Midterm Exam free essay sample

Utopian Stories After reading the short stories thought this semester, I have found that many of the Utopian stories are thematically the same. A Utopian story is a short story or novel in which someone pays the cost for perfection in society. There are three short stories that are most thematically alike those are: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson in 1948; The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin in 1975; and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1961. I have chosen these three stories because someone pays the cost in each of these stories and the results in each of them are the same. The elements of plot, characterizations, settings and symbols of each of these stories are alike. The story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is about village who stones a villager, old or young, once a year, for good crops and harvest. This person is chosen by a draw from a box. We will write a custom essay sample on Midterm Exam or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As in the lottery, the short story entitled The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin is about a community that isolates and eglects a child for a perfect community and in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. he community is restrained by handicaps so that everyone can be equally perfect. All of these stories plots have the one person that is tortured or killed for everyone elses happiness. Someone has to die or be neglected for perfection, they become sacrifices and not willingly. They are chosen unfairly or are held back of their gifts. The characterizations in each of these stories are simply innocent. None of the main characters had a choice and if they rebelled they were still put to death. In The Lottery Mrs. Hutchinson seems to be a normal mother and a great wife. She was doing as women in that time should have done, and she was late because she was doing the dishes. She was innocent. In The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas a young boy is neglected and frowned upon as a sacrifice. It is not said that this boy had done anything to deserve this, or that he was chosen because of his behavior. He was innocent and very young, most likely pure. In Harrison Bergeron both the mother and father were a normal family however the father had to wear a handicap to make im less intelligent and Harrison was a normal boy that was smart and talented however he disagreed and paid a cost. I believe that all the characters were treated unfairly. They all seemed to be nice and normal. The settings and Symbols of each of the stories are in a small village or community. A smaller community is easier to control and persuade. I think that the symbols are similar they are all restraints in a way or isolation. Stones were used in the lottery and when thinking of a stone I think of something cold and hard and very uncomfortable. In the Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas they used a basement to keep the boy in. When thinking of a basement I think of a dark cold place also very hard and uncomfortable. In Harrison Bergeron they used handicaps that were probably uncomfortable and the loud sounds in their all very uncomfortable. In conclusion I believe that these three stories were all thematically alike. The Lottery, The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas, and Harrison Bergeron were all great stories and I would recommend them to anyone who would like to read a utopian story.

Atom Definition and Examples

Atom Definition and Examples An atom is the defining structure of an element, which cannot be broken by any chemical means. A typical atom consists of a nucleus of positively-charged  protons and electrically neutral  neutrons with negatively-charged  electrons orbiting this nucleus. However, an atom can consist of a single proton (i.e., the protium isotope of hydrogen) as a nucleus. The number of protons defines the identity of an atom or its element. Atom Size, Mass, and Charge The size of an atom depends on how many protons and neutrons it has, as well as whether or not it has electrons. A typical atom size is around 100 picometers or about one ten-billionth of a meter. Most of the volume is empty space, with regions where electrons may be found. Small atoms tend to be spherically symmetrical, but this is not always true of larger atoms. Contrary to most diagrams of atoms, electrons do not always orbit the nucleus in circles. Atoms can range in mass from 1.67 x 10-27 kg (for hydrogen) to 4.52 x 10-25 kg for superheavy radioactive nuclei. The mass is almost entirely due to protons and neutrons, as electrons contribute negligible mass to an atom. An atom that has an equal number of protons and electron has no net electrical charge. An imbalance in the numbers of protons and electrons forms an atomic ion. So, atoms may be neutral, positive, or negative. Discovery The concept that matter might be made of small units has been around since ancient Greece and India. In fact, the word atom was coined in Ancient Greece. However, the existence of atoms was not proven until John Daltons experiments in the early 1800s. In the 20th century, it became possible to see individual atoms using scanning tunneling microscopy. While its believed electrons formed in the very early stages of the Big Bang formation of the universe, atomic nuclei did not form until perhaps 3 minutes after the explosion. At present, the most common type of atom in the universe is hydrogen, although over time, increasing amounts of helium and oxygen will exist, likely overtaking hydrogen in abundance. Antimatter and Exotic Atoms Most of the matter encountered in the universe is made from atoms with positive protons, neutral neutrons, and negative electrons. However, there exists an antimatter particle for electrons and protons with opposite electrical charges. Positrons are positive electrons, while antiprotons are negative protons. Theoretically, antimatter atoms might exist or be made. The antimatter equivalent to a hydrogen atom (antihydrogen) was produced at CERN in Geneva in 1996. If a regular atom and an anti-atom were to encounter each other, they would annihilate each other, while releasing considerable energy. Exotic atoms are also possible, in which a proton, neutron, or electron is replaced by another particle. For example, an electron could be replaced with a muon to form a muoinic atom. These types of atoms have not been observed in nature, yet may be produced in a laboratory. Atom Examples hydrogencarbon-14zinccesiumtritiumCl- (a substance can be an atom and an isotope or ion at the same time) Examples of substances that are not atoms include water (H2O), table salt (NaCl), and ozone (O3). Basically, any material with a composition that includes more than one element symbol or that has a subscript following an element symbol is a molecule or compound and not an atom.

