The Views Of Mencius And Hsun-Tzu On Heaven Essays - Confucianism

The Views Of Mencius And Hsun-Tzu On Heaven November 17, 1999 The Views of Mencius and Hsun-tzu on Heaven. Mencius believes that it is our nature and mind that determine what we are. It is our fate that governs our fortunes and determines our lease on life. Fate was originally a patent to a fief-holder, given by the Son of Heaven as Heaven's deputy to a feudatory. In extended usage it became our lot in life - the fate ordained by heaven. While people guard their minds and determine their conduct, they cannot determine their fate, which is in Heaven's hands. So, Mencius believed that though all humans are innately good, the realization of that good comes with self-cultivation and self-knowledge. Hsun-tzu could not accept Mencius idealistic view of human nature, nor did he believe that Heaven was the sole arbiter of human behavior. He believed that the importance of humankind in the universe is equal to but different from the importance of Heaven and Earth: Heaven has its seasons, Earth has its riches and man has his culture. This is what is meant by the Trinity. Humanity's function is to utilize the resources of Heaven and Earth to create its own culture. This can be done through the strength acquired from social organization. However, because the social organization needs to be regulated, lest it break down, and because desires are many, but things are few, Hsun-tzu taught that people need to be restricted and guided by rules and morality. In my view of these two philosophers, I feel that Mencius' views are much more common in most religious traditions today. Mencius beliefs are a lot like Christianity, which is the religion that I am most familiar with. He believes that Heaven is a moral force whose mandate is to be respected and followed by human beings. We follow Heaven's mandate by knowing and nourishing our human nature. Our human nature is good. When you look at the Doctrine of four beginnings, Jen, Yi, Li, and Chih, when these are fully developed, you have a very wise and harmonious person. If you have nature you have Heaven. If no nature, no Heaven. This is self-cultivation. In my religious tradition if you do the will of God, you will receive eternal life (Heaven). Religion Essays

The Role of hospitality in the Homeric world

The Role of hospitality in the Homeric world In the Homeric world the theme of hospitality has been used in a rather obsessive manner with the author raising it very more often, in this writing the social world is complicated and confused.Within the society comprising Homer’s world are the hospitable and noble people on one side and the exploiters on the other side.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of hospitality in the Homeric world-Odyssey specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The exploiters are ungrateful of the favors extended to them and they grab every chance that comes their way to wreck havoc amongst their host, they hold their host ransom at their own backyard. It’s prudent to say that majority of the Homeric world as portrayed in the first book is a socially spoilt world. None the less the Homeric world gives a glimpse of the noble men and women who live within that society, they appreciate and acknowledge the little favors and hospit ality extended to them and in some instances they returned this favors to their fellow honorable men of the society. When Minerva visited Ithaca ,after descending from Olympus to Ulysses house disguised as a visitor she found Penelope’s suitors seated on hides of skins from oxen which they had slaughtered and eaten ,the suitors were so comfortable and felt at home within Penelope’s and Telemachus’ (Ulysses son)house. As Homer put it, they were cutting great chunks of meat and mixing wine while the servants were waiting upon them (8:13)1, that was the scope of Penelope’s hospitality. However, the suitors were themselves inhospitable; they could not extend the kindness shown to them to other people as they don’t take notice of the visitor at the gate (Minerva). Telemachus is a great host and he is kind to his visitor, he is surprised that a stranger could be kept for long without being welcomed. Telemachus is socially upright, he first welcomes his g uest to partake of food before he engages her in any conversation (9:9)1, he receives her spear and sets it up on the bearing post and set up a â€Å"richly decorated seat for her† and her feet away from the annoying suitors(10:1)1. Further, the extent of Telemachus hospitality has been portrayed when the suitors were served with â€Å"good things† by men servant and maids (12:4)1. Unfortunately, they exploited this hospitality, for instance when they had finished eating they forced Phemius to sing and as Minerva soon observed â€Å"singing come cheap to those who do not pay for it† (13:2)1.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Minerva is disgusted by the unreasonable behavior of the suitors and criticizes them as being atrocious. On the other hand Minerva is offered a gift but he modestly declined but promises to accept it the next time they meet and in return he will give him another of no less value. The behavior of these two characters in this epic indicates the hospitability that existed in this society especially in relation to the host (Telemachus) and the responsiveness of the guest. In the third book when Minerva and Telemachus go to Pylos to look for odyssey they were received well by their hosts, Homer writes that Nestor’s son offered them a hand (Minerva and Telemachus) and sat them on soft sheep skin. The Pylos society is a religious society as is indicated in their insistence that the guest pray for the drinks that they were about to partake. Their excellent religious believes are also reflected in their good social behavior especially for their being great hosts, they offered dinner to the guests without even inquiring who they were. This shows as how they use hospitality as away of worshiping their gods. When night came the guest were given drinks and they as much as they could. As they were heading to their ship Nestor made them to stay exclaiming that heaven and the immortal gods forbad their leaving of his house and going to sleep on board a ship. Nestor is an excellent host and he rebukes the guests attempt to live, informing them that he had the means and ability to not only get beddings for his guests and himself but also clothes for them as well. When they had agreed to come back, they were mixed the best wine (eleven year old wine) they were put to bed comfortably by their host and when morning come their host extended his hospitality to the remaining crew, he sent for the remaining crew of the ship to come so that they can merry for he ordered that a heifer be slaughtered. Hospitality in this instance is a way of offering respect to their gods. In book three we are told how hospitality plays a big role in fostering the relationships that exists between the gods and the people. The Homeric society has a lot of respect for their gods as it was illustrated by Nestor upon re alizing that Minerva was a goddess, she pampered her guest with food and excellent boarding which culminated in him sending Telemachus on a tour of the country with his son, giving him with a chariot and provisions of wine, bread and other things for their journey (4:2, 3)4 Hospitality plays a big role in fostering peace and tranquility in the Homeric world, when Pisistratus and Telemachus got to Menelaus house and Eteoneus informs him of the strange visitors and how he should deal with them, Menelaus rebukes him for failing to invite the visitors and showing kindness to them, he acknowledges that he himself has been shown kindness before in the places that he visited and he states that that’s gods way of bringing a peaceful coexistence in the society henceforth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of hospitality in the Homeric world-Odyssey specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The suitors disregard the hosp itality given to them and this time they take it higher by being completely ungrateful and having a plot to completely bring down Telemachus, the servant Medon tells her mistress ,Penelope, that the suitor s were plotting something more dreadful against Telemachus on his way home from finding out what befell his father (69; 1)4. The suitors portray these society badly but they defend their action by blaming Penelope for keeping them waiting instead of choosing one of them or going back to her father where she will be bestrode to another mate, they accuse her of spinning a loom in the day and when the night came she undid it and thus keeping them waiting for the day she will finish spinning the loom for she had promised that on finishing she will choose a suitor amongst the men. To them they use inhospitality is a revenge tactic. Conclusion Much of the Homeric society is a fine society especially in regard to hospitality; most of them treat their visitors in the most excellent way. T hey do not ask any questions to the visitors until they have been welcomed, washed and given food and drinks to their full. However, the suitor bring a rather heavy contradiction on this noble vise that the society in Homer’s world has portrayed, they exploit, reciprocate in a rather mischievous way and want to do something dreadful to their host. In the first book we are told of how they tell Telemachus to his face that they won’t get out of his fathers house. Hospitality plays many roles in this society and is the pillar stone of that society as it has been demonstrated in the ways to which they grab every opportunity to extend hospitality to their visitors. Work Cited Homer, The Odyssey, Butler, S. ed,United States: Orange Street Press Classics,1998.pdf.

