America: The Land of “Equal” Opportunity Essay

Although the American society that we live in today prides itself on equal job opportunity and progression, it is easy to see behind the deceiving faà §ade. Women have always been viewed as the less dominant gender due to the patriarchy that is provided by society. In fact, women are still making a measly seventy-seven cents for every dollar that a man makes, and the gap is even worse for African-American or Latina women working (Huffington). Even with women having a greater entry into the workforce in recent years, their pay is still considerably less than a man’s (Conley 312). Due to this suffering pay disparity, the women in the workplace are forced to suffer through many barriers that are not thought of and are unheard of by men. It is difficult to break through the glass ceiling of the corporate world for women to get to a higher job title, they are placed into the category of â€Å"caregiver† for children, and finally they are faced with sexual harassment in the workplace. Due to these unfair blockages within the corporate world, the women in today’s society face the harsh inequality provided by the workforce. The glass ceiling of the corporate world is thought of to be a main barrier within the inequality of gender in today’s society. This invisible limit on women’s climb up the corporate ladder poses as a very difficult hurdle to dodge towards success in the work place (Conley 315). If a person simply cannot go any further in their job, why would they bother to put forth more effort? In order for a company to succeed, it is necessary for its employers to go above and beyond what they are expected to do; when a person feels that they no longer must do this, however, the bare minimum will most likely be expected of these people. Women make up 46.5 percent of the workforce in America, yet they only occupy less than 8 percent of the head corporate positions (The Conundrum). This number is astounding based on the percentage of women that make up the workforce in total, and is frustrating for the women who are well-equipped for the job at hand. If this glass ceiling barrier were to be broken, the workforce would have a more equal balance of corporate heads, and would most likely have a more productive workforce because of this. With everyone is striving to make it to the top, all will be going further than what is expected of them. Based on the glass ceiling provided to women in the workforce, a barrier is  created that must be broken through to improve productivity and equality within the work place. Women in society today are seen as the â€Å"housewives†. Due to the gender roles provided by society from birth, women are taught to behave and act a certain way within the house. They are thought of as child bearers, cooks, caregivers, and the person who is responsible for other chores around the house; Arlie Hochschild calls this effect the second shift (Conley 469). Due to this effect on society, women may be seen as less expected to work full-time, when in fact, only 3 percent of women managers said that family responsibilities were a main obstacle in their career (Empowering Women). With women being placed into a set category and role, this causes men to see them as weak and unable to work full-time. This barrier could be broken by a more forward way of thinking towards women’s roles in society. There are plenty of women who do not fit the role of housewife, and by placing them into this role, they are being unrightfully judged. With a more forward way of thinking , this issue of set role can be solved within the work place. Sexual harassment is another barrier which women must face in the work force that most men would not. This harassment comes as an illegal discrimination in many different forms that is intended to make women feel uncomfortable and not welcome (Conley 313). The act of harassment can make women feel very unequal and strange in the workplace, discouraging them from climbing up the corporate ladder. Men do this to subordinate the women in the society, giving them more power, and in most cases they are successful in doing so. In fact, 90 percent of large corporations reported sexual harassment complaints by women employees (Empowering Women). If sexual harassment were more discouraged in the work place, women would feel more confident in climbing up the social ladder without the constant fear of sexual ridicule. With the banning of sexual harassment, the work place would be a safer and more equal environment to work in. American society today still sadly portrays unequal opportunity between genders. Due to the corporate glass ceiling, women being seen as housewives, and sexual harassment in the work place, this inequality will continue to occur for women. These barriers are preventing women from climbing the corporate ladder, which blocks equality in the workforce. If my suggestion to destroy all of these barriers were to go through, American society today would have equal opportunity for both genders in the corporate  world. With equal opportunity, there will be more productivity and greater overall acceptance in the work place. Works Cited â€Å"Empowering Women in Business – The Glass Ceiling – Feminist Majority Foundation.†Empowering Women in Business – The Glass Ceiling – Feminist Majority Foundation. Feminist Majority Foundation, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Huffington, Christina. â€Å"Women And Equal Pay: Wage Gap Still Intact, Study Shows.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 09 Apr. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. â€Å"The Conundrum of the Glass Ceiling.† Economist.com. The Economist Newspaper Limited, 21 July 2005. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Styles and Themes of Samuel Richardson

