Strive free essay sample

I’m a normal, hard-working human being. To me, nothing is complete until it’s perfect. It is that drive to do my best that pushes me to succeed, and when failure comes, it hurts. My sophomore year of high school is when I decided I wanted to be the drum major of the marching band for my junior year. To be a leader in the band is something I would cherish for the rest of my life. So I put my entire self to the task, and made band my number one priority. I made sure my attitude towards everything band-related was pristine; showing up at least fifteen minutes early to rehearsal, keeping the trumpet section in order, and, of course, always being kind to the director and my piers. I wanted to make a name for myself, and not just be a face in the crowd. I needed help with the conducting portion of the job. We will write a custom essay sample on Strive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This includes learning different patterns of directing the band, along with giving cues for certain sections of the band to play. I went to my friend Mark, the current Drum Major of the band, for help. His instructions prepared me for what I thought would be the best audition I could have possible performed. I was ready. Actually, I was more ready than I should have been. My initial reaction when I saw that I was not selected was to get out of the school. No one needed to see me at that moment. I’m a normal human being; when failure came, it hurt. Asking the director why I didn’t get the position was the hardest part, because nothing felt like constructive criticism, but rather the opposite. He told me that he had seen a part of myself during the audition that none of the staff saw during the season. It was a cheeky, insolent version of myself that was not fit for the job. I had made myself over confident, and that was my downfall. I learned a few things as I took went into my junior year. One, I need to be stern in leadership, while kind-hearted at the same time. Two, know the material, but be modest, it will show maturity. And three, no one has ever succeeded by giving up and throwing in the towel. I could have given up. I could have quit band and never shown my face in the program again, but I knew I was more than that. Not quitting made me a better human being. Failure will come, but I matured enough through that experience to never let defeat slow me down. It is the drive to do my best that pushes me to succeed. I am currently one of the senior Drum Majors for the my high schools marching band.

The Life Of Nick Drake essays

The Life Of Nick Drake essays There are many sad stories in the history of the music industry- tales of failed ambitions, wasted talent, broken souls and tragic endings. I am sure there are many that have never and will never be known to all but few, but I believe it safe to say that every person knows of one particular case. Be it Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon or Ian Aitkin (a truly spectacular local guitarist whose sudden decline and death shocked many people I know, including myself). However, one tale has fascinated me for many years and I have chosen this as the topic for my final term research project. In this essay I am going to recount the life and death of an extremely gifted and troubled musician- Nick Drake. Born into a middle class, close knit family, the tragic story does not have the beginnings one would expect to justify the ends, working class upbringings and hardened youth have no place here. Just a young man unable to relate to his world, frustrated by the lack of public interest in his work, predisposed to heavy depression. The story of Nick Drake has such an air of mystery, and his music only complements the haunting qualities that have kept me enthralled with this tragic character. Born in 1908, Rodney Shuttleworth Drake was the son of a wealthy doctor. He worked for several years for the Bombay Burmah Trading Company in Burmah, dealing mostly in Teak. Rodney met Molly Lloyd in Rangoon and, in 1937, they married. Their firstborn, a daughter named Gabrielle, was born in India whilst the couple were travelling for Rodneys work, and then a son was born on June 19th, 1948 in Rangoon. It was not until 1951 that Rodney felt it time to return back to England, his home and birthplace. Warwickshire was to be the settling place for the Drake family, in the small, idyllic village of Tanworth-in-Arden. The Drakes were a musical family- both Rodney and Molly played and composed, encouraging their offspring to d ...

Music Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Music Anthropology - Essay Example And since the 1930s there has been a rebellious sub discipline of sociology called 'critical theory' whose avowed purpose is to expose the workings of ideology in everyday life, revealing 'uncritically' accepted beliefs and so returning to individuals the power to decide for themselves what they will believe for, by presenting themselves as simply 'the way things are', ideologies suppress the very existence of alternatives. Critical Theory developed to become a comprehensive mode of culture critique whose effects have been felt in disciplines as varied as literary studies, film and media studies, art history--and, more recently, musicology. Theodor Adorno, one of the founders of critical theory, was not only a sociologist but also an accomplished musician (he studied composition with Schoenberg's most famous pupil, Alban Berg), and he wrote as much on music as he did on sociology. Critical theory is in essence a theory of power, and it sees power largely in terms of the institutions through which it is channeled. In musicology, this approach has stimulated historical research into the formation of the canon (the repertory of masterworks on display in the musical museum) and the role of musical institutions in constructing, maintaining, and naturalizing this canon. But you can see the process at work today in the most important of such institutions, those at which music is taught (schools, conservatories, and universities). It is most obvious in the repositioning of rock within the academy. Pittman evoked the specific, pre-existing ideological discourse of rock and roll. While on the surface 'rock music' is a neutral label that distinguishes a particular kind of music, it also comprises a set of ideological assumptions about music creation and social life. Rock emerged as not only a musical genre, but a system of discourse through which the effects of the commercialization of music and the industrialization of music production can be negotiated, and by which social inequalities can be activated in a cultural arena. In an ideological division reminiscent of the high culture or popular culture distinction, rock discourse forged a hierarchy within popular music by creating a structure of value against which 'pop' music could be devalued. Rock was made to stand as a higher form of popular music, as the representative of art and artfulness. The commercialization and industrialization of music has dramatically changed the way in which music is created. Music production is organized around the segmenting of creative processes and a hierarchical form of collective production that involves more creators and more stages of creation. To make music within the music industry, musicians work with a number of people songwriters whose songs are chosen for their repertoire (in the event the musician does not write the material); producers of albums; engineers of songs; record company officials who dictate release dates of albums and singles and handle marketing and distribution; and, most recently, directors of video promotion. The separation of individual creators into categories of creative work is a function of the industrial mode of divided labor and helps industry maintain control over production. It is important to the

