Nora †a Classical Hero in Henrik Ibsens a Doll`S House

Nora – A Classical Hero in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll`s House Nora Helmer makes the right decision to free herself from the social and traditional commitments and obligations and come and become an independent individual. Nora Helmer in Isbens A Dolls House lived in the world of predetermined social and societal constraints that made her deprived her of her freedom and happiness. The society in which she lived wanted people to live according to the rigidly set norms and standards of the society. Subjugation and oppression was the theme of that society. Men and women were supposed to play the role that was assigned to them. Nora Helmer found herself in such a world of suppression. She was supposed to live a quiet life in a world that was†¦show more content†¦Nora finally becomes fully independent to renounce the false union of marriage and the burden of motherhood. She says â€Å"Never see him again. Never. Never. Never. Never see the children again. Them too. Never . never. Oh - the icy black water! Oh - that bottomless - that -! Oh, if only it were all over! Now he’s got it - he’s reading it. Oh, no, no! Not yet! Goodbye, Torvald! Goodbye, my darlings (Ibsen, 1990).† A Doll’s house is a criticism of the subjugation of women during those period. We can infer from the theme of the novel that the author Henrik Ibsen was a strong Feminist as he created characters that fought for the rights of women. The central character of A Doll’s house, Nora fought for the same cause. A Dolls house speaks about women’s rights.The feminist ideologies of Nora were revealed in the end of the novel. Nora was the upholder of womens rights. She struggled against the selfish, stifling, oppressive and dominating attitude of her Husband Torvald and the society which he represents. Nora journey lead to her self-discovery as she fought against the exploitation of women by men. Torvald represents the orthodox society and Nora is th e advocate of feminism. Torvald did not give any privilege to Nora and called her silly names throughout the play. He called her ‘squirrel’, ‘lark’, ‘little skylark’, ‘little songbird’, ‘little person’, ‘little woman’, and ‘littleShow MoreRelated Comparing A Dolls House and Oedipus Rex Essay1672 Words   |  7 PagesComparing A Dolls House and Oedipus Rex Ibsens drama A Dolls House, serves as an example of the kind of issue-based drama that distinguishes Ibsen from many of his contemporaries. The plays dialogue is not poetic, but very naturalistic, and the characters are recognizable people. Given the sense of modernity which the play possesses it seems unusual to compare it to a Greek tragedy produced more than two-thousand years previously. On closer examination however, there

The Rights Of Illegal Immigration - 1690 Words

Juan Guarintino was a Spanish immigrant who moved here into the United States. Juan worked for General Faucets and Plumbing and loved every minute of his job. There was only one problem that Juan was struggling with in America. Juan Guarintino was an illegal immigrant who had paid someone to smuggle him into the United States and make him a fake visa card. Now, a few days ago, he shot a man for the twenty dollars in his pocket that way he could manage his chronic cocaine problem, but the police have caught wind of what has happened. When the police found out where he lives, they ran into the house, only to find Guarintino’s two little daughters playing underneath his wife while she is cooking her family a meal. Now, the police have two†¦show more content†¦Others might think, however, that illegal immigration has some positive effects on America in places such as diversity, bringing in more help with jobs, and also helping refugees escape from tyrannical governments. Even though there are positives, the adverse effects of illegal immigration still far outway the good that these immigrants bring to the United States. Immigration can be handled, but the only way to help fund the illegal immigration problem is money. Research done by Albert Hunt of the New York Times shows that â€Å"spending on immigration enforcement exceeded $18,000,000,000 last year almost twice as much as a decade earlier.† (Hunt) This fact alone should show how much illegal immigration affects the national debt in America. Also, if this is not enough proof, Hunt also found that â€Å"The U.S. spends more money on controlling the border than on all other federal criminal law enforcement efforts combined.† (Hunt) Let this fact sink in for just a minute. The U.S. spends less money on police officers, the FBI, CIA, and more enforcement agencies combined than Illegal immigration border control. Now, imagine how much crime would drop if the U.S. were able to spend this money used for border control on crime inside the states. Until this issue is resolved, we as a country may not see a major drop in crime anytime s oon. Another example of an adverse effect caused by

