History of Democracy Essay Example

History of Democracy Essay The main focus in this course, broadly, was the concept that ideas drive events. It seems sufficient to begin by reflecting back to one of the first few classes. Somewhere in that hour and a half class, I remember learning about educational perennialism. This is the notion, derived from Robert Hutchins, that there are a group of ideas that keep coming back and remain relevant in our present and in our future; in other words, it is the concept that history is repeated. The idea behind this concept is to not only process the facts of history, but to think critically of ideas in light of a brighter future, much like the Socratic method.Thus, this course does not serve the purpose of merely memorizing names and dates, but rather studying ideas derived from original source documents, to see how those ideas have impacted human history. Your professor continually expressed the importance of history; in quote, it is the â€Å"living, breathing story of who we are and how we got exactly wher e we are today. † Within this concept is the fact that our families experienced many of these historical events, and that if any of our ancestors did anything differently, we may not exist.After setting this foundation of common ground, we learned about Democracy’s history and development. One of the first documents we looked at was the Thebian Dialogue. First, let me explain the guts of the piece. To put it simply it is a document where two men argue over two forms of government, democracy and despotism. Theseus was arguing in favor of democracy whereas the Herald, also known as a messenger, was arguing in favor of despotism. After a dialogue of opposing views, it set a foundation of ideas that we can fall back on and refer to in the further developing of government.With this, too, brought to light the fact that although democracy allows every individual to contribute their opinions, it does not guarantee us any substantive rights. This is due to the absence of liberty , which was further developed in later documents that we looked at throughout this course. The development of an individual’s liberty derived from the ideas written in The Magna Carta and Cicero on the Laws, which later influenced our treasured Declaration of Independence and U. S. Constitution.The Magna Carta, written in 1215, was established because the barons felt as though the King of England at the time had too much power. He was then forced to acknowledge that he did have restrictions and can’t do whatever he wanted. Some notable references, such as section 61, set up a counsel of 25 barons that can overturn the King’s laws or even take his property, much like the Parliament. Clause 35 set standardized weight and measures, and clauses 38, 39 and 40 prevented unreasonable seizes and searches.The king immediately renounced section 61 for obvious reasons, mainly because his power was being restricted. The most notable idea that came to life and remained so, w as the right to a writ of habeus corpus, also known as a legal procedure that allows those held as prisoners to be innocent until proven guilty. This concept is still prevalent today in the court systems and has only been suspended a few times, for instance during the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln. In summary, the Magna Carta was an article that forced the King to treat individuals according to the law rather than his personal views.Thus, democracy was in the makings of being developed based on this idea. The ideas from The Magna Carta that were developed in our democracy today can be seen in the Bill of Rights under the U. S. Constitution. It was the first major development that started the erosion of absolute monarchies; it set a foundation towards individual rights. There are several similarities in both documents, in which the founding fathers were greatly influenced by. For instance, in The Magna Carta, article 39, it states, â€Å"To no one will we sell, to no one will we refu se or delay, right or justice. This mirrors the U. S. Bill of Rights, where it reads, â€Å"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. † The reason they are so similar is because the founding fathers looked at past documents to help write our current Constitution. Thus, it explains why ideas, despite how old they are, remain intimately important to us. Without the Magna Carta, who knows if Americans- regardless of gender, race, or creed- could enjoy the liberties and protections it guarantees in our democracy today.The next piece, Cicero on the Laws, also developed individuals’ liberty into our government. Cicero was a great politician, philosopher and lawyer. He expressed his ideas on law, stating that it is an eternal principle â€Å"commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong. † He thought that law is based on reason and is the same as one’s conscience, derived from the Gods. Additionally, Cicero f elt that unjust laws should not be enforced as ones and may be regarded as null and void. Cicero’s idea on natural law developed into the natural rights and liberties of every individual.This idea remains prevalent today and is seen in the Declaration of Independence. For example, the Declaration of Independence states, â€Å"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. † The idea that every individual has these rights in our democracy could not be developed without the rooted idea from Cicero. Another similarity seen in the Declaration of Independence is the idea that unjust laws may be regarded as null and void.For instance, â€Å"to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destruct ive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. † This is an example of the idea that if something is not working out, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it.In summary, the first half of the declaration of independence relates to Cicero’s ideas on how all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, and democracy is governed by the people (â€Å"we†). The second half is also derived from Cicero’s natural law; the declaration of independence says that colonies are free and independence states. Additionally, the U. S. is separate from Britain. Although there are differences between the two documents, our liberties laid out in the Declaration of Independence would not be present without th e original idea from Cicero.It symbolizes the beginning of the end of English rule in the thirteen colonies, thus making it the most important document in American history. Democracy continued to develop after we created a system of branches. This system originated from Polybius in Ancient Rome during the period of the Roman Republic (before it turned into the Roman Empire). We learned about this after reading and analyzing the document â€Å"Rome at the End of the Punic Wars†. The three groups within the Roman government that Polybius discussed in the document were the consuls, the senate, and the people.The consuls represented a monarchy, the senate represented an aristocracy, and the people were represented as a democracy. What makes this piece so intriguing to our system today is how similar the Roman system is to the three branches in our government- consisting of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The consuls are much like the commander in chief/†pr esident† (in other words the Executive branch), the senate in the Roman Republic is much like the legislative branch in the U. S and finally the people in the Roman Republic closely represent the judicial branch.In short, the main focus of the piece was to make sure that one group would not get too powerful. For a solution to this problem, they created a system of checks and balances in which without it, our system today would not function- much like the Roman Republic didn’t without it, too. It is a critical component that helped balance power in our democratic system as well as provide us with a sense of order. Throughout American History, democracy as a form of government has worked pretty well, particularly after the constitution was created.It has only been changed 15 times in 220 years. One of the problems we learned about during this course was the issue of religion and politics. Roger Williams wrote a book in 1644, where he was the first to write, in words, the idea of separating church and state. His idea was a cornerstone of change in the functioning of a democracy. It allowed both the Church and the state to function independently and properly. Roger Williams was not only the first to express this idea in words, but he was the biggest advocator in freedom of conscience and genuine political democracy.He founded the first Baptists church in North America, and is known as an important figure in American history. Religious freedom is fundamental to democracy, and his idea fostered I critical improvement in the way our government works. Another important figure in the functions of democracy throughout American history was a man named Stephen Douglas. He was the senator of Chicago in the mid 1800’s, where he wanted to start a railroad yet they needed more states.He developed a well-known role in society preceding the Missouri Compromise, where there was a line at the Southern border declaring Missouri to be a slave state and everythin g above that line to be free states. The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, where they had to determine whether states are free or slave states. Stephen Douglas suggested the idea of having an election. It would be scheduled so people could move there and hold the responsibility of voting as individuals. This created democracy, although along with this suggestion came Lincoln, who later disinterred Douglas’ idea.He said, â€Å"When a white man governs himself, that is self-government; but when he governs himself, and also another man, that is more than self-government†¦ it is despotism. † This was aimed at the idea of slavery, where although Douglas had the idea of being a democracy and voting, the idea of democracy could not exist if minorities (which were just as much of people as everybody else) did not have an individual vote as well. The development and history of democracy in America has shaped where we are today as a functioning and civil society, but it also determines how well suited we are for our future.So, because democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people, it is up to the people to play an active and informed role in our government. If a majority of the people becomes ill informed, uneducated, manipulated by the politically corrupt, an effective democratic government can’t survive the way we’d like to see it. I see challenges in our democracy today, such as politicians who engage in nasty head games and petty arguments for personal interests rather than the country’s success as a whole.For instance, representatives elected by the people are, a lot of the time, not the most capable for forming the government. They may compromise the interests of the public to serve their own interests and get caught up in greed, etc. Additionally, due to the fact that democracy is dependent on our votes, there are instances where the government may avoid taking decisions and act ions that are in fact in the interest of the people in the long run yet unpopular in the short run.One of the biggest struggles in face of the 21st century for democracy today, is to maintain itself as well as continue to refine itself into a better and more complete democracy. Keeping in mind the terrorism, corporate greed and selfishness in our society and our government, I hope our future will continue to educate each other in efforts for a better-run government. The ideas I learned in this course have driven me to respect history in all forms. I am less ignorant on the past and more informed on today’s pressing issues in hopes that I can contribute a well-educated vote for my country’s success.

