Monday, September 30, 2019

Effects of Mass Media Worksheet Essay

What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century?| The major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century included the radio, television, and communication gadgetry, such as personal computers, cable TV, DVDs, DVRs, direct broadcast satellites, fax machines, cell phones, smartphones, and PDAs.For a large part of the 20th century, televisions and radios where stationary devices. More recently, devices such as, laptops, ipads, and smartphones allow people to view magazine articles, radio programs, songs, TV shows, and movies, from almost any location they want. On the Internet, multiple images, texts, and sounds are digitally reproduced and transmitted globally. These devices are constantly being update to provide consumers with the newest technologies possible. The Internet and social media, such as Facebook and e-mail are other large developments in the evolution of mass media. In fact, Facebook alone has more than 500 million users worldwide. Social media allows people from all over the world to connect through ongoing online conversations, share stories and interests, and to produce their own media content. This also gives people the choice to upload photos and homemade videos, and share them with others around the world.The media convergence has allowed media marketers to consolidate multiple media services such as, cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and Internet access, under one corporate umbrella. For example, when a company owns more than on media outlet they can have a reporter or producer to create multiple different versions of the same story for multiple media outlets. This helps companies to manage resources and maximize profits. How did each development influence American culture?| The rapid development of cable television and the Internet have caused traditional leaders in communication to lose some of their control o ver information. For example, ABC, CBS, and NBC lost some of their audience to other networks, like MTV, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Comedy Central, and radio talk shows. Internet Bloggers have become a large factor in the news as well because blogging allows anyone to speak  their mind at any time. The Internet and social media are changing the ways in which we absorb and interact with the media culture. Sending letters through the mail has, to some, become a thing of the past, as e-mail has become the quickest way to send communication to one person or a group of people in a matter of seconds. In addition, several repressive and totalitarian regimes have had difficulties with controlling messages sent through the borderless Internet.Along with these types of developments, we have also seen differences in the types of content that is put on news shows, television shows, video games, radio shows, and the Internet. From personal problems to dangerous stunts, this type of content has consumers worried about the overwhelming amount of information now available. Research indicates that there is a connection between aggression in children and violent games and entertainment shows. According to Campbell (2012), â€Å"children, who watch nearly forty thousand TV commercials each year, are particularly vulnerable to marketers selling junk, food, toys, and â€Å"cool† clothing†. The evolution of mass media has come a long way, but it plays a controversial role in society. | Resource Campbell, R., Martin, C.R., & Fabos, B (2012) Media & culture: An introduction to mass communication (8th.) New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

We’ve Had Enough of NAFTA: Perspectives in Withdrawing Our Membership

After 14 years of existence, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has still yet to prove its worth as an effective regional trade bloc. As an avenue to promote free trade and globalization, NAFTA has been much criticized for its inability meet the objectives and levels of political and economic integration. In this case, the debate of whether the United States should withdraw its membership in the NAFTA or not will enable us to assess the viability of this regional trade bloc in the age of globalization. It was in December 1992 that the leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States have given their nods to draft the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (OAS, 2008). Approved in the US Congress in 1994, NAFTA the agreement went into effect 1 January 1994 (OAS, 2008). The main goal of NAFTA is to build a framework for North American countries to ease out the trade barriers in order to promote a steady flow of exported and imported goods in the area. Aside from allaying the barriers that hamper trade among the three countries, NAFTA also aims to achieve â€Å"greater openness in the trade of services and in foreign investment†. Another important purpose of NAFTA is to permit â€Å"the three countries to cooperate and coordinate on environmental and labor issues† (Jones, 2003). However, problems began to arise when environmental and labor concerns in this agreement became convoluted. Critics began to scoff NAFTA to be promoting inequality to the region. It is also revealed later that there are trade policies that are questionable that could be proven to be detrimental in the long term perspective. In the globalizing world, it is but logical that most trade groups contain countries in the same area of the world to offer trade agreements, like NAFTA, to obtain mutual benefits. Yeung et al. (1999) offered these reasons why countries form regional trading blocs: 1. Economic Development. Many countries attempt to achieve economic growth by creating their own industries and by embracing a policy of imports substitution. However, many industries encounter problems related to limited domestic markets and the inability to achieve economies of scale. Under these circumstances, many countries pool their resources and create larger markets by integrating their economies. 2. Managing Trade Regionally. Many countries regarded global trade institutions as too bureaucratic and slow in responding to both trade opportunities and trade problems. As organizations expand their membership, they tend to become less responsive to their members, ideological differences proliferate, negotiations take forever, and reaching consensus is often very difficult. Neighboring countries usually have similar cultures and philosophical outlooks. The smaller group can respond faster than the global groups to problems and trade opportunities. 3. Economic Competition. Countries can become far more economically prosperous by forming trade blocs. European countries, for example, viewed economic integration as a way to stimulate trade in Europe. But Europeans also believed that economic growth in Europe would enhance their ability to compete with the United States and Japan. 4. Political and Strategic Considerations. Although trade appears to be the primary reason for economic integration, many countries form trade blocs for political and security reasons. NAFTA reflected a trade-policy response to the regionalization of capitalist competition at a global level. Content rule, tariff reduction schedules, and other NAFTA provisions are designed to favor its members. Premised on an improved capacity to export commodities produced under low-cost conditions in Mexico into the high-price consumer markets of North America, Western Europe, and Japan, NAFTA is an attempt to reclaim economic power in a capitalist world system. Petras and Morley (1995) argue that â€Å"NAFTA is the centerpiece of a new economic strategy †¦ which Washington hopes to use as a springboard for its reemergence as a more competitive player in the world market† (p. 128–129). Moreover, Olson (2005) indicated that NAFTA promised a â€Å"win-win† scenario for Mexico and the United States because having it would mean more jobs and increased wealth, which in turn would bring greater stability to the area and lessen migratory pressures. Indeed, it is undeniable that NAFTA has brought about the sharp expansion of regional trade and investment in the region. From 1993 through 2004, â€Å"US merchandise exports to and imports from Mexico have increased by 166 and 290 percent, respectively† (Hufbauer 2005, p. xxxvii). As Mexico is burdened with gargantuan debt, they regarded this trade agreement with the United States as an essential step in achieving economic development. The United States desired to maintain stability in Mexico and saw abundant and inexpensive Mexican labor as beneficial to U.S. companies that were anxious to gain a competitive advantage over the Japanese and Europeans. Canada, wanting to retain its favorable trading relationship with the United States, viewed economic integration in North America as a way of countering U.S. dominance of the Americas (Vega-Canovas 1999, p. 230). However, NAFTA could not go unfazed without mudslinging from several critics. Jubasz (2004) revealed that the most reliable data available demonstrated how economic globalization of trade like NAFTA has caused the most dramatic increase in global inequality and poverty in modern history. Globalization of trade had only benefited the countries with bigger economies to dominate over economically-challenged countries. The policies of economic globalization such as free trade, financial liberalization, deregulation, reduced government spending, and privatization had concentrated wealth at the top. It had tried to removed from Third World governments and communities the very tools needed to ensure equity and to protect workers, social services, the environment, and sustainable livelihoods. In this way, economic globalization and its institutions—including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), have created the most dramatic increase in global inequality—both within and between nations—in modern history and have increased global poverty. More specifically, NAFTA has been accused to have caused the environmental degradation in Mexico.   Gallagher (2007) observed that â€Å"rises in income have been small and environmental degradation has been large† in Mexico since the NAFTA was established. Costly environment degradation is slowly eating away the natural resources because the proper mechanisms were not put in place to help Mexico manage its economic growth in an environmentally sustainable manner. To keep at pace with NAFTA, Mexico doubled spending on environmental protection and started a much-needed industrial environmental inspection program. However, shortly after NAFTA was signed and fiscal and financial woes set in, attention to the environment are totally ignored. Moreover, labor issues had rocked NAFTA in the 1990s. It had been an issue during Ross Perot’s presidential bid against Clinton and famous claim of an impending â€Å"giant sucking sound† helped frame the political debate, but also alluded to important economic trends that affected them all. Fact is that Mexicans complain of the devastating impact it has had on small farmers in Mexico after being integrated in NAFTA. Dugger (2003) reported that the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a research institute in Washington, D.C. filed a report concluding that NAFTA failed to generate substantial job growth in Mexico, hurt hundreds of thousands of subsistence farmers there, and had miniscule net effects on jobs in the United States. Income inequality is greater and illegal immigration continues unabated (p. A9). The World Bank, on the other hand, found that NAFTA brought significant economic and social benefits to Mexico and argued that Mexico would have been worse off without the agreement (Dugger 2003, p. A9). Clearly, there is a big problem with the level of integration among the United States, Canada, and Mexico in NAFTA as compared to that achieved by the European Union. NAFTA, unlike the EU, does not provide for the free movement of people across borders. NAFTA countries pursue their own independent trade, foreign, domestic, and defense policies. Compared with the Europeans, who have given up some aspects of national sovereignty in exchange for European political and economic unification, NAFTA members jealously guard their sovereignty. In this case, there should be strong reforms needed in the NAFTA trade policies to make it more favorable for Mexico. If unfair regulation persists and environmental concerns are still ignored, it is high time that United States should withdraw its membership from the NAFTA because it does not bring the greater good that it promises for the region. Works Cited Dugger, Celia W. Report Finds Few Benefits for Mexico in NAFTA, New York Times, 19 November 2003, A9. Gallagher, Kevin P. In Mexico, Free Trade Has Led to Large-Scale Environmental Degradation. In Miller, D. (Ed). Current Controversies: Globalization. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007 Hufbauer, Gary Clyde. NAFTA Revisited : Achievements and Challenges, Washington, DC: Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2005. Jubasz, Antonia. â€Å"Globalization Is Making World Poverty Worse.† In Balkin, K. (ed.), Poverty. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Olson, Eric L.  Divided states of the Americas: human rights and democracy in Latin America: a progress report.  Sojourners Magazine  35.3  (March 2006):  28-34. Organization of American States (OAS). NAFTA. 6 February 2007. http://www-old.itcilo.org/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/blokit/nafta.htm. Petras, James, and Morley, Morris. Empire or Republic: American Global Power and Domestic Decay. New York: Routledge, 1995. Vega-Canovas, Gustavo. â€Å"NAFTA and the EU: Toward Convergence?† in Yeung et al. (Eds.). Regional Trading Blocks in the Global Economy, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 1999. Yeung, May T., Perdikis, Nicholas and Kerr, William A. (Eds.). Regional Trading Blocks in the Global Economy; Cheltenham, UK: Edward