Styles and Themes of Samuel Richardson Samuel Richardson wrote his novels using the epistolary novel style, in which all the books are made up of letters. These letters are meant to be written during the time that the stories take place by the main character. They either described a scene or dialogue within the scene (Brophy 245). The stories used the themes of female dominance over the emotions of a man, and male dominance over the physicality of a woman. Also, many women in his stories are put under a great amount of distress, which takes up most of the plot of the novel (â€Å"Richardson Criticism†). Little is known of Richardson's early years beyond the few things that Richardson was willing to share. Although he was not forthcoming with specific events and incidents, he did talk about the origins of his writing ability; Richardson would tell stories to his friends and spent his youth constantly writing letters. One such letter, written when Richardson was almost 11, was directed to a woman in her 50s who was in the habit of constantly criticizing others (Brissenden 2). â€Å"Assuming the style and address of a person in years†, Richardson cautioned her about her actions. However, his handwriting was used to determine that it was his work, and the woman complained to his mother (Harris 68). The result was, as he explains, that â€Å"my mother chides me for the freedom taken by such a boy with a woman of her years† but also â€Å"commended my principles, though she censured the liberty taken (Brophy 245). † Pamela was immediately and extremely popular with the reading public. Richardson initially also enjoyed critical acclaim and was considered one of the most important English novelists. His contemporaries focused almost exclusively on his moral teachings, and most praised the author for his judgment and honesty. Richardson's stated purpose in his works was moral instruction and thus when his sincerity was eventually questioned, and his work attacked by Fielding in parodies including Shamela, Richardson defended himself with explanations and revisions, particularly in the third edition of Pamela. Fielding ridiculed Pamela's obsession with chastity and her tendency to measure the rewards of virtue in material terms (Harris 87). Fielding's interpretation of Pamela established the opposition between â€Å"Pamelist† and â€Å"anti-Pamelist† which has persisted to the present day (Brissenden 32). Richardson's popularity rapidly diminished in the nineteenth-century until he was generally neglected. However, critics would on occasion mention him as historically important for advancing the epistolary form. William Hazlitt perceptively wrote that his works combine the romance of fiction with the â€Å"literal minuteness of a common diary. † Twentieth-century critics have emphasized Richardson's concept of self (Brissenden 12). His character's extreme self-awareness can be read at different levels; according to both Richardson and critics, the characters are not as bound to the truth as they continually claim. Elements of Richardson's work have often been praised in spite of their author; critics suggested that the depths of his work were present unconsciously or even by accident (Brissenden 32). Scholar A. D. McKillop argued convincingly to the contrary, that Richardson was a skilled, deliberate craftsman conscious of his work, its layers, and its meanings. Further rehabilitation to Richardson's reputation was gained from W. M. Sale's painstaking bibliographic study and Ian Watt's discussion of background and technique. Richardson is studied today as a psychological novelist and as a social historian for his descriptions and insight in regard to the relationships of the sexes in a patriarchal society, and to sexual themes in general (Brissenden 32).. While working for Wilde, he met a rich gentleman who took an interest in Richardson's writing abilities and the two began to correspond with each other. When the gentleman died a few years later, Richardson lost a potential patron, which delayed his ability to pursue his own writing career. He decided to devote himself completely to his apprenticeship, and he worked his way up to a position as a compositor and a corrector of the shop's printing press. In 1713, Richardson left Wilde to become â€Å"Overseer and Corrector of a Printing-Office†. This meant that Richardson ran his own shop, but the location of that shop is unknown. It is possible that the shop was located in Staining Lane or may have been jointly run with John Leake in Jewin Street (Brophy 245). In 1719, Richardson was able to take his freedom from being an apprentice and was soon able to afford to set up his own printing shop, which he did after he moved near the Salisbury Court district close to Fleet Street. Although he claimed to business associates that he was working out of the well-known Salisbury Court, his printing shop was more accurately located on the corner of Blue Ball Court and Dorset Street in a house that later became Bell's Building (Brissenden 12). On 23 November 1721 Richardson married Martha Wilde, the daughter of his former employer. The match was â€Å"prompted mainly by prudential considerations†, although Richardson would claim later that there was a strong love-affair between him and Martha. He soon brought her to live with him in the printing shop that served also as his home (Brissenden 14). One of Richardson's first major printing contracts came in June of 1723 when he began to print the bi-weekly The True Briton for Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton. This was a Jacobite political paper which attacked the government and was soon censored for printing â€Å"common libel (Brophy 245). However, Richardson's name was not on the publication, and he was able to escape any of the negative fallout, although it is possible that Richardson participated in the papers as far as actually authoring one himself. The only lasting effect from the paper would be the incorporation of Wharton's libertine characteristics in the character of Lovelace in Richardson's Clarissa, although Wharton would be only one of many models of libertine behavior that Richardson would find in his life. In 1724, Richardson befriended Thomas Gent, Henry Woodfall, and Arthur Onslow, the latter of those would become the Speaker of the House of Commons (Kinkead-Weekes 667). In 1733, Richardson was granted a contract with the House of Commons, with help from Onslow, to print the Journals of the House. The twenty-six volumes of the work soon improved his business. Later in 1733, he wrote The Apprentice’s Vade Mecum, urging young men like him to be diligent and self-denying (Brophy 245). The work was intended to â€Å"create the perfect apprentice. Written in response to the â€Å"epidemic Evils of the present Age†, the text is best known for its condemnation of popular forms of entertainment including theatres, taverns and gambling. The manual targets the apprentice as the focal point for the moral improvement of society, not because he is most susceptible to vice, but because, Richardson suggests, he is more responsive to moral improvement than his social betters. His tota l staff during the 1730s numbered 7, as his first three apprentices were free by 1728, and two of his apprentices, Verren and Smith, died soon into their apprenticeship (Brophy 245). The loss of Verren was particularly devastating to Richardson because Verren was his nephew and his hope for a male heir that would take over the press (Kinkead-Weekes 67). Work continued to improve, and Richardson printed the Daily Journal between 1736 and 1737, and the Daily Gazetteer in 1738. During his time printing the Daily Journal, he was also printer to the â€Å"Society for the Encouragement of Learning†, a group that tried to help authors become independent from publishers, but collapsed soon after. In December 1738, Richardson's printing business was successful enough to allow him to lease a house in Fulham. This house, which would be Richardson's residence from 1739 to 1754, was later named â€Å"The Grange† in 1836. In 1739, Richardson was asked by his friends Charles Irvington and John Osborn to write â€Å"a little volume of Letters, in a common style, on such subjects as might be of use to those country readers, who were unable to invite for themselves. † While writing this volume, Richardson was inspired to write his first novel (Brophy 245). Richardson made the transition from master printer to novelist on 6 November 1740 with the publication of Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded. Pamela was sometimes regarded as â€Å"the first English novel. † Richardson explained the origins of the work (Brophy 245). In the progress, writing two or three letters to instruct handsome girls, who were obliged to go out to service, as we phrase it, how to avoid the snares that might be laid against their virtue, and hence sprung Pamela†¦ Little did I think, at first, of making one, much less two volumes of it†¦ I thought the story, if written in an easy and natural manner, suitably to the simplicity of it, might possibly introduce a new species of writing, that might possibly turn young people into a course of reading different from the pomp and parade of romance-writing, and dismissing the improbable and marvelous, with which novels generally abound, might tend to promote the cause of religion and virtue (Kinkead-Weekes 47). After Richardson started the work on 10 November 1739, his wife and her friends became so interested in the story that he finished it on 10 January 1740. Pamela Andrews, the heroine of Pamela, represented â€Å"Richardson's insistence upon well-defined feminine roles† and was part of a common fear held during the 18th century that women were â€Å"too bold. † In particular, her â€Å"zeal for housewifery† was included as a proper role of women in society. Although Pamela and the title heroine were popular and gave a proper model for how women should act, they inspired â€Å"a storm of anti-Pamelas† (like Henry Fielding's Shamela and Joseph Andrews) because the character â€Å"perfectly played her part (Brophy 243). † Later that year, Richardson printed Rivington and Osborn's book which inspired Pamela under the title of Letters written to and for particular Friends, on the most important Occasions. Directing not only the requisite Style and Forms to be observed in writing Familiar Letters; but how to think and act justly and prudently, in the common Concerns of Human Life. The book contained many anecdotes and lessons on how to live, but Richardson did not care for the work and it was never expanded even though it went into six editions during his life. He went so far as to tell a friend, â€Å"This volume of letters is not worthy of your perusal† because they were â€Å"intended for the lower classes of people. In September 1741, a sequel of Pamela called Pamela's Conduct in High Life was published by Ward and Chandler. Although the work lacks the literary merits of the original, Richardson was compelled to publish two more volumes in December 1741 to tell of further exploits of Pamela, the title heroine, while â€Å"in her Exalted Condition. † The public's interest in the characters was waning, and this was only furthered by Richardson's focusing on Pamela disc ussing morality, literature, and philosophy. After the failures of the