Both vs. Neither

Both vs. Neither Both vs. Neither Both vs. Neither By Maeve Maddox The use of both where neither would be clearer and more idiomatic is fairly common, but inherently ambiguous. Take for example, â€Å"Both men were not arrested.† Is the intended meaning â€Å"neither man was arrested† or â€Å"one man was arrested, but the other wasn’t†? Here are some examples of statements that use both where neither is the better choice: Original: Both of us didnt have too good of a year (in 2013), and were seeing that in the attendance. Better : Neither of us had too good of a year (in 2013), and were seeing that in the attendance. Original: Both of us didnt  want to go to the Hospital but the fireman told us it would be best to get checked out. Better : Neither of us wanted to go to the Hospital but the fireman told us it would be best to get checked out. Original: Diaz and Felder tend to vote conservatively on social issues, so they both arent going to be happy with the abortion plank. Better : Diaz and Felder tend to vote conservatively on social issues, so neither is going to be happy with the abortion plank. Original: Trustees Michael Bubba and Eileen Albanese were also sworn in as trustees. They both have never held elected office. Better : Trustees Michael Bubba and Eileen Albanese were also sworn in as trustees. Neither has ever held elected office. In a few contexts, both + negative works: Intimacy cant happen if  both arent  present in the exchange. The core similarity between them is that both aren’t so much political parties as they are social movements. A general rule to keep in mind, however, is to avoid using both with a negative: Both Smith and Jones are the children of noted politicians. BUT Neither candidate has ever held public office. Both and neither on newspapers adults whom the scientists recruited were normal weight and generally healthy; others were overweight; and still others both overweight and diabetic. None exercised regularly. The scientists invited (www.nytimes.com) so often, the couple here present themselves as both outsiders in an elite institution and as heirs to it; as people excluded from its narratives but now possessors of (www.nytimes.com) proud of it. They had found a solution that made sense to me. Why should I stuff myself into binary gender terms when neither male nor female seemed to fit? (www.nytimes.com) sharply escalate the administration’s tariffs on Chinese imports - a threat he reiterated on Friday - shows that neither side has yet gone far enough to persuade the other to compromise. Bigger and broader tariffs may be necessary (www.nytimes.com) Video Recap 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:25 Subordinating ConjunctionsExcited ABOUT, not "for" Is Your Novel "Mystery," "Thriller," or "Suspense"?