Nordstrom Free Essays

Nordstrom: Planning a better inventory Question 1 Nordstrom has famously been known for its lean retail prices and its tight inventory. Nordstrom uses demand forecasting to minimize leftover inventory. Nordstrom’s total corporate management is based on two main goals. We will write a custom essay sample on Nordstrom or any similar topic only for you Order Now One is to associate purchasing with demand to keep inventory as lean as possible. Second is to present customers and sales associates with a wide-ranging view of Nordstrom’s entire inventory, including all stores and warehouses. Nordstrom relates purchasing with demand to keep inventory lean and show customers and employees Nordstrom’s inventory. Nordstrom keeps its items in stock for an extremely short period of time so that if a customer wants it, they only have limited time to purchase it. Compared to Macy’s who keep items in their inventory for 119 days, Nordstrom keeps its items in inventory for 62 days. Other than relying on day-to-day sales, Nordstrom only discounts certain items and plans for more profitable and productive sale prices. Question 2 Nordstrom benchmarks to assess the success of their web-based inventor system by discovering what other organizations are doing to succeed and incorporate those ideas into their own operations. Competition for Nordstrom will be intense against Banana Republic, Macy’s, and Nike; big shoe selling companies but if they take certain qualities from each one and link them with their own, their web-based inventory will be a great success. They could make the web-inventory more user friendly, so it wouldn’t take as long for the customer to find that exclusive item that they want. Also, they could keep the items that are not in the store after the 62 days online, so the customers are not limited to a certain number of days. Lastly, they could add even more shops to the already huge online inventory. Question 3 Participatory planning includes the people who will be affected by plans and who will be asked to take action. Equitability and transparency are assets that will increase the customers’ belief in the practice of retail. The way employees and managers cooperate within the process will regulate the ending of the process. Effective communication can increase the common understanding of ethics and ideas among customers and form a base for relations and future purchases. The happier a customer feels with the company that they are purchasing from, the more often they will go back to that company and purchase more products. Groups that should be involved are all employees within the company, because the more they are involved, the more comfort there will be among the employees and the customers who will buy the product in the near future. Question 4 Nordstrom has done a lot to their technology department since 2009 to compete with competitors in the online market. If there were ideas that I could suggest for them, I would say that in their search area on the sites, they can still add more functions, such as a rating system where customers can rank the product on how good it is. Companies such as Macy’s and Nike have a customer rating system for clothing, so buyers know which products are being liked and which ones aren’t. Also, in the online inventory, Nordstrom needs to include which products are new, and which ones are old because it is not listed on their site. Companies such as Nike, Banana Republic and Macy’s all have a â€Å"new arrival† tab on their website while Nordstrom does not. Those would be the only inventory management overhaul ideas I would recommend to them. As far as stretch goals are concerned, I would say that Nordstrom needs to concentrate on watching its competitors and reinventing its store and online inventory to keep and gain many more customers. References Men’s Apparel: All Clothing for Men | Nordstrom. Nordstrom: Free Shipping. Free Returns. All the Time.. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://shop. nordstrom. com/c/mens-apparel? origin=leftnav Men’s Apparel: stretch shirts | Banana Republic. Apparel, Handbags, Shoes and Accessories for Women and Men | Free Shipping on $50 | Banana Republic. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://bananarepublic. gap. com/browse/category. do? cid=79399 Nike Store. Men’s Jackets Vests. Nike. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from How to cite Nordstrom, Essay examples Nordstrom Free Essays Nordstrom’s problems†¦ Nordstrom is a classic case of how complicated and counterproductive the business becomes if a system is not properly designed or implemented. Nordstrom’s intentions were very good when they launched their customized piece rate compensation technique called â€Å"Sales Per Hour (SPH)† for the first time in the retail industry. Their plan was to motivate all the sale employees to think and act outside the box and earn tremendous customer satisfaction thus augmenting the sales. We will write a custom essay sample on Nordstrom or any similar topic only for you Order Now Their intentions were good but they haven’t really anticipated the problems that they faced due to this idea, thus failed to create a system which was fool-proof and awarding for the employees. For example, the SPH system was set such that the employee with higher SPH gets compensation more than the one with lesser SPH. But it doesn’t account for the quality of work done in order to create that particular sale. What if a customer worked more hours to generate lesser dollar amount to satisfy the customer? Does that mean that the sales clerk deserves less money than someone who does a less intense work to create more SPH? The fine line between selling time and non-selling time was not properly documented or practiced, which in a way brought the entire system down. Nordstrom’s management always were on a single loop learning process of reacting according to that particular situation and focused on the motivation aspect of the employees to enhance their sales but never concentrated in a double loop learning process of how things can be improved or what might go wrong with this idea etc. If they had implemented the double loop learning and be more proactive in extrapolating the glitches of the system, they would never have ended in a position like the one the case mentions about. Nordstrom had used the expectancy theory of motivation for compensating their employees. When a sales clerk joined Nordstrom, he/she expected that they first will be valued and also will be compensated for their performance which is directly tied to rewards and reinforcements. This system proved to be fatal for Nordstrom. One more problem with the system failing is the decentralized process created within Nordstrom which never allowed good supervision of the employees and the sales clerks from the managerial side. A decentralized system has advantages of increased creativity, better communication and more efficient environment but suffers from lack of co-ordination and supervision between different departments thus creating silos within the work environment. This exactly was the case in Nordstrom where managers never realized the failure of the system and the issues of the sales clerks with the SPH system until it got nasty. Having said that, Nordstrom’s SPH system succeeded for a long time by motivating employees to give their hundred percent and generate more sales thus creating a name for themselves. Nordstrom’s culture also included punishment and reinforcement when the case mentioned that if an employee has lesser SPH, he/she served decreased hours or possibly was terminated. This brings all the employees into a vulnerable state where they cannot deliver their best. It also creates an unhealthy competition among the employees and they work against each other rather than working together towards a common goal. All systems, not matter how big they are, fall at some point if not properly designed or implemented like a small crack in the wall can dilapidate the entire house. Alas, that was the case for Nordstrom. How to cite Nordstrom, Papers

