Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Martin Luther Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Martin Luther - Essay Example In his early life, Martin Luther dedicated himself considerably to the monastic life. His journey to create the foundation for a religious movement within the Catholic Church and generally within Christendom started when he joined the Augustinian friary in Erfurt, Germany. He established a strong movement in Germany that would later be duplicated and repeated in other parts of Europe. This led to the start and growth of a backlash against the corruption that was rampant in the old church (Bishop 1). It should be noted that the Protestant Reformation was a protest for reform in the church; the movement led by Martin Luther strongly disputed the claim made by the then church leaders that freedom from punishment for sin by God could be bought with money. According to his interpretation and understanding of the bible, he believed that the leaders of the old church were misleading the congregation for their own selfish purposes. It is on the basis of this that Martin Luther sought to refo rm the church by providing teachings and interpretations that he deemed to be factual and right. He taught that salvation is received as a free gift of the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and not earned by good deeds as claimed by the leaders of the old church (Mullet 27). Martin Luther was dedicated to challenging the primacy of authority of the Roman Catholic Church at the time. He began challenging this authority by questioning the understanding of the origins of salvation, which he argued cannot be found in the hands of human beings or in membership within a religious institution (Mullet 20). He provided a new understanding of salvation which he said was grounded in faith in Jesus Christ and was only granted through the God’s grace. Also, he challenged the over indulgences by the church leaders which he argued would set the stage for religious or spiritual confrontation. His message resonated well with majority of the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Frederick Griffith Essay Example for Free

Frederick Griffith Essay Biography Frederick Griffith (1879-1941), who was born in Hale, Cheshire County, England and who attended the Liverpool University, was a British bacteriologist whose focus was the epidemiology and pathology of bacterial Pneumonia. In January, 1928 he reported what is now known as Griffiths Experiment, the first widely accepted demonstration of bacterial transformation, where a bacterium distinctly changes its form and function. Griffith succumbed to his death around the year 1941 due to the air raid. His Purpose and what he derived? Griffith showed that Streptococcus pneumonia, could transform from one strain into a different strain. The observation was attributed to an unidentified transforming principle of transforming Factor. This was later identified as the stuff of life â€Å"DNA† The Experiment Griffith’s experiment, reported in 1928, was one of the first experiments suggesting that bacteria are capable of transferring genetic information through a process known as transformation. Griffith went about deriving his results by means of using two strains of Pneumoccocus (Streptococcus pneumonia) bacteria which he used to infect several mice. A type smooth strain and a type rough strain. The smooth strain has its components covered by a polysaccharide capsule, which gives it the ability to live in adverse conditions and divide rapidly through a process called Binary fission. Adverse conditions in the context of this experiment would mean â€Å"protection from white blood cells† The third line of defense’s inability to phagocytize the bacteria subsequently results in the death of the mice because the capsule accommodates for the rapid growth of the same cell. Bacterial cells usually have a target organ to which it chooses to disintegrate, and in the case of abundance, the more the number of bacterial cells the more likely the host is going to succumb to it death. How the Experiment was Set up? The experiment was set up by means of inoculating mice with different forms of the same bacteria but with varying strains. The first mouse was inoculated with the rough strain of the streptococcus bacteria and the mice lived. The second mouse was inoculated with the smooth strain (virulent strain) and the end result was the death of the mouse. The third mouse was inoculated with the heat killed smooth strain bacteria and the mouse lived. The emphasis to the transformation principle was given when Griffith infused the rough strain and the heat killed smooth strain and inoculated the mouse which further resulted in the death of the mouse. Griffith was unknown of the reason why the mouse died, but with scientific reasoning, he brought up the idea that the combined Pneumonia bacteria used a transforming principle to activate the virulence, which subsequently then was named the transformation principle. Why did the Heat killed smooth Bacteria show no effect towards the Mice? Just like how we humans function well on optimal temperature, bacteria too have a set temperature to work at its potential. In the context of this experiment the virulent smooth strain pneumonia bacteria was covered by a capsule which consisted of a polysaccharide, a sugar. The introduction of heat disintegrated the capsule, subsequently making it prone to phagocytosis by the white blood cells. The rough strain didn’t comprise of a capsule which explains why it showed no effect towards killing the mouse. The introduction of heat denatured the components of the smooth train which as a result didn’t give the heat killed smooth strain bacteria, not enough potential to kill the mouse. Visual Aid Contribution to our Knowledge Shedding Light to the Transforming Principle Upon research and experimentation on Pneumococcal Streptococcal bacteria-Griffin pointed out that the information in bacterial cells could somehow be transferred between different strains of bacteria. This was long before the discovery of DNA and was an inspired piece used by Avery, Mc Carty and Mc leod to emphasize more on what are primarily the subunits of life. Griffith also wrote a paper in 1928 with regards to his experiment and how he came up with the derivation of the term â€Å"Transforming principle†. Apart from Griffins inspiring research, his findings led to the pivotal beginning of molecular biology. In 1952, other researches with the insight gained from Griffiths experiment, further brought meaning to what is the fundamental and the subunits of life by creating their own sets of experiments all interconnected with this experiment in the process of deriving the form, structure and the function of DNA in one way or another.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay -- Author Literary Analysis

As a man of great wisdom, knowledge, tradition, and culture, Chinua Achebe is a promoter of education and tradition who is well versed in both his African roots and Christian religion (Loveday). He has won awards like the Man Booker and Commonwealth Poetry Prize for his novels, short stories, essays, and children’s books and was thrust into fame after publishing Things Fall Apart. Born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, in colonial Ogidi, Nigeria, he is the son of missionary teachers Isaiah and Janet Achebe. He was born on November 15, 1930 to a devout Anglican family; however, his parents still allowed Achebe to experience his tribal tradition as well (Telgen 262). He left Ogidi to go to school at Government College, and from there he went to the University College of Ibadan where he studied English, theology, and history. There, he earned his BA and departed from his British name to embrace the name Chinua. From 1953 to 1966 he was a writer for a Nigerian broadcasting company. Soo n after, he became a diplomat for the Biafran government during Nigeria’s Civil War. Eventually Achebe became a professor at the Universities of Nigeria, Nsukka; Massachusetts, Amherst; and Connecticut. In more recent years, he unfortunately became a paraplegic in a car accident in 1990 and was exiled from Nigeria until 1999. He currently teaches at Bard College in New York, yet he still directs an educational book company and a bilingual magazine in Nigeria. Achebe’s work comments on the changing political and social conditions of Africa and especially on the change that colonialism brought to his home country. He is noted for keeping his ideas fair and understanding, unlike others, for he learned both English and African points of view (Petri and Pesonen)... ...graphies. 6th ed. EBSCOHost, 1 Dec. 2009. Web. 7 Nov. 2010. . Liukkonen, Petri, and Ari Pesonen. â€Å"Chinua Achebe (1930-) - in full Albert Chinualumogu Achebe.† Kirjasto. N.p., 2008. Web. 7 Nov. 2010. . Loveday, Veronica. Chinua Acehbe. 2005. N.p.: Great Neck Publishing, 2005. 1-2. Our Leaders: Africa. Student Research Center Biographies. Web. 7 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"’Things Fall Apart.’† Novels for Students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 262-263. Print. Novels for Students.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Homosexuals in the United States Military Essay

