Thursday, October 31, 2019

Comparing the 1962 Version of The Manchurian Candidate with the 2004 Essay

Comparing the 1962 Version of The Manchurian Candidate with the 2004 version - Essay Example The movie-making industry is inseparable from the political and historical conditions, in which it operates. Even fantastic movies and horrors cannot escape the dramatic influence of historical and political realities. The Manchurian Candidate was first created in 1962. Featuring Frank Sinatra, the movie was a compound product of multiple historical, social, and technical influences. The fear of Communism, the rapid spread of McCarthyism, and the Cold War altogether contributed to the development of a sophisticated vision of war, which, taking place thousands of miles from the American continent, profoundly alters the American political landscape. On the social background, an evolutionary nature of a social role a woman plays in the society is evident. At first, in the version of 1962 year, the main character was a manipulative woman, but there was no essential political influence of this heroine. In the version of 2004 year, this character becomes a Senator. Therefore, it is clearly seen that social factor has contributed greatly to the social accents set in the new version of the film. Moreover, there is a lack of sensual transfer of intimate relations between the main characters. Thus, for example, Lansbury’s character kissing Shaw inspires the audience and creates a romantic atmosphere. In the modern version there is no such kind of a romantic aura between the characters. Political Differences-The concept of â€Å"fear† is integrative for both films. Two great powerful machines that are consuming contemporaries are presented with the same powerful manner: in the first version of the film there is an atmosphere of fear in the face of communism and in the second film the characters are afraid of being absorbed by a powerful corporate machine. Therefore, it is evident that historical events and periods of films’ creation influenced the main conceptual framework of both film versions. The influential and powerful factor of fear in the face of communism (in 1962 version) was substituted by another fear factor in the version of 2004. Another political factor that is rather controversial in the modern version is the way assassination is represented. A great emphasis is made on a â€Å"programmed nature† of assassinator’s mind. At this point we can see an intricate interconnection between political and technological factors. This i nterpretation of assassination is justified in the modern version as it is strongly backed up by the modern technological developments. Moreover, another explanation is provided. The matter of natural/unnatural changes of human behavior is explained in terms of technological advancements or as a result of mental disorders. This director’s intention can be interpreted in the following way: whether modern technologies are able to re-program human mind or not, the latter would be either way perverted by his own psycho. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) is probably one of the brightest and memorable products of the American moviemaking industry. Featuring Frank Sinatra, The Manchurian Candidate is a movie, where â€Å"the stepson of a presidential candidate turns out to have been a prisoner of war who underwent interrogation at the hands of Chinese communists† (Delgado 23). The soldier is brainwashed and programmed to assassin a Presidential Candidate.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Human Trafficking Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Trafficking Case Study - Research Paper Example Men are also very susceptible for trafficking. They are mainly trafficked by worldwide criminal organizations. There are several cases in which human trafficking takes place. Some of the cases are whereby people are convinced into going to other countries with the promise of getting better jobs and comfortable lives. Mostly, it always turns out to be untrue. This context discusses hundreds of workers from Thailand being promised high wages by the California based company named Global Horizons Inc and instead paying them little to nothing while treating them like scum, taking their passports on arrival and threatening deportation (Bureau of National Affairs, 2007). Human trafficking is one of the most dangerous forms of discrimination. Thailand experiences major challenges as a source, passage and destination country on human trafficking mainly women and children. The tendency of trafficking for enforced labor is rising in level in the agricultural, construction and fishing organizati ons. Human trafficking is a modern correspondent of slavery (Crawford, 2009). Opposing their will, thousands of people around the globe are enforced to work for the benefit of other people. For instance by becoming beggars, prostitutes, working in sweatshops, unintentional servitude or even turning into child soldiers. People that are trafficked are usually enslaved or in circumstances of debt oppression that are deceitful and oppressive. Traffickers will carry away or mistreat the fundamental human rights of their victims, who most possibly have been tricked and enticed by fake promises or physically enforced into their circumstances. Trafficking is a regular practice to convince people to leave their homes and move to neighboring countries that are wealthier where they can work in services like domestic services, adult care or waiter and waitresses in restaurants. Upon advent, their passports, visa, and return permits are taken away from them, efficiently; these people are impriso ned, either bodily or financially or psychologically. The trafficked people are made to labor as household slaves or as agricultural or industrial unit workers, in slave-like circumstances. The trafficked people virtually do not see their money that they earn, and finally they are sold. Because every person wants to have a good life, people get easily lured when being promised a good life, which in turn never comes to be true and instead they turn out to be slaves when they are taken to the foreign countries. Once passports and other legal documents are taken from these people, they become helpless since they are threatened in several ways. There are various causes for human trafficking. People around the world, benefit in satisfaction and in price of mistreating others. Poverty and worldwide inequalities in the rule of law are situations in which human trafficking, like HIV/AIDS and other killers of the underprivileged, thrives. In regions of the world that are poorer where learnin g and employment chances are inadequate, are the most susceptible in society. Runways, immigrant, or people who are displaced are the most frequent sufferers of human trafficking. People who are looking for chances and access to other countries may possibly be taken by traffickers and deceived into believing that they will be liberated subsequent to being smuggled across the boundary. Global Horizons Inc is farm labor contractor which is Beverly Hills California based. Global Horizons is challenged to have engaged in a pattern or performance of

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Why do people play computer games

