Ben Franklin Essays - Benjamin Franklin, Franklin,

Ben Franklin Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential people in American history. Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in a small town in Boston. Benjamin was one of ten children. His father, Josiah was a candle and soap maker, and his mother Abiah Folger was a homemaker. When Benjamin was only twelve years old he signed his identures so that he could apprentice under his brother, working at a printing press. Here he worked for his brother James for over nine years. Benjamin had enormous talent, and after his apprenticeship was up, he got a job printing for the Boston Gazette. However this did not last very long, after only ten months Franklins contract was given to someone else. This prompted Ben to start his own newspaper called the New England Courant. This was the beginning of a long life of success for Ben Franklin. Franklin had outstanding writing talent. His new business had done very well, but Franklin wanted more. Ben wanted to take over Philadelphias biggest newspapers, The Pennsylvania Gazette. In the year 1729 Franklin bought this newspaper. He renamed it (Thank Heavens) The Pennsylvania Gazette. In the year 1730 Franklin had fathered a son. There were many rumors, as to whom the mother was, but Franklin never released her name. As a result of this Franklin wanted to get married. A woman named Deborah Read moved into his home, and became his common law wife. During this time Franklin had established himself as a leader in the Philadelphia community. He helped to establish Philadelphias first public library. Franklin is also accredited with publishing the first almanac in 1732. Its name was Poor Richards Almanack. Benjamin Franlkins political career began in 1736. In this year he was elected clerk of the state legislature. Franklin had many ideas that benefited the city of Philadelphia. Upon his request a tax was established to provide better watchmen. He also helped organize volunteer firefighters. Ben also proposed a lottery to help bring money into the city, and he chartered a university that is name after him today, called the University of Pennsylvania. Franklins print shop had made him a wealthy man, and in 1748 the success of the print shop had allowed Franklin to retire early. Franklin could now use his time to focus on his two other favorite things: science and politics. Soon after his retirement Franklin became extremely interested in experimenting with electricity. Franklin was one of the first people to suggest that lightning was merely naturally occurring electricity, and that it could be drawn from the clouds. In 1752, Ben Franklin performed his kite experiment. Here Franklin had his proof of lightnings electrical nature. Franklin wrote specifics on how the experiment was to be done, it said This kite is to be raised when a thunder-gust appears to be coming on, and the person who holds the string must stand within a door or window, or under some cover, so that the silk ribbon may not be wet; and care must be taken that the twine does not touch the frame of the door or window. As soon as any of the thunder-clouds come over the kite, the pointed wire will draw electric fire from them, and the kite, with all the twine, will be electrified, and the loose filaments of the twine will stand out every way, and be attracted by an approaching finger. And when the rain has wet the kite and twine, so that it can conduct the electric fire freely, you will find it stream out plentifully from the key on the approach of your knuckle. At this key the phial may be charged; and from electric fire thus obtained. (Amacher 141) This experiment is one that gave Ben Franklin international fame. This however is not the only scientific material that Franklin studied. He also studied weather, and storm patterns. Franklin also studied medicine. When one of his brothers was sick he invented the instrument known as the catheter. Franklin was not a one sided person, he studied all different subjects and helped pave the was for researchers today. Franklin was one of the most well respected people in his lifetime. Many people admired him for his well-rounded education, and his leadership abilities.

How to Write Effective Letters to Congress

How to Write Effective Letters to Congress People who think members of the U.S. Congress pay little or no attention to constituent mail are just plain wrong. Concise, well thought out personal letters are one of the most effective ways Americans have of influencing the lawmakers they elect.   Members of Congress get hundreds of letters and emails every day, so you will want your letter stand out. Whether you choose to use the U.S. Postal Service or email, here are some tips that will help you write a letter to Congress that has an impact. Think Locally Its usually best to send letters to the representative from your local congressional district or the senators from your state. Your vote helps elect them- or not- and that fact alone carries a lot of weight. It also helps personalize your letter. Sending the same cookie-cutter message to every member of Congress may grab attention but rarely much consideration. Its also a good idea to think about the effectiveness of all of your communication options. For instance, a face-to-face meeting at an event, town hall, or the representatives local office can often leave the biggest impression. That is not always an option though. Your next best bet for expressing your opinion is a formal letter, then a phone call to their office. While email is convenient and quick, it may not have the same influence as the other, more traditional, routes. Finding Your Legislators Address There are a few ways that you can find the addresses of all of your representatives in Congress. The U.S. Senate is easy because each state has two Senators. Senate.gov has an easy to navigate directory of all current Senators. You will find links to their website, their email and phone number, as well as the address to their office in Washington D.C. The House of Representatives is a little trickier because you need to search for the person representing your particular district within the state. The easiest way to do so is to type in your zip code under Find Your Representative at House.gov. This will narrow down your options but you may need to refine it based on your physical address because zip codes and Congressional districts do not coincide. In both houses of Congress, the representatives official website will also have all the contact information you need. This includes the locations of their local offices. Keep Your Letter Simple Your letter will be more effective if you address a single topic or issue rather than a variety of issues you may feel passionate about. Typed, one-page letters are best. Many Political Action Committees (PACs)  recommend a three-paragraph letter structured like this: Say why you are writing and who you are. List your credentials and state that you are a constituent. It also doesnt hurt to mention if you voted for or donated to them. If you want a response, you must include your name and address, even when using email.Provide more detail. Be factual and not emotional. Provide specific rather than general information about how the topic affects you and others. If a certain bill is involved, cite the correct title or number whenever possible.Close by requesting the action you want to be taken. It might be a vote for or against a bill, a change in general policy, or some other action, but be specific. The best letters are courteous, to the point, and include specific supporting examples. Identifying Legislation Members of Congress have a lot of items on their agendas, so its best to be as specific as possible regarding your issue. When writing about a particular bill or piece of legislation, include the official number so they know exactly what youre referring to (it also helps your credibility). If you need help in finding the number of a bill, use the  Thomas Legislative Information System. Cite these  legislation  identifiers: House Bills:  H.R._____House Resolutions:  H.RES._____House Joint Resolutions:  H.J.RES._____Senate Bills:  S._____Senate Resolutions:  S.RES._____Senate Joint Resolutions:  S.J.RES._____ Addressing Members of Congress There is also a formal way to address members of Congress. Use these headers to begin your letter, filling in the appropriate name and addresses for your Congressperson. Also, its best to include the header in an email message. To Your Senator: The Honorable (full name)(room #) (name) Senate Office BuildingUnited States SenateWashington, DC 20510Dear Senator (last name): To Your Representative: The Honorable (full name)(room #) (name) House Office BuildingUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515Dear Representative (last name): Contact the U.S. Supreme Court The Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court do not have email addresses, but they do read letters from citizens. You can mail letters using the address found on the SupremeCourt.gov website. Key Things to Remember Here are some key things you should always and never do when writing to your elected representatives. Be courteous and respectful without gushing.Clearly and simply state the purpose of your letter. If its about a certain bill, identify it correctly.  Say who you are. Anonymous letters go nowhere. Even in email, include your correct name, address, phone number and email address. If you dont include at least your name and address, you will not get a response.State any professional credentials or personal experience you may have, especially those pertaining to the subject of your letter.Keep your letter short- one page is best.Use specific examples or evidence to support your position.State what it is you want to be done or recommend a course of action.Thank the member for taking the time to read your letter. What Not to Do Just because they represent the voters does not mean that members of Congress are subject to abuse or belittlement. As impassioned as you may be about an issue, your letter will be more effective if its written from a calm, logical perspective. If youre angry about something, write your letter then edit the next day to ensure youre conveying a courteous, professional tone. Also, make sure to avoid these pitfalls. Do not use vulgarity, profanity, or threats. The first two are just plain rude and the third one can get you a visit from the Secret Service. Simply stated, dont let your passion get in the way of making your point. Do not fail to include your name and address, even in email letters. Many representatives prioritize comments from their constituents and a letter in the mail may be the only way you receive a response. Do not demand a response. You may not get one no matter what and a demand is simply another rude gesture that does little for your case. Do not use boilerplate text. Many grassroots organizations will send out a prepared text to people interested in their issue, but try not to simply copy and paste this into your letter. Use it as a guide to help you make the point and write the letter in your own words with your personal perspective. Getting thousands of letters that say the exact same thing can diminish the impact.