Pamela sequels, Richardson began to compose a new novel. It was not until early 1744 that the content of the plot was known, and this happened when he sent Aaron Hill two chapters to read. In particular, Richardson asked Hill if he could help shorten the chapters because Richardson was worried about the length of the novel. Hill refused, saying, You have formed a style, as much your property as our respect for what you write is, where verbosity becomes a virtue; because, in pictures which you draw with such a skillful negligence, redundancy but conveys resemblance; and to contract the strokes, would be to spoil the likeness (Kunitz 60). In July, Richardson sent Hill a complete â€Å"design† of the story, and asked Hill to try again, but Hill responded, â€Å"It is impossible, after the wonders you have shown in Pamela, to question your infallible success in this new, natural, attempt† and that â€Å"you must give me leave to be astonished, when you tell me that you have finished it already. † However, the novel wasn't complete to Richardson's satisfaction until October 1746. Between 1744 and 1746, Richardson tried to find readers who could help him shorten the work, but his readers wanted to keep the work in its entirety (Kunitz 60). A frustrated Richardson wrote to Edward Young in November 1747: What contentions, what disputes have I involved myself in with my poor Clarissa through my own diffidence, and for want of a will! I wish I had never consulted anybody but Dr. Young, who so kindly vouchsafed me his ear, and sometimes his opinion (Brissenden 32). Richardson did not devote all of his time just to working on his new novel, but was busy printing various works for other authors that he knew. In 1742, he printed the third edition of Daniel's Tour through Great Britain. He filled his new few years with smaller works for his friends until 1748, when Richardson started helping Sarah Fielding and her friend Jane Collier to write novels. By 1748, Richardson was so impressed with Collier that he accepted her as the governess to his daughters (Brophy 243). In 1753, she wrote An Essay on the Art of Ingeniously Tormenting with the help of Sarah Fielding and possibly James Harris or Richardson, and it was Richardson who printed the work (Kunitz 60). But Collier was not the only author to be helped by Richardson, as he printed an edition of Young's Night Thoughts in 1749. By 1748 his novel Clarissa was published in full: two volumes appeared in November 1747, two in April 1748 and three in December 1748. Unlike the novel, the author was not faring well at this time. By August 1748, Richardson was in poor health. He had a sparse diet that consisted mostly of vegetables and drinking vast amount of water, and was not robust enough to prevent the effects of being bled upon the advice of various doctors throughout his life. He was known for â€Å"vague ‘startings' and ‘paroxysms'†, along with experiencing tremors. Richardson once wrote to a friend that â€Å"my nervous disorders will permit me to write with more impunity than to read† and that writing allowed him a â€Å"freedom he could find nowhere else (Brissenden 32). † However, his condition did not stop him from continuing to release the final volumes Clarissa after November 1748 (Brophy 243). To Hill he wrote: â€Å"The Whole will make Seven; that is, one more to attend these two. Eight crowded into Seven, by a smaller Type. Ashamed as I am of the Prolixity, I thought I owed the Public Eight Vols. n Quantity for the Price of Seven† Richardson later made it up to the public with â€Å"deferred Restorations† of the fourth edition of the novel being printed in larger print with eight volumes and a preface that reads: â€Å"It is proper to observe with regard to the present Edition that it has been thought fit to restore many Passages, and several Letters which were omitted in the former merely for shortening-sa ke (Brophy 243). † The response to the novel was positive, and the public began to describe the title heroine as â€Å"divine Clarissa. It was soon considered Richardson's â€Å"masterpiece,† his greatest work, and was rapidly translated into French in part or in full, for instance by the Antoine Francois Prevost, as well as into German. In England there was particular emphasis on Richardson's â€Å"natural creativity† and his ability to incorporate daily life experience into the novel (Brissenden 32).. However, the final three volumes were delayed, and many of the readers began to â€Å"anticipate† the concluding story and some demanded that Richardson write a happy ending. One such advocate of the happy ending was Henry Fielding, who had previously written Joseph Andrews to mock Richardson's Pamela. Although Fielding was originally opposed to Richardson, Fielding supported the original volumes of Clarissa and thought a happy ending would be â€Å"poetical justice (Brissenden 34). Others wanted Lovelace to be reformed and for him and Clarissa to marry, but Richardson would not allow a â€Å"reformed rake† to be her husband, and was unwilling to change the ending. In a postscript to Clarissa, Richardson wrote: If the temporary sufferings of the Virtuous and the Good can be accounted for and justified on Pagan principles, many more and infinitely stronger reasons will occur to a Christian Reader in behalf of what are called unhappy Catastrophes, from a consideration of the doctrine of future rewards; which is everywhere strongly enforced in the History of Clarissa (Brissenden 36). Although few were bothered by the epistolary style, Richardson feels obligated to continue his postscript with a defense of the form based on the success of it in Pamela. However, some did question the propriety of having Lovelace, the villain of the novel, act in such an immoral fashion. The novel avoids glorifying Lovelace, as Carol Flynn puts it, But Richardson still felt the need to respond by writing a pamphlet called Answer to the Letter of a Very Reverend and Worthy Gentleman (Peden 236). In the pamphlet, he defends his characterizations and explains that he took great pains to avoid any glorification of scandalous behavior, unlike the authors of many other novels that rely on characters of such low quality (Brissenden 32).. In 1749, Richardson's female friends started asking him to create a male figure as virtuous as his heroines â€Å"Pamela† and â€Å"Clarissa† in order to â€Å"give the world his idea of a good man and fine gentleman combined. † Although he did not at first agree, he eventually complied, starting work on a book in this vein in June 1750. Near the end of 1751, Richardson sent a draft of the novel The History of Sir Charles Grandison to Mrs. Dunnellon, and the novel was being finalized in the middle of 1752. When the novel was being printed in 1753, Richardson discovered that Irish printers were trying to pirate the work (Brissenden 32).. He immediately fired those he suspected of giving the printers advanced copies of Grandison and relied on multiple London printing firms to help him produce an authentic edition before the pirated version was sold. In Grandison, Richardson was unwilling to risk having a negative response to any â€Å"rakish† characteristics that Lovelace embodied and denigrated the immoral characters â€Å"to show those mischievous young admirers of Lovelace once and for all that the rake should be avoided (Brissenden 32). † At the same time as he was associating with important figures of the day, Richardson's career as a novelist drew to a close. Grandison was his final novel, and he stopped writing fiction afterwards. However, he was continually prompted by various friends and admirers to continue to write along with suggested topics. Richardson did not like any of the topics, and chose to spend all of his time composing letters to his friends and associates (Peden 236). The only major work that Richardson would write would be A Collection of the Moral and Instruction Sentiments, Maxims, Cautions, and Reflexions, contained in the Histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison. Although it is possible that this work was inspired by Johnson asking for â€Å"index rerum† for Richardson’s novels, the Collection contains more of a focus on â€Å"moral and instructive† lessons than the index that Johnson sought. Richardson was a skilled letter writer and his talent traces back to his childhood. Throughout his whole life, he would constantly write to his various associates (Peden 236). Richardson had a â€Å"faith† in the act of letter writing, and believed that letters could be used to accurately portray character traits. He quickly adopted the epistolary novel form, which granted him â€Å"the tools, the space, and the freedom to develop distinctly different characters speaking directly to the reader. † The characters of Pamela, Clarissa, and Grandison are revealed in a personal way, with the first two using the epistolary form for â€Å"dramatic† purposes, and the last for â€Å"celebratory† purposes (Peden 236). In his first novel, Pamela, he explored the various complexities of the title character's life, and the letters allow the reader to witness her develop and progress over time. The novel was an experiment, but it allowed Richardson to create a complex heroine through a series of her letters. When Richardson wrote Clarissa, he had more experience in the form and expanded the letter writing to four different correspondents, which created a complex system of characters encouraging each other to grow and develop over time (Kunitz 60). However, the villain of the story, Lovelace, is also involved in the letter writing, and this leads to tragedy (Brissenden 32). Leo Braudy described the benefits of the epistolary form of Clarissa as, â€Å"Language can work: letters can be ways to communicate and justify. † By the time Richardson writes Grandison, he transforms the letter writing from telling of personal insights and explaining feelings into a means for people to communicate their thoughts on the actions of others and for the public to celebrate virtue. The letters are no longer written for a few people, but are passed along in order for all to see (Brophy 243). Works Cited Brissenden, R. F. â€Å"Samuel Richardson. † British Writers. Ed. Ian Scott-Kilvert. Vol. 3. New York: Scribner, 1987. Print. Brophy, Elizabeth Bergen. Samuel Richardson: The Triumph of Craft. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 1974. Print. Eaves, T. C. Duncan, and Ben D. Kimpel. Samuel Richardson: a Biography. Oxford: Clarendon, 1971. Print. Harris, Jocelyn. Samuel Richardson. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1987. Print. Kearney, A. M. Samuel Richardson. London, Routledge & K. Paul: Northumberland Limited, 1968. Print. Kinkead-Weekes, Mark. Introduction. Pamela. By Samuel Richardson. Vol. 1. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1962. Print. —. Samuel Richardson: Dramatic Novelist. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 1973. Print. Kunitz, Stanley J. , and Howard Haycraft, eds. â€Å"Samuel Richardson. † British Authors Before 1800: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: H. Wilson, 1952. Print. Peden, William. â€Å"Samuel Richardson. † Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Ed. Carl E. Rollyson. Vol. 6. Pasadena, CA: Salem, 2000. Print. â€Å"Samuel Richardson Criticism. † ENotes – Literature Study Guides,

