Sugawn Chair Critique Essay Example

Sugawn Chair Critique Paper Anthony Geha 10/27/08 Eng-101b-09 Mr. Mitchell My Family’s Sugawn Chair When I look around at people, and the way they act and respond to situations in life, I can’t help but wonder what it is that makes them act one way or another. Like complete asses in situations that don’t call for it, or other times when I feel like I can’t deal with something, there are those people who seem to have the patience of saints. I wonder if it is really the life they have lead and have been brought up to lead that crates their personalities for today. Does the fact that they have the warmest most loving supporting family make it easier for them to succeed in life? If there dad left when they were young, does it make it harder to trust people for them? Through the life I’ve lead myself; I’d have to believe that this is true. Now I can’t say that this is fact of course, but I will say that I’m sure if it was really thought upon, anyone could relate some aspect in their lives to how they were brought up. Then unfortunately as times passes as it surely will, you begin to lose people you love, people move, people pass away, family members divorce and move in different directions in life and nothing feels the same as it once did anymore. Even though this happens, you are still the person you are, on account of family and the values passed down to you. Though the times have changed, nothing in you has changed and you know the importance of the times past, then unspeakably and without warning, something triggers all those times in your mind and you can’t help but feel good. We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the story â€Å"The Sugawn Chair† the boy ultimately loses his parents and is forced to sell things in the house, and move on and forge forward with his life. He then comes upon the chair that has been in the attic for years now and when he sees it he remembers and I think he can really feel the presence of his parents and he will probably keep the chair and tell stories about it to his kids and so on for a long, long time. While reading this story it is easy to see that this chair is a symbol of their family and their togetherness and their love for each other. Almost everyone I know has a symbol of lost loved ones or family symbols that have been passed down from earlier generations, and my family is certainly no exception to this. However, in my family the item and symbol itself is a little bigger than most. As a kid and still to this day my dad’s side of the family would have Sunday night dinner at my Grandparents house in Glenmoore, it was a time for the family to get together each week, tell stories of their week and how everything was going, and of course to be together for a while. Each week there would be undoubtedly good food, loud conversations, and the occasional fights and butting heads of friends and family. Then after a while of having a babysitter as a child my grandmother told my mom that instead of bringing me and my brother to the babysitter on Thursdays (when my mom and dad both worked) why not just bring them to her house, and she would make dinner for us, almost like it was Sunday. My mom eventually agreed and I and my brother would be left at grandma’s house on Thursday afternoons along with my two cousins who were always over there because their parents both worked all the time. So as it began to continue this way for a long time, Thursdays became another day that everyone would go over to my grandparent’s house and eat dinner and talk and so forth. Well, in 1998 my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and he unfortunately passed away later that year. He was a good man and though I was only 12 when he died I think we had a pretty good loving relationship. This was a sad time for everyone obviously, but we kept up with the dinners and I think it ultimately brought everyone closer together and made us value each other more. So time passed on and the Thursday night and Sunday night dinners continued. My Grandma had always wanted a bigger kitchen and after my grandfather died she thought it was time for a change in the house, so she had the whole house remodeled and now the kitchen is humongous! Along with the rest of the house as well, people would stop on the streets after it was done and just look in. The kitchen can easily be seen through the 6 big windows in the front of the house. My grandmother if you couldn’t already tell, loved to cook she was awesome at it and it brought her so much joy, that her cooking could bring so many people together. Then again in 2001 more tragedy struck our family. My dad’s brother, my uncle, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and he fought very hard for a long time but unfortunately in 2002 he passed away from it and this was a very hard time for everyone. Not only because of the person he was, but it was my grandmother’s child, and no parent should have to live to see the day one of their children passes. He also was working to become a reverend at his church and was extremely active with youth groups to help children find more religion in their lives. There was probably no one less deserving of his young death than him. But as time moved on, we coped and continued the dinners and continued to stay positive and loving. Over time we as the grandchildren, there is 5 of us, played baseball in the front yard and backyard, played basketball in the street in front of the house, played video games and so many other games like hide and seek and capture the flag (which was hard to play inside the house) we watched numerous world series games and super bowls there at my grandma’s house. It was a comfortable place for everybody. A warm â€Å"door’s always open† type of place. My grandma would feed anyone who walked in. She also owned a restaurant called â€Å"Minerva’s† on Fremont Blvd. where some of her recipes are still being used today, but that’s a whole other story that could go on for days. Years passed and in 2004 my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Now this woman was so stubborn and hard headed that she was certain she wasn’t going to let this affect her. So she fought, and there were years in between where she seemed totally fine and like everything was ok. She was the greatest grandmother you would ever have liked to know, and I guarantee you’d feel the same had you had the chance to meet her. Unfortunately though, as cancer does, it took her from us in mid 2007. At that time we were just adding on some more room to the house because my aunt and her family were going to move in, to be able to take care of her and also because their money was a little tight. She did get to see the house right when it was finished before she passed and she loved it. Now not too add so much crap to this already large pile of it, but we had just found out at around the same time as my grandma passed away, that my uncle, my aunts husband and my cousins dad, who had just moved into the house to live with my grandma, had cancer as well. He didn’t last very long unfortunately and he passed away late in 2007. So this combination of seemingly endless destruction of our family was a big hit. For a while I was unable to go over to the house at all. There was just constant weeping and remorse. There were too many fights to even remember and everyone seemed like the only thing holding them together was my grandmother, and now she was gone. There was hope though, as time passed as it seems to do, we all were forced to keep it together, fall out was impossible because this house was important to all of us and we all wanted ultimately to be there. To this day anytime I enter that house I am overcome with memories of so many years and so many events. Everyone still comes for Thursday and Sunday night dinner and we laugh and love. We still cook and clean, and talk to each other. The house is my symbol of my family, the memories that I have were created in that house and though so many people were lost, it is important to make their memories last forever. We talk about my grandpa and uncles and grandma all the time and there is always a smile of nostalgia on someone’s face. I’m not as young as I once was, so there isn’t as many games played or high school type stories told, but it always feels the same to me, to walk into that house.

