The Right to Life essays

The Right to Life essays Abortion, the termination of pregnancy before the fetus has attained the ability to live independently, is morally wrong. The decision of pro-life or pro-choice has been society's most controversial topic for years. Those who support pro-life believe that life itself begins at conception, and that abortion is the actual killing of a human life. Those who support pro-choice, on the other hand, believe that the child's mother has every right to carry out or end a pregnancy, and that the child in the womb is not a person until it is born. This has been proven wrong. The child is a person as soon as it is conceived, it is distinct and different and has its own heartbeat. The moment the sperm unites with the egg, the cells begin to divide into genes that will make the child unique and this can never be duplicated again. Abortion ends the lives of living, breathing, and moving children, and therefore I think it is murder. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that as long as the baby lived in the womb, it was the property of the mother. Because of this, one out of every three babies in America is killed by abortion, which is 1.5 million per year. In 1969, the abortion laws were changed in Canada, so that it became legal for a doctor to perform an abortion if a committee of three other doctors deemed that continuation of the pregnancy would cause a threat to the health of the mother. Imagine how many potential scientists, teachers, or just unique individuals have been killed by this There are several different forms of abortion, all of which are disgustingly violent and indecent: 1) Vacuum curettage is a powerful suction tube inserted through the cervix and into the womb. The fetus is torn apart by the force of the suction, and the body parts and placenta are then sucked into a jar. 2) Mifepristone is a chem ...

Platinum Facts on the Periodic Table of the Elements

Platinum Facts on the Periodic Table of the Elements Platinum is a transition metal that is highly valued for jewelry and alloys. Here are interesting facts about this element. Platinum Basic Facts Atomic Number: 78 Symbol: Pt Atomic Weight: 195.08 Discovery Its difficult to assign credit for the discovery. Ulloa 1735 (in South America), Wood in 1741, Julius Scaliger in 1735 (Italy) all can make claims. Platinum was used in relatively pure form by the pre-Columbian Indians. Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1 Word Origin: from the Spanish word platina, meaning little silver Isotopes Six stable isotopes of platinum occur in nature (190, 192, 194, 195, 196, 198). Information on three additional radioisotopes is available (191, 193, 197). Properties Platinum has a melting point of 1772 Â °C, the boiling point of 3827 /- 100 Â °C, the specific gravity of 21.45 (20 Â °C), with a valence of 1, 2, 3, or 4. Platinum is a ductile and malleable silvery-white metal. It does not oxidize in air at any temperature, although it is corroded by cyanides, halogens, sulfur, and caustic alkalis. Platinum does not dissolve in hydrochloric or nitric acid but will dissolve when the two acids are mixed to form aqua regia. Uses Platinum is used in jewelry, wire, to make crucibles and vessels for laboratory work, electrical contacts, thermocouples, for coating items that must be exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time or must resist corrosion, and in dentistry. Platinum-cobalt alloys have interesting magnetic properties. Platinum absorbs large amounts of hydrogen at room temperature, yielding it at red heat. The metal is often used as a catalyst. The platinum wire will glow red-hot in the vapor of methanol, where it acts as a catalyst, converting it to formaldehyde. Hydrogen and oxygen will explode in the presence of platinum. Sources Platinum occurs in native form, usually with small amounts of other metals belonging to the same group (osmium, iridium, ruthenium, palladium, and rhodium). Another source of the metal is sperrylite (PtAs2). Element Classification Transition Metal Platinum Physical Data Density (g/cc): 21.45 Melting Point (K): 2045 Boiling Point (K): 4100 Appearance: very heavy, soft, silvery-white metal Atomic Radius (pm): 139 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 9.10 Covalent Radius (pm): 130 Ionic Radius: 65 (4e) 80 (2e) Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.133 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 21.76 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): ~470 Debye Temperature (K): 230.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 2.28 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 868.1 Oxidation States: 4, 2, 0 Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.920 References Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)

American Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Dance - Essay Example American theatrical dance has expanded through a progression of generations numerous build on the work, thus creating a pedigree marked by innovation. This form of dance cannot be neatly defined. It is a form of style of American modern dance evolving through quest of discoveries and shares the communicative potential of human association. In true sense American theatrical dance comprises of Broadway, modern and ballet forms of dancing style. These forms of dance depict the economic and cultural changes happening in the society. From time to time they have enacted on issues of social significance and always conveyed some messages to the audience through their theatrical dance performances. These dancing form pioneered dance in bare foot and elegant costumes. They portray a form of social affirmation and were means of expressing nation’s and society’s power (Brown). The society values theatrical dance as a communicative and bonding experience forming a well-developed str ucture of communication. This essay will focus on the two forms of American modern dance that is Broadway and Ballet, and how are they different to each other. Broadway Theatrical Dance: Broadway dance forms a part of the modern American theatrical dance. It can be classified as an incorporation of jazz and modern style accompanied with theater and music. At the beginning of the Broadway dance people were tricked and amazed by the concepts of Broadway Theater as this pioneered a dancing form with play’s plot. Initially Broadway was not taken as a serious theatrical dance. People were uncertain about the entire structure of the dance form. But later it evolved as a dance form which had a social message for the society. Soon after, Broadway started gaining popularity amongst the audience as fusion of jazz and modern art dance. This form of theatrical dance was incorporated with exceptional movement and unconventional use of body parts. The entire act was supported by the usage of props, integration of personalities, storytelling of a incident. The entire performance was choreographed and presented through lucid expressions. The entire performances take place with music playing backstage. The music is played as per the theme of the subject matter of the performance. With changing time span Broadway musical took off. It popularity enhanced day by day and gained recognition as an artistic form of theater. Broadway dance form exerted profound influence in the New York life tradition and culture. Their themes were realistic with a touch of whimsical feel. As per the critics it attracted the serious theater goers who were deeply moved by the socio-economical concerns of the society. During its early stage the middle class New Yorkers used to be its target audience. Their theme appealed to them to a great extends. Broadway theatrical evolved as an assembly of multidimensional talents. It consisted of a group of singers, dancers, actors, musicians who emerged as celebrities. Famous Broadway personalities included Anna held, Lillian Russell, Marilyn Miller, DeWolf Hoppe, Ray Bolger etc. These eminent personalities had been a part of this theatrical dance from time to time. Robert Alton had been a choreographer of this dance form who brought out the first modern dances closely related to many dance performances in New York stage today. Nowadays dance performances have become dominated in the Broadway theatrica

Compare and Contrast the development of slavery in the US to the Essay

Compare and Contrast the development of slavery in the US to the development - Essay Example According to Nellis (20), slavery in Latin America was characterized as being less cruel and harsh as contrasted to the slavery in the United States and especially in the Southern America. This contrast was mainly due to the influence that the Catholic Church had in the Latin America where it advocated for slaves to possess rights such as seeking relief in the event a master is cruel, having marriage rights and being allowed to purchase freedom to work in their own plantations of sugar or other products. The Spanish and Portuguese colonists were also largely viewed as being less affected by prejudice associated with race as when compared to the United States (Finkelman, 34) and this is one of the main issues that stood out as a contrast. Furthermore, it was believed that the Latin American slavery was less affected by pressures associated with the capitalist economy that was competitive and dominant in the United States lave owners to demand a lot in plantation workings. In many circumstances it was viewed that the Latin American slavery was also harsher and cruel to some extent. This was mainly due to the inability of the courts and the Catholic Church to be able to offer the much required protection to the Latin American slaves as contrasted with American slaves that did not depend on the church for protection. In Latin America there were also many incidences where slaves were tied down and flogged for about ten consecutive days when they failed to deliver the amount of tasks expected of them in the plantations (Digital History, 1). Franklin and Alfred, (20) suggest that when observed from a different view slavery in Latin America seemed even more harsh than slavery in the United States. Latin American Slaves were forcefully required to wear Iron masks when working in the plantations so as not to tamper with products such as sugarcane and tobacco or to engage in alcoholism this incidence was not reported among American slaves. United States