THERAPUTIC HYPOTHERMIA FOR NEUROPROTECTION POST ADULT CARDIAC ARREST Essay

THERAPUTIC HYPOTHERMIA FOR NEUROPROTECTION POST ADULT CARDIAC ARREST - Essay Example Once these ischemic injuries set in, they leave patients with symptoms including high body temperature and other neurological dysfunctions. In such cases, the need to find protective interventions to deal with these aftermath effects becomes highly important and urgent. In this paper, one critical intervention to dealing with post adult cardiac arrest, which has effects like risk of ischemic injury to tissue, which is therapeutic hypothermia discussed for its effectiveness and efficiency as a care approach. Neurological anatomy and physiology is discussed due to the relationship between neurological wellbeing and post cardiac arrest. As Arrich, Holzer, Havel, Mà ¼llner and Herkner (2012) note, â€Å"Good neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest is hard to achieve†. An understanding of the neurological anatomy and physiology will therefore make it possible to know why this is so and how this situation can effectively be tackled using therapeutic hypothermia. Quote (year) explained that neurological system comprises of two major components, which are the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Whereas the PNS is mainly made up of nerves that exit from the spinal cord, the CNS comprises the brain, the spinal cord, and the cranial nerves. Three major organs can therefore be anatomically and physiologically identified, which are brain, spinal cord and the vertebral column. Functionally, the brain is responsible for functions including â€Å"imagination, memory, speech, and limb movements to secretion hormones and control of various organs within the body† (Sehati, 2009). These functions are however made possible by the collective functioning of other cells, tissues and organs including brain cells, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid (csf), ventricles, brainstem, thalamus, cerebellum, lobes, cerebrum, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, basal ganglia, pineal gland, and cranial

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Art Curation - Research Paper Example With the accommodation of terms such as performative, or self-reflexive, it is clear that curating is no longer only about exhibitions. This form of discourse proves that curating is slowly turning into a visible, self-critical and transparent process. The rising transformation and visibility of the exhibition since the 20th century has encouraged students to develop a motivation for engaging with the history of curation. On one hand, the transformation narrows down to the foundation of new institutions that accommodate for the exhibition of contemporary art, increasing temporalisation of museums as well as expanding the art market with countless art fairs and gallery shows(Vogel, 2013)1. Besides the need to renovate museums and enlarge their temporary exhibition spaces for marketing and other economic-related reasons, an artistic engagement with the museum’s collection has become a critical requirement for everymuseum. Regardless of the fact that these strategies are based on permanent collections, the presentation approaches have replaced the atemporal collection displaythat is viewed as rigid and authoritative(Altshuler, 2012)2. On the other hand, the art exhibition is changing to an extent that it encourages us to appreciate a range of typologies that overshadow the conventional formats of solo, group or thematic shows. The discourse in art curation considers the growth of new artistic practices that include institutional critique or conceptual art(Bourriaud, 2002)3.

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Write's choice - Assignment Example The other second question is; what were Matt’s stepping stones to become CEO. He started as accountant then editor and he played a very important role in building business at Holiday World when he was the project manager. This helped him to gain recognition for the hard work and enabled him to climb the ladder to a higher position. I believe that for someone to climb the ladder to the position of CEO, that parson should have proved that he is experienced and capable of steering the company to greater heights through his performance in other aspects of the organization. Who is the biggest competitor based on consumer perceptions? Dollywood and Silver Dollar City are seen as the best competitors in this business but what has to be taken into account is the fact that they do not provide direct competition. By virtue of the fact that they are located in distant areas, it can be noted that they do not give direct competition. In my own opinion, I believe that the aspect of proximity or closeness to each other plays a pivotal role in determining the nature of competition. Competition is intense when the companies are located closer to each other. In this case it is weak since the competitors are located in distant areas. What are the marketing strategies that you use in your operations? He stated that advertising tools such as billboards, radio, website as well as TV and radio were mostly used since these are popular and can be easily accessed by the targeted audiences. I concur with him as a result of the fact that television for instance is the most popular medium to families and it can be effectively used to market the services offered by Holiday

Globalisation of Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Globalisation of Markets - Essay Example Globalisation of Markets Levitt’s research relies on secondary data, observation and statistical evidence pertaining to the globalisation of markets via technological innovation and the emergence of global products. He does not define his research strategy, nor does he clearly specify his data sources. This, however, does not detract from the value of his study as what emerges is a highly valuable and well-articulated explanation of an emergent market phenomenon. Levitt concludes that the world has become flat and that corporate entities must tailor their marketing strategies for greater consistency with this new reality. As he contends, the flattening of the world/globalisation, has led to the evolution of the global consumer, with the implication being that consumer preferences are no longer determined by geography and culture. In addition, emergent technologies have transformed economic realities in such a way that national borders are increasingly porous, thereby facilitating the transnational flow of goods and services. It is contingent upon companies to address the new reality, as accurately described and defined by Levitt, if they are to remain competitive within the parameters of a globalised economy while, at the same time, exploit the economic potentials of this reality. Levitt’s article, as may have been deduced from the preceding, emerges as a definitive introduction to globalisation and its impact on international business operations. Levitt provides a precise and concise definition and discussion of this new reality, alongside a prescript for business and marketing strategies therein.

Pros and Cons of High Stakes Testing in California Research Paper

Pros and Cons of High Stakes Testing in California - Research Paper Example It is a tool of progress but not for judgment of the capability or cleverness. Moreover, data from statewide testing is normally available to the public hence every parent is capable of viewing the performance of the child. Accessibility of these information aids parents in making of more informed decisions concerning how their child fair on with education (Madaus, Russell & Higgins, 2009). High stakes examinations causes anxiety but annual testing and frequent practice tests assist children in advancing their test taking capabilities over a period. Thus, children are capable to learn how to deal with pressure, developing appropriate skills and strategies essentials in achieving the parent’s and school expectations (Au & Tempel, 2012). Conversely, teachers and corresponding experts possess solemn detriments in regard to high stakes testing. High stakes tests cause any discipline that is not related to mathematics and language arts not to be learnt in class. Moreover, science, social studies and art to be forfeit in order to create time for learning test prep (Au & Tempel, 2012). Pressure on the underlying teachers can clamp down the ingenuity and originality. Moreover, pressure from the administration normally results to less elasticity in developing lessons plan to the prevailing individual students. Escalated pressure on the prevailing parents and students is normally counterproductive in case the pressure is not constructive. How high stakes testing has helped or hindered student achievement or progress High stakes testing has resulted to development of alteration within the classroom that is important and positive. The plan has teachers to better plan their underlying instruction thereby allowing them the capability of narrowing in specific bodies of knowledge that are fundamental to students. This guidance of the curriculum have aided children in understanding concepts by compelling teachers to be more aware of state standard requirements in regard to teaching (Au & Tempel, 2012). Moreover, high stakes testing in schools have made the teachers to be aware of the matching instruction to what the students require to know in order to be successful on the state mandated tests. Nevertheless, high stakes testing allocate limited time within the school year thus does not permit time for infinite instruction hence impacting negatively on the part of the children (Madaus, Russell & Higgins, 2009). Description of state's testing system and high stakes testing High stakes testing grants teachers a chance to improve their skills in giving instructions and stipulate the standard that guide curriculum thus allowing more parental involvement within the education. Moreover, curriculum reflects on the state-mandated standardized test that is typically granted annually. State&apos as a testing system is a developed set of state standards that possess peculiar set of skills that students ought to be taught at particular grade level. It allo ws for easy movement of the students from one school to the other in the same state within the middle of school year. It was seen to be taking away the teachers creativity and abilities of teaching (Au & Tempel, 2012). Description of ethical questions involved with the testing The ethical questions in regard to the testing pertain to the perception that the technology was faulty even though underlying