Free Essays on Rip Van Winklel

Rip the Character I always thought the story of â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† was a kid’s story teaching the lesson to not be lazy. While in a way it still is a story about not being lazy it also symbolizes so much more than I ever knew. The character of Rip is used to show how the American man is seen from abroad. The foreigners stereotyped the typical American male as being the perfectly jolly over grown child, perpetually â€Å"one of the boys†, and ignorant of his own wife and the whole world of other adult men. Throughout out the following short essay I will discuss and support my topic of Rip as symbolic of the mythic American male. For example in the very beginning of the story Rip is perceived as a very lazy, yet jolly young man. When he’s introduced he is ducking out of work and avoiding the wife. All Rip wants to do is sit back and relax and let all the good things come to him. Rip himself does just enough to provide for him and his family. Speaking of his family, Rip’s children were very wild and ragged looking. Even his own son was taking after him all the way from his clothes to his attitude towards things. It is said in the story that Rip, if left to himself, would of whistled life away in perfect contentment. Such examples in the story point to how ignorant Rip is of his family and the rest of the world. Rip tried to work, but everything he tried don his own farm was useless. Every part of his farm was horrible. All his fences were falling apart, which sent his cows astray. Weeds had taken over his cabbage patch. Rip’s farm had become the worst farm in the town. No matter what Rip did his farm just wouldn’t do the correct thing. So instead of trying to fight his own farm Rip would take his jolly self into town every day. The children of the town loved Rip. Rip helped the kids build their toys, taught them how to fly kites, and shoot marbles. Just as a kid would be Rip was ready to do anyone o... Free Essays on Rip Van Winklel Free Essays on Rip Van Winklel Rip the Character I always thought the story of â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† was a kid’s story teaching the lesson to not be lazy. While in a way it still is a story about not being lazy it also symbolizes so much more than I ever knew. The character of Rip is used to show how the American man is seen from abroad. The foreigners stereotyped the typical American male as being the perfectly jolly over grown child, perpetually â€Å"one of the boys†, and ignorant of his own wife and the whole world of other adult men. Throughout out the following short essay I will discuss and support my topic of Rip as symbolic of the mythic American male. For example in the very beginning of the story Rip is perceived as a very lazy, yet jolly young man. When he’s introduced he is ducking out of work and avoiding the wife. All Rip wants to do is sit back and relax and let all the good things come to him. Rip himself does just enough to provide for him and his family. Speaking of his family, Rip’s children were very wild and ragged looking. Even his own son was taking after him all the way from his clothes to his attitude towards things. It is said in the story that Rip, if left to himself, would of whistled life away in perfect contentment. Such examples in the story point to how ignorant Rip is of his family and the rest of the world. Rip tried to work, but everything he tried don his own farm was useless. Every part of his farm was horrible. All his fences were falling apart, which sent his cows astray. Weeds had taken over his cabbage patch. Rip’s farm had become the worst farm in the town. No matter what Rip did his farm just wouldn’t do the correct thing. So instead of trying to fight his own farm Rip would take his jolly self into town every day. The children of the town loved Rip. Rip helped the kids build their toys, taught them how to fly kites, and shoot marbles. Just as a kid would be Rip was ready to do anyone o...

