Monday, December 30, 2019

The Lottery and the Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your fancy bids, assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all. This is an open invitation for you, the reader, in the short story The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas. Ursula K. Le Guin is simply inviting you to become her main character. How might you accept or deny this malicious request? It is quite simple, really. To accept it is to read on, and to deny it is to disembark in the endeavor. The city of joy, your own Omelas, is developing continuously in your head. How sweet it is. The image of the bay surrounded by the mountains with Ursulas white-gold fire enchanting the air. Oh, and one cannot forget the†¦show more content†¦The small town atmosphere and beautiful summer day symbolize the idealistic picture most Americans have of what is right and good about this country. This is reinforced by the fact that the lottery is held in the same place as many of the towns celebrations such as the square- dances, teenage club, and the Halloween program, and clearly shows how easy it is for people to clear their conscience of such horrible actions by being able to have such joyous occasions in the same place. The attitude and actions of the characters slightly allude to the reader that something is amiss, but causes little cause for concern or suspicion. The children were playing and building rock piles. The men were talking about rain, taxes, and tractors while the women gossiped. But there was little laughter between the adults, and they stayed completely away from the rock piles. The setting of the town and the actions of the characters symbolize what many believe to be right in America. The second main symbol in The Lottery is the black box. The black box is where the townspeople drew strips of paper from to determine who is the winner. It was very old and even older than the oldest member of theShow MoreRelatedConformity in The Lottery, The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas and The Namesake1063 Words   |  5 Pages To stand firm in ones beliefs is a difficult task. It takes a strong-minded person with boldness to stand for what he or she believes in. The possible consequence for doing so is isolation, humiliation or the success of changing ones view. Given that standing up for oneself makes the person vulnerable, out of fear, many suppress their ideas and settle for the beliefs of others. In The Lottery, The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas and The Namesake, the characters struggled with the decision toRead MoreThe Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Analysis876 Words   |  4 Pagesof regret and confusion.† The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† by Ursula K. Le Guin and â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson address the theme of religious and traditional symbolism.† The Lottery† demonstrates how something that seems so perfect on the outside isn’t all that great on the inside. Symbolism shows the reader that there is a deeper message within the diction. â€Å"The Lottery† addresses the theme more successfully than â€Å"The Ones Who Walked Away from the Omelas† with the greater use of religiousRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Bible 1735 Words   |  7 Pagesportrays Jesus our lord and savior as one who commits no crime and breaks no law yet suffers a horrendous torture in the name of love and gratitude for all of humanity. In similar ways both The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas and The Lottery relate to the Christian faith which is based on the presumption that one person can free the rest from anarchy and hell. All three of these human sacrificing ritualistic ideals conform to the system which kills or tortures one person because of a socially constructedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas842 Words   |  4 PagesUrsula Le Guin â€Å"The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas,† is told by the narrative of the story, who also happens to be the protagonist. It is unknown whether the narrator is male or female. The narrator is the main character of the story, since he/she is telling the story from beginning to end. The story opens with a description of the city of Omelas and how it is in close proximity to the sparkling sea. In time for their annual Festival of Summer, the entire population of Omelas gathers togetherRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lottery Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesand therefore no one questions them. In The Lottery, the scene is immediately set within the town square, and we zoom in on a gathering that clearly of great import. We are enlightened that there is to be a lottery, which immediately invokes a positive feeling in the reader. A lottery tends to signify something won, something gained, or at the very least lotteries tend to give us hope at little to no cost for us. Throughout the story, we learn the true intention behind the lottery, however. PriorRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson And The Ones Who Walk Away1556 Words   |  7 Pagesvalues and traditions from those who have come before them. With that said, it is imperative to provide individuals with the reasons we, as a society, act and behave in the manner in which we do. Without the proper knowledge of certain traditions, the members of future generations could continue to demonstrate barbaric rituals simply out of habit. This is particularly true throughout the short stories, â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"The ones who walk away from Omelas† by Ursula K. Le Guin

Sunday, December 22, 2019

How Long Will My Project Take - 1149 Words

How long will my project take? Once we have your order in hand, a team of professionals begins production planning. Our Production Department first schedules a visit to your home to confirm the measurements and quantities needed for ordering materials. Work specifications for each trade skill are broken down onto separate work orders. Permits and applications, including required drawings, have to be completed and filed with the appropriate building departments. Purchase orders are prepared and sent to each vendor supplying materials. When all the paper work is done, your order is put onto the work schedule, awaiting the availability of the appropriate crew or crews to begin production. Generally only three things come between this point and the beginning of your project: work currently in progress, work scheduled prior to yours, and the unpredictability of Mother Nature. Once the work is started on your home it is our company’s policy to proceed to completion. It’s important for each homeowner to understand that our concern is much the same as yours: the successful completion of our contract. How much will my home improvement project cost? Projects vary widely depending on your needs and budget. Our representatives visit with you to better understand your home improvement needs. At Inside Out Construction we do more than give you a quote. We provide you with the information you need to make the right decisions for your home. Our representatives take time to explainShow MoreRelatedTaking The Project Management Skills1161 Words   |  5 PagesTaking the Project Management Skills quiz provided a good insight of the skills I have for management purposes and areas that need improvement. My score landed in the middle grouping indicating my management skills are average. Simple project outcomes can be classified as good but the more complex projects will have more involvement from others which means a supervisor will not have as much control on a project so it will require more planning time and to prepare for the unexpected. FavorableRead MoreSchool And Education Is Not Something That Happens Effortlessly1712 Words   |  7 Pagesinstantaneously. Regularly the road that steers the greatest knowledge for a student is paved with hours of struggle and mini-battles that had to be fought. My journey through education has attested to this because as much as I loved to help others understand I struggled to ascertain these basic concepts myself. I started out behind, unable to grasp how to fold my tongue properly doing the basic task of speaking until age five. At the commencement of elementary school, I was already behind and frustrated withRead MoreThe Key Importance Of Education By Integrating Each Students Chosen Career Field As A Base Value970 Words   |  4 PagesThe students in Math 123 at Ivy Tech Community College were assigned the third and final Math project in November of 2015. This project included an Excel file assignment, this time focusing on finance and mortgages. The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the monetary importance of education by incorporating each students’ chosen career field as a base value, as well as to point out the advantages of investing in an IRA or 401K plan for retirement. The students were expected to make use â€Å"paymentRead MoreAssignment 8 Luiz Felippe Alcantara Essay examples1011 Words   |  5 Pagespossible to know every single part of a project. Therefore the whole planning for the project will be based on the assumptions made by the engineer. Misunderstanding of goals or unclear objectives most of times cause some failure or disagreement on project. Part of the planning faze as Work Breakdown, Statement of Work, Specifications, Milestone Schedules looks very simple, have all this documented is a good practice to check in the future since projects are always changing. The Work BreakdownRead MoreBeing An International Student Program1218 Words   |  5 Pagesquestions in my mind such as: how great companies work differently, and how to manage different tasks allotted while working for a firm. So at last, I decided to enroll for the class, with keeping in mind, that this course will provide me insight how different approaches are taken while working for various kinds of projects in company. After attending my first class, I believed that it’s going to be an interesting class with class- activities which will help in gaining knowledge how managers workRead MoreCommunication Opportunities At The Employees1697 Words   |  7 PagesCommunication opportunities During my observations and talking to the employees, most of the employees expressed communications issues within the company. However, I felt the communications issues were not issues but communication behaviors and responses to a deeper problem, such as â€Å"I tell Randy about a problem I have and he does nothing,† or â€Å"I ask questions about the future of the company, and I never get a straight answer.† Communication behaviors are set of interactions or acts that are initiatedRead MoreScout As A Eagle Scout Award1570 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the hardest thing you have ever had to do in your life? For myself, it was getting my Eagle Scout award. Now for those who don’t know what an Eagle Scout award is or means I will try and explain it to you. An Eagle Scout award is the highest rank possible in Scouting. In order to achieve this rank, you have to complete seven different ranks, along with other different requirements along the way. The basic requir ements that you need in order to get an Eagle Scout rank are, twenty-one differentRead MoreImportance Of A Memory Essay1174 Words   |  5 Pagesclass on a cheerful spring day. She was relieved class was over; controlling twenty-first-graders on a Friday in spring was a difficult job. Anxiously, I ran to the back of the class, grabbed my spring jacket off of the hook, and threw my guided reading homework into my bright blue backpack. I glided back to my desk and waited for all the kids who were riding the bus to leave. â€Å"Looks like your grandfather is picking you up,† stated Mrs. Miller as she read the note that mom wrote that morning. I patientlyRead MoreAddiction Prevention: The Dangers of Drug Use Among Teens1474 Words   |  6 PagesAddiction Prevention My project â€Å"Addiction Prevention† was intended to provide information to parents regarding the dangers of drug use among teens in our community, and to encourage parents to become aware of the hazards using illicit substances. I began by providing a survey to current middle school students regarding the use of illicit substances on our campus. This wasnt my first choice of how to start. I wanted to create a presentation informing our community of the top five most consumedRead MoreQuality Management : A Broad Range Communication Competencies Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesQuality management encompasses a broad range communication competencies. All of my classes taken at Southwestern were completed online. This initially posed a great challenge for me and forced me out of my comfort zone. Each course required discussions, peer responses, and a papers due weekly. The required weekly discussions and papers helped me out tremendously. The feedback I received from my pee rs elevated my communication skills and helped me identify areas that needed improvement. Quality

