No Homework Essay

No Homework Homework, we all hate it, it went from being just 3 or 4 questions to 15 to 20 questions. Homework has historically been given to students to help them remember what they learn at school, and ultimately to help them learn the material better. However, too much homework is not good, and can be bad for the student. Too much time spent on completing homework can take away from a kid’s social life, family time, and limits participation in sports or other activities. The amount of homework a teacher can give to a student should be limited, and only assigned if absolutely needed. A famous author named Tamim Ansary said that since 1981, the homework for the average sixth grader has increased by more than 50 percent. Many teachers are for large amounts of homework, claiming that it helps prepare students for a world that is becoming increasingly competitive. However, excessive amounts of homework can be harmful to kids both physically and mentally. A lot of homework usually means a lot of books to carry. Carrying large amounts of weight daily at a young age can do a lot of damage because bones are still in development. The large amount of homework is causing kids in both high school and middle school to be up until midnight or later. When other activities such as sports and clubs are added to the picture, kids may even have to wake up early the next morning to finish their homework, leaving them with not enough sleep. When busy work assignments are given frequently, it causes students to lose interest in the subject. Negative results can also occur when a student is not able to complete his or her homework. Many times they will resort to copying homework, having others do their assignments, or cheating on tests. The use of homework is effective when used by the rule less is more. Overwhelming kids with homework can cause them stress. Homework takes away from the small amount of time kids get to spend with their parents and siblings. A limit on their physical and social activities can also take a large toll on their lives, and could hurt their health. Homework is good at times, but not all the time. Some teachers just pile on the homework and not think about what the student is going through. The time that we get to ourselves should be used to rest after a long day, bond with family, and participate in physical activities.

The Gendered Power Struggles in “A & P” and “I Want a Wife”

In John Updike’s â€Å"A & P† and Judy Brady’s â€Å"I Want a Wife,† both authors are showcasing the various power struggles that occur in relationships between men and women.Both stories are written with a kind of sarcasm—in â€Å"A & P,† the narrator has a very sardonic view of the world which is clearly demonstrated in his narration, and in â€Å"I Want a Wife,† the entire piece is clearly written with a strong sense of irony.   Despite the tongue-in-cheek approach both of these stories take, both are addressing the a very prevalent social issue: the gendering of power.In â€Å"A & P,† Sammy (the narrator) spends much of the story describing these three adolescent girls who were brazen enough to walk into the A & P wearing nothing but swimsuits, right down to their bare feet.   Sammy focuses on one girl in particular, the one he refers to as â€Å"Queenie,† who is clearly the â€Å"leader† of the group and w ho oozes self-confidence.Queenie struts around the store with an obliviousness to the attention she is receiving from the men in a way that can only be deliberate—she is aware that she is being gazed at, as an attractive young woman wearing a bathing suit in a grocery store with the straps falling down her arms, yet she chooses to ignore the attention, as if it just wasn’t relevant to her.The other male employees of the store also pay careful attention to her, and signal to Sammy about the girls, but Sammy describes her in an almost reverential way (as opposed to strictly sexual), even down to the way she walks: â€Å"She came down a little hard on her heels, as if she didn’t walk in her bare feet that much, putting down her heels and then letting the weight move along to her toes as if she was testing the floor with every step, putting a little deliberate extra action into it† (PAGE #).Queenie presents herself as the female body to be viewed, welcoming t he male gaze, yet also rejecting it as something she does not need.   This is her power: she permits the men to look, but doesn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing that she is aware.   Sammy falls victim to this power of hers, the power of the intentionally unreciprocated gaze, to the point of quitting his job because he wanted to be â€Å"their unsuspected hero† (PAGE #).   In this power struggle, Queenie wins.But there is another which she fails—a power struggle with a man who is unimpressed with her presence, whose own authority is of more importance.   This man is the store manager, and he embarrasses Queenie and her friends by calling attention to their inappropriate attire.   Queenie stands up for herself, â€Å"getting sore now that she remembers her place, a place from which the crowd that runs the A & P must look pretty crummy† (PAGE #).Perhaps the man was simply trying to exert his authority over his domain; perhaps he was intentio nally trying to humiliate these young girls because as an adult male he possesses the power and authority to do so.   Regardless, he made Queenie blush—only a slight chink in her armor, but as he was the first to successfully make her self-conscious about her attire, Lengel won that power struggle.   And as a result, young Sammy, still very much under Queenie’s spell, quits.In â€Å"I Want a Wife,† Judy Brady takes a much more obvious stab at the power struggle between genders.   In this story-essay, Brady begins by noting that her newly-divorced male friend is looking for another wife, which turns her introspective and she herself begins citing all the various reasons why she, too, would like a wife.There is a lot of latent anger and bitterness in this piece—basically, by taking the narrative form of lauding all the advantages of having a wife, she is in effect creating a highly accusatory assault on men and how they take advantage of their wives.à ‚   The portrait she paints is one of lazy, ungrateful, thankless men who appreciate nothing their wives do and instead come to just expect it.   The recipient man of the wife Brady is describing is really nothing more than an emotional child, with the needs and demands and expectations of a spoiled child.Brady outlines how the wife does all the cooking, cleaning, child-rearing, childcare, shopping, working to put the husband through school, housework, entertaining, constantly there to meet all physical and emotional needs of the children and husband, never questioning anything, doing it all without complaint, remaining forever loyal and faithful, and expected to just leave quietly when the selfish child-like husband decides to replace her with a newer, younger, prettier wife.   Here the power struggle is the woman’s forced silence.   Brady is speaking on behalf of many â€Å"houseslaves† (as Sammy in â€Å"A & P† referred to them) who must suffer in silen ce.The whole point of this piece is to display how much the woman does suffer in silence, while also reiterating the fact that it is and must be in silence because that is the expectation.   The woman MUST bare the burden, because that is her role and that is what is expected of her.Brady’s narrator is struggling with this social expectation, yet she herself even suffers in silence and still continues to play the role, identifying herself in the very beginning as one of the very wives she is about to describe, aligning herself with exactly what she is longing for in a wife of her own: â€Å"I belong to that classification of people known as wives.   I am a Wife.   And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother† (PAGE #).In both â€Å"A & P† and â€Å"I Want a Wife,† the power struggle—which is rooted, at least in these stories, primarily in social inequality—between men and women is clearly defined.   In both stories, there is the p resence of a strong female character who is struggling to resist her proscribed role as a weak, submissive female, yet who is still ultimately still held under the thumb of male dominance.   It is still the male’s power that ultimately reigns supreme, and despite the efforts of the quietly defiant Queenie and the defiance present in the internal musings of Brady’s narrator, both women still lost the struggle.Queenie still went home, embarrassed, her one source of power—positioning herself as an object to be looked at, making her power directly dependent upon the attention of the men she then rejects—having been quashed by a man who refused to let her have it.The narrator who was wishing for a wife of her own was doing so in her mind only as she continued with her wifely ironing.   Both women struggled internally with their own domination, but both remain dominated.

Empirical Methods in Software Engineering Research Paper

Empirical Methods in Software Engineering - Research Paper Example Repetition allows greater certainty of observation. Anecdotal and case studies are based on observation of actual practice; however the researcher cannot exercise the same level of control over the study that is possible in experimentation. Another practical problem is that it is difficult to find case studies that match the researcher's goals. Depending on the significance of our results, we may be able to state that application of textual differencing as a selective regression testing technique will reduce the test cycle (the duration of regression testing after each release) while retaining the power of the test suite. Empirical software engineering is a related concept, sometimes used synonymously with experimental software engineering. Empirical software engineering is a field of research that emphasizes the use of empirical studies of all kinds to accumulate knowledge. Methods used include The Scientific Method is a way to make sure that experiment can give a good answer to specific question. The Scientific Method is a logical and rational order of steps by which scientists come to conclusions about the world around them. The Scientific Method helps to organize thoughts and procedures so that scientists can be confident in the answers they find. Scientists use observations, hypotheses, and deductions to make these conclusions. Various possibilities are thought through by using the Scientific Method to eventually come to an answer to the original question. The steps of the Scientific Method are: Observation/Research Hypothesis Prediction Experimentation Conclusion The observation is done first so that to know how to go about the research. The hypothesis is the answer thought to be found. The prediction is specific belief about the scientific idea. The experiment is the tool that is invented to answer the question, and the conclusion is the answer that the experiment gives. OBSERVATION This step could also be called "research." It is the first stage in understanding the chosen problem. After decision of area of research and the specific question to ask, it is

Theorists have argued that in order for service operations to be Essay - 1

Theorists have argued that in order for service operations to be successful, they must adopt a production line approach to their delivery - Essay Example According to Gallouj and Weinstein (1997), discretion of products is the core enemy to its order, standardization, and quality. A production line approach aims at emulating an assembly line in production in that no products are discretely prepared by the employee to reduce the risk of poor quality or differentiation as the employee will engineer the product according to his personal interests thus the outcome is highly unpredictable same as the customer response to the same product. On the other hand using a completely automated and controlled production line approach will ensure consistency in all the products thus the consumers will always know what to expect in terms of quality and consistency. The advantages of a production-line approach to service operations include increased, efficient, cheap, high volume lucrative service operations and an increased satisfied customer database. According to Levitt (1976), if a service operation takes place with a management rationality and tactics copied from the manufacturing division it is bound to prosper because the manufacturing sector tends to think and act technologically while the rational service operations approach tends to look for solutions in the empowerment of the person giving the service. The conveyor belt/production line approach in service operation is considered as an old but effective method in increasing a films production as exhibited by its use in fields such as banking, airlines, and maintenance. This approach has been implemented in companies and firms such as IBM which produces computers for worldwide consumption, Citibank which is one of the biggest banks worldwide and McDonalds. These strategy approach is an efficient, capital-intensive system, automatic and discrete system that involves preplanning and routinizing employee activities to ensure consistency and simplicity of the process. Theorists argue that this approach