Issues Concerning The International Business-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: What Is The Issues Concerning The International Business? Answer: Introduction Issues exist in every aspect of life and it mainly leads to incur loss and damages negatively. Considering such facet, business organisations around the world faces issues and conflicts that negatively harm their business effectiveness pessimistically. Thereby, in order to ensure organisational effectiveness, the business proceedings need to be enhanced proficiently (Forsgren and Johanson 2014). The prime aim of this report is draw a critical analysis of the issues those multi-national companies around the world faces in their business proceedings. In addition, post the analysis, effective solutions would be sketched that would assist in overcoming such issues positively. This report comprises of several critical analysis and recommendations, based on such a rationale conclusion has been described for a better understanding of the study. Background information of the organisation International Business Machines (IBM) is a world-famous information technology firm, which exists since 19th century and operating its business in approximately 171 countries around the globe. The IT organisation is onto mass-producing computer hardware, software and middleware for their respective clients from worldwide. Primarily, the organisation initiated its business in 1911 and is been founded by Charles Ranlett Flint. The company has expanded massively since its initiation and remained dedicated as well issues concerning the international businessas effective in providing value productivity. In addition, IBM has been considered as the worlds largest employer, that comprise of approximately 3,81,000 employees working as a team to accomplish one common organisational goal. The company other than producing hardware, software and middleware, it also provides consultancy services in various domains concerning from information technology to nano-technology as such. It carries the global record of generating the worlds best and finest patents that has given the world new possibilities in life. Chiefly, IBM proudly distinguished themselves from other organisations that are onto similar business of information technology in terms of catering value services to the consumers worldwide. There are end numbers of inventions that IBM has successfully made, yet the renowned inventions include ATM, floppy disks, hard drives, UPC barcode, magnetic stripes card, random access memory (RAM) and the SQL programming language. The company constantly catered innovations since its inception and t hrived in delivering quality productivity to the world. The IT industry giant has predominantly acquired several businesses with an intention to tap a higher market and maximise deliverance of value. IBMs acquisition comprise of PwC consulting firm, the Weather Company and SPSS. It has expanded its business to higher level and continuously enhancing its business operations in order to ensure effectiveness and proficiency at every level of its business proceedings (Ibm.com 2017).The company has created a mind-set within the consumers that whenever a consumer think of IBM, he/she would think of excellence and worth in products and services. Key issues of the firm in global operation IBM being the global leader in providing IT solutions and technological products and services, encounters issue that predominantly hampers its international business operations negatively. However, issues are common in nature and no organisation in the world is present with absolute no issue in their business operation (Kolk 2016). Business ethics and corporate social responsibility are the key aspects that every business organisation in the world incorporates in order to ensure organisational effectiveness as well as generating value of business. These two aspects can be defined as the moral values and concern for the society that caters social wellness as well as incur principles within a business conduct that generates a positive outlook for the business organisation (Wild, Wild and Han 2014). Considering such fact, the global market leader in technology has faced major ethical issue that has affected its business operation globally. It is widely understood fact that MNEs around the world have large number of employees working in different units and locations with common organisational objective. MNE such as IBM has a diversified employees working together with different set of language, culture, values, beliefs and morals for that matter. In such scenario, employees may or may not adhere to the ethical or c orporate social responsibility policies that have been incorporated by the organisation (Cavusgil et al. 2014). It has been observed since late 90s that IBM has been facing ethical issues concerning its business and operation. The unethical proceedings of the organisation have created a massive drop on its corporate reputation and image for that matter. The ethical issues of IBM include: Anti-trust and Monopoly IBM has been found guilty in exclusive possession or monopolization in the technological and computer industry in terms of trade and proceedings of business that has been considered as illegitimate by a federal district court. Bribery During 2011, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged a lawsuit to IBM in the case of bribery, which has been offered to the South Korean governmental officials to acquire profitable business contracts. Later, IBM has settled down the court case by paying approximately $10 million. Besides that, the U.S. SEC has claimed that the managers at IBM have bribed the officials of South Korea and China about a decade since 1998 until 2009. The bribery that has been made to the officials of both the nation was aimed to win over the contacts of business. Workplace safety Two employees of IBM has claimed that the company has intentionally exposed them to detrimental and toxic chemical that has happened to cause them fall sick and the company had concealed such information from them. However, IBM has disagreed regarding this matter in court and alleged that the causation has happened due to the preference of employees lifestyle such as smoking and drinking (com 2017). The above issues are completely unethical in nature and it is of vital significance that such issues need to be identified prior to any damage cause to the organisation. Thereby, identification of such key issues is crucial concerning the damages it may cause to the organisations social reputation as well as on image for that matter. Ethical issues affect on the firms international business operation In context to the ethical issue of anti-trust and monopoly, the business conduct on such practices leads to a drastic decline in the efficiency level of its business operations. The business conduct of IBM identified to be very rigid and of monopolistic nature, that creates a sense of conflict and negativity within the mind-sets of employees. It is crucial that the code of conduct must be of ethical in nature and comprise of moral values and social wellness (Tai and Chuang 2014). Supposedly, if the conduct of business is of low ethics and does not include any sort of effectiveness, then it may lead to a massive decline in the organisational effectiveness. Concerning such aspect, it can be referred to as Consequentialist ethics that are based on the actions of the firm or proceedings of the business primarily. Such ethics are been determined