Is penalties harsh enough on underage drinking and should parents be Research Paper

Is penalties harsh enough on underage drinking and should parents be held accountable - Research Paper Example This paper intends to discuss whether penalties applied to underage drinking are harsh enough, or in other words, should drinking be allowed for underage people, and should parents be held accountable for underage drinking. If we compare the drinking age in United States to that in other countries around the globe, we come to know that there are stricter laws in US about legal age for drinking. Most of the other western countries regard it as a normal social activity performed by an individual of any age. In European countries, and in England, children start taking alcohol, although a small quantity, with their parents. Wine is often a casual part of meal. Australia allows drinking at eighteen and England allows it at sixteen, and the teens consuming alcohol at so young an age are found to be perfectly healthy. This makes it easy to argue that a lower drinking age should be acceptable when the rest of the world is okay with it. Thinking this way, one feels that there are harsh penalt ies by the government on underage drinking. ... It is easy to teach a young kid of 18, as compared to an elder person, and make him learn how much of it is okay and how much is harmful. Parents in Europe teach their kids how to be responsible with drinking and then they set them free to try it out, but responsibly. In US, parents are so much fearful of the worse consequences and threats posed by heavy alcoholism that they inculcate this fear inside their children that the act is totally wrong and they cannot think about drinking before they reach a set age by the law. This concludes that there is no need for harsh penalties on underage drinking, but there is need to create more awareness on health hazards in case of binge drinking. Learning and knowledge can do what penalties cannot. There is another dark side regarding penalties. Harsh penalties increase the thirst. It is very natural for man to crave for something he has been forbidden. He wants to do things and try them out when they are told not to. This is because of his expe rimental nature that compels him to crave for something he cannot get. Adam ate the forbidden fruit because he had been specially told not to eat it. Similarly, alcohol becomes the tempting forbidden fruit for teens. Strictly forbidding kids to touch alcohol increases the curiosity inside them and then they turn out breaking the laws and standing liable for penalties. Studies have suggested that most teens drink out of their excitement that they get in breaking the law. â€Å"87% of high school seniors have used alcohol† (Harold). Hence, it is clear that a lot of high schoolers and teens do consume alcohol. Then what are the laws for? Medical science and psychological studies reveal that teens

Financial Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Analysis - Essay Example Over the past five years the Home Retail Group company has had ups and downs trend in terms of its profits but the gap between the profits is very small, for example the difference in profits between 2012 and 2011 is less than 1% this is an indication that the company maintains its standards of high performance over the period. For example the percentage gross profit for 2010 and 2011 is 45.45%, this was seen in both years, an indication of financial health for the company although not at a very good standards, but it shows that the HRG Company is capable of paying for the operational expenses without financial constraints. There is an increase in percentage of profit margin from 0.11%to 0.055% in the year 2011 and 2012 respectively this an indication that sales are increasingly contributing to the bottom line of the company. This measures how effectively a companys assets are being used to generate profits. It is majorly considered when evaluating the success of a business. A higher number reflects a well managed company with a healthy return on assets. The percent rate of return on assets for Home Retail Group is 0.022% in 2012 although there is a slight increase, there is still a need for improvement in this area to ensure the company can remain competitive and continue to operate successfully. This shows the rate of return on equity capital employed and also measures the ability of a companys management to realize an adequate return on the capital invested by the owners in a company. A higher number is preferred for this ratio. The percent rate of return on equity for Home Retail Group is 0.055% in 2012 and 0.0275% in 2010 there is a slight increase an indication that the management may not be effectively managing the profits earned based on the owners investment in the company. The management should utilize budgets to track expenses on a regular basis, and identify those that are out of line. Assign