Case Study of Eli Lilly&Company Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Of Eli Lilly&Company - Case Study Example An aging population and the introduction of new products create new opportunities for the firm in the future. New markets in Asia and Africa also present new opportunities for these drug companies (David, 2011). Pharmaceutical sales globally are set to increase in the region between 5 to 7 percent in 2011 to the way over $880 billion, majorly driven by the expected growth in the developing markets (David, 2011). China’s sales alone are expected to grow 25- 27 percent, showing an increase in the middle class, growing standards of living, and grown government healthcare funding. Bio tech companies have over the years shown a robust revenue growth, albeit from a way much smaller base. Purchasing the bio tech firms will increase their projected sales by between 3 – 5 percent (David, 2011). Another reason as to why it is important for Eli Lilly to purchase bio tech firms is; the discovery and development of drug usually takes a number of years to finish, and could cost way above $500 million, with a no guarantee that there is eventual approval in the market. When a drug becomes registered and gets a patent, it becomes protected against the same or generic drugs for 5- 15 years (David, 2011). Due to this, loss of the patent protection can greatly affect the firm’s sales and earnings. Acquiring biotechnology drugs companies is an attractive route. Lily should purchase this biotechnology drug companies since it will be essential in the pharmaceutical industry in the long run. Biotech companies have continued to experience good revenue growth, and by purchasing them; lily would become assured of continued profits in the industry (David, 2011). The best way that lily can enter the global market is by introducing a new product in the market. The top three drugs of Eli Lily; Zypera, Cymbalta, and Humalog have patent expiration by 2013 (David, 2011). The

Economic Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Globalization - Essay Example In general terms, economic globalization can be considered as an objective trend that features allotment of factors of production as well as transnational flow which have emerged as social productive forces have gained more strengthen. The need of the mature market to have constant expansion in both the international and the domestic markets lays basis for the economic globalization as a phenomenon. Economic globalization has caused a co-existence of challenges and opportunities and has resulted into many losses along with gains as will be shortly looked into in the following sections. Economic globalization is fairly much like the first industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution came as a precursor of the material prosperity. The first and foremost similarity between economic globalization and the first industrial revolution is that both have resulted into an immense and abrupt new era of social productive forces along with the opportunity to re-establish the global economy. Today, the world economy is becoming integrated as more and more state boundaries are losing their significance as a result of the expansion of trade and material exchange. Economic globalization will have profound impacts on the international environment. The promotion of international trade directly signifies the spread of economic globalization. One gets an instant sense of connectedness with the globe when one living in US sees Chinese tag on the T-shirt, Pakistani tag on the football, and South Korean sticker on the car standing in the porch. But on the other side, there are many negative impacts of economic globalization on the international environment. From a general perspective of microeconomics, the world is not at an acceptable level of equilibrium, but rather is experiencing sharp fluctuation, aggressive speculation, and controlled monopoly or polygopoly. Statistics and quantitative analysis are geared for the short term and often yield wrong and unpredictable

The Analysis on the success of Tesco Assignment

The Analysis on the success of Tesco - Assignment Example The success of an organization as argued by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2005) is mainly through the deployment of the 7Ps of marketing. In this section a critical analysis on the Price, product, Promotion and Place elements of the 7Ps is presented as these are identified as the critical elements in reaching the customer. Frances Brassington and Stephen Pettit (2003) argue that although the marketing mix can be explained using the 7Ps, the four critical elements that form the marketing mix are the four identified above. The authors further argue that the Marketing Mix plays a vital role in the overall marketing communication strategy of an organization, as it is the marketing mix that provides input to the marketing communication. The TESCO Finest and TESCO Value of the own brand range of products sold by the organization along with the leading brands in the retail industry is a classical example for the organization's success in the target market through extensive range of products as argued by Sandrine Mac and Scott A. Neslin (2004). The fact that TESCO Plc presents a wide range of choice in every category of its products is the major element fuelling its success in the UK and global retail market. 1.1.2: Price: The company pioneers in selling its products at competitive prices mainly lower than its supermarket competitors in the UK as well as in its global locations as argued by Isla Gower (2004) who says that 'the low price strategy of the organization without compromising the quality of its products is the key for its success in the UK retail market as the market leader'. Furthermore, the increasing awareness among the customers that quality need not be compromised with low price (Oliver Hupp and Ken Powaga, 2004) is the driving force for the organization in its continuous low price strategy. 1.1.3: Promotion: Promotion as argued by Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2005) is 'the key for increasing the sales in the retail industry and retaining the customers in the target market'. The fact that TESCO Plc has established itself as a brand in the retail industry through pioneering in promotions like combination sales, event focused promotion of products and above all market focused promotion by its stores targeting the local markets is the major element for its growth in the UK retail market along with its pricing strategy. 1.1.4: Place: Place or the location for an organization in the retail sector is a critical element for its success as argued by Frances Brassington and Stephen Pettit (2003). This is naturally because of the need for local knowledge in the target market that serves for the promotion of its products and above all the choice of products presented in the shop floor (David Olson et al, 1982). The fact that the local knowledge is the key for increasing sales in the target demography as an organization can increase its sales only through the process of identifying the customer needs and understanding the behaviour of its target demography justifies that place or the location is a key element for the success of a retailer. The location of

