Jason Nikouyeh Essays - File Sharing, 105th United States Congress

Jason Nikouyeh Professor Willis English 111, Section 133 4 November 1999 Technology is Changing the Way We Listen to Music Downloading MP3s from the Internet should be made legal. An MP3 is a near CD quality digital recording of a musical piece that is compressed so it can be distributed through the Internet (Simple Net). High prices, new technology, and availability are causing most music lovers to turn to the Internet to listen to their music. It's convenient to search a computer database for a song you've been wanting to hear by your favorite artist, download it, and copy it on to a CD. More and more people are doing this because with the help of search engines it's possible to find any song imaginable and download it for free. What most people don't realize is that the reproduction of a musical work, distribution of copies of a musical piece, and the public performance of the work without the copyright owner's consent are all violations of copyright laws (Anderman and Paez 5). However, they do know that getting caught for this crime is very unlikely. Catching those who violate copyright laws is very tricky because in most cases it's hard to tell who is at fault. Because of very detailed, complicated copyright laws even prosecuting a web site for promoting pirated music is almost too difficult to attempt. New digital audio compression technologies have made promoting, distributing, and selling music very easy (5). Sound files called MPEG 1 Layer 3 or MP3 for short allow users to download digital quality music for free over the Internet. These compressed audio files can be played on an individual's computer by using special software. With the help of CD-writers, a relatively new computer technology that allows people to create there own CDs, illegal copies of the copyrighted material can be made at near compact disc quality (Anderman and Paez 6). Portable MP3 players have now been developed that make pirating songs even easier. Instead of having to search for and buy expensive music, people are simply downloading the songs they want and designing their own CDs or just listening to the music on an MP3 player. In any case these new technologies are concerning the music industry because composers and production companies are losing a tremendous amount of money (MacDonald 1). The increasing popularity of MP3s has resulted in the need for copyright law reforms. Because MP3s violate copyright laws, service providers have to take extreme precautions to avoid liability for copyright infringement (Anderman and Paez 7). The first of many says that service providers are not liable if the provider doesn't start the transmission of the audio file nor manually carry out the copying process (8). The provider can not select the recipients, nor can the transmissions make any changes to the online material (8). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, otherwise known as DMCA, addresses many issues associated with copyright infringement and rules for digital audio transmission over the Internet. It deals with many issues that include anti-piracy provisions, liability for online copyright infringement, and requirements for digital music delivery (1). These reforms, designed to protect the Internet Service Providers from liability, make catching individuals who break copyrig ht laws very hard. It's difficult for providers of interactive web sites and networks to search through all of their hosted web sites for pirated materials so in order for them to be shielded from liability, they can't have anyway of knowing about the pirated material stored on their server. If the provider is notified of the infringing material, they have to stop accessing to the particular web site immediately. There are many specific rules that the providers must follow in order to avoid blame for copyright infringement if one of their web pages is hosting pirated materials (Anderman and Paez 8). Deciding whether or not copyright laws were violated intentionally is too difficult because there are two types of copyright infringement, direct and indirect (7). If someone makes a digital copy of a musical work such as a MP3 and makes it available for downloading on the Internet, they have directly violated copyright laws. Direct copyright infringement occurs when a person knowingly makes illegal copies of copyrighted material and distributes it to the public

Free Essays on Krispy Kreme Case

SWOT Analysis Strengths: Product cost Strong business history Long standing company ethics Strong customer base Nationally known brand of donuts Donut-making â€Å"theatres† Strong Community relationships â€Å"One-of-a-kind taste† Weaknesses: Limited menu items Markets are leaning towards healthier food products Heavy competition Lack of advertising Opportunities: Expansion into premium coffee lines Diversification of product offerings Co-Branding opportunities Expansion into a more global marketplace Web based sales of Krispy Kreme merchandise Threats: Stiff competition from several similar companies Healthier product alternatives available Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. is a specialty retailer of doughnuts. The company's business owns and franchises Krispy Kreme doughnut stores, where it makes and sells over 20 varieties of doughnuts, including its signature Hot Original Glazed and nine other varieties. Each of its stores is a doughnut factory with the capacity to produce from 4,000 dozen to over 10,000 dozen doughnuts daily. The Company also sells in its stores coffee, other beverages, other bakery items and collectible memorabilia such as tee shirts, sweatshirts and hats. There are currently 368 Krispy Kreme stores in 44 states and 4 countries and the company also accomplishes off-premises sales through its direct store delivery system. Krispy Kreme also has plans to expand on its international presence. Currently they are looking to open up markets in Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Krispy Kreme's strong marketing focus is their charitable efforts through giveaways and wholesale charges to charities. By using this particular approach they continue to emphasize their small town, southern hospitality, commitment to community and brand value. With this strong ethical platform Krispy Kreme should prove to be a long standing me... Free Essays on Krispy Kreme Case Free Essays on Krispy Kreme Case SWOT Analysis Strengths: Product cost Strong business history Long standing company ethics Strong customer base Nationally known brand of donuts Donut-making â€Å"theatres† Strong Community relationships â€Å"One-of-a-kind taste† Weaknesses: Limited menu items Markets are leaning towards healthier food products Heavy competition Lack of advertising Opportunities: Expansion into premium coffee lines Diversification of product offerings Co-Branding opportunities Expansion into a more global marketplace Web based sales of Krispy Kreme merchandise Threats: Stiff competition from several similar companies Healthier product alternatives available Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. is a specialty retailer of doughnuts. The company's business owns and franchises Krispy Kreme doughnut stores, where it makes and sells over 20 varieties of doughnuts, including its signature Hot Original Glazed and nine other varieties. Each of its stores is a doughnut factory with the capacity to produce from 4,000 dozen to over 10,000 dozen doughnuts daily. The Company also sells in its stores coffee, other beverages, other bakery items and collectible memorabilia such as tee shirts, sweatshirts and hats. There are currently 368 Krispy Kreme stores in 44 states and 4 countries and the company also accomplishes off-premises sales through its direct store delivery system. Krispy Kreme also has plans to expand on its international presence. Currently they are looking to open up markets in Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Krispy Kreme's strong marketing focus is their charitable efforts through giveaways and wholesale charges to charities. By using this particular approach they continue to emphasize their small town, southern hospitality, commitment to community and brand value. With this strong ethical platform Krispy Kreme should prove to be a long standing me...