Constructivism and Problem Based Learning Annotated Bibliography

Constructivism and Problem Based Learning - Annotated Bibliography Example is particular investigation, emphasizes on practicality, while training professionals of different fields, but somehow, does not recommend that, for teaching in school. In the viewpoint of the current paper, children studying in school should also be given assignments, featuring various practical problems to solve, because by this method, their ability to analyze issues will groom, which is a required ability in all fields of life. Megalakaki, O., Sotiriou, S., Savas, S., & Manoussakis, Y. (2012). Problem-based Educational Environments: A Case Study in e-Commerce and Business Planning. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology 10(1) , 423-446 This study argues, that electronic learning facilities allow learners from various areas to develop their knowledge base, through providing them with integrated access to international libraries. At the same time, offer students an opportunity to consult with leading professionals. In this way, learners could develop in depth understanding of the practical issues of the field. However, in the light of above mentioned source, constructivism is an ideal methodology, while instructing medical students, because in this field problem based method could result in disastrous ramifications, without proper understanding of the medical knowledge. On the other hand, this research believes, that technological aids such as online videos are assisting; language instructors in making their students, learn various foreign languages. In teaching linguistics, professors should encourage their pupils to practice the language in their daily life, because this is the only way to learn, the art of communication, because, human mind initiates the process of self-correction, once the person starts talking in a non-native language. Nevertheless, theoretical background possesses a certain degree of importance in this regard, but ample amount of time should be allocated towards practical learning in the process of developing

DB 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DB 3 - Research Paper Example On the other hand, the power of virtual integration is the use of the internet or general technology to replace physical elements of a company with specific information. Ford Motor Company recorded 5.7 million motor sales worldwide last year, using a huge network of suppliers. As part of its objectives to create a competitive supply chain, the firm makes use of Six Sigma procedures through collaborating with Penske Logistics to improve and streamline supply chain activities. Before Ford sided with Penske Corp, its assembly plants in South America each took care of its logistics, an initiative that led to unexpected costs in transport and supplying materials as suppliers used to pick up light loads, carrying them from plant to plant. In an effort to solve this, the company established various Order Dispatch Centers (ODC) to merge shipments to plants (Chopra & Sodhi, 2012). Within a short time, it was noted that the majority of trucks have increased the capacity to 95% when distributing shipments to and from the ODC as well as a reduced plant inventory by 15%. New technology has been put in place to help in streamlining performance. Ford Motors has used Logistics Management System, order tracing software, and metric reporting system based on the internet to achieve this goal. This shows how technology can be used to enhance competitiveness as drivers in the company now carry an electronic log and PDA scanners to offer real-time updates and ensure that all carriers have satellite communications. Meanwhile, the supply chain is stabilized through scanners that are utilized in monitoring plants delivery (Austin, 1999). A vital facet of the strategies used in the supply chain is Ford’s emphasis on accountability at every level of supply. In order to reduce expenses and boost services, the company strengthened the car manufacturer’s bidding procedure for carriers, initiating higher specifications on technology, driver certification, safety, time

Is Death Penalty Justifiable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Death Penalty Justifiable - Essay Example This matter entails unresolved issues on its justification as a rightful punishment for convicted criminals. Death penalty advocates stress mainly that this system will deter crime and moreover give justice or retribution to the crime victims and their families. On the other hand, death penalty abolitionists believe that death penalty does not deter crime but rather promote it. Moreover, it violates the human rights of the convicted criminals, some are may be wrongfully convicted and there is an apparent issue of unequal treatment or discrimination of would-be convicted criminals because of being poor or a member of a minority group. One of the main purposes of having death penalty in the judicial systems was to advocate fear of committing a crime and stopping criminals in doing so now that they are immobilized or put out of action. But does death penalty on convicted criminals honestly discourage other from doing crime I personally don't believe so. An acted violence punished by another form of violence results to a cycle of violence. Fear from punishment of a crime won't stop criminals from committing crimes. These proceedings will not only promote its existence as a system but also its normality. Normality leads to acceptance and is a ticket to apathy as supposed to fear. Advocates s Advocates say that death penalty brings justice or retribution to the victims and their families. I sadly do not agree with this. I do not believe in the basic essence of the word justice in this case. Should there be such a word Death penalty ends the life of someone who took or damaged the victim's life. But does that bring back the supposed life of the victim and their families No, it does not. This does not mean justice, its retribution and more like vengeance. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", isn't it about time to stop this kind of thinking It is barbaric and inhuman. Given that some of these convicted criminals were the author of such horrendous crimes, ending there lives I believe will not bring justice to the bereaved. A life imprisonment without parole is a more likely option with the possibility of reformation on the life of the convicted criminal. Issues on unfair application of death penalty appeals on an accused that belongs to a minority race also are abundant and apparent especially on the United States of America. Procedures on death penalty appeals in the case of the accused or the victim is influenced by his/her race or financial capabilities; that is, inadequate defence of the accused or inadequate support for the conviction of an accused in support to the victim. This also strengthens the notions of death penalty abolitionists that possible death penalty candidates may be convicted wrongly. In a more practical note, anti death penalty groups say that a session of capital execution or death penalty is expensive and costs more than to imprison the convicted criminals for as long as they live. On this note, death penalty advocates answer that death penalty costs can be minimized by limiting the appeals for death penalty. If you come to think of it, this notion will only result to more injustices. Let's just say, what I have just said was a bit indifferent to the pain of the victims and their families who are left to endure more pain. I do not disregard the fact that every victim has a story