by the consequences that it faces from the actions that it displays predominantly (Ferrell and Fraedrich 2015). Besides that, the scenario of bribery that has been made by IBM to win the contracts has created a negative effect on both the sides of firms social reputation as well as on the nations corruption level. Bribery has been considered as a serious crime in almost every nation and has been issued by the national security commissions (Paik, Lee and Pak 2017). In such case, if IBM has been indulged in such illegal affairs then it has flaunted a serious crime of tampering the national policy by involving and inducing such prohibited crime proactively. In addition, it has also incurred a heavy loss on the social reputation as well as on the image that it has on the global prospect (Shaw and Barry 2015). The code of conduct has not been well followed by the top executives of IBM and which had lead to face such consequences negatively. Concerning to the workplace safety issue, the claim of firms employees in terms of exposure to harmful chemicals that has made them fall sick has formed a negative perspective into the mind-sets of every employees working in different locations around the world (Crane and Matten 2016). The employees of IBM from other locations has viewed such scenario as matter of low ethics and claimed it as an inappropriate treatment of employees. This in turn has made the firm to face low-productivity, resignations and a substantial decline in work commitment for that matter. The business operation has come down drastically and which lead the organisation to encounter with several challenges (Grace and Cohen 2015). Firms effort in resolving the issues and its effectiveness IBM has put considerable effort in resolving the issues that has caused tremendous damage in its global business operations as well as on its social reputation. The firm has applied some of the strategic approaches that assisted to resolve such issues effectively. IBM has initiated several corporate social responsibilities with an intention to provide wellness to the society that the firm primarily operate in. The company has endorsed some effective as well as efficient proceedings that have made the organisation to settle down such ethical issues optimistically. Although, the proceedings were complex yet it has assisted proficiently. This approach has assisted the firm to uplift the social reputation and image that has been dropped down by the ethical issues that it had faced (Michalos 2017). Firstly, IBM has bestowed $50 million to the grant commissions in order to assist build smarter cities and renovate more than 100 cities around the globe with substantial energy efficiency. Secondly, approximately 3,00,000 of IBM employees has engaged in Centennial Celebration of Service that outcome in 3.5 million hours of service focused predominantly on the society. Thirdly, IBM has set out several high-potential teams to different countries around the world with the purpose of enhancing the communities to create a smarter planet around the world (Ibm.com 2017).Thereby, the approaches of IBM has been effective and proficient in bridging the gap between community and corporate in terms of elevating the repute. The actions of the firm are been effective enough as it covers every issues that has declined the firms operation and thus created a new possibility to enhance its business. In addition, it is a tacit fact providing such service and contribution for the wellness of community is viewed positively by the public as well by the government; thus, generates possibilities to re-position the firms repute effectively (Nam and Weaver 2015). Alternative actions that would have undertaken to address the issues Concerning to the above actions, there are some alternative actions that would assist in resolving the issues positively. In respect to the ethical issues of the firm, there would be requirement of advancing the code of conduct more rigid and ethical based. Besides that, there is necessity to educate the employees regarding the ethical values and its importance. It is to believe that educating or informing an individual concerning the values and importance would create a mind-set of positivity. In addition, the upshot of any unethical actions is against the regulations of society, which has to be adhering at all times by the employees of all levels. Business conduct is the key aspect of ensuring efficiency; hence, the proceedings need to be enhanced based on the economic and community demands. Conclusion This is to conclude that the ethical issues within an organisation can hamper the international business operations tremendously and which requires effective approaches to resolve such issues positively. It has been understood that necessity of compliance with the code of conduct and business ethics is of utmost importance and require extensive advancements. An organisation must follow an effectual business ethics that are enriched with moral values, which would help to cater reflection of positivity to the entire community around the globe. On the other hand, an organisation must recognise both the results of compliance and defiance of business ethics within the organisation for that matter. Thereby, it has been identified and well perceived that issues in international business is complex in nature and entail an effective approach to reconcile such issue to bring back the position positively. References Cavusgil, S.T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J.R., Rammal, H.G. and Rose, E.L., 2014.International business. Pearson Australia. Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016.Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press. Ferrell, O.C. and Fraedrich, J., 2015.Business ethics: Ethical decision making cases. Nelson Education. Forsgren, M. and Johanson, J., 2014.Managing networks in international business. Routledge. Fortune.com (2017).U.S. Authorities Drop Investigation of IBM Activities in Poland. [online] Fortune.com. Available at: https://fortune.com/2017/07/27/ibm-poland-investigation/ [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. Grace, D. and Cohen, S., 2015. Business ethics. Ibm.com (2017).IBM About IBM - Australia. [online] Ibm.com. Available at: https://www.ibm.com/ibm/au/en/?lnk=fab [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. Ibm.com (2017).IBM Corporate Responsibility. [online] Ibm.com. Available at: https://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/?lnk=fab [Accessed 13 Sep. 2017]. Kolk, A., 2016. The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development.Journal of World Business,51(1), pp.23-34. Michalos, A.C., 2017. Issues for business ethics in the nineties and beyond. InHow Good Policies and Business Ethics Enhance Good Quality of Life(pp. 197-212). Springer International Publishing. Nam, K.A. and Weaver, G., 2015. Major ethical issues in the field of intercultural relations: An exploratory study.International Journal of Intercultural Relations,48, pp.58-74. Paik, Y., Lee, J.M. and Pak, Y.S., 2017. Convergence in International Business Ethics? A Comparative Study of Ethical Philosophies, Thinking Style, and Ethical Decision-Making Between US and Korean Managers.Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-17. Shaw, W.H. and Barry, V., 2015.Moral issues in business. Cengage Learning. Tai, F.M. and Chuang, S.H., 2014. Corporate social responsibility.Ibusiness,6(03), p.117. Wild, J.J., Wild, K.L. and Han, J.C., 2014.International business. Pearson Education Limite