Understanding the Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Understanding the Triarchic Theory of Intelligence The triarchic theory of intelligence proposes that there are three distinct types of intelligence: practical, distinct, and analytical. It was formulated by Robert J. Sternberg, a well-known psychologist whose research often focuses on human intelligence and creativity. The triarchic theory is comprised of three subtheories, each of which relates to a specific kind of intelligence: the contextual subtheory, which corresponds to practical intelligence, or the ability to successfully function in one’s environment; the experiential subtheory, which corresponds to creative intelligence, or the ability to deal with novel situations or issues; and the componential subtheory, which corresponds to analytical intelligence, or the ability to solve problems. Triarchic Theory of Intelligence Key Takeaways The triarchic theory of intelligence originated as an alternative to the concept of general intelligence factor, or g.  The theory, proposed by psychologist Robert J. Sternberg, contends that there are three types of intelligence: practical (the ability to get along in different contexts), creative (the ability go come up with new ideas), and analytical (the ability to evaluate information and solve problems).The theory is comprised of three subtheories: contextual, experiential, and componential. Each subtheory corresponds to one of the three proposed types of intelligence. Origins Sternberg  proposed his theory in 1985 as an alternative to the idea of the general intelligence factor. The general intelligence factor,  also known as  g, is what intelligence tests typically measure. It  refers only to â€Å"academic intelligence.† Sternberg argued that practical intelligence- a person’s ability to react and adapt to the world around them- as well as creativity are equally important when measuring an individuals overall intelligence.  He also argued that  intelligence isn’t fixed, but rather  comprises a set of abilities that can be developed.  Sternbergs assertions led to the creation of his theory.   Subtheories Sternberg broke his theory down into  the following  three subtheories: Contextual subtheory: The contextual subtheory says that intelligence is intertwined with the individual’s environment. Thus, intelligence is based on the way one functions in their everyday circumstances, including one’s ability to a) adapt to one’s environment, b) select the best environment for oneself, or c) shape the environment to better fit one’s needs and desires.Experiential subtheory: The experiential subtheory proposes that there is a continuum of experience from novel to automation to which intelligence can be applied. It’s at the extremes of this continuum that intelligence is best demonstrated. At the novel end of the spectrum, an individual is confronted with an unfamiliar task or situation and must come up with a way to deal with it. At the automation end of the spectrum, one has become familiar with a given task or situation and can now handle it with minimal thought.  Ã‚  Componential subtheory: The componential theory outlines t he various mechanisms that result in intelligence. According to Sternberg, this subtheory is comprised of three kinds of mental processes or components:Metacomponents enable us to monitor, control, and evaluate our mental processing, so that we can make decisions, solve problems, and create plans.Performance components are what enable us to take action on the plans and decisions arrived at by the metacomponents.Knowledge-acquisition components enable us to learn new information that will help us carry out our plans. Kinds of Intelligence Each subtheory reflects a particular kind of intelligence or ability: Practical intelligence:  Sternberg called one’s ability to successfully interact with the everyday world  practical intelligence. Practical intelligence is related to the contextual subtheory. Practically intelligent people are especially adept at behaving in successful ways  in their external environment.Creative intelligence:  The experiential subtheory is related to creative intelligence, which is one’s ability to use  existing knowledge to create new ways to handle new problems or cope in new situations.Analytical intelligence:  The componential subtheory is related to analytical intelligence, which is essentially academic  intelligence. Analytical intelligence is used to solve problems and is the kind of intelligence that is measured  by a standard IQ test Sternberg observed that all three kinds of intelligence are necessary for successful intelligence, which refers to  the ability to be successful in life based on one’s abilities, personal desires, and environment. Critiques There have been a number of critiques and challenges to Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence over the years. For example,  educational psychologist  Linda  Gottfredson says  the theory  lacks a solid empirical basis, and observes that the data used to back up the theory is meager. In addition, some scholars argue that practical intelligence is redundant with the concept of job knowledge, a concept that is more robust and has been better researched. Finally, Sternberg’s own definitions and explanations of his terms and concepts have at times been imprecise. Sources Gottfredson, Linda S. â€Å"Dissecting practical intelligence theory: Its claims and evidence† Intelligence, vol. 31, no. 4, 2003, pp.343-397, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-2896(02)00085-5Meunier, John. â€Å"Practical Intelligence.† Human Intelligence, 2003. intelltheory.com/practicalintelligence.shtmlSchmidt, Frank L., and John E. Hunter. â€Å"Tacit Knowledge, Practical Intelligence, General Mental Ability, and Job Knowledge† Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 2, no. 1, 1993, pp. 8-9,  https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.ep10770456Sternberg, Robert J. Beyond IQ: A Triarchic Theory of Human Intelligence. Cambridge University Press, 1985.Sternberg, Robert J. â€Å"The Theory of Successful Intelligence† Review of General Psychology, vol. 3, no. 4, 1999, 292-316, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.3.4.292â€Å"Triarchic Theory of Intelligence.† Psychestudy, https://www.psychestudy.com/cognitive/intelligence/triarchic

Organisations and thier environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisations and thier environment - Essay Example Mullins (2005) contends that organisations comprise 'people, objectives, structures' and 'management'. External: These are the factors which on which an organisation may not be able to exert much of its control. These include, the legal and political scene prevailing within the state/ country of its operations, number and types of competitors, suppliers in the market, terms and conditions from financial institutions, alternative products available in the market, newer technological innovations etc. Worthington (2006) places greater importance on political developments occurring at different levels - local, national and international. Organisations resort to strategic planning to take care of these factors and. Organisations learn a lot from there environment and prevailing circumstances. But the strategic intent alone cannot be planned all in advance. It has to be a continuous evolutionary process depending upon the experiences. Henry Ford said, "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently"1 Environment Analysis: It involves studying and analyzing the surroundings to identify the competitors, the threats and opportunities. Maslow's hierarchy of needs argued that the driving force for human actions is the urge for satisfaction of one or the other need. These needs go on changing depending upon a number of factors. In fact the needs of consumer/ customer and those of the organization are inter-linked because organization too is an active component, so needs of the organization too keep changing. Similarly changing needs of the customer must drive an urge for change in the organization for it to succeed in the long run. Environment changes with; The form of government i.e. whether democratic, parliamentary or not. The market forces depend a lot on the form of government. Frequency of elections and leaning of the political party coming to power. Existing trade facilitations/ barriers amongst the partner countries. For example EU is composed of 27 member states, which help businesses to prosper within the region. In addition regional trade associations like NAFTA, SAFTA etc also lessen the trade barriers and prove to be helpful in preparing strategies for the organisation. Government's economic policies, taxation rates, rates of interests, currency convertibility, competition policy, employment policy, environment protection policies etc. PESTEL analysis provides an important tool to take a comprehensive look at the external environment affecting an organisation. PESTEL determines the factors like Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal. Organisations are supposed to devise their strategies on the basis of this analysis. Environment analysis involves market analysis as well. In fact environment analysis tends to be unique to the strategists, because what may appear to be an opportunity to one organization may