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Progress report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Progress report - Essay Example The project was carried out with complete regards to the laws and regulations and with utmost professionalism. Background of the Project:- Large or medium companies find it difficult to work effectively with their colleagues particularly if they are from different branches or departments of the same company. As a result, they find that they are working on the same task rather than solving different problems. This limits the creativity and exploration of untapped potential among the staff members. The project is specifically designed for companies with a large number of employees working from different branches or departments across a large geographical area within the company. It is aimed at making it easier for the employees to work and monitor the progress of various projects regardless of their proximity to the place of work. It is also aimed at ensuring that employees can be aware of the current projects thus expand their creativity on how to improve the company. Aims and Objecti ves of the Project:- One important aim of this project is to prevent teams in a company from working on the same task despite the fact that they work in different geographical regions. This helps in economizing on time and company resources which would otherwise be exploited on one project twice. By listing all the available projects as well as the teams working on each, the application makes it easy for employees and their supervisors to monitor different projects and also observe projects that were undertaken previously. Further than that the purpose of the application is to ensure that the team working on a particular project can be contacted in case of new discoveries or changes that need to be made. Another major aim of this application is to manage the details of each employee within the stated company regardless of the branch they work for. This is important because it reduces the work load of the human resource management when employees are transferred from one branch to ano ther. The application would be effective in managing the employees’ salaries, expenses on accommodation, holidays, and benefits among many other related details. Further than that, the employee would also be able to observe their details such as overtime hours, salary and even the number of off days left for them. The application is highly secure in the senses that the employer and the employee can access details such as their salary. However, other information is accessible to other employees such as one’s position in the company, their geographical location, and contact address among other details. The main objectives of the project include:- To research and plan how to carry out the collection of data and also other important aspects to be considered and added in the application To gather and record the client’s specification of the project To research and understand Model, View and Controller architecture which would be necessary in keeping the code to use a nd alter in case need arises and also to keep it more orderly. To Create the required website using the pattern applied in Model, View and Controller architecture design To create the model for the website and outline the functionalities To design and put the view into operation and build the necessary prototype through the use of HTML/ CSS ?jQuery To provide the client with high levels of security for their data To store the lists of the users and the projects

Friday, September 27, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Summary - Essay Example The chapter addresses the ambiguous nature of the behaviors of basking sharks. Wells points out that very few facts are known about the basking sharks, which makes it almost impossible to come up with ways to preserve it. It is among the most sought fish species to an extent that it has been declared as an endangered species yet its mating and breeding habits are mysterious. This has made it almost impossible for zoologists to protect their young ones artificially. Irrespective of its large size, the basking shark has not been able to escape from the human impacts. It is quite unclear why the basking sharks choose to stay close to the water surface where planktons are minimal. Additionally this behavior exposes them to the danger of being fished. Though there have been regulations set to regulate the fishing of basking shark, it becomes impossible to avoid trapping the off springs of basking shark since it is hard to tell their whereabouts. However, Wells criticizes the enthusiasm wi th which humans harpoon the endangered species whenever they can. The mating habits of the basking sharks and their behaviors are incomprehensible to many. Even to the marine zoologists know too little to compile a history of this organism. One of the least understood behavior is the migration of the basking sharks to the bottom of the ocean during winter. ... Unlike other types of fish where age can be predicted by observing the scales, sharks have no scales. Vital information such as the rate of reproduction amongst the basking sharks remains unknown. Irrespective of the fact that basking sharks are often harpooned or netted, it is almost impossible to capture a pregnant female. According to Wells (76) the only pregnant female that has ever been captured, in 1936, gave birth to five living young ones ascertaining that basking sharks are viviparous like other sharks. This is quite strange and makes it hard to determine the growth rate of basking sharks. The ratio of males to females is unknown in addition to the unknown mating habits. It is hard to contemplate of an organism considered the second largest fish that is often harpooned, yet so little is known about it. The attempts made to track the movements of basking sharks to see if it could help reveal a little about their life history were unsuccessful. Wells attributes this to the unw illingness of any authorities to fund the operations. This is because most people view conservative efforts as irrelevant. Since animals migrate freely across territorial and economic boundaries, it becomes nobody’s business to ensure that they are protected. The same individual who do so little to protect the endangered species end up being the beneficiaries of the over exploitative fishing behaviors exhibited towards the species. Zoologists who are concerned with the welfare of animal species have little say particularly on issues regarding fishing of sharks for economic gain. Their efforts to give advice on measures that can be taken to protect endangered species are ignored by those who fear that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Algeria's Economy Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Algeria's Economy - Research Paper Example However, the sector does not provide enough employment opportunity for the large Algeria’s population, which mainly comprise of youths. Constant and rapid fluctuations in oil prices directly results in budgetary imbalances. This paper focuses on poverty levels, nutrition, and population growth, history of economic development and urban-rural issues, as well as land issues in Algeria. The paper also compares the economy and other aspect of Algerian economy to other countries in Africa, particularly in the North African region. Algeria’s Economy from the Beginning To 1960 By the start of 20th, Algeria was a French colony and was mainly dependent on agriculture for revenue generation. The settlers had invested in large agricultural territories, constructed manufacturing industries, opened up businesses, and made use of cheap available labor from the locals. The French colonial policies within Algeria calculatingly destroyed of the country’s native social system, whi ch had been built to cater for society’s basic needs. The settlers owned most of the Agricultural land, which resulted in high poverty levels among the Algerians. In the 1940, the population grew vastly which endangered the livelihood of most Algerians. Before Algeria’s independence in 1960, Algeria depended vastly on agriculture in addition to oil export. After independence, Algeria’s agricultural growth slowed down and oil as well as other hydrocarbons became an important source of income. Between 1950 and 1960, new land rights were introduced in which land became nationalized (Colombo, Caridi, & Kinninmont, 2012). Algeria’s Economy between 1960 and 1980 Before its independence in 1962, the minority of European colonizers and their progenies controlled the Algerian economy. The Algerian economy has essentially depended on oil exportation for revenue generation hence for economy development. The economy is thus considered a market based economy. During t he seventies, the economic policies were grounded on the command economy style (Paciello, Ayeb, Gillot, & Moisseron, 2012). The macroeconomic policies were flaccid and highly dependent on central organization and administrative guidelines. Market prices remained constant for long periods, while basic requirements were heavily subsidized, which resulted in repressed inflation and superfluous demand for the consumer goods. Public division investment was apportioned centrally by managerial schemes. Utmost investment funding was provided by the treasury and distributed to other subdivisions through the Algerian Bank for Development. The entire investment expenses in infrastructure, agricultural sector, and social schemes were dependent on the budget (Paciello, Ayeb, Gillot, & Moisseron, 2012). The distorted prices, poor infrastructure led to neglect of small enterprises. The industrial sector faced numerous managerial problems attributed to bureaucratic and inflexible management structu res. Inadequate marketing facilities, poor transport systems, and unsuitable management resulted in widespread wastage of limited resources, which gravely impaired the long-term welfare of the Algerian economy (Europa Publications, 2012). Algeria’s Economy from 1990 Until Now Agriculture remains a highly valued economic activity in Algeria though it currently provides employment to a small percentage of about 5% of the population.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The History in behind Dolly Parton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The History in behind Dolly Parton - Essay Example The name of the song was, "Puppy Love" which many people from the south are sure to be able to remember (Morning Edition 2002). When Dolly graduated from High-School she wanted to further her developing singing career so she packed up and moved to the big city of Nashville. She hit big with 'Porter Wagon' and for seven years on his show she built up her career rather fluidly. She finally decided to leave the program but before doing so she received two Country Music Association Awards for duo of the year (Pigeon-Forge 2006). From there her career has grown to vast proportions and is still growing in her other endeavors which includes two books that she has put together, and she even plans on having more published. However the two that have been out for quite some time are, "Dolly Parton: My Life", and "Other Unfinished Business" (Pigeon Forge 2006). On top of her more famous works, she also is very affluent in the business world, having developed many attractions in her hometown. Als o, every year there is a parade in Pigeon Forge which Dolly is a part of, this year will mark the 6th year of that parade. It is perceived that she enjoys it just as much as her fans enjoy coming out to stand in the crowd and wave as her float goes by. The parade itself draws 50,000 people that line the sides of the streets just to have a chance to see the famous country singer. There are numerous floats that are incorporated in with Dolly's but she is the main part of the annual parade every year. There are quite often times every year where Dolly's float stops in the streets while she sings one of her more famous songs that are hits with the crowd. This year she will be turning 60 years old and still going strong with her many personal projects, as well as her music, and business plans. Furthermore, Dolly has been a part of many fundraisers in her life thus far and has made many contributions to society as a whole. In fact, among these, she has developed one of the most famously k nown theme parks in the south known now as "Dollywood" which lies in the heart of Sevierville, Tennessee (Sevierville 2000). Dolly wanted to contribute something back to her home of the Great Smoky Mountains, but not only this she wanted to try and develop more employment opportunities for the people who live there. By opening her theme park in 1986 she has indeed provided extra employment and essential income for many of the families in the area as it has become the #1 State attraction in Tennessee, drawing over 2 million vacationers every year (The Songwriters Hall of Fame 2002-2006). Because of her presence and renowned history in the town of Sevierville, the city of Pigeon Forge has become one of the hottest points for well known country star singers, bringing thousands of visitors with every year that passes. Dolly Parton's career has been ongoing for over four decades now and she has been introduced into the country hall of fame as well. There was a point in time however well she felt her appearance might have held her back from several opportunities but by how much she has never said for a certainty. Her comment about how she felt about herself when she was in her much younger form is included in the following paragraph. I had this piled up mop of bleached blonde hair, and