Open Source Alternatives for Small Business Research Paper

Open Source Alternatives for Small Business - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that in the past few years, open source technology has emerged as a very attractive trend which has caught the attention of a large number of software developers and organizations. Basically, open source software applications allow people to access the code of applications openly. In fact, they can make changes and update the software product. The standard invented in the application development industry in the late 90s, with a number of releases of open source products and operating systems, and it has while subtle into other societies also. Additionally, there are a number of powerful arguments intended for releasing anything in an open source format, whether it is a digital recording, a complete operating system (OS) or a software tool. One of the basic reasons behind the adoption of this trend is that this mode of software development and products allows end users to openly get an overview of the source code. So that they could make cha nges to it in order to match it with their requirements. In this scenario, it gives confidence for the sake of steady growth and modernism, as moreover building a community of shared data and information. In addition, a number of businesses those generate open source systems depend on modernisms of clients to increase characteristics as well as to recognize and fix possible feeble points, and these businesses enthusiastically give confidence for changing their technology-based products. based products (Smith, 2013; Wu, Gerlach, & Young, 2011; Gurbani, Garvert, & Herbsleb, 2005). In addition, the majority of people consider that all types of open source software applications and programs are free of charge. This is not, actually, the situation. A number of businesses manufacture open application that necessitates people to disburse for them, with the charges supporting development of innovative products and extra characteristics. It is as well general to observe shared source licenses on products, people pay for. For example, Apple Computer, releases a number of its technology through support of open licenses (Smith, 2013; Wu, Gerlach, & Young, 2011; Gurbani, Garvert, & Herbsleb, 2005). This paper presents a detailed analysis of an open source operating system ‘Ubuntu’. In this scenario, this research covers a number of aspects associated with this operating system. 2. Ubuntu The Ubuntu is an Operating system that works on the Linux platform which is rapidly gaining popularity and is the choice of many, who want a substitute for Windows. The majority of people want efficient and economical ways to interact digitally through the array of contemporary applications

Marketing for Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Marketing for Construction - Essay Example Marketing decision variables play a central role in the retailing company's overall strategy. There are a range of priorities for the businesses which need to prioritised according to the business philosophy of the business. In fact, market segmentation and opportunity prioritization go hand in hand. Construction related products like houses cannot be replaced as frequently as FMCG goods. Therefore, the company in FMCG sector requires to be regularly in touch with the customers and take care of their future needs as well. While in FMCG the packaging of the products holds a significant value proposition, in construction business, packaging doesn't hold much significance. Instead, the quality of the construction material is more crucial for the customer In the FMCG sector, in order to bring about a difference in product, the research and development activities are always on the lookout for a product or system, which can deliver better value for money. But the construction sector being capital intensive doesn't require such frequent upgrades. What needs to be ensured is that the building material being supplied happens to be of the best quality. ii. A1b. What do you believe are the main reasons for the differences that you identified in Ans: The main reasons for the difference in marketing approach are; i. The nature of product: While a majority of the products from FMCG sector are meant to be discarded after using it for a while, the product from construction sector last really long. ii. Consumption pattern: While making use of a product from FMCG, the consumer realises the time spent with the product, value delivered by the product etc. but in case of a house, if the consumer is getting good value for the money spent, then such a realisation seldom comes. iii. There has been a marked shift in the treatment of a supply chain over the last couple of decades, especially in retail and grocery markets. It is widely accepted that the most influential members of marketing channels for FMCGs are now the retail supermarkets (Stem and El-Ansary, 1992). But there are no such outlets for the construction sector as yet. iv. While the constructed house or property can be easily customised to suit the specific needs of the customer even after the purchase, by adding or altering the construction. But such customisation is not easily possible for FMCG products. A1c. Identify three (3) marketing activities common to leading FMCG companies that you believe are; (i.)