Domestic Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Domestic Terrorism - Research Paper Example According to FBI, between the year 1980 and 2000, 250 out of a total of 335 terrorist acts were regarded as domestic terrorism as they are executed by the citizens of the United States. The motives behind these attacks are mostly different and they are executed by different organizations for different purposes. Domestic terrorism is conducted through different activities such as; shooting, assaulting, assassination, bombing or other means of destruction. A number of incidents related to domestic terrorism were on the rise in 1980s and according to FBI, most of these terrorist attacks were carried out by left-wing terrorist organizations. In the later part of 1980s, the threats from left-wing organizations receded therefore the incidents of domestic terrorism declined in the 1990s as compared to the incidences that took place in 1980s. However, the right-wing organizations started to gain momentum in 1990s and a number of domestic terrorism incidents took place in the name of antigove rnment movements. In the late 1990s, a rise in the activities of organizations endorsing animal rights and the environmental extremists was observed. To the surprise of the regulatory authorities, in the year 1999 8 out of the 12 terrorist incidents that occurred in the United States were attributed to the organizations endorsing animal rights or environmental extremists. One of such incidents included fire-bombing of an outlet of a clothing line. These extremists also took part in anti-corporate and anti-global activities. In order to create obstacles in the process of corporate deals and other activities, such groups also orchestrated destruction of property in order to hinder the corporate meetings.... In the year 1999, the group caused the burning of a ski resort in Vail, Colorado. The group caused some other property destructions in the later years such as; burning of Legend Ridge mansion, burning of numerous SUVs, and destruction of a 206-unit condominium in San Diego. In 2007, the group caused the destruction of four multi-million dollar homes through explosives, and in the most recent case, burning of an excavator. Due to these significant terrorist activities, this group is posing a threat to the government, therefore, the law enforcement authorities are taking active measures to avoid any future terrorist attacks by this group. From the analysis of the domestic terrorism in the United States, it can be inferred that the US has witnessed significant damage due to the domestic terrorist activities than the damage faced by international terrorism. Domestic terrorism has been prevailing in the United States for decades. The intensity of terrorist activities was different in diff erent eras. There are numerous groups or organizations that are actively involved in the domestic terrorist activities in the United States and there have been a number of notable domestic terrorist activities in the past few decades. The government should allocate more resources in order to enhance the measures being taken against the domestic terrorism and the authorities that form new laws should take the opinion of the opposing groups into account as well in order to reduce the domestic terrorist activities in the United States.

The Easycar Company Report Essay Example for Free

The Easycar Company Report Essay The Easycar company like any other business venture with an aim of maximizing profit, is been faced with the normal business environment. Achievement of the profit goal of such business involves diagnosing problems and making forward movement in improving its performance. The company has taken off smartly with attraction of many customers and still at a competitive market in Europe: Although it monopolizes in the use of a single type of vehicle at the start in each of its location, it’s a smart move to its management though such service monopoly may far outweigh the different customer requirements. It has a high quality mode of booking which to the management serves as a first hand system though it may have different inconsistencies of been expensive despite its mission to offer a cheap transport service. Therefore, it should diversify such a method to include other methods like counter booking. Easycar is however, been faced with it bureaucratic mode of administration in its financial authorities about customers getting the service. It has many unstable car service charge requirements which are often changing depending on the nature type time and other illogical requirements. Although such attentions are taken to ensure the best business fit in this competitive environment; this compromises the effectiveness of quality service delivery. Rather than providing a cheap service, costs of such services are becoming too expensive. It’s important that the company streamlines the cost of services delivery to become cheap to the customers. Perhaps the other companies are doing better, because of their diversification in agency and intermediaries. To Easycar, however, doing the business directly on its own is seen as its best solution for growth and expansion. Like the other companies in this industry, Easy car should also aim at diversifying its customer’s targets and increasing the range of its vehicles. Perhaps it would even achieve its motive not by its one car service monopoly and strict destinations but by diversification in such areas. Though it has the intention of providing high quality car services and improve the growth of the company, but such maximum profit may not be recognized by the use of these too expensive mercedes cars which require high capital input. The system of car renting by its own depicts and wide range of inconsistencies, where its policies are changing without regard to any specific regulations. It thus forms a basis of inconveniences to the customers where customers have to keep mobility in the change of regulations about the renting and its charges. It’s important that the company maintains stability in renting management otherwise this would be a gate pass to customer inconvenience Problems facing the company Easycar is challenged by a number of problems. The company’s mission can only be attained subject to the address of these problems that highly inhibits its performance. Firstly, the company is renting only one type of car, which is at a high risk of service monopoly. Either, these cars are too expensive which implies that low customer requirement may not be met. The company is operated directly through direct internet or company phone service for its booking. However other companies in the industry are using intermediaries and broker agents. Perhaps this is a key contribution to these companies success. These agents and intermediaries can function to promote to reach many customers. It’s not optimally exploiting its resources where it’s not leasing all its parking spaces. Some spaces are found vacant when most of the cars have been rent during the day. Either it has not optimally exploited opening new sites where more locations can be opened by hiring smaller staff, driving fan to the location and adding these locations to company’s website. The company depicts a broad range of booking inconsistencies where time of service is determined at booking. The rental prices are charged at times of picking. The system also require many customer requirements are unrealistic (Printed copy of contract and a credit card) There is delay in picking up of vehicles where a customer can even spend 30 minutes waiting for processing of transactions and receiving their vehicles. This was due to the low staff level who cannot give service adequately. The contract of picking up a car involves too expensive cost of a refundable fee upon fulfilling the service requirements of the car contract. This would have perhaps, passively challenged some customers who for reasons could not manage to afford this refundable contract fee. Empty fueled vehicles are still a problem which would lead to further customer inconveniences in fueling the tanks. Also there were many requirements regarding the return back level of cars fuel. Since customers are to drive for them this would have highly inconvenienced customers who never knew some places despite provided with a map. Either non-driver was totally limited to this service since a customer was to drive the car for himself. The cleaning car policy before returning was a big drawback of inconvenience to customers. This was an inhibitor in the service rendering of this company. Otherwise the previous higher cost levy without regard to cleaning the car was far economical than the penalty levy to the customer when they returned the car dirty. The stringent strictness in the number of kilometers the car traveled at the renting period worked to demoralize some of the customers. Booking of the cars itself constituted a range of expenses, where using the phone system was charged â‚ ¬0. 95 a minute for a call and â‚ ¬5 for using credit card. Inconsistent levy for returning the car late was a problem. Mismanagement in the high cost of advertising had no economies of scale. It even chose to double its marketing effort to â‚ ¬3million in 2003 in featuring the founder of the company Justification of the problem facing company The company was established to provide the same type of car service in all its locations across its markets. It had signed a contract with the General Motor Show to purchase 5000 A-class Mercedes cars which cost the company over â‚ ¬6. million . Its mission was to use brand new Mercedes cars in the same way that easy jet uses brand new Boeing aircraft. By 2002, its fleets consisted of 6000mercedes A-class vehicles across 18 sites The company operated directly through its website and phone system and never transacted with any intermediaries or agents. Its entire sites were manned by its employees. However, the other car companies operated with agents and intermediaries which helped to have a broad catchments area for its customers. Example, companies like the sixt, Eurocars, Avis and Hertz targeted both vocational and business travelers and offered a wide range vehicles for rent. Despite the fact that Easycars where rented 90 percent of the time, only 15-20 spaces were required at an average, with a fleet of 150 cars. It could still open other locations by hiring less staff adding locations to its website and driving a van to its location. Booking prices usually changed with time and space. Customers who picked their cars early in the morning were paying more then those who picked the cars late in the day or at busy times. Processing the booking also required many requirements where customers were supposed to produce a copy of contract credit card. It also involved a long process of new customer’s identification. (Kirkegaad, 1997) Customers were highly delayed in picking up vehicles. This could go as long as 30 minutes and the company staff are described as been slow. To pick a car, a customer was made to put down a refundable contract fee of â‚ ¬80 before signing and moving away with the car. Customers were also expected to maintain the fuel tank at a level. Empty or less tanks were charged a fuelling fee of â‚ ¬16. The employee in charge would investigate and if finds the low-fuel indicator, the customer was supposed to pay this low fuel levy. The office of the Fair Trading (OFT) accused the Easycar Company as not been a transport company because its customers drove for themselves unlike other transport companies. However, the management of the company had filed a suit of appeal in the court that its service system was to ensure a low price to its customers. Such case was even to reduce the companies plan for the 2004 IPQ. At the beginning the policy required that customers were to pay â‚ ¬11 at booking for preparation of the car. However, the new policies required customers to maintain the car clean or pay the cleaning levy. The company provided customers with maps showing car washing points which could however inconvenience the customers very much. A customer was only supposed to drive 100 kilometers per day and any additional kilometer was charge a rate of â‚ ¬0. 12 per kilometer. Above this, customers were required to return the cars on time. Returning the car late imposed an instant charge of â‚ ¬120 and a subsequent â‚ ¬120 for every 24 hour period if the car was not returned. To book a car by itself was a problem which cost â‚ ¬0. 95 a minute for a call and â‚ ¬5 for using credit card. Customer was also charged a â‚ ¬16 charge fee if they wanted to change their booking. The company advertising system comprised of a mismanaged system where advertising was made in an abrupt manner and using very local methodologies. Offering the mercedes cars only, may be too costly for some customers who perhaps may not afford its cost. Either, expansions of its market may serve to attract a diverse number of customers with different service requirement. Rather than to dwell, on only some few stations it should seek to expand its markets like the other companies. This is aimed at reducing any monopolistic effects of dwelling on only few markets. (Write, Robbie, 1999) If possible, the company should seek to merge with other companies in order to diversify its resource mobilization. Through such merges, the company can have more bargaining power in the industry attracting a better income share from the market. Either, through merging, there is diversification in the company risks. This helps to ensure that, any possible losses do not fall on the shoulders of one company but rather shared between the parties. Trough merging, greater inventions and business market researches can help them to perform better than one company. By sharing of resources, brings about greater economies of scale which help to run the business at relatively lower costs. This is because market researches can be done for one business expenses such as advertisements, consultant and market research can be done for one business which constitutes many business. (Sunden, Stratton, 2006) The company can choose to improve its technology as a way of improving its business. Firstly, technology implies quicker service delivery, efficiency and more consistent. Either, improving technology has a lower cost to business performance at the long run trend of business cycles. This implies that, it will cost less for high technologies business after it has attained cost-benefit equilibrium. It should use better technology in its customer service provision where lower time is taken in processing the customer requirement before picking the car. Its mode of advertising still lags behind as a developed system which can influence more customers, where it uses posters at different stations. Such mode of advertisement needs improvement probably to use television or internet. Due to the company’s extensive business transactions, it should improve on its database system to enable faster processing, identification of customers and improving efficiency in monitoring its financial transactions. (Gutterman, 1994) Improvement in its human resource capital, where more qualified staff should be employed. The problems of slow service to customer by the company workers can only be improved by employing more qualified workers. This improves efficiency in the company’s operations. Above all, the company should also re-structure its mode of operations where a customer is let to drive for himself and employ its driver. This can lead to a better service provision. (Lipsy, Chrystal, 1997) The company costing system is faced with many bureaucracies where charging prices of services without rigidities to permanent regulations. Such costing methods need to be revised so that there is simplicity in pay requirement of a customer picking a car. Broadly, it should maintain simpler terms of service costs that should seek to even attract more customers. There is a diverse immobility in customer payment to their service delivery. Either, the company can monitor its expensive mode of its operations to achieve more profit. Basically, it spends a lot of money in purchasing its cars where there are still alternative of other cheaper cars. It solely dwells on one type of expensive car. Costing regulations should be emended to secure lesser company expenses and earn more profit. High costs of business operation are also revealed by its mode of advertising and booking which tend to be too costly for both the business and the customers. The business can therefore achieve its mission through amendments of its cost variable. (Bjerke, 1999) From one perspective the business is doing well, with good service provision. Therefore the business can still continue its operation in the same standard manner it is operating in. Since it seen improving, and opening even more branches, it implies that the business mission will still be achieved. It should seek to streamline its operations in line with its current system. However, the business should not be closed down. Since it depicts a continued and outstanding performance, closing such a business would be doing away with a prospective business entity. Since the former goals were to start a car industry, which is now expanding, it should be let to continue in its operations. (Warner, 2001) Either, the management should not seek the alternative of selling up the business. Perhaps, selling such a business which is acquiring such a good expansion would even earn the company lesser profit than if let to operate.

