Why is Gun Control a necessary tool to reduce the levels of violence Essay

Why is Gun Control a necessary tool to reduce the levels of violence in the USA - Essay Example However, the Gun Lobby groups are well organized, well funded, and substantially powerful for the all-out ban on such guns. Various government agency bully various lawmakers such as Congress members, Senators, and State Reps due to passing strict and effective legislation on firearms. The perception of "people kill people† is an unfounded phenomenon that gun rights advocates do not support. It is worth noting that guns were designed to murder people. The item is a war weapon that has become a way of life. Life is abruptly put to an end or altered through the pull of a trigger and the pistol’s crack. Many murder cases occurring across the world indicate that people have prior knowledge of each other in bar rooms, within the home, in parking lots, or on street corners among family, friends, and acquaintances (Spano & Pridemore & Bolland 19). In times of heated situations, the possession of firearms translates into murder. The other frequent occurrence in this case is evident when young kids have access to the guns. They play with fellow typical kids without knowledge of them being loaded. When kids poses to shoot others, it results into murder as they do not have a realization that such guns are actually loaded. In most cases, people with proper knowledge of one another involve in drastic arguments that become deadly in the presence of firearms. However, in reality, these individuals do not have an awareness of the actions they per take up to the moment the action crosses their mind and they face such situations. Further, it is even easier for people to aim a gun at people out of anger. This results in death or even permanent paralysis. In other poor urban areas, aspects of murder are rather rampant. This attributes to poverty, low employment, as well as minimal educational opportunities (Alcindor 123). In drastic environments, the drug presence, bad housing, as well as overcrowding are also major pointers of gun violence.

Interwest Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Interwest Healthcare Essay What are the potential sources of the problem? The source of these problems seems to be coming from two areas in Interwest Healthcare. The first area is the miscommunication that the hospital administrators are having with upper management. The hospital administrators and upper management are not only having miscommunication issues but they also do not share the same role expectations with each other which is creating tension. â€Å"The hospital people accused Singh of being a bureaucrat who did not care about patient services. Singh accused the hospital staffs of not understanding the importance of accurate reporting† (Brickley, Smith Zimmerman 2009 p. 38). The second area is the system or process that is in place for recording and entering data. The current process is clearly not running at an efficient rate which is raising concerns for upper management. Even though hospital administrators do not see to eye to eye with upper management the concerns that they have are valid and can have a very negative impact on Interwest Healthcare if the issue is not resolved. What information would you want to analyze? The first information that would be analyzed is the process that is done to record and enter data for patients. It is important to gain as much information as possible regarding the data entry because that is the root of the whole issue between hospital administrators and upper management. Another area that would be analyzed is the workplace with emphasis on how time is managed and the importance employees put on data entry. It is important to gather and analyze as much information as possible on the source of the problem. By gaining and analyzing the information it would help Interwest Healthcare make progress on the data entry issue which will put them in a better position to succeed. What actions might you recommend to increase the accuracy of the data entry? The first point of action would be streamlining and simplifying the data entry process. By completing those it would not only increase the accuracy of the data entry but it would also decrease the burden on the hospital administrators. But before any changes to the data entry process are made it is important to communicate directly to the hospital administrators. It is important to have the hospital administrators on board with the changes that will be made with the data entry process. By gaining the hospital administrators consent with the changes this will allow a smoother transition for the data entry change and it could provide a positive change to the workplace. As for the changes to the data entry it would most likely be a simple computer process along with small piece of paperwork. It would be best to have some sort or paper record on file that would need to be alphabetized along with a simple computer program. The computer program would help ensure accuracy and would have the patient’s data record on file which will be easy to locate. There would be very little paper work for the process mainly because it takes up space and takes more time to record. The paper work that is part of the process would simply serve as a backup if the computers were down. The key to ensuring accuracy with the data entry is to make the process as simple as possible so it would minimize the errors. How does your view of behavior affect how you might address the consulting assignment? As a consulting assignment I see Interwest Healthcare as a company in distress due to the way the hospital administrators and upper management. The way the two groups have been behaving and treating each other it is a clear sign of stress and miscommunication. One of the first tasks is to mediate the two groups and try to have everyone on the same page. There is a clear disconnect on the expectations of each other’s roles but by bringing them together the roles and expectations can be made by both parties and progress can be accomplished. In order to make progress both parties will need to be able to compromise and be willing to understand each other’s concerns and priorities. Refreneces : Brickley, J.A., Smith, C.W. Zimmerman J.L. (2009). Managerial economics and organizational architecture (5th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irw

Early Christianity :: essays research papers

Christianity is now in our modern world one of the five major religions. The other major religions include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism from which Christianity descended. Christianity was practiced before Christ, During his life, and after his life. After Christ ¹s life Christianity spread to become a main world religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 63 B.C. Roman power spread to Judea, the Jewish homeland. At the time King Herod was the ruler of Judea, he accepted Roman rule and angered many Jews by doing so. After the death of Herod many Jews revolted against Roman rule for 10 years. At this time there were two main factions of Jews, one group, the Zealots wanted to rid Judea of Roman influence. The other group was waiting for a messiah as scripture had prophetized. The Messiah, or Savior would restore the kingdom to the Jews.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesus is said to have been born around 4-6 BC. When Jesus was 30 he began his ministry. Many of the reasons that his religion succeeded were that it treated everyone equally promised eternal life and was centered on on your personal relationship with God. Jesus ¹ teachings included love for God, neighbors, enemies and yourself. The ten commandments and the basic foundation of Judaism was included in his teachings as Jesus was born a Jew.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesus had 12 disciples, disciple means follower or pupil, even long after the death of Jesus these disciples would continue teaching about Jesus. The first four books of the bible were written by the Disciple these books are called apostles they are as follows Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus became famous, because he appealed to the rich and poor alike, he had few or no possessions and he traveled all over what was then considered to be the world. Jesus attracted attention from both Jewish and Roman leaders.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Jesus visited Jerusalem around 29 AD, he found enthusiastic crowds greeting him as the messiah. However he was arrested for not worshiping pagan Roman gods and was sentenced to death on a cross. While he was hanging awaiting death he forgave those who had killed him and those who had worshipped him the day before were denying him. After his crucifixion he was placed in a tomb, on the third day he rose, and greeted his followers, further convincing them that he was the messiah.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul was originally a Jew by the name of Saul, who persecuted Christians.

