Checks and Balances Essay

This essay will discuss the Constitutional principle of Checks and Balances. It will explain the concept and effectiveness of the separation of power. As an example, the case of Brown v. The Board of Education will be used to explain the concept and effectiveness of the separation of power. Brown v. The Board of Education is a famous case that ended segregation in schools in 1954 during the Civil Rights Movement. First, lets start with what the definition of Checks and Balances is as it pertains to the Constitution. The definition according to Merriam-Webster is: â€Å"a system that allows each branch of a government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power. †. The legislative power is vested in the Congress, the executive power rests with the President and the judicial power is granted to the Supreme Court and other federal courts. Each branch of government has separate and particular powers as listed in the Constitution, each branch is also given the power, duty and ability to control and balance the other(s) in a system of checks and balances. The Constitution grants all legislative power to the Congress. The Congress is bicameral and a bill has to pass both houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. In this way the houses check and balance each other. Both the executive and the judicial branch check and balance the Congress’ legislative power. Although only the Congress can make laws, the President has the power to veto bills, in which case the bill can only pass with a 2/3 majority in both houses. Finally, if the Congress and the President agree on a law, the Supreme Court has the power of interpreting the laws and a power of review, i. . the Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional and therefore void. As chief administrator the President is required to see that laws are carried out, to enforce existing politics and to managing the bureaucracy. The president nominates the heads of the executive branch’s departments, but these appointments are subject to the Congress’ approval. The constitution makes the president and Congress share powers in matters such as foreign policy and the US armed forces. In the case of Brown v.  The Board of Education, the legal defense of Oliver L. Brown stated, â€Å"the discriminatory nature of racial segregation †¦ â€Å"violates the 14th amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws,†. Because of this Brown v. The Board of Education laid the foundation for shaping future national and international policies regarding human rights. At the time, the state of Kansas had segregated schools, meaning that black and white children could not go to school at the same place. At the end of the case, Brown and his legal defense had argued that it was not fair to the children because they may or may not get the best education if they were segregated. The United States Supreme Court ruled that no state should segregate any child in public schools. White and Black children would go to school together and be offered the same rights. Anything less would be unconstitutional. This is a perfect example of how the state legislature was overturned by the Supreme Court and they were able to keep a check and balance on each other. The state of Kansas did not have a law stating that the schools must be segregated, but they also did not have a law saying that they couldn’t be segregated. The Browns first took their case to the state in 1951. After the case was dismissed, Brown and four other lawsuits made an appeal to the United States Supreme Court were the state ruling was overruled. The Supreme Court had checked and agreed that it was a violation of the Constitution to segregate schools. To this day, a public school can not discriminate against any child, black or white, male or female, smart or special ed. The decision made by the Supreme Court was a unanimous ruling that was issued on May 17, 1954. At that time Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that â€Å"segregated schools are not equal and cannot be made equal, and hence they are deprived of the equal protection of the laws. † He continued, â€Å"We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. †. Thank goodness for checks and balances, without them, the country would be a much different place to live.

Sexuality, Corruption, and Power Dynamics in the Bloody Chamber

Sexuality, corruption and power dynamics in The Bloody Chamber Sexuality is a prevalent theme in Angela Carter’s story The Bloody Chamber. Sexual violence within a relationship often reveals aspects of each party’s identity and character as well as affects its power dynamics. Carter depicts sex both explicitly and implicitly in the story through the heroine’s own thoughts of her newfound sexuality and her sexual experiences with the Marquis.Carter’s implicit and explicit portrayals of sex and sexuality in The Bloody Chamber reflect changes in the power dynamic between the heroine and the Marquis throughout the text, develop the identity of the heroine and reveal aspects of the Marquis’ character, and challenge notions of gender. The first incident of an implicit portrayal of sexuality occurs during the narrator’s train ride away from her childhood home towards her new life with her future husband, the Marquis.No physical act of sex is describ ed, but it is the first time that the reader sees the heroine’s sensual side and departure from innocence through Carter’s use of sexual language. It is as if the train ride away from home symbolizes her departure from innocence and into womanhood. Carter uses words such as â€Å"ecstasy†, â€Å"burning†, â€Å"pistons thrusting†, shuddered†, and â€Å"throb† to convey the heroine’s newfound sexual arousal and her thoughts about sex.Carter’s description of the heroine’s â€Å"young girl’s pointed breasts and shoulders† depicts her innocence and virginity (Carter, 8), yet she is consumed with thoughts of sex. This contrast symbolizes the development of the heroine’s identity from childhood to womanhood. Implicit sexuality is also seen on the train ride when the heroine expresses her anticipation of sex. She says: â€Å"for the first time in my innocent and confined life, I sensed in myself a po tentiality for corruption that took my breath away. (Carter, 11). The heroine feels this way because of the way the Marquis watches her with an â€Å"assessing eye of a connoisseur inspecting horseflesh†, and sees for the first time the â€Å"carnal avarice† of the way he looks at her. The Marquis views her as a piece of meat; similar to the way a predator would eye his prey. From this scene, it is evident to the reader that the Marquis treats his women as possessions, and has a primal instinct regarding sexuality.The heroine has lived a sheltered, pure life and is completely new to such concepts as lust and sexual passion, but it is at this moment that she realizes the potential of becoming a woman susceptible to sexual domination and corruption. This scene reflects the power dynamic in the relationship stemming from the Marquis’ obvious desire for sexual possession, corruption, and control, and the heroine’s recognition of her impending sexual exploitat ion. The scene further develops the heroine’s identity towards becoming a woman.Despite the Marquis’ obvious misogyny, his actions excite the heroine because they make her feel as if she is a sexual and desirable being. She recounts his marriage proposal, and says: â€Å"When I said that I would marry him, not one muscle in his face stirred, but he let out a long, extinguished sigh. I thought: Oh! how he must want me! And it was as though the imponderable weight of his desire was a force I might not withstand, not by virtue of its violence but because of its very gravity. (Carter, 9) This quote shows how the heroine perceives the Marquis’ sigh as a sign that he is in love with her, when the more likely reality is that it is a sigh of victory, as if he has just conquered his latest possession. Regardless of these opposing interpretations, it is evident in the last line of this quote that the heroine senses the combination of sexual desire and violence inherent i n the Marquis’ character, and the harm it poses to her. Little does the heroine know how real the Marquis’ penchant for sex and violence is, and how he channels that desire towards the murder of women.The heroine seems accepting of the submissive role in her relationship with the Marquis, and the thought excites her. This assumption further reflects the power dynamic between the Marquis and his wife, as well as the gender roles that both characters embody. The Marquis fits the description of a power-hungry, domineering male, and the heroine that of a naive, innocent girl who obeys her husband. The heroine’s naivety is reflected when she says she is â€Å"bemused that, after those others, he should now have chosen me. She obviously does not understand that the reason he is not still in mourning for his last wife is because he murdered her. Carter’s explicit portrayal of sex occurs when the Marquis first shows the heroine the mirrored room and disrobes her . The heroine narrates the scene as if she is describing a rape, similar to the ones in the Marquis’ collection of pornographic paintings: â€Å"And when nothing but my scarlet, palpitating core remained, I saw, in the mirror, the living image of an etching by Rops from the collection he had shown me when our engagement permitted us to be alone together. (Carter, 15). When the Marquis later takes the heroine’s virginity, it is a form of punishment for the heroine’s disobedience in perusing his collection of books. This reveals the power dynamic that will present itself again in the story, of the Marquis setting the heroine up to disobey him, then punishing her. He makes her wear the choker of rubies as if it is a collar, kisses it before he kisses her, and â€Å"twines her hair into a rope† as if it is a weapon he could use to hurt her. These actions further exemplify the Marquis’ desire for violence and corruption enveloped in sex.Once the heroin e is no longer a virgin and the Marquis leaves the castle, the heroine takes on the role of woman of the house. The reader sees the development of the heroine’s identity, as her independence is revealed through solitary actions such as playing the piano, her true passion, and directing the staff. The heroine is portrayed as a woman who is in control of her domain, rather than a girl under the control of her husband, even though she is still very much trapped in the castle. Power dynamics shift once the heroine loses her virginity, because that was what defined her corruptibility, innocence and youth.The heroine and the reader also witness for the first time a Marquis who has had all the force and power knocked out of him. The narrator says â€Å"He lay beside me, felled like an oak, breathing stertorously, as if he had been fighting with me. In the course of that one-sided struggle, I had seen his deathly composure shatter like a porcelain vase flung against a wall; I had he ard him shriek and blaspheme at the orgasm. † (Carter, 18). Prior to this sexual experience, the heroine had never seen the Marquis be emptied of his composure or expose his vulnerability.She believes that she may have discovered the man underneath the powerful facade when she says â€Å"And perhaps I had seen his face without its mask; and perhaps I had not. † The Marquis is always so in control and holds power over the heroine, but she realizes that if his exterior is removed for a moment, he is not as powerful as he seems. This scene influences the power dynamic within the relationship, since the heroine is no longer convinced that the Marquis holds so much unquestionable authority over her.This transition in the power dynamic aids the heroine’s decision to disobey the Marquis’ instructions when he leaves. The heroine’s identity is further developed after the she discovers the bloody chamber and the Marquis returns to the castle. Now that she has discovered the truth about her husband and the fate of his previous wives, the narrator admits to herself that she is in true danger. â€Å"How could I know, indeed? Except that, in my heart, I’d always known its lord would be the death of me. † (Carter, 33).She is no longer an unknowing, innocent, uncorrupted girl, as she now knows who the Marquis truly is and what he plans to do to her, and she realizes there is nothing desirable about him or their relationship. The narrator realizes that she has played directly into the Marquis’ hands, and has â€Å"lost at that charade of innocence and vice in which he had engaged me. Lost, as the victim loses to the executioner. † (Carter, 34). The heroine has fallen for every trap that the Marquis has set for her, right up until her impending death.The power dynamics of the relationship shift at this moment in the story. The heroine has discovered the Marquis true intentions, so he no longer holds any secrets that she is unaware of. She sees him as the monster he is, and not as the powerful man he pretends to be. The narrator observes as the Marquis â€Å"raised his head and stared at me with his blind, shuttered eyes as though he did not recognize me, I felt a terrified pity for him, for this man who lived in such strange, secret places that, if I loved him enough to follow him, I should have to die† (Carter, 35).The heroine begins to pity the Marquis rather than fear him, and sees his loneliness underneath his powerful disguise. One could argue that the power dynamics truly shift in the heroine’s favor once her mother kills the Marquis, as he is destroyed, but the true shift takes place once the heroine discovers who the Marquis really is, because she no longer has any reason to obey him as a husband. Once the narrator realizes that she is not in a legitimate husband-wife relationship and her husband intends to murder her, there is no reason for her to act like a loving, faith ful wife or submit to this man.The end of the text shows how Carter challenges gender roles throughout the story. At the beginning, the heroine is portrayed as a naive girl who marries a man not because she’s sure she loves him, but because she’s sure she wants to marry him (Carter 8). The reader sees how she fits the notion of the inexperienced, submissive gender willing to obey a man and accept all the riches he offers her. The Marquis fits the notion of a masochistic, domineering male who sees women as objects and seeks to control them and entice them with wealth.However, by the end of the novel, the heroine outlives the Marquis and is no longer the object of a man’s desire for violence and sexual corruption. She marries a man who is blind and poor, so that he can neither objectify her for her beauty nor buy her love with money and gifts, and she no longer has any desire for these things. This change is seen when the narrator says: â€Å"We lead a quiet life , the three of us. I inherited, of course, enormous wealth but we have given most of it away to various charities. (Carter, 40). The Marquis has fallen from his position as a powerful, wealthy, controlling man, and in true feminist fashion, the heroine emerges the victor. Carter’s descriptions of implicit and explicit scenes of sex and sexuality involving the heroine and the Marquis illustrate the development of the two characters’ relationship with each other and the power dynamics involved, as well as their own identity transitions throughout the story.The reader witnesses the narrator’s journey from girlhood and her desire for sexual corruption, through her torture, submissiveness and sexual self-discovery, all the way until her assumption of power over the Marquis. The heroine defeats the preconceived notions of gender roles as her values and character are completely altered by the end of the story. The Bloody Chamber depicts the lethal combination of sexual ity and violence and the desire to be sexually corrupted without comprehending the implications and true nature of the relationship.