What Is the Purpose of Education? Essay -- Environmental Education, Ph

Getting educated is very important for every person. It goes without saying that each of us has to have a proper education. We learn how to read, count and write. These are the basic abilities we acquire and use during our life. Is there any other purpose of education or it is aimed only at giving us a possibility to communicate our ideas and satisfy basic needs? During centuries, there were different interpretations of the purpose of education. Many scientists, pedagogues and philosophers tried to answer the question: what is the purpose of education? Taking into consideration the needs and tendencies of a modern society, we can assume that the purpose of education is to prepare students to be self-sufficient citizens capable of solving real world problems. We all live and work to support our society which, in its turn, provides as with security and other benefits. To support this â€Å"balance†, we should build education based on standards of decency and human survival by the need of the social community. In other words, one should be educated in order to serve the society. There ar...

My Favourite Day of the Week

Saturdays have always been special to me. When I lived in Mexico, Saturday was the most hoped for day of the week. I remember that my cousin and I were always wishing for the school week to end and for Saturday to begin. Every Saturday morning would start the same way: my cousin would come to my house to wake me up. Around 10 a.m. we would go out of town to my family’s ranch. Once at the ranch, we enjoyed a variety of activities. The sun shone down on us, as we lived out our wonderful Saturdays away from the city. We would play soccer, run with the dogs and sometimes hunt birds and lizards with my uncle. There were occasions when we got to help my uncle sow (plant seeds) corn or chiles. Those days were hard, but we still enjoyed them. When we came back from work, we would be rewarded with warm bowls of my grandma’s pasta and beans, accompanied by handmade tortillas and mugs of chocolate caliente (hot chocolate). After we ate our delicious feast, we would retreat to the lone pine tree behind the house to climb the branches and rest, at last. Usually in the afternoon my uncle would take us to the lake; the water was icy cold but it did not matter since there was nothing comparable to the fun that we had at the lake. There was a garden just a few miles away from the house, and often on Saturdays we would go there. Following our swim in the lake, we would eat luscious fruit from the trees. For two hours or more, we would savor sweet peaches, mangos, juicy oranges and sweet guavas. Then, we would return to the house at sunset. On our way back, my uncle would let us ride the mule, since the journey was long. At last, my family would gather around a bonfire to tell scary stories under the starry, dark sky. All of these meals and excursions were such heavenly fun—it is easy to see why Saturdays in Mexico were the most exciting days of my life. My Saturday experiences have changed since arriving in the United States. Here, there is no longer my cousin to spend the day with me; however, I have my family and a boyfriend, who always tries to make Saturdays a different experience than the rest of the week. Now on Saturday I usually wake up around 9 a.m. and take a peacefully lengthy shower. Then, I sit with my family at the table to eat a delightful breakfast that my mom prepares for us. Sometimes I go with my family to play basketball at the park, where we indulge in meals of carne asada. Once in a while we go to the beach or visit my aunt in Ontario. When we go to Ontario, my mom and I go shopping with my female cousins and my aunt. Then at noon my uncle and father cook for us and we have picnic at the park near my aunt’s house. We spend the whole day with them and return home late at night. Also, there are some Saturdays that I spend with my boyfriend. He is not only my boyfriend, he is my best friend, my companion and my comfort. The Saturdays spent with my boyfriend are even more meaningful than those spent in Ontario with my aunt and her family. My boyfriend and I go to the theater to enjoy a movie or just stay home sharing the happiness and misfortunes of the week with each other. No matter what we do, our time together makes my Saturday a special day. I prefer Saturdays over other days of the week because I find harmony within myself. My life is always filled with so many things to do; on every other day I never seem to have a minute of peace. Monday through Friday I dedicate every waking moment to school, work and community issues. On Sundays I volunteer at a museum. Therefore, Saturday is my favorite day of the week because it is wonderfully different from my routine. Additionally, on that day I have the opportunity to spend time with my family and to demonstrate my love and appreciation toward them. There could never be another day of the week like Saturday. Saturdays are exceptional for me; they represent unforgettable memories from my past that I continue to preserve in my heart and mind. I will never forget those amazing weekends with my cousin in Mexico. They are memorable moments that make my Saturdays in the United States (almost) as enjoyable.

