Should the Uk Leave the Eu?

Nikolai Cremo Understanding the European Union Professor Eiko Thielemann October 14th, 2012 Should the UK remain a member of the European Union? The issue of whether or not the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union has been debated heavily over the past decade, with the debate heating up even more from the current European Sovereign Debt Crisis. Recent polls of the UK population showed that around half of the UK’s citizens would vote to pull out of the EU if it went to referendum.However, after all of the economic, political, and social advantages of being a member of the EU are considered, it remains clear that leaving the EU is not in the UK’s best interest. Economically, it does not make sense for the UK to leave the world’s largest trade block considering the EU buys fifty percent of the UK’s exports, at a time when the UK’s current account deficit is at one of its all-time highs.Additionally, the UK would lose its allure a s being a hotspot for Foreign Direct Investment, as they would no longer give companies access to the single market, further contributing to the UK’s growing imbalance of payments. Ultimately this could be detrimental to the value of the British pound, and even worse, cause the UK to lose its position as the financial center of Europe. The UK giving up its decision-making influence in the EU would not likely result in the UK seeing trade polices pass that make this debated exit any easier.From a social perspective the citizens of the UK would lose the highly valued privilege to seamlessly travel, attend school, live, and retire anywhere throughout the EU. After all of these factors are made clear, especially the negative financial factors, the economic impact of a UK exit would triumph over any negative sentiment associated with staying a member of the EU. The most powerful factor marrying the UK to the EU is the undeniable economic dependence the UK has on the world’s largest trading block.The fifty percent of UK exports that goes to the countries of the EU would become much less competitive with trade barriers, which would then raise the necessity for many UK exporters to either lower their prices, or decrease their output to meet the fallen demand of their goods. Additionally, due to the nature of the goods the UK trades with its EU partners, it would not easily substitute this trade with non-EU countries (Oxford 24).According to simple economic theory, this would ultimately decrease the amount of money the UK receives for its exports, as the amount the tariff increases the price of UK goods will ultimately have to be born by the UK company exporting it, and any price increase not born by the UK company will lead to a decrease in exports demanded by the EU. Therefore, a major piece of the British economy would face severe hardship on the basis of the UK not being a member of the free trade block. Another area of the UK’s economy that wo uld be adversely affected by the removal of the EU free trade block is Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the UK.The UK is seen as many non-EU countries as the gateway to European market penetration, and this view would ultimately change if the UK left the EU. FDI has an important role in the UK economy, as it has been a consistent source of job growth of 50,000-60,000 jobs a year, while providing protection to another 40,000 jobs each year (Oxford 43). In addition to creating jobs, FDI is known to fuel innovation and competition, as it incorporates the advances in technologies that have been proved successful in other countries.By leaving the EU, the FDI of non-EU countries would relocate their base of operations to European markets to a country within the EU, and out of the UK, and all further FDI intended to reap the gains of the largest trading block would more than likely invest in an EU country. This not only inhibits job growth directly, but also widens the gap of the UKâ₠¬â„¢s balance of payments, which would have to either be filled through issuing more currency (inflation), a devaluation of the currency.Similar to notion that the UK would lose out on FDI, the UK’s position as the financial center of Europe would be inherently weakened by the UK being outside the EU. It is clear that many countries and companies are invested in the UK because of its links to EU, where they have access to 500 million consumers. For starters, companies would move to other financial powerhouses of Europe such as Frankfurt or Brussels, in order to avoid EU tariffs and conform to EU regulations (Oxford 48).Secondly, the EU would implement programs to shift the European financial center to another financial center within their union such Frankfurt or Brussels. Any measures that the UK could take to prevent this would certainly be their best interest, as financial services makes up ten percent of their GDP. Additionally, the portfolio investments that the UK receiv es from being the financial center of Europe would flow out of the country at the same rate as London loses its position as the financial center, and these currently represent a ? 5 billion surplus to the UK balance of payments (Open Europe. This is another crucial piece of the balance of payments within the UK, and would lead to the aforementioned devaluation of the British pound, or inflation, or a combination of both to balance out trade deficit of the country. While the strongest benefits of staying in the EU stem from economic benefits, the political benefits of an influential member of the union are not to be overlooked.Given that UK is in a four way tie of having the highest number of votes in the Council under the Nice Treaty, and their voting power wil be sustained by having the third largest population in the EU once the Libson Treaty comes into effect in late 2014 (Hixx 65). This gives the UK a strong position to influence the long-term goals of the Council, where they wi ll be able to seek compromises with other EU states to pursue legislation that is in the UK’s best interest, and to project the UK’s interests (Open Europe).While if they were outside of the EU, they would not have any ability to directly influence the policies of the EU that have helped them in the past. For example, Tony Blair using his influence in the European Council to launch the Libson Agenda for economic reform, is a example of British intervention that not only benefited the UK, but the entire EU as well (Lake). Additionally, being tied for the second highest number of MEPs in the European Parliament (EP), the UK has an influential role on all of the decisions that go through the EP.Despite the fact the social benefits of EU membership are often overshadowed by the economic and political aspects, the loss of these benefits would negatively impair the freedom of the UK people, and negatively impact UK businesses. The free movement of UK citizens throughout the EU to travel, to attend school, live, and retire. Businesses do not only benefit by having to follow one set of regulations, but also benefit from having a larger source of potential employees to chose from.The EU employment rate in the UK is 3. 3%, while they make 4. 5% of the labor force, which shows that EU citizens have a positive impact on UK GDP (Oxford 34). If the UK were to leave the EU, there is a great possibility that many of the EU workers employed in highly skilled areas that are crucial to the UK economy, such as financial services, would relocate back inside the EU. This again would be another risk of severely impairing the bedrock of the UK economy, and shifting the financial center of Europe outside the UK.Based upon these economic, political, and social advantages of EU membership, it is clear that it is in the UK’s best interest to remain an active member in the EU. The direction of the EU is at another major crossroad as countries pull together to solve th e continents’ Sovereign Debt Crisis. The stance that the UK takes at these crossroads, as the union’s third largest country, is paramount not only to UK’s economic and political prosperity today, but to how UK is seen as a political force and financial hub in the long-term.The UK’s decision to abandon their economic and political partners has strong consequences now while the EU is in a time of hardship, and these consequences will only increase as the EU rises from this crisis. The failure of the UK to invest in their relationship with their European partners has a high probability to be detrimental to the economic wellbeing of the country, especially as these less developed countries are viewed as sources of future growth to the world financial markets.Thus, the British must adopt a more long-term view on their relationship with the EU, a view that they failed to see when declined to partake in the creation of EU by declining Treaties of Paris and Rome (George 32). I’ll conclude with a saying of the philosopher Santayana, which has been noted as a universal truth of investing by father of value investing, Benjamin Graham, that the UK should be reminded of before they further debate if they should opt out of the European integration yet again: â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. † Works Cited Oxford Economics, ed.An Indispensable Relationship: Economic Linkages between the UK and the Rest of the European Union. Rep. London: Business for New Europe, 2009. Print. Booth, Stephen, Christopher Howarth, Matts Persson, and Vincenzo Scarpetta. CONTINENTAL SHIFT: Safeguarding the UK’s Financial Trade in a Changing Europe. Rep. London: Open Europe, 2011. Print. Lake, Michael. Communicating the Lisbon Strategy – a Civic Challenge. Rep. N. p. : n. p. , 2006. Print. George, Stephen. â€Å"The Background: Britain and Europe, 1945-1973. †Ã‚  An Awkward Partner: Britain in the Eur opean Community. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. N. pag. Print.