nominated sub-contractor

nominated sub-contractor 1.0 Introduction Until the mid 1970s, there were only two categories of sub-contract, which are nominated and domestic. A nominated sub-contract is where a sub-contractor is selected and appointed/ nominated by the client. The client instructs the main contractor, through the architect, to use the nominated sub-contractor for an element of work, usually an engineering package such as piling, ME services or structural frame; the main contractor must use the quotation obtained by the client as the sub-contract sum. A nominated sub-contractor is often appointed after the main contractor has started work, so one of the client benefits is that specialist design can continue after work has commenced on site.A prime cost sum is included within the main contractors tender document (a bill of quantities or specification of work). On top of this the main contractor is required to price overheads, profit and any items of attendance it has to provide, such as the use of site facilities, provision of a secure storage area etc. The value of the prime cost sum is omitted from the Bill of Quantities and replaced by the nominated subcontractors accepted quotation and the main contractors on costs are adjusted as appropriate. On the other hand, a domestic sub-contractor is selected and appointed by the contractor using the specification issued by the clients consultants. The client has no input into the selection of that sub-contractor and often will not even know its identity. The rationale being that the client employs the main contractor to take responsibility for executing the work using whatever method he chooses, either by using its own operatives or by employing a sub-contractor. (CCL Department, 2005) Contractually named sub-contract is the same as a domestic sub-contract except the client states which contractors are acceptable without taking responsibility for their final selection and appointment. Brain E. Rawling Associates (2003) stated, it was due to such risks that in the late 1980s, Swire Properties Limited introduced into its contracts the concept of named subcontracting, to replace traditional nominated subcontracting with its potential risks to an employer. It was first formalised by the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Intermediate Form of Contract in 1984. The named subcontracting concept requires names of would-be subcontractors to be furnished at the main contract tender stage by the consultants, for the main contractor to issue tender enquiries and for him to select the proposed named subcontractor. Further, after the award of the subcontract, the named subcontractor is treated like any other domestic subcontractor and the employer/architect have no obligation to re-nominate. 2.0 Review the Method of Appointing Specialist Contractor JCT SBC 98 2.1 Procedure for appointing Specialist Contractor for JCT SBC 98 Under JCT 98, Clause 35.6.1, The Architect/ Contract Administrator completes invitation to tender to Sub-Contractor in NSC/T Part 1; Under JCT 98, Clause 35.6.2, The Architect/ Contract Administrator completes the relevant section of Agreement NSC/W. The Architect/ Contract Administrator sends NSC/T Part 1 and Agreement NSC/W with drawings, specification, or bill of quantities, which describe of work, to those companies that the employer wishes to invite to tender. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.6.1, The tenderers complete the NSC/T Part 2 and relevant section of warranty in Agreement NSC/W and return both NSC/T Part 2 and NSC/W to the Architect/ Contract Administrator. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.6.3, The Architect/ Contract Administrator selects the Sub-Contractor, and arranges for the Employer to sign the selected Sub-Contractors tender to confirm his approval of it, and to execute the warranty in Agreement NSC/W. The Architect/ Contract Administrator using Nomination NSC/N to nominate the selected Sub-Contractor to Contractor. The Architect/ Contract Administrator sends a copy of the NSC/T Part 1 and NSC/T Part 2 to Contractor with the drawings, specification, or bill of quantities on which the tender was based and the executed warranty. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.5.1, once the Contractor receives of those documents, Contractor has the right to reject the selected Sub-Contractor in seven working days from the date of receipt of those documents, with a reasonable proposal rejection, to the Architect/ Contract Administrator. If Contractor does not exercise his right, he must reach agreement with the selected tenderer on the particular conditions in NSC/T Part 3. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.1.2, The Architect/ Contract Administrator either remove the objection of Contractor and Contractor shall comply with the Architect/ Contract Administrators instruction; or cancel the nomination of such Sub-Contractor, omitting the work by such Sub-Contractor and nominate another Sub-Contractor. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.7.1, when the particular conditions have been reaching, the Contractor and selected Sub-Contractor shall sign the NSC/T Part 3. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.7.2, Contractor shall execute the Agreement NSC/A, which incorporated by reference into Conditions NSC/C. Under JCT 98, Clause 35.7, The Contractor sends a copy of the signed NSC/T Part 3 and execute the Agreement NSC/A to the Architect/ Contract Administrator for his record. Chapter 3: Review the Method of Appointing Specialist Contractor JCT SBC 05 3.1 Procedure for appointing Specialist Contractor for JCT SBC 05 In JCT SBC 05, Nominated Sub Contract for JCT SBC 98 had been discontinued. Nominated Sub-Contract had been replaced by Domestic Sub-Contract and Named-Sub-Contract. In JCT SBC 05, the Private and Local Authority seditions have been combined. In JCT SBC 05, delay caused by Nominated Sub-Contractor or Nominated Supplier is not entitled to adjustment of completion date and loss and/or expenses. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.7.1, If the Contractor intention to sub-contract the whole or part of the Works, he shall inform the Architect/ Contract Administrator. The Contractor shall remain his responsibility although such Work had been subcontracted to Sub-Contractor. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.7.2, Contractor cannot sub-contract the Contractors Design Portion to Sub-Contractor without Employers consent. The Contractor shall remain his responsibility although such design had been subcontracted to Sub-Contractor. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.8.1, the Contractor shall name at least three persons in a list to the Contract Bills. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.8.2, the Employer behalf of the Architect/ Contract Administrator and the Contractor are able to add additional persons to the list before the sub-contract bound by writing. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.8.3.1, if the list is less than three persons, Employer behalf of the Architect/ Contract Administrator and the Contractor shall add the names of the other persons so that the list not less than three persons. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.8.3.2, if the list is less than three persons, the Work shall carried out by the Contractor, and may sub-contract the whole of part of the Work to any Sub-Contractor by consent of the Architect/ Contract Administrator. Contractor shall remain the responsibility of the Work as well. Such Sub-Contractor as known as Domestic Sub-Contractor. Under JCT 05, Clause 3.8.3.2, the succeed Sub-Contractor selected by Contractor, as known as Domestic Sub-Contractor. 