Assignment 1 Reflective Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment 1 Reflective Report - Essay Example One approach that employees use to fight for their rights is the formation of unions that advocate for the rights of the people within a specific industry. In this regard, the contemporary society has witnessed the formation of powerful trade unions that advocate for the rights of the people that they represent in order to obtain better working conditions and remuneration. The empowerment of employees, by these trade unions and other measures such as legislations that protect them from their employers, has been partly due to the current systems of governance that underlines the need of rebelling against ruling bodies that commit offences. Therefore, these power-related organisations are a way of the employees asserting their authority. Through the activities of trade unions, in organisations, employees assert their power by maintaining checks on their employer’s activities and ensure that the employer did not infringe on their rights. For example, most organisational policy on improvement of the working conditions and remuneration are not consistent with the law. ... Ward (2010) identifies Locke’s central idea of freedom based on the ability of individuals to intellectualize phenomena based on ideas. In this case, organisations and people in the contemporary society identify power as contestable. Consequently, this has been the reason why employees in organisations have the ability to contest decisions made by their bosses following down the laid down procedures by using courts or other legal avenues. On the other hand, various stakeholders contest for power in the contemporary societies especially in instances whereby they felt that the organisation was not being managed in the right away. Therefore, these power-related struggles between various stakeholders in an organisation are a result of the view that power can be contested with the rebellion replicating Locke’s view that people who are in authority may be deposed if they offended the natural law. In effect, this makes Locke’s theory of power the most relevant to explai n power-related phenomena in the modern world. Question 2 In the contemporary society, it is evident that the ruled rely on their rulers to make decisions that affect their daily lives. In this regard, the subjects identify the ruling class as the people who are responsible for provision of important resources in their lives. In fact, this supports Weber’s contention that the ruling elite make decisions that affect the people, which is against the premise that power is exercised by the people (â€Å"Elite Theories† 2013). It is a common occurrence for the ruling class to ask for power from the people they ruled while making promises on what they are going to accomplish to these people. In this case, the ruling elite

Durkheim: Types of suicide in society

Durkheim: Types of suicide in society Once he discovered that certain types of suicide could be accounted for by anomie, he could then use anomic suicide as an index for the otherwise unmeasurable degree of social integration. This was not circular reasoning, as could be argued, but a further application of his method of analysis. He reasoned as follows: There are no societies in which suicide does not occur, and many societies show roughly the same rates of suicide over long periods of time. This indicates that suicides may be considered a normal, that is, a regular, occurrence. However, sudden spurts in the suicide rates of certain groups or total societies are abnormal and point to some perturbations not previously present. Hence. abnormally high rates in specific groups or social categories, or in total societies, can be taken as an index of disintegrating forces at work in a social structure. Durkheim distinguished between types of suicide according to the relation of the actor to his society. When men become detached from society, when they are thrown upon their own devices and loosen the bonds that previously had tied them to their fellow, they are prone to egoistic, or individualistic, suicide. When the normative regulations surrounding individual conduct are relaxed and hence fail to curb and guide human propensities, men are susceptible to succumbing to anomic suicide. To put the matter differently, when the restraints of structural integration, as exemplified in the operation of organic solidarity, fail to operate, men become prone to egoistic suicide; when the collective conscience weakens, men fall victim to anomic suicide. In addition to egoistic and anomic types of suicide, Durkheim refers to altruistic and fatalistic suicide. The latter is touched upon only briefly in his work, but the former is of great importance for an understanding of Durkheims general approach. Altruistic suicide refers to cases in which suicide can be accounted for by overly strong regulation of individuals, as opposed to lack of regulation. Durkheim argues in effect that the relation of suicide rates to social regulation is curvilinearhigh rates being associated with both excessive individuation and excessive regulation. In the case of excessive regulation, the demands of society are so great that suicide varies directly rather than inversely with the degree of integration. For example, in the instance of the Hindu normative requirement that widows commit ritual suicide upon the funeral pyre of their husbands, or in the case of harikiri, the individual is so strongly attuned to the demands of his society that he is willing to take his own life when the norms so demand. Arguing from statistical data, Durkheim shows that in modern societies the high rates of suicide among the military cannot be explained by the deprivations of military life suffered by the lower ranks, since the suicide rate happens to be higher for officers than for enlisted men. Rather, the high rate for officers can be accounted for by a military code of honor that enjoins a passive habit of obedience leading officers to undervalue their own lives. In such cases, Durkheim is led to refer to too feeble degrees of individuation and to counterpose these to the excesses of individuation or de-regulation, which account, in his view, for the other major forms of suicide. Durkheims discussion of altruistic suicide allows privileged access to some of the intricacies of his approach. He has often been accused of having an overly anti-individualistic philosophy, one that is mainly concerned with the taming of individual impulse and the harnessing of the energies of individuals for the purposes of society. Although it cannot be denied that there are such tendencies in his work, Durkheims treatment of altruistic suicide indicates that he was trying to establish a balance between the claims of individuals and those of society, rather than to suppress individual strivings. Acutely aware of the dangers of the breakdown of social order, he also realized that total control of component social actors by society would be as detrimental as anomie and de-regulation. Throughout his life he attempted to establish a balance between societal and individual claims. From Coser, 1977:132-136. At the end of the 19th century a French sociologist, Emile Durkheim, recorded an apparent link between high suicide rates and a breakdown in social structure and organisation. He coined the term anomie for this state. This link has since been recorded many times in places outside France and appears to be real. However, its true significance has only recently begun to be understood with the development and exploration of the concept of social capital and its link, not just with suicide, but with health generally. (Stronger Communities One of 28) He wanted to demonstrate and establish sociologys scientific status by providing a sociological explanation of that seemingly most individual of acts-suicide. In order to do this he had to define suicide as a social fact that would require explanation in terms of other social facts (social structures and forces as conceptualized in his multi-layered model). The social fact to be explained was not the individual act of suicide, which might be better accounted for by a case study method where, in favourable instances, there might be enough evidence to make inferences about the victims mental state-motives and intentions. It was suicide rates, as disclosed by statistics, that constituted the social fact to be explained as an effect of an imbalance of social structural forces. Consequently, he proceeded to define suicide with the least possible reference to mental elements, excluding any reference to intentions but allowing for the need to distinguish between accidental death and suicide : the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result. Comparative statistics for countries and categories of people within each country showed that suicide rates were relatively constant; therefore, it must be a social fact that a collective tendency towards suicide existed. These collective tendencies could be related to sets of causes to produce a classification of types of suicide. The sets of causes were theoretically postulated on the basis of Durkheims conception of possible imbalances between centrifugal forces (too much individualism) and centripetal forces (too much social pressure). Two pairs of imbalances of forces are defined; one pair refers to the degree of integration or interaction in a group (egoism and altruism), the other pair refers to the degree of moral regulation (anomie and fatalism). The two continua of integration and regulation, and the four types of suicide, can be illustrated in Fig. 3.2 and summary: The first type of suicide, at the low extreme of the integration continuum, was egoistic suicide. Here rates of interaction in egoistic groups were low, and so values, beliefs, traditions, and sentiments were not held in common by all members. The result was that they weakened each other whenever they came into conflict. The collective life was diminished and individual interests were asserted. The individual lost the beneficial effects of group membership, such as support and revitalization, and consequently found little meaning in group life. Thus suicide rates were higher for Protestants than Catholics, both in comparisons between predominantly Protestant countries and Catholic countries, and between Protestants and Catholics in the same society. It was not the case that one religions beliefs condemned suicide and the other did not, as suicide was severely condemned by both Protestantism and Catholicism. The difference was that Protestanism encouraged individual free inquiry and, unlike Catholicism, it did not offer priestly and sacramental supports. Where a Protestant church did offer more of those supports, as in the Church of England, which had kept some of the Catholic emphasis on priesthood and sacraments (and had more clergyman per head of population than Protestant countries) the suicide rate was mid-way between that of the Catholic and Protestant countries. A further example of egoistic suicide was the higher rate to be found among adults who were unmarried compared with married people of the same age. And the larger the family, the lower was the chance of suicide occurring. Finally egoistic suicide varied inversely with the degree of political integration, the rate fell in wars and political crises. Altruistic suicide was the result of too much integration. The individual absorbed and controlled by the group had an under-developed and so under-valued sense of individuality. Such a person could not resist the pressure to sacrifice the self for the groups interests, even if it me ant committing suicide. Durkheim pointed out the similarity of the modern army and primitive society in this respect; in both there was a lack of individuality and a strong pressure towards self-sacrifice. Examples of suicides in primitive societies included suicides of the old or very ill, suicides of women on their husbands death, and suicides of followers or servants on the death of their chiefs. The much higher rate of military suicides compared with civilians in modern suicide was explained by Durkheim in terms of military morality being a survival of primitive morality, predisposing the soldier to kill himself at the least disappointment, for the most futile reasons, for a refusal of leave, a reprim and, an unjust punishment, a delay in promotion, a question of honour, a flush of momentary jealousy, or even simply because other suicides have occurred before his eyes or to his knowledge [1] p. 239. The next type of suicide, at the low extreme of the regulation continuum, was anomic suicide. Anomie was the consequence of social change resulting in a diminution of social regulation. He discussed two forms of economic anomie-acute and chronic, and then chronic domestic anomie. They were all cases of an imbalance between means and needs-states of disequilibrium, where means were inadequate to fulfil needs. Durkheim did not believe that needs were given in mans biological, psychological, or individual nature. Indeed, that was one of his main criticisms of the economic, psychological, and utilitarian theories of his time, because they ignored the socially-derived and variable nature of human needs. Passions, desires, appetites, ends, and goals could all become needs, and if such wants were not restrained they would bring unhappiness. The individuals wants were boundless unless a limit was set on them by an external moral authority. Acute economic anomie occurred in booms and slumps. In both circumstances old rules relating means to ends were inapplicable, and individuals were freed from social restraint, creating disequilibrium, unhappiness, and leading to an increase in suicides. Chronic economic anomie was a product of a longer term diminution of social regulation of the relation between means and ends. For over a century there had been an erosion of the influence of agencies that had exercised moral restraint over economic relations, particularly religious and occupational groups, and instead of being regarded as a means, industry had become an end in itself. Not surprisingly, suicide rates were higher in manufacturing and commercial occupations than they were in agriculture, because the latter still had traditions and customs that exercised constraint. (Not that Durkheim wanted to revert to older forms of organization, although he believed new occupational associations should be formed that would have some of the same functions as the old guilds.) Constant economic striving after limitless goals could not bring happiness, as was shown by the fact that the higher socio-economic strata had higher rates of suicide than the poor. Acute domestic anomie was exemplified by widowhood, which represented a crisis for the surviving husband or wife, who would not be adapted to the new situation and so offered less resistance to suicide. Chronic domestic anomie was discussed by Durkheim in terms of the way in which marital regulation affects the means-needs balance in men and women. He defined marriage as: A regulation of sexual relations, including not merely the physical instincts which this intercourse involves but the feelings of every sort gradually engrafted by civilization on the foundation of physical desire [1] , p. 270. Civilization had produced a multiplicity of triggers of mans passions, and only marriage could channel those needs within attainable bounds; bachelors, however, experience limitless horizons, which lead to unrestrained passions that create a disjunction between means and ends, and a state of chronic anomie. Consequently, bachelors had a higher suicide rate than married men. Ease of divorce had a similar effect on married men, producing higher suicide rates. Women, who had long been more restricted within the domestic sphere, had not had their sexual aspirations raised to the same level, and so they required less regulation. Marriage served to over-regulate them, particularly if it was difficult to secure a divorce (they had a lower rate of suicide in societies where divorce was easier than in those where it was difficult). As distinct from family life with children, marriage itself offered no protection against suicidal pressures so far as women were concerned. The interests of the two sexes were in conflict: Speaking generally, we now have the cause of that antagonism of the sexes which prevents marriage favouring them equally: their interests are contrary; one needs restraint and the other libertyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Women can suffer more from marriage if it is unfavourable to her than she can benefit by it if it conforms to her interest. This is because she has less need of it [1] , p. 274-275. Fatalistic suicide was at the high extreme of the regulation continuum. He only discussed this condition of excessive regulation once, and that was restricted to an eight-sentence footnote. Examples were the situation of childless married women (presumably where divorce was difficult), young husbands, and slaves. He described it as the suicide of persons with futures pitilessly blockedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦or all suicides attributable to excessive physical or moral despotism. For some reason, not specified, he decided that it has so little contemporary importance, and examples are so hard to find aside from the cases just mentioned, that it seems useless to dwell upon it [1] , p. 276, footnote 25. Although Durkheim used the categories of egoism, altruism, and anomie (not so much fatalism) to distinguish suicidogenic currents, and collective tendencies, he admitted that in practice it was very difficult to separate the currents of egoism and anomie as they flowed from a single source-the loss of mechanical solidarity and the failure to develop a genuine organic solidarity. A moderate amount of egoism and anomie was necessary for progress. A certain amount of individualism was necessary for the growth of the division of labour; it was excessive egoistic tendencies that produced a pathological level of egoistic suicides. Similarly, with anomie, among peoples where progress is and should be rapid, rules restraining individuals must be sufficiently pliable and malleable; if they preserved all the rigidity they possess in primitive societies, evolution thus impeded could not take place promptly enough [1] , p.364. The language of forces and currents in states of disequilibrium was symptomatic of Durkheims effort to demonstrate that a sociological explanation of suicide could reveal hidden causes-in this case social forces that were as real as physical forces. Although his references to suicidogenic currents sound like an over-drawn analogy with electrical currents, in fact they refer to phenomena specified in his multi-layered model.