Specific reference a film Essay Example For Students

Specific reference a film Essay Pulp Fiction (US, 1994) was directed by Quentin Tarintino, and stared, amongst others; John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman and Bruce Willis. It is a film that has provoked much discussion, ever since it was first released, mostly because of its use of violence, but also over many other topics too. As Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle newspaper puts it: the movie makes you want to talk, want to babble, want to share your thoughts and enthusiasms. Pulp Fiction is a film that makes the viewer think in many different ways. You have to think to follow the storyline, which is actually several stories mixed together. Also it is not told chronologically, it raises many issues that are prominent in todays society, and also challenges the viewers own perceptions of the world. Its the perfect iconic slice of entertainment, but also puts forward ideas and thought provoking subjects. We will write a custom essay on Specific reference a film specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The film, although always regarded as indefinable in genre, is often filed under Crime. Which does make sense, as that is the main subject matter of the film, although there is hardly any police presence. All kinds of crime are covered. From the intricate network of organised crime headed by the mob boss, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), to the two small time crooks, Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amada Plummer), that want to hold up a coffee shop because they are tired of the risks of robbing convenience stores and gas stations. The thing that makes Pulp Fiction make you think more than other crime films (or more than other films period) is the fact that practically all of the characters are criminals in one way or another. And these are the people we, as an audience, concentrate on, and sympathise and relate with as the story unfolds. Thats an odd thing for us regular law-abiding citizens, to have to relate to reckless, cold-blooded menaces to society, when we are so used to being on the side of the police. And as Ive said before, there is no police representation in the film, (with the possible exception of the hillbilly rapist Zed, who appears to be wearing some kind of law uniform, but even then its not as if hes depicted in a good light). Regular members of the public only appear for one or two lines and their characters are by no means developed. Also we see the criminals when they arent on the job as well. Most crime films might leave the criminals after theyve done their job, but in Pulp Fiction we follow Jules (Jackson) and Vince (Travolta), the badass gangsters, throughout the rest of their eventful morning. We see them have normal concerns, normal conversations, and normal relationships. So we are prompted to ask ourselves; are these people really all that evil? I doubt any decent person would deny that the things that they do are evil, but are they actually evil people themselves? Are the things theyre doing actually justified at all? Its not as if its mindless random carnage. The process of cancelling out debts and doing favours for favours, is one we do in our lives albeit not on such a huge scale, but still a widely used process. The dialogue between Jules and Vince gossiping over a supposed event that Marsellus had the non-appearing character Tony Rocky-horror thrown out of a window for giving Marsellus wife Mia (Thurman) a foot massage, illustrates this issue of justified actions. Jules thinks that Marsellus over-reacted: That shit aint right, man. and represents those who think such things are unfair, whilst Vince, although hes not sayin he was right, thinks Marsellus was justifiable in being angry as its laying hands on Marsellus Wallaces new wife in a familiar way. He represents those who think the reasoning behind acts of organised crime make sense. .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .postImageUrl , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:hover , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:visited , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:active { border:0!important; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:active , .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34 .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u68dfc9604ca2e68eaaeb9b5dbe85cf34:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Film Response - Citizen Kane EssayThe amount of violence in the film has always attracted criticism. The American film critic Robert Ebert stated he had received mail from those who hate the movie. They say it is too violent, too graphic, too obscene, or makes no sense. Many say they walked out after 20, 30 or 60 minutes. It is true that there is much violence in the film (no more than in the average action blockbuster though), but rather than glamorise violence, (which is a popular accusation toward the film), Pulp Fiction illustrates miss-conceptions about the amount of violence in society. Most of the violent acts happen in normal environments. Butch (Willis) kills Vince in Butchs sub-urban apartment, rather than in nuclear facilities, or government headquarters, as they might do in other action films. It brings the violence closer to home in some respects and could prompt the viewer (especially a viewer in Los Angeles, or a similar American environment, where the film is set) to question how much violence actually goes on, on their own doorstep. Also, Tarintino never actually shows much of the violence on screen. When Butch kills Maynard (Zeds similarly sick minded brother) in the basement of the pawnshop with a samurai sword, we never see the sword go into Maynards body. The contact is just off screen, below our view. Similarly we never actually see the syringe go into Mias chest. Instead we cringe when a chilling thud is sounded whilst the camera shows Mias shocked expression, not the contact. And when the guys in the apartment are shot, the camera is on Vince and Jules, not the victims. As previously stated, the film is no more violent than your average action movie. It just seems more violent because of the suspense and delay by humour that Tarintino uses. Only nine people die in the entire film; the three guys in the apartment who are shot by Vince and Jules, Marvin the fourth guy from the apartment who is accidentally shot by Vince in the car, Vince is shot by Butch, the two hillbillies in the pawnshop basement, the boxer killed in the ring by Butch and the Gimp in the pawnshop basement. But alongside this count, six main characters; Mia, Marsellus, Pumpkin, Honey Bunny, Vince, and Jules are saved from death. Plus the many people in the coffee shop are also saved. In Pulp Fiction, Tarintino tackles violence in our society, and makes the viewer really think about violence and crime. But violence and crime arent the only issues Tarintino raises in the film. Drugs are another issue he deals with. The main perception of drugs in the film is that they arent glamorous. At first it may appear that Tarantino is glamorising them, as everything goes great for the two sexy young drug takers; Vince and Mia on their date. But it soon all goes wrong as Mia discovers a bag of heroin in Vinces coat pocket when Vince is in the bathroom. Mia, herself a coke-addict, thinks that it is coke, and proceeds to prepare a large line of it on the coffee table. Her nose starts to bleed and then she passes out. She has over-dosed. Vince discovers her when he comes out of the bathroom (note that whenever Vince comes out of the bathroom, something bad happens). The sight is not pleasant. Panic stricken takes her to his dealers house, where they administer an adrenaline shot just in time to bring her round. This negative image of drug taking isnt a very conventional one. In lots of films, before Pulp Fiction, drug taking was portrayed as cool and sexy, but this portrayal is quite the opposite. The viewer is shown the real dangers of drugs, straight up. Tarintinos use of drugs culture in the film is not one of glamour, but one of warning. .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .postImageUrl , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:hover , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:visited , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:active { border:0!important; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:active , .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05 .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9228ce432b6d00004498768f1dcc6a05:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Thoughts on Pocahontas the Movie EssayTarintino also challenges racism in the film. The word nigger is used in the film a lot. But it is not always used by white people as a term of abuse toward black people, and when it is, the black people dont seem to care so much. This is because they use the term themselves. Marsellus once uses the term on Vince, who is white, in a friendly tone. Tarintino is trying to put across the word as slang used between black people in friendly situations, but also acceptably used by white people. Hes trying to communicate with the audience that the term is not always used in a racist context. And by us having the skewed view that white people only use the term to abuse black people, Tarintino is saying that we ourselves are being racist. Because we are singling out the word, singling out a group that uses it and a group that it describes. Tarintinos use of the word is also for authenticity, as it is used as we see in the film. The same applies for the, what some might say over excessive, use of coarse swearing and cursing in the film, its for realism. The kind of characters in the film use that kind of language all the time.

