Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 5

Actually, it wasn't the light she noticed first. It was an eerie feeling that some†¦ presence was in her room with her. She'd had the feeling before, waking up to feel that something had just left, maybe even in the instant it had taken her to open her eyes. And that while asleep, she'd been on the verge of some great discovery about the world, something that was lost as soon as she woke. But tonight, the feeling stayed. And as she stared around the room, feeling dazed and stupid and leaden, she slowly realized that the light was wrong. She'd forgotten to close the curtains, and moonlight was streaming into the room. It had the thin blue translucence of new snow. But in one corner of Gillian's room, by the gilded Italian chest of drawers, the light seemed to have pooled. Coalesced. Concentrated. As if reflecting off a mirror. There wasn't any mirror. Gillian sat up slowly. Her sinuses were stuffed up and her eyes felt like hard-boiled eggs. She breathed through her mouth and tried to make sense of what was in the corner. It looked like †¦ a pillar. A misty pillar of light. And instead of fading as she woke up, it seemed to be getting brighter. An ache had taken hold of Gillian's throat. The light was so beautiful†¦ and almost familiar. It reminded her of the tunnel and the meadow and †¦ Oh. She knew now. It was different to be seeing this when she wasn't dead. Then, she'd accepted strange things the way you accept them in dreams, without ordinary logic or disbelief interfering. But now she stared as the light got brighter and brighter, and felt her whole skin tingling and tears pooling in her eyes. She could hardly breathe. She didn't know what to do. How do you greet an angel in the ordinary world? The light continued to get brighter, just as it had in the meadow. And now she could see the shape in it, walking toward her and rushing at the same time. Still brighter-dazzling and pulsating-until she had to shut her eyes and saw red and gold after images like shooting stars. When she squinted her eyes back open, he was there. Awe caught at Gillian's throat again. He was so beautiful that it was frightening. Face pale, with traces of the light still lingering in his features. Hair like filaments of gold. Strong shoulders, tall but graceful body, every line pure and proud and different from any human. He looked more different now than he had in the meadow. Against the drab and ordinary background of Gillian's room, he burned like a torch. Gillian slid off her bed to kneel on the floor. It was an automatic reflex. â€Å"Don't do that.† The voice was like silver fire. And then-it changed. Became somehow more ordinary, like a normal human voice. â€Å"Here, does this help?† Gillian, staring at the carpet, saw the light that was glinting off a stray safety pin fade a bit. When she tilted her eyes up, the angel looked more ordinary, too. Not as luminous. More like just an impossibly beautiful teenage guy. â€Å"I don't want to scare you,† he said. He smiled. â€Å"Yeah,† Gillian whispered. It was all she could get out. â€Å"Are you scared?† â€Å"Yeah.† The angel made a frustrated circling motion with one arm. â€Å"I can go through all the gobbledygook: be not afraid, I mean you no harm, all that-but it's such a waste of time, don't you think?† He peered at her. â€Å"Aw, come on, kid, you died earlier today. Yesterday. This isn't really all that strange in comparison. You can deal.† â€Å"Yeah.† Gillian blinked. â€Å"Yeah,† she said with more conviction, nodding. â€Å"Take a deep breath, get up-â€Å" â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"-say something different†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Gillian got up. She perched on the edge of her bed. He was right, she could deal. So it hadn't been a dream. She had really died, and there really were angels, and now one was in the room with her, looking almost solid except at the edges. And he had come to †¦ â€Å"Why did you come here?† she said. He made a noise that, if he hadn't been an angel, Gillian would have called a snort. â€Å"You don't think I ever really left, do you?† he said chidingly. â€Å"I mean, think about it. How did you manage to recover from freezing without even needing to go to the hospital? You were in severe hypothermia, you know. The worst. You were facing pulmonary edema, ventricular fibrillation, the loss of a few of your bits†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He wiggled his fingers and waggled his feet. That was when Gillian realized he was standing several inches off the floor. â€Å"You were in bad shape, kid. But you got out of it without even frostbite.† Gillian looked down at her own ten pink fingers. They were tinglingly over-sensitive, but she didn't have even one blood blister. â€Å"You saved me.† He gave a half grin and looked sheepish. â€Å"Well, it's my job.† â€Å"To help people.† â€Å"To help you.† A barely acknowledged hope was forming in Gillian's mind. He never really left her; it was his job to help her. That sounded like†¦ Could he be †¦ Oh, God, no, it was too corny. Not to mention presumptuous. He was looking sheepish again. â€Å"Yeah. I don't know how to put it, either. But it is true, actually. Did you know that most people think they have one even when they don't? Somebody did a poll, and ‘most people have an inner certainty that there is some particular, individual spirit watching over them.' The New Agers call us spirit guides. The Hawaiians call us aumakua†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a guardian angel,† Gillian whispered. â€Å"Yeah. Your guardian angel. And I'm here to help you find your heart's desire.† â€Å"I-† Gillian's throat dosed. It was too much to believe. She wasn't worthy. She should have been a better person so that she would deserve some of the happiness that suddenly spread out in front of her. But then a cold feeling of reality set in. She wasn't a better person, and although she was sure enlightenment and whatever else an angel thought your heart's desire was, was terrific, well †¦ in her case†¦ She swallowed. â€Å"Look,† she said grimly. â€Å"The things I need help with-well, they're not exactly the kinds of things angels are likely to know about.† â€Å"Heh.† He grinned. He leaned over in a position that would have unbalanced an ordinary person and waved an imaginary something over her head. â€Å"You shall go to the ball, Cinderella.† A wand. Gillian looked at him. â€Å"Now you're my fairy godmother?† â€Å"Yeah. But watch the sarcasm, kid.† He changed to a floating position, his arms clasping his knees, and looked her dead in the eye. â€Å"How about if I say I know your heart's desire is for David Blackburn to fall madly in love with you and for everyone at school to think you're totally hot?† Heat swept up Gillian's face. Her heart was beating out the slow, hard thumps of embarrassment- and excitement. When he said it out loud like that, it sounded extremely shallow†¦ and extremely, extremely desirable. â€Å"And you could help with that?† she choked out. â€Å"Believe it or not, Ripley.† â€Å"But you're an angel.† He templed his fingers. â€Å"The paths to enlightenment are many. Grasshopper. Grasshopper? Maybe I should call you Dragonfly. You are sort of iridescent. There're lots of other insects, but Dung-Beetle sounds sort of insulting. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I've got a guardian angel who sounds like Robin Williams, Gillian thought. It was wonderful. She started to giggle uncontrollably, on the edge of tears. â€Å"Of course, there's a condition,† the angel said, dropping his fingers. He looked at her seriously. His eyes were like the violet-blue at the bottom of a flame. Gillian gulped, took a scared breath. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You have to trust me.† â€Å"That's it?† â€Å"Sometimes it won't be so easy.† â€Å"Look.† Gillian laughed, gulped again, steadied herself. She looked away from his eyes, focusing on the graceful body that was floating in midair. â€Å"Look, after all I've seen†¦ after you saved my life-and my bits †¦ how could I not trust you?† She said it again quietly. â€Å"How could I ever not trust you?† He nodded. Winked. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Let's prove it.† â€Å"Huh?† Slowly the feeling of awed incredulity was fading. It was beginning to seem almost normal to talk to this magical being. â€Å"Let's prove it. Get some scissors.† â€Å"Scissors?† Gillian stared at the angel. He stared back. â€Å"I don't even know where any scissors are.† â€Å"Drawer to the left of the silverware drawer in the kitchen. A big sharp pair.† He grinned like Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother. Gillian wasn't afraid. She didn't decide not to be, she simply wasn't. â€Å"Okay,† she said and went down to get the scissors. The angel went with her, floating just behind her shoulder. At the bottom of the stairs were two Abyssinian cats, curled up head to toe like the Yin-Yang symbol. They were fast asleep. Gillian nudged one gently with one toe, and it opened sleepy crescents of eyes. And then it was off like a flash-both cats were. Streaking down the side hall, falling over each other, skidding on the hardwood floor. Gillian watched with her mouth open. â€Å"Balaam's ass,† the angel said wisely. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† For a moment Gillian thought she was being insulted. â€Å"I mean, animals can see us.† â€Å"But they were scared. All their fur-I've never seen them like that before.† â€Å"Well, they may not understand what I am. It happens sometimes. Come on, let's get the scissors.† Gillian stared down the side hall for a moment, then obeyed. â€Å"Now what?† she said as she brought the scissors back to her room. â€Å"Go in the bathroom.† Gillian went into the little bathroom that adjoined her bedroom and flicked on the light. She licked dry lips. â€Å"And now?† she said, trying to sound flippant. â€Å"Do I cut off a finger?† â€Å"No. Just your hair.† In the mirror over the sink, Gillian saw her own jaw drop. She couldn't see the angel, though, so she turned around. â€Å"Cut my hair? Off?† â€Å"Off. You hide behind it too much. You have to show the world that you're not hiding anymore.† â€Å"But-† Gillian raised protective hands, looking back in the mirror. She saw herself, pale, delicate boned, with eyes like wood violets-peering out from a curtain of hair. So maybe he had a point. But to go into the world naked, without anything to duck behind, with her face exposed†¦ â€Å"You said you trusted me,† the angel said quietly. Gillian chanced a look at him. His face was stem and there was something in his eyes that almost scared her. Something unknowable and cold, as if he were withdrawing from her. â€Å"It's the way to prove yourself,† he said. â€Å"It's like taking a vow. If you can do this part, you're brave enough to do what it takes to get your heart's desire.† He paused deliberately. â€Å"But, of course, if you're not brave enough, if you want me to go away †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No,† Gillian said. Most of what he was saying made sense, and as for what she didn't understand-well, she would have to have faith. I can do this. To show that she was serious, she took the open scissors, bracketed the pale blond curtain at a level with her ear, and squeezed them shut. Her hair just folded around the scissors. â€Å"Okay.† The angel was laughing. â€Å"Hold onto the hair at the bottom and pull. And try less hair.† He sounded like himself again: warm and teasing and loving-helpful. Gillian let out her breath, gave a wobbly smile, and devoted herself to the horrible and fascinating business of cutting off long blond chunks. When she was done, she had a silky blond cap. Short. It was shorter than Amy's hair, almost as short as J.Z. Oberlin's hair, the girl at school who worked as a model and looked like a Calvin Klein ad. It was really short. â€Å"Look in the mirror,† the angel said, although Gillian was already looking. â€Å"What do you see?† â€Å"Somebody with a bad haircut?† â€Å"Wrong. You see somebody who's brave. Strong. Out there. Unique. Individualist. And, incidentally, gorgeous.† â€Å"Oh, please.† But she did look different. Under the ragged St. Joan bob, her cheekbones seemed to stand out more; she looked older, more sophisticated. And there was color in her cheeks. â€Å"But it's still all uneven.† â€Å"We can get it smoothed out tomorrow. The important thing is that you took the first step yourself. By the way, you'd better learn to stop blushing. A girl as beautiful as you has to get used to compliments.† â€Å"You're a funny kind of angel.† â€Å"I told you, it's part of the job. Now let's see what you've got in your closet.† An hour later, Gillian was in bed again. This time, under the covers. She was tired, dazed, and very happy. â€Å"Sleep fast,† the angel said. â€Å"You've got a big day tomorrow.† â€Å"Yes. But wait.† Gillian tried to keep her eyes open. â€Å"There were some things I forgot to ask you.† â€Å"Ask.† â€Å"That crying I heard in the woods-the reason I went in. Was it a kid? And are they okay?† There was a brief pause before he answered. â€Å"That information is classified. But don't worry,† he added. â€Å"Nobody's hurt-now.† Gillian opened one eye at him, but it was dear he wasn't going to say any more. â€Å"Okay,† she said reluctantly. â€Å"And the other thing was-I still don't know what to call you.† â€Å"I told you. Angel.† Gillian smiled, and was immediately struck by a jaw-cracking yawn. â€Å"Okay. Angel.† She opened her eyes again. â€Å"Wait. One more thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But she couldn't think of it. There had been some other mystery she'd wanted to ask about, something that had to do with Tanya, with Tanya and blood. But she couldn't summon it up. Oh, well. She'd remember later. â€Å"I just wanted to say-thank you.† He snorted. â€Å"You can say it anytime. Get this through your head, kid: I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here tomorrow morning.† He began to hum a Blind Melon song. † I'll always be there when you wake†¦ .' Yeah, yeah, yeah.† Gillian felt warm, protected†¦ loved. She fell asleep smiling. The next morning she woke early and spent a long time in the bathroom. She came down the stairs feeling self-conscious and lightheaded-literally. With her hair gone her neck felt as if it were floating. She braced herself as she walked into the kitchen. Neither of her parents was there, even though her father was usually having breakfast by now. Instead, a girl with dark hair was sitting at the kitchen table, bent closely over a calculus textbook. â€Å"Amy!† Amy glanced up and blinked. She squinted, blinked again, then jumped up, standing an inch taller than Gillian. She moved forward, her eyes huge. Then she screamed.