Three Varieties of Knowledge- a Critque

Donald Davidson- Three Varieties of Knowledge Submitted By: Nathan Copeland- 500349268 Submitted to: Prof. Checkland PHL550 April 15, 2013 In Donald Davidsons Three Varieties of Knowledge, he sets out to more or less prove that â€Å"A community of minds is the basis of knowledge; it provides the measure of all things. † (Davidson, 218). This is done by first categorizing knowledge into three distinct categories. There is knowledge of ones own mind, knowledge of another’s mind, and knowledge of the shared physical world around us. He argues that no one could exist without the others.According to Davidson, knowledge of ones own mind differs from the other two types of knowledge in the sense that one knows the contents of their own mind without any study or evidence in most cases. On the other hand, the minds of others and the physical world may only be interpreted through the senses, at least initially. He also notes that certain aspects of our physical world can be inte rpreted almost instantaneously, our example being distinguishing colours, while many aspects of another’s mind contents are done through physical observation of actions and words, which we then reconcile with our own knowledge to make inferences.This makes the latter two types of knowledge open to a degree of uncertainty that is rarely experienced in matters of your own mind. He also acknowledges the asymmetry that is apparent between coming about knowledge of our own minds and knowledge of other minds. They are both minds, yet we come to understand our own in a very unique way. He criticizes the solution that the actions and behavior or others is sufficient for inferring certain mental states to others, but those same actions and behaviours carried out by our selves are irrelevant when we attempt to describe ourselves.An issue being- If both types of knowledge come about so differently, how can we believe that others mental states are comparable to our own. He sets out to pa int a picture that includes all three types of knowledge, and shows how they are related in hopes of solving these issues. Davidson claims that â€Å"what we could not do is get along without a way of expressing, and thus communicating, our thoughts about the natural world† (Davidson, pg. 208). He also proposes that in order for a creature to have a belief, they must also posses the idea of objective truths.He then draws on Wittgenstien to say that â€Å"the source of the concept of objective truth is interpersonal communication† (Davidson, pg. 209). This is based on the assumption that thought cannot exist without language. Davidson argues that without the distinction between objective truth and what one thinks to be the case, there is no thought at all, and since there cannot be objective truth without the confirmation on the correct use of words through communicating, there cannot be thought without communicating, in his example language.It is argued that in order f or communication to work, the speaker and interpreter must share an understanding of what is meant by what is being said. Davidson then uses an example of how one would go about learning a new language to illustrate how we come about having an understanding of the words we use. In this case, we assign words and sentences we know in our native tongue to the utterances and actions made by a foreign speaker. With trial and error we come to understand what is meant by these utterances and how they relate to ‘reality’.This process of connecting ones own thoughts with the thoughts of another through some aspect of the external world is regarded by Davidson as triangulation. â€Å"it takes two points of view to give a location to the cause of a thought, and thus define its content† (Davidson, pg. 213). He believes this to be the only way that one can know another’s mind or the external world, making the two mutually dependent. He points out that there is the limi tation of perception at play here, with no way to look in from outside the standard to see if its write, but we may consult a third and forth party and so on to lessen the chance of an error being made. Davidson, pg. 217) Davidson then goes on to say that â€Å"knowledge of the propositional contents of our own minds is not possible without the other forms of knowledge, since there is no propositional thought without communication† (Davidson, pg. 213). Furthermore, knowledge of others cannot be inferred unless we have knowledge of ourselves, as the process of coming to know another’s mind is done by matching evidence from others behaviour to our knowledge of our own, thus showing that knowledge of our own minds and others is also mutually dependent.He acknowledges that there are a great deal of possible ways that we could assign our native language to the language and behavior of another to come about an understanding. He relates this to the measurement of weight in th e sense that no matter what system you use for measurement; kilograms, pounds ounces, etc. , the invariable factor, in this case the actual weight of the object, is the fact of the matter, not the arbitrary units of measure. His point is that there will likely always be indeterminacy in our translations, but we will often get the general idea.He also believes that there are no strict laws that connect mental states with physical ones, stating that such laws can exist â€Å"only when concepts connected by the laws are based on criteria of the same sort† (Davidson, pg. 215). This all leads to the fact that we will never be able to agree on how sentences and thoughts should be structured to describe other sentences or thoughts, as the very process of discussing how we would do this is ultimately done with the very thoughts were discussing, leaving it perpetually open to interpretation.As such â€Å"A community of minds is the basis of knowledge; it is the measure of all things. It makes no sense to question the adequacy of this measure, or to seek a more ultimate standard. † (Davidson, pg. 218). Analysis I agree with the general idea of what Davidson is saying, with a few exceptions. I would agree that ‘advanced’ knowledge can only come about with the all three types of evidence, but I also believe that basic knowledge can be acquired by just a person and the observable world. Suppose I live in a world with no other living creatures.I have no formal language. If I walk across a bed of sharp rocks, my nervous system will say â€Å"ouch†, and it wont take long to figure out that sharp rocks hurt my feet. I am aware of this with no need to confirm with another. I am also in contention with the idea that â€Å"language is essential to thought† (Davidson, pg. 209). My dog ‘thinks’ its going for a walk every time I put my boots on. I suppose that may be considered language, or some may argue that my dogs actions hav e no thought, but it seems to me that to make such a claim demands more evidence.I also had an issue with the claim that â€Å"enough in the framework and fabric of our beliefs must be true to give content to the rest† (Davidson, pg. 214). Although I agree that ‘enough’ of our beliefs are true, I don’t see this as a necessary condition. What if everything we think is wrong, or we’re a brain in a vat. The claim is overly definitive for my liking. Going back to my ‘only creature’ idea, I find the statement â€Å"there is no propositional thought without communication† (Davidson, pg. 213). Perhaps on this lonely planet I have a rock, which I am in love with.I may possess the thought, as primitive as it may be, that I love this rock. We don’t communicate, but the thought remains. This may be argued as a feeling, not a thought, but I’m not sure I know the difference. Finally, I have another idea that is in opposition to Davidsons claims, although I’m not sure if I believe it myself. He seems to think there are three distinct categories of knowledge, with knowledge of ones self coming mostly from inside, and knowledge of the world and others minds coming indirectly.My idea is this; all of the thoughts, behaviors, desires etc. , of any living creature is merely a manifestation of very complex processes happening in our brains. Our brains are chemicals and axons and neurons and much more that we are not 100% about. I’m proposing that theoretically, if we can observe the brain all the way down to each and every atom, we could see how your brain looks for any given idea, memory, feeling, and document the physical state relating to each and every instance.The only difference between the three states is how we go about knowing them, and with this theory we could even come to know our own minds without having to think internally about how we feel, but by merely observing our brains. Tying thi s back to my ‘alone in the world’ scenario, if I had the capability to observe my own brains inner workings while feeling the mental manifestations of such neurological reactions, I could correlate the pictures with feelings the ame way we correlate others words with objects in the world. If I became well enough versed at this, I could then look at the brain of someone else whom I’ve never seen, and come to know their mind as well. This theory is in contradiction with Davidson’s statement that there are no strict laws that connect mental states to physical ones, but even he acknowledges that this topic â€Å"has understandably been found inconclusive by critics† (Davidson, pg. 216), myself included.

Challenges And Frustrations In A Country Doctor English Literature Essay

Challenges And Frustrations In A Country Doctor English Literature Essay Franz Kafka’s, â€Å"A country doctor† is a story that narrates the experiences and challenges a country doctor faces as he tries to carry out his duties as the doctor. He goes through various obstacles which he has no solution to, but has to face them just as they are. He clings to the idea of being a helper, wards of resignation, is ready to sacrifice his private life for his professional ethics and is forced in the cruelest way to recognize the vanity of his effort (Samon 2002). In this essay, am going to identify four challenges and frustrations that accompany each that confront the doctor. I will also explain why the story may be called a nightmare then lastly highlight the themes that revealed from the story. The weather is very unfavourable. It is this period that the doctor struggles to attend to an emergency ten miles away during a snowstorm. It is this bad weather and exhaustion that led to the death of his horse. The death of the horse greatly frustrates the doctor as he is unable to attend to the alarm because of lack of a horse. At the end as he goes back home, he is still greatly affected by the snow. The perspective of the patient about his sickness is also a big challenge to the doctor. The patient has given up on life. When the doctor arrives and looks at the patient, the young man says, â€Å"doctor, let me die!† This is a total loss of hope. The young man knows that the presence of the doctor will not bring any improvement to his health status. The young man later asks, â€Å"Will you save me?† At the end the young man tells the doctor that he had very little confidence in him. This is a major challenge to the doctor as the sick young man has already given up. The doctor is frustrated because he can do nothing to the state of the young man (John stone 2008). The emerging of the groom from the pigsty is one great challenge the doctor faces. The groom is a stranger but very willing to assist by lending his horse. In stead of accompanying the doctor, he refuses to go with him. In fact just the first time he handles Rosa is very suspicious. He scratches her cheek with his teeth. The groom’s actions after the doctor leaves are also mysterious (Cuizon 2008). The torment the doctor feels about Rosa is also a great challenge. Rosa was left with a stranger whom she was not willing to stay with. The doctor had to make a choice between saving Rosa and attending to the patient. He decides to attend to the patient but is frequently disturbed mentally about the state of Rosa and the stranger. The frustrations go further as he has left Rosa in a vulnerable state yet his mission is not successful (Cuizon 2008). The story might be called a nightmare because of the happenings that take place. The emerging of the groom and the horses from the pigsty is frightening. The doctor, who is the owner of the pigsty thinks it is abandoned, in fact Rosa’s comment is satirical; â€Å"one doesn’t know the things one has in one’s own house.† The groom is too willing to help. The description of the horses is not normal; in fact the doctor admits that he had never used such horses. The speed the horses run and the time taken for the ten miles is very short. The way the patient’s family handles the doctor is also frightening. They take off his clothes, and then force him to lie in the same bed with the patient. They then close the door and leave. In addition, the song sung by the school children and the teacher is frightening, â€Å"take his clothes off, then he will heal, and if he does not cure, kill him. It’s only a doctor, it’s only a doctor.†(Cuizon 2008).

Networking Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Networking - Statistics Project Example Moreover, tree topology facilitates the network administrator to expand the network easily. However, if the network expands, it becomes more difficult for the network engineers to manage the network. 2 Issues of Tree Topology As there is no centralized provision of services, it is difficult for the network engineers to tackle issues related hardware, software and network services. Physical intervention is required as the hub backs up each network segment, if the hub become nonoperational, the workstations of the entire department becomes unavailable on the network. Moreover, it is not necessary that each network segment is using the same cabling scheme (Chapter 5: Topology). Due to compatibility issues, cross cabling or straight cabling is required, consequently making difficult for network engineers to troubleshoot network issues. Moreover, due to separate network segments on the network, some network segments may become vulnerable to threats, as network administrators do not have a centralized access to the network devices. These considerations must be analyzed during the network design stage of an organization. 3 Network Infrastructure Recommended LAN topology is a star topology. As star topology shares many advantages, the most prominent one is the centralized administration and monitoring of the network. Moreover, star topology provides high data speeds along with easy installation of cables. Any component on the network can be removed or plugged in without any interruption. Likewise, centralized administration facilitates network administrators and engineering to detect issues and faulty components. Hubs may deteriorate network performance. As they can only operate on the maximum data transmission speed of 10 Mbps and copy data files to the designated... Recommended LAN topology is a star topology. As star topology shares many advantages, the most prominent one is the centralized administration and monitoring of the network. Moreover, star topology provides high data speeds along with easy installation of cables. Any component on the network can be removed or plugged in without any interruption. Likewise, centralized administration facilitates network administrators and engineering to detect issues and faulty components. Hubs may deteriorate network performance. As they can only operate on the maximum data transmission speed of 10 Mbps and copy data files to the designated ports, files that are larger will take time and may congest the network. However, cost of the hub is low as compared to a switch; it may affect the performance of the network. On the other hand, switches can improve network performance significantly. As switches can learn the MAC address of the sender, they create a management information base for storing all the MAC addresses of network nodes. This will eliminate the time taken by the switch to identify and learn MAC address of the sender. Moreover, switches can provide the overall network usage along with statistics related to access policies via the network. Switches only share a disadvantage of a high cost as compared to hubs. A simple definition of regenerative repeater is available in network dictionary which states it as â€Å"a device which regenerates incoming digital si gnals and then retransmit these signals on an outgoing circuit†.

SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SCIENCE - Essay Example ers to understand the process and existence of life and a discussion of these two ideas is important for any student of history, biology or the life sciences in general. As reported by Johnstone (1930), in matters of historical positioning, vitalism and materialism are not very different from each other. He says that, â€Å"During the last three centuries, biology has exhibited alternating phases of materialism and vitalism. Materialism when, under the stimuli of progress in physical science, it made great advances, and vitalism when, those stimuli being exhausted, it marked time (Johnstone, 1930, pp. 631)†. However, despite the drifting nature of how life was seen by biologist, the particular understanding of the two viewpoints changed very little. For example, vitalism is defined as a doctrine that suggest that all functions of a living being are due to a vital principle that is different and separate from the physiochemical forces that are present in the organism. Life itself is seen as a vital spark which creates energy with the body. Of course the religious leaning within this doctrine is easy to deduce since the vital spark of the body can be easily considered the soul of the person or animal that departs the body once the organism is dead. The idea of vitalism was played down in historical terms when things such as germ theory and the idea of different bodily systems and organs performing different and independent functions were understood by scientists. Life could now be taken to be connected to chemical and biological processes that once understood in chemical terms reduced the need to be dependant on the mystical idea of a vital spark in the human body. However, the deeper questions of how life itself can be maintained still needed help in certain areas from a vitalism perspective because the full explanation of what life is and how living things can be said to be living was still lacking. On the other hand, materialism considers life to be a product

CISG Contract , Goodscan Contract Fact Pattern Assignment

CISG Contract , Goodscan Contract Fact Pattern - Assignment Example This condition applies if offeree gets the withdrawal before the offer or at the same time like the offer. Goodson is the offeror, in the case being analyzed, while Hospitex is the offeree. There is an offer from Goodscan to sell Hospitex five X-ray machines. A negotiator from Goodscan travels to Toronto to make an offer to the CEO of Hospitex. Terms of the offer are two hundred thousand Canadian dollars for 5 x-ray machines. Hospitex (offeree) accepts the offer but on a condition that Goodscan includes a clause stating that incase of any conflicts in future the two parties will use Canadian law to resolve it. It is evident there is an offer and an acceptance from the offeree, but there are additions that constitutes to a counter offer according since the offeree agree to the offer on condition that the clause is included (Ramberg 5). A mutual agreement refers to a contract that is agreeable to both parties. Article 29 clarifies that a mere agreement of both parties can be initiated to either modify or terminate a contract (Ramberg 6). The two parties agreeing to enter into an agreement are capable of performing specific duties of the contract against each other. Ramberg (6) says each of the both parties may be precluded by each other’s conduct from asserting certain provisions to a point whereby the other party has respectively relied on the other’s conduct respectively. Any contract can be a mutual contract, as long as it binds two parties. In this case, the contract between the two parties is mutualistic in that Goodscan should deliver the goods and the offeree (Hospitex) should pay the agreed fee to Goodscan. Both parties, according to the contract, have something to benefit from each other. Consideration is typically a concept of legal value in relation to contracts. It involves valuable goods promised to each other in a contract. It takes the form of physical objects,

Write an action plan for wellness that is custom designed for your Essay

Write an action plan for wellness that is custom designed for your use. Include recommendations offered in the textbook. Remember to cite any sources used, including the textbook - Essay Example Thus, creating one for my own would have to start with identifying my goal for getting into wellness which is to manage stress at work and stay fit at the same time. With this in mind, it would be best to factor into the plan my health needs that are affected by the kind of work I am in, the amount of time that I get sleep, and also the time I can sacrifice for working out. With this, setting specific and manageable work out goals is key. A great way to do so is to plan a 20 minute exercise, three times a week which would not demand so much that would add to my stress which leads to a lot of work out loopholes such as stress eating and lack of motivation to continue a program while still giving myself time to enjoy nourishing myself with more greens and have a spare time for rest. Also, it is important to make the most of the time committed for work out such as targeting different kinds of exercise from cardio, strength, and flexibility drills (How to Start an Exercise Program, n.d.). Shaping a mindset that does not only associated work out with the gym but pretty much in everything such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Lastly, avoiding the work out stumbling block by setting up a non-food reward system as I tend to feast on unhealthy food pleasures is best to do. Instead of food, a treat to a massage would do great! How to Create a Wellness Plan: Steps to Writing Your Own Health Routine | Suite101.com. (n.d.). Amy Kreydin Writing Profile | Suite101.com. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from

Gun control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Gun control - Essay Example This paper will argue that there is a need for national laws regulating the sale of fire arms in gun shows, flea markets, and conventions. The controversy between gun control and gun rights advocates starts with the gun casualty statistics in America. Gun control proponents cite spiraling casualties as the reason for government intervention, while gun rights proponents downplay the carnage. For instance, since the 1990s, statistics compiled that each day in the United States, a person dies by gunshot every eighteen minutes, totaling nearly 30,000 deaths per year: about half of these are suicides, another 11,000 are murders, and about 1,500 are gunshot accidents. (Crooker, p. 1) The Violence Policy Center has reported the following figures on firearms deaths and injuries: Firearms are the second leading cause of traumatic death to a consumer product in the United States and are the second most frequent cause of death overall for Americans ages 15 to 24. Since 1960, more than a million Americans have died in firearm suicide, homiides and unintentional injuries. (cited in Crooker, p. 2) Critics of gun control argue that a rather large empirical literature has failed to establish a consistent, statistically significant link between gun ownership and crime. According to William Shughart, it was even reported that there is a negative relationship (i.e., that gun ownership deters crime), (p. 157) The consensus finding – no statistically significant link – seems consistent with ordinary common sense: Criminals can use guns to prey on law-abiding citizens, but if guns were legal. Law-abiding citizens can also use guns to defend themselves from the criminal elements. It is possible, Harry Wilson (2006) wrote, that all citizens benefit from those who own guns if criminals are deterred because they think a potential victim might be armed. (p. 74) Indeed, there is probably no stopping the individual who is intent upon killing another

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example Thus, the issue of awarding the capital punishment remains a highly controversial topic across the world. In the US many states award death penalty to offenders who commit premeditated homicide while some others do not have capital punishment. Killing a human being intentionally is a heinous crime and offenders who commit premeditated homicide need to be punished with capital punishment to deter others from engaging in such criminal activities. Criminal justice system awards punishment to the criminals with a view to prevent the recurrence of crimes. The society considers that every criminal offender needs to be awarded a punishment appropriate to the crime he or she commits. Thus, the advocates of death penalty contend that when capital punishment is awarded to a person who commits murder, â€Å"potential murderers will think twice before killing for fear of losing their own life† (The Death Penalty: Arguments for and Against the Death Penalty 1). Evidence also points to an a nalysis by the criminologist Isaac Ehrlich, which shows that â€Å"for every inmate who was executed, 7 lives were spared† as other perpetrators become deterred from committing similar crimes (1). This source concedes to the fact that studies relating to deterrence are sometimes â€Å"inconclusive† but it attributes this to the rare use of death penalty and the delay in its execution (1). Thus, it can be construed that death penalty acts as a deterrent to crime, which is a â€Å"practical justification† for the award of capital punishment (2). Criminal justice system relies on the basic tenet that every crime deserves a proportionate punishment for meeting the objectives of natural justice. Therefore, it appears natural that the person who perpetrates a premeditated murder of another person should be punished with death so that the victim and his or her family receive justice. Thus, the principle evolves that criminal justice must consider the extent of â€Å"h arm caused by the criminal† and award a punishment that is â€Å"proportionate† to the crime (Bidinotto 20). However, the opponents of capital punishment hold the view that punitive measures derive from the concept of vengeance and the â€Å"vindictive notion of an eye for an eye† (23). Refuting this theory, Bidinotto argues that justice does not rely on the notion of vengeance but, on the other hand, is â€Å"based on retribution† (23). He further contends that showing mercy to murderers amounts to â€Å"negation of simple justice† and will actually act as an encouragement for criminals as they can â€Å"gain more from crimes than any costs they will have to bear† (23). Thus, it becomes evident that a punishment proportionate to the crime is only moral and, therefore, the award of capital punishment to a murderer is justified. Deliberate murder is a crime that destabilizes the society and, therefore, when such crimes occur the community has a responsibility to respond. The death penalty can be considered as a â€Å"uniquely powerful† response to such a crime due to its being a â€Å"permanent† solution that cannot be â€Å"retracted or overturned† (Gelernter 26). Thus, by awarding death penalty to criminals who commit the offence of premeditated homicide, society makes a proclamation that such crimes are â€Å"absolutely evil and absolutely intolerable† (26). Therefore, it will dissuade criminals from engaging in such crimes and reduce murders. Though the opponents of death penalty are

