Saturday, August 31, 2019

Little Miss Sunshine

â€Å"By the end, all have achieved a deeper appreciation of the others, a deeper understanding of the value of family, a better life were love, solidarity and understanding replace hatred, sarcasm and anger. † Little Miss Sunshine (2006) directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, is an American road-comedy that shatters the mold. Incredibly satirical and ironic yet, is how deeply human as the Hover family is one of the most appealing in recent film history. The film has a fabulous beginning in which you meet each Hoover individually, pointing out their great differences, during their personal moments through a series of montage shots. Throughout the road trip the family suffers many personal setbacks and discovers the need for each other’s support. Olive is the youngest of the Hoover family and the central character of Little Miss Sunshine. The film begins with her standing in front of the television mimicking the beauty pageant winner. When she finds out she has qualified in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant she is ecstatic but her Uncle, Brother and Father are not too keen on going. Because Olive is the centre of the family they all agree that it they will go and support but choose not to have any fun. Richard puts a lot of pressure on Olive when they find out she’s in the final of the pageant. After listening to her dad talking about winning and losing all the time Olive is scared her dad won’t be proud of her like her Mother would be. Olive asks her Grandpa about the pageant and losing and Grandpa tells her â€Å"Losers are people who are so afraid of not winning, they don't even try†, he is not a big fan of Richards nine steps and gives his own definition of ‘Losers’. On the way to Florida they stop at a gas station and realize they have left Olive there so they quickly turn around but Olive is still standing there waiting and is not at all worried they have forgotten her because she is the whole reason they are going. A big moment in the movie would be when there symbolic, yellow Volkswagen breaks down and they all have to push to get it started; for once they are all working together and become happier. Despite everything that happens with the Hoover family, the biggest change in Olive throughout the whole movie would be that she finally accepts herself for who she is and doesn’t care what people think of her. Richard is the father of Olive and stepfather of Dwayne. A45 year old motivational speaker, he wears pleated pants, a golf shirt and sneakers. Richard can’t cope with losers, and with his nine steps to success that’s all he talks about at home. You can tell by the old technology he uses that his nine steps are not very successful; at this point he is not a winner but has strong belief. When the family finds out Olive got into the finals of little miss sunshine Richard tries to talk them out of going because he could have a big break in his nine steps. When Sheryl tells Richard Frank is staying with them he doesn’t really care and asks about Stan Grossman calling in case he liked his proposal. Frank asks about Dwayne’s vow of silence Richard of course, goes on about his nine steps and the whole family is sick of it and tries to shut him off. Sheryl is set on taking Olive to Florida but Richard is being selfish and only cares about if Stan Grossman likes his ‘nine steps’. When Sheryl finally convinces him to go he puts a lot of pressure on Olive about winning. I think Richard changes the most in Little Miss Sunshine as at the start of the movie he only cares about himself and his nine steps but throughout the movie and when he loses his father he begins to accept his family and doesn’t care about his â€Å"big break†. At the pageant he doesn’t want Olive to go on stage because he is afraid people will make fun of her and he really starts to care. Dwayne is first seen at the start of the movie lifting weights, doing push ups and sit up. You then see him put a big cross on his calendar, by this you can see he has set a goal but not quite sure what it is yet. When the whole family is home, you notice Dwayne doesn’t talk and writes everything on a notepad. When Frank asks him about having any friends he writes on his notepad: â€Å"I hate everyone† Frank finds it weird and asks about his family, he then rolls his eyes and underlines everyone. Dwayne can not put up with Richards nine steps and when Frank asks him about his goal Richard butts in and is making it all about him. When Dwayne finds out he is colour blind during the trip he gets really agitated in the car and starts hitting his head against the wall, they final stop the car and he lets out a big scream. When Sheryl goes to try and make him feel better he just says he hates his family and wants to be left alone. They agree that they cant do much else except wait for him to calm down, when Olive goes down she just leans her head on his shoulder and I guess he realises he is being kind of selfish and for the first time in the whole movie you hear Dwayne speak and apoligises to the family. While at the beauty pageant Dwayne starts to really care for Olive and tells Sheryl not to let her on the stage otherwise everyone will make fun of her but even though one judge is shocked with Olive’s dance the rest of the family don’t care and go up and join her. Dwayne changes dramatically in the movie. Going from someone who didn’t talk, was very selfish and hated everyone to now really caring for his family, talking and overall a changed person. There are heaps of different film techniques used in Little Miss Sunshine for instance, when Dwayne tries the colour test the music goes from happy music to the music where you know something bad is going to happen and that’s when you find out Dwayne is colour blind. The opening and closing scenes are completely opposite to one another. The effect it would have on the audience would be significant, like even a dysfunctional family like the Hoovers can get through tough times, anyone can. In conclusion the movie Little Miss Sunshine was very well filmed, it had a big effect on the audience and the actors worked really well.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Mexican-American War, Were We Justified

The Mexican-American War was a war between the United States and Mexico which lasted from April 1846 to February 1848. It stemmed from the United States' annexation of Texas in 1845 and from a dispute over whether Texas ended at the Nueces River (Mexican claim) or the Rio Grande (U. S. claim). The war was the most devastating event in Mexican history, where Mexico lost the modern day areas of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Montana. The Mexican-American spawned out of land lust. The idea of Manifest Destiny and the promising lands of California, which were coveted by many European nations, led to a war of greed.Even Abraham Lincoln, then a young Congressman, and Ulysses S. Grant, the future Civil War victorious commander and U. S. President, believed that the invasion of Mexico was not justified. Mexico had rejected a $15 million cash-for-land deal offered by the US. The area included what now covers the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Col orado and Utah. This territory was Mexican, but only nominally; control over the area was slight, and open to intrusion. Irritated at the rebuff, the US struck back in1845 by annexing Texas, a territory long disputed and fought over by both countries.Mexico responded by severing diplomatic relations. U. S. President Polk further provoked Mexico by moving troops south to the Rio Grande, a river that historically was considered well within Mexico. U. S. and Mexican troops skirmished across the river, leading Polk to declare to Congress on May 11, 1846, that â€Å"†¦the cup of forbearance has been exhausted,† and that â€Å"American blood has been spilled on American soil. † (Source: Eisenhower’s So Far From God, pages 49-55) The U. S. -Mexican War is the pivotal chapter in the history of North America.It is the war that sealed the fates of it's two participants. For the United States, the War garnered huge amounts of territory and wealth, bootstrapping the fl edgling democracy onto the world stage. For Mexico, the War sent the emerging nation into a tailspin that it is still reckoning with today, one hundred fifty years later. In the United States the US-Mexican War is virtually forgotten, and for good reason, as it is the clearest example of American greed and undiplomatic actions. The Mexican-American War was waged upon Mexico out of pure greed and disregard for international liberty.In conclusion, the United States was unjust in its declaration of war on Mexico in 1846. The U. S. was clouded with dreams of Manifest Destiny. It had a president that was obsessed with fulfilling campaign promises and greed for new land. Polk was looking for revenge for the denial of the proposal for buying California as was evident in his original reasons for declaring war on Mexico. Also the U. S. provoked this border dispute into the two-year war that it became by purposely inciting the Mexicans into a fight. All these reasons are the evidence that the US was not justified in declaring war on Mexico.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Do children’s shoe sizes get bigger as they get older? Essay

Title:- Do children’s shoe sizes get bigger as they get older? Introduction:- I will be doing an experiment to investigate whether it is true or not that a child’s shoes size increases as they get older. In order for me to prove this, I need to collect some data, I will ask some of my friends and family who has children and could help me with this experiment by completing the questionnaire. My objective is to find out at the end of this investigation whether my experiment on children’s shoe sizes is true or not true. Aim:- My aim is to investigate if children’s shoe sizes increases as they age. I will test my hypothesis by completing the experiment; once I get the results from my investigation I can examine them and see if my hypothesis was correct or incorrect. Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis:- Hypothesis – As children age their shoes size increases. Null Hypothesis – As children age their shoes size does not increase. Method:- I collected my data straight into a table chart. This was quick and easy and saved me recording the information found twice, as I was able to read it straight from this. I also found the data was easy to understand and I could see the slow increase of the shoe increase with age. Design:- I completed the investigation by asking my friends and family who had children if they would help me in this experiment. I found this to be more accurate rather than asking the child or just observing. I explained to the people who involved what they data I was gathering was for and gained their permission to use this. Participants:- I used 10 boys and 10 girls in investigation. The age range varied from two years old to 12 years old. I was prepared to use children’s data from one year old; however none of my friends and family had children of this age. I used this age group as this is generally before hormones start taking place and affecting the child in different ways. I asked the same number of girls to boys as see whether there was a difference in shoe size, to age, and gender. The gender of the participant did not seem to make a difference, as the majority of both genders shoe size got bigger as they got older. Materials:- The materials used were 15 friends and family as 5 of them had 2 children each. I recorded the information given with a pen and paper in a table form so I could understand the results, quick and easy. I made one table for boys, and one for girls. An example of the table is below:- Boys Age Boys Shoe Size Girls Age Girls Shoe Size I then went on to convert the shoe sizes to a European shoe size so this would be easier for producing graphs and using the data collected. I worked out the overall average shoe size for each age, also for both girls and boys. I also worked out the mean, mode and median, which I plotted on a line graph. Using the data I collected from the average of both boys and girls I did a graph so show if there was any difference or similarities. Procedure:- I contacted my friends and family and explained that† I am currently doing my Access to Midwifery and I am doing my Maths at the moment. I am doing an investigation in whether children’s shoe sizes get bigger as children get older, and I need to collect data. If they could be a help in providing what age their child is and what shoe size they are?† I informed them that I would put the data collecting into various graphs and tables to complete and support my conclusion, and gained Consent to this. After collecting the data from various friends and family I thanked them for helping me complete this investigation to the best of my ability. Results:- The flaws in the investigation are that there was a dip in the average shoe size data I gathered. At age 9 the shoe size was greater than a 10 year old. This may have been because of the size of child, the bigger/smaller the child the bigger/smaller size feet they will have. As I used European shoe sizes, this could have been another flaw. The overall results in terms of my hypothesis, is that children’s shoe sizes does increase with age. However the factor due to the individual child, if they are bigger or smaller than the average child, shoe sizes may vary. I feel like overall I gathered a good range of data. If I was to complete the investigation again, I would ask more people and to do this, so I would create a questionnaire that I could forward to various people with children gaining their consent and the relevant details which was needed for the experiment. I would send the questionnaire via social networking sites as I feel this would be more approachable and easier for people. I would ask 20 of each sex and then I would have a clearer view to prove that my hypothesis was correct. I would keep the age range the same as I feel the age range was varied enough. If I was going to complete the experiment again I would find another way to symbolise adult shoe sizes, as this may have been a flaw within my experiment. Conclusion:- The hypothesis is correct; children’s shoe sizes do increase as they get older. However they may be a slight dip in this result if the child is bigger or smaller than the average child. But for the normal average child there shoe size will increase as they get older. European Shoe Size converter UK SHOE SIZE EUROPEAN SHOE SIZE 4 20 4.5 21 5 21/22 6 23 7 24 7.5 25 8 25/26 9 27 10 28 11 29 11.5 30 12 31 13 32 13.5 32.5 1 33 2 34 3 35.5 4 36 4.5 37 5 38 A Graph to show the average shoe size compared to the age A chart to show the data collected for girls participated in the investigation, Age and Shoe Size.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Why do you think Fr. Lawton says the journey to be oneself seems the Essay - 3