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Power of Judicial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Power of Judicial - Essay Example Judicial review refers to the authority of a court (the Supreme Court or its lower courts) to examine either an executive or legislative act whether it is lawful (constitutional) or not; if not, then the court declares such act as illegal and invalidates the said act as having no legal effect. It is a well-established legal doctrine by practice but it has not been adequately settled as an issue. There are two prevailing opinions on the supposed power of judicial review by the Supreme Court. The first view is that no such explicit powers had been granted or contemplated by the Founding Fathers since nowhere in the Constitution was such powers of judicial review clearly stipulated. The second and opposing view is that the Founding Fathers had intended to grant such powers of review but may have inadvertently omitted it by oversight or by mistake only. Opponents of judicial review cite Section II, Article III of the Constitution as not saying a power to review had been granted since wha t this section contains is merely a mention of judicial power (but not judicial review powers) while its advocates cite legal precedence in this regard. It had been decided when this issue came up in Marbury v. Madison (1803) when the U.S. Supreme Court for the very first time declared an act of Congress as unconstitutional. This act is declared illegal, hence this implies the power of judicial review by the Supreme Court. However, advocates of judicial review most often cite the article by Alexander Hamilton  in the Federalist (Paper No. 78) as the ultimate guide whether the Founding Fathers intended for a judicial review.  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Spectator and Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Spectator and Cinema - Essay Example In the mid-'70s, the concept began to play a major role in the theoretical discussions in Britain and North America, with the result that psychoanalytical studies of the viewing subject have proliferated. In my reading of Wings of Desire, I borrow from several theoreticians of suture, including some who have been at odds with each other concerning the scope and consequence of this concept. Although my reading of Wings of Desire certainly owes much to the French scholars, claims I make concerning Wenders' film run counter to the original polemical thrust of their work. For them, suture denotes the operation by which cinema encloses the subject in ideology. Their analysis bears primarily on dominant Hollywood cinema, and they restrict the scope of suture to the ideological effacement of the cinematic code. They are reductive as well with respect to the semiotic system of suturing, positing at times the shot/reverseshot system or point-of-view cutting as the fundamental cinematic articulation of suture. Other French film theoreticians who complement a general semiotics of cinema with Lacanian notions of the subject and signification, such as Christian Metz and Jean-Louis Baudry, have avoided such a rigid application of suture to the cinematic apparatus and, nevertheless, have arrived at the even more pessimistic conclusion that cinema itself functions as a support and in strument of ideology. (Metz 1974, 39-47) Anglo-American film scholars have expanded on these psychoanalytical theories of cinema without sharing their negative assessment of the basic cinematic apparatus. (MacCabe 1977, 48-76) However, such challenges to the original French position on cinema and ideology have pertained for the most part only to films that resist closure and foreground lack and alienation. Thomas Elsaesser's 1980 article on Fassbinder is an important example of such criticism in the area of German cinema. Focusing on Fassbinder, but also claiming relevance for New German Cinema in general (mentioning by name Herzog, Wenders, Syberberg, and Kluge), Elsaesser responds to the more radical conclusions drawn by Baudry and Metz. He rejects their implication that "the cinema is indeed an invention without a future' because it systematically ties the spectator to a regressive state, in an endless circuit of substitution and fetishization." (Elsaesser 1986, 537) Nevertheless, suture as well as narrative closure of any kind has remained ideologically suspect. Wings of Desire provides, I think, an excellent opportunity to re-examine this bias that, in the wake of Oudart and his successors, persists against identification and narrative (closure). In the discussion of suture, the emphasis has been on processes of identification that position the viewing

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Publix Essay Example for Free