Why do people play computer games Video and computer games, like many popular, entertaining and addicting kid activities are looked down upon by many parents as time-wasters, and worse, parents think that these games rot the brain. Also, the media and some experts readily blame violent video games as the reason why some youth become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games actually have many benefits. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skill that they will need in the future. Video games give your childs brain real workout. In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. These skills are not even taught at the school. Some of the mental skills trained by video games include hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skill. In shooting games, the character may be running and shooting at the same time. This requires the real-world player to keep track of the position of the character, where he/she is heading, their speed, where the gun is aiming, if the gunfire is hitting the enemy, and so on. All these factors need to be taken into account, and then the player must then coordinate the brains interpretation and reaction with the movement in their hands and fingertips. This process requires a great deal of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial ability to be successful. Researches also suggest that people can learn iconic, spatial, and visual attention skills from video games. There have been even studies with a dults showing that experience with video games is related to better surgical skills. Also, a reason given by the experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more skillful is that the generations pilots are being weaned on video games. Sometimes the player does this almost every second of the game giving the brain real workout. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons, according to the study. It can test your hypothesis and Inductive reasoning based to James Paul Gee, Professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he said that playing video games is similar to working through a science problem. Like students in a laboratory, gamers must come up with the hypothesis. For example, players in some games constantly try out combinations of weapons and powers to use to defeat an enemy. If one does not work, they change hypothesis and try the next one. Video games are goal-driven experiences, says Gee, which are fundamental to learning. Simulation, real world skills. The most well known simulations are flight simulators, which attempt to mimic the reality of flying a plane. All the controls, including airspeed, wing angles, altimeter, and so on, are displayed for the player, as well as a visual representation of the world, and are updated in real time. Video games introduce your kid to computer technology and the online world. You should recognize that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world. Video games make your kid adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. This is particularly important for girls who typically are not interested in high technology as much as boys. Video games allow you and your kid to play together and can be a good bonding activity. Some games are attractive to kids as well as adults, and they could be something that they share in common. When your child knows more than you, he can teach you how to play and this allows you to understand your childs skills and talents. Finally, and this is controversial, violent video games may act as a release of pent-up aggression and frustration of your kid. When your kid vents his frustration and anger in his game, this diffuses his stress. Games can provide a positive aggression outlet the same way as football and other violent sports. Video games also can teach important skills or address serious issues, Organizations such as Games for Change promote the use of games for education and social action, and often involve kids in the creation of games they can use to express themselves on important issues and current events. Some medical professionals, such as Doctor Kourosh Dini, also feel that age appropriate multi-player video games can allow children to learn how other people think. A key aspect of empathy. Games can also help a child become more comfortable with new and ever progressing technology. Recent studies have shown that video games can have a positive or negative effect on how players behave. Depending on the content. Pro social games can increase empathy, co-operation, helping and emotional awareness, while violent games can diminish these traits. Video games are not all violent, but most of them are, and many of them are pretty gruesome. It has been estimated that up to 89% of games contain some violent content. People are concerned that violent games might be causing young people to become violent and there is some evidence to support this. Studies have shown that violent games can increase physiological arousal, increase aggressiveness thoughts and emotions, increase aggressive behavior, and reduce helping behavior (where people become less likely to help other). These effects seem to be stronger in young people who already tend to be aggressive. It has been argued that more hostile or aggressive young people will be attracted to violent games, and that it is not the games causing the problem. However, even taking into account the persons hostility, it is clear that exposure to violent games causes increased aggressive behavior (as indicated by things like the degree to which they get into physical fights or argue with teachers). Desensitization to violence has been suggested as part of the problem. Desensitization is when someone gradually begins to feel that violence is normal. When games reward players for doing violent actions, it is easy to see how this could happen. For most teens, playing video games is just another recreational activity they enjoy with friends. The concern is when video game playing becomes an addictive or isolating activity. According to a Harris Interactive poll released in January of 2007, 23% of gamers surveyed reported that they felt addicted to video games. Some teens are heavy users of only role-playing games (RPGs) such as World of Warcraft and multiplayer games such as Call of Duty in which they interact with other players in real time. Students will often neglect schoolwork and other aspects of their daily lives when they become immersed in these games. While it remains unclear whether this can be termed an addiction, the American Medical Association has identified video game overuse as a behavior, and may include it in a future edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Children who are heavy users of video games may also be getting less exercise and develop poor eating habits. Make sure that your teen is getting outside and not snacking too much on unhealthy foods while gaming. If you are concerned about the amount of your time your teen is spending on video games, keep in mind that it is normal for young people to throw themselves enthusiastically into hobbies. Consider the effect your teens gaming is having on his or her life. People can become addicted to games. Young gamers have shown similar symptoms to people who have drug or alcohol dependence. An ability to stop playing, and withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, agitation) if they go without access to their gaming fix. Gamers also report that they play games to escape things like family or personal problems. In a similar way to people who use drugs or alcohol to escape their problems. There have been reports of adults that play so much they neglect their families. There are even support groups for family members of people with an addiction to one game in particular. Computer gaming is much maligned at times for the level of violence in some games and for the amount of time that is claims that could be put to more productive uses. Some advantages of gaming are that it has educational applications, increase visual processing of information and teaches problem solving skills. Violence in games has an unquestionable negative effect on players, making them more likely to be violent themselves, according to Craig Anderson of the American Psychological Association. He points out that experiments in the lab and in the field, and longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have all shown this to be true. The interactive nature of the games makes them more influential in teaching violence that more passive media like television or books. Time spent in front of the computer has increased fir kids 8 to 18, and media use now stands at an average of 7.5 hours per day, taking into account computers, televisions and other media, as reported in a study by the Kaiser Foundation. Much of the time is spent multitasking or combining TV and video games, for example. Half surveyed said they had a computer game console of their own on their room. In addition time spent reading has decreased. Games have educational uses, for example, teaching economic skills like negotiating and purchasing strategies, and are used in college level economics courses to do so. For example, many games allow players to accumulate points or money and then purchase things that will advance their interest in the game. These features simulate markets, and in fact can become commodities outside the game. Gaming teaches problem solving skills. Players are given a set of rules to follow and must figure out the best strategy for achieving the goals set in the gaming context. If the game has multiple players or teams, the problem solving is done in a social context, which teaches people to communicate and cooperate. Computer game addiction generally refers to an excessive, unhealthy amount of playing computer games. Rather than engaging in the real world, an addicted user devotes the majority of his or her time to gaming. The addicted gamer often isolate him/herself from others, ignores more important responsibilities, and is often obsessed with obtaining higher status/rankings/achievements in his/her favorite computer game. According to the DSM-IV (the current manual for classifying emotional, psychological, and mental disorders), No. Although there have been calls from some mental health professionals and parents to recognize computer game addiction as a real disorder, it has not been granted official diagnostic status. As more research on the effects of excessive gaming is conducted, many believe that it is only a matter of time before computer game addiction is classified as a compulsive behavior similar to gambling addiction. Because there is no official diagnosis of computer game addiction, there is obviously no universally agreed upon list of symptoms. Psychologists and other mental health professionals initially adapted the diagnostic criteria for gambling addiction and used this as a rough assessment tool for computer game addiction. This classification approach is rarely used today and for better or for worse, it is essentially up to the individual researcher or clinician to define the symptoms of computer addiction. Depending on the research methodology and the definition of computer addiction used, estimates range from 2 to 10% of all children who play video games. More accurate and consistent estimates should be possible if formal diagnostic criteria for computer game addiction are introduced. Because computer game addiction is a new development in the world of mental health, treatments are not as well established as those for depression, anxiety, anger, and etc. most interventions take a cognitive-behavioral approach, which involve changing how the addict thinks about the addiction (for example, recognizing cognitive distortions designed to convince the gamer that it is not a problem), and simultaneously changing his/her behaviors (for example, setting strict limits for play, taking care of other responsibilities before gaming, using game blocking software of devices, and etc.) treatment can take a variety of forms including: Individual therapy Individual therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating computer game addiction or who has experience with addictions in general. Treatment is tailored to the individual player and is based on established psychological principals and interventions. Family therapy Especially if the addicted player is a child or younger teen. Computer game addiction almost always affects other family members, and the chance for recovery is increased if these members are involved in treatment and are working together toward mutually agreed upon goals. Wilderness therapy Wilderness therapy in which the addicted gamer enters an outdoor treatment program focused on survival skills, team building, goal setting, and developing self-confidence. The programs typically last at least thirty days and the participants have absolutely no access to video games and limited access to other technologies. Although somewhat similar to the symptoms of computer game addiction, the negative consequences of excessive gaming are often divided into five main categories: Social Consequences As a computer game addict spends more time gaming, he/she tends to spend less time interacting with others in person. As such, he/she may lack face-to-face human contact, experience isolation and loneliness, and the loss of friends or relationships. Academic/Career Consequences Children and teens that are addicted to computer games very often experience falling grades and decreased academic performance and dedication. Completing homework, studying for tests, and efforts during school become very low priorities. Adults who are addicted to computer games may experience a similar deterioration in work performance, job dedication, and career aspirations. Financial Consequences Adults and teens may spend large amounts of money on new games, expansion pack, micro-transaction, service fees, and computer upgrades. In extreme cases, jobs may be lost due to poor work performance, playing while at work, and frequent absences. Family Consequences Computer game addiction often leads to deterioration in family relationships. Tension and conflict between family members escalates as requests to cut back or stop are ignored. The addicted player may initially deny that a problem exists, try to hide how much he/she plays, and accuse the other of trying to control his/her life. Parents of addicted children may disagree on how to address the problem. Which may lead to frequent arguments and conflicts. Health Consequences Computer game addicts may neglect personal hygiene, have poor sleep habits, give up healthy physical activities, and may make meal decisions based on quick and easy preparation so that gaming is not interrupted rather than dietary needs. Emotional/Psychological Consequences Those addicted to computer games may experience depressed mood, low self-esteem, social anxiety, low frustration tolerance, anger, and feelings of guilt and shame for not being able to control their gaming habits. Of note, it seems likely that difficulties in other areas can cause and be caused by computer game addiction. Is computer game addiction different from video game addiction, online addiction, and Internet Addiction? Yes, because computer game addiction refers to excessively playing games on a PC. Most often these games are of the MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) or the FPS (First Person Shooter) genre. Competing online with and against other players is a significant factor in what makes these particular genres more addictive than others. Video game addiction refers to excessive play on computer, home consoles, or handheld system. The terms Internet addiction and online addiction are occasionally used to describe computer game addiction, but more appropriately describe excessive web surfing, email checking, instant messaging, Facebook use, or downloading movies, images, or music Do you think it is okay to play computer games? Yes, most people can and do play computer games but in moderation. They play games for casual entertainment, as a way to relax, and to socialize with friends. However, there are those who are far more likely to become addicted to computer games. For these people, certain games (very often Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)) appear to present a high risk for addiction and may need to be avoided or banned in order to prevent unhealthy gaming habits.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Artemis :: essays research papers

Artemis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Artemis was born of Leto and Zeus, on the island of Delos, later helping with the delivery of her twin brother, Apollo. Some sources state that her actual birthplace is not Delos, but an island called Ortygia. Although the two islands could be one and the same, it is not clear. In helping with the birth of her brother Artemis fulfilled her role as a goddess of childbirth (which she shares with Eileithyia and Hera). She is the goddess of chastity, the hunt and the moon, too. But I'll get more into those later.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Artemis was closely linked with her brother. For example, sudden death, particularly of the young, was often attributed to them (Artemis killing the girls and Apollo the boys). In fact, a rather famous legend involves both Artemis and Apollo. The story is told at length by the poet Ovid, in his Metamorphoses. The women of Thebes gave Leto great honor, often offering generous gifts and hymns to her which upset Niobe. After all, She had seven daughters and seven sons, whereas Leto merely had the twins. Besides, she was rich and beautiful, and the queen of Thebes. So Niobe claimed that she deserved the attention and honor more then Leto. Upon hearing this Leto was infuriated. She couldn't believe such blatant hubris, and complained to her two children. To avenge their insulted mother, Apollo and Artemis went to the palace of Thebes and with their unerring shafts, they shot down all 14 of Niobe's children (Artemis the girls and Apollo the boys). Niobe was turned to st one and placed atop a mountain. It is said that tears continue to trickle down her marble face, with the grief of her dead children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the goddess of chastity, Artemis is modest, pure, and virginal. One famous story depicting her chaste nature is the story of Actaeon, also told in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Actaeon was a passionate hunter. Out on his hunt, one day, he found himself lost, and stumbled upon Artemis bathing with her nymphs in a stream in the forest. Without her arrows at hand, she flung water over the surprised Actaeon. To ensure that he could never tell of seeing the modest goddess nude, she turned him into a stag. He fled but was hunted and killed by his own hunting hounds. Though severe, Artemis protected her virginal nature (even if it may have been an accident to begin with).