MS A.S.Thafeni Essay

1. How did I engage myself with the group? Deciding which group or organization to engage with was not easy for me. I had to play around with some ideas and think which one because we have plenty of them around here. In my community we have Trauma Center, FAMSA; we also have lay counselors who are making a difference in more informal way. However deciding how to approach one of them wasn’t easy at all. I felt anxious every time I had to make a choice. I reflected to one of my experiences I encountered long time ago when I relocated to another country (Angola) for three years. When I had to meet different people, different culture, language and so forth. It was totally new environment for me and I had to adjust very fast. The first step I took was to make an appointment with one nurse in charge in our local clinic to authorize me to do my observation in the clinic with the help of my nephew who was employed at the clinic. She agreed. I also went to FAMSA and try to negotiate my entry there as person who needs help, unfo rtunately, they were not in that day. Then I decided to engage with the group located in my clinic where I got permission. . I learned lay counselors are in attempt to bring change in our community. Targeted members are those patients who visit or come to clinic on a daily basis for various reasons. The group meets during the week (Monday to Friday) at 8am – 10pm. The establishment of the group was two years ago because the concern some few community members had. It seems it has been started by local community members who were concerned about certain issues that affect people. They felt that buy working together as community would bring a difference and enhance life of other people. They also thought that this group will bring some changes in their homes and to community as a whole. This awareness program is not static, new members are introduced daily, weekly and monthly as the group is informal. The program compels no one to stay, people do have right to choice and freedom and it’s being respected by everyone. The goal of this program is to make the people aware of some disease and illness that affect us and consciously and unconsciously. I understand since this program started two years ago, it has been successful. People show interests  and others report that there has been a radical change in their lives as now they know the importance of taking their treatment especially on time, completing the treatment, eating healthy, exercising, teenage pregnancy decreased as youth now know how to protect themselves against the diseases, abortions decreased and so forth. This kind of reports is what kept the program alive. I also understand this program reached so many people every month as they count approximately 300 to 400 monthly. Again they hope that in the long run the community will be better, HIV/AIDS, TB, Teenage pregnancy will be decreased by 50%. What made them certain is that in 2012 when this program commenced within six to seven months, TB and HIV/AIDS was combated seriously and clinic reported that 2% less/ reduced. I also learned that people wants to be taught with the language they understand so that they can participate fully about the things affect their lives on the daily basis. I came to know the group because I am also a community member who also uses the facilities available to my community such as the clinic. Most of the time when I visited my clinic I used to see people entering certain door and I asked a friend who was sitting next to me and also as I have mentioned above I have a nephew who is employed there about the group and she explained to me. Initially, I never give myself time to join or to be interested in whatever they are doing but studying this module made me to be interested in the group. My nephew who works at the clinic helped me to enter the space by introducing me to the nurse in charge. I made appointment with appointment with the nurse. I had to make an appointment because for me it indicated respect as I wouldn’t just enter as I please in the group without permission. I had five minutes with the nurse and explain who I am? What do I want to do? Why, How? When? And after that she gave me permission. What is important I  indicated that whatever I am going to observe here is strictly confidential; it’s only for my assignment purpose. The nurse introduced me to the facilitator who was facilitating the group and I was highly accepted as part of the family but as an observer. The main area of focus is to teach or  make the community members aware about various issues that affect them on the daily basis. Issues such as Teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, TB, STI’s, etc. They also focused on teaching morality because they believe good morality will result in reduced mortality. 2. I had few assumptions before engaging in the context. Assumption 1- The Environment= the environment should be conducive so that members should be comfortable. Assumption 2-The group share common interest. Assumption 3- They group should share common problem. Assumption 4- They must have open communication. Assumption 5 – They should have solution to their problem. Assumption 6 – Decisions are made collectively. All these assumptions are only based on my observations that are not confirmed. I was also aware that even though they form a group but they are still unique individuals with their unique experiences (proposition 1 & 2). These unique experiences will bring change to their lives. I also believed that as a group they have collective knowledge, skills and potential. The only thing that is required is the facilitator to release that potential resource. Aspects pertaining to the social context as well as social issues that the group is grappling with or the challenges the group is facing are denial and distortions about the disease such as HIV/AIDS. Some member of the group came with the interesting aspect that HIV/Aids caused by super natural causes. It is caused by people casting a spell over you (bewitched) (boloi- South Sotho). Some will say the disease can be cured, they know the traditional healers who cured somebody. Some will say its indication  of ancestors calling. Some claims that they don’t have food in order for them to take treatment. Because of these challenges the program had to be adjusted a little bit to accommodate these challenges. The members will somewhere somehow include God and super naturals in their discussions, for an example, a woman was taught about the HIV/AIDS illness, how we contact it and so forth, and she also made her inputs that in the Bible all these illnesses where predicted, therefore its not a miracle. During my observation I realized that people are struggling to relate with the  environment also with one another. For an example, during the session the group members were afraid to talk their hearts out. I can assume that members know each other perhaps as a neighbor, friend. Therefore, their friendship or neighbor relationship deprived them freely participation in the group as one will think that what others will do or say or one doesn’t want others to know about his /her business or issues the one struggling with. According to part two of the study Guide – The ‘cracked’ landscape – Society in crisis. I have realized that people are not aware that they are not alone, they are not individuals. They failed to cherish the idea of ‘motho ke motho ka batho ba bang’ – ‘Humanity’. They still isolate themselves, still have negative thinking that no one can help them and yet they don’t realize that this behavior is abnormal as it makes us to live like animals – where we should be on a look out everyday – who says wh at, to whom? In what manner? This behavior also creates tension between the people, create hunger, poverty, violence, discrimination (Study Guide for PYC3705:24). Our society is broken into smaller pieces. However, As I was observing this group I realized positive things about the members. Even though disclosing in public is not their way of life but they do need help. I saw this after the first session ended. Some of them wanted private dialogue with the facilitator. Others shared their experiences with others in private. That private conversation gave them hope and less despair and that allowed development among the group itself. The second session – the following day I saw different group than  yesterday in terms of enthusiasm, energy. The dialogue was just open and free and that also helped other to open up. I heared other member of the group says â€Å"Ka ikutlwa ke fodile† – â€Å"She now feels better or healed†. That where I learned that talking or opening up indeed heals and assist the government cost on medicine. I think the are some similarities and differences I have observed with regard to what constitute a counseling setting. Why I am saying this is because firstly, as I have mentioned above about the well reception I received from the group and the counselors. This indicated positive regard for others  Unconditional positive regard is one of the climate that the counselor should create so that people should feel accepted, and that how I felt. As I observed the counselor/ facilitator’s. According to study guide for PYC3705:40, explains that unconditional positive regard is being present is the basis from which people can explore thoughts, feelings and experiences. This is what I saw from the lay counselor. That is reason why members of the group were able to express their feelings about the HIV/AIDS issues. Even though members introduced their knowledge about traditional healers who can treat various illnesses, she was non – judgmental, she showed warmth through body langu age – used posture, maintained eye contact and that indicated one of the values that she should have – Respect. Secondly, she created the safe environment (proposition 17). She allowed the group members to be themselves. She let them to deal with the issues they felt strong about e.g. (What do you guys want us to talk about today?). She let them to self determine (proposition 4). She never judged them. She respected every one’s ideas. She listens to each and every one of them. She was attending every member of the group. The lay counselors even though they conduct counseling informally as they have no formal training in psychology , like Mrs. Bengu in the study guide for PYC3705 they provide emotional support in the community in collaboration with others. What I also observed in this group is ‘Confidentiality’. We know that this is a dilemma. One member in the group requested that what they discussed in there it should end there. She herself she doesn’t want to hear her problems outside that group. If her request is not respected, then she will be very disappointed. All members including the facilitator agreed on that and made promise to one another that they will be confidential. This indicated the unity of the group (proposition 3). The differences I saw was lay counselor couldn’t recognize the discrepancies between what the member was saying and how was said or behaved. She was just accepting what ever the member said. Two, non-verbal communication, what the member was communicating through her body language e.g. member is communicating something but she puts hands on her mouth. She doesn’t use minimal encouragers, open question paraphrasing and so forth. The lack of attentiveness skill. According to (Grobler and  Schenck 2009:46), attentiveness is the way in which the facilitator orientates him or herself physically and psychologically towards the clients. However, the counselor will answer her phone during the session with the client without apologies. This is the evidence that I have conducted a proper research. As I have mentioned earlier the group is located in my local clinic and is informal, is not registered, the counselors are not qualified or trained. Therefore, they make use of the pamphlets available in the clinic such as Drug-resistant, TB and HIV and TB in the Workplace. REFERENCES Grobler, H. &Schenck, R. 2009. Person centred facilitation. 3rd edition. Oxford University Press Modutla, K. & Semenya, B. 2010. Only study Guide for Transformative counseling encounters. University of South Africa. Louw, H. 2008-2010. Only study guide for Participatory community development in social work and the social service professions. University of South Africa.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 3. BIG DAY