Why do you think Fr. Lawton says the journey to be oneself seems the riskiest of all journeys What risks lie ahead in your college career as you embark on th - Essay Example Choosing friends with a degree of discrimination, such as those who share the same priorities as I is essentially accomplished by the same methodology as in high school. Nervous anticipation is probably the best description for the feeling, meeting new people from far-off places, hoping my background either matches or complements theirs. Leaving the protective and structured home-life is the greatest adjustment, at least for me; therefore, the most frightening because the pitfalls related to the unknown are the largest and easiest to fall into. Everyone knows at least an overview of a similar story which was related to me by my parents on many occasions. Many want to get as far away from their parents and home town as possible and others want the security home provides while being allowed to make their own choices, in other words, to have their cake and eat it to. Finally the day comes when they leave the nest to embark on the great adventure that is life. Nearly to a person, once they have flown, they lament about the carefree days of childhood when there were no bills to pay, were not forced to discipline themselves and if a problem arose, they could just call mom or dad and they would magically fix it. Instead of having to grudgingly get up every morning to an annoying alarm bell and eat cold pizza for breakfast, as children, mother came in, opened up the drapes then returned as often as need to gently awaken you as the smell of a hot, nutritious breakfast tempted you to life. Freedom is a two-edged sword, a fact of lif e that is generally shockingly discovered only after leaving home. Living away from home is great but it has its downsides as well. That first month away from home is truly a liberating feeling. You can to whatever you want on a whim and have to answer to no one. You can eat ice cream for breakfast at the crack of noon when you wake, come home when the party is over for a change and watch whatever disgusting

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Human resources case study assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human resources case study assignment - Essay Example IN 2013 total revenue generated by Babcock was 3.2 billion pounds. Trust to bring best of the products, service and long term value for shareholders. Very important issue which I see in Babcock is gender ratio in employees, majority of the employees are male and only 20% of employees are female which is not a very good number. Female representation in any organization gives a softer image to the world and another aspect is that female empowerment shows a much positive approach of an organization. Babcock should focus on this female hiring to market Babcock in business sector. Another negative point of Babcock is that they are resistant to change, business sector has one rule and that is adaptability, business growth depends upon upgrading and adapting new styles trends and procedures if they are good for company so Babcock needs to expand business by taking Babcock to different countries. This report will focus on flaws which are present in Babcock’s structure and if they elim inate those flaws then Babcock will grow as double speed as it is now. To conduct any research work it is necessary to review the literature of the study. The literature review provides us information about the work done in the specific area with theoretical framework on which the suggested solution of the problem can be built. The literature on the problem is somewhat dispersed from different sources to get a better understanding of the problem under study (KRÄMER, RINGLING & YANG, 2006). A brief review of the literature is given as: A student accountant( September 2008) in his paper explained how business process is important for defining business strategy and suggested ways through which organization can analyze performance of their already existing policies and procedures and how they can change and improve the existing system in order to meet the

Monday, August 26, 2019

AOL Inc. Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

AOL Inc. Company - Assignment Example The covenants dictate how the company incurs debt, creates lien pay dividend or even enters into mergers and acquisitions. Any breach of any of the covenants would lead to a default which may cause the lenders to terminate their commitments under the credit facility (AOL Inc., 2015). That would be financially detrimental to the firm. The firm may also not be in a position to settle any conversion of Notes in cash or even repay them at maturity. The use of convertible note hedge transactions and warrant transactions may influence the prices of stock. That would adversely affect the value of stock the shareholders hold in the company. According to company records, there were about 14,668 holders of common stock as of February 24, 2015 (AOL Inc., 2015). However, brokers and other institutions held the shares on behalf of the stockholders. The company does not declare dividends every year as that would influence to a great extent the amount of common stock it may issue. The last time it declared special dividend was on August 26, 2012, which was $5.15 per share (AOL Inc., 2015). The company has no anticipation of the declaration of dividend in the near future. The company’s stock prices have fluctuated over the last two years indicating that the trend may persist into the future. However, a graph comparing the performance of AOL Inc.’s common stock with the Morgan Stanley High-Technology index and the S & P Midcap 400 Index show a gradual improvement in AOL Inc.’s returns. Over the five year period, AOL Inc.’s returns record a rise.

Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Case - Essay Example Similarly, another female speaker from a falling company was given the chance to address the graduates. According to the author, this female speaker was given the opportunity just because the company she was working with was almost collapsing, which is a representation of women leadership (Kantor, par. 1-4). The entire graduation seemed like a comparison of the men and women achievements in the school as well as the working world. The author is trying to bring out the issue of women being labeled as failures both at school and at work. This is the reason she has given the example of the two women speakers at the graduation. From the entire story, the author has communicated the manner in which females are treated differently from their male counterparts. At one point, the reader is made to understand that the number of male students enrolling at the Harvard Business School is much higher than that of females. Also, the number of male professors is very high compared to that of female professors, a situation that would make some female lectures opt for a different environment. For instance, some of the school alumni such as Sheryl Sandberg would admit that the school was worse during their times. No one was allowed to talk about the things that take place within the school since everything was â€Å"dirty secret† (Kantor, par. 10-14). The issues that made a majority of the students as well as the alumnus to dislike the school were due to the differentiated treatment that was being given to the students. For instance, the school ranking was based on the level of student participation in class. How ever, the majority of the tutors being male would discriminate against the female students. This, on the other hand, would adversely affect the female students’ grades at the end of every semester and also at the end of their courses. The majority of the students, as well as

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example They have a liability over the customers who were taken seriously ill for consuming a test product. Since at this time the company ownership had not been legally completed, it is the real Ale that should take legal responsibility for this action. It is additional to the fact that real ale had been registered to produce ale only. As such, it was a legal mistake when as a director, Grace decided to produce lager and test it using the consumers of the company. The sole object4 of the company was to produce and sell Real ale only and desist from the production and brewing of lager. It can be considered that she, on behalf of the company, acted beyond its capacity by getting involved in an activity other than that which was expressed as the main commercial purpose for which the company was formed. Her action thus acted as a breach of an express term5 that was included in the in the document as an â€Å"Article of Association†6 during the formation of the agreement. She, together wi th Realale, subsequently bear legal liability against the patients involved in the â€Å"sick seven† episode since the brewing of larger is in this case deemed to be ultra vires and void. It is because it was done in contrast to what the scope of the company’s objects clause describes. In addition, as a consumer, the affected individuals bear the legal right to purchase products that have been proven to be safe and not likely to cause any harm to their health7. As such, since the supervision was done by Grace on behalf of the company it is legally unethical to produce a test product without consulting the other board members and presenting it to the consumers. In this case, it can be established that she used the company as a mere facade to enhance her interests to surprise her fellow directors. As a director, she is liable to the rest of the shareholders by making the company to act against its objects. Moreover, this action was not valid between the company and the t hird party who constitute its customers. It is on these grounds that the company can be held liable for the violation of consumer rights. In this case, Realale should be considered liable for negligence by the company and one of its directors should take responsibility for any costs incurred by the company over the void transaction. As partners in the company, Realale lack a limited liability for the liabilities and debts in the firm. Since there was a legally binding agreement between Real Ale and Elena’s father; Harry, during the purchase of the cars, it is the responsibility of its shareholders to ensure that the payment is made as expected. This would ensure that the agreement is converted into an executed and complete contract8. Additionally, the time indicated in the agreement for payment should be appropriately observed. In this sense, Big Brew has a legal right to claim this payment from the assets possessed by Realale. Nonetheless, as was revealed in Lee v Lee Air Fa rming Ltd the shareholders of a company are not liable for the debts and liabilities of the company9. It is for this reason that the Realale shareholders are not liable to the creditors of the subsequent Big Brew Company. They only owe liability to the company and not to the individual creditors of the company. This is because they are