Juvenile Criminal Responsibility, Liability to the Death Penalty and Essay

Juvenile Criminal Responsibility, Liability to the Death Penalty and the age of majority in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Moreover the research also looks into debates for and against capital punishments along withy voices from human rights organizations. Capital punishment to juveniles is deplorable because according to social activists and psychologists, juveniles are not in a frame of mind to understand properly the seriousness of crime during the time of its occurrence therefore; giving capital punishment is not justified. Juvenile delinquency is a broad based term that is given to juveniles who commit crimes. In many legal systems, the term juveniles are defined by different legal systems around the world in relation to age. However the age to attain majority is different in different countries. For major crimes the court may decide whether the person should be treated as an adult or a child (Christensen .2010). Saudi Arabia has the distinction of having a tough law irrespective of child or adult. It has also a dubious record of executing juveniles. In the international arena, juvenile death penalt y is prohibited. Moreover the convention of the rights of the child, in which Saudi Arabia is a member, prohibits capital punishment to individuals under the age of eighteen. In Saudi Arabia, there is no codified penal law establishing the acts that constitutes criminal offences. It also does not have published official information’s and interpretations of shariya law. Judges enjoy the discretion to decide and interpret shariya percepts in criminal cases. Moreover the court has also discretionary power to impose death penalty as a discretionary punishment for other acts as well if it feels to be criminal. In November 2008, the shura council which is an appointed authority in the parliament passed a measure to increase the general age of attaining majority from fifteen to eighteen. This measure was undertaken due to opposition from various quarters including international human rights groups. (Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan: End Juvenile Death Penalty. 2010). Death penalty to j uveniles was in the hot seat of debate for some time now. Although juveniles are executed in few countries including US major opposition comes from US itself (Reaves.2001). Human rights group argue that death penalty to juveniles is a barbaric affair. They argue that juveniles are too young to understand the seriousness of a crime (Trying children as adults. 2010). Moreover some juvenile offenders are themselves victims of crimes including physical and sexual child abuse. However persons who support capital punishment is of the view that person who is old enough to kill is old enough to die for it (Saudi Arabia executed at least two juvenile offenders in 2009.2010). Saudi Arabia is a party to the convention on the rights of a child which prohibits capital punishment to children. However the officials still claim that they strictly follow the guidelines of the convention. Most of the trial proceedings in Saudi Arabia take place inside closed doors without adequate legal representatio n. Both children and adults are often convicted on the basis of confessions that are obtained under duress, which includes torture as well as other ill treatments during detention (Amnesty International Press Release. 2009). Despite serious international intervention and pressure exerted on Saudi Arabia, it has not seriously thought of banning juvenile executions conclusively (Saudi Arabia:

The Bagman's Father Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Bagman's Father - Essay Example The task of killing Master Smythe was assigned to the Bagman, while instruction to Smyth was given to pour that extra vengeance within the Bagman. According to the underworld tenet, murdering a target does not end the task. The boss must ensure that he does not get into trouble in near future. For this reason, the hired assassins are murdered after they finish a couple of assignments. This is also done to ensure that they are not double crossing their respective underworld agencies or getting too much access to information and business associates. Ordo Ramachandran is one the characters who is introduced in the very beginning of the story. Though most of the story revolves around the letter or parcel that is to be delivered to him, he exists just as a name most of the time. It is only in the climax that he is introduced to the readers. He appears as a flat character without any special attribute or features. He remains as a minor character along with Bertie, ratha, Verigible Smythe a nd other associates of Ramachandran. Avila Schond is the lady with command. Though she is the only female character in men’s world, she makes it a point to get respect from each one of them. Her character is never revealed fully, and all the time she appears to be shrouded in mystery. However she is woman with feminine qualities and this is evident from the way she treats the Bagman at the very end by wishing for his wellbeing. Bagman’s father after whom the story is named, never but twice comes into limelight. However, both the times, he marks his presence. The readers find in him an affectionate guardian and apparently a gentleman with great appetite associated with Religious Matters. At the closing of the story he becomes a doting father ready to accept his bustard son. However it is the character of Bagman himself which appears to be most convincing. He is a man highly dedicated to his task or duty. Though it seems that morality or conscience has entirely dried up in him, he displays association for people- for instance, with his father whom he affectionately calls ‘Dad’. He has an inner voice which often connects to him in form of ‘crab fish’ or ‘Died happy’. He feels for his father more than himself while confronting Master Smythe. Bagman is the protagonist who narrates the story in first person to the readers. He is a character who cannot be predicted but a man of manners who knows how to present himself in front of his Father and women. Both he and Avila might change after they set for Feris or Americia. At no point the character of Bagman seems unreal. The actions and the stream of consciousness within the Bagman makes the readers aware that he is but an ordinary man whose profession makes him seem unreal. The plot is finely formed and the actions are tightly knit. In the very beginning, the readers get an apprehension that something is going to happen by the drab and somber setting of the restauran t. The story takes place in an unreal land of Feris but mention of ‘Madras’, ‘Ghee’- rolls, implies that the place exists. One might find the details and settings a little exaggerated when the story begins. A crowd of uncouth people signify that the action of the story is not a bright one. However, the actions are not set in regular pattern. Once the action starts, it does not cease. Scenes of being summoned by Avila, killing a man, secretly opening messages, searching for Ramachandran, escaping from being shot and

Security Vulnerabilities of an organizations operating system Research Paper

Security Vulnerabilities of an organizations operating system - Research Paper Example These systems have the ability to automatically authenticate, audit, log, or manage their own configurations but they are compliance objects, subject to safeguarding (New York University (ITS), 2010). In this essay, we are going to discuss by analyzing three common ways of preventing operating system attacks or violations concerning their ease of application, their associated management issues, and thereafter rank them in order of their effectiveness. Authentication This is the act of verification of a user’s identity before they can log into a system and be able to execute any programs or do any changes to data in it. Authorization is important in that it keeps away malicious or illiterate users from accessing otherwise vital resources in a computer system therefore preventing potential damage to the computer systems or the data stored inside. In simple terms, it is a means by which a computer system knows that the user trying to log into any of its systems is not a stranger or a malicious subject. Authentication is of multiple ways such as use of passwords in combination with usernames, swiping smart cards, using eye or voice recognition and so on. Identification is crucial in safeguarding integrity, privacy, and availability of any information technology infrastructure or system (Lakshmana, 2007). Advantages In the case of using OS authentication (authentication when first logging into the computer after start up), one does not have to memorize multiple username-password combinations when logging into other databases within the computer but this order is the administrator’s preference (Arcgis Server). It is cheap in the case of the OS authentication where no additional devices or installations are necessary. It is a one-off measure in that once established, the user only has to remember the authorizing credentials. Disadvantages It is an intermediary system security measure, meaning it is somehow prone to bypassing. When using the OS authentica tion and the login combination leaks, then it is easy for the logged-in user to access and interfere with all other systems within the computer system (Arcgis Server). Additional protective mechanisms like voice recognition are quite expensive. Program threat detection An operating system’s kernels and processes perform tasks, as manufacturers’ instructions require of them. A certain command given directs them to do a specific task as per the OS manufacturers’ programming. However, some malicious users (hackers) create programs called program threats that confuse the kernels and processes leading to their malfunction. For instance, there are program threats that destroy operating systems, others alter or destroy data, and others interfere with execution of programs and so on. However, there are measures of preventing and tackling such insecurities such as installing security software, downloading from trusted sites, and regularly updating the operating system (N ew York University (ITS), 2010). Advantages Purchasing and regularly updating trusted security software from recommended manufacturers who understand operating systems gives one peace of mind because single installed security software protects against all the above stated threats in some cases without the user knowing (Stewart, Tittel &

An analysis of the impact that advertising has on retail banking for Research Paper

An analysis of the impact that advertising has on retail banking for increasing the level of brand awareness; case study on Barclays bank,uk - Research Paper Example al., 2004). However, in this paper discussion will be made regarding the impact of advertisement in creating brand awareness of Barclays bank of the UK. Barclays is considered as one of the largest banks of the world having it’s headquarters in London. The bank operates in more than 50 countries consisting more than 48 million customers (Barclays 2015). It is therefore necessary for the bank to retain existing customers as well as attract new customers that would help in maximizing the amount of profit. Barclays bank has been spending millions of dollars on advertising in order to promote its brand to the public to create awareness (SAGE Publications, 2015). The advancements of technology have provided opportunity for the bank to use digital channels of advertising including social media and other online sources. Moreover, the bank also provides personalized products and services to the selected customer that helps in increasing brand value for the bank (WIPRO, 2013). Advertis ement is the most important tool that helps in an effective promotion of any brand as well as the popularity of the company also increases. Advertising through celebrities is also considered as one of the most effective means that may help in improving the brand equity, brand awareness as well as positive financial return (The New York Times Company, 2015; Olum, 2010). In this context, the focus of the paper is on Barclays Bank of the UK and advertising impact. The primary motive of any business establishment irrespective of whether it is a private or a public company is to maximize its profit through the sale of products and services. It is also essential for any business establishment to maximize the volume of sales that would help in covering various types of costs incurred during operating business. For this, it is necessary for the company to market their products and services in an effective manner considering the 4P’s of marketing that