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Hrm598 Case Study 2

HRM 598 Case Study: Getting and Using Compensation Information â€Å"Compensation is a systematic approach to providing monetary value to employees in exchange for work performed. Compensation may achieve several purposes assisting in recruitment, job performance, and job satisfaction. Compensation is a tool used by management for a variety of purposes to further the existence of the company. Compensation may be adjusted according to the business needs, goals, and available resources. The three careers I chose for this case study are Public Relations Specialist, High School Teacher, and Project Coordinator. The reason for me choosing these specific careers was that I’ve held each one at some point in time. In this case study we will examine why each job has different salary ranges and why. Question #1 Doing this research I’ve come to find that out of the three jobs that I selected, a project coordinator is paid the most on average. The project coordinator is paid $89,5 09 a year on average.I was shocked to find out that out of the three careers chosen, that a public relations specialist is paid the least of all three. The public relations specialist on average is paid $45,931 a year. I expected that the project coordinator position would be the highest paid out of the three, however I did not expect for the teacher to be paid more ($53,447 a year on average) than the public relations specialist. I expected the teacher to be paid the least of all three. Usually teachers are thought to be paid the least when comparison to other professions.Some factors that could play a part in the difference could be number of days worked (teachers usually have a 9 month work year), levels of responsibility the job carries (project coordinators are generally in charge of seeing an operation through from beginning to end) whether or not the company is private or state funded (teachers are usually employees of the state, less money is involved) are some factors that could possibly be the differences in pay just to name a few. Question 2 Different jobs come with different benefit packages, and that’s just how the cookie crumbles.Project coordinators on average make $7,217 on average a year in bonuses. The project coordinators have the highest bonuses out of three companies selected. Next out of the three is public relations specialist. The public relation specialists on average make $532 in bonuses a year. Lastly we have the teachers. Teachers make $0 in bonuses a year on average. Teachers may have the most important job in the public eye, but in terms of bonuses there is no merit to issue bonuses. Teachers are expected to show up and teach the students so that they will do well on the state test.The project coordinator on the other hand makes a nice little penny when it comes to bonuses. Project coordinators have a lot of tasks to accomplish with a short period of time to do so. When deadlines are met or beat certain bonuses may be award ed. Bonuses in this field are performance based. When dealing with public relations specialist it’s tricky to talk about bonuses. Some factors that effect bonuses in this field are, is the company private owned or are you working for a person, what field you are doing PR in just to name a few. Depending on what pay scale the company has in place could affect how bonuses are set up as well.Question#3 Stock options are benefits in the form of an option given by a company to an employee to buy stock in the company at a discount or at a stated fixed price. With the data that was present for these three careers, there was no stock option information available. To me the Teacher is the only professions out of the three that I think aren’t allowed stock options. There are no stocks in public schools, so you can’t earn something that doesn’t exist. Project coordinator and public relations specialist are entitled to stock options.The determining factors to whether or not stock options are made available lye solely with company. If the company offers stock options, the people who are in the public relations specialist and project coordinator positions are eligible, it just depends on the company. Teachers can’t get them, because they are not offered in that public sector. Question4 After reading the job descriptions for the three careers I chose, I found the program coordinator and the public relations specialist descriptions were pretty much right on the money, however the teaching description was acking and left a lot to be desired. The description for the program coordinator was right on the money. It gives you an accurate run down on what’s expected from the position, and what is required to fulfill the position at its maximum capacity. The description I read for the public relations specialist may have been the best one. The description given for this job painted a clear and accurate picture of the position. From my persona l experience the description I read for the teaching position was generic and lacking of substance. It didn’t quite detail what the job entails in detail.I think the descriptions were worded to give the job seeker an overall view of the job. Question #5 After researching these positions in my local area my findings were not that surprising. The area I did my study for was Chicago, IL, and Chicago wages are a lot higher than most other cities. The reason why I think Chicago wages are higher than most is due to the cost of living for one. Another is the Illinois state tax is higher than most cities as well. Location is one of the biggest reason I can say as to why the pay grades are higher here in Chicago.Some factors that play a part in location that effects pay could be, but not limited to; crime, taxes, cost of living, and environmental conditions. With the public relations specialist, and program coordinator positions, their pay is 7% higher in the city of Chicago. Teachers in Chicago on average make $14,670 more than the average stated on the websites. These findings really weren’t surprising at all, they were sort of expected. Question #6 The information on this site would be very beneficial to a graduate fresh out of college doing their contract negotiations.I would use the information in my negations by starting off with getting a clear understanding of my duties going off the description set forth by the website. The website gives good information to start a salary negotiation, because it gives you a median to start your negotiation off with. When doing these negotiations I would show the median numbers for the task set forth by the description giving. A few factors that might have a bearing on the salary could be but not limited too; location, the company’s’ revenue intake, years of experience, and education level just to name a few.Question #7 The labor markets for these particular jobs are large in the sense of the fact th at these careers have markets all over the world and in many different fields. When talking about labor markets you have to remember that labor markets may be local or national in their scope and are made up of smaller, interacting labor markets for different qualifications, skills, and geographical locations. They depend on the exchange of information between employers and job seekers about wage rates, conditions of employment, level of competition, and job location.People working in the three fields I’m covering in this case study are recruited all over the country to fill positions they are qualified for. The geographical location of these jobs plays a huge part in the salary wages paid out. After doing some research it seems like southern rural states have the lowest paying wages. Using the â€Å"teacher† position for example, a teacher starts of at $32,400 a year in Jackson, MS, but that same teacher would start of at 44,230 a year in the suburbs of Chicago. Geogr aphical location plays a major part in wages.In the States of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia all these positions are paid less than states such as Illinois, New York, Washington D. C, Florida, and Dallas. Question 8 The median teaching salary was $52,447 on average for the year. The minimal salary is $34,327, that’s an $18,120 difference. Geographical location plays a huge part in these wages and the differences. Like I stated before the rural and southern locations generally have the lowest wages. The highest pay on average for a teacher is $71,093 a year, that’s an $18,646 difference from the median salary.The median salary for a public relations specialist is $45,931 dollars a year. The minimal salary for this position is $34,121 a year, there’s an $11,810 difference in the pay. The highest level of pay for this position is $55,657, there’s a $9,726 difference. In this position, bigger cities have the best market for this career. A program coordinator income on average is $89,509 a year. This career is paid rather well. The lowest average salary is 68,779 a year, that’s a $20,730 difference. The highest pay on average for this position is $116,436 a year, that’s a $26,927 difference.The higher pay is usually located in major cities, with large populations. There is a large number in variations in these salaries. Some factors that can play a part in these variations are but not limited too; education, geographical location, years on jobs, the employers financial state just to name a few. Question #9 The information on www. salary. com is very sufficient. What makes me think this that they covered all bases? I feel they go above and beyond, especially the fact they have their compensation consultants create a composite view for each job using a proprietary mathematical model built by Salary. om. The model takes into account the statistical reliability of each data point, the robustness of the data within each data point, the effective date of the data reported, and the industry, geography, or company size biases within each survey. What else leads me to believe that the information is accurate is that they also have their compensation consultants have collected and reviewed data covering more than 29 million individuals working at more than 16,000 companies. The implications of using inaccurate data can be fatal to the potential employer and employee.Having the wrong salary information could have an employer paying an employee too much for the position, and or vice versa. The implications of wrong salary data could be very detrimental. It could affect the employer and or employee for a long amount of time. Question 10 Although salary. com is free and has tons of useful information, hiring a consultant could still be very beneficiary to the company. The information provided on salary is gathered from a wide range of data. Information gathered for the site may lean heavily toward a pa rticular geographical location.Hiring the outside consultant could give you the actual numbers in your geographical area. The consultant could possibly provide more realistic numbers for the company. The hiring of the consultant could also be done to double check or just verify the numbers for the company’s own edification. Question 11 As a manager you have many responsibilities, and one of those responsibilities is paying your employees. As a manager there are a few reasons I could think of to justify paying an employee more than what salary. com suggest. One reason is internal equity.A manager should review the experience of the employee in relation to his position on the salary scale when justifying his or her salary. Another factor is that of external equity. A manager should review the employee's prior salary history. Another factor is market forces. Managers can justify offering more money in a period of economic growth, particularly when numerous companies are competin g to attract the best employees. Another factor that may play a role in offering more than salary. com could be geographical location. If the cost of living is steady rising, a manager might offer more to compensate in that rise of the cost of living.These are a few factors that would heavily influence my decision as a manager. Completing this case study enlighten me on many things that I would have never thought of. I never imagined that the teacher would be making more than the public relations specialist. Another thing that this case study opened my mind up to was location. Geographical location can be the difference in thousands of dollars of pay. Geographical location embodies a lot of sub factors. Some factors are but not limited to taxes, cost of living, and weather and work conditions. This case study was very insightful and beneficial.Bibliography 1. ) www. salary. com 2. ) http://smallbusiness. chron. com/managers-justify-paying-employees-high-low-14526. html 3. ) http://s wz. salary. com/docs/salwizhtmls/methodology. html 4. ) http://smallbusiness. foxbusiness. com/legal-hr/2011/04/25/picking-best-pay-structure-business/ 5. ) http://www. mde. k12. ms. us/school-financial-services/school-financial-services-teacher-salary-schedule 6. ) http://money. usnews. com/careers/best-jobs/public-relations-specialist 7. ) http://www. indeed. com/salary/Program-Coordinator. html 8. ) http://www. wikipedia. org/

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Conflicts in “Ashes for the Wind” Essay