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Talent Planning Free Essays

This report has been written on Talent Planning, within this report the following will be indentified and assessed: At least four ways that affect the organisations approach to attracting talent, three organisation benefits of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce, three factors that affect an organisations approach to recruitment and selection methods, three purposes on induction and how they benefit individuals and organisations and I will include our organisations induction plans that will identify areas covered in the plans, including timelines and those involved in the process. Main Identify and assess at least four ways that affect the organisations approach to attracting talent Skill Shortage: finding the right people outside of the organisation can be a challenge, in cases where companies are expanding into new markets that they’re not aware of, expanding into new business’ where they may not have the core skills. Identify at least three organisation benefits of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. We will write a custom essay sample on Talent Planning or any similar topic only for you Order Now Employing diverse individuals can support an ease of communication within the market places for example; employing somebody who can speak more than one language could be usual to United Biscuits if they were to be part of a UB International sales team. By employing a diverse work force the organisation shows that is has an understanding of culture and beliefs, it is compliant with the Equality and Diversity Act 2010. The company must ‘protect individuals from unfair treatment and promote a fair and more equal society’ (Equality Act 2010). Ensuring a diverse work force also means that the employee has a wider skill base; individuals from different backgrounds etc can introduce new ways of working, or be able to bring new ideas and opinions to the workplace, that could benefit the business in many ways. Three factors that affect an organisations approach to recruitment and selection Cost of advertisement Role requirements and person specification. How many employees are to be taken on for the role and contract length. Three benefits of different recruitment methods Three different types of recruitment methods that Untied Biscuits use and the benefits of each are: Recruitment agency: benefits of recruiting through an agency are, the agency work with the company’s requirements/specifications to filter candidates for interview process, the agency can be involved at interview stages. More time efficient and effective than a manager searching through a number of applicants and CVs. Employee Referral: candidates are known and trust by a current employee. Contract Staffing: are not employed directly through the organisation, can ‘get rid of’ at any time, can shop around for cheaper contractors, aren’t managed through the organisation. Three benefits of different recruitment selection – see workbook slides. Interviews Psychological testing Assessments Referencing Three purposes on induction and how they benefit individuals and organisations It is important for any employee to receive a full and correct induction at the start of their employment, whether they are office or factory based, this is important because it is essential that both United Biscuits and the employee: Following correct policy and procedures from the start. This can avoid any company policies not being complied with or even any laws being broken for example, health and safety act 1998. The employee has background and information on the company in which they have joined. Include an induction plan that identifies areas to be covered, including timelines and those involved in the process. United Biscuits has varied inductions plans depending on your role within the business whether it is in the corporate function teams or a factory based employee. I have attached a copy of our Corporate Induction presentation that is used when a corporate function member of staff joins the business (please see appendix). The induction plan for a factory-based employee is slightly different as this induction includes information, which is relevant to the site they are based in and also to their role within the site. This induction includes a presentation as does the corporate functions, and a number of rules that must be followed at all times whilst on site, for example, certain factories are ‘nut free’ zones this means that you cant take any form of nut, or food containing nuts on to the site. It is important for these rules to be made clear from the start of an employee’s employment to avoid disciplinary action/dismissals from the business at a later stage if these rules are not followed. A factory employee will also have to attend various Health safety courses etc, normally where possible in the first weeks of employment. All employees based on a factory site are taken on a guide of the factory and are provided with the correct clothing on their first day. How to cite Talent Planning, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Human Resources free essay sample

Evaluate the conduct of peter Lewiston against the EEOCs definition of sexual harassment? There are two major types of sexual harassment that the EEOC identifies, which are the â€Å"Quid Pro Quo This occurs when the employees submission or rejection of sexual advances or conduct made can explicitly or implicitly affect the conditions of ones employment or is used as basis for employment decisions made. † â€Å"Hostile work environment This is a result of unwelcome conduct (whether verbal or physical) that is based on gender. † The emphasis of the case study is going to the intimidating environment which can occur when unwanted sexual conduct that affect the job performing by interfering or creating an offensive work environment. This particularly case is based on hostile work environment. Peter’s conduct against the EEOC’s was inappropriate; therefore I will say that there is sexual harassment involve. He was no following company’s procedural, his hostile environment can overcome an unwelcome sexual behavior which is might can an effect of perversely interfering with his job performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resources or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The comportment of Peter Lewiston against the EEOCs definition of sexual harassment was not appropriate, and not agreeing to the company’s procedural requirements. The intention or motive behind Lewistons conduct is not as important as the conduct itself, and this should be considered when deciding sexual harassment activities. If I were the districts EEOC officer, I would conclude according to the charges pressed and the disciplinary action would only be taken if necessary, because it could be bad publicity for the company There are two major types of sexual harassment that the EEOC identifies. The main focus of the Case Study is going to be on their second type of harassment: hostile environment can occur when unwelcome sexual conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with job performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. (EEOC. 2011) Based on the allegations brought by Ms. Beverly Gilbury, the relationship started out as a harmless crush, but escalated to an unwanted infatuation. Until Mr. Lewiston actually laid his hand on her, there was nothing wrong with how he pursued her. There is nothing wrong with love notes and flowers. Just because someone is infatuated, does not mean there is a sexual harassment case. 2. Should the intent or motive behind Lewiston’s conduct be considered when deciding sexual harassment activities? Explain. They should be completely taken into consideration. If employee â€Å"A† was to place a hand on employee â€Å"B†, it could mean a signal for congratulations, a way to get â€Å"B†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s attention or it might not mean anything at all. However, if employee â€Å"A† had emotional feelings for employee â€Å"B† the touch can be misconstrued as employee â€Å"A† trying to make a â€Å"move† on employee â€Å"B†. If employee â€Å"B† is okay with this, there is nothing wrong, but if employee â€Å"B† has to repeatedly employee â€Å"A† to stop, there could be grounds for a sexual harassment suit. 3. If you were the districts EEOC officer, what would you conclude? What disciplinary action, if any, would you take? If I were a district’s EEOC officer, firstly I have investigated on all the circumstances of the case. Since the conduct is between the fellow employees, the employer is responsible for all act of sexual harassment in the workplace; either the employer knows or should have known of the conduct. The employer will take action against Peter for his unusual acts according to the policies of the sexual harassment. If the employer fails to take the suitable action, I would have first warned Mr. Peter about his actions, along with the written warning of employment termination in case any of such acts repeats. Based on the allegations brought forth by Ms. Beverly, I would say that there is a case for sexual harassment. The only way otherwise would be if there are any eye witnesses that can http://151. fosu. edu. cn/rlzyzdkc/ybs/index0214.htm The conduct of Peter Lewiston against the EEOCs definition of sexual harassment was out of place, and not according to the company’s procedural requirements. The intent or motive behind Lewistons conduct is not as important as the conduct itself, and this should be considered when deciding sexual harassment activities. If I were the districts EEOC officer, I would conclude according to the charges pressed and the disciplinary action woul d only be taken if necessary, because it could be bad publicity for the company.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

In The Taming Of The Shrew, Shakespeare Creates Humour Through His Cha

In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare creates humour through his characters by creating false realities (as demonstrated by Petruchio's behaviour and attire in the scene of his wedding) and by the use of subterfuge and mistaken identity (shown in the final scenes with the transformation of Kate and Bianca's respective personas). He also uses irony quite extensively, especially towards the end of the play (as can be seen in the final ?wager' scene). The concept that ?things are not always as they seem' is quite evident in the events surrounding, and including, Petruchio's wedding ceremony. This particular scene in the play demonstrates how the use of false realities (a real situation falsely presented in order to deliberately deceive) can be used to create humour. Biondello describes Petruchio's appearance to Baptista, and by doing so sets up the expectations of the audience. He says that Petruchio comes wearing: New hat and old jerkin; a pair of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one buckled another laced; an old rusty sworde...with a broken hilt and chapeless; his horse hipped...with an old mothy saddle (Act III Scene II) This depiction of Petruchio conforms to Shakespeare's technique of using false realities, in order to create humour. This can also be seen in the false identity that Petruchio puts forth in his quest for dominion over Kate (that of the eccentric egomaniac). However, these false realities are not enough by themselves, as the audience has nothing to go by but what they see before them, and so they are not to know that this is not Petruchio's true personality, and so Shakespeare employs another essential element of humour: he lets the audience know what is truly transpiring, while the characters themselves remain oblivious to the truth. He does this using a soliloquy, in which Petruchio states the strategies he shall use in order to tame Kate: She ate no meat today nor none shall she eat...and as with the meat some undeserved fault I'll find about the making of the bed... This is the way to kill a wife with kindness...he that knows better how to tame a shrew, not let him speak (Act IV Scene I) This soliloquy serves to reinforce the fact that ?things are not always as they seem'. So the knowledge gleaned from this soliloquy means that we find the other events involving Kate and Petruchio even more amusing, as we can see that it is nothing more than an elaborate game of chess, instigated by Petruchio. Another example of where we find humour being generated by the fact that ?things are not always as they seem' is the relationship between Kate and Bianca. Here Shakespeare uses the device of mistaken identity and combines it with a strong sense of irony. On the outside, Kate appears harsh, cruel and frightening to all of the characters. Even her father is scared of her monstrous temper, begging anyone to marry her. Yet as her relationship with Petruchio grows, her true identity emerges and our perception of her changes. She becomes much less of a shrew, her mistaken identity, and begins to become more obsequious and agreeable, her true identity. Despite all of her outward appearances, she is truly a good person in her heart. Yet Bianca's scenario is different. She is perceived as a sweet and gentle person, a false conception, devoting herself to her studies and never wanting anything else out of life. Yet once she achieves her goal, to be married, her true self appears. She becomes q uarrelsome and apathetic. She becomes almost what her sister was. It is here that Shakespeare once again creates humour through the concept that ?things are not always as they seem'. The irony that comes from seeing the reversal of characteristics and the drastic change in our perceptions of Kate and Bianca provide a sense of amusement, and self-righteous satisfaction at the way the tides have turned. An example of this is in the final scene where Petruchio and Lucentio place a wager on the obedience of their wives (Kate and Bianca respectively). Of course Lucentio loses due to Bianca's disobedience and near-contempt for her husband, while Petruchio and his newly transformed Kate, proceed to win a