Lars Von Trier Essay Example for Free

Lars Von Trier Essay Lars Trier was born in Kongens Lyngby, north of Copenhagen, the son of Inger Trier (nà ©e Hà ¸st, 1915—1989). He had believed that his biological father was Ulf Trier (1907—1978), until his mother revealed to him on her deathbed that he had been conceived as a result of an affair she had with her employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann. His mother considered herself a Communist, while his father was a Social Democrat, and both were committed nudists,[5] and the young Lars went on several childhood holidays to nudist camps. They regarded the disciplining of children as reactionary. Trier has noted that he was brought up in an atheist family, and that although Ulf Trier was Jewish, he was not religious. His parents did not allow much room in their household for feelings, religion, or enjoyment, and also refused to make any rules for their children,[6] with complex results for von Triers personality and development.[7] He began making his own films at the age of 11 after receiving a Super-8 camera as a gift and continued to be involved in independent moviemaking throughout his high school years.[3] In 1979, he was enrolled in the National Film School of Denmark.[8] His peers at the film school nicknamed him von Trier. The name is sort of an inside-joke with the von (German of or from used as a nobiliary particle), suggesting nobility and a certain arrogance, while Lars is a very common and Trier not an unusual name in Denmark.[9] He reportedly kept the von name in homage to Erich von Stroheim and Josef von Sternberg, both of whom also added it later in life.[10] During his time as a student at the school he made the films Nocturne and The Last Detail, both of which won Best Film awards at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools.[11][12] In 1983 he graduated with the 57-minute Images of Liberation, which became the first Danish school film to receive a regular theatrical release.[13] Europe trilogy After graduation he began work on the very stylized crime drama, The Element of Crime (Forbrydelsens element 1984), which won a technical award at the Cannes Film Festival. His next film was Epidemic (1987), which was also shown at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section. The film is partly a dark science fiction-tale of a future plague epidemic, and partly chronicles two filmmakers (played by Lars von Trier and screenwriter Niels Và ¸rsel) preparing that film, with the two storylines ultimately colliding. For television von Trier directed Medea (1988), which won the Jean dArcy prize in France. It was based on a screenplay by Carl Th. Dreyer and starred Udo Kier. He completed the Europe-trilogy in 1991 with Europa (released as Zentropa in the U.S.), which won the Prix du Jury at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival[14] and picked up awards at other major festivals. In 1990 he also directed the music video for the worldwide hit Bakerman by Laid Back.[15] This video was reused in 2006 by the English DJ and artist Shaun Baker who did a remake of Bakerman. Zentropa and The Kingdom In 1992 he and producer Peter Aalbà ¦k Jensen founded the movie production company Zentropa Entertainment, named after a train company in Europa, their most recent film at the time.[8] The reason for doing this was to achieve financial independence and to have total creative control. The production company has produced many movies other than von Triers own as well as television series. It also has produced hardcore sex films: Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999), HotMen CoolBoyz (2000) and All About Anna (2005). In order to make money for his newly founded company,[16] he made The Kingdom (Riget, 1994) and The Kingdom II (Riget II, 1997), a pair of miniseries recorded in the Danish national hospital, the name Riget being a colloquial name for the hospital known as Rigshospitalet (lit. The Kingdoms Hospital) in Danish. A projected third installment in the series was derailed by the 1998 death of Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd, who played Helmer, one of the major characters. Dogme 95 In 1995, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg presented their manifesto for a new cinematic movement which they called Dogme 95. It would however take a while before the first of these films appeared, and at this point many thought of the concept mainly as a radical idea with no future.[citation needed] In 1996, von Trier conducted an unusual theatrical experiment in Copenhagen involving 53 actors, which he titled Psychomobile 1: The World Clock. A documentary chronicling the project was directed by Jesper Jargil, and was released in 2000 with the title De Udstillede (The Exhibited). Von Triers next film, Breaking the Waves (1996), the first film in von Triers Golden Heart Trilogy, won the Grand Prix at Cannes and featured Emily Watson, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Its grainy images and hand-held photography pointed towards Dogme 95. The second was The Idiots (1998), nominated for a Palme dOr, which he presented in person at the Cannes Film Festival notwithstanding his dislike of travelling. Dancer in the Dark (2000) was the final component of the trilogy. As originator of the Dogme 95 concept, which has led to international interest in Danish film as a whole, he has inspired filmmakers all over the world.[17] Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the Dogme 95 Manifesto and the Vow of Chastity together with their fellow Dogme directors Kristian Levring and Sà ¸ren Kragh-Jacobsen shared in 2008 the European Film Award European Achievement in World Cinema. Explicit images Von Triers use of sexually explicit images in The Idiots (1998) started a wave[citation needed] of arthouse mainstream films with unsimulated sex, such as Catherine Breillats Romance (1999), Baise-Moi (2000), Intimacy (2001), Vincent Gallos The Brown Bunny (2003) and Michael Winterbottoms 9 Songs (2004). In 1998, Lars von Trier also made history by having his company Zentropa be the worlds first mainstream film company to produce hardcore pornographic films. Three of these films, Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999) and the adult/mainstream crossover-feature All About Anna (2005), were made primarily for a female audience, and were extremely successful in Europe, with the first two being directly responsible for the March 2006 legalizing of pornography in Norway.[18] Women too like to see other people having sex. What they don’t like is the endless close-ups of hammering bodyparts without a story. Lars von Trier is the first to have realised this and produced valuable quality porn films for women. — Stern No. 40, 27 September 2007[19] Lars von Triers initiative spearheaded a European wave of female-friendly porn films from directors such as Anna Span, Erika Lust and Petra Joy, while von Triers company Zentropa was forced to abandon the experiment due to pressure from English business partners.[20] In July 2009, womens magazine Cosmopolitan ranked Pink Prison as No. 1 in its Top Five of the best women’s porn, calling it the role model for the new porn-generation.[21] Lars von Trier would return to explicit images in his self-directed Antichrist (2009), exploring darker themes. 2000s In 2000, von Trier premiered a musical featuring Icelandic musician Bjà ¶rk, Dancer in the Dark. The film won the Palme dOr at Cannes.[22] The song Ive Seen It All (which Trier co-wrote) received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song. The Five Obstructions (2003), made by Lars von Trier and Jà ¸rgen Leth, is a documentary, but also incorporates lengthy sections of experimental films. The premise is that Lars von Trier challenges director Jà ¸rgen Leth, his friend and mentor, to remake his old experimental film The Perfect Human (1967) five times, each time with a different obstruction (or obstacle) specified by von Trier.[23] He then directed two films in his announced U.S. trilogy: Dogville (2003), starring Nicole Kidman and Manderlay (2005), starring Bryce Dallas Howard in the same role – as Grace. Both films are extremely stylized, with the actors playing their parts on a nearly empty soundstage with little but chalk marks on the floor to indicate the sets. Both films had huge casts of major international actors (Harriet Andersson, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, etc.), and questioned various issues relating to American society, such as intolerance in Dogville and slavery in Manderlay. Controversy erupted on the 2004 set for Manderlay when actor John C. Reilly walked off the Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden, set in late March. Reilly walked off the film when he learned that an upcoming scene involved the slaughter of a donkey for food. The films producer says the animal—who was old and not expected to live much longer—was killed off-camera by a certified veterinarian, in accordance with Swedish law. Reilly was replaced by Zeljko Ivanek.[24] The U.S. was also the scene for Dear Wendy (2005), a feature film directed by von Triers Dogme-brother Thomas Vinterberg from a script by von Trier. It starred Jamie Bell and Bill Pullman and dealt with gun worship and violence in American society. In 2006, von Trier released a Danish-language comedy film, The Boss of it All. It was shot using a process that von Trier has called Automavision, which involves the director choosing the best possible fixed camera position and then allowing a computer to randomly choose when to tilt, pan or zoom. It was followed by an autobiographical film, De unge à ¥r: Erik Nietzsche sagaen del 1 (2007), scripted by von Trier but directed by Jacob Thuesen, which tells the story of von Triers years as a student at the National Film School of Denmark. It stars Jonatan Spang as von Triers alter ego, called Erik Nietzsche, and is narrated by von Trier himself. All main characters in the film are based on real people from the Danish film industry,[citation needed] with the thinly veiled portrayals including Jens Albinus as director Nils Malmros, Dejan ÄÅ'ukić as screenwriter Mogens Rukov and Sà ¸ren Pilmark in an especially unflattering portrayal as sex-obsessed school principal Henning Camre. Von Triers next feature film was Antichrist, an art film about a grieving couple who retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping a return to Eden will repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage; but nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse. The film, which includes sexually explicit content, stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It premiered in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where the festivals jury honoured the movie by giving the Best Actress award to Gainsbourg.[25] The Cannes Film Festival Ecumenical Jury, which gives prizes for movies that promote spiritual, humanist and universal values, also honoured the film with a special anti-award; a spokesman for the jury described it as the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world.[26] In 2010 the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported on their website that the film production company Zentropa is reportedly making more revenue from suing movie pirates in Germany that have downloaded Antichrist illegally than from box office and DVD sales, demanding a payment of around 1,300 euros per download to avoid legal action.[27] 2010s Von Triers latest work is Melancholia, a psychological disaster drama;[28] shot between 22 July and 8 September 2010 at Film i Và ¤sts studios in Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden,[29] and with exteriors in the area surrounding the Tjolà ¶holm Castle.[30] Magnolia Pictures has acquired the distribution rights for North America.