Technology in the classroom Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology in the classroom - Article Example In these instances, it’s necessary for educators to develop clearly defined expectations for participation and even consider a rubric that outlines necessary and appropriate participation. Another issue concerns the ability of the students to access and learn the new technology or even the school to fund the technological integration (Dede 2009). While teachers assume that most contemporary students have aptitude for social networking platforms, not all students are as capable as others; in these instances technology instruction must parallel the lesson, which can be a hindrance if drastic levels of differentiation proves necessary for the lesson plan. While many educational researchers and teacher recognize that incentive systems need to be in place to encourage education professionals to integrate technology into the classroom environment, there has not been enough written on how to adequately structure these inventive programs. Currently, in most classroom environments the incentives are intrinsic as the benefits experienced are seen through the increased productivity of the learning experience, and the increased efficiency of lesson planning. Other proposed measures include extrinsic measures that grant teachers who effectively integrate technology access to funds that will allow them increased access to technology. Christian (2010) points out that in many instances funds from departments not utilizing technology can be collated and implemented in departments that are more proactive in their approach. While implementing an incentive program that directly links reward with technology integration can be challenging can be next t o impossible as the fluid and changing nature of technology is difficult to objectively quantify to specific educational tasks, an overarching policy of administrative officials to hire, support, and promote forward thinking and technology savvy teachers is the greatest

The Relationship Between Brand Loyalty Essay Example for Free

The Relationship Between Brand Loyalty Essay Evaluate the relationship between brand loyalty, corporate image, and repeat purchasing. Brand loyalty In marketing, brand loyalty comprises of a consumers commitment to repurchase the brand and can be demonstrated by repeated buying of manufactured goods or services or other positive conducts such as word of mouth advocacy. True brand loyalty involves that the consumers are willing, at least on event, to put aside their own needs in the interest of the brand. Brand loyalty is more than simple repurchasing, however. Customers may repurchase a brand due to situational constraints, a lack of viable alternatives, or out of convenience. Such loyalty is referred to as spurious loyalty. True brand loyalty exists when customers have a high relative attitude toward the brand which is then exhibited through repurchase behavior. This type of loyalty can be a great asset to the firm: customers are willing to pay higher prices, they may cost less to serve, and can bring new customers to the firm. For example, if Joe has brand loyalty to Company A, he will purchase Company As products even if Company Bs are cheaper and/or of a higher quality. An example of a major brand loyalty program that extended for several years and spread worldwide is Pepsi Stuff. Perhaps the most significant contemporary example of brand loyalty is the fervent devotion of many Mac users to the Apple company and its products. From the point of view of many marketers, loyalty to the brand in terms of consumer usage is a key factor. Corporate image A corporate image refers to how a company is perceived. It is a normally accepted image of what a company stands for. The formation of a corporate image is an implement in the perception management. It is created solely by marketing managers/consultants who use public relations and other forms of promotion to suggest a mental picture to the public. Usually, a corporate image is designed to be interesting to the public, so that the company can spark an interest among customers, create share of mind, create brand equity, and thus make easy product sales. A corporations image is not solely created by the company: Other contributors to a companys image could include news media, journalists, labour unions, environmental organizations, and other NGOs (non-governmental organization). Corporations are not the only form of organization that creates these types of images. Governments, charitable organizations, criminal organizations, religious organizations, political organizations, and educational organizations all tend to have a unique image, an image that is partially purposeful and partially unintended, partially self-created. For example, the corporate image for Serenity Spa Salon, which has an image of a lady, faced up with hair flowing down. This image gives the sense of relaxation where a lady can get her face and hair done. The soft colours used give an impression a relaxing ambience at the salon. Thus inviting tired women to come here and unwind while their hair and face are being treated. Only if the experience is a success for the customer will it be turned into repeat purchases. These repeats, not the single purchase which is the focus of most models, are where the vendors focus should be, for these are where the profits are generated. For example, Mrs Lee have tried the PILOT pen before and she thinks it is a comfortable pen to write with. She buys more for her office use which all suppliers are looking forward to. Some suppliers even gives a sample to trial on so that the customer will want to buy from them again as it satisfied them to use it.

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower Whistleblowers are some of the most important people to have in a democracy. They provide information that the government doesnt want to get out, while this could be dangerous in the case of Edward Snowden he released information that was valuable to the citizens of the united states. Snowden is not the first person to do something like this and has previously stated he was inspired by Daniel Ellsberg who leaked pentagon papers in the 1970s. Even though hes wanted by the government to some people Snowden is a hero. Edward Snowden who was born in North Carolina but later mover to Massachusetts had dropped out of of high school but was no degenerate. A bad case of mononucleosis kept him out of school for 9 months so instead of falling behind he decided that he would drop out. After dropping out he began studying computers at Anne Arundel Community College which was located in Maryland. His father was quoted saying We always considered Ed the smartest one in the family. and this was clear when Edward scored a 145 on two different IQ tests. He later enlisted into the special forces because he wanted to learn new languages, but never made it out of basic because he either broke both legs or washed out because of shin splints, it depends on who you ask. After this he was a security guard at a college in maryland that had ties to the NSA. After this he landed a job with the C.I.A.(Central Intelligence Agency) but quit after being suspected of attempting to break into classified files. While still with the C.I.A. he was on a mission in Switzerland where he first discovered corruption in the Government. This is where he first wanted to become a whistleblower but with Obama being soon elected he was optimistic about the changes he was going to make. After working for the C.I.A. for some time he moved to a private IT company where he worked as a contractor and would later work in a few offices for the N.S.A. this is where he notices a breach in security and got his hands on the classified information that he would leak. The definition of a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. When he was younger, saw sergeant Frank Ford reveal the information about the war in Iraq he thought of him as a hero for being honest, and letting the people know what was really going on in Iraq. Even though Ford was once Snowdens hero Snowden would make a bigger impact than Ford. Sowden and Ford are not the only whistleblowers who have made themselves public. Manning had leaked hundreds of documents that had to do with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before any of them Ellsberg had leaked a ton of information in the early seventies. Nixons administration alienated Ellsberg much like Obamas administration has done to Snowden but now Ellsberg is considered a hero. Now Snowden is considered the hero to some people but a lot of people within the government or who listen to the government would disagree. He has inspired many other anonymous leaks from within the U.S. Government. Snowden receives credit for most of these but he has said that many leaks come from another source or other sources. The U.S. government has made it clear that they know about the the copycats when a representative, Adam Schiff who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee claiming that it is a big concern of theirs. Schiff also said The degree that people have been lionizing Snowden, it encourages people to make a name for themselves by leaking which is true. Even Some Government officials have publicly claimed that they went too far. Though many people think the Government was in the wrong for so intensely tracking suspected terrorist it makes sense for the Government to do that because some 9/11 hijackers were tracked but then nothing was done about them. Officials say that this could have put the country in more danger by showing potential terrorist how the government tracks them it allows them to b ypass those methods. Schiff also claimed that the Government should be more careful with who gets access to what by saying Snowden should have never had access in the first place. The Pentagon has approved as many as 3.2 million people access to highly classified information from 2006 to 2011 (CNN). After fleeing the country Snowden got ahold of journalists and offered them an unprecedented scoop(PBS). Even though the two journalists had received the documents it was not until they were on a plane and out of the country when they felt safe to open them and look at the things Snowden had shared. Greenwald, one of the journalists was quoted saying I didnt sleep one second for the next 16 hours because the adrenaline made that impossible. He said that he understood that this would be a story like hed never written before and one that people would talk about for decades. The journalists were given thousands of documents that showed what the Obama administration had been doing to regular citizens who had no criminal records and were not suspected terrorists. They were simply eavesdropping on regular citizens who had not done anything wrong. Some of the eavesdropping was justified but a surprising amount was not. Snowdens leaks shed a serious amount of light on this problem and it le d to a two part series on Frontline that dove into the topic from after 9/11 all the way to when things were leaked by Snowden. This series went even further than Snowden when they had revealed the extent that the government went to to keep these secrets hidden. It was during this time where Snowden had revealed that the worst of the wiretapping and eavesdropping had come from when Bush was president. Snowden still cares about America though saying that he would like to return one day and I told the government Id volunteer for prison, as long as it served the right purpose, he says I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we cant allow the law to become a political weapon or agree to scare people away from standing up for their rights, no matter how good the deal. Im not going to be part of that. (Wired). These statements show his true character and that he really does care about America. Snowden claimed that he had tried to leave clues for the N.S.A. to show him what documents were actually copied and which ones were just looked at. Despite these efforts the N.S.A. had missed the clues and reported that he took over a million documents when in reality he on took a few thousand. Snowden sounded disappointed when speaking on the fact that the government had missed his clues because he had thought that they were obvious. Sponsors from both major political parties c an agree that this has shown that the U.S. government needs to stop their mass surveillance for clear reasons. This was such a big deal that President Obama himself as well as congress have both publicly talked about the issue and the Supreme Court has hinted at making a decision about the governments use of unwarranted surveillance. This was never Snowdens intention he had just wanted to share what the government was doing because he felt that it was unjust. Despite the efforts by the government to make Snowden out to be the bad guy more than half the population agrees with what he did. Many government officials have spoken on this but not in the favor of snowden, N.S.A. director Keith Alexander claimed that the russian government had manipulated him while the secretary of state called him a coward and a traitor.

the role change of Japans culture :: essays research papers

The Role Change of Japan’s Culture My experiences in Japan have been surreal in that the cultural behaviors are nearly an exact opposite to those with which I had grown up. The order of daily life is solely dependent on the roles and duties of each individual. When people begin to go against the regular flow of the excepted norms, great controversy is created. Japanese culture patterns follow a specific code that is rarely altered. When they are disturbed, there is panic caused by the insecurities of change. The identity of Japanese culture is collectivism. Japan's culture is dependent on the community of the people. The Japanese do not strive for individual success, but rather for group accomplishment. It is better for the group as a whole to be healthy than for one person to achieve higher status. The Japanese do not believe in leaving one person behind, they would rather slow the entire group down until that person can catch up. In addition, the person who is slowing the group down will feel shame because he has hurt his "family". For example, I volunteered in a Kindergarten in Shinagawa the last four months, and one day there was a little boy who was moving his chair into the group much more slowly than the other students. The other students sat quietly watching him. When he finally put his chair down and the teacher was ready to begin, the student did not have his materials ready and had to go back to the closet to get things. The teacher became agitated and went afte r the boy. She pointed to the clock and spoke to him sternly. Then she looked at the students and held him so they could all look at him as she reprimanded him. The child did not scream or cry for his mother as I expected. Instead he looked down as tears flowed down his cheeks. The other students went back to looking at the teacher’s chair and she returned and did the lesson without the boy. The boy continued to stand still until the group finished and then he rejoined them. I had seen the students hitting each other and misbehaving many times, but I never saw a student get punished by a teacher until this day. This boy, at four years old, was feeling Haji (shame). He had hurt the group by cutting their time short.