Background to the Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Background to the Study - Research Paper Example In a way, it is a matter of risk and all the imperative factors that define human conduct with relation to risk and loss. Current Controversy The core of the argument in this case is the fact that losses have a relatively greater impact on choices than gains. While the proponents of the ideal behind los aversion and endowment effect seem to justify its applicability, much antipathy is still realized in this discourse. They question the real fundamentals behind these critical issues. Research question In this regard, the research seeks to answer the following question: â€Å"Does loss aversion have any significant uniform effect on the economic character of people.† Literature Review The concept of loss aversion has been a subject of much research and continuous discourse regarding its nature and the effect it has on the character of people. Losses are painful to humans than gains are pleasurable. Inasmuch as loss aversion might appear as a basic characterization across the hum an conduct, it helps to regard the whole aspects as a personality trait given its subjectivity and relativity. In risk analysis, it is realized that some individuals are more risk averse than others. In this case, risk aversion appears as a personality trait embedded in the character formation of an individual. In the same way, it is realized that loss version even varies within an individual on the basis of particular attributes. For instance somebody might be loss averse for fuel consumption of their car but not for food. This translates into different behaviors in different situations within an individual realm. In its most fundamental connotation, loss aversion is a function of the process of judgment. In this respect, loss aversion is not a mere attribute nor a parameter of choice but an outcome of value judgments (Novemsky & Kahneman 139). Therefore in decision making involving buying or selling, the basic point of reference is whether the trade should be conducted or not. The endowment effect better justifies the concept of loss aversion. The endowment effect affirms that people exhibit much regard for a particular good they own than on an identical commodity they do not own. In this respect therefore, the satisfaction lost when the owned commodity is lost is much higher than the satisfaction gained when the identical commodity is gained. Several studies in the recent past have questioned the very existence of loss aversion as a psychological character in the conduct of man. In examining the effect losses have on the process of decision making under situations of risk and uncertainty, loss aversion was never detected. Several lines of though emerge from this realization. On the one hand, it is seen that loss aversion is never present in limited payoff magnitudes. On the other hand, it is felt that the previously held generality on the concept of loss aversion was a much magnified affair that never exists as supposed. In the same regard, the loss aversio n phenomenon does not exist and the whole situation can simply be explained by inertia. There is substantial evidence that people can experience loss aversion even for commodities they never owned. This occurs in case the commodities were part of the choice options that were under judgment in the process of making decisions. It is realized that endowment effect is normally reduced or increased as a function of the similarity of the endowed and un-endowed effect. In the same way, loss