The Roles Media Plays In Contemporary Society

The Roles Media Plays In Contemporary Society Media communication is full of contradictions, nevertheless one cannot deny the important part it plays in social life, part which has kept and will maintain its importance along time. In this essay, I will analyze the importance and the impact of mass media in contemporary society, presenting both their positive and negative effects, in terms of the roles they play. I will start by presenting the advantages of the informative and interpretative functions (which are essential in a society dependant on mass media for information), while also mentioning their negative effects, by referring to the manipulation of public opinion and the using of media as a medium of propaganda. I will continue by discussing the presence of infotainment and its benefits, but also the educative role of mass media, nevertheless without ignoring the negative aspects which come with access to information for a population segment which does not have the ability to select and process it. I will not miss the opp ortunity of speaking about the social binder (between people or civilizations) function, and also about the tendency of the population of aligning to opinion streams; I will close by presenting some limiting factors for the mass media power. Most people get informed by means of press and television, these channels satisfying, by the information they provide, a fundamental need of the modern man information. Furthermore, by their dimensions, mass media facilitate spreading the information and increase the speed by which a message is relayed. The continuous worldwide information flow helps individuals find the latest news which may influence their decisions, coordinate their businesses, help them know which areas are or will be affected by natural disasters or conflicts in order to avoid them and so on. Still, many times, the media offer more than information. By means of media, one can influence, orient and direct public opinion, interests and motivations, consciences, even beyond ones own will. Mass media may lead even unto the destruction of the discernment and the creation of an apathy, it may destroy the will to understand and act. American mass media theorists, Lazarsfeld and Merton (1948), have argued that we may b e guilty of paying such close attention to the information with which the media bombard us, thus getting to confuse knowing about social problems with doing something about them. They called this confusion the narcotizing dysfunction, linking it to the social consequences of mass media. Individuals replace reality with a surrogate of reality. Furthermore, people can be misinformed through mass media. Many times, we read untrue articles in newspapers and magazines, whether these articles are about what is happening around the world or about important persons in social life. The media build but also destroy reputations, which happens most of the times in politics. A good example, according to Layborn (2002), are the scandals surrounding the Secretary of State for War, John Profumo (1963) and the Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe (1970s). Politicians are presented, launched to the public with the same techniques used in launching a new brand of toothpaste or soap. Pop stars, as a clas s, are the creation of media. Remaining in the area of negative aspects, I can also include the fact that mass media create cognitive, affective and behavioural addictions. These addictions lead to a certain level of defiance which aggravates the cognitive gulf. Those who are informed become more and more informed and those who are misinformed remain misinformed. As to the interpretative function, this is somewhat related to the informative role, because it supposes the acceptance of the information by the individual without processing it through ones own reason. The contents of communications are generated by the publics needs, so the information will be processed enough to satisfy these needs. Information consumers may also receive direct help in interpreting some events by the means of editorials or comments in newspapers and magazines. Thus, the reader or viewer not only received the information in the state it was conceived, they are also given the manner in which they should regard and understand that information. The press relies on the authority of the written word, while television relies on the fact that images seem authentic and the citizen tends to say, most of the times I have seen it with my own eyes, not realizing that they have actually only seen what others wanted them to see. The media cease to be a news organ and become an instrument of propaganda. In all societies and in whoevers service it may be, propaganda aims to shape certain attitudes and impose social stereotypes, it tends to impose conditions on the individual, by creating automate mechanisms with the purpose of controlling and manipulating behaviour or society (voting for a certain political party, purchasing certain goods, etc). Great leaders of all times have used manipulation techniques, some of them to keep their power, others to control population. Even Napoleon had paid attention to the means of information at that time, which have offered him advantages before his enemies. His statements remained famous: Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets. World War I is considered to have been a propagandist battle between the English and the Germans and that the American audience was the target of messages in pamphlets, posters and other means of communication. Durin g World War II, the Nazi have developed an elaborate propaganda system in order to obtain regime support both in Germany and abroad. It is one of the convictions of Media Lens that the corporate mass media constitute a propaganda system for elite interests (Edwards and Cromwell, 2006). Those who have high social positions, govern or lead large institutions have control on the media (or even own it, as it is the case for the Italian prime-minister Berlusconi), using them to manipulate population with the purpose of meeting their own interests. The renowned professor Chomsky (2003) implements The Propaganda Model in the case of the Iraq war as well. Large corporations, among which Haliburton or British Petroleum, have used the mass media in order to internationally spread false information on Saddam Hussein, such as him producing mass destruction weapons and supporting terrorism, information which later proved to be untrue. The population, being scared by the artificially created real ity, has eventually joined in, by sustaining the war in Iraq and, indirectly, the interests of the great moguls. New York Times revealed (1st December, 2005) that the USA had used black propaganda by paying Iraqi journalists to translate and publish in local newspapers articles written in the US by a public relations company financed by the Pentagon. Furthermore, after investigations were lead, false journalists