Corporate Taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Taxes - Essay Example 29) or the Code, otherwise the business is taxed under the Subchapter C of the Code. Moreover, during liquidation process, the liability of a sole owner of an S or C corporation is determined by the amount of money the owner has invested in the business, hence personal assets are not subject to the rights of creditors to seize or place a lien. Furthermore, when an entity undergoes bankruptcy proceedings and files for Chapter 11, the assets of the corporation is transferred to the bankruptcy estate, however "a transfer (other than by sale or exchange) of an asset from the debtor to the estate shall not be treated as a disposition for purposes of any provision assigning tax consequences to a disposition and the estate shall be treated as the debtor would be treated with respect to such asset" (IRC section 1398(f)). Given the above tax laws, rulings and regulations, if Susan treats her additional $80,000 as an additional stock investment, which will then increase the value of her total stock to $180,000, the for tax purposes, she will not be able to report the loss of the additional stock investment or the total value of her stock as a loss in her individual tax return. Section 1398(f) of the Code specifies that the bankruptcy estate will accrue the losses - both from operations and other items - of the business of the year that the bankruptcy process commenced. Hence, given the treatment of the $80,000 additional investment as a stock investment, on the year that Bluegill files for bankruptcy this amount and the rest of Susan's equity investment in the corporation will become the losses of the estate rather than her losses. However, the tax implications would be different if the $80,000 additional tax investment is treated by Susan as a loan to Bluegill Corporation. In this circumstance, Susan, to the extent of the $80,000 loan, is considered as a debtor. Hence, the tax treatment is different. However, the remaining stock value of Susan of $100,000 will still be treated the same way as identified above. For the $80,000 loan, during the bankruptcy proceedings, Susan can then assume a creditor's right to seize or attach lien on the corporation's assets. Any loss resulting from the bankruptcy of Bluegill with respect to the $80,000 loan can be reported in Susan's individual income tax return. There is a way for Susan, however, to claim the losses from her total stock investment in her individual tax return in case Bluegill files for bankruptcy. To be able to do this, Susan needs to file the bankruptcy right after the end of Bluegill's fiscal year. Corporation's fiscal year ends every December 31. Hence, Susan needs to file for bankruptcy right after this time. Whether the additional $80,000 investment can be considered a bona fide loan or a capital contribution or both, several factors need to be considered. First, whether the business was undercapitalized during the additional contribution. If capitalization was sufficient, then the additional investment can be considered as a bona fide loan. Another factor is the intention of Susan in giving the additional investment to Bluegill. In Adelson v. United States (Fed.Cir. 1984) 737 F.2d 1569, the court made a distinction on the difference of a loan and capital. The court stated that "a loan is

Health Care Roles in Communication Essay Example for Free

Health Care Roles in Communication Essay Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said, â€Å"We have to ask ourselves whether medicine is to remain a humanitarian and respected profession or a new but depersonalized science in the service of prolonging life rather than diminishing human suffering.† In the health care field there are many roles that balance each other. Whether it is the doctor, patient, or medical assistant all play a vital role in the care of others. The purpose of this paper is to compare the differences in communication between the different roles in the hospital. This paper will also be providing an appropriate solution for the scenario provided. The scenario provided is about a young Asian girl named Lena. She was taken to the emergency room by her friend Susie after she fainted in class. Raised in a culture, which has made Lena independent, She verbally attacks her friend yelling about how she is not weak. When she tries to leave, Susie retrieves the medical assistant. The medical assistant restrains Lena and is then sent away by the doctor. The doctor tries to reason with Lena and explain why she is there, but gets no response from her. Finally, the doctor leaves to care for other patients. For this scenario I will be examining the role of the doctor first. From the perspective of the doctor, Lena is very stubborn. This doctor has to see dozens of patients a day and does not have time to argue with one patient who does not want to be there. A doctors time is precious, especially in the emergency room. Although the doctor sees many cases which are easy, such as a runny nose or a broken finger, there are many emergencies that require immediate attention. If there was a call for a doctor to assist in a patient from a major auto accident , this doctor may choose to put a fainting girl on the sideline to assist with the trauma. On the other hand, the doctor should still attempt to treat the patient to the best of his or her abilities in the short time allowed. There are other ways to gain  information regarding Lenas situation, which will be discussed later. The medical assistant was the first medical professional to confront Lena after she woke up. From the tone of voice portrayed in the scenario, the medical assistant wanted to help the patient. The assistant rushed to the patients side, knowing she was very sick and needed medical attention. Unfortunately, Lena could not be reasoned with between the time the medical assistant arrived and the time the doctor walked in. The medical assistant was not given enough time to calm the patient or explain the situation. Susie seems concerned for her best friends health and safety. Even though Susie knows her friend has an independent attitude, there has to be a reason she brought Lena to the emergency room. Unless Lena had been sick for a while or