4.0 Procedure for appointing Specialist Contractor for NEC3 ECC 05 Under NEC 3, clause 26.1, If the subcontractor nominated by Contractor, the Contractor is responsible for Providing the Work no matter the Contractor intention to subcontract work or not. Fee on Contractors own work using the direct fee percentage and a separate Fee on work done by a Subcontractor using the subcontracted fee percentage; For subcontracted work when assessing compensation events, may use a rate or lump sum by agreement in certain circumstances. Under NEC3 option B 05, Clause 26.2, the Contractor submits the name of each proposed Sub-Contractor to the Project Manager for acceptance. The Contractor cannot appoint a proposed Sub-Contractor until the Project Manager has accepted him. Project Manager may not accept the Sub-Contractor because of his appointment will not allow the Contractor to Provide the Works. Under NEC3 option B 05, Clause 26.3, the Contractor shall submit the proposed conditions of contract for each subcontract to the Project Manager for acceptance. Project Manager may not accept when the NEC Engineering and Construction Sub-Contract or the NEC Professional Services Contract is stated. Or the Project Manager has agreed that no submission is required. Under NEC3 option B 05, Clause 26.3, Project Manager shall accept the proposed conditions of contract before the contractor can appoint a Sub-Contractor. Project Manager may reject the appointment of the Sub-Contractor if the proposed conditions of contract not allow the Contractor Provide the Works. Or the proposed conditions of contract do not include a statement that parties to Sub-Contractor shall act in a spirit of mutual trust and co-operation. A person selected from the list by Project Manager shall be a Sub-Contractor, as known as Named Sub-Contractor. The Named Sub-Contractor is, for all intents and purposes, a Domestic Sub-Contractor. If Project Manager rejected the Sub-Contractor in the list based on NEC3 option B 05, Clause 26.3, Contractor has to amend the conditions of sub-contracting until the Project Manager had accepted it. Such delay, Contractor has to pay the loss and/or expenses occur during the delay. If Project Manager rejected the Sub-Contractor in the list not based on NEC3 option B 05, Clause 26.3, Contractor has to choose other Sub-contractors and named in the list. If Project Manager cannot give a reasonable reason of reject, such loss and/or expenses occur during delay shall Project Manager to bear. 5.0 Review the Nominated Sub-Contractor in UK 5.1 Review of Nominate Sub-Contractor used in previous contract form According to Electrical Mechanical Contractor Magazine (2005), the reasons for nomination are: The Client/ Employer can select the Specialist Contractor it wants, The Client/ Employer can obtain design and value engineering input and have direct access during the progress of works, delay can be prevented on the project as well. The Nominated Sub-Contractor benefits by having much greater certainty of payment. Atkinson, D. (1999), stated the reasons for nomination are: The Employer is able to choose which company he wishes to use and that decision does not have to be based on price. The Nominated Sub-Contractor can be involved early and so his design expertise and his knowledge of the contract and co-ordination of services can be utilised. The Nominated Sub-Contractor is made part of the contracting team being fully involved, if required. Clear contractual liability is established providing a clear line of responsibility to the employer. 5.2 Review of Nominated Sub-Contractor had been discontinued According to Electrical Mechanical Contractor Magazine, 2005. Most forms of contract allow the Contractor to claim an adjustment of completion date for delay caused by a Nominated Sub-Contractor, which the Contractor has taken all reasonable measures to prevent. In this situation, Contractor is easy to make a claim and very difficult to refute. Clients now prefer to pass on the risk of appointing Sub-Contractors to the Contractor. The naming procedure allows clients to keep some control on Sub-Contractor selection without having to take responsibility for performance. Karnick, M. (2009) stated that old nomination system may cause delay and Contractor entitled to adjustment of completion date and loss and/or expenses. To Employer/ Client Employer no needs to bear the cost of determination of the Domestic Sub-Contractor, but Named Sub-Contractor. More manageable of the progress of the sub-contract work, Contractor is not responsible for the delay of Nominated Sub-Contractor; but he is responsible for Domestic Sub-Contractor and Named Sub-Contractor. More manageable of the progress of the sub-contract work, Contractor is not responsible for defective design by Nominated Sub-Contractor; but he is responsible for Domestic Sub-Contractor. Employer/ Client can appoint Named Sub-Contractor at design stage before appoint the Contractor. Employer/ Client has a direct link with Sub-Contractor in respect of design. Employer/ Client has no responsibility for the performance of Named Sub-Contractor. But Contractor has no responsibility for the design work carried out by Named Sub-Contractor. The Client/ Employer or his Quantity Surveyor values the sub-contractors work. This valuation is shown as a separate amount on the Interim Certificate and is notified to the sub-contractor. In the event that the main contractor does not pay the stated amount by the due date, the Sub-Contractor can then ask for payment direct from the Client/ Employer. To Architect/ Contract Administrator/ Project Manager Architect/ Contract Administration/ Project Manager need to be consent if Contractor intended to nominate a Sub-Contractor. To Quantity Surveying The Client/ Employer or his Quantity Surveyor values the sub-contractors work. This valuation is shown as a separate amount on the Interim Certificate and is notified to the sub-contractor. In the event that the main contractor does not pay the stated amount by the due date, the Sub-Contractor can then ask for payment direct from the Client/ Employer. 6.0 Conclusion Contract forms need to be updated, amended, merged and retired to reduce the conflict of the contract. In JCT SBC 05, Nominated Sub-Contractor had been discontinued because of many conflicts happened in past few years from 2005. Nominated Sub-Contractor had been discounted to improve the management of the progress of the sub-contract work. Previously, Contractor will not responsible for the Nominated Sub-Contractors delay, and Contractor entitled to Adjustment of Completion Date and loss and/or expenses. Nowadays, Contractor is more responsible for sub-contract work. In my opinion, I think that the new Specialist Sub-Contractor appointment procedures had makes it simpler. Due to many conflict happened between Nominated Sub-Contractor and Contractor, this is one of the solution to lower the conflict. Sub-Contractor and Contract shall have mutual trust and co-operation to each other. Besides, I think the new Specialist Sub-Contractor appointment procedures will really helps in the management of the progress of the sub-contract works. Contractor will more care about the sub-contract works, and ensure the sub-contract works always in schedule and maintain with good quality. There is no best way to reduce the construction conflict to zero, but to prevent the conflict happened. I think this Specialist Sub-Contractor appointment system may help in reduce conflict in construction industry. 7.0 Reference Alberta Labour Relations Board, (2002). True Employer and Subcontractor [pdf] 1 June. http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca/procedure/24(f)(ii).pdf [Last Accessed 25 July 2009] Atkinso.D, (1999). Subcontracting [online] 1 June. http://www.atkinson-law.com/cases/CasesArticles/Articles/SubContracting.htm [Last Accessed 25 July 2009] Barnes, P., 2008. JCT 05 06 Contracts. [pdf] 25 January. Available at: http://www.arbitrate.org.uk/speakers_papers/Peter%20Barnes%20JCT%202005%20%20CIArb%2023-01-08.pdf [Last accessed on 26 July 2009] Brand, D., 2009. Contract nominations. [Online] 5 January. Available at: http://cmguide.org/archives/315 [Last accessed on 23 July 2009] Brian, E. Rawling Associates, 2003. Nominated or Names? [pdf] 27 September. Available at: http://www.brianerawling.com/PDF/Jun%2001%20~%20Nominated%20or%20Named.pdf [Last accessed on 26 July 2009] CCL Department, 2005. What Sort of Subbie Are You? [pdf] March. Available at: http://www.eca.co.uk/IndustryGuidance/CCandL/Download/WhatSortOfSubbieRU.pdf [Last accessed on 23 July 2009] Chappell, D. (2007). Understanding JCT Standard Building Contracts. 8th Edi. Taylor Francis. London New York. Karnick, M., 2009. Nominating the best project subcontractors. [Online] 12 July. Available at: http://cmguide.org/archives/1357 [Last accessed on 23 July 2009] Murdoch, J. Hughes, W. (2009). Construction Contracts: Law and Management. Taylor Francis. London New York. Office Of Government Commerce (2005). NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract: Option B: Priced Contract with Bill of Quantities. 3rd ed., Great Britain, Bell Bain Limited. Price, J. (1994). Sub-Contracting under the JCT Standard Form of Building Contract. Macmillan. Ryland, J., 2004. Nominated Sub-contractors- Whats in name? [pdf] 2 January. Available at: http://pprn.crippslaw.com/index2.php?option=com_contentdo_pdf=1id=63 [Last accessed on 23 July 2009] RICS, 2005. A comprehensive guide to help you move from JCT 98 to JCT 05. [pdf] 3 May. Available at: http://www.ricsbooks.com/downloads/CONTRACT%20FINDER.pdf [Last accessed on 26 July 2009] Standard Form of Building Contract (1998). Local Authorities with Quantities. Great Britain, The Joint Tribunal Limited