Porter Generic Strategies on Indian Automobile Induatry Essay

PORTER’S GENERIC COMPETITIVE STRATEGY Automobile Sector MARUTHI: Low Cost Product – Differentiated service Product Pricing: Maruthi build high walls of safety against competition by its very competitive pricing i.e. pricing as low as possible for the particular product. Maruthi has also been a company that has strived for sustainable development with their â€Å"three R† framework standing for â€Å"reduce, recycle, reuse† in its plants, so that there is a minimal stress on resources emphasizing on low cost while retaining their promise to the customer. Maruthi Product – Target Market – Pricing As important for low cost provider they are also backed by huge economies of scale as depicted below; Customer Service: In the other hand maruthi has been sought by people for its distribution and service availability across the length and breadth of the nation. â€Å"Yes, you can get lost in India, but chances are there will be a Maruti Suzuki Service Station close at hand. Wherever you go, across the length and breadth of this vast nation, our service network follows.† boasts maruthi relying on its widest service network servicing more than 40,000 cars a day. Maruthi has been No.1 in the J D Power Customer Satisfaction Award for a staggering 13 years in a row. It’s a survey that rates the after-sales service experience, one that no other global car market leader has won even once. Source:Maruthi.co.in TATA: COST LEADERSHIP Tata motors is a part of the conglomerate TATA and their focus is to provide cost effective solution to their customers going in line with their mission of â€Å"To be passionate in anticipating and providing the best vehicles and experiences that excite our customers globally.† Source: Tatamotors.com Focusing on values like Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, Passion for excellence with their focus to provide low cost solution ranging from TATA flag mark product NANO. The following picture gives the price list for the cars, Source: Car pricedhekho.com Their economies of scale are one of the highest in the industry signifying the low cost in production also reuse and less emphasis on design features and these coupled with their unique processing of fixing reverse methodology of pricing the product first and thereby innovating and designing so as to fit the price makes them the leader in providing low cost solutions reaching out the customers. TATA also boasts it service network being wide and reachable in almost all corners of the nation but their main focus and strive is on providing low cost solutions. MAHINDRA: DIFFERENTIATION (BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY) Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) manufactures utility vehicles (UVs), tractors, commercial vehicles (CVs), three-wheelers and gensets. Mahindra was the first mover when it comes to utility vehicles in India and has an indomitable market and place in customer mind when their focus is on performance under optimal price. It is India’s market leader in UVs and tractors and In land, Mahindra has dominant share in all its segments – | Source: SIAM, Company Data, Credit Suisse estimates| Mahindra earns a competitive advantage via a combination of a tractor and UV business in India which face very little or no competition. Mahindra brought in SUV’s in Indian market focusing on raw power and performance with the launch of Bolero and the launch of Scorpio has proven to be a game-changer for the company and has help it transform its image from a people-mover to luxury SUV manufacturer followed by launch of its most-awaited XUV 500 dominating the SUV category with its differentiated products. All this was keenly observed by famous strategist and thinker Mr. C K Prahlad and named the whole milieu as â€Å"FORTRESS MAHINDRA†. Fortress Mahindra means that if you go into a certain mobility business where you can share procurement, where you can share research and development synergies, where you can share logistics, where you can share brand, you can share channel and then create a mobility web where it becomes easier to enter a  mobility business that somebod y else can’t and easier to defend when somebody tries to emulate. Source: Business Today