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Internet and It's Use in Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Internet and It's Use in Politics - Essay Example In May 2010, a survey observed the Republicans (who were Congress members) as reaching out to new Facebook connections at a faster rate than the Democrats. As a result, by August 2010, members of the Republic Party claimed to possess double the amount of â€Å"fans† of the Democrats on Facebook. Prior to this, Hillary Clinton, the present US Secretary of State and Paul Nelson, the Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives had used the YouTube and MySpace sites for their respective election campaigns. (Bardes, Shelley,Schmidt, 192) How media sites encourage public involvement in politics The social networking sites undertake special projects to increase public participation in political issues.In January 2008, Facebook cosponsored a primary debate regarding the candidature of US Presidentship. This was the media site’s first notable political project, where one million of the site’s users participated in debate groups and were also allowed to present their own questions to the concerned candidates. Facebook also organized debates on the implementation of the US health care bill. Though, these were not initiated for any achieving any particular objective, important insights were gained from the passionate arguments that took place regarding the bill. This ultimately paved the way to the complete transformation of the US health-care system in March 2010. The social networking sites have the young population as the majority of its members. Modern politicians have realized that they can use thesenetworking platforms to disseminate their political ideologies among the youth of the country (Bardes, Shelley,Schmidt, 192). Social Media’s influence on Campaigning In the 20th century, political campaigns were mainly conducted on the streets with the help of posters, placards and bill boards. To reach out to a wider population, the campaigners relied on the traditional means of communication like advertising through the tele vision, radio, phone banks, newspapers and e-mail. In contrast, political campaigns in the 21st century depend heavily on the online communication methods. Political advertising is conducted through the Internet, RSS feeds, podcasts, interactive websites, social media sites, blogs, microblogs, mobile text messages and the e-mail. Campaigners specially utilize the platforms of YouTube, My Space, Facebook, other networking sites and micro-blogs like Twitter,to communicate their ideas to potential voters.The on-street campaigns had adequate time (days and sometimes weeks) to design advertising messages to influence the voters. After the election, the polling results also required some time to be analyzed and reported. On the other hand, the modern online campaigns operate at a phenomenal speed throughout the entire day. Election results, on field data and early voting information are received, deciphered and reported within a matter of a few hours. The on-street campaigns could involve a limited number of participants in their election propaganda.The rest of the population was left as spectators who were only required to cast their votes on the election day. In comparison, the online communication methodsensure the involvement of a greater number of potential voters in the election campaign. People

Friday, August 23, 2019

Cloud Computing In Todays Organizations And The Future Essay

Cloud Computing In Todays Organizations And The Future - Essay Example Using cloud computing, users can use a wide range of software and data management applications using cloud services. As Schauland (2011) states, â€Å"surfacing in late 2007, cloud computing is used to allow services used in everyday practice to be moved onto the Internet rather than stored on a local computer†. Cloud computing offers a number of considerable benefits to business professionals, such as, cloud-based accounting and billing, project management, website hosting, and document storage. Along with these benefits, cloud computing also provides management services to all small and large companies, such as, customer relationship management and database management services. â€Å"Cloud computing provides computation, software applications, data access, data management and storage resources without requiring cloud users to know the location and other details of the computing infrastructure† (Singh, Kharbanda, & Kaur, 2012, p. 945). Companies just need to contact cloud services providers to get these services. Some of the main companies that provide cloud services to individuals and companies include Cisco, Windows, Google, and Salesforce.com. All of these companies are highly professional and provide various cloud computing services to users all over the world. In this paper, we will discuss the ways cloud services providers help small and large companies in carrying out their IT related business activities. Description of Cloud Computing Within AT&T NextGen Inc. is a software company that uses AT&T for cloud computing services. AT&T is an American telecommunication company which also provides cloud computing services to businesses to manage their business operations. For example, NextGen uses cloud computing for customer relationship management because of which the company is enjoying increased customer satisfaction and retention levels. AT&T also manages database application and operating system software of the company. Some other services that NextGen gets from the cloud services provider include data management by AT&T internet data center, data security, audit controls, network management, storage infrastructure and server management, self-service computing, and web portal. The company pays monthly bill to AT&T on per use basis through credit card. There are no upfront charges or termination fees which shows the consumer-orientation of AT&T cloud services. The ready-made hosted inf rastructure of AT&T cloud services provides a number of considerable benefits to NextGen some of which include quick response to business needs, reliable data management, improved customer service, reduced need of long implementation cycles for employees, and reduced capital expenditures. NextGen uses Linux operating system for management of computer processes and Apache version 2.4 as the web server. Apache is the world’s most efficient and customizable HTTP server application. For secure data management, the company uses My SQL which provides scalable and reliable performance to users. The network structure being used by the company is simple. The company used wireless access point which has provides simple configuration options to the users, for example, allowing or restricting broadcast SSID to associate, enable or disable

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Video Game and Primary Online Games Essay Example for Free

Video Game and Primary Online Games Essay I.Computer gaming addiction INTRODUCTION Computer game addiction is a worrying aspect of the modern-day technologically able youth. Many children spend hours a day on computers, so much so that computers have become a primary source of entertainment for them , as well as a convenient baby-sitter for parents. Throughout this guide, the details of computer game addiction will be discussed, such as addiction signs, solutions to the problems and alternatives to computers for entertainment. Here are the Famous or most played online games. * 3 Primary Online Games: * World of Warcraft * Final Fantasy XI Online * EverQuest * These are called MMORPGs – Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games * MMORPGs never end, there isn’t a final goal state which you can achieve. You ultimately strive to be the best of the best within the game. II. Statement of the problem Computer Addiction is an ongoing problem for youths to adults everywhere. It involves the person spending time on the computer for hours more than necessary. The problem with Computer Addiction is that as more youths are logging onto the computer, they are spending more time online than doing another things. They become addicted to the computer, and use their time on the computer instead of doing other things, like spending time with the family or doing homework. This causes strange and irrational behaviour, turning these people into computer addicts 5 Question about Computer Gaming Addiction 1. What is the effect of being Computer Addicted? 2. How do people become addicted to Computer Games ? 3. Doe`s computer addiction affect our health? 4. What symptoms can you find in people who is addicted to online games? 5. How can we say that the people or person is already addicted to computer games ?

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Happiness and the Good Life Essay Example for Free

Happiness and the Good Life Essay What is the relation between living a good life and being happy? To many, the good life is a financially prosperous life, and happiness lies in the possession of wealth. Worldly success is what counts, and anyone who is not ‘successful’ in the usual sense is counted a ‘failure.’ Others strive for a life based on honor and public recognition. A good life is made up of hobnobbing with the right people in the right settings, and happiness is a matter of gaining respect. Along with these, there are lives that show by their living a desire for glory or power that inspires great efforts. Others, who are not drawn to wealth, power or glory because of the difficulties involved in attaining them, may choose the pursuit of pleasure. A good and happy life is one in which pleasures outweigh the pains overall. Many questions have been asked about the good life and happiness. People constantly answer those questions with their lives, and we see many different ideas of the good life and happiness playing out in the strivings of human beings to live well and be happy. The ancient Greeks wished their friends to ‘do well’ and ‘fare well’ in this life. These two, they thought, held the keys to human felicity. Doing well concerns ourselves, our own actions and feelings. We have some control over these aspects of our lives. So when we wish someone to ‘do well’ in life, we express the hope that the person will be moral and fair in his or her dealings with others. Beyond securing basic physical survival, someone who does well in life can sleep with a clear conscience, whether blessed with material success or not. From many a philosophical point of view, the good life has an intrinsically moral core that involves compassion for the suffering of others and acting justly in the world. ‘Faring well’ concerns events and occurrences over which we do not have so much control. â€Å"Faring well† means succeeding in life, coming into a prosperous condition, with all the benefits that come with money and social acceptance. Someone who is faring well in life has had a bit of good luck. It is possible to do everything right in order to succeed, but still fail to do so. For example, you can study hard for your degree, get your professional qualifications, work diligently, become competent, but still not succeed. The cards may not fall your way. As Sartre says, â€Å"You are free to try, but not to succeed.† This seems right to me, and so I will come down with Aristotle against Plato on this point, that doing well is not all that is involved in attaining happiness in life. Plato’s Socrates famously says that the good person cannot be harmed, that virtue is knowledge, and that happiness consists entirely of doing well and being just. Aristotle argues that a degree of luck plays into our happiness. He insists that most of our happiness is in our own hands, but that it can be affected by outside circumstances. So while being happy is mostly a matter of ‘doing well’ (and ‘thinking well’), great misfortunes can damage our happiness. It may be that such a person, by ‘doing well,’ will attain a degree of dignity in suffering, but he will not be happy; or, as Aristotle has it, ‘blessed.’ In light of this result, I hazard an intuitive philosophical account of the relation between the good life and happiness. Living a good life is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for happiness. In other words, it is possible to live a good life without being happy, but not happy without living a good life. This a ‘philosophical’ account of the relation because many philosophers have a particular idea of happiness and the good life that is not shared by everyone, with their emphasis on clarity of thought and sound reasoning. In addition, though philosophers recommend the philosophical life as both the happiest and the best, they are not in a position to legislate for everyone what happiness must be. Nevertheless, the traditional philosophical view is not without support. All we have to do is look at the results of many lives that strive for wealth, power, fame, glory or pleasure. So many disasters befall those who pursue a good life with no moral core, or reflective turn of mind, that it makes some sense, as philosophers argue, to pursue the wisdom to recognize the good life, and, within that life, such happiness human beings can attain.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Development of Primary Health Organizations in New Zealand