My own eyes flew open. I lay shivering and gasping in my warm bed for several minutes, trying to break free of the dream. The sky outside my window turned gray and then pale pink while I waited for my heart to slow. When I was fully back to the reality of my messy, familiar room, I was a little annoyed with myself. What a dream to have the night before my wedding! That's what I got for obsessing over disturbing stories in the middle of the night. Eager to shake off the nightmare, I got dressed and headed down to the kitchen long before I needed to. First I cleaned the already tidy rooms, and then when Charlie was up I made him pancakes. I was much too keyed up to have any interest in eating breakfast myself – I sat bouncing in my seat while he ate. â€Å"You're picking up Mr. Weber at three o'clock,† I reminded him. â€Å"I don't have that much to do today besides bring the minister, Bells. I'm not likely to forget my only job.† Charlie had taken the entire day off for the wedding, and he was definitely at loose ends. Now and then, his eyes flickered furtively to the closet under the stairs, where he kept his fishing gear. â€Å"That's not your only job. You also have to be dressed and presentable.† He scowled into his cereal bowl and muttered the words â€Å"monkey suit† under his breath. There was a brisk tapping on the front door. â€Å"You think you have it bad,† I said, grimacing as I rose. â€Å"Alice will be working on me all day long.† Charlie nodded thoughtfully, conceding that he did have the lesser ordeal. I ducked in to kiss the top of his head as I passed – he blushed and harrumphed – and then continued on to get the door for my best girlfriend and soon-to-be sister. Alice's short black hair was not in its usual spiky do – it was smoothed into sleek pin curls around her pixie face, which wore a contrastingly businesslike expression. She dragged me from the house with barely a â€Å"Hey, Charlie† called over her shoulder. Alice appraised me as I got into her Porsche. â€Å"Oh, hell, look at your eyes!† She tsked in reproach. â€Å"What did you do? Stay up all night?† â€Å"Almost.† She glowered. â€Å"I've only allotted so much time to make you stunning, Bella – you might have taken better care of my raw material.† â€Å"No one expects me to be stunning. I think the bigger problem is that I might fall asleep during the ceremony and not be able to say 1 do' at the right part, and then Edward will make his escape.† She laughed. â€Å"I'll throw my bouquet at you when it gets close.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"At least you'll have plenty of time to sleep on the plane tomorrow.† I raised one eyebrow. Tomorrow, I mused. If we were heading out tonight after the reception, and we would still be on a plane tomorrow†¦ well, we weren't going to Boise, Idaho. Edward hadn't dropped a single hint. I wasn't too stressed about the mystery, but it was strange not knowing where I would be sleeping tomorrow night. Or hopefully not sleeping †¦ Alice realized that she'd given something away, and she frowned. â€Å"You're all packed and ready,† she said to distract me. It worked. â€Å"Alice, I wish you would let me pack my own things!† â€Å"It would have given too much away.† â€Å"And denied you an opportunity to shop.† â€Å"You'll be my sister officially in ten short hours†¦ it's about time to get over this aversion to new clothes.† I glowered groggily out the windshield until we were almost to the house. â€Å"Is he back yet?† I asked. â€Å"Don't worry, he'll be there before the music starts. But you don't get to see him, no matter when he gets back. We're doing this the traditional way.† I snorted. â€Å"Traditional!† â€Å"Okay, aside from the bride and groom.† â€Å"You know he's already peeked.† â€Å"Oh no – that's why I'm the only one who's seen you in the dress. I've been very careful to not think about it when he's around.† â€Å"Well,† I said as we turned into the drive, â€Å"I see you got to reuse your graduation decorations.† Three miles of drive were once again wrapped in hundreds of thousands of twinkle lights. This time, she'd added white satin bows. â€Å"Waste not, want not. Enjoy this, because you don't get to see the inside decorations until it's time.† She pulled into the cavernous garage north of the main house; Emmett's big Jeep was still gone. â€Å"Since when is the bride not allowed to see the decorations?† I protested. â€Å"Since she put me in charge. I want you to get the full impact coming down the stairs.† She clapped her hand over my eyes before she let me inside the kitchen. I was immediately assailed by the scent. â€Å"What is that?† I wondered as she guided me into the house. â€Å"Is it too much?† Alice's voice was abruptly worried. â€Å"You're the first human in here; I hope I got it right.† â€Å"it smells wonderful!† I assured her – almost intoxicating, but not at all overwhelming, the balance of the different fragrances was subtle and flawless. â€Å"Orange blossoms†¦ lilac†¦ and something else – am I right?† â€Å"Very good, Bella. You only missed the freesia and the roses.† She didn't uncover my eyes until we were in her oversized bathroom. I stared at the long counter, covered in all the paraphernalia of a beauty salon, and began to feel my sleepless night. â€Å"Is this really necessary? I'm going to look plain next to him no matter what.† She pushed me down into a low pink chair. â€Å"No one will dare to call you plain when I'm through with you.† â€Å"Only because they're afraid you'll suck their blood,† I muttered. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, hoping I'd be able to nap through it. I did drift in and out a little bit while she masked, buffed, and polished every surface of my body. It was after lunchtime when Rosalie glided past the bathroom door in a shimmery silver gown with her golden hair piled up in a soft crown on top of her head. She was so beautiful it made me want to cry. What was even the point of dressing up with Rosalie around? â€Å"They're back,† Rosalie said, and immediately my childish fit of despair passed. Edward was home. â€Å"Keep him out of here!† â€Å"He won't cross you today,† Rosalie reassured her. â€Å"He values his life too much. Esme's got them finishing things up out back. Do you want some help? I could do her hair.† My jaw fell open. I floundered around in my head, trying to remember how to close it. I had never been Rosalie's favorite person in the world. Then, making things even more strained between us, she was personally offended by the choice I was making now. Though she had her impossible beauty, her loving family, and her soul mate in Emmett, she would have traded it all to be human. And here I was, callously throwing away everything she wanted in life like it was garbage. It didn't exactly warm her to me. â€Å"Sure,† Alice said easily. â€Å"You can start braiding. I want it intricate. The veil goes here, underneath.† Her hands started combing through my hair, hefting it, twisting it, illustrating in detail what she wanted. When she was done, Rosalie's hands replaced hers, shaping my hair with a feather-light touch. Alice moved back to my face. Once Rosalie received Alice's commendation on my hair, she was sent off to retrieve my dress and then to locate Jasper, who had been dispatched to pick up my mother and her husband, Phil, from their hotel. Downstairs, I could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over. Voices began to float up to us. Alice made me stand so that she could ease the dress over my hair and makeup. My knees shook so badly as she fastened the long line of pearl buttons up my back that the satin quivered in little wavelets down to the floor. â€Å"Deep breaths, Bella/7Alice said. â€Å"And try to lower your heart rate. You're going to sweat off your new face.† I gave her the best sarcastic expression I could manage. â€Å"I'll get right on that.† â€Å"I have to get dressed now. Can you hold yourself together for two minutes?† â€Å"Urn†¦ maybe?† She rolled her eyes and darted out the door. I concentrated on my breathing, counting each movement of my lungs, and stared at the patterns that the bathroom light made on the shiny fabric of my skirt. I was afraid to look in the mirror – afraid the image of myself in the wedding dress would send me over the edge into a full-scale panic attack. Alice was back before I had taken two hundred breaths, in a dress that flowed down her slender body like a silvery waterfall. â€Å"Alice – wow.† â€Å"It's nothing. No one will be looking at me today. Not while you're in the room.† â€Å"Har har.† â€Å"Now, are you in control of yourself, or do I have to bring Jasper up here?† â€Å"They're back? Is my mom here?† â€Å"She just walked in the door. She's on her way up.† Renee had flown in two days ago, and I'd spent every minute I could with her – every minute that I could pry her away from Esme and the decorations, in other words. As far as I could tell, she was having more fun with this than a kid locked inside Disneyland overnight. In a way, I felt almost as cheated as Charlie. All that wasted terror over her reaction†¦ â€Å"Oh, Bella!† she squealed now, gushing before she was all the way through the door. â€Å"Oh, honey, you're so beautiful! Oh, I'm going to cry! Alice, you're amazing! You and Esme should go into business as wedding planners. Where did you find this dress? It's gorgeous! So graceful, so elegant. Bella, you look like you just stepped out of an Austen movie.† My mother's voice sounded a little distance away, and everything in the room was slightly blurry. â€Å"Such a creative idea, designing the theme around Bella's ring. So romantic! To think it's been in Edward's family since the eighteen hundreds!† Alice and I exchanged a brief conspiratorial look. My mom was off on the dress style by more than a hundred years. The wedding wasn't actually centered around the ring, but around Edward himself. There was a loud, gruff throat-clearing in the doorway. â€Å"Renee, Esme said it's time you got settled down there,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, Charlie, don't you look dashing!† Renee said in a tone that was almost shocked. That might have explained the crustiness of Charlie's answer. â€Å"Alice got to me.† â€Å"Is it really time already?† Renee said to herself, sounding almost as nervous as I felt. â€Å"This has all gone so fast. I feel dizzy.† That made two of us. â€Å"Give me a hug before I go down/7Renee insisted. â€Å"Carefully now, don't tear anything.† My mother squeezed me gently around the waist, then wheeled for the door, only to complete the spin and face me again. â€Å"Oh goodness, I almost forgot! Charlie, Where's the box?† My dad rummaged in his pockets for a minute and then produced a small white box, which he handed to Renee. Renee lifted the lid and held it out to me. â€Å"Something blue,† she said. â€Å"Something old, too. They were your Grandma Swan's,† Charlie added. â€Å"We had a jeweler replace the paste stones with sapphires.† Inside the box were two heavy silver hair combs. Dark blue sapphires were clustered into intricate floral shapes atop the teeth. My throat got all thick. â€Å"Mom, Dad†¦ you shouldn't have.† â€Å"Alice wouldn't let us do anything else,† Renee said. â€Å"Every time we tried, she all but ripped our throats out.† A hysterical giggle burst through my lips. Alice stepped up and quickly slid both combs into my hair under the edge of the thick braids. â€Å"That's something old and something blue,† Alice mused, taking a few steps back to admire me. â€Å"And your dress is new†¦ so here – â€Å" She flicked something at me. I held my hands out automatically, and the filmy white garter landed in my palms. â€Å"That's mine and I want it back,† Alice told me. I blushed. â€Å"There,† Alice said with satisfaction. â€Å"A little color – that's all you needed. You are officially perfect.† With a little self-congratulatory smile, she turned to my parents. â€Å"Renee, you need to get downstairs.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† Renee blew me a kiss and hurried out the door. â€Å"Charlie, would you grab the flowers, please?† While Charlie was out of the room, Alice hooked the garter out of my hands and then ducked under my skirt. I gasped and tottered as her cold hand caught my ankle; she yanked the garter into place. She was back on her feet before Charlie returned with the two frothy white bouquets. The scent of roses and orange blossom and freesia enveloped me in a soft mist. Rosalie – the best musician in the family next to Edward – began playing the piano downstairs. Pachelbel's Canon. I began hyperventilating. â€Å"Easy, Bells,† Charlie said. He turned to Alice nervously. â€Å"She looks a little sick. Do you think she's going to make it?† His voice sounded far away. I couldn't feel my legs. â€Å"She'd better.† Alice stood right in front of me, on her tiptoes to better stare me in the eye, and gripped my wrists in her hard hands. â€Å"Focus, Bella. Edward is waiting for you down there.† 1 took a deep breath, willing myself into composure. The music slowly morphed into a new song. Charlie nudged me. â€Å"Bells, we're up to bat.† â€Å"Bella?† Alice asked, still holding my gaze. â€Å"Yes,† I squeaked. â€Å"Edward. Okay.† I let her pull me from the room, with Charlie tagging along at my elbow. The music was louder in the hall. It floated up the stairs along with the fragrance of a million flowers. I concentrated on the idea of Edward waiting below to get my feet to shuffle forward. The music was familiar, Wagner's traditional march surrounded by a flood of embellishments. â€Å"It's my turn,† Alice chimed. â€Å"Count to five and follow me.† She began a slow, graceful dance down the staircase. I should have realized that having Alice as my only bridesmaid was a mistake. I would look that much more uncoordinated coming behind her. A sudden fanfare trilled through the soaring music. I recognized my cue. â€Å"Don't let me fall, Dad,† I whispered. Charlie pulled my hand through his arm and then grasped it tightly. One step ata time, I told myself as we began to descend to the slow tempo of the march. I didn't lift my eyes until my feet were safely on the flat ground, though I could hear the murmurs and rustling of the audience as I came into view. Blood flooded my cheeks at the sound; of course I could be counted on to be the blushing bride. As soon as my feet were past the treacherous stairs, I was looking for him. For a brief second, I was distracted by the profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room that wasn't alive, dripping with long lines of white gossamer ribbons. But I tore my eyes from the bowery canopy and searched across the rows of satin-draped chairs – blushing more deeply as I took in the crowd of faces all focused on me – until I found him at last, standing before an arch overflowing with more flowers, more gossamer. I was barely conscious that Carlisle stood by his side, and Angela's father behind them both. I didn't see my mother where she must have been sitting in the front row, or my new family, or any of the guests – they would have to wait till later. All I really saw was Edward's face; it filled my vision and overwhelmed my mind. His eyes were a buttery, burning gold; his perfect face was almost severe with the depth of his emotion. And then, as he met my awed gaze, he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation. Suddenly, it was only the pressure of Charlie's hand on mine that kept me from sprinting headlong down the aisle. The march was too slow as I struggled to pace my steps to its rhythm. Mercifully, the aisle was very short. And then, at last, at last, I was there. Edward held out his hand. Charlie took my hand and, in a symbol as old as the world, placed it in Edward's. I touched the cool miracle of his skin, and I was home. Our vows were the simple, traditional words that had been spoken a million times, though never by a couple quite like us. We'd asked Mr. Weber to make only one small change. He obligingly traded the line â€Å"till death do us part† for the more appropriate â€Å"as long as we both shall live.† In that moment, as the minister said his part, my world, which had been upside down for so long now, seemed to settle into its proper position. I saw just how silly I'd been for fearing this – as if it were an unwanted birthday gift or an embarrassing exhibition, like the prom. I looked into Edward's shining, triumphant eyes and knew that I was winning, too. Because nothing else mattered but that I could stay withhim. I didn't realize I was crying until it was time to say the binding words. â€Å"I do,† I managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper, blinking my eyes clear so I could see his face. When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious. â€Å"I do,† he vowed. Mr. Weber declared us husband and wife, and then Edward's hands reached up to cradle my face, carefully, as if it were as delicate as the white petals swaying above our heads. I tried to comprehend, through the film of tears blinding me, the surreal fact that this amazing person was mine. His golden eyes looked as if they would have tears, too, if such a thing were not impossible. He bent his head toward mine, and I stretched up on the tips of my toes, throwing my arms – bouquet and all – around his neck. He kissed me tenderly, adoringly; I forgot the crowd, the place, the time, the reason†¦ only remembering that he loved me, that he wanted me, that I was his. He began the kiss, and he had to end it; I clung to him, ignoring the titters and the throat-clearing in the audience. Finally, his hands restrained my face and he pulled back – too soon – to look at me. On the surface his sudden smile was amused, almost a smirk. But underneath his momentary entertainment at my public exhibition was a deep joy that echoed my own. The crowd erupted into applause, and he turned our bodies to face our friends and family. I couldn't look away from his face to see them. My mother's arms were the first to find me, her tear-streaked face the first thing I saw when I finally tore my eyes unwillingly from Edward. And then I was handed through the crowd, passed from embrace to embrace, only vaguely aware of who held me, my attention centered on Edward's hand clutched tightly in my own. I did recognize the difference between the soft, warm hugs of my human friends and the gentle, cool embraces of my new family. One scorching hug stood out from all the others – Seth Clearwater had braved the throng of vampires to stand in for my lost werewolf friend.