[31] The film was in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[32] Von Trier announced that after finishing Melancholia he hopes to begin production of The Nymphomaniac, a two-part film about the sexual awakening of a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg).[33] The director explained how he got the idea for the upcoming project: my DP on [Melancholia], Manuel Claro, at one point voiced a surprising prejudice. He urged me not to fall into the trap that so many aging directors fall into – that the women get younger and younger and nuder and nuder. Thats all I needed to hear. I most definitely intend for the women in my films to get younger and younger and nuder and nuder .[34] The announced cast includes Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd, Shia LaBeouf, Willem Dafoe, Connie Nielsen, Jamie Bell, Jens Albinus, Jesper Christensen and Nicole Kidman. Phobias Von Trier suffers from multiple phobias, including an intense fear of flying.[35] His fear of air travel frequently places severely limiting constraints on him and his crew, necessitating that virtually all of his films be shot in either Denmark or Sweden, even those set in the United States or other foreign countries. Von Trier has had a number of his films featured at the Cannes Film Festival over the course of his career, and each time has insisted on driving from Denmark to France for the festival and back. On numerous occasions von Trier has also stated that he suffers from occasional depression which renders him incapable of performing his work and unable to fulfill social obligations.[36] Filming techniques Lars von Trier has said that a film should be like a stone in your shoe. In order to create original art he feels that filmmakers must distinguish themselves stylistically from other films, often by placing restrictions on the filmmaking process. The most famous restriction is the cinematic vow of chastity of the Dogme95 movement with which he is associated, though only one of his films, The Idiots, is an actual Dogme 95 film. In Dancer in the Dark, jump shots[37] and dramatically-different color palettes and camera techniques were used for the real world and musical portions of the film, and in Dogville everything was filmed on a sound stage with no set where the walls of the buildings in the fictional town were marked as lines on the floor. Von Trier often shoots digitally and operates the camera himself, preferring to continuously shoot the actors in-character without stopping between takes. In Dogville he let actors stay in character for hours, in the style of method acting. These techniques often put great strain on actors, most famously with Bjà ¶rk during the filming of Dancer in the Dark. Often he uses the same regular group of actors in many of his films: some of his frequently used actors are Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier and Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd. He is heavily influenced by the work of Carl Theodor Dreyer[38] and the film The Night Porter.[39] He was so inspired by the short film The Perfect Human directed by Jà ¸rgen Leth that he challenged Leth to redo the short five times in feature film The Five Obstructions.[40] Trilogies Von Trier has on occasion referred to his films as falling into thematic and stylistic trilogies. This pattern began with his first feature film, marking the beginning of The Europa Trilogy, though he claims a trilogy was not initially planned, instead being applied to the films in retrospect. The Europe trilogy illuminated the traumas of Europe in the past and future. This trilogy includes The Element of Crime (1984), Epidemic (1987) and Europa (1991). The Golden Heart trilogy was about naive heroines who maintain their golden hearts despite the tragedies they experience. This trilogy consists of Breaking the Waves (1996), The Idiots (1998) and Dancer in the Dark (2000). While all three films are sometimes associated with the Dogme 95 movement, only The Idiots is a certified Dogme 95 film. The USA: Land of Opportunities trilogy follows the character of Grace, and is set in a stylized American past. Von Trier has stated he was inspired to make a trilogy about the United States as a reaction to Americans at the Cannes film festival who said he had no right to make the Dancer in the Dark,[8] which was often viewed as being critical of a country he has never been to (and has no intention of ever visiting, due to his phobia of travel); however, von Trier himself has stated in interviews he did not intend it to be a criticism of America, saying the film takes place in a fictional America. Von Trier proposed the films as ‘a series of sermons on America’s sins and hypocrisy’[citation needed], inspired by the fact that American movie makers have made many movies about places across the world to which they have not travelled. All three movies will be shot in the same distinctive style, on a bare sound stage with no set and buildings marked by lines on the floor. This style is inspired by 1970s televised theatre. The trilogy will consist of Dogville (2003), Manderlay (2005) and the so far not produced Washington. The Depression Trilogy consists of Antichrist, Melancholia and the yet to be completed, Nymphomaniac. All three star Charlotte Gainsbourg and deal with characters that deal with depression or grief in different ways. This trilogy is said to represent the current depression that von Trier himself is currently going through. The Kingdom (Riget) was planned as a trilogy of three seasons with 13 episodes in total, but the third season was not filmed due to death of star Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd shortly after completion of the second season. Biological father In 1989, von Triers mother revealed on her deathbed that the man who he thought was his father was not, and that she had had a tryst with her former employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann (1909–2000),[41] who descended from a long line of Roman Catholic classical musicians (his grandfather was Emil Hartmann, his great grandfather J.P.E. Hartmann, his uncles included Niels Gade and Johan Ernst Hartmann and thus Niels Viggo Bentzon was his cousin). She stated that she did this in order to give her son artistic genes.[42] Until that point I thought I had a Jewish background. But Im really more of a Nazi. I believe that my biological fathers German family went back two further generations. Before she died, my mother told me to be happy that I was the son of this other man. She said my foster father had had no goals and no strength. But he was a loving man. And I was very sad about this revelation. And you then feel manipulated when you really do turn out to be creative. If Id known that my mother had this plan, I would have become something else. I would have shown her. The slut![43] During the German occupation of Denmark, Fritz Michael Hartmann worked as a civil servant and joined a resistance group (Frit Danmark), actively counteracting any pro-German and pro-Nazi colleagues in his department.[44] Another member of this infiltrative resistance group was Hartmanns colleague Viggo Kampmann, who would later become prime minister of Denmark.[45] After four awkward meetings with his biological father, the man refused further contact.[46] The revelations led von Trier to attempt to erase the connections with his stepfather by converting to Catholicism, and to rework his filmmaking into a style emphasizing honesty.[3] I dont know if Im all that Catholic really. Im probably not. Denmark is a very Protestant country. Perhaps I only turned Catholic to piss off a few of my countrymen.[43] In 2009, he declared, Im a very bad Catholic. In fact Im becoming more and more of an atheist.[47] Controversy at 2011 Cannes Film Festival On 19 May 2011, Cannes Film Festivals board of directors declared von Trier persona non grata for comments he made during a press conference for his film Melancholia the day before, an unprecedented move for the film festival.[48][49] Responding to a question by The Times film critic Kate Muir about his German roots and his comments in a Danish film magazine about the Nazi aesthetic, von Trier claimed to have some sympathy for and understanding of Adolf Hitler,[50] and then jokingly claimed to be a Nazi himself:[51][52] Von Trier at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. Hes not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, Im not for the Second World War, and Im not against Jews. I am of course very much for Jews, no not too much, because Israel is pain in the ass, but still how can I get out of this sentence. — Press Conference for Melancholia, Cannes, 2011[53][54] Referring to the art of Nazi architect Albert Speer, von Trier added: he had some talent that was kind of possible for him to use during Ok, Im a Nazi. Then, to Toronto Star film critic Peter Howell, who questioned whether Melancholia could be an answer to Hollywood blockbusters and asked von Trier if he could â€Å"envision doing a film on a grander scale than this†, von Trier replied: On a grander scale? Yeah. Yeah thats what we Nazis, we have a tendency to do things on a greater scale. Yeah, maybe you could persuade me into the final solution with journalists. Hours later, von Trier released a brief statement of apology about his comments at the press conference: If I have hurt someone this morning by the words I said at the press conference, I sincerely apologise. I am not anti-semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi.[55] The next day, the festival directors held an extraordinary meeting, deciding his remarks were unacceptable, intolerable and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the festival. [] The board of directors condemns these comments and declares Lars von Trier persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.[55] Afterwards, von Trier held a news conference of his own in Danish. His first remark to the Danish journalists was: If any of you journalists will beat me, so just do it. I will enjoy it. He went on to say that The Holocaust is the worst crime that ever happened. I have nothing against Jews. I have a Jewish name, and all my children have Jewish names. He admitted that his remarks about the Nazis had been misguided, saying It was really stupidly done and it was in the wrong forum. At the press conference with Danish journalists, there were no problems, but I do not think the international journalists understand my Danish humor. But he also said he was proud to have been kicked out of the Cannes festival: I am proud to have been declared persona non grata. It is perhaps the first time in cinematic history, it has happened. I think one reason is that French people treated the Jews badly during World War II. Therefore, it is a sensitive topic for them. I respect the Cannes festival very highly, but I also understand that they are very angry at me right now.[56][55] Speaking to other news outlets he said that his comments were very sarcastic and very rude, but thats very Danish. He also added, I dont sympathize with Hitler for one second.[57] In the October 2011 issue of GQ, von Trier is quoted in an interview saying he was not really sorry for the comments he made, only sorry he didnt make it clear that he was joking. He added, I cant be sorry for what I said—its against my nature.[58] On 5 October 2011, von Trier was interviewed by police in Denmark about his remarks at Cannes. Afterwards, he announced that he had decided from this day forth to refrain from all public statements and interviews.[59] Honours Von Trier was made a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog on 14 January 1997.[60] Ten years later von Trier decided to hand back the prize, saying that the Danish royal family are just simple people of bad quality.[61]

