Hr proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hr proposition - Research Paper Example In any case, this tyrannical administration style isn't appropriate for an association that requirements to upgrade its abilities and reach. For development to occur, it is significant for the initiative to not just be about control, however comprehend the need to take into account different individuals from the association to be as answerable for the accomplishment of objectives as the administration. A driven administration structure can remove the way of life of development and articulation from an association bringing about huge work turnover just as loss of efficiency, because of disappointment among the workforce. The key hindrance to any adjustment in initiative originates from the top administration itself. This is because of the control factor that has been practiced by these individuals that a change to the structure is viewed as a misfortune for the organization. Pioneers only from time to time wish to forego power that permits them to hold a definitive control in the position they hold. The factor that is absent from the recognition is that pioneers are essentially the visionaries of associations, and must leave the administration to different individuals from the associations. Likewise, administrators must go along duties in the work line in order to build the feeling of having a place among the workforce, by holding a sentiment of accomplishment in the general activities of the association. So as to oversee and bolster the change, a community approach must be attempted by the administration. This implies an expansion in inclusion of all representatives in the organizing of procedures and methodology by the administration, just as taking into consideration a more prominent level of comprehension to be made in regards to the vision and destinations of the association. By understanding the necessities of the representatives, and bringing an open foundation of correspondence, the administration will have the option to deal with the adjustment in culture that will be built up, while additionally making a mode for the goals of any contention

A Name Is Simply A Name free essay sample

â€Å"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by some other name would smell as sweet.† That statement verbally expressed is a great line that delineates how we should think. A name is only a name, that's it. In the event that a rose passed by some other name, we would at present love it by its smell or excellence. That is a prime case of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship in Shakespeare’s screenplay The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Spoken by Juliet, the statement clarifies an extreme association among her and Romeo. The name Capulet and Montague labeled onto the finish of their names made no difference to them. Those words had no effect on how each felt about the other. From their first kiss on their first gathering to the terrifying day that both gave their lives for the other, Romeo and Juliet longed for each other’s warmth. They put all that they had at risk just to be together. We will compose a custom paper test on A Name Is Simply A Name or on the other hand any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page With Romeo requesting Juliet’s turn in marriage and Juliet taking the despicable from Friar Lawrence, nothing could and would keep them separated. â€Å"With love’s light wings did I o’er-roost these dividers, for stony cutoff points can't hold love out,† is another perfect case of the association between the pair of star-crossed sweethearts. This time expressed by Romeo, the statement depicts the sentiment of waiting be with somebody and not letting any snag come in your manner. Both, Romeo and Juliet, demonstrated to one another that the inclination depicted in that statement is inside both of them. Juliet, who misled her folks when she disclosed to them she was going to admission. At that point Romeo, when he appeared at Juliet’s gallery despite the fact that he shouldn’t be in Verona. The emotions that Romeo and Juliet shared couldn’t be depicted as whatever else. It was basically love.

How Freuds The Uncanny Explained My Childhood Fears

How Freud’s The Uncanny Explained My Childhood Fears Growing up, I was never afraid of the typical things that scared other kids, like nonexistent monsters. In preschool, I abruptly stopped watching Thomas the Tank Engine when a character stuck their tongue out at a paintingâ€"and the figure in the painting stuck its tongue out in return. On my first trip to Disney World at age four, I tolerated the singing birds in the Tiki Room but freaked out when the walls started singing. At age six, I was horrified to find a duplicate of my favorite teddy bearâ€"just as worn as the “real” oneâ€"hidden in a closet. I couldn’t imagine that anyone else could find these things frightening or experience ineffable horror because something was slightly off. All of these stories, which sound amusing in retrospect, were horrifying at the time and shaped my imagination. I developed a lifelong fascination with doppelgängers. What do all of these seemingly random, bizarre incidents have in common? They challenged what I thought I understood about the world. They made something familiar and natural its opposite. I didn’t revisit these early memories until I read Freud’s essay The Uncanny in my freshman gothic literature class at Stonehill College in fall 2007. Freud writes that the word “uncanny” is difficult to define but can describe an ineffable feeling of dread or wrongness. Uncanny (unheimlich in German) literally means unfamiliar or not homey. “Thus  heimlich  is a word the meaning of which develops in the direction of ambivalence, until it finally coincides with its opposite,  unheimlich. Unheimlich  is in some way or other a sub-species of  Heimlich (4).” In other words, it’s not unfamiliarity itself, but the inability to tell whether something is familiar or unfamiliar, which is so unsettling and threatening. Freud uses anecdotal evidence from literature and his own and patients’ lives to support this idea. Uncertainty can be uncanny, especially when we can’t tell whether someone or something is animate or inanimate. It’s how most people feel when seeing a dead body, and Freud thinks that it’s vestigial, from a time when most of our ancestors believed in ghosts. Long before I could articulate why, Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker always horrified me on a visceral level. I loved most of its elements individually: symphonic music, Christmas, fairytales with princes or princesses. Together, however, these pieces were totally unsettling. Instead of a romance between royals who are close in age, it’s the story of a wooden nutcrackerâ€"a child’s toyâ€"that transforms into a prince. He’s the adult love interest in a young girl’s romantic dream. He’s also an inanimate object that transforms into a person. This eerie, liminal space between right and wrong, comforting and creepy, alive or not, illustrates Freud’s descriptions in “The Uncanny.” While researching the uncanny, I discovered that the author of the original story of The Nutcracker was E.T.A. Hoffman. Freud draws extensively on Hoffman’s other stories to illustrate “The Uncanny.” Although I wasn’t previously aware of this connection, it doesn’t surprise me at all. Hoffmans  stories share common elements, such as ghastly creations that are intended to be magical. All of this might sound esoteric, but the concept of the uncanny persists under different names throughout our culture. Some people would call unexpectedly seeing a double, like I did with my teddy bear, “a glitch in the Matrix.” Anyone who’s experienced déjà vu remembers the unsettling feeling of being unsure whether something is familiar or unfamiliar. As robots, dolls, and computer animation become increasingly realistic, they also approach the uncanny. This concept is called the uncanny valley. I became obsessed with the uncanny valley and found websites that plotted modern examples of it on graphs. The graphs formed a bell curve, with the least uncanny phenomena (industrial, non-humanoid robots and “healthy people”) at the extremes. The most uncanny things, including marionette puppets and automata, were found in the middle of the curve. To my horror, other entries right in the middle included “prosthetic limbs,” “disabled people,” and even “the way a physically disabled person moves.” I hope that by 2019 standards (as opposed to 2007), the ableism here is apparent. Did I always feel unconsciously freaked out by the uncanny because of its connection to ableism? I’m not sure, but from a young age, I was horrified whenever non-disabled people treated me as strange or different. I have cerebral palsy and a distinctive gait. Freud repeatedly uses disability and physical and mental illnesses to illustrate the uncanny. His examples include epilepsy and “dismembered limbs” (14). People with other disabilities have also connected ableism to the uncanny. If we feel repulsed by something or someone, it’s often necessary to examine why and ask whether the root is prejudice. The latest and greatest from the world of horror Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

The 10 Most Important Russian Czars and Empresses

Holtons Interpretation Of The FramersDistrust Of Tyranny

Introduction Professor Holton purports in Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution that the Framers’ creation of the Constitution represented a â€Å"slur on the capacity of ordinary citizens† to govern themselves by placing the power of the National Government into the hands of the opulent few (Holton, Unruly Americans, 278). Is Holton’s interpretation of the Framers’ intentions equitable, or has he treated the delegates unfairly in neglecting the democratic elements of the document and the Framers’ distrust of tyranny? Section I argues Holton unfairly characterizes the Framers’ actions as malicious and villainizes them, failing to accept into account different historical perspectives. Section II analyzes democratic elements the†¦show more content†¦He ultimately concedes that â€Å"some of the most avid supporters of the Constitution were not creditors but debtors† (Holton, Unruly Americans, 230). While the debt ors may have been supportive of any proposed plan with tax relief, this support suggests the Framers were willing to provide economic relief indiscriminately, not just to opulent speculators as Holton suggests. Perhaps farmers and debtors were less frustrated with mistreatment by the government as they were disappointed in the economic turmoil caused by speculators under the Articles of Confederation. In mentioning the approval by debtors, Holton undermines his own argument because it is incomprehensible that citizens would support a document that severely reduces their democratic input in society. Professor Holton’s erroneously assumes that the Framers would have made the Constitution considerably less democratic if not for the ratification process. Holton writes that the delegates tempered down the anti-democratic policies â€Å"to make it more palatable to the ratifying conventions† (Holton, Unruly Americans, 196). This is speculative and demonstrative of a bias against the Framers. Article VII states that nine states must ratify the Constitution in order for it to be put into effect as a way to ensure the democratic nature of the ratification. Considering Professor Holton’s cynical nature, he may argue that the delegates utilized unorthodox techniques to ratify the