A Farewell to Sexism and The Female Also Rises Essay

Ernest Hemingway has a reputation of being a complete misogynist. People have analyzed his books, specifically A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises, and attacked him for being sexist towards the main female roles, Catherine Barkley and Lady Brett Ashley. Other analysts argue that Catherine and Brett are strong female lead roles. Through these two characters, Hemingway disproves the misogynist and sexist analysts and presents readers with independent female roles. A characteristic of sexism towards women include showing their dependence, including the inability to think by themselves. In A Farewell to Arms, Frederic asks Catherine to kiss her and she replies no. If Catherine was so dependent and couldn’t think on her own, she wouldn’t have refused Frederic’s affection. Catherine also asks Frederic if he loves her and she calls him out for lying and goes on to say â€Å"You don’t have to pretend to love me† (Hemingway, 31). This shows that she thinks and is not blinded by her emotions and is able to realize that he is lying to her. In The Sun Also Rises, Lady Brett Ashley does whatever she wants. She is incredibly promiscuous and parties all the time with the guys. Most women during the World War I time sat home in the kitchen and took care of the kiddos rather than having a drink with the guys. Instead, after she hooked up with Romero and Cohn got jealous and beat him up, she scolded Cohn. Not many women would yell at a guy during the World War I period. This just further shows her independence and her ability to think by herself. Critics argue that Catherine is â€Å"merely a male fantasy† (Shmoop Editorial Team). They have good evidence in saying that and they argue that Catherine â€Å"gives up her own identity to get Frederic to love her. † They use her quote about religion, â€Å"You’re my religion. You’re all I’ve got† (Hemingway), and her quote about herself, â€Å"There isn’t any me. I’m you. Don’t make up a separate me† (Hemingway). But what those critics aren’t seeing is that Catherine is just a romantic woman. She is very lonely and desperately wants a deep, beautiful love after seeing all the deaths and wounded soldiers around her. Her wanting to be one with Frederic is completely justified. According to the Shmoop Editorial Team, critic Sandra Whipple Spanier says â€Å"that her willingness to love Frederic entirely is heroic because it saves her from going crazy with grief. When everything is exploding all around you, everything takes on more urgency. It’s normal that she feels so intensely for Frederic and that she thinks of unusual and even poetic ways to express this love. † It’s not Hemingway’s misogyny that is making him portray Catherine this way; it’s just the toll that the war has on her. More proof of independence in Catherine is that when she and Frederic are apart, she just keeps working and getting through the days without him. She does not need him to get through the day and that just proves her to be a strong, independent woman. Another thing that sets her apart from sexist characteristics is her complex thoughts on marriage. This complexity is shown through â€Å"her conflict between not following the social norms she doesn’t care about and conforming to such norms because doing so makes life easier† (Shmoop Editorial Team). She tells Frederic that her and her Fiance, that has died, were engaged for eight years because if they got married she thought he’d be trapped. When Frederic brings up getting married, she just plays it off like they’re already practically married and why fix something that’s not broken? She only begins to change her mind after her pregnancy. Hemingway also disproves the critics when he aligns the significance of rain during the war to Catherine. Even though rain can be seen as a symbol of spring and rebirth, Catherine sees it differently and associates it with death and gloom (Shmoop Editorial Team). When Frederic asks her why she is afraid of the rain she states that â€Å"It’s very hard on loving† (Hemingway), â€Å"I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it† (Hemingway), and â€Å"And sometimes I see you dead in it† (Hemingway). According to Shmoop, the rain makes soldiers more prone to injury and they did research to find out why Catherine would say that rain is â€Å"hard on loving†. They found that her fiance died during the Battle of Somme, which was rainy so she associated the rain with death. By her thinking this way and being able to associate the rain with death and gloom, it proves that Hemingway made Catherine out to be a complex character. Hemingway also makes Catherine and Lady Brett Ashley strong and totally throws away the â€Å"females are weak and emotionally unstable† stereotype. First and foremost, Catherine is a World War I nurse at an overseas hospital. She takes care of soldiers that are, most of the time, fatally wounded. The reason she does this is because her fiance was killed in battle. Instead of crumbling after his death, she pulls through and does something that will benefit more people after a tragic event in her life. If Hemingway was so sexist, he would have made her kill herself like Shakespeare does to his weak female characters after tragedy strikes their lives. According to the Shmoop Editorial Team, Hemingway parallels the death of the soldiers during battle to Catherine’s death, stating that â€Å"Like the soldiers who stood brave in the face of battle, Catherine stood brave in the face of a battle with her own body. † Hemingway also showed some strength in Lady Brett Ashley from The Sun Also Rises, when she was not sickened by the bull fighting like â€Å"the typical woman†. In A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway provides readers with two strong, independent female characters that are incredibly admirable for women. By Hemingway showing Catherine’s strength and diverse way of thinking throughout World War I and Lady Brett Ashley’s ability to â€Å"be one of the guys† and speak out for herself, he challenges his critics and proves that he is not the misogynist that people claim him to be. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 1957. Print. 16 Feb. 2014. Shmoop Editorial Team. â€Å"Catherine Barkley in A Farewell to Arms. † Shmoop. com. Shmoop University, Inc. , 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Reflection - Essay Example Though simple but it is an interesting calculation that gives a fair idea of my performance in the class whether I stand below or above average. The term ‘average’ has its own limitation to inform the correct information. That is where median comes to rescue. Per capita average income of a population is good first hand information; however, it is a median income that gives more precise information about half of the population that is below or above certain income levels. While per capita income misguides about the country’s poverty spread, the income distribution data flashes more clarity giving an insight which state, race, gender, or community needs more state help to reduce the prevailing disparity in incomes. Statistics can be applied to extensive uses in the modern times. Businesses forecast their sales and profit figures using regression models based on the past data. Investigative agencies nab the criminals based on the past statistical data of crime or pattern in the specific area. Drug companies estimate success rate of their newly derived flu shots for its effectiveness from the carefully chosen sampling data across the population of the

Polish Costumes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Polish Costumes - Essay Example This paper will look at the different Polish costumes which emerged in different regions of the country. The first part will look at most popular Polish costume, the Krakow costume which became the representation of Polish traditional dress in the world. As Poland is generally subdivided in two regions namely, Eastern and Western Krakowians, this paper will also explore the similarities and differences of the costumes wore in these geographic areas. Each country is often identified with its own national costume, which is also true with Poland. Among the regions, the strj krakowski (Krakw costume) is the favourite among the various regional costumes of Poland and has come to symbolize the traditional costume of Poland in general, especially abroad. From the time of their late nineteenth and early twentieth century boom, the Krakow costumes have gained wide popularity and acceptance among the Polish. With this, the Krakow costumes have been commonly worn among all the levels of social strata. They were described by folklorists, portrayed in paintings, prints and photographs. In the Krakow costumes, the women wear white shirts with broad sleeves and collars decorated with lace and paired with colorful vests with sequins and rich embroidery. Women's necks are adorned with strings of coral beads. The Krakow costume is also recognized with its flowery skirts in bold patterns which partly covered with white lace aprons plus multiple petticoats underneath. Girls wear wreaths of flowers with multi-colored ribbons in their braided hair while matured women prefer colorful, flowery kerchiefs. Matching these colorful costumes are high-laced red boots have heels with metal tips to emphasize each stamp, click, or jump. On the other hand, the men wear long, dark and embroidered coats over white shirts and embroidered vests. These are complemented with striped pants which are often in red and white in color and are tucked in high-laced boots. Their characteristic accessories include a special belt with decorative strings of small, jingling metal plates, as well as a square hat, topped with peacock feathers. The Krakow costumes, worn by both men and women, can be seen to be lavishly ornamented. The effect of multicolored skirts, together with the elaborate designs of vests, and exquisite embroidery, can be compared to the extravagant colorfulness of the peacock. As time progresses, the basic form of the Krakow costumes have been modified to take into account the different traditions and culture which emerged. During the peak of their development, the Krakow costumes can be widely grouped into two variations-the Western and Eastern Krakowians. Western Krakowians is the region from the rural farmland and industrial areas of the western part of the genre's range while the Eastern Krakowians is the area from the farmlands to the eastern part. Even though the boundary between the two could not be clearly determined, it is said to run approximately along a line marked out by the villages of Jdrzew, Miechw, Proszowice, Koszyce, and further out, between Bochnia and Brzesko. It is very crucial to identify the various differences between the two costumes as they often tell the village or region that a person came from. Costumes of the Western Krakowians

Union Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Union Management - Essay Example This bad news has serious implications for most unions, putting them in a position of hard choices. On one hand, union leaders need to look after members’ welfare but on the other hand, they have to face some harsh realities. The truth of the matter is that state government coffers are facing a â€Å"fiscal emergency† as what Gov. Linda Lingle said and everyone must put their share of carrying the burden equally to keep things afloat. The government of Hawai’i had laid off some 900 to 1,100 government workers earlier in November and more lay-offs might be forthcoming, she had warned. In the end, everybody got what they wanted out of the deal which shows everyone concerned was willing to compromise and sacrifice. The current recession had highlighted the need for some concessions from the union, in particular work rules concerning compensation. State workers had overwhelmingly approved to take 42 furlough days, to be distributed into 18 days this fiscal year, 12 next year and another 12 for year 2011 (Sample in â€Å"Hawaii’s largest†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Union leaders had to face the reality of the situation and taking furlough is better than private-sector employees who took a pay cut and are working still the same hours for less pay as what Paul Brewbaker said. In another article on the same issue regarding union acceptance of the new contract, the Honolulu Advertiser mentioned that six of the seven bargaining units of Hawaii’s biggest public-sector union had ratified the new contract. Some 60% to 95% of the members had voted in support of the furlough days, roughly the equivalent to an 8% pay cut. For some of the union members, this concession may represent or symbolize the futility of being members. This is because the union had failed to protect their compensation benefits by eventually agreeing to furloughs although this is also dictated by the harsh reality of budget shortfalls. The new

Introduction to Economics Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Introduction to Economics Assignment - Essay Example Free Market Economy is also characterized by the rights of individuals to buy and hold private property (Lipsey & Chrystal 2003). This characteristic is an incentive for both buyers and producers. It allows both buyers and producers to make bold and brave decisions. Since producer knows that he can own land, capital and other factors of production, he invests money into the system. Buyers also know that they can acquire goods, property or other thing of value now and can either consume it or store it for future consumptions. This moves the wheels of the economy and leads to equilibrium quantity demand and quantity supplied in the market. It also leads to price adjustments in the economy at a point where the motives of the buyers meets the motives of the sellers or producers. This is also called market creation or market searching. Market searching is the process when the market is trying to adopt or settle at the equilibrium price. Eventually market settles down at equilibrium becaus e in over priced market supply is greater than demand which eventually leads to price going down. If the market is under priced demand is going to be higher than supply and this will result in price hike and eventually equilibrium will be reached. Free Market Economies encourage the process of market searching through market forces working without any intervention from government or other control factors. (Brue & McConnell 2006) Adam Smith also pointed out an interesting phenomenon in the system. He laid the foundations for the concept of â€Å"Invisible Hand† in the free market economy. He was referring to the fact that everything changes in response to the movement in prices. In essence, he was telling the world that in order to achieve their own motives, buyers and producers end up doing good for the system. This interesting fact can be explained in the following example. When a person earns income in this system, he spends it on his necessities, needs and wants. The money spent in the economy changes hand and transfers from the hand of the person spending the money to the producers of goods and services wanted by that person. This encourages producers of these goods and services to employ more resources and produce more goods and services. This leads to employment generation in the economy and when people are employed they tend to invest and save more. This leads to further employment generation and the cycle continues. The focus in this example is on the trickledown effect in the Free Market Economy. Many countries where the socialism dominated previously have realized the importance of Free Market Economic System and are opening up themselves for more private investment and encouraging the development of private entrepreneurs that will provide the impetus for high economic growth rates. The debate here is not about how good or bad the free market system, but it is more about why aren’t countries adopting the model of free market economy in its perfect sense. Even USA is not a totally Free Market Economy. Government controls and regulates the economy in the United States of America as well. The reason for this is simple. Extremism in any system is bad. If a system is totally dominated by private sector without any government regulation of the economy, then there are chances that private businesses might exploit the resources, consumers and the environment. This would lead