Is Capital Punishment Morally Justifiable Essay

Is Capital Punishment Morally Justifiable - Essay Example The textbook says that "Moral questions usually involve a range of different issues, which do need to be distinguished from each other in order to be effectively treated." (Gascoigne, p. 200). Thus in this section we will define the exact questions concerning capital punishment we are going to discuss, and we will define the reasons for the death penalty we consider to be worth of discussing. The dilemma whether capital punishment is legitimate is in fact the question whether the society has the right to commit the deed it punishes its members for. In this essay we are going to deal with the death penalty that is given to the criminals who took the lives of other people intentionally. We are not going to consider the political causes for the capital punishment, as we presume that murdering a person who hasn't committed similar crime himself or herself is unjustified a priori. We are going to discuss a question of whether the death penalty is an adequate punishment for murder and sexual assault, and whether the society has the right to take the life of its members intentionally. Our main question here is whether the society has the right to legalize murder in order to deter potential criminals by the consequences of their deeds, and to take a revenge for the victim's sufferings. We should decide whether the existence of the capital punishment in our society conforms to th e principles and ideals the members of this society declare they share. 2. Knowledge "We cannot develop a relevant moral norm unless we have detailed and specific knowledge of the situations in which this norm is intended to guide us." (Gascoigne, p.201). Thus in this section we have to get acquainted with the recent findings in the criminology of murder and talk about the types of murder that sometimes result in death penalty for people who commit them. There is some kind of psychological barrier in most of us engrafted by the society that doesn't allow us to take the life of other human being. The theory exists among some psychologists that when a person kills a man, this barrier is broken. In their opinion this is the main reason for which the criminals are isolated from society. Whether we agree with this theory or not, we should accept that a murderer is a person who has some alterations in his/her psychic, and he/she should be treated accordingly. An opinion exists that it is society that is guilty for the deeds of the criminals, as they are the products of its upbringing. It's true that the considerable part of people who committed violent crimes had suffered some form of abuse during their childhood years. The psychologists say that being violent becomes a normal path of action for those kids, and when they grow up, they continue to use this demeanor, as it proves its effectiveness to them. The statistics shows that most murders aren't planned and cruel ones; they rather happen in the state of affect within the family, among friends or lovers. There are also carefully planned murders committed for to allow the criminals to reach some of their goals. Some of the murders and assaults that happen are unprovoked, when the victim and the criminal don't know each other. An opinion exists that capital punishment is an effective method for crime prevention as it deters the potential criminals, but it's not supported by the statistical data. The thing is that in the countries, which abolished death penalty, the level of

High Yield Junk Bonds Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

High Yield Junk Bonds Business - Research Paper Example The corporate bonds with good or highly favorable rating grades are classified as â€Å"investment-grade bonds† while those with low ratings are called â€Å"low-grade† or â€Å"speculative† bonds or by their less formal term, â€Å"junk bonds† (Becketti, 1990). In other words, based on Becketti (1990), junk bonds, low-grade bonds, and speculative bonds are synonyms. According to Becketti (1990), a bond may be classified as a junk bond for three reasons. First, the outlook for the company may be highly unfavorable. Second, the issuing company for the bonds may have large or significant debts. Finally or third, is that the company’s legal claim on another firm’s assets which is in default or has serious risks of default may be behind the legal claims of other companies. However, Taggart pointed out that despite their low-investment grade status, junk bonds are nevertheless classified as â€Å"high yield bonds† by â€Å"those wishing to avoid pejorative connotations.† It is very important to state, however, that although junk bonds experience more default, they also tend to have higher returns. More recent data are not immediately available. However, for 1974-1985, the default on junk bonds stood at 1.53% compared to 0.09% for all bonds. The 1.53% may be high compared to 0.09% but certainly 1.53% seems low enough. Further, various reports also suggest that annual return for junk bonds was 12.4% compared to 9.7% for all long-term government bonds. (Taggart, 1987, p. 12). In the 1990s, many economic observers have attributed the country’s economic ills to junk bonds (Becketti, 1990, p. 46). Many observers believed that junk bonds and economic ills simultaneously emerged in the 1980s (Becketti, 1990). However, on the observation, th e appropriate interpretation is that the market for junk bonds actually became only popular in the 1970s and 1980s but they have been in the US economy for some time (Becketti, 1990). In 1977, new issues of junk bonds in the United States were close to zero but they steadily climbed up to around US$33 billion in 1986 and to around US$30 billion in 1989 (Becketti, 1990). Becketti (1990, p. 48) argued that despite their size in the US economy for close to two decades, â€Å"junk bonds are too small a part of the debt market to account for the growth in corporate debt.† Further, Becketti (1990, p. 48) also argued that although junk bonds are riskier than investment-grade bonds, they are â€Å"less risky than equities.† Becketti (1990, p. 48) also clarified that â€Å"junk bond returns lie between those of investment-grade bonds and equities.† In addition, â€Å"junk bonds are more liquid than bank loans and private placements but less liquid than equities† ( Becketti, 1990, p. 48). Junk bonds can also provide investors â€Å"more control over corporate management† than investment-grade bonds but less control than many financial instruments like equities (Becketti, 1990, p. 48). If one examines the descriptions of Becketti (1990), it should be easy to conclude that junk bonds aren’t too bad after all. Based on the literature that will be examined by this work on the nature of junk bonds and issues related to the acquisition of junk bonds, there is a genuine case for investing in junk bonds as well as improving the situation of the junk bonds market. Junk bonds are risky investments but they can be part of one’s investment strategy for increased wealth. Further, contrary to the view that our

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 14

Project management - Essay Example In addition, the paper will also evaluate current issues prevailing in project management and real instances in order to assess role of stakeholders in management of different types of projects. Project stakeholders are a group of individuals who has positive or negative interest in a project, which in turn affect functionality of the project. In general, interests and attitudes of individuals can be dissimilar towards a project. In any project, the primary stakeholders include: Since different stakeholders have separate set of interest in a project, their influence differs across various groups or individuals. However, every stakeholder is important for a project and one should understand their level of interest in the project as this affects success or failure. Moreover, it is the stakeholders who judge performance of a project, instead of project team and manager (Kerzner, 2013). Considering the role of stakeholders, it is crucial that their priorities, need, influence and interest are thoroughly analysed. The analysis results in better understanding of important stakeholders and development of appropriate communication strategy for stakeholder management. One of the important tools is stakeholder mapping, where key stakeholders are identified and categorised as per their interest and influence (Newcombe, 2003). A decade ago, stakeholder management was an area, which drew least amount of attention and was hardly considered in any sort of project development. Yet, growing complexity in the project management area has resulted in consideration of stakeholders as critical element of projects. There are internal as well as external stakeholders and they differ on grounds of project scope, geographical location and external environment of the project. It is a difficult task to manage the stakeholders and requires continuous involvement of project members such as, managers, for continuous improvement in relationship and building mutual trust (Pan, 2005). An