Managing Change in Complex Environment Essay Example for Free

Managing Change in Complex Environment Essay History and Background Introduction The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent government organization that generates income through mail services. It is currently the second largest civilian employer in the United States. Its primary task is to deliver mail around the country, at a standard price, regardless of geographic location. Over the last two centuries, the USPS has evolved into an efficient organization that financially sustains itself through its delivery operations. With a monopoly on the delivery of non-urgent mail, the USPS provides delivery service of about 40 percent of the worlds mail, or approximately 200 billion pieces of mail annually. Starting in the 1990s, the USPS faced increased competition from rival package delivery and courier services, as well as the Internet. Presently the USPS is facing a financial collapse. The USPS needs to undergo an essential and systematic change in order to maintain its significance in the 21st century. History/Background On July 26, 1775, members of the Second Continental Congress appointed a Postmaster General giving birth to the Postal Department of the United States. The mission of the U.S. Postal Department was much the same as today, process and deliver first class and non-urgent mail to individuals and businesses within the United States. Congress passed various laws that grant the post office a â€Å"statutory monopoly† on non-urgent First Class Mail and the exclusive right to put mail in private mailboxes. Although these laws grant the USPS a market advantaged they also restrict its ability to compete with rival package delivery and courier services, as well as the technological innovations. How it got started The Post Office Department has origins in America dating back to the 17th century, when there was a need for mail between colonial settlements and intercontinental exchange of information with England. In 1775, the Continental Congress named Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general and chairman of a committee empowered to make recommendations for the establishment of a postal service. On September 22, 1789 the post office became a new government branch of the United States. At this time there were 75 post offices and approximately 2,000 miles of post roads. The USPS was critical to national welfare and pivotal in facilitating communications for military, congressional representation and newspapers. From the very beginning, the USPS financed operations from revenue it earned and Congress gave it a monopoly to be the only courier service to deliver mail. Key points in evolution The main focus and the efforts of postal officials from the foundation of the Post Office to the present day have been finding the best methods of transporting information and directing mail. For example, in 1791 George Washington stated that that the importance of the postal routes had increased because the country wanted to distribute knowledge of governmental laws. Also, between 1791 and 1861, the U.S increased from 3.9 million to 31.4 million square miles and postal roads grew from 1,875 to 240,595 miles. The Board of Governors of the USPS sets policy, procedure, and postal rates for services rendered. Of the eleven members of the Board, nine are appointed by the President and confirmed by the US Senate. The nine appointed members then select the Postmaster General, who serves as the boards tenth member, and who oversees the day to day activities of the service as Chief Executive Officer. The ten-member board then nominates a Deputy Postmaster General, who acts as Chief Operating Officer, to the eleventh and last remaining open seat. The USPS is often mistaken as a government organization but it is legally defined as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States. Environmental context The external environment elements that significantly influence the USPS are the United States political system, workforce unions, changing technology and market forces. United States Political System In 1970 the U.S. Postal Department evolved into the USPS through the implementation of the Postal Reorganization act. This act required the USPS to be a â€Å"self-sufficient organization within the U.S. Government†. It also added an additional regulatory body into its chain of command, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), but did not make any modification to the Postal Department’s Board of Directors or regulatory congressional statutes. The USPS Board of directors is charged with directing the USPS through the control of expenditures, reviewing practices, long term planning and setting policies and service standards. The PRC has 5 commissioners, appointed through the executive branch and confirmed by the Senate, who have the authority to reject, modify and approve any USPS initiated congressional recommendations. Since congress alone retains the authority to change USPS’ rates, service frequency and employee benefits, any market related changes from the Board of directors is routed through the PRC and congress for consideration. Pressure from Unions There are 4 unions representing around 90% of the USPS workforce: National Association of Letter Carriers, American Postal Workers, National Rural Letters Carriers Association and National Postal Mail Handlers Union. These organizations have successfully contracted collective bargaining agreements for its members for compensation and benefits that have come to exceed the USPS’ ability to maintain with its current revenues. These labor unions are very influential in weighing in on most of the decisions that affect the well-being of the USPS labor force. Presently USPS employees enjoy 79% coverage of their health care costs; the most of any federal agency. Strategic challenge Over the years the USPS has transformed its operating model and is now set up and mandated to operate like a business entity generating its revenue through the sale of postal products and services. The largest issue with the current business model of the postal service is its lack of flexibility essential for a business in a dynamic market. Specifically the USPS has not been able to organizationally adjust to a large decrease in the demand for first class mail service has resulted in decreasing net revenue in recent years. Congressional Influence The USPS congressional charter came with both benefits and operating constraints. Among the constraints the USPS is obligated to provide a uniform price for its services regardless of the geographic location and dispersion of its customer base. The USPS is obligated to deliver six days a week to every mailing address regardless of its mail volume. Additionally the USPS is required to provide free mailing service to the blind and facilitate voting for overseas military personnel. A significant amount of the USPS’ operating costs comes from its requirement to pre-fund retiree health benefits (RHB) for future retirees. Key Issues The USPS is suffering from the combined effects of declining mail volume from new technology and increasing labor costs resulting in a loss of net revenue. These declines are projected to extend into the future. The addition of a significant number of new addresses in the United States each year increases