Flexible working time and work life balance

Flexible working time and work life balance The male breadwinner model, which puts an emphasis on the household as the womans sphere and the workplace as the mans sphere, no longer defines how most families divide labor between men and women (Crompton 2006). The increased participation of women in the labor market, along with technological change and globalization, have dramatically changed the structure of the labor market, and have most likely changed how workers balance their life between work and family. (copy) Good as well: flexible working practices brought upon by an increasing need for work-life balance which have been largely if not wholly due to external forces that are beyond the control of organisations. However, all organisations operate and seek to support in the environments that are continuously subjected to change. These changes can have a marked effect on an organisation, its performance, even its survival. Meanwhile, time after time, organisations react to the drivers of change by taking short-term or knee jerk decisions that predictably have an effect on the way work is organised. What is work life balance? Work life balance is employment based on emergent new values, which doesnt discriminate against those with caring or other non- work responsibilities, and which provides an opportunity for people to realize their full potential in work and non work domains. Lewis (1996:1) According to a recent study by Georgetown University, employee stress from trying to find time for their children correlates with decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. The study found that unplanned absences were costing some businesses nearly $1 million a year. Thus, HR specialists are trying in many attempts to help employees reach work-life balance by introducing new working strategies. One of these strategies is flexible working time. Flexible scheduling allows employees to adjust the time or place their work as completed. It can mean compressing 40 hours into four days, starting and ending workdays at different times, or doing some of your work at home. The reason may be as simple as wanting to better manage a long commute. Some parents choose to arrive at work later so they can take their children to school. Some companies may offer these options to retain female employees who might consider leaving their jobs after having children. But is it really that flexible time always helps to achieve work-life balance? Does employee prefer to manage his/her time or like to be committed to a specified timing because he/she may not be able to manage time, which leads to a more mess and imbalance? And which of these two options will increase the p roductivity? This research brings together material from diverse sources to provide an overview of recent research, current thinking and future debates on the key work-life policy issues, especially those which affect organizations in Bahrain. To build an informed policy debate on work-life balance issues in Bahrain, more Bahraini based research is essential. Chapter Two Literature review: 2.1 Work-life balance: The (phrase) Work-Life Balance was originated as a consequence of the Family Friendly Policies that were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s in UK, primarily as a retention tool for women, and since then it has become a widespread concept. With this, they were for women and about women. To avoid the pitfall of being viewed as discriminatory and the need to bring a more, all-inclusive significance into these policies, they were renamed as work-life balance policies. Since the 1970s, the UK Government has introduced several governmental changes to strengthen and to protect the rights of workers. In response to these changes, demands from employees as also from customers who want a larger business window a large number of organizations in the UK, have today introduced varied and innovative Work-life balance policies. The Government continues to play a key role in ensuring that (WLB) continues to gain momentum through legislation, financial incentives and support and promotion of best prac tices (Milburn, 2003). ** DTI (2003) Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice Department of Trade and Industry, London. 2.2 What is Work life Balance? Meanwhile, the definition of Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work (DTI, 2003). This is achieved when an individuals right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society. work life balance emphasizes on the adjustment of working patterns, and it focuses on the need for everyone, regardless of age, race or gender, to find a pace (that suits them) to help them combine work with other responsibilities or aspirations. Work-Life Balance has an important underlying implication that Work-Life Balance is for everyone, not just for mothers or families and is critical in not just developing policies but also in reviewing them and their impact on employees (Alexandra, 2003), thats why the idea that employers should enhance flexibility has been promoted recently. Within the UK, The Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the Work-Life Balance campaign, in March 2000. The aim of the campaign was in two-fold. First, to convince employers of the economic benefits of work-life balance (this was done by the employment of real-life case studies). Secondly, to convince employers of the need for change (DTI, 2003). Work-life concerns are simply added to an organizations bundle of practices that are designed to benefit competitive strategy to aid attraction and retention in tight labor markets, reduce high levels of absenteeism, and establish long-term relationships with employees based on commitment and productivity. 2.3 The need for a work-life balance As individuals, are all expected to play multiple roles, i.e. employee, boss, spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend, and community member. In turn, each of these roles imposes demands on us that necessitate time, energy and commitment to fulfill. The conflict of work-family or work-life happens when the cumulative demands of these many work and non-work life roles are miss-assorted in some respect so that participation in one role is made more difficult by participation in the other role (Duxbry and Higgins, 2001). Duxbry and Higgins conceptualize work-life conflict to include areas such as, role overload (RO) (having too much to do and too little time to do it in) as well as role interference (when incompatible demands make it difficult, if not impossible, for employees to perform all their roles well). Additionally, role interference can be divided into two factors: family to work interference (FTW) and work to family interference (WTF). With the first case, interference occurs when the roles and responsibilities of the family hinder the work related responsibilities (i.e., a family illness prevents attendance at work; conflict at home makes concentration at work difficult). With the latter case (WTF) interference occurs when work demands make it harder for an employee to fulfill their family responsibilities. 2.4 Background to Flexible Working Rights In April 2003 employees in the UK were first given the right to request flexible working. In the modern work environment, the introduction of these new rights helped to point up that traditional working patterns could no longer be sustained by employers and that there was a need to address the work/life balance. Organizations already facing skills shortages would find recruitment and indeed retention made harder if a more flexible approach to working patterns was not adopted. Suite of Rights The flexible working rights which were established were significant in themselves, however, they formed part of a new set of rights which sought to create a more family friendly work environment. Until April 2003, individual parental rights were primarily limited to maternity leave for a new mother giving her the right for a leave, the right for parents to take emergency time off for dependants (not just limited to children) and to take up to 13 weeks parental leave, which had been introduced in December 1999. In April 2003, however, the following new rights were introduced: The right to maternity leave was extended considerably so that, for the first time, all employees (regardless of their length of service) were entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave and those with more than a years service acquired the right to 52 weeks maternity leave. Fathers also gained rights, albeit limited to 2 weeks paternity leave, on the birth of their child. Extraordinary new rights were given to those seeking to adopt, with statutory adoption leave and statutory paternity leave, giving rights reflecting maternity and paternity leave, for adopting parents. It is significant (and perhaps indicates the extent to which this Government is keen to support working parents) that the next item on the flexible working agenda, announced in 2004, is the possibility of allowing flexible maternity leave between parents; instead of only a mother having the right to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, there is the vision of some limited swapping of the right to maternity absence as between the mother and father of the child. Before these revolutionary new rights in 2003, the ability of any employee to work flexibly or indeed part-time was very much limited to circumstances where an employer agreed through good will or good practice to such an arrangement. Critics of the flexible working rights argue that the new provisions have not moved this position forward because all they provide is a right to request and to have that request considered seriously. Before they existed, however, there were only two circumstances where flexible working patterns of any sort could be enforced: Firstly, where an individual was a disabled employee and could demonstrate that some form of adjustment to their working hours or duties and working arrangements amounted to a reasonable adjustment which their employer was grateful to make in accordance with the disability discrimination. Secondly, and only as a way of challenging a refusal, female employees could argue that in respect of part-time working, a refusal to agree to part-time work was contrary to the sex discrimination. This is on the basis that it can be shown that a practice within an organization prohibiting part-time working (or indeed a practice allowing only full-time working) operates to the greater disadvantage of women than men and thus falls within the concept of indirect sex discrimination. Why was it Implemented? The history that reflects the flexible working laws introduced in 2003 goes back a number of years. In June 2001, the UK Government established a Task Force whose role was to consider specifically the issues which working parents face; in particular the Task Force was to consider how to assist parents in meeting their desire for flexible working patterns, whilst at the same time remaining compatible with the need for business efficiency and requirements. The establishment of the Task Force was against the background of a voluntary campaign and Government funding to encourage employers and businesses to address work/life balance issues. In March 2000, the Prime Minister launched a campaign known as the Work/Life Balance Campaign with a view to persuading organizations to improve the lot of working parents in such a way as to nevertheless continue achieving business and customer requirements. The original campaign was not in fact focused upon parents, but looked at all employees regardless of whether they had caring responsibilities or not. It was significant, however, in recognizing that the attitude, culture and philosophy of workers had moved on considerably from the ambitious society of the 1980s and 1990s. According to information from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Work/Life Balance Campaign was accompanied by a test fund which, in the run up to the introduction of legislative requirements and legal obligations, encouraged employers to introduce and develop innovative working arrangements. By helping to fund consultancy support, projects were undertaken with work/life balance in mind, including the introduction of new working patterns as well as specific recruitment projects. Over the three years from 2000 to 2003, the Work/Life Balance Challenge fund benefited employers to the sum of  £10.5 million. In its report on 19 November 2001, the Government Task Force made nine recommendations to the Government, many of which were translated to form the basis of the new legislation. In addition to the campaign and the recommendations of the Task Force, the Government had also informed itself of the views of the working population, through the issue of a green paper: Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice. This consultation paper was issued in December 2000. The responses to the consultation paper made clear that whilst improving maternity and indeed paternity rights (such as parental leave) would be of benefit to