Societal Needs:Diversity and Equity Essay -- essays papers

Societal Needs:Diversity and Equity The purpose of this paper is to examine diversity and equity issues regarding education. More specifically, this research paper will take an in-depth view of affirmative action and its policies. A non biased view was enacted to present the pros, cons, and hotly debated issues regarding affirmative action at the university level. Additionally, the paper will examine the validity and possible biases in alternatives to affirmative action that have recently been issued. Simply stated, affirmative action is an active commitment to enhance employment and educational opportunities for minorities and women. Affirmative action’s origins stem back to the 1960s when the government began to progressively take steps in redressing decades of racial discrimination against blacks (â€Å"affirmative action†). Women and minorities, mostly Hispanic and Native Americans, subsequently were covered in this new remedy. Affirmative action forced private as well as public institutions of higher education to alter their traditional ways regarding the recruitment and admission of students (Lowe 13). Colleges and universities developed organized methods to help attract black students. Increased representation of black students on campus now became a commitment at all schools. Admission and financial aid were altered to help eliminate existing barriers to access. As a result, numerous minorities who previously may not have been admitted to institutions of higher learning were now being accepted in increasing numbers (Fullinwider). This new commitment and responsibility of institutions, however, was not welcomed by everyone. At what cost would universities go to wh... ... â€Å"Universities Need to Take A Stand and Defend Affirmative Action.† Black Issues in Higher Education 17.4 (2000): p42 Lowe, Edward, Jr. (1999). Promise and Dilemma. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. McClafferty, K. â€Å"Challenges of the New Sociology of Urban Education.† Albany: State University of New York Press, 2000. 3-15 Pg. 9 Miller, Geralda. â€Å"Study: Racial Prejudice is Reason For Affirmative Action Resistance† Black Issues in Higher Education 17.2 (2000): p14. Plous, S. (2003). Ten Myths about Affirmative Action. In S. Plous (Ed.), Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination (pp.206-212). New York: McGraw-Hill. Symonds, William C. â€Å"College Admissions: The Real Barrier Is Class.† Business Week 3828 (2003): p66. Zwick, Rebecca. â€Å"Eliminating Standardized Tests in College Admissions.† Phi Delta Kappan (1999): 320-325.