Crito- Socrates argument against escape via the voice of The Laws Essay

Crito- Socrates argument against escape via the voice of The Laws - Essay Example Lastly, in his third argument Crito mentions Socrates responsibility to his children. As their father, it is Socrates responsibility to see that his children are brought up well and educated, and he cant do this if he is dead. (Woozley, 1979) Socrates of course is flattered, but he does not agree. Most of his response involves his theory of political obligation. He is sceptical that he will be welcomed in any other state, or will be happy and comfortable there. He will see himself as a foolish old man willing to humiliate himself in order to buy a few more years of life. If another state accepts him at all, hell be treated as a comic and pathetic figure. In addition, he is also is not swayed by the point about his children. If he flees, he will either take them with him, in which case they will be raised in a foreign land by a cowardly fugitive and lose the benefits of an Athenian upbringing, or they will be left behind to be raised by his friends. The first is undesirable, and the second is the same as what would happen if he were executed. ( Rudebusch, 2009) As far as what people will think of Crito and the others for supposedly failing to rescue him, he reminds Crito that they would long since come to realize that the opinions of the masses typically are not true anyway, just as we shouldnt care what someone who isnt an expert in physical fitness and athletics thinks about your physical training regimen, we also shouldnt care what non-experts think morally about the choices we make in life. Any time there is a choice between doing whats right and doing what will placate other people and avoid the harm that comes from their ill opinion of you, you should always do what is right, up to and including at the cost of your life. This point provides a transition to Socrates discussion of political obligation. He reminds Crito and the others present that they

Sean Connery and his screen character James Bond Essay

Sean Connery and his screen character James Bond - Essay Example I choose Sean Connery as the actor who best portrays the British as a person and institution. He has won an Academy Award and has been knighted, which tells us that he is recognised in the U.S., as well as his homeland, the U.K. He is the first actor to play the role of James Bond on film. Connery has a distinctive Scottish accent which adds to his popularity as a British actor. Although he only found fame when he started acting as James Bond in 1962 at the age of 32, Connery was admired for his good looks. His fan base has remained loyal to him throughout his James Bond film career from 1962 – 1983. At his last unofficial Bond film, Never Say Never Again, he was older than most male movie star sex symbols but he still commanded great screen presence. Fans from all over the world were introduced to Britain, and all things British because of James Bond.Connery is a world icon in his representation of the British Secret Service agent/ In accordance with the screen image of Bond as the world’s super intelligent British Intelligence Secret Service agent, the scripts were written to include locations world-wide. I have chosen to examine From Russia With Love in detail because the bulk of the setting was located within Britain, namely, its capital, London. The producers of the Bond films started with a very small budget for their initial Bond movies so this second Bond movie was filmed mainly at their home ground, Britain. ... Ian was an active serviceman during World War II. He worked in the intelligence division. He put his skills and experience to good use in writing his James Bond novels. The British world of Britain's top British fictional character had such a realistic and elaborate architecture that there have been many writers who have cashed in on reconstructing this fictional and yet realistic world in books. One such writer is Griswold. (Griswold 2006). It was because of Fleming's careful construction of his fictional world of Bond and its relative realism that made Bond so successful as a fictional character. Whenever we think of Bond, we think of the British too. The public identify the image of Bond with the image of the British. Connery came under the tutelage of British film director, Terence Young, who took great pains to teach him how to move gracefully to polish up his suave image for the Bond role. Connery, Fleming and Young are all British and they have put in great effort to present Bond as a British character worthy of praise. However, after the fifth Bond film, Sean called it quits from playing the Bond character. He said he was tired of the repetitive similar plots, the seeming lack of character development for Bond, the overwhelming violation of his privacy from the public and his fear that his career was stalemate being stereotype cast as Bond. In a way, he was so entwined with the Bond character that Connery feared he was being taken over Bond. EON Productions then hired another actor, George Lazenby, for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). The continuity of the Bond character was severely disrupted when George quit even before the movie was officially released. There

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 33

Research Paper Example It is the sixth vastest nation in the world and its neighboring nations include East Timor, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It is estimated that human habitation in the country started between 42,000 and 48, 000 years ago. For approximately 40, 000 years, the country had been inhabited by roughly 750, 000 to 1,000,000 Indigenous people who spoke diverse languages. However, this number declined rapidly after settlement due to infectious diseases. The Aboriginal Protection Act of the year 1869 led to the separation of children from their communities and families, which also contributed to the reduction in the number of the indigenous people. During the European settlement, most of the Australians were horticulturalists and hunters as well as gatherers. They also had strong spiritual values that were grounded on a major belief in Dreamtime and reverence to the land. Since the year 1951, the US and Australia became military allies after signing the Anzus treaty. After the Second World War, immigration from regions such as Europe and Asia were promoted. Consequently, the country’s culture, image, and demography were transformed (Macintyre et al. 2008; Index Mundi, 2014). Australia is the only largest nation across the globe that covers the continent. Although it has an increased space reserved for fertile lands and have various natural resources, roughly one-third of the nation is a desert. Most of the deserts are located in rural remote regions where there are high temperatures, less or no vegetation, and there is little water. Its land area comprises of around 7.7 million square kilometers and its most southerly point is the South, which is 38 degrees, 08 minutes latitudes (Index Mundi, 2014). The country has an economic zone that is 370.4 kilometers and the driest as compared to other nations. Most of its farms

Fiat Failure Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fiat Failure - Case Study Example Finally this study has particularly identified Fiat's inability to reorganize its internal and external strategic value chain and supply chain management processes to achieve positive synergies related to costs and corresponding benefits. More than a century of operations at Fiat were essentially characterized by typical Italian family business approach. The Agnelli family dynasty has been controlling Fiat ever since its inception and even today the family and its related people have roughly 34% of the shares. The company was growing from strength to strength, diversifying in the process in to one of the biggest European Business Conglomerate (Cammarata, Kurucz, Maj, Pavlovic & Portmann, 2006). Its diversification strategy spread in to a number of unrelated businesses as well. Aircraft manufacturing to pharmaceuticals Fiat spread its organizational umbrella. Currently its mammoth organizational structure has become unwieldy. Fiat has been going through a series of downs and very rare ups for a number of years now (Barry, 2009). The organization's inability to come to terms with the changing patterns of international trade and above all its structural orientation in the rapidly changing external competitive environment was not only flawed but also strategically divergent. It is the latter problem that affected the company much more than any other. The recent efforts to turn around the company financially and operationally have been met with no success because in the first place the company has been relying too much on corporate outcomes related to volume sales and capturing market shares while its smaller rivals have been concentrating on technology related productivity goals to identify niche markets in far corners of the globe(Landmann, Wolters, Bernhart & Harsten, 2000).Despite a growing threat coming from these bigger competitors, Fiat was more or less occupied with fluid external environment that pa rticularly had an impact on new product launches rather than testing the mood of the customer. Fiat's inability to effect internal structural changes along with a focus on the rapidly transient strategic competitive environment has been the main reason for its current debacle. While its competitors concentrated on merger and acquisition (M&A) related synergies, there was very little or no effort by Fiat to integrate its existing scale related advantages in to the existing operational environment (Fiat News, 2009). Thus its strategic market orientation was lacking in many respects. 2. Research aim The research aim of this paper is to establish a series of correlations and regressions

