Paranormal Activity 2 Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paranormal Activity 2 - Movie Review Example The film is set into the exotic locations of San Diego. One of the most crucial reasons behind as to why the movie has been set up in San Diego is because that place is notoriously known to be famous as a haunted place and a lot of incidents have taken place there, and due to such reasons it is imperative that the shooting took place at a place which has a history of ghost sightings, thus adding value to the movie and in turn improving the overall picture. The Ouija Board is the tool, which is used to communicate with paranormal species. It is a board, which has the numbers, alphabets, and is used for spiritual reasons. It is a spirit board and a talking board, through which communication can happen with other spirits present around human beings. It functions in the film series as a way of communicating with the spirits. Ali and her boyfriend used is as a tool for communication and they realized that the haunted spirits were also talking to them with respect to the communication with the positive spirits as a means for spiritual enlightenment. The use of the board is misused and due to this reason there are paranormal activity taking place in the place of San Diego in USA. Toby wants the first born male instead of the female as he thinks that is more spiritually better for him and that he should follow the instincts and his gut feeling of having a first born male into the family. This crucial and imperative to note as Toby wants to have this desire for only positive spiritual reasons. Toby locks Katie and Hunter into the room thinking that the spiritual experiment he is going to perform with the Ouija Board would be a successful experiment to being back the positive spirits in his life. It is crucial to note that he wants to experience this for the sake of his experiment and nothing more. Hunter and Katie disappear outside the home of Sane Diego and no one knows by the end of the movie where they have suddenly gone and the precise reasons for the same, however, with speculation one can assume that they disappeared due to the experiment carried out by Toby. The found footage works very distinctly in the movie. The fact that spirits are found in the movie alongside the humans is the true art with which the movie is made. Editor edits the movie at the end of it and that matters since the point of the movie is to show spirits and the ghosts taking rounds with the humans as an added physical and tangible objects. It is imperative to note that the editor does this trick by including the faces and bodies of the spirits they wanted to have in their movie. The nuclear family functions in a very strange fashion in the movie. It must be understood that the roles and the relationships, which have been created in the first installment of the movie, do not apply to the second and the third installment. The characters change and shift however the entire installment of the movie remains the same. In the first movie Denis’ first wife was someone el se and she succumbed to her death due to certain unsaid reasons, which are crucial to the final two installments taking place. The characters go into limbo with respect to the movie. The concept of after life exists in the movie while the definition of heaven is a construed one. Work Cited Paranormal Activity

Medical and Environmental Electronic Devices Corporation Essay Example for Free

Medical and Environmental Electronic Devices Corporation Essay Background Medical and Environmental Electronic devices corporation was founded in 1959. Initially the core business was related to applications in medical device technology. The company started new business of Environmental control applications and achieved its current name in 1964. By 1979, MEED achieved 31% market share in its market area. MEED’s competitors had only 20% and11% shares. MEED has headquarters 21 countries around the world including Westland and Michigan. Integrated Circuit Group was set up MEED to meet its need for the customized circuits as semi-conductor industry is shrinking due to the backward integration of major competitors, redirections and acquisitions. Hallmarks of MEED culture were ambiguity, freedom, flexibility, risk taking and a supportive attitude towards employees. There was no formal planning in MEED or even firs loosely coordinated companywide plan was undertaken in 1980. Sales were growing at 30% per year for t he last five years, topped $1 billion in 1979. Profits for 1979 were $107 million. Tom Duglass is the manager of MEED since 1977. ICG is experiencing a shortage of human resource and is only providing 5-8% of MEED’s annual demand. New plant set by ICG is also experiencing problem in startup. The HRD Department headed by Barbara Hamlin is unable to fulfill their duty of providing the human resource which is required for the sound working of ICG. Employee’s profile Tom Douglas Group manager Dom Raffaelli Manager, ICG Advanced design Les Hogan Manager, ICG material Kenny Lash Manager of operations, ICG plant Barbara Hamlin Director, Human Resource Development and planning Qualitative facts The Jackson Michigan, manufacturing plant, which began operation in July 1979, was still experiencing difficulties in start-up and it was now the beginning of 1980. Barbara Hamlin in HRDP position was in charge for the forecast of the IC Groups human resource needs, with special attention to professional and managerial personnel and to design and implement programs to meet those needs. MEED designed, manufactured, sold and serviced complex medical and environmental control systems. The labor market was exceedingly tight for exempt employees, especially the highly trained engineers critical too ICGs work. MEEDs culture was unstructured, informal; make it happen, rapid growth, positive approach towards people. There was no emphasis on formal planning Douglas sought to reorient ICG recruiting toward meeting needs with existing employees and recent college graduates. Given the MEED culture, it was also unreasonable to except that any one program manager would remain long enough to see one component through its entire life. Materials acquisition function was divided into two groups an operation group that focused on such functions as production purchasing and a strategic group that deal with the commodity managements, IC Group manufacturing and custom projects. In the past a buyer in the operations group could become a supervisor in operations, now a buyer had the additional option of staying with the acquisition but moving to a job in a strategic group The greater attention to manpower planning might have led MEED to locate ICG closer to the major sources of trained engineers, or perhaps even to recast its plan to enter the semiconductor industry. Employee mobility need at MEED also made planning difficult. According to  personnel policy, an exempt employee was considered movable after he or she had been in a job for one year. Bosses and subord inates found it difficult to conduct regular performance appraisals; they were supposed to be conducted at least once a year as part of an employees salary review. Quantitative facts Medical and Environmental Electronic Devices Corporation was founded in 1959 Sales, growing at more than 30% per year for the last five years, topped $1 billion in 1979; profiles for 1979 were $107 million. The goal was to ensure that by FY1985, 50% of professional hires would be new college graduates. At the beginning of 1980, Ambrose’s group had openings for two out of five supervisory positions, and 13 out of 37 subordinate engineering slots. In 1980, ICG had 623 employees (plus 8 staff personnel), and 106 open positions to be filed. Annual turnover, while not high by industry standards, was running close to 10% among exempt and 20% among non exempts. The average number of employees for 1979 totaled 24,900 and another were expected to be hired as MEED continued its rapid growth during fiscal 1980. Starting as an idea and a group of 5 people in 1972, ICG had 66 people in 1975, but began its real growth in 1977, reaching 448 employees at the beginning of fiscal year 1980. ICG was only manufacturing 5% to 8% of MEEDS semiconductor needs instead of the 20% planned. It took about 3 years of work at ICG for a college graduate be fully trained, but by working with these colleges to develop programs and by providing equipment and dollar donations, ICG hoped to shorten on-the-job training to 1-1/2 years. A week lost could mean approximately $100,000 lost in profit before taxes for MEED. Core Problem The main issue that MEED was facing was that there was an urgent need that there was no formal planning due to which there was a need for the company to make a proper amendments in HRM of the company and to make policies and procedures and implement them effectively as there was a shortage of Human Resource management at all levels at MEED. They were not having specialized engineers and managers in the required numbers is affecting the corporation. There was a significant problem in attracting engineers capable of the state of the art work that ICG technology demanded. The option of simply hiring  in good people now met resistance from those who pointed out that there were no free slots for these people until the growth actually took place. An estimation was made that IC group’s exempt attrition would rise to an average of 15% per year and non exempt to 35% unless the group improved its recruitment, career development, performance, appraisals and promotion practices. ICG would need 241 hires in order to bring the employee total up to the target for the end of FY 1980. If we look at the exhibits 4 and 5 it could be observed that Barbara is at a very lower level in the hierarchy, and is given vey less authority. If a separate HR department is created with giving all HR responsibilities to the HR department than possibly all most the problems could be solved. Other problems Recommendations Repositioning of Barbara Hamlin in organizational structure We think that she should report directly to Dave Bertram, the president of MEED’s to minimize the distortion between them and Barbara can stamp the authority and she will not have to take approvals from group heads. She is the one who have identified the problems in the system so she should be able to exercise authority so she can solve the problems. Having the backing of the president of MEED’s, people will know that she is a credible source of high authority and she should be followed. Once there is clarity in chain of command, then Barbara should concentrate in making of new human resource department which will include recruitment and selection, compensation and appraisal, training and development which is not addressed in the company till now. Hiring the right people Problem of ICG can be solved as there is low performance by the managers and engineers are working as managers and company don’t have to hire right workforce and as a result they are performing at the top level. Supply of efficient workforce is also limited; that is also one of the reasons engineers are working as managers. Moreover, it is told in the case study that other companies have made collaborations with universities and they  hire their technical staff and engineers automatically after they graduate. It is best for both student and company because student will get job immediately after he graduates and company can get fresh graduates that are fit for the organization. In exhibit 8, it is written â€Å"at institutes, we work with real projects†; that means student can get a taste of professional life and projects even when they are students. Good compensation to retain employees The employment industry of China is very competitive. In order to get best results in the company, company should be able to retain the right employees who are worth it. HR department should make organized and intelligent decision in retaining particular employees. As it is written in the case that giving $1000 a month and working for 20 years has become a standard of industry. Other than that, when an individual leaves the job, he or she gets a 30% pay rise on an average; that means when labor in the market start doing job hopping it will take employees pays up automatically. Standardize the operating procedure The first and foremost step that Barbara needs to take is that she should make procedure same for everyone. For e.g. in this case it was written that managers thought HRD is just for training the employees. So, Barbara should start working and should make everything formal including job analysis, job description, training development and compensation plans. Employees should have awareness of HR department of the company and employees should know clearly that what are they required to do. Once HR department comes in and take steps to make things formal; then company’s environment will also become professional as it is desired by HR department. Training and development Company is not very serious about the training of the employees as position of management development is vacant from some time. Training is only given to manufacturing department in the company but it should be also offered to the designing department of the company. Training of design department will lead to more innovative designs and less flaws in the system. Exit interviews When an employees is leaving the company; he just have to go but one thing that company can do extra is the exit interviews; as company can get a new point of view of the employee about the flaws of the company and how they can be improved. Cause of leaving company should be asked from the employees that also point out significant errors in the company’s operations. Analysis of exhibits If we compare FY80, 81 and the current year in association to number of employees (exempt and non exempt) to the departments (advanced design, manufacturing and material) it could be clearly seen that currently there is a decrease in the number of employees in comparison to the year 80 and 81.Currently there are 6 managers in advanced design, 11 in manufacturing and 6 in material, where as in the FY 1980 there were 30 managers and 1981 there were 47. Moreover, in the advanced design there are currently 97 employees with 116 in 1980 and 150 in 1981. In manufacturing currently 322, 1980 there were 564 and in 1981 there were 854. In the materials currently they have 204 employees in comparison to 1980 where there were 266 and in 1981 there were 425. Overall a decrease in number of employees could be observed. Exhibit 2 talks about the hiring requirements projections. The exhibit depicts the year period. It could be clearly seen that for all the three departments in association to the years there was an increasing trend. Exhibit 3 talks about the financials of 10 years from (1970 to 1979). It could be clearly seen that there was an increase in sales net income and stockholders’ equity of MEED since the 7 year period. Though the sales were not steady but and increasing trend is observed.