Tyler Perry’s the Family That Preys

This is a good family movie that can show the viewer’s how some people prey on one another. This movie reminded me of the times my brother and I didn’t get along. It shows how different families are and how they treat one another. Sadly this movie also shows how family members can be so cold blooded. This movie duplicates real life situations where innocent People get hurt, family loyalty gets divided and couples end up in divorce. This movie is centered on two main couples and a few supporting characters. Chris & Andrea This couple is different than most in many ways. Andrea, the wife character is all about money and power and thinks only about herself. Chris is a hard working husband who works as a construction worker for Cartwright inc. the same company his wife works for. Chris and Andrea were right out of college when they married. As time goes on, you can see that neither Chris nor Andrea lived their life for the lord, both allowed themselves to become too busy to go to church. Chris still hung onto his morals remaining a faithful husband and a loving father. However Andrea, unlike Chris was flirting from the day they got married with Mr. Cartwright who became their boss. During the four years of their marriage she was getting large bonuses for carrying on an affair with Mr. Cartwright. These three characters obviously live without God and do things of a secular nature in their life. I think Chris and Andrea could have had a blessed marriage and a good life had they let God lead them. Andrea behind her husband Chris’s back is hiding the money that Mr. Cartwright has been giving her over the years. Chris while at the bank one day finds out that his wife Andrea has a separate account with 286. 00. 00. This is example is a lesson on trust within a marriage. This couple is shown to be the opposite of Chris and Andrea. Ben and Pam are loving and close, they work on their marriage and communicate and often talk about â€Å"GOD†. They have traditional values and both work hard for their money and the things they have. Ben, like Chris is a hard working construction employee for the Cartwright’s. Ben’s wife Pam work for her mother Alice at the family business, a place called â€Å"a  wing and a prayer diner. Pam is a good supportive wife to Ben and she works hard and has great respect for her mother. Pam is a faithful devoted wife to her husband Ben. They have problems of their own, both work long hours laboring hard with little pay but, they trust in the Lord to solve their problems and see them through. Their marriage and their life shows they have deep faith and are grateful for what blessing they have, and you can see that they are satisfied. Alice & Charlotte These are the two mothers of the movie. Alice is the mother of two daughters â€Å"Pam†, â€Å"Andrea†. At one point you see Alice and Pam talking to Andrea when Chris confronts her about the money in the account and he learns of her affair with William Cartwright, her mother and sister try to explain that nothing good can come out of hurting others. Andrea believes that because of her affair William loves her and will leave his wife and choose a life with her. Her mother Alice warns her that he won’t leave his wife and wonders out loud where she went so wrong with Andrea. Charlotte, who is mostly called Mrs. Cartwright, is the mother of William Cartwright, the son that is having the affair with Andrea. Alice tries to live right and goes to church and choir practice and carries her Bible with her everywhere she goes. Through the movie Alice and her daughter Pam are shown helping out this down and out man whose name is Nick. They provide him with clean clothes, free meals and a place to wash up. When asked by her daughter why they do this for this man, Alice reminds her daughter Pam â€Å"You Never When You Might Be Entertaining an Angel†. Charlotte, Mrs. Cartwright finds out she has a problem that the doctor tell her about. The doctors tell her she had early onset â€Å"Alzheimer’s†. Without sharing her health information she asks Alice to take a trip across the United States heading west. She buys a 1959 Cadillac to drive on the trip. She wants to feel alive and have fun before the Alzheimer’s sets in. They travel through many states during their trip. While it’s her turn to drive Alice stops by a river and encourages Charlotte to get saved by being baptized in a river. Charlotte stops by a bar and has fun drinking and dancing, but Alice being a Christian doesn’t want anything to do with that stuff. The trip ends when Charlotte has an episode and Alice learns she has Alzheimer’s and wants to go home. While away Charlotte’s son William tries to stab his mother in the back and retire her early from her own company. This is a sad example of power and money being a priority more than family love and loyalty. William is definitely controlled by the secular world. Charlotte has a surprise her friend Alice has been buying stock from Nick, who although is now going through a rough time once was a stock investor for Cartwright’s inc. and William fired him. Nick, Pam and Alice attend a board meeting, the very same one William is using to try and retire his own mother. Alice announces that with Nick and Alice’s share she has again controlling interest and fires her back stabbing son William. Pam learns at this meeting in a round- about way that her mother Alice who is hard working isn’t poor but actually a millionaire. It sadly shows Charlotte near the end of the movie taking her medication out of the bathroom cabinet and we gather that she takes an overdose as the movie shows Alice crying and it goes to Charlotte’s funeral. Alice being a true friend she toughs it out and sings at her friend’s funeral a song about â€Å"if given a chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance. † This movie brought a lot of stuff to my attention that had gone on in my family growing up. Alice had two daughters that didn’t see eye to eye on anything. It made me stop and think about how my brother and I were with our mother. This movie held so much feeling in it offering the viewer a wide range of emotions. I think if more families would sit together and watch many of Tyler Perry’s movies they would get a great deal of family value out of them. Not only does Tyler Perry make movies for entertainment and enjoyment he can take a viewer to the heart of the real issue. I have watched a lot of Tyler’s movies but this hits home for me because it uses things like â€Å"Secular Humanism†, â€Å"Suffering†, and turning your back on a loved one like a evil person. I could pick up on many of the world’s issues today, in this movie. This movie meant so much to me personally I had to share it with my family. I stopped to think about the suffering some families go through in life trying to get ahead and how sometimes it’s because they step on one another to do it, like William trying to retire his mother behind her back. What happened to the old days when people like Alice and Pam were raised to do for those less fortunate than you, even if they might be your own family. When did the world become so self centered, selfish and uncaring of humanity like Andrea. I really relate to what Alice shared with her daughter Pam, â€Å"you never know when you could be entertaining an Angel. It might be a stranger or it could even be a member of your family, you should be respectful and considerate of all people. I wish more of the families today could go back to the time when families really cared for each other. More and more of today’s family members help one another only to expect something in return or they use it against you. It hurts when I look at what has happened to familyâ₠¬â„¢s values today. In many families kids have no respect for their parents, brother and Sisters fight sometimes carrying it on for years. I see how people today don’t care about feelings or what will happen to the other person. People of today are all about getting that almighty dollar, they let their lives and attitudes be obsessed with money. Many people, like some of the characters in this movie think that the more money you have the more power you will have. Andrea in this movie was snooty and acted as if she was so much better than her sister or her mother, William assumed that because Charlotte was his mother and he was her son that he would one day be the leader of her company like she owed the position to him. If more people would read and live by the â€Å"Bible† families would have less trouble than they have. God and prayer have to be the foundation for a family to be and remain close, loving and respectful of each other. Those that choose to live for God think and act more righteously, out of their love and respect for God comes love and respect for others. I was raised very old fashioned where families were families and you cared, loved, and watched out for each other. I have seen a lot people say that they are helping their family are there staying with them.

Soldier’s Home

In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"Soldier’s Home†, a young man named Krebs is unable to relate to his mother and home life after he returned from the First World War. After Krebs saw death and destruction in the wars most bloody battles, he returns home where his parents try to get him back to his normal routines. His view of the world has changed drastically since the war. He no longer feels love in his heart and cannot lie to his mother when she asks if he loves her. One of the famous lines Hemingway wrote, â€Å"Krebs looked at the bacon fat hardening on his plate.† Like bacon his heart has been hardened by what he had seen in World War I and he knew he must get far away from his parents to be able to get his life back in order. Harold Krebs after graduating from a Methodist college in Kansas enlisted in the Marines in 1917 and did not return to the United States until 1919. While at war he saw many tragedies that changed his life forever. When he returns home he does not get a heroes welcome because many had returned before him. At first Krebs did not want to talk about the war but later on when he felt the need no one would listen. He spent his days reading, walking and admiring the girls but a lot had changed since he had been gone. He thought about going out with some of the girls he used to know and remembers the girls he knew overseas but finds, â€Å"the young girls had grown up. But they lived in such a complicated world with already defined alliances and shifting feuds that Krebs did not feel the energy or courage to break in it.† Krebs has a hard time relating to his parents and he finds himself not wanting to go watch his sister play ball. The climax to the story is when Krebs's mother asks, â€Å"Don't you love your mother, dear boy?† and he answers, â€Å"No†. Even though he had been feeling unhappy, useless, and out of place since he had returned from the war, he had been drifting along, going through the motions. He had been stagnating, spending his time sitting on the front porch, reading, trying â€Å"to keep his life from being complicated†. The final conflict with his mother forces Krebs to face the fact that he cannot stay. He lies to his mother to make her feel better after he has hurt her with the truth, but is â€Å"sick and vaguely nauseated† by his duplicity. As his mother prays over him at the end of the story, Krebs resolves to go away to Kansas City and start his life again, away from the home and family to which he can no longer belong. In the story, â€Å"Soldier’s Home† it is told from the third person narrator point of view. Hemingway, having been a former journalist is able to show how distant Krebs is because of being the type of journalist who is detached just like Krebs was detached by his experience in World War I. As Hemingway writes he shows how Krebs holds his emotions in that he knows his mother will not understand. When Krebs calls his mom â€Å"Mummy† he is trying to comfort her by acting like a child. At the end Krebs makes a decision to leave and go to Kansas City because he feels he may not ever reconnect with his family. Harold Krebs is a man who has gone through a life-changing event and has experienced many consequences made by his own choices and decisions. He then has to come to the understanding that he has to try and rebuild his life as he knew it. Things weren’t working out at his family’s house so he decided to move to Kansas City where he would get a job. This war was a hundred years ago and Krebs came back and had no clue what to do with his life when he got back. The same thing goes for the soldiers of the war in Afghanistan they see so much that traumatizes them that they do not know how to act when they are around their families. Soldier’s Home In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"Soldier’s Home†, a young man named Krebs is unable to relate to his mother and home life after he returned from the First World War. After Krebs saw death and destruction in the wars most bloody battles, he returns home where his parents try to get him back to his normal routines. His view of the world has changed drastically since the war. He no longer feels love in his heart and cannot lie to his mother when she asks if he loves her. One of the famous lines Hemingway wrote, â€Å"Krebs looked at the bacon fat hardening on his plate.† Like bacon his heart has been hardened by what he had seen in World War I and he knew he must get far away from his parents to be able to get his life back in order. Harold Krebs after graduating from a Methodist college in Kansas enlisted in the Marines in 1917 and did not return to the United States until 1919. While at war he saw many tragedies that changed his life forever. When he returns home he does not get a heroes welcome because many had returned before him. At first Krebs did not want to talk about the war but later on when he felt the need no one would listen. He spent his days reading, walking and admiring the girls but a lot had changed since he had been gone. He thought about going out with some of the girls he used to know and remembers the girls he knew overseas but finds, â€Å"the young girls had grown up. But they lived in such a complicated world with already defined alliances and shifting feuds that Krebs did not feel the energy or courage to break in it.† Krebs has a hard time relating to his parents and he finds himself not wanting to go watch his sister play ball. The climax to the story is when Krebs's mother asks, â€Å"Don't you love your mother, dear boy?† and he answers, â€Å"No†. Even though he had been feeling unhappy, useless, and out of place since he had returned from the war, he had been drifting along, going through the motions. He had been stagnating, spending his time sitting on the front porch, reading, trying â€Å"to keep his life from being complicated†. The final conflict with his mother forces Krebs to face the fact that he cannot stay. He lies to his mother to make her feel better after he has hurt her with the truth, but is â€Å"sick and vaguely nauseated† by his duplicity. As his mother prays over him at the end of the story, Krebs resolves to go away to Kansas City and start his life again, away from the home and family to which he can no longer belong. In the story, â€Å"Soldier’s Home† it is told from the third person narrator point of view. Hemingway, having been a former journalist is able to show how distant Krebs is because of being the type of journalist who is detached just like Krebs was detached by his experience in World War I. As Hemingway writes he shows how Krebs holds his emotions in that he knows his mother will not understand. When Krebs calls his mom â€Å"Mummy† he is trying to comfort her by acting like a child. At the end Krebs makes a decision to leave and go to Kansas City because he feels he may not ever reconnect with his family. Harold Krebs is a man who has gone through a life-changing event and has experienced many consequences made by his own choices and decisions. He then has to come to the understanding that he has to try and rebuild his life as he knew it. Things weren’t working out at his family’s house so he decided to move to Kansas City where he would get a job. This war was a hundred years ago and Krebs came back and had no clue what to do with his life when he got back. The same thing goes for the soldiers of the war in Afghanistan they see so much that traumatizes them that they do not know how to act when they are around their families.

