Don’t Blame the Eater Essay

In his article â€Å"don’t blame the eater† Zinczenko blames the food industry for the obesity epidemic. Zinczenko opens his articles with a personal story about growing up eating fast food because his parents split up, his mom had to work and he had no other options. He goes on to give statistics on childhood diabetes due to obesity. Zinczenko then insists that â€Å"complicating the lack of alternatives is the lack of information about what exactly we’re consuming. over all Zinczenko is advocating changes in the fast food industry because he believes there is a direct link between obesity, monies spent on fast food advertising and the costs of health care. I agree with Zinczenko that the fast food industry needs to change by as Zinczenko put it â€Å"providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products†. However I question his claim of not blaming the eater & that the food industry is to blame for today’s rate of childhood obesity. After all I do believe as Zinczenko states â€Å"shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurants? † Growing up my parents divorced and, like Zinczenko, I was a latch key kid. Everyday my parents made sure my brother and I had lunch for school and dinner that night. As a parent today I understand the pressure of taking care of things, kids, school, work, extracurricular activities, laundry, making dinner and then trying to squeeze in quality time with the family and possibly a social life. With all that going on we always have a choice. I make my family and what they eat a priority, so I make it a point to buy health easy snacks like fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, and granola bars. Don’t get me wrong we buy and eat cookies, and on a Friday night dinner is takeout. But the rest of the week I make it a priority to cook and eat at home. This means planning ahead, it may mean I cook in advance during a really busy week, we will have leftovers once a week and the crockpot at times is my best friend. I do it because the health of my family is important to me and I choose not to feed them fast foods. Over all I believe it is the responsibility of the individual and the parents of children to make the right choices and to educate themselves and their children about making the right choices and typo educate themselves and their children about healthy eating habits. Hopefully with education and the help of government regulations we can help guide people into making better choices and help fight disease due to obesity, after all as Zinczenko said â€Å"the problem isn’t just there’s – it’s all of ours. â€Å"

Flipkart Case Study Essay

Flipkart.com is a story of the two young computer science graduates brothers Sachin Bansal (26) and Binny Bansal (25) from IIT-Delhi 2005 batch who left their jobs in amazon.com (an American multinational E-commerce company) in 2007 with a dream to become India’s top retail Outlet In E-commerce Industry. They came up with an idea to sell books including novels online. Flip kart’s timeline shows it was to start as a price comparison platform, but there weren’t enough e-commerce sites to compare. So, both the Bansals, who were colleagues at IITDelhi, and then at Amazon.com, thought, â€Å"why not start an e-commerce site?† That was the genesis of Flip kart. From an initial investment of Rs. 4 Lakh this So they started to make a website, although it was a bigger task to create a website with 50,000 titles but wouldn’t be impossible for IITians†¦ so finally they created which took about a month and a half to start a basic working website with 50,00 0 titles and grown our catalogue to over 1 Lakh available titles. On 5th September 2007 they launched the company’s URL i.e. Flipkart.com for the first time in just an apartment room. . The website was launched on 15th Oct 2007. Flip kart is an Indian ecommerce company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. From a start-up with an investment of just four lakh rupees, Flip kart has grown into a 100 million revenue online retail giant in just five years. Flip kart focused on online sales of books initially. The process involved in online shopping for books has gone through drastic changes and is more secure right now. A customer could use our user-friendly web page to place an order, once the order is placed online – the book is taken off the online inventory. In case of unavailability – it will be purchased from a supplier. The Book will then get packed and couriered on the same day. Flip kart is currently tied up with around 12 courier service providers. Flip kart also use Indian Postal services to reach areas without courier providers. Logistics play an important role in our business. But it later expanded to electronic goods and a variety of other products. The key differentiators are Availability of variety of goods of various categories, online shopping experience on the site and post sales experience. Apart from this the Cash on Delivery service is also one of the main reasons which keep it apart from  other E- commerce portals. The cash-on-delivery model adopted by Flip kart has proven to be of great significance since credit card and net banking penetration is very low in India. . Flip kart offers multiple payment methods like credit card, debit card, net banking, e-gift voucher, and Cash on Delivery. IDEA Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal saw a good opportunity in the market around e-commerce. Also, regular job was not as challenging. The excitement and satisfaction that comes with building something of a long lasting value is addictive enough for them to continue this. They started flipkart.com because they themselves felt the need for a good online book store. E-commerce sector is one of the toughest to get into in India. They believe that they can make a difference here. They wanted to create something which has a long lasting value and which we can be proud of. An attractive neutral name is what they looked for. Good domain names were hard to get. They were looking at names that did not just speak of books alone, but one that could suit any category of Products that we may add in future. Also, they wanted to have a catchy name with high recall potential. Flip kart could in simple terms mean ‘Flipping things into your Kart’. CURRENT POSITION OF FLIP KART Flip kart started with selling books. In 2010, they added to their catalogue media (including music, movies and games) and mobile phones and accessories. In 2011, product launches included cameras, computers, pens & office supplies, computer accessories, home and kitchen appliances, personal care, health care, gaming consoles, audio players and televisions. In 2012, product launches includes health & beauty products, Life style products which includes watches, belts, bags & luggage. In November 2011, Flip kart launched a new Electronic Wallet feature that allows shoppers to purchase credit to their Flip kart account using credit or debit cards, and can subsequently be utilised to make purchases on the site, as and when required. From June 2012, Flip kart allowed people to buy toys, posters and from October 2012, Flip kart entered into apparel retailing. ACQUISITIONS MADE BY FLIPKART.COM 2010 â€Å"WE READ†, social book discovery tool 2011 MIME260, a digital content platform com 2011 Chakpak.com is a bolly wood news site that offers updates, news photos and videos 2012 Letsbuy.com is India’s second largest e-retailer in electronics. Flip kart has bought the company for an estimated US$25 million. ACHIEVEMENTS MADE BY FLIPKART.COM Flip kart owners have been featured in Business Today as one of the top 25 start-ups of 2009.They have been also nominated for Ernst and young award for the best entrepreneur of 2010. Apart from that they have been featured multiple times in start up news as well as mainstream news. Today, they are recognized as number one in the industry. As a testimony to the superior customer experience, the company has consistently recorded repeat purchase rates of more than 50%. They have also managed to get a registered buyer in every small town and city and hope to constantly improve their service standards. Flip kart’s reported sales as follows:- IN FY 2008–2009- > 40 million IN FY 2009–2010- >200 million IN FY 2010–2011- > 750 million IN FY 2011–2012- > set to cross the 5 billion As Internet usage in the country increases and people get accustomed to making purchases online. Flip kart projects its sales to reach US$1billion by year 2014 and is aiming at generating a revenue of 50 billion (US$1billion)2015. Ranks among the countries top 30 website. Customer base of more than 2 million. 30 shipment on daily basis Daily sales have increased to 2.5 crores. POPULAR PRODUCT CATEGORIES 1. Clothing: T-shirts, Jeans, Sports Wear, Trousers, etc. 2. Footwear: Casual Shoes, Formal Shoes, Flats, Heels, etc. 3. Beauty & Personal Care: Trimmers, Shavers, Soaps, Brushes, etc. 4. Mobiles & Tablets: Samsung, Micromax, Nokia, Sony, etc. 5. Laptops & Accessories: HP, Dell, Sony, Lenovo, Pen Drives, etc. 6. Books: Literature & Fiction, Biographies, Novels, EBooks, etc. 7. Baby Care & Toys: Vehicle & Action Toys, Stuffed Toys, Diapers, etc. 8. Sports & Fitness: Cricket, Football, Basketball, Badminton, etc. TOP BRANDS 1. Clothing: Adidas, Puma, Reebok, Lee, etc. 2. Footwear: Puma, Adidas, Reebok, Fila, etc. 3. Watches: Casio, Fastrack, Citizen, Timex, etc. 4. TV: Sony, LG, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, etc. 5. Sports & Fitness: Speedo, Nivia, Yonex, Cosco BUSINESS MODEL Creating and maintaining a person-to-person trading community Function as a value added facilitator Provide a supportive infrastructure Zero inventory & without having traditional sales force Profit centers: Domestic business International business and Payment Largest online trading forum Compelling and entertaining environment Establishing trust & safety programs Cost effective and Convenient trading Strong community affinity An intuitive user interface ORDER LIFECYCLE Get the item Procure from Supplier (Just-in-time) (Supplier selection) Keep Inventory (Inventory Prediction, Planning) Clean & Check for sanity Pages missing, MRP printed lesser than told to you Pack the item Tamper proof, weather proof, breakage proof Select courier & hand-over Courier performances vary across regions a LOT Get tracking id & communicate to customer Follow-up for timely delivery Take care of returns (faulty product/user changes their mind) Minimize returns MARKETING STRATEGY Flip kart has been mostly marketed by word of mouth advertising. Customer satisfaction has been their best marketing medium. Flipkart very wisely used SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Google Ad-words as the marketing tools to have a far reach in the online world. Flipkart.com official Face book page has close to 9 lakh ‘likes’. Flipkart recently launched a series of 3 ads with the tag line – â€Å"No Kidding No worries† Kids were used to create the adverts to send out the message – if a kid can do it, you can also do it. All in all to create a great customer experience. EXPANSION PLANS They aim at 10 times growth and eyes at $ 1Billion sales by 2015. They will look at bigger investments in their supply chain and technology. Investment will be made in large warehouses and increased automation of their process, so that the product is not delayed. They intend to enter in to various new categories and expand their current categories as well. Everything except for groceries and automobiles will be available on Flipkart in future. To go further in the value chain, Flipkart is looking at associations with a larger number of suppliers and partners, both nationally and internationally. PERSONEL ANALYSIS Great customer service Easy to use website, hassle free payment system Cash on delivery/Card on delivery mode of payment Focused on user experience ADVANTAGES Attract users to the site Provide selection Make it easy to Find & Discover products Provide details to evaluate a product Description, Specifications, UGC. Price well Have to be competitive to the most obvious options Provide convenient payment options Online, COD Confirm payment CONCLUSION They started off in 2007 by setting up three centres across India without funding. Six months ago, they reached number one status. They are also four times bigger than their nearest competitor. The company started off small; today they have grown ten times over the last one year and aim to touch the Rs 400 crore mark by March 2013.