Development of Primary Health Organizations in New Zealand Body The delivery of healthcare services to the people in every nation had always been a problem for the government considering there are a lot of factors affecting its delivery. New Zealand is an example of a government which delivers healthcare to its citizens and permanent residents through public subsidies and private insurance. Even with the help of private insurance, there still exist a number of problems faced by the government. These problems revolve in the availability and accessibility of healthcare services. New Zealand has its concerns and these barriers to healthcare can be categorized into four: economic barriers, utilisation and socio-economic status, interplay of material, cultural and geographic factors, and the implications for the wider health system (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). All of these factors have had an implication in the shaping of the national healthcare policy. The social and economic inequality within New Zealand has widen substantially, thus new initiatives have been made to address such problems. The government has learned its lessons from the previous health system and is now undergoing constant changes and improvements. The policy formulated is now more focused on cooperative over competitive models of service provision and giving emphasis on the delivery of primary care as the key in achieving its goal of health for all and as a sign of overall improvement in the health system (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Ref: Barnett, R., Barnett, P. (April 3, 2003). Primary Health Care in New Zealand: Problems and Policy Approaches. Retrieved from https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj21/21-primary-health-care-in-new-zealand-pages49-66.html Evidence of New Zealand’s attempts to develop better equitable policies was the implementation of New Zealand Health Strategy and Primary Health Care Strategy (Minister of Health, 2001). The former had anticipated new arrangements and have chosen district health boards (DHBs) to implement these new policies. Within the charter of DHBs is the Primary Health Care Strategy (more recent) that suggests new organisational structures. This newly proposed structure is known as primary health organisations (PHOs), to solve problems relating to accessibility and availability in the provision of healthcare services. Moreover, primary health organisations address the lack of co-ordination between health providers. Although the district health boards (DHBs) are well established and setting up of Primary health organisations is going well, there still lies uncertainty about achieving equity in the provision of health (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Economic Barriers to Primary Health Care in New Zealand Just like in many other developed countries, the economic restructuring in New Zealand and the abolishment welfare state had led to the increase incidence of poverty (Waldegrave et al. 1995, Jamieson 1998) and socio-economic disparities in health (Ministry of Health, 2000). In the beginning with the legislation of Social Security in 1938, medical services have been provided as free of service to the people through government subsidies. However, it is also true that the subsidies did not cover 100% of the total cost of patient care. At first the effect to the masses was minor during 1970s where there is â€Å"long boom† of prosperity in New Zealand. Then again, in 1980 the utilisation of the GP and other health services from the ethnic groups, including the positive class are diminishing due to the economic restructuring and growing cost of doctor fees (Gribben 1992, Barnett and Kearns 1996). Utilisation and Socio-Economic Status The utilisation of health services according to socio-economic status is mixed in New Zealand. A recent survey from the National Health Survey 1996/97 (Ministry of Health 1999) reports that people with low-income status are more likely to have a higher frequency of visits to General Practitioner than families from a more affluent areas or people with a higher income. However, the results from the survey shows that people living in a less well-off area have a late seeking behaviour and less visits to GPs because of cost. Key results from the survey are as follows: People had continued to express their dissatisfaction towards the cost of GP fees. The percentage of patients who considered the GPs fee expensive as â€Å"too high† or â€Å"far too high† rose from 32.3% to 68.3% from people paying $10 – $14 and $15 $19 and some rose to 90% from people paying $25 or more (Fergusson et al. 1989). Patients with financial difficulties in obtaining health services opt to have a number of strategies, both active and passive, such as; late seeking behaviour of care, delay in obtaining medication and seeking financial help from GPs (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Patients frequently change their doctors even when they don’t want to. The introduction of Community Service Card (CSC) in 1992 is relatively ineffective in accessing the health provision of care. There is a high level of unmet need among CSC population. The reason for a rising unmet needs among the population group was partly due to low usage by those entitled and the stigma attached to it (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Interplay of Material, Cultural and Geographic Factors Low utilisation of health services in relation to health needs cannot be attached to cost alone. According to Barnett et al. (2003) it is also because of the interplay of factors; material, cultural and geographic factors. It was proved in a survey that MÄ ori and low-income New Zealanders have a low rate of GP utilisation given that the centres where set up to provide service in a low-income population. The health centres were there to improve access to care to MÄ ori and low-income populace. The cost for the provision of service was reduced as compared to the average cost. It was clear in the survey that financial barrier was not the reason but rather cultural values and expectations as well as the benefits from the services rendered (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). It is also important to consider the geographic factors in understanding the levels of GP utilisation. There is a strong relationship between distance and patterns of use in both hospital and GP services; it is also not surprising that there is a sub pattern to it. People with poorer population have a 30% less expenditure or budget in health as compared to the well-off population with 40% over funding as computed by the Health Funding Authority (Malcolm 1998b). It shows that the basing on the budget in each region, the number of GP available is also dependent on the budget, thus with low budget comes less number of available GP and health centres while areas with higher budget comes a larger number of GPs available (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Implications for the wider health system New Zealand research had been focused on the different patterns in GP and hospitalisation utilisation. However, there is also another reason that can be attributed to the low health status among low-income population in the access of health care services. There is a relationship between patient admission and average length of hospital stay. Reducing the average length of stay contributes in the increased rate of readmissions within the poor (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). One factor that might have an effect in the rate of readmissions among the poor is that the access to primary care is prevented by circumstances such as distance, cost and availability of the service itself. It is said that the importance of primary care is great in reducing or limiting hospitalisation (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Primary Health Organisation Model To address the problems New Zealand has in the delivery of health care and to provide equity to all, new initiatives were created. The development of primary care organisations (PHOs) created new frameworks for health service delivery and an avenue for change. Not only it involves the general practitioner and the community but it includes a wide variety of health providers to achieve the goal of giving equity in the access of health care provision. PHOs are a broad based organisation comprised of many primary care providers. These providers include midwives, iwi groups, and non-government organisations aside from General Practitioners. The new system is locally based, funds were computed through the affected population and PHOs are given an important role in formulating new public health initiatives. Partnership with MÄ ori and with Pacific communities is expected and where if needed, Ethnic group representation in the governance is allowed (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Potential Benefits of PHOs Upon the development of Primary Health Organisations, there are three potentials benefits that can be gained. One would be the likelihood of improving the population health is higher as compared to before, the rate of hospital admission will decrease and an empowerment to both the health providers and the consumer. Although after the introduction of capitation, in itself, is not an assurance of an improved population health and access to health. However, there are evidence claiming that a country with strong primary health care and a fewer barriers to healthcare accessibility have a better health outcomes (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). A better primary health care have another advantage of potentially reducing the rate of admissions in hospitals. It is an important factor in determining health outcomes in New Zealand, given the case that it has a high rate of hospital admissions. With higher rate of admissions means higher hospital expenditure for the government. Although, there is no clear relationship between access to primary care and hospital admissions, there exist evidence that shows a reduction in healthcare cost reduces Ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) admissions just like in the United States. Some studies in New Zealand back it up with data showing after the removal of patient charges for consultation; a significant decline in hospitalisation was seen (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Lastly, with the development of primary health organisations with a greater emphasis in community will have the potential in increasing social empowerment in the poorer and disadvantage populations. This is important because cultural and economic barriers influence health seeking behaviour of an individual. Moreover, with the goal of fostering a broader links between health organisations, the potential of having a more holistic and social model of health is made. It has the possibility of not only improving the access to care but also other social conditions that foster inequalities in health (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). Conclusion The development of the Primary Health Care Strategy and the recent move toward the development of PHOs in New Zealand has the potential to improve equity of access to care, reduce unnecessary hospitalisation and improve overall population health. It represents a fundamental shift in national primary health care policy away from an individual to a population focus (although this has been emerging among primary care organisations for some time), and from fee-for-service to a funding approach stressing capitation with reduced co-payments, with inter-regional distribution of funds based on population need. The potential is for a fairer system of primary health care where services will be more freely available to those in need (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). However, improved equity of access may be difficult to achieve, given the problems and risks in developing PHOs. In New Zealand these include fragmentation of providers, inadequate attention to the regional sensitivity of allocation formulas, concern over the extent to which funding should be based on individuals or areas, and the extent to which full participation of both providers and the public is secured. Given the significant additional investment by the government, PHOs will need to demonstrate not only fairer access to primary care reductions in health inequalities, but also improvements in population health overall (Barnett R. and Barnett P. 2003). . Gribben, B. (1992) Do access factors affect utilisation of general practitioners in South AucklandNew Zealand Medical Journal, 105:453-455. Barnett, J.R. and R.A. Kearns (1996) Shopping around?: Consumerism and the use of private accident and medical clinics in Auckland, New ZealandEnvironment and Planning A,28:1053-1075. Waldegrave, C., R.J. Stephens and P. Frater (1995)Most Recent Findings of the New Zealand Poverty Measurement Project, The Family Centre, Lower Hutt. Minister of Health (2001a)Minimum Requirements for Primary Health Organisations, Minister of Health, Wellington. Minister of Health (2001b)The New Zealand Health Strategy, Minister of Health, Wellington. Jamieson, K. (1998)Poverty and Hardship in Christchurch, Christchurch City Council, Christchurch.