the USPS’ operating costs although volume is decreasing. Business Model While the USPS has enjoyed the benefits of the monopoly on first class letter mail services that congress has bestowed, it has a stagnant business model that prevents the USPS from being able to adapt in the face of technological innovation and other market forces that affect its bottom line annually. The major source of revenue for the post office is the postage it charges for first class and non-standard mail. The advance of modern information systems such as email, smartphones, online banking, and other digital communications decreased the demand for traditional mail services. Compounding this issue is the basic economic principle of supply and demand. New technologies offer cheaper substitutes for the services that the post office provides. Stakeholders Postal Workers – The USPS employs more than 500,000 employees making it second only to Wal-Mart as the nation’s largest civilian employer. While every employee is represented by a labor union, employees are legally restricted from striking. Labor Unions The USPS unions are old, influential and politically connected. Collectively, these unions continually fight for increased employee pay, living allowances and health care benefits. Postal Regulation Commission (PRC) The PRC serves as the middleman between the USPS board of governors and congress. The PRC can reject or modify requests before they reach congress for final approval. Congress Members of Congress exercise control over many aspects of the USPS operations including approving the markets for which it competes as well as representing the interests of its constituents whenever the USPS requests changes to its business model. Public Consumer One of the mandates of the post office is to provide mail service of all addresses. The number of addresses has increased by nearly 18 million nationwide in the past decade and continues to climb as the country recovers from the past recession. A vast majority of the consumers are congressional constituents to whom member of congress are responsible. Competitors The USPS monopolizes, via congressional mandates, the delivery of first class mail, non-urgent mail and small packages. As such it faces very little direct competition from other businesses. However, the USPS has seen significant decreases in its mail volume over the years. The decreased volume of mail is directly related to the global acceptance of technology and use of digital communications which displaced traditional USPS services. Market Forces The USPS full time workers cost the USPS 80% of its revenue. Although they still enjoy a monopoly on first class mail, they are in direct competition with smaller, more efficient, companies who deliver large packages and urgent letters. Strategies Used What it Does Now The USPS has improved its efficiency and effectiveness through both technology and reorganization. The USPS made significant investments in the late 1990’s in fuel efficient vehicles and new facilities as well as a $15 million advertising campaign to improve its image as a progressive and modern organization. A decade ago it took 70 employees one hour to sort 35,000 letters. Today in an hour, only two employees process an identical volume of mail. Though the number of addresses in the nation has increased by nearly 18 million in the past decade, the number of employees who handle the increased delivery load has decreased by more than 200,000 (Potter 2010a). It launched delivery confirmation service and priority mail in order to compete with competitors. The USPS now operates more than 31,000 post offices and the largest vehicle fleet in the world, with an estimated 218,684 vehicles. What They Want to Do Concerned with increasing costs and decreasing revenues, the USPS petitioned for the following changes: * Stop Retiree Health Benefits prefunding – in 2011 the prefunding amount exceeded net operating losses. * Retirement System Overpayment – In 2010 Government Accountability Office disputed overpayment freezing approximately $6.9 billion. * Delivery Frequency – Shifting from six to five days weekly delivery would save approximately $3 billion annually. This measure is supported by 75% of USPS consumer base. * Change prices – Mandates currently cap the USPS ability to adjust to market conditions dynamically. * Restructure labor costs – Current collective bargaining decision do not consider the USPS financial health yet mandate compensation and benefits to be paid at levels comparable with private sector organizations with the burden falling on the taxpayers. * Consolidate infrastructure – A proposal in 2009 to close 3,000 postal outlets to reduce excess capacity yielded only a closure of 157 following consumer complaints and congressional intervention. Part II Diagnosis Lewis (2011) states that the USPS’ problems are a result of a restrictive business model and its inflexibility to operate in a dynamic market place. As stated earlier, the USPS response to this problem is a direct plan to cut expenses and increase revenues to overcome their mounting deficit. Although this plan does address the USPS’ immediate insolvency concerns, it fails to address their underlying issues. Through the use of Senge’s system approach and the McCaskey’s Organizational Design model, this paper will expose USPS’ root problems. Strategic Issues/Strategies/Goals-Objectives The USPS’ strategic issues are a loss of revenue due to declining mail volume, extensive costs due to a bloated and expensive unionized-workforce and the use of an outdated-legislatively constrained business plan. Their proposed strategy to mitigate these issues centers on cutting their expenses, consolidating infrastructure, renegotiating labor cost/employee benefits and increasing rates. In addition, the USPS intends to evolve their business plan to incorporate technological innovations. This strategy aligns with their long term goal of providing a â€Å"trustworthy, dependable, reliable and secure means to communicate on a national level† (Lewis, 2011), by implementing a long term sustainable business model that promotes flexibility and economic growth in a dynamic market. Environment In FY11 the USPS’ total revenues were $65 Billion dollars while their total expenses were $75 Billion dollars. Under congressional law the USPS is required to be a â€Å"self-sufficient government agency†. Under this direction the USPS is obligated to cover its costs without government assistance. The USPS does this by generating revenues from a monopoly market while operating more like a private business then a government agency. Its government backed monopoly advantage comes with extensive congressional restrictions on rates, delivery procedures and labor benefits. The USPS’ monopoly restricts the direct competition in the delivery of first class mail, use of specific delivery routes and personal mailboxes. It does not protect the delivery of urgent mail and large packages. FedEx and UPS are direct competitors in this market and have a competitive advantage due to their efficiencies, technological innovations and ability adapt to market needs. Key Success Factors The USPS’ key to success is their ability to meet their customer’s needs, generate enough revenue to cover their costs , maintain the flexibility to adjust in a dynamic market and optimize a scalable