Journal Entry Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal Entry - Coursework Example Every person can work according to their own talent and skills and hence, every person can work according to their interest. However, collaboration is still regarded as a team work. This is one of the things that I feel are most important for everyone to understand because this may be one of the biggest problems that one may face while working with new people. Since I have taken this course I have tried to implement all ways of collaboration I have learnt through this course. It really is helping me throughout. When I get into a group work I always recommend this kind of working which makes it easier for all of us to work. This course, not only told us ways to work in collaboration, but also told us examples where people are working in interdisciplinary collaboration. For example in films, everybody works in their own department. The actors are supposed to act, the choreographers are supposed to choreograph; the editors are supposed to edit and so on. During the whole process, nobody interrupts in any others work, hence a successful film. During this course we got many surprising visitors that gave us their experiences about working in collaboration and working according to others’ disciplines and their disciplines combine. They told us that they had their tasks done before time and perfectly. They also shared with us how they kept on a smooth and friendly environment throughout. This was probably one of the biggest inspirations that my fellow mates and I got. Throughout, this course has offered me a lot to study about further. I personally got the curiosity in me that have lead me to do further research on interdisciplinary and collaboration work. I personally think that this course has helped me and it will help me in the upcoming years. This course has most definitely helped me during my group projects that I have worked on with people I know and people I don’t know. I was surprised how my ideas worked out well

Exhibition Design Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exhibition Design - Coursework Example At some points, the ants converge revealing the exact natural behavior of the ants while travelling or in search for food in their natural habitat. There is selection of natural lighting, use of white color for background and black color for the ants that presents a lovable piece of work. The audience gets the mouthwatering appreciation of the long streak of the path taken by the ants and the meandering path taken is the ants are excellently natural. The room equally presents consistent lighting scenario. The lighting presents a scene where all the edges are darker as compared to the inner sections of the wall. The selective lighting creates brighter, popping out the section of the arts while neglecting edges and thus presents a sense of a bigger space in the room. Labeling process for the arts is undertaken at collected points with few words elaborating of source of the art. The labeling is undertaken at a common point. While some arts can appear useless but after reading the attached label on it that the audience appreciates it. All labeling are undertaken are concentrated at certain selected points. The labeling entailed present some materials and arts to be sourced from Ivory coast which also proceeds to highlight on the original application of the communicated art message. Floors are either brown or darks

English101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English101 - Essay Example You meet this type of friends in school, gym or while travelling. You might also not remember how they look like once you not meet them for a short period of time. This type of friends will not have much of an impact on your life. You do not miss them when they are away from you. You generally do not object their company and will like to have a cup of tea or coffee with them. But if you are in the midst of some work you don’t mind parting with their company. One may know this type of friends throughout their school career, but they might never talk to each other outside their school. These friends are nice to talk to but you never intend to have anything more relationship with them. You just talk with them and then go on your merry way. You talk with them on common topics like hobbies or classes. And you don’t talk with them about your personal life. These types of friends may also irritate you the most. As you think that you are supposed to behave in a friendly manner with them you may not point out some of their bad habits such as taping the fingers on a table or chewing gum loudly. A guest friend is also known as a former friend. These are the friends who grew up with you in your neighbourhood and then moved away. These are the friends with whom you spend much of a time of your childhood. These friends form a major part of your enjoyment during the childhood days. You would love their company any time. These friends will bring memories about your childhood days. You might get embarrassed on first seeing these friends. But as the conversation starts between you, you seem to love it and will like to spend more amount of time with them. You may miss them once in a blue moon when somebody makes you to realise that you are adult and you cannot behave in a manner you used to behave during your childhood days. You would always like to meet these types of friends and they are closer to you than the pest friends. The relationship between you is