300 - Rationalism vs Empiricism - Summary and History Essay Example for Free

300 Rationalism vs Empiricism Summary and History Essay What is reality really like? A current running through much of the philosophical thinking around the time of Socrates and Plato was that there is a difference between how the world appears and how it is. Our senses reveal one layer of reality but it is our minds that penetrate deeper. The world of appearances is a world in flux but underneath there must be a stable reality. For there is much that is unchanging. We recognise kinds of things – badgers, daffodils, mountains – and whilst members of these kinds are born, change and die, and differ from one another in ever so many ways, the kind-defining essence doesnt change. We see here the key rationalist idea that knowledge is a priori knowledge of necessary truths Plato said that kinds were defined by the transcendental forms. He presented a number of arguments for the existence of these things. Prior to our incarnation, our souls existed in the realm of forms where we learned about these essences. In our terrestrial state, we cannot recall what we know. Socrates considered himself a midwife to knowledge instead of a teacher, helping his interlocutors to draw out what they dont know that they know. The example of Meno and the slave-boy shows this idea clearly. Like many philosophers, Plato was also fascinated by mathematics. We are able to tap into a universe of truths that are non-sensible: we do not see numbers and we do not see the perfect geometric forms. Once again, we see the difference between the powers of the mind and the powers of the senses. It was in the 17th century that the debate between the rationalists and the empiricists came to a head. Philosophers such as Descartes and Leibniz emphasised the power of reason over the senses. Descartes argued that our senses were fallible and that we could not rule out the possibility of the demon deception hypothesis on the basis of sensory evidence alone. Descartes argued that he knew he existed, as a mind, on the basis of reflection alone: when I think, I cannot fail to be aware of myself as existing as that thinker (cogito, ergo sum). Having proved that he exists, Descartes argued that God exists. Since God is no deceiver, he would not have given us senses that systematically mislead. But let us not overemphasise the powers of the senses. Descartes argued that even with material things, it is reason that exposes their essences. In his piece of wax reasoning, he argued that the senses merely reveal a succession of impressions: it is reason that grasps the underlying and enduring substance as extended (and filled space). Plato and Descartes believed that we are born with concepts and knowledge. In Descartes case, there was a religious motive: we are all born in the image of God. We discover more about the world primarily through metaphysical reflection. The philosopher Francis Bacon, an early empiricist, famously dismissed this rationalist approach to knowledge. He compared rationalists to spiders who spin complex metaphysical systems out of their entrails. Empiricists get their hands dirty: like bees gathering pollen, they gather knowledge about the world and only then reflect on it. Around the same time as Bacon, many new discoveries were being made that shook the prevailing views of reality. The Earth was dethroned from its position at the centre of the universe by Copernicus. A new star (a supernova) was observed by Tycho Brahe in 1572 – yet the heavens were supposed to be timeless and unchanging. Galileo discovered the moons of Jupiter – again, everything clearly didnt revolve around the Earth. Later in the 17th century, scientist-philosophers such as Newton, Boyle, Gassendi and Huygens would revolutionise our understanding of reality. The original empiricist manifesto was written by John Locke. In his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, he sought to show how a mind that was blank at birth – a tabula rasa or blank slate – could come to be filled. His first targets were the innate concepts and knowledge (ideas) of the rationalists. There are no such things. There are no truths everyone agrees on. Many people fail to grasp the supposed metaphysical truths. Instead, our senses deliver ideas to us. We store them, abstract from them to form general ideas, and compound and mix them to generate new ideas. Like Lego bricks, we build the meagre sensory data into ever more complex structures. Even Leibniz thought Locke was onto something here. He claimed that our minds were like blocks of marble that had to be carefully chiselled at to reveal the hidden structure (the innate truths). It is hard work and not everyone will end up well-chiselled. Hume took empiricism to its limit. Where Locke talked indifferently of ideas, Hume distinguished impressions and ideas. Impressions are the direct deliverances of the senses and are forceful and vivid in comparison to ideas, which are the copies our minds makes. (He also agreed with the Empiricist Berkeley that Lockes theory of general ideas was wrong. We do not abstract from particular ideas to a general idea but use a particular idea in a general way via a general name. ) What about the precious necessary truths philosophy is supposed to study? Locke argued that once we have ideas in our mind, our mind will perceive the necessary connections between them – e. g. that a triangle has internal angles that add to 180o? But where does the idea of necessity come from? Hume provided an answer. He distinguished statements into two categories: those expressing relations of ideas (analytic) and those expressing matters of fact (synthetic). The analytic truths express mere definitions: we simply are aware of an association between terms. The synthetic truths are the contingent truths. So what happens to interesting necessary truths, such as God exists or nothing exists without being caused to exist? Hume argued that if these werent analytic – and they arent – they arent necessary. We feel that they are necessary and this is all necessity is: a psychological property. When we say that X caused Y, we think we have said something about the universe. We think we have seen an example of a law of nature (e. g. the water in the bucket froze because it was cold exemplifies the law water freezes at 0oC). Science investigates these laws. Hume said that causation was all in the mind. We see one thing after another and when weve seen instances of a regularity enough, we develop the feeling that one thing must be followed by the other. Hume, like Locke, emphasised how all we can be certain of are our impressions – how the world seems. Scientists are really investigating how the world appears: they can never be certain that the world really is the way it appears. So, empiricism seems to lead straight to scepticism about the external world. Kant objected strongly to this. Science really is studying the external world and there really is an external world for it to investigate. Kant brought about a revolution in philosophy (he called it a Copernican revolution). He argued that the empiricists and rationalists were both right and wrong. The Empiricists were right: science requires the study of the world and the world is brought to us via the senses. The Rationalists were right: our mind is not blank but contains structures that enable us to interpret the stream of data from the senses. We may liken the mind to a mould and the data to jelly: one only has something structured by combining both. Or: the mind is a computer with an operating system and the data is the input from the user. A computer with just an operating system is inert. A computer into which data is inputted but which has no operating system is just data: it cannot be interpreted. Only when you combine both do you get something useful. Our minds contain the structures for space, time, objects and causation, for example. (In Kants terminology, space and time are the pure forms of intuition whereas the structures for objects and causation are pure concepts of the understanding. ) This means that we experience a world of spatio-temporally located objects in which causation happens because this is how our minds make it appear. Does this mean that the world as such is all in the mind? Or is the mind somehow tuned to the structure of reality, so that our pre-programmed minds mirror the structures of reality? This is a very difficult question over which there is no agreement amongst experts. The Empiricist movement came back with a vengeance in the 20th century. Philosophers such as Bertrand Russell agreed with Hume that our knowledge begins with our knowledge of sense-data (classical empirical foundationalism). Armed with new discoveries in mathematics and logic, and backed by the successes of science, the logical positivists argued that the only proper way to investigate the world was the scientific way. If I say p and p is synthetic and there is no objective, scientific way to verify my claim that p, then my claim is meaningless. (This is the celebrated verification principle). So, if it is true that there atoms, we should be able to find empirical – sensory – evidence of them. If it is true that nothing happens without being caused to happen, then we likewise need scientific evidence for this. We cannot discover whether it is true by pure reason. The Logical Positivist movement failed. There is much that seems meaningful that is not objectively verifiable by the senses, such as the occurrence of private sensations. The principle makes it impossible for general claims such as all mammals are warm-blooded to be true, as we cannot verify all of them. The very verification principle itself fails its own test! The Logical Positivists responded by watering down their principle: a meaningful claim is one we could gather some evidence for in principle and the principle itself is special – exempt from this rule. But it was not enough. (* Then Quine argued that the fundamental division between analytic and synthetic sentences was incorrect. Analytic sentences cannot be false. But no sentence enjoys this privilege. As we learn more and more, truths we thought were beyond doubt are rejected. Once upon a time, we would have thought it analytic that no object can be in two places at once or that there is no fastest velocity. Quantum physics and general relativity theory show that they are not true. Instead, we should have a web of belief. At the centre are those sentences least likely to be revised – our core beliefs. As we move out, we find those sentences that would be easier and easier to accept as false – that would cause less and less disruption to the rest of what we believe. ) In the 1950s, Chomsky became famous for suggesting that we are not born as blank slates when it comes to language. We are born knowing the fundamental structures of human language. When we are young, we hear our mother tongue and use our knowledge of language to pick up our language very quickly. (At 24 months, the average child understands 500-700 words; at 36 months, 1000; at 48 around 2500-3000; at 60 around 5000 words: thats around 7 words a day between 3 and 6). More recently, studies have shown that children are born with brains structured to expect the world to behave in certain way. Very young children expect objects to persist over time: not to disappear and reappear at two different places, for example. Is this a revival of rationalism? Not according to many people. Rationalists argued that we had innate concepts and knowledge. By reflection, we can discover them and manipulate them to gain new knowledge. But our knowledge of language is altogether different. None of us can easily articulate the rules we follow in generating syntactically-correct English. (And certainly none of us at all can articulate the common structure rules to all human languages. ) Our brains are certainly pre-programmed, but only perhaps in the same way that a computer is pre-wired: clearly something has to be there but nothing as advanced as software. So where are we today? No side is victorious: this would be to grossly over-simplify the debate between the empiricists and the rationalists. We definitely have minds in some way ready to receive the world – hardly surprising, perhaps, given the time it has taken for us to evolve. But when it comes to working out what is true? Few philosophers are rationalists in the old-fashioned way. There is no sharp division between metaphysics and science: our study of reality cannot be done from the armchair alone. But our capacity to grasp abstract mathematical truths has always been difficult to explain from an empiricist perspective. We seem to have an access to a mathematical realm and a cognitive or intuitive access instead of a sensory one. You cant see numbers, after all, and it is not easy to say what we could see that would lead us to generate the ideas of numbers.