Publix Essay October sixth my birthday. Just turning sixteen years old. I finally got a car, a license, and a bunch of friends to tote around. The only probably being, I didnt have a job. Now that I was legal to work in the United States, I couldnt wait to finally get a job and have my own money. I knew that I would have to get one once I turned 16. My parents were always super strict on being independent and developing work experience, so I started applying places. The first thing that set me up for failure was the time of the year I was applying. Its a fact that late fall, and winter time is the worst time to apply for a job, because companies do not want to take on new people right as the busy time is rolling in. Another thing is my standards on where I would apply, and where I would not. And Publix grocery store was number one on that list. I had such a bad idea in my brain about Publix. I thought that it was such a low job, that only people who were desperate worked as baggers there. After putting in more than fifty applications and only getting one call back, I finally broke down and applied to Publix. Take in mind, this was about a month and half after I turned sixteen; so I was paying for gas in change I found in couch cushions, and money I made from doing chores. About January 4th, after I forgot I even put in an application, I got a call while I was working out at Planet Fitness, the call was from Ramona Novak, the administrative coordinator at the Publix on the island. She called to ask if I was still interested in coming in for an interview. I said yes, and she told me to come in that Friday. I got off the phone, and I told my friends, Cambria and Chloe who I had just talked to, and told them I had an interview at Publix but I didnt think I was going to go because I didnt want to bag groceries for a living. They talked me into going, and that I didnt have anything to lose. Come that Friday, I was a nervous wreck. And I never get nervous. I love getting in front of crowds, talking in front of people, and just being myself all the time. But people who have authority over me and who can pretty much make or break a situtation make me entirely too nervous. I left school early that Friday, because I didnt want to start my future Publix career late to my interview. I remember exactly what I wore, and let me just say it was not interview appropriate I had on jeans, worn out brown winter boots, a black cardigan, and a cheetah scarf. Sounds okay for a high school student, but definitely not for an interview, I pretty much set myself up for failure. I arrived to the store ten minutes early, because my dad always told me if your not five minutes early, then you are late. Punctuality is always a good thing. I waited at customer service, not having any idea who to talk to, or what to do. They finally noticed me awkwardly standing there and asked me if I needed help. I told them I had an interview, and they took my upstairs to wait. I sat down in the break room, nervously awaiting my fate. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. The door finally swung open, and Ramona told me to come into the office. It was time for my interview. I walked in, and shook hands with the one and only, Mr.  Dave Scott. He asked me basic questions, then we got into school stuff, work experience, why I wanted this job, and I felt like I was taking a quiz in chemistry class, not knowing any of the right answers. Mr. Scott told me that he had a report card he would have to fill out whenever I left which made me even more nervous. The interview lasted probably ten minutes tops. I thanked him for his time, and he told me he would look over it and hopefully give me a call. I walked out of his office, thinking Id never enter this building again. I knew I had blown it. He didnt like me, he thought I was too inexperienced, I wouldnt fit in here, I answered the questions all wrong. All I could think about is where I would be applying to next. A couple days later, I got a phone call from an unknown number, I answered it out of curiosity and it was Ramona telling me that I got the job. I was ecstatic. I would never have to lift another couch cushion for change again. She told me I had to come in for a drug test, and to sign some papers. I came in a few days later and I took the drug test. Never have I touched a drug in my life, but I was so nervous that somehow, someway a drug got into my system and the test would come out positive and I would never get this job. But it didnt, and she called me and scheduled my days to come in for training. This day she also gave me my uniform. I was so excited to go back home and try it on and wear my new name tag. Training was a very unique experience. Pretty much it was fifteen future Publix employees from different stores in one tiny room learning about the history of Publix, slip prevention, till reports, and how to avoid damages. I remember exactly who I was sitting next to, because those people work at my store now. The one guy was like 27, reeked of cigarettes, and fell asleep each day of training, he was definitely a strange one. Its pretty ironic how were really good friends now. And the girl I went to school with, but I didnt know her too well, so it was a little awkward. I was the loudest person in training though, everyone probably hated me. I answered all the questions, and vollunteered for each activity. I was just so excited. January 21st: my first real day of work. I remember this day like it was yesterday. I came in with my apron still having the fold marks on it, my hair was in a bun on top of my head, and I had silver glitter on as eye shadow. I was ecstatic to be a front service clerk, bag peoples groceries, put them in their car, all for minimum wage. So, I clocked in and I met my customer service team leader, Brandi Griffin. Brandi helped me so much my first day, I have her to thank for making me want to come back for my second. She had another front service clerk (or as I like to call them, baggers) train me. Now this was probably the most awkward situation of my life. Bagging is a pretty simple task, bread and eggs go to together, cans on the bottom, and the produce in one bag, and I think I understood that in training. So Ben just kind of stood there watching me while Brandi was behind me giving me thumbs up and smiling from ear to ear. I finally was on my own. And then Brandi told me to go get carts. The first time I ever did this was terrible. I had no idea how to turn or push these massive things, and I ended up hitting an elderly customer on my very first day. I was mortified. Come that night, I was closing. Which meant I had to do floor care, and since I am a minor, I had to mop. The first time I ever mopped, I had blisters on my hands for a week. Come eleven o clock that night, I had never been more excited to leave anywhere in my life. I came home, took, a shower, and passed out on my bed. After a couple of months of getting used to things, drowning out the constant beep, beep of the registers, getting in the flow, and meeting my coworkers, my assitant customer service manager, Kayce Jenkins told me, Amanda were cross training you tonight. Those six words had never sounded so good together in my life. Cross training meant, I would be a cashier, along with being a bagger. Not at the same time though. The first time I was ever on a register, I messed up so bad. Which is to be expected because I was so nervous again. I really enjoyed cashiering though, I felt pretty confident by the end of the night. I hate to toot my own horn, but now that Ive been a cashier for a while, Im pretty fast, and I know the majority of the fruit PLU numbers. Its always really fun when a customer comes in with a lot of coupons, its like a game. How much lower can my bill get?! At Publix, I feel like were one big family. I call Kayce mom, and she calls me cupcake. Remember Mr. Dave Scott? Mr. Intimidating? He called me cupcake the other day shocked is an understatement. We do everything together and not just cause were forced to work and get along. But I remember when we vollunteered for Habitat for Humanity together. A team that works together, builds houses together. Lets just say me and my coworkers got really personal that day, we learned a lot about eachother. They finally learned I wasnt always a positive person after working in the sun for a good six hours. I also had to close and do floors that night so, I technically worked a 16 hour day. Working as a minor definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that during the school year, on school nights I can never stay past 10:15, so that means I never have to do floors Sunday through Thursday. Something else is that at every single Publix, there is this thing we do called beverage checks. It is pretty much when two Publix assosicates, one that is under 18, and one that is under 21, goes to another Publix store dressed in regular clothes not in our uniforms, and tries to buy tobacco, lottery, and alcohol. Since I am under 18, Im always responsible for the tobacco and the lottery tickets. Its very nerve wracking and you feel really bad if you do trick the person into selling it to you. But its also very fun because its like a mini field trip from work, that you get paid for, and you get to practice your acting skills and see how old some people think you are. I have never actually had someone sell the illegal items to me before though, so thats a good thing. Some disadvantages that come with being a minor at Publix is that we cannot opperate the motor carts, that some disabled or elderly customers use. So if Im out doing carts, and I see one of the motor ones, Im not aloud to touch it. Also Im not aloud to opperate the scrub machines, when I do floors. So every single time I do them, I have to mop. And lastly, there are things called minor violations, and this pretty much means that if I work for more than three hours at a time, without a break, Publix will get a $1,000 dollar fine for each minute Im over three hours. So whoever is running the front, always reminds me of my break. This is can be an advantage or a disadvantage. Because 95% of the time, I do know when my break is, Im responsible enough to check it, and they always remind the minors fifty times when their breaks are which can get annoying. But Im thankful for it because that 5% of that time that I dont know when my break is, I know that theyre there to tell me it. It probably sounds like I hate my job after telling you the disadvantages, but the advantages, the people, and my managers definitely outweigh the disadvantages every time. And I truly love my job. One of the things that comes with working for a big corporation is promotions, retirements, and letting people go. This can be a very heart breaking process that I have experineced numorous times. The first time I got a taste of this was a couple months after I started working there, I became close with a customer service associate, Brandee (a different Brandi than the first one. ) We always had our breaks together, and she was all around such a sweet and amazing person and Im so thankful to have met her and have her in my life. The day she told me that she was getting a promotion, I was so ecstatic for her, but then she told me that shed have to be transferring and my heart broke in half. Another example is Brandi, our customer service team leader. She told me that she got a promotion to be an assitant customer service manager at another store. After a couple rounds of this I finally realized, change is inevitable. People change, work changes, positions change, you just have to accept it and move on. Just keep those people in your heart, and visit them often. But one change was harder to accept than the rest. And I think its ironic that Im writing my essay on this, and this just happened at work. Dave Scott? Remember him? Well August 31st, 2012 was his last day as a bagger, a cashier, an FEC, a deli clerk, and most importantly a Publix store manager. I believe Dave Scott was the foundation of our store. He took pride in his employees and his customers. And really believed in the open door policy, he was always available to talk to, no matter the situation. Although this is my first job, I know for a fact Mr. Scott will be the best boss I will ever have. He wasnt just a boss to me, I looked up to him, he was like a second father, and a truely great friend. I found out about his retirement on August 30th. I came into work about ten minutes early, to put my stuff down, and to talk to people. I noticed there was a circle of managers at the door when I walked in so I asked Katelyn what was going on. She said to me, Mr. Scott is retiring. Tomorrow is his last day. After hearing those words it felt like my mind went blank. I couldnt believe cupcake would be gone, tomorrow. I started freaking out, not knowing what to say, figuring out the right way to say good bye, but nothing was coming to me. So I walked over to the time clock to wait for 5:30 to punch in. I turned and looked in the direction of the huddle of my mangers and Mr. Scott caught my eye and started walking towards me. Come her, cupcake! , he said with his arms wide open for a hug. Keep in mind I dont think Ive ever seen Dave Scott hug anybody in my life, so I was pretty shocked. We hugged and I was tearing up, I didnt even know what to say. He said hed miss me, and I told him I would miss him so much, and I asked him what he planned on doing now. He said he was going to open some new genius company, and I told him I would gladly work for him there. After all, hes the one who gave me the job I hold dear to now. Obviously he knows where people belong. I believe in fate and karma. That everything happens for a reason and positive thinking. For some reason, that one company who didnt call me back for an interview wasnt supposed to. I was supposed to scrounge for change for those first three months, to fall into place of where I am now. Store 336 has my heart. I couldnt imagine working anywhere else because I know Id be upset. I was always the person to say Do what you love for a living, that way it never feels like a job. I dont want to stay at Publix for the rest of my life, but I do know I will be working my way up into the system, and who knows, maybe one day Ill be my own version of Mr. Scott. I hope to make an impact on some of my coworkers lives, just like they have on my own. People always ask me if I really do like my job, it may come off as misleading because Publix grocery store doesnt seem like a fun place to work to others, but Im so thankful to have the job I do, and to truely enjoy it.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The opening sequence of the Simpsons Essay Example for Free