When Books were Burned Fahrenheit 451 Essay -- Government Literature C

The Time Books were Burned Fahrenheit 451 The novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a science fiction novel that introduces a world controlled by the government. Humans are not accepted in this new world. Television has replaced family. The people live the present through television. The firemen are seen as flamethrowers, the destroyers of books. The people living in this society have no reminders or memories of history or the past. In Fahrenheit 451, the society has a strict set of values and beliefs. The government has constructed its own matrix for the people in the society to abide by. It is forbidden for books to be read or seen. Books are not to be read; they are to be destroyed without a question. Since the government has such a tight hold on society, the citizens have no clue as to what is happening in their world. In Fahrenheit 451, the government has demanded that the harshest measures be put on books, which in this case is the burning of the books. Books are considered to be evil because they make people ques tion and think. In this world people believe that when books and new ideas are available to society, conflict and unhappiness take place. I believe that the government feels that by eliminating the world of conflict and controversy, that it will put an end to dispute and allows people to stay happy all the time. In Part One, The Hearth and the Salamander, Guy Montag is introduced as a thirty-year-old fireman in the twenty-fourth century. Montags role as a fireman is destroying all the books he finds along with the homes he finds them in. At first it was pleasurable for Montag to burn up books. At this point he believes he is happy. He is a smiling fireman. The smile, just like his burnt-corked face, is a m... ... are model citizens, in our own special way; we walk the old tracks, we lie in the hills at night, and the city people let us be. This group of people, instead of carrying books with them, they each just memorize as many books as they can. The purpose is to one day, when the world is changed, to be able to re-copy the books once again into written form. Montag has changed dramatically throughout the novel. He is now able to think for himself, make his own decisions, and even tell people what to do, such as Faber. This is major change from the beginning of the book when Montag was nothing more then nave. He was only a timid machine of society. Bradbury promotes the idea in the novel that man should think for themselves, not let the government or television do their thinking for them. Work Cited Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953.