Homosexuals and U. S military service new laws and regulations which came into effect in 1993 reflected a compromise in policy. This settlement, referred to as â€Å"don’t ask, don’t tell,† states that the existence in the armed forces of persons who reveals a tendency or plan to take on homosexual acts would produce an intolerable hazard to the high standards of morale, high-quality order and discipline, and unit solidity which are the core of military capacity. Service members are not to be asked about nor allowed to talk about their homosexuality. This negotiation in spite of the matter has remained politically controversial. Previous to the 1993 compromise, the figure of individual’s releases for homosexuality was by and large declining. From the time, the number of discharges for homosexual conduct has generally amplified until recent times. In the wake of the new 1993 laws and regulations, constitutional challenges to the former and current military policies regarding homosexuals followed. In the case of Bowers vs. Hardwick, the U. S Supreme Court Ruling said that there is no right to engage in consensual homosexual sodomy. In this case, the courts generally said that military men may be lawfully discharge for explicit homosexual conduct. Nevertheless, the legal picture was convoluted by the Court’s 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas which ruled against Bowers by declaring unconstitutional a Texas law that prohibited sexual acts between same sex couples. Moreover, disturbed legal questions lingered as to whether a release based exclusively on a statement that a service member is homosexual disobeys constitutional limits. For the time being, efforts to allow individuals of the same sex to marry legally materialize implausible to affect the Department of Defense (DOD) policy close to term, because such individuals are barred from serving in the military, even though court challenges are possible. For the duration of the 1992 presidential campaign, Bill Clinton promised to remove the ban on homosexuals in the U.  S armed services. Once in office, he met with massive resistance from the U. S military and its congressional allies, and by summer of 1993, the original policy proposal was dead. Instead, Congress enacted the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue† policy: gays and lesbians can now serve in the military, but they are obliged to keep their sexual preference private. Challengers of the open integration of gays and lesbians have discarded many of standard justifications for excluding homosexuals from military service. For example, the Pentagon and its cronies no longer disagree that gays and lesbians are security risks because of the threat of blackmail. As a case in point, even though both the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell and the famous military sociologist Charles Moskos contest the open integration of homosexuals in the military, they recognize that gays and lesbians are valuable soldiers. Discharge measures against homosexuals are packed with statements of many of these individuals’ excellent records, reliability, and commitment to their jobs. The matter is not whether gays and lesbians are good quality soldiers as individuals, but instead, the consequence of these individuals on the group. Opponents of removing all restrictions on homosexuals’ service argue that open incorporation of gays and lesbians would obstruct the development of primary group cohesion, which they say is significant to military efficiency. During the 1993 congressional trials on homosexuality in the military, both Senate and House testimony paid attention on the issue of unit cohesion. For instance, then Senator Sam Nuun, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in July 1993 asked each of the 6 Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss unit cohesion and its importance in developing combat capability. Army Chief of Staff General Gordon Sullivan answered him by saying that cohesion is developed by uniformity, by devotion to a common sense of values and behavior. The introduction into many small units of person whose open orientation and self-definition is completely opposed to the rest of the group will cause tension and disruption (Herek 1987). Senior US military officers concerned that the open integration of homosexuals would get in the way of the development of cohesion within small groups are not trusted or respected as expressed by Powell and Admiral David Jeremiah, and they added that in atmosphere of doubts, orders may not be carried out and everyday friendly gestures that encourage companionship- everyday childlike horseplay and rough-housing, a pat on the back or arm around the shoulder- become suspect, provoke fear or loathing, and annihilate group cohesion (Nowak, 1993)). Powell added that in order to win wars and battles the army needs to make cohesive groups of warriors who will bond so strongly that they are ready to go into battle and give their lives if indispensable and it is intolerable to allow anything to upset that feeling of cohesion inside the force. The disagreement about unit cohesion is based on two propositions: the first one is that primary group cohesion increases military effectiveness and second, open gay and lesbian personnel would disturb cohesion and thus military performance. According to Kier (1998) these propositions are wrong and she said that such statements do not reflect what social science research and experience have demonstrated about the relationship between cohesion and performance and the consequence of putting together previously excluded groups on primary group cohesion. Investigations of Homosexual Conduct Even if broad investigations of homosexual behavior are the exemption rather than the rule, there are noteworthy numbers of cases in which such investigations have been conducted. Based on the cases reviewed by Gosling (1993), he concluded that the immense majority of investigations that have happened have been correctly instigated, that is, an investigation has been made only after the commander had determined that there was convincing information that the member had engaged in homosexual conduct. Also, based on his findings, he was able to find out that a lot of the criticisms made about inappropriate initiation of investigations mirror a misinterpretation of the Department’s policy. In practice, plausible information has sometimes been provided to commanders in ways that service members might not have been anticipated to occur, or has been based on communications or performance that the partners, roommates, or unconnected third parties have sometimes come forward on their own to account information or proof of homosexual conduct to commanders next to the wishes of the service member in question (Nowak 1993). Photographs or in black and white communications that verifies homosexual conduct has sometimes been showed to civilians who then brought this proof to the attention of a commander, with no question having been conducted by the commander. Plausible information has also been incidentally discovered in the course of proper, entirely unrelated criminal or disciplinary investigations for a commander to initiate an investigation when information has been reported in any of these circumstances, granted that the information received is credible (Suraci, 1992). Indeed, because federal law requires that those who take on in homosexual conduct must be discharged from the military; commanders are compelled to investigate whenever they receive credible evidence of homosexual conduct. In addition, many academic institutions have ratified rules that defended homosexuals from prejudice on campus. Accordingly, colleges, universities, and even high schools have required barring military recruiters from their campuses or otherwise eliminating Reserve Officer Training Corps Programs on campus because of the DOD rule on homosexuals in the military. Simultaneously, legislation has been ratified that bars giving federal funds to campuses that obstruct entrance for military recruiters (Suraci 1992). On March 6, 2006, the Supreme Court upturned a federal appeals court verdict in Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights (FAIR), and endorsed the constitutionality of the Solomon Amendment, which forbids certain federal funding to higher educational institutions that refute admittance by military recruiters to their students equal to that provided to other employers. Deviance Present among sociological conceptions of deviance is an approach that concerns itself not as much of with the characteristics of the person or persons said to have despoiled a social rule than with the character of the responses of other persons to these characteristics and events. This approach, occasionally called the â€Å"labeling† approach to deviance, observes the deviant as a social creation, the result of contact sequences between labelers and labeled (Becker, 1964). The questions that are lifted by this approach thus concern the behaviors that are tagged as deviant, what the methods are by which the labels are effectively applied or avoided, and what the results of such procedures are for both labelers and labeled. Nevertheless, regardless of the highlight laid on deviance as a creation of interaction, in practice most consideration has been paid to the labeler’s role in this process (Simon 1987). The method of developing deviance appears all collective response and no deviant stimulus. This is possibly an overreaction to an overreaction. For example, one theory is spelled out as to why some people break rules and some do not in terms of what is called as commitment and for other labeling theorists, characteristics of the deviant himself are not completely unrelated (Simon 1987). The point is well taken, but for example, in some of Goffman’s writings (1961) on mental patients his employment of the concept career contingencies materializes to treat the mental patient as a pawn, subject to the vagaries of all sorts of contextual demands. As a result of the above, labeling theory also has been seen as taking the side of the underdog- that the deviant is seen as a victim of the fairly subjective measures of control agencies. He is more sinned against than sinning, as it is a matter of chance, or racial or socioeconomic factors, rather than any behavior on his part, that chooses whether he is cast as deviant. Homosexuals in the Army in Other Countries Homosexuals in the military is not just an issue faced by the United States, there are many more countries out there that have the same situation as the US. The number of countries that permit gay and lesbian soldiers to serve in the armed forces is growing and it is increasingly becoming more important to know whether official decisions with regards to the inclusion of homosexual service members in the military lead t changes in organizational performance (West 1965). Even though most members of NATO plus some nations has already permitted gay and lesbian soldiers to serve, there has still a very few empirical analysis of whether the decision to remove gay ban influences the ability of armed forces to pursue their missions. This topic has been addressed by some theoretical studies but there has been no in-depth empirical analysis on the consequences of removing gay bans (Sudnow 1965). In Canada for example, there were a handful of careful studies immediately after Canada’s 1992 decision of abolishing restrictions on gay and lesbian soldiers (Belkin, 2001). Although that was the case, long term impact of the new policy could not be known in those early studies and even the best qualitative research is only based on a few sources (West 1965). American officer, Lt Gen Calvin Waller, affirmed in 1993 that since Canada had not been caught up in armed conflict since the ban was lifted, he explained that Canada’s justification for considering the proof that has mounted up for up to eight years since the ban was removed is that senior Canadian officials foresee that altering the policy might compromise military effectiveness (Millet 1999). For this reason, the Canadian incident gives an opportunity to assess the effect of the policy change in opposition to early forecasts by senior military leaders. After discussing the historical development of homosexual personnel policy in Canada, the authors examined whether Canada’s decision to eliminate restrictions on gay and lesbian soldiers influences military efficiency (Brumett, 1981). The paper’s findings, based on a review of primary and secondary sources, as well as interviews with 29 military personnel and experts from the academic, non-governmental, and policy communities, is that Canada’s decision to lift its gay ban had no effect on military performance, eagerness, unity, or morale (Millet 1999).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Callaway Case Assignment Essay

Callaway Golf Company (CGC) has maintained top market share and superior golf equipment since 1982. In 1998, sales began to fall and market saturation posed large strategy questions to the senior management of CGC. CGC is in need of a new strategic vision for the future. Smith Marketing Consulting Group is recommending that CGC develop an online marketing campaign and a new putter line to address the need for continued growth and innovation. CGC enjoyed large market share and high profits from 1982 to 1998. Ely Callaway, CGC’s founder, accomplished this with his vision: â€Å"If we make a truly more satisfying product for the average golfer, not the professionals, and make it pleasingly different from the competition, the company will be successful. † Callaway’s early strategy from 1988-1997 included new club designs such as S2H2, Big Bertha, and titanium shafts; high end prices; and a large budget for research and development (R&D). CGC was able to sell more units of equipment at the highest prices due to leading-edge technology. Callaway had a one price policy to all on and off course retailers. CGC also had a marketing plan that included endorsement of pro golfers; television and magazine advertisements; and training to retailers on point of sale knowledge. In recent years, the golf equipment industry has seen an increase in competition with many new startups and saturation of products in the marketplace. The industry has also experienced a decrease in demand for high-end premium equipment and an increase in close-out programs. Product life-cycles have become very short, with most companies introducing new products on a yearly basis and sales of products declining sharply after only two years on retailer shelves. Golf equipment consumers tend to purchase new products on word-of-mouth recommendations and the average consumer has a handicap of 18 and purchases new clubs every two to three years. Recommendations In order to compete in the golf equipment industry, CGC must develop new strategies to keep the company growing and moving forward. Smith Marketing Consulting Group is recommending that CGC establish an online alliance with consumers and retailers and develop innovative putting equipment as a new strategy going forward. Although CGC has voiced reservation about using the Internet to sell products, the future for most retailers and manufacturers must include the Internet to stay successful. Based on short product lifecycles and high R&D budgets, CGC should capitalize on the efficiencies of the Internet to continually produce innovative products and allow consumer’s access to these products in the shortest times possible. CGC maintains excellent recognition through word-of-mouth advertising and pro golfer endorsements. Although CGC is fearful of consumers not wanting to delay satisfaction to have products shipped, the powerful marketing tool of word-of-mouth advertisement will allow CGC to capitalize with online retailing without consumers needing to physically see the products. CGC should consider a website that would allow the consumer to purchase equipment online, but the order would be picked up at local retail store. This would maintain CGC’s relationships with on and off course retailers, yet please consumers with the ease of shopping from home. An online retail shop will allow CGC to increase market share, maintain superior products and commitment to innovation. Secondly, CGC should focus R&D on innovative putting products to compliment the CGC woods and irons. Putting equipment currently accounts for the lowest sales percentage at CGC, but studies show consumers are much more likely to purchase putters than any other club. Therefore, strengthening the CGC line of putters will increase sales and profits. Smith Marketing Consulting Company appreciates the opportunity to work with CGC and we strongly feel these recommended strategies will greatly benefit the company.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Jane Eyre and the Balance of Emotions Essays

Jane Eyre and the Balance of Emotions Essays Jane Eyre and the Balance of Emotions Essay Jane Eyre and the Balance of Emotions Essay Essay Topic: Jane Eyre The Giver Charlotte Bronte was a remarkable English Victorian novelist celebrated for her ability to articulate social commentary in her works of love and courtship. Jane Eyre is no exception. In the novel, Bronte conveys the importance of tempering passions with self-control in order to balance desire and need. The protagonist and narrator, Jane Eyre, constantly battles with her conflicting feelings of intense passion, her strive for personal freedom, and restrictive social conventions. Jane Eyre must reconcile her temper and contradictory desires to interface her fierce sense of independence and autonomy and her desperate desire for communion. Bronte begins to disentangle the contradictory yearnings and emotions of Jane Eyre by acknowledging the relationship of Jane and Edward Rochester. In chapter 27, Jane’s moral integrity is tested when Rochester attempts to persuade Jane to stay with him despite his marriage to Bertha Mason. Jane replies, â€Å"I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself† (273). Although tempestuous, Jane recognizes that staying with Rochester would mean compromising herself. She asserts her worth regardless of others. Personal freedom is an indispensable theme of Jane Eyre. Throughout the novel, Jane struggles to find autonomy. As an orphan, she is restricted, terrorized by her cousins and aunt. As the novel progresses, she becomes entwined with Rochester, stymieing Jane’s search for freedom. Towards the end of the novel, Jane can come to terms with her independence as she detaches herself from those burdeni ng her and seeks out other independent-minded people. Additionally, Bronte addresses Jane’s dependence on religion in regards to the novel’s assessment of the contradictions between passionate feeling and judgment. Jane claims she, â€Å"will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man† (273). Jane sees God as the giver of the laws by