45 Idioms About the Number One

45 Idioms About the Number One 45 Idioms About the Number One 45 Idioms About the Number One By Mark Nichol English is replete with idiomatic expressions featuring numerical values, including dozens pertaining to the number one alone. Here’s a list of most (if not all) of the idioms in the latter category. 1. all in one breath: said of something spoken excitedly without pause 2. all in one piece: safely 3. all rolled up in one: combined 4. all-in-one: with all required features 5. as one: as if a group were one entity 6. at one with: in agreement or solidarity with another 7: do (someone) one better: do something that is an improvement on what someone else has done 8. for one thing: said to introduce one of two or more reasons (though the phrase might follow the statement) 9. for one: a qualifier expressing that someone represents an example 10. hole in one: said of a significant achievement, in reference to achieving a goal in golf with a single hit of the ball 11. if it’s not one thing: part of a saying (with the rest, â€Å"it’s another (thing)† often not said but implied) expressed when one is exasperated by the latest in a series of inconveniences 12. in one ear and out the other: said of advice or information that is not heeded or retained 13. in one fell swoop: all at once or within a short period 14. it’s been one of those days: said when multiple things have gone wrong in succession 15. it’s just one of those things: said of something unfortunate that must be accepted 16–17. look after/take care of number one: said in reference to focusing on one’s own safety or concerns over that of others 18. not one iota: not even a bit 19. number one: oneself (see â€Å"look after number one†) 20. on the one hand: from one point of view (sometimes paired with â€Å"on the other hand†) 21. one and all: everyone 22. one for the (record) books: said of a significant achievement 23. one good turn deserves another: an expression about the importance of reciprocity 24. one-hit wonder: an artist who achieves only one commercial success 25–26. one heck/hell of a (something): a reference to someone being markedly bad or good at something 27. one in a million: rare or unique, often said about someone with a distinctive quality 28–29. one jump/step ahead: said of someone who anticipates or innovates 30. one man’s meat is another man’s poison: something one person likes may not be suitable for another person 31. one-night stand: an activity or encounter that lasts only one night 32. one-note: said of something lacking variety 33. one of a kind: unique 34. one of the boys: someone accepted into or part of a group 35. one of these days: said of an expected event that will occur someday or soon; also, sometimes expressed as a threat, with the consequence implied but not stated 36. one of those things: said of something unwelcome but inevitable 37. one person’s trash is another person’s treasure: something of no value to one person may be valuable to another 38. one that got away: a missed opportunity 39. one-track mind: said of someone with a single-minded focus 40. one-trick pony: someone or something with only one distinguishing feature, skill, or talent 41. one up on: said of having an advantage over someone 42. one way or another: somehow 43. square one: the starting point of developing something or solving a problem (often in the phrase â€Å"back to square one†) 44. the one and only: said of something unique 45. there is more than one way to skin a cat: more than one procedure will work or more than one solution is available Other number-oriented idioms, including those that mention the number one but in which the focus is on another number, such as â€Å"Two heads are better than one,† will follow in a later post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Time Words: Era, Epoch, and EonLetter Writing 101

Clive Bells Essay on Art essays

Clive Bell's Essay on Art essays In his essay, entitled "Art," Clive Bell proposes that there is one element that coheres all works of art considered great in the world. "There must be some one quality without which a work of art cannot exist; possessing which, in the least degree, no work is altogether worthless. What is this quality'" In other words, Bell accepts that there must be some aesthetic standards by which to judge all works of art. However, Bell acknowledges that the body of art produced in and by the world's artists is multifaceted in its character, depending on the era when it was produced, the artist who produced it, and the medium in which it was produced. Early on in his essay, Bell states that to define the core query behind all of art criticism is to ask, "What quality is shared by all objects that provoke our aesthetic emotions'" It is not enough to say that adherence to reality or beauty is the standard, otherwise a functional Persian bowl might be ranked above a masterpiece of fruit in a bowl painted by Czanne. Bell states, "only one answer seems possible - significant form. In each, lines and colors combined in a particular way, certain forms and relations of forms, stir our aesthetic emotions." Thus, although the use of the term significant form' might on its surface to suggest that the standards Bell judges works of art by are quite standardized. But really, what "significant form" means is the visceral yet aesthetic impression that a work of art is apt to have upon a gazer. This is why, for Bell, "people who respond immediately and surely to works of artin my judgment, [are] more enviable than men of massive intellect [who are] are often quite as incapable of talking sense about aesthetics." Bell defends the common gazer, in essence, who looks upon a piece of art and intuitively responds to its construction. For instance, Bell might say that the p...

B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II

B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II B-17G Flying Fortress Specifications General Length: 74 ft. 4 in.Wingspan: 103 ft. 9 in.Height: 19 ft. 1 in.Wing Area: 1,420 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 36,135 lbs.Loaded Weight: 54,000 lbs.Crew: 10 Performance Power Plant: 4 Ãâ€" Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone turbo-supercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp eachRange: 2,000 milesMax Speed: 287 mphCeiling: 35,600 ft. Armament Guns: 13 Ãâ€" .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gunsBombs: 4,500-8,000 lbs. depending on range B-17 Flying Fortress- Design Development: Seeking an effective heavy bomber to replace the Martin B-10, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) issued a call for proposals on August 8, 1934. Requirements for the new aircraft included the ability to cruise at 200 mph at 10,000 ft. for ten hours with a useful bomb load. While the USAAC desired a range of 2,000 miles and top speed of 250 mph, these were not required. Eager to enter the competition, Boeing assembled a team of engineers to develop a prototype. Led by E. Gifford Emery and Edward Curtis Wells, the team began drawing inspiration from other company designs such as the Boeing 247 transport and XB-15 bomber. Constructed at the companys expense, the team developed the Model 299, which was powered by four Pratt Whitney R-1690 engines and was capable of lifting a 4,800 lb. bomb load. For defense, the aircraft had five mounted machine guns. This imposing look led Seattle Times reporter Richard Williams to dub the aircraft the Flying Fortress. Seeing the advantage to the name, Boeing quickly trademarked it and applied to the new bomber. On July 28, 1935, the prototype first flew with Boeing test pilot Leslie Tower at the controls. With the initial flight a success, the Model 299 was flown to Wright Field, Ohio for trials. At Wright Field, the Boeing Model 299 competed against the twin-engined Douglas DB-1 and Martin Model 146 for the USAAC contract. Competing in the fly-off, the Boeing entry displayed superior performance to the competition and impressed Major General Frank M. Andrews with the range that a four-engine aircraft offered. This opinion was shared by the procurement officers and Boeing was awarded a contract for 65 aircraft. With this in hand, development of the aircraft continued through the fall until an accident on October 30 destroyed the prototype and halted the program. B-17 Flying Fortress- Rebirth As a result of the crash, Chief of Staff General Malin Craig cancelled the contract and purchased aircraft from Douglas instead. Still interested in the Model 299, now dubbed YB-17, the USAAC utilized a loophole to purchase 13 aircraft from Boeing in January 1936. While 12 were assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Group for developing bombing tactics, the last aircraft was given to the Material Division at Wright Field for flight testing. A fourteenth aircraft was also built and upgraded with turbochargers that increased speed and ceiling. Delivered in January 1939, it was dubbed B-17A and became the first operational type. B-17 Flying Fortress- An Evolving Aircraft Only one B-17A was built as Boeing engineers worked tirelessly to improve the aircraft as it moved into production. Including a larger rudder and flaps, 39 B-17Bs were built before switching to the B-17C, which possessed an altered gun arrangement. The first model to see large-scale production, the B-17E (512 aircraft) had the fuselage extended by ten feet as well as the addition of more powerful engines, a larger rudder, a tail gunner position, and an improved nose. This was further refined to the B-17F (3,405) which appeared in 1942. The definitive variant, the B-17G (8,680) featured 13 guns and a crew of ten. B-17 Flying Fortress- Operational History The first combat use of the B-17 came not with the USAAC (U.S. Army Air Forces after 1941), but with the Royal Air Force. Lacking a true heavy bomber at the start of World War II, the RAF purchased 20 B-17Cs. Designating the aircraft Fortress Mk I, the aircraft performed poorly during high-altitude raids in the summer of 1941. After eight aircraft were lost, the RAF transferred the remaining aircraft to Coastal Command for long-range maritime patrols. Later in the war, additional B-17s were purchased for use with Coastal Command and the aircraft was credited with sinking 11 u-boats. B-17 Flying Fortress- Backbone of the USAAF With the United States entrance into the conflict after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USAAF began deploying B-17s to England as part of the Eighth Air Force. On August 17, 1942, American B-17s flew their first raid over occupied Europe when they struck railroad yards at Rouen-Sotteville, France. As American strength grew, the USAAF took over daylight bombing from the British who had switched to night attacks due to heavy losses. In the wake of the January 1943 Casablanca Conference, American and British bombing efforts were directed into Operation Pointblank, which sought to establish air superiority over Europe. Key to the success of Pointblank were attacks against the German aircraft industry and Luftwaffe airfields. While some initially believed that the B-17s heavy defensive armament would protect it against enemy fighter attacks, missions over Germany quickly disproved this notion. As the Allies lacked a fighter with sufficient range to protect bomber formations to and from targets in Germany, B-17 losses quickly mounted during 1943. Bearing the brunt of the USAAFs strategic bombing workload along with the B-24 Liberator, B-17 formations took shocking casualties during missions such as the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raids. Following Black Thursday in October 1943, which resulted in the loss of 77 B-17s, daylight operations were suspended pending the arrival of a suitable escort fighter. These arrived in early 1944 in the form of the North American P-51 Mustang and drop tank-equipped Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. Renewing the Combined Bomber Offensive, B-17s incurred much lighter losses as their little friends dealt with the German fighters. Though German fighter production was not damaged by Pointblank raids (production actually increased), B-17s aided in winning the war for air superiority in Europe by forcing the Luftwaffe into battles in which its operational forces were destroyed. In the months after D-Day, B-17 raids continued to strike German targets. Strongly escorted, losses were minimal and largely due to flak. The final large B-17 raid in Europe occurred on April 25, 1945. During the fighting in Europe, the B-17 developed a reputation as an extremely rugged aircraft capable of sustaining heavy damage and remaining aloft. B-17 Flying Fortress- In the Pacific The first B-17s to see action in the Pacific was a flight of 12 aircraft that arrived during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Their expected arrival contributed to the American confusion just prior to the attack. In December 1941, B-17s were also in service with the Far East Air Force in the Philippines. With the beginning of the conflict, they were quickly lost to enemy action as the Japanese overran the area. B-17s also took part in the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway in May and June 1942. Bombing from high altitude, they proved unable to hit targets at sea, but were also safe from Japanese A6M Zero fighters. B-17s had more success in March 1943 during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Bombing from medium altitude rather than high, they sank three Japanese ships. Despite this victory, the B-17 was not as effective in the Pacific and the USAAF transitioned aircrews to other types by mid-1943. During the course of World War II, the USAAF lost around 4,750 B-17s in combat, nearly a third of all built. USAAF B-17 inventory peaked in August 1944 at 4,574 aircraft. In the war over Europe, B-17s dropped 640,036 tons of bombs on enemy targets. B-17 Flying Fortress- Final Years: With the end of the war, the USAAF declared the B-17 obsolete and the majority of the surviving aircraft were returned to the United States and scrapped. Some aircraft were retained for search and rescue operations as well as photo reconnaissance platforms into the early 1950s. Other aircraft were transferred to the U.S. Navy and redesignated PB-1. Several PB-1s were fitted with the APS-20 search radar and used as antisubmarine warfare and early warning aircraft with designation PB-1W. These aircraft were phased out in 1955. The U.S. Coast Guard also utilized the B-17 after the war for iceberg patrols and search and rescue missions. Other retired B-17s saw later service in civilian uses such as aerial spraying and fire fighting. During its career, the B-17 saw active duty with numerous nations including the Soviet Union, Brazil, France, Israel, Portugal, and Colombia. Selected Sources Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress.†Ã‚  National Museum of the USAF, 14 Apr. 2015The Life and Times of Antoine De Saint-Exupry, www.aviation-history.com/boeing/b17.html.