working parents, by far the most popular and indeed significant benefit was improved flexibility to meet childcare and work responsibilities. Armed with these responses and the Task Force report About Flexible Working, the Government tabled parts of the Employment Act 2002 which resulted in implementation of significant new flexible working rights, implemented through an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 and two sets of regulations. Demographic Changes Demographic changes have played a significant role in impressing the need for organizations to develop more varied and non-traditional working patterns: With the ageing population, many more people are finding that they have caring responsibilities such as looking after elderly or disabled relatives. As we are all living longer, more individuals are becoming disabled, according to the Employers Forum on Disability in UK. With the move away from extended families and as people become more mobile, so they are not living close to relatives and parents, those with children are less able to rely on grandparents or other relatives to help with child care responsibilities. The percentage of women who have taken up employment has increased. The trend for life expectancy, although different for men and women, has increased by roughly five years. The Business Case So much for the demographic changes, but there are also business benefits for organizations which offer new or more flexible working arrangements, particularly given the high skills shortage in the UK and more older people who themselves are keen to work but may prefer or indeed require more flexibility. Employers may be surprised to know that for some individuals the ability to work flexibly is more important than the pay or benefits that a particular job may provide. In an online poll carried out by Reed Recruitment in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry in UK as part of its Work/Life Balance Campaign 2002, a third of those polled (out of 4,000 people) expressed a preference for having the opportunity to work flexibly, rather than having a  £1,000 pay rise (Reed.co.uk). Over 43% of the men who responded to the poll selected flexible working as the benefit they would most look for in a new job, compared to 13% who would look for a company car, and 7% who considered gym membership to be the priority. Adopting family friendly and flexible working policies has the following advantages for employers: Retention of staff is the key to the stability and knowledge of the organization. Knowledge is lost when somebody leaves and networks are broken. This can be critical in a small business where major customers can go elsewhere when an employee, who understands their needs and whom they trust, moves on to a competitor. The typical recruitment costs of replacing an individual have been estimated at an average  £3,500, ranging from  £1,000 for an unskilled manual worker to over  £5,000 for a professional employee. These costs do not take account of the investment made in training (both formal and informal training) which is lost if skilled employees leave the workplace, as well as lost time and experience. Consequently, it makes commercial sense to try and retain staff rather than recruit new staff [Labor Turnover, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, October 2000]. Savings in absenteeism. Absenteeism costs approximately  £500 per employee a year. A quarter of employers rank home and family responsibilities as one of the five main causes of sickness absence. Employers that help their employees to balance their work with their family lives see improvements in business performance (Cheibl, L. and Dex.S, 1998). It enables businesses to benefit from a greater contribution from the workforce and maximizes the contributions that working parents are able to make to their employers. A strong track record in work/life balance can be a selling point to potential employees who consider that such a balance is important. Many employers sees benefits from flexible working and leave arrangements including: improved employee satisfaction and motivation improved retention rates and recruitment benefits increased employee productivity reduced labor turnover improved reputation Reduced absenteeism. All of which provide improved business results. After having introduced the new rights for parents in 2003, a survey was conducted and analysis of how successful the new rights have been within the UK (Employment Relations Occasional Papers: Results of the First Flexible Working Employee Survey, Tom Palmer, Department of Trade and Industry). The outcome of that report demonstrated that one million parents had made requests for flexible working. That is only a quarter of those who are eligible, meaning that three million who could have made such a request have not done so. Perhaps significantly, it seems that employers when faced with such requests do not have any major difficulty acceding them. 80% of those employees requesting flexible working had their request agreed. The shortfall of those pursuing their new rights and the three million who have not, may be explained by the surveys statistics which demonstrate that 52% of parents who are eligible are unaware in the first place that they have the right to request flexible workin g. The Government has declared an intention to extend these new rights beyond parents with children under six. However, the success and significance of new rights such as these can only be measured when individuals become fully aware of their abilities. The fact that 10% of employees without dependent children were reported in the survey to have requested flexible working, suggests that there is a need on the part of individuals without children to gain this benefit. In organizations where requests were made, despite that individuals did not always have the statutory right, the reasons for the change warrant examination: 13% quoted work life balance 11% cited family responsibilities 11% simply because they wanted more free time (i.e. voluntary and not driven by childcare or family pressures) 7% because of travel arrangements 7% to meet the caring needs of relatives or friends 6% due to health problems. As these statistics demonstrate therefore, an organizations ability to offer flexible working arrangements provides a significant benefit to an extremely wide pool of actual or potential employees. This may, however, just be the tip of the iceberg. What the survey does not analyze is how many individuals simply do not pursue a request. In the Equal Opportunity Commissions Annual Report for 2003-2004 (available at www.eoc.org.uk) four in ten mothers, one in ten fathers and one in five carers have left an organisation or refused a job because of caring responsibilities. This suggests that there are many who do not have confidence in their organizations willingness to accommodate them. What Can be Requested? The statutory request for flexible working, which must be in writing and must be dated (Regulation 4), can request a variation to the individuals contract in one of the following ways: a change to the hours of work; a change to the time when the work is required (for example, the same eight hour day but an early start and early finish); a change to the place of work as between home and place of business. The statutory provisions do not go beyond these fairly focused and limited flexible arrangements. Nothing within any of the provisions appear to prevent the employee seeking a change to more than one of the above, for example to reduce hours and work from home. What other scholars said: Given the competing demands of work and life, it is unsurprising that many employees experience conflict between the two domains. Work-life conflict can affect any employee but people with care responsibilities are more likely to suffer most because of the greater demands on their time. Research has tended to find that mothers, particularly those with young children, are less satisfied with their work-life balance than other groups of workers (Saltztein et al. 2001). Feelings of work-life conflict have been associated with, psychological and physical health problems; marital and family relationship problems, increased sickness absence and decreased life and job satisfaction (Evans and Steptoe 2002; Crouter et al. 2001;Westman 2001) The effects of work-family conflict on organizational outcomes have been well documented in the management and psychology literatures. According to Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles (2004), work-family conflict is an inter-role conflict where job expectations interfere with family-related responsibilities. The detrimental effects of work- family conflict on job satisfaction, employee retention, and psychological well-being have also been addressed (Brough, and Kalliath 2004). Related to work-family conflict, identity theory suggests individuals possess certain life roles (i.e., work-family roles) that may conflict, thus creating a spillover effect (Thoits 1991). When role clash occurs, the more valued role (i.e., family) takes precedence, and individuals are likely to instill protective measures to safeguard valued roles against potential damage. According to identity theory, these defense mechanisms may be implemented at the risk of abandoning the conflicting role(i.e., work) (Thoits 1991). Consistent with this notion, a study based in the retail sales industry indicates that when salespeople encounter conflict between two salient roles (work and family), they tend to withdraw from the less salient work role through higher turnover in order to maintain the more valued family role (Netemeyer, Brashearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ËœAlejandro, and Boles 2004). Work-life conflicts are seen to have a potentially detrimental impact on productivity, personal effectiveness, marital relations, child-parent relationships and even child development (Gornick and Meyers, 2003). A review of the role conflict literature indicates that studies proposing links between work-family conflict and job satisfaction have also witness a dramatic increase. For instance, the majority of studies have shown that work-family conflict is associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction (Adams and King 1996). Employers do realize that employee stress is partially due to the challenges in balancing work and family (Matusicky 2003). A good balance between work and family life has been said to benefit employers, as it is linked to better life satisfaction and subsequently to workers being more productive, creative and efficient (Zelenski, Murphy and Jenkins 2008). Numerous studies have demonstrated that employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs are more likely to engage in organizational deviance behaviors such as working less hard, absenteeism and company theft (Lau, Au, and Ho 2003). A recent meta-analysis on the effects of ethical climate suggests that job dissatisfaction poses a significant threat to organizations due to its intensifying effects on dysfunctional behavior (Martin and Cullen 2006). Drew et al.,(2003) believes that a number of factors might encourage employers to adopt policies to promote work-life balance. These include the business case for such polices such as a lower staff turnover, reduced absence and improved productivity, as well as changes in human resource management and changes in technology that enhances opportunities for working from home. Another key factor is increasing demand for greater flexibility from employees. All reviewed research results show positive effects of flex-time on the work-family balance. Flex-time workers with children under the age of 18 report lower levels of time pressure, and a higher level of job and life satisfaction than do their non-flex counterparts (Zuzanek 2000). Flexible work hours are associated with more satisfaction with family life (Jekielek 2003) and a reduction in perceived time stress (Tausig and Fenwick 2001). Analysts Comfort, Johnson and Wallace (2003) also found flex-time to be related to increased job satisfaction, increased satisfaction with pay and benefits, and a reduction in paid sick days. All of these relationships appeared slightly stronger for women. Over one-third of Canadian employees report having flex-time schedules (Comfort, Johnson and Wallace 2003).The proportion of those who reported having flex-time arrangements is higher among men than among women and is mainly found in small establishments, non-unionized settings, low-skill occupations, retail and commercial industries. A research on flexible working in Ireland has found these arrangements are more common in the public than in the private sector and that, women make use of them more frequently than men (Drew et al., 2003). Gender and the public/private sector distinction are two key factors in the analysis of the effects of flexible working. The measure of work-life conflict captures tensions between work and family commitments. In this research I want to investigate whether flexible working arrangements facilitate a work-life balance and reduce work pressure.

Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -- Ma

Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚   Samuel Clemens was an American writer and humorist who's best work is shown by broad social satire, realism of place and language, and memorable characters.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clemens was born November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri. His family moved to Hannibal, Mississippi when he was four. There he received a public school education. Samuel Clemens was a difficult child, given to mischief and mis adventure. He barely escaped drowning on nine separate occasions. His fathers death was a calamity in which Samuel was not prepared for. Albert Bigelow Paine, Clemens official biographer, offers the following glimpse of the young Clemens      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The boy Sam was fairly broken down. Remorse, which always   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   dealt with him unsparingly, laid a heavy hand on him now. Wildness,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   disobedience, indifference to his fathers wishes, all were remembered; a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   hundred things, in themselves trifling, became ghastly and heart-wringing   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  in the knowledge that could never be undone. Seeing his grief, his mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   took him by the hand and led him into where his father lay."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "It's all right, Sammy," she said. "What's done is done, and it   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   does not matter to him anymore; but here by the side of him now I want   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   you to promise to me-"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He turned, his eyes streaming with tears, and flung himself into   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   her arms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "I will promise anything ," he sobbed, "if you won't make me go   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to school! Anything!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His mother held him for a moment, thinking, then she said:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "No, Sammy; you need not go to school anymore. Only... ...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. Family Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.Deaths   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. Money Problems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1. Bankruptcy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2. Move to Europe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C. His comeback   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   D. His death      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   V.  Ã‚   Effects of Twain's stories   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. How he affected his era   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. How the era affected his writings      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   VI.  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. My feelings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. End notes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C. Bibliography Work Cited:    Twain, Mark.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 3rd ed. Ed. Thomas Cooley. New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   York: Norton, 1999.       Works Consulted: Kaplan, Justin. Mr. Clemens and Mark Twain, a Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1966. Ward, Geoffrey C., et. al. Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography. New York: Knopf, 2001    Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -- Ma Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚   Samuel Clemens was an American writer and humorist who's best work is shown by broad social satire, realism of place and language, and memorable characters.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clemens was born November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri. His family moved to Hannibal, Mississippi when he was four. There he received a public school education. Samuel Clemens was a difficult child, given to mischief and mis adventure. He barely escaped drowning on nine separate occasions. His fathers death was a calamity in which Samuel was not prepared for. Albert Bigelow Paine, Clemens official biographer, offers the following glimpse of the young Clemens      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The boy Sam was fairly broken down. Remorse, which always   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   dealt with him unsparingly, laid a heavy hand on him now. Wildness,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   disobedience, indifference to his fathers wishes, all were remembered; a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   hundred things, in themselves trifling, became ghastly and heart-wringing   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  in the knowledge that could never be undone. Seeing his grief, his mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   took him by the hand and led him into where his father lay."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "It's all right, Sammy," she said. "What's done is done, and it   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   does not matter to him anymore; but here by the side of him now I want   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   you to promise to me-"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He turned, his eyes streaming with tears, and flung himself into   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   her arms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "I will promise anything ," he sobbed, "if you won't make me go   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to school! Anything!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His mother held him for a moment, thinking, then she said:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "No, Sammy; you need not go to school anymore. Only... ...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. Family Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.Deaths   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. Money Problems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1. Bankruptcy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2. Move to Europe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C. His comeback   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   D. His death      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   V.  Ã‚   Effects of Twain's stories   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. How he affected his era   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. How the era affected his writings      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   VI.  Ã‚   Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A. My feelings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   B. End notes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C. Bibliography Work Cited:    Twain, Mark.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 3rd ed. Ed. Thomas Cooley. New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   York: Norton, 1999.       Works Consulted: Kaplan, Justin. Mr. Clemens and Mark Twain, a Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1966. Ward, Geoffrey C., et. al. Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography. New York: Knopf, 2001   