Mindless Humans Essay -- essays research papers fc

Humans have been socially networked with each other since the time they have been created. Civilization was fashioned by humans interacting with one another. With this interaction with others and communal peers, â€Å"social man is a somnambulist† (Asch 61). In other terms, when humans become social, they are really â€Å"sleep walking†, or following the crowd, even though belief in the western world has it that people are â€Å"free† to choose for themselves. This sleepwalking factor then turns individuals into mindless ants. It only occurs because a human is a social animal and with that comes, social pressures and authoritative figures. Stanley Milgram studied at Harvard University and tested how social humans would react in a certain situation. Milgram tested how certain individuals would respond to inflicting harm onto another person because another figure told them to. He was interested in why regular day people would actually do such horrific things to the victim. In the experiment there was no physical consequence for the individual pushing the button if they said no. People in this situation believed in that the scientist knew what he/she was doing so they assumed that what they were doing was acceptable even though in actuality they believed it was not right. Subjects gave up their free will to choose because a higher authority told them to do so. This is similar to ants in that the majority of ants are worker ants; they obey the authority of the queen and will act out every wish she wants. Even though the ants can think for themselves, they follow the authority. Originally the theory was that many would stop the experiment being aware that the person that they were shocking is indeed being harmed, but that was proven wrong (Milgram 41). A different scientist who redid this experiment found that 85 percent of his subjects were obedient (Milgram 42). As a result it was evident that individuals will succumb to authoritative figures. Strudler and Warren explain that the subjects acted the way they did because of authority heuristics, which is the reliance on an authority figure (57). In Milgram’s experiment, the scientist was the authority figure in the experiment and the subject trusted his/her judgment because they believed that the scientist knows what he/she is doing. Even though the subject believed they have â€Å"free† will in their choices, the pressures of t... ...ately, disinterestedly, without emotions† (38). To do so would allow us to think for ourselves and not be swayed in any other direction by any other factors. As humans we are naturally social creatures. That is how civilization began, by humans interacting with each other. We need to be able to understand ourselves and trust ourselves so that we can make the decisions for ourselves and not me mindless ants just following the crowd. In the end the main person that is affected by decisions is the one who is making the decision. Works Cited Lessing, Doris. â€Å"Group Minds.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 37-38. 2000 Milgram, Stanley. â€Å"The Perils of Obedience.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 39-50. 2000 Nssani, Moti. â€Å"Review on Stabley Milgram’s Experiments on Obedience.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 51-54. 2000 Strudler, Alan. â€Å"Authority and Excuses.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 55-60. 2000 Asch, Solomon. â€Å"Opinions and Social Pressure.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 61-66. 2000 Fromm, Erich. â€Å"Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem.† Writing Two Reader. Grafikarts: Santa Barbara. 67-71. 2000

Extent the Nurse is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet Essay example -- Shake

In Romeo and Juliet, to what extent is the Nurse to blame for the tragedy? In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Nurse, by her thoughtless support of the affair between the lovers and fickle counsel, is partly to blame for the tragedy. However, it is not one factor alone that brings about the death of Romeo and Juliet, but a combination of significant actions and underlying forces. In spite of this, is certain that the Nurse played a serious role in encouraging the lovers? relationship to blossom. Instead of advising Juliet on the dangers of a love that is ?too rash, too unadvis?d, to sudden?, she continues to place Romeo upon a pedestal, proclaiming his ?face be better than any man?s, his leg excels all men?s, his [body parts] are past compare?. Her haste for Juliet to ?hie hence to Friar Lawrence? cell?, and preparations for ?cords? to be brought for Romeo to ?convoy [to Juliet] in the secret night?, are gestures that illustrate her desire for their relationship to progress quickly. Therefore by offering her approval of Romeo, the Nurse inadvertedly strengthens Juliet?s devo...