Why I Chose Business Administration Personal Statement

Why I Chose Business Administration - Personal Statement Example I believe that I am born with the innate passion in leading and managing people, earning profits, and developing more innovative products in order to suit the emerging needs of other people. Ever since I was a child, I hope to lead a business organization to success. I have always wanted been fascinated with how a company functions specifically on how it defines itself, formulates its strategies, and execute them in order to realize its numerous goals and objectives. Thus, I hope to acquire strengths and competencies which will enable me to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming instrumental in the success of a business organization. Being blessed with the abundance of oil and fuel in its ground, Saudi Arabia has almost always been connoted with the global oil industry. Little did other people know that the country offers vast potentials aside from fuel and I have always wanted to contribute in unlocking and furthering the interest of other sectors in the society. I believe that I will be most able to accomplish this by equipping myself with adequate knowledge and skills in managing a business organization. Understanding the internal and external influences in a company will make me capable of running an efficient organization while promoting healthy competition and providing job to people. I believe that the private sector needs a leader which will help business organizations cope with the changes in this global economy. The economy is referred to as entering the phase of hypercompetition where competition is tough and customers are more discriminating. Alongside, there is a need for companies to evolve in order to cope with these rapid changes which is sweeping the global economy. My decision to pursue business administration can also be warranted by my desire to take part of this transition. It is my dream to contribute in making decisions in a more compelling business environment. Pursuing a degree in business administration highlights my commitment in setting a career in the private sector. My passion for this field coupled with my interest in enhancing Saudi Arabia's business sector and aim to contribute in the emerging global economy are all accounted for in this decision. I know that in time, these goals will be realized after securing my degree. Outline Why I Chose Business Administration Thesis: I choose business administration in order to uplift Saudi Arabia's private sector, to fulfill my in born passion, and to enhance my knowledge in the global economy. I. Introduction II. Why I Chose Business Administration A. To uplift Saudi Arabia's private sector B. To fulfill my innate passion C. To enhance my knowl

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Final Project - Essay Example The liquidity ratios assesses a company’s ability to meet short term obligations, profitability ratios helps in assessing a company’s profitability and solvency ratios helps in gauging a company’s ability to meet long term obligations. Ratio analysis helps in identifying various trends and helps in identifying potential strengths and weaknesses of a company. The following is the ratio analysis of MNQ Company: Liquidity Ratios: The current ratio is an indicator of company’s liquidity and helps in assessing the company’s ability to meet short term obligations. MNQ Company’s current ratio has remained under 1 for the 5 years from 2004 to 2008. This shows that the company is facing liquidity issues since the current liabilities are greater than current assets. The current ratio of the company increased in 2007 to 0.98 times and fell to 0.92 times in 2008 and the company has to make efforts to improve its current ratio. Moreover, MNQ Companyâ€⠄¢s quick ratio has also deteriorated to 0.69 times. Quick ratio also helps in assessing a company’s liquidity and deterioration in quick ratio further indicates that MNQ Company’s liquidity position has worsened in 2008. The cash ratio is the strictest measure of a company’s liquidity. MNQ Company’s cash ratio has remained stable from 2004 to 2008. Overall, the company’s liquidity position is not very healthy. Solvency Ratios: The debt ratio indicates a company’s ability to repay its obligations and specifies the percentage of assets that are financed with debt. The total debt ratio of MNQ Company has fallen from 64% in 2004 to 59% in 2008. This is a good sign since the company is reducing its reliance on debt. Companies that have high debt in their capital structure are very risky since most of the cash flows are directed towards debt servicing. But in the case of MNQ Company, the debt ratio has declined and the company has improved its ov erall solvency position. The times interest earned assesses the ability of the company to service the interest payments to its debt holders. MNQ Company’s times interest earned ratio decreased in 2005 but then showed significant improvement. Currently this ratio stands at 11 times and this shows good standing of the company in terms of interest servicing. The company’s EBIT has fluctuated from 2004 to 2008 which has led to fluctuation I the times interest earned ratio. However, MNQ Company has a high times interest earned ratio of 11 times which shows its strong ability to make timely interest payments to its creditors. Cash Coverage of the company is 18.57 times and has increased from 17.34 times in 2004. Cash coverage ratio also shows the company’s ability to pay the interest payments. MNQ Company has a high cash coverage ratio which shows that the company has significant resources to make timely in

Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Process - Essay Example Picking the correct restaurant is the first step in a dining program in Korea. There are different speciality restaurants in Korea; all have different types of foods and serving habits. Check the restaurant’s name or advertisements before entering the restaurant. The selection of the hotel/restaurant must be taken only based on your eating habits. Most of the restaurants have their names indicating their speciality of foods serving there. It may be a difficult decision for you; but select the restaurant properly; otherwise you will not get the proper food which you are looking for and will be disappointed later. After selecting the hotel/restaurant, the second step is making sure that you order only one or two kinds of food. This is because of the fact that the Koreans serve wide variety of foods even if you order only one or two kinds of foods. Most of the single orders accompanied with more than ten kinds of appetizers to everyone; which means if you order more things, the varieties of foods you are getting will be more than what you can consume. This will result in lot of wastages in food items you purchased. Third, order only one meal less than what you actually require. This is because the size or volume of the food will be more that what you have anticipated. It is not possible for a single person to eat all the foods provided for a single order. So if your group consist of four members, order only for three which will be more than enough. If your group consist of eight members, order only for 6 members. Same way you can plan the number of foods based on the number of members in your group. You are not wasting any foods and at the same time you can save a substantial amount of money also by ordering less number of foods. To conclude, while taking foods in Korea, you have to select the proper restaurant first based on your choice of food; then order

Software testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Software testing - Essay Example It is the duty of the programmer to select a feasible technique which is available at the time of test so that the required information about the application can be obtained (Savenkov, 2008). The test does not only give objective view on the risks but also on the quality of that given product that is being developed. According to Meyer (2008), software testing can be done immediately an executable application is available. In most instances, the approach which is being used in the software development process will dictate when the testing will be done and how it will be carried out. When the phased process is being used by the developers, then tests will be run and done immediately after the definition of the system requirements. On the other hand, when the Agile approach is being used, the programming process and the testing are done concurrently. During designing and building of an application, the programmer may make mistakes in causing defects. Defects are the flaws that are found in the software. When the results obtained when the application is executed deviates from what was expected, then it is an indication that there are defects in that particular software. It implies that any kind of deviation from the specifications that are given at the beginning of the design and development process will result in defects. On the other hand, when software does not meet the needs and expectations of the end users, then it can be said that it has carrying bugs. The bugs may be caused by error in logic or coding (Rodrà ­guez, Llana & Rabanal, 2014). Thus, the testing process is done with the intention of unraveling the bugs and defects. When the tests yield a large number of errors and defects then it will be referred to as a Buggy software. Edsger Dijkstra, a key figure in the field of computer science claimed that the software testing does not show the absence of bugs and faults but