In the short story â€Å"Ashes For the Wind† by Hernando Tellez, the author uses conflicts to develop the theme that sometimes we have to sacrifice our life to fight corruption. Juan, the protagonist, is a tenant who lives a peaceful life in the village with his wife Carmen and a new born baby. He involves in an external conflict when the corrupt government orders his family to move out of their own place. At the beginning of the story, Arevalo visits Juan’s farm house and tells him â€Å"it would be best for you to clear out†. He then recalls his unpleasant encounter of the same man and a policeman in town; they treat him unfairly. With the policeman carrying whip, and others refusing to sell him oil, Juan senses he is in a bad situation. Moreover, Juan’s external conflict causes his internal conflict since he now faces the dilemma of whether they should move out of their own home. He struggles to find an answer because either way they have to sacrifice something. On one hand he doesn’t want to give up his own place and let the authority wins; On the other hand he jeopardizes his family’s life if they don’t move out. A second intimidating visit soon comes. A Police man fires at his place and Arevalo just stands there â€Å"with hanging head†. In the end Juan chooses to stay in the farm with his wife and son, so they all die in a set up fire. Both external and intenal conflicts are resolved here when the authority appears to win but in fact the author sends out a message that people should not be intimidated and should stand up to corruption like Juan and his family do.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dining Preference in America essays

Dining Preference in America essays One of the American dining practices that stands out in contrast to eastern cultures is how food is served and eaten, in a traditional restaurant setting. Each person is expected to order an entre for himself, along with any appetizer, salad, soup, or desserts he wishes to have. Over the course of the meal each dish is served sequentially, usually at a rectangular table, and everybody concentrates on his own dish with sharing kept to a minimum unless among closer friends or relatives. Napkins are used to keep off messy stains and loud eating noise is usually considered bad form. On the other hand, a traditional Chinese meal would involve a collection of different dishes of meats and vegetables, soup, all served together with bowls of personal servings of rice to consumed with the dishes. Instead of forks and knives, each person is equipped with a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon that he or she uses to pick up food from the communal dishes. The sharing of these different dishes is facilitated with a round table that places each person at equal distances to them. Chewing food with your mouth open, resting your elbow on the table top, and leaving your chopsticks standing in the middle of your rice bowl are all considered bad manners, especially the last since it symbolizes incense burnt at a funeral. For someone from a Chinese cultural background, having a formal dinner with his American companions might be a difficult experience. He will probably be tempted to try out everyones dishes at the table, have difficulties cutting his steak with a pair of k nife and fork, and kept comparing how his meal will taste like with steamed rice or noodles. In comparing the seating styles, the Americans have a rigid and well defined personal space as opposed to the Chinese who would try to fit as many people as possible into a table. Even the geometric shapes of the dining tables show a contrasting social practice. The r...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Best Crucible Act 1 Summary