Slp4 599 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Slp4 599 - Coursework Example Through an effective understanding of the two, it becomes easier to develop a brand positioning tool that appeals to every segment of the market. Understanding the product The Clipboard tablets are diverse and built with the understanding of the shoppers. For the three years, the company has produced three serial products each having unique features but better than the previous. The X5 tablet is the most basic of the three. Its features are basic tablet features and possibly target the low income earners. Its buyers are not motivated by the performance of the product but by its relatively cheap price. Among its features are the 2G internet capabilities, a three megapixel camera and a 30 Gigabyte internal hard disk memory. For these three features and its target market, the product stays active in the market for three years, the longest in the history of Clipboard tablets. An upgrade version of the X5 tablet is the X6. This is performance oriented and has better features than those pr esented by its predecessor. With the 4G internet speed, Wi fi and one hundred and eighty gigabyte storage space, the machine is ideal for the modern day business person. The product targets the rich and wealthy members of the society. It stays active for two years, a feature attributable to the gullible nature of its target market. Infusing price and performance is not always easy. The notion shared by most shoppers is that an expensive product is always of the best quality. It thus became hard to produce a good quality product and sell it at a relatively low price. The X7 tried this resulting in the shortest market time in the history of the company products. It infuses a number of features of the X6 and has a better sleeker look. Understanding the market The market is easier to understand; tablet users prefer convenience and will always be on the move. They thus require a mobile device that offers longevity and extreme convenience. However, just like the rest of the market it is d ivided into two with every group having its own uniqueness and motivations to purchasing. The two groups are the price motivated shoppers and the quality motivated shoppers (Gilbreth & Lillian, 1978). The price motivated shoppers always buy the basics at the most competitive market value. They asses the products based on their prices and the basic features it promises. This market segment constitute of people from the lower and a bigger percentage of the middle social class, their revenue is constrained and they therefore account for every penny, over spending may result in severe inconveniencies in other aspects of their lives. They thus stick to the basics and would rather accommodate the little inconveniencies of a basic product than spend a penny more than they had budgeted for. Coincidentally this class of shoppers is always a majority in every market. The second category of shoppers is quality oriented. These people will always change gadgets with every newer and improved vers ion of the very product that enters the market. This group constitutes of the rich and the wealth members of the society, it may also include members of lower social classes but compelled by other preexisting circumstances to purchase the very products prescribed by either their employers or service providers. They are not scared of the rice of the product provided it

Law and Social Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law and Social Movements - Essay Example Referred to as the Christian Right, they were the key to the Republican victories in 2004. They fueled the Republican control of the House, Senate, and Oval Office. Yet, they have still failed to control the destiny of their agenda of moving the Intelligent Design theory closer to the classroom. The movement has been unable to form crucial coalitions and enlist other groups to further their cause. With the exception of isolated activism at a local level, the movement has stalled in their efforts to spotlight Intelligent Design. Even the isolated, local court activity is waning. The stunning case of Kitzmiller vs. Dover in Dover, PA. has garnered the nation's attention. Because of the blatant Christian agenda, and the school board's past support for creationism, the district is in jeopardy of losing the case and acquiring a 1 million-dollar legal expense bill. (Goodstein, 2005) This will only serve to chill efforts by other school boards already strapped for much needed funds. Adding to the difficulty of the movement is the perception of the public at large. As people view the movement as a fundamental extension of Christianity, the movement does not portray other, more acceptable, aspects of the group. The values that one would anticipate the group to herald are not expressed in terms of social programs or pacification of defense policies. The movement has instead made a decision to live or die on the issue of Intelligent Design.In a technological world where the importance of education and the value of science is put to the forefront, Intelligent Design reaches another hurdle. Though the movement has packaged the theory as science, the public is still acutely aware of its theo-centric implications. Phillip Johnson, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and major supporter of Intelligent Design stated in a 2003 radio interview, "Our strategy has been to change the subject a bit, so that we can get the issue of intelligent design, which really means the reality of God, before the academic world and into the schools." (as cited in Nickson, 2004). In their effort to mandate the teaching of Intelligent Design, they have alienated the groups they need the most support from, educators and scientists. This miscalculation has left the movement with a weakened political apparatus and limited resources to turn to for support.The movement has failed in its efforts to be embraced by the scientific community even though they have a history and awareness of the importance of the requirements necessary to be accepted into the realm of science. Even so, they have lacked the will to make a major push on that front. Its critics contend that no scientific research has been published and no articles have been presented that meet peer review. They further charge that the theory does not meet the Daubert Standard set forth by the Supreme Court in 1993 as a standard for scientific evidence. (Wikipedia, 2005) The move to get Intelligent Design accepted by science without the credentials required has further polarized the opposing parties. Crippled with a stagnated and polarized political arm, the movement has turned to the courts. In various heartland arenas, local and state school boards have taken the issue to the courts for resolution. This may be one more expenditure of political capital and goodwill that they can ill-afford to squander. Courts can settle

AB Electrolux Challenges Times in the Appliance Industry Case Study

AB Electrolux Challenges Times in the Appliance Industry - Case Study Example Thirdly, they have implemented a restructuring program of production for the past six years to relocate 60% of its manufacturing to countries of low-cost including Mexico and china (Hill & Jones, 2012). Their goal was to reduce it overall consumption of energy by 15% of its 2008 levels by 2012 to achieve efficient consumption of energy in its manufacturing. The company has also launched a green product range in all its business sectors to heighten its awareness of its energy efficient and products that are considerable to the environment. The other strategy was a move to outsource its production from developed countries in a bid to come up with high quality products. However, the company needs to be mindful of the cost of labor in such countries which is fast rising (Hill & Jones, 2012). The company has also embraced advanced technology to meet the changing demand and tastes of appliances by consumers, For instance the development of vacuums that transmit lower noises. All these strategies have been influential fro the company in its business setting and is slowly gaining its competitive advantage in the

Curfew Law Enforcement Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Curfew Law Enforcement - Case Study Example They are mostly enforced to help reduce the youth participation in activities that may be considered criminal and affect their lives, or endanger their and other people’s lives. The restrictions also enable parents to have better and clear supervision of their children’s activities on the afterhours. It has been proved through studies that cities with enforced curfew laws have had significant drops in youth participation in criminal activities. A 2011 study analyzed data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Unified Criminal Reporting files from 1980 to 2004 for the 54 larger U.S. cities (180,000-plus residents) and enacted youth curfews between 1985 and 2002, focusing on arrests for both minor offenses (loitering and curfew violations) and more serious infractions (such as violent crimes and property crimes). The report showed that arrests of youths directly impacted by curfew restrictions dropped by almost 15% in the first year and approximately 10% in fol lowing years (Weigel, 2011). This paper will therefore weigh the facts of the plaintiff against the constitutional mandate and responsibility of the defendant of enforcing state laws and give a verdict. DISCUSSIONS Freedom of assembly is a fundamental part and a right that is provided and protected in the first amendment and should therefore be enjoyed by every citizen. If not properly enforced, curfew laws can greatly infringe on human rights and freedom of assembly and even freedom of expression. SUSIE MARKS CASE AGAINST RUTHLESS Susie after boarding Jerry and Kate’s truck against her will was seriously injured when the truck in which she was riding failed to negotiate a left turn. Notwithstanding that the state allowed persons to board the back of trucks without seat belts, Susie felt that given a choice she would have walked home or waited for Orson. Ruthless neither accorded her the freedom to express her wish and plan nor considered the implications of his actions havin g in mind that Jerry was a minor who had just been licensed to drive and therefore had insufficient experience. Ruthless told Jerry: "Get everybody out of here," and that "if you guys don't get out of here, curfew will be enforced." These words were also scaring especially for minors who feared that their actions if any against Ruthless would have â€Å"curfew enforced†. An example would be Hodgkins v. Peterson, SD Indiana 2004 when the judge ruled in favour of the defendants (Hodgkins) (Sandy, 2008). The arguments can be compared to Susie’s case given the fact that the law enforcer scared the minors through inappropriate words. In the Hodgkins case the argument was that For a person to file a claim that violates their First Amendments rights, they must prove that their speech was actually chilled. Just like in Hodgkins case, they deemed the ordnance unconstitutional because fear of criminal prosecution would have prevented, or did prevent them from going to late night protests, political rallies, or church events, which are protected First Amendment rights. (Sandy, 2008). RUTHLESS’ FACTS AND ARGUMENT Ruthless being a law enforcer was within his constitutional mandate of performing his duties and was right to order the kids to leave for home. As studies have shown young people under 16 were responsible for 62 percent of violent juvenile offenses, statistics also showed that teenagers were the most frequent targets of juvenile violence (Constitutional Rights Foundation, 2013).He also argued that Jerry had no problem dropping off Susie although he did not hear her out. Ruthless therefore having given the youngsters an