Causes Of The Showa Restoration Essays - Empire Of Japan

Causes Of The Showa Restoration Essays - Empire Of Japan Causes of the Showa Restoration Sonno joi, "Restore the Emperor and expel the Barbarians," was the battle cry that ushered in the Showa Restoration in Japan during the 1930's.Footnote1 The Showa Restoration was a combination of Japanese nationalism, Japanese expansionism, and Japanese militarism all carried out in the name of the Showa Emperor, Hirohito. Unlike the Meiji Restoration, the Showa Restoration was not a resurrection of the Emperor's powerFootnote2, instead it was aimed at restoring Japan's prestige. During the 1920's, Japan appeared to be developing a democratic and peaceful government. It had a quasi-democratic governmental body, the Diet,Footnote3 and voting rights were extended to all male citizens.Footnote4 Yet, underneath this seemingly placid surface, lurked momentous problems that lead to the Showa Restoration. The transition that Japan made from its parliamentary government of the 1920's to the Showa Restoration and military dictatorship of the late 1930s was not a sudden transformation. Liberal forces were not toppled by a coup overnight. Instead, it was gradual, feed by a complex combination of internal and external factors. The history that links the constitutional settlement of 1889 to the Showa Restoration in the 1930s is not an easy story to relate. The transformation in Japan's governmental structure involved; the historical period between 1868 and 1912 that preceded the Showa Restoration. This period of democratic reforms was an underlying cause of the militarist reaction that lead to the Showa Restoration. The transformation was also feed by several immediate causes; such as, the downturn in the global economy in 1929Footnote5 and the invasion of Manchuria in 1931.Footnote6 It was the convergence of these external, internal, underlying and immediate causes that lead to the military dictatorship in the 1930's. The historical period before the Showa Restoration, 1868-1912, shaped the political climate in which Japan could transform itself from a democracy to a militaristic state. This period is known as the Meiji Restoration.Footnote7 The Meiji Restoration of 1868 completely dismantled the Tokugawa political order and replaced it with a centralized system of government headed by the Emperor who served as a figure head.Footnote8 However, the Emperor instead of being a source of power for the Meiji Government, became its undoing. The Emperor was placed in the mystic position of demi-god by the leaders of the Meiji Restoration. Parliamentarians justified the new quasi-democratic government of Japan, as being the "Emperor's Will." The ultra-nationalist and militaristic groups took advantage of the Emperor's status and claimed to speak for the Emperor.Footnote9 These then groups turned the tables on the parliamentarians by claiming that they, not the civil government, represented the "Imperial Will." The parliamentarians, confronted with this perversion of their own policy, failed to unite against the militarists and nationalists. Instead, the parliamentarians compromised with the nationalists and militarists groups and the general populace took the nationalists' claims of devotion to the Emperor at face value, further bolstering the popularity of the nationalists.Footnote10 The theory of "Imperial Will" in Japan's quasi-democratic government became an underlying flaw in the government's democratic composition. It was also during the Meiji Restoration that the Japanese economy began to build up its industrial base. It retooled, basing itself on the western model. The Japanese government sent out investigators to learn the ways of European and American industries.Footnote11 In 1889, the Japanese government adopted a constitution based on the British and German models of parliamentary democracy. During this same period, railroads were constructed, a banking system was started and the samurai system was disbanded.Footnote12 Indeed, it seemed as if Japan had successfully made the transition to a western style industrialized state. Almost every other non-western state failed to make this leap forward from pre-industrial nation to industrialized power. For example, China failed to make this leap. It collapsed during the 1840s and the European powers followed by Japan, sought to control China by expropriating its raw materials and exploiting its markets. By 1889, when the Japanese ConstitutionFootnote13 was adopted, Japan, with a few minor setbacks, had been able to make the transition to a world power through its expansion of colonial holdings.Footnote14 During the first World War, Japan's economy and colonial holdings continued to expand as the western powers were forced to focus on the war raging in Europe. During the period 1912-1926, the

10 Facts for a Thesis on the History of American Business

10 Facts for a Thesis on the History of American Business From the dawn of the automobile revolution to the innovation of electronic consumer products, the history of American business is in continuum ― never at ease, never at rest. In that light, we’re going to discuss the history of American business in greater detail so you can write a thesis that’s not only concise but admired by your professor as well. This is the first of three guides you’ll find here on the history of American business. In this first, 10 facts for a thesis on the history of American business, we share ten significant facts on the history of American business which will form the foundation of your thesis statement. In our second guide, 20 topics for a thesis on the history of American business, which will allow you to start writing your thesis statement right away. It will also give you an idea of how a thesis statement is actually written. Finally, in our third guide, how to write a thesis on the history of American business, we discuss the methodologies, formats and strategies to make your thesis stand out in a major way. This third guide especially is a must read if you want to know how to write a thesis statement, as we will be discussing one of the key components of thesis writing. Without further ado, here are 10 facts on The history of American Business: One of the best moments in history that paved the way for business growth was in the 1790s when the federal government, ruled by George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, encouraged the enterprise of businesses. George Washington had been a business-oriented person. He was known for getting involved in numerous projects that lead to the development of transportation to Western lands. His main goal was to make America an industrial nation. Right after the American Revolution, banks started to thrive in America. The Bank of North America is among the oldest of American banks in the United States of America. Of course, there were banks before that, but organized banking only started after the American Revolution. It started out on a small scale in Boston and New York and now has deep roots entrenched in American soil. Alexander Brown was the main business innovator known for transitioning traditional merchants into modern merchants and played a key role in forming the nation’s first investment bank. The first investment bank in the US, Alex. Brown Sons, started out as a cotton, exporting and shipping company. When Brown expanded his business to Liverpool, England, New York and Philadelphia, it provided sufficient financing for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which in turn, tapped into the hinterlands of Philadelphia and Ohio ― expanding its growth even more. By monopolizing Baltimore’s shipping trade with Liverpool, Brown financed Baltimore Importers, which allowed him to specialize in merchant banking. Railroads were one of the biggest commercial and financial successes that had a dramatically large-scale impact on American business. It provided a highly efficient way to ship freight and passengers over a large national market, becoming the basis of the private financial system. Brown became the sole inventor of modern management, allowing young men between the ages of 18 and 20 to embrace a career path. However, this led to America developing a love-hate relationship with railroads. Before automobiles started getting manufactured in 1910, general stores and itinerant peddlers were the most profitable businesses in rural America. There was no criterion on the quality of foods; instead, it was based on credit since most customers shopped on credit ― not credit borrowed from the bank but by paying bills when customers were able to harvest their crops, cattle or hogs[1] . Stores were also a point where men were typically found instead of women. It became a chatting point for men, where they passed around the local newspaper and talked politics. Towns and small cities were the main avenue for marketing. Many entrepreneurs at the time opened small stores that offered a variety of reasonably priced, high quality products. This allowed middle-class women to start shopping for day-to-day goods. These stores offered limited credit purchases, but also other attractive things such as seasonal sales, high turnover, and branded merchandise. Advertising is one of the key factors that allow businesses to thrive exponentially. It is deemed worthy to mention it here since we’re talking American business history. N.W. Ayer and Son was the instigating power that assumed responsibility for creating advertising content. As industrialization expanded after 1900s, so did advertising. From a mere $200 million advertising volume in 1880 to about $3 billion in 1920, advertising agencies grew rapidly, allowing them to influence the population’s economic behavior on a major scale. According to Juliet Walker, the year between 1900 and 1930, were the golden years of â€Å"black business†. The National Negro Business League confirms that through statistics which indicate that businesses owned by African Americans had experienced a 200% increase, going from 20000 to 40000 in just 14 years (1900 1914). Booker T. Washington was one of the pioneers who promoted African American entrepreneurship. Booker also ran the National Negro Business League and moved between city a large number of cities to sign contracts with local business owners to join his network. Carnegie Steel has been one of the biggest steel industries in the United States. It’s still remembered today for its Eads Bridge that’s found across the Mississippi river. Carnegie Steel was also the world’s biggest manufacturer of steel rails, coke and pig iron at the time. Behind this successful industry was a young leader, Andrew Carnegie. The industry became so successful that it bought its rival Homestead Steel Works in 1888, before becoming the largest manufacturer in 1890. Eventually, it bought all other steel mills and became known as U.S. Steel. Railroads were also behind the invention of the American Pension System. When young 18-year-old men were hired, trained and promoted in their respective field, they became a high-value asset for the railroad firm. To discourage employees from leaving the company, they offered pensions that would be given right after retirement. We’re certain you must have found the facts interesting and informative. Let’s continue to our next guide, 20 topics for a thesis on the history of American business, where we will give you topic examples along with a sample essay on one of those topics to assist you in writing a great thesis. Don’t forget to read our final guide, How to Write a Thesis on the history of American business, which would add perfect flair to your thesis statement, making it more interesting, convincing   and profound in every sense of the word. Reference: John R. Nelson, (1979) Alexander Hamilton and American Manufacturing: A Reexamination. Journal of American History 65.4: 971-995. Dora L. Costa, 1880-1990 The evolution of retirement. in Costa, The Evolution of Retirement: An American Economic History, (U of Chicago Press, 1998), pp 6-31 Sylla, Richard. 1790-1840 US securities markets and the banking system. Review-Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis 80 (1998): 83-98 Licht, Working for the Railroad pp 262-63. 269 Dora L. Costa, 1880-1990 The evolution of retirement. in Costa, The Evolution of Retirement: An American Economic History, (U of Chicago Press, 1998), pp 6-31 Lewis E. Atherton, (1971) The Frontier Merchant in Mid-America Juliet E.K. Walker, (2009) The history of black business in America: Capitalism, race, entrepreneurship p 183.