Analysis of International Relations Theory

Analysis of International Relations Theory INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY Why do states behave the way they do in the international system? Some people argue that this is a question of international relations theory while others say it is a question of foreign policy theory[1]. For our purposes, we shall consider them as the same issue. The behaviour of the states is the central question which the theories of International Relations or theories of foreign policy are trying to answer. Various authors develop theory to explain the behaviour of ‘all states’ and not just ‘one state’ which leads to the problem. No single theory is able to encompass all states. Finding a universal pattern has evaded us so far and the various theories stated are only an attempt to get one theory which defines the behaviour of most of the states. Few of these theories are briefly touched upon in the following paragraphs. Realism. Realists believe that the international system is defined by anarchy. States are sovereign and thus autonomous of each other and no inherent structure or society can emerge or even exist to order relations between them. In International Relations, political realism is a tradition of analysis that stresses the imperatives states face to pursue a power politics of the national interest[2]. Realist emphasises the constraints on politics imposed by human selfishness (‘egoism’) and the absence of international government (‘anarchy’), which require ‘the primacy in all political life of power and security[3]. Classical realism. This is a state level theory that argues that all states search for power and this is the first and last principle of state behaviour. States seek to increase their power; they seek to decrease the power of their enemies; and everything they do is in the name of amassing power. States see other powerful states as rivals because power, when it is not in your hands, is threatening[4]. There can be peace. However, a durable peace is based upon a unwavering balance of power. If a state is not confident of winning a war, it generally will not start one. Neo-realism. This theory suggests a system that is an offshoot of classical realism. It agrees to all of what classical realism does. However, it sees the cause of all the power struggles and rivalries not as a function of the nature of states, but as a function of the nature of the international system[5]. States are considered as being alone in the arena of the world. There is no world government or a set up looking out for other states. There are no rules that can’t be broken. The world is in a set of lawlessness and states do what they can get away with in order to gain power. States do what they must to protect themselves. This theory dominates scholarly thinking today and is sometimes referred to in respect of the international relations prevalent in South Asia[6]. Neo-Classical realism. This theory is in a way restoration of classical realism. It accepts all about power rivalries, but it suggests that state characteristics (state level variables) play a major role in the behaviour of states. States don’t just search for power. They do not simply fear other powerful states but there are reasons that states seek power and there are reasons that states fear other states. It’s a sort of combination of classical realism and neo-realism that factors in both system level and state level variables. Liberalism. The Liberalism theory adds values into the equation. It is often called idealism. It is a state level theory which argues that there is a lot of cooperation in the world, not just rivalry. States don’t just compete or worry about power. States try to build a more just world order. For liberals, peace is the normal state of affairs. In Kant’s words, peace can be perpetual[7]. Neo-liberalism. This is an offshoot of liberalism. It is a system level translation of liberalism and focuses on the way in which institutions can influence the behaviour of states by spreading values or creating rule-based behaviour[8]. Neo-liberals might focus on the role of the United Nations or World Trade Organization in shaping the foreign policy behaviour of states. Rationalism. This theory, like realism begins with anarchy but unlike realism, it acknowledges that the sense of belonging to the community of humankind has left its civilising mark upon the state and international relation[9]. Constructivism is a theory that examines state behaviour in the context of state’s characteristics. All states are distinctive and have a set of defining economic, political, social, religious or cultural characteristics that influence its foreign policy. States have identities and those identities characterise their behaviour in the international system. A late-twentieth-century addition to international relations, Constructivism has returned international relations scholars to the foundation questions including the nature of state and the concepts of sovereignty, identity and citizenship. In addition, it has opened new substantive areas to enquire such as role of gender and ethnicity which has been largely absent from other theories[10]. Marxism, Critical Theory, Post Modernism, Feminism, Green Politics, English School and Critical Theory are few other popular theories in regards to International theories. Each author is developing a theory in order to explain the behaviour of all states and not just few of them. Finding a common pattern of activity, common rules that can be used to explain why all state behave in a manner has not been possible so far. Hence, trying to analyse the relations between two countries on the datum of these existing theory will not be doing justice. Scholars see several levels of analysis through which state behaviour can be examined and these form the basis of IR theories itself. These levels shall be discussed in the following paragraphs. Levels of Analysis System level. This level of analysis examines state behaviour by looking at the international system. In this level of analysis, the international system acts as the cause which leads to the effect of state behaviour. Any change in the international system causes change in state behaviour. State level. This level of analysis examines the foreign policy behaviour of states in terms of state’s characteristics. The state’s characteristics foreign policy may be simply manifestation of its cultural characteristic or may be defined by the religious or social traditions, historical legacy of the state, the economic nature and geographic nature of the state. Organisational level. This level of analysis examines the way in which organisations within state influence foreign policy behaviour. If this level is dominant, the States does not make decisions. Organisations negotiate with each other to create a foreign policy that is a settlement between competing organisations. Individual level. This level of analysis focuses on people. Since people are the ones who make decisions within nation states, therefore, it can be said that it is these people who govern foreign policy. This level of analysis explains foreign policy by looking at the way leaders understand /perceive the world. Although all scholars acknowledge the utility of paying attention to levels of the analysis, they differ on how many levels are useful in explaining events. Most political scientists apply between three and six levels[11]. For the purpose of this paper, above four levels will be considered for the analysis of Indo-Sri Lankan relations. [1] Newmann,Bill. ‘A Brief Introduction to Theories on International Relations and Foreign Policy’. Retrieved on 02 Dec 14. http://www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann/468theory.htm> [2] Burchill,Scott, et al. Theories of International relations. Third Edition. 2005. New York. Palgrave Macmilan.P 29 [3] Ibid. P 30 [4] Newmann,Bill. ‘A Brief Introduction to Theories on International Relations and Foreign Policy’. Retrieved on 02 Dec 14. http://www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann/468theory.htm> [5] Ibid. [6] Newmann,Bill. ‘A Brief Introduction to Theories on International Relations and Foreign Policy’. Retrieved on 02 Dec 14. http://www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann/468theory.htm> [7] Burchill,Scott , Linklater,Andrew, et al. Theories of International Relations. First edition. 1996. New York and London. Macmillam. .P 31 [8] Newmann,Bill. ‘A Brief Introduction to Theories on International Relations and Foreign Policy’. Retrieved on 02 Dec 14. http://www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann/468theory.htm> [9] Burchill,Scott , Linklater,Andrew, et al. Theories of International Relations. First edition. 1996. New York and London. Macmillam. .P 94 [10] Mingst, Karen and Arreguin-Toft, Ivan M. Essentials of International Relations. Fifth Edition.2011. New York and London. WW Norton Company. P84 [11] Mingst, Karen and Arreguin-Toft, Ivan M. Essentials of International Relations. Fifth Edition.2011. New York and London. WW Norton Company. P69