How Do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A flame of passion is contained within the heart, yet is love contained in a mere flame of passion? This timeless saying embodies the ultimate declaration of love written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. â€Å"How Do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways† is a poem bathed in rhyme and inundated in sentimental avowals. This sonnet shows the perpetual love that Browning shares with her husband and how that love can never be destroyed by any power of human or spiritual nature (Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s: Sonnet 45). Based on answering one, seemingly simple yet complex, question, â€Å"how do I love thee?† (Browning Line 1) is what this poem is based on. Using literary tools and techniques, Browning unleashes the powerful emotions that hide behind the ink that each word is devotedly written in. The title itself shows the numbers of ways that Browning loves her husband, so many that she must count them. The second line focuses on the reality of her love and the extensions of its outreach. Browning uses anaphora as she repeats the sounds found in â€Å"thee† (Browning Line 1) and â€Å"the† (Browning Line 1). Her love is three dimensional and therefore real, in the sense that all real physical things in the universe are three dimensional. Breadth is width, a measurement of how far across her love is. Height and depth represent how far down and how far up her love is, in relation to the universe. Depth and breadth is an internal rhyme injected to create the essence of the sonnet. Browning continues explaining how her adoration is inexplicable even in the most spiritual of senses. Finding true bliss and balance is what this love has given her. Love is a feng shui of sorts. Through the use of alliteration, she explains â€Å"My souls can reach, when feeling out... ...cribe the most elaborate of thoughts. At first, the reader feels as if they fully understand the text but a deeper look exposes more than just a superficial love poem. The work doesn’t seem like an act of fiction because the realities of the sentiments are absorbed within the text. In the end, Browning loves him freely, without coercion; she loves him purely, without expectation of personal gain. Her love is a sacrificial love, trials or tribulations can never waiver it. Browning uses numerous poetic devices such as metaphors and alliterations to amplify the implications she intends for the reader to feel. â€Å"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways† is a fairy tale transcended into reality. Love knows no reason but yet defies all reason. This very saying is the crux of Browning poem. In the end, she â€Å"shall but love thee better after death.† (Browning Line 14).

Wordsworth’s Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 Essay

Wordsworth’s Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 The sonnet, â€Å"Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802,† shows Wordsworth’s appreciating the beauty of London and demonstrating it as â€Å"emotion recollected in tranquility.† It’s characteristic of his love for solitude that it is set in the early morning when there is no bustle and noise. Wordsworth is in awe of the scenic beauty of the morning sun radiating from London’s great architectural marvels. However, there are numerous religious connotations throughout this poem. This is indicated in his choice of the words: â€Å"dull,† â€Å"soul,† and â€Å"majesty† in the following lines, â€Å"Dull would he be of soul who could not pass by A sight so touching in its majesty; This City†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The word â€Å"majesty† portrays â€Å"This City† as anointed by God to represent his kingdom on Earth. Dead in spirit would one be if he of she was not moved or appreciated its beauty. Wordsworth also uses the word â€Å"temple† a few lines down. He could have written church. The word â€Å"temple† was used to enhance the belief that the city was chosen by God. ...

Inspirational Leaders Essay

In 1994, the internet was fresh in the market, and it did not incorporate commerce in its operations. As a result, he saw an opportunity for a new business network, and after doing research, he made a decision of creating a space in the internet where books could be viewed by the public. This led to the creation of Amazon in 1995. Today, Amazon is widely successful and has had a great impact on the organizational culture of internet business. Jeff Bezos is considered to be the founder of e-commerce, remains a pioneer in the industry (Inc, 2009). This paper will discuss how the culture of Amazon has changed as a result of Jeff Bezos presence; today, among many things, the public can view full book lists on Amazon, a mission that was impossible before the early 1990s. Organizational Culture Organizational culture can be related to how an organization organizes itself based on its rules and beliefs; therefore, culture gives an organization an identity. The behavioral patterns of an organization are represented in their norms; according to Kratschmer (2011, p. 2), organizational culture includes values that are shared among the members of an organization. Needless to say, organizational culture can be changed. Kratschmer (2011, p. 3) adds that, organizational culture can be changed and lead to success, only if well managed. In addition, resistance to change is expected in any organization mainly because the employees are already attached to the existing culture; hence, they may resist change for fear of the unknown. Needless to say, changes in organizational culture can be of great benefit, for instance, it may contribute to new knowledge and skills for the employees, and productivity is achieved through motivating employees. Finally, as employees adapt to change, flexibility is achieved, which leads to improvement. However, for organizational culture to be successful, effective leaders must be in place. Culture is very important, as it promotes healthy competition at the place of work, hence motivating employees to perform. A healthy culture promotes employees’ interaction at the place of work, therefore uniting them despite their different backgrounds. Providing employees with a favorable working place increases their productivity. Schein (2010, p. 80) adds that, the shared values and beliefs in an organization are important, as they determine how goals are met. Moreover, a strong culture retains talents, engages employees, creates energy, changes how work is viewed, and contributes towards cooperation at the place of work. Jeff Bezos is one of the few inspirational leaders who have contributed to change of culture in Amazon, leading to the success of the business. Amazon and change in organizational culture When Jeff Bezos discovered the potential of the internet in 1994, nothing held him back from introducing commerce in the system; he abandoned a well-paying job and concentrated on Amazon. Today, amazon. com is one of the internet giants, fostering online retail and an e-reader. Indeed, he is among the founders of e-commerce (Inc, 2009). Within 30 days, he had sold books in all the American states and in 45 countries, with sales worth $20,000 weekly. Since then, the growth of Amazon continuously accelerated, but it 1997, he announced that the company would be unprofitable for some time. However, in 2003, Amazon made its first annual profit, contributing to revenue of $4billion by 2008 (Inc, 2009). The company has embraced e-commerce, and Bezos’ will to start an online bookstore has yielded to a diverse selection of books. Today, he is the founder and chief executive officer of Amazon. com. According to Katzenbach (2008, p. 6), Jeff Bezos insists on fostering positive motivation, which does not involve money. Employees are likely to be motivated to performing their tasks if they are committed and disciplined. Ensuring that respect is fostered among employees will help in maintaining a positive working environment. Amazon. com recognizes employees’ effort by giving a specific employee an award on monthly basis for the capability of making significant savings. Amazon’s culture includes an informal, but effective environment, one that involves fun; this company is obsessed with customers. Therefore, it continuously improves its website and its systems with an aim of serving customers quickly and reliably. It also strives to maintain its culture, which includes talented personnel, who are creative and innovative in finding solutions to challenges (Lussier, 2011, p. 56). Therefore, it is evident that a strong culture is influenced by effective leadership. According to Dubrin (2011, p. 291), the strong organizational culture fosters quality, productivity and morale; such a culture values human dignity, and therefore, it fosters job satisfaction and increases employee motivation. Jeff Bezos has noted that a culture that involves experimentation is crucial in the continuously changing world. Invention may lead one to paths that are considered weird by the world (Dubrin, 2011, p. 291). Before the existence of Amazon, click shopping did not exist; these are some of the changes brought about by Amazon. The company also deals with online shopping for electronics, computers movies, games, music, as well as books. Amazon, being one of the web giants, implies that an effective leader must be diverse, being behind such a company that started very small and transformed into a giant. Bezos is regarded as visionary, but he is keen that his employees meet the demanding schedules; weekly management meetings are set with his managers. In addition, he encourages his employees to be innovative, and a reward program has been implemented that rewards innovative employees (Zakomurnaya, 2007). Moreover, the company hires intelligent and innovative personnel; indeed, Bezos would rather not hire anyone rather than hire the wrong person. Bezos is also approachable and easy -going, which makes him an effective leader. In 2007, Amazon introduced a hand-held electronic book reader, which uses E-ink to bring out a print-like appearance and has no strain on the eyes. In addition, the introduction of I-pad to the world was seen as direct competition for Amazon, therefore, Jeff introduced Kindle Fire, which shares many of the same features as I-pad, but is much cheaper. The Amazon kindle fire is an e-book reader, which is a small hand-held device; this is as a result of technological advances. Nevertheless, these e-book devices are expensive, but advantageous compared to paper copy; indeed, technology has changed in the digital reading world. Another advantage is that these e-readers can be borrowed from libraries. According to Mc Graw Hill (N. d, p. 3), kindle fire is competitive compared to other e-book readers. In 2007, Amazon. com created a successful e-bookstore that allowed client access from any computer or from e-book reader model. Amazon has therefore made book reading easier, and the kindle e-book can be referred to as published. Amazon. com offers a collection of above two million free e-books with titles; therefore, Amazon has succeeded in improving the digital world by providing e-book readers, which assist online clients in accessing digital e-books. For instance, the kindle e-Book reader has a rechargeable battery, which is built in and has a wide internal storage that can fit 1000 full-length books (Mc Graw Hill, N. d, p. 5). Another advantage of owning kindle fire e-book reader is that, the kindler-formatted e-books are easily accessed. In addition, kindle fire can be used as a form of an entertainment device, which allows one to surf the web, send, and receive emails, among other functions. Therefore, Amazon’s Kindle fire is a device of many functions, which is a competition for I-pad among other devices. Amazon prime is a membership program, which enables individuals to receive unlimited fast shipping. Members enjoy a variety of services, which include unlimited and instant streaming of above 10,000 movies and television shows. Amazon prime offers a wide variety of kindle books through the kindle lending library; members who own kindle devices benefit more from reading and borrowing books for free. In addition, members of Amazon prime enjoy free shipping for orders that are above $25, a relatively good deal for customers. Moreover, Amazon prime enables one to try free shipping for one month, and ensures that customers save by spending less, and save time by guaranteeing two day shipping. It also provides unlimited deliveries, hence guaranteeing convenience. Big online shoppers benefit the most, and this is because of the unlimited deliveries that guarantee quality of members’ money. With a range of affordable entertainment, free movies, free kindle e- books, and a two-day shipping for only $75, Amazon prime is a friendly program. Therefore, Jeff Bezos’ intervention has led to a variety of services and products that blow the clients’ minds away. It is this transformation from a small enterprise to an internet giant that has led to a change in culture at Amazon. Conclusion Jeff Bezos, the founder and the chief executive officer of Amazon. com is a visionary, and has contributed to the success of this company through motivating employees with rewards, as well as ensuring that customers’ demands are met. He is an inspiring leader, and despite the fact that he does not value communication, he believes in the â€Å"just-do-it† aspect that motivates employees to perform. Jeff is not limited to only e-books, he has also engages in online retailing of music, movies, clothes, and streaming television shows. The unveiling of kindle fire in 2007 is among his achievements; Amazon prime has also been a competitive advantage for the company and has attracted many members. A strong organization culture requires an effective leader; Amazon is one successful company that has been influenced by an inspirational leader. Indeed, Jeff has contributed to various changes in the organization, which have contributed to successful culture in the organization.