Dell Direct and Not-So-Direct Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dell Direct and Not-So-Direct - Case Study Example As a result Dell began to form alliances with retailers around the world to sell Dell products at their stores. Key Marketing Issues Branding – Dell was able to build a strong brand value in the United States, but the company has not been as effective at marketing its brand in other parts of the world. Dell was forced to change its business model to allow retailers to sell its products at retail outlets worldwide. Brand loyalty – The brand loyalty of the company is weak outside of the United States. Dell should increase its spending in advertising and marketing to solidify the brand value of the business entity. Channels of Distribution – Dell was effective at being the sole channel of distribution for its products for many years. As the business matured the company realized that further business growth required increasing its distribution channels. Retailers – Dell is now using retailers as a permanent strategy to achieve growth in market share. The firm has to identify the top retailers that can bring the company the maximum amount of sales. Wholesalers – Dell is using the wholesaling strategy to penetrate the market for business computers as well as governmental contracts. The firm has to adequately identify the required volume of sales and price per lot to ensure the firm maintains profitability. Personal Case Analysis Dell Computers was one of the biggest success stories in the high tech industry during the 1990’s and early part of the 21st century. The direct selling method was innovative because it allowed the customers the ability to customize their computers. The business model was helping the company achieve higher profit margins, while offering very competitive prices due to the fact that Dell eliminated the intermediaries. The strategy was tremendous, but it had an inert flaw that eventually caught up to the company. The strategy was not effective at attracting international clients. Once Dell reached the ma turity stage the firm had to seek expansion outside the United States. It became cheaper for Dell to outsource the selling function to retailers than to sell directly to customers in foreign countries because the company did not have the marketing expertise to target customers outside the United States. Case Questions 1. Is Dell using intensive, selective or exclusive distribution for its market coverage? Dell is using selective distribution is its market coverage of different parts of the world. The company has identified specific retailers they have targeted as business partners. The company has control over which retailers sell the firm’s products. Some of the retailers Dell has selected for distribution of its products include: Wal-Mart, Carphone Warehouse’s U.K. Stores, Bic Camara Japanese Stores, and Gome’s Chinese Store. 2. How does dell's preference for direct channels affect its decisions about physical distribution? The preference of Dell of selling di rectly to customers positively influenced the entire supply chain of the company. Dell was able to centralize its warehouses in strategic positions in the United States to be able to deliver the final product to its customers as fast as possible. The direct sale approach saved the company money because the firm had a lower obsolesce rate than other competitors. 3. What issues in channel conflict might arise from Dell's current distribution arrangements? The new channel approach Dell is using could cause

Longitudinal Strategic Development Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Longitudinal Strategic Development Study - Essay Example Most of these strategies were put in place and implemented not more than twenty (25) years ago. Among other things, Sony has seen results from strategies such corporate restructuring, recreation of products, and invention of new technology. Corporate restructuring is an important component to determine the success of any company. It is more of a managerial strategy than a marketing strategy. In the view of Trevor (2011), â€Å"Corporate restructuring is a term used to denote a companys reorganisation at the highest corporate level. This can also include legal status, ownership, operational, and financial restructuring to improve profitability and provide better organisation for the present and/or prepared for market changes.† Tatum (2011) posits that â€Å"Restructuring a corporate entity is often a necessity when the company has grown to the point that the original structure can no longer efficiently manage the output and general interests of the company.† To buttress the advantages are the procedure and reason for undertaking such corporate restructuring. In the case of Sony consumer electronics, restructuring has been going on every now and then for the past 25 years. The focus has mostly been to shake up the working staff and executives of the company to ensure that the right people are at the right place, doing the right thing. For instance in 1995, the company under a major restructuring in it topmost position by naming a new president, Nobuyuki Idei, a man who was only 34-years at the time. This move saw a lot of growth in Sony because Idei had served in the company for a very long time. Another massive corporate restructuring that took place in the company took place in the year 2003. This restructuring started with the laying off of staff – another bitter decision to take in corporate government. In all, Christman &

Critical Comparison of Websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critical Comparison of Websites - Essay Example The expectations and satisfaction of customers are also of great importance to companies using the Internet for business development. For instance, the quality and effectiveness of Web sites have been associated with customers’ perceptions of the brand as well as their satisfaction and repeat purchase behavior (Chen and Wells 1999). Majority of companies provide extra effort in satisfying customers through the use of Web sites as their perceived quality and satisfaction towards a firm’s Web site have been linked to its productivity and performance within the service industry. In addition, the media has continually reported the role of electronic commerce for both consumers and organizations. In North America, for instance, Internet users were shown to look for online information before purchasing a product (eMarketer 2009) while 51% of them completed the purchase and business transaction online (eMarketer 2010). Although this innovative strategy is viewed to be fundamen tal, the quality of services offered through the Internet remains greatly unpredictable. According to Agarwal and Venkatesh (2002), there is a need for organizations to be aware of and completely understand the barriers and determinants on online purchasing; moreover, they should also be capable of establishing Web sites that can increase the likelihood of visitors to become purchasing customers. This is especially important as customers have been reported to increasingly seek online product information through Web sites although final purchases may not always be completed through the Internet. Nonetheless, Web sites should demonstrate quality in both the offered services and provided information (Parasuraman and Grewal 2000). The current paper will look into the similarities and differences between the Web sites of two fashion brands, H&M and Ralph Lauren. While H&M aims to offer fashion at a good quality along with the most reasonable prices, Ralph Lauren offers luxury through its clothing items. Owing to this difference with regards to the products and prices they offer, this paper will further examine whether they also exemplify variations with regards to their construction and use of Web sites, particularly their quality and effectiveness. Framework (NetQual scale) The use of the NetQual scale will allow the researcher to create a comprehensive view on the Web site quality and effectiveness of the two brands by looking into a number of variables- ease of use, information quality and quantity, visual design, and interaction personalization. Ease of Use The level of usability that is exhibited in a firm’s Web site plays a fundamental role for end-users. If an application is not easy to use and customers experience difficulties in interacting with it, it is most likely that the services and information provided through the Web site will be perceived to be important only by a small number of users. The purpose of usability is to reduce the complexities of Web sites and simplify their interface to ensure that all users are able to have a favorable experience when navigating the site (Welch and Panday 2007). Upon entering the H&M Web site, it was easy to understand the intentions of such application, which is to provide information and offer services, due to the fact that a wide range of specific links were available. For instance, ‘