Defining And Analysing Personhood

Defining And Analysing Personhood Person hood has always been an ill-defined term. The gray area between animal and person being one targeted and argued over since its original conception. It all seemed to begin with a proposition by John Locke, which constitutes that the rules governing personhood are: a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing, in different times and places; which it does only by that consciousness which is inseparable from thinking.(MHR, p. 134) Then many philosophers began to develop, and retake Lockes definition and make it their own. Though, all of these people seemed to follow suite that the gray areas border lays upon the idea of our mind, our thoughts, and our memory. However, one person seems to completely disagree with the tradition Locke notions of personhood. Paul Snowdon is instead a member of the animalist belief. This belief is seemingly more straightforward when compared to Lockes ideas, as rather than putting its focus on the continuity of the mind; instead he believes it is the continuity of the body that defines one person now, as the same person later. Snowdon figured that if one tried to define the separation between the person and then animal in all of us, a grave issue would unfold. This is due to the ideas of one being able to separate the animal from the person, for if this idea is to happen, then one must also define the mental capability of the animal within the person. This is seemingly impossible. Thus the animalist believes that we are all organisms, and rather than create an identity separation between animals and persons, rather we are all animals on a scale of being. This idea has a very small following when compared to Lockes theory; however, there are still a few philosophers that disagree with Lockes rules and have come up with their own definition for personhood. Still many of these theories have disagreements with Snowdons principles, but there are a few I believe Snowdon has many agreements with. The one I think Snowdon would agree with the most is Annette Baier. Her ideas on personhood are against the principles of Locke, moreover statements show her disagreement with not only Locke, but many philosopher representing theories similar in Lockes belief Baier says that person tests too often reflect the narrow values of those who design them. (MHR, p.135). Both philosophers agree in their disagreement with Locke. Snowdon believes that one cannot decompose a person into a person and an animal without deficient results; likewise Baier believes that, due to person tests being set-up to reflect human nature, often philosophers put too much focus on the mental aspect of the creature, in many cases over the social interactions. Snowdons idea that separating a person into two is closely related with Baiers theory in that, they both represent the idea that animals and persons are one and the same, that it is only our human hierarchal needs that seemingly force us into the thought process that there must be a defining barrier between us, and the rest of creature kind. Furthermore, Baier says the emphasis of the tests on the cognitive conditions of personhood seems to imply that people can float free of their own history, dependency, mortality, and biology. (MHR, p. 135) all of these ideas she disagrees with. Snowdon would also surely disagree with all of these ideas, as he spoke of the impossible reasoning behind the transplanting of ones brain, not from a scientific viewpoint but from a theoretical one. Thus both philosophers agree in their own disagreements with the modern system of defining personhood. Finally, Baier decided to create her own naturalist view, of persons as embodied, interpersonally responsive, and dependent creatures. (MHR, p. 135) Though her view does not completely discredit the idea of persons, it does share many of its merits with Snowdons principles, whilst expanding his ideas to encompass a new form of personhood. For instance, with the mention of persons as embodied à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ creatures she is showing a similar opinion to that of Snowdons. The belief in that the continuity of our very bodies is a quite important aspect in the continuity of ourselves. One may also infer from her statements, that she believes it impossible to separate the person from the animal. That shows another level of agreement with Snowdons reasoning. With all this research on other philosophers ideas on personhood, it seems impossible to have not developed a theory of my own. However, my theory is more based upon the underlying structure philosophers should be forced to realise before arguing their ideas of personhood, rather than my own opinion on the matter. It seems that the consistent underlying structure among all these theories is based on separate classes of personhood, and what answers these classes wish to define. It seems though that most philosophers ignore these separate classes, and end up arguing that one theory holds illogical reasoning, even though this reasoning only seems illogical due to the theory attempting to solve an entirely different problem from their own. It seems that all this began due to Lockes overly generalised theory; he covered the classes of identity tests, person continuity, as well as ethical standings. Whereas realistically all these issues should be dealt with separately. The classes of personhood as I see them are answers to the following questions. What separates me now from me then? What separates me from an animal? When does personhood begin? (These are only a few personhood questions, however they seem to make up the common definitions, and would well enough for an example of my theory.) Now the real issue is that these questions are often attempted to be answered with the same solution, even though these questions have very different ethical backgrounds. One attempts to develop a way of making identity checks, whereas another tries to define a hierarchy of the species, finally one is trying to define when life begins. As an example of the confusion this error can often cause I will examine Lockes definition. a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing, in different times and places; which it does only by that consciousness which is inseparable from thinking.(MHR, p. 134) He tries to solve the identity check question with the same thinking thing, in different times and places, or as discussed on Philosophy Bites, the memories of past events in ones life. However, he also tries to produce a solution to the problem of, what separates me from an animal? in saying a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself. Thus even in Snowdons very own argument, many of his reasons are flawed, do to comparing one question to another. It is my belief that each of the questions should be answered separately, rather than trying to develop a solution that fails in answering all of them at once.

Up The Down Staircase :: essays research papers

Up the Down Staircase   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By Bel Kaufman The main character of this book is Sylvia Barret she is a recent college graduate, and works as a high school English teacher. Sylvia would like to work in a nice private school, like so many of her friends. Instead Sylvia takes a job with the board of education, in a nieve attempt to reach out to the under privileged inner-city children in public schools. Sylvia battles with so many choices in this book. In the end she makes the right ones. Another character that is important to this book is James J. Mchabe. He signs his name with Adm. Asst. (administrative assistant). Sylvia calls him â€Å"Admiral Ass† because he is always looking over her shoulder. It seems like Mr.Mchabe’s only propose in life is to bother Sylvia and the other teachers. The admiral always seems to find something wrong with the manor the teachers run their classes in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bea Schachter is another teacher at Calvin Colidge High School. Bea has been a teacher at Calvin Coolidge for a very long time and she automatically makes Sylvia her friend. Bea shows Sylvia the ropes; what to do, what not to do, where to go, where not to go. That kind of stuff. Bea is a good teacher, and a good friend to Sylvia. One of Sylvia's students is Joe Ferone. Joe is a rebel and a hoodlum. Joe barely ever comes to class. Sylvia really wants to help Joe. Sylvia tries to schedule after school sessions with Joe, but he never shows up. Towards the end of the story I get the feeling Sylvia was starting to fall in love with him. This story takes place in a New York City school in Manhattan, in the nineteen- sixties. The book covers the span of one school semester form September to February. Sylvia Barret, a new teacher is starting her first day in room 304. She finds out that teaching isn’t all that she thought it would be. Her first friend is Bea a veteran teacher who helps Sylvia out by explaining how Calvin Coolidge high works. The writer takes all the craziness of a normal high school and embellishes them; for instance the school guidance counselor is always using big words and thinks all the students need help. And Mr. Mchabe the administrative assistant who is nosy about everything. The Janitor who is never available.