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Learning The Web

The world in which we live is becoming based solely on computers as technology grows. Businesses have their organization’s finances, records, and information on the World Wide Web (WWW). On this network formally called the Internet, any person with a home computer or even one at their place of business, can access data, information, records, logs, and databases of organizations’. With this ability come those who would exploit it; they call themselves hackers. There have been many cases in our world where someone has broken into a company electronically through the Internet with very highly sophisticated equipment. Some can see any information you have on your computer if your computer is connected to the Internet. I will try to give you examples and make you aware of this terror that has come upon this world. In the March 15th, 2002 issue of Newsweek there is an article on how a young man named Adrian Lamo hacked into the New York Times database. â€Å"Adrian Lamo is a 21-year-old high school dropout with no job and no permanent address. So how did he get to be listed alongside such luminaries as Bill Gates and Robert Redford in The New York Times' Op-Ed database? By hacking into the newspaper's supposedly secure corporate intranet-and then listing himself as an expert in "computer hacking, national security and communications intelligence.† (Fragala, Newsweek 1) To know that there are people out there that are able to accomplish these unimaginable feats of computer and electronic genius boggles my mind. The New York Times is a very distinguished and respectable newspaper. When there is a corporation of that magnitude, you expect that they have the best computer scientists on their staff developing web pages and databases that are more secure than Fort Knox. Well, there is a say ing somewhere by someone that I cannot remember right now that goes, â€Å"Nothing in this world is completely secure.† That theory in my mind and most ... Free Essays on Learning The Web Free Essays on Learning The Web The world in which we live is becoming based solely on computers as technology grows. Businesses have their organization’s finances, records, and information on the World Wide Web (WWW). On this network formally called the Internet, any person with a home computer or even one at their place of business, can access data, information, records, logs, and databases of organizations’. With this ability come those who would exploit it; they call themselves hackers. There have been many cases in our world where someone has broken into a company electronically through the Internet with very highly sophisticated equipment. Some can see any information you have on your computer if your computer is connected to the Internet. I will try to give you examples and make you aware of this terror that has come upon this world. In the March 15th, 2002 issue of Newsweek there is an article on how a young man named Adrian Lamo hacked into the New York Times database. â€Å"Adrian Lamo is a 21-year-old high school dropout with no job and no permanent address. So how did he get to be listed alongside such luminaries as Bill Gates and Robert Redford in The New York Times' Op-Ed database? By hacking into the newspaper's supposedly secure corporate intranet-and then listing himself as an expert in "computer hacking, national security and communications intelligence.† (Fragala, Newsweek 1) To know that there are people out there that are able to accomplish these unimaginable feats of computer and electronic genius boggles my mind. The New York Times is a very distinguished and respectable newspaper. When there is a corporation of that magnitude, you expect that they have the best computer scientists on their staff developing web pages and databases that are more secure than Fort Knox. Well, there is a say ing somewhere by someone that I cannot remember right now that goes, â€Å"Nothing in this world is completely secure.† That theory in my mind and most ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Best Questions to Ask During An Interview -TheJobNetwork

The Best Questions to Ask During An Interview -TheJobNetwork The interview has gone really well so far: you were exactly five minutes early, you hit all of your talking points in a confident and conversational way, and it turns out that both you and the interviewer went to Camp Mohegan (and you both remembered the secret handshake). Now things are winding down, and you can practically smell the new-folder scent of your employee orientation packet. Before you can collect your bag and use your superb (non-secret) interview handshake to close things out, though, there’s one more question: â€Å"Do you have any questions for me?† Here’s why questions to ask during an interview are really important. If you’re not prepared, this is a chance for that unappealing deer-in-headlights moment. It may not be a total dealbreaker, but it can definitely undermine all the highlights of your interview up to this point.1. Why Do You Need to Ask Questions?2. How to Prep Your Questions for the Interview3. What to Ask During the Intervie w4. What Not to Ask During the InterviewWhy Do You Need to Ask Questions?Basically, interviewers are asking you if you have any questions for them for a few reasons:It’s polite.They’re out of questions themselves.They want to see how you interact.They want to gauge your interest in the job.Okay, so #1 isn’t necessarily the most important reason. The ghost of Emily Post doesn’t haunt job interviews to make sure everyone’s behaving with impeccable manners. #2 and #3, however, make a difference to you. If, as in #2, the interviewer has just run out of topics for whatever reason, it’s a chance for you to step in and keep the dialogue open. You can re-emphasize points that you want to make sure the interviewer comes away remembering, and you can use this as an avenue to introduce skills or experience that you hadn’t previously discussed.If you’ve had a pretty exhaustive interview where you covered your resume comprehensively, itâ₠¬â„¢s likely that #3 is the reason. These days, just about everyone is busy at work due to understaffing and increased workloads. When companies hire someone new to join the team, they want to know that this person will be able to hit the ground running. So the â€Å"any questions for me?† question is really a gambit to see if you can follow up quickly, and request information that you want or need. If you just sit there with a blank expression, that’s a potential red flag. If you have the social skills to interact with the interviewer rather than just answer questions with a set of talking points, that shows you could be a proactive employee with good listening and communication skills.Responding with smart, insightful questions can tell the interviewer a lot about you (or reinforce the overall perception of you as a great, detail-oriented candidate). When you have good questions (throughout the interview or at the end when there’s an official call for question s), it shows the following qualities to the interviewer:Engagement: You are actively interested in the opportunity.Intelligence: You get what the job entails, and how you could fit into it.Confidence: You know you can do the job well and be an asset to the company.Social intelligence: You understand the give-and-take interactions, and present yourself well.And in addition to using questions to present your best self to the interviewer, it’s also a chance to do some final information-gathering on the job itself. Sure, you’ve read every line of the job description, have combed the internet and your social networks for intel on the company, and have checked to see what similar jobs at other companies entail. (If you haven’t done those things, definitely do them before interview day.) The interview is a chance for the company to evaluate you, but it’s also your chance to evaluate the job. After the interview, the next big step is either an offer (or a non-off er)- the grace period for follow-up questions closes around the same time you send your thank-you email to the interviewer. So it makes total sense to use the interview to get as much information as you can on the day-to-day life of the job, or the colleagues with whom you’d be working. Seize the opportunity!How to Prep Your Questions for the InterviewInterview prep is usually about how to frame yourself for maximum interview success: the resume points you want to emphasize, the specific anecdotes that show your leadership skills or your problem solving skills, and body language (posture, handshake, a hire-me smile that doesn’t scare anyone). But while you’re planning and practicing those things, also think about what you can ask the interviewer.According to The Interview Guys, the questions aren’t so much asking any old question as they are about asking the right ones, intelligently. This means focusing on the job itself, not generic things like â€Å"h ow many people are in the company?† or â€Å"what’s the current stock price?†To help you prep, you can break down questions into these different areas:The Job: What do you want to know about the nitty-gritty of life in this role?The Requirements: Are you equipped to take over this role? Or is there anything you can do to prepare?The Expectations: How does the company see this role, and what do they expect from the person who steps into it?The Company: What is this company really like?The People: What qualities do your possible future coworkers have? What do they value?The Follow-up: When is the company planning to fill this position? (This can help manage your expectations.)Prepping for this can be difficult, because you don’t know what you’ll be asked in the interview. You might cover any combination of these areas during the course of the interview, so you don’t want to ask questions that would directly repeat information that you’ve already been given. So the best way to account for this is to come up with a broad list of questions you can ask. Try to remember at least two in each of the categories above, so that you’re covered. You Can Bring a Cheat SheetNotes are fine to bring into an interview. There will be no Teleprompter, and you don’t get bonus points for memorizing and repeating canned responses. If you do decide to bring in notes with you, keep them limited to bullet points on an index card or small notebook. You don’t want to spend your time looking down at your novelized questions instead of making eye contact and engaging with the interviewer. Basically, you should come up with your list of tentative questions ahead of time, and know them pretty well, bringing notes only as a cheat sheet if you need them. Nothing stops the momentum of a good interview like pausing to shuffle through your notes in a moment of awkward silence.What to Ask During the InterviewAs you think about wha t questions to ask the interviewer, here are some examples in the categories we outlined above. Again, make sure these are as specific as possible to the job for which you’re applying, so that it sounds like you’re engaged and enthusiastic to learn more.The JobCan you describe what a typical day is like as an [insert job title]?What do you see as the biggest challenge for someone in this position?RELATED:  7 Interview Questions That Will Make You Stand OutThe RequirementsWhat kind of training can I expect if I’m hired for this job?Is there any training you would recommend in the meantime?The ExpectationsCan you tell me about the performance expectations for this role?Thinking about the long term, can you give a quick outline of the path for advancement in this department?What are the employee review processes for this role?The CompanyWhat would you say is the overall mission of this company?How would you say the company fits into the industry as a whole?Whatâ €™s your favorite part of working here?What’s your least favorite part of working here?How does the company approach work-life balance?The PeopleHow big is the team I’d be working with?Which other departments would I be working with as a [insert job title]?Can you give a brief description of the team members I’d be working with?If you could describe the team here in one word, what would it be?How would you describe the working environment here?Can you tell me about my direct manager? (Note: This one really only works if you’re being interviewed by a recruiter or HR person.)Can you describe your management style? (This is the equivalent if you’re being interviewed by the person to whom you’d be reporting.)The Follow-UpCan I email you with any additional questions if I think of any later?Do you know what the approximate timeline is for filling this position?What are the next steps?Is there anything else I can provide?We talked a little bit about my experience with [example based on job description]. Is there any other info I can provide on that front?Tips for Framing QuestionsAsk open-ended questions. Basic yes-or-no questions can shut down the conversation, and then you’ll be on the hook for another question even faster.Make sure you’re framing it as a question, and not just trailing off. â€Å"Is this position subject to an annual review, or†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Don’t ask leading or loaded questions, which make it look like you’re fishing for a specific answer. You want to seem like you genuinely want information, and aren’t just looking to confirm something you already know. â€Å"Isn’t it true that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ If you can, weave your questions throughout the interview. It demonstrates that you’re paying attention, and engaged in the process. If you find you can’t really do that with the conversational flow, save them until the end or until you’re asked if y ou have questions.Keep the tone light and professional. Don’t try to trap the interviewer in a mistake or misstatement, or use the questions aggressively to pin down an answer. You want to seem involved and relatable, not intense and overbearing.What NOT to Ask During the InterviewThere are some areas where you just shouldn’t go with your table-turning questions.Anything about salaryThis isn’t the time or the place- and the person who’s interviewing you may not have much insight into compensation. Also, if you jump the gun on salary discussions now, you could put yourself at a disadvantage later during the offer and negotiation phase.How soon you can take vacation timeThis is not only presumptuous, but also a part of later benefit discussions, like salary.Multi-part questionsIf you have a complicated question, ask it in pieces, in a conversational way.If the rumors are trueAny rumors. Whatever you’ve heard about the company, now is not the time to bring it up, even with your new Camp Mohegan buddy.Personal questions about the interviewerYou’ll have plenty of time to get to know your (hopefully) new colleague later.Once you have a feel for the general topics for these questions, you can start bending them to fit the job you want, and practicing the questions in a confident, conversational way. The more you come up with ahead of time, the less likely you are to be that deer in the headlights. You want to finish the interview strong, so get ready to have interview questions cut both ways.RELATED:  5 Unique Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Environment, Crime, and Disease in Mali Research Paper