Ecology Assignment

Assignment 2 Define the following Terms: 1. ) Endotherm: Organisms that rely heavily on internally derived metabolic heat energy, Hm (Pg. 109) 2. ) Ectotherm: Animals that rely mainly on external sources of energer for regulating body temperature. (pg. 109) 3. ) Poikilotherms: Animals whose body temperature varies directly with environmental temperatures. (pg. 109) 1. ) Concept 6. 2 Review #2 during severe droughts, some of the branches of shrubs and trees die while others survive.How might losing some branches increase the probability that an individual plant will survive a drought? Because of the limited supply of water sacrafices must be made the trees and plants that are not able to sustain the harsh conditions of the drought die while the plants that thrive will live. Although leave and branches may fall that is okay because of the shortage of water there will be water going to the places that need it the most and the branches are not the most substantial part of the plant. The roots and the stem is therefore that is where the priority lies. . ) Concept Review 7. 1 #1What environmental conditions favor plants with C3 photosynthesis? Why? Plants in moist climates use C3 photosynthesis. C3 photosynthesis requires CO2 and is the most common and easiest type of photosynthesis available to plants, it uses only simple chemical reactions within the leaf and that’s all it needs in order to work properly. 3. ) Define the term haploid. A haploid is a single set of unpaired chromosomes. In haplodiploid systems, males develop from unfertilized eggs and are haploid. Females develop from fertilized eggs and are diploid.

Powerlessness in “Of Mice And Men” Essay

â€Å"Of Mice and Men† , written in 1937, is set in America during the Great Depression and tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced ranch workers who move from place to place in search of jobs. All of the characters in Of Mice and Men are most definitely not powerless. Curly’s wife has control over the other ranchers despite being a female, Lennie though unintelligent has power through his physical strength and George, who although has Lennie to take care of can make his own decisions and live independently. First and foremost, Curly’s wife is not powerless because she has supreme authority over the ranchers. Although she is a female, all Curly’s wife has to do is complain to Curly about one of the ranchers and they’re canned, â€Å"†¦Curly maybe ain’t gonna like his wife out in the barn†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Subsequently, Curly’s wife has authority over Crooks because he is a negro. She could not only get him canned, but killed, â€Å"I could get you strung up in a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.† Curly’s wife is certainly not powerless in Of Mice and Men. Furthermore, Lennie is not helpless because of his physical strength. Despite him not being the smartest tool in the shed by a long shot, Lennie still has power over the other ranchers because of his massive strength. â€Å"The next minute Curly was flopping like a fish on a line, and his fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand.† Moreover, because of his strength he can â€Å"buck barley† exceptionally well, meaning that without too much trouble he and George are able to find jobs, â€Å"Maybe he ain’t bright, but I never seen such a worker.† Lennie is absolutely not debilitated in Of Mice and Men. Penultimately, George is not disempowered because he can make his own decisions and be independent. Without a doubt George is affected by having to take care of Lennie, but he also could live fine on his own, â€Å"†¦if I was alone I could live so easy.† Additionally, although Lennie is a burden in many ways he also empowers George because he is stupid. George can tell Lennie to do whatever he likes, and Lennie will do it, â€Å"I turns to Lennie  and says, ‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps.† George is unmistakably not impotent in Of Mice and Men. Conclusively, not all characters in Of Mice and Men are powerless. Curly’s wife has unquestionable power over the ranchers, Lennie has power through his supreme strength and George has power through Lennie and his own ability to survive. How can anyone say that all the characters in Of Mice and Men are powerless?

Adriaen Kocks Research Paper

The Delft pottery production process starts with the sourcing of white clay that is imported from Germany. The clay is then mixed with water to form liquid clay. Afterwards, the liquid is poured into moulds made from plaster of Paris. The plaster absorbs the water and makes the clay to dry quickly.After the liquid clay is poured into the mould, it takes around thirty minutes to solidify around the mould. The excess liquid is then poured out. Consequently, the moulds are turned upside-down to remove the remaining liquid. The mould is afterwards removed from the pottery after four hours.Later, the edges are trimmed with a knife and the rough surfaces are smoothened by use of a wet sponge. The pottery is then left for three days to dry completely, followed by burning in an electric kiln for eight hours at a temperature of about 1040 degrees centigrade. Consequently, the pottery is allowed to cool for 24 hours. 1 The baked ceramic articles are then painted with the appropriate decoration s.The Delft Pottery technique started way back in the 13th century when the Delft Company received its municipal rights. In the 16th century, many delft factories were established in many Dutch towns. The plants produced many products including the famous â€Å"Maiolica† which was made of tin glaze decorated by being painted blue or being given polychrome design.The delft company acquired its name from a Dutch village where the articles were widely produced. Due to the civil war in China, many delft factories were closed down due to lack of raw materials. The existing language barrier also made the companies to close down.In the 19th century, the remaining companies closed due to increased competition and lack of appropriate technology. The cultural aspects and tradition of the Dutch people dictated that they paint all their articlesDuring the time when the delft pottery started, there were a lot of innovations and artistic techniques due to the discovery of the white porcela in in China. At this time, there was the civil war in China that led to the decline of the products of the delft companies.In the 17th century, the delft companies brought many exotic wares and spices from China. This action caused many artisans to make their own homemade pottery which led to the decline of the market. 2 By the 19th century, delft pottery had declined due to other European materials gaining popularity.Moreover, many Germany and other countries’ potters developed their articles which they distinguished from the original delft products by use of more advanced techniques, thus making their products more durable. The sales of the delfts thus diminished.  Some of the current artists that are producing pottery works that are related to delft pottery include â€Å"de Delftse Pauw† which exclusively sells and produces entirely hand-painted delft articles although with a different approach.Further, the British airways has made several airplane tail parts with the delft pottery technique. The delft technique is widely used in the manufacture of many products in the current world and it is an artistic method used by professionally-trained painters.In addition, many of the collections made by tourists include many of the of the delft remains. Delft pottery thus acts as an investment of the Dutch culture. Further, the delft pottery is used in the manufacture of building tiles, thus adding artistic flavor to modern technology.Works CitedKidson, Joseph R. Historical Notices of the Leeds Old Pottery. Verona NJ: Read Books, 2008.   .Reevens, George M. Sims, Ian and Cripps, J. C. Clay Materials Used In Construction. Bath, United Kingdom: Geological Society, 2006.Time Out. Time Out Amsterdam. Time Out Guides, 2005.

Technology and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Technology and Business - Essay Example These features make the Blu-ray discs capable of storing not only data intensive, high intensive movies, but also endow them with the ability for more special features (Crompton. 2008). The Blu-ray discs are more expensive than the standard DVDs and require special Blu-ray players, which are also expensive, at almost $400 a player. Yet the feature packed Blu-ray disc is expected to garner a large portion of the $1.1 billion high-definition movie market this year. Competition for Blu-ray was expected to come from the HD DVD format being developed by Toshiba Corporation. However, in February 2008 Toshiba Corporation announced the termination of the competing HD DVD format. This announcement is believed to stem from the inability of the HD DVD format to match the features offered by the Blu-ray discs. This has left Blu-ray discs as the only format for high-definition movies, enabling the companies involved in the manufacture of Blu-ray discs to exploit the large high-definition movie market (Crompton.