He ability of private individuals to seek damages for breaches in the Essay

He ability of private individuals to seek damages for breaches in the EU competition law - Essay Example This essay discusses that since last twenty years, the enforcement of European competition law has major changes. Particularly the enactment of Regulation 1/2003 that brought a remarkable shift towards the decentralized enforcement of the competition rules and the opportunity for the national courts to rule on private antitrust cases.However, the position of private enforcement of European competition law is less clear than the status of the public enforcement within the European Competition Network that seems to become a significant achievement. According to a study on the condition of claims for damages in case of infringements of EC competition rules in August 2004 (which was prepared for the European Commission), it concluded â€Å"The picture that emerges from the present study on damages actions for breach of competition law in the enlarged EU is one of astonishing diversity and total underdevelopment".As a result of that comparative report, the European Commission was able to identify the obstacles to activate the private enforcement of competition law within the Member States and consider the means by which a more effective system of private antitrust enforcement could be facilitated and improved. The comparative analysis of the different legal systems in the EU has shown a huge disparity in the member states controlling of competition law claims. Procedural disparities between national legal systems in the EU are tending to encourage forum shopping in cross-border cases. Before bringing an action, claimants involved in cross-border activity can be expected to scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of national jurisdictions before bringing an action for damages in one or several member states. Although the EU member states are obliged to give direct effect to EC law, the procedures they adopt for private enforcement cases are governed at a national level. Any changes to national law in one member state, such as those recently implemented in German y, do not affect other member states. This tension between national procedural law and EC law needs to be reconciled if a uniform effective system can be adopted throughout the EU4. In this essay, it will firstly identify the obstacles that make it so difficult for the private individuals to seek damages for breaches of EU competition law. Then, it will examine the most important development of private enforcement field in the UK, Germany and Italy, as these States considered to have attractive jurisdictions for private actions against infringements of EU competition law. The essay will conclude by illustrating the European Commission attempts to ensure that private enforcements in EU competition law are very effective and sufficient. European Commission achieved this goal by publishing the Green Paper in 2005 and followed by the White Paper in 2008. The remarkable Courage5 decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), gained increasing attention in which the private individuals have the right to sue for damages as a consequence of infringements of EC competition rules, (particularly damages suffered from breaches of Art 101 and Art 102 TFEU). One of the most important reasons of the long absence of the private antirust from the competition policy is the unique system of Europe. This means that the European Commission and European Courts have a slight influence on private antitrust litigations since they are very present in public competition law enforcement. Moreover, the European Courts are not competent to hear claims on private enforceme

Daniel Gilbert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Daniel Gilbert - Essay Example Most of us agree when we say that college is one of the most beautiful parts of life. The endless giggles, the class bunking, the cultural concerts, every aspect of youth that we share with our friends turns out to be an experience that is to be cherished for a lifetime. Let us quickly take recourse to our youthful practices and check for the theory of super replicators that Daniel Gilbert so stoutly professes in his book. At the very start, he has suggested that the super replicator system works best in transferring beliefs from one person to another. Yes, this holds true for our school and college lives. In fact, our society is one in which we grow up believing what our parents and elders teach us ever since school. When it is time to start developing our own notions, friends and their preferences take over. Most of us like to look good amongst our friends, and the definition of â€Å"good† is also based on what they think is proper or successful. Gilbert suggests that just like genes replicate fast enough to govern our health requirements and tastes (Gilbert, 2007, p. 171), the super replicators inside us, also develop upon the existing psychology that is rampant in society. And we pick up new ones as favorable or unfavorable depending on what we observe (Gilbert, 2007, p. 172). The fact shows when we communicate with people adopting strategies of communication which will have the best favorable results with them. And if you take a quick look at college life around you, or go back to the days when you spent hours with your best buddies, you will find ample reason to agree with the theory. A friend wishes to go to an amusement park while another wants to check out the latest movie. You are stuck in between but the decision happens once you give a nod to one of the choices. As soon as there is a majority to one of the decisions, the third person falls in line freely. That is where super-replication takes place. College life is full of simple and

He ability of private individuals to seek damages for breaches in the Essay

He ability of private individuals to seek damages for breaches in the EU competition law - Essay Example This essay discusses that since last twenty years, the enforcement of European competition law has major changes. Particularly the enactment of Regulation 1/2003 that brought a remarkable shift towards the decentralized enforcement of the competition rules and the opportunity for the national courts to rule on private antitrust cases.However, the position of private enforcement of European competition law is less clear than the status of the public enforcement within the European Competition Network that seems to become a significant achievement. According to a study on the condition of claims for damages in case of infringements of EC competition rules in August 2004 (which was prepared for the European Commission), it concluded â€Å"The picture that emerges from the present study on damages actions for breach of competition law in the enlarged EU is one of astonishing diversity and total underdevelopment".As a result of that comparative report, the European Commission was able to identify the obstacles to activate the private enforcement of competition law within the Member States and consider the means by which a more effective system of private antitrust enforcement could be facilitated and improved. The comparative analysis of the different legal systems in the EU has shown a huge disparity in the member states controlling of competition law claims. Procedural disparities between national legal systems in the EU are tending to encourage forum shopping in cross-border cases. Before bringing an action, claimants involved in cross-border activity can be expected to scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of national jurisdictions before bringing an action for damages in one or several member states. Although the EU member states are obliged to give direct effect to EC law, the procedures they adopt for private enforcement cases are governed at a national level. Any changes to national law in one member state, such as those recently implemented in German y, do not affect other member states. This tension between national procedural law and EC law needs to be reconciled if a uniform effective system can be adopted throughout the EU4. In this essay, it will firstly identify the obstacles that make it so difficult for the private individuals to seek damages for breaches of EU competition law. Then, it will examine the most important development of private enforcement field in the UK, Germany and Italy, as these States considered to have attractive jurisdictions for private actions against infringements of EU competition law. The essay will conclude by illustrating the European Commission attempts to ensure that private enforcements in EU competition law are very effective and sufficient. European Commission achieved this goal by publishing the Green Paper in 2005 and followed by the White Paper in 2008. The remarkable Courage5 decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), gained increasing attention in which the private individuals have the right to sue for damages as a consequence of infringements of EC competition rules, (particularly damages suffered from breaches of Art 101 and Art 102 TFEU). One of the most important reasons of the long absence of the private antirust from the competition policy is the unique system of Europe. This means that the European Commission and European Courts have a slight influence on private antitrust litigations since they are very present in public competition law enforcement. Moreover, the European Courts are not competent to hear claims on private enforceme

Why did the united states declares war on Great britain in 1812 Could Essay

Why did the united states declares war on Great britain in 1812 Could this war have been avoided - Essay Example During Britain’s war with France, America chose to be neutral. However, the economic activities that the United States had with the French would not go unnoticed by the British. They, therefore, used the war to capture and seize American ships that were heading to France. Britain affected the trade rights that America had with France. Also, Britain’s lack of respect for the maritime rights that the Americans enjoyed propelled the American congress to vote to go to war. Britain, through the capture and seizure of American ships, were able to force the seamen to join their army and fight. This propelled America to wage war against Britain (O’Neill & Benn, 2011). Patience and deep communication between all the parties could have led to the avoidance of the war. The order to seize and capture all vessels could have been revoked to reduce the pressure on the American congress (Heidler & Heidler, 2004). This order was the main reason why Americans were angry with Britain for trying to trample on its maritime and trade rights. By revoking the order, Britain could have avoided colliding with America. In conclusion, reasons that prompted two nations to war against each other are not solid. As seen, communication and patience would have averted the beginning of the war, thus; protecting resources and saving lives. Looking back, it is difficult to determine what the war represented because; shortly afterwards, Britain and America agreed on a treaty that did not resolve the issues that led to the war (Heidler & Heidler,