providing news articled to the BBC were discovered. False information was broadcast by television, while the journalists were secretly working for organizations sustained by the British Ministry of Defence in a propaganda operation (Media Lens, 2005). As to its entertainment function, the mass media, especially television, offer the cheapest and most accessible means of entertainment, compared to attending concerts and shows. A few minutes of ones favourite show can relax, make one forget the hard time they are going through. The internet is a good mean of entertainment through its multitude of online games, music, the possibility of interactive communication with friends. One of the researchers of the contemporary phenomenon of media, Claude-Jean Bertrand (2000), notes that most of consumers search for entertainment in the mass media. Thus, most means of communications provide it, even newspapers. This function plays a particularly important part in todays society, even more that it combines extremely efficiently with the others. Vicky Hay (1990) considers that the challenge of infotainment development in television, with its various kinds and media formats (talk-shows, contests, games, interactive transmissions, etc) represent t he main cause of cultivating this tendency in the written press as well. The second cause is money, respectively in an industry such as the media one, which operates on a competitive market, where it is all about maintaining/gaining/regaining a larger audience segment, which brings in itself publicity, money that is. But there is also a negative aspect in the entertainment function of mass media, which is the risk of relaying obscene or negative messages through music or violent movies, or by (even involuntarily) creating false, bad models for the public which is exposed, but has no ability to select or process information, such as children. The audiovisual channel continuously dimensions the knowledge universe of the receivers, by influencing and inducing them values, conceptions, convictions, stereotypes, etc. That is why the educative role that the media have in society has an importance that should not be underestimated; the large spectrum of TV channels, from the most various domains, constitutes an important source of broadening ones knowledge horizon. Also, television can be a culture broadcaster, thus concerts/theatre plays gathering more viewers than spectators. Documentaries, homage evocations of personalities, flashbacks have more power than books do in refreshing the publics awareness on a personality or even on history, in general. But, as a negative effect of the educative function, we must mention that television, as a time devourer, has brought a real reading crisis, television shows meeting the cultural needs of a mankind too rushed to be able to focus on traditional means. Also, in countries with a redu ced cinematographic production, flooding the market with foreign commercial productions may lead to the cultural denationalization of the audience. Studies lead by American psychologists regarding the impact of American serial movies with youth as their main audience indicate that 45% of teenagers shape and complete their sexual knowledge based on these movies and also learn how to communicate with their parents from them. (Van Evra, J., 1990) The negative side of this aspect is that, by having access to adult subjects, children lose the naivety and innocence specific to their age and are a lot more prone to yielding to various temptations (from smoking and drugs to delinquencies). Live broadcasting of an event makes the latter dilate, and public (national or international) opinion becomes a resonance box where the echoes of the event ensure its amplification. Thus, television has the role of ensuring the social bond in individualist mass society (any person being able to connect when and how they want from home, being able to freely participate, in their privacy, in a fundamentally collective activity). Thereby, mass media may generate a social solidarity mechanism in case of natural disasters or special personal situation which requires help from the other members of society. By analyzing the effects of mass media, one can define the term of consonance as aligning to opinion streams. The Spiral of Silence (Schweigespirale) theory describes this phenomenon starting from the dependence of individual opinion on the dominant opinion expressed by the mass media. Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann (1993) synthesises this theory as follows: society threatens the deviant with isolation, individuals are more afraid of isolation than of error, individuals evaluate the favourable or unfavourable climate of their own opinion, evaluation leads to taking an attitude (expressing ones opinion or keeping ones opinions secret). Individuals who share the dominant point of view easily share it, while individuals who do not share this opinion enclose themselves in silence, for fear of isolation. Thus, public opinion represents, from this perspective, the opinion that can be expressed publicly without the risk of isolation. A secondary function of mass media, that of reinforcing social norms, is achieved through the fact that television exposes any deviation from these norms to the judgment of public opinion. According to DeFleur (1989), the individual behaviour is guided by ones perception on cultural norms. Thus, by the means of presentation, underscoring and selection, television reinforces the viewers opinions on these cultural norms. Television also has a massive impact in imposing fashion and the feminine or masculine beauty type. One of the moments which brought glory to the mass media is the Watergate Process, journalists being the ones who caused the resignation of the American president Nixon on August 8th, 1974, thus gaining the fame of fourth power in the state. The death of princess Diana has again given television the opportunity of showing its advantages in catching public interest and transforming an event into an international tragedy. Still, there are limits to the power the mass media has, opponent forces whether political, institutional, or representing the private business environment which, at their turn, manipulate the information the press offers. Also, the commercial pressure of profit and competition, as well as direct pressure from political institutions or even peoples scepticism limit the power of mass media. What are the conclusions that can be drawn from these aspects we have presented? The mass media are a double-edged tool. On the one hand, they form and on the other they deform. In a post-industrial society where information reaches the same value as capital or resources, using means of information and communication such as mass media becomes a necessity. Nevertheless, I consider that the mass media are both a positive image and a negative image creator, a source of information as well as a tool of propaganda, a sine qua non of modern society.