The opening sequence of the Simpsons Essay Analyse the opening sequence of the Simpsons. How does the opening sequence appeal to a variety of age groups? Is this a successful title sequence? Matt Groening changed television forever when he brought animation back to primetime with this immortal nuclear family. It was first screened on 14th January 1990 and it has become one of the worlds most famous cartoon as it always captured a regular audience of 24 million each week. It has also established itself as an award-winning international pop culture phenomenon. It is the longest-running sitcom of all time and it is also one of the most literate television programs on the air. It contains many references to subject matter and scholars from various academic fields. It also contains over a hundred instances of mathematic ranging from arithmetic to geometry to calculus. Most episodes of The Simpsons contain significant math that relates to material we normally cover in our classes. The programmer is also an ideal source of fun. The show is funny with bad language and offensive things! At the opening sequence the Simpsons appear out of clouds, and then it shows us Homer in the Nuclear Power Plant and after that throws the little piece of fuel out of the car on his way home. Secondly it shows us Bart writing on the skating board and when bill rings he jumps out of the school skating on air and then crosses the traffic. Thirdly it shows us the mother, Marge Simpson doing her shopping and it also shows us that Maggie got scanned. After that Lisa Simpson comes up in her music class playing her saxophone and also she got kicked out of the class. The sequence ends in a funny way as the whole family sets on sofa watching T.V. The town of Springfield is full of places that the Simpsons family go and which most of the scenes occur. The Nuclear Power Plant is where Homer Simpson works in as the safety inspector. The school where Bart Simpson does his detention and writes silly quotes on the board with the chalk, For example: No one wants to hear about my sciatica, I cant see dead people, I did not win the Nobel Fart Prize, I have neither been there nor done that, etc The music store is where Lisa goes and looks for some music equipment as she is fascinated by music equipments and musicians. She is also in the school music team and a saxophonist. T.V store in which Bart like to miss around as he is known as a naughty boy! The shopping centre which Marge Simpson goes with Maggie does her shopping for her family and buys food We learn that Homer works in a nuclear power station in which he makes radioactive metals. He drops it while he was on his way home which means that he is careless and stupid! He nearly got ran over by a car which means he is clumsy and got a slow reflex action. We also learn that he is a slacker who is completely unqualified for his job. We also learn that he is a pig when it comes to food!! Marge Simpson doesnt appear a lot in the opening sequence as she only appears twice. First time is when she was shopping with little Maggie and funnily Maggie got scanned. The second time she appeared was when the whole family gathered around the sofa to watch T.V. which means that she is a good mother and she is looking after her familys needs. Bart Simpson is simply a rule breaker, he always gets in trouble and he stays at school to do detention and he writes some silly words on the board, e.g. I will not encourage others to fly, I will not fake my way through life, I will not sell my kidney on eBay. He also appears when he was skating, and when he crossed the street and almost got hit by a car. He is a poor student who enjoys comic books and television and hates girls. Lisa Simpson only appeared once when she was playing her saxophone in the band and she didnt follow the note and so she got sent off. So she is kind of a role breaker as well but she is not as bad as her brother! She can be described as an excellent student who is completely the opposite of Bart except they both enjoy violent cartoons. The cartoon shows the family always gets in little arguments. It also shows that its impossible to be good all the time. E.g. when theyre eating at home they use no table manners and when they go to church they try to be like normal families. There are also times in the show when they change from comedy and give a meaningful message about family values, or friendship, etc.. There are also some funny situations where they cant take the correct action at the beginning of the problem but they manage to get through it by the end of the show. Here is a little description of each character of the Simpsons family: Homer Simpson is a man who can only be described in one word overachieving. For a man with no brain, athletic, logical, social, or any other kind of skills, he has done a lot, including having three successful kids, a loving wife, and a steady job as the safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. He is also an alcoholic!!! Marge Simpson is the glue that holds the Simpsons together. Without her continuous cleaning, scrubbing, mopping, the family would fall apart. Marge is always there to keep her husband in check, motivate Bart, cheer up Lisa, and just keep Maggie satisfied. She is very proud of her husband and she also has strong relations with her sisters. Bart Simpson is, first and foremost, a rebel. He is well-known across the city as a troublemaker and an underachiever, calling in prank calls, working in burlesque houses, etc However he got a sense of humour as he always cracking jokes and always up for an adventure. Lisa Simpson is straight student, a brilliant saxophonist, and an amateur philosopher. She is full of great thoughts and talents. She is always happy with herself. She is only 8; however she cant wait for collage. Maggie Simpson is a silent staple in the Simpsons family. She is always seen with the family, never speaking, but always secretly thinking. Bart Simpson writes on the blackboard. The writing changes every title sequence and it actually shows us what Bart does in his everyday life. E.g. I will not sell my kidney on e-bay, this quote tells us that Bart tried to sell his kidney on the Internet. The opening sequence also tells us that Bart is usually misunderstood. Wrongly pegged as an underachiever and troublemaker as he is always in detention. It also tells us that he is careless and doesnt care about his life or doesnt look out for dangerous things such as when he crossed the road and almost got hit by a car, this is also tells us that he is a bit stupid!! Homer Simpson was doing his little experiment on the Nuclear Power Plant with the radioactive piece of fuel and then it went in his hood and then he throws it out of the car. This tells us that he only cares about food because when teatime came he left his job in a hurry and that piece of fuel went in his hood and then he didnt recognise that it was a radioactive thing when he threw it out of the car window which tells us that he is very careless. We also saw Lisa in the music class playing her saxophone and she the teacher sent her out because she didnt follow the note and went on playing her own note, the funny bit was when she kept on playing with the saxophone after the teacher sent her off. It sounded like she was just trying to get the teachers off. Another funny situation when Marge Simpson was shopping and Maggie wondered off and got scanned by the machine and then she suddenly appeared at one of the bags on the trolley. And finally when the whole family sat on the sofa watching T.V which shows us how important T.V is in their life. Its also funny when they were rushing to sit on the sofa and then they crashed and fell on the floor I think the opening sequence suits every age-group. E.g. when Bart Simpson was in detention and he was writing his quotes on the blackboard I will not sell my kidney on eBay, they are laughing at me, not with me, garlic gum is not funny, I will not Xerox my butt, I will not do that thing with my tongue all these things appeal to the teen-agers in which it grabs the people in my age group to watch The Simpsons. Another example, little kids like 3-6 years old might like Maggie Simpson as she does some funny moves, like when she wandered of her mum, or when she feeds the dog. She also wandered the town of Springfield all by herself, and shes shot Springfields richest man because he attempted to steal her lollipop!!! She also tries to walk without falling which the younger kids might like to see. Here comes the most interesting part of all, the Simpson cartoon was also very successful in grabbing the eldest attention. The Simpsons makes the family sit on the sofa together watching the Simpson which rarely happens in our lives as older people usually watch shows and films which younger children dont see. and they dont watch cartoons either. However Matt Groening had the ability to make a cartoon which parents like to watch. Families and older people like to watch the Simpsons because it discusses problems in our lives sometimes and it shows us the argument between the family and how they solve it. It also shows us the father telling something to his son like giving him advice; he is also very funny and sometimes cracks jokes and acts funnily. Also Mr. Groening was successful to make something to show that the mothers always play the most important part in the family. Therefore he created the perfect character of all, the mother, Marge Simpson; she is like the glue that holds the Simpsons together. Without her constant cleaning, scrubbing, mopping, and gentle nagging the family would fall apart. Marge always keeps her husband in check, motivate Bart, cheer up Lisa or keep Maggi satisfied. She stands up against cartoon violence and she can also be trusted in taking ethical decisions.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Energy Storage Systems for Advanced Power Applications

Energy Storage Systems for Advanced Power Applications Abstract The following assignment contains the topic of power transmission systems for offshore wind farms. The three main types of transmission discussed is Line Commutated Converters, Voltage Sourced Converters and High Voltage Alternating Current. Introduction       Electrical Energy Storage technology is proficient in coping with key characteristics of electricity. One trait is its ability to hourly vary in demand and price. Soon electrical energy storage will become essential in bringing relevant markets together to use more renewable energy, to accomplish low CO2 levels for Smart Grids Electrical Energy Storage has three main objectives. These are: Electrical Energy Storage lowers electricity costs by harvesting electricity attained during off-peak times. To improve reliability of power supplies. Electrical Energy Storage consumers during network failures. For example, during natural disasters. To maintain and improve power quality, frequency and voltage. In general, the definition of Smart Grid is to modernise the electricity grid. It involves all aspects related to the electrical system between any point, from generation to consumption. Now that Smart grid technology has been implemented the grid has become more flexible and interactive and gives immediate feedback. The Smart Grid will provide information concerning the price of electricity and the state the power system can be exchanged between electricity production and consumption to realise a more efficient and reliable power supply Electrical Energy storage is significant in the development of Smart Grid. Types of Energy Storage and Features Electrical Energy Storage Classification      Ã‚   To classify electrical energy storage systems the sort of energy used must be considered. In figure one below the storage technologies are categorised into; mechanical, electromechanical, chemical, electrical and thermal energy storage systems. Secondary energy carriers such as, hydrogen and synthetic natural gas are operated to store electrical energy via electrolysis of water to create hydrogen and methane. Fuel cells oxidises hydrogen or methane to produce electricity. The combination of the electrolysis fuel cell procedure is an electrochemical energy storage system. However, both gases are multi-purpose energy carriers. For example, the electricity can be produced in a gas or steam turbine. Thus, they are categorised as chemical energy storage systems. Thermal energy storage systems are also considered. Most thermal energy systems are not the direct input to storage systems. However, using the help of thermal energy storage the energy from renewable energy sources can be strengt hened, which allows electricity to be produced on demand. Hot molten salts in concentrated solar power plants and the storage of heat in compressed air plants using an adiabatic process to achieve efficiency is an example. Mechanical Storage Systems Pumped hydroelectric, compressed air energy storage and flywheel energy storage are the most popular mechanical storage systems used. Pumped Hydro Storage Pumped hydro storage technology uses to reservoirs at different altitudes. At off peak times water from the bottom reservoir is pumped to the top reservoir. This is can be referred to as charging. Once electrical energy is need water from the top reservoir flows back down to the bottom reservoir, which in turn powers turbines positioned between the top and bottom reservoir. The turbines are connected to generators to then produce electricity. This is known as discharging. Pumped hydro relies on environmental locations. For high and low reservoirs dams, flooded mine shafts, other underground cavities and the open sea are suitable locations to construct a pumped hydro energy system plant. Currently in the UK there is one pumped hydro station located in Dinorwg in North Wales. This is the power station depicted in figure two below. Discharge time periods can last up to several hours to a few days. This depends on the size of the plant. They are seventy to eighty-five per cent efficient. Some advantages of pumped hydro technology is the long lifetime and practicability unlimited cycle stability of the installation. Disadvantages are its dependency on topographical conditions and large land area used. Compressed Air Energy Storage Compressed air technology is used as a storage means due to its obtainability. Air is compressed and kept in underground structures or above ground systems of vessels or pipes. Natural gas is then mixed with the compressed air and burned, which is expanded in specialised gas turbines. Usual underground storage system locations are caverns, aquifers or abandoned mines. This process is illustrated in figure three below. Heat cannot be released during compression dissipation as it will cool while in storage. The air needs to be reheated before expansion in the turbine. This is called Diabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage. This method gives low round trip efficiencies of less than fifty per cent. This system is well established with plants having high reliability and are proficient at starting without extraneous power. The main advantages of compressed air energy storage are its large capacity. The disadvantages the technology develops is low round trip efficiency and location restriction. Flywheel Energy Storage Flywheel energy storage generates energy using a rotating cylinder and stores its energy in an accelerated rotor. The flywheel is made up of a rotating body/cylinder within a compartment. There are also bearing and a transmission device. The electrical energy is generated by the flywheel by keeping the rotation of the body at a constant speed. The higher the speed the more energy stored. To function the flywheel is electrically supplied by a transmission device. If the speed reduces then electricity my by gathered from the system by the transmission device.   The rotor of the flywheel is made out of high strength carbon filaments. These are suspended by magnetic bearings. The rotor can reach speeds of twenty thousand to over fifty thousand revs per minute in a vacuum enclosure. The advantages of using flywheels enables a long-life span, little maintenance, high power density uses environmentally inert material and has excellent cycle stability. The disadvantages to flywheels have high levels of discharge to the resistance in the air and bearing losses. They also suffer from low current efficiency.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Raptor Red :: essays research papers