Spirit Bound Chapter Eight Free Essays

AFTER THE BITCHING I’D DONE to Abe about always going to remote, crappy places, I should have been excited about the prospect of going to Sin City. Alas, I had a few reservations about my next epic trip. First of all, somewhere like Las Vegas was the last place I would expect a semi-crazy recluse to be. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirit Bound Chapter Eight or any similar topic only for you Order Now From the bits and pieces I’d heard, Robert had dropped off the radar and wanted to be alone. A busy, tourist-filled city didn’t really fit that description. Second, cities like that were perfect feeding grounds for Strigoi. Crowded. Reckless. Low inhibitions. Very easy for people to disappear–especially when most of them were out at night. Part of me was certain it had to be a trick on Victor’s part, but he swore up and down that it was true. So, with no other leads, Las Vegas became our next destination. We didn’t have much time to debate the matter anyway, knowing the guardians would be searching Fairbanks for us. Admittedly, Lissa’s charms had altered our appearances enough that they wouldn’t be looking for people with our descriptions. They knew what Victor looked like, though, so the sooner we were out of Alaska, the better. Unfortunately, we had a slight problem. â€Å"Victor has no ID,† said Eddie. â€Å"We can’t take him on a plane.† It was true. All of Victor’s possessions had been seized by prison authorities, and in the midst of disabling surveillance and taking out half a dozen guardians, we’d hardly had time to go searching for his personal stuff. Lissa’s compulsion was phenomenal, but she was exhausted after wielding so much at the prison. Besides, guardians would likely be watching the airport. Our â€Å"friend† Bud the car rental guy provided the solution. He hadn’t been thrilled to see his car returned with all the scratches from Eddie’s daredevil driving, but enough cash had finally stopped the human’s muttering about â€Å"renting to a bunch of kids.† It was Victor who thought of an alternative plan and suggested it to Bud. â€Å"Is there a private airport nearby? With flights we might charter?† â€Å"Sure,† said Bud. â€Å"But it won’t be cheap.† â€Å"It’s not an issue,† I said. Bud eyed us askance. â€Å"Did you guys rob a bank or something?† No, but we were packing a lot of currency. Lissa had a trust fund that doled her out monthly money until she was eighteen, as well as a high-limit credit card. I had a credit card of my own, leftover from when I’d sweet-talked Adrian into funding my Russian trip. I’d let go of the rest of my assets, like the huge bank account he’d set up. But, wrong or not, I’d decided to keep one card on hand, just in case of emergency. This was certainly an emergency, so we used the card to pay for part of the private plane’s cost. The pilot couldn’t take us as far as Las Vegas, but he could take us to Seattle, where he was able to connect us with another pilot he knew who could go the rest of the way. More money. â€Å"And Seattle again,† I mused, just before the plane took off. The little jet’s interior had a set of four seats, two on each side facing each other. I sat next to Victor, and Eddie sat across from him. We figured that was the best protective configuration. â€Å"What about Seattle?† asked Eddie, puzzled. â€Å"Never mind.† Little private jets aren’t nearly as fast as big commercial ones, and our trip took a large part of the day. During it, I continued asking Victor about his brother’s role in Las Vegas and finally got the answer I wanted. Victor would have had to tell us eventually, but I think he’d gotten a sadistic thrill out of prolonging the answer. â€Å"Robert doesn’t live in Las Vegas proper,† he explained. â€Å"He has a small house–a cabin, I suppose–out by Red Rock Canyon, miles outside the city.† Ah. Now that was more what I’d expected. Lissa stiffened at the mention of a cabin, and I felt unease through the bond. When Victor had kidnapped her, he’d taken her to a cabin in the woods and tortured her there. I gave her as reassuring a look as I could. It was times like these I wished the bond worked both ways so that I could truly send her comfort. â€Å"So we’ll go out there?† Victor snorted. â€Å"Certainly not. Robert values his privacy too much. He wouldn’t let strangers come to his home. But he’ll come to the city if I ask.† Lissa eyed me. Victor could be setting us up. He had lots of supporters. Now that he’s out, he could call them instead of Robert to meet us. I gave her a tiny nod, again wishing I could respond back through the bond. I’d thought of this as well. It was imperative we never leave Victor alone to make unsupervised calls. And actually, this plan to meet in Las Vegas itself made me feel better. For our own safety from Victor’s henchmen, it was better to be in the city than out in the middle of nowhere. â€Å"Seeing as I’ve been so helpful,† said Victor, â€Å"I have the right to know what you want with my brother.† He glanced at Lissa. â€Å"Looking for spirit lessons? You had to have done some excellent investigative work to find out about him.† â€Å"You have no right to know about our plans,† I retorted sharply. â€Å"And seriously? If you’re keeping track of who’s been the most helpful here, we are totally beating you on the score-card. You’ve got a ways to go to catch up after what we did at Tarasov.† Victor’s only response was a small smile. Some of our flight time took place at night, which meant it was early morning when we landed in Las Vegas. The safety of sunlight. I was surprised to see how crowded the airport was. The private one in Seattle had had a fair amount of planes, but the Fairbanks airport had nearly been deserted. This strip was chock-full of little jets, many of them screaming â€Å"luxury.† I shouldn’t have been surprised. Las Vegas was the playground of celebrities and other wealthy people, many of whom probably couldn’t lower themselves to fly commercial with ordinary passengers. There were taxis there, sparing us the ordeal of another rental car. But when the driver asked us where we were going, we all stayed silent. I turned to Victor. â€Å"The middle of the city, right? The Strip?† â€Å"Yes,† he agreed. He’d been certain Robert would want to meet strangers somewhere very public. Somewhere he could easily flee. â€Å"The Strip’s a big place,† said the driver. â€Å"You got any place in particular or should I just drop you off in the middle of the street?† Silence fell over us. Lissa shot me a meaningful look. â€Å"The Witching Hour?† I considered it. Las Vegas was a favorite place for some Moroi. The bright sun made it less appealing for Strigoi, and the windowless casinos created comfortable, dark atmospheres. The Witching Hour was a hotel and casino we’d all heard of. While it had plenty of human customers, it was actually owned by Moroi, so it had lots of clandestine features to make it a great getaway for vampires. Feeders in back rooms. Special Moroi-only lounges. A fair number of guardians on patrol. Guardians†¦ I shook my head and glanced sideways at Victor. â€Å"We can’t take him there.† Of all the hotels in Las Vegas, the Witching Hour was the last we’d want to go to. Victor’s escape had to be breaking news all over the Moroi world. Taking him into Vegas’s largest concentration of Moroi and guardians was probably the worst thing we could do at this point. In the rearview mirror, the driver’s face looked impatient. It was Eddie who finally piped up. â€Å"The Luxor.† He and I were in the backseat, with Victor between us, and I peered over. â€Å"Where did that come from?† â€Å"It puts distance between us and the Witching Hour.† Eddie suddenly looked a little sheepish. â€Å"And I’ve always wanted to stay there. I mean, if you’re coming to Vegas, why not stay in a pyramid?† â€Å"You can’t fault that logic,† said Lissa. â€Å"The Luxor it is,† I said to the driver. We rode in silence, all of us–well, except for Victor–staring at the sights in awe. Even in the daytime, the streets of Las Vegas were teeming with people. The young and glamorous walked side by side with older couples from Middle America, who’d probably saved and saved to make this trip. The hotels and casinos we passed were huge, flashy, and inviting. And when we reached the Luxor†¦ yup. It was just like Eddie had said. A hotel shaped like a pyramid. I stared up at it when we got out of the car, trying hard not to let my jaw drop like the starry-eyed tourist I was. I paid the driver and we headed inside. I didn’t know how long we’d be staying, but we definitely needed a room as our base of operation. Stepping into the hotel was like being back in the night-clubs in Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk. Flashing lights and the overwhelming scent of smoke. And noise. Noise, noise, noise. The slot machines beeped and rang, chips fell, people yelled in dismay or delight, and the low thrum of conversation filled the room like humming bees. I grimaced. The stimuli grated on my senses. We passed through the casino’s edge to get to the front desk, where the attendant didn’t even blink at three teenagers and an old man getting a room together. I had to imagine that around here, they saw it all. Our room was average-size, with two double beds, and somehow we’d lucked out with an amazing view. Lissa stood at the window, entranced by the sights of people and cars on the Strip below, but I jumped straight to business. â€Å"Okay, call him,† I ordered Victor. He’d settled down on one of the beds, hands crossed and expression serene, as though he truly were on vacation. Despite that smug smile, I could see the fatigue etched on his face. Even with his blood refill, the escape and long trip had been exhausting, and the effects of his slowly returning disease were naturally taking a toll on his physical strength. Victor immediately reached for the hotel’s phone, but I shook my head. â€Å"Liss, let him use your cell. I want a record of this number.† She gingerly handed the phone over, as though he might contaminate it. He took it and gave me a nigh-angelic look. â€Å"I don’t suppose I could have some privacy? It’s been so long since Robert and I have talked.† â€Å"No,† I snapped. The harshness in my voice startled even me, and it occurred to me Lissa wasn’t the only one suffering from all the spirit used today. Victor gave a small shrug and began dialing. He’d told us on one of the flights that he had Robert’s number memorized, and I had to take it on faith that that was who he was calling. I also had to hope Robert’s number hadn’t changed. Of course, even if Victor hadn’t seen his brother in years, Victor had only been imprisoned a short while and had probably kept tabs on Robert beforehand. Tension filled the room as we waited while the phone rang. A moment later, I heard a voice answer through the phone’s speaker–though I couldn’t make out the exact words. â€Å"Robert,† said Victor pleasantly, â€Å"it’s Victor.† This received a frantic response on the other end. I only could hear half of the conversation, but it was intriguing. Victor first had to spend a lot of time convincing Robert that he was out of prison. Apparently, Robert wasn’t so removed from Moroi society that he was out of touch with current news. Victor told him that the details would be revealed later and then began making his pitch for Robert to come meet us. It took a long time. I got the feeling that Robert lived in fear and paranoia, which reminded me of Ms. Karp when she’d been in the advanced stages of spirit’s insanity. Lissa’s gaze stayed fixed on the scene outside the window during the entire call, but her feelings mirrored mine: fear that this could someday be her fate. Or mine as well, if I siphoned away spirit’s effects. The image of the Tarasov sign flashed briefly through her mind: WARNING–NOW ENTERING PRISONER AREA (PSYCHIATRIC). Victor’s voice turned surprisingly cajoling as he spoke to his brother, gentle even. I was reminded uneasily of the old days, before we’d known about Victor’s demented plans for Moroi domination. Back then, he’d treated us kindly too and had practically been a member of Lissa’s family. I wondered if at some point he’d been sincere or if it had all been an act. Finally, after almost twenty minutes, Victor convinced Robert to come see us. The unintelligible words on the other end of the phone were filled with anxiety, and at this point, I felt convinced that Victor truly was talking to his crazy brother and not one of his accomplices. Victor set up a dinner meeting at one of the hotel’s restaurants and at last disconnected. â€Å"Dinner?† I asked when Victor set the phone down. â€Å"Isn’t he worried about being out after dark?