Holocaust Museum Essay -- essays research papers

Fourth Floor The Nazi Assult 1. The first exhibit that I experienced was a film on Hitlers' rise to power. It showed how he played on the fears of the people by using propaganda to promote himself to becoming Chancellor of Germany. Ever though he lost the election, Hindenburg on January 30, 1933 appointed Hitler Chancellor. 2. The next thing that caught my interest was a film on anti-Semitism. This film showed the roots for people's natural fear of the Jews from the times of Christianity through the middle ages and up to WWII. 3. The more traditional type of exhibit they had was about how the Germans tried to separate Aryans from what they considered inferior races that did not deserve to exist. They tried to do this very scientifically by measurements, facial features, eye color comparisons, and other features. 4. In a different part of the exhibit, was the listing of all of the Jewish towns that were totally or partially whipped out because of the Holocaust. The names of the towns were engraved on the glass windows of a corridor there were so many of them that they filled up the entire wall. Personal Response 1. This movie was very informative, for example before this movie I thought that Hitler was voted into power, but really he was appointed by Hindenburg. I thought that it was kind of scary that a government system could fall apart that easily. 2. I was amazed at how long of a history anti-Semitism had. It went all the way back to the beginning of Christianity. I also learned that one of Martin Lutherans, of the Lutheran Church, goals was to convert Jews to Christianity. 3. I was astonished of how in depth the Germans went in measuring the body parts, such as the different parts of the head, the position of the nose, and so on. 4. I just stood there for a little bit, just looking at the names of the towns, and I saw people pointing out different towns of there ancestors, but I could not relate to it at all. Third Floor "Final Solution" 1. The actual start of the German plan for the Final Solution (1940-1945), was to isolate the Jews into Ghettos, and then to send them off to Concentration camps to be used for slave labor, or gassed. 2. The archway to Auschwitz was incorporated into the museum by having it as the archway to the part of the floor that describes the things that went on inside concentration camps. The Translation of the... ... drawers and closets. This is an interactive, hands-on exhibit. 3. The Quote "You are my witnesses" from Isaiah 43:10 is reminding people who visit the museum that the Holocaust really did happen, and that such an event should never ever happen again. 4. The middles of the museum from the first floor up is designed to look like a ghetto, and it gives sort of an eerie feeling to the place, that you are in the place of the Jews during the Holocaust in the ghettos, before the concentration camps. Personal Response 1. It is hard not to notice the architecture, because it was such a part of the museum. It had a lot of emotion in it, like it self endured the holocaust. 2. I thought that this was really nest, all of the hands on stuff, and the little bits of the diary everywhere. It was a lot different to see the holocaust through the eyes of a child. 3. This is a well known quote, and I thought about it a little bit, and I started to think about all of the bystanders of the Holocaust, not, Jewish, not Aryan, just there. They too must have been scared by it. 4. While I was standing there I felt like I was actually inside of a ghetto. It was a sort of eerie feeling that I got.

Mission Statement For Apple Inc.

The company I choose to follow for the next 5. 5 weeks is Apple Inc.. They were founded on April 1, 1976 butt was incorporated on January 3, 1977. The founders were Steve Jobs and Steven Wozniak (Sanford, 2013). Apple Inc. mission statement is â€Å"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad† (Apple Inc. 2013). When you look at a mission statement especially in this case, Apple Inc. mission statement acts as a guide to the company’s internal efficiencies because it shows all that they have accomplished as for products and services that they give to their clients and customers. Apple Inc. is rated number 6 on the fortune 500 list and they are number 6 because their missions statement makes their internal efficiencies for developing the cutting edge products and innovations. They to are always upgrading their models with either new versions or allowing downloads of the latest software so their products don’t go out of date. The only on that can define the future direction of Apple Inc. , is that of the internal efficiencies of the company for the change in its internal efforts. When you look at their mission statement their efforts are based on the products that they offer. If they have a new innovation from their efficiency and efforts internally than it can also build and re-word their mission statement. Their internal efforts are what makes their mission statement and why they are the leaders in technology. No efforts have gone with out recognition. When you think of Apple Inc. , you think of 100% their mission statement. I personally am an apple user on all levels. I use to never understand a Mac, Mp3 player or now an Ipod let alone an Ipad. However, the two founders had a dream and goals. Those dreams and goals were effectively brought out by the internal efforts and efficiencies of what they founded. They are the leaders in technology and have competitors following in their footsteps. I am interested in the future mission statement of Apple Inc. and how their efforts and efficiencies internal can make that statement grow and grow. I wonder when Siri will make her debut on the mission statement. Siri is a good example of Apple Inc. , efforts internally for being the leader, best, reinventing and creating the future in technology. All this is from the credit of their internal company. Apple Inc. (2013). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://investor.apple.com/faq.cfm?FaqSetID=6 Sanford, G. (2013). Apple-history. Retrieved from http://apple-history.com/h1