Social Psychology Definition Paper

With only the unifying concept of social interaction, social psychology occupies a no-man’s land somewhere between psychology, sociology, physiology, and evolutionary theory in the uncultivated areas of the social sciences (Harold, 2000). Biology offers up the principles of natural selection and adaptation as causal explanations for everything from human mating practices to index finger length, and sociology offers explanations for social structure and organization; it is to social psychology that falls the task of explaining how people think about, affect, and interact with one another on a psychological, biological, and social level (Myers, 2008; Pinel, 2007). If genetic and biological predisposition is the violin and environmental factors the violinist, then the bow of social interaction is the instrument by which the two conjugate to create music for example cognition and behavior. Though, in light of an examination of the main ideas and research methods of social psychology—as well as a comparison between related fields—the particular function of social interaction, as it relates to biology and psychology, comes into focus. Main Ideas of Social Psychology. Social psychologists study a set of strategies for answering questions related to attitudes and beliefs, the way we construe our world, and conformity and independence; rather than simply an objective compilation of findings. Some of the main ideas that social psychology seeks to address are: 1) the construction of our social reality; 2) social intuition; 3) how social influences, personal attitudes, personality, and biology shape our behavior; and 4) how social psychology’s principles can be applied in everyday life (Myers, 2008). The construction of our social reality rests on the materialistic assumption that an objective world exists quite separate from our subjective interpretation of that world, but that we can only view reality through the lens of our beliefs and values. Moreover, it is clear that the mechanism of social intuition—automatic processing, heuristics, and implicit memory—can be very powerful when utilize for fast and frugal snap judgments but it could also be perilous when more reasoned thinking is required. Our behavior is shape by many influences that can be external and internal. We are a social animal, which means that our cultural predispositions define our circumstances. It is also apparent that our attitudes and personality play a significant role in shaping behavior as well. Sometimes offsetting and sometimes reinforcing social pressures. Above all else, the idea that we are bio-psycho-social organisms operating on several levels and at the bequest of many influences assists in explaining the multi-verse of human behavior. At last, the practical application of social psychology’s analytical tools and explanations to the subjective beliefs, attitudes, and relationships of everyday life can help people know themselves better, think smarter, and make better decisions. The specific means by which social psychologists ascertain the aforementioned analytical tools and explanations is encapsulate in the implementation of research Methodology Research Methods of Social Psychology. There is three main avenues through which social psychologists can elucidate the facts of individual social interaction: 1) correlation research; 2) experimental research; and 3) survey research. The very basis of the scientific method is the postulation that a theory can be explain or predicted by means of hypothesis testing, through the medium of observable events. Correlation research seeks to explain naturally occurring relationships among variables, but does not have the ability to differentiate causation between variables. For instance, Einwohner (1999) could show that personal identification as an activist and collective identification with a group are highly correlate with protest behavior, but that the formers do not necessarily cause latter. However, through the instrument of time-lagged correlations it could be determine. Variables came first in a sequence, but it cannot be determine which variable constitutes the cause and which variable constitutes the effect. On the other hand, experimental research is uniquely design to isolate and manipulate variables to the end of illuminating causation. Experimental research accomplishes this huge feet by the use of independent variables, the manipulated experimental factor; and dependent variables, the measured factor that changes as the independent variable is manipulate. By keeping the dependent variable constant and changing only the independent variable, social psychologists can isolate the exact effect that the first has on the second. Finally, survey research uses random sample, a method by which every member of a group has equal chance of inclusion, to extrapolate the results of a representative group onto a population. It is important to note that survey research is only meant to describe present variables and opinions, rather than predict the future likelihood of variables and opinions. Also the effect of question ordering and wording, response options, and unrepresented samples shows the possible pitfalls of bias that can affect survey results. Comparison between Related Fields The field of sociology overlaps with social psychology in some areas; but sociology is primarily concern with how groups and societies interact at the collectivist level, and social psychology is mainly involved with the individual psychology of social interaction. Also of consequence, is the general observation that sociology relies heavily on survey research and correlation research; whereas, social psychology takes into account a wealth of experimental methodology as well (Kearl, 2009). On the other end of the spectrum, clinical psychology overlaps with social psychology in that they both depend heavily on experimental research to verify their perspective hypotheses. The branch of general psychology usually referred to as personality psychology differs from social psychology by its emphasis on the difference between individuals rather than the effect that individuals have on each other. So to summarize, sociology overlaps with social psychology on the left because they both study social interaction, clinical psychology on the right because they both make heavy use of experimental research to validate their hypotheses, and personality psychology in the main because they both seek to understand the individual. Furthermore, sociology differs from social psychology because the former is more dependent on co relational and survey research, and social psychology differs from personality psychology in the emphasis of individual interaction over individual difference, respectively. Conclusion In conclusion, the conglomeration of research areas and methodologies that social psychology occupies is cosmopolitan and parsimonious in scope and applicability, meaning that even though social psychology be concern with several areas of research the field is still dedicate exclusively to understand how people think about, affect, and interact with one another on a psychology, biological, and social level. The practical working out of the field of social psychology in the area of research specifically encompasses the subjects of social intuition, the applicability of the field’s principles on everyday life, the construction of our social reality and what forces influence and shape our behavior. The field of social psychology takes advantage of experimental research, survey research, and company relational research to confirm hypotheses concerning the abovementioned subjects.