† â€Å"It’s an early dinner,† Victor replied. â€Å"Four thirty. And the sun won’t go down until almost eight.† â€Å"Four thirty?† I asked. â€Å"Good God. Are we getting the senior citizen special?† But he made a good point about the time and sun. Without the safety of Alaska’s nearly nonstop summer light, I was starting to feel suffocated by the pressure of sunrise and sunset boundaries, even though it was summer here. Unfortunately, a safe early dinner still meant we had hours to pass. Victor leaned back on the bed, arms behind his head. I think he was attempting an unconcerned air, but my guess was that it was actually exhaustion driving him to seek the bed’s comfort. â€Å"Care to try your luck downstairs?† He glanced over at Lissa. â€Å"Spirit users make remarkably good card players. I don’t have to tell you how good you are at reading people.† She made no response. â€Å"Nobody’s leaving this room,† I said. I didn’t like the idea of us all being cooped up here, but I couldn’t risk an escape attempt or Strigoi lurking in the casino’s dark corners. After showering the dye from her hair, Lissa pulled up a chair by the window. She refused to get any closer to Victor. I sat cross-legged on the second bed, where there was plenty of room for Eddie to sit too, but he remained upright against a wall, in perfect guardian posture as he watched Victor. I had no doubt Eddie could maintain that position for hours, no matter how uncomfortable it got. We’d all been trained to endure harsh conditions. He did a good job at looking stern, but every once in a while, I’d catch him studying Victor curiously. Eddie had stood by me in this act of treason but still didn’t know why I’d done it. We’d been there a few hours when someone knocked at the door. I leapt up. Eddie and I mirrored each other, both of us straightening to rigid attention, hands going for our stakes. We’d ordered lunch an hour ago, but room service had long since come and gone. It was too early for Robert, and besides, he didn’t know the name our room was under. There was no nausea, though. No Strigoi at our door. I met Eddie’s gaze, silent messages passing between us on what to do. But it was Lissa who acted first, rising from her chair and taking a few steps across the room. â€Å"It’s Adrian.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Are you sure?† She nodded. Spirit users usually only saw auras, but they could sense each other if they were close enough–just as she had at the prison. Still, none of us moved. She gave me a dry look. â€Å"He knows I’m here,† she pointed out. â€Å"He can feel me too.† I sighed, still keeping my hand on my stake, and strode to the door. I squinted through the peephole. Standing there, his expression amused and restless, was Adrian. I could see no one else, and with no indication of Strigoi to be found, I finally opened the door. His face lit with joy when he saw me. Leaning in, he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping into the room. â€Å"You guys didn’t really think you could go off on a party weekend without me, did you? Especially here of all places–â€Å" He froze, and it was one of those rare moments when Adrian Ivashkov was caught totally and completely off guard. â€Å"Did you know,† he said slowly, â€Å"that Victor Dashkov is sitting on your bed?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"It was kind of a shock to us too.† Adrian dragged his gaze from Victor and glanced around the room, noticing Eddie for the first time. Eddie had been standing so still that he practically seemed like part of the furniture. Adrian turned to me. â€Å"What the hell is going on? Everyone is out looking for him!† Lissa’s words spoke to me through my bond. You might as well tell him. You know he won’t leave now. She was right. I didn’t know how Adrian had found us, but now that he had, there was no way he’d go. I glanced hesitantly at Eddie, who guessed my thoughts. â€Å"We’ll be fine,† he said. â€Å"Go talk. I won’t let anything happen.† And I’m strong enough again that I can compel him if he tries anything, Lissa added. I sighed. â€Å"Okay. We’ll be right back.† I took Adrian’s arm and led him outside. As soon as we were in the hallway, he started in again. â€Å"Rose, what’s–â€Å" I shook my head. In our time here, I’d heard enough noise from other hotel guests in the hall to know that my friends would hear our conversation if we talked out there. Instead, Adrian and I took the elevator and headed downstairs, where the noise of the casino would mask our words. We found a slightly out-of-the-way corner, and Adrian practically pushed me against the wall, his expression dark. His light attitude annoyed me sometimes, but I preferred it to when he was upset, largely because I feared spirit would add an unstable edge. â€Å"You leave me a note saying you’re sneaking off for one last party weekend, and instead I find you holed up with one of the most notorious criminals ever? When I left Court, that’s all everyone was talking about! Didn’t that guy try to kill you?† I answered his question with a question. â€Å"How did you even find us?† â€Å"The credit card,† he said. â€Å"I was waiting for you to use it.† My eyes widened. â€Å"You promised me when I got all those that you wouldn’t go snooping!† Since my accounts and cards had come with his help, I’d known he had access to the records but had believed him when he’d said he’d respect my privacy. â€Å"When you were in Russia, I kept that promise. This is different. I kept checking and checking with the company, and as soon as the activity with the charter plane showed up, I called and found out where you were going.† Adrian’s arrival here so soon after ours wasn’t that unbelievable if he had been monitoring the card. Once he’d had the information he needed, he could have easily booked a flight. A nonstop commercial jet would have made up the time on our slower, multistop trip. â€Å"There was no way I could resist Vegas,† he continued. â€Å"So I thought I’d surprise you and show up to join in the fun.† I’d used my card for the room, I realized, again tipping off our location. No one else was linked to my or Lissa’s cards, but the ease with which he’d tracked us made me nervous. â€Å"You shouldn’t have done that,† I growled. â€Å"We might be together, but there are boundaries you’ve got to respect. This is none of your business.† â€Å"It’s not like I was reading your diary! I just wanted to find my girlfriend and–† It was a sign of Adrian’s distress that his mind was only now beginning to backtrack and put pieces together. â€Å"Oh lord. Rose, please tell me you guys aren’t the ones who busted him out? They’re all looking for two human girls and a dhampir guy. The descriptions don’t match at all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He groaned. â€Å"But it was you, wasn’t it? Somehow, you broke into a maximum-security prison. With Eddie.† â€Å"Must not have been all that secure,† I remarked lightly. â€Å"Rose! This guy has fucked with both of your lives. Why would you free him?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. How could I explain this to Adrian? How could I explain that which, by all evidence in our world, was impossible? And how could I explain what goal in particular was driving this? â€Å"Victor has information we need. Or, well, he has access to someone we need. This was the only way we could get it.† â€Å"What on earth could he possibly know to make you do all this?† I swallowed. I walked into prisons and nests of Strigoi, but saying what I did next to Adrian filled me with apprehension. â€Å"Because there might be a way to save Strigoi. To turn them back to the way they were. And Victor†¦ Victor knows someone who might have done this.† Adrian stared at me for several long seconds, and even in the midst of the casino’s movement and noise, it was like the world grew still and silent. â€Å"Rose, that’s impossible.† â€Å"It might not be.† â€Å"If there was a way to do that, we would know.† â€Å"It involves spirit users. And we only just found out about them.† â€Å"That doesn’t mean it’s–oh. I see.† His deep green eyes flashed, and this time, they were angry. â€Å"It’s him, isn’t it? This is your last crazy attempt to get to him. To Dimitri.† â€Å"Not just him,† I said vaguely. â€Å"It could save all Strigoi.† â€Å"I thought this was over!† Adrian exclaimed. His voice was loud enough that a few people at nearby slot machines glanced over. â€Å"You told me it was over. You told me you could move on and be with me.† â€Å"I meant it,† I said, surprised at the desperate note in my voice. â€Å"It’s something we only just found out about. We had to try.† â€Å"And what then? What if this stupid fantasy works? You free Dimitri in some miraculous act, and you drop me like that.† He snapped his fingers. â€Å"I don’t know,† I said wearily. â€Å"We’re just taking this one step at a time. I love being with you. Really. But I can’t ignore this.† â€Å"Of course you can’t.† He turned his eyes heavenward. â€Å"Dreams, dreams. I walk them; I live them. I delude myself with them. It’s a wonder I can spot reality anymore.† The weird sound of his voice made me nervous. I could recognize one of his slightly crazy, spirit-induced lapses. Then, he turned from me with a sigh. â€Å"I need a drink.† Whatever pity I’d felt for him turned to anger. â€Å"Oh, good. That’ll fix everything. I’m glad in a world gone mad, you’ve still got your old standbys.† I flinched at his glare. He didn’t do it very often, and when he did, it was a powerful thing. â€Å"What do you expect me to do?† he asked. â€Å"You could†¦ you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh God. â€Å"Well, now that you’re here, you could help us. Plus, this guy we’re meeting. He’s another spirit user.† Adrian didn’t betray his thoughts, but I had a feeling that I had piqued his interest. â€Å"Yeah, that’s exactly what I want. To help my girlfriend get her old boyfriend back.† He turned away again, and I heard him mutter, â€Å"I need two drinks.† â€Å"Four thirty,† I called after him. â€Å"We’re meeting at four thirty.† There was no response, and Adrian melted into the crowd. I returned to the room in a dark cloud that had to be obvious to everyone. Lissa and Eddie were smart enough not to ask questions, but Victor, of course, had no such reserves. â€Å"What? Mr. Ivashkov isn’t joining us? I’d so been looking forward to his company.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall near Eddie. â€Å"Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to.† The next couple hours dragged by. I was convinced that any minute, Adrian would come back and reluctantly agree to help us. We could use his compulsion if things went bad, even though he couldn’t match Lissa. Surely†¦ surely he loved me enough to come to my aid? He wouldn’t abandon me? You’re an idiot, Rose. It was my own voice that chastised me in my head, not Lissa’s. You’ve given him no reason to help. You just hurt him again and again. Just like you did Mason. When four fifteen came around, Eddie looked over at me. â€Å"Should we stake out a table?† â€Å"Yeah.† I was restless and upset. I didn’t want to stay in this room any longer, trapped with dark feelings that wouldn’t go away. Victor rose from the bed, stretching as though getting up from a relaxing nap. Still, I could have sworn there was an eager glint hidden in the depths of his eyes. By all accounts, he and his half-brother were close, though I’d seen no indication that Victor displayed love or loyalty to anyone. Who knew? Maybe somewhere there was true affection for Robert. We formed a sort of protective configuration with me in the front, Eddie in the back, and the two Moroi between us. I opened the room’s door and came face-to-face with Adrian. His hand was raised as though he’d been about to knock. He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh, hey,† he said. He had the standard laid-back Adrian expression on his face, though his voice was a bit strained. I knew he wasn’t happy about any of this. I could see it in the tight set of his jaw and agitation in his eyes. Nonetheless, he was putting on a good front for the others, for which I was grateful. Most importantly, he’d come back. That was what mattered, and I could ignore the scent of alcohol and smoke wreathing him. â€Å"So†¦ I hear there’s some party going on. Mind if I join you?† I gave him a weak, grateful smile. â€Å"Come on.† Our group now up to five, we headed down the hall toward the elevator. â€Å"I was cleaning up at poker, you know,† Adrian added. â€Å"So this better be good.† â€Å"I don’t know if it’ll be good,† I mused. The elevator doors opened. â€Å"But I think it’ll be memorable.† We stepped inside, off to see Robert Doru. And what might be Dimitri’s only salvation. How to cite Spirit Bound Chapter Eight, Essay examples