Monday, November 25, 2019

DDay1 essays

DDay1 essays In this book report I read the book D-Day and tells u about the time before and the grueling battles that led up to the most memorable and most important day of this century, June 6, 1944, that was D-Day. Also I will mention key points and describe to you what intricate planning and grueling strategy that out smarted the German What really decided the outcome of the war was determined by three things the number of allies, the number of soldiers that where positioned right so that they could defend each area equally, but the problem with the German forces was that they conquered so much land that they couldnt defend it all and that was one main reason the they lost the war. The last main reason was who had more and better weaponry. Which the Germans had a big advantage for the first part of the war. The weapons that they had was the V-2, it was the worlds first medium-range ballistic missile, it wasnt military weapon at all, but a terrorist device. They also had invented the ME-262 twin jet fighter ready for serial production. Its cruising speed was 520 miles per hour, more than 120 miles an hour faster than any plane the allies could send against it, and it mounted four 33mm canon it was known as the Blitz Bomber . When Hitler saw the 262s capabilities he was very impressed, but he wanted something that could bomb London. Another big thing that the Germans used was the B-17 bombers. Hitler was very pleased with them and they were perfect for the 262s to escort them. For example Hitler used the B-17 at the raid of the Berlin March. He used 1,250 B-17 and had 14 groups of jet fighters (262s) and he didnt lose not one plane. The Americans on the other hand had some weapon advantages that had been invented by the British, an American ally, that proved good in the long run such as the LST and the LCT. LST stands for L...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse Essay - 1

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse - Essay Example To this end, the paper will critically evaluate all the factors responsible for the global financial crisis and identify whether there were factors that were only related to the financial sector or not. The paper will therefore conclude on whether the financial sector was solely responsible or not Financial Retail Products and the Profit Motive Prior to the financial crisis of 2007, it was believed that mass marketing of retail financial products in high income countries after the early 1980s was safe (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This was a general belief that this constituted the democratization of finance and ownership in modern Capitalist society. This is because poor people and middle class persons who could not normally afford to own some kinds of properties could acquire properties through the acquisition of various financial products and services. The supporters of this school of thought believed that it was a shared framework that enabled all people in the society to own what they wanted to own. â€Å"Mainstream finance represented financial innovation in circular and technological terms as that which perfected the market.† (Engelen, Erturk, Froud, Leaver, & Williams, 2008, p. 4). This means that the growth of technology and the enhancement of the financial sector led to the growth and expansion of the debt systems and debt structures (Froud J. , Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2009). This grew the trend of financial intermediation and created more financial retail products. However, this process gave way for the evils of exploitation by numerous financial intermediaries (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This created a major problem that fed into the system of the credit crunch. â€Å"Empirical evidence of the United States shows that extension of credit and asset ownership in an unequal society is self defeating because it does not abolish the tyranny of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Motion of Dismissal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Motion of Dismissal - Research Paper Example Details of section 2-619 of the Illinois codes of civil procedures It is evident from the daily business activities regarding mortgages, that all mortgage transaction contains an acceleration clause. This clause in different instances requires the lender to make provisions to the borrower with a default notice, and the intent to accelerate. There is also an emphasis that the lender should provide the instructions, which can be taken as a remedy of the default date, and a new date set within 30 days in which the borrower must remedy the default (Lauterpacht and Greenwood, 1999). Lenders often ignore the clause; this is a condition, that actionable by a court of law in a foreclosure action. However, the precedent condition must be considered before another action. Such instances force the lender to follow the guidelines outlined in the mortgage acceleration clause before finding the foreclosure. Failing to follow the above guidelines do not invalidate the mortgage, though it may cause temporal dismissal of the foreclosure claims, therefore, resetting the borrower’s clock for the distress. In Illinois State, the 2-619 motion results from modification of the 2-615 motion and the 2-1005 motion. That is; they dismiss for failure motion on state claim, and the summary judgment motion. They both have a defensive nature, thus disposing the issues of facts and law. The motion adheres to the sufficiency and truth of the claim though it does not purpose the asserted affirmative matters (Lauterpacht and Greenwood, 1999). Affirmative matters refer to defenses that, either refutes critical conclusion, or negates a cause of action. Section 2-619 makes provisions for affirmative defenses; one can bring it regardless of the fact that it is retaining past the point of filling a 2-619 motion. Filling a Defamation Complaint Libel is a false statement from an individual, which in turn causes suffering to the other person. Defamation refers to a libelous statement in a print s tate. Traditionally, a print refers to a statement published in a newspaper or a letter, but in the recent days, it refers to the internet, and other mass media. Technology has been an element which is leading to increase in cases of defamation. Ideal examples are social networking sites such as Facebook, which brings the highest level of defamation that ever in the history. A court of law requires one to prove defamation through the following: 1. There must be a false statement from the defendant to the plaintiff 2. The statement must have reached a third party, through provable means. This means that the defendant must communicate the statement to the other person or persons. 3. The statement has to be harmful to the plaintiff 4. There must be damages on the part of the victim Making false statements If there is a false statement published about a public figure, it is the responsibility of the public to prove that the statement has a malicious intention in making the untrue statem ent. There are different standards for public figures, as they expect statements based on their public status. There have been arguments on the definition of public status, but there they not yet fruitful. The current definition from leading philosophers’ state that, public figure is something the public value in ones character. In many

Monday, November 18, 2019

Combine Analysis of a Rose for Emily Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Combine Analysis of a Rose for Emily - Essay Example Similarly Faulkner also incorporates this theme in order to depict the bitter reality of human beings who are on their way to destruction as the writer believes that human existence is now devoid of emotions and feeling where man is living a mechanical existence and waiting for the ultimate escape i.e. death as it is also observed that the story commences with the funeral of Emily and ends with the death of Homer. Moreover this can also be deduced from the description of Emily in the story as it describes Emily as a living dead creature i.e. although she is alive yet she is hollow or empty on the inside hence she is almost dead. As it is also stated in the text, â€Å"She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough† (Faulkner 14). Theme of death also stresses on the reality of life that this world is a temporary place and ultimately everything is going to collapse and meet its end. The theme of isolation in this prose is indirectly linked with theme of death and decay as Harold Bloom also says, â€Å"Emily is isolated from the community. Her isolation is so thorough that she does not or can not have a suitor from Jefferson†¦ her isolation eventually grows to resemble a living dead in which her closest companion is a corpse† (90). This theme also depicts the irony of human existence i.e. although an individual is surrounded by people yet he is alone. As it is inferred from Emily’s situation who has lived all her life in Jefferson yet the people of that community are strangers for her. Even her cousins are not a source of comfort and support. Hence it shows that every individual in this world is living a selfish and isolated existence. Love is defined as an intense emotion that leads an individual to behave irrationally as it blinds him to all logic and reasoning. A similar case is observed in A Rose for Emily because her actions of keeping the dead body of Homer can be interpreted as an act of desperation on Emily’s part and also reveals her insecurities about being left alone. Hence she finds solace in keeping Homer’s dead body and sleeping with his corpse. Bloom also believes that, â€Å"while it may be an unconventional one â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a love story. The revelation that Emily has slept beside Homer Barron’s corpse for 40 years let us know that his killing was motivated more by love than some other reason such as pride or revenge† (90). 2. Symbolism Faulkner’s use of symbolism acts as a tool of foreshadowing and helps in the development of the plot. Initially the ‘Rose’ in the title suggests love as it is a cliche that a rose is a symbol of love and affection. However it is later revealed to the readers that the rose is either the symbolic representation of Emily’s irrational love a nd affection for Homer that led her to kill him and keep him with her or Emily’s Father’s love for her daughter that made him believe that no one was good enough for his daughter and hence he decided his daughter was better off alone rather than married. The description of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Womens Engagement in Politics