Louis Xvi of France and Napoleon

The â€Å"little Corsican† http://www. pbs. org/empires/napoleon/n_time/html/page_2. html# Click on date, then if you want more information click on the event (will take you to event-specific pages) 1. Where and when was Napoleon born? 2. What did he do in October, 1795? And what title did he receive? 3. Under Napoleon as general, the French fought a prolonged war in 1795-6 with whom? (click on specific battles/victories to find out) http://www. pbs. rg/empires/napoleon/n_politic/people/page_1. html Use the arrows the bottom of the screen to navigate the page and move forward when you are ready. 4. Read Napoleon’s quote from Wolloch (at bottom). What was so appealing about Napoleon? What did he offer? 5. What agreement did Napoleon sign with the Pope in 1801 and what did it say? 6. What was the Civil Code? 7. What did Napoleon do in 1802 to give himself more power? 8. What happened on December 2, 1804?Considering the French Revolution and what happened to Louis XVI, why is that ironic? 9. According to Bertaud (in red), why was it important that the Pope came to Paris for the ceremony? Finally, a kingdom as tiny as his ambitions were great. http://www. channel4. com/history/microsites/H/history/guide18/part01. html 10. Click on the Battle of Trafalgar. a. Who was the British leader in this naval battle and what happened to him? b. Who won the battle and what was the significance of the outcome for Napoleon? 1. What did Napoleon do on June 24, 1812 and why is that his â€Å"biggest mistake†? 12. Britain, Russia, and Austria defeat Napoleon and take Paris in 1813. What is Napoleon’s fate in 1814? 13. What is the goal of the Congress of Vienna? 14. Where did Napoleon’s final battle take place? 15. Who was the English commander at the final battle? 16. When and where was Napoleon exiled for the second time? 17. Why did the people of France give Napoleon a second chance after his exile?

Free Essays on Response To Kate Chopins Ripe FIgs

Response to Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Ripe Figs† Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Ripe Figs,† leaves my mind searching for more. I do not feel satisfied after reading and re-reading this story. A little girl name Babette lives with her godmother Maman Nainaine. Kate Chopin, I believe, is trying to depict the differences between a young girls view on time an older woman views. Babette is a young girl who can’t wait for the figs to ripen. Is this because she wants to eat the figs? No, it is because Maman Nainaine told her she can visit her cousins on the Bayou-Lafourche when the figs have ripened. You can see the seasons changing as Babette is watching the figs close, for any signs of change. They go from seedlings to these beautiful ripe figs, much like the growth of ourselves. We start small and then eventually, after many â€Å"seasons,† we â€Å"ripen.† To a young girl, time passes very slow, but to an older woman like Maman-N, time goes by too fast. As we get older, I feel that we yearn for our yesterdays, and dread the tomorrows. It is just the opposite for someone who is just beginning to â€Å"ripen.† The author states that Babette is â€Å"restless as a humming bird,† while the godmother is â€Å"patient as the statue of la Madone.† This shows that the more â€Å"ripe† we are, the better we are at waiting for something. Can you remember a time when you were young that you had to wait for something? Did time seem to pass slowly? If you had to wait for the same thing now in your more mature state, would it feel the same? I was not given the chance to slowly ripen. Forced to mature at the age of thirteen, I feel cheated. Oh how I would love the chance to be in Babette’s shoes, although Babette would probably long to be in mine. I feel that I am a bruised fruit who was taken from the tree too early. I found this story hard to respond to. Although I can see deeper meanings, I did not feel that I connected with this author. I do not like the ï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Response To Kate Chopin's Ripe FIgs Free Essays on Response To Kate Chopin's Ripe FIgs Response to Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Ripe Figs† Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Ripe Figs,† leaves my mind searching for more. I do not feel satisfied after reading and re-reading this story. A little girl name Babette lives with her godmother Maman Nainaine. Kate Chopin, I believe, is trying to depict the differences between a young girls view on time an older woman views. Babette is a young girl who can’t wait for the figs to ripen. Is this because she wants to eat the figs? No, it is because Maman Nainaine told her she can visit her cousins on the Bayou-Lafourche when the figs have ripened. You can see the seasons changing as Babette is watching the figs close, for any signs of change. They go from seedlings to these beautiful ripe figs, much like the growth of ourselves. We start small and then eventually, after many â€Å"seasons,† we â€Å"ripen.† To a young girl, time passes very slow, but to an older woman like Maman-N, time goes by too fast. As we get older, I feel that we yearn for our yesterdays, and dread the tomorrows. It is just the opposite for someone who is just beginning to â€Å"ripen.† The author states that Babette is â€Å"restless as a humming bird,† while the godmother is â€Å"patient as the statue of la Madone.† This shows that the more â€Å"ripe† we are, the better we are at waiting for something. Can you remember a time when you were young that you had to wait for something? Did time seem to pass slowly? If you had to wait for the same thing now in your more mature state, would it feel the same? I was not given the chance to slowly ripen. Forced to mature at the age of thirteen, I feel cheated. Oh how I would love the chance to be in Babette’s shoes, although Babette would probably long to be in mine. I feel that I am a bruised fruit who was taken from the tree too early. I found this story hard to respond to. Although I can see deeper meanings, I did not feel that I connected with this author. I do not like the ï ¿ ½...