Holocause Literature essays

Holocause Literature essays Many of the survivors of the Holocaust went to writing literature as a way of telling what it was really like. Survivors used this way because it is extremely difficult to explain what happened by talking, so they use literature. Out of all of the Holocaust authors, Elie Wiesel is quite possibly the most well known Holocaust author of all time. Elie Wiesel, being a survivor of the Holocaust, uses his literature to tell his stories about what he went through. Elie Wiesel has written many novels on the Holocaust. Throughout his works he has used many of the same themes. In the novels Night, Dawn, and A Beggar in Jerusalem the same themes or ideas are repeated many times. In the novel Night, the idea of loss of faith is used many times. Elie Wiesel used this theme because during the Holocaust, many of the victims lost faith in God. Confronting the Holocaust states, One of the contradictory ideas in Wiesels Night is: there is no God, I hate him. After Auschwitz Gods presence is most strongly felt through his absence.(57) The victims had every right to believe that God was absent at this time. Many times in Night the characters would just flat out say how they did not believe in God anymore. And in spite of myself, a prayer rose in my heart, to that God in whom I no longer believed. Wiesel used this example over and over in Night to emphasize how almost all Holocaust victims lost faith in their God. Behind me, I heard the same man asking: Where is God now? And I heard a voice within me answer him Where is He? He is- he is hanging here on this gallows. This shows how characters in the novel feel that their God has died right before them. Night had th e most loss of faith because the novel takes place right in the heart of the Holocaust, so it is easy to see why Wiesel used loss of faith in this novel. The idea of loss of faith also played a role in the novel Dawn. Dawn...

Battle of Verdun

Battle of Verdun Introduction Beginning February 21 to December 1916 the Battle of Verdun can be considered one of the largest battles fought during WWI between France and Germany with a total combined death count of 698,000 on both sides (Horne, 1994). Based on the account of Alistair Horne in his book The Price of Glory this paper will elaborate and examine some of the more interesting facets of the war involving pride, nationalism and the de-humanization of combatants brought about by the combination of such factors. Going even further into human aspect of the war elaborated on by Horne, this paper will examine the reasons that drove both combatants to fight over what was basically a useless piece of land and how the end result was nothing more than a war of costly attrition with a pyrrhic victory at the end.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Battle of Verdun specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pride and Verdun When examining the accou nt of Horne regarding the Battle of Verdun it becomes obvious that the entire context of the battle itself was one of pride between two contenders that entered into what can be roughly described as a pissing contest between two countries. For example, if you were to observe the greater context of the First World War it becomes immediately obvious that there was very little to be gained from Germany attacking Verdun while at the same time France had little to lose from merely allowing Germany to take Verdun. The area wasnt situated in what can be described as a strategically viable position in terms of allowing Germany to push further into France nor would holding the area allow the French army to cut off any German supply routes or allow the Germans to access any viable resources from the region since Verdun itself held little, if any, war potential in terms of munitions factories or stockpiled resources. Based on the account of Horne it can be seen that Verdun was a matter of pride between the actors wherein it became a symbol of French resistance against German incursions while at the same time it was a way of showing Germanys resolve in winning the war. Going even further back to understand that factors that lead to irrational exuberance that permeated this desire to go to war over what can be described as a worthless piece of land, one would come across a variety of historical snippets (as indicated by Horne) which show that the land itself was heavily contested between the French and Germans even before the start of WWI. This in itself is quite interesting especially when overlaying the nationalism that was used as a factor to drive the inexorable war machine forward it can be seen that when nationalism meets pride minor disagreements can often erupt into major conflicts resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the overwhelming loss of life on both sides over something that had nothing to do with actually winning the war it can be seen from the account of Horne that extreme nationalism urged both sides to keep on fighting with German Field Marshall Von Falkenhayn famously saying that they would bleed the French white. What is interesting about this particular account of the war is that when taking it and overlaying it in the greater context of wars within human society it can be seen that a lot of them were a direct result of pride and nationalism taking precedence over common sense and practicality. Even in the modern day era with the current war on terror it can be seen that a large percentage of radical Islamic militants turn towards terrorism due to feelings related to nationalism and the desire to protect their traditional way of life. Nationalism and Inhuman Treatment Continuing the in the same vein of though regarding nationalism, pride and how these fueled the battle of Verdun it is quite interesting to note that it was also during this particular battle that the first recorded instance of poison gas was utilized. This is an important factor to take into consideration since when you combine its usage with the various de-humanizing aspects related to the battle itself it becomes all to obvious that nationalism and pride taken to its zenith enables countries to not think of the ethical and moral considerations of war (as explained by Horne when he elaborated on the various human factors behind and during the battle of Verdun) and as a result dehumanizes the enemy enabling the most atrocious of actions to become acceptable all for the sake of winning. This is particularly enlightening especially when taking into consideration the inherently hypocritical noble and just reasoning elaborated on by state leaders and generals at time regarding the justness of their cause in the face of thousands of deaths. Such a method of justifying atrocities h as actually been endemic in countries such as France and Germany in the past wherein the Crusades (various attempts at retaking the Christian Holy Land from Muslim hands which resulted in millions of deaths on both sides) were fueled by religious fervor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Battle of Verdun specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the present religion has been replaced by nationalism however it is no less effective in justifying the deaths of thousands all for the sake of a just cause. Pyrrhic victory The last and but not the least most interesting aspect of the account of Horne was that in the end both sides gained nothing from the battle of Verdun and for the French it was nothing more than a pyrrhic victory while for the Germans they actually accomplished what they set out to do and that was to â€Å"bleed the French white† (however in terms of an overall military victory the French actually â€Å" won† at Verdun since the Germans were unable to either capture the city of Verdun nor were they able to inflict greater causalities to the French). First and foremost what you have to understand is that despite the sheer amount of deaths on both sides by end of the Battle on December 1916 both sides were quite literally at the same fronts they were in when the battle started in the first place. Thus, from a certain perspective, it can be surmised that the entire battle was useless from start to finish since neither side actually were able to advance, both suffered costly causalities that hampered their war potential and in the end the battle itself was fought for reasons that are both incredibly selfish and can even be described as incredibly stupid given the amount of people died for them. Conclusion Based on the account of Horne and the opinions presented in this paper it can be stated that the entire battle of Verdun was a complete was of human life and shows how nationalis m and pride can lead to actions that can basically be described as insanely stupid. Reference List Horne, A. (1994). The price of glory: Verdun 1916.