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-one

Tyrion As he stood in the predawn chill watching Chiggen butcher his horse, Tyrion Lannister chalked up one more debt owed the Starks. Steam rose from inside the carcass when the squat sellsword opened the belly with his skinning knife. His hands moved deftly, with never a wasted cut; the work had to be done quickly, before the stink of blood brought shadowcats down from the heights. â€Å"None of us will go hungry tonight,† Bronn said. He was near a shadow himself; bone thin and bone hard, with black eyes and black hair and a stubble of beard. â€Å"Some of us may,† Tyrion told him. â€Å"I am not fond of eating horse. Particularly my horse.† â€Å"Meat is meat,† Bronn said with a shrug. â€Å"The Dothraki like horse more than beef or pork.† â€Å"Do you take me for a Dothraki?† Tyrion asked sourly. The Dothraki ate horse, in truth; they also left deformed children out for the feral dogs who ran behind their khalasars. Dothraki customs had scant appeal for him. Chiggen sliced a thin strip of bloody meat off the carcass and held it up for inspection. â€Å"Want a taste, dwarf?† â€Å"My brother Jaime gave me that mare for my twenty-third name day,† Tyrion said in a flat voice. â€Å"Thank him for us, then. If you ever see him again.† Chiggen grinned, showing yellow teeth, and swallowed the raw meat in two bites. â€Å"Tastes well bred.† â€Å"Better if you fry it up with onions,† Bronn put in. Wordlessly, Tyrion limped away. The cold had settled deep in his bones, and his legs were so sore he could scarcely walk. Perhaps his dead mare was the lucky one. He had hours more riding ahead of him, followed by a few mouthfuls of food and a short, cold sleep on hard ground, and then another night of the same, and another, and another, and the gods only knew how it would end. â€Å"Damn her,† he muttered as he struggled up the road to rejoin his captors, remembering, â€Å"damn her and all the Starks.† The memory was still bitter. One moment he'd been ordering supper, and an eye blink later he was facing a room of armed men, with Jyck reaching for a sword and the fat innkeep shrieking, â€Å"No swords, not here, please, m'lords.† Tyrion wrenched down Jyck's arm hurriedly, before he got them both hacked to pieces. â€Å"Where are your courtesies, Jyck? Our good hostess said no swords. Do as she asks.† He forced a smile that must have looked as queasy as it felt. â€Å"You're making a sad mistake, Lady Stark. I had no part in any attack on your son. On my honor—† â€Å"Lannister honor,† was all she said. She held up her hands for all the room to see. â€Å"His dagger left these scars. The blade he sent to open my son's throat.† Tyrion felt the anger all around him, thick and smoky, fed by the deep cuts in the Stark woman's hands. â€Å"Kill him,† hissed some drunken slattern from the back, and other voices took up the call, faster than he would have believed. Strangers all, friendly enough only a moment ago, and yet now they cried for his blood like hounds on a trail. Tyrion spoke up loudly, trying to keep the quaver from his voice. â€Å"If Lady Stark believes I have some crime to answer for, I will go with her and answer for it.† It was the only possible course. Trying to cut their way out of this was a sure invitation to an early grave. A good dozen swords had responded to the Stark woman's plea for help: the Harrenhal man, the three Brackens, a pair of unsavory sellswords who looked as though they'd kill him as soon as spit, and some fool field hands who doubtless had no idea what they were doing. Against that, what did Tyrion have? A dagger at his belt, and two men. Jyck swung a fair enough sword, but Morrec scarcely counted; he was part groom, part cook, part body servant, and no soldier. As for Yoren, whatever his feelings might have been, the black brothers were sworn to take no part in the quarrels of the realm. Yoren would do nothing. And indeed, the black brother stepped aside silently when the old knight by Catelyn Stark's side said, â€Å"Take their weapons,† and the sellsword Bronn stepped forward to pull the sword from Jyck's fingers and relieve them all of their daggers. â€Å"Good,† the old man said as the tension in the common room ebbed palpably, â€Å"excellent.† Tyrion recognized the gruff voice; Winterfell's master-at-arms, shorn of his whiskers. Scarlet-tinged spittle flew from the fat innkeep's mouth as she begged of Catelyn Stark, â€Å"Don't kill him here!† â€Å"Don't kill him anywhere,† Tyrion urged. â€Å"Take him somewheres else, no blood here, m'lady, I wants no high lordlin's quarrels.† â€Å"We are taking him back to Winterfell,† she said, and Tyrion thought, Well, perhaps . . . By then he'd had a moment to glance over the room and get a better idea of the situation. He was not altogether displeased by what he saw. Oh, the Stark woman had been clever, no doubt of it. Force them to make a public affirmation of the oaths sworn her father by the lords they served, and then call on them for succor, and her a woman, yes, that was sweet. Yet her success was not as complete as she might have liked. There were close to fifty in the common room by his rough count. Catelyn Stark's plea had roused a bare dozen; the others looked confused, or frightened, or sullen. Only two of the Freys had stirred, Tyrion noted, and they'd sat back down quick enough when their captain failed to move. He might have smiled if he'd dared. â€Å"Winterfell it is, then,† he said instead. That was a long ride, as he could well attest, having just ridden it the other way. So many things could happen along the way. â€Å"My father will wonder what has become of me,† he added, catching the eye of the swordsman who'd offered to yield up his room. â€Å"He'll pay a handsome reward to any man who brings him word of what happened here today.† Lord Tywin would do no such thing, of course, but Tyrion would make up for it if he won free. Ser Rodrik glanced at his lady, his look worried, as well it might be. â€Å"His men come with him,† the old knight announced. â€Å"And we'll thank the rest of you to stay quiet about what you've seen here.† It was all Tyrion could do not to laugh. Quiet? The old fool. Unless he took the whole inn, the word would begin to spread the instant they were gone. The freerider with the gold coin in his pocket would fly to Casterly Rock like an arrow. If not him, then someone else. Yoren would carry the story south. That fool singer might make a lay of it. The Freys would report back to their lord, and the gods only knew what he might do. Lord Walder Frey might be sworn to Riverrun, but he was a cautious man who had lived a long time by making certain he was always on the winning side. At the very least he would send his birds winging south to King's Landing, and he might well dare more than that. Catelyn Stark wasted no time. â€Å"We must ride at once. We'll want fresh mounts, and provisions for the road. You men, know that you have the eternal gratitude of House Stark. If any of you choose to help us guard our captives and get them safe to Winterfell, I promise you shall be well rewarded.† That was all it took; the fools came rushing forward. Tyrion studied their faces; they would indeed be well rewarded, he vowed to himself, but perhaps not quite as they imagined. Yet even as they were bundling him outside, saddling the horses in the rain, and tying his hands with a length of coarse rope, Tyrion Lannister was not truly afraid. They would never get him to Winterfell, he would have given odds on that. Riders would be after them within the day, birds would take wing, and surely one of the river lords would want to curry favor with his father enough to take a hand. Tyrion was congratulating himself on his subtlety when someone pulled a hood down over his eyes and lifted him up onto a saddle. They set out through the rain at a hard gallop, and before long Tyrion's thighs were cramped and aching and his butt throbbed with pain. Even when they were safely away from the inn, and Catelyn Stark slowed them to a trot, it was a miserable pounding journey over rough ground, made worse by his blindness. Every twist and turn put him in danger of falling off his horse. The hood muffled sound, so he could not make out what was being said around him, and the rain soaked through the cloth and made it cling to his face, until even breathing was a struggle. The rope chafed his wrists raw and seemed to grow tighter as the night wore on. I was about to settle down to a warm fire and a roast fowl, and that wretched singer had to open his mouth, he thought mournfully. The wretched singer had come along with them. â€Å"There is a great song to be made from this, and I'm the one to make it,† he told Catelyn Stark when he announced his intention of riding with them to see how the  "splendid adventure† turned out. Tyrion wondered whether the boy would think the adventure quite so splendid once the Lannister riders caught up with them. The rain had finally stopped and dawn light was seeping through the wet cloth over his eyes when Catelyn Stark gave the command to dismount. Rough hands pulled him down from his horse, untied his wrists, and yanked the hood off his head. When he saw the narrow stony road, the foothills rising high and wild all around them, and the jagged snowcapped peaks on the distant horizon, all the hope went out of him in a rush. â€Å"This is the high road,† he gasped, looking at Lady Stark with accusation. â€Å"The eastern road. You said we were riding for Winterfell!† Catelyn Stark favored him with the faintest of smiles. â€Å"Often and loudly,† she agreed. â€Å"No doubt your friends will ride that way when they come after us. I wish them good speed.† Even now, long days later, the memory filled him with a bitter rage. All his life Tyrion had prided himself on his cunning, the only gift the gods had seen fit to give him, and yet this seven-times-damned she-wolf Catelyn Stark had outwitted him at every turn. The knowledge was more galling than the bare fact of his abduction. They stopped only as long as it took to feed and water the horses, and then they were off again. This time Tyrion was spared the hood. After the second night they no longer bound his hands, and once they had gained the heights they scarcely bothered to guard him at all. It seemed they did not fear his escape. And why should they? Up here the land was harsh and wild, and the high road little more than a stony track. If he did run, how far could he hope to go, alone and without provisions? The shadowcats would make a morsel of him, and the clans that dwelt in the mountain fastnesses were brigands and murderers who bowed to no law but the sword. Yet still the Stark woman drove them forward relentlessly. He knew where they were bound. He had known it since the moment they pulled off his hood. These mountains were the domain of House Arryn, and the late Hand's widow was a Tully, Catelyn Stark's sister . . . and no friend to the Lannisters. Tyrion had known the Lady Lysa slightly during her years at King's Landing, and did not look forward to renewing the acquaintance. His captors were clustered around a stream a short ways down the high road. The horses had drunk their fill of the icy cold water, and were grazing on clumps of brown grass that grew from clefts in the rock. Jyck and Morrec huddled close, sullen and miserable. Mohor stood over them, leaning on his spear and wearing a rounded iron cap that made him look as if he had a bowl on his head. Nearby, Marillion the singer sat oiling his woodharp, complaining of what the damp was doing to his strings. â€Å"We must have some rest, my lady,† the hedge knight Ser Willis Wode was saying to Catelyn Stark as Tyrion approached. He was Lady Whent's man, stiff-necked and stolid, and the first to rise to aid Catelyn Stark back at the inn. â€Å"Ser Willis speaks truly, my lady,† Ser Rodrik said. â€Å"This is the third horse we have lost—† â€Å"We will lose more than horses if we're overtaken by the Lannisters,† she reminded them. Her face was windburnt and gaunt, but it had lost none of its determination. â€Å"Small chance of that here,† Tyrion put in. â€Å"The lady did not ask your views, dwarf,† snapped Kurleket, a great fat oaf with short-cropped hair and a pig's face. He was one of the Brackens, a man-at-arms in the service of Lord Jonos. Tyrion had made a special effort to learn all their names, so he might thank them later for their tender treatment of him. A Lannister always paid his debts. Kurleket would learn that someday, as would his friends Lharys and Mohor, and the good Ser Willis, and the sellswords Bronn and Chiggen. He planned an especially sharp lesson for Marillion, him of the woodharp and the sweet tenor voice, who was struggling so manfully to rhyme imp with gimp and limp so he could make a song of this outrage. â€Å"Let him speak,† Lady Stark commanded. Tyrion Lannister seated himself on a rock. â€Å"By now our pursuit is likely racing across the Neck, chasing your lie up the kingsroad . . . assuming there is a pursuit, which is by no means certain. Oh, no doubt the word has reached my father . . . but my father does not love me overmuch, and I am not at all sure that he will bother to bestir himself.† It was only half a lie; Lord Tywin Lannister cared not a fig for his deformed son, but he tolerated no slights on the honor of his House. â€Å"This is a cruel land, Lady Stark. You'll find no succor until you reach the Vale, and each mount you lose burdens the others all the more. Worse, you risk losing me. I am small, and not strong, and if I die, then what's the point?† That was no lie at all; Tyrion did not know how much longer he could endure this pace. â€Å"It might be said that your death is the point, Lannister,† Catelyn Stark replied. â€Å"I think not,† Tyrion said. â€Å"If you wanted me dead, you had only to say the word, and one of these staunch friends of yours would gladly have given me a red smile.† He looked at Kurleket, but the man was too dim to taste the mockery. â€Å"The Starks do not murder men in their beds.† â€Å"Nor do I,† he said. â€Å"I tell you again, I had no part in the attempt to kill your son.† â€Å"The assassin was armed with your dagger.† Tyrion felt the heat rise in him. â€Å"It was not my dagger,† he insisted. â€Å"How many times must I swear to that? Lady Stark, whatever you may believe of me, I am not a stupid man. Only a fool would arm a common footpad with his own blade.† Just for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes, but what she said was, â€Å"Why would Petyr lie to me?† â€Å"Why does a bear shit in the woods?† he demanded. â€Å"Because it is his nature. Lying comes as easily as breathing to a man like Littlefinger. You ought to know that, you of all people.† She took a step toward him, her face tight. â€Å"And what does that mean, Lannister?† Tyrion cocked his head. â€Å"Why, every man at court has heard him tell how he took your maidenhead, my lady.