Best Crucible Act 1 Summary SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The first act of The Crucible sets the stage (literally, heh) for the disturbing sequence of events that will unfold in Acts 2, 3, and 4. Most of the major characters are introduced, and there are critical insights into various political and personal conflicts that threaten to disrupt the social order in the town of Salem. We also learn how the witchcraft craze got started and why it spiraled out of control. This article will go over the very important sequence of events and their thematic relevance so you can answer all the questions your English teacher throws at you. I'll provide both a short summary and a long summary. The short summary is just the bare bones of what happened without getting into too much detail about conversations that are less relevant to the central plot. It's more of a review to read after you've already gone through the play yourself. The long summary, which I'm choosing to call the "oops, I didn't read it" summary, is more in-depth. It goes through everything that occurs in Act 1 without getting too far into the weeds. Despite the title of the second summary, I urge you to actually read the play so you have a stronger understanding of the voices of the characters and the thematic points Miller is trying to make. Also, if you don't read it you'll miss out on some amazing stage directions that can be easily misinterpreted as giggle-worthy euphemisms if you're as immature as me and my fellow blog writers. The CrucibleAct 1 Summary - Short Version Ten-year-old Betty Parris has contracted a mysterious illness that renders her mute and bedridden. Her father, Reverend Samuel Parris, caught her dancing in the woods the night before with a group of girls. The group included his teenage niece, Abigail Williams, and his slave, Tituba. Rumors have spread around town that witchcraft is the cause of Betty’s illness, and people are now gathered at the Parris household. Parris questions Abigail about the rumors, but she claims the girls were just dancing. Ann Putnam says that her daughter, Ruth, who was with the group in the woods, is also afflicted with a strange illness. All of Ann’s children except Ruth have died as infants. Ann sent Ruth to Tituba in hopes that she would be able to communicate with her siblings and find out who or what was responsible for their deaths. To her uncle's dismay, Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. Abigail and two girls named Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, who were also in the woods, are left alone with Betty. They try to wake her up as they get their story straight. Betty blurts out that Abigail drank chicken blood in an attempt to cast a spell that would kill Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet (or else). John Proctor enters the room, and Mercy and Mary leave Abigail alone with him. John and Abigail had an affair when Abigail worked as a servant in his house, and Abigail wants it to continue. John insists that he has recommitted himself to his wife, Elizabeth. Betty whimpers when she hears the Lord’s name in a psalm that people are singing outside the room. Everyone who is singing outside the room rushes in to check on her. Betty's distress is taken as additional evidence of witchcraft by Ann Putnam, and some of the others start to come around to this theory as well. An intellectual church leader named Reverend Hale arrives from the town of Beverly to investigate the situation and see if he can detect any signs of witchcraft. Abigail confesses that Tituba called the Devil after more details about the previous night are revealed. Tituba isn’t allowed to tell her side of the story (that Abigail was actually the instigator), and when she is threatened with hanging she confesses that she’s been forced to work for the Devil. She also names Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn as fellow witches after prompting by Parris and Hale. Abigail and Betty then admit their unwilling involvement in witchcraft and shout out the names of several other womenwho they claim to have seen with the Devil. I want YOU to join my plot to totally mess with a super lame town in Massachusetts. The CrucibleAct 1 Summary - â€Å"Oops I Didn’t Read It† Version Act 1 opens on a bedroom in Reverend Samuel Parris’ house in the spring of 1692.Parris’ daughter, 10-year-old Betty, is in a deep sleep as a result of an unknown illness, and Parris is kneeling in prayer next to her bed.A woman named Tituba is introduced as the Parris family's middle-aged slave from Barbados; she tries to check on Betty, but she is immediately ordered out of the room by Reverend Parris. Abigail Williams, Parris’ 17-year-old niece, enters the room.She tells him that Susanna Walcott is there with a message from the doctor.Susanna is a teenager a little younger than Abigail.She says that the doctor can't find anything physically wrong with Betty, and they should start to consider supernatural forces as a potential culprit.Parris is very concerned about damage to his reputation if witchcraft is discovered in his house. He urges Susanna to tell the doctor to continue looking for medical reasons for Betty’s condition. However, he has also summoned Reverend Hale from the neighboring town of Beverly to quietly investigate whether there is any truth to this supernatural hypothesis. Susanna leaves, and Abigail and Parris are alone with Betty.Abigail reveals that the rumor of witchcraft has already spread around town, and many people are gathered in the parlor of the house.Parris is reluctant to discredit these rumors because he fears they may be true.The previous night, he saw Abigail and Betty dancing in the forest with Tituba. He also saw a dress on the ground and a girl running naked through the woods. Abigail says that they were just dancing, but Parris knows that she’s not telling the whole truth.Parris demands to know whether witchcraft was involved. He thinks that his reputation is shaky in town and that there’s a group of people who would like to oust him from his position of power.He doesn’t want one of his enemies to find out what really happened before he does and use it against him.Abigail continues to insist that the girls were just dancing. Parris still doesn’t trust her, and he brings up another suspicious scenario.Abigail was dismissed from the household service of a man named John Proctor without explanation, and Proctor’s wife Elizabeth seems to strongly dislike her.Abigail says Elizabeth is just a big ol’ meany and she didn’t do anything to deserve this. At this point in the conversation, a tormented middle-aged woman named Ann Putnam enters the room along with her husband, Thomas Putnam.Ann’s only daughter, Ruth Putnam, is acting catatonic, and Ann thinks Betty is afflicted with the same apparently supernatural illness.Ann is a firm believer in witchcraft because seven of her babies have died in infancy, leaving her with only one living child. She sees no possible explanation for this that is not supernatural in nature. The Putnams are glad that Parris has summoned Reverend Hale to investigate the situation because Hale supposedly caught a witch in Beverley recently. Parris is still trying to shut down the witchcraft conversation because of the damage it might do to his reputation.Ann reveals to Parris that she actually sent Ruth to consult with Tituba the night before because Tituba can communicate with the dead.Ann wanted Ruth to talk to her dead siblings and find out who killed them.The Putnams say they are convinced that a baby-killing witch is running rampant.Abigail realizes that she can’t hide the truth completely now that Ann has revealed that she sent Ruth to Tituba to try and communicate with the dead.Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits.Parris is convinced his livelihood is ruined now that someone who lives under his roof has been revealed to be a witch. ThomasPutnam tells Parris he should get ahead of the situation and make the witchcraft accusations himself so no one can accuse him first. A girl named Mercy Lewis, who is Putnam’s servant, arrives to check on how Betty is doing, and the Putnams and Parris leave so that Parris can lead everyone in a psalm.Abigail and Mercy are left alone, and they try to rouse Betty to no avail.The two girls decide their official story will be that they were just dancing, and there was no magic involved. Then, another teenage girl named Mary Warren enters the room.She was also with them in the forest the previous night, and she is convinced they must confess to what they’ve done because of the rumors swirling around. Suddenly, Betty gets a burst of energy.She reveals that Abby drank chicken blood in the forest in an attempt to cast a spell to kill Elizabeth Proctor.Abigail slaps her and tells everyone that they had better stay quiet about the details of what really happened. Abigail says that she's seen some stuff (i.e. her parents were murdered by Native Americans right in front of her), so she has no qualms about resorting to violence to force them to keep her secret. John Proctor, a farmer, then enters the room.He yells at Mary Warren, who is his servant, for leaving his house when he forbid her from doing so.Mary and Mercy both leave, and Abigail and John are left alone. Abigail and John had an affair that was discovered by his wife, which was the reason for her dismissal from their household. Abigail is still in love with Proctor, but he wants to distance himself from her and recommit to Elizabeth.Abigail is angry and frustrated that he won’t return her advances.She insults his wife and continues to insist that he still loves her. Their attention is diverted because Betty starts whimpering after the words â€Å"going up to Jesus† are uttered in the psalm people are singing in the other room. ReverendParris, the Putnams, and Mercy Lewis all rush in to check on her.Ann Putnam is convinced that they upset Betty by saying the Lord’s name and that her reaction clearly means that she is bewitched with black magic. Rebecca Nurse, and old and highly respected woman in Salem, enters the room along with an old man named Giles Corey.Rebecca stands calmly next to the bed,and Betty quiets down.Everyone is impressed with this, and the Putnams ask if Rebecca can also help Ruth, but Rebecca doesn't think there's anything supernatural going on. Betty is just acting up as kids are prone to do. John Proctor questions Reverend Parris on his decision to summon Reverend Hale. This action seems to imply that Parris believes witchcraft could be the source of Betty’s illness.Rebecca suggests that they should rely on the doctor and avoiding bringing Reverend Hale into the situation because it will cause unnecessary conflict.Thomas Putnam takes issue with this, and he tells Parris that when Reverend Hale arrives they must look for signs of witchcraft. Proctor says Putnam can’t tell Parris what to do just because Putnam owns a lot of land in the town.Putnam fires back that he hasn’t seen Proctor in church recently, so he clearly doesn’t care that much about upholding the integrity of their society.Proctor claims he doesn’t go to church because all Parris talks about is Hell.Parris says that a lot of people in Salem need to hear more about Hell because he hasn’t been properly compensated for his job based on his qualifications.He then implies that Proctor is the leader of a faction against him in the church.Proctor is unaware of the existence of this faction, but he says he would gladly join it because he’s fed up with Parris’ superiority complex. He expects Giles Corey to be on his side, but Giles unexpectedly suports Parris because he thinks there may be something to the witchcraft hypothesis.Giles has been in court six times that year for various lawsuits. He says that everyone has been suing each otherleft and right, so there must be some sort of dark magic going on behind the scenes.Proctor points out that Giles is the cause of many of these suits because he is always suing people for defamation for no reason. Proctor and Putnam argue briefly about who owns a certain tract of land near the woods where Proctor plans on gathering lumber.It turns out that there is a lot of ambiguity in Salem over who owns which tracts of land because in his will Putnam’s grandfather claimed land that he didn’t actually own. Reverend Hale enters the room with a stack of academic books.He speaks briefly with everyone, and it’s clear that he’s well-respected. Hale views the investigation of witchcraft as serious scientific inquiry.He makes everyone agree not to push the issue if he doesn’t find anything pointing to the Devil’s work.He brought the books because they explain all the different forms the Devil can take. With this information on hand, he's sure that he can find out whether Betty's illness is linked to the work of Satan. Rebecca Nurse is skeptical of the whole situation, and she leaves the room before Hale begins his investigation.Giles tries to consult Hale about his wife, Martha, who he says has been reading strange books.He is worried that this might signify something sinister because he was unable to say his prayers while she was reading.Hale is somewhat intrigued and says they can discuss the issue later. Hale addresses Betty, asking her if someone is bewitching her. Betty does not respond to his questions at first.Abigail is pressed with more questions about what exactly was going on in the woods.Parris says that when he came upon the girls, he saw that they had a kettle with a frog in it.Faced with this damning evidence of black magic, Abigail admits that Tituba called the Devil.Tituba is dragged into the room to face these charges.Immediately, Abigail places all the blame on her, claiming that Tituba made her drink chicken blood from the kettle.Tituba protests that Abigail was the one who instigated the meeting in the woods, but she is drowned out by further accusations from Abigail.Parris and Hale also talk over her attempts to explain herself. Parris says Tituba must confess to what she’s done or he will whip her to death, and Putnam says she must be hung.Tituba is terrified, so she breaks down and says the Devil forced her to work for him.She claims someone else is bewitching Betty because she’s seen other people with the Devil.Putnam, Parris, and Hale encourage her to tell them who she has seen (and plant the names of Goody Good and Goody Osburn in her mind as potential witches).They claim that after renouncing her allegiance to the Devil, she is now God’s instrument in the village sent to help them uncover the full extent of his Satanic plot. Tituba says the Devil told her to kill Reverend Parris, and he promised her a better life if she worked for him.She claims that she saw Goody Good (Sarah Good) and Goody Osburn (Sarah Osburn) with the Devil.Goody Osburn was Ann Putnam’s midwife three times, so this accusation confirms the Putnams' suspicions that witchcraft was involved in the deaths of their babies.Abigail soon chimes in with her own hysterical set of confessions, claiming thatshe saw the Devil and wrote in his book.Abigail adds more people to the list of the accused.Betty suddenly wakes up and joins her in shouting out additional accusations.Hale and Parris rejoice at Betty's apparent miraculous recovery.Putnam summons the marshal so that they can arrest the witches and bring them to justice. The Devil apparently has some kind of special friendship book that he makes people sign when they join his crew. Adorable. The CrucibleAct 1 Quotes In this section, I'll go over a few quotes that I think are important in establishing the themes and characterizations that emerge in Act 1. â€Å"I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character.