had fainted before, there would be no cause for Susie to rush her to the hospital. Susie also shows her concern for Lena by rushing to get the attention of the medical assistant when Lena tries to leave. Susie must believe that Lenas health is important enough to bring her to a place where she can get the medical help she needs to get better. Finally, there is Lena, the patient. Lena was brought up to be independent and strong. Many residents raised in Southeast Asia that find it hard to conform to western medicine. Even though Lena has lived in the United States for 10 years, which means she has spent the majority of life around the medicinal practices of her parents and her culture. As an example, if Lena is from Vietnam her knowledge of medicine would be vastly different (Schultz, 1980). In most areas of Vietnam, residents and medical practitioners steer away from prescription medicine and favor herbs instead. Eastern medicine relies heavily on the spiritual element in the human body as much as western medicine relies on the chemical makeup (Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism, 2010). If Lena was used to Vietnamese eastern medicine her reaction to being in the hospital is not surprising. Her idea of medicine may come in the form of a root instead of a bottle. Within the scenario are many complications with the communication between individuals. First, there is the confrontation between Lena and Susie. Lena  instantly blames Susie for taking her to the hospital. While Susie is her best friend and is the one sitting in the room with her, it may not have been Susies choice to send Lena to the emergency room. Because Lena fainted in class, it would be the responsibility of her instructor to make sure she was taken care of. The instructors reaction may have been to call the paramedics to make sure the student received proper medical attention. There would have been nothing Susie could have said to prevent the paramedics and medical professionals from making the decision to take Lena to see a doctor. Once at the hospital, Susie could have worked to calm her friend down before rushing to find the medical assistant to restrain her. She could have also provided some insight, to the doctor, regarding Lenas recent medical problems leading to the fainting. This may have softened the doctors approach to Lenas silence. While the medical professional was doing her job by keeping the patient in the hospital, extra empathy should have been given. The initial approach was rough and direct. Each patient should be given the same consideration regardless of the circumstances. Instead of verbally attacking Lena, the medical assistant should have approached Lena in a different manner. Being too direct will put the patient in a defensive position rather than a position to listen. When the medical assistant states she doesnt have time to deal with Lena, it lowers the value of the patients worth as someone who needs care. It is like saying the person with a bloody nose should take priority over someone who has fainted and may have a serious underlying condition. Admonishing a patient and telling them they are sick is worthless. Lena knows she is sick. She just wants to prove she can cure herself without the interference of doctors. Had the medical assistant shown more empathy and expressed her understanding of Lenas situation it may have diffused the angry encounter. Many communication conflicts with the doctor in regard to everyone else in the room. First is the treatment of the medical assistant by the doctor. From the scenario we can see that the doctor was close behind the assistant as she came through the door. The medical assistant did not have enough time to do her job before the doctor told her to leave the room. Had the doctor  allowed the medical assistant to stay in the room it may have had a positive effect on the patient. If the doctor is a male, Lena may have felt uncomfortable around him and the presence of a female assistant may ease the worry. The doctor could have gained immeasurable information about Lenas condition from Susie. Had the doctor questioned the best friend it could have revealed how long this had been going on and what other symptoms Lena had been exhibiting. Instead the doctor completely ignores Susie and turns attention to Lena. When the doctor tells Lena what is going on he does not pay attention to how, she is reacting, only that she is not answering the questions. The doctor makes the assumption that Lena is quite on purpose and leaves to go treat other patients. In the scenario are a few key points that the doctor missed and misinterpreted. Just like with the medical assistant, more care should have been given to calming Lena down instead of becoming defensive. By being understanding, the doctor would have caught the signs of something more serious going on with Lenas health. The blank look on her face may not have given much away, depending on her age. Many people who look blank or vacant when someone is telling him or her about a topic they know little about. However, her eyes may have helped the doctor realize something serious was happening. A blank look may mean nothing, but a glassy eyed stare could mean something. Lena had started to sweat profusely. Most hospitals keep the complex cooler than normal to help stave off nausea and fever in most patients. The sweating, blank stare, and non-responsiveness could have signaled the doctor there was something worse than just fainting in Lenas condition. With just the few symptoms exhibited in the scenario, Lena could be suffering anything from heat exhaustion to a deadly pulmonary embolism (WebMD, LLC, 2010). Last, there is the patient, Lena. Her lack of communication is born from family traditions that go back hundreds of years. Even so, Lena has lived in the United States for 10 years. It would be impossible for her to live in this country and go to school here without seeing a western medicine doctor. She could be used to smaller clinics; however, her reaction to the emergency room is unwarranted. The scenario made it seem as if Lena did not want to  talk to the doctor because she resented being in the hospital. Her outburst upon waking, and her non-responsiveness to the doctor, may have been a part of her