Existentialism: American Beauty

Existentialism: American Beauty American Beauty is a movie that sets in suburban America. The story is about Lester, whom is a middle-aged writer working in a magazine company. He was having a midlife crisis where he felt lonely and numbed by continuous unchanging routine of his everyday life. In the movie, his wife portrayed as a successful real estate agent, but she was also going through her own midlife crisis in both her career and personal life. Lester’s daughter, Jane Bumham had alienated her parents and was going through puberty.They have a new neighbor who is a U. S. Marine Corps Colonel Frank Fitts, and he has a son, Ricky Fitts, who is a drug dealer. Lester was going to get fired from his company that he had worked for fourteen year. Lester managed to cut a deal by threatening the manager to give him a year’s worth of salary or else he would distribute the gossip news, which would sabotage the company. One day, he and his wife went to see their daughterâ€℠¢s cheerleading dance and during the performance Lester saw Jane’s friend Angela Hayes. He then starts having fantasies of her.On the other hand, his wife was also having an affair with a successful colleague. Disregarding his wife’s life, Lester started to make changes in his life after hearing Angela complimented him and suggested that if he worked out, she would like him even more. Therefore, he started working out after being fired from his job, and got a new job at a fast food restaurant. During work, he found that his wife was having an affair and he asked her for a divorce. On the other hand, the marine corporal, Frank, has trust issues with his son, since Ricky had a history of using drugs (smoking weed).One day, Frank starts to get suspicious about Ricky’s actions. Then when Lester called Ricky to get more marijuana, Frank saw them getting together in a room. He thought that they were sexually involved. In reality, they were just smoking weed. When Rick y went home, Frank abused him and mistakenly believed that he was homosexual, which caused him to kick Ricky out of the house. So Ricky decided to ask Jane to runaway with him to New York. At the same time, when Lester and Angela was getting intimate with each other, she suddenly confessed that she was a virgin.Lester realized that he shouldn’t be taking advantage of her and Angela started crying, so he comforted her. After the incident, both of them bonded and shared their problems. On the last scene of the movie, it showed Lester holding an old picture of his family reminiscing the past then Frank suddenly showed up with a gun and shot him. The movie, American Beauty, portrayed many existential themes from philosophers like Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jean-Paul Sartre. In the beginning of the movie, Lester indicates he lived like a dead man.He goes through the same routine everyday, which is similar to Franz Kafka’s character Gregor Samsa in the short story â€Å"Metamorphosis†. Before Gregor’s transformation into a metamorphosis, he was a salesman for a long period of time where he felt that had lost his character, goals and even estranged himself from his family. Lester and Gregor have committed themselves to the society, which caused them to be alienated by their families. In the beginning of the movie, Lester’s daughter critiqued her father as a â€Å"loser† and his wife also looked down on him.Gregor had similar situations, he was also alienated because his job required him to travel, and therefore, he couldn’t spend time with his family. According to Kafka, one has to go through alienation because that awakens us to blossom into a new life. He believes that an individual have to balance themselves between individuality and society. Even though Gregor’s transformation gave him a new life, it was too late for him to live for himself. On the other hand, Lester was lucky enough to experience the change when he heard Angela’s suggestion to get fit.This tip encouraged Lester to adjust his dull and melancholy life. He starts working out and live for himself, instead of living up to other people’s standards. Kafka’s view of existentialism is that an individual has the responsibility to find balance between leisure and work. Lester’s character has some similarities as Kafka’s life. Kafka was employed at an insurance company, where he had experienced the suffering from working in the dull cubical office. He used writing as a way to escape from the tedious life he had, and it was the only method that could explore his creativeness.Even though Kafka was not an existentialist, his writing depicted many existential themes and shared similar thoughts with other philosopher like Friedrich Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche is a philosopher in the late 18th century. He has a great impact towards existentialism. His existential theme is about individua lity and constructing identity. Through his book called Gay Science, Nietzsche indicated that there were more liberation and freedom after religious wars and persecution ended. He believed that people were getting detached with religion.Even though the movie â€Å"American Beauty† did not have any religious related themes, it still portrayed the theme of liberation. It was freedom that saved Lester from being drowned by his miserable life, especially when he was being disregarded by his wife and alienated from his daughter. In addition, in the end of the movie, Ricky Fitts, the neighbor’s son was released from his father because of a misunderstanding. He was trapped under his abusive father’s rules and control. When Ricky was living under his father, he was like the â€Å"last man† in Nietzsche’s short story: Thus Spoke Zarathustra.The â€Å"last man† lacks passion and has no drive: â€Å" †¦ they do not like to hear the world ‘c ontempt’ applied to them. Let me then address their pride. Let me speak of them of what is the most contemptible; but that is the last man† (Soloman, 73). Lester also has similar characteristics of the â€Å"last man†. Before his transformation, he even confessed that he was living a life of a â€Å"dead man†. Nietzsche saw the â€Å"last man† among the middle class and he was afraid that they would be suffocated by the dreadful office space. This greatly relates to Lester’s working environment and the suburban area where he lived.Everyday felt like yesterday, nothing changes. There is no creativity or passion in Lester’s life and Nietzsche believed that people should be pushed and encouraged to break the cycle. Lester’s transformation speaks of Nietzsche’s existentialist theme: â€Å"we philosophers and ‘free spirits’ fell, when we hear the news that ‘the old god is dead. ’ As if a new dawn sho ne on us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (68). The â€Å"new dawn† that Nietzsche mentions in his book have similar portrayal in the movie, which is Lester’s transformation of his new life. From a miserable and coward person, Lester changed into a new courageous and free spirited individual.He was able to confront his wife and make his own decisions without being afraid of her looking down on him: â€Å"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about† (American Beauty). Overall, Nietzsche’s theme reveals that people have the ability to make their own decision and put their destiny into their own hands just like what Lester did with his life. Similar to Kafka and Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre also emphasized the importance of individuality.He believes that â€Å"existence comes before essence,† people creates their own destiny and it is not God that controls our fate (206). He also explained that human nature did not emerge because God created us. Sartre did not believe in God; therefore, he believed human created the existence of human nature, like how Lester altered his life. Sartre also indicated that individuals should take responsibility towards their actions. Lester broke away from the society and left his past life to construct a new character without other people to disapprove his decisions.However, he also threw away all the responsibility as a father and husband. Lester quit his job and got a lower salary job, which left his wife in charge of the mortgage. Even before the transformation, the relationship between Lester and his daughter drifted apart causing them to ignore each other. He failed to take a responsibility as a father and nurture his child instead he tried to flirt with his child’s friend. From Sartre’s book Existentialism is a Humanism, he wrote: â€Å"Our responsibility is thus much greater than we had supp osed, for it concerns mankind as a whole† (208).He believed that an individual’s action could have a huge impact on others, just like how the neighbor, Colonel Frank Fitts killed Lester at the end of the movie. Frank has to live carry that guilt forever. It was his decision to kill and therefore it would be his responsibility to accept the blame. However the movie did not indicate what consequences Frank will be facing, or what kind of responsibility he will get after the murder. The director leaves the decision to the audience to decide what his fate is going to be. Lester did mess up his family and take no responsibility during his physical and mental transformation.In the end of the movie, when Angela, his daughter’s friend, told him that she was a virgin, he realized that he could not take advantage of her. This message reminded him that she was just a teenager that needed attention. He took a parental responsibility by comforting her and explored her frustra tions, which applied to Sartre’s theme of taking responsibility while making alternations in life. Through out the movie, American Beauty, it has exposed many existential themes that connected to multiple philosophers including Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jean-Paul Sartre.All of them emphasized the importance of individuality, passion and creativity, which was depicted in the movie, especially on the main character, Lester. He altered his life and cured his mid-life crisis. It was through existentialism where he was released from the trap of society and the controlled environment. In the end of the movie, every character found an answer towards the purpose of life. Even though Lester’s life ended getting shot in the head, he was actually happier than he was before and managed to live the life he wanted. Reference Solomon, Robert C. Existentialism. 2nd. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.