Environment, Crime, and Disease in Mali - Research Paper Example Environmental Issues Globalization has various impacts on Mali’s environment, which are both positive and negative. The positive impact on the environment has mainly been in the agricultural sector. A good example is the tremendous growth in production of cotton (Kutting, 2004), which came about with the introduction of new seeds, which suited the Mali environment favorably. The increase in production of cotton has helped in the contribution to the economy because of increased exportation. The interaction of Mali with other countries has helped Mali know of better ways to cope with current environmental changes. The negative effects of globalization on the environment have been uniform in many countries especially third world countries with no exception to Mali. Globalization has led to mass industrialization, which has made industrial wastes a nuisance (Logan, 2002). This has led to pollution of water masses, which lead to the destruction of marine life and also diminishing a ccess to fresh water for human and animal use. Crime Similarly, globalization has influence the occurrence of crimes both positively and negatively. Through globalization, Mali law enforcers have accessed ways to fight crime by interacting with other law enforcers in the globe. This has somewhat reduced some forms of crime and has made Mali a more secure place. Also due to globalization there has been collaboration with allies in the Diaspora, who have helped to give ideas on training to ensure the law enforcers get the best training they can get so that the country is kept safe. However on the other side, globalization has also led to access of terrorists to ideas to build weapons of mass destruction and has increased the threat of terror attacks (United Nation, 2010). Mali people are very close allies with the USA in the war against terrorism. The local Mali individuals have also been able to learn more tactics to commit crime thus the rate of crime has gone up. Disease Mali being an African country in the tropics, there are many diseases that are rampant in the region. The region is infected with communicable diseases and globalization has spread the diseases to other parts of the world due to immigration to other countries (Lee, 2003). This has made the country have a crisis every time there is an outbreak of a disease since the poverty levels in this third world country cannot allow combating of these diseases easily. On the other hand, globalization has availed researchers with samples to try and get a cure for these communicable diseases. When foreigners come to Mali, they have to be immunized and thus vaccines have been developed to avoid also a humanitarian crisis, when there is an outbreak. Conclusion Mali has been working closely with USAID to combat the negative effects of globalization. In terms of environmental problems, USAID has funded Mali government in controlling industrial wastes not to spill over to the environment and end up polluting it. USAID through funding the world vision is also helping in providing safe water for drinking to the Mali community. The efforts of the USAID are quite commendable and their effect is being felt, but, I believe the involvement of the locals more to help keep the environment safe will yield better

Assisting Teachers to choose the appropriate e-learning tool PART 2 Assignment

Assisting Teachers to choose the appropriate e-learning tool PART 2 - Assignment Example A goal of Blooms nomenclature is to motivate teachers to focus on all three areas, creating a more rounded form of teaching. Blooms nomenclature is considered to be an introductory and essential component within the teaching community. A tradition has developed around the nomenclature, possibly due to countless people learning about the nomenclature over second hand data. Bloom himself reflected the Handbook "one of the highly cited yet least read in American teaching". ISTE Values (formerly the NETS)Â  for Instructors (ISTE Standards) are the principles for estimating the skills and information educators need to instill, work and study in a progressively connected universal and numerical society. As technology incorporation continues to surge in our society, it is vital that teachers retain the skills and comportments of digital age specialists. Moving onward, teachers need to become contented being co-learners with their apprentices and coworkers worldwide. An algorithm is an involved way to clarify your philosophies using step-by-step directions. A clear procedure basically means that not only you can comprehend it, but persons who are relying on your procedure in order to comprehend your notion can do as well. A procedure that is perfect however, is not fundamentally correct. The good thing about a language is that there exists numerous ways to extant one idea. A correct procedure means that it will essentially perform as anticipated. Efficacy can be termed as working fast and accurately. Would you quite have a game that opened in 10 or 5 minutes? That can be exacted by your algorithm’s efficacy. Having an effectual algorithm means it operates as smoothly as probable and in the least amount of time. A clear system consists of proper classification. For instance while writing a package; you might have variables whose information is dog, pink and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Gender Pay Gap In Sweden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Gender Pay Gap In Sweden - Essay Example Estimates vary on the extent of the pay gap, ranging between 15-25% (Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Opinion on Gender Pay Gap, 2007, pp.1-2). Like many other EU member states the gap between men's and women's pay in Sweden has not changed much in the last ten years and there is a general consensus that women are still earning almost 18% less than men. The paper explicitly analyzes and addresses the different aspects of Gender Pay Gap in Sweden. The data presented in the paper is based on different sources particularly EU study group reports. It highlights different facts and figures about GPG in Sweden, its origins and Swedish government policy response to counter measures and to level out wage differences between women and man. It also gives few examples of good practices. And finally few recommendations are made to reduce the GPG IN Sweden. The gender pay gap refers to the difference between the wages earned by women and by men. In order to take into account differences in working hours and the impact of the income tax system, most estimates are based on differences in gross hourly wages. The most common method is to calculate the gender pay gap as the ratio of women's average gross hourly wage to men's average gross hourly wage, or as the difference between men's and women's gross hourly wage as a percentage of men's average gross hourly wage. In this case, the gender pay gap indicates how many percentage points the earnings of men have to decrease in order to be equal to those of women. Another method is to use the earnings of women as a reference point. In that case, the gender pay gap indicates how many percentage points the earnings of women have to increase in order to be equal to those of men (Meulders et al., 2006). It is unimaginable in a democratic and equal society that women continue to earn on average 15% less than men and 25% less in the private sector. Like many other EU member states the gap between men's and women's pay in Sweden has not changed much in the last ten years and there is a general consensus that women are still earning almost 18% less than men. Sweden's official wage statistics also indicate that over past ten years, the wage levels for women and men in various sectors of employment do not show any significant shift towards equality and has remained unchanged. According to the National Mediation Office 2003 annual report the gap between the sexes has remained largely unchanged over the past 10 years (Berg, 2004, para. 13). The same situation is reiterated by Anita Harriman, an expert on equal pay at the office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman which was created in 1980 when Sweden passed its first law against gender discrimination in the workplace. Anita Harriman some what dejectedly admits that they haven't been able to get at wage differentials. "Women in Sweden still earn only 82 percent of what men earn, and the only explanation for some of that disparity is wage discrimination" says Anita Harriman (Alfredsson, 2006, para. 1). In last couple of years the Swedish GPG has observed a fluctuating trend towards levelling GPG. Nevertheless, these inconsistent changes in levelling out

Reports of Digital Investigations to Management Essay

Reports of Digital Investigations to Management - Essay Example Certainly, digital forensics investigations are time-consuming and resource-consumptive but are integral to the continued securitization of an organization's data and the protection of both its customers and its market status. Following a brief overview of the type of information which Digital Investigation Reports are expected to contain, this essay will examine the question of what organizational managers expect to see in these reports and why. Jones, Bejtlich and Rose (2005) explain that there are several types of digital investigation reports and the structure and content of each is ultimately determined by the person they were written for. If directed to either the IT Manager or the organization's Chief Security Officer, they are extremely detailed. The reports will, customarily, include all the relevant information surrounding the incident, the tools which were used to detect the penetration or attempted penetration, its consequences and the technologies employed for the investigation of the incident. The results of the investigation are comprehensively detailed. ... Digital investigation reports which are forwarded to the organization's Legal Department are similar to those composed for the Finance and Accounting departments (Jones, Bejtlich and Rose, 2005). As indicated above, the composition of digital investigation reports is a complex and complicated process. This is not simply because of their intricately detailed nature but because several reports are generated and the style and content of each differs according to intended recipient. 3 Reports to Management Digital Investigations Reports addressed to management are, quite possibly, the most important of all the digital forensic reports prepared by the organization. The reason, as explained by the IT Director, is that the organization's top management are its decision-makers; they allocate the budget and resources necessary for such investigations and, importantly, make the decision on follow-up action. These reports tell management what happened, the extent of the damages, if any, and why the incident occurred in the first place. Importantly, these reports may also contain suggestions for the avoidance of future incidents. From the IT Director's perspective, the reports addressed to management are intended to provide them with the information needed for them to arrive at a decision on future action and reaction. Stephenson (2003) similarly emphasizes the importance of the digital investigation reports submitted to management. As he argues, the information contained in these reports undoubtedly influence management decisions regarding subsequent action. For example, if the investigations revealed the incident to be serious and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Proposing a solution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Proposing a solution - Research Paper Example This may appear to wash away all the essentials of competition in education. In essence, questions would emerge as to the importance of exams anyway as individuals who have not met passing grades will still proceed to the next level. Nevertheless, varied strategies may be devised to curb against this problem. It is noteworthy that this problem would only be solved through a state or federal policy (Kelly, 2006). In solving this problem, students should be taken through English proficiency courses. These courses would not only aim at increasing the proficiency of students in English but also categorize them into either proficient or non-proficient. In essence, the non-proficient students would continue with English lessons even when they are moved to other grade levels while proficient students would stop taking English-proficiency classes. However, it should be clear to the non-proficient students that they cannot go past a certain grade without a certain level of proficiency. Such proficiency programs may resemble ESOL program. ESOL, an acronym for English for Speakers of Other Languages, is offered to individuals whose main language is not English as a way of improving their language. The course covers vocabularies, reading and writing, speaking and listening, as well as punctuation and grammar. Unfortunately, most ESOL have been subjected to FCAT programs, which essentially resemble the proposed solution, only that if the students do not attain the required grades. FCAT, an acronym for Traditionally, ESOL students have Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, is almost reasonably tied to an individual’s success in high school, as well as achievement in life. In the State of Florida, students and public schools are evaluated every year on their performance. They are routinely sanctioned if they do not show sufficient progress (Kelly, 2006). In