The Beginning of the American Civil War

The Beginning of the American Civil War On February 4, 1861, delegates from the seven seceded states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) met in Montgomery, AL and formed the Confederate States of America. Working through the month, they produced the Confederate States Constitution which was adopted on March 11. This document mirrored the US Constitution in many ways, but provided for the explicit protection of slavery as well as espoused a stronger philosophy of states rights. To lead the new government, the convention selected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi as president and Alexander Stephens of Georgia as vice president. Davis, a Mexican-American War veteran, had previously served as a US Senator and Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. Moving quickly, Davis called for 100,000 volunteers to defend the Confederacy and directed that federal property in the seceded states immediately be seized. Lincoln and the South At his inauguration on March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln stated that the US Constitution was a binding contract and that the Southern states secession had no legal basis. Continuing, he said that he had no intention of ending slavery where it already existed and did not plan on invading the South.  Additionally, he commented that he would take no action that would give the South justification for armed rebellion, but would be willing to use force to retain possession of federal installations in the seceded states. As of April 1861, the US only retained control of a few forts in the South: Fort Pickens at Pensacola, FL and Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC as well as Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas and Fort Zachary Taylor at Key West, FL. Attempts to Relieve Fort Sumter Shortly after South Carolina seceded, the commander of the Charleston harbor defenses, Major Robert Anderson of the 1st US Artillery Regiment, moved his men from Fort Moultrie to the nearly-complete Fort Sumter, located on a sandbar in the middle of the harbor. A favorite of general in chief General Winfield Scott, Anderson was considered an able officer and capable of negotiating the increasing tensions in Charleston. Under increasingly siege-like conditions through early 1861, that included South Carolina picket boats observing the Union troops, Andersons men worked to complete construction on the fort and emplace guns in its batteries. After refusing requests from the South Carolina government to vacate the fort, Anderson and the eighty-five men of his garrison settled in to await relief and resupply. In January 1861, President Buchanan attempted to resupply the fort, however, the supply ship, Star of the West, was driven away by guns manned by cadets from the Citadel. First Shot Fired During Attack on Fort Sumter During March 1861, a debate raged in the Confederate government regarding how forceful they should be in trying to take possession of Forts Sumter and Pickens. Davis, like Lincoln, did not wish to anger the border states by appearing as the aggressor. With supplies low, Lincoln informed the governor of South Carolina, Francis W. Pickens, that he intended to have the fort re-provisioned, but promised that no additional men or munitions would be sent. He did stipulate that should the relief expedition be attacked, efforts would be made to fully reinforce the garrison. This news was passed to Davis in Montgomery, where the decision was made to compel the forts surrender before Lincolns ships arrived. This duty fell to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard who had been given command of the siege by Davis. Ironically, Beauregard had previously been a protà ©gà © of Anderson. On April 11, Beauregard sent an aide to demand the forts surrender. Anderson refused and further discussions after midnight failed to resolve the situation. At 4:30 am on April 12, a single mortar round burst over Fort Sumter signaling the other harbor forts to open fire. Anderson did not reply until 7:00 AM when Captain Abner Doubleday fired the first shot for the Union. Short on food and ammunition, Anderson sought to protect his men and limit their exposure to danger. As a result, he only permitted them to use the forts lower, casemated guns which were not positioned to effectively damage the other forts in the harbor. Bombarded through the day and night, Fort Sumters officers quarters caught fire and its main flag pole was toppled. After a 34-hour bombardment, and with his ammunition almost exhausted, Anderson elected t o surrender the fort. Lincolns Call for Volunteers Further Secession In response to the attack on Fort Sumter, Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 90-day volunteers to put the rebellion down and ordered the US Navy to blockade Southern ports. While the Northern states readily sent troops, those states in the upper South hesitated. Unwilling to fight fellow Southerners, the states of Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina opted to secede and joined the Confederacy. In response, the capital was moved from Montgomery to Richmond, VA. On April 19, 1861, the first Union troops arrived in Baltimore, MD on their way to Washington. While marching from one train station to another they were attacked by a pro-Southern mob. In the riot that ensued twelve civilians and four soldiers were killed. To pacify the city, protect Washington, and ensure that Maryland remained in the Union, Lincoln declared martial law in the state and sent troops. The Anaconda Plan Created by Mexican-American War hero and commanding general of the US Army Winfield Scott, the Anaconda Plan was designed to end the conflict as quickly and bloodlessly as possible. Scott called for the blockade of Southern ports and capture of the vital Mississippi River to split the Confederacy in two, as well as advised against a direct attack on Richmond. This approach was mocked by the press and public which believed that a rapid march against the Confederate capital would lead Southern resistance to collapse. Despite this ridicule, as the war unfolded over the next four years, many elements of the plan were implemented and ultimately led the Union to victory. The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) As troops gathered in Washington, Lincoln appointed Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell to organize them into the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Though concerned about his mens inexperience, McDowell was forced to advance south in July due to growing political pressure and the impending expiration of the volunteers enlistments. Moving with 28,500 men, McDowell planned to attack a 21,900-man Confederate army under Beauregard near Manassas Junction. This was to be supported by Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson who was to march against an 8,900-man Confederate force commanded by Gen. Joseph Johnston in the western part of the state. As McDowell approached Beauregards position, he looked for a way to outflank his opponent. This led to a skirmish at Blackburns Ford on July 18. To the west, Patterson had failed to pin down Johnstons men, allowing them to board trains and move east to reinforce Beauregard. On July 21, McDowell moved forward and attacked Beauregard. His troops succeeded in breaking the Confederate line and forcing them to fall back on their reserves. Rallying around Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jacksons Virginia Brigade, the Confederates stopped the retreat and, with the addition of fresh troops, turned the tide of the battle, routing McDowells army and forcing them to flee back to Washington. Casualties for the battle were 2,896 (460 killed, 1,124 wounded, 1,312 captured) for the Union and 982 (387 killed, 1,582 wounded, 13 missing) for the Confederates.

Classical And Modern Natural Art Forms Case Study

Classical And Modern Natural Art Forms - Case Study Example Opera is a multi-dimensional art form that brings numerous art forms together. It is all art forms rolled into one. The numerous arts that are present in an opera are costumes (couture), the story (theatre), sets (visual art), dance (choreography), lighting (technical art), singing (vocal art), drama (acting) and orchestra (music) (Zouves, 2009). All these arts converge and result in a perfect performing art called opera. Films are also an art form and more importantly, the most liked and appreciated the modern form of entertainment. Films too like an opera use different art forms to produce a single art form (Livingston, 2009). A film is different from other art forms in the way that it records and captures the performance as a series of images and then reproduces it to be watched multiple times without actually having to put in the efforts. That it reproduces the performance as and when desired. The stage is a very important aspect during an opera performance. Appropriate use of th e entire stage is very essential in order to grab the attention of the audience. If the stage is not used to the best effect, then an opera act will not be able to integrate itself with the musical idiom of the operatic text, ideas and the atmosphere (Parker, 2001). The entire act is performed on a single stage including orchestra which will be stationed on the stage. An opera performance requires frequent re-formation of the stage to suit the scenarios (Ewans, 2007). On the other hand, films don’t have a centralized stage like an opera. Films are shot on real locations and artificial sets put up to portray real places. More than the use of the stage, the way it is captured by the camera is more important. The priority in a film is in the way the stage is designed and captured rather than the use of it by artists.