A good crime drama Essays

A good crime drama Essays A good crime drama Essay A good crime drama Essay When they go to their room Holmes stays awake silent and motionless, rearranging his thoughts about the case, hoping he can spot any clues that he has not already come across. Watson seems to be more relaxed and goes to sleep. The next morning Holmes wakes Watson with a question, Game for a morning drive? This made me feel very excited because he gave me a sense of adventure as he may have come up with a hunch that might be the solution of the case. Holmes and Watson set off, on another journey that Watson seems to know nothing about, and they end up at the prison where Hugh Boone was being kept. As they were entering the cell Holmes humorously states, Hes a beauty, isnt he? Holmes then peels back the hideous face off this man and then he awoke to find Holmes stood over him with a mask in his hand. Doyle uses very effective ways to describe the image of this man without his mask, which in my opinion gives a very vivid view of how this man really looks. He uses words like, refined, and smooth-skinned, which I think are good words to use because the other face had a nasty scar, so it probably gives the reader a reminder of that. The endings that Doyle has used in these stories are rather unique and they are very similar to those in the modern day crime dramas, which makes me think that Doyle was probably the one who invented those types of endings and they have been carried on in dramas ever since then as they are so popular and seem to make quite an impact on people who watch or read these stories. In the end of this story Holmes reveals his technique to finding the answer to this investigation without giving too much away, which in my opinion makes a really good impact because it may make the reader feel like they want to hear more as this extract shows: I reached this one by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if we drive to Bakers Street we shall just be in time for breakfast. The Final Problem was probably one of the most effective stories in that time in history because it is when Doyle tried to kill off Holmes and the readers were horrified. This story starts off with Watson writing a journal about the events that happened between Holmes and Professor Moriarty before they fell off the cliff. This story seems to give quite a different light to Holmes as you may be able to see in this extract when Watson states, You are afraid of something? And Holmes answers, Well, I am. Holmes usually seems confident and in this story he seems to be scared of something. Even Watson sees a difference in his behaviour as this quotation shows: There was something strange in all this. It was not Holmess nature to take an aimless holiday. Holmes asks Watson to accompany him on a trip and goes on to tell him about the story of Professor Moriarty. Holmes describes him as being a man of good birth and excellent education, so he seems to be a very intelligent man, but a man who uses his education to do criminal things. Holmes seems really worried as this is probably the most superior criminal mind he has ever had to face and he is not just worried for himself, he is also worried for the people of London. We can see this from the following extract: I could not sit quietly in my chair, if I thought that such a man as Professor Moriarty were walking the streets of London unchallenged. Holmes seems to be overwhelmed by the intelligence of this man as he uses his mind and skills to be very dangerous. He used to be a professor, but he had a criminal strain that ran in his blood, which was probably the cause of his behaviour. He also has cunningly devised safeguards so he doesnt get caught. Holmes gives Watson instructions for the next morning so they could meet on the way to Newhaven. They met on the train, merely escaping Moriartys gang members. When they arrived Holmes got a telegraph from the London police informing him that Moriarty had escaped as they had secured the rest of the gang with exemption of him. Holmes is aware that he maybe in danger as he advises Watson to return to England because he may find him a dangerous companion. Later after Holmes has received the telegraph, he and Watson have a conversation that seems as though Holmes maybe giving up as he explains his past career in this extract: The air of London is the sweeter for my presence. In over a thousand cases I am not aware that I have ever used my powers upon the wrong side. In my opinion this seems quite sad because Holmes seems to be looking back on his career as though it is coming to an end, so this may give the reader a clue to what is about to occur. Also the use of the word power in this quotation, I think, is quite effective because it makes me see Holmes in a different light. As though he is someone superior than others. He describes Moriarty as the most capable criminal in Europe and that after he has caught him he doesnt feel the need to pursue his career any further. As Holmes and Watson made their way along a hill to the hotel they were approached by a young boy who gave them a letter addressed to Watson by the landlord explaining that there was a lady at the hotel who had suffered from a haemorrhage and needed the assistance of an English doctor. Watson was unsure of leaving Holmes, but had to assist this woman. Watson then explains the last he saw of Holmes as you can clearly see in the following extract: I saw Holmes, with his back against a rock and his arms folded, gazing down at the rush of the waters. It was the last that I was ever destined to see of him in this world. This would probably leave the reader weeping as it is now revealed that Holmes is going to die! Watson then arrives at the hotel to find that there is no sick