Recycled toothbrushes make sense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Recycled toothbrushes make sense - Essay Example This partnership can strengthen the brand image of the company in front of people who are concerned about the environment and help recycline achieve its mission of preserving the environment. Additional ways the company can market its product is by using alternatives to plastic in its packaging. This will further indicate the company’s willingness to achieve better environmental standards. It can also use trash cans or other disposed material in its production facility to allow recycling. Furthermore, the use of environmental ways of marketing, such as planting a tea accompanied by company branding can also serve the purpose as customers will start to associate green with Recycline. As the company grows larger it will face significant challenges in enhancing its production. In order to maintain its motto of using recycled products, it will have to seek partnership with government and nongovernmental agencies to facilitate them in getting disposed material that can be used as potential inputs for their product. Furthermore they will also have to expand their wind production facility. Marketing will have to take the ATL course more often and spending on marketing will also have to be

Sex and gender Essay Example for Free

Sex and gender Essay In psychology many different perspectives seek to explain the differences between males and females. In societies they play distinctive roles and are treated and viewed differently. They behave differently too. To compare and contrast the accounts of sex and gender we need to define the terms sex and gender. To examine further we need to examine the key aspects of the biological, evolutionary, social constructionist and psychoanalytical perspectives focusing on similarities and differences regarding their accounts of sex and gender. Finally need to consider the ways in which these perspectives compliment, conflict or simply co-exist with one another. Often the term sex and gender are used interchangeably. Often this usage has lead to confusion therefore we have to begin by attempting to draw a distinction between the terms for discussing psychological perspectives in this paper. Traditionally, the word gender has been used to refer to the cultural aspect of what it is to be man or woman. Womanly or manly and masculine or feminine are viewed as not being connected with a persons biological sex, but more in terms of psychological characteristics shaped by individuals experience (EPoCH CD-ROM). The term sex is used solely when referring to biological and physical traits such as primary and secondary sex characteristics or specifically to sexual intercourse. (Hollway,Cooper,Johnston,Stevens ,The psychology of sex and gender p117). It is important to bear in mind that different perspectives ask different questions and use different methods to examine the basic assumptions made by each perspective with respect to the concepts of sex and gender. In terms of the biological factors that are thought to shape sex and gender include external genitalia, sex chromosomes and genes, hormones and lateralization of brain function. Although it is important to emphasize that anatomy is not necessarily destiny but the most commonly used way to determine sex is then observation of the external (visible) genitals (Hollway, Cooper, Johnston and Stevens, 2003). To determine the individuals sex is through sex chromosomes and every human being has a pair of sex chromosomes; in females this pair normally comprises of two X chromosomes and in males an X and a Y chromosome. Another indicator  of maleness or femaleness for biological theorists are the levels of specific hormones such as testosterone (male) and oestrogen and progesterone (female) which produce primary and secondary sexual characteristics and are different in males and females. But we must not fail to say that genetic abnormalities do occur for example Klinefelters syndrome is when males inherit an extra X chromosome resulting in an XXY pattern resulting in many feminine physical characteristics. While these genetic abnormalities are unusual, they make clear that biological processes alone do not make us male or female (Hollway et al, 2003).Then again biological sex is not central to explaining what it is to be man or a woman and can be unreliable in some cases, it does offer simple explanations which can be tested empirically. Likewise the evolutionary perspective, while adopting a scientific approach similar to biological theorists, cannot be subjected to empirical testing and therefore can operate only at the level of speculation. This is due to its reliance in part on the principles of reverse engineering in constructing theoretical models regarding the origins of human behaviour (Hollway et al, 2003). Moreover evolutionary psychologists argue that genetic make-up and behavioural predispositions between males and females evolved according to the process of sexual selection. (Phoenix, 2002). They believe that reproduction is the only way for an inherited characteristic to be passed on from one generation to the next and thus their primary focus on explaining gender differences is in terms of reproductive behaviour and sexual style. In accordance to this it was found that evolutionary psychologists females generally devote more time and energy to the care of their offspring. As a result of this greater parental investment (Hollway et al, 2003) different patterns of behaviour between males and females developed. Therefore successful females in an attempt to maximise their reproductive success they are more concerned with selecting a mate that has good genes and is willing to invest in offspring. On the other hand, males devote more time and energy to finding and attracting mates and are more concerned with mating as many times as possible. Clark and Hatfield (1989, cited by Hollway et al, 2003) carried out a study in which they found that 75% of male students as oppose to no female students consented to having sex with the opposite sex. They interpreted these results as supporting the evolutionary theory that women and men evolved different strategies and consequently different behaviour, for reproductive success. So we can say that the biological and evolutionary approaches are similar in that they view sex as the foundation of gender; however, social constructivists do not see gender as determined by sex. They strongly believe that a persons gendered behaviour is always constructed through the lens of their interpretation and understanding within their own historical and social contexts and therefore cannot be explained by their biological reproductive sex status alone (Hollway et al, 2003). Social constructivists believe that both sex and gender arise in social interaction and have no existence independent of social interaction. According to this perspective we actively construct the world we live in and this is an on-going process that changes from situation to situation (Phoenix, 2002). Our knowledge of gender is so deeply ingrained that it is difficult to see it as a socially constructed category nevertheless; gender is one of the most powerful constructed categories by which individuals define themselves (Hollway et al, 2003). Bem (1994, cited by Hollway et al, 2003, Pg. 141) believes that masculinity and femininity are socially and culturally constructed dimensions that inform all the forms of our thinking, emotional experience and behaviour. In addition to historical and cultural influences on gender behaviours the media and the school curriculum portray male and female roles in gender stereotypic ways. Social construction theorists would argue that gender inequality is produced and sustained in schools (Hollway et al, 2003). Theorists from this perspective focus on the interpretation of meaning using symbolic data and subjective insider accounts, which are changeable and affected by discourses. This approach differs from the natural science principles embraced by the biological and evolutionary perspectives which are based on an objective, outsider viewpoint and are more fixed (Miell and Pike, 2003). The methodology employed in the next perspective, that of psychoanalysis, uses subjective insider accounts similar to the social constructivists. However, in contrast to the three perspectives discussed thus far, the psychoanalytic approach differs in that it stresses unconscious mental processes and turns to our inner psychological worlds. Although psychoanalysts do take into account social factors like family structure and meaning, it differs from the social construction approach in that it suggest girls and boys have predispositions for behaviour (similar to evolutionary perspective). Moreover, Freuds theory about boys and girls was based on their own perceptions about their bodies and cannot be reduced to biological or societal explanation (Hollway et al, 2003). The psychoanalytic theory proposes that children acquire either feminine or masculine traits or behaviours by identifying with a same sex parent. They believe that sex and gender relations play a vital role in self-development and that children unconsciously internalise differences between the sexes and make them their own, thus establishing their own gendered identity (Hollway et al, 2003). Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was a key figure in the development of psychoanalysis. The genital stage of Freuds theory of psychosexual development is traditionally seen as the beginning of gender and sexual identity. For Freud the acquisition of sexuality and a gendered identity is a totally psychological process in which children are born psychosexually neutral and then learn to identify with their same sex parent through having resolved their Oedipus (boys) or Electra (girls) complex. The essence of this theory is that, at around five years old, a boys love  for his mother acquires sexual connotations. He becomes a rival with this father for her love. Because his father is such a powerful figure he feels threatened and thus takes on the features of his father. Freud named this the Oedipus complex (Phoenix, 2002) The theory he produced for girls, the Electra complex, whereby she realises that she does not possess a penis (penis envy) and feels devalued, has brought about much controversy and aroused the ire of feminist writers. Additionally, Freud has been criticized for making generalisations about human nature when his evidence was limited to gender relations of a particular time (Hollway et al, 2003). Times have changed and now women are taking on more male roles and have control over their own fertility. As a result Freuds view of how the possession of a penis gives privileges and rites in the family and his failure to consider the significance of womens genitals is strongly criticized. Moreover, research has found that males are envious of womens ability to give birth (Horney, 1926, cited by Hollway et at, 2003). Due to changing times many psychologists have come to believe that most people possess a combination of characteristics that until recently have been traditionally viewed as either masculine or feminine. According to Bem (1974, cited by Hollway et al, 2003) most people are androgynous, that is, they possess both masculine and feminine psychological characteristics. Thus far we have examined four different perspectives in relation to sex and gender and clearly no one perspective can explain the psychology of sex and gender. From a methodological standpoint it is difficult to integrate the differing perspectives. Both biological and evolutionary psychologies embrace the scientific, quantitative approach whereas the social constructivists and psychoanalysts use a qualitative approach focusing on interpretation of meaning. As these methods are so fundamentally different it is most likely that, rather than conflicting, they simply co-exist with one another. The way these perspectives interact can be seen as complimentary for example, as we have discussed, it is accepted that generally individuals are sexed by biology and gendered by social influences. The psychoanalytic theory can be seem as conflicting with the social construction theory in the focus on unconscious (psychoanalytic) versus conscious experience (social constructivists). As can be seen, humans are complex creatures rarely explainable in terms of a single type of influence. The accounts of sex and gender discussed are from four diverse perspectives and it is only by exploring how these interact with one another that we can gain a genuine understanding of the psychology of sex and gender.