The Development Of Local Malay Films Media Essay

The Development Of Local Malay Films Media Essay Last month, president to the National Film Development Corporation, Ahmad Puad Onah, said that the association would propose that ticket prices for Hollywood-produced movies be increased to RM20! This is supposed to help the local film producers become more competitive. However it is sad that these people really have they not learned anything from the Proton story yet. This suggestion is a really shallow idea and it will not help local films be more competitive against foreign movies. In fact, this will have an opposite effect. Local film producers should become more competitive. These days. So the question is, why arent Malaysians watching local movies? Think about it. What are the demographics that show people who actually go and watch movies? Can a middle income family with 4-5 kids afford to watch movies priced at RM8-12 per ticket? Four kids plus mom and dad will cost the family (RM10 x 6) RM60. Add the parking ticket, and snacks and it will cost at least RM100 just for an afternoon of movie-watching. So if these people want to watch a movie, what do they do? You guessed it. Buy an illegal DVD at RM7 per disc and the whole family can watch it over and over again. So solution No.1 is to enforce the law against illegal DVD sales. This although it would put a dent in the coffers of those authorities and VIPs who are taking bribes from this industry. So, who then will go to the cine-plexes? I would have to say that it would be couples or young people out with their friends right?!? However these people have a limited budget as well. If they have to choose between watching Spiderman and Cicakman which show do you think they will watch? So what would attract the younger generation to watch local films? Can local films ever match Hollywood in terms of visual effects, star power or even in promotional marketing activities? So how then can they compete against Hollywood movies? The answer is nearer than you think. Just look at our neighbors. Both Thailand and Singapore have managed to produce local-made films that are very successful, even on the international stage. So why cant Malaysian film producers do the same? The reason is simply because they are too afraid to offend the authorities. There is too much control, taboos, restrictions and censorship in the industry. It has come to a point where any movie that comes out from the local industry will almost sure to be too safe meaning dull and boring. Also, the local movies that come out arent controversial, provocative and have little to offer progressive Malaysians as a whole. Just take a look at our local news. We have an exciting by-election, the Jerit issue, the Hindraf issue, the ISA Issue, the hudud laws issue, many corruption scandals, a murder of a Mongolian gal and a conspiracy involving a top man, New Year sex parties with movie stars, the list goes on! Now why would I ever pay money to watch a local film when our local news in Malaysia is a whole lot more interesting? Do you think any of our local film producers are brave enough to turn any of the issues above into a movie? If our local film industry produced a film related to any of those issues I mentioned above, I am sure it will get a whole lot of publicity and many people will watch it. Why? Because all Malaysian can relate to it. It will be very provocative and this will generate curiosity and publicity among many Malaysians. And on top of this, it will not have to compete directly against any Hollywood movie (Blue Ocean strategy). Also, when was the last time we saw a movie that appealed to Malaysian audience as a whole? Local movies are usually categorised as either Malay movies, Indian movies or Chinese movies. Where are the Malaysian movies? Lets be honest how many Chinese will go watch a Malay movie? Local producers must learn to makes films that appeal to a broad spectrum of society and not segregate their movies potential market by race! Whats wrong with movies that have characters speaking Chinese, Malay, Tamil etc, in the same movie? We do that in our everyday life. So why not in our local films as well? I know it is not easy to produce films that will appeal to the whole country. Thus, local film producers must be ready to face the challenges of making movies that would be very controversial politically and socially. We must no longer be afraid to makes movies that are racially or religiously sensitive. Now, I am not asking producers to make films that insult other races or religion. Neither am I asking producers to make politically-charged propaganda films. But we can still make movies that reflect the true picture of our country and show that the human spirit can triumph over many adversities. With regards to this, I have a list of ideas that I think will make great movies which most Malaysian will pay to watch. Police corruption (tales of a young police officer facing huge peer pressure to compromise his principles and succumb to taking bribes and the persecution he faced by not giving in) A Malaysian spoof movie on the local politicians (I bet you it will be very funny with actors and actresses imitating our local politicians) Who really killed Altantuya? A mystery movie with an open-ended ending (allowing viewers to make their own decision) Prostitution in Malaysia Tale of a young local gal with little education being conned into prostitution The Hindraf/Jerit issues (why, this could be a documentary movie) May 13 (tale of three friends a Malay, an Indian and a Chinese whose relationship is strained to breaking point during that era but they managed to overcome this adversity and remain friends till this day) I am sure a lot of people can think of many more ideas that will make great movies. I am sure many of these potential movies will make certain groups unhappy. But that is the whole point isnt it? A safe and nice movie that does not raise any eyebrows will not interest the Malaysian public at all (considering they get so much more entertainment from the local news). Until local film producers are brave enough to challenge the status quo of making proper films, and make movies that are honest and relevant to all walks of life in Malaysia besides challenging the minds of our society, they will never be able to compete with Hollywood movies. (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/99234) The FFF Guide to Writing a Winning Film Proposal So here it is! The FFF Guide to Writing a Winning Film Proposal. We tapped into the brains of our most beloved KOMAS creative consultants and pulling from them their many years of experience to give you the following tips to help guarantee your proposal has what it takes . ONE: Choosing your issue Is it relevant why is this issue important and why it is something that Malaysians need to know about, acknowledge and discuss openly? Is it daring is the issue seldom discussed and would researching it be difficult? Does the issue fit in with the theme of Democratic Space and Human Rights? First step: Choosing your issue Find an interesting issue that people regularly discuss or those that matters a lot. We need to keep finding out the Malaysians needs, what they would love to see, discuss and acknowledge either fits with Democratic Space and Human Rights theme. Second step: Content Showing viewers something that are rarely seen and take notes on every important points. TWO: Content What new angles or different point of view are you showing your viewers? What are the important points that this documentary will discuss? How will you make those points i.e. give details of who you will profile/interview, what visuals or scenarios will you document in detail. Provide story line or outline if possible, but not necessary. (If your proposal is chosen we will help you write the script). Its important to show that you have a clear idea of how the video will be executed and look like in the end. Show that discussion of the issue is well researched and deep. THREE: Treatment Describe how you will treat the film using music, editing techniques, storyline any creative approach to make your documentary interesting and attractive to your audiences. Trade Secrets Do research about your topic first. Speak to some resource people or find interesting profiles that you can definitely include in your film. Understand your issue well before taking on the subject. You need to know more or have something more to say that your viewers do not already know about or understand well. What is your stand on the issue? Think of one or two main points you want to make in the film. At the end of the film, this is the message you want your viewers to take home with them. Something that may sound interesting to you initially might be difficult to execute in the end be careful and plan well. A film is nothing without good audio/interviews and visuals, so you always need to have in mind what audio/visuals you will need to make your point. Know your own strengths and weakness. Have a team/crew that is technically proficient to help you in areas that you might be weak in. Follow these three easy steps, while taking into account those tricks of the trade and voila! Youre first documentary film proposal. Good luck! (http://freedomfilmfest.komas.org/?cat=53) Should Malay Films continue to be Malay Films? One approach that should be continued is the furthering of Malay films as films made in Malaysia. This is because the Malay language is the national language, one that does not exist outside of the Malay Archipelago. It is one that is easily acceptable as a language that reflects Malaysia from any point of view. The non-Malay language can always be used to reflect the position of the language i.e. spoken in the community among people of the same language culture, or in telling about some background information, so long as it can enhance the cinematic impact required by a film. To this end, the effort to produce Malaysian films should do this two-pronged approach: Increase the production of Malay films. Building the foundation of distributing Malaysian film that deals with Malaysian issues from the perspective of other races. The production of Malay films should be increased in quantity and quality. This is because Malaysia is the only country whereby Malay films can be produced. Without Malay films from Malaysia, it can be said that there will be no Malay films in the world. Another reason is that there is still a lot of of other Malay and Malaysian issues from Malaysia, as well as from the Malay archipelago, that can be shown on film. Reducing the production of Malay film and producing Malaysian films on the excuse that Malaysian films have to be multi-racial and multi-lingual will marginalise a film source that is very cinematic and will also diminish the importance of Malay history and culture. It is a culture that may well disappear. At the same time, the production of Malaysian films from the perspective of the non-Malays should also be encouraged. This will improve the standing of film in society and film as a medium and source of culture that is important to the nation. National Film Development Plan An officially-organised approach to build the film industry in Malaysia began in 1980 when the government established the National Film Development Body (FINAS). Since then, activities like as film development, encouragement, control and protection has been taken towards three of the most important aspects of the industry; that is, the production, distribution and screening of films in Malaysia. From the aspect of control and protection, the specific activities to development such as training workshops and financial aid can be said to have achieved their objectives. The Production Aid Scheme and return of entertainment tax, for example, can be incredibly significant to local film producers. This paper does not intend to provide further commentaries on the success or failure of such programmes run by FINAS. 25 years worth of opinions and debates can be found via other avenues. I will, however, say that the programmes have a long-term impact on the development of the film industry in the future. The subject at hand is film policy. FINAS, in an effort to advance the local film industry, has twice pushed this issue forward. The first was in the years of 1989 and 1990, led by Tun Ghazali Shafiee. The second time occurred in 2004, when the policies were reviewed and improved to become more aligned to the new objectives and concepts of Malaysian film development. Even though policies for a clear, national film agenda have been formulated, along with the requisite targets and objectives, nevertheless it is difficult to see what shape or form the Malaysian film industry will achieve by the year 2020. In my opinion, there should be a clear and concise 2020 objective to aim for, giving it the same amount of attention and importance as other fields. The entire nation is gearing up to achieve their respective objectives in these fields. As a developed nation, what kind of film industry will we have by then? It would be wise to ensure that we do no lag behind, and set practical objectives (e.g. local films having a 30% share of the market). The main thing is the setting of a schedule, timetable, or master plan for national film development. If such an action plan ever came into existence, all sectors of the industry would have main idea to refer to. Until now, however, we have yet to see such a plan, whether it exists or otherwise. Increasing Appreciation Programmes for Local Films in a Structured and Holistic Approach Another step that could be taken by all relevant parties is to increase the number of appreciation programmes in a structured and scheduled manner, so that the attention paid towards local films could be increased. This is of critical importance, seeing how low the audience numbers for local films are. From a national population of 26 million people, we can count a mere 200,000 to 300,000 people who consistently watch local films. Compare this to the Czech Republic, who have around 10 million people, but can depend on around 1 million of them to watch their own films. If we can increase the number of viewers even by 1 million people, it would certainly change the face of the local film industry. We could also look at other countries and consider how they develop their own films; South Korea, for example, imposes a quota system to protect their local filmmakers. The current situation is a cause for concern, because the previous generation of film viewers are now at a different stage of their life. Thus, they no longer go to the cinemas regularly. The new generation of film audience members have a different perception and exposure compared to the previous group, and with this comes a different viewing trend. If there is no programme to encourage further appreciation towards our own local films, Malaysian films, Malay or otherwise, will not have a chance. Only through a permanent, holistic, and well-planned approach will the situation improve. We need not look to far for an example of what could be; the current state of newspapers written in Arabic, when it was once the norm, is a sore sight for eyes. Even more galling is the lack of emotions that such a state arouses at the present time. Increasing and Expanding the Interest towards the National Language Apart from film appreciation programmes, other approaches can also be taken. One such example is to increase appreciation towards the language and culture of Malaysia, especially in the schools. Ultimately, this can help to increase further interest and fluency in understanding the local films. This should also be carried out in a similar manner to the above suggestion, so that the seed for such an interest can be planted and be allowed to mature. This can also increase the interest within society towards the traditional/Malay arts and stories which will also help along Malay and Malaysian films. Training Programmes, Technology Networking and Fund for Young Artists Other areas that can be looked at is further exposure and education about all aspects of filmmaking, including providing further training to those who currently active in the industry. We can also work to strengthen relations and networking, and providing practical encouragement for filmmakers to take Malaysian films beyond Malaysia. This networking will help to increase Malaysian film appreciation not just within the country, but also without. Another important factor is to create a fund for young artists. This fund can be used for various activities, like script development, but with an especial focus on encouraging the number of young directors with quality. Through such efforts will we only find the diamonds in the rough. Conclusion This paper does not suggest any one single conclusion, but invites further discussion and dialogue on the matters that I have raised. The issues and problems of the film industry are constantly changing with the winds of time, and so long as there is an effort to improve the making and content of local films, then the sky will truly be the limit as to what we can achieve. (http://thoughtsonfilms.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/the-malay-and-malaysian-film-where-are-we-part-2/) Archive for the Malaysian Cinema Category Global connections in three  countries In an earlier post on the film industry in Poland I looked at the range of countries to which the Polish film industry was connected through co-productions and incoming productions that did not involve a domestic partner (which I called autonomous productions). The data was taken from the Internet Movie Database, and while it cannot be said to provide a comprehensive overview of the globalisation of the film industry and its relation to Poland it does allow us to make some inferences about the range of countries a particular film industry is connected to in terms of a single type of interaction (i.e. feature film production). The aim behind this post, and todays follow-up, is to get a sense of the web of connections that link different film industries by simply enumerating the number of connections between them. Further work needs to be done on the economic value of these connections in order to understand how co-productions and autonomous productions contribute to a film industry, a nd so the depth of penetration (call this the density) needs to be considered alongside the range of connections in order to describe the extent to which a film industry is globalised. We could, for example, distinguish between film industries with a high range and high density, those with a high range but a low density, a low range but high density, and those with a low range and a low density. (This could be represented in similar terms to the relationship between the transnationality and territoriality of UK productions I used in Redfern 2007). This would enable us to distinguish between different types of national film industry in the global film industry, whilst also allowing us to identify areas of potential weakness. For example, an industry with a low range of connections but a high density will be overly-dependent on production finance from a small number of countries coming into the industry, and should anything upset this balance (better incentives available elsewhere, ch anges in exchange rates, global economic meltdown) this will have a disproportionately large effect on the host industry that could (potentially) be wiped out. Quite how to measure the density of global connections to a film industry is a problem I have not yet solved. We could use the proportion of the total production investment in an industry accounted for by co-productions and autonomous productions, but there may be better methods. A first step must be to simply understand the level of global interaction; and to add to the data on Poland, this post applies the same method to three other film industries in Malaysia, Chile, and Morocco. (A key difference here is that the data for Poland covered the period 2002 to 2007, while the data for these three countries covers the period 2003 to 2007). Malaysia A total of 37 films produced in Malaysia were identified from the Internet Movie Database, accounting for a total 47 connections to 17 countries, and country by country summary is presented in Table 1. Of the 37 films included here, only six are co-productions, so while Malaysia may be a filming location of choice for many producers this does not involve Malaysian production companies. The single largest number of connections is to India, but all of these are autonomous productions. After India, Singapore, with 5, has the second largest number of connections (again all autonomous); but in general the number of connections is very low fr each country across a 5 year time period. Connections to other Asian countries account for 66% of the total, while Europe accounts for 23% and North America just 11%. In simple numerical terms, connections to industries in the immediate vicinity are more important than those that stretch across the globe, although as noted above it is difficult to ass ess the meaning of these connections in the absence of detailed of some understanding of how deep they go into the Malaysian industry. TABLE 1 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Malaysia, 2003-2007 Chile 24 films produced in Chile were identified, accounting for a total of 42 connections to 12 countries. This data is summarised in Table 2. Of these films, just over half were co-productions and so (unlike Malaysia) a substantial proportion of productions shooting in Chile will have some sort of relationship to producers and filmmakers based in that country. South American countries account for only 21% of connections and North America (i.e. the US and Mexico) account for 31%, while seven different European countries account for just under half (48%). Unlike Malaysia (and Poland) it is not local connections that are the most important to Chile, but the relationships that reach further across the globe. TABLE 2 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Chile, 2003-2007 Morocco For Morocco, a total of 69 films were identified accounting for 111 connections to 23 different countries. of the three countries looked at here, Morocco has the greatest number of connections and the widest range of countries, but like Chile is dominated by North America and Europe. There are connections to only one African country (Algeria), one Asian country (Japan) and one South American country (Brazil); while 17 European countries account for 78% of connections and three North American countries account for 27%. Interestingly, only Morocco out of the the three countries looked at in this post and Poland has connections to countries in all parts of the globe. However, only 15 of the films in this sample were co-productions, and so, like Malaysia, international production in Morocco is typically non-Moroccan production. Only France is a significant co-production partner. That so many links to France should be apparent is unsurprising, as the state was made of protectorate of Fran ce under the Treat of Fez (1912), and the European influence here is strong (as it is in Algeria and Tunisia). The country with the largest single number of connections is the US, and this is in large part due to the fact that Morocco can stand in for other parts of the Arab world without so many of the dangers. Numerous Hollywood movies have chosen to film in Morocco since 2003 for the desert locations, the architecture, the middle-eastern looking extras, and because Morocco can also pass for the ancient world. Thus Alexander (Oliver Stone, 2004), Troy (Wolfgang Petersen, 2004), and Kingdom of Heaven (Ridley Scott, 2005) have all been shot in Morocco (along with Arn Tempelriddaren (Peter Flinth, 2007) and Arn Riket vid và ¤gens slut (Peter Flinth, 2008)). The Moroccan film industry appears to have benefited from the war in Iraq as the chosen location for Rendition (Gavin Hood, 2007), In the Valley of Elah (Paul Haggis, 2007), United 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006), and Home of the Br ave (Irwin Winkler, 2006), along with Syriana (Stephen Gaghan, 2005), Charlie Wilsons War (Mike Nichols, 2007), and Body of Lies (Ridley Scott, 2007). TABLE 3 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Morocco, 2003-2007 Summary Although this post is only a brief survey of three countries using limited data, it is possible to see how the film industry in different countries can be connected to the rest of the world. It is possible to identify where local connections are important and where more the key relationships are over a longer distance. It is possible to compare where connections between countries result in co-productions or where relationships are not formed with local producers. As more data becomes available it will hopefully be possible to compare the number of connections between countries over time to gain an understanding of the dynamic relationship, rather than the simply static picture we have here. In simply enumerating the connections in the global film industry in this manner we can slowly build up a picture of a mosaic of film industries.