illness. She might not have been aware of where she was by the time the doctor was through explaining her condition. An appropriate solution for the situation should be patience and empathy. The medical assistant and the doctor should have been more understanding toward the patient. There should have been compassion toward a young girl who was upset and confused. More attention to detail was needed by the doctor. Susie should have spoken up when Lena could not. Her information could help her friend from getting worse. Lena, having lived in the United States for 10 years, should have been willing to hear what the doctor had found before making the decision to leave. I have been in the customer service field for 13 years. From Banking, to telecommunication, to healthcare, the only factor that changes is the service provided. There will always be someone else who needs the attention of the representative. The key to communicating to a customer is empathy. Allowing a person to realize you understand their situation and showing a willingness to help, makes the difference. When you have a patient who is screaming and upset, you cannot take it personally. They are hurt, confused, and afraid. A caregiver cannot treat patients the same if they take everything personally. Lena was not yelling because she hated the assistant or the doctor. She was yelling because she did not think she was as sick as the doctor did. Both the doctor and the assistant treated Lena as if she were wasting their time, instead of looking at the situation rationally. In conclusion, communication all comes down to how a person handles customer service. Each role in this scenario is a tough one to have. First, the patient, who is full of fear and has been raised to think differently. Next, the best friend, who is afraid of losing her friend to illness but is too scared to speak up. Third, the assistant, who has many other patients to see. Last, the doctor, who is skilled in what he does, but fails to see the obvious signs of something worse. All of these roles are true, from day to day. They are in every hospital, clinic, and emergency room. There should be  more classes within medical schooling that teach caregivers how to show empathy and understanding to their patients. There should also be continuing education for all caregivers to refresh what they have been taught. References WebMD, LLC. (2010). WebMD Symptom Checker. Retrieved from http://symptoms.webmd.com/symptomchecker Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism. (2010). Vietnam Traditional Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.vietvisiontravel.com/vietnam/travel-guide/Traditional_medicine/ Schultz, S. L. (1980, August). Southeast Asian Health Beliefs and Practices. Education Resources Information Center

Importance of Advertising and Promotion in Business

Importance of Advertising and Promotion in Business Task 1:- The three communicational theories of business Electronic theory: understands the dynamic communication aids in delivering messages clearly to the receiver. The process of the electronic theory is t is based on, and uses the language of, electronics. Emails, smart phone messaging system are using the electronic theory which information will be delivered in electronic ways. Social environment theory- is based on the workplace. It is essential to understand to whom we are talking their position. We also have to respect the rules and culture while communicating to each other. Rhetorical theory: this theory targets not only the receiving message but also the respond produced. The information and Communication technologies are changing in day to day life style. They are improving the way a message delivers to a audience. The ways of adverting are using website, other company website banners, classified, multimedia presentation, flyers and posters. The type’s advertisements are Product advertisement which is selling a single product such as mobile phones, electronic goods. Product advertisement only targets a limited people who will be using that product or services. Business advertisement is to make the company brand familiar to the audience. For example the brands most commonly known by the people are Nike, Timberland, Apple products. Service advertisement suggest the advertises service. Examples of service advertise are Government, Tourism and banking. As the latest technologies are gradually getting demand, advertising in a website will be idle for targeting the customers. Most of the users browse and prefer to shop online. In order to sell produ cts online it is essential to details every specification of the product so that it will be easy for the clients to understand how the product or services will work before they purchase. Main important information that should be displayed if using website for advertisement is the company name, product name and contact information. The most popular online shopping website are ebay and amazon which allow many suppliers to sell product online and also allows the clients to review the services they get while shopping online and which may help the users who visit the product to understand a general knowledge on how the services are given to the customers. The technology is changing people on how they shop. Most of them prefer shopping online and even the high street retailers are making their products available online as well. The important advantage or using website to advertise product online are the product can be advertised in the same country or make it visible for other countries a s well. Task 02 The Role and Importance of Advertising Advertising is part of Marketing. In order to stimulate customer response always the advertisement is a good opportunity for the company to promote. The more people see the product/service, the more they feel like buying it. So many companies rely on advertising these days to boost sales of their products or services, to build a connection with their audience and to create competition with their rival firms There are different types to gain customer’s awareness like advertising, and promotion, Also there are different places that advertisements can be positioned, using the metro, trams, buses, restaurants and so on The advertising objectives should support main