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR

Low cost strategy and differentiation strategy on HR Executive Summary: The report will develop key points using the Porter competitive model as a guide. It will describe low cost strategy and differentiation strategy and its impact in key HR function such as HR planning, recruitment and selection, orientation, training and development, career planning, performance management, compensation management, Health and safety and International Operations. Theory description: Michael Porter made a major contribution to the field of strategic management by grouping the different positions organizations can compete in five competitive strategies. Porters business strategy concentrates itself with the product and the market scope. The importance of gaining a competitive advantage is extreme in the economy and it grows out from the value an organization is able to for their consumer that exceeds the firms cost of creating it.  [1]   The five forces govern the profit structure of an industry by determining how the economic value it creates is apportioned. That value may be drained away through the rivalry among existing competitors, of course, but it can also be bargained away through the power of suppliers or the power of customers or be constrained by the threat of new entrants or the threat of substitutes. Strategy can be viewed as building defenses against the competitive forces or as finding a position in an industry where the forces are weaker. Changes in the strength of the forces signal changes in the competitive landscape critical to ongoing strategy formulation.  [2]   Low-cost Provider Strategy the goal of this strategy is to provide a product or service at a price lower than that of competitors while appealing to a broad range of customers. Low cost strategy is centered on the capability of the company to produce and deliver products of competitive quality at lower costs. Cost leadership strategy is much more than cost reduction initiatives that get lot of prominence in strategic planning and review session of any company as a means to improve the bottom line of a company by improving its efficiency. Some companies use their efficient cost structures to protect their markets from the competitors by responding to competitors move of making in-roads in the market space by reducing prices. Such reactive response may make a company predominantly inward focused. Positioning low cost strategy Better way to strategically position a company on the advantage of cost is to increase market share by transforming from lowest cost producer to lowest cost supplier of products. This way the company translates its cost advantage into price advantage for its customers and thereby improves the market share. The prospect of increasing the market share provides a great opportunity for the company to leverage the economies of scale coupled with the ruthless cost cutting measures it plans to execute. More the competitive space it occupies which also means that more competitors eliminated more effective are economies of scale and as a result the costs are driven still lower. When a company is able to transform the efforts of cost reduction into cost advantage for customers the company can be said to be successfully pursuing low cost leadership strategy. Wal-Mart is one company that continuously strives to reduce costs and in the market place it has got the image of supplier of products at the lowest prices. This is how Wal-Mart captures the markets and eliminates the competitors and improves revenues and market share. Economies of scale and efficiency form the core around which Wal-Mart executes its strategy. Companies pursuing cost leadership strategy compare each and every activity along their value chain with competitors and are committed to surpass them. Innovation in such companies is focused on process improvements rather than on products .Therefore, companies pursuing cost leadership strategy target mass markets with proven products.  [3]   Differentiation strategy an organization employing this strategy seeks to differentiate its products from other competitors products in ways that will appeal to a broad range of customers.  [4]  Examples of suceesful organizations are Examples of the successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike athletic shoes, Perstorp BioProducts, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz automobiles. HR functions and Porters strategies: Human resources Planning can be defined as a process by which an organization ensures that it has the right number and kinds of people, at the right place, at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will help the organization achieve its overall objectives or in other words HRP can be defined as planning for the future personnel needs of an organization, taking into account both internal activities and factors in the external environment. When adopting low cost strategy organizations the product must be perceived by consumers as comparable to the ones offered by the competition and have a price advantage. The objective is to gain market share or to earn higher profit margin, this options have direct impact in HR Planning. When analyzing the function we can observe that at entry level succession planning is minimal. Outside labor markets are monitored to satisfy entry level needs and resource to fringe workers.  [5]  On the other hand, Or ganizations that adopt a differentiation strategy the impact in HR planning, is the following the company recognizes that people are the key in gaining a competitive advantage in the market and their strategies reflect that concern. Succession management is vital in this environment is critical, employees need to possess certain competencies and skills to advance in the company, with this organizations invest in developing skills is part of the promotion policy. HR management focuses on career and training and job security and employee loyalty is very with these organizations.  [6]   Recruitment and Selection function incorporates the process to discover the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing the sources of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and employ effective measures for attracting the manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an effective working force. Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidates from those who apply for the job. It is a process of offering jobs to desired candidates. Organizations that adopt low cost strategy focus less Recruitment and selection. It is mostly done at level entry and the pool is the surrounding labor market pool and recruitment and selection budgets are lower organizations that adopt differentiation strategies. Recruitment methods are based on mouth to mouth and on-site applications, resource to local newspapers. Career paths are narrow and positions that are not entry level are filled in house.  [7]  When adopting a differentiation strategy an organization reaffirms that human capital is key in gaining your competitive advantage it centralizes the importance of Recruitment and Selection. In this picture, the strategy reflects the need for a pool of employees with a broad range of skills and competencies. The employee that they seek is one that will need less supervision and with an innovative mind and ability to work in teams. On the other hand, the selection process involves team interviews and behaviorally based evidence of innovative performance and resources to testing may occur.  [8]   Orientation Training and Development is the field concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings.  [9]  This concept is differs from company to company , low cost strategy will incorporate a training and development process focused on increasing the efficiency of the job, training is provide in a minimal delivery due to the skills to perform the job being lower. Investment in career development is few and the focus in acquiring new skills is non existence. If we analyze the food industry, this is the predominant rule. Employees are trained to perform a job and their trained on the basis in delivering a service. While in a differentiation organization, employees are viewed as the key for their success and investment in training and career development are higher. In organizations as Apple INC have developed training and development programs that will focus on skills and attitudes, decision making, ability to work i n teams, creative thinking, it is aimed to be a process that will incite innovation and creativity. Apples training and development can range from training the staff or employees on how to use a new piece of software, complete a form, give good customer service or write a professional letter. Training and development programs are an essential component of a learning environment that can improve the Apple Inc.s ability to attract and retain employees with the skills and competencies needed to achieve results for the benefit of the company. Training and developing new and current staff to fill up new roles and work in dissimilar ways will be a decisive part in the endeavors of the company to meet its transformation challenges. Ways that employees learn and achieve results will also continue to transform how Apple Inc. do business and engage or force the employees in further innovation and improvements in line with its objectives.  [10]   Career Planning includes the steps an individual undergoes in an organization during working period, which takes the person through the hierarchic ladder with expansion in duties and responsibilities with resultant increase in pay and status. It is a process which enables an organization to meet its current and future manpower requirement through provision of career opportunities for its employees. Planned and systematized progression of events in the field of work of Individuals during their employable periods of life.  [11]  Low cost organizations will invest little in career planning due to the fact their aim is to provide a low cost service and investing in career planning will increase their costs. Although, at the corporate level some techniques maybe visible. In a differentiation strategy organization career planning is a tool to improve employee motivation and loyalty. Methods as career development workshop, human resources planning and forecasting, succession planning, career development pathing programs and mentoring are set in place to guide employees.  [12]   Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organization.  [13]  Low strategy organizations develop performance management plans that are standard are measured by standard criteria, when executing performance reviews the feedback is immediate, specific in the form a review and accountability is implemented. Appraisals are performed by the direct supervisor not utilizing the 360 appraisal method the objective here is for promotion consideration. These plans are implemented in the food and restaurant industry where positions normally are less complex in the bottom level. As in differentiation environment like Apple INC performance management is based on long term implications of behavior, the objective is geared to implement behavior that will have long term efficient behaviors. The plan tries to encourage empowerment, diversity, and team work, innovation that will reach efficient and effective outcomes. Performance reviews are 360, evaluation is done by measuring group work in terms of objectives not defragmenting the individual effort.  [14]   Compensation Management is an important task for HR; it is complex task that is performed periodically which configures each employees compensation in order to be included in the payroll process. Organizations with low cost strategies manage their compensation strategy in order to monitor the wages offered by organizations in their market; they incorporate lower wages and fringe benefits and adopt a lag strategy by utilizing outsourcing to countries or states where wages are lower. The reduction in wages can be achieved by using part time employees, because they do not receive fringe benefits. In pay performance dimension is used to reward individual effort in low cost organizations. Companies with differentiation strategies develop their compensation strategy very carefully. Wages can be slightly below the market average, but the opportunities to increase your pay through other means are plenty for example incentive pay. By placing yourself as a differentiation focused company pay p erformance is incorporate and it depends on individual, group and corporate achievements.  [15]   Health and Safety policies are extremely important in the Canadian workplace environment. Organizations will comply with the legal requirements and will ensure employees have a safe and healthy work environment. Where organizations differ is their level of complexity of HS practices. In low cost driven organizations the investment in health and safety is used as the main goal of achieving legal compliance. Manufacturing sector gear their practices to ensure the safety requirements are met. As in a differentiation organization we see the reach to a next step by implementing employee wellness programs and use health and safety to increase their competitive advantage by positioning as going beyond the limits. International Operations Conclusion:

American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes and The Virgin Suicides, direct

Reality. Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary defines reality as â€Å"something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily.† But what is real by today’s standards? Does what appears to be normal equal reality? By looking at two different films it seems that the old cliche stands correct. Things aren’t as they appear. American Beauty and The Virgin Suicides give classic examples of how â€Å"normal† and â€Å"happy† suburban life is anything but. American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes (1999) and The Virgin Suicides, directed by Sofia Coppola (2000), share many of the same themes even though the plots are contrasted. Underneath the layers of white picket fences, beautiful houses, and safe neighborhoods, lies a truth. A truth so dark that it leads to the destruction of many characters in both of these movies. The first element that must be looked at is the imprisonment of the characters in both films. The main character of American Beauty, Lester Burnham, is the man whom feels the burden of imprisonment the most. He is in an ongoing marriage that should be coming up to the red light. He is also stuck in a job where he feels under appreciated and not well respected. He has been at this job for fourteen years. That is fourteen years of being in jail. It is quite evident that he is not happy. Who would be when you know that your wife and you daughter think that you are a â€Å"gigantic loser† (American Beauty)? Lester is not the only character who suffers from this. His wife Carolyn and daughter Jane both know what it is like to feel trapped in an unhappy life. Carolyn is imprisoned by image. She has the notion that she cannot be happy unless everything appears as perfect. And Jane, feeling the weight of her parents, wants to break off from her prison, her home life. She like most teens views her parents as weird and wants out of that life. In The Virgin Suicides the characters that are the most imprisoned are the five Lisbon sisters. After the youngest sister plunged to her death during the first party they were allowed to have, and Lux came home late after the homecoming dance, their parents literally turned their home into a prison. â€Å"For most children, mothers and fathers set boundaries; for the Lisbon’s, it’s iron bars† (Berardinelli). They were not allowed out, had the tree cut down that was near their window, and even had actual bars put on the window... ... ‘You’re not even old enough to know how hard life gets,’ he tells her. ‘Obviously, doctor,’ she says, ‘you’ve never been a 13-year-old girl.’ No, but his profession and every adult life is to some degree a search for the happiness she does not even know she has.† (Ebert). Bibliography Berardinelli, James, Review: American Beauty, http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/a/american_beauty.html, 1999 Berardinelli, James, Review: The Virgin Suicides, http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/v/sirgin_sucides.html, 2000 Bowman, James, Suffering Poses, American Spectator, Jun 2000, Vol 33, Issue 5, p. 66 Ebert, Roger, American Beauty, Chicago Sun-Times, http://www.suntimes.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi Ebert, Roger, The Virgin Suicides, Chicago Sun-Times, http://www.suntimes.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi , May 5, 2000 McKittrick, Casey, Shaping Pedophilic Discourse around American Beauty Happiness. Velvet Light Trap, Spring 2001, Issue 47, p 3-12. Scott, A.O., Film Review; Evanescent Trees and Sisters In an Enchanted 1970’s Suburb, The New York Times, http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/review.html Viner, Russel, The Virgin Suicides, Student BMJ, Jul 2000, Vol. 8, p 254