Banana Supply Chain Management & Demand- Free Solution by Top Experts

Question: Describe about the Demand and Supply Management for Banana Production. Answer: Introduction This study has been highlighted the scenario of banana production in Australia after the cyclone Yasi. As per the case study, it can be observed that after the cyclone, the overall banana production has been decreased within the country. In this purpose, this study has been tried to establish the favourable scenario for which the banana developing industry has been decreasing. As a result, this study is helpful to identify the reason for increasing of the prices of the banana. In addition, the equilibrium position for the individual has also been described. Furthermore, this study has been established the long run performance of the Australian banana market. Brief explanation under which the banana growing industry in Australia falls As per the background of the study, it can be stated that initially in Queensland, after a massive storm, the 90 percent production of banana crop had decreased. Therefore, as per the statement of Tietenberg and Lewis (2016), the banana industry has taken 12 months to 18 months to recover and regain the previous level. In this occasion, it can be stated that the banana production in that time had been reduced by 75 per cent. In a synopsis, it can be concluded that the storm damaged the overall fruit sold in the Australian market. Graphical explanation why banana price went up after cyclone As per the statement of Bowen and Sosa (2014), the cyclone Yasi had make a negative impact on the production of banana in Australia. As a result, the trend of the growth of banana has been reducing. On the contrary, the demand for the products was remaining same whereas the supply of banana was decreased. In this situation, to maintain the equilibrium position, the price of the banana was increased. The reason can be discussed as due to the shortages of supply, the price of the product was increased as mentioned by Bruneel et al. (2012). Figure 1: Graphical explanation of after the price increasing (Source: Created by author) From the above figure, it can be observed that the demand curve of banana production is downward sloping and is represented by D curve whereas the supply curve is upward sloping and it is represented by S0 curve. After, the cyclone Yasi, the supply of the banana has been decreased and the supply curve has been shifted to leftward. The initial price of banana was P0 and the quantity, which was supplied was Q0. The new supply curve is S1. As a result, the price of the production of banana has been increased from P0 to P1. On the other hand, the quantity was also decreased from Q1 to Q0. With the rise in the price, the consumers wanted to consume less from the previous. The theoretical model explain the equilibrium position for the individual banana producer before the cyclone According to Roberts and Schlenkera (2013), in order to discuss the impact of the individual banana producer regarding the equilibrium position before the cyclone can be discussed with the help of the following figure: Figure 2: Equilibrium position of individual producer (Source: Created by author) The above figure depicted the equilibrium position of individual banana producer in Australia. In this case, it can be observed that the individual demand curve of banana is D whereas the individual supply curve of banana producer is S. The equilibrium position is denoted by E0, where the demand curve and the supply curve intersected to each other as mentioned by Chen and Fan (2012). In this connection, Soderbery (2015) supported that the equilibrium position would not occur at E1 or E2. At the position of E1 or E2, the supply curve did not meet with the demand curve. Hence, it can be concluded that the equilibrium price of banana was P0 and the equilibrium corresponding quantity was Q0 before the cyclone. In a nutshell, it can conclude that before the cyclone, the supply of banana was equivalent to the demand for the same goods. Explain the short run impact of cyclone Yasi on the profitability of banana growing firm and industry In order to discuss the short run impact of cyclone Yasi on the profitability of banana growing firm, Bruneel et al. (2012) opined that the production of banana has been massively decreased. However, the demand of the product is remaining same. Therefore, to maintain the equilibrium, the price of the product has been increased. Before, the cyclone the price of banana was $2 to $3 per kilo while after the cyclone the price became $15 per kilo. Although the price has increased, the production of banana has been abruptly decreased. On the other hand, there is an another short run impact in the banana producing firms and industry. In case of after production of banana, the inventories of banana was also hampered due to the cyclone. As a result, the banana producers has incurred from loss financially. Figure 3: Effect of profitability (Source: Created by author) With the rise in the price of banana after cyclone Yasi due to the shortage of banana production, the demand for the products also decreased. As a result, the profitability would also decrease. In a synopsis, it can be stated that the producers would incur loss. Long run performance of the banana market In this case, it can be predicted to improve the performance of banana market of Australia, Tietenberg and Lewis (2016) suggested the government of Australia require to give allowance in order to revive the present situation. The investment of the production depend upon the present years business performance. Due to the natural calamity, the business performance has been hampered. On the other hand, the government need to develop greater storage system in order to protect the manufacturing goods from the natural calamity. Therefore, by doing these, the long run production of banana in Australia can be improved. Conclusion This study is highlighted the performance of banana producers in Australia. It can be observed that after the cyclone Yasi, the price of the banana has been increased as the banana production has been decreased. References Bowen, W.G. and Sosa, J.A., 2014.Prospects for faculty in the arts and sciences: A study of factors affecting demand and supply, 1987 to 2012. Princeton University Press. Bruneel, J., Ratinho, T., Clarysse, B. and Groen, A., 2012. The Evolution of Business Incubators: Comparing demand and supply of business incubation services across different incubator generations.Technovation,32(2), pp.110-121. Chen, C.W. and Fan, Y., 2012. Bioethanol supply chain system planning under supply and demand uncertainties.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,48(1), pp.150-164. Roberts, M.J. and Schlenkera, W., 2013. Identifying supply and demand elasticities of agricultural commodities: Implications for the US ethanol mandate.The American Economic Review,103(6), pp.2265-2295. Soderbery, A., 2015. Estimating import supply and demand elasticities: Analysis and implications.Journal of International Economics,96(1), pp.1-17. Tietenberg, T.H. and Lewis, L., 2016.Environmental and natural resource economics. Routledge.

Todays Woman Vs. Yesterdays Essays - Ibsen Family, Trifles

Today's Woman Vs. Yesterday's Women of today have come a long way since the periods portrayed in the dramas "Trifles," written by Susan Glaspell, and "Doll House," written by Henrik Ibsen. In both dramas, the characters played by women were portrayed as nothing more than property which should be seen and not heard. This is typical of society in the late 1800's and early 1900's, which is the time setting in which these dramas take place. In the drama "Trifles," the male characters known as Henry Peters (sheriff) and George Henderson (county attorney) strut around like roosters making lewd, sexist remarks while investigating the murder of farmer John Wright. The two farm women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, while forced to listen to such barbaric comments, actually end up solving the murder. Throughout the drama, the male characters are made to walk around the farm house looking for clues. Unfortunately, they do this from a male's point of view and are completely oblivious to the unseen environment around them. During this time, the two ladies sit silently conversing between themselves about the tragedy, and actually find clues to the hows and whys of the suspect without really looking. The female characters in this drama are written to be very perceptive and understanding about what happens in everyday life in a country home, since they too are country homemakers. With this information, which the men do not share, they notice small insignificant looking items which appear to be out of place. Through deductive reasoning, the women were able to figure out that John Wright's wife had been abused for many years. Not physical abuse, but severe mental abuse. The abuse seemed to reach its zenith when her husband killed her canary by ringing the bird's neck. This signifies a symbol of the life and freedom she once had. In the drama "Doll House," the main character named Nora is a woman who has gone through life being treated as if she were a "china doll." She was not unlike a china doll to be placed high on a pedestal, never to be heard from except when spoken to, or when asked to entertain her husband Torvald, their children or a group of Torvald's friends. As the story progresses, Ibsen creates a climax in the theme when Torvald finds out that Nora forged her father's name on a document to obtain money for a trip to Italy. This trip to Italy was necessary in order to save his life. Society had a certain stigmatism about the women of the late 1800's. Women were not thought to have been as smart as men, and were therefore not expected to understand the complicated world of money and especially the repercussions of getting a loan from places other than a banking institution. At this point, Nora receives a miracle she has not been looking forward to. The miracle turned out to be a test in which she finds out that their storybook love is not as strong to Torvald as she had imagined and hoped for. This particular scene in the drama gave the impression of morning sun rays tapping on the petals on a morning glory. With this, the reader begins to witness the blossoming of a flower. Nora's eyes open for what appears to be the firs! t time in her life, and she makes the decision to leave her life and family in search for a new beginning. For a male author born and raised in the 1800's, Ibsen does a fine job of looking at a relationship of this kind from a woman's point of view. However, women of today would not put up with either one of these situations. The women of today are more assertive and demanding than they used to be. There are many women today who are just as good if not better than their male counterparts. Some of the most successful people in today's society are women. With the passage of the right for women to vote and the women's movement of the late sixties and early seventies, women have deservingly "Come a Long Way Baby."