The Effect of Internet Technology on the Retail Banking Sector Assignment

The Effect of Internet Technology on the Retail Banking Sector - Assignment Example Money too has moved from plastic cards to a form called "e-cash", "e-money" that is highly portable and tradable over the Internet with its attendant risks and advantages. Transaction costs-the hitherto hidden but significant costs of doing business in the past, have come crashing in the Internet Age. In this paper, we examine Williamson's Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and use it to analyze the impact of Internet Technology on the retail banking sector. Built into Internet technology are features that accelerate information availability, make information "Always Available" to the consumer and almost always secure and private. In this essay, we define "Internet Technology" broadly and "Retail Banking" and its services. We then proceed to explore further in depth the developments in Internet Technology in the last 10 -15 years that have led to the development we call "Internet banking". We then focus our attention on the "retail banking" sector of Internet banking. We use transaction cost economics (TCE) to analyze the "effect" of Internet technology on the retail banking sector. In this analysis, we highlight the benefits, threats and challenges and take a futuristic tour of the direction of Internet banking in the next ten years and its sociological effect on a new meaning of transaction costs. In this section, we define the Internet, Internet technologies and retail banking and take a survey of developments in the past ten years in Internet technology as it relates to banking in general and retail banking transactions in particular. 2.1 Internet Technology The Internet is defined by Webopedia (2006) as "a global network connecting millions of computers" The University of California at Berkeley (UCBerkeley, 2006) provides this definition: "The Internet is a network of networks, linking computers

School Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

School Report - Case Study Example Latin students total up to 10% (NYC department of education). The teachers that make up the staff have different levels of qualifications and varying levels of the experience. Only 38% of the teachers are those having masters or the doctorate degree, according to the statistics of the year 2007. In terms of experience; only 15% of the teachers are having three years of experience. In this case the school administration has to work on increasingly hiring the teachers with higher qualifications as doctorate and masters qualifications. The teachers with greater experiences have to be given priority over the teachers with lesser experiences' as in the end it effects the students' learning process. The progress in the case of teaching the subjects as maths and English is positive. In the case of the students' performance, average 60% of the students performed greater than the third level in the subject of English. Average 80% of the students performed greater than the third level in maths. In science 78% of the students performed well. The better performing number of students can be increased by in taking highly qualified teachers. So the better performance is noticed in the case of maths only although other subject need more work (NYC department of education). The enrollment number of the students, including the special students' enrollment has decreased over the years. This shows that the parents are more concerned about getting their children admitted in better schools with better teachers as the parents rely on those schools having the better and higher qualified staff (insideschools.org). The attendance of the students is almost the same that is around 93%. This is the only point where the school administration has been performing very well. Overall, the number of the female students is slightly greater as compared to the male students. In mathematics and English language the special students perform very better as compared to the other racial groups. In the English language subject learning, 64% of the special students out of all the racial group students performed well. In the subject of maths same was the case noticed that 44% of the special education students performed well as compared to the 28% of the black students performance in the same case (insideschools.org). In addition to the reports, there was a survey that was conducted. Out of all the parents 25% of the parents participated with 35 teachers making up 48%. Since the last year the scores in different aspects has increased which include the Academic Expectations, Communication and Safety and Respect. In every case, the satisfactions from the parents and the teachers were higher and it was above 50%. However in the case of safety and respect the school needs some work to be done. Students' suspensions have increased over the years. The satisfaction ratio of the parents and the teachers is very less which means that the discipline has to be maintained better than before. The major concern for the school should be to make changes in the ways they control the students in a disciplinary manner (NYC department of education). In the case of communication where the school administration makes the students and their parents aware of the new changes being implemented on the school's environment