How Is Big Brother Watching Us Media Essay

How Is Big Brother Watching Us Media Essay Big Brother is a fictional character in George Orwells dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which tells the story of one mans attempt to rebel against the totalitarian state in which he lives. In the society that Orwell describes, everybody lives under complete twenty-four hour surveillance by the governing authorities. Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the phrase Big Brother has entered the English language, to describe any attempts by governments to use mass surveillance.  [1]   The main surveillance tool described in Orwells novel is the imaginary telescreen, a cross between a television and a security camera  [2]  , and in the past decade growing comparisons have been drawn between the imaginary telescreen and the Internet-connected personal computer that is in many modern homes. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the mass surveillance of Internet communications carried out by western governments today, and the technologies used to carry out that surveillance. The essay will first look at the current privacy landscape in the USA, the European Union, and the UK, in terms of policies and legislation. Then it will discuss some of the most interesting technical methods used to carry out mass Internet communications surveillance. The terrorist attacks on New Yorks World Trade Centre, of September 11th 2001, heralded the dawn of a new global political era. Following those atrocities and subsequent attacks in Egypt, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bali, Russia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, governments around the world have responded by tightening existing legislation and creating new anti-terror laws. Many of the countries that changed their laws to combat terrorist threats also increased the powers of their law enforcement and national security organisations to perform communications surveillance and carry out electronic data search and seizure. The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, more commonly known as The Patriot Act, was signed into law less than seven weeks after the Twin Towers attacks. The Act is organised into ten titles, including Title II: Enhanced Surveillance Procedures, and Title IX: Improved intelligence. The Patriot Act, which was Americas legislative response to the September 11th attacks, hugely increased American law enforcement and national security services authority both in the USA and abroad. The Patriot Act strengthened immigration, banking, and money laundering laws. The Patriot Act also amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978, which includes subchapters covering electronic surveillance and trap and trace devices (used to capture non-content information regarding electronic communication). FISA was also expanded by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.  [3]   In July of 2002 the European Union passed the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications  [4]  . This directive was amended in 2005 by the Electronic communications: personal data protection rules and availability of traffic data for anti-terrorism purposes directive.  [5]  These directives will lead to European telecom firms being required to store data regarding the time and duration of all fixed line, internet, and mobile telephone calls, the location of mobile telephone calls, and details of all internet connections and e-mail messages (although e-mail content is not recorded). The UK government was the prime mover in lobbying for this directive, stating that data was the golden thread in terrorist investigations.  [6]   We have seen then that current privacy landscape has been heavily influenced by the changing global political situation with specific reference to global terrorism. We know that legislation exists that allows western governments to carry out mass surveillance, but what do they actually do and how do they do it? Mass surveillance can take many forms, including physical surveillance in the form of identity systems, audio, video, RFID and satellite surveillance. Data surveillance can also be used in the areas of electronic commerce and public records.  [7]  For the purpose of this essay we will look specifically at some of the most interesting technologies (allegedly) used by government organisations to carry out mass surveillance of Internet communications. One of the most infamous alleged mass electronic communication surveillance technologies is ECHELON, a top-secret Anglo-American collaboration tasked with gathering signals intelligence around the world. Although its existence is still officially denied the European Parliament commissioned a report in 2001 entitled on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON interception system)  [8]  . They were sufficiently convinced of ECHELONs capabilities to recommend that European citizens and businesses should routinely encrypt their communications in order to maintain privacy  [9]  . The idea of the ECHELON network was supposedly agreed between London and Washington as far back as 1948, although its existence was not brought to public attention until the publication of New Statesman article in 1988. ECHELONs capabilities are the subject of much debate; some estimates report that it can sift through 90% of Internet traffic, though the European Union found that the technical capabilities of the system are probably not nearly as extensive. The hardware used to collect the information also remains something of a mystery, with some sources claiming that ECHELON controls over one hundred satellites and dozens of ground based listening stations. Others point out that very little ([10]  111213 The alleged widespread use of packet sniffing systems first came to light during congressional testimony in April 2000, when the FBI was forced to admit the existence of its Carnivore system, so called for its ability to get to the meat of intercepted emails  [14]  . Carnivore was later revealed to have grown from an earlier FBI project called Omnivore, reportedly began in February 1997 but Omnivore itself probably grew from an even earlier project that still remains secret. Carnivore could be used in conjunction with two other pieces of software, called Packeteer and CoolMiner, the three together being known by the FBI as the DragonWare suite  [15]  . Carnivore was reportedly used to sift through the data of ISPs following the 9/11 