The bullwhip effect

The bullwhip effect Erratic shifts up and down the supply chain is known as the bullwhip effect, and is one of the major difficulties in properly setting inventory levels in various parts of the supply chain (Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe, 2008). Economists call it a bullwhip because even small increases in demand can cause a big snap in the need for parts and materials further down the supply chain. It has the domino effect, because of the spontaneous demand along the supply chain. This may be an insignificant problem for any one customer, but for the supplier it is huge and costly. Some of the things that contribute to this are price fluctuation, poor demand forecast, order batching, and rationing within the supply chain (Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe, p.360). Actual demand for a product is influenced by several factors such as competition, prices, weather conditions, technological developments, and consumers general confidence. These would be considered external and unmanageable factors. There are other uncertainties involved as well that can have an effect on the supply chain such as problems in delivery time due to production machine failures. Techniques to lessen or curtail the bullwhip effect would be to understand and recognize who or what is suggesting the variations in demand. Is it the retailer, manufacturer, the customer, or the distributor? The key element to eliminating this setback is being aware of where the demand changes are beginning. Techniques that can be used or put into place to reduce the bullwhip effect is sharing information along the supply chain, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), and managing e-business. The most obvious way to reduce the bullwhip effect is to improve communication and forecasting along the supply chain (ehow.com). Master Data Management (MDM) is can be looked at to integrate all data in an organization at the highest level, both internally and externally. One of the most notable examples of information sharing is between large manufacturers and retailers (Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe, p.307). Inventory if properly managed, it can increase profits and efficiency. The implementation of a Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) initiative would be a key factor in improving and controlling the bullwhip effect. VMI indicates that the vendor, usually a distributor, maintains the inventories for manufacturer or buyer and in turn will reduce warehouse costs for suppliers. VMI alleviates uncertainty o f demand and replenishment decisions can be made according to operating needs, and also has heightened awareness of trends in demand. E-commerce brings about new opportunities to improve the performance of the supply chain. The primary advantages of internet utilization are speed, decreased costs, the potential to shorten the supply chain, and flexibility. Electronic marketplaces provide for more efficient resource allocation, better information flow and dissemination on products and services in the supply chain. Electronic data interchange (EDI) can be implemented to help supply chain mangers in reducing misleading signals sent from sales and marketing (distribution). Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is one of the most successful tools for managing supply chains. ERP is software that integrates the planning, management, and use of all sources in the entire enterprise (Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe, p.2008). The major objective is to integrate all departments and functional information flow across a company onto a single computer system that can serve all of the enterprises needs. A plan created from an SCM system that allows companies to quickly assess the impact of their actions on the entire supply chain, including customer demand, can only be done with the integration of ERP software. ERP and SCM can help alleviate the bullwhip effect across the supply chain by having a shared understanding of what needs to get done, managing the variations in the organization, communication among all thats involved especially top management, and having single control of replenishment or VMI can overcome inflated demand forecasts. Long lead times should also be reduced where it is reasonably beneficial. References: Understanding the BullWhip Effect in Supply Chains. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://sloanreview.mit.edu/improvisations/2010/01/27/understanding-the-bullwhip-effect-in-supply-chains/. Turban, E., Leidner, D., McLean, E., Wetherbe, J. (2008). Information technology for management: Transforming organizations in the digital economy. (6th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. http://www.ehow.com/how_5154541_reduce-bullwhip-effect.html

Joy Luck Club: In depth behind Tan and her Writing :: essays research papers fc

The Joy Luck Club was her first big success and was translated into seventeen languages and stood at New York Times best-seller list for nine months. The plot follows the lives of four Chinese Immigrant mothers and their American born daughters. Tan weaves an intricate story as the the four families intertwine and reveal their own secrets forming and strengthening the mother daughter bond.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins on one daughter, Jing-mei, who takes the place of her mother at the Joy Luck Club table in place of her mother (Suyan Woo) who had died. This club was created by the four mothers of the story, Suyan Woo, An-mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Ying-ying St. Clair during the war. The mothers met and played Mah-Jong, ate good dinners, and gambled. All to escape the cruelties of their lives, to brighten their spirits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jing-mei learns of her mother's past, of her difficult decisions such as leaving behind two daughters in China on the side of the road. The club learns of the location of those two daughters and are saving to send Jing-mei to meet them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the date nears each mother recalls in vivid detail their own pasts in China.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An-mei (mother of Rose Hsu) as a child was forbidden to speak her mother's name. She was told her mother dishonered the family by remarrying after her husbands death. Her mother ends up killing herself to give An-mei a better position in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lindo (mother of Waverly Jong) had her marriage arranged when she was very young. The young man she was destined to wed was spoiled and immature. Lindo fabricated a an elaborate story about an angry ancestor who would kill her husband should they stay married. She was given money and pushed off to America and was told to not speak of the curse to anyone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ying-ying (mother of Lena St. Clair) discovered as a child that the magic and wonder of many things she believed in such as a favorite Moon Festival was only an elaborate act. As an adult Ying is a strong character, not letting things in general affect her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The daughters also remember their own lives growing up in California with their Chinese mothers. Many of the daughters grew up, like Tan, feeling they belonged neither in China nor in America and began to reject and question their own background.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waverly was a chess champion, she quit when she and her friend

Inventiong Of The Bicycle, Including Formal Outline :: essays research papers fc

The invention of the bicycle: Was it the greatest invention ever? "There has not been a more civilizing invention in the memory of the present generator than the invention of the bicycle open to all classes, enjoyed by both sexes and ages"- Lord Balour (Leek&Leek9.) he bicycle invented in 1816 was to become one of the greatest inventions still used today. A small town blacksmith in Germany had an idea for an invention the people though was crazy. That idea ended up being something used daily today 185 year later. One mans simple idea 185 years ago has become a major part of today’s culture. The Bicycle was one of the most influential inventions of transportation in the world. The Bicycle in its first forms looked nothing like today’s idea of the bicycle. Its original designs were more similar to a â€Å"hobbyhorse† than a bicycle. The Draisine had two wheels in tandem along with a crude steering mechanism. This original idea was left open for other additions. From simple things like rubber tires to most importantly brakes. The Velocipede was a little later in time than the Draisine but still had major issues. They had extremely large front wheels and minute rear wheels. This caused for the super high center of gravity along with almost impossible mounting and dismounting. In a German blacksmith shop around 1816, a man was to invent something that was to become a major part of today’s culture. The original idea was to have a machine. That would allow a person to travel a long distance with little energy. Only after it was built, it was something that would take a large amount of energy to go on flat or a slight uphill for a short coast down a hill. After the invention was refined a little, it could almost get to the idea of what Drais had. It was used for long distance travel with a lot of downhill coasting. The people of Karlsruhe wanted the Barons invention banned from the sidewalks and the streets. On January 12 1818, the baron received this order, â€Å" We, by the grace of God, duke of Baden, grant Duke of Zahringer, grant to Karl, Baron Von Drais for his invention of tread machine an invention patent for ten years duration that no one can copy of have copied in the land of grand duchy, or shall use this on public street or places without first, having settles with the inventor about it and have gotten proof of it from him. Inventiong Of The Bicycle, Including Formal Outline :: essays research papers fc The invention of the bicycle: Was it the greatest invention ever? "There has not been a more civilizing invention in the memory of the present generator than the invention of the bicycle open to all classes, enjoyed by both sexes and ages"- Lord Balour (Leek&Leek9.) he bicycle invented in 1816 was to become one of the greatest inventions still used today. A small town blacksmith in Germany had an idea for an invention the people though was crazy. That idea ended up being something used daily today 185 year later. One mans simple idea 185 years ago has become a major part of today’s culture. The Bicycle was one of the most influential inventions of transportation in the world. The Bicycle in its first forms looked nothing like today’s idea of the bicycle. Its original designs were more similar to a â€Å"hobbyhorse† than a bicycle. The Draisine had two wheels in tandem along with a crude steering mechanism. This original idea was left open for other additions. From simple things like rubber tires to most importantly brakes. The Velocipede was a little later in time than the Draisine but still had major issues. They had extremely large front wheels and minute rear wheels. This caused for the super high center of gravity along with almost impossible mounting and dismounting. In a German blacksmith shop around 1816, a man was to invent something that was to become a major part of today’s culture. The original idea was to have a machine. That would allow a person to travel a long distance with little energy. Only after it was built, it was something that would take a large amount of energy to go on flat or a slight uphill for a short coast down a hill. After the invention was refined a little, it could almost get to the idea of what Drais had. It was used for long distance travel with a lot of downhill coasting. The people of Karlsruhe wanted the Barons invention banned from the sidewalks and the streets. On January 12 1818, the baron received this order, â€Å" We, by the grace of God, duke of Baden, grant Duke of Zahringer, grant to Karl, Baron Von Drais for his invention of tread machine an invention patent for ten years duration that no one can copy of have copied in the land of grand duchy, or shall use this on public street or places without first, having settles with the inventor about it and have gotten proof of it from him.