The Importance of Training in Todays Human Resource World :: Business Management

Training â€Å"is a learning process that involves that acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform a job.†(9thHRM) Training has a long history from past, present and future. Training is a very important aspect in today’s human resource world. In my current position I train new hire employees, as well as go through many training courses. I really enjoy training and am excited to explain the concepts of training from the beginning from what it could be in the future. Training began in early times as simple as adults showing the children how to do things. Learning things such as building a fire, hunting and cooking are just a few of the many things children were trained how to do from the adults. â€Å"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.†(Aristotle) As far back at 300 BC Socrates â€Å"engaged his learners by asking questions†. (GP) Training in 2000 BC came into apprenticeships with scribes in Egypt. An â€Å"apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill.† (WK) In the middle age training became more complicated with knowledge and skill becoming more complex. In the complexity of the time children were sent to artisans who taught them a special skill and tool for a certain trade. Scholas ticism was began by Pierre Abelard is said to be â€Å"one of the forerunners of learner-based instruction in which the learners use different methods to judge and come to a real meaning of the evidence.†(S) Then in the 1800s came vestibule training which in other words in near the job training. Vestibule training is a combination of classroom training and on the job training. Vestibule training I find very fascinating for it is a laid out example of how your job situation will be. Vestibule training then does not interfere with current production at the factory. In 1910 became the start of role playing. In the company I currently work for our training department strongly believes in role playing. Role playing is â€Å"a technique used in the learning process to provide participation and involvement in the learning process.†(RP) Role playing is a great way to learn â€Å"diagnose interactive skills, to provide models and practice, and to motivate individuals to pay mo re attention to their interpersonal impact.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Price of Revenge in Sleepers and Valentine :: Sleepers Valentine

The Price of Revenge in Sleepers and Valentine Many people advocate the philosophy of "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," but few of them realize that to take revenge is often to sacrifice oneself and that the very purpose of law is to put an end to revenge. People are willing to sacrifice their freedom, their careers, and even their lives for revenge. Lorenzo Carcaterra's novel Sleepers, and Tom Savage's novel, Valentine, evidently express this. Although its true that it might take couple of years for criminals to get what they deserve, most of the time the law gets the job done. In addition, some may argue that the law doesn't always ensure justice. This is also true, but it’s still not worth to sacrifice oneself. We should let the law do its job. People may sacrifice their freedom for revenge. In Sleepers, John Reilly and Tommy Marcano could not forget the humiliation they suffered at the Wilkinson Home for Boys. One day, they saw Sean Nokes, one of the guards who never planned on a reunion with the two boys, sitting in a bar. They recognized him at first glance and didn't want to give up this valuable chance for Nokes to pay for what he did to them. Both of them pulled out their guns and shot Nokes to death in cold blood. The shots that took away their enemy's life soon took away their own freedom. They were both arrested and put into jail. People may sacrifice their careers for revenge as well. Michael Sullivan, after being released from the Wilkinson Home, had never again had a problem with the law. Moreover, he graduated with honors from high school and eventually became a New York City assistant district attorney. But his career was destined to be destroyed when he decided to go after the other guards. "It's payback time", Michael said," John and Tommy started it, I can finish it" (Carcaterra p.271). As the prosecuting attorney, he set the witness (one of the guards) up and purposely lost the case. Although his revenge plan succeeded, his reputation as a lawyer was ruined. He never practiced law again and became a carpenter. It's a tragedy that this law school student doesn't believe in law. People may even sacrifice their lives for revenge. In Valentine, Victor Dimorta is an abused boy.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Triumph of Good in Captain Corellis Mandolin Essay -- Captain Corelli

Triumph of Good in Captain Corelli's Mandolin  Ã‚   Despite a backdrop of war, many characters in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" are essentially good. This goodness in many characters overcomes the difficulties within relationships and the difficulties posed by war. De Bernià ¨res shows the triumphant nature of this goodness through his characters as they interact and develop relationships with one another. The island of Cephallonia has been able to survive through a history full of invasions. Its population has triumphed and shows itself to be basically good. Although at one point they ridicule Father Arsenios when Velisarios humiliates him by lifting him up, there is no malice in their actions. They come to the church to leave "tokens of apology" for Father Arsenios and their goodwill to one another continues throughout the course of the novel. Despite the prejudice of society not allowing Carlo Guercio to live as freely as a homosexual as he would wish, his goodness triumphs as he is able to care for those he loves. When his love, Francesco, dies, Guercio's kind and loving nature comes through as he buries him with his mouse and goes to his mother to tell her of her son's death. He is kind enough to spare her from the truth about the brutality of her son's death, saying that "he died with a smile on his lips". Despite losing his loved one, Guercio's strong character and goodness allow him to go on and love again. This time the object of his affection is Captain Corelli, for whom he eventually sacrifices his life. Captain Corelli's goodness is evident from his first appearance despite the fact that he is a captain of the occupying force. As he marches his troops through the streets of Cephallonia, he breaks the tension by... ...elagia lives to the end of the novel, surviving the war and an earthquake . During the wartime, she and her father socialise with Italian and German soldiers. She uses her medical knowledge to help Mandras and the captain. Pelagia seems to have time for anything and has passionate feelings. She cares deeply for Lemoni and her pets too. The triumphant goodness of human life is evident in many character's lives as they overcome obstacles through their own determination and goodwill. Characters such as Carlo Guercio live not only for themselves, but to comfort others too as he ensures that he tells Francesco's mother that her son died peacefully. The generosity of many characters transcends timeframes as well as age barriers meaning that they help people through their lifetime meaning that more people than just themselves are able to achieve their aims in life.   

Saturday, August 17, 2019

College Answers Essay

Hi everyone! Good morning and welcome to all who have gathered here today! I’ll try my best to avoid the â€Å"Papa Kehte speeches of koi engineer ka kaam karega, business mein koi apna naam karega† Its kind of funny that we have got to bid farewell to this college today only to come back in a few days to give our vivas and 8th sem exams. But then I guess we have to make do with what we have, and I’m happy that I got a chance to speak to all my friends from college on this occasion I think that a farewell speech is probably the ONLY speech where students actually listen to the speaker (well I am hoping at least that is the case right now!) Now that I have your undivided attention, let me share a few experiences I had during the past 4 years of my life in K.J Somaiya Engineering. It was a scary feeling when all of us got in this college through the admission rounds at VJTI. When I came out of the inner hall with the confirmation slip in my hand I hardly knew anything about the college. It was chosen only for its proximity to my place. And what a decision it was – in return for an engineering seat in an unknown college I got back innumerable friends and loads of good times. First Year Engineering must be THE most memorable year for any of the students out here. I think all of us would agree that the Symphony during our First Year –when Parikrama had been here – was the best one we had. The best part about FE was that the college management had not divided the students according to branches. This gave us a chance to interact with people from all the branches for one whole year. This helped a lot by keeping us acquainted, even when we were separated from the second year onwards. I can remember it clearly – FE classes in the old workshop building with temperatures