† â€Å"That is a lie!† Catelyn Stark said. â€Å"Oh, wicked little imp,† Marillion said, shocked. Kurleket drew his dirk, a vicious piece of black iron. â€Å"At your word, m'lady, I'll toss his lying tongue at your feet.† His pig eyes were wet with excitement at the prospect. Catelyn Stark stared at Tyrion with a coldness on her face such as he had never seen. â€Å"Petyr Baelish loved me once. He was only a boy. His passion was a tragedy for all of us, but it was real, and pure, and nothing to be made mock of. He wanted my hand. That is the truth of the matter. You are truly an evil man, Lannister.† â€Å"And you are truly a fool, Lady Stark. Littlefinger has never loved anyone but Littlefinger, and I promise you that it is not your hand that he boasts of, it's those ripe breasts of yours, and that sweet mouth, and the heat between your legs.† Kurleket grabbed a handful of hair and yanked his head back in a hard jerk, baring his throat. Tyrion felt the cold kiss of steel beneath his chin. â€Å"Shall I bleed him, my lady?† â€Å"Kill me and the truth dies with me,† Tyrion gasped. â€Å"Let him talk,† Catelyn Stark commanded. Kurleket let go of Tyrion's hair, reluctantly. Tyrion took a deep breath. â€Å"How did Littlefinger tell you I came by this dagger of his? Answer me that.† â€Å"You won it from him in a wager, during the tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day.† â€Å"When my brother Jaime was unhorsed by the Knight of Flowers, that was his story, no?† â€Å"It was,† she admitted. A line creased her brow. â€Å"Riders!† The shriek came from the wind-carved ridge above them. Ser Rodrik had sent Lharys scrambling up the rock face to watch the road while they took their rest. For a long second, no one moved. Catelyn Stark was the first to react. â€Å"Ser Rodrik, Ser Willis, to horse,† she shouted. â€Å"Get the other mounts behind us. Mohor, guard the prisoners—† â€Å"Arm us!† Tyrion sprang to his feet and seized her by the arm. â€Å"You will need every sword.† She knew he was right, Tyrion could see it. The mountain clans cared nothing for the enmities of the great houses; they would slaughter Stark and Lannister with equal fervor, as they slaughtered each other. They might spare Catelyn herself; she was still young enough to bear sons. Still, she hesitated. â€Å"I hear them!† Ser Rodrik called out. Tyrion turned his head to listen, and there it was: hoofbeats, a dozen horses or more, coming nearer. Suddenly everyone was moving, reaching for weapons, running to their mounts. Pebbles rained down around them as Lharys came springing and sliding down the ridge. He landed breathless in front of Catelyn Stark, an ungainly-looking man with wild tufts of rust-colored hair sticking out from under a conical steel cap. â€Å"Twenty men, maybe twenty-five,† he said, breathless. â€Å"Milk Snakes or Moon Brothers, by my guess. They must have eyes out, m'lady . . . hidden watchers . . . they know we're here.† Ser Rodrik Cassel was already ahorse, a longsword in hand. Mohor crouched behind a boulder, both hands on his iron-tipped spear, a dagger between his teeth. â€Å"You, singer,† Ser Willis Wode called out. â€Å"Help me with this breastplate.† Marillion sat frozen, clutching his woodharp, his face as pale as milk, but Tyrion's man Morrec bounded quickly to his feet and moved to help the knight with his armor. Tyrion kept his grip on Catelyn Stark. â€Å"You have no choice,† he told her. â€Å"Three of us, and a fourth man wasted guarding us . . . four men can be the difference between life and death up here.† â€Å"Give me your word that you will put down your swords again after the fight is done.† â€Å"My word?† The hoofbeats were louder now. Tyrion grinned crookedly. â€Å"Oh, that you have, my lady . . . on my honor as a Lannister.† For a moment he thought she would spit at him, but instead she snapped, â€Å"Arm them,† and as quick as that she was pulling away. Ser Rodrik tossed Jyck his sword and scabbard, and wheeled to meet the foe. Morrec helped himself to a bow and quiver, and went to one knee beside the road. He was a better archer than swordsman. And Bronn rode up to offer Tyrion a double-bladed axe. â€Å"I have never fought with an axe.† The weapon felt awkward and unfamiliar in his hands. It had a short haft, a heavy head, a nasty spike on top. â€Å"Pretend you're splitting logs,† Bronn said, drawing his longsword from the scabbard across his back. He spat, and trotted off to form up beside Chiggen and Ser Rodrik. Ser Willis mounted up to join them, fumbling with his helmet, a metal pot with a thin slit for his eyes and a long black silk plume. â€Å"Logs don't bleed,† Tyrion said to no one in particular. He felt naked without armor. He looked around for a rock and ran over to where Marillion was hiding. â€Å"Move over.† â€Å"Go away!† the boy screamed back at him. â€Å"I'm a singer, I want no part of this fight!† â€Å"What, lost your taste for adventure?† Tyrion kicked at the youth until he slid over, and not a moment too soon. A heartbeat later, the riders were on them. There were no heralds, no banners, no horns nor drums, only the twang of bowstrings as Morrec and Lharys let fly, and suddenly the clansmen came thundering out of the dawn, lean dark men in boiled leather and mismatched armor, faces hidden behind barred halfhelms. In gloved hands were clutched all manner of weapons: longswords and lances and sharpened scythes, spiked clubs and daggers and heavy iron mauls. At their head rode a big man in a striped shadowskin cloak, armed with a two-handed greatsword. Ser Rodrik shouted â€Å"Winterfell!† and rode to meet him, with Bronn and Chiggen beside him, screaming some wordless battle cry. Ser Willis Wode followed, swinging a spiked morningstar around his head. â€Å"Harrenhal! Harrenhal!† he sang. Tyrion felt a sudden urge to leap up, brandish his axe, and boom out, â€Å"Casterly Rock!† but the insanity passed quickly and he crouched down lower. He heard the screams of frightened horses and the crash of metal on metal. Chiggen's sword raked across the naked face of a mailed rider, and Bronn plunged through the clansmen like a whirlwind, cutting down foes right and left. Ser Rodrik hammered at the big man in the shadowskin cloak, their horses dancing round each other as they traded blow for blow. Jyck vaulted onto a horse and galloped bareback into the fray. Tyrion saw an arrow sprout from the throat of the man in the shadowskin cloak. When he opened his mouth to scream, only blood came out. By the time he fell, Ser Rodrik was fighting someone else. Suddenly Marillion shrieked, covering his head with his woodharp as a horse leapt over their rock. Tyrion scrambled to his feet as the rider turned to come back at them, hefting a spiked maul. Tyrion swung his axe with both hands. The blade caught the charging horse in the throat with a meaty thunk, angling upward, and Tyrion almost lost his grip as the animal screamed and collapsed. He managed to wrench the axe free and lurch clumsily out of the way. Marillion was less fortunate. Horse and rider crashed to the ground in a tangle on top of the singer. Tyrion danced back in while the brigand's leg was still pinned beneath his fallen mount, and buried the axe in the man's neck, just above the shoulder blades. As he struggled to yank the blade loose, he heard Marillion moaning under the bodies. â€Å"Someone help me,† the singer gasped. â€Å"Gods have mercy, I'm bleeding.† â€Å"I believe that's horse blood,† Tyrion said. The singer's hand came crawling out from beneath the dead animal, scrabbling in the dirt like a spider with five legs. Tyrion put his heel on the grasping fingers and felt a satisfying crunch. â€Å"Close your eyes and pretend you're dead,† he advised the singer before he hefted the axe and turned away. After that, things ran together. The dawn was full of shouts and screams and heavy with the scent of blood, and the world had turned to chaos. Arrows hissed past his ear and clattered off the rocks. He saw Bronn unhorsed, fighting with a sword in each hand. Tyrion kept on the fringes of the fight, sliding from rock to rock and darting out of the shadows to hew at the legs of passing horses. He found a wounded clansman and left him dead, helping himself to the man's halfhelm. It fit too snugly, but Tyrion was glad of any protection at all. Jyck was cut down from behind while he sliced at a man in front of him, and later Tyrion stumbled over Kurleket's body. The pig face had been smashed in with a mace, but Tyrion recognized the dirk as he plucked it from the man's dead fingers. He was sliding it through his belt when he heard a woman's scream. Catelyn Stark was trapped against the stone face of the mountain with three men around her, one still mounted and the other two on foot. She had a dagger clutched awkwardly in her maimed hands, but her back was to the rock now and they had penned her on three sides. Let them have the bitch, Tyrion thought, and welcome to her, yet somehow he was moving. He caught the first man in the back of the knee before they even knew he was there, and the heavy axehead split flesh and bone like rotten wood. Logs that bleed, Tyrion thought inanely as the second man came for him. Tyrion ducked under his sword, lashed out with the axe, the man reeled backward . . . and Catelyn Stark stepped up behind him and opened his throat. The horseman remembered an urgent engagement elsewhere and galloped off suddenly. Tyrion looked around. The enemy were all vanquished or vanished. Somehow the fighting had ended when he wasn't looking. Dying horses and wounded men lay all around, screaming or moaning. To his vast astonishment, he was not one of them. He opened his fingers and let the axe thunk to the ground. His hands were sticky with blood. He could have sworn they had been fighting for half a day, but the sun seemed scarcely to have moved at all. â€Å"Your first battle?† Bronn asked later as he bent over Jyck's body, pulling off his boots. They were good boots, as befit one of Lord Tywin's men; heavy leather, oiled and supple, much finer than what Bronn was wearing. Tyrion nodded. â€Å"My father will be so proud,† he said. His legs were cramping so badly he could scarcely stand. Odd, he had never once noticed the pain during the battle. â€Å"You need a woman now,† Bronn said with a glint in his black eyes. He shoved the boots into his saddlebag. â€Å"Nothing like a woman after a man's been blooded, take my word.† Chiggen stopped looting the corpses of the brigands long enough to snort and lick his lips. Tyrion glanced over to where Lady Stark was dressing Ser Rodrik's wounds. â€Å"I'm willing if she is,† he said. The freeriders broke into laughter, and Tyrion grinned and thought, There's a start. Afterward he knelt by the stream and washed the blood off his face in water cold as ice. As he limped back to the others, he glanced again at the slain. The dead clansmen were thin, ragged men, their horses scrawny and undersized, with every rib showing. What weapons Bronn and Chiggen had left them were none too impressive. Mauls, clubs, a scythe . . . He remembered the big man in the shadowskin cloak who had dueled Ser Rodrik with a two-handed greatsword, but when he found his corpse sprawled on the stony ground, the man was not so big after all, the cloak was gone, and Tyrion saw that the blade was badly notched, its cheap steel spotted with rust. Small wonder the clansmen had left nine bodies on the ground. They had only three dead; two of Lord Bracken's men-at-arms, Kurleket and Mohor, and his own man Jyck, who had made such a bold show with his bareback charge. A fool to the end, Tyrion thought. â€Å"Lady Stark, I urge you to press on, with all haste,† Ser Willis Wode said, his eyes scanning the ridgetops warily through the slit in his helm. â€Å"We drove them off for the moment, but they will not have gone far.† â€Å"We must bury our dead, Ser Willis,† she said. â€Å"These were brave men. I will not leave them to the crows and shadowcats.† â€Å"This soil is too stony for digging,† Ser Willis said. â€Å"Then we shall gather stones for cairns.† â€Å"Gather all the stones you want,† Bronn told her, â€Å"but do it without me or Chiggen. I've better things to do than pile rocks on dead men . . . breathing, for one.† He looked over the rest of the survivors. â€Å"Any of you who hope to be alive come nightfall, ride with us.† â€Å"My lady, I fear he speaks the truth,† Ser Rodrik said wearily. The old knight had been wounded in the fight, a deep gash in his left arm and a spear thrust that grazed his neck, and he sounded his age. â€Å"If we linger here, they will be on us again for a certainty, and we may not live through a second attack.† Tyrion could see the anger in Catelyn's face, but she had no choice. â€Å"May the gods forgive us, then. We will ride at once.† There was no shortage of horses now. Tyrion moved his saddle to Jyck's spotted gelding, who looked strong enough to last another three or four days at least. He was about to mount when Lharys stepped up and said, â€Å"I'll take that dirk now, dwarf.† â€Å"Let him keep it.† Catelyn Stark looked down from her horse. â€Å"And see that he has his axe back as well. We may have need of it if we are attacked again.† â€Å"You have my thanks, lady,† Tyrion said, mounting up. â€Å"Save them,† she said curtly. â€Å"I trust you no more than I did before.† She was gone before he could frame a reply. Tyrion adjusted his stolen helm and took the axe from Bronn. He remembered how he had begun the journey, with his wrists bound and a hood pulled down over his head, and decided that this was a definite improvement. Lady Stark could keep her trust; so long as he could keep the axe, he would count himself ahead in the game. Ser Willis Wode led them out. Bronn took the rear, with Lady Stark safely in the middle, Ser Rodrik a shadow beside her. Marillion kept throwing sullen looks back at Tyrion as they rode. The singer had broken several ribs, his woodharp, and all four fingers on his playing hand, yet the day had not been an utter loss to him; somewhere he had acquired a magnificent shadowskin cloak, thick black fur slashed by stripes of white. He huddled beneath its folds silently, and for once had nothing to say. They heard the deep growls of shadowcats behind them before they had gone half a mile, and later the wild snarling of the beasts fighting over the corpses they had left behind. Marillion grew visibly pale. Tyrion trotted up beside him. â€Å"Craven,† he said, â€Å"rhymes nicely with raven.† He kicked his horse and moved past the singer, up to Ser Rodrik and Catelyn Stark. She looked at him, lips pressed tightly together. â€Å"As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted,† Tyrion began, â€Å"there is a serious flaw in Littlefinger's fable. Whatever you may believe of me, Lady Stark, I promise you this—I never bet against my family.†