1. The novel I read was "Raptor Red" by Robert T. Bakker. Published by Simon & Schuster, in 1995. Rapotor Red is a female raptor struggling to survive in a kill or be killed world on her own after losing her mate. 2. The setting changes all throughout the book as Raptor Red migrates from one place to another. In somesettings she is in thick rich mossy forests looking for plump Iguanadons to eat, to other desert like lands where the sun is so hot she must sleep through the midday and hunt late afternoon when the heat is bearable. Setting is a very important because the authour must reconstruct the crustacoius period setting and all the vegitation ,lust forests, muddy salt flats, sandy beaches, and dry temperate valleys. These settings are all very vital to the book because it creates the prehistoric atmosphere and brutal planet these giants once inhabited. One of the key elements to the book to make it more realistic is how the author describes in detail all the other animals that Raptor Red hunts and runs into in the book. The author puts great detail in how Raptor Red stalks her prey and kills her victims. Once you start reading this book and you see how intelligent raptors once were you really can't decipher Raptor Red's thinking to a modern day human hunter. 3. This book follows the life of Raptor Red and all the troubles a raptor would face in it's life from good times to bad. The book starts off with Raptor Red hunting an Ultrasaurus with her mate. They carefully select the dinosaur they will single out to kill. They look for faults in their prey, like injuries, preoccupation with someting elese, stragglers who want to rest for a while, just about anything to help assure a safe victory without any injuries to themselves. Raptor Red and her mate single out an Ultrasaurus who is preoccupied with trying to mate rather than pay any attention to the fact that it was being stalked by predators. Raptor Red and the mate kill the Ultrasaurus on a mud flat, and the Ultrasaurus falls on it's knees and dies. While Raptor Red and her mate are gorging on the larg animal her mate detects a scent of another kind of smalled raptors in the area that want some of the kill. Raptor Reds mate lets out a fierce roar

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Poll

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan, was a great read. I came into the adventure without much background regarding what kind of book it was going to be, and to my astonishment it was more of an educational journey than pages of force-fed beliefs. Michael Pollan has a writing style that is both loose and intriguing and really kept my attention throughout. Having already read extensively concerning human nutrition and food, I am usually skeptical when beginning such reads as this one, but I was very surprised that Mr. Pollan was very objective, in that this was seemingly a field trip and journey from environment to plate. I will begin this report with a summary of this great book and delve deeper into the thoughts that the literary family has of it. I will then go on to explain its importance in the development of environmental policy and impact, and end with my thoughts regarding the material and the interaction among social and environmental values and impacts presented by the author Michael Pollan. Summary The book begins with the question of â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† and stands to answer that question the rest of the way. Speaking directly of Americans, Pollan explains in-depth how the Nation tends to jump from fad to fad, first being afraid of carbohydrates, and then switching to fats, and so on. He goes on to explain where this thought process might have come from with the history of the Carter administration in 1977, as dietary goals were issued and the red meat lovers of America were warned to cut back. From that time on it has been an ever-changing lipo-, carbo-, phobia, with a cycle of weight loss and gain. With this question at hand, Michael Pollan begins to dive de... ...ormative history as he travels from the cornfields of Iowa, to the feedlot, to the forest floor in search of chanterelles, and then coming full circle to the dinner table. The information given is not always pleasant, but it is necessary for an informed eater in America to be aware of. The effects of knowing can cause us to be more responsible in what we are purchasing at the grocery store (and essentially voting for). He shows that making the correct decision to the question â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† can also be the choice that tastes the best and is the best for you. Works Cited Kamp, D. (2006). â€Å"Deconstructing Dinner.† New York Times: Sunday Book Review. 26 April 2006.http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/23/books/review/23kamp.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Pollan, M. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York. Random. 2006. Print

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Sectionalism Due to Western Expansion

The Antebellum period from 1800 to 1850 marked a time of sectionalism in American history. Furthermore, new territories gained during western expansion added to this conflict between different sections of America. Southern states wanted new slave territories, while the North wanted to contain the spread of slavery. While Western expansion contributed to growing sectional tensions between the North and South from 1800-1820, sectionalism intensified significantly from 1820-1850. Since the turn of the nineteenth century, Western territorial expansion started to increase a sense of sectionalism throughout America.President Jefferson obtained the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon in 1803, gaining unfamiliar territory West of the Mississippi River. As Lewis and Clark explored the area, others began to populate it, slowly leading to increased tensions between the North and the South. Soon an act was passed stating that territories with a certain number of inhabitants would be added to the un ion as newly developed states. Furthermore, During the Adams-Onis treaty with Spain, Florida was peacefully acquired as a state in America, which also increased tension.Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, and King Cotton increased the South’s dependence on slaves to sustain the supply and demand of cotton, while the North favored the containment of slavery; This difference between the territories regarding slavery directly contributed to the sense of sectionalism shared throughout the nation. However the issue of slavery would be postponed due to the War of 1812, and for a while afterwards, America’s shared sense of nationalism overpowered their shared sense of sectionalism.Around the time of 1820, America’s pride in their victory in the war of 1812 was wearing off, and the balance of nationalism and sectionalism among the nation shifted primarily due to Westward expansion. The Missouri Compromise of 1820, introduced by Henry Clay, allowed for both Maine and Missou ri to be admitted into the union on condition that Missouri became a slave state, as well as banning slavery above the thirty-sixth parallel. Any state admitted into the Union bellow this line would decide the legality of slavery for their new state, by popular sovereignty.This temporarily maintained the balance of slave states and free states in the Union, while increasing sectionalism throughout America. Neither the North or South wanted the other section to have more states favoring their own slavery ideals, in fear of biased representation in the Senate. Furthermore, sectionalism was demonstrated by the fact that congress felt the need to implement â€Å"The Gag rule†; This disallowed congress from discussing the issue of slavery for the next thirty years (while only lasting a decade).Though members of the house tried to pass the Wilmot proviso, which would ban slavery in newly acquired Mexican territories, Southerners naturally opposed this. Disagreements over how to dec ide the newly acquired land’s position on slavery, further intensified sectionalism between the North and South. At one point the South even tried to pass the Ostend Manifesto in an attempt to purchase Cuba from Spain, and admit it into the Union as a slave state.Although this effort failed, it strongly represents the intense sectionalism during the time: As an entire portion of the country acted autonomously to secure an additional state to gain power over their Northern neighbors. Finally, the compromise of 1850 was passed, declaring popular sovereignty as the determining factor of the position of slavery among the land gained from Mexico. Moreover, this compromise enforced a fugitive slave law, allowing the South to collect runaway slaves, abolished the slave trade in Washington D. C. , and admitted California as a free state.Although Congress implemented countless compromises to secure the unionization of America, their efforts proved futile, as sectionalism prevailed and the United States grew closer to an inevitable Civil War. Western expansion during the first half of the nineteenth century, along with increased tensions between the North and South due to slavery, directly increased the sense of sectionalism between the two regions. The controversy over controlled land transformed the nation’s intense sense of nationalism into an even more intense sense of sectionalism, leading to a Civil War only fifty years later.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Original Beauty Company’s Motivational Practices and Reward Systems: Theories of Motivation