The characters are irresponsible dreamers – The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is an effective novel in epitomising the relentless struggle of many to achieve the American dream. The economic boom and the radical change in society following the First World War may have contributed largely to the idea of the American dream. Fitzgerald portrayed in The Great Gatsby the stark contrast between the rich and the poor whilst revealing a common similarity – a hope in attaining the American dream. The novel follows the dreams of members of entirely separate social classes and encapsulates the thwarted dreams of both the prosperous and the underprivileged, through immoral and irresponsible actions. Overall, it can be said that The Great Gatsby summarises the way in which society's definition of the American dream morphed from that of achieving happiness to acquiring monetary effects. Daisy Buchanan can be regarded as one of the foremost ‘irresponsible dreamers' in the novel. Her personality appears to reflect that of a child's. She often acts fickle, immature and is constantly seeking attention. An example of this is on page 15 where Nick mentions â€Å"I've heard it said that Daisy's murmur was only to make people lean toward her. † Her childish attributes may have contributed to her irresponsible nature. After meeting Gatsby, Daisy begins to view everything in a romantic light. She whispers to Gatsby about wanting to â€Å"just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around† (page 101). Her relationship with Gatsby seems to have a tinge of fantasy, almost as if she is more interested in getting away from reality than being in a relationship with him. Daisy's affair with Gatsby can be said to be irresponsible as she is both a wife and a mother. Also, her decision to have an affair might possibly have stemmed from the anger and jealousy she felt in knowing about Tom's infidelity. The death of Myrtle and the events that followed showed readers just how irresponsible Daisy's character is. Despite that ultimately, Daisy was responsible for the death of Myrtle, she appeared unremorseful in leaving blame to Gatsby. This is evident when Fitzgerald writes â€Å"But she and Tom had gone away, early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them† (pg 171). This line immediately shows readers that Daisy may have felt little guilt at leaving Gatsby behind to deal with the aftermath of Myrtle's death. The â€Å"baggage† that the pair had taken with them implies that they are leaving for a prolonged amount of time and also that Tom and Daisy may have spent time planning their leave. Daisy's refusal of accepting her part in Myrtle's death shows elements of moral decay of the '20's society. On a larger scale, it can be suggested that Daisy and Tom embody the affluent old aristocracy, a society that could effectively avoid responsibility for their actions through their shield of abundant wealth and high status. Daisy, in particular reflects the quintessential example of the American dream- she had inherited her wealth, is married to an equally wealthy man and rotates in the circles of the upper class society. On the other hand, readers can argue that at the end of the novel, Daisy made the responsible decision of staying with Tom, saving her marriage and her daughter and can therefore be forgiven for her previous actions. Myrtle's character represents the average working class citizen of America. However, her affair with Tom grants her a few of the luxuries that other ordinary working class citizens would not be able to attain. For example, she says â€Å"I'd like to get one of those police dogs† (page 33). This extract shows that with the advantage of Tom's wealth, Myrtle can afford to be fickle. Her irresponsibility lies with her belief of a rise in social standing through her relationship with Tom. Her attitude to others of her own class, changes, perhaps signifying a corruption of innocence. When Tom and Myrtle host a party in their apartment, Myrtle acts in a patronising manner towards Mrs McKee, rejecting her compliments and offering Mrs McKee her clothes (page 37 and 42). Fitzgerald may have written it to show that the American dream was not necessarily morally justified, for when Myrtle achieved aspects of the American dream – wealth – she behaved haughtily. However, readers may argue that Myrtle was not irresponsible, as she was only pursuing the chance for a better life. Myrtle may have seen her affair with Tom as a means of obtaining this â€Å"better life† and so her actions were justifiable. Her death represents the slow disintegration of the American dream. Its abruptness could possibly symbolise the abrupt economic boom (and later the abrupt economic bust), and the end of the American dream for both Myrtle and the working class society. In Gatsby, it is clear Fitzgerald has embodied the true American dream. Gatsby's climb from humble beginnings to owning a huge mansion, a successful business and a Rolls Royce displays to readers the ideal form of the American dream. However, it is also apparent that Gatsby acts in irresponsible ways. His chief aim appeared to be to win back Daisy. Gatsby says on page 117 â€Å"Can't repeat the past? (†¦ ) of course you can! † This belief showed readers that Gatsby was perhaps in denial that Daisy had moved on from him, and had a separate life from him. He had toiled for five years to be able to present to Daisy a worthy partner in himself, arguably an irresponsible act as it was inevitable that after five years, Daisy would have moved on. Fitzgerald also ties in the theme of time with Gatsby. Fitzgerald writes â€Å"the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head† (page 93). This line could represent Gatsby's strong conviction in repeating the past, whereas the clock tilting dangerously could perhaps be a dangerous indication of the tragedy to come. Another form of Gatsby's irresponsibility is in his strong loyalty to Daisy, despite the fact that she is married to another man. Ironically, his loyalty to her proved to be his destruction as he takes the blame for Myrtle's death and therefore was murdered by Wilson. Like Myrtle, Gatsby proves to be a victim of the American dream, and like Myrtle, his death could perhaps represent the disintegration of the American dream. Additionally, Fitzgerald's detailed description of the preparation of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of Chapter 3 could perhaps have been to illustrate Gatsby's extravagance in trying to win over Gatsby. This could perhaps be regarded as wasteful and irresponsible of Gatsby by readers. However, it can be argued that Gatsby was influenced by his love for Daisy and therefore his extravagance was justified. It is suggested in the novel that Gatsby made his wealth through engaging in criminal activities. However, as it is not directly mentioned, it cannot entirely be regarded as another of his irresponsible actions. In general, it can be said that Gatsby's irresponsibility stemmed from his pursuit of Daisy's love, and so readers are often more empathetic towards him than any other character in the novel. Moreover, Gatsby's representation of the American dream appeared to be the only one that did not centralise on monetary gain – another aspect that draws sympathy from readers on his death. To an extent, it can be agreed that the characters are irresponsible dreamers. Readers however, may be at a disagreement over which character holds the biggest responsibilities. Daisy can be seen as one of the most irresponsible characters as she played a great role in the death of Myrtle and therefore her action had a greater consequence. The American dream also plays a part in the irresponsibility of characters as it is often their pursuit of their dreams that leads them to make immoral and irresponsible decisions. Fitzgerald's depiction of the â€Å"roaring twenties† and the unprecedented distribution of wealth revealed an alarming aftermath of social and moral decay.