infrastructure that facilitates the efficient and economic delivery of their services. Task Requirements There are multiple ways that mail is accepted into the delivery process. For the purpose of observing the USPS organizational structure, the simple method of customers placing the mail in their residential, or post office, curbside mailbox will be examined. In either case this process begins and ends with the customer sending or receiving mail at a mailbox. The mail item is received by the postal carrier, and then consolidated at the local post office, where it is inspected manually or automatically checked for correct postage. It is then routed to a hub for delivery to a particular region in the country. The mail is then sent to a final processing plant where it is sorted for the specific route for delivery. Finally the mail is sent to the distant end post office for delivery to the end customer. The mail is moved in a linear manner between each node in the process chain. Along the interdependency continuum of the USPS’ functional units we observed a sequential relationship. Throughout the process each entity produces an output that is a necessary input for the next link in the chain. The USPS’ key to success in this linear process is the secure delivery of mail for a nominal fee. For their part, the workers must be honest and ensure mail is properly safeguarded as it makes its way through each step in the chain. The workers only have to be ‘good enough’ for their specific task in the process. This means that there is very little incentive for them to innovate or make improvements to the process from within. Any efficiencies gained, in any one link in the process, are not readily propagated throughout because of the sequential nature of the process. Because of the nature of change within the organization, and the employee compensation structure, their only incentive is to maintain the status quo. This analysis is represented in the interdependency/coordination mechanism model below. The analysis shows a misalignment between the levels of interdependence between the functional units and the coordination mechanism used. The USPS coordinates through rules and regulations. Using the systems approach of focusing on successes rather than the failures of the organization, we compared the USPS current coordination level to its closest successful competitor, FEDEX. As depicted FEDEX has a coordination level that aligns with it level of interdependency. The preferred and optimal approach is to align the organization’s level of interdependency horizontally with the coordination mechanism. The USPS needs a higher coordination mechanism to match the current level of interdependence in order to facilitate efficiencies in the system. Process/ Systems Snowfall and showers may not be able to stop postal carriers from their appointed delivery routes, but their financial problems may halt at least 50% of all postal offices. The U.S. Postal Service, weakened by a public turning to digital communications, is down 22 percent in volume from just five years ago, a decline which is expected to continue, driven in part by rigid competition from carriers such as FedEx and UPS. The Postmaster General has responded with a list of cost-cutting proposals, such as eliminating Saturday delivery and closing up to 3,700 local post offices which would be replaced with automated centers operating out of local businesses. The Postmaster General has also proposed laying off as many as 120,000 workers, and pulling workers out of more costly federal pension plans. Pre-funding retiree benefits has cost the Postal Service $21 billion in the last three years. The underlying issue is that all those moves cannot be made without congressional approval. In order to make these immediate and dramatic changes, the Postal Service would require access to its own funds as well as the authority to act as its own corporation. The transition from a government ran entity to a privatized organization requires Congress to give the USPS flexibility to take action and make changes without all the bureaucracy. The below modified Senge Model (Limit to Growth) demonstrates how the USPS is constrained from making changes. In short, the USPS is limited by congress to making quick and reactive changes that focus on the problem rather than the underlying issue. Creating change and making it work are all resisted by a condition called the â€Å"Status Quo† and the USPS is no exception. USPS employees feel protected under the current unionized culture. They feel threatened by the prospect of losing benefits and are unwilling to pay the high personal price necessary for change. We have demonstrated that this change is necessary for the long term health of the organization. The real question is, â€Å"does the current status quo fit the new change requirements?† An organization in dire need to make radical adjustments to become current cannot be fixed with antiquated congressional imposed constraints. PART III Change Management Plan The USPS acknowledges its need to cut costs and increase revenue. It believes this will fix the problems. USPS starts to address this by taking reactionary measures, but fails to take the necessary steps to address the root issue. We argue that there is a more fundamental problem within the USPS organization which requires a systems approach to identify and solve. Senge says â€Å"it is impossible to change the system from inside the system.† By â€Å"complicating up† the USPS management structure we identify the core problem and faults in its system. Due to the short time needed to enact this change we propose a top down approach that pushes change while mitigating assumed employee resistance such an approach will generate. Our plan uses the Lewin and Kotter models to shape the USPS organizational transition. Through the Lewin model we identify a three phase approach to address changes that simultaneously focuses on employee and organizational issues. Throughout each p hase an information plan is propagated to employees to facilitate transition to the next phase. Conclusion The bottom line is that the USPS current costs of doing business outweigh its current methods of productivity. Without changing the strategic management model, the USPS will continue to lose revenue and be unable to react effectively to market demands. Its proposed cost cutting solutions only scratches the surface of the underlying problem of restrictions on organizational management and coordination. Our uses validated organizational change models. We justify our plan which uses the Lewin model and shows a close association to Kotter’s organizational change model. Our plan leads the USPS to long term success, maintains its relevance in today’s market and allows it to make appropriate changes through periodic reevaluations. References Lewis, T., Montgomery C., Shuler, J. , (2011), The US Postal Service , Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. Senge, P., (1990), The Fifth Discipline, Doubleday Publishing, New York 15May 2012: http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2011/pr11_124.htm 15 May 2012: http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj31n1/cj31n1-9.pdf 19 May 2012: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/industries/Transportation-Communications-Utilities/United-States-Postal-Service.html