Passage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Passage - Essay Example in transcending both national and local barriers, which further enable them to enjoy the fruits of both intellectual and material benefits on a global scale. Marx questions the existence of â€Å"the species† or society which is causally active apart from the activities of individuals. This dependence of individuals, under a communist revolution, would transform men so that they would master the same powers which they were governed by, and felt as if it were completely alien to them. The passage elucidates the idea of alienation, and history being in a continuous state of evolution. The alienation of man from himself is quite reflective when it comes to the case of private property, which for Marx was a great obstacle for freedom. Property has historically, in all societies, reinforced the relations of production, where a minority took charge of production and utilized the labor for their own ends in production. The concept of Marx’s revolution and freedom, then, does not mean that on an individual level, but rather emancipating men from this alienation from their true selves through liberation of species as a

African American Family & Resistance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

African American Family & Resistance - Essay Example In the late eighteenth century, Methodists formulated strong rules against slavery, claiming it to be contrary to the laws of God, and also threatening to excommunicate all slaveholders who did not free their slaves. However, it was not until the rebellion of Nat Turner in 1831 that the white slave owners truly became afraid for their lives. With the view of preserving their lives and their way of life, the southern slave owners got laws passed restricting the rights of the slaves to hold meetings, whether religious or otherwise, and even to read or write. They feared that once the slaves were allowed to do all this on their own, they would no longer be able to be controlled by the slave owners. The reasons behind the slave owners wish for control over the religious schooling of their slaves was not only that by this method they could ensure that the slaves learned to turn the proverbial other cheek, as Christianity preached, but also that this was the only way to ensure that the slaves did not read the bible on their own and got their own message from it, like that of the Exodus. By ensuring that the religious teaching remained in the hands of the whites, the slave owners ensured that only the message they wanted to send across would reach the slaves. One can say that it was their way of portraying Christianity in a light they wished to make the slaves docile and subservient. A lot of this teaching was designed to prevent the slaves from mounting any insurrection and to ensure there were no rebellious thoughts fostering in the minds of the slaves due to a free reading of the Bible by the slaves themselves. In a way Christianity does not deal directly with the prohibition of slavery, there is no verse that specifically denounces it, however, there are chapters in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, that lay bare the fact that whenever there is oppression, God leads the oppressed to safety and

DP World Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DP World Company - Essay Example DP World operates in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Indian sub-continent, Australia and in America. The company has taken initiative in the process of reducing frequency of lost time injuries and has been successful in bring down the value of the same to 7.6 in 2011 from 10.1 in 2009. The company also focuses on the internal control of the company related to the organizational structure of the company, code of conduct, whistle blowing policy, risk management and performance, etc. Pensions and post retirement benefits are provided to the employees of the company, which shows that the company takes enough care of its employees even after the termination of employment (â€Å"DP World 2011 Annual Report† 1-10). Reason for DP stock being overvalued The stock of a company is said to be overvalued if the current price of the stocks of the company is greater than stock’s intrinsic value. Here the price earnings of the stock are primarily being considered in order to explain the reasons behind the overvaluation of the stocks of DP World. The price earnings ratio of the company has been relatively high in comparison to the historical price earnings ratio of the company, which is why the stock of DP World is considered to be overvalued. The growth in the global container traffic has risen by three times the rate at which the world used to trade in the past decade. This has also benefited the investors of the DP World due to the emerging trend of the global economy. DP World has escaped the Wall Street crunch and the consecutive downturn of the global economy as witnessed in 2008 and have successfully returned to the range of 40% with $2.7 billion of cash along with the long-term debt of the company. Thus, the rise of DP World has been a consistent one. But the company has clearly shown signs of overvaluation with its IPO price which has turned out to be 22times the value of the shares of the company. The main reason behind this is the fall in the share price of the company from $1.20 to $ 0.70 at the time of the global financial meltdown in 2008-09. The IPO rate of the company was traded at a higher range which led to the investors investing in the higher range to get a substantial return from the company. In a process of making quick profit, the stocks of the company became overvalued. Generally, global container companies trade 9 times the earnings of the company, so the DP World’s valuation metrics increased by 12 times the earnings of the company. This resulted in the price earnings ratio of the company to rise at 25 times in 2011. An increase in the price earnings ratio of the company can also be another reason for the over valuation of the stock of DP World. Moreover, listing of the stocks of DP World in the LSE (London Stock Exchange) can be the reason behind the overvaluation of DP World stock. Even the stock split strategy of the company was a reason for the overvaluation of the stocks of DP World. The volat ility of the market can result in the valuation of the stocks of the company to be either over valued or undervalued. The consistency of the DP World can be witnessed from the annual report of the company, which shows the company is progressing randomly whereas the financial global economy has not revived likewise causing the overvaluation of the stocks of DP World. However, the fall in the revenue of the company from $3,188,941,000 (in 2010) to $2,977,731,000 (in 2011) is slowly leading to the

The Variability Of Sound Velocity Through Cycles Of Neap And Spring Essay

The Variability Of Sound Velocity Through Cycles Of Neap And Spring - Essay Example METHODS Because a variety of water conditions were used to obtain data for the study, it was possible to obtain a wide range of results. The study was an oceanographic survey, which was conducted during the spring and neap phase of the tidal cycle at the Dart and Tamar estuaries. This offered a thorough observation of water column through a period of low water and high water. The table below shows the details of the project: Location 1: River Tamar is found in southwestern England, and forms the border between Devon (to the east) and Plymouth city (to the west). Before entering Plymouth Sound, River Tamar at its mouth, flows into the Hamoaze where it joins with River Lynher. The source of River Tamar is less than four miles (6 km) from the north Cornish coast, and it drains southward. Having a tidal length of thirty-two kilometres from its seaward end, the Tamar estuary is a partially mixed, mesotidal estuary. For about fifty miles, the River Tamar flows south to the English Channel, coursing its way through steep wooded country in its middle reaches. This location was used to collect data profiles during spring tides on December 07, 2005, between the time range of 09:40am to 16:00pm, and during neap tides on December 11, 2005 between the time ranges of 08:00am to 14:10pm.

Questioner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Questioner - Essay Example 3. I am a relentless person, I do not believe in giving up. Interior decoration is my passion, albeit discovered late in life. If I don’t get into the program, I will look for ways to express and expand on my interest, probably start a dà ©cor blog, and share and discuss ideas with other people. 4. My calling for interior decoration came after I had already gotten a professional MIS degree. Although I have always had a very attuned aesthetic sense, it was not until I found work with a furniture and interiors company, assisting with chalking up layouts and designs that I really began to enjoy my work. I enjoyed dealing with different spaces and working with clients and their respective lifestyles. Details fascinate me. How a single streak of colour can change the way an entire space feels, is an amazing experience, and a very gratifying feeling. I admit, working professionally as an interior decorator will require a lot of hard work and persistence, however, I feel that I already live, eat & breathe design. As Confucius said, â€Å"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your

Evocative Object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evocative Object - Essay Example ICT refers to technologies that guarantee passage of information through telecommunications. The effects of information and communication technologies reflect on how humans do things in present day life as compared to how they used to in the agrarian economy. The information and communication technologies affect various human fields including health, education, modes of transport, communication, agriculture, governance, security, entertainment, sports, industrialization, and others (Seyler 1). The advancement of information and communication technologies is a continuous process that becomes complex and more effective every day. Nevertheless, these advancements equally have negative effects on the environment where they lead to pollution and security where they promote terrorism. Moreover, they come at a price. However, in most cases the inherent benefits of information and communication technologies are more than the costs accrued. Actually, the benefits of information and communicat ion technologies depend on the mode of application, the gadget itself, government policies, and other external factors. Some of the most common and advanced information and communication technologies include cell phones and computers (Seyler 21). Indeed, there are different versions of computers and cell phones with variant applications that continue to flood the global market. Personally, I have had experiences with technology in many cases in my course of life. However, this paper will illustrate my experience with a cell phone as a form of information and communication technologies. It will equally relate my experience to the society in the context of its technological application. The use of cell phones is growing in the modern world due to the friendly, effective, and advanced applications they contain. Its use varies from different personalities including students, business personalities, doctors, service men, pilots, engineers, and the general society (Seyler 26). As a studen t, I have various uses of my cell phone both inn school and outside school. Indeed, in my very first day in college, I was new in town had a vague idea on where my school is. As such, it was physically impossible to access my school on the registration day. However, iPhone had a GPRS and could thus access Google maps application forming a trusted source of direction. There with just a click on my phones keyboard the goggle maps directed me on the shortest direction from the airport to the school free of charge. This application was so beneficial that my mother actually had to buy an iPhone on her way from work. Again, while at school I have used my cell phone in various significant roles. Indeed, I still remember the day that my friend had an accident along the highway far from town. I used my cell phone again to take pictures of the accident using the video recorder and call the police and the ambulance at the scene of the accident. This saved the life of my friend, reduced traffic snarl at the highway, and ensured timely notification to the authorities. Indeed, I equally used the cell phone to inform my friend’s parents of the accident. Back in school, I use my cell phone in different studies and research. Since my cell phone can access the internet and has a capacity to download and store online information, I frequently use it to further my education. Actually, I use my phone to access emails from my tutors, download assignments, find research materials, and forward my assignments. I do this by connecting my phone to my computer at home using a cable and subsequently use my phone as a modem through tethering. This makes my studying more effective and convenient. In addition, my phone has a calculator that is very relevant in doing calculations at school. Indeed, I use my