Killing Mr. Griffin, by Lois Duncan :: Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan

I read the book Killing Mr. Griffin, by Lois Duncan. There was an English teacher, Mr. Griffin, which nobody liked. He was a tough teacher, and didn’t give anyone an A. Not even the smartest student, Susan McConnell. They disliked him so much that they wanted to try and scare him by kidnapping him. One day after school, Mark told his friends his idea of what to do to take care of Mr. Griffin. He decided that they should threaten to kill him so he would give them better grades but not actually kill him. After some convincing, all Mark’s friends agreed to his plan. Then they carried out their plan and got Mr. Griffin where they wanted him. They left him all alone and tied up in the mountains. Susan and David were worried about Mr. Griffin, so after a couple of hours they just went to check on him. But when they got there, they found and realized that Mr. Griffin was dead! They panicked, and didn’t know what to do. They went back and told the others. They all promised each other that they wouldn’t tell anyone what had happened. Now they had to cover up all the evidence that my lead to them. Mark was willing to do anything to do that! After a few days, Mr. Griffin’s disappearance was on the news. Of coarse, no one knew where Mr. Griffin really was, and what had actually happened to him. It was hard for them to keep it in. They all felt so bad, except for Mark. Mark was the leader of this plan, and he secretly did things to cover up evidence that his friends didn’t know about. Not at first anyway. He killed David’s, but Susan figured that out. He also tried to kill Susan because she was going to tell the police the whole story. She couldn’t stand keeping it in anymore. But after a while, people started putting things together and figured out what had really happened.

Statement of Purpose Computer Science

Your 1st question would be why would this guy want to do MS in Computer Science? I was first introduced to Computer when my brother brought me a laptop. Like all kids, my first application was a game. My 1st question was how did this actually work? I was very fascinated by the graphics and how easily the computer understood my moves. I never knew the man sitting behind the screen is nothing but just a few lines of code. This fascination and curiosity led me to take computers throughout my career.First I learnt basics in high school then I took up 4 years undergraduate degree and now I want to pursue masters to research my childhood dream: What is actually behind the computers? I always had a liking towards mathematics be it getting 96% in 10th standard or getting A+ during 1st year of under graduation. I grew more and more fond for mathematics which in turn reflected in my analytical decisions and reasoning skills. I knew I had to choose computers for my undergraduate degree. I got i nto xyz college which is among the top ranked institutes for engineering in India.The courses helped me gain a strong background in the fundamentals of Information Science. These were aptly complemented by the laboratory courses. The challenging assignments that were a part of the laboratory courses helped me to develop the required technical and programming skills. I also started taking part in extracurricular activities and organized technical events, which have helped me develop team spirit and good leadership qualities in me. As being part of these great events, taught me to interact with people and taking decisions. As a part of my final year thesis project, in a team of 2, I built a â€Å"Wikipedia Search Engine†.We noticed this project on the abc University Computer Science website and were very intrigued by it. We decided to test our knowledge and took up this challenge. The project was aimed at building a search engine which would semantically search the Wikipedia an d display the links to the Wiki pages which are closely related to the query given by a user. The search engine would take a phrase from the user as input, go to the related specific Wikipedia page, extract all the inner links and based on the number of count of the input phrase, it would populate the search page with links in their decreasing order of their score.This project gave me profound knowledge and expertise on Java and database concepts. In the third year, I got an opportunity to build a website for Department of Environmental Science. It was a great learning experience as I got exposure to many web technology tools and gained expertize in JavaScript, . NET, CSS. Further studies were always a priority for me but it was my belief that I must gather some valuable work experience in order to gain a larger perspective of the industry. In keeping with this idea I joined Mind Tree. I got trained in .NET technology. When I started working on the project, I realized the difference between course work during 4 years of college and the hands-on knowledge and skills required to succeed in the corporate world. I worked at Mindtree for 10 months and thereafter I got an opportunity to work for McAfee, the world pioneer in network and security. My work experience turned out to be extremely enriching for me on a host of levels. The amount of thought process which goes into building a product is tremendous. Working at pqr and fgh were very different experience.Former has helped me in sharpening my research skills whereas latter has inculcated team spirit and the ability to interact and work with both colleagues and seniors in a proactive manner. It has helped me in accepting the challenges involved to expertise new domain and new technology, getting familiarized to new concepts and has developed a sense of professionalism in me. In my old company, I was a developer working on . Net technologies and database whereas in my current company I’m working as a qualit y assurance engineer.I think, after experiencing corporate world and knowing my strengths, it is the right time to continue my studies to become a pioneer in my field of interest. I strongly believe that the research oriented graduate studies would help gain in-depth knowledge in the field of computer science and thus help me scale up to new heights in my professional career. I am confident that the higher education will give me the desired push towards a career in research and an opportunity to do well in my chosen career. I found your University to be one of the best Universities to pursue research oriented graduate studies.I am eager to work under the guidance of the distinguished faculty members of the University. I found the Department of Computer Science website a very helpful source of the information. I have been able to get good idea about the courses offered at the University and I feel that these courses and research work would help me reach my goals. I am confined that I possess the requisite background and intellectual ability and a high level of personal motivation that will enable me to successfully complete the research work and courses I undertake. Statement of Purpose Computer Science Your 1st question would be why would this guy want to do MS in Computer Science? I was first introduced to Computer when my brother brought me a laptop. Like all kids, my first application was a game. My 1st question was how did this actually work? I was very fascinated by the graphics and how easily the computer understood my moves. I never knew the man sitting behind the screen is nothing but just a few lines of code. This fascination and curiosity led me to take computers throughout my career.First I learnt basics in high school then I took up 4 years undergraduate degree and now I want to pursue masters to research my childhood dream: What is actually behind the computers? I always had a liking towards mathematics be it getting 96% in 10th standard or getting A+ during 1st year of under graduation. I grew more and more fond for mathematics which in turn reflected in my analytical decisions and reasoning skills. I knew I had to choose computers for my undergraduate degree. I got i nto xyz college which is among the top ranked institutes for engineering in India.The courses helped me gain a strong background in the fundamentals of Information Science. These were aptly complemented by the laboratory courses. The challenging assignments that were a part of the laboratory courses helped me to develop the required technical and programming skills. I also started taking part in extracurricular activities and organized technical events, which have helped me develop team spirit and good leadership qualities in me. As being part of these great events, taught me to interact with people and taking decisions. As a part of my final year thesis project, in a team of 2, I built a â€Å"Wikipedia Search Engine†.We noticed this project on the abc University Computer Science website and were very intrigued by it. We decided to test our knowledge and took up this challenge. The project was aimed at building a search engine which would semantically search the Wikipedia an d display the links to the Wiki pages which are closely related to the query given by a user. The search engine would take a phrase from the user as input, go to the related specific Wikipedia page, extract all the inner links and based on the number of count of the input phrase, it would populate the search page with links in their decreasing order of their score.This project gave me profound knowledge and expertise on Java and database concepts. In the third year, I got an opportunity to build a website for Department of Environmental Science. It was a great learning experience as I got exposure to many web technology tools and gained expertize in JavaScript, . NET, CSS. Further studies were always a priority for me but it was my belief that I must gather some valuable work experience in order to gain a larger perspective of the industry. In keeping with this idea I joined Mind Tree. I got trained in .NET technology. When I started working on the project, I realized the difference between course work during 4 years of college and the hands-on knowledge and skills required to succeed in the corporate world. I worked at Mindtree for 10 months and thereafter I got an opportunity to work for McAfee, the world pioneer in network and security. My work experience turned out to be extremely enriching for me on a host of levels. The amount of thought process which goes into building a product is tremendous. Working at pqr and fgh were very different experience.Former has helped me in sharpening my research skills whereas latter has inculcated team spirit and the ability to interact and work with both colleagues and seniors in a proactive manner. It has helped me in accepting the challenges involved to expertise new domain and new technology, getting familiarized to new concepts and has developed a sense of professionalism in me. In my old company, I was a developer working on . Net technologies and database whereas in my current company I’m working as a qualit y assurance engineer.I think, after experiencing corporate world and knowing my strengths, it is the right time to continue my studies to become a pioneer in my field of interest. I strongly believe that the research oriented graduate studies would help gain in-depth knowledge in the field of computer science and thus help me scale up to new heights in my professional career. I am confident that the higher education will give me the desired push towards a career in research and an opportunity to do well in my chosen career. I found your University to be one of the best Universities to pursue research oriented graduate studies.I am eager to work under the guidance of the distinguished faculty members of the University. I found the Department of Computer Science website a very helpful source of the information. I have been able to get good idea about the courses offered at the University and I feel that these courses and research work would help me reach my goals. I am confined that I possess the requisite background and intellectual ability and a high level of personal motivation that will enable me to successfully complete the research work and courses I undertake.