Motivation is a word used to refer to the reason or reasons for engaging in a particular behaviour especially human behaviour. These reasons may include a drive, a need, a desire to achieve a goal, a state of being, or an ideal. In human beings, motivation involves both conscious and subconscious drives. http://www. internet-of-the-mind. com/define_motivation. html Following the Original Beauty Company’s detail, I would pick up some methods of motivations which have been used ‘The factory employs 10 people who work a 40 hours week and are currently paid either ?250 per week or ?275 per week if they have been with the company for three years. Herzberg’s hygiene needs is salary and status such as the factory paid 40 hours for ?250 per week and ?275 per week if they work about 3 years. Herzberg addressed money particularly referring specifically to salary. Herzberg acknowledged the complexity of the salary issue money, earnings†¦.. and concluded that money is no t a primary motivators but achievement and recognition. The method of its motivation is Herzberg, the theory of Herzberg believed that pay was not the only motivator and came up with his theory, which had two elements to it such as hygiene factors and motivators. For an employee to be motivated, all the hygiene (maintenance) factors have to be met first and then the motivators can be used to make them work harder. ‘There have been no pay increases for the last three years and labour turnover is 80% a year. ’ The company paid wages for staffs about 80% labour turnover, it is really bad because it is very high. This will affect to the company’s profits. ‘There is no training and newcomers are expected to learn the jobs by doing them. ’ Following Herzberg’s theory, the company have not trained staff to lead on staff to unable to know new methods or technology. These also will lead on de-motivation. ‘The filling and packing lines employ 8 people who are paid ?222 per week for a 37 hours week†¦.. Sometimes, at quite time of the year, they are laid off but receive a retainer of ?75 per week to ensure they do not take permanent work elsewhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. This group is well established with some employees having worked at the company for 20 years or more. They enjoy each others’ company and socialise as well as work together. ’ Herzberg’s theory in the hygiene factors relate on salary such as the factory would pay ?75 per week even through the factory are laid off, his helps the factory to retain staff. However, Herzberg said that offering pay rewards or increasing salary may not motivate employees but inadequate pay will de-motivate them. Moreover, the theory also relate on Mayo theory such as ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ they enjoy each others’ company and socialise as well as wor k together. ’ Mayo said that social needs are the most important motivation e. g. working in small groups and social activities. The warehouse staff work 37. 5 hours per week and are paid ?280 per week. They have been told that they should pack and despatch 40 cases per day each. Unsurprisingly, this target is never exceeded and has usually been met just after lunchtime each day. The reason which the target never exceeded and usually been met just after lunchtime each day, maybe the company have not got policies such as have to obtain the target and create rewards and threaten punishment them if not obtain the target. Following Taylor theory, he put forward the case that workers were only motivated by money, so work must be linked to payment. A manager should motivate a worker by using pay as an incentive and threaten them with less money or the sack if they did not work to the best of their ability. There are four office staffs that work a 35 hours week and are paid an average annual salary of ?22,500. They have the most pleasant working conditions of all staff in the company. They realise that they have to ensure a continuing flow of order and work hard in obtaining and processing orders and solving customer problems. They are the public face of the company and feel rewarded by the constant position feedback they receive from suppliers and customers. ’ The staffs are the most pleasant working condition, looking back Herzberg’s theory, he also mentions work condition. He stated that there are certain satisfiers and dissatisfies for employees at work. Intrinsic factors are related to job satisfaction, while extrinsic factors are associated with dissatisfaction. He devised his theory on the question: â€Å"What do people want from their jobs? † He asked people to describe in detail, such situations when they felt exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. From the responses that he received, he concluded that opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction. Removing dissatisfying characteristics from a job does not necessarily make the job satisfying. So, the office staffs are motivated and Herzberg said that Herzberg’s motivation theory involves what people actually do on the job and should be engineered into the job employees do in other to develop intrinsic motivation with the workforce such as feedback and recognition. Both these approaches such as hygiene and motivation must be done simultaneously. Treat people as best you can so they have a minimum of dissatisfaction. Use people so they get achievement, recognition fro achievement and responsibility they can grow and advance in their work. There is one factory manager who is paid ?26,000 per annum. The three section managers who run the different parts of the factory receive an annual salary of round ?19,000. Non of them are qualified beyond level three. The managers are expected to work for as long as is needed to solve any problem that arise when the factory. ‘There is no training and newcomers are expected to learn the jobs by doing them. ’ Although the managers have lots of experiences but they have not got enough qualifications to manage their role. However, the company also do not give an opportunity to improve their knowledge. Self-actualization is the summit of Maslow's motivation theory. It is about the quest of reaching one's full potential as a person. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as one grows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to grow. Self-actualized persons have frequent occurrences of peak experiences, which are energized moments of profound happiness and harmony. The way to motive workers is to offer the opportunity of satisfying higher needs. Staffs only work within their own sections. So, example, when the warehouses staffs have meet their daily output quote, they are not required to help out on the packing lines if they are busy. There is little willingness to take responsibility when difficulties arise with each department seeking to blame other departments. The company is not unionised†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Following Maslow theory about esteem needs such as responsibility, strategies such as increasing responsibility may be used to motivate workers. Fringe benefits are limited to discounted company products and a subsidised canteen. Meetings of staff are only called if there are problems and communication is top down†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Limiting to discount company products and a subsidised canteen also are not staff satisfaction, in Maslow theory, if basic needs such as safe working conditions or essential facility such as a restaurant which do not met or basic benefits which staff needs but it does not meet, workers will remain de-motivated. According to this theory, if these needs are not satisfied, then an individual will surely be motivated to satisfy them. Higher order needs will not be recognized not unless one satisfies the needs that are basic to existence. These mean that Maslow said the lower ranking needs such as the need of food and water were more basic. He outlined the basic needs have to be met first before employees can be motivated. His theory is known as the Hierarchy of Needs.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm

Percy Bysshe Shelley once said, â€Å"Power, like a desolating pestilence, pollutes what’er it touches. † He meant that when somebody acquires a reasonable amount of control or power over others, that dominance will eventually corrupt them. The corruption can quickly get to the point of extreme savagery emerging over respectable leadership, causing the people who are being ruled to suffer great hardship. This is exemplified in the novel,  Lord of the Flies,  by William Golding and in the film,  Animal Farm,  directed by John Halas and Joy Batchelor.In Lord of the Flies Jack begins as an innocent young choir boy who later on rises as a leader and turns into a vicious savage when the power goes to his head. Similarly in Animal Farm Napoleon initially promotes equality for all, but soon becomes corrupt and desires full power and control above all of the animals other after he gains authority. Both texts show that people will do almost anything to obtain and keep po wer whether it is fear or violence. In Lord of the flies Ralph is originally elected as the leader of the island, this was due to Ralph summoning the rest of the boys using the conch.The conch represents power, civilisation and order in the novel as it gives whoever is holding it the power of speech. As the boys became less civilised and more savage the conch started to deteriorate so did the boys society. Ralph led the boys with fairness, order and rules. He set jobs for the boys and listed goals he considered important to achieve. The main goal he set was to be rescued he considered a signal fire the best way to get the attention of a passing ship. Jack thought that gathering meat and hunting was the most important goal.Jack became leader of the hunters this was his first step into gaining absolute power. On the first hunt Jack was unable to kill the pig. This shows that at this point Jack still had morals and was not yet corrupt. Eventually Jack was able to kill a pig this shows Jacks loss of innocence and the start of his corrupt behaviour. Jack’s power soon escalates he offers the other boys meat, which is deemed as important by nearly all of the boys except for Ralph and Piggy. Jack soon starts his own tribe all the boys, bar Ralph and Piggy join up.This gives Jack what he had hoped for all along absolute power over the island. Jack and the boys now participates in daily hunts this shows Jacks corruption at its largest extent as after each hunt Jack becomes more and more savage and his power constantly grows along with it. Jack also uses fear of the beast to gain more power. Jack gave a sense of security and safety from the beast so the boys wouldn’t leave his tribe. Jack also controls the hunters who are the strongest and most savage on the island.The other boys are too afraid to leave Jack’s tribe as they fear they will be hunted. In Animal Farm, Snowball is originally elected as leader after their evil human owner is overthrown. S nowball treats all the other animals equally. Snowball and the other animals write 7 rules which must be followed by all animals. The seventh and most important rule is â€Å"All animals are equal†. This is very similar to Golding’s use of the conch in Lord of the Flies as, the society starts to corrupt the pigs change to rules to keep up with their corrupt ways.From the beginning of the film Napoleon one of the pigs wants to become sole leader of the farm, even though this would completely contradict the beliefs which all animals agreed on from the start. Showing that Napoleon is a power hungry character from the start, this resembles Jack and his need for power. Napoleon then uses a pack of trained dogs to kill Snowball after an argument. This is Napoleons first use of violence to gain power, this violence generates fear amongst the other animals giving him an easy rise to power.This resembles Jack and his use of fear to gain power. This is also the beginning of Napo leons rise to complete power. He uses his superior intelligence to convince the other not so intelligent animals that Snowball was a liar and a thief without any proof. While Jack does not possess the intellectual superiority he is still able to convince most of the boys to join his tribe. Once Napoleon and the other pigs move into the old farm house things start to get much worse, as they enjoy the life of luxury the house offers.They even go to the extent of changing one of the 7 rules from â€Å"No animal shall sleep in a bed† to â€Å"No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. This is clear abuse of power as Napoleon changes the agreed upon rules only benefiting himself and the other pigs. This is again similar to the conch as Jack shows complete disregard for the rule of the conch. That rule of course being, if somebody is holding the conch they talk and everybody else listens. Napoleon soon realises if he trades with people outside the farm then he will be able to gai n even more power.This similar to Jack as he realises that he will be able to generate more power if more people join his tribe. The pigs need the chicken’s eggs to meet their half of a deal, the chickens refuse as the whole point of the original rebellion was to make use the animals were not used again. This is similar to the way Piggy and Ralph act as they refuse to join Jack’s tribe because it goes against what they decided on at the beginning of the novel. The pigs then try to take the chickens eggs by force, but the chickens purposely break their own eggs.This is another example of Napoleon abusing his power because he thinks because of his power he can do whatever he wants. This is similar to Jack taking Piggy’s glasses as the glasses provided a window to more power. Napoleon makes up a speech claiming the chickens are traitors and that they must be punished to death. This shows that Napoleons greed, corruption and thirst for power has grown to such an ext ent that he is willing to kill anybody who defies his orders. The animal now fear for their lives when they are told they will be used for trade nobody defies this order.This closely mirrors Jacks way of leadership, however instead of killing them, Jack often orders them to be physically beaten. The pigs again change the rules reducing all seven into one single phrase â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others†. This rule states what had been evident the whole time that the pigs are superior, or more equal, than any other animal who are all equally below the pigs. This resembles the conch, when the conch was broken it symbolised the death of democracy and thus showing the island was run as a pure dictatorship.Meaning Jack was â€Å"more equal† than his counterparts. The pigs eventually become so powerful that they begin to resemble the humans they replaced, even wearing clothes and walking around on two legs. The pigs have made a full circ le becoming as powerful and corrupt as the humans before them. The use of different film techniques also give the viewer the impression the pigs have power, several times a low shot is used looking up at the pigs. This is a textbook technique used to give power or dominance.In addition there is the use of a high shot looking down at the other animals to show weakness and inferiority. Jack from Golding’s  Lord of the Flies  and Napoleon from Orwell’s  Animal Farm  each demonstrate the tormenting effects that positions of authority can cause, especially when asserted for the wrong reasons. In the case of these two characters, power fell into the wrong hands, and as a result, the subjects suffered under oppressive rule, while the leaders reaped the benefits with no mercy.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Effective Approaches to Leadership Essay