E-Bussiness Essay Example for Free

E-Bussiness Essay Intermediary analysis, competitor analysis, demand analysis, opportunities +threats, SLEPT factors, resource analysis Demand analysis Examines current and projected customer use of each digital channel and different services within diff. target markets it can be determined by asking for each market: What % of cust. Bus. Have acces to the int. – what % of members of the buying unit in this bus. Have acces to the int. – what % of cust. Are prepared to purch. Ur product online. Customer demand analysis 2 parts: org. arket (internet access , visit site , purchase influenced , buy online) Customer market( Same ) segmentation Is the identification of diff. groups within a target market in order to develop diff. product offerings and comm. For the groups Stages in target marketing strategy: 1- segmentation(informed by market research and informs market segment definition) 2- target marketing (evaluates and select target segments it is informed by demand analysis and informs select online targeting and target segments) 3- positioning ( identify proposition for each segment ,informs core brand proposition,online value prop. 4- planning (deploy resources to achieve plan, informed by evaluation of resources and informs online marketing mix restructuring) Diff types of segmentation variables 1. behavior 2. attitude and preferences 3. lifestyle and psychographics 4. demographic profile data 5. unknown Questions To help develop a customer centric strategy for e-marketing -who are our customers -how are their need changing -which do we target -how can we add value -how do we become first choice(positioning ,differential advantage, online value proposition) 6 I’s The difference btwn new media and traditional media has been developed as the 6 I’s: -Interactivity: (enables companies to communicate with customers in a new way) pull marketing, the consumer is pro active with interacting with companies thru actively seeking info thru search engines. Push marketing, comm. Are broadcasts from an advisor to consumer . In interactivity we have dialogue not monologue(2 way feedback) -Intelligence: the int. can be used as a low cost method of collecting marketing research (everytime a user clicks on a link this is recorded and can be analyzed with the web analytics tool) Individualization: It is as personalization and it is an important aspect of achieving customer relationship management online thru extranets , thru B2B , it is an example of mass customization where generic customer info is supplied for particular segments, this means in a traditional media u send same msg to all the customers but in new media u can send diff. sgs to each customer and have diff feedback from them. -Integration: how the int. can be used as an integrated comm. Tool : as an intermediary btwn company and customer we can have a web an email a phone a mail or a person , the int. can be used as a direct response tool , the website can have a direct response or a call back facility , the int. an be used to support the buyi ng decision and to support customer service. -Industry restructuring: disintermediation, reintermediation and countermediation are key concepts of industry restructuring that should be considered by any company developing an e marketing strat. -Independence of location: to be globalized , the int. makes it possible to sell a country without a local sale or customer service force. P’s Used to provide new opportunities for the marketer 7 P’s(marketing mix) Product: quality and branding Promotion: sales promotion , direct marketing Price: list discounts , positioning Place: trade channels , segmented channels People: individuals on marketing activities, recruitment, training Process: customer focus , business led Physical evidence: sales and staff contact experience of brand , product packaging Different price points Subscription: sign Pay-per-view: a fee for a single download or viewing session Bundling: diff channels or content can be ffered as individual products or gr oup at a reduced price compared to pay per view Implications of the internet 1. Increase price transparency and its implications on differential pricing. Supplier can use the tech. for differential pricing , they must use it with precaution to don’t let price discrimination. Pricing is only one variable. 2. downward pressure on price. Purchase of some products that have not traditionally been thought as commodities may become more price sensitive. 3. new pricing approaches. There is two approaches: dynamic pricing . prices can be updated in real time according to the customer. Aggregated buying is a form of customer union where buyers purchase the same num. of items at the same price. 4. alternative pricing structures: basic price, discounts. Main elements of promotional mix Advertising(implemented by ads payperclick) Selling(virtual sales staff, chat) Sales promotion(rewards , coupons) Public relations(blogs , feeds, newsletter) Sponsorship Direct mail Exhibitions Merchandising Packaging (virtual tools , word of mouth) People process and physical evidence Some tactics by which people can be replaced or there work automated: 1. auto responders 2. mail notification 3. call back facility 4. frequently asked quests 5. on site search engines 6. virtual assistants Questions that need to be solved when specifying actions 1. what level of investment in the internet channel is sufficient to deliver these services 2. what training of staff is required. 3. what new responsibilities are required for effective internet marketing 4. are changes in org. structure requir ed to deliver int. based services? 5. what activities are involved in creating and maintaining the website. Barriers and risks of e-proc -competition issues. Eg: in exchanges using collaborative purchasing -possible negative perception from suppliers eg: their margins reduced further from eauctions -negotiated procurement benefits may be shared with other exchange users who may be competitors -creation of catalogues can be a long pricess and costly to suppliers -culture profile within orgs eg: resistance to change SCM Processes Processes thru which inputs are transferred to outputs. Upstream: Suppliers then supplier warehouse(can go directly to manufacturer the B2B company) then independent wholesaler then B2B retailer then distributor then manufacturer the B2B company. Suppliers can go directly to manufacturer the B2B company or can pass also thru supplier agent. Downstream: Manufacturer The B2B company can go directly to customers or pass thru B2B agent. Or go thru the company warehouse(can go directly to customers) then independent wholesaler then B2B retailer then distributor then customers. Drivers of procurement Control: improving compliance , achieving centralization, raising standards and improved auditing of data. Cost: improved buying leverage thru increased supplier competition. Process: rationalization and standardization of e-proc processes giving reduced cycle time Individual performance: knowledge sharing,value-added productivity and productivity improvements Supplier mgt: reduced supplier numbers , supplier mgt and selection integration. Benefits of e-supply chain 1. Increased efficiency of individual processes: if b2b co. Adopts e-procurement it will benefit from reduced cycle time and cost 2. Reduced complexity of the supply chain: B2B co. Will offer the facility to sell direct from its e-commerce site so it will reduce cost of channel dist. 3. Improved data integration: reduce cost of paper preocessing 4. Reduce cost thru outsourcing: lower costs thru price competition and reduced spend on manu capacity and holding. 5. Innovation: more flexible in delivering a more diverse range of products and reduce time market to achieve better customer responsiveness Push and Pull Push: a supply chain that emphasizes distribution of a product to passive customers. (Supplier manu. Distributor retailer customer) Aim is to optimize the production process for cost and efficiency Pull: an emphasis on using the supply chain to deliver value to customers who are actively invovled in product and service specification. Aim is to enhance product and service quality. Types of e-procurement E-sourcing: finding potential new suppliers using the int during the ingo gathering step of procurement process E-tendering: process of screenin suppliers and sending suppliers requests for info E-informing: qualification of suppliers for suitability E-reverse auctions: enable the purchasing company to buy goods and services that have lowest prices E-MRO and ERP: involve the purchase and supply of products which are the core of the mode e-proc apps. Vertical integration Extent to which supply chain act. Are undertaken and controlled within the org. Characteristics: majority of manu in-house and distant relationships with suppliers Virtual integration: majority of supply chain activities are undertaken and controlled outside the org. By third parties Charac: total reliance on third parties and close relationships with suppliers Vertical disintegration: move to outsourcing and network of suppliers, helps in cost reduction The value chain Model that considers how supply chain activities can add value to products and services delivered to the customer Virtual value chain involves electronic commerce used to mediate traditional value chain activities such as market research, procurement, logstics.. alternatives: traditional value chain model that distiguishes between primary actvts that contribute directly to getting goods and services to the customer and support activities to take place. And revised chain model Exp: if a retailer shares info electronically with a supplier about a product, this can enhance the value chain of both parties since the time for ordering can be reduced and lower costs. Types of intermediaries for e-proc -traditional manufac which produce physical goods that are sold to other customers -direct sales manu: they bypass intermed and sell direct to end consumers via web -value-added proc partners: act as intermed to sell product and services to other businesses(travel agents) -online hubs: industry specific vertical portal that generate revenues via B2B exchange -knowledge experts whos produce info goods -online info services provide unique info to end users -online retailers include startup e-businesses -portal communities seek to aggregate diff online info services into an integrated customer experience ex: online bill payment Systems Stock control system: relates mainly to production-related procurement CD or web-based catalogue: paper catalogues have been replaced by electronic forms that make it quicker to find suppliers E-mail or database-based workflow systems: integrate the entry of the order by the originator. Order-entry on website: the buyer often has the opportunity to order directly on the suppliers website Accounting systems: networked accounting sustems enable staff in the buying department to enter an order which can then be used by accounting staff to make payment when the invoice arrives Integrated e-procurement or ERP: these aim to integrate all the facilities above and will aolso include integration with supploers systems What is logistics? Logistics is the time related positioning of resource, or the strategic management of the total supply chain. It is used to refer not to all supply chain activities but specifically to the management of logistics or inbound(mgt of material resources entering an org from its suppliers) and outbound log. (Mgt of resources supplied from an org to its customers and intermediaries) Virtual organization Org which uses info and communications tech to allow it to operate withouy clearly defined physical boundaries btwn diff functions. CHARACTERISTICS: -lack of physical structure: virtual org have littlr or no physical existence. -reliance on knowledge: the lack of physical facilities and contacts means that knowledge is the key driving force. -Use of comm. Tech: they rely on IT -Mobile work: reliance on comm tech means that they do not rely only on plant or office to work. -Boundaryless and inclusive: they have fuzzy boundaries. Flexible: can be pulled together quickly Value network Or external value chain which is the links betwn an org and its strategic and non strategic partners that form its ext ernal value chain. Partners of a VN: supply-side partners: suppliers ,b2b exchanges, wholesalers Partners that fulfil primary or core value chain activites Sell-side partners: b2b exchanges,wholesalers,distributors,and customers Value chain partners who supply services that mediate the internal and external value chain Types of procurement Production related proc: relate to manufacturing of products. Operating procurement: thats supports the operations of the whole business and includes office supplies ,furniture,info systems..

History Of The Competence Versus Performance English Language Essay

History Of The Competence Versus Performance English Language Essay The term was invented by the linguist Dell Hymes in 1966, showing that he dislikes the idea of Noam Chomskys (1965) about using the distinction between competence and performance. To follow Chomskys abstract opinion of competence, Hymes agreed to be responsible for ethnographic exploration of communicative competence that included communicative form and function in integral relation to each other (Leung, 2005). Hymes, who pioneered the approach, now known as the ethnography of communication, it is one of the most important approaches in the oral competence. Many discussions has occurred with regard to linguistic competence and communicative competence in the second and foreign language teaching literature, and many scholars have found communicative competence as a superior model of language following Hymes opposition to Chomskys linguistic competence. This opposition has been adopted by those who seek new directions toward a communicative era by taking for granted the basic motives and the appropriateness of this opposition behind the development of communicative competence. Use in education The study proposes the use of a competency-based approach and presents a detailed process for developing such a course step-by-step, with a focus on students with the needed competencies in English oral communication in the Language School at Uasd. Many studies have talked about the need for English oral communication and a discrepancy between the university English language curriculum and English language requirements for jobs (Phosward 1989; Silpa-Anan 1991; Boonjaipet 1992; Crosling and Ward 2002; Vasavakul 2006). Dominguez and Rokowski (2002) refer to the same issue as the abyss existing between the goals of the academic and the professional world and propose an idea of bridging the gap between English for Academic and Occupational purposes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop an English oral communication course for senior English students. The course emphasizes competencies in English oral communication since English oral skills are reported as the most wanted an d needed for Communication in the classroom. The notion of communicative competence is one of the theories that underlie the communicative approach to foreign language teaching. Especially in the area of speaking, competencies in English oral communication are considered a valuable asset for senior students in the Language School. The course is thus expected to equip senior students with English oral competencies so that they will receive more opportunities when they finish the University. The word communication comes from the Latin word cmmunicare which means that something becomes common (Nilsson, 1990:7). No matter what people are going to do when they meet, whether it is to dine, play or work, they communicate by means of signals, gestures, looks, intonation and words. It is an unavoidable process. Communication includes many things such as sharing information, feelings, thoughts and influences (Nilsson, 1990:7). It is an important social process and functions as a tool for cont act, transfer of ideas, influences and development.. One of the most fascinating characteristics of humans is their ability to communicate, create social reactions and complex societies (Nilsson, 1990:9) Canale and Swain (1980) defined communicative competence in terms of three components: grammatical competence: words and rules sociolinguistic competence: appropriateness strategic competence: appropriate use of communication strategies Canale (1983) refined the above model, adding discourse competence: cohesion and coherence A more recent survey of communicative competence by Bachman (1990) divides it into the broad headings of organizational competence, which includes both grammatical and discourse (or textual) competence, and pragmatic competence, which includes both sociolinguistic and illocutionary competence. Strategic Competence is associated with the interlocutors ability in using communication strategies (Faerch Kasper, 1983; Lin, 2009). Through the influence of communicative language teaching, it has become widely accepted that communicative competence should be the goal of language education, central to good classroom practice. There are many good writers and speakers but few good listeners. Most of us filter the spoken words addressed to us so that we absorb only some of them frequently those we want to hear. Listening is an art which not many people cultivate. But it is a very necessary one, because a good listener will gather more information and achieve better rapport with the other person. And both these effects of good listening are essential to good communication. For oral communication to be effective, it should be clear, relevant, tactful in phraseology and tone, concise, and informative. This is in contrast to previous views in which grammatical competence was commonly given top priority. The understanding of communicative competence has been influenced by the field of pragmatics and the philosophy of la nguage concerning speech acts as described in large part by John Searle and J.L. Austin. Competence versus Performance Linguistic theory is concerned primarily with an ideal speaker-listener, in a completely homogeneous speech-communication, who know its (the speech communitys) language perfectly and that it is unaffected by such grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory limitations, distractions, shifts of attention and interest, and errors (random or characteristic) in applying his knowledge of this language in actual performance. Chomsky, 1965 Chomsky differentiates competence, which is an idealized capacity, from performance being the production of actual utterances. According to him, competence is the ideal speaker-hearers knowledge of his or her language and it is the mental reality which is responsible for all those aspects of language use which can be characterized as linguistic. Chomsky argues that only under an idealized situation whereby the speaker-hearer is unaffected by grammatically irrelevant conditions such as memory limitations and distractions will performance be a direct reflection of competence. A sample of natural speech consisting of numerous false starts and other deviations will not provide such data. Therefore, he claims that a fundamental distinction has to be made between the competence and performance. Chomsky dismissed criticisms of delimiting the study of performance in favor of the study of underlying competence, as unwarranted and completely misdirected. He claims that the descriptivist limitation-in-principle to classification and organization of data, the extracting patterns from a corpus of observed speech and the describing speech habits etc. are the core factors that preclude the development of a theory of actual performance.