Introduction to Ideologies Essays

Introduction to Ideologies Essays Introduction to Ideologies Essay Introduction to Ideologies Essay Essay Topic: On Liberty Do the assignments in as much detail as you find necessary to learn the material. Keep your notes for study purposes. Outcomes: 1 . To appreciate various perspectives regarding identity and ideology and the relationship between individualism and the common good. 2. To explore factors that many influence individual and collective beliefs and values (culture, language, media, relationship to land, environment, gender, religion( spirituality, ideology). 3. To examine expressions of individualism and collectivism and the dynamic between individualism and the common go( contemporary societies. . To examine characteristics of ideology (interpretations of history, beliefs about human nature, beliefs about the Truckee of society, visions for the future); the themes of ideologies (nation class, relationship to land, environment, religion, progressivism); and the relationship between worldviews and ideology. 5. To analyze individualism and the common good as foundations of ideology. II. Learning Activities Students will complete 7 Learning activities using this learning guide, the textbook Perspectives on Ideology; and a number of Internet websites. The course textbook Perspectives on Ideology is available in the Library. Ill. Evaluation Spoon completion of this learning guide students will write a test in the Test Centre consisting of 25 multiple-choice items. Activity l: Consider the following with reference to pages 7 18, 23 24 and 49 50 01 Perspectives on Ideology 1 . Briefly identify different beliefs about human nature, nature of society, interpretations of history and visions of the future 2. Explain what is meant by individualism and collectivism. 3. Explain the role of values in influencing personal identity and collective goals. 4. Identify the factors that influence beliefs and values. 5. Compare and contrast the views Of Locke, Hobbes and Rousseau on human nature. 6. Consider the source on page 13. To what extent are the distinctly European ideas of Locke and Hobbes based on similar values? 7. Describe the meaning and role of ideology in human affairs. FOUNDATIONS OF IDEOLOGY The popular 17th C scientific approach to understanding natural phenomenon isolating, reducing, dissecting, and separating was adapted for use a social instrument, a political spectrum in the hopes of revealing the constituent parts of political belief. A political spectrum is a way of comparing or visualizing political beliefs by placing them on an axis. The spectrum places conservatism on the right, verbalism centre-left and socialism left of that. Communism and Fascism occupy positions on the extreme left and right respectively. While the spectrum is an inaccurate measure of belief, the following characteristics are generally accepted: An emphasis on equality is considered left-wing and emphasis on liberty is right-wing Government economic interventionism is leftist; limited government is right-wing. Readiness to change is left-wing; support for tradition and the status quo is right-wing. The Political Spectrum Political ideas are often classified according to their position on a political Spectrum. The political spectrum first came into use shortly after the French Revolution in 1789. (Those who sat on the left side of the chamber wanted significant change in government; those on the right wanted little or no change. ) The Political Spectrum: as an expression of peoples readiness to accept change: NOTE: The expression status quo means the current system or the way things are now. If you desire change, then that means changing the status quo. If you leave things the way they are, then you are maintaining the status quo. The status quo) Radical Moderate Reactionary Radical: An extremist of the political left. Radicals want change to the status quo that is immediate and sweeping and are prepared to use violence to achieve their revolutionary goals. Moderate: Someone who is generally satisfied with the status quo. Moderates include both liberals who support progress and accept change as a means of improving conditions for individuals and society, and conservatives who resist change believing that traditions, privilege and law and order are essential to maintaining a civilized society. Reactionary: An extremist of the political right. Reactionaries reject hang and favor a return to traditional values, institutions and the real or imagined glories of the past. Ideological Belief and the Political Spectrum: In the 20th Century, radical Communists believed an international workers revolution would result in collective ownership and a classless society. Moderate socialists sought equality through democratic means. Liberals searched for broader individual rights in a just society. Conservatives defended privilege and individualism. Fascists were reactionaries who opposed equality, promoted uniformity and supported a return to national glory and empire. Communism Socialism verbalism Conservatism Fascism Note: On the spectrum, change moves to the left; consequently, over time, values that once seemed more radical gradually become accepted and eventually may represent the status quo. Liberals in the 1 9th century supported limited government, individual rights but not universal suffrage (it was accepted that certain groups, women for example, should not have the right to vote). Ironically, in contemporary society, it is conservatism that argues for limited government and liberalism that believes government has a meaningful role to play in creating a more egalitarian society. Conservatism, as always, aims to preserve the status quo and its inherent traditions and privileges. A spectrum representing the extent of Government Control Political and economic systems can also be classified according to how much control the government has over its citizens. The extreme right and left of the spectrum favor total government control to achieve their objectives. Socialists believe that government has a significant role in controlling vital industries and agencies. Liberals believe government has a role in shaping a better society. Conservatives believe the role Of government should be limited. Anarchists are so distrustful of the power of government that they believe it should be abolished. These views can be represented in a number of ways: Anarchism No Government (Anarchy) Limited Government (Democracy) Total Government (Dictatorship) Government Control Freedom _ Liberalism Individual TOTALITARIANISM MODERATES ANARCHISM Totalitarianism: A totalitarian state is ruled by a single leader and party. The executive has total control over all functions of the state and citizens are expected to give their full allegiance to their government. Such a state could be Communist or Fascist (also termed authoritarian, absolutist, autocratic, actuarial, one-party state). Moderates: Moderates balance individual freedom with the common good. Moderate states promote pluralism which recognizes the natural rights of a diverse population to actively participate in the governing of the country. The power of the government is limited by the constitution and rule of law. A separation of powers helps ensure that no branch of government can wield extraordinary power without the consent of the governed. Anarchism: Anarchists believe that all government authority is self-serving, potentially corrupt and unjust, and that individuals should be ere from external agencies. Viewed from all other positions on the spectrum, anarchism is rejected as a system that would result in anarchy (chaos); but, this reflects the perspective of those who support government a an institution. EXPLORING THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM The Spectrum as a Grid The difficulty of placing complex beliefs on a left-right spectrum led to the us of a grid system. In this way, an ideology that valued economic freedom but civil restraint could be differentiated from one that preached both economic and political freedom. Economic Freedom Political Freedom Fascists reject political freedoms in a state that glorifies leadership and national objectives. They protect private ownership but control economic decision-making. Communists reject political and economic freedoms in order to create a new communist state. Theoretically government control ends when a classless society is achieved. Libertarians reject government intrusion in the lives of citizens. Libertarians believe individuals should be free to do anything they want, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others. They reject collective values and are suspicious of government intrusion in their lives. Socialists use the democratic powers of government to achieve egalitarian objectives. The following example of a two-axis grid shows that it is possible for a person to be one of four combinations of Liberal/Conservative. For instance, someone could be a fiscal conservative On economic issues (i. E. Believes in free markets, limited government, low taxes) and a social liberal on issues such as minority rights. Spectrums are useful in that they provide a visual means of contrasting beliefs on a continuum but because they simplify information they have limited use in pinpointing complex political and economic ideas. Activity 2: Consider the following with reference to what you have just read about The political Spectrum. You might also consider online sources such as: Policewomans. Org Learnable. Ca/content/espies/index. HTML http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/political_spectrum 1 . Briefly identify the characteristics and beliefs of radicals, liberals, moderates, conservatives, and reactionaries in the 20th century. . On the issue of promoting change in social conditions, briefly describe the position of anarchists, communists, socialists, liberals, conservatives, and fascists. 3. On the issue of government intervention in the economy, briefly describe the position of anarchists, communists, socialists, liberals, conservatives, and fascists. 4. Compare and contrast the position Of communists an d fascists in theory. 5. Explain why the radical theory of communism and the reactionary theory of fascism, although opposites, are justifiably placed on the same point on a spectrum depicting the power of government in society. Canadians are generally uncomfortable with extremism. As a democracy Canada is noted for its tolerance and acceptance of a wide range of political beliefs; its governments have never varied from he center stage of conservative and liberal philosophy. The same cannot be said for other countries. Many European nations are hotbeds of political activism. Parties of the far left and far right vie for political power in an proper contest that pits Communist against Fascist, radical against reactionary. Activity 3: Consider the following questions with reference to pages 9- 18 and 105 1 1: in Perspectives on Ideology: 1 . What kind of government and political system would be necessary if one viewed human beings in the same way as Thomas Hobbes, that is, as selfish, nominative, and prone to evil? 2. Why would an authoritarian style Of government be advocated by someone who places the highest value on unity, order, and military strength? 3. Use the DEL glossary to explain the following terms: authoritarianism, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, divine-right, monarchy, plutocracy, theocracy 4. What would the nature of government tend to be like if one viewed human beings as cooperative, rational, and essentially good, as was the case with John Locke and J. J. Rousseau? 5. Explain how the ideas Of Locke, Nonentities, Smith and Mill challenged the status quo. 6. With reference to page 18 of Perspectives on Ideology: Contrast Rousseau views of man in nature with man in society. To what structures and forces within society did he attribute these differences? 7. Compare Rousseau position with Hobblers. What could account for Ethel different conclusions about the state of man in nature? 8. Explain how the concept of the social contract is reflected in the ideas of Hobbes and Locke. 9. Explain how the social contract might serve as the basis of both individualist and collectivist ideologies. 0. Explain how the differing views of Hobbes and Locke result in significantly efferent ways of organizing society. 1 1. Where are power, authority and decision-making best placed in society? Why? To what extent does your position reflect a Hobnails or Locked perspective? 12. J. S. Mill analyzed the dynamic relationship between the individual and society. Ex plain how this dynamic results in both preservations of and restrictions to individual liberty. Activity 4 Complete the following with reference to pages 23 and 31 -47 and 50-51 of Perspectives on Ideology: 1. Identity could be said to be influenced by genetic, historic, cultural and current factors. Can ones personal identity be separated from ones collective identity? 2. Briefly identify what you consider to be the most critical factors that influence identity. To what extent do these factors represent underlying themes that characterize ideological belief? Activity 5: Complete the following with reference to pages 62 70 in Perspectives on Ideology: 1 . Briefly explain the importance of collectivist and individualist principles in human history. Activity 6: Complete the following with reference to pages 80 85 in Perspectives on 1. Briefly summarize the principles of collectivism. To what extent do they complement rather than oppose the principles Of individualism. Activity 7: Complete the following with reference to pages 44 -47 in Perspectives on 1. Explain Marshall Macaulays concept that the medium is the message. To what extent is medias impact reflected in high tech advertising? 2. Explain how Chomsky and Herdsmans concern with the potential of media to establish hegemonic control might negatively impact the ability of citizens to participate in a democracy. It is important to realize that individualism and collectivism do not represent an either/or proposition. Social issues are complex and should not be reduced to a simple choice. Political rhetoric often characterizes controversial matters in black and white terms creating a popularization that unfairly demotions the opposition. Recognizing this, Social Studies emphasize the importance of critical thinking; making decisions that are supported by evidence and guided by reason. Historical thinking and geographic thinking are important skills in this process. Neither is based entirely on known truths but rather on facts, accepted beliefs and critical interpretations that recognize the influence of a did variety of factors.