Characteristics of the Classic Monster Movie

Fundamentally, certain genres lend to certain types of story arcs.   While the romantic comedy often follows a more character driven plot, where the characters find the meaning of true love, the monster movie follows a definable plot driven format.   And basically, in the plot driven movie, the overall story illustrates the efficiency of a town’s characters and how well they are able to stand up to the monster, before, either they are killed or the monster is finally neutralized or vanquished in a final, climax of a scene. To be honest, the end result of the town and its people doesn’t really matter, and any ending is entirely plausible.   But, the intrigue that makes a good monster movie is to be competently presented with the monster, the origin of the monster, and for the audience to discover what that monster wants out of the society they are terrorizing.   While the monster makes the lives of the characters in the story miserable, the audience is torn between wanting the characters to win, or actually feeling sympathy for the monster because of the conditions presented surrounding that monster’s origin. Moreover, monster movie plots have been known to fit into the plot categories and monster types to such a degree that a generator was actually created by David Neilsen.   Among the other completely hilarious and surprisingly useful generators to be had, the Monster Movie Pitch allows a user to create their own monster movie pitch by filling in the required fields.   Once filled in, the monster movie pitch is instantly created and a visitor can do what they want with the results. Because this generator actually serves to illuminate the points within this paper, a short detour will be taken.   With that said, the generator dictates that a male lead, female lead, and male sidekick are required, as well as a title.   Then the setting must be chosen: either a dark and forbidding forest, a sleepy little town, a mental institution, at sea, or ancient ruins.   Then the monster type must be selected: either the undead, extra-terrestrial, scientific abomination, creature of folklore/myth/legend, or nature gone bad.   And finally, the monster motive must be defined: revenge, to feed, to protect its young, its slumber has been disturbed, or it seeks to destroy humanity. Now, let’s see what fun can be had.   The selections have been made for the practice monster movie entitled, The Big Bad.   The rundown: heroic Zack and best buddy Trent, live in a sleepy little town and will come across an extra-terrestrial, leading lady Emily, and who seeks to destroy humanity.   Simple and sounds like a blockbuster.   Plugged into the generator, here’s the actual movie pitch: Critically acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Aslad Assop brings his nightmare back to the screen with The Big Bad. This long awaited sequel to his international hit, Gong of Deviled Oxen, reunites aggressive shepherd Huche Ramman (Zack) with his holy guide Hammotep (Trent) in their biggest adventure yet. This time, Huche discovers messages in the entrails of his sheep and the trail leads to an extra-terrestrial temptress (Emily) who wishes to use sin to destroy all of humanity. Now the temptress is invading Huche’s Sleepy Little Town of Grozer, Egypt and only Huche’s faith can save the world! Sounds better than some of the monster movies out there.   Now, the purpose of the generator was not merely for amusement, though it was a bit of fun; however, it also serves to prove and illustrate the core, salient characteristics of the monster movie which are the type of monster, the psychological appeal of the monster, and the plot, or, motive of the monster. Because Neilsen states the monster types right out, it’s easy to realize, once they are presented in such a manner, that every monster movie (probably ever made) fits well into the categories, without even needing wriggle room.   To be precise, Neilsen states that there are five basic types of monster. The first type is the undead monster.   Now, the undead monster movie began in the 1930’s with Dracula and continued well into the freaky zombie thrillers of today like 28 Days Later and Resident Evil.   The undead category is not only chilling, but is perhaps the most used of all the monster types.   Even pop culture revolves around vampires, zombies, and the undead with shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Supernatural.   This type of monster has the greatest impact on an audience because of the psychological aspect and appeal behind that monster. Moreover, the second monster type is the extra-terrestrial and is evident in movies like Alien, War of the Worlds and Predator.   ET actually fits this category as well, though that alien is more cute and cuddly than frightening.   Now, this monster type usually has the same motive, that to destroy all of mankind, and is the least escapable of all the monster types because they take more to vanquish than simple guns and grenades.   Characters in these movies die rapidly and often, and do little but to illustrate the irk of the monster. The third monster type is known as the scientific abomination.   This is an interesting monster category because it actually encompasses many different sorts of monsters, from Frankenstein, to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to the Invisible Man.   In all cases, this type of monster is created, even purposefully manufactured, and the outcome is accidental and tragic.   The creator of the monster is often murdered, or lost to his darker evil side, and the characters again, serve only to be killed off as the mad scientist almost realizes his folly. The fourth type of monster is the creature from folklore/myth/legend.   This category encompasses monsters from The Mummy, to monsters in The Relic, Cerberus, and After Dark.   These monsters all have the same motive, and all, actually, seem to have become a plague to the characters because of that motive: being disturbed from their slumber, which serves to kill off most of the characters in the most violent and brutal method possible. Finally, the fifth monster type is nature gone bad.   This fits the Armageddon sort of flick, where birds, bats, plague, or impending asteroids kill off a good portion of the characters.   Movies like Stephen King’s The Birds, Armageddon, 10.5, and The Day After Tomorrow fit this category well.   The problem with this last monster type is that it differs the most dramatically from the genre because a great deal more time is spent on character growth than on the priorities of the monster, being nature, but in the end, nature usually wins out, despite how great the characterization is. Furthermore, Stuart Fischoff’s study commented on many things monster but one conclusion was striking, that â€Å"film monsters have proven to be such unforgettable characters that in many instances they have become part of our culture.†Ã‚   In fact, they are unforgettable to the degree that â€Å"most Americans would recognize a picture of Frankenstein, Dracula, King Kong, Godzilla or the Mummy before recognizing a Supreme Court Justice† (Fischoff). This conclusion is not only remarkable, it is entirely true.   John Rutledge is one of the most recently discussed Supreme Court Justices, but his name means nothing unless that person has been thoroughly engrossed in the newspaper for the past two years.   On the other hand, a person doesn’t even have to watch Godzilla to know that Godzilla is a dinosaur-like creature that wreaks havoc on Tokyo or that Dracula is a vampire with unconventional vampire powers. Additionally, the second core characteristic of monster movies is the psychological aspect and appeal of the monster.   This aspect can roughly be defined as not only the type of monster, but the character of that monster and what affect that monster has on an audience.   Fischoff’s study was also to survey a group of people and conclusively determine who the â€Å"King of Monsters† was. Turns out Dracula wins, though not because he is the most violent, nor is he the best killer among the monsters to choose from.   Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lector obviously had the mass-slaying thing down, but they could never have the staying power that Dracula has because their nature is for violence and they lack the extreme psychological aspect that makes Dracula not only frightening, but also seductive. Monster movies are great to watch when the monster is a monster.   But, when man becomes a monster, as in the case of Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, for reasons pertaining to his youth and not some botched experiment, the movie experience becomes nearly transcendently frightful with the very real aspect that Hannibal could be a real person in a very real neighborhood.   Same with Freddy Krueger, though he at least has that whole dream-killing thing happening which makes him, in reality, a bit less plausible, though his deeds are no less terrifying. Fischoff offers some insight into this phenomena, stating that â€Å"it is believed to be the thrill of fright, the awe of the horrific, the experience of the dark and forbidden side of human behavior that lures people into the dark mouth of the theater to be spooked† (Fischoff).   Even though the man-monster takes off on a different path from the genre, hitting horror and the psychological aspect harder than ever before, people still flock to these movies in droves due to the need for fright, to experience the thrill without living the thrill (how scary would it be if Hannibal lived down the street?).   And, the best monster movies are able to produce at least that much. Moreover, according to Fischoff’s survey, the top ten monsters of all time, in order, are: Dracula, Freddy Krueger, Godzilla, Frankenstein, Chucky, Michael Myers (Halloween), King Kong, Hannibal Lector, Jason Voorhees (Friday 13th), and Alien.   It is interesting to notice when looking at this list that the monster to man-monster ratio is an exact split between the ten.   Five genuine monsters and five men-turned-monsters.   When it comes to monster movies, the best monster is obviously a cross between the most horrific and the most frightening. Furthermore, the third characteristic of monster movies is the use of plot as a device to form the movie around the monster.   Like Neilsen’s generator was helpful to suggest, there are five different plots that make up the monster movie genre, almost, in its entirety.   And, these plots all revolve around or are centered on, the motive of the monster. Basically, the monster can be out for revenge, need to feed, need to protect its young, their slumber has been disturbed, or they want to destroy humanity.   All movies created in the early black and white era actually follow this format, the most famous of them setting up the very archetype known as monster movies today. To begin with, Frankenstein (1931) demonstrates the classic revenge plot.   Dr. Henry Frankenstein wanted to make a man out of stolen body parts and actually managed to do so.   In fact, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster would have been a medical marvel if not for the criminal brain secured for his construction.   Because of that tiny little fatal flaw, the monster rises with a vendetta for Dr. Frankenstein.   And because Dr. Frankenstein screwed up, he becomes the obsession of his own creation. In Dracula (1931), Count Dracula, something of a real estate tycoon and upwardly rich aristocrat, preys on the people he comes across in Transylvania.   Dracula is different than the average monster because of his strikingly literal human nature.   He also has the enhanced ability to seduce his victims beyond their control, which makes him exceptionally difficult to properly vanquish.   The story also ends heroically as Van Helsing is proven right and is able to destroy Dracula.   Dracula’s main motive, besides amusement, is simply, to feed. King Kong (1933) differs from many monster movies because the character relationships are vitally important for the movie to progress.   There are two main relationships developed throughout, that of Ann and Jack and that of Ann and King Kong.   King Kong’s motive, once he falls for his new companion Ann, is to protect her from the evils in his jungle environment, and later, the evils he sees New York City.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the final lines in the movies, â€Å"it wasn’t the airplanes, it was beauty that killed the beast† strikes a cord in any heart and makes King Kong perhaps the most lovable of all movie monsters because of his human desire to protect Ann. In The Mummy (1932) a priest is resurrected accidentally by an unwitting team of archeologists and sets about seeking his lost love.   Bad things happen along the way, one of the archeologists is taken as a replacement for the mummy’s lost bride, but the mummy is vanquished in the end when the archeologists destroy the scroll that brought him back to life.   The mummy, Im-ho-tep, basically sends his wrath out on the world and spends the movie causing mass destruction because his slumber was disturbed.   Simple as that. Finally, in Godzilla (1954), Godzilla is a monster god (more like un-extinct dinosaur) that preys on the countryside of Tokyo and fits the classic monster out to destroy humanity plot.   The natives sacrifice virgins in an attempt to appease the monster, but Godzilla seems to enjoy wreaking as much destruction as possible.   The monster attacks every few scenes, with the people in a panic as to how to destroy him before they are all killed.   And, even though they manage to kill Godzilla in the end, the result is not joyful as the people still fear another Godzilla is just moments from rising from the sea. Overall, all movies follow a specific formula which can be calculated and defined based upon the genre they fall in to.   The monster movie is a cross between the horror film and the psychological thriller and has certain core, salient characteristics that define the monster movie as a genre.   Neilsen helps to illuminate the various forms of monster and monster motives with his monster movie pitch generator, and it can be said that, categorically, monster type, psychological aspect of the monster, and motive of the monster as demonstrated in the plot combine to form the core characteristics of the monster movie. Works Consulted. Fischoff, Stuart, et al.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Your Favorite Movie Monsters.† International Scientific Communications, 2003. —-.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   Journal of Media Psychology, 2005. LaBarbera, Michael.   â€Å"The Biology of B-Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   University of Chicago, 2003. http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/21701757/ Neilsen, David.   â€Å"Monster Pitch Generator.†Ã‚   Brunching Shuttlecocks, 2001. Waters, Cullen.   â€Å"The Plot Archetypes of Giant Monster Movies.†Ã‚   WordPress.com, 2005.   http://welltuncares.wordpress.com/2005/04/18/the-plot-archetypes-of-giant-monster-movies/ Zoombaba.   â€Å"Creature Feature: Monster Movie Roleplaying.†Ã‚   Accessed March 22, 2007. http://homepage.mac.com/zoombaba/RPG/CF.html Characteristics of the Classic Monster Movie Fundamentally, certain genres lend to certain types of story arcs.   While the romantic comedy often follows a more character driven plot, where the characters find the meaning of true love, the monster movie follows a definable plot driven format.   And basically, in the plot driven movie, the overall story illustrates the efficiency of a town’s characters and how well they are able to stand up to the monster, before, either they are killed or the monster is finally neutralized or vanquished in a final, climax of a scene. To be honest, the end result of the town and its people doesn’t really matter, and any ending is entirely plausible.   But, the intrigue that makes a good monster movie is to be competently presented with the monster, the origin of the monster, and for the audience to discover what that monster wants out of the society they are terrorizing.   While the monster makes the lives of the characters in the story miserable, the audience is torn between wanting the characters to win, or actually feeling sympathy for the monster because of the conditions presented surrounding that monster’s origin. Moreover, monster movie plots have been known to fit into the plot categories and monster types to such a degree that a generator was actually created by David Neilsen.   Among the other completely hilarious and surprisingly useful generators to be had, the Monster Movie Pitch allows a user to create their own monster movie pitch by filling in the required fields.   Once filled in, the monster movie pitch is instantly created and a visitor can do what they want with the results. Because this generator actually serves to illuminate the points within this paper, a short detour will be taken.   With that said, the generator dictates that a male lead, female lead, and male sidekick are required, as well as a title.   Then the setting must be chosen: either a dark and forbidding forest, a sleepy little town, a mental institution, at sea, or ancient ruins.   Then the monster type must be selected: either the undead, extra-terrestrial, scientific abomination, creature of folklore/myth/legend, or nature gone bad.   And finally, the monster motive must be defined: revenge, to feed, to protect its young, its slumber has been disturbed, or it seeks to destroy humanity. Now, let’s see what fun can be had.   The selections have been made for the practice monster movie entitled, The Big Bad.   The rundown: heroic Zack and best buddy Trent, live in a sleepy little town and will come across an extra-terrestrial, leading lady Emily, and who seeks to destroy humanity.   Simple and sounds like a blockbuster.   Plugged into the generator, here’s the actual movie pitch: Critically acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Aslad Assop brings his nightmare back to the screen with The Big Bad. This long awaited sequel to his international hit, Gong of Deviled Oxen, reunites aggressive shepherd Huche Ramman (Zack) with his holy guide Hammotep (Trent) in their biggest adventure yet. This time, Huche discovers messages in the entrails of his sheep and the trail leads to an extra-terrestrial temptress (Emily) who wishes to use sin to destroy all of humanity. Now the temptress is invading Huche’s Sleepy Little Town of Grozer, Egypt and only Huche’s faith can save the world! Sounds better than some of the monster movies out there.   Now, the purpose of the generator was not merely for amusement, though it was a bit of fun; however, it also serves to prove and illustrate the core, salient characteristics of the monster movie which are the type of monster, the psychological appeal of the monster, and the plot, or, motive of the monster. Because Neilsen states the monster types right out, it’s easy to realize, once they are presented in such a manner, that every monster movie (probably ever made) fits well into the categories, without even needing wriggle room.   To be precise, Neilsen states that there are five basic types of monster. The first type is the undead monster.   Now, the undead monster movie began in the 1930’s with Dracula and continued well into the freaky zombie thrillers of today like 28 Days Later and Resident Evil.   The undead category is not only chilling, but is perhaps the most used of all the monster types.   Even pop culture revolves around vampires, zombies, and the undead with shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Supernatural.   This type of monster has the greatest impact on an audience because of the psychological aspect and appeal behind that monster. Moreover, the second monster type is the extra-terrestrial and is evident in movies like Alien, War of the Worlds and Predator.   ET actually fits this category as well, though that alien is more cute and cuddly than frightening.   Now, this monster type usually has the same motive, that to destroy all of mankind, and is the least escapable of all the monster types because they take more to vanquish than simple guns and grenades.   Characters in these movies die rapidly and often, and do little but to illustrate the irk of the monster. The third monster type is known as the scientific abomination.   This is an interesting monster category because it actually encompasses many different sorts of monsters, from Frankenstein, to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to the Invisible Man.   In all cases, this type of monster is created, even purposefully manufactured, and the outcome is accidental and tragic.   The creator of the monster is often murdered, or lost to his darker evil side, and the characters again, serve only to be killed off as the mad scientist almost realizes his folly. The fourth type of monster is the creature from folklore/myth/legend.   This category encompasses monsters from The Mummy, to monsters in The Relic, Cerberus, and After Dark.   These monsters all have the same motive, and all, actually, seem to have become a plague to the characters because of that motive: being disturbed from their slumber, which serves to kill off most of the characters in the most violent and brutal method possible. Finally, the fifth monster type is nature gone bad.   This fits the Armageddon sort of flick, where birds, bats, plague, or impending asteroids kill off a good portion of the characters.   Movies like Stephen King’s The Birds, Armageddon, 10.5, and The Day After Tomorrow fit this category well.   The problem with this last monster type is that it differs the most dramatically from the genre because a great deal more time is spent on character growth than on the priorities of the monster, being nature, but in the end, nature usually wins out, despite how great the characterization is. Furthermore, Stuart Fischoff’s study commented on many things monster but one conclusion was striking, that â€Å"film monsters have proven to be such unforgettable characters that in many instances they have become part of our culture.†Ã‚   In fact, they are unforgettable to the degree that â€Å"most Americans would recognize a picture of Frankenstein, Dracula, King Kong, Godzilla or the Mummy before recognizing a Supreme Court Justice† (Fischoff). This conclusion is not only remarkable, it is entirely true.   John Rutledge is one of the most recently discussed Supreme Court Justices, but his name means nothing unless that person has been thoroughly engrossed in the newspaper for the past two years.   On the other hand, a person doesn’t even have to watch Godzilla to know that Godzilla is a dinosaur-like creature that wreaks havoc on Tokyo or that Dracula is a vampire with unconventional vampire powers. Additionally, the second core characteristic of monster movies is the psychological aspect and appeal of the monster.   This aspect can roughly be defined as not only the type of monster, but the character of that monster and what affect that monster has on an audience.   Fischoff’s study was also to survey a group of people and conclusively determine who the â€Å"King of Monsters† was. Turns out Dracula wins, though not because he is the most violent, nor is he the best killer among the monsters to choose from.   Freddy Krueger and Hannibal Lector obviously had the mass-slaying thing down, but they could never have the staying power that Dracula has because their nature is for violence and they lack the extreme psychological aspect that makes Dracula not only frightening, but also seductive. Monster movies are great to watch when the monster is a monster.   But, when man becomes a monster, as in the case of Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, for reasons pertaining to his youth and not some botched experiment, the movie experience becomes nearly transcendently frightful with the very real aspect that Hannibal could be a real person in a very real neighborhood.   Same with Freddy Krueger, though he at least has that whole dream-killing thing happening which makes him, in reality, a bit less plausible, though his deeds are no less terrifying. Fischoff offers some insight into this phenomena, stating that â€Å"it is believed to be the thrill of fright, the awe of the horrific, the experience of the dark and forbidden side of human behavior that lures people into the dark mouth of the theater to be spooked† (Fischoff).   Even though the man-monster takes off on a different path from the genre, hitting horror and the psychological aspect harder than ever before, people still flock to these movies in droves due to the need for fright, to experience the thrill without living the thrill (how scary would it be if Hannibal lived down the street?).   And, the best monster movies are able to produce at least that much. Moreover, according to Fischoff’s survey, the top ten monsters of all time, in order, are: Dracula, Freddy Krueger, Godzilla, Frankenstein, Chucky, Michael Myers (Halloween), King Kong, Hannibal Lector, Jason Voorhees (Friday 13th), and Alien.   It is interesting to notice when looking at this list that the monster to man-monster ratio is an exact split between the ten.   Five genuine monsters and five men-turned-monsters.   When it comes to monster movies, the best monster is obviously a cross between the most horrific and the most frightening. Furthermore, the third characteristic of monster movies is the use of plot as a device to form the movie around the monster.   Like Neilsen’s generator was helpful to suggest, there are five different plots that make up the monster movie genre, almost, in its entirety.   And, these plots all revolve around or are centered on, the motive of the monster. Basically, the monster can be out for revenge, need to feed, need to protect its young, their slumber has been disturbed, or they want to destroy humanity.   All movies created in the early black and white era actually follow this format, the most famous of them setting up the very archetype known as monster movies today. To begin with, Frankenstein (1931) demonstrates the classic revenge plot.   Dr. Henry Frankenstein wanted to make a man out of stolen body parts and actually managed to do so.   In fact, Dr. Frankenstein’s monster would have been a medical marvel if not for the criminal brain secured for his construction.   Because of that tiny little fatal flaw, the monster rises with a vendetta for Dr. Frankenstein.   And because Dr. Frankenstein screwed up, he becomes the obsession of his own creation. In Dracula (1931), Count Dracula, something of a real estate tycoon and upwardly rich aristocrat, preys on the people he comes across in Transylvania.   Dracula is different than the average monster because of his strikingly literal human nature.   He also has the enhanced ability to seduce his victims beyond their control, which makes him exceptionally difficult to properly vanquish.   The story also ends heroically as Van Helsing is proven right and is able to destroy Dracula.   Dracula’s main motive, besides amusement, is simply, to feed. King Kong (1933) differs from many monster movies because the character relationships are vitally important for the movie to progress.   There are two main relationships developed throughout, that of Ann and Jack and that of Ann and King Kong.   King Kong’s motive, once he falls for his new companion Ann, is to protect her from the evils in his jungle environment, and later, the evils he sees New York City.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the final lines in the movies, â€Å"it wasn’t the airplanes, it was beauty that killed the beast† strikes a cord in any heart and makes King Kong perhaps the most lovable of all movie monsters because of his human desire to protect Ann. In The Mummy (1932) a priest is resurrected accidentally by an unwitting team of archeologists and sets about seeking his lost love.   Bad things happen along the way, one of the archeologists is taken as a replacement for the mummy’s lost bride, but the mummy is vanquished in the end when the archeologists destroy the scroll that brought him back to life.   The mummy, Im-ho-tep, basically sends his wrath out on the world and spends the movie causing mass destruction because his slumber was disturbed.   Simple as that. Finally, in Godzilla (1954), Godzilla is a monster god (more like un-extinct dinosaur) that preys on the countryside of Tokyo and fits the classic monster out to destroy humanity plot.   The natives sacrifice virgins in an attempt to appease the monster, but Godzilla seems to enjoy wreaking as much destruction as possible.   The monster attacks every few scenes, with the people in a panic as to how to destroy him before they are all killed.   And, even though they manage to kill Godzilla in the end, the result is not joyful as the people still fear another Godzilla is just moments from rising from the sea. Overall, all movies follow a specific formula which can be calculated and defined based upon the genre they fall in to.   The monster movie is a cross between the horror film and the psychological thriller and has certain core, salient characteristics that define the monster movie as a genre.   Neilsen helps to illuminate the various forms of monster and monster motives with his monster movie pitch generator, and it can be said that, categorically, monster type, psychological aspect of the monster, and motive of the monster as demonstrated in the plot combine to form the core characteristics of the monster movie. Works Consulted. Fischoff, Stuart, et al.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Your Favorite Movie Monsters.† International Scientific Communications, 2003. —-.   â€Å"The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   Journal of Media Psychology, 2005. LaBarbera, Michael.   â€Å"The Biology of B-Movie Monsters.†Ã‚   University of Chicago, 2003. http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/21701757/ Neilsen, David.   â€Å"Monster Pitch Generator.†Ã‚   Brunching Shuttlecocks, 2001. Waters, Cullen.   â€Å"The Plot Archetypes of Giant Monster Movies.†Ã‚   WordPress.com, 2005.   http://welltuncares.wordpress.com/2005/04/18/the-plot-archetypes-of-giant-monster-movies/ Zoombaba.   â€Å"Creature Feature: Monster Movie Roleplaying.†Ã‚   Accessed March 22, 2007. http://homepage.mac.com/zoombaba/RPG/CF.html

Dementia Nursing Care Plan and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dementia Nursing Care Plan and Analysis - Essay Example Also, the evaluation methods for each assessment have been set. The plan has been prepared based on the review of relevant literature on dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and practices for the provision of care. Bill has displayed symptoms of Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type (DAT). Early features of DAT include impaired memory, difficulties in problem solving, preoccupation with long past events, decreased spontaneity, impaired speed and accuracy of response. Individuals try to avoid unfamiliar activities, and disorders of perception and language may appear. During late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, physical and cognitive effects are marked and disorders in gait, paresis and paralysis of extremities, seizures, peripheral neuropathy, extrapyramidal signs, and urinary incontinence may be visible. Often, the patient is no longer ambulatory, and is mute, bedridden and is in decorticate posture. Sometimes myoclonus occurs in some individuals. Progression of Alzheimer’s disease is slow and could render the patient to a state of complete helplessness in eight to ten years. A distinct possibility is affective disturbances. The most effective tools to diagnose Alzheimer’s di sease are a good family history, physical examination, and laboratory and radiographic tests for ruling out other causes of dementia (First & Tasman, 2004). According to Access Economics (2006), over 200,000 Australians were suffering from dementia in 2005, which was about 1 percent of the population. Alzheimer’s disease, caused by abnormal changes in brain tissue known as ‘plaques and tangles,’ has been attributed to be the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 50-60 percent of all cases. The number of Australians with dementia in 2050 has been projected to 730,000, about 2.8 percent of the population, and a four fold fold increase from 2000 levels. In 2005, there were 52,000 new dementia cases, and the number has