Galileo Galileis Theory Of The Tides Philosophy Essay

Galileo Galileis Theory Of The Tides Philosophy Essay Galileo Galileis theory of how and why the tides worked was, as we have known for hundreds of years, horribly wrong, and yet phenomenal; one that only a mind as brilliant as his could have formulated. In fact, it was a significant step towards modern science and discovery. In 1595, when Galileo first came up with his explanations for the tides, he was desperately trying to prove that the Copernican universe was true something that the church and public would not accept at the time. In addition to this, Galileo believed that the common hypothesis of the cause of the tides at that time (that they were caused by the moon) was a lamentable piece of mysticism, as scientists who proposed it could offer no scientific explanation for it (Tyson, P. His Big Mistake, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/galileo/mistake.html). One of the main scientists of the time who supported the hypothesis of the tides being caused by the moon was Johannes Kepler, who was indeed correct in his hypothesis, which how ever was only based upon intuition. Interestingly, it is this way of conducting science which Galileo opposed: he believed in a more hands-on approach to science, in which one worked with what he could see and made rational and mathematical sense of his conclusions. It is because of this experimental attitude towards science that Galileo was called the father of modern science by the likes of Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking. At the time of Galileo Galilei, modern science did not exist theories were formulated more mere intuition rather than hard facts and observations. Galileo supported the observations made by Copernicus in the mid 16th century which suggested that the Earth was not static, but rather that it orbited around the sun, as with other planets. This theory explained why objects in the sky seemed to move. However, at the time of Galileo (16-17th century) the Ptolemaic system was still taught and fully supported by the church. This system described that the sun orbited around a static Earth, in contrast with the Copernican heliocentric view of our system. Therefore, Galileos determination to prove the Copernican theory he so strongly believed in played a large part in why he got the tides wrong. Galileos explanation of the tides was written in a formal letter to a cardinal, after Galileo had failed to convince the church to not ban the Copernican theory in Rome in 1616. This letter was entitled Discorso sul flusso e il reflusso del mare. The scientist used an interesting metaphor to describe the tides he examined in how many different ways the water in a vase can move, in which clearly the vase represented the Earth. Firstly, the slope of the vase plays a part in the movement of the water. Furthermore, external forces such as wind can affect water movement. Lastly, and most importantly, the motion of the vase itself can influence the water movement. This final point was the root of Galileos theory of the tides. The idea occurred to him while travelling on a barge that was ferrying freshwater to Venice. (Galileo lived in nearby Padua and often visited Venice.) He noticed that whenever the barges speed or direction altered, the freshwater inside sloshed around accordingly. If the vessel suddenly ground to a halt on a sandbar, for instance, the water pushed up towards the bow then bounced back toward the stern, doing this several times with ever decreasing agitation until it returned to a level state. (Tyson, P. His Big Mistake, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/galileo/mistake.html). According to the Copernican system, the Earth is affected by two circular motions the annual revolution about the sun and the diurnal rotation. Due to these two motions, there is a change in the speed of the Earths rotation every 12 hours, which Galileo explained mathematically and connected this with his observations of the freshwater barge in Venice. Thus, for 12 hours, a point on the earths surface will move eastward, in opposition to the global westward movement of the earth, and for 12 hours it will move westward, in the same direction as the annual motion. The composition of these motions causes on one hand a slackening (due to a subtraction of two opposite motions) and on the other hand an acceleration (due to an addition of two motions in the same direction). (Gigli, R. Galileos theory of the tides, http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/observations/tides.html#4). Furthermore, he explained that differences in tidal flows are due to the differences in the physical conformations of the basins in which they flow. (Machamer, P. Galileo Galilei, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/galileo/). Thus, Galileo thought he had explained the mystery of the tides. Moreover, this theory of his satisfied Galileo because it strongly supported the Copernican universe: the movement of the Earth accounts for the tides, and the tides account for the Earths movement, thus suggesting a heliocentric view of our system, which Galileo supported. In 1623 Galileo was brought to the Inquisition for suggesting in his Dialogue that the Copernican view was correct, which shows how determined the scientist was to find proof of the heliocentric universe. At the same time in history, a contemporary scientist of Galileos, Johannus Kepler, argued that the waters attraction to the moon caused the flux and reflux of the sea water, ie the tides. Galileo dismissed this idea of magic attraction between the moon and water, as no one tried to justify it by mathematical or experimental means. Instead, Galileo believed in a mechanical approach, as explained previously, which could be accounted for using mathematics and scientific facts and knowledge. Galileo, therefore, led the scientific world away from an intuitive and deductive approach which was prominent at his time to a modern, experimental way of conducting science, despite being completely wrong about the cause of the tides. Galileos theory, however, was not without its objections, and one can see why many were reluctant to accept it. The main problem was that his theory would call for only one high tide every day, whereas it was known already that there are about two. Galileo dismissed this anomaly as the result of several secondary causes, including the shape of the sea, its depth, and other factors. (Finocchiaro (1989), pp.127-131 and Drake (1953), pp. 432-6). Also, the tidal argument does not directly deal with the annual motion of the earth about the sun. And finally, Galileos theory does not suggest anything about the central position of the sun or about the periods of the planets as calculated by Copernicus. (Machamer, P. Galileo Galilei, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/galileo/). Therefore, Galileos theory about the tides did not completely prove that our system is heliocentric, even though the scientist was so eager to do so. It was this eagerness, according to Einstein, that led Galileo to cl ing so tightly to his theory of the tides, and thus slightly mislead him. Nevertheless, the weaknesses present in Galileo Galileis theory of the tides proved that it had been extremely well thought out and rationalised using mathematics, as one would not be able to point out mistakes if the theory had been based on intuition. On the other hand, Kepler was basing his theory of the tides caused by the moon on pure intuitive deduction. He wrote: If the earth ceased to attract the waters of the sea, the seas would rise and flow into the moon and added If the attractive force of the moon reaches down to the earth, it follows that the attractive force of the earth, all the more, extends to the moon and even farther (Fowler, M. More Kepler, http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/1995/lectures/morekepl.html), which were interesting arguments indeed, but Kepler did nothing in terms of physical and mathematical illustration to prove his point. Therefore, Galileo had no choice but to refuse Keplers ideas, despite them being ultimately indicative of the truth, due to the lack of empirical and experimental justification. How could the moon be magically attracting the water on the Earths surface? Newtonian gravity did not exist at the time, so an explanation was not possible. What Galileo stood against was the fact that Kepler could not even offer any plausible explanation, in words or mathematics alike, for his theory of the tides. It is this attitude towards science which made Galileo special and earned him a place as one of the greatest scientists of all time. It wasnt until Isaac Newton came along that the tides were explained specifically in a scientific manner. Published in 1686, his explanation of the tides was roughly the following: Tides are periodic rises and falls of large bodies of water. Tides are caused by the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon. The gravitational attraction of the moon causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the moon. Another bulge occurs on the opposite side, since the Earth is also being pulled toward the moon (and away from the water on the far side). Since the earth is rotating while this is happening, two tides occur each day (Col, J. Tides, http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Tides.shtml). Newton was thus able to expand on Keplers intuitive theory of the tides and explain it scientifically, finally proving it. This, however, would not have been possible had Galileo not shown the world how to conduct modern science in an empirical and experimental manner , relying on observations to draw plausible, rational and mathematical conclusions. It can hence be concluded that Galileo Galileis mistaken theory of the tides, his greatest blunder, served only to further demonstrate his great strength, which was the ability to conduct scientific experiments and analysis using only what he saw with his own eyes, deviating away from intuitive and deductive reasoning to a more hands on, empirical and experimental way of doing science. The world at Galileos time, in the 16-17th centuries, was stuck in a mentality where scientific knowledge was based on more on closing ones eyes than on observing through the telescope (Gigli, R. Galileos theory of the tides, http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/observations/tides.html#4), which means that Galileo broke a seemingly unbreakable barrier he fought against the Inquisition, the church and even fellow scientists to carry science to its right direction to ensure the future of modern science. It was as if Galileo knew exactly where the world of science was supposed to go, and did everything in his pow er to make sure it go there. It is of no historical importance that Galileos theory of the tides was actually wrong: what matters is the thinking and reasoning process that was behind the very plausible theory for its time. In fact, Newtons proof that it was wrong only again goes to show exactly what Galileo Galilei so strongly stood for: basing theories on experimental observations and mathematical calculations using only facts. It is no wonder that the likes of Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking have named Galileo Galilei the father of modern science.