Womens Engagement in Politics Why are there relatively few women engaged in political activity? Introduction It is evident that women are underrepresented in government and in general do not engage in political activity in the same numbers as men do. Various explanations have been used to explain this phenomenon: entrenched discrimination on the part of candidate selectors, elite theory as well as the Supply and Demand Model. This paper visits each explanation in turn finding some value in each. Finally, the argument is made that another possibility is that the system has been created by men for men. When states and constitutions were created in today’s developing countries, women did not have the right to vote, own property or engage in any political activity. Therefore, one could argue that the terms of the social contract on which liberal democracies are based are male- centric and do not allow for the equal representation of women. Theoretical Perspectives: Women and Democracy Beyond the basic interpretation of democracy as â€Å"rule by the people†, scholars have noted that democracy has evolved, changing over time and space and responding to evolution in public affairs. As explained by Meny â€Å"it is commonly accepted that democracy has varied over time, evolving from a rather elitist and restrictive form to a more open and participatory form of government† (Meny, 2002, p.10). Dahl identifies three evolutionary waves, or â€Å"transformations† of democracy, from the Greek city- state to the republic and finally to the nation- state (Dahl, 1989). Furthermore, Dahl identifies the basic criteria for a democratic process as: effective participation, voting equality at the decisive stage, enlightened understanding, control of the agenda by the people, and equal opportunity (Dahl, 1989). Effective participation is the requirement for citizens to have an equal chance of expressing preference for the political outcome, and their choice should be weighed as equal to that of any other citizen. Enlightened understanding means that citizens should be informed in their choice and have an understanding of the system. At first glance, therefore, one would be surprised with the arguments posed by some Feminists that standard definitions of democracy such as the above are discriminatory against women and legitimize a gender- biased system. Waylen asserts: â€Å"democracy defined in these ways becomes a ‘political method’ simply an institutional arrangement to generate and legitimize leadership† (Waylen, 1994, p.332). To help us understand statements like these, we should consider the distinction between different kinds of â€Å"equality† and the historic inequality democratic systems have imposed on women. There is an important distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of result. If a system merely aims at equality of opportunity then giving women the right to vote and come forward as candidates would be an end in itself; but if equality of result is sought, then one would see that external factors diminish the value of equality of opportunity (Karam ed. 199 8). A historic overview of â€Å"democracy† reveals that as a system in application, it is embedded with inequality. The democrats in ancient Greece excluded women, slaves and immigrants and considered foreigners to be â€Å"barbarians† and therefore inferior to the Greeks. At a minimum, democracy requires that people have the right to vote, and this right was not given to women until recently: 1919 in West Germany, 1920 in the USA, 1921 in the UK and 1971 in Switzerland (just to name a few examples of developed and democratic states). In accounting for this inequality, Feminists emphasize the concept of patriarchy and the distinction between the public and private sphere. Patriarchy[1] means â€Å"rule by fathers† and mainstream political theory argues that this system has been obsolete and no longer n existence since more than three hundred years ago. Feminists, however, have always been pointing out that it still exists. Pateman argues that patriarchy has been replaced by â€Å"fraternity†[2] through the establishment of the social contract. Patriarchy has its foundations in the separation between the public and the private sphere, thereby keeping women confined in the private sphere, removed from politics: â€Å"The division of public and private life as one that differentiates the woman (private) from the man (public) is the overarching ideological tool of patriarchy† (Corrin 1999 quoting Eisenstein 1984). Liberal Democracy This system aims to check both the tyranny of the majority and the abuse of power by a government, usually through a system of checks and balances. The system merely aims at equality of opportunity (and not equality of result or of condition) and accountability through voting. It assumes that society consists of a plurality of interests which compete with each other over influence over political outcomes. As a result of this competition a stalemate may occur which means little or piece meal change to the system can be achieved and thus the status quo perpetuates. This model embraces the distinction between the public and private sphere. [3] Feminists therefore criticize liberal democracy and assert that inequalities between husband and wife reduce the value of political life for women. Feminists also feel that a â€Å"gender- neutral† approach to citizenship (as is proposed by liberal democracy) actually serves to exclude women. Phillips argues that concepts such as the individual, citizenship, rights etc are male categories (Phillips, 1991). Participatory Democracy This model requires social equality and emphasizes participation. It challenges the private- public distinction and proposes that for democracy to be meaningful in the public sphere there must also be democracy in the private sphere. Feminists agree that voting is not enough and that there must be discussion and participation. However, feminists argue that this model also creates an elite of â€Å"active† citizens. As certain categories of women such as housewives have less free time, they are less able to be â€Å"active† in public affairs and would therefore be disadvantaged. Elite Theory Elite theory assumes that throughout history there has been a group of people who â€Å"rule† and the rest who are ruled by them. Essentially this theory is about power and its distribution. Gaetano Mosca argues that the existence of the elite and its dominance depends on its organizational position and abilities. Mosca believes that the more organized minority will prevail over the less organized majority. Mosca distinguishes between an upper stratum elite (small group of political decision- makers) and a lower stratum of the elite, who perform lesser political functions. Mosca saw elite- formation as inevitable; if the mass were to rise against the elite and replace it in government, another small group would rise from within the masses and prevail over the rest. Mosca saw elite theory and democracy as compatible (Rush, 1992). Michels drew upon Mosca’s â€Å"iron law of oligarchy† and argued that like all other organizations, political parties are dominated by their leadership. Pareto diverges from the Marxist notion that the elite are defined in economic terms, and argues instead that it is human attributes such as motivation and abilities which define it (Rush, 1992). Political Recruitment The Selection Process Norris and Lovenduski identify three levels of analyzing political recruitment: a) systematic factors such as the legal system, the electoral system and the party system, which set the context for analysis, b) context- setting factors such as party organization, rules and ideology, c) factors influencing directly the recruitment of individual candidates such as resources and motivations of applicants and the attitudes of â€Å"gatekeepers† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The recruitment process is generally evaluated by testing whether the system is democratic (involving local activists and grassroots members), whether it is fair (treating all applicants equally), whether it is efficient (as a decision- making process) and whether it is effective in producing candidates of a high standard (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). There are six main types of selection process and these are: 1) informal- centralized, where constitutional mechanisms may be in place but in essence patronage controls outcomes and rules are largely symbolic 2) informal – regional where factions bargain in order to get good positions for their candidates, 3) informal- localized where the decision over which selection procedure will be used depends on local groups and therefore procedures vary and the system is open to manipulation by small groups 4, 5) formal- centralized/ formal- regional where party leaders at national or at regional level have the power to choose candidates and 6) formal- localized where constitutional rules and guidelines create a standard procedure and all applicants are treated equally (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). According to Norris and Lovenduski: â€Å"in the long term the main change in recruitment within British parties has been in process rather than power. There has been a gradual evolution from an ‘informal- localized’ system based on patronage in the nineteenth century towards more ‘formal- localized’ system today based on more meritocratic standards† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.5). Supply and Demand In analyzing trends in political recruitment, Norris and Lovenduski present the Supply and Demand Model : â€Å"based on a ‘supply and demand’ model, the study distinguishes between the factors influencing the ‘supply’ of candidates willing to come forward and the factors influencing the ‘demand’ of party selectors in making their decisions† ((Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.14). On the Demand side, selectors choose based on perceptions of the candidates’ abilities, experience etc. Such perceptions can be affected by discrimination and stereotyping either in a positive r in a negative way. Direct discrimination is judging people as members of groups instead of as individuals. Imputed discrimination amounts to selectors favouring certain categories of candidates e.g. women or racial minorities (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). On the Supply side, selectors may argue that certain categories of people such as women do not come forward as candidates. Motivation and constrained resources may affect potential candidacies. Also, demand and supply are inter-related; some may be deterred from coming forward out of fear of discrimination (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). Applied to the case of women, the Demand side proposes that women may have lower resources in terms of money and time as well as lower levels of political ambition and confidence. On the supply side, selector may employ direct or imputed discrimination against women: â€Å"the basic problem is that selectors are not enthusiastic about women candidates. They believe the electorate does not want them. They do not see women as having the same commitment as men. They do not know how to categorize them †¦ in short, they apply different standards† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.115 quoting Mitchell 1982). Party Selection In the Conservative Party, following the Chelmer Report 1972 the rules guiding procedures were revised. This slightly strengthened the role of party members at the expense of the constituency executive committee. In 1980 the Conservative Central Office introduced managerialist selection boards to scrutinize candidates on the Approved List before they could apply. These boards aimed to produce better quality candidates and fairer procedures (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The Labour general party modernization in the 1980s included selection rules reform. Thus, there was a mandatory reselection for incumbents, a formalized selection procedure and power shifted downwards to an electoral college of all members. To encourage more women candidates the Party altered short listing rules and introduced more training programs (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). For the general election 1997 Labour introduced women-only shortlists whereby a proportion of local parties were required to shortlist only women candidates for selection. The policy was then withdrawn as it was found in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The Electoral System According to Norris and Lovenduski â€Å"the British electoral system is commonly seen as contributing towards the localism of the selection process, by strengthening the links between individual MPs and their constituency† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.28). The British first- pass- the post system is based on a 651 plurality, single member districts and opportunities are determined by the number of seats. Voters can vote for or against individual candidates, but have no say over who is placed before them as a candidate (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The incumbency turnover further constrains opportunities to enter parliament. The rise of â€Å"careerism† whereby MPs enter parliament at a younger age and see their position as a career further supports this proposition. The party system is a further constraint; traditionally the UK was considered a two- party system, but this has gradually been weakened in the post- war period (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). Conclusions: Accounting for Women’s Under representation The Discrimination Argument Some feel that women are discriminated against by part selectors: â€Å"discrimination by gatekeepers is probably one of the most common explanations of the social bias in our parliament† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.123). However, it is difficult to establish proof of this discrimination. Others feel that at present the system is open to women and explain the under representation in terms of structural constraints such as lack of confidence or the difficulty to combine family life with a career in politics (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). There is also the argument that selectors may not be biased themselves, but may feel that the electorate has biased perceptions. Therefore, to avoid ‘losing’ they do not select ‘risky’ candidates such as women or ethnic minorities. In general, ‘winning’ candidates are perceived as local, white, middle class and male: â€Å"perceptions of anticipated electoral gains and losses reflect, and thereby reinforce the dominant class and racial biases within parliament† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.136). The Elite Theory argument An application of elite theory to liberal democracies at present, confirms the validity of this model. Electoral systems may mean that the voters do not have a genuine choice and that this lies in the hands of the selectorate, usually party officials: â€Å"studies in a number of countries show that in socio- economic terms the differences between successful and unsuccessful candidates are not great and that the selection of candidates is often in the hands of a small group of party leaders and activists† (Rush, 1992, p.66). The Social Contract Revisited Nadezhda Shvedova identifies the difficulties women face in achieving equal representation in government: political, socio-economic, and ideological/psychological obstacles (Karam ed. 1998). Political obstacles include: the type of electoral system ( Shvedova believes proportional representation is better for increasing women’s representation), prevalence of the â€Å"masculine model† of political life e.g. the â€Å"predator mentality† that is supposedly alien to women, and lack of party support. Arguments of socio-economic obstacles usually stem from the theory that higher development brings more democratization; Ideological/psychological obstacles are the traditional social roles assigned to women and men, women’s lack of confidence, the perception of politics as a â€Å"dirty†, and the way in which women are portrayed in the mass media. In newly democratized countries mechanisms such as quotas have been devised to ensure equal representation. Quotas are introduced to make sure that women constitute a certain percentage of the members of a public body such as a candidate list, committee, parliament assembly, or government. They usually aim at achieving at least a â€Å"critical minority† of 30-40% for women (Karam ed. 1998). The three most common forms of these mechanisms are: constitutional quotas which reserve seats in the national parliament for women, election law quotas which are written in national law, and political party quotas which are adopted by political parties to achieve a certain percentage of women as candidates. According to Dahlerup, â€Å"History seems to prove that the implementation of a quota system is made easier in a new political system than in an older one, where most seats might be ‘occupied’, and consequently a conflict may arise between the interests of new groups versus those of the incumbent† (Karam ed. 1998). Countries that have implemented quotas for women are : Uganda, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Tanzania, Belgium, Italy and Namibia (Karam ed. 1998). An example of a newly democratized state where women played an important role in creating the institutions and the foundations of the state is South Africa. According to Seidman â€Å"During the South African transition women activists played a surprisingly important role in the negotiations, in the elections, and in designing the new state. Women’s participation is already leading to new approaches in policy making and, I will suggest, to the construction of a new vision of gendered citizenship† (Seidman 1999, p. 288). This illustrates the ambiguous relationship between development and democracy, and the relationship between the role played by women in freedom or independence struggles and their subsequent role in the new state. . However, it is more difficult to implement such mechanisms in older democracies where rules of procedure and systems are entrenched. Another reason is that the liberal democratic model creates systems that are less â€Å"gendered† than the participatory democracy model, for example, would. This may not have been done to purposely discriminate against women; it may be more about the general ideology of liberal democracy. A good illustration would be the case of the USA where the founding fathers of the American Constitution aimed at creating a â€Å"free† society. â€Å"Free† however, does not imply equal in resources or in condition. Liberal democracy can be therefore criticized because the state will strive to achieve the equality of disadvantaged people; it is more likely to act as a neutral mediator or even observer in the free, pluralist system, where the strongest group/ elite will prevail. It therefore follows that in such a system, reforms to improve the r epresentation of women in political activity will be piece-meal and gradual. References Corrin, C. (1999). Feminist Perspectives on Politics, Essex, Pearson Prentice Hall. Karam, A. (ed) (1998). Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers, Stockholm, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). Waylen, G. (2003), Gender and Transitions: What Do We Know?, Democratisation, 10 (1), p. 157- 178. Waylen, G. (1994), Women and Democratisation: Conceptualising Gender Relations in Transition Politics. World Politics, 46 (3), p. 327- 354. Seidman, G. (1999), Gendered Citizenship: South Africa’s Democratic Transition and the Construction of a Gendered State, Gender and Society, 13 (3), p.287-307. Phillips, A. (1991), Engendering Democracy, Cambridge , Polity. Pateman, C. (1988), The Sexual Contract, Cambridge, Polity. Meny, Y. (2002), De la democratie en Europe: Old Concepts and New Challenges, Journal of Common Market Studies, 41 (1), p. 1-13. Dahl, R. (1989), Democracy and Its Critics, New Haven; London, Yale University Press. Rush, M (1992), Democracy and its Critics, Harvester Wheatsheaf, Prentice Hall. Norris, P. and Lovenduski, J. (1995), Political Recruitment: Gender, Race and Class in the British Parliament, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 1 Footnotes [1] Adrienne Rich defines patriarchy as â€Å"a familial- social, ideological, political system in which men by force, direct pressure, or through ritual, tradition, law and language, customs, etiquette, education, and the division of labour, determine what part women shall or shall not play† (Corrin 1999, p.8 quoting Rich 1997). [2] Fraternity means â€Å"rule by brothers† and is seen by Feminists such as Pateman as equally discriminative against women as patriarchy [3] Plato and Aristotle had made this distinction in their writings (Phillips, 1991)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