Free Essays on The Old Guitarist

In his â€Å"blue period† Picasso depicted the world of the poor. â€Å"The Old Guitarist,† which is an example his work during that time, is one of the most famous yet cheerless images from the twentieth century art world. The image remains as much an enigma today as it did ninety-nine years ago. Upon viewing Picasso’s â€Å"The Old Guitarist†, one immediately notices the subject, the aged musician, and perhaps the muted blue color scheme, but looking further, the viewer realizes several disturbing details. First of all, Picasso’s intention with this particular work seems to be the conveyance of feelings he has toward the old musician. One has no problem understanding the immediate message Picasso wishes to impart. Immediately the viewer is confronted with a solitary, aged guitarist. The artist chose a guitarist for his subject knowing that this is a solo instrument, and therefore, this musician spends his time playing it without accompaniment. There is nothing to suggest that this guitarist is playing to an audience. This is a scene played out with every musician during the uncounted hours of practice. These hours spent in practice make up the vast majority of the time the musician spends with his instrument alone. Looking at this painting, it appears as though this time spent alone with only his guitar is all that the poor, old man has left in the world. Subsequently, Picasso has chosen to alter the colors of the subject to perhaps hint at the mood of the musician. Blues and grays are colors seen more at night or in moonlight suggesting the end of something, say perhaps the old man’s life. Grayed colors usually make viewers feel nostalgic or sentimental and convey feelings of longings for better times. Picasso has used these colors effectively to give the viewer the idea that the musician is deep in thought. Finally, the gloomy colors may have also been used to point out a handicap of the old man. On closer in... Free Essays on The Old Guitarist Free Essays on The Old Guitarist In his â€Å"blue period† Picasso depicted the world of the poor. â€Å"The Old Guitarist,† which is an example his work during that time, is one of the most famous yet cheerless images from the twentieth century art world. The image remains as much an enigma today as it did ninety-nine years ago. Upon viewing Picasso’s â€Å"The Old Guitarist†, one immediately notices the subject, the aged musician, and perhaps the muted blue color scheme, but looking further, the viewer realizes several disturbing details. First of all, Picasso’s intention with this particular work seems to be the conveyance of feelings he has toward the old musician. One has no problem understanding the immediate message Picasso wishes to impart. Immediately the viewer is confronted with a solitary, aged guitarist. The artist chose a guitarist for his subject knowing that this is a solo instrument, and therefore, this musician spends his time playing it without accompaniment. There is nothing to suggest that this guitarist is playing to an audience. This is a scene played out with every musician during the uncounted hours of practice. These hours spent in practice make up the vast majority of the time the musician spends with his instrument alone. Looking at this painting, it appears as though this time spent alone with only his guitar is all that the poor, old man has left in the world. Subsequently, Picasso has chosen to alter the colors of the subject to perhaps hint at the mood of the musician. Blues and grays are colors seen more at night or in moonlight suggesting the end of something, say perhaps the old man’s life. Grayed colors usually make viewers feel nostalgic or sentimental and convey feelings of longings for better times. Picasso has used these colors effectively to give the viewer the idea that the musician is deep in thought. Finally, the gloomy colors may have also been used to point out a handicap of the old man. On closer in...