Death Of A Salesman ~ Arthur Miller Act One 1. How does Arthur Miller :: English Literature

Death Of A Salesman ~ Arthur Miller Act One 1. How does Arthur Miller first present Willy Loman to the audience? Willy is first presented to the audience as an olden and exhausted man; this is portrayed through the 'word sigh' described in the scene description as he places his two large suitcases down. The audience then hears of his traumatic and slow drive home as he realises his daydreams are affecting his driving. Miller presents him here as not only an olden and exhausted man but also a confused man as well: Willy: "I'm tired to the death I could not make it. I just could not make it, Linda." Willy immediately prompts our compassion as the audience see him as both mentally and physically exhausted. 2. How does Miller begin to present the relationship between Willy and Biff? The first indication, which the audience hear of Biff, is by one of Willy's first lines: Willy: "Did Biff say anything after I went this morning?" This portrays his unease with the situation, which he left the house in. We then discover the reason for this argument as Linda pronounces: Linda: "You should not have criticized him, Willy, especially after her just got off the train." This criticism is further explained, as it appears that Willy is somewhat disappointed in Biff and wants better for him. The audience however soon become perplexed as Willy calls biff "a lazy bum" however very soon after he changes his opinion totally by contradicting himself as he says: Willy: "There's one thing about Biff - he's not lazy." Later Willy even says (about Biff) Willy: "He could be big in no time." It appears that the more Linda attempts to excuse Biff the angrier Willy gets. It also is apparent that on reminiscing about a bad point Willy switches his thoughts to his happier and relaxed past, this is only however as he sees it and the audience get many impressions on whether it is the entire truth or not. Miller is here presenting the relationship between Biff and Willy to be a complex relationship, which it appears, not even Willy himself understands. 3. How does Miller present Willy's two sons, Biff and Happy? What contradictions and questions are raised in the minds of the audience by this scene? The first presentation made of Biff and Happy is their reaction regarding their father's premature homecoming and strange behaviour as Happy soon worries: Biff: "Jesus, maybe he's smashed up the car again! Throughout this scene in Biff and Happy's bedroom many contradictions and questions are raised in the minds of the audience, the main question asked refers back to the previous scene as the audience

“Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller Essay

Death of a Salesman â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller is a narration about American society, its expectations and attitudes that shape people’s lives. It is told through the lives of a salesman Willy, his family and several other people who, in some way, have an impact on them. Willy, who falls into his imaginary word of the past frequently during the day, is regretful for some of his actions in the past that ‘prevented’ him of becoming rich. Now, he wants his sons to succeed who are in their 30s and are of different characters. Although the genre of the play is realism, the author uses attributes of surrealism that help in developing the story. The protagonist of the play has an imaginary word that reminds him of his past; thus helping the audience to see the motives of his or his family’s current actions. The play starts when Willy has already gotten into a trouble because of dreaming while driving which suggests that the play is not about an ordinary person. For the reader, the shift from reality to dreams of Willy is sometimes warned by the long speech of his or by the reaction of the people around him. As for the audience, there are visual effects that the author recommends for the play in order to illustrate his story clearly. â€Å"†¦ in the scenes of the past these boundaries are broken, and the characters enter or leave a room stepping â€Å"through† a wall onto the forestage†. Moreover, the play is full of symbols and diverse characters. The ‘new† critic would notice the significance of the names. Some of the names of the characters reflect to their personalities; such as the name of the younger son of Willy whose name is Happy and he is careless and self-assured. Biff (which also means a hit, a clout), is the elder son who has a troubled relationship with his father. He goes against his father’s wish of getting a prestigious job in New York since he finds himself unfit for it. In contrary to his father, he finds his strength and self-esteem in the end of the play. However, the marxist critic would notice the positions and actions of the rich and poor. Uncle Ben who visits Willy’s imaginary world time to time is the brother of his. He became rich after he went to Alaska, and this continues to disturb Willy throughout the play and has a huge impact on his behavior because he had overlooked the chance. Also, Willy faced the bitter truth when he got fired from his job. Although, he had worked f or the company for thirty-four years, he received no sympathy when he asked to stay and work in the town he lived in and be paid a small amount of salary. Consequently, he was worried that his sons won’t think of him good and nobody will remember him. â€Å"†¦Because he thinks I am nothing, see, and so he spites me. But the funeral, Ben, that funeral will be massive! They’ll come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont†¦ -I am known, Ben, and he’ll see it with his eyes once and for all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The feminist critic would observe the behavior and the status of Linda who is the wife of Willy and how she was portrayed. She is caring and patient with Willy. All through the play, she takes the side of her husband and encourages him. She is also presented as humble and tolerable towards their financial and social status. The only thing she dreams of is paying off the house mortgage and the bills so they can enjoy a free life. Despite these ‘perfectâ₠¬â„¢ traits, Linda is passive in her actions and lacks of understanding some situations and her husband’s behavior. After the suicide of Willy, she says, â€Å"Why did you do it? I search and search †¦I can’t understand it. I made the last payment on the house today†¦We are free and clear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Possibly, Willy’s suicide is part of the consequence of her character. In this play, Arthur Miller introduces a society by developing a story about a salesman and involving several other people. Ironically, those people have some impact on Willy’s fate and his family. Biff loses his self-confidence and drive when he discovers his father with ‘the woman’. He fails math class which becomes the foundation of his future failures and career choices. There is also Willy’s neighbor and his son Bernard who is a friend to Biff and a foil to Willy. However, nothing is told about Bernard’s life until Willy loses his job and meets Bernard on his way to borrow some money from his father. The author lines the scenes and the actions in a way that support in showing the psychological and emotional effects on Willy and Biff. Willy wonders how Bernard became successful, but his son is still struggling and they were childhood friends. Here Bernard ‘reminds’ him of the math class which Biff failed and refused to continue after discovering his father with another woman. Although Uncle Ben is Willy’s brother who shows up in his imagination and gets into a conversation with him, his replies to Willy are more likely Willy’s own answers and opinions about himself. The fact that he could not become more than a traveling salesman and be known and respected is haunting Willy throughout his life. The author tries to show that Willy’s desires and attitude towards life had an effect on those around him and the other way around; the people around him had an impact on his actions and fate. Consequently, this is how a society behaves.