Security as a profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security as a profession - Essay Example Most individuals find security as their last option preferring white-collar professions to it. The association of the industry and other fields is addressing these obstacles. It is unfortunate that most individuals are failing to appreciate security as a profession yet they cannot survive without applying various means of security in their workstations or their homes. Most organizations and industries are making use of such security individuals to safeguard their premises over theft and burglary. Thus, failing to appreciate this level of security details is intriguing and ironic at the same time. For many years, individuals working as security guards view themselves as working in jobs only for the survival of it but they do not view it as a profession. Many just ventured into such security jobs because they did not have any alternative job to earn a living from. Others were enrolled in security positions to safeguard the elite from others until they retired. Others served in the military or police service for many years and then figured out that they were qualified for a job as security officials. The other group of individuals chose it as a career went to school to develop essential skills then began tarmacking in search of security jobs from companies. They began building their skills in the progress and climbed up the ladder on their way.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Proposing a solution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Proposing a solution - Research Paper Example This may appear to wash away all the essentials of competition in education. In essence, questions would emerge as to the importance of exams anyway as individuals who have not met passing grades will still proceed to the next level. Nevertheless, varied strategies may be devised to curb against this problem. It is noteworthy that this problem would only be solved through a state or federal policy (Kelly, 2006). In solving this problem, students should be taken through English proficiency courses. These courses would not only aim at increasing the proficiency of students in English but also categorize them into either proficient or non-proficient. In essence, the non-proficient students would continue with English lessons even when they are moved to other grade levels while proficient students would stop taking English-proficiency classes. However, it should be clear to the non-proficient students that they cannot go past a certain grade without a certain level of proficiency. Such proficiency programs may resemble ESOL program. ESOL, an acronym for English for Speakers of Other Languages, is offered to individuals whose main language is not English as a way of improving their language. The course covers vocabularies, reading and writing, speaking and listening, as well as punctuation and grammar. Unfortunately, most ESOL have been subjected to FCAT programs, which essentially resemble the proposed solution, only that if the students do not attain the required grades. FCAT, an acronym for Traditionally, ESOL students have Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, is almost reasonably tied to an individual’s success in high school, as well as achievement in life. In the State of Florida, students and public schools are evaluated every year on their performance. They are routinely sanctioned if they do not show sufficient progress (Kelly, 2006). In

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Korean Airline Porter's 5 Forces Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Korean Airline Porter's 5 Forces - Coursework Example The customers of KAL include passengers, corporate organizations as well as other actors in the aircraft industry among others. The table below highlights the industry analysis that constitutes Porter’s five forces that can impact on its operations. KAL has a total of 149 aircraft and is the largest in terms of consumers and it specializes in offering services in the following sectors: Passenger services, components and parts, aerospace services as well as cargo (KAI). However, there are other competitors in the aviation industry which include the following: Asiana Airlines which is the second largest airline in Korea, currently operating a total of 83 aircraft, on top of that, there are also five Low Cost Carriers (LCC): Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, and T’Way Air. Though KAL is the largest airline, the existence of rivalry among the other existing players cannot be ignored. It poses a threat to the airline. As noted above, there are six other competitors in the aircraft industry which entails that the threat of substitutes is high. For instance, â€Å"In 2013, 4.9 million international travelers, or 9.6% of all international travelers, used LCCs,† (KAI). The number of passengers using LCCs has dramatically increased which means that they can switch from KAL to these low cost planes. On the other hand, the consumers have the power to determine prices since they can easily switch to low cost careers and this in turn can force Korean Airlines to review its prices downwards. According to KAI, the bargaining power of suppliers is low as a result of the fact that â€Å"all U.S. aerospace exports are duty-free as of March 15, 2012, and as a result of the implementation of the Korea-U.S. FTA (KORUS).† This means that this trade agreement between the two countries is specifically meant to protect the interests of both nations. Prices are regulated at acceptable levels