Case Brief

The Superior Court of Philadelphia County affirmed and Plaintiffs Appealed. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania affirmed. Issue: Did Defendant owe Plaintiff, at the time of the accident, a duty of care when Plaintiff was one mile away from the scene of the accident? Holding: Where a close relative is not present at the scene of the accident and instead learns of the accident from a third party, the prior knowledge learned of the accident serves as a buffer against the full-fledged impact of observing the accident scene. Disposition: Order affirmed. Legal Rationale: Plaintiffs argues recovery under the â€Å"reasonably Foreseeability† test, which would allow a Plaintiff outside the â€Å"Zone of Danger† to recover, which was adopted in Sinn v. Burd, 486 Pa. 146 (1979). The Court stated in response that the Plaintiff’s flexible interpretation of the â€Å"jurisprudential concept †¦which require[s] that the defendant’s breach of a duty of care proximately causes plaintiff’s injury,† was flawed. Moreover, that â€Å"at some point along the causal chain, the passage of time and the span of distance mandate a cut-off point for liability. † Id. Justice Nix, quoting Justice Andrew’s dissent in Palsgraf v. Long Island R. R. , 248 N. Y. ,352 argued public policy cannot allow the Defendant to be responsible for every unforeseeable proximate cause that consequently results from of the Defendant’s negligent conduct. Justice Nix admittedly quotes Sinn v. Burd, 486 Pa. , that â€Å"the defendant did owe a duty of care to the bystander†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, he also notes â€Å"[f]oreseeability enters into the determination of liability in determining whether the emotional injuries sustained by the plaintiff were reasonably foreseeable to the defendant. † Mazzagati at. 75. Justice Nix asserts that the Court has adopted the Dillon v. Legg, 68 Cal. 2d 728 () parameters in determining whether the claim for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress was reasonably foreseeable. Justice Nix, moreover, quotes that the progression of the law and public policy reveals that: ‘[O]nly a few jurisdictions recognize th e right of the plaintiff witness who did not suffer an impact, was not in fear of his own safety, and those jurisdictions require that the severe emotional distress to the plaintiff result from the direct and contemporaneous observance of the accident. Mazzagati at. 276. Nix favors an obligation definition of â€Å"duty† as opposed to a â€Å"causal sequence of events. † Mazzagati at. 278. In summation, Justice Nix held that the Defendant’s conduct was not negligent because it did not involve an invasion of the Plaintiff’s legal right, therefore making the claim unactionable. [ 1 ]. In Dillon, it was held that a cause of action is stated when the following criteria are met: (1) Whether the plaintiff was located near the scene of the accident as contrasted with one who was a distance away from it; (2) Whether the shock resulted from a direct emotional impact upon the plaintiff from the sensory and contemporaneous observances of the accident, as contrasted with learning of the accident from others after its occurrence; and (3) Whether plaintiff and the victim were closely related as contrasted with an absence of any relationship or the presence of only a distant relationship.

Hepatitis C Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hepatitis C - Essay Example However, the disease still prevails, and is among the leading causes of chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C is a disease that seriously damages the liver. Transmission of the HCV is commonly through virus-laden blood that enters a person’s circulation through blood transfusion, and breaks in the skin, mouth, and genitals. Those at high risk of getting hepatitis C are persons who inject drugs using shared needles, routinely have blood transfusions (dialysis patients and hemophiliacs) and healthcare workers who can be infected by their patients’ blood. HCV is an RNA virus; its core is made up of ribonucleic acid that serves as the template for reproduction. HCV RNA is protected by a protein layer and encased in a lipid or fatty envelope. HCV has proteins in its lipid coat have receptors on the cell surface of liver cells. The virus attaches to the receptors, is engulfed by the liver cells and released into the cell cytoplasm. Inside the cell, the viral RNA is released and takes over the cell’s ribosomes to begin the translation of protein products coded by the viral RNA. The main product is RNA transcriptase which is the main enzyme responsible for producing the complementary strand (or antisense) of the original HCV RNA. This antisense strand serves as template for producing more HCV. The virus also directs the production of capsomeres that comprise the protein coat of the virus. Several capsomeres assemble and enclose the viral RNA, which then attach to the inner plasma membrane of the liver cell. In a process called budding, the membrane engulfs the assembly and provides it with its lipid coat before releasing the new virus molecules. This is repeatedly done resulting in an endless cycle of virus reproduction leading to liver cell exhaustion, damage (cirrhosis, liver cancer) (Hepatitis C: An Epidemic for Everyone, 2008). HCV has high mutation rates, which means

BUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVING CASE Does Big Data Bring Big Rewards Essay

BUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVING CASE Does Big Data Bring Big Rewards - Essay Example The factors include-identifying and managing the complexity of the business operations, placing emphasis on the adoption of the information system on a company-wide platform, analyzing potential tangible benefits that are to arise from adopting the system, prioritizing the benefits of the system in accordance with the company’s goals and business needs, ensuring that the system is supported by the top level management and that they take an active role in its implementation and use. Additional factors include- communicating effectively with all the employees and giving them responsibilities in order to mitigate risks. A lot of interesting points have been raised regarding the benefits of a big data system. It is quite clear that the financial goals of such a system are boundless if big corporations like Hertz and Vestas are anything to go by. I additionally agree that when these systems are adopted appropriately, they improve customer relations between companies and their customer bases (Ohlhorst 2013). The example of Sears is a primary case showing how by adopting Hadoop, it has been able to make strides in customizing their retail products to match the specific needs of an individual customer, which is very impressive. However, I am of the opinion that the use of big data systems is not just limited to these benefits. I believe that companies are adopting these systems as a management strategy aimed at promoting their brand on a global level, while also acquiring a competitive advantage over the other players in the industry (Mullins 2013). Many companies have identified the benefits accrued by big data systems on a wider scale. Companies like Walmart provide a good example of companies that have benefitted immensely by extensively incorporating global information management systems in their long term plans. I think that is why Walmart is

The Normal Distribution and Probability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Normal Distribution and Probability - Essay Example Given that the median helps to do away with influences associated with too much of one or two scores on the extremes of any given distribution, it thus emerges as the measure of choice in variability. Assignment 2 Sales 500 salespeople of a company are mostly normally distributed forming a bell symmetrical shape. Whereby sales from those who record high sales appear on the right side while those with low sales coming on the left side and with a majority of sales appearing on the middle part of the distribution, translating to an average of sales on either side of the curve accounting for the mean sales. This would make it resourceful to come up with a working model to be used to work out a budget as well as predicting performance of the company. A company would predict the effect-increase in sales revenue- of increasing the number stores and salespeople. This distribution also helps to not only identify those sales people who need extra training but also it helps to identify those wh o need to be replaced. It is worth to consider the size of the sample in question, with a large sample like that of the 500 sales people proving to be more representative compared to a sample of about 100 people. It is therefore relevant statistically to estimate that adding one more sales person is worth for instance $25,000 increase in revenue. Clearly from the study sales people and their respective sales are the main variables which are measured in ratio scale since there are those sales people who have nil sales. On using a continuous scale, sales are normally distributed with most of sales in middle range and the entire sales data being within the range 40% of the average sale. A probability value of 0.05 implies 5% of the sales people will sell an amount different from expected sales value and while the remaining 95 % are expected to sell at an amount within the expected amount. This concept is therefore used to represent monthly countable sales. Assignment 3 Organizations re sort to using means such as incentives and bonuses so as to increase the productivity of their employees. In order prove that financial incentives have always boosted the productivity of employees, I will evaluate the hypothesis that a $ 1,000 incentive offered to employees is sufficient to make them finish a project before the expected time. In this study size of incentive and level of productivity are the independent and dependent variables respectively. Assuming the population sample n=30 would be chosen randomly from the employees allocated to new projects. Hypothesis testing is an analysis of a given research, with a null hypothesis indicating a zero change as a result of the $ 1000 incentive represented by  µ. On the other hand a change as a result of the $ 1000 incentive indicates the alternative hypothesis. In order to determine critical boundaries and identify chances of Type 1error, it's important to select an alpha level. Selecting a .01 alpha level provides a low risk error and avoids overstretching the critical area since this level enhances a balance between the functions which offers a base to reject or accept the proposed effect of the incentive. A one-tailed test is utilized when hypothesis about a particular directional rather than general. Results obtained from one -tailed test are of significance