† (Reverend Parris pg. ) This quote shows the gravity with which Parris views his position in the town and the degree of authority he thinks should accompany it.He’s less focused on spreading the word of God than on exploiting his position as a religious authority so he can gain greater power in the community. Now his reputation may be ruined, which means he’ll be back to square one and have to rebuild the control he has worked so hard to acquire. â€Å"My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!† (Abigail Williams pg. 12) The value of a person's name is a recurring topic in The Crucible. Reputation is hugely important to these characters because it’s inextricably linked to respect and power in a highly interdependent community. Here Abigail shifts the focus away from her own reputation by trashing the reputation of Goody Proctor.If she can convince people that Goody Proctor is not to be trusted, the rumors about her own sins will lose credibility. â€Å"Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!† (Abigail Williams pg. 19) Abigail threatens the other girls with violence if they dare tell anyone that she tried to kill Goody Proctor with black magic. This quote tells us that Abigail has experienced severe emotional trauma in the past that almost certainly affects her current mental state.It also gives us a taste of how far she’s willing to go to achieve her desired outcome and/or exact revenge. â€Å"I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew what lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes?† (Abigail Williams pg. 22) Abigail pleads with John Proctor to continue their affair, which she feels has enlightened her to the hypocrisy that permeates Salem’s culture.She can’t go back to her ignorant state after she’s already seen the light, and the affair is the only outlet available to her to feel special and different within a community where she has little power or outlets for honest expression.After John's rejection, her angst will find another, even more destructive path to follow. â€Å"There are wheels within wheels in the village, and fires within fires!† (Ann Putnam pg. 26) Ann Putnam says this because she’s convinced that there are supernatural Satanic forces conspiring against her that have led to her family misfortunes.However, this quote has a much broader secular meaning that applies to the events in the play overall.There are all kinds of underlying motivations that trigger accusations of witchcraft in Salem.Petty vengeance, greed, and jealousy are festering beneath the surface of an outwardly respectable community, and they’re about to find their release. â€Å"We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her.† (Reverend Hale pg. 35) From our modern viewpoint, this quote is a very strong example of irony. Bysearching for marks of the Devil’s presence in the first place, Hale has already subscribed to superstition.People are also condemned throughout the rest of the play for involvement with the Devil when there’s absolutely no hard evidence besides the word of one other person.Hale's adherence to scientific principles will give him just enough insight to see the injustices that have been committed in Salem after it's too late for him to turn back the tide of hysteria. I'm not sure what Hale expected to find. A pentagram ankle tattoo? A little souvenir pitchfork? A button that says "Satan 4 Prez"? Eh, I guess there are a lot of possibilities. The CrucibleAct 1 Thematic Analysis Let's go over some of the play's key themes and how they relate to the first act. Irony Irony and hypocrisy are recurring concepts in The Crucible. There are several exchanges in Act 1 that are rife with irony. Abigail claims that John Proctor opened her eyes to the pretenses of Salem (pg. 22). She realized all the lies she’d been told by people who supposedly adhered to the conventions of respectable society.However, in distress from Proctor’s refusal to acknowledge their relationship, Abigail creates her own lies that give her increased control over the society she resents.By putting on a false front to advance her status and get what she wants, she becomes just like the hypocrites she claims to despise. The most prominent example of dramatic irony in this act is the quote from Hale (pg. 35) that was explained in the last section. Hale claims that they must avoid superstition and hasty conclusions in their investigation of Betty’s affliction. We, the modern audience, know that searching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is an inherently superstitious practice. Hale, however, is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. Hysteria In Act 1 it becomes clear how mass hysteria can evolve out of desires for self-preservation. When Abigail admits that Ruth and Tituba were conjuring spirits, Thomas Putnam urges Parris to go on the offensive immediately with this information. If he makes his own accusations of witchcraft, he will prevent others from accusing him first and putting his credibility at stake. As rumors of witchcraft spread, this fear-driven philosophy will be universally adopted, leading to more and more accusations and an environment of paranoia. The speed at which rumors morph into accepted truths is too rapid for a few rational voices to contain them. Although Parris only calls Reverend Hale to examine Betty as a precaution, people assume that Hale’s involvement means there must be a supernatural element to her illness.Even as Parris tries to avoid supernatural explanations to protect his reputation, he is quickly caught up in the misplaced interpretations of others and forced to adopt them as his own so that he isn't gobbledup by the hysteria monster. It becomes abundantly clear that people see only what they want to see (i.e. whatever keeps them in the good graces of society) in situations that don't appear to have easy rational explanations. Ann Putnam, for example, will seize at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children.Extreme conclusions like Ann's "a witch murdered my babies with black magic" are accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge this consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves. Reputation Reverend Parris' concerns about his reputation take center stage, so to speak, in Act 1. Parris initially insists that there are â€Å"no unnatural causes† for Betty’s illness, not because he’s devoted to science and rationality, but because he fears that he will be disgraced if witchcraft is discovered under his roof.He interrogates Abigail because he’s worried his enemies will learn the full story first and use it to discredit him. Once he gets confirmation from Abigail that some witchy business happened in the woods, he is quick to position himself on the side of the accusers and threaten violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. 42). He has no central belief system beyond a desire to do what makes him look best in the eyes of the majority. Abigail is also concerned about her reputation. She is enraged when Parris insinuates that there was something untoward about her dismissal from the Proctors’ service.She insists that she has done nothing wrong and tries to discredit Elizabeth Proctor to divert attention away from her own actions. "My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" (pg. 12). These actions and reactions in Act 1 establish the importance that characters place on maintaining respect for their names. A poor reputation can severely affect a person’s position in this small, interdependent society, whether the assumptions or rumors swirling around are true or not. Power and Authority The church has a great deal of power in Salem, and therefore much of the authority we see exercised in the play is associated with religion. Reverend Parris is currently in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader. However, he is convinced there is a faction in town that is determined to unseat him, and he will say and do whatever it takes to retain control.He demands unconditional respect for his authority as God’s instrument in the community. From his point of view,"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning!" (pg. 28) Abigail, on the other hand, struggles to claim greater agency outside of traditional means. Her dominant personality doesn't fit with her low status in society as a young woman with no family. Initially, she sees a path to higher standing in society through becoming John Proctor’s wife. When he rejects her, she takes another route to power through accusations that exploit the fears of others to a point where even the most respected people in town are afraid to challenge her. The power structure in Salem is also responsible for the blame heaped on Tituba and the misinterpretations that follow.Tituba has the least authority out of anyone, so it’s easy for Abigail to use her as a scapegoat. IfTituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the tragic events of the rest of the play might have been prevented. However, she is only given a voice when she agrees to corroborate the version of events that the people in traditional positions of authority believe to be accurate.She becomes, according to Hale, "God's instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil's agents among us" (pg. 44) after she renounces her presumed allegiance to the Devil and accepts her role as a pawn to be used by those with greater power. As has been the case throughout history in both fiction and reality, the desire for power ends up costing way too many innocent people their lives. The Crucible Act 1 Summary:Conclusion In Act 1 of The Crucible, the roots of the witch hysteria are established, and we learn critical background information about many of the characters. Let's do a super short bullet point recap of the important plot points: The play is set in the town of Salem, MA, and the year is 1692. Betty Parris, a young girl, is sick, but no one can figure out why. Rumors spread around town that she's been bewitched. Betty's dad is Reverend Parris, the new-ish church leader in Salem, who is paranoid about his reputation amongst the townspeople. Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris' teenage niece and Betty's cousin, is questioned by Parris about the cause of Betty's illness. He knows that Abigail, Betty, and Parris' slave, Tituba, were dancing in the woods the night before and perhaps conducting some kind of ritual. Abigail claims there was no witchcraft involved. Abigail had an affair with a farmer named John Proctor while serving in his house, and she's still into him, but he wants to forget it ever happened. Betty says that Abigail tried to put a curse on John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor, in order to kill her and take her place, but no one else knows about this, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet. Reverend Hale, the church leader from the town of Beverley, is summoned to examine Betty because he's an expert on witchcraft. Tituba is accused of calling the Devil in the woods based on Abigail's testimony, and she confesses under pressure from Hale. Tituba names Goody Good and Goody Osburn as fellow witches after their names are suggested. Abigail plays the victim and accuses more women of witchcraft. Betty wakes up and makes accusations of her own, following Abigail's lead. In Act 2, you can look forward to learning more about the state of the Proctors' marriage and just how crazy things have gotten in Salem in the weeks after the initial accusations. Also, John Proctor throws a few more tantrums borne of emotional immaturity, so get PUMPED. What's Next? If you want a complete summary of the whole play rather than just one act, we've got you covered. Check out our holistic summary article to review what happens from start to finish. Looking for some in-depth analysis of characters in The Crucible? Read our complete assessments of John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren. If you want some advice on understanding the ideas behind the play so you can write a killer essay or ace your next test, read our guide to the most important themes in The Crucible. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sunday, October 20, 2019

USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) in World War II

USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) in World War II Commissioned in 1916, USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) proved to be a workhorse for the US Navys surface fleet for over thirty years.   Taking part in World War I (1917-1918), the battleship later survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and saw extensive service across the Pacific during World War II (1941-1945).   With the end of the war, Pennsylvania provided a final service as a target ship during the 1946 Operation Crossroads atomic testing. A New Design Approach After designing and constructing five classes of dreadnought battleships, the US Navy concluded that future ships should make use of a set of standardized tactical and operational traits. This would allow these vessels to operate together in combat and would simplify logistics. Designated the Standard-type, the next five classes were propelled by  oil-fired boilers rather than coal, saw the removal of amidships turrets, and utilized an â€Å"all or nothing† armor scheme.   Among these alterations, the transition to oil was made with the goal of increasing the vessel’s range as the US Navy believed this would be critical in any future naval war with Japan. The new all or nothing armor arrangement called for critical areas of the vessel, such as magazines and engineering, to be heavily armored while less important spaces were left unprotected. Also, Standard-type battleships were to be capable of a  minimum top speed of 21 knots and have a tactical turn radius of 700 yards.   Construction Incorporating these design characteristics, USS Pennsylvania (BB-28) was laid down at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company on October 27, 1913. The lead ship of its class, its design came about following the US Navys General Board ordering a new class of battleships in 1913 which mounted twelve 14 guns, twenty-two 5 guns, and an armor scheme similar to the earlier Nevada-class. The Pennsylvania-class main guns were to be mounted in four triple turrets while propulsion was to be provided by steam driven geared turbines turning four propellers. Increasingly concerned about improvements in torpedo technology, the US Navy directed that the new ships utilize a four layer system of armor. This employed multiple layers of thin plate, separated by air or oil, outboard of the main armor belt. The goal of this system was to dissipate the explosive force of a torpedo before it reached the ships primary armor. World War I Launched on March 16, 1915 with Miss Elizabeth Kolb as its sponsor, Pennsylvania was commissioned the follow year on June 16. Joining the US Atlantic Fleet, with Captain Henry B. Wilson in command, the new battleship became the commands flagship that October when Admiral Henry T. Mayo transferred his flag on board. Operating off the East Coast and in the Caribbean for the remainder of the year, Pennsylvania returned to Yorktown, VA in April 1917 just as the United States entered World War I. As the US Navy began deploying forces to Britain, Pennsylvania remained in American waters as it used fuel oil rather than coal like many of the Royal Navys vessels. Since tankers could not be spared to transport fuel abroad, Pennsylvania and the US Navys other oil-fired battleships conducted operations off the East Coast for the duration of the conflict. In December 1918, with the war ended, Pennsylvania escorted President Woodrow Wilson, aboard SS George Washington, to France for the Paris Peace Conference. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) Overview Nation: United StatesType: BattleshipShipyard: Newport News Shipbuilding Drydock CompanyLaid Down: October 27, 1913Launched: March 16, 1915Commissioned: June 12, 1916Fate: Scuttled February 10, 1948 Specifications (1941) Displacement: 31,400 tonsLength: 608 ft.Beam: 97.1 ft.Draft: 28.9 ft.Propulsion: 4 propellers driven by 1 Ãâ€" Bureau Express and 5 Ãâ€" White-Forster boilersSpeed: 21 knotsRange: 10,688 miles at 15 knotsComplement: 1,358 men Armament Guns 12 Ãâ€" 14 in. (360 mm)/45 cal guns (4 triple turrets)14 Ãâ€" 5 in./51 cal. guns12 Ãâ€" 5 in./25 cal. anti-aircraft guns Aircraft 2 x aircraft Interwar Years The remaining flagship of the US Atlantic Fleet, Pennsylvania operating in home waters in early 1919 and that July met the returning George Washington and escorted it into New York. The next two years saw the battleship conduct routine peacetime training until receiving orders to join the US Pacific Fleet in August 1922. For the next seven years, Pennsylvania operated on the West Coast and participated in training around Hawaii and the Panama Canal. The routine of this period was punctuated in 1925 when the battleship conducted a goodwill tour to New Zealand and Australia. In early 1929, after training exercises off Panama and Cuba, Pennsylvania sailed north and entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard for an extensive modernization program. Remaining at Philadelphia for almost two years, the ships secondary armament was modified and its cage masts replaced by new tripod masts. After conducting refresher training off Cuba in May 1931, ​Pennsylvania returned to the Pacific Fleet. In the Pacific For the next decade, Pennsylvania remained a stalwart of the Pacific Fleet and took part in annual exercises and routine training. Overhauled at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in late 1940, it sailed for Pearl Harbor on January 7, 1941. Later that year, Pennsylvania was one of fourteen ships to receive the new CXAM-1 radar system. In the fall of 1941, the battleship was dry docked at Pearl Harbor. Though scheduled to leave on December 6, Pennsylvanias departure was delayed. As a result, the battleship remained in dry dock when the Japanese attacked the next day. One of the first ships to respond with anti-aircraft fire, Pennsylvania took minor damage during the attack despite repeated Japanese attempts to destroy the dry docks caisson. Positioned forward of the battleship in the drydock, the destroyers USS Cassin and USS Downes were both severely damaged. World War II Begins In the wake of the attack, Pennsylvania departed Pearl Harbor on December 20 and sailed for San Francisco. Arriving, it underwent repairs before joining a squadron led by Vice Admiral William S. Pye which operated off the West Coast to prevent a Japanese strike. Following the victories at Coral Sea and Midway, this force was disbanded and Pennsylvania briefly returned to Hawaiian waters. In October, with the situation in the Pacific stabilized, the battleship received orders to sail for Mare Island Naval Shipyard and a major overhaul. While at Mare Island, Pennsylvanias tripod masts were removed and its anti-aircraft armament enhanced with the installation of ten Bofors 40 mm quad mounts and fifty-one Oerlikon 20 mm single mounts. In addition, the existing 5 guns were replaced with new rapid fire 5 guns in eight twin mounts. Work on Pennsylvania was completed in February 1943 and following refresher training, the ship departed for service in the Aleutian Campaign in late April. In the Aleutians Reaching Cold Bay, AK on April 30, Pennsylvania joined Allied forces for the liberation of Attu. Bombarding enemy shore positions on May 11-12, the battleship supported Allied forces as they went ashore. Later on May 12, Pennsylvania evaded a torpedo attack and its escorting destroyers succeeded in sinking the perpetrator, the submarine I-31, the next day. Aiding in operations around the island for the remainder of the month, Pennsylvania then retired to Adak. Sailing in August, the battleship served as Rear Admiral Francis Rockwells flagship during the campaign against Kiska. With the successful re-capture of the island, the battleship became flagship of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, Commander Fifth Amphibious Force, that fall. Sailing in November, Turner re-captured Makin Atoll later that month. Island Hopping On January 31, 1944, Pennsylvania took part in the bombardment prior to the invasion of Kwajalein. Remaining on station, the battleship continued to provide fire support once the landings began the next day. In February, Pennsylvania fulfilled a similar role during the invasion of Eniwetok. After conducting training exercises and a voyage to Australia, the battleship joined Allied forces for the Marianas Campaign in June. On June 14, Pennsylvanias guns pounded enemy positions on Saipan in preparation for landings the next day. Remaining in the area, the vessel struck targets on Tinian and Guam as well as provided direct fire support to troops ashore on Saipan. The following month, Pennsylvania aided in the liberation of Guam. With the end of operations in the Marianas, it joined the Palau Bombardment and Fire Support Group for the invasion of Peleliu in September. Remaining off the beach, Pennsylvanias main battery pummeled Japanese positions and greatly aided Allied forces ashore. Surigao Strait Following repairs in the Admiralty Islands in early October, Pennsylvania sailed as part of Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorfs Bombardment and Fire Support Group which in turn was part of Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaids Central Philippine Attack Force. Moving against Leyte, Pennsylvania reached its fire support station on October 18 and began covering General Douglas MacArthurs troops as they went ashore two days later. With the Battle of Leyte Gulf underway, Oldendorfs battleships moved south on October 24 and blocked the mouth of the Surigao Strait. Attacked by Japanese forces that night, his vessels sank the battleships Yamashiro and Fuso. In the course of the fighting, Pennsylvanias guns remained quiet as its older fire control radar could not distinguish the enemy vessels in the confined waters of the strait. Retiring to the Admiralty Islands in November, Pennsylvania returned to action in January 1945 as part of Oldendorfs Lingayen Bombardment and Fire Support Group. Philippines Driving off air attacks on January 4-5, 1945, Oldendorfs ships began striking targets around the mouth of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon the next day. Entering the gulf on the afternoon of January 6, Pennsylvania commenced reducing Japanese defenses in the area. As in the past, it continued to offer direct fire support once Allied troops began landing on January 9. Commencing a patrol of the South China Sea a day later, Pennsylvania returned after a week and remained in the gulf until February. Withdrawn on February 22, it steamed for San Francisco and an overhaul. While at the Hunters Point Shipyard, Pennsylvanias main guns received new barrels, the anti-aircraft defenses were enhanced, and new fire control radar was installed. Departing on July 12, the ship sailed for newly captured Okinawa with stops at Pearl Harbor and to bombard Wake Island. Okinawa Reaching Okinawa in early August, Pennsylvania anchored in Buckner Bay near USS Tennessee (BB-43). On August 12, a Japanese torpedo plane penetrated the Allied defenses and stuck the battleship in the stern. The torpedo strike opened a thirty-foot hole in Pennsylvania and badly damaged its propellers. Towed to Guam, the battleship was dry docked and received temporary repairs. Leaving in October, it transited the Pacific en route to Puget Sound. While at sea, the Number 3 propeller shaft broke necessitating divers to cut it and the propeller away. As a result, Pennsylvania limped into Puget Sound on October 24 with only one operable propeller. Final Days As World War II had ended, the US Navy did not intend to retain Pennsylvania. As a result, the battleship received only those repairs necessary for transit to the Marshall Islands. Taken to Bikini Atoll, the battleship was used as a target vessel during the Operation Crossroads atomic tests in July 1946. Surviving both blasts, Pennsylvania was towed to Kwajalein Lagoon where it was decommissioned on August 29. The ship remained in the lagoon until early 1948 where it was used for structural and radiological studies. On February 10, 1948, Pennsylvania taken from the lagoon and sunk at sea.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Italian Film Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Italian Film Studies - Essay Example Being accustomed to the life of privilege, the Prince realizes this will change as soon as Sicily becomes a part of the United Kingdom of Italy (Tomasi 43). He later realizes that some things have to change for his aristocratic life to remain the same. He finally accepts the emergence and rise of the middle class; which he initially objected to. His strong hate for the rising middle class is clear in his objection to the relationship between his nephew and Angelica Sedara. Angelica is the daughter of one of the wealthy bourgeois families of Sicily. Later as the unification becomes a definite event, he changes his opinion regarding the relationship. He does this in contrary to the wishes of his daughter, Concetta; she is also in love with Tancredi. Don Fabrizio sees the marriage of the two as a way to restore wealth and status to his family. In addition to accepting this marriage, he also arranges the marriage of his daughter Concetta to the father of Angelica (Tomasi 68). Later in the movie, we see Fabrizio refusing to take a political seat as a Senator in the newly formed Italian government. He sees himself as a man caught in the crossfire between the old and the new. The ball, the penultimate scene of the movie, depicts the lavishness of Sicilian society, and it introduces Angelica to the same. In the end, we see the lonely figure of the Prince strolling in the darkness. Luchino Visconti together with the Giuseppe Tomasi all related to the movie’s thematic illustration of the change in the Italian society. Both were born in Italian and Sicilian aristocrat families, and they identified with the changes that resulted from the unification of the Italian states (Landy 152). The movie captures the ascension of the Italian middle class and the decent of the Italian aristocracy. Visconti aptly captures the uprooting of the Italian aristocracy due to the resurgence movement in the country. Luchino Visconti is famous for

Friday, October 18, 2019

Healthy People 2020 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Healthy People 2020 - Essay Example It is noted that prejudice against LGBT individuals is connected to increased rates of suicide, psychiatric illnesses, and substance abuse. This group is also a target for victimization and violence that has a long lasting impact on them and the community. The personal safety and mental health of LGBT people is influenced by gender recognition, social acceptance of sexual alignment, personal and family aspects. From the perspective of policy development, the LGBT group needs to be given special attention to enable these people to have a healthy life and live long. The role of an advanced nurse practitioner in taking care of LGBT people is that of leadership and advocacy. The advanced nurse practitioner should be on the front line to fight for the right of LGBT individuals and their families. The roles include promoting health policy reforms, leading personal patient rights and encouraging transformation in agency regulations and rules. Through this, the LGBT patients and their families are empowered and acquire independence (Hickey & Brosnan,

