defend herself and achieve goals. In these times, Nora may not be that same girl many Filipinos used to idolized, but the imprint she left on Elsa’s character is so known to almost every Filipino as â€Å"that† girl who everyone admired. Elsa’s death at the end of the film may be read as liberation from such faith, since she made confessions about the inexistence of miracles prior to his death. But the people’s continuous idolatry in her after she passed away seems to be a symbol of the people of today—those who still continue hang on to false hope and devotion even after such devotion proves to be wrong. As Patrick Flores puts it in Himala: Fall of Grace, â€Å"Himala is against the miracle and it is against the cinema. † Hinugot sa Langit, lastly, also speaks of a timeless issue in Catholicism: abortion. The values the film imbibes a great impact on the beliefs of the majority of the Filipino citizen. The question of whether abortion is or is not an act of murder is still being debated upon until today. Bernal’s films speak of ageless and timely issues concerning the Filipino people and that’s what makes his films succeed not only in the era during which it was manufactured, but also in the present time.