Friday, August 16, 2019

Nineteen Minutes

The nature versus nurture conflict has continuously been a controversial subject for the public. People want to know what effects our development, personality, and especially our behavior, which seems to overlap the two. The nature side of the argument believes that a human is developed by the genes that are hard-wired into them. In other words, the reason why this human behaves the way he or she does today is because of the genes he or she were born with. On the other hand is nurture, which says a person is formed into the person they are by the environment. This suggests that a person is born with no inborn tendencies and acquire traits off of the setting and the people they are around. In Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, Peter Houghton, the main teenage character, suddenly snaps. Prior to Peter’s murders, he showed no aggression or violence whatsoever. Even his childhood best friend, Josie, who eventually became a member of the popular crowd in school, made efforts to back him up. The sudden outburst from Peter clearly demonstrated that his environment shaped him into the killer he became. An adolescent can be bent and twisted into a completely different person. Hostile environments, like Sterling for Peter, could distort any type of personality and shape the person in undesirable ways. A famous psychologist, by the name of Sigmund Freud, believed that there was evil built in us all. People, after his time, ran with this naturist belief and also said that it is in one’s human nature to do wrong. It is a pessimistic view on the matter, however, they also say that the evil, or wrongdoing, may be brought out with time. Nonetheless, this side of the debate still thinks people are born as thieves, criminals, or in Peter’s case, murderers. Josie‘s mother, Alex, has a strong first impression, from Peter‘s childhood, as she recalls the day when Peter and Josie were playing with the firearms. Alex states, â€Å"I keep thinking about him as a little boy†¦sometimes I can still see him handing you that rifle-â€Å" (Picoult 170). Alex references the time she walked in on Peter and Josie playing with the firearms, accidently left out by Peter’s father. She associates him as a little boy and relates it to why she thinks he killed his peers in high school. This is an easy way to blame Peter, despite the fact that he has been tested before by bullies, and never showed any aggression at the time. Also, instead of blaming Peter, the finger should be pointed at Lewis Houghton. He is the one who made Peter knowledgeable about the guns at a young age, and also was irresponsible by leaving them out with kids around. If Peter’s biological genes were a factor, his aggression should have been presented at a younger age, when the bullying was excessive then too. In contrary to Freud’s theory on human development, comes behaviorism. This theory, which was created by psychologist John B. Watson, essentially states that every infant is born with a blank slate. Meaning that any personality can be molded into what its educator or environment makes it to be. The most influential element of a child’s life is clearly the parenting. This makes the child-parent bond the most important relationship a child has. The way the child is shaped dictates how he or she will view the world, and more importantly themselves. The bullying was immediate for Peter. His first day, on the bus to school, resulted in a lost lunchbox and a few tears. The bullying continued and Peter’s parents were notified. How Lewis and Lacy Houghton handled the situation is vital. After the unpleasant incident, in a conversation with Peter, Lacy replies, â€Å"I know about the lunch boxes. I know what’s been going on with [the bullying]†¦The next time it happens, you have to stick up for yourself. You have to, Peter, or I†¦I’m going to have to punish you† (Picoult 73). The sudden change in Peter’s guidance is drastic. This new approach for Peter suddenly makes violence acceptable. Even though Peter doesn’t show it right away, due to shyness, a seed is planted which ultimately grows into the violence he displayed the day of the massacre at Sterling High. This type of shaping taught the child to become violent since he was not already. Due to the young age, the child will obey the parenting without question, or any conscious conflict. When a child reaches adolescence, physical maturity plays a major role in a human’s development. The dramatic changes of the body are a big change for any teenager. If one’s physical development becomes delayed like Peter’s, then it can become complicated to live an ordinary high school life. During adolescence is when one determines their identity, and with Peter’s difficulty to fit in, he had trouble finding who he was. With the stress and anxiety building for Peter, he can’t even decipher if he is straight or not. The narrator states, â€Å"He just wanted to know what it was like to be among guys who were gay, and totally okay with it. He wanted to know if they could look at him and know, instantly, that Peter belongedâ€Å" (Picoult 231). It’s not that hitting puberty late was a bad thing for Peter, it just made it harder for him to uncover himself. He had to resort to the extreme by surrounding himself with homosexual men. Also, a run in with Mr. McCabe, a gay teacher at Sterling High, aided the discovery Peter needed to experience that he was straight all along. The confusion and delay of puberty makes it easy for a low self esteem to take place. Bullying can be another significant factor in social development. A victim of bullying usually is incapable of having a high self esteem, and sustaining a healthy lifestyle. If bullying is suspected, it is important that the victim has someone to go to. In Peter’s case he had no one. He learned early in life that he had to stick up for himself, so his parents were ruled out the equation early. If a victim of bullying cannot seek help, the bullying can cause emotional, social, and even academic problems. Peter clearly had problems in these three areas. Combine the pressure built from the bullying with no one to talk to, and Peter was a balloon ready to pop. However, Peter shows no remorse after the incident. When talking to his lawyer he states, â€Å"Why is everyone so upset that those jerks are dead? I mean people are crying over them†¦and they were assholes, Every one’s saying I ruined their lives, but no one seemed to care when my life was the one being ruined† (Picoult 134). It is clear to see the damages given to Peter over time. What once seemed like a kid who wouldn’t hurt a fly, is now a kid who shows no remorse and is forced to play survival of the fittest. With Peter Houghton as a prime example it is evident that nurture takes its course. It’s not that Peter became one of the bullies, rather than he adapted to the dog eat dog world. Any parent imagines the potential their baby boy or girl can have when it is born. Some kids may be ignored, steered in the wrong direction, or bullied at school. No one can say what his or her child will be like before he or she is born. Nonetheless, every infant learns. What they learn makes up the world, but they must make up their selves first. The environment around a child is critical to the learning and shaping he or she endures.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Lost Symbol Chapter 67-70