Monday, October 14, 2019

Forest Gump Essay Example for Free

Forest Gump Essay Gump, motion picture chronicling the adventures of Forrest Gump, a kind, but slow-witted man who has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Released in 1994, the film won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects. Tom Hanks earned an Academy Award for portraying Gump as a sweet, simple, straightforward man with incredible luck. Gump happens upon many pivotal moments of American history during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s—for example, he teaches Elvis Presley how to dance and he witnesses the Watergate burglary. Gump also makes a million dollars, runs across the United States, and falls in love with the girl next door. Director Robert Zemeckis Sergeant Forrest Gump Sr. (born June 6, 1944 also known as Forrest Gump in Greenbow, Alabama) is a fictional character who first appears in the 1986 eponymous novel by Winston Groom. Forrest Gump also appeared on screen in the 1994 film of the same name directed by Robert Zemeckis. Gump was portrayed as a child by Michael Conner Humphreys and portrayed as an adult by Tom Hanks, who won an Academy Award for the role. The portrayal of Forrest in the novel is notably different from the portrayal in the film. He later reappears in the 1995 novel Gump and Co. In 2008, Forrest Gump was named the 20th greatest movie character of all time by Empire Magazine. Introduction The world will never be the same once youve seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump: a film chronicling the life of a mentally challenged man present during three of the most distinctive and dynamic decades in American history. While on the surface lies a heartwarming and inspirational story, the underlying narrative tends to explore progression of American society while depoliticizing history. Throughout the film Forrest is directly involved in major events of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, yet he never shows any initiative of his own. What is the filmmaker trying to insinuate? Contents ? 1. Life 1. Early Years 2. College 3. In The Army 4. Washington, D. C. 5. Ping-Pong 6. Shrimping Boat Captain 7. Home in Alabama 8. Running 9. Back To Present ? 2. Different from the Novel ? 3. Sociological Analysis ? 4. Awards ? 5. Trivia ? 6. Quotes ? 7. Question and Answer Event ? 8. Conclusion ? 9. References [pic]Life 1. 1 Early Years Gump was born near the fictional small town of Greenbow, Alabama, on June 6, 1944 (the same day that the Allied forces began Operation Overlord). His father was absent during his life, his mother saying he was on vacation. His mother named him after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a noted Confederate general in the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan who is supposedly related to Gump. She intended his name to be a reminder that sometimes we all do things that, well, just dont make no sense. Forrest was born with strong legs, but a crooked spine. He was forced to wear leg braces which made walking difficult and running near impossible. He also had a relatively low I. Q. of 75 which nearly prevented him from being accepted into public school (his mother managed to get the principal to reconsider by allowing him to sleep with her). Despite his physical and mental challenges, Forrests mother told him not to let anyone tell him he was different, telling him stupid is as stupid does. Forrest and his mother lived in a large house just outside the town of Greenbow. They made money by renting out rooms to travellers. One of their guests was a young Elvis Presley. Forrest liked dancing to his music and his leg braces gave him a peculiar dancing style that would supposedly inspire the young Elvis famous hip dancing after he became famous. On the bus ride to school, Forrest met Jenny Curran and was instantly taken with her. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life, he would later say of her, She was like an angel. The two became close friends, often playing around a large nearby tree. Jenny was one of the few people besides his mother to accept Forrest as he was, helping him learn to read and standing up to bullies who harassed him. However, Jennys home life was not nearly as happy as Forrests: her mother had died when she was five and her father was an abusive alcoholic who molested his children (until Jenny was taken away to live with her grandmother), and Forrests friendship offered her an escape. One day, a group of bullies were throwing fallen fruit at Forrest and chasing him on their bikes. Jenny told Forrest to just run away. As Forrest struggled to run, his leg braces broke apart. Once he was free of them, Forrest was able to run incredibly fast. Forrest would never wear leg braces again and was able to run everywhere he wanted to after that. 1. 2 College Forrest and Jenny remained close friends all the way through high school, though he remained a target for bullies. One day, while running from some bullies, he interrupted the local high schools football practice by running across the field faster than all the players. This feat caught the attention of Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Paul Bear Bryant, who was at the practice scouting football players. After his incredible running ability impressed the coach, Forrest received a football scholarship to the University of Alabama, where his speed helped them win several games. He was later named to the All-American team and got to meet President John F. Kennedy at the White House. When asked by the President how he felt, Forrest (having drunk about fifteen Dr Peppers) gave an honest answer of I gotta pee. Forrest was also present at the University when it was desegregated and observed Governor George Wallace denouncing the desegregation. While several citizens jeered the black students entering the campus, Forrest, not entirely understanding the situation, simply walked up to a black woman and handed her a book she dropped, saying simply Maam? You dropped your book maam? before following her and the others into school. 1. 3 In the Army At his college graduation in 1967, Forrest was approached by an army recruiter who asked if hed given any thought to his future. Soon after, Forrest would join the United States Army. On the bus Forrest met Benjamin Buford Blue, a young black man from Bayou La Batre, Alabama, who went by the nickname Bubba. Bubba told Forrest about his family history of cooking shrimp and how he had planned to buy his own shrimping boat after getting out of the army. Forrest did well in the army as he followed orders well without distraction; for example, he set a new company record for assembling his M14 rifle with his drill sergeant, who regularly singled him out as an example for the recruits, replying he would be a general. Meanwhile, Jenny had been kicked out of school for posing in Playboy and had gotten work singing in the nude at a strip club in Memphis, Tennessee. Forrest went up to visit her one night and beat up some patrons who were harassing her. Forrest tells Jenny that he loves her, but Jenny replies that he [doesnt] know what love is. Jenny is angry but later becomes concerned when he tells her he was being deployed to Vietnam. Jenny tells him not to try being brave if he was ever in trouble and to just run away instead. While in Vietnam, and assigned to company A, 2/47th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division Forrest and Bubba meet their platoon leader Lieutenant Dan Taylor, whom Forrest would refer to as Lieutenant Dan. While on patrol, Bubba proposed that he and Forrest go into the shrimping business together after their time in the army was finished. Forrest agreed. After several uneventful months, their platoon was ambushed by the Viet Cong and several soldiers were wounded and killed. In the confusion, Forrest initially was ordered to retreat, and was separated from the rest of his platoon, but after becoming concerned for Bubba, he ran back to look for him. Instead, Forrest found Lieutenant Dan and several other wounded soldiers and carried them to safety before looking for Bubba. Forrest finally found Bubba badly wounded and managed to carry him away from the combat area before it was hit with napalm from an air strike. His last words were I wanna go home. Sadly, Bubba died of his wounds soon after. Forrest himself was shot in the buttocks during the firefight and recovered in an army hospital. Lieutenant Dan was in the bed next to his, having lost his legs because of his injuries. Lieutenant Dan was angry at Forrest for cheating him out of his destiny to die in battle with honor (as several of his ancestors had) and rendering him crippled. . 4 Washington, D. C. Forrest later receives the Medal of Honor for his bravery in Vietnam. When being awarded, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked where he was hit and when Forrest told him he whispers in his ear hed like to see it, so Forrest, despite knowing there were people watching, drops his pants right there to show him. Shortly thereafter, Forrest went out sightseeing in Washington, D. C. and accidentally found him self among a group of veterans attending an anti-war rally led by Abbie Hoffman. While at the rally, he was reunited with Jenny, who had since become a hippie. Forrest was less enamored with her new boyfriend Wesley, the president of the SDS at Berkeley, and beat up Wesley after he saw him hit Jenny during an argument at a Black Panther Party gathering. Forrest and Jenny stayed up all night while Jenny told Forrest of her travels. Before they went their separate ways again in the morning, Forrest gave Jenny the Medal of Honor he earned in Vietnam. 1. 5 Ping-Pong While in the hospital, Forrest had taken up ping-pong. Rather than returning to Vietnam, Forrest was assigned to the Special Services, entertaining wounded veterans with his ping-pong skills. He would later travel to the Peoples Republic of China during the Ping Pong Diplomacy period. When he returned in 1971, he was a national hero, famouser than even Captain Kangaroo and was invited by Dick Cavett on The Dick Cavett Show. John Lennon was also a guest on the show at the time and hearing Forrest talk about the Chinese having no possessions and no religion too, inspired him to write the song Imagine. Soon after, Forrest was briefly reunited with Lieutenant Dan, now a bitter alcoholic, confined to a wheelchair, having lost his faith in God. Lieutenant Dan was also dismayed that Forrest, whom he declared as an imbecile who embarrassed himself on television, was given the Medal of Honor. When Forrest told him of his and Bubbas plan to go into the shrimping business, Lieutenant Dan only laughed and joked that if Forrest was ever a shrimping b oat captain, he would be Forrests first mate. Upon visiting President Richard Nixon he was invited by the President to stay at the Watergate Hotel complex. He was awakened by flashlights in the offices opposite his room. Believing the tenants to be having difficulty with a fusebox, Forrest calls Frank Wills at the security office to notify the maintenance crew, inadvertently initiating the Watergate scandal, which leads to President Nixons resignation. Shortly after this, Forrest was honorably discharged from the army with the rank of Sergeant and returned home to Alabama. 1. 6 Shrimping Boat Captain Upon his return Forrest finds the house filled with memorabilia capitalizing on his fame as a ping-pong player in China. At his mothers insistence, Forrest made $25,000 endorsing a brand of ping-pong paddles and used most of the money to travel to Bubbas home town of Bayou La Batre and purchase a boat. When someone pointed out it was bad luck to have a boat without a name, Forrest names his boat after Jenny (whom, unbeknownst to him, had descended into a life of drugs and sexual promiscuity at this point and even contemplated suicide over her choices). Sometime later, Forrest was visited by Lieutenant Dan, who as a man of his word, had come to be Forrests first mate, just as he said he would do on New Years Eve. For several weeks, the two had no luck catching shrimp. Things changed, however, when the area was hit by Hurricane Carmen. Forrests boat was the only one left standing and they found themselves with a monopoly of shrimp. Under the name Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, they soon became very wealthy. Lieutenant Dan, having faced his demons during the storm, thanked Forrest for saving his life in Vietnam, and Forrest assumes that Dan (without actually saying so) made peace with God. 1. 7 Home in Alabama Forrest returned home to Greenbow when he learned his mother was dying of cancer. After her death, Forrest stays and leaves his shrimping industry in the hands of Lieutenant Dan and retired to mowing and cutting grass and lawns, as he apparently enjoys doing it. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dan participated in a substantial investment into what Forrest says to be some kind of fruit company. In reality, the company was the fledgling Apple Computer, and it is implied that their investment largely kick-started Apples rise and success. With the money he got from the Apple Computer investment, Forrest spent them on renovating the church he frequents, establishing a medical center at Bubbas hometown and gave Bubbas family his share of the investment money that is enough for them to never work again. Jenny returns to Greenbow and moves in with Forrest. The two spend time together and Forrest later describes it as the happiest time of my life. One night, Forrest asks Jenny to marry him, but she turns him down, saying You dont want to marry me. Forrest replies with, Im not a smart man, but I know what love is. After this exchange, Jenny comes to Forrests bedroom, tells him she loves him, and the two make love. Jenny hails a cab very early the next morning and leaves, unbeknownst to him before he wakes up. 1. 8 Running Forrests newfound loneliness leads him to take a run for no particular reason. At first, he decides to run to the end of the road, then across town, then across the county, then all the way to the Missis sippi border. Eventually, he criss-crosses the country several times over a span of three years. Forrest attracts media coverage, and eventually, dozens of followers. During the run, he inspires the phrase Shit Happens to a bumper-sticker salesman after stepping in a pile of dog droppings. He also uses a yellow t-shirt provided to him by a designer to wipe off his face after being splattered by mud. In the process, he forms the iconic Smiley face logo and tells the man to Have a nice day. One day, while running in the Western United States, Forrest decides hes tired and stops. He immediately turns around and walks back to Alabama. His followers are dumbfounded at his sudden decision. Meanwhile, Jenny has taken a job as a waitress in Savannah, Georgia and sees news coverage of Forrests run on television. 1. 9 Back to the Present Back to the present (the present in the film being around 1981, as seen from a car and on a bus, and televised footage of Ronald Reagans assassination attempt), Forrest tells his latest companion on the bench, an elderly woman, hed recently received a letter from Jenny asking him to come see her. When he tells her the address and directions hed been given, she tells him its only a few blocks away, and he hurries over on foot. Forrest and Jenny are happy to see each other. Before they can do much catching up however, Forrest is introduced to Jennys young son, a bright young boy whom she named Forrest after his father. Forrest at first thinks she met another man named Forrest, until she explains Youre his daddy, Forrest. Forrests fearful inquiry as to Little Forrests intelligence leads Jenny to quickly assert that he is completely normal. Forrest learns that Jenny is sick from a virus (implied to be HIV). He invites her and Little Forrest to come home and stay with him. She asks him to marry her and he accepts. Forrest and Jennys wedding is a quiet, intimate ceremony attended only by a handful of family and friends. Among the attendees is Lieutenant Dan, who has titanium prosthetic legs, with his Vietnamese fiancee Susan. It is the only time Jenny and Dan meet. Forrest, Jenny, and Little Forrest have a few happy months together as a family before Jenny dies on Saturday March 22, 1982 (which was actually a Monday). Forrest has her buried under the tree where they played as children, and then buys her childhood home (where her ather had mistreated her) and has it bulldozed. Though he misses Jenny terribly, Forrest becomes a good father to Little Forrest. Visiting Jennys grave one day, he reflects on the idea of fate and destiny, wondering if Lt. Dan was right about people having their own destiny, or if his Mother was right about description of life as floating around accidentally like on a breeze. He eventually decides maybe its both, maybe both are happening at the same time. Forrest is last seen outside his home, seeing Little Forrest off on his bus ride to school, telling his son he loves him. . Differences from the novel The portrayal of Forrest in the original novel is notably different to how he was portrayed in the film. Largely, in the novel Forrest is shown to be somewhat cynical and abrasive, while in the film he is a more placid and naive person. He is also described as being an autistic savant and has extraordinary talent in numerical calculation. Changes from the novel to the film include: the deaths of Forrests mother; and Jenny, neither of whom died in the original book. The novel also provides additional back-story on his father. It is revealed that his father was a dockworker, who worked for United Fruit Company. He was killed when a crate of bananas being loaded off a boat fell on top of him, crushing him to death. Forrest goes on a number of different adventures including being an astronaut, playing the harmonica in a band called the Cracked Eggs, becoming a professional wrestler (The Dunce) and running for the United States Senate (with the campaign slogan I Got to Pee). 3. Sociological analysis An understanding of Forrests background in an important and characterizing element in the film. Disadvantaged by a terrible spine condition and a low IQ, Forrest struggles through childhood in small-minded Greenbow, Alabama. Due to his mental disabilities, Forrest becomes the victim of academic discrimination, which his mother fights desperately to resolve. He might be a bit on the slow side, but my boy Forrest is going to get the same opportunities as everyone else, she stated to the principal of Greenbow County Central School. Hes not going to some special school to learn to how to re-tread tires. (Gump 1995) Forrests mother was determined. Taking advantage of this, the principal coerced Forrests mother into trading a sexual favor for enrollment in school. In addition to these unsettling events, Forrest finds himself tormented and isolated by neighborhood children and townspeople who seem incapable of treating him with anything but reproach and disdain. Forrest was also an active part of many important events, including protests lead by George Wallace against desegregation, the Vietnam War, the Ping Pong Diplomacy period, anti-war activism lead by Abbie Hoffman, Black Panther Party meetings, and the Watergate scandal. It would be reasonable to say that being part of such important events and would make him vulnerable to the social forces of the times, yet his lack of critical thought as a result of low intelligence seemed to indicate the complete opposite he remained wholly oblivious and ignorant of their significance. During George Wallaces Stand in the Schoolhouse Door protest, Forrest stands curiously in the background, more interested in his surroundings rather than the actual protest. During the Vietnam War, Forrest never questions the morality or the agenda of the U. S. government, and receives the Congressional Medal of Honor for his efforts. His entire experience during the Vietnam War can be summed up into one conversation between him and the Drill Sergeant: Gump! Whats your sole purpose in this Army? To do whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant! (Gump 1995) Still, the most dismaying portion of impassive responses glorified in this film can be contributed to Forrests careless involvement in the anti-Vietnam War rally lead by Abbie Hoffman. He was entirely clueless as to the purpose of the anti-war movements. His view of Abbie Hoffmans role? There was this man, giving a little talk And every time he said the F word, people, for some reason, well, theyd cheer. Though the focus of the film is directed towards Forrest Gump, the effects of social forces are most often expressed and implied through Jenny Curran. Forrests generally unobservant nature contrasts harshly with Jennys forthright and independent character. Without Jenny, we would have a collectively unrealistic and uncertain portrayal of many occurrences that contributed to the structure of todays society. Unlike Forrest, Jenny was consciously and intentionally involved in the counterculture movements of the 60s, as she is seen trailing the countryside with fellow hippies, participating in anti-war movements, and secretly involving herself in Black Panther Party meetings. Before Jenny sets off on what turns out to be downward spiral towards debasement, she speaks to Forrest of her motives. I want to reach people on a personal level. I want to be able to say things, just one-to-one. (Gump 1995) However, Jennys plans for a better society are brought to a staggering halt when Jenny develops a fatal disease stemming from precarious drug use. 4. Awards Academy Award for Best Picture (1994) Academy Award for Best Actor (1994): Tom Hanks Academy Award for Best Director (1994): Robert Zemeckis Academy Award for Best Screenplay—Based on Material Previously Published (1994): Eric Roth Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1994): Arthur Schmidt Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (1994): Ken Ralston, George Murphy, Stephen Rosenbaum, Allen Hall Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture—Drama (1995) Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor—Drama (1995): Tom Hanks Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Director (1995): Robert Zemeckis 5. Trivia In this movie, every still photograph of Forrest Gump shows him with his eyes closed. 6. Quotes Forrest Gump (explaining his run across the United States):â€Å"I just felt like running. † Forrest Gump: â€Å"My mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. † 7. Question and answer event (The delightfully sarcastic humor of film critics David Edelstein helps narrate this question ad answer about this movie. ) Here is another big one that didn’t (surprisingly) make your list: Forrest Gump. This one did make it close to the top ten, didn’t it? A: Well, I certainly agree with you about Titanic, and after my less than positive review in Slate, I had 500 pieces of hate e-mail (mostly from teenage girls and much of it unprintable here) to prove it. But while I found Titanic mostly square and dumb (not badly acted, though—DiCaprio and Winslet are marvelous romantic leads), it’s almost never pernicious. The movies I wrote about are ones I found not just overrated, but objectionably, infuriatingly overrated. Which brings us to Forrest Gump. Yes, it came close to making my top ten most hateful. I have little patience for the conceit of the radiant simpleton, and even less when the radiant simpleton is positioned as morally superior in every way to, say, anti-Vietnam War activists. But Gump was just well made (and weird) enough to keep me in my seat. Let’s put it at number eleven. 8. Conclusion Although Tom Hanks (Star in Forrest Gump) affirms that the film was non-political and thus non-judgmental, the previous examples show implications otherwise. Though the film does take a stand against disability discrimination by shedding some light on the difficulties that accompany being handicap during a callous time in American history, its motives were generally ambiguous and unclear. Based on the filmmakers unattractive outlook on counterculturalism, his lack of discretion when touching on issues like desegregation and independence, as well as his insensitive approach to the deaths of activists, we can arrive at the following conclusion: the harrowing experiences exposed in this film can be easily discarded as something warranted only by devoted individuals who attempt to foster humanity. 9. References