Health Policy Analysis Memorandum Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Policy Analysis Memorandum - Term Paper Example This made is easier to develop a trend that would ensure older adults were well taken care off in the society. However, this was not achieved as the growth in the number of older adults became steady and significant in magnitude. The ageing population was hastily increasing as social services were jammed with numerous requests to provide care (Gavrilov & Heuveline, 2003). The authors are also of the assumption that the numbers of social workers available could not match the requests presented (Gavrilov & Heuveline, 2003). This is because an increase in the older adults caused a decrease in the working population. The health care system depended on the services of adults who were ageing. Their departure from health institution created a shortage. As the increase of the older population social services were in need of caregivers to cater for the rising number. Reid (2009) points out that the situation is forecasted to become worse as the number of number of health workers shortages is on the increase while the ageing population becomes greater. What mechanisms can be developed to curb this trend? Considering the significant growth of the older population, what measures is the National Bureau of Workforce Analysis putting in place to safeguard the efficiency and quality of the health care system? In the health care profession, practitioners tend to operate extensionally until retirement or retrenchment. For this reason, many practitioners are adults as the number of graduates in medical school is on the decrease. Practitioners introduced to the field are not enough to cater for all departments in the profession. From this trend, most health institutions tend to retain their adult practitioner thus limiting the introduction of young practitioners in the field. Moreover, retaining adult practitioners expose an organization to the risk of being exposed to shortages. Reid (2009) points out that if adult practitioners become of age, a practice is forced to look

Technology and its Effects on Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology and its Effects on Privacy - Essay Example The Internet has played a major role in making this happen, since most people from different world regions will easily link up today by using the E-mail and other social network sites, including Facebook and MySpace. However, the use of information and information transmission through technology use has resulted in major problems regarding ethics and jurisdiction. These problems are mainly concerned with the right of privacy and the right of access to information, which are threatened by the current free flow of information, as well as the safeguarding of the financial interests of the owners of intellectual property. This essay mainly focuses on how people lose their privacy by putting all their information online, including in social network sites such as Facebook, and how this and similar technology influence people negatively, thus, endangering the human race. The present generation is known to be dependent on technology more than the past generations. Therefore, most of the vari ous problems that arise in the world today are based on technology. Unlike the past decades where technology was used in moderation, the present generation has informationalized most of its activities. According to Coughlan, this rampant use and increasing inventions in technology put the human race in danger. The overuse and misuse of technology by humans might lead to the extinction of the human race in future (n.pag.). Therefore, in regard to the privacy issue, various technologies today infringe people’s privacy, obtaining their personal information, which is highly sensitive. Additionally, different countries get the sensitive online information about other countries, which they consider their foes, through the Internet. Therefore, the party that retrieved the information online might use this information for different purposes. Nonetheless, a negative and malicious use of this information might result in negative effects for the individual or the country that was tracke d. Coughlan notes that today, computer technology can manipulate the real world, and, therefore, misguided intentions of computer use might be detrimental to the human race. With an increased advancement in technology, which might be lethal if misused, the humanity of this generation poses a threat to its own survival (Coughlan n.pag.). The issue of privacy has existed in the world since the development of information technology, computing, as well as the digital media. Today, social computing, email, mobile data, cookies, GPS, and networked video and audio capture among others are the examples of technologies, which have a negative impact on the users regarding their privacy (Lohr n.pag.). These technologies allow to mine the user’s information, as some of them monitor and keep surveillance of communication and data. In addition, the people using these technologies make it easier for their identity to be established, as they post their personal information and share it with other users. According to Lohr, most online activities a person is engaged in often lead to the diminishing of their level of privacy (n.pag.). For instance, Internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter require one to share most of their personal information such as birthday details with other friends. In this case, most people share their photos, photos of their families, gossipping at their work place and school, among other social and personal information. According to Lohr, when people engage in such self-revelation, it becomes easier for computers to assemble their information

Rivane Neuenschwander Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rivane Neuenschwander - Term Paper Example Rivane Neuenschwander Every visible form is capable of suggesting some deeper meaning to an audience at varying levels of meaning regardless of the intentions of the artist. This is because art is not perceived to be the static element it was once considered just as the audience is no longer thought to be merely passive observers. Instead, it is a constant interaction between the artist and the viewer, between what the artist created and how the viewer interprets based on his or her own experiences, understandings and context and how the ‘canvas’ interacts with the element of time and the various forms of media available today. The postmodern movement, with its emphasis on illuminating the sublime, brought these ideas to the forefront leading eventually to today’s trend to engage more of the viewer’s senses in this interaction. Rather than simply paint on canvas or a marble sculpture, art today often involves a number of different elements including some consideration of the element of time and audience reaction/interaction. For this reason, it is often possible to walk into a museum of modern art and be confronted with scenes that confound the senses but do not necessarily conform to traditional general concepts of art. In the artwork of Rivane Neunschwander, for example, knowing the history of the artist or the art form and the creative process involved in making it can help to pave the way toward understanding or even participation. Once these elements of the work are understood, a greater appreciation for the work can be achieved and analysis can be more complete.

Logic gates characteristics Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Logic gates characteristics - Lab Report Example Also, an XOR (Exclusive- OR) which is sometimes called an inequality comparator implements the expression such that â€Å"if A is different than B then X is true. Sometimes a buffer may be used between the inputs and output of a logic circuit. The buffer helps to increase the fan-in of the circuit. The XOR gate is commonly used as a buffer to supply a 0 or a1to one of its inputs. Multiplexers behave like rotary switches and select any one of its inputs as output. It is a combination of logic gates thereby having several inputs with only one output. The input channel to be read into the output is controlled by supplying a definite digital word to the select inputs. In experiments using microelectronic chips such as the Multiplexer ICs, care should be taken when handling so as not to expose the chips to static hazards. The input lines to a multiplexer chip are 2, 4, 8 or 16 that supply the output one at a time. They are used to reduce the number of logic gates required to implement th e circuit. Digital multiplexers are constructed from analogue switches encased in a single IC package. The multiplexer is used in signal routing, data communications and data bus control. They can be used together with a demultiplexer to transmit parallel data in serial form through a single data link e.g. fibre optic cable. Multiplexers are also used a A/D converters thereby reducing the amount of heat dissipated (Bate, 1988). Aim To use a digital logic circuits to decode an industrial control system, and to test an equivalent logic decoding circuit using a multiplexer chip. Procedure The control system of a bottled water factory is designed to follow specific process to control the filling upon receiving specific instructions. The process will halt with logic zero output. The processing plant sensors produce logic level outputs for the following devices. B – Bottle Position Correct Position= logic 1, and an incorrect position = 0 W – Water level low Water level low = logic 0, and water level satisfactory = 1 V – Flow Valve Position: Flow valve open = logic 0, and flow valve closed = 1 F – Water Filtration System: Filtration blocked= logic 0, and filtration working = 1 This process is halted on the following conditions: When the bottle position is incorrect and it is filling and this is indicated by an open flow valve. Or if the water level is low, but not when the flow valve is open. Also, if the Filtration is blocked, but only if the Flow valve is closed and the water level is not low. Also, if the Flow valve is open, and if the bottle position is incorrect or water level remains low. Discussion Full truth table of the industrial control process is shown below; The above conditions for halting the process can be simplified as shown here under, Position, P = 0 if; 1). (B= 0).(V=0) 2). (W = 0) (V= 0) = (W = 0). (V= 1) 3) (F = 0). (V= 1). (W = 1) 4). (V = 0). (B = 0). (W= 0) P= X: (V=0). (W=1) Truth Table. The above truth table can be simplified using the Karnaugh Map shown below; From the K- map it is clear that P = W.F. This can be implemented using the circuit shown below; B W V F P The circuit was built using the 74LS151 microchip as shown below and tested to find out if the desired result is obtained. The output Z was tested and found to follow the truth table shown here under, The tested output is found to quite agree with the results in the first truth table.