outrages, although by this time it had been renamed to DCS1000 following adverse publicity  [16]  . It is generally thought that, if Carnivore was used at this time, it was coming to the end of its useful life as the FBI moved onto commerciall y available software, probably the NarusInsightà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ suite  [17]  . Narus is an American company that describes itself as a leader in providing the real-time traffic insight essential to profitably manage, secure and deliver Services over IP. However, Narus gained notoriety after its STA 6400 system was named in the Room 641A scandal  [18]  . In May 2006 Mark Klein, a former ATT technician, released statements alleging that he had discovered an illegal intercept facility, operated by the NSA, in room 641A of the ATT building at 611 Folsom Street, San Francisco  [19]  . Mr Klein alleged that in 2003 ATT built secret rooms in its premises in various American cities to house computer systems capable of allowing the American government to tap into ATTs WorldNet service and the entire Internet. Mr Klein stated in his testimony It appears the NSA is capable of conducting what amounts to vacuum-cleaner surveillance of all the data crossing the Internet, whether that be peoples e-mail, Web surfing or any other data. USA Today later claimed that after 9/11, the NSA asked the large American telecommunications companies for access to their call records, and that at least the three largest, ATT, Verizon, and BellSouth, had agreed. Although not listening to, or recording, the content of the calls, the NSA was allegedly tracking call data in order to analyse patterns for suspicious activity. The story alleged that the NSAs goal was to create a database of every call ever made inside America  [20]  . Although the nature of the governmental mass communications surveillance means that many of the claims made are alleged rather than fact, it is certain that mass Internet communications surveillance does take place. However, anyone who is familiar with modern cryptography might ask What is the point? After all, easily available software such as PGP is described by security expert Bruce Schneier as the closest youre likely to get to military-grade encryption  [21]  . Wouldnt any intelligent lawbreaker, especially an international terrorist plotting some outrage, simply encrypt their communications using a good privacy tool, such as PGP, and a 128-bit key (the maximum size allowed by US Government export policy)? According to accepted mathematical theory the computing power required to try all possible 128-bit keys in a brute force attack on an asymmetric key encryption algorithms is not only impossible, but will remain so for the foreseeable future  [22]  . Of course, in fact on average only half of those keys would be tried before the correct one is found, but again any terrorist or criminal could use a key size of 256-bits or even larger. Such arguments have led to much speculation, on the Internet especially, as to the NSAs ability to crack asymmetric keys. In particular, the hypothetical hardware devices TWINKLE and TWIRL, proposed by Adi Shamir of the Weizmann Institute of Science, would enable the factorisation of 1024-bit numbers in one year, if they were built  [23]  24. Rumours of the existence of such machines are fanned by reports that the United States has broken modern ciphers used by, amongst others, the Iranian intelligence service  [25]  . Although the European parliament report on ECHELON recommended that organisations and individuals use encryption to guard their communications against electronic eavesdropping  [26]  , the report also led to the establishment of SECOQC  [27]  , an organisation working for the Development of a Global Network for Secure Communication based on Quantum Cryptography. This seems to suggest that the European Union does not see conventional cryptography as the answer to secure communication, at least in the future. So, in conclusion, it seems that the answer to the question Is Big Brother Watching Us, is quite simply yes. More pressingly, should we be worried about this mass surveillance, or are our governments only interested in protecting us from attacks such as those that shocked the world on September 11th 2001? Few people can argue that much of the legislative changes mentioned in the first part of this essay will make it more difficult for large-scale terror organisations to function. However, many of those new policies and laws also affect privacy and civil liberties. In the United Kingdom, for example, the threat of terrorism has been used to justify the introduction of national identity cards  [28]  , even though the home secretary at the time of the London bombings, which killed more than 50 people in July 2005, admitted that I.D. cards would not have prevented them.  [29]  . Opponents of such laws argue that reduced authorisation requirements often weaken due process. At the start of this year Britains Internet Service Providers Association (Ispa) singled out the UK for its role in pushing for Europe-wide data retention laws.  [30]  On the 10th of January 2006, then Home Secretary Charles Clark stated Agreement on retaining communications data places a vital tool against terrorism and serious crime in the hands of law enforcement agencies across Europe. However, the UK government had originally proposed this policy in 2000 (over a year before the twin towers attacks) and at the time had been accused of deceiving the public over their proposals and of duplicity for lobbying for the law change in Europe, yet publicly denying that it was seeking such sweeping powers.  [31]   The United Kingdom is widely regarded as the Western democracy that subjects its citizens to the most surveillance.  [32]  In a graphic published by the Daily Telegraph on November 2, 2006, showing Privacy Internationals rankings of privacy protection around the world, Britain is described as the worst-performing western democracy. In fact we manage to achieve the worst ranking available, classing the UK as an endemic surveillance society. We share this dubious honour with Russia, China, and Malaysia, and achieve a worst countries ranking in no less than six out of thirteen invasive national practices.  [33]   Recent history has shown us that can and do abuse human rights. Although there is a clear and present need to fight terrorism we must have balance and control at the same time to ensure that democratic and legal due process is not weakened.