Last Minute Speaking Activities for ESL Teachers

Last Minute Speaking Activities for ESL Teachers Any teacher whos been in the business for more than a few months knows its important to have short speaking activities on hand to fill in those gaps that inevitably occur during class.   Student Interviews Introducing Students to Each Other / Expressing Opinions Choose a topic that will interest your students. Ask them to write five or more questions about this topic (students can also come up with the questions in small groups). Once they have finished the questions, they should interview at least two other students in the class and take notes on their answers. When the students have finished the activity, ask students to summarize what they have found out from the students they have interviewed. This exercise is very flexible. Beginning students can ask each other when they do their various daily tasks, advanced students can make up questions concerning politics or other hot topics. Conditional Chains Practicing conditional forms This activity specifically targets conditional forms. Choose either the real/unreal or past unreal (1, 2, 3 conditional) and give a few examples: If I had $1,000,000, Id buy a big house. / If I bought a big house, wed have to get new furniture. / If we got new furniture, wed have to throw away the old. etc.   Students will catch on quickly to this activity, but you might be surprised by how the story always seems to come back to the beginning.   New Vocabulary Challenge   Activating New Vocabulary Another common challenge in the classroom is getting students to use new vocabulary rather than the same old, same old. Ask students to brainstorm vocabulary. You can focus on a topic, a particular part of speech, or as a vocabulary review. Take two pens and (I like to use red and green) and write each word in one of two categories: A category for words that should not be used in conversation - these include words like go, live, etc., and a category that students should use in conversation - these include vocabulary items youd like to get students using. Pick a topic and challenge students to only use the target vocabulary.   Who Wants a...? Convincing Tell students that you are going to give them a present. However, only one student will receive the present. In order to receive this present, the student must convince you through his/her fluency and imagination that he or she deserves the present. Its best to use a wide range of imaginary presents as some students will obviously be more attracted to certain types of presents than others. A computerA gift certificate for $200 at a fashionable storeA bottle of expensive wineA new car Describing Your Best Friend Descriptive Adjective Use Write a list of descriptive adjectives on the board. Its best if you include both positive and negative characteristics. Ask students to choose the two positive and two negative adjectives that best describe their best friends and explain to the class while they chose those adjectives. Variation:Have students describe each other. Three Picture Story Descriptive Language/Reasoning Choose three pictures from a magazine. The first picture should be of people that are in some sort of relationship. The other two pictures should be of objects. Have students get into groups of three or four students to a group. Show the class the first picture and ask them to discuss the relationship of the people in the picture. Show them the second picture and tell them that the object is something that is important to the people in the first picture. Ask students to discuss why they think that object is important to the people. Show them the third picture and tell them that this object is something that the people in the first picture really dont like. Ask them to once again discuss the reasons why. After you have finished the activity, have the class compare the various stories that they came up within their groups.

Economic Nature of the Construction Industry Assignment

Economic Nature of the Construction Industry - Assignment Example Later on, Karl Marx introduced his ideas of exploitation of labor by capital and concluded that the huge constructions that the economy witnessed were all the result of labor that were unjustly and unethically denied the fruits of their efforts which were usurped by capitalists. With progress of time, came the Great Depression and the development of a radically new approach to macroeconomics by John Maynard Keynes. Faced with gloomy prospects of an ever deepening economic depression where the roaring economy of United States that was confident that good times will last forever suddenly faced a scary scenario where jobs vanished and with it the much vaunted purchasing power of populace, Keynes had to think of an way out of that desperate situation. He realized that increasing aggregate demand was the only way out and chose construction industry as the most convenient vehicle of autonomous investment to undertaken by the US government. He prescribed large doses of investment by the gov ernment in construction industry that would, through multiplier effect, generate substantial aggregate demand and consequent rise in general price level that would be sufficient to motivate producers to undertake induced investment. Once this process gets started the upward moving price-wage spiral would pull the entire economy out of the depths of depression. Construction industry is seldom characterized by cutting edge innovations. Any new technique implemented by a builder is quickly replicated by competitors and generally all firms in the industry have access to similar technology. Thus it is an industry that experiences intense competition among equally formidable rivals. It is also an industry where production cycle is possibly the longest and with huge potential for employment requiring substantial levels of continuous investment to keep the industry healthy, construction industry becomes one of the benchmarks for judging the overall

Undercover Police Officers Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Undercover Police Officers - Term Paper Example Undercover Investigations Uniformed duties differ greatly from undercover Police work in a number of ways. The uniformed duty poses as an identification tag for the public and other officials working round them, however, undercover duty makes them a part of the general population. Undercover Police investigations are distinct as per the nature and system of work being involved. This paper aims to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that undercover Police officers face and analyzes the effectiveness of adopting this technique in the prevention of crime. Strengths The undercover Policing technique helps a lot in exposing or exploring the truth behind certain crimes. The basic strength of this technique is that it counters any impediment in gaining appropriate information about the case. It does so by hiding the real identity of the police officer. The absence of uniform and secrecy of identity helps in maintaining normal behaviors, activities and environment where the investigation is g oing on. The undercover Police officers work for a specified time period on particular cases and acquire a fake or imaginary identity for the scenario they deal with. Undercover work is based on secrecy of identity of the undercover police officers. This enables the officer to observe the environment without any biased or changed behaviors which are probable due to the awareness about Police officers’ or law enforcers’ presence. The assumed identity enables the officers to move around in suspicious areas where Police is generally not welcomed. The officers get information which might be hidden from uniformed Police staff. The qualities required for an undercover Police officer are much in line with the traits of a good investigator. The most important strength of this investigation technique is the involvement of a professional Police officer in the whole process. The jury or court comfortably and reliably understand the whole case with supporting evidence in the form of video, audio, written or other forms. The involvement of the officer at the crime scene with full list or range of evidences leaves no space for suspicion. The jury is able to view the crime as it happens at the crime place or by the characters involved (Ruvver et. al., 2002 p. 333). Weaknesses This investigation technique adopted by law enforcement agencies and Police departments is a useful tool of combating a number of crimes and unusual behaviors. However, like other techniques, it has its weaknesses attached. The main weakness of this technique is the selection of undercover officers which require closer attention to the traits and experience of the officer. If the officer has a strong background in Police and crime prevention activities, he is likely to be good at undercover investigation. The undercover investigations require much insight on how to tackle and behave like the people involved. Any unusual or suspicious activity or behavior may startle the criminals or wrongd oers’ perceptions and views about that particular character in their area, gang, activity or surrounding. The weakness, hence, is the complexity of the working environment where officers’ aredirectly associated and involved in the criminal activities or taking part in it somehow to capture and closely monitor their performances. This undue involvement firstly is dangerous for the