Englishwoman, so he realises what has really happened. He then rushed to Holmes rescue, but was too late and found a letter addressed to him from Holmes. Before the letter is read Conan Doyle uses a great technique to get the readers attention, which was asking questions such as And then what happened? Who was to tell us what happened then? This created quite an impact on me because it made me feel as though I had been put on the spot and really had to think what did really happen? It intrigued me so I wanted to read on to see if these questions were going to be answered. The letter explained that he has now come into contact with Moriarty and has been able to free society from any further effects of his presence. It seems to me that Conan Doyle has written this very carefully to make sure that not too much is being given away as he may be trying to keep the mystery in the story so it leaves the reader wondering. The Empty House is the next story, which brings Holmes back. Conan Doyle probably found an easy way to bring Holmes back into his stories since he had left so much mystery in The Final Problem. In this story Holmes comes back and explains to Watson what really happened to him. When Holmes enters the story Watson amazement is clearly seen when he cries Holmes! Is it really you? I would describe Conan Doyles description of Holmes as very vivid and imaginative as you may be able to see in the following extract: Holmes looked even thinner and keener than of old, but there was a dead-white tinge in his aquiline face. Doyles use of words in this quotation interested me greatly. When he used the words aquiline face and white tinge it made me question myself, where has he been? What has he been doing? I think he uses a great technique for creating curiosity in the readers mind, which is probably another way to keep his readers interested. Holmes goes on to tell Watson that he had thrown Professor Moriarty off the cliff and saved himself, but some of Moriartys thugs had seen him and now are trying to kill him. I think this is a great storyline because the readers are probably curious to know how he is going to get away from them. This leads Holmes and Watson to the empty house where they hide while waiting for the criminals to attack! Holmes had left a dummy in the window of Holmes office in the shape of himself to attract them. Then a man, described to have a high, bald forehead, and a huge grizzled moustache. His eyes shone like stars as he was staring out of the window aiming his gun at the dummy. When the glass was broken by a shot, Holmes sprang like a tiger and grabbed the man and threw him on the floor where, quite unbelievably, the man got an upper hand on Holmes and Watson hit him over the head with his rifle. I think Doyle has staged this outcome of the attack purposely to put Watson in the limelight to remind the reader of Holmes and Watsons companionship. and once again Mr Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to examining those interesting little problems which complex the life of London so plentifully present. This quotation from the end paragraph, in my opinion, leaves a great relief for the reader because it states that Holmes is carrying on his career. It would have probably appealed more so to the readers in Victorian England because they didnt have much entertainment at all and showed a great fascination in the Sherlock Holmes stories. I think another way Conan Doyle keeps the audience interested is by using great techniques to sustain the tension, which may keep the reader anxious while relieving them at the same time such as when he starts to explain the setting in great detail, which also intrigued me because it gives a good idea of what is happening around the characters, as you may see in the following extract: I found the latch and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with brown opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the forecastle of an emigrant ship. I think the simile he has used in this quotation is very imaginative and he gives me a good understanding of what the room is like. I also found in each of these stories, that Watson seems to be narrating them, which I found quite strange because I thought that Holmes would more than likely be telling the story, but then I thought Doyle may be using Watson to give the reader a full view of Holmes himself from another persons perspective. Conan Doyle always wrote crime stories. This was probably because they were so popular and caught the publics attention so vividly. I think that some of the reasons why these stories are so popular are because they are short stories so they are more accessible to the reader and dont make them feel as though they have to read a whole book. Also the language doesnt seem difficult, so the reader would probably not have any problems understanding it. In Victorian England the art of conversation was somewhat different to our modern day society. People of that time in history would not have used slang or colloquialism, so the form of these stories is Standard English. These stories are also very descriptive and have strong characters, which I think, help to intrigue and sustain the readers attention, even in modern day society people still enjoy a good crime drama, which is shown because of all the different movies and programs such as, Columbo and Inspector Morse. I found these stories quite easy to read. I have personally enjoyed reading these stories and I can see why they are so popular and I think they will probably be very enjoyable in years to come. All of these stories have a little mystery in them and I think that is one of the main qualities that are needed for a good crime drama because it makes them interesting and I personally love mystery in a story.