Red Cabbage Indicator Prac Write Up Essay Example for Free

Red Cabbage Indicator Prac Write Up Essay The red cabbage indicator shows how a usual household product such as red cabbage can make a suitable indicator and be able find out if a chemical is either and acid, alkali or neutral. Acids are a chemical that reacts with an alkali neutralising it producing water and a salt. Acids are also commonly found to be sour tasting. Acids react with metals, releasing hydrogen gas and leaving behind a salt they also can conduct electricity. Acids also readily give off hydrogen ions and have a pH level lower than 7. Some more common laboratory acids are Hydrochloric, Sulphuric and Nitric Acids. Sulphuric acids and water are used in car batteries as the electrolyte. Bases or alkali are a chemical that will react with acids and usually have a slimy or soapy feeling on contact with skin. Bases readily accept hydrogen ions and has a pH level that is higher the 7. Bases have a bitter taste and neutralise d by acids, producing water and a salt. Some common laboratory bases are Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide and Calcium Hydroxide. Stronger bases are commonly used today in many cleaning products. Indicators help us find wether if a chemical is an acid or base. The scale that is used to find wether a chemical is an acid or a base is the pH scale. The pH scale gives us an indication of the amount of hydrogen ions and goes from 1 – 14, one being the strongest acid and 14 being the strongest base. Many plants and flowers have natural substances which have indicating properties that allow them to be used as indicators. The red colour of red cabbage comes from a molecule called an anthocyanin. Very acidic solutions will turn anthocyanin a red colour. Neutral solutions result in a purplish colour. Alkalis solutions appear in greenish-yellow. Therefore, it is possible to determine the pH of a solution based on the colour it turns the anthocyanin in red cabbage juice. Materials: ↠ Red cabbage leaves (or red flower petals such as carnation, rose or geranium) ↠ 250ml beaker ↠ Hotplate or Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat and bench mat ↠ Spotting tile ↠ Dilute (0.1M) Hydrochloric acid ↠ Dilute (0.1M) sodium hydroxide solution ↠ Vinegar ↠ Distilled Water ↠ Filter ↠ Jar ↠ Cloudy Ammonia ↠ Sodium Chloride ↠ Lemon Juice ↠ Shampoo ↠ Dish washing detergent Method: Part A: Making the indicator 1.The cabbage leaves were torn up and placed in the beaker 2.The beaker was heated until the water was gently boiling. The cabbage leaves continued to boil until the water has been strongly coloured red. 3.The cabbage leaves were allowed to cool and then to be filtered, strained or pick Part B: Testing the indicator 4.The cabbage water was added to all wells of the spotting tile and split equally between them. 5.A known acid and base were placed on a spotting tile on the cabbage indicator. The colour was record. 6.The remaining chemicals were placed on the spotting tile and were recorded as in step 5 Safety Assessment: Hydrochloric acid (HCL) is a corrosive liquid Skin contact: Exposer for a short period/s of time may cause irritation and prolonged exposer may cause burns Eye Contact: Exposer for a short period of time may cause irritation and may cause burns. Permanent eye damage may result. To avoid any contact with the substance wear: Protective Clothing Safety Glasses Safety Gloves (Optional) Closed shoes Eye contact – immediately hold eyelids open and rinse eye continuously for five – ten minutes Skin contact immediately rinse the affected area under water until there is none of the chemical left on the skin Contact with any other chemical should be treated as this one. All protective gear listed above should be used in the experiment in the same way. Hair tied back Jewellery to be taken off

Religion, Poverty and Wealth Essay Example for Free

Religion, Poverty and Wealth Essay Describe how followers of this religion may put their ideas into practice. Helping others is a big part of being a Christian, because of the importance of the commandment Love thy neighbour. Since the 19th Century, Christians have been setting up homes for the poor and needy. However recently there has been an increase in awareness of poorer people, putting more pressure on people to help others. A very popular way of helping others is by setting up, and giving to charities. There are many different charities, both Christian and non-Christian, which offer a wide range of help. The Church of England Childrens Society helps to better the lives of underprivileged children; The Hospice Movement aims to help the dying spend their last days in a loving, caring environment; the LArche Community helps disabled people. Christian Aid is one of the most famous Christian charities. It was set up in Britain and Ireland at the end of the Second World War, with its main aims being to improve the quality of peoples lives, particularly those of refugees who were struggling to cope with the aftermath of World War II. It also funded Churches to help repair damage caused by the war. Gradually over time, the work of Christian Aid began to involve other countries around the world. It now has an income of approximately à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40 million a year, and there are forty churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland who are a part of Christian Aid. Most of the money, which they make through door-to-door collections and donations from members of the public and various churches, is put towards development work to help people in the long term. Another famous charitable organisation is The Samaritans. The Samaritans was set up in 1953 when Chad Varah, a priest, was horrified to find out that three suicides took place every day in London. He believed that the best way to help someone who was contemplating committing suicide was to talk to them. So he set up a phone in his church and advertised that people could phone for helpful advice if they were feeling suicidal. Today The Samaritans speak to 2 250 000 people a year. Aside from charities, many Christians feel that they should give a small percentage of their wages to help the less fortunate. Sir John Templeton grew up in a poor family on a farm in Tennessee. He was educated at both Yale and Oxford University, after which he became a financial consultant in New York. Throughout his life he gave 10% of his earnings to help the poor (a process called tithing). Eventually he became very wealthy running a multimillion dollar investment company, where he successfully managed funds for over two million people worldwide. In 1972 he started the Templeton prize to be awarded for progress in religion, which is worth more money than the Nobel Peace Prize. Fifteen years later he was knighted for services to philanthropy. In 1992, he sold his investment company for a colossal $400 million. He still gives money to support projects around the world which further understanding of spirituality and the importance of the human character. George Macleod felt so strongly about helping others that, in 1938, he formed a Christian Community on Iona, an island off of Scotland. He found volunteers to learn building, stone masonry and carpentry skills and together they rebuilt Ionas ruined abbey. After that he opened a centre to provide shelter for young people from across the world, and to allow them to live in a close community. The people of the community feel it is more important to live like this and share everything than to be rich and not live as closely. They take it in turns to cook, clean, garden and work away. When they are not working, they pray. This is very similar to the ideas expressed by Jesus according to the Bible. The first Christians followed Jesus teachings very closely. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Not only are there many passages in the Bible that tell Christians how to treat the poor, there are also some in the Old Testament. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear. Isaiah 58:6-8 Another example of how Christians helped the poor was the Liberation Theology movement. This started in the late 1960s when the poorer inhabitants of South American countries decided that they didnt want to be exploited any more. They made a decision to stand against the corrupt governments, with inspiration from the words of Jesus: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has appointed me to preach good news to the poor. The Christian followers of Liberation Theology try to fight out against poverty, lack of human rights and the exploitation of certain peoples. Many Priests, especially Oscar Romero, involved in this endanger their lives by speaking out against their government. Romero knew he was in danger, but felt that it was his Christian duty to fight against oppression and injustice. He was shot dead in March 1980 whilst conducting mass. In South America, many people see him as a great martyr. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them. All Christians feel it is their duty to God to help the poor and needy, and to be kind to those who need their kindness.