Hitchcocks North By Northwest: The Birth of the Modern Action Film Essa

1959 was an exciting year in the history of filmmaking. An extraordinary conjunction of talent throughout the globe existed. In France, Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Rivette, and Resnais all directed their first films, thus establishing the French New Wave. In Italy, Fellini created the elegant La Dolce Vita, and Antonioni gave us L’avventura. Most importantly, though, in America, famed British director Alfred Hitchcock gave us the classic thriller North by Northwest, the father of the modern action film. Throughout the history of filmmaking, many different genres have thrived such as the romantic comedy, giving us such classics as Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. The war film gave us All Quiet on the Western Front and Paths of Glory. The western gave us Stagecoach and The Searchers. Film Noir gave us such films as Sunset Boulevard and Chinatown. The one modern film genre not existing prior to 1959 was that of the modern action film whose entrance as a genre was inaugurated with the release of Hitchcock’s psychopolitical thriller North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant. North by Northwest is your basic espionage thriller involving mistaken identity and a government conspiracy. Cary Grant plays advertising executive Roger Thornhill, who, one evening at his usual club calls over the page boy when his is paging a Mr. George Kaplan. Two mysterious men observing Grant get the idea that Mr. Thornhill is Mr. Kaplan, not simply a man talking to a boy who is paging him. Believing him to be Mr. Kaplan, the two men kidnap Thornhill at gunpoint and whisk him away to a beautiful mansion somewhere outside the city. An important discussion point is that as to which type of hero Roger Thornhill is. The action hero created through North by Northwest is that of the everyman, only man attractive and witty. He is a reluctant, yet brave, hero. Thornhill is unafraid to make an attempted escape while he is in the captive of these two men. Thornhill is confronted at the house by a vaguely European fellow who demands answers from him. This usage of the seemingly upper class Eurotrash villain will permeate throughout the action film genre from the Die Hard movies to The Fifth Element. Thornhill, of course, has no answers for the man. While being held captive in a library, Cary quips, â€Å"I’ll catch up on my reading.† When they believe his as simply being uncooperative, the... ...ty directly onto the bed of a private room on a train. Lacking the ability to end the picture with a sex scene, Hitchcock cheekily ends the picture with a shot of a train going into a tunnel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What marks North by Northwest as the father of the modern action film is that of its hero. He is a contemporary man, with a decent and respectful job (here an advertising executive). As opposed to the heroes of Westerns, who are dark and mysterious characters with shady pasts, in the action film the hero is likeable, attractive, and witty. What made Cary Grant so perfect for the role of Thornhill is that he is attractive to both men and women. â€Å"Cary Grant is the male love object,† said Pauline Kael. â€Å"Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.† The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.