Impact of Video Games on Society

Impact of Video Games on Society Video games are a pastime for masses of adolescents worldwide. The unprecedented technological advancements to this entertaining culture have caused many gamers, especially adolescents, to acknowledge it as the ultimate fantasy. According to many studies, video games can increase aggressive behavior, cause emotional outbursts and decrease inhibitions in many people (Kardaras 2008). As a result of the increased exposure to this modern phenomenon, a mounting body of research is linking video games to violent, aggressive and anti-social behavior. For this reason the study focuses on investigating the impact of video gaming on society to determine whether it leads to aggressive, violent, anti-social behavior. The first aim of this investigation is to document the different types of video games and how they operate through electronic devices, and therefore examining the associations between video game exposure and the different attitudes and behaviors displayed by gamers. The second objective is to explain the key factors which lead to violent, aggressive and anti-social behavior and the extreme lengths to which the gaming industry will go to in order to reap the advantages of video games. The investigation also presents an outline of the current rating and censorship systems in Australia, which has resulted in some violent video games being banned for their violent and inappropriate content. To end the research a feasible solution is proposed to maximize the potential advantages of rating systems. In conclusion, the paper summarizes the impact of video games on society. It concludes that gamers who expose themselves to greater amounts of video game violence are more likely to be prone to violent, aggressive and antisocial behavior over time. Word Count: 272 Section One: Introduction The gaming industry has grown immensely through the evolution of modern consoles, games and accessories. Therefore the ever growing hype that surrounds these technological gadgets is unprecedented even in the world of gamers, causing many adolescents to perceive video games consoles as a necessity in their lives, rather than an accessory. The impact of video gaming has been a debated issue for many years, and consequently the problem appears to be influencing many of my peers therefore I took this opportunity to explore the effect of video games on society. This paper presents an investigation into the impact of video gaming on society to determine whether it leads to aggressive, violent and anti-social behavior. For the purpose of this examination the information has been divided into four sections. The first section examines what video games are and the genre of games which have resulted gamers displaying different behaviors. The next section assess how video games have an impact on society through real life examples, and then the possible factors which could lead to aggressive, violent and anti-social behavior. The final section in addition to a proposed solution to this issue, aims to discuss how effectively game ratings restrict inappropriate content from adolescent users. There is no question that video games have an impact on society. One thing that is certain is that the gaming industry is growing rapidly which consequently increases the impact of video games on society. Section Two: What are video games and the different type of video games played? A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a device specially made for game play called a video console; these interactions are entered via input devices such as controllers, joysticks and hand-held peripherals. The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms which range from: personal computers, video game consoles and small handheld devices and through these platforms video and sound are produced to interact with the user (Video Game 2009). The advancements in gaming consoles have become a major factor in promoting video game addiction, and therefore amplifying the video game influence among users. As gaming technology continues to expand, consoles such as Microsofts Xbox 360 and Sonys Playstation are becoming more sophisticated due to the customer demand for an enhanced gaming experience. Recent developments allow gamers to have access to video games at any time; for example with the PSP (Play Station Portable) a gamer is able to carry their console around with him/her anywhere, thereby adding to the amount of hours spent playing games. Similarly consoles like the Wii set a new precedent for the gaming world, trying to create a physical and more realistic gaming experience through innovative accessories such as the Wii MotionPlus which provided true motion and position information to the console (The Wiire 2008), and therefore encouraging users to become more engrossed in the game. Furthermore, the development of graphical interfaces and televisions appear to be significant factors in endorsing excessive gaming time. In particular the transition to LCD (Liquid-Crystal Display) and plasma televisions, which introduced a gratifying experience for gamers through the addition of surround sound speaker systems and improved graphic resolution. Subsequently the enlargement of graphic interface screens also added to the attractiveness of video games, as the screen sizes increased from 14 inch up to the unprecedented size of 65 inch (LCD television 2010). As the mind-blowing graphic resolution becomes more available, users are promised real entertainment in these virtual worlds, by creating a more realistic gaming experience. The most commonly played games are action games; these games encourage the development of aggressive characteristics to emerge in gamers, as they have a large amount of violence due to their fast-paced nature. The games usually allow the user to play person against person or person against animal/aliens; a classic example is the game Halo which incorporates violent confrontations which are practised through violent combat between the user interface and the console (Caruana, Caruana Bruner 2009). Currently the most recent video games present players with expansive spaces and allow users to interact in multiple ways; resulting in each player having a unique experience (Garrelts 2006). One of the most problematic games of recent times is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The controversy behind this game stemmed from many politicians condemning its frequent violent and sexual scenes. As illustrated above (refer figure 3), the game encourages inappropriate actions such as violence to be practised through gang warfare, raising concerns as these types of games have been turned into fodder for entertainment (Loftus 2002). Another genre of video games is adventure/role playing games; these games are usually less graphic than action games but contain mild violence and typically have an element of surrealism and fantasy. Games like Starfox Adventures are usually combined with a role playing element and allow the character to initiate dialogue. These games tend to be among the most addictive due to their narrative fantasy themes together with their mild violent content (Caruana, Caruana Bruner 2009). In a study conducted on video game usage and content this genre of games was found to encourage an increasing amount of antisocial values of a violent nature (Tompkins 2003). Section Three: How do video games have an impact on society? Adolescents and children are the group of people which are mostly engrossed to video games in society. The vulnerability of these groups especially children is prominent, as they are at such crucial stages in their development that they are highly influenced by their environment. For this reason some concerns have arisen as to why video games have become very influential story-tellers for this generation of children and youth (McCain J 2000).This may be a result of the technological advances which have exposed new generations to more graphic games which emphasize violence. With regards to this argument there are two very opposite sides, the first being put by the gaming industry who argue that gaming is secure entertainment with no link to violence and the others being the psychologists and researchers who argue that violent media promotes aggression (Tompkins 2003). Research dedicated to this issue is enormous, with many scientific studies concluding that significant exposure to violent video games increases the risk of aggressive behavior in certain children. From this exposure children become desensitized to violence making them believe that the world is a meaner and scarier place than it is (Tompkins 2003). Unfortunately, these thoughts are often said to be difficult to change later on in life. Therefore children begin to think that violence is normal behavior as depicted in the games. The idea of violence in video games can be similar to that of domestic violence, where children who are exposed to violence either become offenders or victims as they believe that what they observe is the norm (Tompkins 2003). The development of these thoughts in gamers could potentially lead to gamers becoming more violent and aggressive over time. Much of the research found on video games, like Dr Andersons, a leading researcher in the field of gaming reveals unequivocal evidence that game violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both immediate and long-term contexts (Anderson et al. 2003). The studies conducted found that the short-term exposure increases the likelihood of physically and verbally aggressive behavior, thoughts and emotions immediately after playing the game. While large-scale longitudinal studies provided converging evidence linking frequent exposure to violent video games during childhood leads to aggression later in life, including physical assaults and spouse abuse (Anderson et al 2003). Other researchers illustrate a comprehensive correlation between playing of M-rated games and bullying in schools. The gamers who played M-rated games, commonly adolescents, were found to be more likely to be reported for bullying other members in the school community (Thomas 2008). Sadly thes e negative outcomes are real as they are affecting our childrens behavior in schools, therefore creating more violent and troublesome youth within the wider community. The aspect of video games that is of most interest for this investigation is the content due to the fact that the violent content exposed to users can potentially be a factor which leads to aggressive outcomes (Gentile, Lynch, Linder Walsh 2004). Although current researchers conclude violent affects, Dr Anderson himself describes the relationship between games and aggressive behavior as similar to that between smoking and cancer. This comparison illustrates the idea that exposure to violence in video games may not always necessarily lead to aggressive outcomes; likewise smokers do not always develop cancer. Nevertheless, the chances of video games causing violent behavior in adolescents are increased dramatically (Hian Hou 2009). The negative effects of violent video games are evident in a recent study which involved adolescents playing two different games for 30 minutes. The researchers divided a group of 44 adolescents into two groups and randomly assigned the children to play one of the two games; the first being the high-octane Need for Speed: Underground, and the other the ultra-violent first-person shooter Medal of Honor: Frontline. Following the gaming session the children were given MRIs (Magnetic resonance imaging) of their brains. The scans revealed that the adolescents who played Medal of Honor, as a result of the exposure to violent and destructive scenes, showed an increase in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition and attention(Kalning 2006). Unsurprisingly that same effect was not present in the children who played Need for Speed. For many gamers the exposure to violent video games increases their violent behavior; the cumulative effect of the exposure to these realistic and disturbing graphics is that it is creating a more violent society. Many modern time games now have been designed to demonstrate stereotypical characters. For example regarding gender, the portrayal of men has caused many adolescents to learn from these violent games, but unfortunately they are getting the wrong messages across. The men which are often portrayed as large and aggressive characters have resulted in gamers using violence as a means to solve conflict and problems with negotiation and non-violent solutions being totally disregarded. The concept of the gamers solving issues themselves in a similar manner through the practice of violence and aggression in order to be a man becomes apparent in gamers, ultimately resulting in some gamers imitating scenes from games in real-life situations (Haymes 2009). The impact of violence in video games has ignited debate in recent times, due to the rise of video games as a modern phenomenon. Psychology lecturer Caleb Owens, an obsessive gamer himself who spends lots time at a console, was so disturbed by scenes from the game Modern Warfare 2 where a player could at an airport assume the role of a terrorist in a Mumbai-style massacre (Dikeos 2010), that he complained to the Classification Review Board. The response from the games publishers was that this is to help gamers understand terrorism from the other side(Dikeos 2010). Supporting this response is Laura Parker, who is a devoted gamer and an online journalist for a gaming website, saying that a lot of people take these violent scenes out of context and say that the whole game is made up of these elements and thats often not the case at all (Dikeos 2010). Even so, frequent scenes which depict blood and murder have caused greater concern, as it could potentially encourage gamers to imitate vi olence in real-life situations. Despite the negative associations, some experts have come to other conclusions, strongly arguing that video games have no link to violence. In recent times Modern Warfare 2 has been criticized for its violent content but it is not going to cause a change in adult behavior (Barnett 2009) says Professor Mark Griffiths. The professor explained that there is no definitive proof or research to show that violent video games make adults behave any more violently (Barnett, 2009), adding that younger gamers, typically under the age of eight tend to be more influenced by games and what they see on screen. They usually try and mimic what they have watched on the big screen. However adults, which this game is certified for, have already formed their cognitive sensibilities and will not usually start acting differently because of a video game (Barnett 2009). Although these justifications sound reasonable they overlook the ease with which children can access violent and adult rated games. Currentl y video games cannot be certified to a specific group of people because the chances of a child obtaining a MA18+ rated game have increased due to the feeble enforcement of censorship regulations enforced in many countries. Section Four: Factors which lead to aggression, violence and anti-social behavior. The most worrying issue is that most violent games are landing in the hands of millions of children, despite ratings attempting to restrict prohibited access. For this reason inappropriate games have become implicated in a string of recent school shootings and murders which has raised concerns to new heights (McCain J 2000). Modern games are designed to be entertaining and challenging. The reality is that manufacturers are shamelessly exploiting children for revenue. Currently 89% of video games released contain some violent content. For this reason when