How to Conduct Market Research

How to Conduct Market Research Free Online Research Papers How to Conduct Market Research Definition: Marketing research is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing. Research carried out in order to understand customer/consumer interest in a particular product or service. Marketing research, or market research, is a form of business research and is generally divided into two categories: consumer market research; Consumer marketing research studies the buying habits of individual people Business-to-business (B2B) market research, which was previously known as industrial marketing research; it investigates the markets for products sold by one business to another. Importance Marketing research provides information regarding consumer needs to the marketing managers, so that they can be able to implement marketing strategies and programs intended to satisfy those needs. Marketing research enables a firm to spot and identify the size of potential markets that are abroad. This therefore enables the firm to export the right amount of its products: not so much and at the same time not so little. This increases the chances of a firm succeeding in international markets. With respect to existing products in the market, marketing research enables a company to know if it has been able to satisfy customer needs and whether any changes regarding the product are necessary. Steps in Market research 1. Defining market problems 2. Set objectives, budget and timetables 3. Select research types, methods and techniques 4. Design research instruments 5. Collect data 6. Organize and analyze data 7. Presentation and reporting of findings 1. Defining market problems: The first step is being able to identify and define the problems and opportunities ahead. The issue will likely be recognized by one or more management Examples of problems might be poor company image, lack of awareness of the company and its products or services or even a bad reputation of the company. 2. Set objectives, budget and timetables: This involves being able to come up with a defined set of objectives that have been based on facts collected in the previous step. It also entails being able to determine the amount of resources that would be needed for the market research and a comprehensive, reasonable time frame for the whole research process. 3. Select research types, methods and techniques: This step Involves choosing between two types of research schemes i.e. primary research or secondary research. Primary research is based on information that had not existed before i.e. original information, whereas secondary research involves the usage of already existing information. Secondary research is faster and less expensive. These methods and techniques may include Based on questioning: ââ€" ª Qualitative marketing research generally used for exploratory purposes small number of respondents not standardized to the whole population statistical significance and confidence not calculated examples include focus groups, in-depth interviews, and projective techniques ââ€" ª Quantitative marketing research generally used to draw conclusions tests a specific hypothesis uses random sampling techniques so as to infer from the sample to the population involves a large number of respondents examples include surveys and questionnaires. Techniques include choice modeling, maximum difference preference scaling, and covariance analysis. Based on observations: ââ€" ª Ethnographic studies -, by nature qualitative, the researcher observes social phenomena in their natural setting observations can occur cross-sectionally (observations made at one time) or longitudinally (observations occur over several time-periods) examples include product-use analysis and computer cookie traces. See also Ethnography and Observational techniques. ââ€" ª Experimental techniques , by nature quantitative, the researcher creates a quasi-artificial environment to try to control spurious factors, then manipulates at least one of the variables examples include purchase laboratories and test markets Marketing research techniques come in many forms, including: ââ€" ª Ad Tracking periodic or continuous in-market research to monitor a brand’s performance using measures such as brand awareness, brand preference, and product usage. (Young, 2005) ââ€" ª Advertising Research used to predict copy testing or track the efficacy of advertisements for any medium, measured by the ad’s ability to get attention, communicate the message, build the brand’s image, and motivate the consumer to purchase the product or service. (Young, 2005) ââ€" ª Brand equity research how favorably do consumers view the brand? ââ€" ª Brand name testing what do consumers feel about the names of the products? ââ€" ª Commercial eye tracking research examine advertisements, package designs, websites, etc by analyzing visual behavior of the consumer ââ€" ª Concept testing to test the acceptance of a concept by target consumers ââ€" ª Coolhunting to make observations and predictions in changes of new or existing cultural trends in areas such as fashion, music, films, television, youth culture and lifestyle ââ€" ª Buyer decision processes research to determine what motivates people to buy and what decision-making process they use ââ€" ª Copy testing predicts in-market performance of an ad before it airs by analyzing audience levels of attention, brand linkage, motivation, entertainment, and communication, as well as breaking down the ad’s flow of attention and flow of emotion. (Young, p 213) ââ€" ª Customer satisfaction research quantitative or qualitative studies that yields an understanding of a customers of satisfaction with a product or service. ââ€" ª Demand estimation to determine the approximate level of demand for the product ââ€" ª Distribution channel audits to assess distributors’ and retailers’ attitudes toward a product, brand, or company ââ€" ª Internet strategic intelligence searching for customer opinions in the Internet: chats, forums, web pages, blogs where people express freely about their experiences with products, becoming strong opinion formers ââ€" ª Marketing effectiveness and analytics Building models and measuring results to determine the effectiveness of individual marketing activities. ââ€" ª Mystery Consumer or Mystery shopping An employee or representative of the market research firm anonymously contacts a salesperson and indicates he or she is shopping for a product. The shopper then records the entire experience. This method is often used for quality control or for researching competitors products. ââ€" ª Positioning research how does the target market see the brand relative to competitors? What does the brand stand for? ââ€" ª Price elasticity testing to determine how sensitive customers are to price changes ââ€" ª Sales forecasting to determine the expected level of sales given the level of demand. With respect to other factors like Advertising expenditure, sales promotion etc. ââ€" ª Segmentation research to determine the demographic, psychographic, and behavioural characteristics of potential buyers ââ€" ª Online panel a group of individual who accepted to respond to marketing research online ââ€" ª Store audit to measure the sales of a product or product line at a statistically selected store sample in order to determine market share, or to determine whether a retail store provides adequate service ââ€" ª Test marketing a small-scale product launch used to determine the likely acceptance of the product when it is introduced into a wider market ââ€" ª Viral Marketing Research refers to marketing research designed to estimate the probability that specific communications will be transmitted throughout an individual’s Social Network. Estimates of Social Networking Potential (SNP) are combined with estimates of selling effectiveness to estimate ROI on specific combinations of messages and media. 4. Design research instruments: A basic type of a research instrument is a questionnaire. A good market research questionnaire should be kept simple, beginning with general questions and moving towards more specific questions. 5. Collect data: Collection of data is an important activity and should be done by experienced researchers. In most cases untrained researchers may be biased towards interviewers. Common data collection methods include computer assisted telephone interviewing, mail surveys, internet surveys and the like. 6. Organize and analyze data: Analysis of data includes the editing, coding and tabulation of the responses. This is normally done with the help of office suite tools or specific research analysis programs. 7. Presentation and reporting if findings: Once the information has been analyzed, it should be presented in an organized manner to the business decision makers especially in the sales and marketing departments. All of these forms of marketing research can be classified as either problem-identification research or as problem-solving research. A company collects primary research by gathering original data. Secondary research is conducted on data published previously and usually by someone else. Secondary research costs far less than primary research, but seldom comes in a form that exactly meets the needs of the researcher. A similar distinction exists between exploratory research and conclusive research. Exploratory research provides insights into and comprehension of an issue or situation. It should draw definitive conclusions only with extreme caution. Conclusive research draws conclusions: the results of the study can be generalized to the whole population. Exploratory research is conducted to explore a problem to get some basic idea about the solution at the preliminary stages of research. It may serve as the input to conclusive research. Exploratory research information is collected by focus group interviews, reviewing literature or books, discussing with experts, etc. This is unstructured and qualitative in nature. If a secondary source of data is unable to serve the purpose, a convenience sample of small size can be collected. Conclusive research is conducted to draw some conclusion about the problem. It is essentially, structured and quantitative research, and the output of this research is the input to management information systems (MIS). REFERENCES: (2008). Retrieved 2008, from Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com/market research Etzel/Walker/stanton. (2007). Marketing (14th ed.). New York: Mcgraw-Hill Irwin. Kress, G. (1988). Mraketing research . New Jersey: Preita hall. McNeil, R. (1998). Business to business market research. London: kogan page ltd. Research Papers on How to Conduct Market ResearchAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New Employees