Corporate governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate governance - Essay Example The Fraud was first discovered when its budget and financial Analyst Kim Emigh blew the whistle in December of 2000 when he asked engineers in Richardson, Texas unit and elsewhere to stop charging their time for long term projects to capital expenditures (Young 2002). It was also when he told his accounting manager Frank Guckes after receiving an email to charge it to another account that it is fraud and that it is a SEC violation that he should make everybody aware of it because Kim Emigh will (Young 2002). Ten weeks later, Kim Emigh was fired which prompted him to sue WorldCom leading to a congressional and SEC inquiry which eventually led to WorldCom’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 21, 2002. Later, its CEO Bernard Ebbers was found guilty on March 15, 2005 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. WorldCom’s other officials such as its CFO Scott Sullivan, former controller David Myers, former accounting director Buford Yates and former accounting managers Betty Vinson and Troy Normand all plead guilty to fraud, conspiracy and filing of false statements. II. Crisis as a pretext of WorldCom corporate governance failure The WorldCom financial scandal came about from the backdrop of several crises that put pressure on the liquidity of the company that may have triggered its shady accounting practice. Beginning in late 1990s, the telecom industry was already beginning slow down and the Argentinian bank crisis in 2001 prompted bank to adopt a conservative fiscal policy by increasing its interest rates. This has affected the dotcom companies whose rapid appreciation in the market was propelled mainly by cheap capital afforded by lower interest rates. When the dotcom bubble burst, it contributed to the slowdown of the telecoms industry of which WorldCom is a player. The increasing conservatism of banks led them to pressure WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers to cover margin calls of his declining WorldCom stock because it was used to financ e his other businesses. In 2001, Ebbers urged the board of WorldCom to provide him $400 to cover these margin calls whose strategy did not work. This added pressure to the finances of the company to resort to shady accounting practices to cover its deteriorating financial position and save the value of its stocks so as not to add to the margin calls it has to cover. III. Corporate government failures of WorldCom WorldCom’s problem started when its CEO Bernard Ebbers used WorldCom stocks to guarantee his loan from banks that will finance his other businesses. As a business practice, it is not ideal to juggle funds between companies because they do not only confuse the accounting of both companies but also brings other financial complications not to mention unethical such as what happened to WorldCom. When the series of crisis begun in late 1990’s which was triggered by a multitude of factors such as bank crisis, dotcom burst and Enron scandal, its stocks depreciated bec ause of industry slowdown that can be attributed to the dire macroeconomic condition during that time and the inappropriateness of juggling its funds by Bernard Ebbers was highlighted and sired many problems in the company. This also put pressure on the finances of WorldCom that instead of restructuring itself as part of good corporate governa

Early childhood. Fundemental movement skills and behaviour Assignment

Early childhood. Fundemental movement skills and behaviour - Assignment Example Observation Techniques The observation techniques that were selected for this opportunity were anecdotal record, checklist, and photo observation, which means antecedents, behaviours, and consequences. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children includes articles 12, 13, and 14 which pertain directly to the observation of children. Article 12 states that â€Å"children have the right to say what they think should happen adults are making decisions about them, and to have their opinions taken into account† (Hobert & Frankel, 2004, p. 2). Article 13 supports the right for children to have information as long as it is not harmful to them. Article 14 says that rights to privacy should be afforded to children (Hobert & Frankel, 2004, p. 2). Keeping this framework in mind, the observational techniques were used in non-invasive and inclusive methods. The advantages of using the anecdotal record is that it allows for an opportunity to use the humanistic approach in order to provide for values to be placed on the nature of what occurs. The disadvantage is that the anecdotal record can be subject to bias and might not reflect the true picture of what has been observed. The checklist provides for a series of milestones to be placed on a list and they can be checked off as they are observed has having been accomplished. The disadvantage is that a checklist does not provide for context to be placed into the checklist and it is a bit removed from the child. Antecedents, behaviours, and consequences is a comprehensive way to look at what is observed and puts the entire experience into context with the time that has passed. The Rogerian Approach provides for looking at what occurs objectively so that it can be objectively evaluated. The disadvantage is that it might be difficult to interpret progress if not enough changes before and after the event. Introduction of Child and Context The child that was chosen for this observational opportunity has been given the name ‘Alice’ for the purposes of this discussion and to protect her identity. Alice was four years and two months old at the time of observing her. She was included in a small group of four other children she played with frequently in the part. Their age range was 3 to 5. The children was included in the games and was intended to extend on the skill of balancing. Interpretation Alice was observed being able to balance using different strategies. The FMS was observed through three games in order to determine if the task was consistently possible for the child. Alice had been observed having some balance issues in the past, but it had not been decided whether or not they indicated a developmental delay, so the three gamers where developed to extend this skill. During the three games, the second game of her balancing on beam was successful as she was balancing alone however the other games disrupted by laughter and not concentrating due to her focus being on oth er children and not on the task. Recommendation for Planning Table The skill was broken down into a series of skills that were needed to accomplish the task. During the time period between the ages of 2 and 6 there are great strides in fundamental movement skill development and a child should be able to stand on one foot or balance by the age of three (Rathus, 2006). The skills for balancing as follows: