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