Shakespeares Ambiguous Hamlet Essay -- Free GCSE Coursework

  Ã‚  Ã‚   That ambiguity exists within the Shakespearean drama Hamlet is a fact accepted by literary critics. Ambiguity of both word and action occur in the play. Let us examine the problem. Ruth Nevo in â€Å"Acts III and IV: Problems of Text and Staging† explains the ambiguity present within the hero’s most famous soliloquy: The critical problem arises from the perception that the speech apparently confuses two issues. Since we know what Hamlet’s obligatory task is, we cannot but register the possibility that the taking of arms and the â€Å"enterprises of great pitch and moment† refer to the killing of Claudius, though the logic of the syntax makes them refer to the self-slaughter which is the subject of the whole disquisition. And conversely, because self-slaughter is the ostensible subject of the whole disquisition, we cannot read the speech simply as a case of conscience in the matter of revenge – Christian revenge and the secular sanctions and motivations of honor. Whether Hamlet is talking of his revenge or of his desire for death, or of both, one substituting for the other as mask for truth (or truth for mask) therefore becomes the problem that this speech poses. (46)    Other examples of ambiguity are found in this tragedy by the Bard of Avon. D.G. James says in â€Å"The New Doubt† that the Bard has the ambiguous habit of charging a word with several meanings at once:    â€Å"Conscience does make cowards of us.† There has been, I am aware, much dispute as to what the word means here. For my part, I find not the least difficulty in believing that the word carries both its usual meaning and that of â€Å"reflection and anxious thought.† It is a platitude of Shakespeare study that Shakespeare could, with wonderful ease, charge ... ...es: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P., 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"Hamlet: A Man Who Thinks Before He Acts.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar. N. p.: Pocket Books, 1958.

The Lack of African American TV Shows

The norms of American television during its early years have always been focused on the so-called â€Å"social whiteness† owing to the fact that shows have always been dominated by the whites.This theory of racial subjugation was eventually refuted since white and black characters after the 1980s do get the same amount exposure on TV shows. Considering the height of racial discrimination in the United States, the lack of African American TV shows is not surprising though African American celebrities have the same acting skills as non-African Americans.The shows allotted for African-Americans, predisposed or not, have been limited to situation comedies (sitcoms) and stand-up comics to exemplify that these marginalized sector indeed does get the equality of quantity of said TV acts.To cite in history, there was the â€Å"Amos N’ Andy Show† which commenced in 1928 as a thirty-year radio show and broadcasted on television in 1951 which only lasted for two years becau se of the massive protests by the black community. It was the lone TV show with an all-black cast during the period. There was also â€Å"The Beulah Show,† â€Å"The Nat King Cole,† â€Å"All in the Family,† â€Å"The Jeffersons,† â€Å"Good Times,† â€Å"What’s Happening,† â€Å"That’s My Mama,† and â€Å"Sanford and Son.†The era of â€Å"The Roots,† â€Å"The Cosby Show,† â€Å"Different Strokes,† â€Å"Webster,† â€Å"Gimme A Break,† and the â€Å"A-Team† also came. Many contemporary TV shows featuring African Americans followed thereafter including NBC’s â€Å"Hidden Hills,† FOX’s â€Å"The Bernie Mac Show† and â€Å"Cedric the Entertainer Presents†¦,† ABC’s â€Å"My Wife and Kids,† CBS’s â€Å"Robbery Homicide Division† and â€Å"Hack.†The former network WB also aired black-oriented shows as â €Å"The Hughleys,† â€Å"The Steve Harvey Show† and â€Å"The Jamie Foxx Show.† To enhance racial diversity, WB also featured â€Å"ER,† â€Å"Smallville,† â€Å"Gilmore Girls,† â€Å"Friends† and â€Å"The West Wing.† Meanwhile, UPN introduced â€Å"The Parkers,† â€Å"One on One,† â€Å"Girlfriends,† and â€Å"Half and Half.† Even the popular reality TV shows â€Å"Survivor† and â€Å"Big Brother† even incorporated black contestants in them.According to Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1991, schedules for prime time shows are still segregated in that African American dominated shows were isolated still and in some networks like FOX and NBC, the blacks were still underrepresented, such the term â€Å"ghettoization† of African American TV shows.Studies by SAG further revealed that there are two types of programming: first, â€Å"resourceful† programming wherein some shows incl uded a racially diverse cast and â€Å"missed â€Å"opportunity† in which no effort is made at all to broaden their horizons in terms of casting.An example of the first type is â€Å"The Practice† where it gave importance to African American casts, placing them in major roles with long screen times. As have been mentioned earlier, African Americans did not have much opportunity in drama and more serious roles.Shows like â€Å"Sex and the City† and HBO’s â€Å"Six Feet Under† put blacks in very minor, insignificant characters. Oftentimes, blacks are associated with being criminals, villains, gangs, troublemakers, street people, mobs, sidekicks or subordinates in TV performances. These racial stereotyping is not helpful in terms of reconciling the diversified cultures of blacks and whites living in one nation.It cannot be denied that television is one of the most influential media of information dissemination in the world today. Amidst globalization , television plays a great role in shaping the minds and perspectives of people about things happening in their immediate environment. The squaring off of cultural, racial and sexual distinctions should be given priority if indeed the goal of unification and eliminating discrimination is to be realized.The lack of African American TV shows is an illustration as to the inequality of racial representation in media. Even if African Americans constitute only a marginalized portion of the population, they should be given equal TV exposure to indicate that racial chauvinism has been resolved and eliminated. If whites are shown to overshadow the blacks on TV, the audience will get the idea that impartiality still exists even in the entertainment industry.It should be emphasized that television serves as an important cultural medium. Through this instrument, people learn about cultures of the different races.Whether genuine or not, what is shown on TV will be the image that the audience wil l grasp regarding that particular culture. This is the reason why extra care and caution must be considered when depicting cultures on TV shows since they shape the representation of that ethnicity.As mentioned earlier, African Americans often have negative persona in many TV shows. Because of this, the audience will tend to generalize that African Americans are indeed those kinds of people. This brings about a complex societal problem with regards to people’s attitudes towards African Americans.In conclusion, the lack of African American TV shows is not merely a question of the quantity of shows broadcasted on television but it is also a question of the quality of shows that are being aired globally.Cultural sensitivity is an important factor in that African American characters should not be limited to being slapstick comedians and humorists, but their roles must exemplify what the true black culture is in order to educate people about their beliefs and ideologies. It is onl y through a wider and deeper understanding of other ethnicities can we solve the problem of racial prejudice.Therefore, it is quantity coupled with quality of African American TV shows that will make the imparting of the black society more meaningful and constructive to be able to correct the mistaken identities of African Americans. By increasing the number of quality African American TV shows, deliverance is within reach.Referencesâ€Å"Amos N’ Andy Show.† (n.d.). The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/A/htmlA/amosnandy/amosnandy.htmEaston, B. M. (n.d.). â€Å"African-Americans on TV: A Retrogressive Renaissance.† Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.purrmag.com/Purr12/blacksontv.htmlKumbier, A. (n.d.). â€Å"The TV Ghetto.† Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.poppolitics.com/articles/2002/09/09/The-TV-Ghettoâ€Å"Racism, Ethnicity and Television.† (n.d.). The M useum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/R/htmlR/racismethni/racismethni.htmâ€Å"The African-American Television Audience.† (n.d.). Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from http://www.nielsenmedia.com/ethnicmeasure/african-american/indexAA.html   