An Analysis of The Thurber Carnival Essay -- Thurber Carnival Essays

An Analysis of The Thurber Carnival  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The Fables for Our Time contained in Thurber's The Thurber Carnival are, in my opinion, particularly good examples of a writer successfully 'breaking frames' in order to create humor and satire. In this essay I am going to explore the main methods Thurber uses to create humor and satire in the fables "The Shrike and the Chipmunks" and "The Unicorn in the Garden"2. Firstly though, what do I mean by the 'broken frame'? This is a reference to the idea that the violation of our 'frames of reference', and the recognition of the incongruity caused by it, is the basic element of humour. If the incongruity needs to be explained, the humour will be lost. Kant expresses this idea when he says "Laughter is an affection arising from a strained expectation being suddenly reduced to nothing"3. Thurber violates several different types of expectation in his attempts to create humour and satire. These range from expectation of the rules of fable and other literature, to expectation of characterisation, and expectation of the familiar saying. "The Shrike and the Chipmunks", is first and foremost a parody of the traditional fable. It has all the traditional ingredients: the anthropomorphised Chipmunks, corresponding with stereotyped human characters, the building of suspense over a perceived right and wrong type of behaviour, a corresponding climax, and a moral at the end. Anthropomorphism is a common technique of humour. Umberto Eco explains that this is so that the audience can laugh at the 'broken frame', without the discomfort of empathy with the frame breaker. "It is for this reason that the animalisation of the comic hero is so important"4. But quite apart from this use, Thur... ... 1-9. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Judgement, Book II. E307 Photocopy. pp. 196-203. Thurber, James. The Thurber Carnival. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1983.    End Notes 1. Umberto Eco, "Frames of Comic Freedom," in Carnival!, ed. T. A. Sebeok (Berlin: Mouton Publishers, 1984), p. 4. 2. James Thurber, The Thurber Carnival (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1983). Fables for Our Time pp. 278 - 305. "The Shrike and the Chipmunks" pp. 290-291. "The Unicorn in the Garden" pp. 304-305. 3. Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgement, Book II, E307 Photocoy. p. 199. 4. Eco, p. 2. 5. Thurber, p. 290. 6. Thurber, p. 290. 7. Thurber, p. 291. 8. Thurber, p.305. 9. Burton Bernstein, Thurber: A Biography (Great Britain: Lowe & Brydone, 1975), p. 308. 10. Eco, p. 2.      