Land Use around the world

Land Use Around the World Created by Jennifer Papacy This assignment Involves you playing a game online, so you will have to open a separate browser or tab to access the website and have uninterrupted time and Internet access to complete. Make sure your read the assignment first to see what you need to focus on, as you will have to do a write up on what you observed. The website is www. Guessers. Com and you can play as many times as you want for freely Each game consists of 5 rounds of where you have to guess where in the world oh are, so play for a while to get used to the controls, and take your time to really explore the locations.Guessers uses the Google Road view imagery to drop you somewhere in the world where you can navigate and explore, and you have to guess where and then click on the world map on the right hand side(you can zoom in) and select exactly in the world where you think it is. It will then tell you how close you were, and then continue on to the next location, f or a total of five rounds per game. The point of this assignment is not to see how good you are at guessing, but to have oh examine land use differences In locations you are dropped Into.Make sure you have reviewed the chapter 12 concepts on land use so you can answer the following questions while demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of those concepts. Also make sure you write down exactly where you were for the assignment! Load the answers into the assignment by either cutting and pasting into the text box or uploading as a link. This is worth a maximum of 50 points, and you will be graded on completeness and demonstration of knowledge of concepts on land use and other lass concepts.After playing for a while, select and tell me the exact two locations you visited that have different land use patterns and compare and contrast in a mini paper/essay explaining if you think the areas have had good land use planning or not, and which area you would rather live and why. Answer at a minimum the following questions In the assignment and Incorporate concepts from the book and class on land use and other topics we have covered (water, energy, etc. ): Intensity of land use with descriptionDid they develop well with the landscape and resources (was it well planned or after the fact) Is area one of the following or something else, with reasons listed why: Suburb, Ribbon Sprawl, Leapfrog Development, Tract Development, urban, Rural, Slum, Farmland? Population Density? Economic factors- do you feel this area is affluent or not, why or why not? Aesthetic Issues? Transportation/infrastructure observed and overall condition Natural Resource condition- do you think the ecosystems are healthy there? What seems good, what seems degraded? Water resources adequate?Other resources? What do you think the ecological footprint of residents would be(low, mid high) and why? Would you live here, why or why not? What could be done to Improve land use planning In this area, or how would you have done It differently? For some of these questions you may have to make a judgment call but explain why you think what you did, I. E. Any evidence. Land Use around the world By Tweets This assignment involves you playing a game online, so you will have to open a internet access to complete. Make sure your read the assignment first to see what ere!Each game consists of 5 rounds of where you have to guess where in the world you examine land use differences in locations you are dropped into. Make sure you following questions in the assignment and incorporate concepts from the book and Suburb, Ribbon Sprawl, Leapfrog Development, Tract Development, Urban, Rural, here, why or why not? What could be done to improve land use planning in this area, or how would you have done it differently? For some of these questions you may have to make a Judgment call but explain why you think what you did, I. E. Any evidence.