How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essays

How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essays How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essay How do you account for the popularity of The Matrix series of films Essay Essay Topic: Apocalypse Now Film Popular The world we live in is real. At least thats what we think, but its not. Our world is trickery, a detailed lie produced by supreme machines with artificial intelligence. We are all slaves, trapped in the Matrix Neo is a hacker who knows there is something wrong with our world. He feels it, but he cant explain it. For a couple of years hes searching for the answer to an innate question: what is the Matrix. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself The hugely popular film The Matrix impressed hundreds of critics with its addictive storyline and mind-blowing special effects. The story written by and directed by brothers Larry and Andy Wachowski, cost over $2million to produce but earned well over $171million from America alone. Starring Keanu Reeves (Speed, Bill Teds Excellent Adventure) as Neo, a computer hacker who is believed to be the One. Laurence Fishburne (Whats Love Got To Do With It? Apocalypse Now) plays Morpheus, the Captain of the ship, the Nebuchadnezzar. Also starring is Carrie-Anne Moss (Dark Justice, Due South) who plays Trinity, Neos feisty girl and Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings) stars as Agent Smith, the robotic agent desperate to prevent Neo from telling people of the hidden reality. Compared to other films The Matrix is a huge success. After appearing from nowhere The Matrix has made the Wachowski brothers into multi-millionaires. The Matrix turned out to be one of the biggest money making films of 1999, earning more money worldwide than other films including Star Wars, Indiana Jones and James Bond. In the film The Matrix, the world that we live is an elaborate deception created by all-powerful machines of artificial intelligence that control us. Everything we see, hear, touch, smell and eat is just a computer program sent to our brain to cover up the hideous reality. Morpheus believes that Neo is The One the only person who can hack into the Matrix and break it, freeing humankind inside the Matrix. However the Agents, superhuman beings that control the Matrix wish to destroy The One and locate Zion, the last and only planet that is not being controlled by the Matrix. Alongside this well put together storyline, The Matrix is full of mind-blowing stunts, amazing special effects and extraordinary fight scenes that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Although this an indeed successful structure it can be fairly complicated and confusing at first glance and would probably leave quite a puzzled audience in their cinema seats. Because this storyline is rather difficult to understand you are more distracted by the action sequences than the actual film so it is likely you would need to watch lots of times over and very carefully to get the plot. It is unsurprising that The Matrix series are so popular it covers large areas that critics and viewers will enjoy including the genres. Although the main genre is sci-fi, The Matrix is a well put together combination of Kung fu, philosophical and romantic as to cover as many areas as possible to please as many viewers as possible. Although The Matrix is set in present day (1999), the look of the film is still very computerized and modern. The Matrixs art direction has been filmed very well, mostly at an angle so that the actor can be seen in as best position as possible. In talking scenes the actors are usually filmed close up and at their faces, whilst in the action scenes the camera is placed faraway, to film as much as possible and to fit the actors whole body in the shot. The main colours in the film are blacks, greys, blues and mostly dull colours, which gives the atmosphere a modern yet dirty and dreary look. The set is also quite impressive, the earth as we see it is filled with towering offices and dark gloomy buildings. There are run down flats and graphitised apartments where they live in and busy streets. Inside Morpheuss ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, it is just as dark, but with wires, cables, computer screens and equipment everywhere. In the fight scenes in The Matrix, however it is brighter, not as dirty and slightly more colourful, probably so that the cast will not be hidden from view and will be able to stand out more. In The Matrix the casts costumes are foot-length jackets with shirt, trousers and boots. There clothing all tend to be one colour, either black, and made out of smooth and shiny materials like leather, with a pair of designer sunglasses to go with it. Agents costumes are brown suits with a white shirt and black tie and shoes. Nothing to interesting but they also have a nice pair of sunglasses. This film should appeal to a wide range of people; it has everything that a good film needs including action, good bad, romance and a slight humour. Another thing is that The Matrix covers many different film genres that will keep many fans of those more interested. But most importantly why anyone person would enjoy this film is just because it is so well done. Super action, mind-blowing stunts, amazing storyline makes this one of the best movies of the millennium. For my personal view I think that The Matrix, is a spectacular classic. I think this because not only is a great film but also it has been expertly directed and filmed with a great choice of actors. Not only is the storyline excellent, its also original and cool so its a thrill to watch as many times as you want until your eyes bleed.

Free Essays on The Abortion Issue

We have advanced greatly from when we first began forming our society’s ethics. The majority has praised many of these advances as a good thing. However, when it comes to abortion, many people think that it is an advance that is purely bad and morally wrong. How could so many people find a medical procedure to be so objectionable? Well, this is one of the few procedures that involve two people, one of whom is incapable of communicating his or her wants and needs. Abortion has been around and been practiced a lot longer than most people like to admit. Only now, it is a perfectly legal practice, which many feel means the government is endorsing it. It’s this legality issue that has brought abortion into the spotlight, and made it a public opinion, rather than a personal choice as it used to be. Abortion is the act of killing a fetus before it can be born. It can legally be done up to 22 weeks into the pregnancy. This is the government’s decision of when life truly starts in the womb. Most people’s grief with abortion arises over this issue of declaring when that cluster of cells is considered a human. Many people believe that life begins at conception. As soon as that egg and sperm combine, you have an innocent life that must be protected. It has the possibility to become human therefore it must be protected. However, no one thinks we should protect the sperm or egg, even though they both have an equal chance of becoming a human. It’s interesting that, many of these people still use a form of birth control, but they don’t considered that to be wrong. After all, preventing the sperm and the egg from combining is total different than destroying them right after they do. Clearly the major issue with abortion is the idea of choosing one life over another. Most people hold life to be precious, but we also hold our freedom of choice to be precious. So which is more important, the mother’s choice or the babies ... Free Essays on The Abortion Issue Free Essays on The Abortion Issue We have advanced greatly from when we first began forming our society’s ethics. The majority has praised many of these advances as a good thing. However, when it comes to abortion, many people think that it is an advance that is purely bad and morally wrong. How could so many people find a medical procedure to be so objectionable? Well, this is one of the few procedures that involve two people, one of whom is incapable of communicating his or her wants and needs. Abortion has been around and been practiced a lot longer than most people like to admit. Only now, it is a perfectly legal practice, which many feel means the government is endorsing it. It’s this legality issue that has brought abortion into the spotlight, and made it a public opinion, rather than a personal choice as it used to be. Abortion is the act of killing a fetus before it can be born. It can legally be done up to 22 weeks into the pregnancy. This is the government’s decision of when life truly starts in the womb. Most people’s grief with abortion arises over this issue of declaring when that cluster of cells is considered a human. Many people believe that life begins at conception. As soon as that egg and sperm combine, you have an innocent life that must be protected. It has the possibility to become human therefore it must be protected. However, no one thinks we should protect the sperm or egg, even though they both have an equal chance of becoming a human. It’s interesting that, many of these people still use a form of birth control, but they don’t considered that to be wrong. After all, preventing the sperm and the egg from combining is total different than destroying them right after they do. Clearly the major issue with abortion is the idea of choosing one life over another. Most people hold life to be precious, but we also hold our freedom of choice to be precious. So which is more important, the mother’s choice or the babies ...