Monday, November 11, 2019

Frankenstein and Blade Runner †Texts in Time Analysis Essay

Many themes and ideas continue to reoccur among different texts in time. However studying two texts in conjunction allows one to observe how composers manipulate ideas in order to more accurately connect to their context, and reflect the concerns and values of the time. Through the comparative study of Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus and Ridley Scott’s 1981 neo-noir cyberpunk film Blade Runner (Director’s Cut), one can observe how in these two didactic and prescient tales, ideas of the dangers of unrestrained scientific progress and the Promethean overreaching of man are explored, with differences in values presented reflecting the different contexts between the texts. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was created in an era of rapid technological change. By 1818, the Industrial Revolution had deeply influenced the fundamental nature of society, while Enlightenment inspired ideals of logic and autonomy of reason were prominent in society. Her text accordingly reflects this, as seen in the protagonist Victor Frankenstein; â€Å"I am imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature. † This metaphor alludes to his passionate and desperate urge to uncover the secrets to the creation of life. Shelley however critiques his intrusive scientific pursuit and horrid creation by juxtaposing it with the beauty of nature. This is seen in the bucolic descriptions of nature’s sublime; â€Å"Mighty alps, whose white and shining pyramids and domes towered above all. † Nature calms and dehumanises Victor throughout the text, but Victor pursues science to the extent that nature loses its consoling ability, and thereafter the Arctic becomes a pathetic fallacy to mock Victor’s psychological and mental isolation. This criticism is further emphasised through the epistolary narrative framework, which allows the text to begin in medias res. The first introduction to Victor is him in a state of complete ruin, and so the text is a forewarning of the ramifications of amoral scientific advancement. In a similar manner, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner was created in a time of rapid technological progress through the 1970s and 80s. The emergence of the computer and communication age meant that the world became more centralised, with a growing concern that technology was destroying the environment. Set in Los Angeles in 2019, the opening establishing shot of the expansive city immediately demonstrates the negative consequences of untamed scientific advancement. The fire belching into the sky, the artificial city lights sparkling under a looming red-grey sky and the haunting synthetic pulses from the Vangelis soundtrack allude to Hades, making the city a vision of hell. The camera then zooms into the reflection of an eye, which depicts the artificiality of the world and introduces dystopian themes of paranoia and surveillance. Hence we can see that Blade Runner is representative of a grim future that Shelley’s scientific hubris warned us of nearly two centuries ago. However there are alterations in the ideas shown to befit the differing contexts of the texts. Mary Shelley argues that an excessive pursuit of science can lead to the ruin of an individual man, seen in Victor Frankenstein. She also argues that nature is larger than man, evident in her highly Romantic descriptions of nature’s sublime. Ridley Scott however argues that man is overpowering nature, owing to the global concerns of pollution and deforestation in the 1980s. Hence Scott implies amoral scientific advancement will lead to the detriment of society as a whole, and not just at an individual level. Unequivocally, both texts explore the idea of the promethean overreaching of man and his tendency to usurp the role of God, through the characters of Victor Frankenstein and Tyrell. The subtitle of Mary Shelley’s novel, The Modern Prometheus, refers to Victor Frankenstein, and his creation of the monster. A new species would bless me as its creator and source† His creation however leads him to transcend the boundaries of man and elevate him into a god-like status, and this leads to Victor’s complete societal and mental isolation, where he loses sight of his responsibilities and the consequences of his actions. Victor compares himself to God, while the monster says to Victor â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel†, referring to himself as Lucifer. This means the text is given added complexity in that there is a duality between both characters, where neither Victor or the monster are innately good or bad, rather they containing capacity for both, as they become two sides of a single entity, forming a doppelganger relationship. Finally, the literary allusion by Victor; â€Å"how could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight hanging round my neck? † is a reference to the albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and shows the eternal punishment and guilt Victor faces from outstretching the boundaries of man and playing the role of God. Therefore it is apparent that in her text, Shelley attempts to warn of the dire consequences of man’s promethean overreaching of the role of God. Correspondingly, the idea of man overstepping of the natural order is heavily explored in Blade Runner. The film is the epitome of a dystopian world dominated by commerce. The initial low angle shot of the Tyrell Corporation’s grand ziggurat-like monolith reflects the rampant commercialisation and commodification of the world, while the blue light shining into the sky pertains to the usurpation of God’s role, and the diminishment of nature in modern society. The Tyrell Corporation’s dominance criticises the â€Å"greed is good† attitude of the 1980s, typified through the antagonist Eldon Tyrell; â€Å"Commerce is our goal here at Tyrell, ‘More Human than Human’ is our motto. † His thick glasses symbolise his failure to see the future consequences of his actions, much like Victor, and this adds to the eye motif of the film, where eyes are windows to the soul and measures of humanity – something which Tyrell clearly lacks. Roy Batty, the film’s role-reversed protagonist, is portrayed initially as a Satanic figure; â€Å"I’ve done questionable things†, akin to the monster being labelled â€Å"daemon† and â€Å"devil† in Frankenstein. However Scott makes a biblical allusion when Batty crucifies his own hand, and this relates him to Christ. Thus one can see how in both texts the composers warn of the dangers of usurping the role of god, showing the complexity and duality of man on Earth. Mary Shelley’s romantic values however mean that through the character of Victor, she aims to criticise the overreaching aspect of Enlightenment, warning that those who do will be eternally punished. Ridley Scott however aims to condemn the overcommercialisation and increasing greed in society, using Tyrell as a figure to represent man’s obsession for power, and in such he criticises the society that we live in. In these ways it can be seen how the overreaching of god in both texts is used differently to resonate with different contextual values. Therefore, through a comparative study of both Frankenstein and Blade Runner, we can see how the common issues of rampant scientific and technological progress and the usurpation of the natural order is explored in both texts, however these ideas are varied slightly in order to suit the differing contexts. Frankenstein aims at questioning Enlightenment values, while Blade Runner condemns materialism, unhinged genetic engineering and corporal greed, essentially critiquing society and presenting a dystopian vision of the future.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Vertigo is a 1958 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock that has stood the trial of clip in the horror genre. It is considered to be one of the seminal movies in the genre non merely because it set the tone for the movies to follow but besides because it exhibited legion characteristics and techniques that would function to revolutionize the manner in which films were made. The camera angles. usage of infinite. filming. particular effects and sound all contribute to the overall consequence achieved. As such. this essay will analyze each of the above with a position to reasoning that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. The first technique of note is the manner in which camera angles are used in order to make an ambiance of fright. giving the feeling that the characters are traveling in one barbarous circle. The usage of the camera â€Å"†¦ simulates panicked feelings of acrophobia ( fright of highs ) felt by Scottie Ferguson ( James Stewart ) . † ( Pramaggiore A ; Wallis. 2004. p. 127 ) . For illustration. at one point in the movie. a stairway is filmed from the really top. This non merely alludes to the cyclical nature of the narrative because the bell tower stairway is so round but besides narrows the shooting. The semblance of falling from a great tallness is fostered in this shooting and so in others. like that in which Stewart appears to be standing on the shelf. Furthermore. the camera angles besides link straight to the semblance of infinite: â€Å"†¦ serves as a templet for cardinal subjects: the topography of a metropolis and its environing countryside matched by quandary of sexual pick. guilt and compulsion. † ( Orr. 2005. p. 137 ) . The position from the bell tower ever appears to be black. therefore mirroring the overtones of the secret plan. The sound used besides highlights the cyclical nature of the narrative. In an interview in Sight and Sound. Scorsese pointed out that â€Å"†¦ the music is besides built around spirals and circles. fulfillment and desperation. Herrmann truly understood what Hitchcock was traveling for – he wanted to perforate to the bosom of compulsion. † ( 2004 ) . Scorsese’s appraisal is right and this is typified by the scenes in which Madeline and Judy fall to their deceases. The sound is similar in both cases and actively signifies the sarcasm that the get downing point of the film is besides the terminal. However. it is non merely the usage of music that has a important impact of the tone of the film but besides the silence. Hitchcock uses silence improbably good and merely provides duologue as and when he has to. For illustration. even the confession scene at the denouement of the film is non as full of vocabulary as it may be in other movies. Wordss are used meagerly and to do a point. Particular effects and cinematographic techniques are non used every bit meagerly as the duologue in an effort to convey the tenseness desired. Hitchcock doubtless used rear projection in Vertigo: â€Å"Foreground and background tend to look starkly offprint. partially because of the absence of dramatis personae shadows from foreground to play down. partially because all background planes tend to look every bit diffuse. † ( Bordwell A ; Thompson. 1996. p. 244 ) . This is an illustration of both of these characteristics and there are legion illustrations of this in the movie. such as the point at which Novak and Stewart snog against the background of the ocean. The histrions were filmed and so imposed on a natural background. therefore waiving the usage of shadow. As such. there is something innately unnatural about it. which follows the secret plan. The movie stock is besides color and this besides helps to extinguish the usage of visible radiation and dark. therefore enhances this peculiar consequence. In decision. there can be small uncertainty that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. There are legion techniques used within the film to assist lend to the cyclical and slightly claustrophobic atmosphere. Again. this serves to rise the tenseness. The saving usage of duologue and first-class usage of sound effects. when paired with the movie stock and clever camera angles. surely enhance the narrative and finally allowed Hitchcock to make one of the best cinematic illustrations of horror in history. Bibliography Bordwell. David A ; Thompson. Kristin. 1996. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Orr. John. 2005. Hitchcock and Twentieth Century Cinema. London: Wallflower Press. Pramaggiore. Maria A ; Wallis. Tom. 2005. Movie: A Critical Introduction. London: Laurence King Publishing. Scorsese. Martin. 2004. The Best Music in Film. Sight and Sound ( September 2004 ) . [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. bfi. org. uk/sightandsound/filmmusic/detail. php? t=d A ; q=42 [ Accessed 10 May 2010 ] . Vertigo. 1958. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Paramount Pictures.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Abuse of elderly - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Abuse of elderly - Smart Custom Writing French architectureReliable history of French architecture begins with the Middle Ages, from the XI century, as reliable information about the earlier Celtic and Frankish cultures did not survive. In France, mainly in the south, in Provence and Dauphine, the remains of temples of the Gallo-Roman period are saved. Among numerous places of worship and fantastic beauty are two buildings – Chartres Cathedral and Pantheon. From the point of view of Art History these masterpieces attract universal attention. For this paper just these very buildings were chosen because of great popularity, unique history, out of the ordinary design etc. All these factors make the work given unusual, interesting for readers and informative for those who studies Art History. As France is home to the Gothic style, it is considered that foundation is the church architecture, French Gothic reaches its peak in the era of "rayonnat" style, vivid example of which is the cathedral of Chartres; Pantheon, in tu rn, is one of the most magnificent buildings in Paris of neoclassical style. This significant difference, which is expressed in design, materials, technology, lay-out, decoration and function was the reason for writing such paper. It also can be considered as a comparative characteristic among the reasons of showing the interest to this topic. Chartres Cathedral shows the highest achievements of Gothic architecture. The three-building plan is a Latin cross with a short three-nave and transept deambulatory. The eastern part of the temple has several semi-circular radial chapels. Three of them were markedly in favor of the boundary of semicircle deambulatory, the four other are less deep. At the time of construction the vaults of Chartres Cathedral were the highest in France, which was achieved through the use of based on the abutment of flying buttresses. Additional flying buttresses supporting the apse, appeared in the XIV century. Chartres Cathedral was the first in the construction of which was used this architectural element, which gives it a completely unprecedented external shape, increased the size of windows and the height of the nave (36 feet).