Cultural Change and Survival in Amish Society Essay -- Amish Culture S

Cultural Change and Survival in Amish Society I. Introduction Watching the Amish riding their horse drawn carriages through Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, you catch a glimpse of how life would have been 150 years ago. The Amish, without their electricity, cars, and television appear to be a static culture, never changing. This, however, is just an illusion. In fact, the Amish are a dynamic culture which is, through market forces and other means, continually interacting with the enormously tempting culture of America. So, one might be led to wonder how a culture like the Amish, one that seems so anachronistic, has not only survived but has grown and flourished while surrounded by a culture that would seem to be so detrimental to its basic ideals. The Amish, through biological reproduction, resistance to outside culture, compromise, and a strong ethnic symbolism have managed to stave off a culture that waits to engulf them. Why study the Amish? One answer would be, of course, to learn about their seemingly pure cooperative society and value syst em (called Ordung). From this, one may hope to learn how to better America's problem of individualism and lack of moral or ethical beliefs. However, there is another reason to study the Amish. Because the Amish have remained such a large and distinct culture from our own, they provide an opportunity to study the effects of cultural transmission, resistance, and change, as well as the results of strong symbolism in maintaining ethnic and cultural isolation. II. History of the Amish The Amish have their roots in the Protestant Reformation of 16th century Europe, led by Martin Luther. Of these Protestant groups one sect was the Anabaptists. The first Anabaptist group was kno... ...the Amish except for their use of language and plain dress, would not have been distinct from most other 19th century farmers. This in essence allowed for the early survival and establishment of Amish culture in the United States. References Gelles, Richard J. and Levine, Ann. 1995. Sociology, An Introduction . Fifth Edition. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill. Good, Merele and Phyllis. 1979. 20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Good Books. Hostetler, John A. 1983. Amish Life . Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press. Kraybill, Donald B. 1990. The Puzzles of Amish Life . Intercourse, Pennsylvania: Good Books. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1997. Amish . 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center. 1997. Amish FAQ. http://www.800padutch.com/atfaq.html Cultural Change and Survival in Amish Society Essay -- Amish Culture S Cultural Change and Survival in Amish Society I. Introduction Watching the Amish riding their horse drawn carriages through Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, you catch a glimpse of how life would have been 150 years ago. The Amish, without their electricity, cars, and television appear to be a static culture, never changing. This, however, is just an illusion. In fact, the Amish are a dynamic culture which is, through market forces and other means, continually interacting with the enormously tempting culture of America. So, one might be led to wonder how a culture like the Amish, one that seems so anachronistic, has not only survived but has grown and flourished while surrounded by a culture that would seem to be so detrimental to its basic ideals. The Amish, through biological reproduction, resistance to outside culture, compromise, and a strong ethnic symbolism have managed to stave off a culture that waits to engulf them. Why study the Amish? One answer would be, of course, to learn about their seemingly pure cooperative society and value syst em (called Ordung). From this, one may hope to learn how to better America's problem of individualism and lack of moral or ethical beliefs. However, there is another reason to study the Amish. Because the Amish have remained such a large and distinct culture from our own, they provide an opportunity to study the effects of cultural transmission, resistance, and change, as well as the results of strong symbolism in maintaining ethnic and cultural isolation. II. History of the Amish The Amish have their roots in the Protestant Reformation of 16th century Europe, led by Martin Luther. Of these Protestant groups one sect was the Anabaptists. The first Anabaptist group was kno... ...the Amish except for their use of language and plain dress, would not have been distinct from most other 19th century farmers. This in essence allowed for the early survival and establishment of Amish culture in the United States. References Gelles, Richard J. and Levine, Ann. 1995. Sociology, An Introduction . Fifth Edition. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill. Good, Merele and Phyllis. 1979. 20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Good Books. Hostetler, John A. 1983. Amish Life . Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press. Kraybill, Donald B. 1990. The Puzzles of Amish Life . Intercourse, Pennsylvania: Good Books. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1997. Amish . 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center. 1997. Amish FAQ. http://www.800padutch.com/atfaq.html

Athens: The Acropolis and the Agora Essay -- History Historical Papers

Athens: The Acropolis and the Ago Modern day Athens has managed to maintain an ancient landscape.? The Acropolis and the Agora are two major features of ancient Greece that have a home in this metropolitan city.? Both of these ancient sites preserve their power and mystery in a modern day world. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, an agora is an open space in ancient Greek cities that served as both a meeting place and as an area for various civic activities (?Agora?).? The Agora of ancient Athens was rebuilt after the Persian Wars (490-449 BC) in response to a lengthy period of wealth and peace in the city (ibid).? The area demonstrates an archaic type of agora architecture (ibid).? This means that the colonnades and other buildings do not appear to coordinate, thus, creating the general impression of disorder (ibid).? The Agora contains three main architectural areas:? the colonnades, the government buildings, and the sacred area.? These three parts of the Agora combine to form a space that functions for public, private, and religious interests.? These functions can best be described by looking at a map of the ancient Agora of Athens (Quick Tour, Agora).? Publicly, the Agora served as a meeting place, market place, and a center for public activity.? The Agora once contained lush trees and fabulous fountains for public enjoyment (?Agora?).? These aesthetic elements combined to create an area that functioned as a public park and meeting space (ibid).? Athenians could engage in discussion, meet friends, or take their children to play in this free public area (?Athens?).? At the same time, the Agora created a public market for the sale of goods (?Agora?).? Two long stoas, or colonnade halls, once provided an area f... ...ns greatest treasures.? These architectural areas have provided insight into the culture, religion, and government of ancient Athens.? The Agora has become a symbol of civic space, and has influenced how modern architects plan public areas.? It has also provided scholars with understanding of religious and cultural aspects of Greek life.? The Acropolis has served as symbol of the power of both Athens of religion in Greek life.? This structure has unlocked questions about art and architecture, and it continues to symbolize perfection.? Together, these ancient sites unlock the mysterious of ancient Athens.? Bibliography http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=294421 http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=4106. http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=294750. http://www.lfc.edu/academics/greece/AcropTour.html. http://www.lfc.edu/academics/greece/AgoraTour.html.