My Philosophy of Education - Teaching Survival Skills :: Teaching Education Essays

My Philosophy of Education - Teaching Survival Skills I fundamentally believe that genetics plays more of a role in the classroom than most are willing to admit. Ever wonder why some people are better at certain things than other people. Why can some people do math in their heads and others need paper and pencil to add? I think it has more to do with genetics and instinctual factors. Think of it in terms of survival skills. We will be more likely to survive if we stick with the cognitive abilities that we are good at. So what does survival skills have to do with teaching children? The younger a child is the more in tune they are with the basic human instincts. Now granted a five year old in not going to have to run away from a lion, but he will instinctually want to be successful. Success is based on survival. Success at one point meant hunting for food to feed oneself. Being able to survive enables the person to pass on genetic material to offspring. Today, we still supply food to our family but in a different way. Over time humans instinctually develop, realizing that by taking good care of ones offspring could insure that the offspring will then themselves produce offspring. Now apply the argument of survival to the classroom. What do children do that makes us realize that they still using instinctual methods? My philosophy is a work in progress but I believe that learning itself is based on survival. Why do parents and teachers reward student? Parents realize that with good grades comes better paying jobs. With better paying jobs comes a better lifestyle and better health. Hence, healthier children and strong, healthy offspring. Another point on survival has to do with the special education student. The human race has genetic mutated over time. Mutation is a change in the DNA bases and sequences. Take dyslexia for example, over time for what ever reason, the genetic make up of society has mutated and dyslexia is still around. It must have contributed to survival of the human race. I think this true for all learning disabilities. Did the learning disabilities help us survive? Did human DNA mutate to better our survival skills? I have many questions that are still unanswered.

gattom Importance of the Automobile in The Great Gatsby Essay

The Importance of the Automobile in The Great Gatsby    F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby was written about a time of gaiety for a certain set of people. One of the major thematic aspects of the book is driving and the automobile. At the time the book was written the car had begun its establishment as a national institution. This is apparent in one of the central events in the book. Tom's unfaithfulness first comes to light from a car accident in Santa Barbara. He misguides the car and the misdirection of his life is made glaringly evident. The automobile affected Fitzgerald and it influenced the writing in The Great Gatsby. Driving is equated with living. Nick Carraway, describing their ill-fated trip from New York in Chapter Seven of The Great Gatsby says, "...we drove on toward death..."(143) This is both literal and metaphorical. They were driving toward the horrific scene of Myrtle's death. The entire novel deals with living, which is a movement toward death. Driving becomes a metaphor for living. Automotive transport becomes the rhetoric for describing everything. Even nature is related to automobiles. Nick describes the season in terms of elements associated with cars. "Already it was deep summer on roadhouse roofs and in front of wayside garages where new red gas-pumps sat in pools of light..."(25). For these people driving is about the new way of getting around quickly and living life fully. No one is exempt from being touched by the influence of cars. Fitzgerald incorporates the automotive metaphor into every aspect of his novel. This is especially evident when Fitzgerald describes people. Often the basic terminology used is automotive related. Daisy describes Tom as a "great big hulking physical specim... ...ed" that draws the automobile metaphor into it. It is the hit and run style of living that makes The Great Gatsby such a wonderful book, and Fitzgerald's continuous use of cars helps to keep this a vivid image. Works Cited Berman, Ronald. The Great Gatsby and Modern Times. Urbana: U of Illinois P, 1994. Dillon, Andrew. "The Great Gatsby: The Vitality of Illusion." Arizona Quarterly 44.1 (1988): 49-61. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York. New York.: Scribner., 1995. Godden, Richard. "The Great Gatsby: Glamor on the Turn." Journal of American Studies 16.3 (1982): 343-371. Mizener, Arthur, ed. F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1963. Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.

Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay -- Teaching Learning School Ess

Educational Goals and Philosophy It was the last day of school. My daughter's 3rd grade class had just chosen to have me read to them instead of playing a game. As I explained that we wouldn't be able to finish the rest of the chapter book I had begun several weeks before, I suggested "You can check it out at the library and finish it over the summer". One little girl looked up at me in disappointment and said, "but it wouldn't be the same as hearing you read"! My heart melted and the final reason was added to my ongoing mental list of why I should begin to pursue a teaching degree at the age of 35. Children are creative, enthusiastic, honest, inquisitive, loving, and full of energy! Yet at times they become easily bored, disappointed, frustrated, indignant, and stubborn. Even with all these seemingly contrasting characteristics in common, each child is a unique person with talent and potential for achievement, but also different learning styles. As a teacher, helping to develop each child's capacity for learning will be compounded by many factors. Such as, emotional or personal turmoil due to family issues at home, personality and temperament conflicts within the classroom, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and the simple fact that there are too many children to teach at the same time. With all these different needs in the classroom, good classroom management is a must in order to begin to determine what will work best for each child. Keeping disruption of time to a minimum will require consistency in discipline. Rules that are easy to understand and created wi th the students are my goal, with consequences followed through consistently in order to establish a sense of fairness and security to each s... ...Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education here at Concord College. I would like to complete several years experience in the classroom, preferably the early grades, and at that time I hope to begin the requirements for my Master's Degree, if available, here at Concord also. I plan to stay in the Southern West Virginia area, as I have strong family ties here, having been raised in Raleigh County. Teaching is a dream I have had for several years now, motivated by the challenges and rewards of parenting, and by volunteering in my own children's classrooms. Becoming a teacher is a natural extension of being a parent, where the roles of both are training and guiding young lives in order to prepare them for the adult world. Choosing the path of the teacher will allow me to continue to experience one of the greatest joys in life - making a difference in the life of a child.

“Politics and the English language” by George Orwell Essay

This is a statement from the â€Å"Politics and the English language† written by George Orwell. He says, † A bad usage can spread by tradition and imitation†. The whole essay is mocking other writers on their language usage. He claims that the language is not used to its full extent. People use words the size of continents and in the end those big words say the same thing as a three-letter word. Those people also end up confusing them selves in the end. I do believe that language is changed by thought. After all it is the mind that is the one that thinks of the sentences and it’s thought that may corrupt the language. After all language does not write it self on a paper. The mind can basically create any thing with language. This is why every thing works in theory. But practically it doesn’t. I do believe that man creates language to express our selves. Some might use it to corrupt other thoughts but isn’t that why language is there. So we can understand each other and express our feelings, thoughts and to claim things, even though they are not true. Language according to the oxford dictionary is defined as: Language noun 1.Words and their use. 2.The words used in a particular country or by a particular group of people [from the Latin lingua=tongue] In a different dictionary it says that language is the system of human expression by means of words. Human language, as expressed by the voice, depends for its production on certain physical characteristics, which are not possessed by the apes. The left hemisphere of the human brain dominates comprehension and expression of written and spoken language. This might be  far searched but maybe this is why communists who believe in all things are equal are called the left wings usually. They are the ones who want to control every thing in life so maybe that is why they are called the left wings. There are more than 5000 languages, or dialects, which are classified in families, though the relationships are not all well established. For example, with a few exceptions, e.g. Basque, Finnish, and Tamil, all the languages of Europe and India belong to a single much diversified Indo-European family. Computers (using rules of language structure) can now translate technical documents with an 80%accuracy. This just shows the diversity of the modern technology. One problem with translating is that different people interpret the text differently. There have been experiments in Nevada USA to see if chimps have the same ability of creating languages that we understand, the scientist figured that since we where related that this could be possible, they found that chimps are not able to produce the human sounds. So at the moment humans are the only ones that have a language. It might be that other animals have languages as well. But the humans have yet to discover this. It has been discovered that animals do have some sort of communication but we cant yet speak dog or cat. Language can corrupt thought as well. A great example is the novel nineteen eighty-four. As part of a great totalitarian state the government creates one language, newspeak, where no emotion words are in the dictionary. With newspeak there is no way of expressing the true emotions, like hate towards Big Brother or love towards one and other. It is possible to disagree with the party by using double negation, or making up words. But the characters in the novel are to scared to do so, because if they do they are committing the act of thought crime, and for that they could be vaporized or worse. Communists set up the whole idea of Big Brother. So as mentioned before this might have to do with the fact that those people want to restrict the growth of the left hemisphere of the brain, as this is the part that lets us speak and write language. They probably want to restrict all things because that  would cause opposition to the party. This might lead to the political party to loose their power or sharing their power. This is something they want to avoid if they want to become a totalitarian state. The opposition might spoil that for them. I wonder in the future if the world will in a way become some thing like Big Brother. One language, every one alike and no one is allowed to be different. What a boring place that would be. I can imagine that one day the world would have one language so would avoid confusions in politics and this would make traveling much easier. Also a student’s life in high school would be so much easier if you did not have to learn three or four different languages. But language comes along with identity. Going to a different country and hearing a different language is something that might not be any more in the future. We might all be speaking English or a new language like newspeak might be introduced. Maybe the countries might keep their own language but that every country might have that universal language as a second language. But coming back to the point if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, I do think that language can easily corrupt thought. Not to one self but if lets say, I tell you that the word believe has been taken out of the dictionary and you believe me and immediately tell all your companions this might cause a great confusion about language. I would be the one who spoilt the language, because what word could you use to replace believe? Synonyms of believe are: (according to oxfords Thesaurus.) accept, be certain of, be convinced of, count on, assume, conjecture, consider, gather, and guess. All of these words might be the same, but they cant really replace believe, because as all words, believe has a unique meaning that cant exactly be replaced. In conclusion to ascertain as to if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, I totally agree. But I don’t take the statement as serious as George Orwell does. He gives many examples of bad writing in the essay Politics and the English language, but I think I speak for everyone that one of those examples we use in our language every day. Does this make  us bad writers? According to Orwell we are. I know it’s just his opinion but he defiantly takes extremes and basically says that all essays, novels, political speeches that don’t look like his own style of writing, are bad language.