Maori Culture Essay Example for Free

Maori Culture Essay Abstract The Maori, which means ordinary or common, arrived in New Zealand in the 14th century. Polynesian by descent, they came from the mythical land of Hawaiki, believed by many experts to be a combination of places, including Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii and the Cook Islands. Upon arriving in New Zealand, the Maori dubbed the picturesque land Aotearoa, or land of the long white cloud. The Maori Culture The Maori like many other Pacific Islanders started their journey in a canoe. Living on an island afforded the Maori with a unique and diverse culture that is still evident in Modern day New Zealand. In the next few pages I will give you a brief glimpse of the Maori way of life then and now. I will discuss the belief and value system, gender roles, healing the sick and also the impact of Colonialism on the Maori way of life. There are three basic beliefs and values of the Maori. I nga wa o Mua, Whakapapa and Mana. I nga wa o Mu. Maori believe that ancestors and supernatural beings are ever-present and able to help the tribe in times of need. The Maori world view is to look in front of us to the past for guidance as that is where we came from. It was because of this philosophy that the Maori did not conveniently forget about the Treaty of Waitangi once it was signed. Through facing the past they can learn from past mistakes and not repeat them. This concept is totally reversed in other cultures, who try to encourage them to forget about the past and to put things behind them Whakapapa Whakapapa translated means genealogy. The Maori believe that everything and everyone are connected and therefore a part of their Whakapapa. Whakapapa includes genealogies of spiritual and mythological significance, as well as information about the persons tribe and the land he or she lives on. The Whakapapa is passed down orally in the form of stories. One of the most famous stories is story of the creation of Aotearoa. Aotearoa was pulled from the sea by the demi god Maui. Maui was the last of five brothers and was known to be clever. He hid in the canoe of his brothers and when they would not give him bait to fish he took his magical hook and slashed his face and smeared the blood on his hook so that his blood would attract the fish. Smelling the blood the god of the sea gave Maui his biggest fish. Maui asked his brothers to not cut up and eat the fish until proper arrangements had been made to appease and thank the gods for their gift. While Maui was on land trying to pull the boat to shore his brothers started to cut the fish because it started to move. That is why Aotearoa the fish and the mountains and the valleys are where Maui’s brothers tried to cut the fish. Mana According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Mana is â€Å"Among Polynesian and Melanesian peoples, a supernatural force or power that may be ascribed to persons, spirits, or inanimate objects. Mana may be good or evil, beneficial or dangerous, but it is not impersonal; it is never spoken of except in connection with powerful beings or things. The term was first used in the 19th century in the West in connection with religion, but mana is now regarded as a symbolic way of expressing the special qualities attributed to persons of status in a hierarchical society, of providing sanction for their actions, and of explaining their failures†. The Maori believe in three forms of Mana. The first type of Mana is the Mana that you have when you are born. This Mana comes from your Whakapapa and can attribute to the rank and status of your descendants. This Mana is not only the ancestor themselves but also the deeds that they did and the skills, traits and abilities taught to them by their tupuna (elders). The second type of Mana is Mana given to you by other people. Today there are people who seek Mana and deliberately go around trying to gain Mana by telling people about their own importance. There is a Maori saying: â€Å" The Kumara does not talk about its’ own sweetness.† But Mana seekers do exactly that. Humbleness is a very highly valued trait in the Maori world. Many of the great leaders are very humble people, hence part of their greatness. The Maori people sing their praises, thereby heightening their Mana. You will never hear the great leaders singing their own praises. It is not that they are trying to be humble; it is that they just are. The third type of Mana is Mana from the group. The best example I could come up with is the Mana of the marae. The marae is the sacred courtyard that you must be formally invited to enter for the first time. The marae is where challenges are met and issues are debated. When you stay on a Marae all are treated well and fed great food. When the visitor leaves they tell everyone about the great time they had thus increasing the Mana of the marae. If they tell everyone they were treated ill and unkind then the Mana of the marae decreases. Traditional Maori folklore focuses on oppositions between pairs, such as earth and sky, life and death, and male and female. From the time of creation the original couple, Rangi (sky) and Papa (earth) were locked in sexual union until the god Tane was able to push them apart and provide for the creation of human life. So as you can see opposition existed before the creation of human life according to Maori traditional stories. It then would suffice that opposition would exist throughout Maori culture. Premarital sexual relationships were considered normal for Maori adolescents. Both males and females were expected to have a series of private relationships before they married. When Maori females became sexually active, they were to publicly acknowledge this so that they could become tattooed. Tattooing marked their ritual and public passage into adulthood. It was also considered extremely attractive and erotic. Tattooing among the Maori was highly developed and extremely symbolic. Maori facial tattoos were created by two methods. One was by piercing and pigmenting the skin with a tattooing comb. The other was by creating permanent grooves in the face with a chisel-like instrument. . Females were also tattooed in Maori society. Female facial tattooing was known as ta ngutu. Designs were placed on the chin and lips. When it comes to sickness and healing in Maori culture things were very different before Colonization. In traditional times before the colonization of New Zealand, Maori saw science and religion as the same entity and believed that illnesses were caused by supernatural sources. Maori had a good concept of anatomy, physiology and the use of plants for healing; however there was an undefined distinction between the mind and body. Maori believed an evil spirit or a type of witchcraft would attack an individual to cause ill-health as a punishment for breaking the tapu (sacred restriction) of the family that the spirit belonged to. This type of illness was called mate atua (disease of the gods) since there was no obvious physical cause. The individual would experience pain, weakness, loss of appetite, malaise, fever and occasionally delirium due to possession of the spirit. When Captain James Cook colonized New Zealand in 1830 he brought with him, evasive plants and animals as well as guns, alcohol and diseases that the Maori were previously exposed to. New Zealand’s isolation meant that the Maori people lacked immunity to bacterial and viral infections that were common in other countries. The Maori found that their healing methods were ineffective against the new diseases and had to rely on the medicines of the missionaries. The effectiveness and popularity of the missionaries’ medicines assisted in the conversion of Maori to Christianity. It appeared to the Maori that the Christian god had superior powers and this attributed to the health and prosperity of the Europeans. The fundamentals of Maori society, culture, religion and medicine became strained as religion was involved in their everyday lives and many of their beliefs were based upon it. The people began to lose their Mana due to the shift of religion and the spread of Western knowledge undermining the tohunga’s ( spiritual leader) authority The downfall of the whare wananga (school of learning) was also due to conflict between Maori religion and Christianity. In 1907 the Tohunga Supression Act was passed due to concern being raised over the practice and safety of some tohunga. Maori healing was seen as ‘dangerous’ by Western modern medicine as it was not scientifically proven. The Tohunga Suppression Act was repealed in 1962 however this had little significance as some tohunga had practiced throughout the 20th century especially in remote rural areas of the country. Tohunga are still significant in current Rongoa Maori however modern tohunga have not been trained in traditional methods giving them a position of authority and prestige however they are still recognized as experts in their field. Many modern tohunga showed potential in their childhood by spending time with their elders and learning tribal and cultural lore. They then became an apprentice under an established tohunga to learn their expertise Current Maori healthcare is based on a holistic model that incorporates the physical, emotional, family and spiritual aspects of health. Each aspect must be treated or used to ensure full recovery of a patient. The current function of modern tohunga is varied. Conventional medicine is incorporated into the tohunga’s practice however traditional methods of karakia (chants) and inoi (prayer) are still extensively used. Native plants for medicinal purposes are widely used however application of uses varies between each practitioner. References 1. Franklin- Barbajosa, Cassandra. Tattoo: Pigments of Imagination. National Geographic News. March 7, 2008. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0412/online_extra.html 2. Maori.org.nz. http://www.maori.org.nz/ 3. Moriori. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9053755/Morior 4. The Legend of Maui. http://www.sacredtexts.com/pac/maui/maui04.htm 5. The Definition of Mana. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mana 6. Maori Colonization. http://www.heritagehistory.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=erasFileName=britain_11.php