Collapse of CTV Building Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Collapse of CTV Building - Assignment Example The governments of several countries are motivating the organizations to follow proper business policies in order to improve countries’ business environment. This study will focus on the collapse of CTV building during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The study will try to find out several other reasons behind the collapse of this building. Collapse of CTV Building Introduction CTV Building was the headquarters of several leading organizations including Canterbury Television. This building was established in the Christchurch Central City (Kunstler, 2005). The CTV building became one of the significant symbols of 2011 Christchurch earthquake. 115 people lost their lives due to the collapse of CTV building during the earthquake. A series of construction, council, decision making, and engineering related errors over the last 20 years caused the catastrophic collapse of the CTV building. Prime Minister John Key ordered to set up the Royal Commission in order to investigate this i ncident. According to several reports it can be stated that the collapse of CTV building was the biggest life-taking incident. The Royal Commission stated that the CTV building’s engineering design was deficient in several ways. This building was not developed according to the appropriate standards. Therefore, Christchurch City Council did not make a right decision by issuing a building permit for CTV building. During the construction of the office block, it was found that the construction had been inadequately supervised by the appointed construction manager (Wilson, 2012). This study will identify the stakeholders and key role players associated with CTV Building and its consequences. Moreover, this study will critically analyze and evaluate the key management and several organizational factors associated with the critical incident. Analysis of the Case Study The government of New Zealand is trying to find legal reasons behind the collapse of this building. First of all, th e government has stated in the report of the Royal Commission that the construction plan was not created according to the standard level. The Royal Commission has concluded that serious deficiencies in its construction and design are the major reasons behind the accident (Figure 1). CTV building did not meet the standard construction criteria. Moreover, the designing engineer constructed the building out of his depth (Stursberg, 2012). Moreover, as for the council staff that inspected this building after the incident of the earthquake, none of them were the engineers. The Construction and Building Minister said that the report of the commissions would be handed over to the professional engineers’ institute. The government wanted to find out the level of corruption and crime associated with the collapse of CTV building (Xu, 2012). Alan Reay Consultants Ltd. were in charge of CTV building construction. The commission blamed the groups for establishing a noncompliant and inadequ ate design (Figure 2). Moreover, the council stated that city officials were also responsible for the incident as they had not sent notice to the owner of the building. According to the report, the building got a green sticker after the earthquake of 2010. Signalling authorities gave it thumbs up for the individuals to use in future. Identify the Roles of Key Role Players and Stakeholders The owner and principle engineer did not follow the legal aspects. The principle engineer

To Dare & To Conquer Special Operations and the Destiny of Nations, Essay

To Dare & To Conquer Special Operations and the Destiny of Nations, from Achilles to Al Qaeda - Essay Example 124). The third part covers the American Revolution during the firs World war. It touches a bit on the French revolution, though it is American centric. The last part covers the post-first world war period through the present and the future.. Derek Leebaert, reveals the stories of the Special Forces, including those who were valued in the ancient myths and today's Delta Force. He describes the magnetic leaders behind the historical actions, and explains how such combinations have contributed in shaping the world. The book shows how risk operations have evolved in order to accommodate new technology and social change. Special operations grew out from the Second World War, and expanded during the savage wars after 1945 (Leebaert 2007, p. 201). The emergence of warfare at the last stages of the cold war resulted in to special operation throughout the world. The government seeks to meet more and new challenges in cost-effective and sparing ways of the sentimentality that passes for integrity in the period of 24-hour media.To Dare and to Conquer offers an impressive thesis: that special operations have continuously changed the course of human events. As a mode of testing, Leebaert puts the reader on a captivating tour of west ern military history; from siege of troy to the invasion of Iraq (Leebaert 2007, p. 301). The ambitious book not only uncovers the military history, but also shows the diplomatic, technical, political and cultural tide of events. Moreover, it introduces Alexander the Great and Roman emperor. It also shows American Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, civil war and World War II. This is where Leebaert describes the special operations. He claims that Alexander was the conqueror of Egypt, Persia and other known parts of the world, encamped with his soldiers in the known countryside on border between Afghanistan and Pakistan (Leebaert 2007, p. 254). Alexander was dealt as a loosing person but he later turned to be victorious since he created a 300-man Special Forces team which was equipped with iron tent pegs which were used in place of pistons, as pistons had not been invented by then. Lee baert also explains about the British Navy captain, Sidney Smith, who was commanded to remove the French from Egypt after being conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798. He recruited a thousand Balkan mercenaries and took them to Levant to strengthen the fortress at Acre. In addition to that, he captured the fundamental French siege guns and thereafter halted the Napoleon's advance. According to the book, Bonaparte claimed that he could have changed the fate of the world if he could get the chance of reaching the Constantinople of India. Leebaert cites some special operations that later turned to a battle, took down a dynasty, wrecked a port and changed history. The question that this book raises is "how can any difficult military mission succeed without special operations" According to (Leebaert, ), the examples of special operations include familiar historical events such as Mexican cortez's conquest and Peru pizarro's takeover (Leebaert 2007, p 3224). He also considered the organizational questions and deals with the issues that have continually afflicted special operation efforts of U.S.: the issues concerning sufficient intelligence for protecting the operations. The book raises some questions like: what actually was achieved by U.S. special

People's Mujahidin Organization of Iran v. United States Department of Essay

People's Mujahidin Organization of Iran v. United States Department of State - Essay Example The organization was known to conduct various terrorist activities during the regime of Khomeini as well as the Shah, which made the unpopularity of MeK inevitable. However, the organization claims to have ceased all of its terrorist activities since 2001 and has been aiming to improve its international ever since. This brings us to February 11th 2009, when the MeK filed a petition in the U.S court of Appeals to challenge its designation into FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization) by the U.S. Department of State. The MeK claims that it has halted all of its terrorist activities since 2001, with valid proof, and the decision of the Department of State to keep the organization listed in the FTO in 2008 and 2003 is unfair. This created a point of confrontation between the two organizations. One needs to take for account both sides of the cases in order to understand the condition properly (Alexander, 2003). In 1996 according to the AEDPA, the Department of State to create a list of global terrorist organizations called the FTO. It was done to cease their working inside the United States. The FTO was to be reviewed by the Department of State once every two years and later every five years to keep the list updated. MeK has been a part of the list since 2003 and has filed a petition to the department of state in 2008 to delist the organization from the list. The MeK has also provided various evidences for this petition to become a reality. The MeK has presented the following changes in its activities and prospects: Ceased every ongoing military campaign in the territory of Iran since 2001. Has shared valuable intelligence information with the U.S. government regarding Iran’s nuclear program and alleged terrorist activities. Has surrendered all of its arms and military equipment to the U.S. military forces of Iraq and cooperated with the U.S. military forces at Camp Ashraf in Iraq. Has obtained a delisting from terrorist organizations from various countries, such as the United Kingdom and the European Union. Has rejected violence and terrorist activities on record in 2004. Even after these substantial evidences, the U.S. Department State ruled out the petition of MeK and maintained its listing in the FTO as a terrorist organization. A listing in the FTO means that all assets an organization has in the United States will be overtaken by the government and the organization will not be allowed to hold any activity, even peaceful, inside the U.S. territory. For the U.S. Department of State to justify its decision, they released a 20-page document to support their decision. In such documents, the Department was expected to give a detailed description of each of every difference stated by the MeK. This wasn’t the case here (McCormack and McDonald, 2006). The document, when analyzed by various analysts was found to be filled with one-sided reviews of past activities, dating back in the 1980’s and the 1990’s by the MeK. The dep artment did not give any pro and cons of the activities mentioned by the MeK in their petition to the department and were all pointing towards the activities conducted by the organization way before 2001, after which the organization claims to have changed. Some descriptions given in the document was even contradictory to the activities of the MeK such as, â€Å"On October 12, 2006, I received information that questioned activities were going on at the University compound, [C]amp