Marketing and Ideas Essay

Business-to-business (B2B) describes commerce transactions between businesses, such as between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer. B2B (Business to Business) Branding is a term used in marketing. B2B Marketing Plan – Goals & Objectives * Introduce my company to the market (develop company brand) * Introduce my products or services to the market * Introduce a new product/service to an existing market or markets * Introduce a new product/service to a new market? * Increase my market share * Stop market share erosion from competitors * Develop new market segments for my product/service * Increase profit margins * Improve my product service sales mix * Implement a new small business pricing strategy Differences Between B2B & B2C Marketing There are vast differences in business to consumer marketing, known as B2C, and business to business marketing, known as B2B. These two types of marketing differ in the mediums, strategy and techniques employed. They also differ in their approaches, with consumer marketing attempting to reach the most consumers as possible, while business marketing attempts to reach a small slice of target customers. Marketing Appeal * Consumer and business marketing use different strategies to appeal to their consumer base. Consumer marketing by definition is for the masses and appeals to base needs and wants. Whether it is for laundry detergent or a high-end watch, consumer marketing must play up the lifestyle-enhancement features of their product. Business marketing, on the other hand, appeals to practical concerns, such as cutting costs or growing revenue. For example, a software product that can eliminate manufacturing redundancies appeals to business owners’ desire to increase efficiency. Marketing Strategies * B2C and B2B marketers use different strategies to appeal to their  market segments. Consumer marketers try to capture the most â€Å"eyeballs† as possible, using metrics such as viewers, market share and pay-per-impression. Business marketers prefer to know that their target consumer is being reached and do not care as much about the total number of views. These marketers seek out niche publications, websites and TV shows that will be viewed mostly by a particular business segment. Advertising Mediums * Consumer and business marketers choose different mediums to reach their clients. For example, a business marketer would be eager to sponsor an industry awards show or trade conference. They might also advertise in a niche trade magazine. A consumer marketer, meanwhile, seeks to maximize exposure with the most widely viewed mediums. The Super Bowl, which brings in about 100 million viewers each year, is a consumer marketers’ dream. Product – vs. People-Driven Marketing A critical difference between B2C and B2B marketing involves the way the purchaser connects to the brand. Consumer-driven marketing is based on a connection with the product to drive the brand. Business marketing is based on the relationship between individuals to propel the brand forward. If you are choosing a corporate legal firm to represent your company, for example, you want to know and trust your attorneys. You need to meet them and gain a feel for the services they offer. On the other hand, consumer marketing is driven more by the price, quality and personal satisfaction that a product can provide. B2B Marketing Ideas Business-to-business, or B2B, products and services are a slightly different animal when it comes to marketing. Traditional means of marketing like cold calling and direct mail are not as effective. However, marketing to businesses is not impossible. With a few out-of-the-box tactics, like social networking and email marketing, you can still generate some rewarding results. I’ve listed a few ideas below. Email Marketing Email marketing currently boasts one of the highest returns on investments  (ROI) in the marketing arena–currently a whopping $43 for every $1 spent, according to the Direct Marketing Association. The old trend use to be to buy a huge email list and blast them with your message. But since the CAN-SPAM law has been enacted, it is now illegal to email people without their permission. However, there are still ways to grow an in-house email list that can generate results. Search Marketing * Many B2B companies are using search engine marketing, both paid and organic (not paid), to generate traffic to their websites and landing pages. While going to a phone book might be the â€Å"search† method of the past, doing an online search using Google, Yahoo or Bing is what people do now when looking for potential business clients. Social Media Marketing * Sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn offer businesses a variety of ways to provide valuable content, engage their audience where they are and generate referrals quickly. While some may think these sites are strictly for business-to-consumer (B2C) enterprises, the B2B presence is growing. LinkedIn, especially, is a business social networking tool. The popularity of these social networks stems from the huge potential for word-of-mouth. It’s all about creating a positive buzz online about your brand that draws people to you. Blogging * Previously just the online journals of the cat lady, blogs, or Web logs, are now big business. According to Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere report for 2008, they have indexed 133 million blogs since 2002, and they range from personal to business. Business blogging provides a way to showcase news and products, demonstrate your knowledge as a thought leader, and provide information that is valuable in your industry. Great content will pull visitors to your site, where you have the opportunity to develop trust and loyal customers. Conclusion * Marketing has not only made a fundamental shift from push (interrupt audience with your message) to pull (attract people to your message) marketing in the B2C arena, but in the B2B arena as well. The tips listed  above, when done correctly, can help draw business clients to your message, service, product and brand.