Biography Of Tim Burton Film Studies Essay

Biography Of Tim Burton Film Studies Essay His first job for Disney was in The Fox and the Hound (1981). This first work was brief because the studies considered the artistic profile of Burton would fit more in the conceptual art of the Black Cauldron. The Burton designs and ideas for both films were not used to not be understood by Disney. After leaving work on the Disney movie Tim Burton began to develop more personal projects, including his first two shorts, (Vincent and Frankenweenie ) the quale they had very good acceptance by the critics and the public. Also began to write and illustrate a Christmas poem, which years later would charge life, Nightmare Before Christmas. Burton befriended Julie Hickson executive and manager of creative development of Disney, Tom Wilhite, amazed by his talent decided to finance his first short film Vincent to $ 60,000. It was during this time that Burton learned and specialization in the art of stop motion, for two months along with other entertainers Burton skilled in the art, Vincent created a black and white story, based on some stories of Edgar Allan Poe. To achieve this Tim Burton enlisted the help of his favorite actor Vincent Price who gave voice to the narration of the story. The play received numerous awards in Chicago and France, still not commercialized Disney ever. In 1984, Burton created his first non-animated short film, Frankenweenie it was based on Frankestain of James Whale, the play was a childs efforts to resurrect his dog Sparky hit by a car. For this short featured actors Burton Barret Oliver, David Stern and Shelly Duval. The film received a Saturn Award nomination. However, at the end of production Disney Tim Burton decided to dismiss, holding that the short was too scary for younger audiences. It was not until 1994 after the success of future work of Burton when he began selling. 1.2.4-The consolidation of Burton as director and producer. The big venture of Pee-wee: Despite the failed working with Disney, Burtons work began to have some spread and caught the attention of some producers. Griffin Dune including that offered Burton directing a comedy called After Hours in 1985, was finally Martin Scorssese in charge of directing this movie. That same year the actor Paul Rubens Burton offered to direct a film about his famous comic character Pee-wee Herman. This work was the first Tim Burton film as director and production was a success since its initial cost 7 million dollars, box office obtained profits of more than 40 million dollars. In that same movie Tim Burton Danny Elfman asked to compose the soundtrack of the same, and so begin a director-composer collaborations more consolidated in the history of cinema. Beetlejuice: In 1988, Tim Burton took the opportunity to direct his second film, Beetlejuice was a black comedy. The film told the story of a couple that after buying a nice house with a fatal traffic accident. After discovering his tragic end the couple, now ghosts trying to make out the new tenants of the house with the help of an eccentric bioexorcist Beetlejuice. This time the film featured in the cast, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Bldwin, and Geena Davis. Received several awards including an Oscar for best makeup and box office earnings of 80 million dollars. Batman: A Burton was offered in 1989 the possibility of directing the first feature film from the Batman comic book character. The director accepted the job, provided they can choose the actors and film aesthetics. Burton and producers Warner Bros have been involved in numerous discussions of pre-production, as Burton wanted Michael Keaton as an actor who had worked with in Beetlejuice and the producers were thinking of a more muscular actor. Following the aesthetic of comic Burton finally got what he wanted, to use Keaton in the role of Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, with the intention of attracting the public uninterested in superhero movies. The film was a success, and he got more than 400 million dollars, becoming the most successful movie of all time movies so far. Additional aesthetic mind chosen by Tim Burton for the city of Gotham City was adapted in the following comics. 1.2.5-The prodigious decade: Edward Scissorshands: In 1990, Burton wrote a new feature this would be interpreted by the idol of youth at the time that Johnny Depp would play the character of Edward, a being created by an eccentric scientist (Vincent Price, who play his last role before his death). Edward had human appearance but after the death of its creator was unfinished and had hands instead of one large scissors. Edward Scissorhands was filmed in Florida and is considered by many fans and critics of Burton as the best of his works, surely Edward Scissorhands is the work collected over the Burton aesthetic that makes a filmmaker unlike any other, either texture, color, character design or objects. Batman Returns: Although Warner Bros would not produce Edward Scissorhands, he was offered the opportunity to direct the sequel to Batman Returns, Burton accepted the condition of having full creative powers. For that film was Burton Michael Keaton again in the role of Batman, Danny DeVito in the role of the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. The film received a lot of criticism for being too dark and not very close to children. Still get a revenue of 160 million dollars, the Warner Bros. decided not to have the services of Tim Buton upon learning that he was preparing a new dry with an aesthetic similar to that of Batman Return. So Burton decided to start preparing a new project, this time returning to its roots as an animator. Nightmare Before Christmas: Tim Burton had planned to write and illustrate a childrens story, but in 1993 just changing that story in his next film. Nightmare Before Christmas, is his great work of animation. Directed by Henry Selick, the film tells the story of Jack Skeleton, the king of Halloween, who wants to understand Christmas, adapting their habits as monarch to carry out this holiday. The film was made using Stop Motion techniques and although there was an overwhelming success at the box office, is considered a cult film and one of the best musical film ever made it. Ed Wood: In 1994, Burton made one of his lesser known films, a narrative biography of Ed Wood, considered the worst filmmaker of all time. Burton pays homage to the director (played by Johnny Depp) which considers a direct influence, for its horror and fantasy in this film involved Martin Landau, Bill Murray and Lisa Marie. Although there was much less commercial success, helped the Burton film cogiera more fans and reopen the interest in the film Ed Wood. Batman Forever: Despite its intention to conduct the next part of Batman, Warner Bros. decided it would be the director Joel Schumacher with the intention of bringing the film to children and Tim Burton would make his work as a producer. This fact caused that Michael Keaton to resign his role as protagonist, and was hired Val Kimler in place. Tim Burton aesthetic differ in many aspects of the film which was contrary. The film generated $ 335 million and Warner, hired Schumacher to fourth, where Tim Burton no longer participate. Mars Attacks!: In 1996 Tim Burton returns to direct a feature film is trying to Mars Attacks! This film is a hybrid of science fiction films of the 50th and the total destruction of the 70th went unnoticed at the box office, surely the fact first 5 months after the Independent Day, made the film to be discredited by critics and public American, but had very good reviews abroad and won many admirers in marketing in VHS and DVD. Sleepy Hollow: In 1999 Tim Burton returned to his more eccentric and supernatural world, based on a story by Washington Irving, which tells the story of the Headless Horseman. Featuring a new interpretation of Johnny Depp in the role of Forensic and Christina Ricci in the role of Karina Van Tassel. The film won an Oscar for best art direction and two BAFTA awards in the categories of Best Production Design and Best Costume. 1.2.6-Year 2000. Planet of the Apes: After his breakup with his wife Lisa Marie, Burton conducted a remake of the 1968 film of Franklin Schaffner. The film was a success, earning 68 million dollars in the first week of release. Still, the film was widely panned by critics and fans of Burton, to get away entirely from its style and dark, nihilistic style of the first version. Despite finishing with an open ending does not seem to be any intention on the part of Burton to continue the saga. Big Fish: In 2003, Burton surprised everyone again with a custom Disney, Big Fish is a film away from the dark world of Burton but that recreates an imaginary fantasy world full of surprises. The film received four nominations for Golden Globe And for many fans is the most amazing film. In this film, Burton had the interpretation of Ewan McGregor and his new wife Helena Bonham Carter. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Johnny Depp again which seems to be their star player, Tim Burton made this film based on a story by Roald Dahl, the film was a blockbuster hit 207 million in the U.S. alone. Characterization, and the voice of Johnny Depp in the role of Willy Wonka, was recognized in many ways as a film icon and aesthetic. 9: Tim Burton produced this animated film in 2009, the film received much criticism, even that is considered a beautiful aesthetic work, but lack of narrative. It is the first animated film that Tim Burton does not opt for the technique of stop motion and computer-created in its entirety. Alice in Wonderland: It is the latest project of Tim Burton so far, this commission from Disney, will debut in early 2010, and was the first film in which the director has used the technique of 3D. Based on the acclaimed work of Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland. Was criticized by fans to move far from their darkest work I have incorporated many Disney items. 2. THE ART DIRECTION 2.1- Aspects work of Tim Burton. When talking about aspects of the work of Burton, one must be aware that is not a conventional director, his work is mostly very personal issues, issues which have been consolidated in the audience and created a large pool of supporters and fans. When one analyzes the work of Burton put on his work with his film biography, which is particularly relevant as an artist who often uses his life experience and the elements that shaped his sentimental education. Situation is examined within the context of the Hollywood industry and explores the aesthetic and thematic constants that make up its visual poetry. It addresses gender concerns, the notion of fantasy and Gothic-Expressionist tradition to understand the work of an author who re interprets the cultural tradition from the perspective of post-modern. Addresses the problems and contradictions posed by both the traditional concept of film genres as the auteur theory. It is shown that not only approaches are compatible, but can also become complementary approaches that contribute to the depth and richness of film debate. It talks about the particular generic reflection made by the filmmaker in his films, connecting with the characteristics of postmodern culture in which it is immersed. We can say that Burton has done what he wanted and how much more freedom the author has been most successful has been his work as staff is much much deeper and more spectacular. Burtons work, as well as its broad scope, it is more appropriate to consider more than a genre, a mode of art that various related forms emerge. Referred to the existing theories about the fantastic, the subversive potential and its psychoanalytic implications. It puts a special interest in his themes and myths, as they all are evoked in the Burton films. Also includes the work of the filmmaker as a continuation of a tradition Gothic Expressionism, a continuous movement whose spirit, aesthetic and vital position opposed to the rationalistic attitude of classicism. It takes a journey through the elements of a tradition that Burton has been collected mainly through its cinema events. Tim Burtons heir and successor of the romantic spirit, its atmosphere and features icon-phy, aesthetics of the uncanny, his macabre sense of humor, the denunciation of social hypocrisy and society that denies freedom and individual identity, its emphasis on subjectivity, intuition and the irrational. Tim Burton is a very detailed, very thorough in their staging, from design, photography and music composed by Danny Elfman become key elements of dramatic expression. We consider Edward Scissorshands and Nightmare before Christmas, as two of its films that include and represent all poetic and visual work of director. Since in these two films is the very essence of the author, personal visually despendedoras the full potential of California director. 