Houston Astros and Enron Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Houston Astros and Enron - Assignment Example As a prominent sports team with a large fan base, it is a force to be reckoned with in the sports of American baseball which is perhaps the most popular team sports in the United States and also a major part of the American culture as a pastime when families bond together. When its sponsor Enron Corporation suddenly collapsed back in 2001, the Houston Astros found themselves in the embarrassing position of being endorsed by an organization which symbolized corporate greed. It is the aim of this brief paper to examine the options available to the said sports team and as an illustrative case study on how to properly handle a seemingly public relations disaster. Discussion Professional sports today in America and elsewhere in the world is characterized by the increasing intrusion of commercialization through corporate sponsorship in the form of company advertisements and marketing promotions. American sports organizations are privately-owned teams and as such has to be managed well like any business enterprise and has to turn a profit for its owners. In this regard, many of such sports organizations have turned to corporate sponsors to earn much-needed additional revenues to offset higher expenses in the form of maintenance of its home stadium and to pay the often-exorbitant professional players' fees. In other words, the sports team owners are in a quandary of sorts, as they have to sacrifice the purity or sanctity of sports in favor of commercial ads to make their sports teams a viable on-going enterprise. There is a prevalent practice of selling the naming rights of a stadium to a corporation for a huge fee. Problem Definition – in the case of the Houston Astros, they had sold the naming rights for their new ball park to Enron Corporation for a 30-year period to the tune of $100 million and in turn, Enron was given all the rights to put up advertisements, banners, and all sorts of the paid endorsements accruing to the Houston Astros sports team, such as the opportunity to put Enron's name on all interior and exterior signages to include even the uniforms of game-day staff. A part of the deal included spending for a luxury suite and season box seats (Jensen & Butler, 2007, p. 28). When Enron collapsed, the sports team had to find a way to dissociate themselves from it. Case Analysis – the sudden collapse was an unprecedented event in American business history for it was the largest bankruptcy filing ever and worse, Enron represented the corporate scandal involving dubious accounting practices, insider trading, and other types of malfeasance. The Houston Astros found themselves in the uncomfortable position of being associated with the company most hated by Americans who lost their jobs, pensions, and life savings. Evaluation of Case Facts – the naming rights that Enron Corporation entered into with the management of the Houston Astros was a valid business contract but the extremely bad name or reputation that Enron soo n earned after its collapse when sordid wrongdoing came to public knowledge made it untenable for the sports team to continue with the contract because it is now a public relations crises in relation to its valued publics, in particular its avid sports fans. Consideration of Alternatives – Houston Astros has to find a way to get out of the now-useless contract with Enron as the corporation is in no position to honor its end of the bargain in terms of annual installment payment for the naming rights of the stadium. The sports team has to resort to the courts to discharge it from its obligations

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Good Soldier Svejk Analysis - Essay Example en analyzed by the author as well as the main characteristics that have been explored and satirized such as the use of national language, utilization of legal symbols, and religious objects among others. The novel describes the happenings of the First World War that resulted from the murder in Sarajevo. Characters such as Svejk display a great interest in serving the Australian emperor during the war that it was hard to decide whether he was simply crafty or an idiot who undermined the efforts of the war. Subsequently, he gets arrested by the secret police, Bretschneider, when he makes sensitive remarks about politics and later sent to penitentiary. It is then claimed that he was insane and was sent to a madhouse before he was ejected. Subsequently, he uses his intellect to join the army as batman to the chaplain of the army who is Otto Katz. Generally, the narrative recounts of how a rogue was able to use his wits and survived various misfortunes. It gives a limelight to a corrupt and complex society where the main character is always on the move from the beginning of the novel. One of the key elements that the author has used in sustaining and creating interest and making the char acteristics more credible is in developing the main character and how he is enlightened by the struggles in his life. The amazing and picaresque novel is a genre that has exemplary characteristics such as satire, which enables the author to introduce various social types in funny and bizarrely situations. This he does to expose their vanity, stupidity, and hypocrisy. The form used does not make difficult demands to have intricate plotting as in the case of detective stories but rather has detailed characterization of persons who are comic strips with regard to social types. The style employed demands an interesting and sympathetic central character as well as witty satire in order to sustain the interest’s of the reader in all the episodes. Hasek satirize s and explores various

Describe the contribution of the Neo Human Relations School of Essay

Describe the contribution of the Neo Human Relations School of Management to the Development of Organisational Theory - Essay Example Management is essentially an integrating activity which permeates every facet of the operations of the organisation. The effectiveness of any work organisation is dependent upon the efficient use of resources, in particular human resources. According to Douglas McGregor, the style of management adopted is a function of the manager's attitudes towards people, and assumptions about human nature and behaviour. He put forward two sets of suppositions - Theory X and Theory Y. The central principle of Theory X is based on direction and control through a centralised system of organisation and the exercise of authority. In contrast, the central principle of Theory Y is based on the integration of individual and organisational goals. These underlying philosophies will influence a whole range of managerial behaviours and strategies. One of the most important factors in the successful implementation of organisational change is the style of managerial behaviour. In certain situations, and with certain members of staff, it may be necessary for management to make use of hierarchical authority and to attempt to impose change through a coercive, autocratic style of behaviour. According to Theory X and Theory Y, some members may actual ly prefer, and respond better, to a directed and controlled style of management. Frederick H

The Significance Of The Landlord And Tenant Act 1954 Essay

The Significance Of The Landlord And Tenant Act 1954 - Essay Example Such a change was the outcome of rebalancing the rights that existed between the tenant and the landlord as documented in 1988 as well as 1996 Housing Acts. From this time henceforth, investment returns became economically viable once more and this encouraged property owners, investors, and small landlords to penetrate the lettings market. The alterations in the laws of England and Wales accompanied changes in the demographics of the populace meaning that the contemporary lifestyle started favoring renting due to its elasticity. All land in England today is the property of the state, although it remains in Freehold before going back to the state when there are no rightful heirs anymore. A freeholder refers to the lifetime owner of a property. Based on the Law of Property Act 1925, the claim to land ends when a person dies without leaving behind any legitimate heirs. The focus of the Law of Landlord and Tenant concentrates on the contract agreements that allow the tenants to take occu pancy of a piece of property for a length of time in return for periodic payments of rent. Modern property law has a dual nature and is quite complicated. First, its basis is the common law of contract that has changed in the course of the past few centuries. Nevertheless, the legislature has the power to modify or override the common law by passing statutory regulations and codes. Contemporary property laws, as well as legal systems, vary throughout the Western world despite the fact that the fundamental legal doctrines are similar.

Bicycle patrol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bicycle patrol - Essay Example They are – The International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA), and the Law Enforcement Bike Association (LEBA). The IPMBA model is more popular and known (Shah, 2003). According to IPMBA resources, mountain bicycles are used in police departments to control criminal activities. It has become a fashion to prepare a bicycle patrol unit throughout United States of America’s state police departments because of the benefits. Bikes are noiseless, cheap and dependable and are helpful in filling up the gap between automobiles and foot patrol. Communities prefer to talk to a bike patrol officer than to a neighborhood beat officer. It helps policing efforts to solve problems. Bicycle officers can make better use of their senses of eye, ear and smelling in searching criminals. Criminals don’t doubt their presence around even if they are in uniform. Another benefit of mountain bike is its worth in crowded urban areas, where traffic is very slow, and crowd comes in between the motorized way. Bikes can enter into parks, parking lots, institutions, colonies, business centers, tourist complexes and VIP functions. The streets, side-walks, alleys, trails and such areas can be reached via a bike, where motor vehicles cannot enter due to lack of space. They are useful both in urban and remote areas to save people from casualties also (IPMBA resources). It is very important to learn how to handle weapon at the time of patrol cycling. Bike can be used as a protective tool also. The option of ‘use of force’ shows that bike is not just a medium of transport but techniques like riding stairs, cone courses and slow speed skills besides scenario exercises, and suspect encounters add to the already learnt cycling skills. So, passing the training course is very important before practicing police bike patrols (Shah, 2003). Here lies the importance of IPMBA courses like Security Cyclist certification courses. The Complete Guide to Police Cycling of IPMBA covers

The Significance Of The Landlord And Tenant Act 1954 Essay

The Significance Of The Landlord And Tenant Act 1954 - Essay Example Such a change was the outcome of rebalancing the rights that existed between the tenant and the landlord as documented in 1988 as well as 1996 Housing Acts. From this time henceforth, investment returns became economically viable once more and this encouraged property owners, investors, and small landlords to penetrate the lettings market. The alterations in the laws of England and Wales accompanied changes in the demographics of the populace meaning that the contemporary lifestyle started favoring renting due to its elasticity. All land in England today is the property of the state, although it remains in Freehold before going back to the state when there are no rightful heirs anymore. A freeholder refers to the lifetime owner of a property. Based on the Law of Property Act 1925, the claim to land ends when a person dies without leaving behind any legitimate heirs. The focus of the Law of Landlord and Tenant concentrates on the contract agreements that allow the tenants to take occu pancy of a piece of property for a length of time in return for periodic payments of rent. Modern property law has a dual nature and is quite complicated. First, its basis is the common law of contract that has changed in the course of the past few centuries. Nevertheless, the legislature has the power to modify or override the common law by passing statutory regulations and codes. Contemporary property laws, as well as legal systems, vary throughout the Western world despite the fact that the fundamental legal doctrines are similar.

The copenhagen criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The copenhagen criteria - Essay Example In order to acquire the European Union membership the candidate countries should fulfil the above-mentioned three criteria. Since the enlargement process by European Council was held at Copenhagen, the name Copenhagen criteria came into existence. "Neither the EU nor the candidate countries have the power to change the geographical reality on the ground or the definitions of terms long defined in the English language in respect of physical and political geographic descriptions" (Wikipedia). The enlargement process is resolved at the beginning before taking an opinion of the application of a particular country. There is no geographical limit for any European country to join European Union. Some cases of non-European countries2 came into picture but none the less it is not possible for non- European states to attain a European Union membership. It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. ... It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. The reasons cited for their inclusion was French Guiana was an integral part of French Republic and Greenland joined the EEC as a Danish dependency. It clearly shows the double standards employed in the inclusion.One of the biggest headaches for European Union member states is inclusion of Turkey as a EU member. Turkey has been declared as a candidate for membership. At first European Union declined the inclusion of Turkey as a member. To become a EU member every country has to fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria and Turkey was well short of the above-mentioned criteria. One of the reasons for turning down Turkey's candidature was its being a non Christian st ate. The majority community of Turkey is Muslims. Since shariat3 law was enforced as it has been in every other Islamic country, became one of the reasons for its being declined.The human rights record of Turkey was well below the mark. They had very bad human rights record. Since it is an Islamic country there was a fear of terrorists residing in Turkey. Due to the increase in terror activities Muslim sympathisers may take advantage of the membership and might cause damage to the European Union members. They might indulge in terrorist activities. There is no gender equality in Turkey. Women were treated as slaves. They don't have any independence inside

Justify the use of IT for this problem compared to other methods Essay Example for Free