There is talk that the nursing shortage is over, but the facts show that there is a substantial nursing shortage which is projected to intensify over the next several years. This fact alone will increase the demand on the remaining nurses leading to nurse burn out and increased turnover rates. Nurses are the largest group of health care professionals in America, but the majority of the nurses are close to retirement age (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). This paper will address the issue of nursing shortage, nurse turnover and how nurse leaders and managers are approaching these issues, along with the personal and professional philosophy of nursing of the author of this paper. There are many reasons why a nursing shortage exists, and why it is only going to get worse over the next several years. The median age of the nursing workforce is 46 years of age and almost 50 percent of all nurses are close to retirement, which will substantially impact the nursing shortage (American Nurses Association, 2013). The Affordable Care Act of 2010 ensures that every American have access to affordable health care (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2013). This places an additional demand for nurses, and further increases the shortage. The results of the advances in medicine has increased the average life span, increasing the number of people living with chronic illness, and also increasing patient acuity levels which in turn increases the demand for advanced educated practioners. Nursing colleges and universities across the county are struggling to expand their enrollment levels in order to meet the rising demand for nursing care (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). Reductions in nursing budgets together with the growing nursing shortage has resulted in nurses working more, taking care of sicker patients and at risk for making mistakes. This further complicates the nursing shortage as this type of environment only drives the current nursing force away from the bedside. The current Registered Nurse turnover rate is 14% (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). One incentive that management and leadership nurses should be aspiring to is Magnet Status. The American Nurses Association in 1990 developed the Magnet status in an effort to reward hospitals that attract and retain nurses who demonstrate excellence in nursing practice (American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2013).

Friday, September 13, 2019

Analysis of Lester Burnham

From the outside, Lester seems to have a perfect salary, and a perfect family who lives in a perfect neighborhood. In reality, things are not what they seem to be. In fact, he is on the verge of getting fired from this job, his wife and only child hate him, and he also hates himself. Slowly a series of crises begin to occur that ensure that eventually the family will be destroyed. It starts off with the deterioration of his relationship with, his daughter Jane, and wife Carolyn. â€Å"She wasnt always like this. She used to be happy. We used to be happy. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) Everyday is different in his life, but also the same. He goes to work and comes home only to have dinner with the same music and same people who despise him the most. Not to mention how every dinner ends the same, with personal attacks towards him, only to make him feel worse about himself. The worst part is that he knows he is going to do the same tomorrow. As things seem to escalate more and more it is becoming more obvious that he has reached his mid-life crisis. Especially when he meets Angela, his daughters attractive best friend, he thinks he has finally found a new purpose for living. This is when Burnham has reached a critical point in his life. This film revolves around many ideas and themes. One of these is the value of life. â€Å"I have lost something. Im not exactly sure what it is, but I know I didnt always feel this sedated. But you know what? Its never too late to get it back. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) From now on, in the movie, Lester decides to turn his life around. Starting by getting himself out of the depression he is currently in. As the movie goes on, one of the first things you notice while watching the movie is how perfect the houses are aligned and how his whole entire house is furnished with the color gray or light shades of blue. The only things that do seem to have color are either painted with red or blue. In turn the red signifies the things that make the characters happy and the blue signifies the troubles the characters are facing. How does that person interact with others in the movie? Lester’s interaction with others in the movie was the one significant thing that showed his true colors of his character. He seemed to have a positive outlook on gaining relationships, but most characters in the film wanted nothing to do with him. They saw him as an impersonal individual with no care in the world, but to fulfill his own desires. On the other hand, all he wanted was to have a happy relationship with his daughter and wife. However, in return they never showed him an ounce of gratitude. Especially his daughter Jane. From the first time I saw them have dinner with the vase of red flowers and perfect family portrait between them, I knew that Jane had repressed anger towards her father. Particularly when Lester tried to conversate with Jane and she clearly expressed that she could care less. â€Å"Well, what do you expect? You cant all of a sudden be my best friend, just because you had a bad day†¦I mean, hello. Youve barely even spoken to me for months. †(Cohen, Mendes,1999) At this point in the movie it has become pretty obvious that the main character is not only depressed but he also has a passive aggressive personality disorder. The first psychological behavior shown was depression. Depression is an Axis I disorder under the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Which is also described as by doctors Sharp and Lipsky in 2002 as a â€Å".. common psychiatric disorder in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Persons who are depressed have feelings of sadness, loneliness, irritability, worthlessness, hopelessness, agitation, and guilt that may be accompanied by an array of physical symptoms. A diagnosis of major depression requires that symptoms be present for two weeks or longer†¦Targeted screening in high-risk patients such as those with chronic diseases, pain, unexplained symptoms, stressful home environments, or social isolation, and those who are postnatal or elderly may provide an alternative approach to identifying patients with depression† The main characters loneliness and sense of worthlessness has become more evident when his neurotic wife no longer wants to engage in sexual activities with him. And his fourteen year job as a writer for a media magazine has come to an end. In addition, what seems to throw him over the edge is the lack of communication he has with his daughter. Although she wants nothing to do with him, he still longs for her happiness. A Person who is also depressed shows a sign that life is not worth living for them. The character of Lester Burnham didn’t hesitate to express this within the first minute of the movie. He narrates â€Å"My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood. This is my street. This is my life. Im forty-two years old. In less than a year, Ill be dead†¦Of course, I dont know that yet†¦And in a way, Im dead already. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) However what ultimately deteriorates Lesters life is his passive aggressive personality disorder. Also found in the Axis II DSM-IV-TR criteria. These are all the things that the character of Lester Burnham embodies on a day to day basis: â€Å"People with this disorder resent responsibility and show it through their behaviors, rather than by openly expressing their feelings. They often use procrastination, inefficiency, and forgetfulness to avoid doing what they need to do or have been told by others to do†¦A person with this disorder may appear to comply with anothers wishes and may even demonstrate enthusiasm for those wishes. However, they perform the requested action too late to be helpful, perform it in a way that is useless, sabotage the action to show anger that they cannot express in words†(Vorvick, Rogge, 2008) His evident mid life crisis causes him to irresponsibly buy a red sports car and fall in lust with someone that is the age of his daughter, also known as Angela in the film. His first encounter with Angela started the red rose petal frenzy. Everytime he interacted with her red rose petals appeared in her significance. The rose petals signified a sense of happiness for Lester and acceptance by the only female in the film. Another symptom for passive aggressive behavior is feeling resentment and hostility. Mr. Burnham clearly displayed his feeling of resentment and hostility in the second dinner scene where him and his wife get into an altercation over how Lester up and quit his job, when he had a clear chance to save it. But things started going downhill after Lester shouted across the table to his daughter â€Å"And your mother seems to prefer I go through life like a fucking prisoner while she keeps my dick in a mason jar under the sink†(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) By this point Carolyn and Lester are screaming to each other, but all Lester seems to want is someone to pass the asparagus. Finally, he becomes feed up with the non-respect he is shown as the man in the household and he gets up himself to get the asparagus. After serving himself, a minute later he throws the aspargus directly across the wall next to the perfect family portrait, in order to command attention from his ungrateful wife and daughter. Another sign for passive aggressive personality disorder in Lester Burnham is the drug abuse and poor career development. (Something that Lester didn’t hide throughout the film. ) Especially his interest in smoking marijuana, which he ironically receives from his neighbor and also his daughters boyfriend, Ricky Fitts. By this time, the main character Lester, has shown how withdrawn he actually is from the world and how irresponsible he has become.

Should the right to have an abortion remain solely with the mother Essay

Should the right to have an abortion remain solely with the mother - Essay Example When viewed from opposite perspective, it is clear that in certain situations, abortion becomes necessary to maintain the physical or mental health of the woman, whose circumstances are not favourable for giving birth to a child. Since the ‘origination’ of humans in the form of men and women, stereotypical and realistic views about the role and rights of the women are always being discussed. In most of the cultures, women are being treated as the less-dominant sex, and stereotyped as individuals, whose only purpose in life is getting married and delivering children. Although, women are trying to nullify these views and are still fighting for their rights and freedom, there have been only modest successes. Women’s rights relating to the activity of abortion is a crucial at the same a controversial one. Although, there is opposition from various sections, regarding ‘women’s choices’ in relation to abortion, the basic fact is the decision to have a child or not, should entirely lie with the woman. Also, in certain situations, abortion becomes necessary to maintain the physical or mental health of the woman, whose circumstances are not favourable for giving birth to a chil d. So, this paper taking legal and political perspective will discuss why the woman or mother should only have the right to abortion. Abortion is the process of destruction or termination of the foetus, when it is in the mother’s womb, either spontaneously or by induction within 20 weeks of pregnancy. According to the standards of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a woman can obtain an abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, if two doctors agree that it would cause less damage to her physical or mental health than continuing the pregnancy. (rcog.org.uk, 2004). Abortion is of two types - Spontaneous abortion and induced abortion. Spontaneous abortion is the one that occurs