Free Essays on We Thought The Ball Was Juiced. The Effects Of Steroid Use In Baseball

We all thought the ball was juiced 1. With the World Series ending last week all of baseballs many problems got pushed back into the closet once again without any resolutions. During the heated negotiations of labor dispute from this summer the problem of steroid use came to a head when two former all-stars came out and stated that steroid use in professional baseball is rampant. They admitted that they used the banned substance. Not only did these allegations hurt the integrity of the game that millions of fans support annually, but the negative effect that is passed down to the youth. The impressionable youth now think to become a professional they have to use steroids without knowing all the negative side effects. Still yet we see many baseball players looking more like professional body builders than the prototypical average sized athlete. Not saying all of the 235 pound baseball players are juicing, but it does lead to some suspicion of steroid use. Steroids are a dangerous price to pay not only for the play er, the integrity of the game and the youth of the beloved national past time. 2. What would posses professional athletes to the brink of harming their body for a game? The athlete obviously had to practice for years before the opportunity of the major leagues approached them. Anyway what would the use of steroids in baseball be beneficial? Steroids do not help one hit a ninety eight-mile per hour fastball, or help field a ground ball, or even make a throw more accurate. One the other hand steroids can make one run faster, throw harder and hit a ball further. There have been two confirmed cases of steroid use in Major League Baseball. Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP, and Jose Canseco admitted to using steroids during their careers. The first to come out and admit his steroid use was Caminiti. Caminiti started using steroids the year he won the MVP. What started out as a way to help his shoulder injury ... Free Essays on We Thought The Ball Was Juiced. The Effects Of Steroid Use In Baseball Free Essays on We Thought The Ball Was Juiced. The Effects Of Steroid Use In Baseball We all thought the ball was juiced 1. With the World Series ending last week all of baseballs many problems got pushed back into the closet once again without any resolutions. During the heated negotiations of labor dispute from this summer the problem of steroid use came to a head when two former all-stars came out and stated that steroid use in professional baseball is rampant. They admitted that they used the banned substance. Not only did these allegations hurt the integrity of the game that millions of fans support annually, but the negative effect that is passed down to the youth. The impressionable youth now think to become a professional they have to use steroids without knowing all the negative side effects. Still yet we see many baseball players looking more like professional body builders than the prototypical average sized athlete. Not saying all of the 235 pound baseball players are juicing, but it does lead to some suspicion of steroid use. Steroids are a dangerous price to pay not only for the play er, the integrity of the game and the youth of the beloved national past time. 2. What would posses professional athletes to the brink of harming their body for a game? The athlete obviously had to practice for years before the opportunity of the major leagues approached them. Anyway what would the use of steroids in baseball be beneficial? Steroids do not help one hit a ninety eight-mile per hour fastball, or help field a ground ball, or even make a throw more accurate. One the other hand steroids can make one run faster, throw harder and hit a ball further. There have been two confirmed cases of steroid use in Major League Baseball. Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP, and Jose Canseco admitted to using steroids during their careers. The first to come out and admit his steroid use was Caminiti. Caminiti started using steroids the year he won the MVP. What started out as a way to help his shoulder injury ...

Types of crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Types of crimes - Essay Example UCR measures this crime using National Incident-Based Reporting System. Offenders of this crime include enemies of politicians and other famous personalities whereas victims of this crime include government employees, police officers, and service workers. Offenders commit this crime wherever and whenever they find some opportunity to kill. This crime is also on rise in the United States. I think that reporting system of this crime is good as news channels are doing their job perfectly in reporting these incidents. Vehicle Theft Vehicle theft refers to the act of taking another person’s vehicle without informing that person. The intention of the offender is to keep that vehicle permanently. UCR measures this crime by analyzing the number of cases reported to the police by the victims. Offenders of this crime include thieves whereas victims include any person who posses some vehicle of value. Thieves usually steal vehicles from car garages present in the houses and from streets. This crime seems to be on decline because of effective law enforcement from police and law enforcement agencies. Police reporting system and National Incident-Based Reporting System are working well for this crime so nothing needs to be changed.

Sampling Strategy and Sample Size for a Quantitative Research Plan Paper

Sampling Strategy and Sample Size for a Quantitative Plan - Research Paper Example In so doing, a good look at population will enable the researcher to determine where best to draw participants from. This student is currently working on a paper designed to study the relationship between dating violence and sexually transmitted infections. The purpose of this brief paper is to propose a sampling strategy based on strong social science principles that will enable realistic and helpful conclusions in the end. The population considered for this study will be African American high school students between the ages of 15 and 19 years old. In an effort to reach different demographics, two different types of schools will be included in the research sample. One school will be a local public school, while the other will be a private school in the same locality. An adequate number of African American participants should be invited to participate in the study to ensure that suitable numbers of respondents agree to do so. Pollard and Tomlin (1995, p. 6) mention that up to 50, but no fewer than 20, individuals should be included in the final data set. This will provide the researcher with enough data with which to work with, but not so much that confusion as to the actual results could take place. This number is also easy to work with when enlisting the help statistical aids, such as ANOVA, which will form a critical part of this research strategy and plan. The final number of participants that will be a part of this sampling strategy will also be dependent upon the actual design of the study. Due to the fact that there are a limited number of African American youth present in each high school being studied, this plan will allow for as few 20 youth to be included in the final panel. It has been demonstrated that a sampling group of this size will be reflective of the respective high schools being studied and will end up being comparable to other

Multinational Corporation Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multinational Corporation Expansion - Essay Example The political and legal factors ruling the target company determine the ease with which the organization can establish its business. Proper understanding of the demographics as well as socio-cultural environment of the target market will determine the strategies and promotional plans for market growth. In the current expansion plan, the company chosen is Pfizer, largest pharmaceutical company worldwide. The target market chosen will be Vietnam, where the company has launched its operations yet. COMPANY DESCRIPTION Pfizer is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in United States (Pfizer, 2013a). It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in terms of revenue. The company is involved in manufacturing and production of vaccines and medicines for a wide range of medical conditions. The company has its operations in more than 42 countries around the globe. In the current making plan, the company is planning to launch its business in Vietnam (Pfizer, 2013b). COUNTRY DESCRIPTIO N Vietnam, also known as Socialist Republic of Vietnam and is located in the eastern coast of Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by china, Laos and Cambodia. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. The country has a single party socialist system, with the government and the president having executive powers. The country is inhabited mainly by the Viet, constituting about 86 percent of the total population. The average life expectancy is 73 years. Around 70 percent of the demographics belong to age group 15- 64 and merely 7 percent of population constitute 65 years or above. In terms of health and malnutrition, it is one of the major issues in rural provinces. The country has suffered from diseases such as malaria and has made progress in establishing a south health system. DIMENSIONS OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCE Management of international finance deals with monetary and financial decisions taken in the area of international business. High inflation of international trade is responsible f or the growth in international business. Thus, while doing international trade, involvement of trade and tariffs is normal and financial management becomes critical as these trade laws and regulations are different for different international markets. International finance is different from domestic finance. There are three dimensions of International finance which differentiates it from others; 1. Political risks and Foreign exchange, 2. Imperfections in market, and 3. Expanded set of opportunities. Political risks and Foreign exchange When individuals and companies are involved in cross-border transactions, they are exposed to risk associated with foreign exchange markets. These are foreign exchange risks and political risks. The companies are exposed to risk in terms of currency rates and nature of the foreign markets. To curb these risks, Pfizer can opt for conducting business in the local currency. Vietnam’s forex market has remained low, so to decrease the forex risk, P fizer can utilize the foreign risk management techniques used in United States. Political risks range from unexpected changes in tax laws to inappropriate or misuse of assets by foreigners. The economic development

Efficient Market Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Efficient Market Theory - Essay Example Any information, whether published or insider, will reflect in the prices instantly. This hypothesis presupposes that there is no question of under or overvaluation in the market and it is impossible to outperform the market by making abnormal profits in the stock exchanges. It is also pertinent to note that higher returns are associated with higher risks, and the factors affecting performance of a stock could vary from political risks, acquisitions and mergers, crisis of various sorts to fluctuations in other markets, and it may be difficult for the market forces to adjust to the impact of these factors instantly. Objectives This paper seeks to study and analyze the secondary sources with reference to the following questions relevant to efficient markets theory: 1. Is the Efficient Market theory true? 2. Is there any need for technical or fundamental analysis in efficient markets? Efficient Market Theory If beating the market is impossible, how come Warren Buffet is consistent in ou tperforming the market? There are so many mutual fund and portfolio managers giving consistent performance in the stock markets, which is not possible according to this theory. There is always scope for outperforming the markets thorough experience, expertise, intuition and discipline. The efficient market is an ideal situation which is hardly achieved in the real life. For example, Muhammad, N. M. N. and Rahman, N. M. N. A. (2010, p. 35) writes â€Å"EMH states that security prices fully reflect all available information and will immediately adjust to the arrival of new information (Adam, 2004). However, since market was closed on both Saturday and Sunday, it was argued that investors cannot do anything with the market even though they got some information during the weekend†. The equilibrium in the market is always disturbed by so many factors including psychological factors such as over confidence of the investors or over reaction to the market forces. Sharma, A. (2009, p. 37) states â€Å"Various studies have been conducted worldwide on stock market reaction to public announcements. Market’s reaction to such publicly available information is very swift. Inefficiency in the market exists when investors envisage such information before it is formally announced and earn abnormal returns†. Greed and fear are the motivating forces of the markets many a times, and rational approach to the investment or trading takes the backseat. Sudden crashes in the markets are nothing to do with fair value, and the market sentiments driven by so many factors rudely shakeup the very fundamental concept of this theory. Consequently, the question of under or overvaluation to the stock arises in the markets. Park, A. (2010, p. 365) states that one of the implications of the weak-form EMH is that prices are submartingale, or, more loosely, they are a random walk. Consequently, a so-called technical analysis, which is the extraction of information about the fut ure movement of prices from past prices, should have no merit. In real life situations, perfect efficiency in the market place is unrealistic, and it also depends upon accuracy of the information, cost of the information, the efficiency of the information transmission and the risk-return reward in taking decisions based on the information. Livanas, J. (2006, p. 28) argues how can the market be efficient when investors seem to make decisions that perhaps are rational – but only within bounds? When the investors make decisions in an irrational manner, which is in line with the human behavior, it will be difficult to rely on a

Multicultural Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Multicultural Education - Essay Example The race is an insightful contributor towards the increasing need to embrace multicultural education around the world. In regard to the increasing interaction of different communities online and physically particularly on an education platform, multiculturalism is promoted by the author in lengths and depths. By offering a global approach from the United States and European perspective on the topic, the author is clearly relevant to the contemporary socio-economic and political dynamism among learners. In an effort to achieve cultural diversity among the various people of diverse backgrounds in schools, the author emphasizes the importance of tolerance for a better learning environment. Despite demonstrating the outstanding significance of this concept, the text has some information gap in regard to comparative statistics to support facts. The author introduces the role of multicultural education. In the United States, the author portrays a society of multi cultural characteristics with significantly diverse socio-economic and political viewpoint. In that respect, Learners must be accommodated in their different cultural backgrounds to promote expression of individual’s views with the goal of achieving convergent interests. The author emphasizes education system as critical in imparting democratic spirit in the society as it involves learners from childhood towards adulthood. The text is relevant to the increasing need to expand democratic approach in conflict resolution and sound governance systems in this era of globalization.