Justify the use of IT for this problem compared to other methods Essay In my opinion I feel that IT would be most appropriate for this problem. I can justify this by using an example such as; if a large corporate company that have millions of bills to produce all the time and used the manual approach, they would be paying out more money than they are making. This would mean they would have to charge the customer more for their services and some customers may not feel satisfied with the prices, and this may cause them to end their contract with the company. I do think that the total cost for hardware, software and their maintenance can seem overwhelming, however once these costs have been taken care of the company can produce millions of bills quickly and efficiently, saving time and money. The cost of initially training staff may also seem like a lot of money, however once the staff have been trained they will have the knowledge for a long-time and so the company wont have to keep paying out for new staff to learn special skills. However, if someone wanted to produce one bill buy a whole new computer system with new hardware and software wouldnt really justify the cause. Producing 1000 letters by hand would be ridiculous because using this method to solve this type of problem would only cause inconvenience and further problems. The best way to deal with this problem would be to use IT, using IT would quicker and more economical. And if all the letters had the same framework and only a few details needed to be changed each time one could use something like a mail merge system. However, when producing only one letter it is better to do it by hand rather than investing in a whole new computer system. When using the IT approach to the situation of producing many bills, it has many advantages one of the most important ones in my opinion is security. If the system is done by hand, anyone has easy access to the personal details of any customer, these details are very confidential. However, when everything is done with a computer system the security is increased and additional passwords and precautions can be taken if required which are usually needed when working with a huge-communication company. Would the use of IT in expert hands have produced better results than those you produced? In my opinion, I feel that if this particular dilemma was placed in the hands of an IT expert they would have handled it different to the way I have. Firstly I think they would have solved the whole Is the use of latest technology always an improvement? (Try to give examples in IT where the latest technology has been helpful in achieving results and also where there have been problems using latest technology. Draw some sort of conclusion.)

Argumentative Essay On Drinking Water Shortage Environmental Sciences Essay

Argumentative Essay On Drinking Water Shortage Environmental Sciences Essay Although most of the earths surface is covered with water, water shortage is a serious threat to the survival of humanity at present and in future. There is a water crisis which faces many parts of the world and it is a threat to survival of human beings since humans are primarily dependent on water. Shortage in drinking water is a major problem facing developing countries which have not taken drastic steps to harvest water and purify it to make it safe for human consumption. However, this problem is also being increasingly felt in developed countries where the population growth has strained available water resources and stretched the ability of governments and private firms to provide safe drinking water to the population. There are many conflicts around the world where people have died or have been injured as a result of clashes over a water resource. Most of these conflicts have occurred in Asia and Africa where most developing countries are located (Gleick 17-22). When humans cla sh over resources, this underscores the seriousness of the issue and calls for drastic actions to be taken to solve the problem. Shortage of drinking water is therefore an issue which must be investigated in detail and solutions developed to curb this problem. There are various causes of shortage of drinking water and most of these are attributable to human activities. These include such activities as deforestation and pollution which contribute to global warming, misuse of the water resource and groundwater contamination among others. It is important to develop solutions to this problem if future generations are to survive. This paper aims at analyzing the shortage in drinking water resource, its causes and solutions which should be implemented to solve the problem. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end. Shortage in drinking water It has been discussed that there is shortage of drinking water in various regions across the world. In many developing countries, people do not have access to drinking water due to various reasons. In some cases, water resources have dried up while in others, they are polluted. As a result, there populations especially in Africa face many water-borne diseases mainly due to pollution of water resources. Human activities such as population growth and industrial activities have further strained water resources and caused a shortage of drinking water. As a result, there are many conflicts over pastures or water resources and these lead to injuries or fatalities (Gleick 17-22). As mentioned earlier, this underscores the importance of finding a solution to the problem of shortage of the water resource. In the United States, there is pressure on available water resources since half of water collected is usually used in electricity generation, leaving the population to share the little left. There are already calls for charging water resources in order to increase efficiency of use (CQ Researcher 531-550). Although water protection has been implemented for years, there is still water pollution occurring within the United States. After the Civil war, America strived to provide its population with clean water and its water treatment system was and is still is one of the best globally. However, industrial revolution led to the pollution of water resources, leading to shortage of clean drinking water. Other external factors such as effects of global warming have also put a strain on available water resources. It is important to understand how shortage of drinking water occurs and its causes. These will be discussed in the section below; How human beings contribute to the problem of shortage in drinking water There are various human activities and trends which are primarily responsible for the problem of shortage of drinking water. These activities damage the environment, contaminate water sources or put pressure on water resources leading to a shortage of drinking water. Some of these will be discussed below; Pollution Environmental pollution is one of the major causes of lack of drinking water. Pollution contaminates available water sources, making water available unsafe for human consumption. Pollution also damages the environment and causes adverse effects which result in drying up of water sources (Levy 62-67). There are three major types of pollution which will be discussed in this section and these are water and air pollution as well as contamination of ground water sources. Air pollution occurs through human activities such as burning of fuel, release of harmful gases by industries or products such as vehicles, release of greenhouse gases among others. Air pollution is a major cause of global warming since gases released into the atmosphere allow more heat to be trapped within the earths surface resulting in global warming. Water pollution results from discharging waste into water sources and this is common in developing countries which do not strong laws which deter such forms of pollution. Contamination of ground water sources occurs after the use of certain chemicals including fertilizers which contaminate ground water after use, making such water toxic to humans (Upmanu et. al. 1-17). These forms of pollution reduce the amount of water resource which may be used by humans leading to a shortage in drinking water resources. Increasing population There is a very high population growth rate in many countries across the world. The average world population growth rate is over 1% and some countries especially in Africa and Asia have growth rates of over 2% per annum. A large growth rate puts pressure on available resources and causes a shortage. Human beings depend on water to live and the large population growth rate has put pressure on available water resources. Since water infrastructure and resource has generally remained constant over the years, population growth rate strains the water resource and creates a shortage in drinking water for populations across the world. Global warming Global warming can be attributed to a large proportion of the loss of water resources. It is caused by the emission of certain gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere leading to retention of heat by the earths surface. This raises the average temperatures and causes adverse effects such as heat waves and melting of glaciers. Global warming causes higher evaporation of water resources due to higher temperatures on the earths surface. This results in the decline of availability of fresh water sources. It also leads to the drying up of water resources such as rivers and lakes due to higher temperatures. Global warming should be addressed if humans are to have fresh drinking water in the long run. Use of water for agriculture Agricultural activities are a major part of many countries economies. Many people rely indirectly or directly from agriculture. Agricultural activities heavily rely on water for sustenance. In many countries, fresh water resources are used for irrigation of crops and feeding of animals. The use of freshwater sources for irrigation strains the water resource and creates shortages especially when agriculture is practiced in large scale (Buchanan Horwitz 67-69). In developing countries, areas which have large scale agricultural activities especially in water intensive agricultural activities such as horticulture usually experience water shortages due to the amount of water used in agriculture. It is important that alternative water sources are used for agriculture is there is to be clean drinking water for people across the world. Wastage of water resource Wastage of water is common in nearly all countries due to ignorance on potential benefits of conserving water. There are many ways in which water is wasted and these include letting water run within households when it is not in use, lack of water recycling and lack of water harvesting among other means. When water within households is allowed to run when not in use, it may appear to be a little quantity, but when compared against numerous households, it becomes clear how much water is wasted. When water is also not recycled like for instance purified and used for other sources, this is wastage of the water resource. Poor harvesting of water or lack of water harvesting incentives allows water which would have been put to use to be wasted. This creates a situation where people do not have access to drinking water as is the case in many countries. Solutions There are various solutions which should be implemented to solve the problem of shortage of drinking water. Some of them will be briefly discussed below; Reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere This is one of the most effective solutions needed to conserve the water resource. As has been discussed, one of the greatest threats to the availability of water is global warming. Global warming increases temperatures and encourages evaporation of water resources. Carbon dioxide emission is one of the major causes of global warming. It is therefore essential that emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is reduced. Greenhouses are some of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide and reduction of greenhouse gases will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. The Kyoto Protocol is a global agreement by countries to reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions. More countries should join such agreements and they should develop a global approach in reducing carbon dioxide emissions (Glennon 33-38). Other measures such as planting of trees should be encouraged since trees are important in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Afforestation and re-afforestation Afforestation and re-afforestation are two effective approaches in conserving the water resource. Afforestation involves planting trees where there were none while re-afforestation involves plating trees which were cut down. The planting of trees is useful in conserving the water resource for two main reasons. The first is that trees use carbon dioxide and give out oxygen thereby purifying the air. Carbon dioxide emission has been discussed as a cause of global warming and depletion of clean drinking water due to high temperatures. Planting of trees reduces the carbon dioxide levels in air and prevents adverse effects of global warming (Solomon 46-52). The second reason is that planting of trees attracts rainfall through the water cycle which involves transpiration. Transpiration by trees allows moisture to evaporate and form clouds which eventually fall down as rainfall. Availability of rainfall increases water resources and ensures that humans have access to clean drinking water. Harvesting of water Harvesting of water is one form of water conservation and it involves collecting waste water and purifying it to make it safe for drinking (The Economist 14-16). Water harvesting should mainly be done when there are heavy rains and water should be directed towards reservoirs where it may be stored and purified for human consumption. This form of water conservation ensures that there is minimal water wastage and that human beings have access to clean drinking water. It also ensures that there is enough water to sustain human activities such as agriculture. Avoiding water wastage It is important for governments and the private sector to educate the public on importance of water conservation and avoidance of water wastage. Avoiding water wastage ensures that the water resource is conserved and that there is enough water to meet all human activities. Water wastage through simple measures, such as letting water run when not in use or using excess water to perform various household functions, is very effective in conserving the water resource if done in large scale. When the public at large is advised about these simple measures, more water will be harvested, purified and stored for consumption by human beings. Legal regulations In order to enforce these solutions, it is important to criminalize any actions which contribute to the depletion of the water resource. Human activities such as deforestation, pollution and contamination of ground water resources should be discouraged through the passage of tough laws which act as deterrent to such actions. Harsh sentences and fines should be imposed on people who are caught polluting or damaging the environment. This will discourage others from committing the same and it will encourage society to preserve various resources including the water resource. Summary and conclusion Shortage of water resources has been seen to be a serious problem which threatens the survival of mankind. Water is an essential part of the lives of human beings who need water for survival. However, there are many human activities which either pollute water resources or which pollute the environment leading to the drying up of the water resources. Some of these activities include air pollution which occurs through human activities such as burning of fuel, release of harmful gases by industries or products such as vehicles, release of greenhouse gases among others. Water pollution occurs through discharging waste into water sources while contamination of ground water sources occurs after the use of certain chemicals including fertilizers which contaminate ground water after use, making such water toxic to humans. Other human activities such as deforestation and agriculture also contribute to the shortage of clean drinking water. Population growth puts pressure on water resources mak ing it difficult to satisfy human needs. There are various steps which should be taken in order to address the problem of water shortage. Afforestation and re-afforestation are two effective approaches in conserving the water resource since they help in attracting rainfall and purifying the atmosphere. Harvesting of water is a form of water conservation and it ensures that there is minimal water wastage. Finally, string laws which discourage environmental pollution should be passed in order to ensure that the environment is conserved and that there are enough water resources for all. This will ensure that future populations survive on current water resources available.