The Human Genome Project Essays - Genomics, Genetics, Free Essays

The Human Genome Project Essays - Genomics, Genetics, Free Essays The Human Genome Project title = The Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project, What Is It? What would you do if you were given the power to change your genetic code from brown hair to blond?. Man has had this ability through natural selection for some time without knowing it, but in the near future scientist will be able to speed the process of natural selection by changing a persons genes. Scientists have identified what constitutes human DNA located in the nucleus of a cell. The Human Genome Project was established to identify the genes that make us who we are and is now an international organization. The massive task of identifying the numerous gene combinations has created a problem. In the nucleus are 22 genomes, plus two sex chromosomes which have already been identified. In the 22 genome there are approximately 3 billion base pairs of DNA which contain 50,000 to 100,000 genes, a basic unit of heredity. The identification of these base pairs is the goal of the Human Genome Project, which started in 1990 and whose job it is to identify the letters or chromosomes in DNA. These letter s represent nulcleotides called adenine, guanine, thyamine, and cytosine (or A, C, T, G). ('92 BSCS pg. 1) The Human Genome Project idea originated in the mid 1980's and was discussed in the scientific community and media through the latter part of that decade. In the United States the combined effort of the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Health were involved in the project planning. (The National Center For Genetic Reasearch) The Human Genome Project has several goals including identifying the genes of a human assessing the genes and comparing human DNA to that of bacteria, yeasts, the fruit fly, mice, and the Arabidopis thaliana, a small genome plant that grows rapidly. A major purpose is to determine how evolution proceeds from lower organisms to humans, and discover why the smaller genomes of animals have less junk or unneeded DNA. Geneticists use two types of maps to characterize the genes they discovera genetic linkage map and a physical map. A genetic map registers the distance between the fragments of DNA we know according to the frequency with which they are inherited. The physical map measures the actual physical distance between two markers. Scientists want to map and develop technology for rapid genotyping, plus develop markers that are easy to use as well as generate new mapping techniques. (Instrumentation) Scientists can map genes but it is still expensive. One of the ongoing goals of the Human Genome Project is to get the cost of mapping a gene down to 50 cents per base pair. ('92 HSCS pg.3) The enormous information that is and has been generated by the project is used to link sites together around the world through the internet and now some information can be acessed by the general public. Another of the project goals is to create a sequencing capacity at a collective rate of 50 Mb per year. This is supposed to result in the completion of 80 Mb by the end of FY 1998. Many people question whether the Human Genome Project is worth the money spent on it and will it be used negatively toward those who have traits that are considered undesirable by insurance companies and other corporations? The HUMAN GENOME ORGANIZATION has a council of scientists and doctors worldwide who meet to discuss the effects of identifying an individual's genes. In the 1996 Genetics Confidentiality and Nondiscrimmination Act an attempt to addresss this issue as noted in Section 2, " The DNA molecule contain's an individual's genetic information that is uniquely private and inseparate from one's identity. Genetic information is being rapidly sequenced and understood. Genetic information carries special significance. It provides information about one's family, and more importantly, provides information about one's self and and one's self perception." Genetic information has been misused, harming individuals through stigmitization and discrimination. The potential for misuse is tremendous as genetics transcends medicine and has the potential to penetrate many aspects of life including health and life insurance, finance, and education. Experts advocate that genetic information should not be collected, stored, analyzed, nor disclosed without the individual's authorization. Current legal protections for genetic information is, however, inadequate. Uniform rules for collection, storage, and use of DNA samples are needed to protect individual privacy and prevent discrimination while permitting legitimate medical reasearch. The report further states that the reading of a minors DNA should be only with parental or legal guardian consent and only