CHAPTER 67 West of Embassy Row, all was silent again inside the walled garden with its twelfth-century roses and Shadow House gazebo. On the other side of an entry road, the young man was helping his hunched superior walk across an expansive lawn. He's letting me guide him? Normally, the blind old man refused help, preferring to navigate by memory alone while on the grounds of his sanctuary. Tonight, however, he was apparently in a hurry to get inside and return Warren Bellamy's phone call. â€Å"Thank you,† the old man said as they entered the building that held his private study. â€Å"I can find my way from here.† â€Å"Sir, I would be happy to stay and help–† â€Å"That's all for tonight,† he said, letting go of his helper's arm and shuffling hurriedly off into the darkness. â€Å"Good night.† The young man exited the building and walked back across the great lawn to his modest dwelling on the grounds. By the time he entered his flat, he could feel his curiosity gnawing at him. The old man clearly had been upset by the question posed by Mr. Bellamy . . . and yet the question had seemed strange, almost meaningless. Is there no help for the widow's son? In his wildest imagination, he could not guess what this could mean. Puzzled, he went to his computer and typed in a search for this precise phrase. To his great surprise, page after page of references appeared, all citing this exact question. He read the information in wonderment. It seemed Warren Bellamy was not the first person in history to ask this strange question. These same words had been uttered centuries ago . . . by King Solomon as he mourned a murdered friend. The question was allegedly still spoken today by Masons, who used it as a kind of encoded cry for help. Warren Bellamy, it seemed, was sending a distress call to a fellow Mason. CHAPTER 68 Albrecht Durer? Katherine was trying to put the pieces together as she hurried with Langdon through the basement of the Adams Building. A.D. stands for Albrecht Durer? The famous sixteenth-century German engraver and painter was one of her brother's favorite artists, and Katherine was vaguely familiar with his work. Even so, she could not imagine how Durer would be any help to them in this case. For one thing, he's been dead more than four hundred years. â€Å"Durer is symbolically perfect,† Langdon was saying as they followed the trail of illuminated EXIT signs. â€Å"He was the ultimate Renaissance mind–artist, philosopher, alchemist, and a lifelong student of the Ancient Mysteries. To this day, nobody fully understands the messages hidden in Durer's art.† â€Å"That may be true,† she said. â€Å"But how does `1514 Albrecht Durer' explain how to decipher the pyramid?† They reached a locked door, and Langdon used Bellamy's key card to get through. â€Å"The number 1514,† Langdon said as they hurried up the stairs, â€Å"is pointing us to a very specific piece of Durer's work.† They came into a huge corridor. Langdon glanced around and then pointed left. â€Å"This way.† They moved quickly again. â€Å"Albrecht Durer actually hid the number 1514 in his most mysterious piece of art–Melencolia I–which he completed in the year 1514. It's considered the seminal work of the Northern European Renaissance.† Peter had once shown Katherine Melencolia I in an old book on ancient mysticism, but she didn't recall any hidden number 1514. â€Å"As you may know,† Langdon said, sounding excited, â€Å"Melencolia I depicts mankind's struggle to comprehend the Ancient Mysteries. The symbolism in Melencolia I is so complex it makes Leonardo da Vinci look overt.† Katherine stopped abruptly and looked at Langdon. â€Å"Robert, Melencolia I is here in Washington. It hangs in the National Gallery.† â€Å"Yes,† he said with a smile, â€Å"and something tells me that's not a coincidence. The gallery is closed at this hour, but I know the curator and–â€Å" â€Å"Forget it, Robert, I know what happens when you go to museums.† Katherine headed off into a nearby alcove, where she saw a desk with a computer. Langdon followed, looking unhappy. â€Å"Let's do this the easier way.† It seemed Professor Langdon, the art connoisseur, was having an ethical dilemma about using the Internet when an original was so nearby. Katherine stepped behind the desk and powered up the computer. When the machine finally came to life, she realized she had another problem. â€Å"There's no icon for a browser.† â€Å"It's an internal library network.† Langdon pointed to an icon on the desktop. â€Å"Try that.† Katherine clicked on the icon marked DIGITAL COLLECTIONS. The computer accessed a new screen, and Langdon pointed again. Katherine clicked on his choice of icon: FINE PRINTS COLLECTION. The screen refreshed. FINE PRINTS: SEARCH. â€Å"Type in `Albrecht Durer.' â€Å" Katherine entered the name and then clicked the search key. Within seconds, the screen began displaying a series of thumbnail images. All of the images looked to be similar in style–intricate black-and-white engravings. Durer had apparently done dozens of similar engravings. Katherine scanned the alphabetical list of his artwork. Adam and Eve Betrayal of Christ Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Great Passion Last Supper Seeing all the biblical titles, Katherine recalled that Durer practiced something called Mystic Christianity–a fusion of early Christianity, alchemy, astrology, and science. Science . . . The image of her lab in flames rushed through her mind. She could barely process the long-term ramifications, but for the moment, her thoughts turned to her assistant, Trish. I hope she made it out. Langdon was saying something about Durer's version of the Last Supper, but Katherine was barely listening. She had just seen the link for Melencolia I. She clicked the mouse, and the page refreshed with general information. Melencolia I, 1514 Albrecht Durer (engraving on laid paper) Rosenwald Collection National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. When she scrolled down, a high-res digital image of Durer's masterpiece appeared in all its glory. Katherine stared in bewilderment, having forgotten just how strange it was. Langdon gave an understanding chuckle. â€Å"As I said, it's cryptic.† Melencolia I consisted of a brooding figure with giant wings, seated in front of a stone building, surrounded by the most disparate and bizarre collection of objects imaginable–measuring scales, an emaciated dog, carpenter's tools, an hourglass, various geometric solids, a hanging bell, a putto, a blade, a ladder. Katherine vaguely recalled her brother telling her that the winged figure was a representation of â€Å"human genius†Ã¢â‚¬â€œa great thinker with chin in hand, looking depressed, still unable to achieve enlightenment. The genius is surrounded with all of the symbols of his human intellect–objects of science, math, philosophy, nature, geometry, even carpentry–and yet is still unable to climb the ladder to true enlightenment. Even the human genius has difficulty comprehending the Ancient Mysteries. â€Å"Symbolically,† Langdon said, â€Å"this represents mankind's failed attempt to transform human intellect into godlike power. In alchemical terms, it represents our inability to turn lead into gold.† â€Å"Not a particularly encouraging message,† Katherine agreed. â€Å"So how does it help us?† She did not see the hidden number 1514 that Langdon was talking about. â€Å"Order from chaos,† Langdon said, flashing a lopsided grin. â€Å"Just as your brother promised.† He reached in his pocket and pulled out the grid of letters he had written earlier from the Masonic cipher. â€Å"Right now, this grid is meaningless.† He spread the paper out on the desk. Katherine eyed the grid. Definitely meaningless. â€Å"But Durer will transform it.† â€Å"And how might he do that?† â€Å"Linguistic alchemy.† Langdon motioned to the computer screen. â€Å"Look carefully. Hidden in this masterpiece is something that will make sense of our sixteen letters.† He waited. â€Å"Do you see it yet? Look for the number 1514.† Katherine was in no mood to play classroom. â€Å"Robert, I see nothing–an orb, a ladder, a knife, a polyhedron, a scale? I give up.† â€Å"Look! There in the background. Carved into that building behind the angel? Beneath the bell? Durer engraved a square that is full of numbers.† Katherine now saw the square that contained numbers, among them 1514. â€Å"Katherine, that square is the key to deciphering the pyramid!† She shot him a surprised look. â€Å"That's not just any square,† Langdon said, grinning. â€Å"That, Ms. Solomon, is a magic square.† CHAPTER 69 Where the hell are they taking me? Bellamy was still blindfolded in the back of an SUV. After a short stop somewhere close to the Library of Congress, the vehicle had continued on . . . but only for a minute. Now the SUV had stopped again, having again traveled only about a block. Bellamy heard muffled voices talking. â€Å"Sorry . . . impossible . . .† an authoritative voice was saying. † . . . closed at this hour . . .† The man driving the SUV replied with equal authority. â€Å"CIA investigation . . . national security . . .† Apparently the exchange of words and IDs was persuasive, because the tone shifted immediately. â€Å"Yes, of course . . . service entrance . . .† There was the loud grinding of what sounded like a garage door, and as it opened, the voice added, â€Å"Shall I accompany you? Once you're inside, you won't be able to get through–â€Å" â€Å"No. We have access already.† If the guard was surprised, it was too late. The SUV was moving again. It advanced about fifty yards and then came to a stop. The heavy door rumbled closed again behind them. Silence. Bellamy realized he was trembling. With a bang, the SUV's rear hatch flew open. Bellamy felt a sharp pain in his shoulders as someone dragged him out by his arms, then lifted him to his feet. Without a word, a powerful force led him across a wide expanse of pavement. There was a strange, earthy smell here that he could not place. There were footsteps of someone else walking with them, but whoever it was had yet to speak. They stopped at a door, and Bellamy heard an electronic ping. The door clicked open. Bellamy was manhandled through several corridors and could not help but notice that the air was warmer and more humid. An indoor pool, maybe? No. The smell in the air was not chlorine . . . it was far more earthy and primal. Where the hell are we?! Bellamy knew he could not be more than a block or two from the Capitol Building. Again they stopped, and again he heard the electronic beep of a security door. This one slid open with a hiss. As they pushed him through, the smell that hit him was unmistakable. Bellamy now realized where they were. My God! He came here often, although never through the service entrance. This magnificent glass building was only three hundred yards from the Capitol Building and was technically part of the Capitol Complex. I run this place! Bellamy now realized it was his own key fob that was giving them access. Powerful arms pushed him through the doorway, leading him down a familiar, winding walkway. The heavy, damp warmth of this place usually felt comforting to him. Tonight, he was sweating. What are we doing here?! Bellamy was halted suddenly and seated on a bench. The man with the muscles unhooked his handcuffs only long enough to reaffix them to the bench behind his back. â€Å"What do you want from me?† Bellamy demanded, heart pounding wildly. The only response he received was the sound of boots walking off and the glass door sliding shut. Then silence. Dead silence. They're just going to leave me here? Bellamy was sweating more heavily now as he struggled to release his hands. I can't even take off my blindfold? â€Å"Help!† he shouted. â€Å"Anybody!† Even as he called out in panic, Bellamy knew nobody was going to hear him. This massive glass room–known as the Jungle–was entirely airtight when the doors were closed. They left me in the Jungle, he thought. Nobody will find me until morning. Then he heard it. The sound was barely audible, but it terrified Bellamy like no sound he had ever heard in his life. Something breathing. Very close. He was not alone on the bench. The sudden hiss of a sulfur match sizzled so close to his face that he could feel the heat. Bellamy recoiled, instinctively yanking hard at his chains. Then, without warning, a hand was on his face, removing his blindfold. The flame before him reflected in the black eyes of Inoue Sato as she pressed the match against the cigarette dangling from her lips, only inches away from Bellamy's face. She glared at him in the moonlight that filtered down through the glass ceiling. She looked pleased to see his fear. â€Å"So, Mr. Bellamy,† Sato said, shaking out the match. â€Å"Where shall we begin?† CHAPTER 70 A magic square. Katherine nodded as she eyed the numbered square in Durer's engraving. Most people would have thought Langdon had lost his mind, but Katherine had quickly realized he was right. The term magic square referred not to something mystical but to something mathematical–it was the name given to a grid of consecutive numbers arranged in such a way that all the rows, columns, and diagonals added up to the same thing. Created some four thousand years ago by mathematicians in Egypt and India, magic squares were still believed by some to hold magical powers. Katherine had read that even nowadays devout Indians drew special three-by-three magic squares called the Kubera Kolam on their pooja altars. Primarily, though, modern man had relegated magic squares to the category of â€Å"recreational mathematics,† some people still deriving pleasure from the quest to discover new â€Å"magical† configurations. Sudoku for geniuses. Katherine quickly analyzed Durer's square, adding up the numbers in several rows and columns. â€Å"Thirty-four,† she said. â€Å"Every direction adds up to thirty-four.† â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"But did you know that this magic square is famous because Durer accomplished the seemingly impossible?† He quickly showed Katherine that in addition to making the rows, columns, and diagonals add up to thirty-four, Durer had also found a way to make the four quadrants, the four center squares, and even the four corner squares add up to that number. â€Å"Most amazing, though, was Durer's ability to position the numbers 15 and 14 together in the bottom row as an indication of the year in which he accomplished this incredible feat!† Katherine scanned the numbers, amazed by all the combinations. Langdon's tone grew more excited now. â€Å"Extraordinarily, Melencolia I represents the very first time in history that a magic square appeared in European art. Some historians believe this was Durer's encoded way of indicating that the Ancient Mysteries had traveled outside the Egyptian Mystery Schools and were now held by the European secret societies.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Which brings us back to . . . this.† He motioned to the slip of paper bearing the grid of letters from the stone pyramid. â€Å"I assume the layout looks familiar now?† Langdon asked. â€Å"Four-by-four square.† Langdon picked up the pencil and carefully transcribed Durer's numbered magic square onto the slip of paper, directly beside the lettered square. Katherine was now seeing just how easy this was going to be. He stood poised, pencil in hand, and yet . . . strangely, after all this enthusiasm, he seemed to hesitate. â€Å"Robert?† He turned to her, his expression one of trepidation. â€Å"Are you sure we want to do this? Peter expressly–â€Å" â€Å"Robert, if you don't want to decipher this engraving, then I will.† She held out her hand for the pencil. Langdon could tell there would be no deterring her and so he acquiesced, turning his attention back to the pyramid. Carefully, he superimposed the magic square over the pyramid's grid of letters and assigned each letter a number. Then he created a new grid, placing the Masonic cipher's letters in the new order as defined by the sequence in Durer's magic square. When Langdon was finished, they both examined the result. Katherine immediately felt confused. â€Å"It's still gibberish.† Langdon remained silent a long moment. â€Å"Actually, Katherine, it's not gibberish.† His eyes brightened again with the thrill of discovery. â€Å"It's . . . Latin.† In a long, dark corridor, an old blind man shuffled as quickly as he could toward his office. When he finally arrived, he collapsed in his desk chair, his old bones grateful for the reprieve. His answering machine was beeping. He pressed the button and listened. â€Å"It's Warren Bellamy,† said the hushed whisper of his friend and Masonic brother. â€Å"I'm afraid I have alarming news . . .† Katherine Solomon's eyes shot back to the grid of letters, reexamining the text. Sure enough, a Latin word now materialized before her eyes. Jeova. Katherine had not studied Latin, but this word was familiar from her reading of ancient Hebrew texts. Jeova. Jehovah. As her eyes continued to trace downward, reading the grid like a book, she was surprised to realize she could read the entire text of the pyramid. Jeova Sanctus Unus. She knew its meaning at once. This phrase was ubiquitous in modern translations of Hebrew scripture. In the Torah, the God of the Hebrews was known by many names–Jeova, Jehovah, Jeshua, Yahweh, the Source, the Elohim–but many Roman translations had consolidated the confusing nomenclature into a single Latin phrase: Jeova Sanctus Unus. â€Å"One true God?† she whispered to herself. The phrase certainly did not seem like something that would help them find her brother. â€Å"That's this pyramid's secret message? One true God? I thought this was a map.† Langdon looked equally perplexed, the excitement in his eyes evaporating. â€Å"This decryption obviously is correct, but . . .† â€Å"The man who has my brother wants to know a location.† She tucked her hair behind her ear. â€Å"This is not going to make him very happy.† â€Å"Katherine,† Langdon said, heaving a sigh. â€Å"I've been afraid of this. All night, I've had a feeling we're treating as reality a collection of myths and allegories. Maybe this inscription is pointing to a metaphorical location–telling us that the true potential of man can be accessed only through the one true God.† â€Å"But that makes no sense!† Katherine replied, her jaw now clenched in frustration. â€Å"My family protected this pyramid for generations! One true God? That's the secret? And the CIA considers this an issue of national security? Either they're lying or we're missing something!† Langdon shrugged in accord. Just then, his phone began to ring. In a cluttered office lined with old books, the old man hunched over his desk, clutching a phone receiver in his arthritic hand. The line rang and rang. At last, a tentative voice answered. â€Å"Hello?† The voice was deep but uncertain. The old man whispered, â€Å"I was told you require sanctuary.† The man on the line seemed startled. â€Å"Who is this? Did Warren Bell–† â€Å"No names, please,† the old man said. â€Å"Tell me, have you successfully protected the map that was entrusted to you?† A startled pause. â€Å"Yes . . . but I don't think it matters. It doesn't say much. If it is a map, it seems to be more metaphorical than–â€Å" â€Å"No, the map is quite real, I assure you. And it points to a very real location. You must keep it safe. I cannot impress upon you enough how important this is. You are being pursued, but if you can travel unseen to my location, I will provide sanctuary . . . and answers.† The man hesitated, apparently uncertain. â€Å"My friend,† the old man began, choosing his words carefully. â€Å"There is a refuge in Rome, north of the Tiber, which contains ten stones from Mount Sinai, one from heaven itself, and one with the visage of Luke's dark father. Do you know my location?† There was a long pause on the line, and then the man replied, â€Å"Yes, I do.† The old man smiled. I thought you might, Professor. â€Å"Come at once. Make sure you're not followed.†