Do Violent Video Games Cause Youth Violence Media Essay

Do Violent Video Games Cause Youth Violence Media Essay During the last years, the popularity of violent video games has increased significantly. Consequently, parents and teachers have become worried that these violent videogames may contribute or cause youth violence. These games have been blamed for school shootings, juvenile crime and sexist violence. In addition, the criticism towards violent video games from the media, and the parental community are so continuous, the causal connection between the videogames and violence has been accepted as an absolute reality. But the truth is another. Patrick Kierkegaard, a PhD student at Nottingham University, revised the researches and investigations on this matter, and published his conclusions in the magazine International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry. In his work, he questions if there is scientific evidence that states that violent videogames contribute to violence or aggressive behavior, and the truth of the matter is: there is none. He also notes that if a connection between playing violent videogames and the activation of the regions of the brain associated with violence is produced, is not grounds for establishing a strong, proven and evident bond between the players attitude while playing the game and his behavior in real life. Furthermore, he states that there is no relationship between juvenile violence and the increasing sales of violent video games. In fact the effect seems to be the opposite, it looks like violent video games have decreased violence, but this theory hasnt been proven either. Moreover, Kierkegaard shows concrete data and statistics, such as, the reduction of violent crime in the United States, since the 90Â ´s, particularly among the youth, while video games have gained a lot of popularity and use, and he adds with millions of violent video games sold, the world should be experiencing a breakout of violence, instead, violence has decreased (Kierkegaard). And then there is this: In 2005, the US had 2,279 murders committed by teenagers compared to 73 in Japan. Per capita, video game sales were $5.20 in the US compared to $47 in Japan. This example illustrates that there is no correlation between violent behavior and playing video games. Duke Ferris published an article in Game Revolution titled The Truth About Violent Youth and Video Games. The author, a video game programmer doesnt take an academic approach to this issue, but uses official sources to support his point. In his article he says that over 300 studies have been conducted to see the effects of violent media, 30 of them studied video games. The majority did not find anything, but some found a correlation between violence and violent media. Now, even if this was true, correlation is not the same as causation. The reason for these results, according to the author, is that violent people are attracted to violent media. Blaming violent media would be like going to the opera, noticing that most people there are rich, and concluding that opera makes people rich (Ferris). Another point that Ferris presents, is an analysis of the risk factors of youth violence by the Surgeon General of the United States of America. In this analysis violent media was classified as small effect size, and other factors such as, socioeconomic status, academic failure, poor parent-child relations, weak social ties, and just being male were rated as higher risk factors than violent media exposure. Additionally correlation between violent video games and youth violence was proven to be ineffective by judge Consuelo Callahan, in Video Software Dealers Association v. Schwarzenegger. In this trial, Schwarzenegger claimed that violent video games cause neurological and psychological harm, but the evidence presented was a study that showed just a correlation to which Callahan responded, In sum, the evidence presented by the State does not support the Legislatures purported interest. Nearly all of the research is based on correlation, not evidence of causation. (Callahan). Callahan also wrote that the research presented, did not show any link regarding causation of neurological or psychological harm by violent video games. The ruling favored the video software association. Steven Johnson wrote an article for Los Angeles times. In this article, he talks about Hillary Clinton vs. the Xbox: Game Over. In his article he commends Senator Clinton for proposing a $90 million study on the effects of violent video games on children, and for her courageous stand against Grand Theft Auto videogames, this obviously is sarcasm because then he says he would like Clinton to put her attention in another game whose nonstop violence has caught the attention of millions of children, this game, he writes, plants violent thought on its players and some of these players have gone to the real world and committed acts of violence and sexual assault (Johnson). He was talking about football. In addition he suggests that congress should focus in these facts: The last 10 years have seen the release of many popular violent games, including Quake and Grand Theft Auto, at this same time violent crime has decreased. According to Duke Universitys Child Well-Being Index, todays kids are less violent than kids have been at any time since the study began in 1975. (Johnson). In addition, Johnson believes that violent video games are actually good for peoples brain. For example he says that playing video games provides the player a cognitive training to the mind, and it develops mental skills as important as skills developed while reading books. The exercises that the internet, video games, and even movies offer, explain the increase in the intellectual coefficients of North Americans. Games and movies played and watched today would have been considered much complicated for the audience of thirty years ago, but now they capture the attention of millions of people. Finally, he sugges ts that violent videogames have been demonized by people who tend to generalize everything, just like the same thing when cars or rock and roll music first appeared. To conclude, the majority of violent video games players are old enough to understand the difference between the game and real life; therefore, they will not emulate the actions that the characters in their games do, nor will they rob banks, kill, or go to war. Its clear that violent video games do not cause violence. The real causes of violence are: depression, family problems, and just aggressive traits. The evidence that shows a correlation between games and violent video games are not effective to prove such games are harmful to children or cause violence. Parents and individuals who protest against these type of entertainment, should focus on the real causes of youth violence and not point fingers without informing themselves properly