Observations on Property in Robinson Crusoe and Second Treatise Essay

Observations on Property in Robinson Crusoe and Second Treatise  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         People have been fighting over land and possessions since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. But what actually constitutes the ownership of property? In the eighteenth century John Locke and Daniel Defoe addressed this question. In his Second Treatise, Locke defends the rights of people to property and he explains the basis for obtaining and maintaining dominion over it. In Robinson Crusoe, Defoe suggests a definition of property that concurs in part with Locke's, which indicates that people can claim ownership of property when they have added their labor to some part of it. In addition, Locke stipulates, according to principles of the rational use of creation's bounty, that people can claim as their property only what they can use for their sustenance--without wastefulness. Locke argued also that property owners must leave enough and as good for others to own. But his theory allows for the breaking of limits to ownership through the possession of money, which itself does not spoil or go to waste. Perhaps this view of money is why Crusoe takes it from stranded ships and hoards it even though he has no way to use it for his sustenance. Crusoe apparently (though unknowingly) adheres to a number of other aspects of Lockean theory. At times, however, his sense of ownership seems to go a bit further than what Locke argued for. For example, Crusoe claims ownership over an entire island. Regarding his claim, there are at least two issues to consider. The first one is whether or not the island was already somebody else's property. The second is whether or not the entire island was his since he had not added his labor to the whole of it. Nor did he ne... ...ng Crusoe: Locke's Political Theory in Robinson Crusoe." English Studies: A Journal of English Language and Literature. 69 (1): 27-36. Curtis, Laura. The Versatile Defoe. London: George Prior, 1979. Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Bantam, 1981. Donaghue, Frank. "Enevitable Politics: Rulership and Identity in Robinson Crusoe." Studies in the Novel 27 (1): 1-11. Kramer, Matthew H. John Locke and the Origins of Private Property. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. Locke, John. Two Treatises of Government, the Works of John Locke. Vol.5. London: Thomas Teggs, 1823. Novak, Maximillian E. Realism, Myth, and History in Defoe's Fiction. Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 1983. Wood, Neal. The Politics of Locke's Philosphy. Berkeley: U of California P, 1983. Woodward, Ralph L. Robinson Crusoe's Island. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1969.   

What Are Some Issues Managers Face When Leading a Diverse Workforce

What are some issues managers face when leading a diverse workforce? How can he/she overcome these issues? Most people, when they think of diversity they will automatically gravitate to the common four, which are race, creed, color and religion. However diversity takes on many different forms such as married or single, parents or single parent, educated or not, or even veteran or never served. So to go beyond the common four one would have to think we are always encountering diversity when we are out in the public.Everyone has the stereotyped stories about walking into 7-11 and finding the persons from India or some form of Muslim background Believe it or not, we face diversity as soon as we go into the public. We run into people from different countries, religions, beliefs and color. So to put that as a topic of a problem, in my opinion, is way over stated. Only ignorance can cause problems when dealing with diversities.I have to believe that we as a country have swung the pendulum too far in the sensitive direction that we make it almost impossible to function. I have to believe that if everyone treats everyone with respect then it’s really not a problem. On that same note; if someone is offended by someone then it’s absolutely up to that person to say something in private to that person and give them the chance to learn that what they have said or done has offended someone else.So managers need to be aware of diversity and also provide some guidance for the ignorant employees that may simply not know any better. So the bottom line, educating your people to be aware that not everyone grows from the same tree or has the same beliefs and I have to believe that it will work itself out. ? University of California, San Fransisco. Guide to Managing Human Resources; Chapter 12: Managing Diversity in the Workplace. http://ucsfhr. ucsf. edu/index. php/pubs/hrguidearticle/chapter-12-managing-diversity-in-the-workplace/

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s day is so overrated And over-hyped! A lot of people run around frothing, proclaiming their love and pledging their eternal allegiance to one another. Although it means different things to different people, many use this day for all the wrong reasons. I. e. : to show off, get free stuff, free meals etc-Etc. Ha. People even go as far as finding dates just for that one day. Crazy right? I know! When its about to be that time of the month everywhere is lit up with red stuff! I personally think it’s another way for businesses to get a lot of extra money out our pockets. If someone truly cared about you, I think you'd hear it more often than once. I mean the extra-large teddy bears, flowers, and all the excess chocolate; (which makes u gain weight anyway), and all the other stuff which is associated with v/day is cool, but why wait for that one day to show your partner how much really you care about them? Some People definitely put much emphasis on it! Why not do it all the time! I personally think that’s all part of being in a relationship. Making your significant other feel loved and appreciated all the time. This should be a PRIORITY of yours! Not just on that one day called â€Å"VALENTINES DAY†! I think it all depends on the individual’s choice. If you are in favor of doing something special on Valentine’s Day, go ahead and do it. If you feel that it’s not your cup of coffee, so be it. Spending all the excess $money$ isn’t the meaning of love  ¦; it’s the little things along with the thoughtfulness! Valentine’s Day Each year in America, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico and Australia billions of people celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day. 85% of Valentine’s day purchases are made by women, 1 billion valentine’s day cards are sent out each year and Valentine’s day is the second largest card sending holiday of the year, the first being Christmas. Today I will share with you the history of Valentine’s Day and the legend of Saint Valentine. There are three different stories as to how Valentine’s Day became a holiday, but they all have the same thing in common, which is Saint Valentine. February has always been a month of romance and history. The roots of this holiday are based on the Christian and ancient Roman tradition. The roman-catholic church recognizes at least three different saints, saint valentine and saint valentines are the two most familiar. The first legend says that Saint Valentine was priest who served in the third century in Rome. The emperor at that time was Emperor Claudius, and he believed that the single men made better soldiers in his army, so he banned all marriages for young men at that time. Saint Valentine seeing this as an injustice was still willing to perform marriages in secret for young lovers. When Valentines secret was discovered, the legend says he was sentenced to death. The second legend suggests that Valentine may have been killed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons. Many Christians that were kept in these prisons were kept by a higher being and were tortured to death. The third story tells us that Valentine sent the very first valentine from prison. The legend says that he fell madly in love with the jailer’s daughter where he was in prison and right before he was put to death he wrote her a letter and signed it love your valentine. Now I am going to tell you how and why Valentine’s Day became a tradition and a holiday. By the Middle Ages saint valentine was viewed as a sympathetic, romantic and heroic figure. As a result of this he was considered one of the most popular of all figures in England and France at that time. Valentines death was said to be around two seventy eight A.  D. In effort to Christianise the Pagan holiday celebration of Pieria at the Lempira festival, it is said that the celebration of saint valentine’s burial was moved to the month of February. In ancient Rome February was the official beginning of spring and was considered at that time a time of purification. In France in England during the middle ages February fourteenth was the day that the birds began choosing their mates, also around five hundred A. D Pope Gelasius declared February fourteenth, Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day Valentine’s day is so overrated And over-hyped! A lot of people run around frothing, proclaiming their love and pledging their eternal allegiance to one another. Although it means different things to different people, many use this day for all the wrong reasons. I. e. : to show off, get free stuff, free meals etc-Etc. Ha. People even go as far as finding dates just for that one day. Crazy right? I know! When its about to be that time of the month everywhere is lit up with red stuff! I personally think it’s another way for businesses to get a lot of extra money out our pockets. If someone truly cared about you, I think you'd hear it more often than once. I mean the extra-large teddy bears, flowers, and all the excess chocolate; (which makes u gain weight anyway), and all the other stuff which is associated with v/day is cool, but why wait for that one day to show your partner how much really you care about them? Some People definitely put much emphasis on it! Why not do it all the time! I personally think that’s all part of being in a relationship. Making your significant other feel loved and appreciated all the time. This should be a PRIORITY of yours! Not just on that one day called â€Å"VALENTINES DAY†! I think it all depends on the individual’s choice. If you are in favor of doing something special on Valentine’s Day, go ahead and do it. If you feel that it’s not your cup of coffee, so be it. Spending all the excess $money$ isn’t the meaning of love  ¦; it’s the little things along with the thoughtfulness!