You Can Be and Introvert and a Leader †Here are 7 Tips

You Can Be and Introvert and a Leader – Here are 7 Tips 7 Leadership Tips for Introverted People Being a leader and an introvert may sound impossible. After all, leaders have to be gregarious, outgoing, outspoken and inspirational to others. How can anyone do these things if all they want is to be alone to think and reflect. It’s true. Introverts do spend more time thinking than most others. And when they do this, others think of them as cold or unfeeling or, worse, as having some type of â€Å"superiority complex.† And when they are placed in leadership positions, others wonder how that will ever â€Å"work.† You may be wondering how that will ever â€Å"work† too, if you are that introvert. When engaged in resume writing to find your job, you probably did not put â€Å"introvert† down as one of your personal qualities. And now here you are, expected to be a leader. But you know some things about yourself that others don’t. You know that you genuinely enjoy people, but in small doses – both in numbers and in time. As an introvert, you become â€Å"depleted† more rapidly than others and have to â€Å"refuel† yourself by getting back to a private place where you can be alone with your thoughts, even though those thoughts may be related to work. So, you close your office door to re-group. And others label you unfriendly or â€Å"stuck-up.† You Can Be a Successful Leader The operative word here is â€Å"compensation† (along with a good dose of honesty). You do have to develop ways to compensate for your need to be quite and alone. Here are 7 tips that will help. Be Honest with Your Team: There is nothing wrong with telling your team members that you are an introvert and explaining your need to retreat and reflect. When you are up front about it, they will understand your behaviors and not judge you negatively. Then you can say, â€Å"Give me a little while to think about this,† and it won’t b mis-interpreted. Use LBWA: This means â€Å"Leadership by Walking Around,† and is considered to be quite effective in establishing relationships with your team. If you spend some time one-on-one with each team member as you walk around, you will not feel stressed by numbers. And those individuals will come to believe that you do have interest in them and their work. Keep Meetings Short: It is better to have shorter meetings more often than to have long ones that drain you. Prepare a short agenda and stick to it. Your team members will probably appreciate that anyway. Get an Extrovert Back-up: If you have to attend a large gathering that is work-related, you can’t avoid it, obviously. But if you have an extroverted buddy by your side, s/he can help carry conversations and you can just smile and nod your head. Housekeeping Items by Email: There are lots of minor items that you may need to handle with your team – new procedures from top-level executives, new reporting deadlines, etc. You don’t have to spend meeting time on these. Emails will work, and your emails can be friendly and conversational in nature. And adding a joke at the end is a good way to further relationships. Use Facebook as a Relationship Builder: Have a Facebook account and keep your posts light and fun. Co-workers and team members are probably on Facebook too, and they will â€Å"feel† that they know you better. Build Recovery Time into Your Schedule: You can’t be a good leader if you are drained. Give yourself short periods of time during the day – very short – just to get quiet and alone. It does help. But set a limit on that â€Å"down time† so you don’t fall back into bad habits of pre-leadership days. You can take the lead and be very successful. Know your limits, be honest with others, and use these compensation techniques.

Indonesia Essays - Provinces Of Indonesia, Maritime Southeast Asia

Indonesia Essays - Provinces Of Indonesia, Maritime Southeast Asia Indonesia Indonesia This report will be on the History in Brief of Indonesia, the Government of Indonesia, the island of Java, and the Geography of Indonesia. In early days, the region from India to Japan, including Indonesia, was known to the Europeans as the Indies. Chris Columbus was looking for a westward sea root from Europe to the Indies, when he arrived in America. During 1600s the Dutch political control began to spread Indonesia. Indonesia declared it's independence in 1945 and fought the Dutch until 1949, when they gave up their control. At first, the Dutch allowed nationalist movement to develop. In 1905, it had introduced councils to govern the towns and cities. By 1920, there were 32 such councils, with little electoral franchise. Other councils were also established. They included provincial councils in Java, and group communities councils outside Java. The current government of Indonesia is based on a constitution written in 1945. A president serves as the head of government. The presiden t appoints a sheet of advisers consisting of top military leaders and civilians. In theory, the assembly is supposed to establish a general direction of the government's policies. A house of peoples Representatives is the nation's parliament, however, in practice neither the assembly nor the house has real power. Instead, it is the president who makes all of the important decisions. The president is elected to a five-year term the Peoples Consultative assembly. The assembly has 1,000 members. It includes the 500 members of the people's representatives. It also includes 500 members of regional, occupational, and other groups. All assembly members serve five-year terms. The assembly usually is only held once every five years. The 500 members of the People's Representatives includes 400 who are elected through a system that insures that the government's political organization win most of the seats. Serviceman have no vote, so the remaining 100 are appointed by the president on the reco mmendation of the commander of the armed forces. Indonesia is divided into twenty-seven provinces. The provinces are divided into regencies and municipalities. These units are further divided into villages. Officials of all local government units except villages are appointed by central government from lists of people nominated by regional legislators. Indonesian villages elect their own village officials to provide local government. Java lies between Sumatra (to the west), and Bali (to the east). To the north is the Java Sea. To the south is the Indian Ocean, which Indonesians call the Indonesian Ocean. The greatest distance from North Java to South Java is two hundred kilometers. From East Java to West Java is over one thousand kilometers. The island of Java has five administrative units: the special territory of Jakarta Raya, Java Barat , Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, the special territory of Yogjakarta, and Jawa Timur. Chains of volcanic mountains run along the island from west to ea st. These mountains are apart of a fold in the earth's crust which extends from Southeast Asian mainland through Sumatra and Java to the lesser Sundra Islands. Java itself has 112 peaks. The volcanic soil is extremely fertile and this are supports a large population. Tangkuban Prahu in West Java is a live volcanoe that attracts many tourists. A similar mountain in the Sunda Straights, Krakatoua, is famous for its eruption in 1883. The whole northern portion of the peak was blown away. The explosion was heard over 700 kilometers away. The resulting sea waves caused over thirty six thousand Indonesian deaths in the low lying of West and South Jakarta. Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of more than 13,600 islands. The islands lie along the equator, and extend more than 5,000 kilometers. Many of the islands cover only a few square kilometers but about half of New Guinea (an area called Irian Jaya), and three fourths of Borneo (Kalimantan), also belong to Indonesia. New Guinea and Borneo are the second and third largest islands in the world after Greenland.