Auteur Theory and Jean Luc Goddard’s Work

Auteur Theory and Jean Luc Goddard’s Work Introduction The word â€Å"auteur† simply means author; however the auteur theory as devised by Andrew Sarris indicates a manner of reading and appraisal of films by examining the imprint of the author of the work, generally the director. Sarris uses this theory to rank the work of directors on the basis of three separate criteria: (a) technical competence (b) stylistic identity and (c) the communicability of their worldview, and on this basis, Sarris examines the work of directors and estimates their worth.(Wells and Hakanen, 1997:313). Keller points out that the auteur theory or la politique des auteurs may be summarized as the â€Å"acknowledgement of the director as the primary and shaping force behind any film.† (Keller 1930). The term, politque des auteurs was coined by Francois Truffaut, who realized that American Directors often worked within strictly circumscribed parameters in reference to the kinds of films and the scripts they could direct, since these were often predetermined and allowed the directors little room to experiment with their own ideas. Yet, despite these restrictions, some directors such as Hitchcock were able to achieve a personal style that was uniquely their own. The role of the director is to coordinate all the elements of production and its various stages, which ultimately affects the quality of the final product. The notion of the Director being the true author of a film first emerged through the views of Andrew Sarris, who offered the view that over the course of preparation of several films, a director may reveal certain recurring characteristics of styles or themes, which are like his or her personal signature or stamp upon the film, identifying it unmistakably as their product. In particular, where some directors are concerned, some recurring themes may occur in all their works, or their work may demonstrate a particular world view or personal vision that becomes evident through their work. The auteur theory is especially relevant and important, as demonstrated through the work of Directors such as Jean Luc Goddard, because they bear the unmistakable personal imprint of the author, despite the plethora of external market and commodity pressures that may fashion the final products. The objective of this study is to examine the works of French Director Jean Luc Goddard from the perspective of the auteur theory, in order to discern the unique thread that underlies this director’s work. Through an examination of four films, Une femme est une femme, Vivre Sa Vie, Le Mepris and a bout de soufflà ©, the unique elements in Godard’s films which set him apart from other directors are identified. According to MacCabe (2003), Godard is one of the most important European artists of the last 50 years and the most important French poet of the twentieth century, because of the intensity of this extraordinary man’s commitment to cinema. Godard’s films demonstrate innovation and evolution, presenting cinematic techniques that have evolved through several different aesthetic forms. As Keller (1930) points out, Godard’s films have passed through various stages that have deviated from traditional Hollywood reference points and demonstrating several different forms of experimentation that reflect his own view of life and the events that transpire within it. For example, Godard’s choice of black and white, his unabashed transmission of blatantly political views in his films and his use of a film making style that incorporates several different elements such as â€Å"narrative cadenzas, historical scrutiny, visual poetry, literary citation†, yet overall containing these within a dominant frame of contemplation. Keller (1930) also corroborates the views of MacCabe (2003) that Godard made films of great beauty and complexity, which only evolved over time into greater and more complex works of art with the passage of time. Cinematic technique in Godard’s films Godard’s films in effect are a systematic reflection on the notion of reflexivity in cinema. A work of art such as a film can demonstrate a distance from reality; it can be one in which the work appears to turn back and speak about itself. It heightens the sense in the viewer that what is being viewed is not reality itself, but that there is a reality that exists beyond what is playing out on the screen. In most of his films, Godard is able to establish a clear distinction between the action and engagement as portrayed through the events of the film as opposed to inaction or disengagement from the film, which allows the process of meditating about the events (Keller 1930). The reflexivity inherent in Godard’s work is one of the recurring characteristics that surfaces again and again in his films. He repeatedly uses alternative frames of reference to present the narration in his films. The film Vivre Sa Vie is about a woman Anna who was much loved, yet Godard creates a cinematic portrait of this woman through means other than the direct visual image; he relies upon the subjective experience that a viewer will gain about the character that is the subject of the film. He uses interviews, chapter headings, letter writing, philosophical conversations as well as reading aloud from several texts, all of which form the subtext from which the viewer derives a mental picture of the woman the film is about. Godard pieces together all these various disparate fragments together like a collage in order to derive an image of unity, a mental picture that will be different in each viewer’s mind depending upon their individual perceptions. For example, at the beginning of the film, as the credits play out, the profile of the character Nana appears on the screen; yet the audience is not allowed to see this woman clearly because her face is in profile and she appears in a half hit, shadowed shot which renders facial clarity difficult. A quote from Montague offers a referential context, suggesting the rich subtext that is to play out during the film. The character is shot from behind, and the camera pans for a quick moment to snatch a furtive glimpse of her in the mirror; yet this glimpse is almost like an intrusion and the camera moves away quickly as if it has engaged in the forbidden act of stealing her image. This technique recurs throughout the film; the experience of the viewer of the character of Nana is through the referential frame of others, never by viewing the character directly. The films assumes the air of an almost-documentary; the discourse creates the subjective impression of the character which the audience will gather based upon the brief glimpses and information it receives about her; information that is presented like a record of events in a documentary. The referential frame is evident as her emotional reaction to Carl Dreyer’s La passion de Jeanne d’Arc and her identification with the protagonist is discussed, Godard appears to be injecting historical realities side by side with the narration about Nana to further accentuate the impression of a documentary and thus reality. The end of the film shows Nana standing with her head and shoulders against a wall, framed against a photograph, while her husband reads out aloud a poem by Poe titled â€Å" The Oval Portrait†, which is the story of a man’s obsession with his wife. The entire story progresses as a painting of Nana is in process, until at the end of the film, the painter draws back and the subject of his painting – Nana – is dead. In this way, Godard not only highlights the dangers of an obsessive love; he challenges the audience to think about the female protagonist in a manner that is different from the normal filmic view. He distances the protagonist from the viewer and allows a more subjective experience to be gained, which will be different in the case of each viewer. The apparent reality of the character as presented by her husband is further challenged at the end of the film as the audience notes in shock that she is dead. The filmic technique of reflexivity may also be noted in Godard’s film Le Mepris, in which the director sought to present the appearance of a film-within-a-film. For instance, Godard deviates from the standard depiction of credits on the screen, rather the credits are spoken and Godard himself appears later in two scenes of the film dealing with the Odyssey. Was it Godard himself who spoke the credits since the voices are so similar? (Marie 1990:82). The viewer never knows, however it serves to establish a link in the viewer’s mind between one section of the film dealing with the Odyssey films and the other which deals with the non-Odyssey aspects.(Leutrat 1989:71). The cinematic technique of a film occurring within a film is heightened by a scene where Godard’s cameraman is seen helming another camera that is moving towards the camera which is doing the actual filming. The impression thus created in the viewer’s mind is one of a simultaneous presence by Godard and his cameraman both on screen and off screen. The referential function is also evident in the film a bout de soufflà ©. There is a series of filmic action and events that occur, yet at the same time, there is also a parallel set of events depicted that speak about the film and appear to offer an outside view that is distinct from the events taking place within the film. For example, in one of the shots, the character Belmondo in the film passes by a movie poster, which reads† to live dangerously† which is in reference to Aidrich’s W Seconds to Hell (Andrew 1987:148). A few scenes later, the filmic action occurs against the background of another film poster; this time one of Humphrey Bogart in the film â€Å"The Harder they fall†. There is a suggestion that the character is moving in dangerous terrain and the posters in the background serve in the nature of a comment occurring off screen, disconnected from the events of the film and yet offering an observation on it. There are more such references from films and theatre that occur in the film; for example as the film moves into its concluding segment, the character of J.P. Melville in the film makes an oral reference to Cocteau’s testament d’Orphee. Subsequently, the character of Jean Seberg runs away from a detective inside a theater that is playing Preminger’s Whirlpool; she is able to successfully escape the detective. After this, she runs with Belmondo into yet another theatre and in this instance, it is Boetticher’s Westbound . The association of movie action with posters and scenes from films and theatre which symbolize certain kinds of events results in a degree of unreality being accorded to the final moments of Godard’s film itself. For example, when the death of a character occurs at the end of the film, the audience tends to view it through the referential frame of the movies and posters that have been viewed, so that it is not tragedy, pity and fear that is inspired in the viewer but rather a feeling of filmic inevitability, as if the character has been absorbed into the referential frame of filmic reality and immortality rather than the tragic reality that is playing out on screen. Godard successfully employs this technique of standing back from the film itself and offering a narration, observation or comment on the film that is outside the main frame of reference of the film. This is one of the recurring characteristics in all his films and is line with the Brechtian theory of alienation. Brecht’s assumptions were that we as human beings, are isolated from the world around us through the manner of language we use for instance, which is not in line with our actual experiences of the world but in effect, proceeds along a different path, objectifying the world rather than allowing it to develop out of our subjective experiences. This tends to isolate us in an area where our objective knowledge and manner of expression in an objective world is in sharp contrast to the subjective experiences we may gain. Brecht characterizes this as follows: â€Å"Alienation is nothing but a representation, that is ‘making noticeable’’ of estrangement. (Ludwig 1972:20). Brecht suggests that the only way by which humans can disassociate themselves from this process of alienation is to withdraw and separate ourselves from this alienated experience in order to discover a more subjective way and unspoilt way to experience things and reflect upon them. Godard is able to accomplish this feat of withdrawal from the so called reality of the film and the objective use of language in order to stand back and assess experiences in a more subjective manner, relying more upon the true response of the senses to the product rather than the kind of response that man has been conditioned to give based upon his subjective training in the world. Godard’s career is characterized by the exploration of realism and film style. â€Å"For Godard, there is not reality and then the camera – there is reality seized at this moment and in this way by the camera† (MacCabe, 2003:79). In discussing his interest in the depiction of reality as it actually is experienced, rather than a fictional image conjured up for a viewer, Godard himself explains that he enjoys visiting a theme, place or subject after others have lost interest in it and the drama associated with it has faded, in order to capture the reality of the event as it exists (Bonnaud, 2005). He points out how images on television are manipulated, thereby contradicting the notion that the facts speak for themselves as depicted on the camera. One example he cites is the depiction by television cameras of the exterior or the Credit Lyonnais bank while providing a voice over narration of the scandals that had brewed within those walls. According to Godard, such images are meaningless because they portray nothing of the reality of events at all (Bonnard, 2005). In most of his films, the locations in Godard’s films are driveways, hotel rooms and large stretches of barren fields, which provides an effective and realistic backdrop that reflects the grim realities of his characters’ lives, providing them the space to meditate and contemplate on their transient mortality (Dixon, 1998). His films are interwoven with references to classical literature, as in Odyssey in Le Mepris and La Passion de Jeanne du Arc, the works of Edgar Allen Poe and Montague, yet all these provide the viewer the opportunity to reflect upon the deeper philosophical truths that underlie an apparent cinematic reality. In using such techniques, Godard appears to be questioning the reality presented by the camera. On the one hand, the events in Vivre sa Vie present the subjective portrait of a woman much loved; yet this love also kills her in the end. Godard substantiates Brecht’s assertion that humans are saddled with an outward reality that does not correspond to their subjective experiences and makes the viewer question whether the camera is really depicting the truth? The reflexivity inherent in Godard’s technique forces and presents a constant process of meditation and reflection, not only in the characters in the films but also in the viewer. Godard’s films thus appears to reflect his persistent quest for and his insatiable curiosity about reality, is it really as it seems or is there a deeper dimension that underlies what is visible on the surface? Godard’s films thus bear the unique stamp of his own way of looking at life, the manner in which he questions the reality of what is visible, his unwillingness to accept things as reality merely because others say it is so. Godard is of the view that the digital medium offers less depth precisely because it does not permit the kind of juxtaposition of reality and reflexivity which is possible with the film medium (Bonnard, 2005). The use of sound in Godard’s films Godard demonstrates a great sensitivity to music and the impact of sounds in creating a cinematic experience, as depicted especially in his film â€Å"Nouvelle†, where he used music composed by Manfred Eicher (www.ecmrecords.com). In conveying his impressions about Godard’s film Vivre Sa Vie released in 1962, Eicher states that the film reveals the director’s extraordinary levels of sensitivity to image, sound and rhythm, so that it is capable of moving the viewer on a different level when the his/her eyes are closed. (www.ecmrecords.com). A blind woman, Claire Bartoli writes about an internal cinema fuelled by the soundtrack of the film, that she must concentrate on to experience the film because she cannot see the images that go along with them. In an essay about his film Nouvelle Vague, she writes: Godard, with large cuts of the scissors, divides the material into fragments, producing sound miniatures, as pure elements (www.ecmrecords.com). She describes how Godard is able to isolate individual sounds such as the ringing of a bell or the sound of waves and rediscovers them within the context of the story that is taking place, so that it is the sound itself that fuels the emotional experience which characterizes the reaction of the viewer. In his film Une femme est une femme, Godard utilizes a mixture of sounds in eclectic combinations to produce an impression that is deliberately discordant when viewed in conjunction with the reality. For example, around the middle of the film, the protagonist Angela sits in a cafà © with her boyfriend and asks him to first say something false and then say something true. Then she points out in distress that his expression ha snot changed at all irrespective of whether it was the truth or a lie that he was telling. The film in turn appears to present serious things lightly and light things seriously, deliberately deviating from reality. The story itself is about Angels wanting to have a baby which her boyfriend Emile is not prepared for, she threatens to have it with his best friend Alfred instead, he tries to call her bluff and she actually goes ahead with it only to realize that she has gone too far and has turned a serious matter into a frivolous issue. The element of frivolity and unreality is enhanced and embellished by the sound used by Godard in the film. The entire film resonates with musical bells and whistles, there are sound effects that are over-the-top, music suddenly swells in an exaggerated and ridiculous fashion and interspersed within these are literary references. The use of sound in the film is eclectic and it almost appears as if the director is having childish fun, in producing sound effects that must change swiftly, as if they must hold a child’s attention. This yet again, corroborates the reflexivity the director seeks to imprint on his viewers. This may be noted particularly in a scene at the beginning of the film for example, where there is some cool. Pop music playing in the background as the protagonist walks into a cafà ©. The viewer makes an automatic association of the image with the character of the protagonist as hip and cool. Then as she leaves the shop, the music suddenly stops and devoid of the sensory backdrop, the viewer is forced to revise his/her original impression of the cool young woman and sees her as just another ordinary woman walking out of a store. But a moment later, the music starts again, as if, now satisfied that the viewer has been forced out of his/her sensory haze, the director seeks to push the viewer back into the unreality of what is playing out on camera. Godard effectively uses sound as a vehicle to force the viewer to refrain from responding to the film with stock emotions; rather he must view the film from a perspective that is different and unique. According to Dixon (1998) Godard’s sound techniques employed in his films, whereby he layered his sound tracks with an eclectic mixture of natural sounds and classical music, with dialogues and voiceovers, which is a reflection of his vision as a film maker. Godard’s reflexivity is also evident in the soundtrack of Le Mepris, where the ancient Odyssey scenes are shot in a different kind of lighting and color and utilize different theme music, yet they are similar enough to evoke a connection between the two, which suggests that the two are linked – is the ancient day Odyssey story occurring within the context of the modern day? The musical themes of the two parallel stories are â€Å"Camille† and â€Å"The Gods†, yet the similarities in the music themes suggest similar emotional undertones in both stories. For example, the opening chord in the film is a tritone in Bb-e, which is somber and dark suggesting something ominous that could be associated with the devil. The music in itself suggests that the tone of the film will be such that there may be a tragic outcome. This impression is paralleled in the theme music of the parallel visualization, characterized mostly by the use of strings and harps in a minor chord, which in classical music is traditionally associated with seriousness, sadness and ultimate tragedy. The nature and composition of the music in le Mepris thus highlights the allusion of the modern day playing out of the Greek classical tragedies of ancient times. Godard describes how he visualized the scenes in the film dealing with Odyssey in Le Mepris as being lit in a manner that was much different from the main film, in order to give the impression of a film occurring within another film. Those particular scenes were to be photographed such that â€Å"the colours will be more brilliant, more violent, more vivid, more contrasted also in their organization.† (Godard 1985:146). This is in sharp contrast to the documentary style used in Vivre Sa Vie for instance where voice-overs and the spoken, poetic narrations provide only the backdrop to the tantalizing glimpses of the character of Nana that keep appearing throughout the film. Conclusions Godard was undoubtedly a Director whose films displayed his own unique stamp, and his striving to depict the emotional nuances of his characters through the utilization of the tools of sound, color and stylistic technique to convey a message in sub text that moved far beyond the actual events occurring in the films. The innate curiosity of the director about reality itself, his constant questioning of what is real and what lies beyond the reality that is apparent visually can be gleaned in his films. His attempts to convey a mood and aura are not incorporated directly into the main narrative but rather must be gleaned by the viewer through the subtle signs that exist in the sub text of the film. Rather than making certain visual and audible elements glaringly apparent for the viewer by using close up shots for example, Godard leaves it to the viewer to subtly discern these messages, to think about the film long after seeing it in order to grasp the significance of the elements that have been presented in the film. Through this process, Godard forces the viewer to confront a hidden reality that may exist beyond that apparent on the surface. The Brechtian alienation suggests that viewers need to revise their way of thinking and seeing things such they rely more on their own subjective experiences. This ability to instill reflexivity in the film viewing experience and force a viewer to question the reality of what he/she sees is a particular characteristic of Director Godard. His use of literature and poetry as well as filmic and theatrical allusions is targeted at promoting a reflexive experience in his viewers. His characters reflect upon life within a contextual dimension that is as rich with visual, audio and spatial clues as the cinematic material which is outwardly apparent, to present the viewer with a viewing experience that extends far beyond the visual images. The complexity and beauty of his films is enhanced by the willingness of the director to experiment with avant garde techniques and use unconventional means to convey his cinematic messages. The director uses quitotix and unusual methods to elicit this reflexivity, especially in the film Une femme est une femme for example, where the protagonist is frying an egg, the phone rings, she flips the egg high in the air, dashes to take the phone and returns just in time to catch the egg and flip it back into the pan, thereby underlying the unreality of the images being viewed. The Director’s films stimulate thought and force a viewer to interact actively with the medium, to question what is seen and what remains unseen but can be discerned below the surface through careful observation. This is why the supporting elements in Godard’s films are so important the sound, the color, the music, the visual techniques, the editing, all enhance the messages being conveyed sub textually. The auteur theory requires that an author’s work demonstrate an unmistakable stamp that identifies it and sets it apart. The alienation and distancing from the cinematic view, the reflexivity inherent in a Godard film viewing experience is one that is not found in a comparable manner in the work of other directors. The auteur theory is therefore relevant where Godard is concerned, because in effect, a director must exhibit certain recurring characteristics throughout his films, which are like his signature on the films. This is what Godard accomplished through the unique and experimental combination of light, sound , editing and style in every film, which promotes reflexivity and presents a multi faceted reality. Bibliography Andrew, Dudley, 1987: â€Å"Breathless. Jean Luc Godard, Director† London: Rutgers University Press Bonnaud, Frederic, 2005. â€Å"Occupational Hazards†, Film Comment, 41(1): 37-40. Dixon, Wheeler Winston, 1998. â€Å"For ever Godard: Notes on Godard’s For Ever Mozart†, Literature/Film Quarterly, 26(2): 82-88 ECM: Background Information†, Retrieved December 13, 2007 from: http://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/Background_1600.php Godard, Jean-Luc, 1985. â€Å"Jean-Luc Godard par Jean-Luc Godard†, Alain Bergala, à ©d. Paris: Cahiers du cinà ©ma -Editions de lEtoile. Keller, Craig, 1930. â€Å"Jean-Luc Goddard†, Retrieved December 12, 2007 from: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/godard.html MacCabe, Colin, 2003. â€Å"A portrait of the artist at Seventy†, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux Marie, Michael, 1990. â€Å"Le Mepris: jean Luc Godard:, Paris: Edition Nathan Wells, Alan and Hakanen, Ernest A, 1997. â€Å"Mass Media and society†, Ablex/Greenwood.