Hate It or Love It Essay

In 1972 the Cross Bronx Expressway was completed; this marked the separation of the southern Bronx and was followed by the â€Å"Bronx is burning† which began the downward spiral for this urban, African American neighborhood. Around the same time hip-hop was founded and became an outlet for the frustrations of the poor, suffering people of this region. The result was the culture of hip-hop that glorifies violence, drugs, money, and a gangster persona. This has become the image of the Hip Hop artist, and is used by musicians to gain the approval or â€Å"street cred† of their fans/peers. With this proof of authenticity, however, many rap/hip-hop artists have sent messages of criticism and condemnation of the life in the â€Å"hood† and the failures of the Civil Rights Movement. In the song â€Å"Hate it or Love it,† these themes of hip-hop are portrayed throughout the song. Rappers The Game and 50 Cent both use signification and realism to gain credibility and critique the failures of the Civil Rights generation. As defined by Imani Perry, a processor of African American studies at Princeton University, realism â€Å"encourages a critique of the media and reflects the significant realities of social inequality† and signifying â€Å"[is] a metaphor for the revision of previous texts and figures (Perry, 61, 101).† Credibility is an idea that is very important in hip-hop. It is often referred to as â€Å"keeping it real† and calls attention to the authenticity of the rap artist (Perry, 87). According to Imani Perry, this entails maintaining â€Å"allegiance to black youth populations or subgroups within [their] community.† Most enthusiasts believe that hip-hop artists should stay true to their roots and stick with the style of their home-region. The Game stays â€Å"real† by recording â€Å"Hate it or Love it† as West Coast style hip-hop and visually signifying N.W.A. (a hip-hop group also from the same city of Compton, CA) in the music video. The song also allows featured artist 50 Cent the chance to stay authentic when he signifies Tupac and Rakim, both of which were also from New York. The Game and 50 Cent though not directly sampling from these artist do cover the identity their predecessors created; as a result, they cover and maintain allegiance to the image of men from black American urban communities. In addition to signifying, â€Å"Hate it or Love it† uses realism throughout its lyrics to build credibility with the audience. Rappers/ Hip-Hop artists are expected to â€Å"witness† and â€Å"live out† the narratives that they tell. 50 Cent starts the song saying, â€Å"let’s take’em back† signifying the transition to story of a â€Å"real† time before he or The Game were known rappers. Both artist reference this reality by disclosing details of ghetto/gangster life in lines like â€Å"Brenda is still throwing babies in the garbage,† â€Å"niggas had stole my bike,† and â€Å"one phone call’ll have your body dumped in marshes.† These phrases all refer to personal or witnessed events that describe the problems like teenage pregnancy, theft, and gang violence in black American urban communities. This â€Å"reality† regardless of truth authenticates the rapper because it shows he has experienced the pa ins of racism, and poverty. It gives the listener a reason to believe the artist can sympathize with his/her own struggles and authenticates the words in the song. Imani Perry also says that, â€Å"[Realism is a] testimony to the emotional state resulting from the experience of poverty, blackness, and the crisis of urbanity (Perry, 87).† After proving oneself as â€Å"real† and establishing their ability to relate to black America, rap artist can further their credibility by targeting the emotional hardships of urban poverty. 50 Cent conveys these emotions when he raps, â€Å"Different day, same shit, ain’t nothing good in the hood. I’d run away from this bitch and never come back if I could.† Here he expresses a genuine hate for the â€Å"hood† and shows his vulnerability as a child, a sentiment not often admitted to in rap. It is this type of realism and openness with emotions that gives musicians the chance to connect and gain trust from the audience. With trust, sup port, and belief in the lyrics, credibility is established. The artist becomes â€Å"real.† Establishing a sense of being â€Å"real† is not restricted to the lyrics. In the music video for â€Å"Hate it or Love it,† The Game employs several images that create both emotion and establish his â€Å"witnessing† of gangster life. For example, both 50 Cent and The Game are represented as children in the music video. They are shown alone in an empty house, standing next to a dead body, and being arrested (as a child and adult). These pictures create feelings of pity and sorrow for the young rappers who appear to have nobody looking out for them, a truth often seen in poor urban communities. This again earns credibility for the rappers because it shows they have â€Å"lived out† the experiences that they rap about. (Perry, 90) With this evidence of living as a â€Å"real† African American, The Game and 50 Cent progress toward a manifestation of respect by contrasting the hood with their new â€Å"reality.† This new life is what Nelson Geor ge would describe as, â€Å"the black man crave[ing] a context for that style, one that often comes as part of a male-dominated collective (George, 52).† In other words, 50 Cent and The Game must cover a glorified version of â€Å"that style† ascribed to the black, male demographic to earn respect from their peers. This glamorized image of blackness is seen throughout the â€Å"Hate it or Love it† music video. The Game is shown standing on top of a building in suburban Los Angles, cruzing down the Boulevard in a red convertible, and wearing two Jacob watches. These images are all a â€Å"signifying call-response trope† between rapper to rapper and rapper to audience (Perry, 62). These images of wealth, and power are a cover of African American male’s desired collective style, a style formed by the previous generation of rappers, and a style African American public continually tries to mimic. It is with the success of achieving this â€Å"style† that 50 Cent and The Game earn respect, and it is with this respect that they gain that final amount of credibility that makes them â€Å"real† rap art ists. Realism is not restricted to the construction of credibility for an artist, it also has the ability to inform listeners about life in the â€Å"hood.† Imani Perry describes this type of realism as a â€Å"telling narrative.† She says, â€Å"[a telling narrative] is to inform and enlighten rather than simply depict (Perry, 91).† The Game accomplished this throughout the lyrics in his song. He raps, â€Å"Thinking how they spent 30 million dollars on airplanes when there’s kids starving,† and â€Å"No schoolbooks, they used that wood to build coffins.† These two lines are extremely powerful and a harsh criticism of society as a whole. These words â€Å"enlighten† us of problems for children in black urban communities like hunger, poor education, and violence. The Game shows contrast when rapping that we spend â€Å"30 million dollars on airplanes.† He is clearly condemning society for its failure to take responsibility for African American children despite the availability of resources. A telling narrative does not only express disapproval for society in general, but also â€Å"provides an internal critique of sociological conditions and the prospects of social control through planned communities (Perry, 91).† The possibility of â€Å"social control† or an improvement of life style is implicitly suggested in The Game’s lyrics. He repeatedly shows the availability of wealth with references to items like â€Å"Jacob’s watches,† â€Å"Mercedes Benz,† and â€Å"sheepskin coats.† 50 Cent however provides a true internal critique of the African American community, not just society as a whole. Within the first stanza 50 Cent recounts the poor/lack of parenting he received from his mother and father. He says, †Coming up I was confused, my mom kissing a girl/Confusion occurs coming up in the cold world/Daddy ain’t around, probably out committing felonies.† These three lines are a direct criticism of 50 Cent’s parents and other ghetto parents of the same generation, the children from the Civil Rights Movement. It is commenting on their collective failure to use the momentum of the civil rights movement as a medium for change. Instead, many, like 50 Cent’s parents, went the opposite route. They fell into illegal activities and abandoned their children. This â€Å"reality† of an illegal life is further exemplified when 50 Cent says, â€Å"I wanna live good, so shit I sell dope.† With no parents, money, or real support, children of the Civil rights generation had to turn to drugs and other illegal activities to â€Å"live good.† Through these types of lyrics, 50 Cent and The Game â€Å"inform† and â€Å"critique† life in urban black neighborhoods. Criticism of ghetto life and the disappointment of the Civil Right’s generation are also accomplished with the use of signification. According to Imani Perry, â€Å"Signifyin(g) is a way of saying one thing and meaning another (Perry, 61).† The Game successfully does this with both images and lyrics. For example, he raps â€Å" ‘Pac is gone and Brenda still throwing babies in the garbage/I wanna know ‘What’s Going On’ like I hear Marvin.† This literally is somewhat confusing; however, if we look beyond the referencing previous black artist, The Game is â€Å"signifying† problems that the African American community has been enduring since the 60’s. Brenda, for instance, is not literally â€Å"throwing babies in the garbage.† Rather, The Game is addressing the continued issue of teen pregnancy in black urban communities and criticizing the lack of change in these problems. He is looking at a similar underlying â€Å"meaning† when he references Marvin Gaye’s song â€Å"What’s Going On.† An artist from the era of the Civil Right’s Movement, Gaye was concerned with issue of drug addiction, poverty, and the Vietnam War. It is clear that the Game is concerned with the lack of change that has occurred since the 1960’s and is calling out the failures of society. The Game continues this use of signifying as social commentator by sampling the background music from The Trammps’ song â€Å"Rubberband.† It is this â€Å"imitation†, as Glenn Gould calls it, that â€Å"[gives] art importance.† (Gould, 58) Gould argues that imitation â€Å"upsets the idea of progress.† This is exactly what The Game and 50 Cent are indicating. Since the Civil Rights Movement, the generation of the Trammps, there has been limited progress. The Game is thus â€Å"imitating† and covering a lack of change. He is criticizing the black people’s ability to make change happen. Progress for African Americans has been limited since the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the lack of change, many people have tried to help, improve, challenge, and change the urban black American’s way of life. Rappers, like The Game and 50 Cent, release music that alludes to the gangster life and its hardships. This signification often is criticized as an â€Å"affirmation of stereotypes;† however, on a deeper level the music is â€Å"challeng[ing] the assumptions† of what a black man is (Perry, 61). When The Game ends his music video, he stands looking at the camera holding, kissing, and loving his baby. Looking directly at the camera he is staring into every African American home in America saying I will be different, I will be a good father, I will make a change. The Game understands the power he has as a rapper, and though this may not be a revolution like the Civil Rights Movement, it sends a message that change is possible even if it is one person at a ti me.

The Ball and Chain: Why The NCAA

Be The term, â€Å"student athlete† is a polarizing one. In todays America, college sports particularly football and basketball, are as much a part of the sports enthusiast's landscape as is any professional sport. In any case, with enthusiasm comes money. In this case, billions of dollars are generated by television viewership, merchandise sales and university boosters. College athletes are the driving force behind an industry where television executives, university presidents, athletic directors and coaches are compensated in a manner which makes them among the most wealthy eople in the world.The athletes receive in return an education from a well respected university, along with name and sometimes facial recognition in their fields of interest. However, the student on a physics scholarship receives the same opportunity for education and name recognition in his field that the athlete does. The difference is, the physics student isn't selling millions of dollars worth of Jers eys. The physics student is also allowed to pursue compensation for applying his craft as he sees fit while enrolled at the university while the athlete is not allowed to work or ven accept perks brought about by his celebrity.The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) serves as the oppressive monopoly which seeks to capitalize on the dreams of young athletes by requiring their servitude, likeness and name in exchange for the slimmest of opportunities to attract employment in their field of interest. Like any other oppressor or monopoly that came before it, the NCAA should be abolished and replaced with a model that is mindful of equality, as well as human and civil rights.The NCAA has blocked every road that an athlete may have to apitalize on his hard work during his time at his respective university. Only recently has the legality of such roadblocks been challenged. Due to its litany of regulations designed to stifle player movement or compensation, many, such as Pulitze r prize winning author and historian Taylor Branch, have argued that the current structure of the NCAA rivals that of a slave plantation or drug cartel.Branch scoffs at the correlation between the terms â€Å"student athlete† and â€Å"amateur,† stating in an article in The Atlantic, â€Å"No legal definition of amateur exists, and any attempt to create one in nforceable law would expose its repulsive and unconstitutional nature a bill of attainder, stripping from college athletes the rights of American citizenship. † (Branch 2). At the heart of that argument is the question, what constitutes an employee? Blacks Law dictionary defines â€Å"employee† as â€Å"a person in the service of another under any contract of hire, expressed or implied, oral or written, where the employer has the power or right to control or direct the employee in the material details of how the work is to be performed† (Muhl 2). An athletic scholarship is clear example of a ritten contract which both overtly and implicitly stipulates that the school is willing to exchange an education for the athlete's services on the school's sports team.