Intensive Writing - Relationship between two Articles Essay

Intensive Writing - Relationship between two Articles - Essay Example The relationship between these articles can be based on the used themes, opinions addressed and the type of society that was used in the context of the article. "Black like them" is written by Malcolm Gladwell and most of its characters are from New York and its neighborhoods. Joane Nagel, on the other hand, writes â€Å"Constructing Ethnicity Creating and Recreating Ethnic Identity and culture† and tries to explain how different ethnicities affect the choices made by individuals. The articles share several themes since they have the same historical backgrounds. They had been based on the American society during the war era. During his period, people from different parts of the world searched for ‘greener pastures hence increasing the rate of immigrants in the United States. This action brought up the issue of racism since people moved to America from different countries. From the article, "Black like them" the Malcolm uses different characters to show how racism is evident in the society. Moreover, neighborhoods have been divided along racist lines. These blocks include the whites, Blacks, Hispanics and those who were of mixed races. For example, the writer explains how a West Indian boss claims that Garden city; a middle-class neighborhood is not a place for black people. Racial discrimination is also evident in workplaces, where the Noel works in a firm with a white workmate who is paid more than him irrespective of the same qualifications and work di d. Socialists and researchers from known universities have come up numerous situations to have a better understanding of these societies. The boss was an Indian national who could not differentiate between the Black Americans and those from the Caribbean. Joane in her book "Constructing Ethnicity" relates ethnic identity and its role in racism. This is because racism has its roots in different ethnic groups.  

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example This ensures commitment of the staff in achieving company objectives leading to improved performance and productivity and consequently profitability and competitive advantage for the firm. Banco is a medium sized bank with over 300 branches and operates 24hours, seven days thus making its HR function complex. It faces stiff competition from other companies and needs to fulfil the needs of increasing customers prompted by rapid development in service industry of two nearby towns. Being located in an area of low unemployment, Banco needs to formulate policies and strategies that ensure employee retention. Banco policies are formulated at the head office and imposed on the branches despite the difference that exist in different localities and therefore do not consider diversity and cultural issues when making decisions. The management is bureaucratic in nature as no communication channels are available for the staff to communicate with senior administration except through union represen tatives. The company has training and development policy whereby responsibility is put on team leaders. The recruitment policy entails external recruitment by agencies and at the headquarters. Team work is encouraged and performance is measured through set targets which are supposed to be accomplished individually and through team work. The overall goal of the organization is to ensure quality services so as to retain customers and remain competitive in the service industry. Despite all these measures, its HR policies and procedures is not effective leading to labour turnover, absenteeism and declining profitability. The paper will discuss the various HR issues in the bank and appropriate recommendations to ensure the bank achieves its goals. Human Resource Issues and Recommendations Management One of the problems facing Banco is the manner in which it is managed. It is evident that all policies and procedures are formulated at a headquarters and implemented on other branches. The s trategies may be applicable in one branch but not the others due to cultural diversity. For example the rewards given to motivate workers are viewed differently by different individuals and cultures; some appreciate monetary rewards while others may appreciate non monetary rewards such as promotion so as to climb the social class. The local managers are not involved in formulating the policies and therefore they are not committed to implement the same in order to achieve results. The management team is also inexperienced and therefore cannot handle employees at the call centre if they themselves are not confident. The management also does not communicate directly with the staff but does so through the trade union and therefore may not realise the problems the employees are facing and handle them in order to gain loyalty and commitment. Banco can change its management techniques in order to achieve its objectives. It should appreciate diversity at workplace and hence involve local br anch managers in formulating policies and give them autonomy to formulate some policies at branch level in accordance with local needs. This is important in getting the local managers to feel they own the decisions thus are committed to achieving the company objectives. The managers also have knowledge of the area in which the call centres are located and are close to the customers

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Relationship between the subject you have chosen and the Bible Essay

Relationship between the subject you have chosen and the Bible - Essay Example It has been conjectured that the Hebrew Bible assumed its present form around the second century AD (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Interestingly, those believe in the Bible contend that it is perfect and that though science has been subject to errors, no such defect is to be found in the Bible. These people further contend that whatever pertaining to science is mentioned in the Bible, is totally accurate (Encyclopaedia Britannica). God provided man with considerable information in the Bible, and only now has science started to catch up with this information. The Bible is correct when it discusses even the most difficult subjects in nature or physics. God was favourably disposed to the patriarch Abraham, whom he promised at Genesis 13:16 to provide with innumerable descendants (Let Us Reason). Cosmology was nothing new to the Hebrew Bible, which clearly states at Genesis 15:5 that the stars are uncountable. This is reiterated at Jeremiah 33:32, which declares that the stars cannot be cou nted. At this juncture, it should be noted that these biblical quotes related to a time when there were no telescopes. At that stage of development, man was able to number the stars. For instance, Hipparchus, arrogantly declared that the number of stars was 1,026. This was increased to 1,056 by the Roman Ptolemy after 150 years (Let Us Reason). Moreover, in the year 1608, Galileo invented the telescope, which brought about a rapid increase in the number of stars seen by man. Around 100 billion stars have been seen with modern 200 – inch telescopes, and this is with regard to just the Milky Way, our galaxy. The number of stars is overwhelming, given that there are billions of galaxies (Let Us Reason). This indicates the foresight of the Hebrew Bible. Modern high powered telescopes have led astronomers to the conclusion that there are more than 100 billion stars in our galaxy and that there are at least 100 billion galaxies in the known universe. The number of stars has been es timated by Henry Morris to be at least 1024 stars (Let Us Reason). However, it has been contended that the Bible has contributed significantly to the development of modern science. Biblical content could be interpreted either to confirm or oppose scientific claims. There was no uniformity of interpretation and the extant requirements would dictate the interpretation to be made. During the 16th and 17th centuries, important changes were made to the interpretation of the Bible (Harrison 115). Consequently, the previous practice of allegorical interpretation was being discarded for interpretation that was based on the historical or literal sense. At this juncture, Protestant reformers and humanist scholars brought about a system of interpreting nature on the basis of taxonomic and mathematical considerations (Harrison 115). One of the books of the Hebrew Bible or what the Christians term the Old Testament is the Leviticus. This book was written before 1400 BC. It provides a description of the value of blood. Thus, Leviticus 17:11 states that ‘‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul (Clarifying Christianity).† This depiction is mirrored to some extent by science, which states that blood transports water and nourishment to the cells of the body, controls the temperature of the body, and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Stem Cell Research Legislation Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Stem Cell Legislation - Research Paper Example It is hoped that such cells can be developed to replace dysfunctional cells in conditions like spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and various other medical conditions. A look into the American stem cell research legislations proves that the country needs to make such laws regarding patents and intellectual rights to ensure that the government and the federally funded researchers have access to stem cells. In addition, there should be clear government guidelines regarding the agreement between patent holders and researchers. The advancements in research were not free from ethical issues and legal disputes. As reported by National Bioethics Advisory Commission (1999) this is mainly so because the sources for stem cells are one week old embryos called blastocysts which are usually created through in vitro fertilization to treat infertility, five to nine week old embryos of fetuses obtained through elective abortion, embryos created through in vitro fer tilization for research purposes, embryos created through cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer, and finally, adult tissues like umbilical cord blood and marrow. The controversy almost entirely surrounds taking stem cells from human embryos and fetuses because the process destroys them. Admittedly, the American administration has always been open to the ethical concerns surrounding embryo research. Throughout history, the government did not provide any funding to support researches on stem cells from human embryos. So, the federal law rightly prohibited the HHS from funding any such research. In the year 1994, President Bill Clinton issued an executive directive to the NIH that it should not allocate funds to develop human embryos for research purposes. Two years later, in 1996, there was a legislative ban on NIH’s spending on stem cell research from human embryos. Thereafter, every year, the government passed such a ban. As Wertz (2002, p. 674-678) points out, according t o the ban, federal funds could not be used for the development of human embryos for research purposes where human embryo is destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death. However, as the Wisconsin scientists successfully grew embryonic stem cells into specialized cells, there arose increased demand from NIH to again look into the governmental ban on stem cell research from embryos and fetus. The opinion of the HHS’ General Counsel was that the existing law that only prohibited the use of HHS funds for human embryo research would not ban research on stem cells because stem cells are not within the legal definition of human embryo. According to the definition provided, embryo is an organism that is capable of developing into a full human being when implanted in the uterus. It is claimed that the pluripotent stem cells are not able to grow into a human being. Thus, the opinion reached was that HHS could fund such stem cell researches that manage to get the stem cells from embryos using private means. The restriction only applied to those researches that want to derive stem cells from embryos using federal funds. Though there was congressional opposition, NIH made it clear that it would support stem cell research once it managed to issue guidelines and to establish an oversight committee. Thus, the NIH guidelines appeared in August 2000 that made it clear that researches using pluripotent stem cells from human embryos can be conducted using NIH funds. However the condition was that the stem