2.2-Influences: As an author, Tim Burton has had his artistic influences, both film, and painting. In this section we review their main influences, and the basic characteristics of his style. Any person who enters into the imagination of Tim Burton will realize that this is not a conventional writer, with a very personal style, and all his movies are some characteristics or aesthetic and narrative patterns. 2.2.1-Pictorial influences: We can find some reminiscences to German expressionism, particularly in some perspectives, altering the scenery, the kind of light and shadow and also on the themes of his films. Some authors of the movement, as Grosz or Otto Dix. Burton is also influences the Polish poster from the mid-twentieth century. The author surreal expressionism, Paul Klee tube also great significance in the beginning of the film director, especially in making puppets for his early films like Vincent or Nightmare Before Christmas. 2.2.2-Literary Influences: Without doubt the main literary influence of Tim Burton comes from Edgar Allan Poe, American writer, is considered one of the pioneers of the short story, and the father of the renovation of the Gothic, with their tales of terror. Unlike other authors such as Roger Corman, Burton has not shot any film based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe, but it has done with other authors like Washington Irving (Sleppy Hollow), Lewis Carroll (Alice in the wonders) (Sweeney Todd) based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim or (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) by Roald Dahl and others. 2.2.3-Cinematic influences: Roger Corman is without doubt the great influence of Burton, his films of series B, Burton served as inspiration for many other directors. Roger Corman became famous in the 60s, go to the movies by Edgar Allan Poe stories and mixing genres of science fiction, horror and the occult in low-budget films, using actors low popularity as Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi , or with actors little known at the time as Peter Fonda Jack Nicholson or Robert De Niro. Most Corman films were performed by Vincent Price, favorite actor and close friend of Burton used frequently at the beginning of this director. See Frankenweenie, or Edward Scissorhands. Princes last film before his death in 1993. Cormans influence is mainly reflected in films like Ed Wood and Mars Attacks. In Ed Wood, Tim Burton pays homage to another series B director, Ed Wood as the worst filmmaker of all time. 2.3-Technic recourses. 2.3.1-Stop Motion. Tim Burton is without doubt one of the most renowned film directors by the use of unconventional techniques for recording of his films, one of these techniques is the Stop Motion animation technique is to generate motion by displaying static objects photographs or successive frames at a given speed, creating the illusion of movement. This incredible technique began with Ladislaw Starewicz with the short film The Cameramans Revenge in which dead insects used to tell the story of a family destroyed by infidelity. Usually use 29 frames per second, which generate the illusion of movement giving the films made with this technique a realism as close to a conventional film. This fascinating technique requires time and patience for the detailed movements of the actors to others in an acceptable knowledge of photography, so Tim Burton has always surrounded by great directors of photography, in the case of Pete Kozachik, manager the technical section in such films as The Nightmare Before Christmas or Corpse Bride. We consider that Tim Burton is one of the artists who have promoted this technique in the last two decades, and why not say is who re-discovered this technique in the new public disuse in the 90s. Due to its popularity as a director and artist has made the genre of Stop Motion animation is made a place in the film industry. Burton himself has been linked in other photographic animation projects, some of them as a producer and some others as a collaborator. This is the case of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burtons own work, but under the direction of Henry Selick, director also of other projects under the signature of Tim Burton, and James and the Giant Peach or coral. In the future, Burton is expected to redo any work using the technique of stop motion, some rumors say they may be Dear Dead Days, Charles Addams work he did in 1937 and subsequently came to TV screens under the title Addams Family in 1964. The work of Charles Addams is surely close to the Burton films especially recalling works such as The Nightmare Before Christmas Sweeny Todd or obscure pieces, with touches of macabre humor. 2.3.2-3D Animation. Tim Burton not only traditional techniques used for the filming of his animated films, however it was not until 2009, when the California director dared with a 100% digital. 9 was the title of his first work in 3D, which was a box office bomb, and certainly his least known works, the universe of apocalyptic 9 was directed by Shane Acker and produced and supervised by Burton. This first experience will not cower and Burton in 2010, premiere Alice in Wonderland, based on Lewis Carrolls books Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass, directed by Tim Burton, and produced Disney Pictures The film was a box office hit but was severely challenged by critics and fans. In interviews after the release, Burton says the 3D technique is perfect for his latest film and claims to build his next film (a remake of Frankenweenie gilt work) thinking about the qual this technology brings extra realism to the viewer, However, he admits that is not going to go crazy and will not abandon the classic film format. 3-TIM BURTONS FILM ANALYSIS I chose Edward Scissorhands and Big Fish are two of the films in my opinion more representative of the work of Burton, the first of its popularity and to represent and act out all the poetic and visual narrative that represents the California director. The second has been chosen as the authors lesser-known films by the general public, and to have markedly different aesthetic in Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish still well preserved and fantastic narrative structure that characterizes the work of Tim Burton . Another of the facts that I have been decanted from Big Fish have been the thirteen years between a film and the other, and appreciate the evolution of cinema as well as an analysis of the time they were shot, the motives that pushed Burton to record these movies and what messages the author tries to convey to the viewer in each of them. 3.1-Edward Scissorhands Synopsis: The film begins with a colloquial conversation between an elderly woman and her granddaughter, which viewed from the window as snow falls and, curious, asks her grandmother the reason it snows. So, she begins her story His story begins when a makeup saleswoman named Peg, enters a house to sell beauty products. On entering the place is with Edward, a young man who was created from a robot and was not finished after the death of its creator, running with scissors instead of hands. Touched by his kindness and innocence decided to take him home. No one in her family (her husband Bill and son Kevin) seem uncomfortable with the presence of Edward and even the neighbors are interested in the mysterious guest Peg. However, to get Kims eldest daughter, Peg, it triggers a series of problems because it does feel uncomfortable with Edward at home. Edward falls in love with her. Edward Scissorhands Technical Data: Production year: 1990 Country: United States Director: Tim Burton Production: Twentieth Century Fox Producers: Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi Executive Producer: Richard Hashimoto Associate Producer: Caroline Thompson Argument: Tim Burton and Caroline Thompson Writer: Caroline Thompson Music: Danny Elfman Director of Photography: Stefan Czapsky Art Director: Tom Duffield Scenery: Rich Heinrichs (design) and Cheryl Carasik (decoration) Costume Design: Colleen Atwood Editing: Richard Halsey Hair Design: Yolanda Toussieng Makeup: Stan Winston Special effects supervisor: Michael Wood Duration: 107 minutes Starring: Johnny Depp: Edward Winona Ryder Kim Boggs Dianne Wiest: Peg Boggs Vincent Price: Inventor Anthony Michael Hall: Jim Kathy Baker: Joyce Monroe Robert Oliveri: Kevin Boggs Conchata Ferrell: Helen Alan Arkin: Bill Boggs Caroline Aaron: Marge O-Lan Jones: Esmeralda Dick Anthony Williams Officer Allen ÂÂ   3.2-Big Fish Synopsis: Edward Bloom is a man who recounts moments of her life by adding great features. When it does at the wedding of his son Will, it stops talking for years. Will work as a journalist in Paris when his fathers health worsens, Will returns with his wife Josephine to Alabama. On the plane, Will tells one story of her father, she knew a witch who showed him how he would die by looking through his glass eye. Throughout the film, Edward has some stories to tell of moments of his life. For example, explains that as a child, he spent three years in bed due to its rapid growth. After this, he becomes a successful athlete, but I think the town where he lives is too small for their ambitions. After meeting Karl, a misunderstood giant, began a journey with him. Edward goes through a haunted forest and reaches a village where she meets a poet called Norther Winslow. Before leaving the village, he promises to Jenny, a girl he met, he would return someday. Big Fish Technical Data: Production year: 2003 Country: United States Director: Tim Burton Production: Columbia Pictures Producers: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks Executive Producer: Arne Schmidt Associate Producer: Katterli Framentelder Plot: Daniel Wallace Writer: John August Music: Danny Elfman Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot Art Direction: Roy Barnes, Robert Fechtmen Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh Costume Design: Colleen Atwood Editing: Chris Chamia Hair Design: Coni Address Makeup: Gloria Belz Special Effects Supervisor: Eric Allard Length: 125 minutes Starring: Ewan McGregor: Young Ed Bloom Albert Finney: Senior Ed Bloom Jessica Lange: Senior Sandra Bloom Alison Lohman: Young Sandra Bloom Billy Crudup: Will Bloom Steve Buscemi: Norther Winslow Danny DeVito: Amos Calloway Helena Bonham Carter: Jenny Young, Jenny Senior, The Witch Matthew McGrory, Karl the Giant