Efficient Market Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Efficient Market Theory - Essay Example Any information, whether published or insider, will reflect in the prices instantly. This hypothesis presupposes that there is no question of under or overvaluation in the market and it is impossible to outperform the market by making abnormal profits in the stock exchanges. It is also pertinent to note that higher returns are associated with higher risks, and the factors affecting performance of a stock could vary from political risks, acquisitions and mergers, crisis of various sorts to fluctuations in other markets, and it may be difficult for the market forces to adjust to the impact of these factors instantly. Objectives This paper seeks to study and analyze the secondary sources with reference to the following questions relevant to efficient markets theory: 1. Is the Efficient Market theory true? 2. Is there any need for technical or fundamental analysis in efficient markets? Efficient Market Theory If beating the market is impossible, how come Warren Buffet is consistent in ou tperforming the market? There are so many mutual fund and portfolio managers giving consistent performance in the stock markets, which is not possible according to this theory. There is always scope for outperforming the markets thorough experience, expertise, intuition and discipline. The efficient market is an ideal situation which is hardly achieved in the real life. For example, Muhammad, N. M. N. and Rahman, N. M. N. A. (2010, p. 35) writes â€Å"EMH states that security prices fully reflect all available information and will immediately adjust to the arrival of new information (Adam, 2004). However, since market was closed on both Saturday and Sunday, it was argued that investors cannot do anything with the market even though they got some information during the weekend†. The equilibrium in the market is always disturbed by so many factors including psychological factors such as over confidence of the investors or over reaction to the market forces. Sharma, A. (2009, p. 37) states â€Å"Various studies have been conducted worldwide on stock market reaction to public announcements. Market’s reaction to such publicly available information is very swift. Inefficiency in the market exists when investors envisage such information before it is formally announced and earn abnormal returns†. Greed and fear are the motivating forces of the markets many a times, and rational approach to the investment or trading takes the backseat. Sudden crashes in the markets are nothing to do with fair value, and the market sentiments driven by so many factors rudely shakeup the very fundamental concept of this theory. Consequently, the question of under or overvaluation to the stock arises in the markets. Park, A. (2010, p. 365) states that one of the implications of the weak-form EMH is that prices are submartingale, or, more loosely, they are a random walk. Consequently, a so-called technical analysis, which is the extraction of information about the fut ure movement of prices from past prices, should have no merit. In real life situations, perfect efficiency in the market place is unrealistic, and it also depends upon accuracy of the information, cost of the information, the efficiency of the information transmission and the risk-return reward in taking decisions based on the information. Livanas, J. (2006, p. 28) argues how can the market be efficient when investors seem to make decisions that perhaps are rational – but only within bounds? When the investors make decisions in an irrational manner, which is in line with the human behavior, it will be difficult to rely on a

The Atlas. Microsoft Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Atlas. Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example ..8 Executive Summary: Microsoft Corporation has been an iconic company in the field of Information technology. Microsoft is recognized as a company that has revolutionized the computer market world over. The company has been listed in the Forbes 500 companies in various occasions. The company has been steered towards steady growth by its competent management. The CEO of the company Steven Ballmer is considered as a competent chairperson who has been able to help Microsoft grow further in terms of revenue and expansion. The company has been able to hold its market share in operating system market and expand its market in other ventures like Entertainment and devices. The company has substantial potential to grow even further. A brief history of the company: It was the 1975 issue of Popular Electronics that featured the computer product Altair 8800 of MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems). It was one of the co-founder of Microsoft Paul Allen who observed that they can dev elop a basic programmer for MITS that can act as an interpreter. Bill gates the other prominent co-founder of Microsoft and Paul Allen developed the basic interpreter for Altair, which was a success. This gave Microsoft a clear direction and on April 04, 1977 Microsoft Inc. was established. The company has ever since a huge growth in the field of software development and internet revolution. The company currently deals with product range Windows operating system, Server and tools, online service division and Entertainment. A brief biography of the current CEO: Steven Ballmer was appointed as CEO of Microsoft in January 2000. He has been with Microsoft since 1980. Ballmer has been heading various divisions in Microsoft ever since. The main divisions that were under Ballmer include Operating Systems Division, Operations and sales and Support. In the year 2011 Ballmer’s total wealth estimate was calculated to be US$ 14.5 billion. He has been ranked 46 on the Forbes list of billi onaires in 2010 issue. Ballmer is acknowledged in the business circuit for his over enthusiastic behavior during business meet. His flamboyant way of conducting himself during conferences sets him apart from other CEOs. Market analysis: The main Industrial market that Microsoft deals with is IT industry. The main products offered by Microsoft are software programs and operating system. Microsoft acknowledges the importance of Research and Development in the IT industry and is always developing new operating systems and softwares to gain competitive advantage. Markets in which the company competes: The company mainly deals with software programming. The company has expanded its domain in many sectors in IT market. Windows operating systems, server and tools, online service operations, business division and Entertainment devices section. The client division of the Microsoft deals with designing the flagship product of Microsoft Windows operating system. The server division produces pr oducts line like Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Visual studio, Microsoft SQL and Microsoft Silverlight. The company also develops software required for business process management, Microsoft BizTalk software. The online services include search engines Bing and MSN. In business division the company deals with Microsoft office package mainly designed to cater the need of office documentation and communication. The latest package is Microsoft 2010. In entertainment and devices section the company de

Storm on the Island Essay Example for Free

Storm on the Island Essay The poets, who wrote the four poems in question, all put forward their personal views upon the aspect(s) of nature which their pieces are themed around. In Seamus Heaneys poem, Storm on the Island, the theme is implied simply in the title. Heaneys poem explores the effects a storm has upon island dwellers where there is no natural shelter. He relates how weak and defenceless we humans are compared to these natural happenings. The way in which we are forced to shelter and protect ourselves from this nothing which has the power and might to change everything in our lives. The unmistakable sense of peoples fear of natures fury is shown throughout the poem. Human and Nature seem to be at war with each other- nature versus man- with Nature the dominant adversary but humans still grimly hanging on. The two sides almost appear to be at a stalemate. For try as it might, the storm has not beaten man- and man can only find means to protect himself- being too weak to retaliate. Heaney presents the storm as an unwanted and vicious foe but does recognize Natures absolute and unrivalled power. Nature is shown to be brutal, strong and overpowering- without mercy to the island dwellers. The other post 1914 poem- The Field Mouse by Gillian Clarke, presents a view which totally opposes Heaneys idea of Nature dominating over man and man being the victim. In fact it completely reverses the idea and has instead man being the one at fault, and shows Natures innocent beings (e. g. the field mouse) as the ones who suffer because of our stupidity and greed. It portrays how the innocence of the vulnerable is shattered by stronger forces through the story of a field mouse fatally injured by a harvester. She presents humans as the tyranny- the plague of nature- destroyers of lives, beauty and innocence through our greed, arrogance and selfish ignorance to the people and things around us- nature as the wronged- the helpless- the meek. Clarkes poem compared to the less descriptive- though just as effective Storm on the Island are very similar in theme, as both concentrate on the seeming battle between man and nature- though the poets are in different minds on who is the most destructive. Heaney concentrates on the natural occurrences that disrupt and destruct peoples lives- but are unavoidable- whereas Clarke focuses on the destruction and consequences Humans force upon nature and the innocent. The actions which are not unavoidable and could easily be averted. Each of the four poems are set out in different styles and structure to add to the overall effect of the poems. Storm on the Island is mostly blank verse. Twenty lines without rhyme, but which is structured in strict iambic pentameter of 10 beats per line. This produces an almost methodical and solemn rhythm to the poem which adds to the seriousness of the situation the Island dwellers find themselves in, for if they did not devise methods of protecting themselves from Natures fury, it could be fatal to them. The field mouse however differs. Gillian Clarke sectioned the poem into three stanzas beginning, middle and end. The first stanza introduces the separate scenes of haymaking and war and compares the two. Though haymaking initially is thought of to be a peaceful and naturalistic event, Clarke manages to turn usually innocent images into deadly, warlike scenes.E. g. summer, the long grass is a snare drum. When the idea of summer is presented, we generally perceive a warm, happy peaceful time- as with long grass, we think naturalistic scenes. Long grass is home to plenty of creatures- snakes, rabbits, pheasants, mice etc. As it is home to many creatures and it is therefore considered a safe haven for them. However, Clarke dispels this idea and instead of having it safe, has it a snare drum. Snare- entrapping, harsh- warlike. Drum conjures up the idea of marching to war- the drums in the background providing the solemn funeral like March. The 2nd stanza introduces the mouse injured by their hay making- caught in the tractors blade. An innocent creature killed because of humans. Due to the underlying images and hints of war in the previous stanza, our minds are tuned to this idea of war destroying the innocent, so when given a mouse killed by humans, we think of the innocent civilians who are caught in the crossfire of the war in Europe who have nothing to do with the conflict but ironically due to being neutral are hurt. The third stanza portrays the consequences of our actions upon nature- Before the days gone, the field lies bleeding, The dusk garden inhabited by the saved, voles, frogs, a nest of mice. It disconcertingly again tunes our minds to human war- the refugees fleeing their homes to escape death or injury. The destruction and woe that war brings- the field lies bleeding- And again our poisonous actions on nature. The poem is highly metaphorical- using combinations of varied linguistic devices to achieve its end ambition of procuring a sense of guilt and remorse in the reader. Metaphors and personification (e. g. the field lies bleeding) are used with great skill- blending two similar stories into one. By using a simple field mouse injured by a harvester in summer to represent innocent civilians casualties caused by caught in the cross fire of a war they play no part in, she evokes feelings of pity and shame inside the reader which then also transfers on to the civilians. She also produces scenes of natural innocence and transforms them into images desecrated by human hands (e. g. a child running through killed flowers and the death of the mouse) to embed her point of our contamination and cruelty upon nature and its creations. Her choice of language is also highly emotive and the feelings of shame and guilt rest largely upon her language. Perhaps this is merely a coincidence, but I received the impression, that the two pre 1914 poems were much more idyllic nature wise and were more centred upon the beauty and creations, whereas the other two struck me to be more about human interference with nature and the affect nature has on human lives. This is almost definitely due to the huge world wars of 1914 onwards which took place and the after shocks which followed. Though this is only a guess, it would explain the rather sudden change on the outlook of our lives and nature. Millions of people had died suffered and had had their homes destroyed- creating misery, devastation and thousands of refugees. Storm on the Island even has some likeness to the Blitz. Having to build improved safer shelters to protect themselves from the bombardment and rage of the storm reminds us rather of people having to build air raid shelters and take refuge in the underground to protect themselves from the deadly bombings in world war two.