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Falstaffs role transcend that of a buffon in henry IV Essay

Falstaff’s role undoubtedly transcends that of a buffoon however Falstaff is also portrayed as an anarchic spirit, ready to defy any rules in order to satisfy his own appetites. Falstaff’s extrovert character therefore has an inevitable affect on Hals later decisions. Shakespeare portrays Falstaff as an enormous paradox. He is a huge man, who is so quick witted and so deft at manipulating language that he remains eternally elusive. He is quick to use others and has no sense of honesty, yet he gives and inspires great affection in those around him. He is a relatively old man, yet he refuses to admit the fact. He is a knight of the realm, yet acknowledges no sense that being a knight requires of him any decorum, loyalty, or respectable behaviour. He is an enormously selfish man, but he brings out of others some of their best qualities of wit, good fellowship, and conversation. It is Possible that Shakespeare wants us to interpret Falstaff as some sort of Lord of Misrule, a figure of irrepressible energy and joyousness in life who exists as a counter to the necessary order and stability in political society. And it may well be the case that Falstaff’s theatrical origins include many such figures such as the Kings of the Harvest Festivals where the rules of order are temporarily suspended in the name of communal celebrations free of normal restraints. But we must be careful not to get to emotionally involved with Falstaff, because if we do, we will fail to take account of his more corrosive qualities. For Falstaff does not represent the temporary overthrow of traditional order in the name of communal celebrations. His attitude includes also a deep scepticism which undercuts all value, and which therefore makes any form of shared life in a peaceful community impossible. The fact that Shakespeare chose to cast Falstaff as a knight particularly brings out this point. He is a member of the upper class, responsible for law, order, and good government. His subversive qualities would be far less powerful, were he simply a fat common layabout. But he has the same rank as, Sir Walter Blunt, and is entitled to join all the commanders in the consultation with the rebel leaders before the battle and, as a knight, has the right and the responsibility to take command over the common men whom he presses into the king’s service. Shakespeare therefore deliberately portrays Falstaff in this manor to challenge the audience’s perceptions and offers a more corrosive ironic counterpoint throughout the play. This quality is most evident when we explore the theme of honour. Shakespeare deliberately contrasts Hotspurs traditional concept of honour with that of Henry IV. Henrys sense of military honour permits him to have several other knights dress up in his royal armour and impersonate him on the battlefield, so that his enemies will wear themselves out chasing and fighting the wrong person. From Henry’s point of view, this is clever military strategy, an efficient policy at work; from Hotspur’s point of view it is a denial of what true honour requires, which is not something politically efficient but something deeply personal, a manifestation of one’s true character. From Falstaff’s point of view, all honour which requires one to run the risk of losing one’s life is absurd. In fact, any sense of honour which holds one back from seizing a good opportunity to enrich oneself is merely an empty word, to which he is not prepared to pay attention. Therefore S hakespeare uses Falstaff as a counterweight between the two. When we enjoy Falstaff’s actions in the tavern, Shakespeare also wants us to see how, out of this approach to life, his attempt to cheat the hostess out of money, his conduct with the conscript soldiers, and his mutilation of Hotspur’s body follow quite consistently. These actions complicate our response to him. In a stable society, such actions would seriously prejudice our opinion of the fat knight. But in this play, our judgment is made much more difficult, because Falstaff’s actions are, in some respects, not all that different from what others in the play are doing on a much bigger scale. Falstaff may well be abusing the king’s press, but Henry is forcing people to dress up and be killed on his behalf, to uphold his claim on the throne, which he won by rebellion and murder. Falstaff mutilates Hotspur’s dead body, but Worcester and Prince Hal bring about Hotspur’s death. Falstaff may rob the traveller at Gadshill, but others have stolen or are planning to steal the entire kingdom. In a world where the leaders hold no regard for morality in their pursuit of power and manipulate language to suit their political purposes, Falstaff’s actions appear less reprehensible than they otherwise might. If the king and the lords are lying, stealing, and deceiving, why shouldn’t he? At least the scale of his operations is much smaller. Moreover, Shakespeare portrays him as quite candid about what he is doing and does not attempt to justify his actions as somehow morally defensible (except in mock justifications which parody the official language of the court). In fact, his impersonation of them, his appropriation of their high-toned language for satiric purposes, reminds us constantly of the hypocrisy of their special pleading. He has a capacity to bring joy to others, to make them laugh, to inspire their affections, in a manner quite impossible in the royal court. That’s why the presence of Falstaff is much more subversive than a sentimental picture of him might suggest. He candidly acknowledges what he does and why he does it and our knowledge of what is happening on the larger scale doesn’t give us the solid assurances we need to deal with Falstaff as we might wish. Shakespeare uses Falstaff as a manifestation of ones self. An appropriate counterweight used to encourage us to question the morality of others in the play and maybe even the morality of our own society.

Analysis of Research Methods, Client Relationship, Personal Evaluation Essay

Analysis of Research Methods, Client Relationship, Personal Evaluation - Essay Example The paper tells that with the advancement of technology and emergence of the concept of consumerism to the surface, customers have become ever more dominant and powerful in the marketplace. Nowadays all the companies shed off myopic ideas and try to incorporate consumer’s will in the decision making process. This is particularly important because customer satisfaction is the ultimate objective that leads to profitability and endurance in organizations. To attain stability, organizations spend millions of dollars today on their Research and Development departments to get the best and most accurate knowledge regarding consumer behaviour and expectations. This knowledge and information is utilized by organizations in improving their processes to meet the demands and requirements of the customers and thus deliver a â€Å"wow experience† every time the customer interacts with the offering. In other words, this shall not be exaggeration to state that, research is one of the k ey pillars to success of an organization, in the contemporary market dimensions. Any idea or tactic backed up by research findings is more durable and dependable then something that is implemented out of the blue. Research does not only assist organizations in deciding which route to success shall be adopted, in fact contingency measures and sporadic adjustments to deviations and evaluation of the implementation are some of the broad areas that are addressed at length by researches. (Thornton, 2010). Throughout the length of this paper various research methods will be analyzed through various perspectives and efforts will be made to develop an understanding of using research methods and findings in the most efficient manner possible. Analysis of Research Methods The above diagram is a representation of a general research process. Though 5 major steps are shown in the diagram in a systematic manner, but in real life scenario one stage may precede the other depending upon the requirem ents of the researchers and the nature of the research itself. While conducting our research we followed the above systematic flow of processes for data collection, analysis and reporting of its findings (Collis and Hussey, 2003). Research can be defined as a systematic investigative study conducted to discover answers to questions or solutions to prevalent or future dilemmas. In the commercial scenario, findings of a research may serve to make it or break it for the sponsors of the research. Bearing in mind the model provided in the figure then we see that the process initiates with the discovery of a problem or unanswered question. This is the phase of the research process that occurs voluntarily (Kumar, 2010). Any department of the company shall encounter a problem at any stage and this is completely unavoidable and inevitable (Collis, 2003). The stage that entails the discovery of a problem shall come to the surface unexpectedly and demand a solution on an immediate basis and th ings could be the other way round too. Therefore this can be said that moving on from one stage to another in the research process may vary from situation to situation (Blaxter et al, 2006). The stage proceeding Discover Stage is known as â€Å"Retrieve Stage†. Retrieve stage is a significant phase that shall be carried out with great care and technically sound staff. There are various methods utilizing which this phase can be surpassed. At this stage we were required to determine the sources from which data can be retrieved and the subsequent methodology to be adopted. There are two broad options that were available to the group to get the data from, Primary Resources and Secondary Resources (McBurney, 2009). Secondary resources are considered to be the best sources of information in case the problem that has to be resolved has occurred before in some other department of the company or may be in any other part of the world. Secondary data provides a sound basis to the resear chers to construct a framework based on the