Beowulf and 9-11 essays

Beowulf and 9-11 essays Parallels between Beowulf and the World Trade Center Tragedy Beowulf, the story of a single man who brings a super power to its knees is a story that is cliched many times in contemporary works. In the wake of the recent tragedy involving the World Trade Center I believe this epic takes on a whole new meaning. As previously stated this story of a single man by the name of Beowulf who has an unlimited amount of respect from his people and loyalty toward his country decides to attack an immovable super power by the name of Grendle. To parallel this to the recent tragedy I would associate Beowulf with Osama Bin Laden and Grendle with the United States of America. This comparison might offend many people but I believe that with much unbiased thought the connections are undeniable. First of all Grendle is a hated individual with an unprecedented amount of power, too much of the world mainly Arabic and Islamic nations this is exactly how the United States is perceived. At the beginning of this epic Grendle makes the first strike and attacks helpless civilians, much like what the United States did during their bombing raids of Arabic nations such as Iraq and Afghanistan and even during the Vietnam war an example of that would be the massacre at May Lai. Then came the coming of Beowulf a man who most likely unfamiliar to Grendle, Beowulf took Jute civilians and trained them to fight and not fear Grendle, much like how Osama Bin Laden trained and funded Arabic and Muslim civilians to fight and not fear the United States, also Osama bin Laden was a very obscure individual to many Americans before this weeks tragedy. During the battle between the two enemies, Beowulf mortally wounds Grendle and the beast crawls back to its lair to recover and to plan its next attac k. In relation to last weeks situation, Bin Laden wounded Americas economy and pride and as of late America has been plotting its next move against Bin laden and the Arab...

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Philips Maps Out a New Direction - Case Study Example By cutting down to just 3 major divisions, the company's focus is likely to sharpen. Using multiple business units to produce a wide range of products would most likely result of wastage of resources, cost inefficiencies, and lack of a unified direction for the company as a whole. (A&AS, 2002) Cutting down to just 3 units therefore, among other things, aims to reduce operating costs. Divisions which need similar raw materials, man-power and expertise are merged into one unit so that resources can be utilized more efficiently. (A&AS, 2002) This sort of reorganization would also increase brand awareness and recognition, as the products would be better positioned in the minds of the consumers. Producing a wide range of products under one brand name usually creates confusion for the consumers as to what exactly to identify the brand with. By divesting low-margin products, and focusing a narrower and better defined product mix, this confusion would be minimized. (A&AS, 2002) The sort of r estructuring which entails divesting products and cutting down number of work units usually results in laying-off employees. This could result in unemployment, not to mention lower job security for existing employees. As is mentioned in the case, Philips faces problems when it comes to brand recognition, as Philips products are marketed in North America under a variety of names. Also, Philips LCD television technology currently has the No.2 spot in China, however, this success could be short-lived if China pumps.

The Family Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Family Business - Essay Example However, growing up, my legs seemed to straighten out while my hair finally flattened out. However, this only preceded my puberty struggles with acne and braces. This period also marked a growing bond between my father and me as he taught me the power of words and how to use words to break barriers. It also marked my increased appreciation of family. My father was especially fond of what he liked to refer to as â€Å"a family night†, which was a monthly ritual where, as family members, we came together for various activities. It involved family councils that involved everyone speaking out their mind, and we believed that all we did and said really mattered and would result in actions. This would be followed by the board or card games that my father would use to incorporate moral lessons and the value of family. This would give way to song and inspired dance, which was interspersed with stories from my elder brother who was quite the master storyteller. Ice cream, of course, wa s never far off, and it was probably the only way to keep my younger sister interested. As the fifth child and second son in a family of eight children, these family nights were quite the event; rarely did any pass without some form of event. These varied from straight out fights, hair pulling, and a number of fistfights between my older brother and me. One evening, my mother insisted that we all sat down and watched Sound of Music, which I found quite long. In the end, she asked us if we had seen any similarities between the Vontrap family and our family. Seething from an earlier altercation with my brother, I replied that the eldest son did not seem to have a girlfriend. This resulted in a fight that my family enjoyed greatly except, of course, for my mother who was horrified. While everyone else seemed to have positive things to say about the movie, I had only seen a nun and children. It is only years later that I realized why my mother had insisted that we watch the movie, as we ll as the lesson she was trying to teach us. Growing up, my mother had to work long hours usually left us in the care of our elder siblings. This normally resulted in numerous fights, which ended up hurting my mother very much. She had wanted us to see that siblings should stick together through thick and thin and that we were all expected to get along. In addition, our father was home most of the time as he worked from home and we had given him a lot of problems growing up. He never complained, however, and was always smiling. In fact, he had wrinkles at the corners of his eyes from his smiling. The movie took a sympathetic view of a father left, with many children, to look after; I fail to remember how many children the Captain had. Thinking back, I wish I had given my father the peace he so craved, but being me, I always pestered him and never gave him a chance to rest. One July morning, when the dew was still nestling on the garden leaves, my father took me out into the woods an d sat me on a dead log. Slowly, he pulled out a cotton handkerchief from his pocket and unfolded it.