Representations of Masculinity in Film

Representations of Masculinity in Film Representations of Masculinity in Film Real men don’t cry. Men who show emotion are seen as pathetic and weak, whereas society want men to be strong, athletic and powerful. This assignment will include an identification and analysis, in the film American Pie (American Pie, 1999) of the six different representations of masculinity and their impact on the story and the audience. The analysis will comply of the identification of six specific characters that embody the male gender stereotypes, or their subversions. The six male gender stereotypes are: the Joker, the Jock, the Strong Silent Type, the Big Shot, the Action Hero and the Buffoon. These are important to identify because they appear in all movies which we tend to be oblivious to at times. Knowing the different types of stereotypes help you gain a better understanding of the film. â€Å"The Jock is always willing to compromise his own long-term health; he must fight other men when necessary; he must avoid being soft; and he must be aggressive (NMMU, 2014). By demonstrating his power and strength, the jock wins the approval of other men and the adoration of women.† The function of a jock in a film is to create a social structure in a school and to give the image of an ideal American teenager. In the film American Pie there are a few protagonists that resemble the jock stereotype. Chris â€Å"Oz† Ostreicher is one of the characters in the movie that portrays this stereotype. Oz is a great representation of a jock as he embodies all the characteristics. Oz is a typical all American male teenager who plays football and lacrosse, manages to swoon the ladies and he is at the top of the social hierarchy at school. Oz is a well groomed man where his good looks far surpass his academic abilities. A prime example of this in the film is when Oz tells all hi s friends that he has been seeing a collage girl and that soon they will be moving onto the next level in their ‘relationship’. This is done to acquire the approval from all his friends, especially from Steven Stifler, and the other popular males. Another character that embodies the jock stereotype is Steven â€Å"Steve† Stifler. Steve is an egotistical big-headed sports driven high school student. The evidence in the film that he is a jock are proven because he plays lacrosse and football with Oz. When Steve is faced with situations that could place any damage on his reputation he tends to react in an aggressive manner. Another instance of the jock stereotype is highlighted when Steve has a house party at his residence. Everybody from school who is popular enough to be invited inside is there. Then the doorbell rings during the party and the whole musical band from school are standing outside his door. Steve refuses to let them inside because they are not cool e nough and might ruin his reputation. This shows that Steve has a desire to main supreme amongst the rest of the jocks. When it comes to the ladies, Steve only uses them for his benefit and gain. Steve takes a girl to his room but she refuses to kiss him as she does not want him to go around joking about her with his friends the very next day. Steve lies and tells her that he would never do that just so that she could feel better. He even gives her false compliments just so that she would become putty in his hands allowing him to take advantage of her. To analyse the above stereotype both of the protagonists personify the characteristics of a typical high school jock. Although Oz and Steve are both the popular boys at school they have a very different way of showing it. Oz is much friendlier and kinder whereas Steve is arrogant and aggressive. These characters are driven by their sporting talents because for them sport is the only thing that makes you a real man. They see woman as ob jects and not as human beings. Therefore the film American Pie excels at representing the jock stereotype in the movie. â€Å"The Joker is a very popular character with boys, perhaps because laughter is part of their own mask of masculinity. A potential negative consequence of this stereotype is the assumption that boys and men should not be serious or emotional† (NMMU, 2014)The function of a joker in a film is to allow for comedic relief and to create a relaxed atmosphere as well as making inappropriate jokes at times. Stifler is the joker in the film as he is constantly making comments throughout the movie that makes people laugh. A joker is popular among males which makes Stifler one of the most popular boys at East Great Falls High. Stifler makes every serious situation a joke and does not allow for emotions to come into play. Another example of the joker stereotype in the film is when Stifler pours laxatives into Finch’s drink as he knows Finch does not use the school’s toilets. Stifler has everybody laughing at this prank. This character was effective because Stifler is a ve ry dominate character and so he makes up a lot of different stereotypes because of his personality. He never shows emotions and is never serious about anything. Stifler is only worried about, Lacrosse, woman and his popularity. â€Å"The Strong Silent Type focuses on being in charge, acting decisively, containing emotion, and succeeding with women. This stereotype reinforces the assumption that men and boys should always be in control, and that talking about one’s feelings is a sign of weakness† (NMMU, 2014).The function of this type in a film is to allow for those characters that are dominant and strong yet who show emotion to have a role in the film. Although Oz is a jock in the film he also starts to display characteristics of a strong silent type. Oz and his friends made a pact that by the end of high school they should all have lost their virginity. Oz believes that it is a good idea to join the choir as the girls are perceived to be naà ¯ve and innocent and would be easy prey. Oz decides that he is now going to try get rid of his reputation of being an insensitive jock and become more caring and sensitive towards ladies. He meets a girl named Heather, who sings in the choir, and he imme diately feels an attraction towards her. For now he can only think of the pact his friends made and how he can use Heather as his victim to fulfil the deal. Steve, Kevin and Jim are all watching Oz while he sings and so after the choir practice Stifler asks Oz what his game plan is for joining the choir. Oz validates himself saying that he needs to find a girl to complete the deal they all made. â€Å"Chris Oz Ostreicher: [On being sensitive] You ask them questions, and listen to what they have to say and s**t. Steve Stifler: I dunno, man, that sounds like a lot of work† (IMDb, 1990-2014). This is the first glimpse of evidence that there is a slight start to showing emotion and care for Heather. As the film continues there is a complete change in Oz as he starts to focus more on Heather than his sport. He even leaves in the middle of the most important lacrosse game of the season to go and sing in a choir competition. When he arrives at the auditorium where the competition is taking place he grabs Heather in a passionate embrace and kisses her. This highlights that he has grown true and honest feeling for her. Heather and Oz end up breaking their virginity on prom night but promise to not tell anybody. At the end of the movie Oz believes that he is starting to fall in love with his girlfriend, Heather. Kevin Myers is also a strong silent type but it is not as obvious as in Oz’s case. The reason why Kevin falls under this stereotype is because he loves to take control and dominate the group. He even comes up with an idea that Finch, Oz, Jim an himself must lose their virginity before graduation from high school. They all make a pact and agree upon it. Kevin is the main instigator and inventor of this pact, and so all the drama that occurs as a result of the plan is because of Kevin’s idea. Another reason why he is the strong silent type is because he succeeds with woman and is a ladies man. He hides all his emotion about his feelings for hi s girlfriend away from her. When Kevin’s girlfriend tells him that she loves him, he is stunned and speechless. He doesn’t know how to express himself because he does not want to lose his credibility as a man if he is seen as emotional. Kevin eventually tells his girlfriend that he loves her before they have sexual intercourse. This can be seen as a way of manipulating his girlfriend into sleeping with just so that he can abide by the pact. This stereotype is well portrayed in Oz’s case. They show the transition from a sport crazy jock to becoming a choir singing sensitive man. It is very effective as it shows that men are allowed to show emotion and feelings, they don’t always have to be as hard as bricks. Although showing emotion for a male is seen as weak, Oz shows emotion in such a way that it doesn’t affect his jock status it only makes himself look like a better person. Kevin is also portrayed effectively although he is not as clear as Oz, he is still a strong silent type. Kevin portrays more of a dominate role in this case than Oz does. Both roles have been displayed accurately and in an effective manner. â€Å"The Big Shot is defined by his professional status. He is the epitome of success, embodying the characteristics and acquiring the possessions that society deems valuable. â€Å" This stereotype suggests that a real man must be economically powerful and socially successful† (NMMU, 2014).The big shot stereotype includes a number of characters. Stifler is a big shot as he believes that he rules the school and everybody in it. He is arrogant and insensitive to others. Stifler loves to have parties and drink alcohol which high school students consider to be enjoyable. Stifler has no respect for woman at all. He believes that they are only there to satisfy his personal needs. Chuck Sherman also embodies this stereotype as he makes all his ‘friends’ believe that he is going to sleep with a beautiful girl. The very next morning when these men wake up they witness Sherman coming downstairs with this girl. He then proceeds to lie to his friends and tell them that the y were busy the entire night. Meanwhile they had been having an in-depth conversation with one another instead. At prom the truth about this incident is revealed when this girl, who Sherman claimed he had sex with, tells everybody that he is a liar and that it never happened. Paul Finch is the third character to portray a big shot, he does this by the way he behaves and speaks. An example in the movie is when they are at Stifler’s house party after prom. Finch has no date and decides to walk around the house until he comes across a room that he is out of bounds. Inside the room he finds Stifler’s mother drinking and smoking. His attitude changes immediately and acts much older than he really is. He starts to seduce Stifler’s mother by means of his big shot personality. He drinks whiskey with her which is regarded as an adults drink, but Finch believes he is far more mature than the young boys downstairs. Finch then sleeps with Stifler’s mother which cause s problems the next morning. Kevin is the last big shot character in the film. Kevin says that â€Å"[o]ur very manhood is at stake† (American Pie, 1999) with regards to their lack of sexual encounters. Kevin has formed a pact with his friends which states that they have to lose their virginity by the time they graduate. Kevin becomes a jerk at Stifler’s house party when he wants to have sex with Vicky, his girlfriend, but she is not willing. He almost becomes forceful during the movie when she does not want to give it to him. His big shot personality is seen when he is walking downstairs at the party and says to Jim â€Å"enough with the blowjob bull s**t, I gotta get laid already† (American Pie, 1999).Vicky over hears this and is distraught. He is a big shot in the terms that he just wants to lose his virginity and thinks that he can take control and force Vicky into it. All these characters were portrayed exceptionally well. They were very easily spotted in t he film as their characteristics matched those of the big shot stereotype. The big shots are those that have power and require things that society believes is valuable which are women, sex and popularity. They manages to use their power to seduce the woman in order to acquire what is important to them, which is to lose their virginity. â€Å"The Action Hero is strong, but not necessarily silent. He is often angry. Above all, he is aggressive in the extreme and, increasingly over the past several decades, he engages in violent behaviour† (NMMU, 2014). In the film American Pie the best example of an action hero is the character Steve Stifler. He embodies many different types of stereotypes. He is your typical big cheese, know it all type of guy. If he has been humiliated and embarrassed by somebody he will use force to take his revenge on them and is very aggressive when things do not go his way. His anger is his form of a mask that covers and hides his emotions from the world. An example would be when Steve Stifler finds out that Finch is spreading rumours about himself. A rumour involving Steve had been spread around campus which was that Finch had beaten Steve in a fist fight. Steve was overwhelmed with anger when he heard the rumour, as it embarrassed him and hurt his creditability. Steve reacted to this s eeking revenge, he then decides to put a high dosage of laxatives into Finch’s regular mochacchino. The outcomes of Steve’s joke allowed for the embarrassment and rumours about his weakness to be forgotten and for all the good attention to be drawn back to him and for all the laughter to be focused on someone he sees as lower than him. This allows the audience to view his aggression and low self-esteem issues. In analysis to the character of the action hero in the film it is extremely well portrayed as the character is your typical big man on campus. This character shows that there is much more to him then he allows you to see, and is prepared to reveal to the public. This allows the audience to understand the character and his feelings better. This gives the viewer the chance to see another side of the character. This makes Steve seem strong and intimidating on the outside but in fact he is a normal human with feelings just like everybody else on the inside. â€Å"The Buffoon commonly appears as a bungling father figure in TV ads and sitcoms. Usually well-intentioned and light-hearted, these characters range from slightly inept to completely hopeless when it comes to parenting their children or dealing with domestic (or workplace) issues† (NMMU, 2014). The function of a buffoon in a film is to add entertainment and light hearted laughter. Noah Levenstein is the perfect example of a buffoon in the film, as he has no idea of how to raise his son properly when it comes to teenagers’ problems. It is evident in the film that Noah is a buffoon. The film starts with Jim, his son, watching a bad quality porn movie. Noah then helped his son by agreeing with him. This is the first sign that the father is going to be a funny and laid back father. Later in the film Noah visits Jim in his room and decides to have a conversation about sex. He tries to give his son sexual advice and brings him pornographic magazines. Further along in the film Noah comes home to his son performing sexual acts to an apple pie that his mother had baked. The father then helps Jim to clean up the kitchen and he then comes up with the idea that they will tell his wife that they had eaten the pie. Noah decided to help cover up Jims actions so that he would not get in trouble with his mother. â€Å"We’ll just tell your mom we ate it† (American Pie, 1999). In the end of the movie Noah opens his son’s bedroom door and sees Jim dancing in a sexual manner. Noah smiles at what he sees and starts breaking into very similar dance moves and shouts for his wife saying â€Å"Sweetheart† (American Pie, 1999). The use of the buffoon is very effective in the overall film. The character was portrayed perfectly and so it made identifying the buffoon very easy. Noah embodies all the characteristics a buffoon usually expresses. The protagonist is portrayed accurately in this film and allows for people to easily connect with the c haracter. Analysing the above character makes it clear that the buffoon is one of the main sources of comedy in a movie. It is an effortless yet at times awkward. To conclude, in this film it is evident that male stereotypes are rife. In society, males are meant to be strong and unbreakable whereas not every man is the same. This allows for the different stereotypes to be formed as some males fall under the popular category while others are more emotional. [2989] Reference list American Pie. 1999. [Film] Directed by Paul Weitz. United States of America: Universal Pictures, Zide-Perry Productions, Newmarket Capital Group, Summit Entertainment. IMDb, 1990-2014. Quotes for Chris Oz Ostreicher. [Online] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002450/quotes [Accessed 13 May 2014]. Janelle Vermaak NMMU course notes 2014