American Medical System (Is or not) broken Essay

American Medical System (Is or not) broken - Essay Example When all these aspects are put together, the American health system is deemed broken. This paper is going to give its focus on the broken American health care system. Furthermore, this paper will highlight the reasons behind having a broken health care system in the United States. In this paper, I ask; why is the American health care system broken? Reasons behind the American Broken Health Care System The broken American health care system can be attributed to various reasons. It is apparent that the American health care system is a complete paradox. This is because in regards to technology in medicine as well as the disease scientific understanding, the United States is a leader. Doctors in America are the best paid in the world. Despite all these privileges, the Americans are still not the beneficiaries (Gumbel). Gumbel continues to argue that the healthcare system is run by insurance companies that are profit-propelled thus making the system be inefficient and more expensive, besi des being dehumanizing. America’s expenditure on healthcare is two and a half times that of Britain, and twice as much as that of France. However, the health care system is on a meltdown in almost every key indicator in public health sector, high infant mortality rate when compared to other developed countries like Britain. There has been no serious debate on healthcare system in America since 1994 when Bill Clinton was the president and his wife Hillary Clinton failed in her attempts to overhaul the health system. About 45 million American citizens are not insured (Garson). This number includes 10 million children (Gumbel). Gumbel continues to remark that the growing numbers of uninsured is unacceptable in any civilized society, more so not in America. Analysts had predicted that the American health care system would be broken, come the year 2011, and the government would have taken measures to avert the situation before it happens. For instance, Bolen, a consumer advocate, had remarked in 2004 that everybody was aware that the U.S Medicare system would experience a meltdown in 2011. According to him, the healthcare care system was going to be unaffordable to most Americans. Bill Frist, the majority leader of the senate and a heart specialist physician, gives scary Statistics on the American health care system. The statistic show that America spends about 15% of its overall income on health issues. This is higher than other developed nations. In this regard, when broken down, America spends approximately $5,540 annually on every man, woman and child (Broder A24). Similarly, health care costs are experiencing four times increase when compared to wages. Broder predicted that in 2006, the cost of health care coverage sponsored by the employers would be at $14,500 per family. However, the health stakeholders and the government did not do anything to prevent the situation from taking place. In 2003, the Census Bureau stated that about 44 million Americans w ere rendered without health insurance in 2002. Amazingly, the number of uninsured has been on the increase to approximately two million people every year. A consumer group known as Families USA reported that about 82 million Americans did not have health insurance cover in 2002/2003 period, most of them for a period not less than nine months (Broder A24). Furthermore, The American Journal of Medicine, as

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 22

No topic - Essay Example Mary Heaton Vorse writes of participating in a sit-down strike against General Motors in Michigan. Her writing is hopeful, vigorous and triumphant. She recounts singing, unity and solidarity with those around her. She was involved in righting one of the great injustices of the day. Even during the depression, corporations such as General Motors were turning a profit and she was determined to get her fair share of the profits. The amazing thing about her experience is that she was not just acting in her own self-interest. She worked for the good of her friends and neighbors. Meridel Le Seur writes of the exactly opposite experience. She tells of sitting despondent in a YWCA office waiting for domestic work to come her way. Her story is about fear, loneliness and anxiety. Women go mad sitting day after day waiting for the work that will feed their children. However, it never comes, or comes too infrequently. The different responses these two women have to the crisis of the Great Depression say much about the human spirit and resiliency. They show that social connections and friendships can help ease the burden of suffering. Going it alone is often a dangerous and unsuccessful