Describe a place in which you are both familiar and interested Essay

Describe a place in which you are both familiar and interested - Essay Example Shah Jahan loved his wife Mumtaj Mahal so much, but was grief-stricken at her death during child birth. He wanted to keep her memory alive till eternity and so built the beautiful Taj which stands as India’s pride attracting tourists from far and near to revel in its beauty. The exotic Taj is situated in the lush green plains of Agra, behind which runs the sacred river Yamuna. It is made of huge slabs of creamy white marble and is studded with thousands of semi-precious stones. The pathway leading up to the monument is flanked by tall palm trees which act as a border to a moat of crystal clear water spurted out from dancing fountains. It has an impressive circular dome with four minarets, one in each corner. The structure is so impressive that it makes the beholder stare at it in awe before making an entrance. The arched entrance has a huge and heavily crafted wooden door with shiny brass door-knobs. It leads into a massive hall filled with archways and has a high ceiling which is intricately carved with patterns of flowering plants that adorn it, enhancing its magnificence. Right in the centre of the hall are the cold marble tombs of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal that are covered with floral patterns and embellished with precious stones which are a deep blue. An Octagonal screen made from perforated marble called â€Å"Jalis† form the border surrounding the two cenotaphs in the centre chamber. Each of these Jalis was carved with intricate and exquisite designs from a single slab of marble and allows not only air to circulate but also sunlight which scatters beautiful patterns over the cenotaphs. The eight faces of the jalis are decorated with flowering plants like lilies and poppies intrinsically embedded with colorful gemstones such as agate, sandstone and carnelian. From the centre of the dome, above the cenotaphs in the mausoleum, hangs a beautifully

Business law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business law - Case Study Example 6 (d)Was the appeal decision ‘fair and equitable’ to the chicken growers in light of the dynamic commercial relations existing between the parties? 7 Question2 8 Overview of the Case 8 Common Law 9 Equitable Remedies 10 Specific performance in Equity 11 Common Law ‘Exceptions’ to the ‘Privity of Contract’ 11 Question 3 14 Overview of the Case 14 Civil Liability Act 2003 (Qld) and Its Common Features 15 Professional Liability associated with Dr Zola towards Rubicon Holding Ltd 16 References 18 Question 1 (a) Provide a short account of the commercial background of the case, and key aspects/clauses of the standardized contract in dispute between the parties. The Federal Court of Australia issued its judgement in the case of Steggles Limited v Yarrabee Chicken Company Pty Ltd [2012] FCAFC 91 under the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) of contractual dispute. The joint judgement made by Jacobson, Lander and Foster JJ,  agreed that appeal sh ould be duly allowed to Yarrabee (applicant) as against Steggles (plaintiff). In 2004, Yarrabee Chicken Company Pty Ltd was reputed as one of the chicken growers in the Hunter Valley, which had arrived into a contract with Steggles Limited. The contract was in the same form to all other growers including Yarrabee Chicken Company which included Growers to grow chickens with the application of tunnel growing methods. On the grounds of breach of contract, Yarrabee filed proceedings against Steggles under Part IVA of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) suing Steggles with respect to the confusion raised from a particular contractual term of â€Å"extra Shed capacity† which could have implied the assistance to be rendered by Steggles in terms of increased physical capacity to grow more birds or through the facility of growing extra number of birds in the given capacity. The major issues of the case dealt with the specification of clause7.4 articulated in the contract bet ween Yarrabee and Steggles. It was under this particular clause of the contract that Steggles was considered to be liable to offer ‘any extra shed capacity’ to the Growers in preference to any other third party which apparently depicts the occurrence of a contractual dispute. (b) Regarding the pivotal clause 7.4, what case law principles governed its ‘proper construction’, in the view of the judges (Jacobson, Lander & Foster JJ) on appeal? The primary judge affirmed that the phrase ‘extra shed capacity’, as articulated in the clause 7.4 of the contract bound Steggles â€Å"to offer to the growers, first and in preference to any third party, the capacity to grow any bird to be processed at the Beresfield processing plant in one of the Growers’ sheds on their farms†. The second judgement with respect to the case affirmed that Steggles had resulted in the breach of contract against the terms articulated in cl 7.4(a) of the contract e ntered between the Growers and Steggles. In this particular context, Steggles was found to breach the contract against the terms illustrated under cl 7.4 (a) of the contract as the judges concluded that â€Å"the evidence makes plain that Steggles distributed chickens to other growers for processing at the Beresfield plant when the Growers had capacity to grow those chickens†. However, Steggles was not satisfied with the above stated findings made by the primary judges and appealed against those findings. Contextually,