A Studentss Guide to First-Year Writing Essays -- Personal Narrative

A Students's Guide to First-Year Writing My Literacy in America Gloomy. That’s how I remember my year of kindergarten. It may not have been quite as dim as my memory shows, but my fear darkened that phase. I am not quite sure how my age affected my perception of things, but my first memories of this country I don’t regard as pleasant. If I had come to the United States as an infant, I would have been better off. Not only because infants don’t communicate using words, but also because my stage in literacy did not coincide with my peers’. As a five-year-old, most of us have already learned to speak. I was five, just like all the other children, and I spoke as the other children did, but I spoke Portuguese and my classmates spoke English. In essence, I was racing with time. Although my age blinded my insight toward the race, I was trying to catch up to my peers in that I had to learn to speak, as well as follow the new things taught to us in kindergarten. Though the objectives in kindergarten are nothing native English speakers would consider challenging, for me the word â€Å"nap† stood as an obstacle! My first day is as clear as a sliding glass door. I walked into the classroom hesitantly, frightened of what the new surroundings would entail. At first the other children didn’t notice my differences because my physical appearance differed only slightly from my new classmates’. But it wasn’t long until they discovered the new addition to the class. The American kindergarteners formed a circle around me. To them, I must have been this neat new kid who came from a whole other continent. For me, they were attackers, and their weapon was the tongue. I cringed at every foreign word shot at me. How could they be so... ...lways pictured it as a task to accomplish so that I could fit in with my colleagues. After the death of my uncle, because the language was a connection to him, I found myself using the language to provide a link to him. As I progressed from grade school to higher education, I realized that I had grown to like reading and writing. I often listened to the complaints of assignments from my peers, and I could rarely identify with them. "I think this paper is going to be fun"; don’t be caught dead saying that out loud! At this stage in my life I find enjoyment in having time to convey my emotions on paper out of free will. I can’t imagine how I would feel if a sudden lapse appeared in my schedule and I could read for my own gratification. I would go ballistic! Since these incidents are highly unlikely, I will be content in polishing my skills through schoolwork.

Media studies †Life on Mars Essay

How does life on mars (2006) use visual codes, technical, audio and narrative codes to create a sense of excitement and encourage the audience to watch. In this first episode of Life on Mars there are many different codes and conventions used to make this series instantly appealing to the audience. The episode is excellently paced and smartly directed, getting us into 1973 within 10 minutes and introducing new characters effortlessly. Sequence 1 of life on mars gets the audience instantly familiar with the genre, the episode begins with a police car chasing down a suspect which quickly shows us this is a hybrid police crime drama. The diegetic sounds of police sirens and dogs along with the non diegetic music, a heartbeat which is corresponding with Sam the detective in the police car creating suspense as we get a feel for how Sam is feeling as the heartbeat signifies his nerves also introducing the audience to protagonist Sam Tyler, these audio codes add up to create an exciting police chase which again expresses the genre of ‘Life on Mars’. Once out of the car Sam is forced to chase his primary suspect down an ally way in a council estate in the city giving the audience a feel for the setting. The music isn’t as dramatic while the chase is happening but speeds up during more dramatic parts of the chase which creates suspense. Cinema-verte is used when filming the chase which makes the audience feel almost part of the chase, this entertaining filming technique and creative use of music makes Life on Mars exciting to the audience creating enigma and encouraging them to watch on. This chase takes us up to Colin Raimes arrest bringing us to sequence 2. In sequence 2 Sam’s colleague and girlfriend, Maya, are interviewing suspect Colin Raimes. Sam and Maya facing Colin and his lawyers, which creates tension between these two sets of people. During the interview there is a close up of Colin Raimes which engages the audience creating tension and increasing the viewers curiosity as to what this suspect has done and makes them wonder has he done it or not? The diegetic recording sound in the background shows the viewers the interview is being recorded and shows the viewers the seriousness of the situation, the room is dark with little light which creates a professional mood, the dark setting is a technique used to scare the suspect in to talking, perfect for the situation. The narrative codes in this sequence reveal allot about Colin Raimes as he gets upset by the images he is being shown, we learn Colin sees a psychiatrist and his lawyers talk about how kids would throw fireworks at him on his estate. This is evidence to show that Colin is vulnerable and is possibly mad, the audience may take pity on him or take a different view on the suspect, this makes the viewers curious and increases their want to watch on. After the interview in sequence 3, Maya isn’t done with the suspect and decides to follow him on her own, only to be kidnapped. Once Maya is kidnapped Sam becomes sad and heads out looking for her, there is a close up of Sams face and he is distressed with tears running from his eyes. This visual codes will make the audience feel sympathetic towards Sam and shows us perhaps he is feeling stronger than just friendship for Maya. Sams nerves eventually get the better of him when he has to stop the car to refresh himself, standing there half-heartedly he says into himself,’ The world is a scary place’ again this shows the audience he is thinking about Maya and wants to find her increasing their sympathy for him and overall making the viewers want to continue to watch to see the conclusion. The different audio codes used express Sams feeling for Maya as the non diegetic music plays softly whilst he cries and thinks about her, this corresponds with the visual codes creating a sympathetic feel for the protagonist making the audience pity him. Sam is unexpectedly struck by a speeding vehicle which brings me to sequence four. Sam is struck very unexpectedly and this may have came as a shock to the audience, the accident is very unexpected and this is done deliberately to shock the audience as this scene is key to the viewers as it is where the storyline unfolds as after this it is based in 1973, where Sam time travels back in time. The diegetic sounds used are very impacting, when the car hits Sam, initially there is a loud sound to signify he has been hit, after this all that can be heard is silence which corresponds with how the audience will feel, as they will be shocked at what has just happened. This creates enigma and increases the viewers curiosity to keep watching and they are now introduced to how Life on Mars is going to take place. (back in time) will Sam be okay? what will happen next? are few of the questions the audience will be asking making them exciting and encouraging them to keep watching. Once Sam is hit and the audience are aware of what happened there is a close up of him laying vulnerably on the ground, this close up shot shows his eyes, wide open but yet not moving, with only police sirens and a heartbeat which is corresponding with Sams as he lays on the tarmac, creating tension and making the audience question if he is even alive. This close up then changes to a high shot as the camera slowly moves up, looking down on Sam which shows how empty the road is, no traffic just him. This suggests a change in time and expresses to the audience what has happened introducing them to 1973. These visual and technical codes all raise the audiences awareness causing them to ask questions and want to know the conclusion. Sequence five is the most important as, Sam wakes up to find himself in 1973, complete with 1970s era clothing and an 8-track playing â€Å"Life on Mars† in a car. Dazed and confused, Sam wanders back to the police precinct he works at, only to find it filled with cigarette-smoking, gum-chewing strangers he’s never seen before. The music is significant as before the crash David Bowies 1970’s song â€Å"Life on Mars† was playing on Sams ipod in the car. This is strange as he has travelled back in time to when this song was just out and extremely popular. Sams feeling are conveyed in different ways, with voices in his head from when he was a boy repeating,’ where are you?’ as he wakes up in a forest, obviously not where he was before. Creating enigma for the audience and making them aware of the time change increasing their excitement and want to continue watching. When Sam stands up in 1973, with no clue as to where he is the camera is low angled and is circling him while â€Å"Life on Mars† plays which really creates a confusing atmosphere showing that Sam does not know what is going on. This technical camera work helps to express Sams feelings and shows the audience a broader understanding of what’s going on. Everything has changed in Sams world, The set designs and costumes effectively evoke the era, as well as the grittiness of the run-down neighbourhood and police precinct. Everything feels straight out of the 70s, from the clothing to the cars to the horridly ugly decorating in Sam’s apartment. Throughout the episode, Sam hears hospital noises and doctor voices and at one point sees a person on late night TV talking like a doctor describing Sam being in a coma. Sam becomes increasingly convinced that he truly is in a coma, and that none of this world is real. he believes it is all part of his imagination. These are some of the ways in which Sam portrays his feelings to the audience during this sequence. Which allows the audience to get to know Sam and begin to have a feel for his character encouraging them to continue to watch Life on Mars. Later Sam meets a young police officer named Annie Cartwright who he begins to open up to and express his opinion and at one point tells her â€Å"I had an accident and when I woke up, I was here. Only here is 33 years in the past. Now, that either makes me a time-traveller, a lunatic, or I’m lying in a hospital bed in 2006 and none of this is real.† This quotation of what he says gives the audience insight into how he feels about the whole situation, this again allows the audience to engage with Sam and feel what he is going through, the audience will grow a certain like for Sam and this creates a sense of excitement and encourages the audience to continue to watch â€Å"Life on Mars†.