[1] Feature of the appearance of the cathedral are its two very different towers. 105-meter spire of the south tower built in 1140 is in the form of unpretentious Romanesque pyramid. North tower of 113 feet has a base, the remainder of the Romanesque cathedral and the spire of the tower appeared at the beginning of the XVI century in the style of Flamboyant Gothic. Chartres Cathedral has nine portals, three of which have survived from the old Romanesque cathedral. Northern portal dates from the year 1230 and contains a sculpture of the Old Testament characters. South Portal, created between 1224 and 1250 years, using stories of the New Testament to the central composition, dedicated to Judgment. Western portal of Christ and the Virgin Mary, popularly known as the Royal, is dated 1150 and is known for depicting Christ in glory, established in the XII century. Entrances to the north and south transepts are decorated with sculptures of the XIII century. Total decorations of the cathedral ha ve about 10,000 sculptures of stone and glass. On the south side of the cathedral are astronomical clock of the XVI century. Before the failure of the mechanism in 1793, they showed not only time but also the day of the week, month, time of sunrise and sunset, moon phases and the current zodiac sign.[2] The shape of Pantheon is also the cross (pic. 2). It is located on top of the hill of Saint Genevieve. Pantheon is a temple with a large dome, built in honor of the patroness of Paris, St. Genevieve. It was built in 1758-1789 under the project of Soufflet in the heart of the Latin Quarter. During the French Revolution, it was decided to use it as a shrine to the outstanding French. It is a huge structure: its length of 110 meters, width 82 m, height 83 m. crosswise building is topped by a huge dome. Huge powerful facade, on the pediment is the famous inscription â€Å"AUX GRANDS HOMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE† ("Grateful motherland to great people"). Soufflet decided to recreate the typical Gothic architecture sensations of light, space and proportion in the classic (if not Roman) forms. To this end, he took advantage of the plan in the form of a Greek cross, the nave and chapels which were designed as a system of flat arches and semicircular arches, supported by rows of colu mns in the interior. Bulk composition of the building develops the idea of central-domical facilities, of having in terms the outlines of a Greek cross. Central dome rises to a height of almost 120 m. Its goal in this project was the combination of strict regularity and monumental Romanesque vaulted ceilings with graceful ease of supporting columns and freestanding Corinthian columns. In its plan the church had the form of a Greek cross, with a facade placed huge temple pediment. Free-standing columns were unable to maintain the dome of the building, and it eventually had been propped up. The outer surfaces of the walls almost without decoration solved using the classical contrast of dismembered and undifferentiated mass.[3]   As it can be seen, both the Pantheon and Chartres Cathedral have the shape of cross in their planning and Gothic style of building in the base. No less remarkable is the interior of the Chartres cathedral. The spacious nave, unmatched in all of France, rushes to the magnificent apse in the eastern part of the cathedral. Between the arcades and rows of the upper windows of the nave is trifory, massive columns of the cathedral are surrounded by four powerful pilasters. Arcade of deambulatory surrounds the choir and altar area, which are separated from the rest of the carved wall. The wall appeared at the beginning of the XVI century and during next two centuries was gradually decorated with carved figures depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin. (pic. 3) The central part of the facade has retained a heavy Romanesque wall, which is embedded in the three magnificent portals, belonging to the XII century. In the central portal of the Royal track is "Christ in Glory" - on both sides of the figure of Christ are fantastic winged animals and beneath them is a wide belt with sculpted figures of saints. In the central p ortal of the south facade you can see the relief of "Judgment Day" (about 1210-20), differing with forms of generosity and deep spirituality of the images. It is considered as one of the best reliefs the heyday of the Gothic (pic. 4). In the center of the cathedral floor is designed as a circle inscribed in the "labyrinth" - figured laying of multicolored stones, which has been preserved only partially. The circle has a diameter of 12.89 meters and the length of the labyrinth is 261.5 m. The size of the labyrinth is almost identical to the size of the window rose of the western facade, and the distance from the western entrance to the maze is exactly equal to the height of the window. (pic. 5,6) Chartres Cathedral is one of the few Gothic cathedrals of France, who kept almost unchanged its glazing. It is decorated with stained glass of 12-13 centuries, occupying an area of about 2600 sq.m., it is the largest extant ensembles of stained glass of that era. In the cathedral there are 146 stained glass windows, which, except for some figures are shown in 1359 different story. (pic. 7) Stained glass windows decorate with "roses" of the main transept. Stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are extremely intensity a nd purity of color and range of subject images. Along with scenes from the Old and New Testaments, the prophets and saints - they take advantage of the upper band – at the bottom is about a hundred scenes from the life of kings, knights, artisans, who sacrificed stained glass windows in the cathedral, and one of the "roses" is dedicated to the peasants. Particular performance skill, memorable power of the image are windows depicting the Virgin Mary, stained window with scenes from the life of St. Evstafy and a portrait of Charlemagne. The richest external and internal decorations of the cathedral have a total of about 10,000 sculptures. The cathedral has a huge carved wooden altar, which shows forty stories on evangelical issues. A distinctive feature of the stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral is an extraordinary richness and purity of the colors, the secret receipt of which was lost. For images typical extraordinary breadth of subject matter: scenes from the Old and New Testament stories of prophets, kings, knights, artisans, and even peasants. [4] Chartres Cathedral is built of very durable sandstone, which is mined in quarries of Bersher, 8 km from Chartres. Some blocks of stone in the cathedral walls are 2-3 feet long and a meter in height. Columns of the Pantheon create a prospect of a spectacular interior, richly decorated and refined with classical ornamentation and relief. The building is perceived as a monument to enlightenment, a bright mind, citizenship. Soufflet really managed to reach the Gothic lightness in classic guise. Numerous sculptures and murals on the walls are devoted to the history of St. Genevieve - the memory of a time when the building was of her name. To the central dome a huge Foucault pendulum showing the rotation of the Earth is suspended. Staircase at the entrance to the temple leads to the "pronaos" (porch) with 22 columns, which support the pediment. On the pediment is sculpture of the allegorical story of David d'Anzhera 1831, representing France, between Freedom and History. The walls are decorated with frescoes, the most famous of which are scenes from the life of St. Genevieve, executed by Puvis de Chavannes. The crypt, which is located under the church, keeps the ashes of many famous p eople: here the tomb of Victor Hugo (placed here in 1885), as well as the tombs of Emile Zola, Voltaire, Soufflet, Carnot and Mirabeau. 425 steps lead to the summit of cathedral, where magnificent panorama of the city is opened to the eye. At the exit from the Parthenon the semi-circular area with two symmetrical buildings on the right and left overlooks, and stretching far out Soufflet street between them with rising above the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Such a triumph of symmetry arose here at the behest of Soufflet, which was concerned not only about building the church, but also the spectacular organization of space around it. [5] To understand the function and value of construction of these buildings we need to turn to history. At the place of modern Chartres Cathedral were a lot of the churches. From 876 year the Holy Shroud of the Virgin Mary is kept in Chartres. Instead of the first cathedral, burned down in 1020, a Romanesque cathedral with huge crypt was built. He survived a fire in 1134, which destroyed almost the entire city, but was badly damaged in a fire of June 10, 1194. From the fire, made by lightning, survived only towers with the western facade and crypt. Miraculous escape from the fire of the sacred shroud was considered a sign from above, and prompted the construction of a new, more ambitious building. Chartres Cathedral preserved to this day virtually untouched. It escaped the devastation and plunder, was never restored and rebuilt. As to the Pantheon, it is of no less value. The Pantheon was built in 1758-1789 under the project Soufflet in the heart of the Latin Quarter. The building is conceived as the Church of St. Genevieve, but already in 1791 it was decided to turn the building into the Pantheon, a monument to the great men of France. In two-plus centuries this building became a classic, which was followed and subverted by next generation of architects. For the Baroque, with its pomp, pretentiousness and decorative fancifulness, the return to the strict simplicity of ancient Greece was almost a shock. Therefore, the project angered conservatives and delighted progressives. Soufflet decided to join in its creation the best achievements of world architecture, accumulated by that time. He created a magnificent six-Greek portico, crowned with a dome building, which the ancient Greeks did not know, made the interior a light and bright, as in the Gothic style but used vaulted ceilings of Romanesque. 5    Coming to conclusion we can say that both buildings are of great historical value and have a lot in common: both are cathedrals (in first planning), the lay-out is cross-formed shape with decorations and elements of corresponding era, decorations and frescos depict the scenes from the life. Architectural images are less unique, embody not private, transitory "spirit of the times", but more typically, the leading art sights and tastes of society. These qualities determine the value of outstanding architectural monuments as a historical source: they bring to us in its content not random, but typical, not private, but the main feature views of the era.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Cases for Analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cases for Analysis - Coursework Example 2. It is understandable why Yellowstone wishes to settle all the claims out of court. A trial would inform public opinion about the low quality of the mowers and would harm the company’s image. It is also understandable why the company’s lawyers keep the claims out of the court. Considering the fact that this is an abnormally dangerous defect, Yellowstone should act ethically and just publicly admit its fault, retrieve all the mowers from the shops and work on repairing them. However, the ones that should go to court and accept no settlement are the injured parties, the consumers who have suffered because of the defected products. 3. Again, it is understandable why Yellowstone would like to include the secrecy clause in the settlement agreements. If one party were to start talking about the defect of the mower and about the fact that the claim was kept out of the court in change for an impressive sum, Yellowstone would be forced to deal with one of the two situations: 1 . Their sales would grow, as a result of people looking at this like at a business opportunity: buy one defective mower, wait until it explodes, threaten the manufacturer with a lawsuit and get a refund from Yellowstone, or 2. Their sales would be drastically reduced as a result of the bad publicity. None of the situations looks good so that is why secrecy clauses are included in the settlements. The morality of this is doubtful and the reasons why the affected consumers accept this are even more questionable. Legally, such clauses are not prohibited and are, on one hand, acceptable. However, cumulating the fact that none of the defection cases is made public, the products continue to be sold, in spite of their obvious defects and the insertion of the secrecy clause in the settlements, the situation, on the whole, is not legal and the company’s marketing policy is based on deceiving the clients. 4. As it has been stated before, the answer to this question is No; the injured p arties are not acting ethically when agreeing not to disclose the products’ defect to others. They are consciously accepting the fact that somebody else may be injured. Moreover, in legal terms, these people are liable under the law of tort, as acting with recklessness towards the possible hundreds of victims. The Restatement (Second) of Torts defines reckless conduct as it follows: â€Å"The actor's conduct is in reckless disregard of the safety of another if he does an act or intentionally fails to do an act which it is his duty to the other to do, knowing or having reason to know of facts which would lead a reasonable [person] to realize, not only that his conduct creates an unreasonable risk of physical harm to another, but also that such risk is substantially greater than that which is necessary to make his conduct negligent.†2 Although this definition is close to negligence, no matter what tort is applicable, all the parties that agreed to the secrecy clause did not act ethically or legally correct. CHAPTER 2 CASE 4 In my opinion, the right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the USA Constitution is violated in this case by Mississippi University for Women. Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment stipulates: â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they