consumers specifically children, who are highly influenced by what they see on the big screen, expose themselves to violence they begin to incorporate aggressive concepts and behaviors into their typical behavioral repertoire (Anderson, Gentile Buckle 2007). Despite these unethical practices by manufacturers being scrutinized, many retailers still insist on advertising games where it is better to kill people, attack police and drive dangerously. Although video games exposure is correlated to many negative outcomes, some research suggests that video game exposure independent of content is related to improvements in certain types of cognition and learning. These benefits are real but are limited, as the majority of games played tend to incorporate an increasing amount of violence and inappropriate content (Barlett, Anderson and Swing 2008). Despite some research in support of positive outcomes, the negative outcomes of video games are more evident. As research, in this case a meta-analysis by Anderson and Bushman (2001) found that across 54 independent tests of the relation between video games and violence, involving 4262 participants, there appeared to be five consistent results from playing games with violent content. Playing violent games tend to increase aggressive behaviors, awareness, emotions, and physiological arousal and decrease pro-social behaviors. These effects are noticeable and have been found in children and ad olescents, in males and females and in experimental and non-experimental studies. Therefore it can be considered as concrete evidence supporting the negative effects of video games on gamers. Further research by Anderson suggests that exposure to violent video games may increase angry and hostile feelings while interacting with peers, teachers and adults which leads users to demonstrating fierce behavior (Anderson et al. 2004). Perhaps the best example of violent video game influence over adolescents is the case of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. The two video game fanatics opened fire in their Colorado High School in 1999, killing 13 people. Experts made a convincing link between the murder and the continuous playing of video games with reports revealing that Harris and Klebold spent long hours playing video games like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Mortal Kombat. The two murderers enjoyed playing various violent games, which effectively played a focal role in their violent acts. Eric Harris had actually modified a version of the game Doom and placed it on his website.   In his version there were two shooters, extra weapons and other characters in the game that couldnt shoot back. Harris and Klebold essentially acted-out their version of Doom on innocent classmates demonstrating how violent content in games played could have a pronounced influence on the users behavior and actions (Holmes 2005). The dramat ic rise in violent shootings by adolescents many of which have been linked to playing violent video games supports the argument that video game violence transforms into real-world situations (Layton 2007). Another murder which was linked to video games was that of a 14-year-old British boy by an older friend. The court heard that Warren Leblanc, the convicted murderer had struck Stefan Pakeerah over the head with a claw hammer from behind. The spark behind the prolonged assault was found to be the horrific images observed on the computer while playing a violent video game, as Stefans parents proclaimed that Leblanc had mimicked a game called Manhunt, in which the players score points for violent killings. The parents of Warren themselves claimed that their son was obsessed with the game, as a result guiding him to rehearse violent scenes of this game in real life in an exceptionally disturbing manner (Video game sparked hammer murder 2004). The ethical question arising from these cases is that if these violent video games are having such a pronounced influence on gamers causing them to commit crimes in such a cruel manner, should they really be developed and sold in the first place. Moral concerns also arise with recent studies suggesting that adolescents playing such games have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality, therefore guiding them to perform acts played on consoles in real life. (Video game sparked hammer murder 2004). For many the line between reality and fantasy is lost through their addiction. In some fantasy games like Second Life players are able to live their fantasy life in a virtual world, to the point where the virtual world overrules their daily life. Even though these types of role playing games do not necessarily encourage aggressive or violent behavior, nevertheless they still contribute to the possibility of a gamer engaging in anti-social behavior as they create an alias where people can live technologically, contrary to their usual social life. The addictive nature of video games can lead to gamers developing anti- social behavior. This addiction is so problematic that such games have affected non-adolescents day-to-day activities. An example of an addictive game is the popular online game The World of Warcraft which has over 10 million online users. Due to the extended hours spent playing these game extreme cases have occurred as excessive exposure to this online game has resulted in some mature aged gamers getting divorced, fired from their jobs, and in a rare case, someone dying as a result of the lack of sleep or proper nutrition (Do Video Games Cause Aggression and Death The Truth About Video Game Effects 2010). Often gamers can connect with multi-players around the world through the click of a button, without even meeting them or knowing who they are. The availability and easy access to the internet directly from the console eliminates the need for users to go out and socialize as these technological communications are in effect replacing social interactions for gamers; thus leading to isolation and the development of anti-social behavior over time. On the other hand, a report by Greg Thom suggests that fun games which encourage teamwork and friendship can lay the groundwork for positive interaction between children, leading to better behavior and academic results (Thom 2009). Although these findings exemplify positive outcomes, they are limited as such results only apply to gamers who play non-violent and G-rated games. At present the number of fun games has diminished as the growing culture within the gaming world demands more violent and adventure orientated games. For this reason the negative associations allied to video games are more apparent with an increasing number of gamers spending hours playing violent and role playing games, isolating themselves from the rest of the world. The exposure to long hours over time allows for basic social functions to be forgotten leading to players hesitating when handling social activities. Other impacts are loneliness, aggressiveness and disregard for rules and regulations. An initial addiction to video games which may not be considered severe can easily turn into a psychological anti-social disorder (Anti-Social Behaviour n.d.) 5. Section Five: Overview of ratings and censorship in Australia. The purpose of a rating system is to provide concise and impartial information about the content in video games so consumers, especially parents, can make informed purchase decisions (Game Ratings Descriptor Guide 2009). Nevertheless rating systems implemented in many countries including Australia are open to manipulation quite easily whether it is because of dishonest retailers or careless parents. Unfortunately games that are rated MA15+ or AO are potentially at risk of falling into childrens hands. With pirated media rampant in society a game that is banned in your country could be downloaded to a destination where it has not been released, again limiting the effectiveness of current rating systems. The main reason that games are banned is because they promote anti-social behavior and expose users to high levels of violence, sex and drug use. An example of a game banned in Australia for its explicit adult content is Phantasmagoria, which goes so far as to have a rape scene in it. Without censorship, games like these which are highly inappropriate could easily be found in childrens video games consoles. However while it is possible to control the content of what hits the shelf, it is what happens once they have been bought that remains the issue. Another game is Left 4 Dead 2 a first person shooter game which was refused classification because of its frequent and intense portrayal of violence and graphic depictions of blood and gore. The disturbing scenery resulted in some politicians correlating between the people playing such violent video games and the increase in criminal activity (MacDonald, 2009). Of the thirty three games that have been banned in Australia fourteen of them contained images that were deemed inappropriate for users and considering that the average age of a video gamer in Australia is 30 years old, that is indicative of just how explicit the content is (List of banned video games 2009). There are already issues in todays society with children being exposed to images/cultures which are inappropriate and the addition of unsuitable video games can add to the increasing problem of media influence on children and adolescents. The unfortunate failure of these ratings is that some parents are not aware retailers are selling inappropriate games to their children, who, by law are not permitted to purchase them. Even though this is the case parents should be encouraged to monitor and be more attentive to their children while playing video games by restricting their time in front of the television and computer (Tompkins 2003). Governments should strive to insure that all parents are fully aware of the rating system and the way it works. To promote awareness a campaign should be launched across all media regarding the negative implications of the exposure to inappropriate video games on their children. With the support of a rating system to try and minimize the amount of inappropriate content, parents should make an effort to become more involved in their childrens lives before it is too late (Tompkins 2003). Effectively if the parents take more responsibility by endeavoring to cooperate with their governments i n an attempt to limit the amount of violent and inappropriate content displayed to their children then the potential impact of video games on society could be lessened. Section Six: Conclusion The impact of video games is apparent as it is affecting thousands of people around the world daily. From Street Fighter to FIFA 09 these games are impacting the gamers in society psychologically and physiologically. Many gamers have become attached to the life and person they believe they have become through virtual worlds experienced in games. These worlds have caused gamers who otherwise would not be living their ideal life in reality to get caught up in the fantasy and unrealistic expectations of video games. The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of video gaming on society to determine whether it leads to aggressive, violent, anti-social behavior. The essay demonstrated how video games have a pronounced influence on adolescents in society, with violent behavior becoming more prevalent amongst adolescent, gamers begin to act like the characters they seek to control in games. Video game impact on society is evident, as the exposure to video game violence was found to be a significant risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior (Tompkins 2003). Unfortunately, games which contain violent content are reaching our childrens hands, therefore encouraging them to act aggressively and anti-socially. One question which we should ask is Who should be held responsible for the increase of video game exposure in society? Are the gaming companies to blame for releasing highly graphic and violent games d, the irresponsible parents who allow their children to spend long hours playing inappropriate games or simply the young people who choose to play the games? Consequently, other possible issues attached to this effect can be examined; for example more stringent regulations or laws to implement impose accountability for the retailers. Therefore the focus for further research should be based on these questions that are emerging to possibly come to a conclusion about how to finally address this issue. Currently there is no definitive solution to the issue of gaming and the effect that it has on the users behaviors. Nevertheless, there are some recommendations to a possible solution; these include the need for more governments to impose stricter rating systems, parents becoming more aware and responsible for their childrens game play and also gamers themselves becoming more mindful of separating the gaming world from the real world. 7. Section Seven: References and Bibliography Reference list: Online books: Anderson, C, Gentile, D Buckle, K 2007, Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: theory, research, and public policy, Oxford University Press Inc., New York. Garrelts, N 2006, The meaning and culture of Grand theft auto: critical essaysHYPERLINK http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Woct9TuzNNoCpg=PP1dq=The+meaning+and+culture+of+Grand+theft+auto:+critical+essays++By+Nate+Garreltscd=1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½, McFarland and Company Inc, North Carolina. Online journals/articles: Anderson, C.A. Bushman, B.J (2001). Effects of violent games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 12 , pp. 353-359, retrieved on 2 May 2009. Anderson, C. A., Carnagey, N., Flanagan, M., Benjamin, A.J., Eubanks, J., Valentine, J. C. (2004). Violent Video Games: Specific Effects of Violent Content on Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 36, p. 199-249, retrieved on 23 April 2009. Anderson et al., (2003), The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(3), p.81-110, retrieved on 10 September 2009. Barlett, C. P, Anderson C.A, Swing, E.L (2008). Video Game Effects- Confirmed, Suspected, and Speculative: A Review of the evidence, Simulation Gaming, vol. 40, pp. 337, retrieved on 25 August 2009. Gentile, D.A, Lynch, P.J, Linder, R.H Walsh, D.A (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance, Journal of Adolescence, vol. 27, pp. 5-22, retrieved on 11 November 2009. McCain, J. (2000), The impact of interactive violence on children. Committee on commerce science, and transportation United State Senate, retrieved on 20 July 2010. Tompkins, A. (2003), The Psychological Effects of Violent Media on Children. AllPsych Journal, retrieved on 15 June 2010. Websites: Anti-Social Behaviour (n.d), A social, psychological and economic study of the positive and negative impact the internet has on children and families, viewed 27 June 2009, http://people.hamilton.edu/bhouse/DoWeEncourage/DoWeEncourage5.html Barnett, E 2009, Modern Warfare 2: No link between video games and adult violence, Telegraph, viewed March 20 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/6536966/Modern-Warfare-2-No-link-between-video-games-and-adult-violence.html Caruana, V, Caruana, C Bruner O 2009, Types of Video Games, Focus on the Family, viewed 28 June 2009, http://www.focusonthefamily.com/entertainment/mediawise/parents_guide_to_video_games/types_of_video_games.aspx Dikeos, T 2010, Emotive debate over R rating for video games, ABC, viewed 20 March 2010, http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2848891.htm Do Video Games Cause Aggression and Death The Truth About Video Game Effects (2010). Update Reality: Self Improvement, viewed 15 Ju