Literary Analysis for John Updike’s A&P Essay

In John Updike’s A&P, a story of young man’s wasted effort on heroism is chronicled along with the fact that he has made a wrong decision on the situation. Sammy, a young teenager (assumed in the story), works as a cashier in A&P, a supermarket that caters to the different needs of consumers. One day, in an otherwise ordinary day, in walks three girls clad in skimpy bathing suits which capture the attention of everyone in the market, including the manager who reprimands them for such clothes. As the girls get embarrassed and leave the store, Sammy rushes to their defence and quits on the spot as he thinks that what the manager has done is unjustified. Sammy feels like a hero to the girls and leaves the store to rush after the girls, not knowing that the girls have long left without noticing Sammy’s â€Å"valiant† effort (Updike 596-601). In the story, there are many types of literary techniques which are evident. However, the three that stand out among the rest are the foreshadowing implemented by the author and narrator, the irony in the resolution, and symbolisms in the short story. Firstly, the foreshadowing can be seen in two ways. First, it can be perceived in terms of how the author uses a rather capturing opening of the story which gives a clue to the reader that something is bound to happen in the story and on that day in Sammy’s rather ordinary life. By using Sammy’s voice, there are allusions that something great is about to happen in the moment that the three girls walked in inside A&P and that Sammy’s life will never be the same again. The other aspect of foreshadowing can even be seen as an â€Å"en medias res† technique in the story. This is because in the middle of the story, the narrator reveals that what he is narrating has already happened and is not occurring. Hence, he is not narrating events but actually re-telling them. The other two literary techniques implemented in the short story is the use of irony which can be found in the conclusion of A&P and the symbolisms. Irony of circumstance is seen when Sammy quits his job for the girls when the girls do not even realize that he has done that. Hence, his attempt on being a â€Å"hero† is futile since the girls do not even think that they need one or that someone has rescued or stood up for them. The third and last literary technique is the usage of symbolisms. There are two symbolisms in the story: the supermarket itself and the three girls. The supermarket symbolizes the beginning chapter of Sammy’s life wherein he gets a taste of the different upsetting things that can happen in a person’s life; the three girls can represent the various forms of temptations any person encounters which can lead him to make wrong decisions. In conclusion, the use of literary techniques in any literature is very important since it adds more meaning, depth, and colour. Though any form of literature can do away with literary techniques, such aspects of literature make any written work more poignant, impacting, interesting, and meaningful. Works Cited Updike, John. â€Å"A&P.† The Early Stories: 1953-1975. New York: Ballantine Books, 2003.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   596-601. Print.

How to Choose Between Into or Onto and Their Two-Word Forms

How to Choose Between Into or Onto and Their Two-Word Forms How to Choose Between â€Å"Into† or â€Å"Onto† and Their Two-Word Forms How to Choose Between â€Å"Into† or â€Å"Onto† and Their Two-Word Forms By Mark Nichol Into, or â€Å"in to†? Onto, or â€Å"on to†? Into and onto are prepositions, words that describe relative position. They are part of prepositional phrases, such as â€Å"She settled herself into her seat† or â€Å"He climbed onto the roof.† These words are forward looking, in that, as their grammatical name implies, they are positioned before the object. â€Å"In to† and â€Å"on to,† on the other hand, are combinations of an adverb (in or on) and the preposition to. Unlike the single-word forms, they look both backward (in and on refer to a preceding verb) and forward (to pertains to the following object). Of the distinctions between each pair, that distinguishing into from â€Å"in to† is more straightforward. If you wish to write that you went somewhere to let a representative of a company know you are disappointed with a product or service, you can express that idea using either form. But if you write, â€Å"I walked into the office to lodge a complaint,† the sentence focuses on the prepositional phrase â€Å"into the office.† If you write, â€Å"I walked in to lodge a complaint,† the emphasis is the phrase describing the action: â€Å"I walked in.† Onto and â€Å"on to† can be more confusing, but think of the problem this way: â€Å"She drove onto the highway† means, â€Å"She drove so that she was on the highway.† Conversely, â€Å"She drove on to the highway† means, â€Å"She headed for the highway.† The two-word form is also appropriate for figurative meanings, where no physical movement or placement exists for example, â€Å"I think you’re really on to something.† Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to test whether onto or â€Å"on to† is correct temporarily insert the word up after the verb, or, just for the test, replace the word or the phrase with the word on: The â€Å"Up† Test When you wish to write that you used a ladder, could you write, â€Å"I climbed up onto the ladder†? Yes, you could, so onto is correct. When you want to express that you clutched something, could you write, â€Å"I held up on my hat†? No, the sentence does not make sense, so the two-word form (â€Å"I held on to my hat†) is the right one in this case. The â€Å"On† Test When you wish to write that you scaled a boulder, could you write, â€Å"I climbed on a boulder†? Yes, you could, so onto is correct. When you want to express that you bequeathed something, would you write, â€Å"I passed it on him†? No, that doesn’t make sense, so the two-word form (â€Å"I passed it on to him†) is correct here. 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 Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)Each vs. Both