Hewlett Packard Spying Scandal Essay

Corporate misconduct, (or people’s misconduct so to speak) is an issue that has been dominating headline news in the American business world in recent years. Theodore Roosevelt, one time U.S. president was probably right when he said, â€Å"To educate a person in mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society† (Platt, 1989). The American society has continued to suffer from corporate scandals, despite the fact that people are now better educated because behind each scandal and crisis is a possible lack of morals in the â€Å"educated people† running those corporations (Low et al, 2006). It should be noted that unethical behavior is not a new phenomenon in US business nor it is an issue of the US alone. Research Questions and Objectives The year 2002 witnessed the collapse of giants like Enron, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom and less known cases like Morgan Stanley, Dupont and Prudential Financial amongst others all involved in one form of scandal or the other.   Such widespread corporate misbehaviors have left many people (including this writer) to wonder where things are going wrong. Should blame be placed on perceived weaknesses of legislation and accounting standards? Or is it that education is not producing the type of business graduates needed to prevent such scandals? (Low et al).  Ã‚   Do the misdeeds simply involve a few â€Å"bad apples†: a smattering of corporations that make the rest of American business look bad? Or is the problem much broader than that? Further, if it is a widespread issue, what needs to be done? (Clement R. May 2006). Such are the kind of questions this study is out to seek answers to in light of the Hewlett Packard Spying scandal of 2006. Conceptual Framework This section explains what the literature on business ethics suggests for achieving ethical behavior in an organization. It is hoped that this will lay a foundation for the analysis of the recent corporate misdeed of Hewlett Packard. Business Ethics: Business ethics, Black J. (2002) is the branch of ethics that studies what standards businesses should observe in their dealings over and above compliance with the letter of the law. This covers questions such as fair dealing with their labour force, customers, suppliers, and competitors, and the impact of their activities on public health, the environment, and animal welfare. If a good reputation helps to gain and retain business, ethical conduct need not necessarily conflict with profit, but there are bound to be cases where it does. Particularly difficult questions of business ethics arise in multinational firms, where practices such as gifts to officials, which are essential to doing business at all in some countries, are regarded as criminal in others. Previous research works on business ethics have pointed out some measures that can be taken within an organization to help foster a culture of ethical behavior. Many of these studies highlight the role that top management commitment plays in developing an ethical organizational culture. Weaver, Trevino and Cochran (1999) found that the commitment of top management is essential for ethical decision making to be integrated into a firm’s culture; in other words, management’s decisions and actions in promoting the program are more effective than making sure that the program addresses a long list of ethical issues. Trevino and Brown (2004) found that top executives must manage ethical conduct proactively by means of explicit ethical leadership and conscious management of the organization’s culture. To this end, they suggest that top managers should study the cultures of their organizations to see what ethical messages are being sent. The researchers also assert that executives should communicate the importance of ethics, reward ethical behavior, and model that behavior themselves. Holmes et al (2002) found that employees are more likely to engage in ethical behavior if top management is firm in its expectations of ethical behavior of all employees, including themselves (p. 97) while Harrington (1997) concluded that, to achieve ethical behavior, top management needs to gain social consensus through changes in organization culture and by encouraging employees to live up to their responsibilities. What constitutes â€Å"unethical† behavior? It is important to determine the types of corporate behavior to consider unethical, and to decide on the time period over which the data on that behavior should be gathered. Some types of behavior may seem unethical to certain individuals but not to others (Clement R, 2006).   He however identifies three conditions that seem to signal unethical behavior: – A plea of guilty by a firm to charges of misconduct; – by courts or government agencies against a firm as solid evidence of corporate misconduct, even if the firm is still appealing the ruling. – agreement by a firm to settle charges, often by paying a fine or agreeing to other restrictions on company behavior even if the firm is not required to admit guilt. The Hewlett Packard (HP) spying scandal Origins In a Newsweek report by Kaplan D, (2006), the confrontation at Hewlett-Packard started innocently enough in January 2006 when online technology site CNET published an article about the long-term strategy at HP and other information that could only come from a director quoting an anonymous HP source. HP’s chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, fed up with the ongoing leaks told another director she wanted know whom it was. According to an internal HP e-mail, Dun then took the extra ordinary step of authorizing a team of independent electronic-security experts to spy on the January 2006 communications of other 10 directors – not the records of calls (or emails) from HP itself, but the records of phone calls made from personal accounts. That meant calls from directors’ home and their private cell phones were intercepted. Dunn acted without informing the rest of the board and this caused a boardroom fury at the world’s largest technology company. In a related story by Sakuma P. (2007), the HP boardroom-spying scheme erupted into a national scandal , September 2006, after the company disclosed that detectives it hired obtained the private phone records of directors, employees and 9 journalists in an effort to ferret out the source of media leaks. The scandal also introduced the world to â€Å"pretexting,† a shady tactic in which detectives used other people’s Social Security numbers to fool telephone companies into divulging detailed call logs. In an interview with Newsweek, Dunn said she didn’t know that the investigation would reach such heights. Consequences In two separate press releases, HP announced a number of moves that was an outcome of 2 days of teleconferences among the board. – Patricia Dunn was to step down as chairwoman. – CEO Mark Hurd will replace her. – George Keyworth, the longest serving director and one who leaked information to a CNET reporter that led to HP’s investigation was to resign immediately. – Richard Hackborn, who served on the board since 1992 would become â€Å"lead independent director†. – A criminal investigation against Patricia Dunn, Kevin Hunsaker, HP’s former ethics chief who allegedly directed the probe, and 3 private investigators was started on 4 counts: use of false or fraudulent pretenses to obtain confidential information from a public utility; unauthorized access to computer data; identity theft; and conspiracy to commit each of those crimes. Each charge carried a fine of up to 10,000 dollars and 3 years in prison. How and Why HP successfully overcame this scandal Testifying before a congressional in September 2006, Dunn said she was repeatedly reassured by HP’s lawyers about the legality of its detectives’ subterfuge. In a Business Week report, November 2006, a state judge Cunningham in California dropped the above charges against ex-Hewlett-Packard Chair Patricia Dunn after she pleaded guilty. The court however did not accept the pleas of the other three defendants and offered to dismiss the charges against them if they met two conditions – by Sept. 12   2006, they must serve 96 hours of community service and complete any court-filed restitution requests made by victims. In a related story by CNN’s Katy Byron, (September, 2006), the court dismissed Dunn’s charge because of her cancer battle, according to the attorney general’s office. The dismissal came â€Å"not because she’s innocent but because she is sick,† attorney general’s spokesman Barankin told CNN. Dunn had breast cancer in 2000 and melanoma in 2002 and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2004 and is still battling it. She also underwent extensive surgery last year after doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her liver. In a CNBC news report (september 2006) Hewlett Packard agreed to pay $14.5 million to settle the lawsuit brought by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, whose office accused the company of unfair business practices in its attempts to unmask the source of boardroom leaks. HP also implemented changes to its corporate governance policies to ensure that future internal investigations are conducted legally. There was no finding of liability against HP. The settlement includes an injunction and agreement that the California Attorney General will not pursue civil claims against HP or against its current and former directors, officers and employees. The vast majority of the settlement — $13.5 million — will fund state and local investigations into privacy rights and intellectual property violations, Lockyer said in a statement. The personal efforts of new HP chairman and CEO, Mark Hurd also contributed greatly to HP’s successfull exit from the scandal. He says â€Å"We are pleased to settle this matter with the Attorney General and are committed to ensuring that HP regains its standing as a global leader in corporate ethics and responsibility†. The company shareholders rejected a proposal that would have given investors the right to nominate directors to HP’s board. About 39 percent of HP shares entitled to vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting favored the measure, which was supported by funds including Calpers, the largest U.S. pension fund, and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the No. 3 fund. The above factors culminated in a slight stock price increase of HP in September 2006 despite the fact that September 2006 was a rocky month for the company. Its stock actually rose a bit that month, ending at $36.69. It has since climbed to nearly $40 as HP continues to perform strongly in the PC and printer markets. HP today has regained its leading position as the worlds number one technology company. The Role of Business Ethics in this Success The conceptual framework of this study laid some guidelines on how to identify when a company behavior should be considered ethical or not. In the context of the widely publicized Hewlett Packard spying scandal discussed above, there is no plea of guilt by the firm nor by Patricia Dunn and the other defendents to charges of misconduct, we haven’t seen a ruling against either the Carlifornia court that handled the case nor the Securities and Exchange Commissions against HP for unethical behavior. However, HP agreed to settle charges of $14.5 million to close the case and save the goodwill of the Silicon Valley icon. The payment, by ethical standards could be considered a fine, which is an evidence of unethical behavior, by a firm. HP’s intention, perhaps, as we have seen was to save the company’s image and probably in compliance with a court injunction or lawyer’s advice. Taking a look at HP’s Standards of Business Conduct, (SBC) , we find that it embodies the fundamental principles that govern   ethical and legal obligations to HP. They pertain not only to conduct within the company but also to conduct involving HP’s customers, channel partners, suppliers and competitors. (www.hp.com). As a business, remaining profitable and viable is a must for Hewlett Packard though this is not the only concern for the company. HP seeks uncompromising integrity through what each individual can contribute — to its customers, co-workers, company and communities. HP’s business success is dependent on trusting relationships. Its reputation is founded on the personal integrity of the company’s personnel and its dedication to the principles of: (www.hp.com) – Honesty in communicating within the company and with its business partners, suppliers and customers, while at the same time protecting the company’s confidential information and trade secrets. – Excellence in its products and services, by striving to provide high-quality products and services to its customers – Responsibility for its words and actions – Compassion in its relationships with employees and the communities affected by company business – Citizenship in observance of all the laws of any country in which the company does business, respect for environmental concerns and service to the community by improving and enriching community life. – Fairness to our fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers through adherence to all applicable laws, regulations and policies, and a high standard of behavior. – Respect for fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers while showing willingness to solicit their opinions and value their feedback. Conclusion From the above, we can say that Dunn’s investigation into the leak was simply in compliance with the first principle (Honesty) of the company’s code of ethics. Her intentions were clear from the outset – to probe into an alleged boardroom leak while at the same time respecting the principles of respect and fairness (last two principles) in the investigation. That in itself shouldn’t have been a scandal. It is the methods of the investigation – pretexting that raised controversy and finally erupted into a scandal. Patricia Dunn was able to prove before congress and the courts that such an act was carried out without her knowledge, though she acknowledged that an investigation was going on, which in itself complied with company ethics.