Interprofessional Collaboration in Health Care

Interprofessional Collaboration in Health Care Interprofessional Collaboration in Health and Social Care is changing the face of service delivery based on governments attraction to this concept. This essay is an attempt to identify and evaluate weaknesses that affect interprofessional working, using a practice based critical incident (see Appendix A). In order to achieve this, a model of critical reflection, a combination of systematic analytical tools (SWOT, PESTEL) and use of relevant theories are adopted to unearth various assumptions and their sources with a view of engaging the application of theory to practice which will consequently improve provision of services to end users in practice with the added benefit of improving interprofessional working. The various influencing factors identified from the analysis that conflate in the arena of interprofessionalism makes it a very complex, yet desirable concept to embrace and implement for the effective delivery of service within health and social care. The case for a Model of Critical reflection Reflection has been defined as a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice Reid (1993). Researching various models of critical reflection (Gibbs reflective cycle (1988), Stephensons framework of reflection (1993), Fook and Askeland (2006) indicated a number of variables which are relevant in the evaluation and reflection on practice situation. For the purpose of this particular case study, I have chosen to reflect on the critical incident described in Appendix A by using Fooks model of critical reflection. This model; Focuses on identifying underlying assumptions with a specific purpose of fostering improvement in professional practice Fook and Askeland (2006,p), Highlights power as a critical element of transforming the revealed assumptions with a view to create a positive change in the practice situation. The concept of power in critical reflection is relevant in the social, cultural, professional and political context with the aim of gaining a sense of personal power therefore more control and choice, through the exposure of dominant assumptions in operation. Fook (2006), Foucault (1983) cited in White et al (2006, p44). Fooks model enables reflection on awareness and use of power in the course of performing my professional role. Fook also emphasises the place of emotion, communication, dialogue and learning in this model of critical reflection. This is particularly relevant to the practice situation as it led to competence queries in the light of the ensuing reverberation. This model of critical reflection is a valuable tool, enabling better decision-making, improved ability to work with uncertainty and multiple perspectives, resolve dilemmas, recognising the use and power of emotion, and better ability to learn from practice. Fook and Askeland (2006) My choice of Fooks critical reflection model helps me to take a look at what I do, why I do it, unearthing relevant hidden assumptions influenced by my cultural, social, professional and political beliefs (see PESTEL analysis in Appendix C). It also enables me to reframe myself in view of the revealed assumptions behind my thinking that affects my practice. This model seeks to empower by giving choices and creating new knowledge when the process of reflection is practised. It could also potentially reaffirm personal beliefs that may have been previously separated from professional roles which inadvertently create conflict. Interprofessional Concept Interprofessional concepts that are apparently relevant to the practice situation are collaboration and communication. The key weaknesses identified were due to lack of communication and failings in collaboration between the pharmacy, social services professions and general practitioner (GP) engaged in the care of the older people in the community. In order to analyse the practice situation, two analytical tools are adopted namely SWOT analysis considers the strengths and weaknesses in the case and also the opportunity and threats embedded in it. (Appendix B). PESTEL analysis This tool relates the situation to its external environmental factors with a view to identifying influences and impacts of the environment.( Appendix C) The two major areas of weakness focused on are: The gaps in collaboration between pharmacist, social workers and GPs in the community. Poor communication between Health and Social Care (HSC) professionals in the community. Literature Review The concept of interprofessional collaboration has been defined as working together with one or more members of the health care team where each makes a unique contribution to achieving a common goal. Each individual contributes from within the limits of his/her scope of practice. Broers et al (2009), College of Nurses Ontario (2008), Makowsky et al (2009). The Health and Social care policy on joined up working Department of Health (DoH 2000) has been regarded as a major document pointing the way to or representing one of the imperatives for the modernisation agenda. Health and Social Care policies has witnessed several changes in the last twenty five years with a shift in focus from institutional to community care with an attendant upsurge in service commissioning, which created an increasing role for primary care. Karban Smith (2006). The need for greater collaboration and communication has been highlighted by the recent increase in major enquiries into several aspects of health and social care (Victoria Climbie inquiry report by Laming (2003), Baby Ps case). Loxley (1995) asserted that the recognition of health and welfare within society as an interactive, adaptive process without an end becomes the only creative basis for strategies, policies and practices and as such, the ability to collaborate is thus an essential in this interactive process. The National Service Framework for Older people DoH (2001) clearly demands that the NHS and local authorities work in partnership to promote health ageing and prevent disease in older people. DoH (2001). Various government policies has emphasised partnership and joint working as the main focus to drive improved care to users of health and social care services. DoH (1998a) Partnership in Action (1998b); Working Together (1998c); First class service; quality in the new NHS) Leathards(2003) review on McGraths (1991) study on interprofessional teamwork in Wales found that joint working led to more efficient use of staff, efficient service provision and a more satisfying work environment. Other benefits include the value of knowledge sharing, potential for comprehensively integrated services, efficient use of public funds and the avoidance of duplication and gaps in services. The New NHS-modern and dependable: DoH (1998). The governments objective is to build a reliable health service where patients have access to high quality services based on identified need, building on integrated care between health and social care where each have equally important roles to play. The White paper (1998) sets out the framework for the partnership, with the intention to remove barriers to effective collaboration in the existing systems and provide new incentives for joint working across agencies. The role of Pharmacists in interprofessional collaboration. The pharmacy professions code of ethics is traditionally based on the medical model of health, where duty of care is to the patient and mainly prescriptive and paternalistic. Naidoo and Wills (2009). There are no strong evidences to support joint working between community pharmacy and other health and social professions despite a strong need for collaboration for the delivery of excellent patient care across the primary and secondary interface. Makowsky et al (2009) review indicates that collaborative working relationships between nurses and physicians have been the focus of several researches, but relatively little work has investigated the integration and nature of collaborative relationships pharmacists have with other health care practitioners. The review stated that most investigations into professional relationship between pharmacy and other healthcare profession has been on physicians satisfaction attitudes or perceptions towards specific aspects of pharmacy practice, pharmaci st roles, perceived barriers between physicians and community pharmacists, unmet needs in the medication use process, physician expectations of pharmacist and physicians receptiveness to clinical pharmacists. Competencies of the Future Pharmacy workforce a publication by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (2003/2004) highlights the need for greater levels of collaboration between pharmacists across all sectors and boundaries as the way forward for relevance within the healthcare workforce. The Pharmacy White paper (year) also emphasised the role of pharmacists in providing services in the present NHS structure and this would necessitate a greater awareness and participatory collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Barriers to Interprofessional Collaboration In spite of the laudable and apparently desirable benefits of interprofessional collaboration, in reality there are barriers that limit effectiveness of this concept between health and social care professionals as apparent in my practice situation. Historically, barriers such as professional cultures, different forms of accountabilities between health and social services, political agendas, rigid boundaries, departmental survival existed and still remain to challenge present day twenty-first century health and social care. Hardy et al (1992) cited in Leathard (2003) identified five categories of the challenges facing joint working within health and social care as; Structural issues such as service fragmentation, gaps in services. Procedural matters which hinders joint planning through different budgetary planning cycles and procedures. Financial factors such as different funding mechanisms, administrative and communication costs Status and legitimacy, for example local responsibilities are based within a democratically elected arena and in contrast, all services are commissioned and centrally run by the NHS. Professional issues which include problems associated with conflicting views and ideologies about users, professional self-interest, competition for domains, as well as differences between expertise, specialism and skills. Leathard (2003) noted more barriers such as practitioners isolated with little management support, inequalities in status and salary, differing leadership styles, lack of clarity about roles as damaging to inter professional collaboration. It has been noted that service users and carers as typified by the examples in the practice situation (see appendix A) often experience frustration and distress in trying to organise the type of care they want or support needed as a carer. This process, involving contact with different agencies and each with different assessment processes, often leave users and carers unclear as to who should be doing what and how it all links together. DoH (1998a) Joint working has been identified by the DoH (1998) as needed at three levels; strategic planning, service commissioning and service provision. In the practice of pharmacy in the care of the community, service provision must deliver an integrated package that avoids the burden of complex bureaucracy. Barriers to Joint Working: Communication Another weakness identified in the SWOT analysis, (see Appendix C) is poor communication. Information sharing in the appropriate context is important in helping to promote informed decision making and aid the provision of user-focused care. On the other hand, incorrect information can destroy or reinforce negative or destructive stereotypes and therefore limit the range of options offered to the user. Hammick et al (2009). Poor communication can be a barrier to effective information sharing in professional practice. The lack of clarity in the process of communication experience in my context can also be down lack of awareness of how the agencies work together. Meads et al (2005) states that poor systems and lack of parity between different professionals can be major risk factors, particularly with regards to effective communication. In the inquiries into the events that led to Victoria Climbies death in 2000 and the Bristol Royal Infirmary incident, systemic failures that led to poor communications were highlighted. The issue of communication was further complicated by the fact that I had no prior knowledge of any disability suffered by the patient that would necessitate any form of assessment set out by the Disability Discrimination Act (2004), I assumed that the clients GP would be aware of the process of referral for patients needing support with their medicines as they are usually their first point of call. Carers expectation was that all service providers talked to each other in a way that gets things done smoothly. Reflecting on what I have learnt on interprofessional collaboration, the situation became clearer as I realised that different organisations have different operating procedures which, despite attempts at collaboration, can still be conflicting. External influences on the practice situation such as legal factors (see Appendix C) include issues such as patient confidentiality and data protection requirements which make it imperative that proper channels of communication are followed to protect clients privacy. This raises ethical and legal questions on how much is too much or too little to exchange with other agencies. I have learnt that the failings in the practice situation described is not a clear cut failing by a single person, but a classic example of how the barriers to interprofessional working can have a direct impact on both the service user and provider. Systems Approach to Joint Working: A resolve A systemic approach to collaboration as stated by Payne(1997) in Hammick et al(2009) is relevant to interprofessional practice as it sees individuals as social beings, affected by and influencing others around them, the organisations with which they have contact and the wider society, drawing attention to relationships, structure, processes and interdependence. The whole systems concept developed by Bertanlanffy (1971) describes the exchange across permeable boundaries between systems and environments. This characteristic of the systems theory is crucial in its application to service organisations, like the NHS and social service. The key elements from the systems theory as concurred to by Loxley(1997) and Willumsen (2008)relevant to understanding collaboration in interprofessional practice is interdependence and interaction, emphasis on management of processes, the recognition of equifinality the achievement of the same goal from different starting points. Loxley (1997) asserts that it is possible to manage complexity and differences through the recognition and use of common properties which apply to both parts and to a whole when experiences are shared. For the whole systems approach to work, the right conditions as advocated by Maddock and Morgan (1999) in Leathard (2003) include; Support for communication between users and frontline staff Involvement of actively committed staff Appropriate performance measures supporting change and staff development Management and practitioners sharing the same agenda on quality and funding issues A senior management team with a unity of vision. The benefits of the whole systems approach as shown by the study on delivery of services to older people across health and social care in Brighton and Hove, Sussex Callanan (2001) include; initiatives to identify gaps in services, an improvement in the services provided in the multidisciplinary assessment and review, improved flexibility to meet users needs and the enabling of small changes which would result in significant improvements in service provision. The whole systems approach with the theorised benefits is not without its limitations. CSIP(Care Service Improvement Partnership) Older People Team cited in the whole systems approach , a document paper by the NHS Wales(2006) concluded that for most places, a whole systems approach is a statement of aspiration rather than a statement of achievement as there are limitations inherent in the approach. Conclusion The way forward may be more opportunities for joint learning among health and social care professionals in practice. Integrating joint learning in the whole systems approach to effective collaboration might in some way resolve some of the perceived barriers. Learning together reflectively will challenge traditional barriers, professional barriers and compartmentalised thinking. Karban and Smith (2006). They argued that a model of critical and reflective practice acquired through learning together will enable future practitioners develop a shared understanding of the world and ways of working together based on creating a shared dialogue within communities of practice that will enhance the experience of service users. Forming multidisciplinary teams in the care of the community for specific target population may also be effective in closing the gap in collaboration between pharmacy and other health and social care profession. In order to avoid the reoccurrence of the incident discussed in my practice situation, I will seek to implement the following Raise awareness/understanding of referral process among professionals engaged in the management of older people with disability by writing a letter to all agencies concerned. Organise seminars at local GP meetings with other healthcare professionals involved in the care of older people with the view of clarifying the referral procedures for effective provision of service

The Difficulties of AIDS :: essays research papers

AIDS is a deadly disease that affects people world wide. AIDS is a disease that brings about many social consequences. Many of these consequences result in physical, emotional, and economic problems. AIDS compromises the immune system of the human body, making a person susceptible to many different illnesses and infections. Among these are: unexplained fatigue and weight loss, night sweats and flu-like feelings. These infirmities can interfere with a person’s daily physical tasks. For example, taking a shower, eating, working, excersing, caring for a child, and cooking. Being unable to perform these tasks makes an n individuals life extremely difficult. Individuals with AIDS also experience a number of emotional problems because of the social stigmas attached to AIDS. For instance, a person having to be scared to let others know he or she is infected, and being unable to engage in intimate relations without infecting others. Further emotional problems can be caused with the c ontinuous worry of death, which can inhibit a person’s normal functioning .People who have these issues develop a great deal of emotional problems because one feels that they do not fit into society. AIDS is not only a disease that affects an individual, but it also affects the larger society . This is so because of the financial needs to help fund programs and organizations to help stop the spread of AIDS and help those who suffer from AIDS. Although, the money goes towards helping AIDS victims it is costly for tax payers, when it can go towards helping people and developing educational programs within their communities. Why should the population pay for the bill for the consequences of others? As one can see, AIDS doesn’t only bring about consequences that indirectly affect individuals, but it also brings about consequences for society as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every year, millions of people are infected and die from AIDS. This is because of ignorance, acts of choice, as well as religious beliefs. It is assumed that all people know the causes of AIDS, however, most people don’t know. Some people think that AIDS only afflicts homosexuals and drug abusers. This way of thinking displays that the government is not properly educating people on AIDS and prevention. A person who thinks in this manner feels that if they only have sex with a person that isn’t in an at risk group it is okay to have unprotected sex.