Genghis Khan and the Mongolian Culture Essay -- Sociology, Mongols

Introduction The following report will discuss the leadership qualities of Borjigin Temà ¼jin and the organizational culture of his people, the Mongols. Readers might be confused on who Borjigin Temà ¼jin is, he was the man known today as Genghis Khan. This paper will illustrate how Temà ¼jin’s ability to lead developed by exploring his beginnings and how through his exceptional leadership skills he went on to create the largest contiguous empire in history. The first part of the paper will concentrate on Mongol culture in the 12th century, Temà ¼jin’s upbringing in that culture and how he changed it through the consolidation of the many Mongol tribes. The second part will discuss the rise of Borjigin Temà ¼jin to the post of Genghis Khan and which of his qualities allowed him to achieve this. The third part will discuss his legacy and how even after his death his planning was evident and his empire continued to expand. All these parts will have explanations on how they connec t to our present day study of organizational behavior. â€Å"When we examine [organizational] culture and leadership closely, we see that they are two sides of the same coin; neither can really be understood by itself. On the one hand, cultural norms define how a given nation or organizations will define leadership – who will be promoted, who will get the attention of followers. On the other hand, it can be argued that the only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture; that the unique talent of leadership is their ability to understand and work with culture; and that it is an ultimate act of leadership to destroy culture when it is viewed as dysfunctional.† (Schein, E. H. 2004. Organizational culture and leadership. Jossey-Bass, San ... ...a). Nonetheless, what was most remarkable about the post-imperial make-up of the Mongol world was a remarkable degree of continuity with the past. Cultural exchange continued on a broad scale and even gathered momentum; the successor khanates in many ways enjoyed a common elite culture even if disunited. The empire of Mongolia stretched from Caspian Sea to the Sea of Japan at the time of his death but the expansion didn’t stop after that but it continued for generations. Under Ãâ€"gedei Khan the expansion reached its peak and they expanded into Persia, finished off the Xi Xia and the remnants of the Khwarezmids, and then it came into conflict with the imperial Song Dynasty of China, starting a war that lasted until 1279 and which concluded that the Mongols gaining control of all of China. Russia and Eastern Europe were conquered after gaining control over China.