Planning, Organising, Learning and Controlling Essay

Stahl is a global market leader in chemicals for the leather industry. Today, Stahl operates 8 manufacturing sites and 30 strategically located technical service laboratories around the globe including here in Singapore (www.stahl.com). The role I posses is hybrid in nature where I am not only accountable for sales targets of certain South East Asia countries but also oversee the development of higher quality and more economical products to our current product range. As a Technical Advisor in Stahl, I am considered to be a Front-Line Manager (Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Sharma, Scott-Laden, 2011, p. 13). The problems we faced are that our customers are complaining that our prices are too expensive as they are able to source for cheaper and yet, better products from our competitors. Basing on my customer interactions and company reports (Stahl Asia SEA Analytical & Market Report 2012, p.15-36); we have lost as much as 20% of our business to our competitors over the last 12 months. We had to change something to how we manage our business, to be competitive and still maintain our position and profit. Bartol et al (2011, p. 72) has explained, like any other company in the world, Stahl is surrounded by 2 external environments. They are the General or Mega-Environment where many companies have limitations in changing or altering it directly. As Davidson, Simon, Woods, Griffin (2009, p.150) points out, the impact of the environment are often vague, imprecise and long term. Thus many organisations majorly tend to focus on the Task or Specific Environment where managers can identify the environmental factor of interest to their company and influence it to their advantage. Stahl has mainly the Competitor, Customer or Supplier to contend within our specific environment but Supplier was chosen, as this was the main element that was causing our market share to be lost. This essay will explore how the Supplier has impacted the way I Plan, Organise, Lead and Control within my organisation. Both Bartol et al (2011, p. 77) and Davidson et al (2009, p. 152) have defined that suppliers are companies or organisations that provide resources such as raw materials, products or services for their day-to-day operations. This element specifically impacts my organisation because we were having too many suppliers that gave huge variances in quality in the raw materials acquired. Sudden surges in production also meant that costs went up due to expensive airfreight charges to facilitate our production. This often meant that part of the costs was often passed on to the customer who is already unhappy about paying more for our expensive product. Something had to change. Even though I am not involved with higher management and their strategies, it was through the company meeting reports (Stahl Asia Review & Actions 2013) and interaction with my immediate manager that I understand we have reduced from 10 to 2 suppliers. This streamline is vital as they can commit to the price we want as we are able to buy in bulk on a regular basis. The quality supplied can be assured as our raw material comes from a reliable source. Furthermore, our supplier is willing to keep a certain amount of raw material in their warehouse should our production decides to surge, at no extra costs. With all this planning in action, this allows us to price our products competitively without harming our profit margin. This in turn in the long run it will enable us to not only regain back our market share but also expand it. The supplier’s element has impacted my job from a Planning, Organising, Leading and Controlling perspective in the following ways. Planning as pointed out by Davidson et al (2009, p. 13) is the setting of the company’s goals and deciding the best way to achieve them. Being a First-Line Manager (Bartol et al, 2011, p. 13) meant that I am not involved with the higher planning of strategies but was advised on it through my immediate manager. It meant that I had to understand the goals of the company which was to develop new products using the raw materials from our 2 suppliers. Organising according to Campling et al (2008, p. 20) is the importance of assigning tasks, resource allocation and the arranging coordinated individuals and groups to execute plan laid out by the management. My manager has assigned the Quality Control (QC) and the Reseach & Development (R&D) teams to support me in achieving our goal of producing a new product with our supplier. Davidson et al (2009, p. 6) mentions that Leading is a management function that motivates & influences others through means of communication and managing groups of people. The daily work interaction with the QC and R&D teams allows me to exercise another set of management skills known as Human Skills (Bartol et al 2011, p.12) that enables me to motivate my team to the required levels of change. With this it also meant I inherently took up the role as what Mintzberg (1980) defines as a leader. Bartol et al (2011, p. 6) explains that managers must take initiative to set and compare standards and if necessary, take corrective action. Thus in Controlling, Davidson et al (2009, p. 14) states that it’s the final management process whereby the company monitors its progress towards its goals. Even though my developed product maybe finalized and have met the standards set by us. I still had to have the product tested by my customer in order to ascertain if it’s acceptable for them. In conclusion, by understanding the problems we faced in losing our business, my company reacted by changing one of the Specific Environments that has the most effect to us, the Supplier. It was the one that we could best change and improve our situation. Hence this change has led me to Plan, Organise, Lead and Control within my organization and as I was a First-Line Manager, I found myself leading most of the times to achieve our company goals.

Communication Climate In the Film “On Golden Pond”

Climate in movies can be developed in a variety of ways, depending on the theme, characters, and genre. The movie On Golden Pond has an award winning cast. Two of the actors are father and daughter in real life, Henry and Jane Fonda. The task of creating a communication climate is centered on an important contemporary theme: the challenges of aging, bonds between male and female, man and child. These topics are all issues that theatre-goers can relate to. The communication climate, thus, becomes a central element story development and creating pace while keeping the viewer’s interest peaked. The film opens with breath-taking view of New England landscape, panning in and out of the quiet, peaceful lake. This reinforces the emotional attitude of the film from the beginning. Enter crotchety old Norman Thayer and soft-spoken, yet affirming wife, Ethel. The film-maker, well-aware of the highly publicized problems revolving around Henry Fonda and his son and daughter, uses this to add impact to the film’s emotional sentiment. Norman and Ethel arrive to their remote vacation home without anyone in sight. Ethel’s hands are full and she cannot open the door. She needs Norman’s help and knocks on the door. â€Å"Someone’s at the door,† says Norman, not even looking up from his book. â€Å"It’s me you old poop,† Ethel says. This brief dialogue speaks volumes about who is the enabler in this marriage. Norman’s age and life-long frustrations are clouding his memory and his ability to keep up with life. Norman expresses his concerns over death in subtle ways. He vents his frustration on loved ones by being irritable, short-tempered, and using quick-witted sarcasm. It’s obvious that sarcasm has been a life-long sentiment in the Thayer household. The sarcasm between Norman and his daughter Chelsea has built walls that have silenced their ability to express true feelings for one another. Thus, Norman uses discomforting messages for the majority of the film. Here’s an example of Norman’s sarcasm regarding his daughter’s new love. â€Å"She’s fallen in love with a dentist,† says Ethel, full of compassion. â€Å"Good God! They’ll be staring at our teeth all the time,† is Norman’s response. The humor of the scene makes its mark while viewers are led to question Norman’s love and respect for his daughter. Does he, on a subconscious level, regret his lifetime of treating Chelsea unfairly? The film, unfortunately, treats the stereotypical grumpy old man with simplicity, never reaching into the heart of the matter. In fact, the only recognition between Chelsea and Norman comes in the closing scene of the film where they embrace as Chelsea says, Goodbye Norman†¦er dad. † This verbal message does hold impact but the true reconciliation between father and daughter remains unknown. Ethel, in contrast to Norman’s character, uses confirming messages entirely through the film. Her deep love for Norman is shown by her willingness and unconditional acceptance of Norman’s less than joyous persona. Norman creates more humor in a scene that normally would lead people to show a little respect; for, an elderly woman who also lived on Golden Pond died recently. Norman doesn’t even bat an eye as he informs the mailman of this news and says, â€Å"one of the lesbians expired. † More disconfirming messages by Norman. The film maker shows Norman with his guard down in a scene where he gets lost hunting for strawberries near the house. He runs back until he bumps into their property. Norman waits for the mailman to leave before stating his angst to Ethel. It is one of the rare times, maybe the only time, that Norman uses confirming messages. â€Å"(I had to) Come running back to see your pretty face. I could feel safe. I was still me. † â€Å"You’re my knight in shining armor. † Ethel responds as she held his face gently in her hands. â€Å"You're gonna get back up on that horse and I’ll be right behind you. And away we’re gonna go, go, go. † Ethel, once again, uses her confirming voice to heal. Billy Ray Jr. upon meeting Norman shows respect. It’s Norman’s 80th birthday celebration. Billy Ray Jr. tries to make a connection. â€Å"I just had a birthday two weeks ago. † Norman says, â€Å"Hmm. We’re practically twins. † Billy Ray Sr. also shows respect for Norman, using confirming messages. â€Å"Love your house,† says Billy Ray Sr. â€Å"Thank you. It’s not for sale,† retorts Norman. Their dialogue continues as Norman uses more disconfirming messages and Billy Ray Sr. uses confirming messages. â€Å"Norman? You mind if I call you Norman? † â€Å"I believe you just did,† says Norman coolly. In closing, communication is what creates the climate of the film. Dialogue and body language are what keep the story moving along at a jovial clip. It is a wonderful film with a message about how challenging life can be for individuals when communication has little honesty. When people put up fronts and refuse to share their feelings, it leads to disjointed relationships and people wind up feeling hurt. This pain can cause further distress on a person’s life. The only solution is to share feelings and believe in the power that results when a cohesive family bond develops.