Case Study on Tupperware Essay

1.0 Introduction In this report I will be analyzing a case study on Tupperware. I will be identifying the main problems faced by Tupperware and recommending solutions that could be used to help Tupperware. Tupperware was developed in the 1940’s by Earl Tupper. They consisted of various types of plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep it airtight. As innovative as the product was it was not an instant hit. The target market was woman and they were not buying the product and this meant that a different approach had to be taken in order to induce sales and get the product known. This led to the beginning of the Tupperware party as a sales tool. The Tupperware party was a gathering of women mainly housewives who came together to socialize but with Tupperware available for sale. This proved to be a useful sales technique. In the 1950’s the product was a perfect fit for women most being full-time homemakers which allowed them to be able pack food and  leftovers for long periods of time. However since Tupperware was not sold in the stores in meant that women and housewives alike had to had to attend Tupperware parties in order to purchase them. In the 60’s and 70’s Tupperware sales increased dramatically. This was because the lifestyle of most women at the time suited a product like Tupperware, also coupled with the Tupperware parties which were a huge hit in the era. In the 80’s there was a there was a decline in sales, this according to the Tupperware ladies, may have been due to increase in divorces, childless, women being single and more independent. Tupperware maintains a reasonable market share internationally but has since seen a decline in both market share and sales domestically and struggles to find appropriate marketing strategies to implement. 2.0 S.W.O.T Analysis A SWOT analysis is an analytical method, which is used to identify and categorize significant internal factors (i.e. strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (i.e. opportunities and threats) an organization faces. I will be looking at the SWOT analysis for Tupperware and using it to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that Tupperware have. 2.1 Strengths – Tupperware had a new innovative product at the time. – Tupperware at the time had a specific target market i.e. Housewives. – Tupperware was a perfect fit for the 1950’s due to many women being homemakers – Tupperware parties were the only way to buy the products making them exclusive to other businesses. – Tupperware used their parties as a form of promotion by having games and giving out gifts. – Tupperware has high customer loyalty – Between the 1950’s and 1970’s Tupperware was highly profitable 2.2 Weaknesses – Tupperware has not been able to preserve a way of life. – Tupperware was a new and unknown product so when it came out there was no interest in it. – Tupperware could only be sold at Tupperware parties unlike other competitive products that were being sold in stores. 2.3 Opportunities – In the past Tupperware could have sold their products in stores rather than just Tupperware parties. – Increase profitability by increasing marketing and advertising. – Increase domestic sales of Tupperware 2.4 Threats – Competition from other companies like Rubbermaid. – Changing environment and lifestyle. 3.0 The 5 p’s of the Marketing Mix for Tupperware The 5 p’s of the Marketing mix that I will be looking at in relation to Tupperware include product, promotion, price, place, people. 3.1 Product Tupperware consists of various types of plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep it airtight. Tupperware products were innovative when they came out. The quality of the product is said to be high and very effective in its use. The availability of Tupperware products was limited as you could only buy them from the Tupperware parties. 3.2 Promotion Tupperware was promoted through the Tupperware parties that were held in different locations. This was their main form of promotion. In the Tupperware parties they also used social events, like games, were they gave gifts in order to increase awareness of the product. Tupperware also used Tupperware ladies to market their products directly to the customers. 3.3 Price Tupperware products according to loyal customers are â€Å"high in quality and a  price to match†. So Tupperware products are expensive. 3.4 Place Tupperware products can only be bought at Tupperware parties. Any returns would have to be done in person. 3.5 People The people who were involved in the marketing, sales and customer service of Tupperware were the Tupperware ladies and dealers. 4.0Marketing Solutions and Recommendations In terms of the actual product, customers felt that it was of high quality and had the features and usability expected, therefore it may not be necessary to change or improve these things. However brand image can be increased by advertising and marketing. Availability of the product and customer service can be improved by employing more Tupperware ladies and dealers. Tupperware already used Tupperware parties as a form of promoting both the products and party itself. I think Tupperware could improve their branding and public relations by increasing advertising and marketing campaigns that directly target the intended customers. Tupperware products even though of high quality are expensive. Tupperware could increase customer loyalty by reducing prices and introducing promotional campaigns that make the products more affordable. Tupperware can also help customers by introducing discounts, payment methods and free value added incentives. Tupperware can improve customer service and support by increasing the number of Tupperware ladies and dealers. Tupperware can also widen their scope by creating different channels or mediums that can help increase awareness, brand imaging, increase profits and customer loyalty. Finally I think Tupperware should increase the number of dedicated Tupperware ladies and dealers. This can be done by increasing the level of training which will increase the level of skill that the Tupperware ladies and dealers have. This will increase the number of Tupperware parties available which will increase sales and profits. Customer loyalty will also increase as direct customer service increases. 5.0 Conclusion As shown in the report I have analyzed and identified areas that have problems within Tupperware and I believe that I have shown that certain solution can be implemented in order to help increase sale, profits, customer loyalty and the overall service provided by Tupperware. 6.0 References Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C., Lucas, B. A., Schrembri, S., & Niinnen, O. (2012). Marketing Principles: Asia Pacific Edition. (1st ed.). South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O. C. (2013). Foundations of Marketing (5th ed.). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Examining Henrik Ibsen’s Torvald and John Updike’s Sammy Essay

Some men seem to like their women simple. The man who desires the simple woman sees her as easier to manipulate and as a more positive reflection on himself. A man who has a simple woman can believe himself superior in almost all things; such is the case with John Updike’s character Sammy in the short story â€Å"A & P,† and Henrik Ibsen’s character Torvald Helmer from his play A Doll’s House. Each of these men views the world as merely an extension of himself, and the people in the world, especially the women, as decorative items purely for his personal manipulation and amusement. Ironically, by the end of both Updike’s short story and Ibsen’s play, the women have turned the men’s worlds on edge and taken control of the universe. Sammy is a checker at the local supermarket, and he spends his days watching his world go by while standing in judgment of those who enter his domain. The world that goes by Sammy is populated by a variety of customers—all seemingly women—who he describes as â€Å"witches,† â€Å"sheep,† and â€Å"this one[s]† (Updike 959, 960). That he feels superior to women—all women—is made obvious by the way in which he sizes them up. The three bathing-suit-clad girls who are about to change Sammy’s life are described in terms of their physical attributes and the degree to which Sammy is attracted to each. While he initially admires the girl â€Å"in the plaid green two-piece† who has a â€Å"good tan and [the] sweet broad soft-looking can with [. . . ] two crescents of white just under it,† he later realizes she and girl number two are merely preludes to the one he presumes to be their leader—the one he calls â€Å"the queen† (959, 960). Torvald Helmer is no different from Sammy; he too objectifies women—specifically his wife—and he lives happily presuming that females are simple and will always remain so. Ibsen’s play opens with Nora entering the home and Torvald’s greeting her shortly thereafter. During their brief exchange, Torvald uses the terms â€Å"little lark,† â€Å"little squirrel,† and â€Å"little spendthrift† in reference to his wife, only bothering to use her name when he is busily chastising her for her many errors in judgment—most of which he attributes to her inability to handle money (Ibsen). Sammy and Torvald are each comfortable with the subordinate role into which they place women; in fact, both characters seem completely unaware that they are objectifying and marginalizing the women around them—it is a matter of their natural make up. Additionally, both men express a clear understanding that women’s brains are a bit empty. Sammy wonders whether or not â€Å"it’s a mind in there or just a buzz like a bee in a glass jar†; Torvald is more direct, calling Nora a â€Å"little featherhead† (Updike 960, Ibsen). There is no doubt that both men are whole-heartedly mocking women as if doing so is part of the reason they exist—part of the world’s natural order. Neither character expects the carefully structured universes over which they each rule to be altered let alone collapse, but that is exactly what happens to both Sammy and Torvald. It never dawns on Sammy, as he is tucked safely behind his register, that the actual power dynamic is the antithesis of what he believes it to be: he is merely a servant to the customers who enter the store. In fact, he operates like a man who can alter the very natures of the customers he helps. The â€Å"bold† move Sammy makes at the end of the story isn’t an act of independence but an act made â€Å"hoping [the girls will] stop and watch [him], their unsuspected hero† (Updike 963). Likewise, Torvald long remains unaware of the debt he owes his wife—a debt physical and financial. Having spent his life smugly satisfied over his wife’s dependence on him and her general ignorance, he is thrilled to gain possession of the letter that contains the forged contract Krogstad held over Nora. In his mind, order will be restored; however, Nora confronts Torvald about her unhappiness and his constantly treating her like a â€Å"doll† (Ibsen). Just as the presence of the bathing-suit-clad women drove Sammy to quit his job in an act of pointless chivalry; Torvald’s actions—actions that were designed to cage his wife—led him to his mistaking â€Å"saving† her for his own good for â€Å"saving† her for her own. The carefully controlled and structured worlds of each has been undone—in both cases by the male character’s own unskilled hands. Sammy and Torvald meet their ends, but not before groveling, and grasping one last time for the control each has let slip away. Sammy’s struggle is relatively private. He exists the A & P â€Å"looking around for [the bathing-suit-clad] girls,† but all he sees are a woman and her â€Å"screaming† kids (Updike 964). There is no one to observe his recent, self-serving act of heroism, and he pathetically mollifies himself by thinking â€Å"how hard the world was going to be [thereafter]† (964). Torvald’s end is a bit more public—much as was his mocking of his wife. Declaring that â€Å"[he has] it in [him] to become a different man,† he is shocked to learn that Nora has long been a different woman, and has neither need nor desire for him to remain a part of her life; his attempt to placate himself is to hang on the words â€Å"the most wonderful thing of all? (Ibsen) It may be that some men wish their women simple, but it is in the simplest things that the greatest truths are most often revealed. The safety some men seek in the weakness of those with whom they surround themselves is often only a pit of quicksand. This was the case for both Sammy and Torvald Helmer. Where Sammy privately observes and judges women he does not know, Torvald is far more obnoxious: he diminishes his wife openly. Whether or not Sammy ages into a Torvald is anyone’s guess, but certainly the potential for it is present. As one man walks out of a grocery store and the other man tries to guess the answer to a riddle, the women have entered the world on their own, presumably to live happily, contentedly, and idependently ever-after. Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Ed. E. Haldeman-Julius. 1923. Project Gutenberg. 29 Mar. http://www.gutenberg.org/

Correlational research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Correlational - Research Paper Example The first step in the design will be to make an observation of a social event or situation. In this instance, such observation has already been made, the outcome of which has helped in determining the two variables to use. This is because of De Voss et. Al. (1982) indicated that when observations are made about issues that are unknown, unexplained or new, it helps in formulating problems from the observed issues. The problem that will be dealing with can, therefore, be said to be the impact of aptitude test on success in an algebra course. That is, if aptitude test correlates positively with success with algebra test, then it means students’ failure can be associated with low aptitude test outcomes.The second step in the design will be to formulate a hypothesis or a set of hypotheses that explain the observations. A hypothesis is a general claim made about the relationship between the variables before actual data collection begins (Meredith, Gall, and Borg, 2007). The hypothes is must, however, be approached in such a way that it can be tested as being either valid or not valid. Depending on the background research performed on the variables, it will be possible to easily formulate a hypothesis that can be validated. For this topic, a possible hypothesis is that there is no relationship between an aptitude test and success with algebra course.The third stage is one of the most important, where the researcher designs or formulates a plan to test the hypothesis that has been set.