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Les Miserables :: essays research papers

Les Miserables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables Jean Valjean goes through many difficult struggles and finds the much needed influence to help him. There are three characters who influence Jean: Bishop Bienvenu, Cosette, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bishop Bienvenu’s influence on Jean is similar to that of a father’s influence on his son. Bishop Bienvenu’s influence is critical to the start of Jean’s life after prison. The Bishop was the only person that would shelter Jean for that long first night. During the night Jean stole his silver wear. Instead of being angry, the Bishop confirms Jean’s story and gives him the silver candlesticks too. ‘â€Å"Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. I have bought your soul, that it may not be lost.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(26). The Bishop’s Influence on Jean will stay with him for the rest of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cosette’s influence on Jean Valjean is welcome and realized most by Jean. Cosette influenced Jean with her need for love and a father figure. When Jean first met Cosette, he realized her reaching out for someone to fill in these missing spots in her life. As Jean took care of Cosette he gave her a loving, elder, trustworthy, male role she has been waiting for for support and stability. The time they spent together warmed both of their hearts with the feeling they longed for. â€Å"Jean Valjean felt his own happiness grow with the happiness which he caused Cosette†(139). Cosette’s influence on Jean made both his feelings and life better and more barable. Jean found the love he has been without for so long, it warmed his heart and the people around him. Cosette influenced Jean’s feelings for love, life, and his sense of well being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marius’s influence on Jean Valjean is rather a love-hate respect. Marius influenced Jean in a way that was not at first accepted by him. Marius was in love with Cosette and this made Jean angry. Cosette had warmed Jean’s heart with her love and Marius was going to walk into their lives and take it for his own. Jean tried to tie up their relationship the best he could. Finally, he realized that this was best for Cosette and if she was happy he was too. Les Miserables :: essays research papers Les Miserables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables Jean Valjean goes through many difficult struggles and finds the much needed influence to help him. There are three characters who influence Jean: Bishop Bienvenu, Cosette, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bishop Bienvenu’s influence on Jean is similar to that of a father’s influence on his son. Bishop Bienvenu’s influence is critical to the start of Jean’s life after prison. The Bishop was the only person that would shelter Jean for that long first night. During the night Jean stole his silver wear. Instead of being angry, the Bishop confirms Jean’s story and gives him the silver candlesticks too. ‘â€Å"Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. I have bought your soul, that it may not be lost.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(26). The Bishop’s Influence on Jean will stay with him for the rest of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cosette’s influence on Jean Valjean is welcome and realized most by Jean. Cosette influenced Jean with her need for love and a father figure. When Jean first met Cosette, he realized her reaching out for someone to fill in these missing spots in her life. As Jean took care of Cosette he gave her a loving, elder, trustworthy, male role she has been waiting for for support and stability. The time they spent together warmed both of their hearts with the feeling they longed for. â€Å"Jean Valjean felt his own happiness grow with the happiness which he caused Cosette†(139). Cosette’s influence on Jean made both his feelings and life better and more barable. Jean found the love he has been without for so long, it warmed his heart and the people around him. Cosette influenced Jean’s feelings for love, life, and his sense of well being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marius’s influence on Jean Valjean is rather a love-hate respect. Marius influenced Jean in a way that was not at first accepted by him. Marius was in love with Cosette and this made Jean angry. Cosette had warmed Jean’s heart with her love and Marius was going to walk into their lives and take it for his own. Jean tried to tie up their relationship the best he could. Finally, he realized that this was best for Cosette and if she was happy he was too.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Symbolism In Heart Of Darkness Essay -- essays research papers

Submitting to Symbolism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every great author posses the ability to create a novel deeply woven in symbolism and subliminal messages. Underneath the literal journey encountered in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness lies a tale saturated with subtle, yet, significant imagery that brings forth the true meaning of the novella. Throughout Heart of Darkness Conrad uses a plethora of simple colors, objects, and places to convey multifaceted images and ideas. His fine execution of the tools of the English language allows him to quickly lure the reader aboard the Nellie and not release him until the horror is over. Although the interpretation of symbols in the Heart of Darkness is elaborate, due to their simplicity they are often overlooked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An overriding series of symbols in Heart of Darkness is the ongoing contrast of white and black, dark and light, and respectively holding representations of good and evil. Amongst most literature white/light relates to a civilized community and black/dark denotes savagery. However, Conrad often depicts many things usually associated with light to be dark in coincidence with the glittering light shed on dark images. Conrad illustrates the wrath of Europe, â€Å"And this also has been one of the darkest places of the earth.† (Conrad 18) Furthermore, Conrad's frequent symbolic combination of life and death is a parallel to light and dark, echoing the fact that the two must exist simultaneously - there cannot be without the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blatant, but often passed over is the symbolism of the number three in Heart of Darkness. First, notice that the book is divided into three chapters. From there Conrad only lets Marlow break from the story three times to let the unnamed narrator speak. As the journey through the Congo progresses it halts its journey at three stations-Outer, Central, and Inner. The triads do not end here, but persist through the characters in the novella. Though they play an integral role in Heart of Darkness only three women are mentioned principally-the intended, Marlow’s Aunt, and Kurtz’s mistress. Contrasting the women is the trio of Kurtz, Marlow, and the narrator. The triplet that binds the book is the various views of Africa from the adventure, economic, and religious standpoints.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The start of the book is ... ...oy him. Towards the close of Heart of Darkness he finds himself amidst a swarm of small flies. The diminishing size of the insects is a representation of the growth in Marlow’s character as his journey progresses. Symbolism as such is one of the great examples of Conrad’s intelligence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heart of Darkness overflows with symbolism and is by far one of the greatest novels of the twenty century. Conrad employs the literary tricks as he unwraps more than just the quest of a man and his trip through the Congo. Looking between the lines helps convey the true meaning in Heart of Darkness and enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the novel. Not to forget that Conrad closes the book with classic symbolism of Marlow in the lotus position closing his spiritual journey. â€Å"Marlow ceased, and sat apart, indistinct and silent, in the pose of a meditating Buddha. Nobody moved fro a time. ‘We have lost the first of the ebb,’ said the director suddenly. I raised my head. The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under overcast sky-seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness.† (Conrad 125)