How Reporters Can Write Great Follow-up News Stories

How Reporters Can Write Great Follow-up News Stories Writing a single basic breaking news article is a pretty straightforward task. You start by writing your lede, which is based on the most important facts in the story. But many news stories are not simply one-time events but rather ongoing topics that can last for weeks or even months. One example would be a crime story that unfolds over time - the crime is committed, then police search for and finally arrest a suspect. Another example might be a long trial involving an especially complex or interesting case. Reporters must often do what is called follow-up articles for long-lasting topics such as these. The Lede The key to writing an effective follow-up story starts with the lede. You cant write the same lede every day for a story that continues over an extended period of time. Instead, you must construct a fresh lede each day, one that reflects the latest developments in the story. But while writing a lede that includes those latest developments, you also need to remind your readers what the original story was all about to begin with. So the follow-up story lede really combines new developments with some background material about the original story. An Example Lets say you cover a house fire in which several people are killed. Heres how your lede for the first story might read: Two people were killed last night when a fast-moving fire swept through their house. Now lets say several days have passed and the fire marshal tells you the fire was a case of arson. Heres your first follow-up lede: A house fire that killed two people earlier this week was deliberately set, the fire marshal announced yesterday. See how the lede combines important background from the original story - two people killed in the fire - with the new development - the fire marshal announcing that it was arson. Now lets take this story one step further. Lets say a week has passed and police have arrested a man who they say set the fire. Heres how your lede might go: Police yesterday arrested a man who they say set the fire last week that killed two people in a house. Get the idea? Again, the lede combines the most important information from the original story with the latest development. Reporters do follow-up stories this way so that readers who may not have read the original story can figure out what is going on and not be confused. The Rest of the Story The rest of the follow-up story should follow the same balancing act of combining the latest news with background information. Generally, the newer developments should be placed higher in the story, while the older information should be lower down. Heres how the first few paragraphs of your follow-up story about the arrest of the arson suspect might go: Police yesterday arrested a man who they say set the fire last week that killed two people in a house. Police said Larson Jenkins, 23, used rags soaked with gasoline to set the fire at the house that killed his girlfriend, Lorena Halbert, 22, and her mother, Mary Halbert, 57. Detective Jerry Groenig said Jenkins was apparently angry because Halbert had recently broken up with him. The fire started around 3 a.m. last Tuesday and quickly swept through the house. Lorena and Mary Halbert were pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured. Again, the latest developments are placed high in the story. But they are always tied to background from the original event. This way, even a reader learning about this story for the first time will easily understand what has happened.

5 Sentences Demonstrating Whether to Capitalize and Punctuate Quotations

5 Sentences Demonstrating Whether to Capitalize and Punctuate Quotations 5 Sentences Demonstrating Whether to Capitalize and Punctuate Quotations 5 Sentences Demonstrating Whether to Capitalize and Punctuate Quotations By Mark Nichol When the syntax of a sentence containing a quotation is not straightforward, it can be difficult to determine whether the first word should be capitalized and which punctuation marks, if any, should attend the quotation. The following sentences illustrate some of the pitfalls, and discussions and revisions point to their solutions. 1. After years of finger-pointing, Smith says â€Å"enough is enough† and is filing suit against Jones. The statement may seem insignificant, but it is a complete sentence and should be treated as one; it should also be preceded by a comma following the attribution (â€Å"Smith says†): â€Å"After years of finger-pointing, Smith says, â€Å"Enough is enough† and is filing suit against Jones. (Note, too, that no punctuation follows the quotation, because what follows is not an independent clause; it would be one if it included a noun or pronoun after and: â€Å"After years of finger-pointing, Smith says, â€Å"Enough is enough,† and he is filing suit against Jones.†) 2. Clients have begun to ask the question, who will own the process once the change has occurred? The question is something uttered or conjecturally uttered, so it should be enclosed in quotation marks. However, it is not set up with a traditional attribution. No preceding punctuation is needed: â€Å"Clients have begun to ask the question ‘Who will own the process once the change has occurred?’† (A comma after question implies that only one question exists, and it follows.) 3. The question is not â€Å"can it happen?† but â€Å"what is the impact if it does happen, and how will we respond?† Here, the issues in both of the preceding examples are combined in one sentence. There is no attribution to set off with a comma, but each of the two quotations is a complete sentence quoted within the host sentence and must therefore be capitalized: â€Å"The question is not ‘Can it happen?’ but ‘What is the impact if it does happen, and how will we respond?’† 4. He mocked Trump’s slogan, suggesting it was really: â€Å"Make America Hate Again.† A colon sets up an explanation or elaboration. Here, however, what follows really flows syntactically in the sentence, so no intervening punctuation is called for: â€Å"He mocked Trump’s slogan, suggesting it was really ‘Make America Hate Again.’† 5. They ignored the kids’ stubborn insistence that, â€Å"We don’t just look different, we are different.† Here, although the quotation in this sentence was originally uttered as a complete statement, it has been syntactically integrated into the host sentence and is therefore not capitalized: â€Å"They ignored the kids’ stubborn insistence that ‘we don’t just look different, we are different.’† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Yiddish Handbook: 40 Words You Should KnowTry to vs. Try andParataxis and Hypotaxis

Tissues can convert to stem cells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tissues can convert to stem cells - Essay Example The difference between the fruit flies and other researched subjects is that the fruit flies larval ovary has an abundant supply of the fruit fly protein that is analogous to a protein (BMP4) involved in germ-cell development in developing mammalian embryos. Secondly, the cells in the larval ovary are unlikely to block reversion, in contrast to the cells that cluster cells encounter normally. Thus it appears that under these two conditions, embryonic stem cell testing can be avoided. My reaction to stem cell research really depends on what it is that is being used. While I have no objection to the use of the umbilicus or adult cells, I am completely against the use of embryonic cell use. A human embryo is a human being. We should not be killing humans. Abortion is an atrocity in this country as it is. The logic behind my position is simple. When a sperm and an egg combine it makes a human being. Even when it is still just one cell it is a unique and individual human being with its own set of unique genes. Every human being is a unique person and human life should be respected. How can anyone say its okay for "human abortions" to be acceptable and at the same time want to "save the whales" It is a horror on massive scale.