When PUsh Comes to Shove essays

When PUsh Comes to Shove essays In August 1940 the continent of Europe was all but conquered by the Nazis. There was no army left to fight the Germans on the Western front. Adolf Hitler's troops had pushed 340,000 English soldiers off the coast at Dunkirk, back across the channel to England. The British Isles was the only conquest left for the Nazi Empire. France had crumbled to the pressure of German blitzkrieg only months before, and the English were next on the list. The Battle of Britain in 1940-41, proved to be the first unsuccessful German campaign of World War II. According to the film, "Why We Fight," the battle was won not only over the skies of England by the Royal Air Force, but also by the people on the ground. The film argues that the English people's remarkable fortitude in the face of constant bombing, was a main factor in keeping Nazi soldiers and panzers off the shores of Britain. Although there were nearly 40,000 English citizens killed during the infamous "Blitz", Hitler and the Nazis w ere stopped when push came to shove. The Royal Air Force's success in the Battle of Britain destroyed the German's Operation Sea Lion. Hitler and his generals planned to develop Operation Sea Lion in three phases: First they needed to gain air superiority over the skies of Britain. Then, use the Luftwafe's dive bombing tactics to weaken the coast cities. Which finally would lead to an actual invasion of troops and tanks on English soil. The RAF made sure none of these objectives were effectively accomplished. The Luftwafe lost 182 planes in the first four days of the Battle of Britain. They never fully gained air superiority over the RAF. English systems of radar and listening posts were able to give the pilots warning of Luftwafe attacks. British Spitfire fighters were in the air within minutes to combat the enemy. Goering's flight crews were dropping like flies over the English skies. Hitler wanted ...

STAT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

STAT - Essay Example Thus, we will look at Census records for each decade to discover whether the percent increase or decrease within the city (primarily Manhattan, though also some of the other districts) has gone up or gone down. This will be followed up with other possible variables or explanations and reasoning behind the end-result. There has been much speculation already about the effects of the terror attacks. The overall conclusion seems to be, in a more conceptual sense, that it "united" the country. My group was more curious about what the direct affects were. In the moment, the attack was successful. It created mass panic and many people, not just Americans, felt a great sense of shock, fear, and then loss. After the loss of the Twin Towers, which second only to the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building was a symbolic representation of New York, the city lost one of its great monuments. If the Twin Towers stood for New York, would their loss or destruction symbolize the loss or destruction of the city? As this paper will focus on the affect that 9/11 had in regards to population, this will be a somewhat limited investigation, only focusing on aspects that may represent residential situations. A large handful of articles have reported and presented the fears, substantiated or not, that many residents may have felt regarding the attacks. The Federal Government added cancer to a list of health problems caused by 9/11, with suggestion that debris from the Twin Towers was carcinogenic. Issues such as this could have serious effects on the population in Manhattan, especially in the Ground Zero area. Thus, according to The New York Times, "New York City health department [initiated] studies [which have] found no clear link between cancer and the dust, debris and fumes released by the burning wreckage of the twin towers" (Hartocollis). The study

Allison Bechdel's Fun Home Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Allison Bechdel's Fun Home - Research Paper Example The life events in the family of Bechdel during her adolescent and childhood are effectively illustrated through this lens that is illusive. The narrative illustrates false and true miseries that surround family relations. The main focus of the Memoir is on the family of Bechdel’s and revolves around her relationship with Bruce, her father. Bruce Bechdel worked in Beech Creek as an English teacher and also acted as a funeral director. It is in this school where Alison together with her siblings was brought up. The title of the book originates from the funeral home nickname, from the family and also from the business of the family in which Bruce Bechdel was brought up and also worked. The phrase ironically refers to the tyrannical domestic policy set by Bruce Bechdel. The dual occupations of Bruce Bechdel reflected in Fun Home center on literature and death. The book commences with Bruce Bechdel exhibiting an obsession of restoring the Victorian home of the family. His desire to restore the home is correlated to emotional isolation from his family. The emotional distance is expressed by him in occasional bouts of coldness and abusive anger. Moreover, the emotional distance is also related to the tendencies of his personality that are homosexually closeted. Bruce Bechdel had engaged himself in homosexual relationships both while being in the military and as a school teacher with his high school students. Ironically, some of the students were his family friends. Two weeks after a divorce was requested by his wife, he was killed after joining the ways of â€Å"an oncoming Sunbeam Bread truck†. Despite the equivocal of the evidence, Alison Bechdel assumed that her father, Bruce Bechdel, had committed suicide. The narrative also illustrates the struggle by Alison Bechdel in dealing with her sexual identity. She reaches catharsis when she realizes that she is a lesbian. Alison Bechdel’s sexual