Influential Composers Of Early 20th Century :: Music Musical History Essays

Influential Composers Of Early 20th Century missing works cited Zoltan Kodaly, Edgar Varese, Igor Stravinsky.Three foreign-born composers whose output ranges from unobtrusively important to riot inducing works.They encompass music’s three principles: education, exploration, experimentation. Deemed â€Å"Hungary’s greatest composer and music pedagogue† (Jeter) Zoltan Kodaly, was born December 16, 1882.As a child, Kodaly taught himself piano, violin, cello, and voice.Later, he pursued Composition/Education degrees at Budapest’s Academy of Music and, in 1905, collaborated with friend, Bela Bartok, to preserve folk songs, collecting roughly 100,000 in his lifetime. Kodaly’s compositional reputation is one of moderation and consistency.His works are harmonically smooth, minimally contrapuntal, and, as Bartok described, â€Å"†¦the perfect embodiment of†¦Hungarian spirit† (www.bbc.co.uk)The orchestral suite from opera Hary Janos (the story of an imaginative soldier with no regard for reality) remains Kodaly’s most popular work.His Sonata for solo Cello is similarly regarded as â€Å"one of the great virtuoso instrumental pieces of the 20th century† Kodaly primarily influenced education. Returning to Budapest’s Academy of Music as a professor, he committed himself to creating a musically literate society.He implemented daily music classes at primary school level, and composed choral exercises for children.Kodaly’s three-pronged approach—1) aural, 2) written, 3) read—taught children to sing in tune, improvise, and sight-sing impeccably.The method combined rhythm symbols, syllables, and hand signals.These hand positions provided singers with visual cues of pitches and tonal relationships.Kodaly also devised â€Å"solfege†Ã¢â‚¬â€a way of simplifying music for beginners.Kodaly’s innovative methods became Hungary’s state policy after World War 2, eventually spreading worldwide.Today, Hungary’s Zoltan Kodaly Grammar School still pursues music literacy by providing children an outlet for intensive study (Jeter). On December 22, 1883—several hundred miles from Hungary—French-born, Edgar Varese, welcomed life and a lifelong love affair with music.Percussion and woodwinds fascinated him, even during childhood.By age 11, he had composed an opera and imagined, one day, of transmuting the Zambesi River’s â€Å"turbulent movement into sound.† (www.bbc.co.uk)Varese’s father harbored hopes for his son to become an engineer, hopes which bred a violent father-son relationship.After a final fall-out with his father, Varese relocated to Paris to study with Charles Wilder.His most fruitful years of composition would occur in New York City, between 1920-1934. Exploration was vital to Varese’s legacy. While traces of Stravinksy and Debussy are audible in Ameriques (his American debut composition for large orchestra), Varese attempted to go even farther afield.His music introduced â€Å"new fashions of attack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ministere des Affaires) along with â€Å"slabs of monumental sound†¦juxtaposed [with] scraps of melody† (www.

Macbeth :: essays research papers

How do the witches create an atmosphere of nightmare And evil in ‘Macbeth’? The play ‘Macbeth’ was written in the early seventeenth century, in a time when the English people believed very strongly in the existence of witches. A range of powers were certified to these evil beings, including the ability to see into the future, control the weather, fly and become invisible at will and communicate with the devil. The witches were believed to enjoy making human beings suffer, by causing livestock to get ill and die, for example. From the outset of this play, when three witches appear on stage, the contemporary audiences would have anticipated a plot that demonstrated just how evil such creatures could be. In Act 1 Scene 1 Shakespeare introduces the witches immediately and this sets the tone for the rest of the play, it sets a mood of evil and supernatural influences. In this scene the witches meet close to the battlefield, this associates them with destruction and death. The first impressions we get from this scene is that there is aggressive weather which reflects their tendencies and their presence causes chaos in nature, also darkness links the witches with evil, two thirds of the play is set in the darkness. An absence of light suggests an absence of God and he is associated with light and goodness. The witches speak in rhyming couplets â€Å"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightening or in rain?† Speaking in rhyming couplets gives the impression of chanting or a spell being cast. Their control over the weather is alluded to as they discuss what it should be like the next time they meet. The witches refer to the current battle as a ‘hurly-burly’. Bu t really this was a battle of horrific proportions that was to decide the fate of an entire country, resulting in many deaths. The witches’ description of this as a ‘hurly-burly’ suggests that they are dismissive of it, comparing it more to a childish scuffle in a playground. This shows how contemptuous they are to the affairs if man and their lack of concern at such human carnage and suffering. The witches know when the battle will be over suggesting that they may have some influence on this and reinforcing the idea that they can see into the future. They discuss their plan to meet with Macbeth, an intention that convinces the audience they mean to cause him harm.

A Report On LVMH HR Policies Education Essay

Lvmh HR policies are in surplus of required and implement on the concern groups and companies. Through flexible regulation, it besides provides organisation. The map of corporate HR is to normalise certain ways, to exemplify program and to give force to companies ‘ HR squads. In connexion with scheme, HR offers other than hardly of all time oblige. An employee work reciprocally with the concern group which study to corporate central office. Approximately 55 to 60 % of advancements are controlled by companies, the else managed by the concern groups or corporate. There are four types of HR directors at Lvmh. Subsequent the group ‘s construction, they operate on four degrees: corporate, regional, concern group and company degree. The subordinate HR Director or the individual moving as such, studies to the subordinate ‘s President. The subordinate ‘s HR Director gets recommendation and shore up from his company. The concern group ‘s HR Director organizes his companies ‘ HR Directors through monthly meetings. The intent of these meetings is to place vacant places throughout the universe and to analyze the list of possible campaigners for these places, between which are the Ready to Move. Lvmh has ready internal mobility – both geographic and functional – a footing of their human resources policy. This cross-fertilisation of experience within their ecosystem under the consolidative umbrella of the group creates matchless cause of proficient and personal fulfillment. International mobility is indispensable portion of every prospective calling way. It targets to make planetary directors many of them have far above the land cardinal practical move. As an illustration the caput of HR development remember the instance of a Gallic insurance specializer in the manner concern unit who was sent to Romania to head a shoe mill. LVMH be on familiar footings with they could make with hazards to develop likely impending. It needs to set them in new fortunes to assist them develop new accomplishments and set up their bravery. Lvmh actively supports the professional development of its employees. The decentralised organisation of the Lvmh group encourages single enterprise. Half of Lvmh ‘s senior executives and over 40 per cent of managerial staff are Gallic, whereas the Gallic history for 37 per cent of the group ‘s planetary work force. HR needs to develop more planetary concern directors so they can be a portion of globalized top direction. Lvmh mobility procedure works on the web of HR squads who largely staffed with locals. Lvmh did non direct out any experts because non hold local gift. Generally their experts fit two profiles: those sent out by the corporate HQ to command its subordinates and protect its involvements and sent out to develop their accomplishments. To back up the international concern growing relocate is lifting. Though, it non means that increasing figure of Gallic exiles will coerce this disposition. Lvmh lake of planetary directors creates their order adverse in footings of deploying adept director to company ‘s desire program or task given to that director. Lvmh did non pull experts by giving them higher fringe benefits in footings of their degree. The group is motivated for cost effectivity. They know that a good bundle is indispensable, but that it non the chief encouragement to travel abroad. The primary balance-sheet move in the way of bundle is based on the benchmark that proficient should neither lost nor turn from their reallocate. Lvmh ‘s C & A ; B section has connected this draw near as a direct for it does remunerate bundle policy. Specific state based salary is evident for international mission. Salary will acquire hire during the period of mission. That is used as a vital for work out of societal security and pension payments. The mobility rewards are mean comparison to local labor market. Lvmh distinguishable two types of high potencies, HP1 and HP2 is an single likely to accomplish a top direction place such as member of Board commissions, Regional president or Subsidiary president. An HP2 is an employee probably to travel up one or two stairss in the hierarchy. For corporate HR this word picture of high potency is excessively wide and is more relevant for level constructions. It is now sing contracting it. It would retain the definition of HP1 and include those who are considered to be experts in their field. Lvmh is giving specific undertaking or mission to the planetary director in their working content for specific period and give him or her full authorization to take determination for the company, besides they want to larn from this sort of freedom to make new or dare things. Undertaking 2To fit the planetary demand of concern working form Lvmh has to deploy local people instead than experts from the Gallic, because they do non hold know the local civilization or local market how they react in new or old section for their merchandises or what is the tendency among them for Lvmh ‘s merchandises. If they select local director with relevant expertness for their desire undertaking or purpose to accomplish. In this status they can acquire director with accomplishment which they want and besides acquire betterment from his cognition about their merchandise fiting the local public positions and if possible implement them for acquiring better consequences. For LVMH operates in all over universe so, they have to believe globally and move locally for their operations. For illustration they have decided same regulations and ordinances for the all employee universe broad like their rewards and benefits. In France they have decided to give 6500 ˆ per month wage to the planetary director for giving his or her services to the company as per same wage may non be pay in other continent like Asiatic states China or India. Populating criterion in all continents is different so, their policies should be different than headquarter and subordinate in footings of rewards. Lvmh has to take attention for the different civilization base for their scheme in HRM for illustration in Japan they can non deploy younger director on the employee who is senior in footings of age so him or her, because Nipponese have cultural usage that they respect elder individual and do non traverse their words of all time so, in that manner Lvmh has to be specific about cultural differences. Like in South East Asia India is a populated state and have more knowledge base potency campaigners are available to fit their standards but they have to maintain in head that Indian civilization is a versatile and full of festivals. If they want to establish the new merchandise there they have to look frontward for the appropriate gay season for their merchandises and the director who familiar with the usage of this festival and achieve company ‘s end. Before directing the planetary trough on his or her assignment they has to be given developing about linguistic communication which is locally spoken over at that place and have good bid over at least 3 linguistic communications other so French. Looking frontward the HRM policies of Lvmh is to follow divergency in footings of local environment like in UK people like to imbibe Beer while in USA and France prefer to imbibe Wine. Such things keep in head and develop their program for act in a planetary market through their planetary directors who really implement their policies to their concern. Undertaking 3Lvmh has created his name in the planetary universe so they have to choose planetary linguistic communication like Good English talking individual because in the yesteryear they select staff from the France merely, they ca n't talk English fluently for that they have to larn English as a preparation and development undertaking which is programmed by HR section and educate them to cover in English at planetary degree.