Friday, November 1, 2019

Air traffic controllers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Air traffic controllers - Assignment Example In addition to that, the confrontation polarized American politics in ways that hinder the populace from dealing with the root of the country’s economic problems. Reagan took an enormous risk by firing the individuals on strike. Air travel was put in serious jeopardy, and the system took several years and cost billions of dollars (more than the amount demanded by PATCO) to return to normal (Daily Kos 2012) The number of workers taking part in walkouts in 2010 was two percent less than it had been in 1952 when the actors’ strike was led by Reagan. Unions therefore lack the leverage once associated with strikes, and have not been able to put pressure on employers to raise wages with the rise in productivity. Inequality has risen to a level that was not experienced since the 1920s when Reagan was in his boyhood (Daily Kos 2012). The event was and is still rightfully a moment that can be considered an attempt by the Republican Party to annihilate unions as well as the union movement. Since Reagan’s confrontation with PATCO, there has been a precipitous decline in the membership of unions, coupled with working class Americans experiencing stagnant salaries and wages, while the pay of senior executives who control big industries and corporations rises to unimaginable levels. During the last days of his 1980 election campaign, Reagan wrote to Robert Poli-PATCO’s president, expressing his understanding of the many concerns air traffic controllers experienced with regard to working conditions, pay, and outmoded equipment. He made a promise to avail up-to date equipment and working schedules that were not brutal, in accordance with public safety. PATCO endorsed Reagan, who on becoming president acted in contravention to his word (Daily Kos 2012). Based on the premises mentioned, Reagan was wrong to f ire the traffic controllers. Daily Kos. (2012).† Remembering

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Discussion 3, ch 16 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion 3, ch 16 - Assignment Example The advanced forms of machinery also ensured that production within industries was more effective because the machinery came to cater for deficiencies with manpower such as human errors and fatigue, which slowed down production (Weathers, 73). Labor was another factor that aided in the growth in wealth as labor accounts as an important input to production, meaning that the more labor there is, the more the level of production can be guaranteed. Earlier, industries spent so much on labor, making it impossible to employ a good number of laborers to man the industries and thus affecting production negatively. As there was being an improvement in the economic wealth of the country as informed by the industrialization, it was expected that employees who were behind this growth would also benefit accordingly. This however was not the situation as employees had a strong feeling that they were being used unfairly in working more than they were paid or remunerated with. As this happened, it became important that the employees make their voices and grievances heard by appropriate quarters and authorities who could address their issues. One way by which the employee force did this was to form national labor unions that represented the collective voice of the employee force (Kautsky, 34). Another way for the labor force, mostly through the unions available to stage strikes, which prevented them from giving off their expertise and skills all together so that their employers would be aware of their challenges and address these appropriately. These two approaches were generally positive and influent ial as the interests of the employees became generally represented through the approaches they used. 3. In the late 1800s in the United States, workers transitioned from mostly agricultural workers to mostly industrial workers, and you have read the history of that transition. Today, workers in the United States are transitioning from

Monday, October 28, 2019

First Cars Ltd Essay Example for Free

First Cars Ltd Essay Critical path analysis is a method that is used to plan out the many activities involved in a project to be able to find the most efficient way of complete it and how to complete it on time. From a research and development point of view, the decision to go ahead with this project relies solely on the critical path analysis provided by Amy Jones. In light of this, the operations director is rightly concerned about how valuable the data provided by the critical path analysis is. The arguments for and against seem to be balanced. Therefore, I present the most significant argument of how valuable a critical path analysis – which is how Amy’s data allows the business to be have a clear outline of when and where money is spent in the project. This means that the critical path analysis will help First Cars plc with their cash flow which would allow them subsequently to be able to plan out careful spending to ensure they are able to fund the project. This would allow them to under go an investment appraisal before starting the project as they also have specific dates in which each part of the development would be ready. This is vital because of First Cars plc’s limited financial reserves it would mean they would be able workout the payback period and the average rate of return which could mean they are able to work out expected profits for the coming year from the which would mean shareholders would feel happier with the business as they are able to see a clear direction in which the business is improving, but most importantly it will show if the project is viable as they will be able to know how quickly it will allow the business to generate cash quickly to ensure they do not face a poor cash flow situation which could see the business dipping into liquidation. Another potential benefit of using critical path analysis is that it allows such an important project to be planned thoroughly in order to make sure everything is completed properly and on time. This is important because the business has a very clear deadline to make (August 2010) any issues which could mean they are not reached on time would result in the business failing to reach this deadline. Amy makes it clear that it is important to enter this market early to ensure a strong competitive market position because this is so vital it allows the critical path analysis to be used constructively to ensure everyone keeps to the same deadlines, this is because the tasks on the critical path analysis are completed by various other departments meaning the business has a Matrix structure so therefore it is important to highlight how important it is to reach deadlines and a clear outline on what deadlines should be met and how long the project teams have to reach them because there could be confusion due to the overlapping authority which is held in a Matrix structure. On the other hand, there is evidence that makes the credibility of the critical path analysis doubted. The most important argument supporting this would be the accuracy of the information provided in the diagram. In the case study it says ‘information provided by Amy Jones’ because of this it is hard to determine if the numbers are correct. Whilst it is important to remember that this is a completely new venture and there are hardly any competitors there is relatively no previous data to be obtained from competitors, because of this Amy has no where to be able to validate her own data with which could be worrying to the Operations Director because these numbers could have been come up with in thin air with no chance in reality to be reached on time. This concern could stem from the fact that all the data comes from Amy, who is pushing this project extremely hard to get through in to production. As the business is relying on this proposal to put the business ‘back o n to the road of success’ having only a critical path analysis could be of none value at all to First Cars plc. Another argument doubting the value of critical path analysis in this proposal is that most of the activities to take place are not in Amy’s marketing division which could mean she could underestimate the time needed to complete other tasks resulting in the time needed to complete the project being set back by many weeks. Which could mean they do not reach their important deadline of August 2010 which could possibly mean that they have thrown the whole project down the drain; this is because it is extremely important for the business that they reach the deadline if they want to become a strong competitor in the given market. Not only could the project be in jeopardy but the whole of the business if any of the deadlines aren’t met because it would put them in a poor state regarding their cash flow. All in all, even though the argument seems to be relevantly balanced I believe there is a lot to loss on this project, a considerably amount more than what is at stake to be gained. The project is so unsafe for a business which is already struggling to survive. I think that First Car plc needs to hold fire and invest in a project which will guarantee to bring in profits and cash quickly rather than one that is extremely risky with no previous data to compare it on and one that entails extremely high costs – cars could be sitting around for days or even weeks in expensive city centres with staff having nothing to do, I suspect it could be a seasonal business in regards to when someone might want a car and what for. Due to the reasons above I believe that in this case the value of the critical path analysis is extremely poor and that other factors need to be taken in to consideration, I would have liked to have seen more supporting evidence of the payback figures.