Lessons on Divorce :: essays research papers

Divorce, of Course, of Course Bridget Burke Ravizza wrote the article, â€Å"Selling Ourselves on the Marriage Market† and is an assistant professor of religious studies at St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI. After talking with an unnamed group of college students, she discovers that â€Å"These college students have grown up in a society in which nearly half of all marriages end in divorce.† She also reveals â€Å"they are fearful that their future marriages will go down that path, and some question whether lifelong commitment can—or should—be made at all.† Furthermore, Ravizza finds that â€Å"students are bombarded with messages about sexuality and relationships—indeed messages about themselves—that seem to undermine authentic relationships.† Simply put, culture has accepted divorce as a â€Å"normal† thing and has already begun to affect the next generations. The surveyed students are so fearful of divorce, they are, in essence, afraid of marriage a s well. They even go to the extreme of avoiding divorce by saying they may not get married at all to prevent the â€Å"undermining of an authentic relationship.† The fact of the matter is, as the polled students infer, that half (if not more) married couples do get a divorce in today’s society. Whether or not this unfortunate trend will continue down through the following generation is a theory yet to be proven, though it would make sense. The article is missing a few necessary citations, however. I noticed no reference given as to whom Rachel Greenwald is or what her expertise are in relation to the subject. She is simply referred to by her best-selling book, Find a Husband After 35: Using What I Learned at Harvard Business School. Likewise, the theologian Paul Wadell is referred to by nothing other than his book Becoming Friends: Worship, Justice and the Practice of Christian Friendship. Also, the poll discussion with the college students at the beginning of the article is not given a source or from what part of the country the college was located. I agree with the article’s thesis. Divorce has slowly seeped its way into the â€Å"normal† way of life and is running rampant through our country and Americans have become numb and desensitized to its abhorrence. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more prominent and society equates this as normal. The Funk and Wagnall’s Dictionary defines divorce as the â€Å"Dissolution of a marriage bond by legal process or by accepted custom.

The Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore :: essays research papers

The Role of Citizen Political Participation in Hong Kong and Singapore Both Hong Kong and Singapore are city states that traditionally have lacked broad political participation, instead political decisions were left up to a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining the role of political participation in both city states. Hong Kong's history of colonial rule and the strength of the People's Action Party (PAP) in Singapore acted to keep broad citizen participation in government to a minimum. Hong Kong after World War Two remained a colony of England and it's government remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such as Singapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonial government was insulated from political pressure because many residents and immigrants from China appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Kong had to offer and were afraid that if England gave up control of Hong Kong the small state would be over run by the newly established and expansionist communist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China was expanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia; Hong Kong's feeling of insecurity was very real. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong Kong's Legislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointed prominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. These councils although far from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenry would at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasure with the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any real power and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. The government of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign service officers that flocked to Hong Kong, the last vestige of English Empire. In Hong Kong it really was the English that ruled not the Chinese public. In Singapore following the end of World War Two a single political party came into power in Singapore, the People's Action Party which was a strongly anti-colonial left wing party was a made up of communists and more moderate socialists. After independence Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his allies were able to steer the party away from communism and toward a more moderate stance. The People's Action Party tolerated dissent and other political parties because Lee Kuan Yew felt he had a solid political base. The PAP so dominated politics that no other political party emerged in Singapore as a strong force. In the democratically held elections in Singapore the PAP always won by large majorities. The greatest blow came to the PAP in 1984 when the opposition won The Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore :: essays research papers The Role of Citizen Political Participation in Hong Kong and Singapore Both Hong Kong and Singapore are city states that traditionally have lacked broad political participation, instead political decisions were left up to a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining the role of political participation in both city states. Hong Kong's history of colonial rule and the strength of the People's Action Party (PAP) in Singapore acted to keep broad citizen participation in government to a minimum. Hong Kong after World War Two remained a colony of England and it's government remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such as Singapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonial government was insulated from political pressure because many residents and immigrants from China appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Kong had to offer and were afraid that if England gave up control of Hong Kong the small state would be over run by the newly established and expansionist communist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China was expanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia; Hong Kong's feeling of insecurity was very real. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong Kong's Legislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointed prominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. These councils although far from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenry would at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasure with the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any real power and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. The government of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign service officers that flocked to Hong Kong, the last vestige of English Empire. In Hong Kong it really was the English that ruled not the Chinese public. In Singapore following the end of World War Two a single political party came into power in Singapore, the People's Action Party which was a strongly anti-colonial left wing party was a made up of communists and more moderate socialists. After independence Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his allies were able to steer the party away from communism and toward a more moderate stance. The People's Action Party tolerated dissent and other political parties because Lee Kuan Yew felt he had a solid political base. The PAP so dominated politics that no other political party emerged in Singapore as a strong force. In the democratically held elections in Singapore the PAP always won by large majorities. The greatest blow came to the PAP in 1984 when the opposition won

Lincoln and Kennedy Assassination Similarities Essay

Similarities between the Lincoln and Kennedy Assassinations Both American presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy (JFK) were tragically assassinated during their terms in office. Both men, admired by many, were hated by many who opposed their political views. Very shortly after the Kennedy assassination in November of 1963, a strikingly similar comparison of the circumstances of his death and the death of Lincoln in 1865 surfaced media everywhere. These comparisons have both fueled conspiracies and pointed out some amazingly specific coincidences. Some examples include: -Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846/Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946 -Lincoln was elected president in 1860/Kennedy was elected president in 1960 -Both of their wives lost a child while living in the White House -Both were directly concerned with Civil Rights -Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who warned him not to go to the theater/Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who warned him not to go to Dallas -Both were shot in the back of the head in front of their wives -Lincoln was shot in the Ford Theatre/Kennedy was shot in a Lincoln (made by Ford) -Both shot on Fridays -Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and fled to a warehouse/Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theater -Both assassins were killed before being brought to trial -Lincoln’s successor was Andrew Johnson (born in 1808)/Kennedy’s successor was Lyndon Johnson (born in 1908) -both president’s last names contain letters While entertaining, most people argue that these coincidences could have occurred to anyone. Several say that similarities between two people can be found easily with a small analysis. Nevertheless, the conspiracy boggles the minds of Americans daily.

Kite Runner Redmption

One of the main themes of the novel The Kite Runner Is redemption. Throughout the novel, the main character, Amir, seeks redemption for his sins. Amir states in the first chapter of the novel that he has a past of â€Å"unatoned sins. † Throughout the novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses the following symbols to express the theme of redemption: The scar above Amirs lip, the lamb and the blue kite. The scar above Amirs lip represents the redemption Amir attained by rescuing Sohrab.Amir travels to Afghanistan to rescue Sohrab, who is being exploited by a Taliban leader. The Taliban leader turns out to be an old enemy from Amirs childhood, Assef. Amir must fight Assef in order to leave with Sohrab. During the fight Amir is beaten brutally until Sohrab shoots Assef with his slingshot. Amir is left with a scar above his right lip, strikingly similar to the one Hassan had after having surgery for his cleft lip. At the beginning of the novel, Amir watches Hassan get raped, bu t he did not intervene.The guilt from that day haunts him throughout the novel. At one point, Amir even tries to force Hassan to beat him up, as though the only thing that could redeem Amir was being beaten, but Hassan does not and Amir is even more ridden with guilt. When Rakim Khan calls amir, he says, â€Å"Come, This is a chance for you to be good again. † It is clear Rakim Khan understood the guilt that Amir was feeling, and realized that Amir had been searching for redemption all his life. Khan new that rescuing Sohrab was the only way Amir could truly find redemption.The rescue of Sohrab, was the rescue of an innocent, the rescue of a lamb. Throughout the novel, a reoccurring image of a sacrificial lamb represents a path to redemption. Amir tells the reader how during the Muslim holiday of Eid-Al-Ahda, the Mullah sacrifices a lamb. The look on the lamb’s face during the sacrifice stays with Amir for the rest of his life. When Amir witnesses Asseff rape Hassan, h e remarks, â€Å"I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb.†Once more in the novel, Amir is reminded of the lamb, when he witnesses Asseff exploit Sohrab. The link between Hassan, Sohrab and the Lamb is their innocence; Because Amir betrayed an innocent Hassan, he must save an innocent to be redeemed, Sohrab is this innocent lamb. By ending the exploitation of this figurative lamb, Amir attains redemption for his sin. Finally, returning with the blue kite was an avenue of redemption for Amir. Every winter, in Kabul, there was a large kite-fighting tournament.The tournament was a big deal to the people of Kabul. Amir and Hassan won the tournament, but in order to truly be victorious, Hassan had to retrieve the blue kite so Amir could bring it home as a trophy. During the kite tournament Amir states, â€Å"All i saw was the blue kite. All i smelled was victory. Salvation. Redemption. † Specific ally, redemption in the eyes of Baba. Amir had stated earlier in the novel how he thought Baba thought of him as weak, but this was Amirs chance to be strong in the eyes of Baba, and end Amirs longing for Baba’s love.In conclusion, the rescue of Sohrab, the sacrificial lamb and the blue kite represent redemption for Amir’s sins. Redemption is a main theme of the novel, and Khaled Hosseini uses the aforementioned symbols to tell the story of Amir’s quest for redemption. Amir’s quest makes one question whether sometimes the sinner, is also the victim. As a mere child, Amir betrayed his friend, out of fear, out of cowardice, and out of selfishness, but he did not know that decision would haunt him for the rest of his life. Did he really deserve the punishment befallen on him?