Proposed Sun Tracking System

Proposed Sun Tracking System Abstract Introduction The basic design of a solar thermal power generation system is as shown in the figure. In such a system, the major components are the solar energy concentrator, sterling engine and the dynamo (alternator) unit. A parabolic dish reflector acts as the concentrator in this system. To achieve a good performance from a solar thermal conversion engine, it should be exactly mounted on a place where maximum heat transfer is possible. It is the center or the focal point of the parabolic reflector surface. Then only the engine receives the maximum amount of solar thermal energy, which will be converted into kinetic energy and then to electricity. There are two possible configurations for the placement of the sterling engine depend on the surface type of the reflector. They are known as prime focus configuration and the offset focus configuration. Because of the position of the sun changes according to the rotation of earth, the parabolic surface has to be focused to the direction of the sun at all the times. The proposed solar tracking system consists of hardware and software to achieve following capabilities Localization The position of the Sun in a given time can be calculated using mathematical equations based on the time, location, altitude and few other factors. To perform such a calculation, the exact location of the device should be known. Since this device is not mounted on a mobile configuration, it is not hard to find the exact location with help of a map or a GPS device after install in the field. But it is more convenient to use an embedded GPS receiver with this system. This will eliminate the requirement of initial setup and it also capable of providing the precise UT timestamp based on the synchronized satellite clocks. It makes this device a location independent and time independent high precision solar tracking mechanism. NREL Solar position algorithm (SPA) Several methods and algorithms to calculate the position of the sun has been published in the literature of the solar research, but most of them were not precise enough because their uncertainties have been greater than  ± 0.01. Reda and Andreas implemented a new algorithm which is capable of estimate the position of the sun with uncertainties of  ±0.0003 and well known as solar position algorithm (SPA) by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Feedback loop mechanism MPU 9250 IMU In this solar tracking system, orientation of the reflector surface is precisely controlled and maintained by a closed loop control system. Therefore this system should consist of a feedback mechanism to obtain the current orientation of the reflector as the feedback input of the control loop. There are several methods to fulfil this requirement. For example, a read reckoning based method such as a rotary encoder with a known reference point can be used per each axis. But since it increases the mechanical complexity of the system there is a very higher chance of causing mechanical failures and sensor issues. To eliminate this problems while keeping the accuracy in a higher level, a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) [] based implementation is suggested. Among the advantages of this kind of devices less power usage, high accuracy, fast response, less complexity and the minimal space requirement are mostly highlighted in this application. Inertia Measuring Units (IMU) are very popular in the fields of mobile devices, game controllers, drone flight control systems and self-balancing toys because they provide the angular position coordinates (Yaw Pitch and Roll) in a very higher sample rates. They are also accurate enough to balance and guide a wireless controlled drone in a very high level of accuracy even in the industrial electromagnetic noise and interference. This devices are normally consist of a gyroscope, and accelerometer and a magnetic compass. To ensure the maximum accuracy in all directions, it is recommended to use 3 axis devices. Theoretically we can say that with the only help of a gyroscope, it is possible to calculate the angular orientation in Euler coordinates, but the problem of using a single device is it may generate very much of error when continuously using in long time periods. It is commonly known as the gyroscope drift. This can be compensated by using a secondary device which corrects the dri ft and it is the accelerometer. This combined sensor based approach is commonly described as sensor fusion. There are several sensor fusion algorithms available in the industry such as Karlmann filter and the complementary filter. In this research, Karlmann filter based algorithm has been used. With the both accelerometer and the gyroscope sensors, now we can accurately calculate the Euler angles of the reflector when the IMU is placed near the focus point of the Parabola. The offset values can be preconfigured to match the exact difference between the sensor position and the focal point. But we need one more reference point to convert this coordinates into altitude and azimuth vectors. It is the north direction and can use a magnetic compass to obtain this parameter. But it also need a very much higher level of calibrations due to the magnetic field variations depend on the situations and the locations. In this research, the nine axis MPU 9250 has used. It is an integrated chip with 3 axis MEMS gyroscope, 3 axis MEMS accelerometer and a 3 axis magnetic compass. It has a 16bit RAW data outputs on each axis and therefore a very high accuracy is obtained.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Reconciliation of Western a

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - The Reconciliation of Western and Eastern Philosophy The differences in Western and Eastern philosophy are marked. Eastern thinking has slowly become â€Å"discovered† by the West; meanwhile, the development of Western thought and philosophy has come under close scrutiny by modern and postmodern philosophers and thinkers as being flawed at its core. The German philosopher Martin Heidegger came to the conclusion that â€Å"Western philosophy is a great error† (Barrett xi). The manner in which Western thought was founded, the course of its development, and its incursion into every facet of life in the Western world has been and is now being questioned on all fronts by leading critics and thinkers. Robert Pirsig, in his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, describes in detail the development of the Western philosophical tradition, and how it has shaped Western society. In doing so, he offers a critique of certain aspects of Western thought that resulted from a momentous battle for the â€Å"mind of man† (Pirsig 381). What came about was a fragmenting of the mind from matter, of perception from experience. In addition to outlining the history and philosophy behind Western thinking, he offers a rediscovery of the very concept that got buried under the â€Å"rubble of declining Athens† and Rome, buried deeply under the new champions of Western man: Reason, Intellect, Knowledge (Pirsig 391). Pirsig cites Thoreau in writing, â€Å"You never gain something but that you lose something† (387). This applies with direct impact to Western development. In understanding the world through â€Å"dialectic truths† man lost the ability to understand h ow to be part of the world, and â€Å"not an enemy of it† (Pirsig 3... ...not a divisive knife. It offers the ultimate solution to a fragmented mind, the dualistic world in which we live. Works Cited Barrett, William (ed.). Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki. New York: Doubleday, 1956. Blatavasky, Madame. The Secret Doctrine. Vol. 1. Theosophy Publishing, 1888. Capra, Fritjof. The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. Boston: Shambhala Press, 1991. Kant, Emmanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Norman Kemp Smith. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1965. Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching. Trans. Mitchell, Stephen. New York: HarperCollins Press, 1988. Pirsig, Robert. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. New York: HarperCollins Press, 1974. Sprague, Rosamund Kent (ed.). The Older Sophists. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1972.