Impact of Automation and Computerization on Jobs

Impact of Automation and Computerization on Jobs Table of Contents Introduction Impact of Automation and Computerization on Jobs Impact of Automation on Worker Skills 1. Skill Depth: 2. Skill Breadth: Decrease in worker wages Strategies to bargain compensation packages Conclusion Works Cited During the early 1990’s the processes of automation and computerization were changing the work place of corporations in the newly developing countries. Discuss how these processes had affected employees with low skills to bargain for their compensation packages in developing countries. Introduction Automation and computerization were the by-products of globalization in the 1990s. Due to increasing mechanization and industrialization of work activities, a technological boom started which had huge impacts on the role of low skilled workers within an organization. The task structure changed and so did the wages and incentives paid to the employees. As a result, the low skill workers tried to regain their power by developing strategies to bargain for compensation packages with the managers. The following paper is based upon this issue. It attempts to highlight the impacts of change along with worker’s role to deal with these processes of change. Impact of Automation and Computerization on Jobs Automation refers to the use of automatic machinery instead of manual labor to carry out factory work activities whereas computerization is related to the increasing use of technological change in the organizations. As technology grows, the methods to do manufacturing jobs are changed and as a result, the whole occupational structure is changed. Computerization involves numerical control (NC) technologies that change the staffing patterns and company structure (Cappalli, 1996). When tasks are transferred to automatic machines, job opportunities decrease as less people are involved in final creation of a product. But on the other hand, in some cases, more people are required to run those machines. But in the latter case, the workers get reduced wages. So, Computer integrated manufacturing systems (CIM) have developed easier application systems for the organizations but at the same time, it has increased the concerns of the worker labor class due to decrease in opportunities and wages (Krueger, 1993). Impact of Automation on Worker Skills Apart from change in structure of tasks, the nature of skills required to perform the job are also changed. Two types of worker skills are important to consider while exploring the impact of computerization and automation on low skilled workers (Juhn, Murphy, Pierce, 1993). Skill Depth: It includes two major areas: judgment and time proficiency. Low skilled jobs that require little time proficiency to master the work (e.g. filing or food servicing) as well as judgment have much lower wages as compared to those skills that are more complex and require more time to learn. Automation has reduced the proficiency time required for certain jobs therefore; it has also reduced worker wages. Skill depth is reduced because of transformation of complex manual labor to simple mental tasks. On the other hand, computerization might allow workers to have greater freedom in the distribution of tasks. NC technology is used to distinguish programming from machine operations. So, this CNC technology can facilitate in reducing proficiency time by combining programming and machine operation. CAD system were also developed which allowed low skilled workers to create faster and better output through easy learning and less effort. Skill Breadth: This concept was of importance for employees involved in manufacturing, maintenance and repair tasks. It involves the changing of job content as a result of technology. Although it reduces the effort of manual input but with regards to the compensation programs, this technique did not attract the low skilled laborers. Decrease in worker wages The above facts show how the dynamic world brought with itself a changing organizational pattern. The fast and easy work done by machines and computers used to leave workers in the lurch. Organization’s focus shifted towards profit generation by increasing productivity through the use of smarter machines. This had severe consequences on the overall economic structure of developing countries. The economic progress was hampered and unemployment was increased. The workers, who formed a major chunk of the population felt depressed because their sources of earning were severally impacted and they had to negotiate with the managers for their wages and compensation (Katz Murphy, 1992). Following analysis indicates how the workers in 1990s strived in the changing world of automation. Strategies to bargain compensation packages In the developing countries, automation and computerization created unemployment. Such impacts of technological change dispersed greatly across various geographical regions in manufacturing and service industries. Therefore, the dilemma of marginalized workers increased the topic of setting wages in the 1990s. When the workers felt that they are not in a power to negotiate wages with the managers, particularly in the middle class developing countries, they created unions whose sole purpose was to bargain worker wages according to international standards in order to provide increased benefits and fair incentive to the people for the amount of effort they put in (Hirshorn, 1984). This process was severely impacted when countries created minimum wage laws for low skilled workers. It further deteriorated the process because increasing inflation and minimum wage laws reduced the power of manual workers to such an extent that they remained nothing but merely a cog in the machine. In the developed countries, the power of individual bargaining is available to the workers but in developing countries this right is strictly curtailed, therefore; labor institutions are formed for this purpose. Research indicates that unnecessary wage legislation has increased the problems of low skilled workers in developing countries therefore; a proper system must be developed to protect the rights of workers, both economically and socially, in the technical global world (Zuboff, 1988). Conclusion The above analysis explains how the process of automation, computerization and technological change changed the job structure and the skills required. These changes increased unemployment in the developing countries and increased wage concerns of the workers. In order to receive equitable wages, unions were created to bargain prices with the managers. These unions have been successful in driving power for low skilled workers in some cases but the fact remains that automation and technology has changed the overall work landscape which is irreversible. Therefore, proper mechanisms must be developed to regulate wage laws in the world of computerization and automation. Works Cited Cappalli, P. (1996). Technology and Skill Requirements: Implications for establishment wage structures. New England Economic Review, 139-153. Hirshorn, L. (1984). Beyond Mechanization: Work and Technology in a pst industrial age. Cambridge Press. Juhn, C., Murphy, K. M., Pierce, B. (1993). Wage Inequality and the Rise in Returns to Skill. Journal of Political Economy, 410-422. Katz, L. F., Murphy, K. (1992). Changes in Relative Wages 1963-1987: Supply and Demand Factors. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 36-78. Krueger, A. (1993). How Computers have changed the wage structue: Evidence from microdata 1984-1989. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 33-60. Zuboff, S. (1988). In the age of smart machine: The future of work and power.

Analysis On Racism In Huck Finn Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In July of 1876, a man by the name of Samuel Clemens began writing one of the most important and influential works in America’s literary history. Under the pseudonym of Mark Twain, the work was begun as a sequel to Twain’s popular boy’s adventure novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. As he progressed in the writing of the sequel, Twain, an author already noted for his humor, cynicism, and American social criticism, began to lean away from strictly the boy’s adventure style towards a more serious, critical look at society. By the time Twain had finished writing the novel in 1884, eight years after it was begun, he had produced The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, his greatest work and possibly on of the greatest works of American literature. With The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain attempted to illustrate his contempt for certain aspects of specifically pre-Civil War Southern society through the eyes of the innocent Huck Finn. Howeve r, his focus was not entirely on pre-War Southern society, for criticism of aspects of modern society as a whole was evident, as well as on aspects of human nature. Although Twain had essential produced a superficial boy’s adventure novel, it’s very themes are not characteristic of such a genre. The themes that are developed throughout the novel include that of hypocrisy, racism, violence, and gullibility. These four themes represent the elements of pre-War Southern society that bear Twain’s main criticisms throughout the pages of the novel. Specifically, much of Twain’s critical focus landed upon the theme of racism. Racism, in all of its ignorance and crudeness, is present in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, from the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson’s attempt to â€Å"sivilize† Huck to Tom Sawyer’s startling acclamation that Jim was already free. Huck is confronted with example after example of Southern society’s innate racis m, some of which Huck too has inherited. As Jim and Huck journey down the mighty Mississippi, Huck begins to lose those inborn racist sentiments in his through his uninfluenced life with Jim. By closely developing the theme of racism through Huck’s internal struggle with reality and with society’s reality, Twain attempts to illustrate his contempt for the outright injustice of one of society’s most disturbing and irrational aspects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the novel b... ...probes deeper into Jim’s despair, he discovers that Jim feels wholeheartedly guilty about an incident that occurred in his relationship with his deaf and dumb daughter. Jim’s great display of emotion surprises Huck, for he has inherited the belief that a black man is not capable of such a degree of emotion. â€Å"He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn’t ever been away from home before in his life; and I do believe that he cared just as much for his people as white folks does their’n. It don’t seem natural, but I reckon it’s so.† (Twain 23) Society’s belief that the black race was inferior to the white race in every way, including emotion, is illustrated in this sentence. Huck’s surprise that Jim loves his family just as much as white people do is simply a belief that he has inherited from civilized society. Twain demonstrates the inherent racial prejudice of pre-Civil War Southern society in a satirical manner. The notion that black people do not care for the families as much as white people care for theirs seems utterly ridiculous to the reader. However, in the South, this notion was commonplace and accepted.