Friday, October 11, 2019

Freedom of Contract in English Law

In earlier days, agreement was built on a very classic and simple basis: it is concluded at the moment that the acceptance of an offer takes place and that is all. In consequence, equal parties were non-existent and stronger parties had the possibility to impose unfair and domineering conditions upon those who were weak and vulnerable. It is in this context that both legislations and courts agreed that State action was indispensable to ensure fairness among individual parties, in an era where the exercise of law of freedom were extremely restricted.In today’s English law, freedom of contract is one the foundation of contract law. The existence of freedom of contract requires three main considerations: the freedom to contract or not to contract, the freedom to choose with whom to contract, and the freedom to decide the terms of the contract. Thus parties are totally free to engage or not to engage in agreements. However, freedom of contract can fail to have the desired or expec ted effect in contracts where power relations are not equal. The stronger party can impose its â€Å"will† to the weaker party.In order to deal with any potential conflict that can arise from this matter, English legal systems has set up rules ensuring the effective and fair exercise of freedom of contract. This essay will discuss and examine those rules in question, established by the English law in order to effectively balance freedom of contract and fairness between the contracting parties as well as fair contractual terms. And also on the other hand limits of freedom of contract will be exposed. Freedom of contract, as its appellation suggests, has a strong relationship with contract.In order to identify this relationship, it is important to understand what is meant by â€Å"contract† and the rules governing it. In English law, a contract is a legally binding agreement reached on a set of promises (or obligations) and specific terms. The validity of any contract re quires 4 main features: an offer, acceptance, consideration and intention to create legal relations. Thus, when one party (the offeror) makes an offer which the other (offeree) accepts, then agreement is concluded.However, the mere fact of an agreement is insufficient for a contract to be completely valid. This implies that a party must promise to give or do something for the other. This idea of exchanging promises is known as â€Å"consideration† and is an essential requisite of any valid contract. In Currie v Misa(1875) it (consideration) was held to constitute a benefit to one party or a detriment to the other. For instance, when a bottle of wine is bought from a shop, the benefit received is the bottle of wine, and the detriment is the money paid to the shop.Yet it is important to take into concern the rules governing consideration. First of all, consideration must not be in the past(as mentioned in the a. This rule suggests that if one party willingly performs an act, an d the other party then makes a promise the consideration said to be in the past. Therefore past consideration is regarded as no consideration at all. For instance, a pregnant woman named Julie, knowing that her neighbour, Lucy, is concerned about her health, offers to do the housework for her.This takes Lucy tremendous amount of time to do, and Julie is so content with the result that she promises to pay Lucy ? 30 for her effort. If Julie fails to pay, Lucy will not have the possibility to sue for breach of contract as Julie's promise to pay was after the completion of the work. The fact of this case is supported by the case of Re McArdle(1951,CA) in which it was held that no valid contract existed since the home improvements were past consideration; they had been carried out before any promise to pay had been made.Another rule is that consideration must move from the promisee which is very similar to the concept of law of privity. So for instance if A makes a promises to B, the pro mise will only be enforceable if B can equally show that he has provided consideration for A’s promise. This rule clearly demonstrates the fairness (among parties) of the doctrine of consideration. Finally, consideration must be sufficient but need not to be adequate. This rule stipulates that a good consideration must be of some value but there is not necessity for a bargain to be of adequate value.For example, if someone is willing to sell his Ferrari for ? 1, the contract will not be in vain due to lack of consideration and therefore will be sufficient. In this case, Courts will not measure the adequacy of the consideration (the fact that a Ferrari is offered to be sold at only ? 1) as it is up to one party to decide whether or not he agrees with the other party promises. The contract in English law enhances principle of freedom of contract.Indeed, the terms of the contract is freely determined and agreed by the parties. However, there are various circumstances in which ad ditional terms may be implied into the agreement. The aim of implied terms is often to provide a supplement to a contractual agreement in the interest of making bargain more effective, to achieve fairness between the parties and to alleviate hardship. Term may be implied by custom. Here it is suggested that a contract must always be examined in the light of its surrounding commercial context.So the parties automatically assume that sometimes their contract will be subject to the customs of a particular locality or trade and therefore do not deal specifically with the matter in their contract. One of the cases illustrating this is Hutton v Warren(1836). A term may equally be implied into a contract y Act of Parliament in the form of statutes. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, ss 12-15 for instance, a seller automatically assumes certain obligations to the buyer as a result of terms which are automatically implied in every contract regulated by the Act.The seller is required by statut e to promise that he has lawful authority to transfer ownership of the goods(s12)(the seller would for example break this term if it turns out that the goods were stolen);that the goods being sold will match the description he provided the buyer(s13)(for instance a shirt described as 100 per cent cotton should not contain man-made fibres); that the quality of the goods being sold will satisfy the buyer(s14(2)); that the good will be suitable for any purpose specified by the buyer(s 14(3)); and that the goods being sold will match any sample shown to the buyer prior to the contract being made(s 15).Breach of any of these terms will put the buyer in a strong position and be given the option to be discharged from the contract or alternatively carry on with the contract and claim damages for the breach. This will lead us to the concept of remedies mentioned in the following part. In English contract law, a crucial aspect of the contractual relationship is the enforcement of the contract , as the obligation that pact must be kept firmly by parties is considered as the backbone of any contractual relationship.However, a problem can occur if a contract is not adequately performed and one of the parties renounces to perform its obligations. This is where the concept of non-performance and the remedies available to the injured party become applicable. Breach of contract arises from the non-respect of the pact (or terms) agreed between parties. The aggrieved party is then given the common law right to claim for a remedy resulting from any quantifiable loss or harm suffered. Damage (financial compensation) is the most basic remedy available to the innocent party.In today business environment, it is not rare for the parties to agree in advance the damages that will be payable in the occurrence of a breach of contract. These damages are referred to as liquidated damages. An illustration of liquidated damages is the charges imposed for cancelling a flight or the booking of a hotel room. But sometimes, there is a temptation for a party with stronger trading power to try imposing a penalty clause (punitive payment for the non-performance of a term or condition) as demonstrated in Wilson v. Love (1896) case.Other remedies such as quantum damages and injunction may be granted at the discretion of the court as part of its equitable jurisdiction. So, as mentioned above, remedies is all about compensating the aggrieved party for causing him loss or harm. This can be avoided by the consideration of the prevailing rules of freedom of contract. In other words, Freedom of contract allowing individual parties to freely contract or not to, and no one being forced to do it , whoever therefore who gives a contractual promise must then keep it.Or on the contrary case, as described in earlier parts can be constrained by legal authorities to honour its commitment or compensate the other party. However, performance of a contract becomes sometimes impossible due to the ci rcumstances beyond the control of either of the parties and not due to their fault. The legal term referring to this situation is frustration. An example of this unforeseen event is illustrated in the case of Taylor v Caldwell (1863) in which it was held that contract was impossible to perform due to an external and unforeseen event.Consequences are that the contract is killed and parties discharged from further liability. This limits the exercise of freedom of contract in a sense that the agreement formed by the parties is nullified, regardless individual parties will. Another limitation of freedom of contract is that the choice of other contracting party is not always free. For example, an employer is not totally free to hire the person of his choice. The fact that insurance contracts are sometimes made obligatory by parties equally render the exercise of freedom of contract limited, as concerned parties did not freely choose to contract with an insurance company.So far, this pap er has been about the relationship between the exercise of freedom of contract and law of contract. However not only is freedom of contract concerned with contract law but also with another component of the English private law, which is tort law. A tort is a civil wrong. In other words, it refers to the liability of a person who causes harm to another with the obligation to repair the damages suffered by the victim. An example of tort is damage to commercial interests, e. g. inducement of breach of contract.Also known as tortious interference, inducement of breach of contract arise where the wrongdoer convinces a party to breach the contract against the claimant, or where the wrongdoer prevents one party from performing his obligations(agreed with the other party), thus stopping the claimant from receiving the performance promised. Furthermore, after mentioning the existence of a duty of care, which is an element required making negligence claim (concerned with a wrongdoer’s careless conduct which cause damage or loss to the defendant), the claimant (the injured party) can prove that this duty has been broken by the defendant (the other party).Hence the close relationship between duty of care and the requisites of freedom of contract in the sense that if parties freely agree to contract (including the terms of it), then, it is suggested, that they owe a duty of care to each other because the careless conduct (which can affect the contract) of one party can prevent the other one from receiving the performance promised, regardless to the external factor that caused the misconduct of the blamed party. This fact is supported by the case of Garret v.Taylor (1620) in which the court upheld a judgment for the claimant. To conclude, the purpose of this essay has been to describe and make a connection between law of contract as well as law of torts and freedom of contract. Thus, English legal systems have established multiple rules of conduct from different part ies to a contract in order to ensure fairness between them. Henceforth, contracting parties are given freedom to contract with whoever they want, including the terms of the contracts.Also, thanks to rules such as of duty of care, or of doctrine of remedies, an injured party is now given the possibility to claim for compensation of loss or harm caused by the blamed party, who will be then obliged by legal authorities to repair the damages caused to the aggrieved party due to non-respect of the rules established. In the end, it must be acknowledge that English Law has stroke an appropriate balance between freedom of contract and fairness. References:Currie v Misa (1875) LR 10 Ex 153; (1875-76) LR 1 App Cas 554:Definition of consideration Garret v. Taylor, 79 Eng. Rep. 485 (K. B. 1620): Tortious interference Hutton v Warren (1836) 1 M;W 460:Implied terms Re McArdle(1951,CA ):Past consideration being unacceptable Sale of Goods Act 1979, ss 12-15 : Statutory implied terms Taylor v Caldwe ll (1863) 3 B ; S 826; 122 ER 309; [1863] EWHC QB J1: impossibility of performance of contract Wilson v. Love (1896) : Liquidated damages