company’s goal and should be discussed with company-client in order to avoid misunderstanding. The advertising roles are based on company’s marketing strategy, like; * Increase sales * Increase brand awareness * Supporting other market efforts Advertising gives companies and businesses the opportunity to build up a brand and an identity. A recent example of this having great success is with the Apple brand. The distinct adverts in both TV andprintform are instantly identifiable as the companys own and give it an identity as a clean, modern and reputable brand. Advertisements need to relate to current trends and sell both a product individually as well as the company as a whole. If an advertisement succeeds at both it can help draw an audience to the product or service and build a relationship between the consumer and company. Establishing this connection should lead to a boost in sales for the business. One of the best ways to advertise is by word of mouth, also known as referral marketing or referral advertising. When other people hear good things about your business or they have a positive experience shopping with your business, they become walking billboards for your business without you having to spend additional money on ads to create it. Advertising locally through newspapers and fliers as well as billboards can be an effective source of it when your business is up-and-coming, but expanding your advertising sources becomes important as you grow. You can extend your advertising approach out to television commercials as well as radio in order to reach wider audiences, but the revenue from your business should be able to pay for it costs for these methods to bring you the value you are looking for. Creating an assortment of advertising and marketing techniques will help you to reach many different customer bases. Identifying a target market to advertise your business to is also very valuable, because a target market of customers will be more interested in your business than trying to appeal to masses of people with varying interests. Making sure that enough people know that you exist who are naturally interested in your product as a target is a great way to bring in customers and increase the profit of your business. Creating an impulse in potential customers to purchase your product is very important when it comes to advertising. It can be easy to create it that puts your customer in a mindset not to purchase your product, either by unintentionally avoiding the sale of your product by focusing on information or topics that draw attention away from your product. Be sure to study the needs of your target market to get the best results. In modern times the importance of advertising your business is no different. Without an audience for your product or service, you will not attract enough customers and will not make enough sales to keep your business doors open. Task 03 Below the line Techniques and their usage. Below the line, refers to forms of non-media communication, even non-media advertising. Below the line sales promotions are short-term incentives, largely aimed at consumers. Below the line, refers to forms of non-media communication, even non-media advertising. Below the line sales promotions are short-term incentives, largely aimed at consumers. With the increasing pressure on the marketing team to achieve communication objectives more efficiently in a limited budget, there has been a need to find out more effective and cost efficient ways to communicate with the target markets. In organizational business and marketing communications,below the line is anadvertising technique. It uses less conventional methods than the usual specific channels of advertising to promote products, services, etc. thanAbove the linestrategies. These may include activities such as direct mail, public relations and sales promotions for which a fee is agreed upon and charged up front. Above the line is a type of advertising throughmediasuch asTV,cinema,radio,print,bannersand search engines. Below the line advertising typically focuses on direct means ofcommunication, most commonly direct mail and e-mail, often using highly targeted lists of names to maximize response rates.With the increasing pressure on the marketing team to achieve communication objectives more efficiently in a limited budget, there has been a need to find out more effective and cost efficient ways to communicate with the target markets. This has led to a shift from the regular media based advertising. In other words, below-the-line sales promotion is an immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, expressed in cash or in kind, and having only a short term or temporary duration. Examples of BTL promotion are: Sales promotion Direct marketing and direct mail Public relations (PR) Sponsorship Personal selling Branding and merchandising Packaging Telemarketing Trade fairs and exhibitions Sales promotions These offer customers incentives to encourage them to buy goods and services. In B2C markets, typical sales promotions include: BOGOF (buy one, get one free) offers price discounts (10% off this week) giveaways competitions to win holidays or cash prizes Direct mail This enables a business to target existing and potential customers with its sales messages. Direct mailing is a productive way of promoting to existing customers for several reasons. Task 04 Ability to plan integrated promotional strategies A company can employ various promotional techniques in order to communicate with the target market, techniques that form the promotional mix. Depending on the communication means, the promotional techniques can be: Direct communication techniques – focused on creating a relationship with each client Indirect communication techniques – based on mass communication, the message in identical for a high number of potential customers ( advertising, public relations, sales promotion This definition outlines the key purposes of the marketing function. These are: to compete in a competitive marketplace to identify and anticipate consumer requirements and then satisfy these requirements to make a profit. As a market-orientated organization adidas continuously identifies and reviews consumers’ needs to ensure its products meet these needs. It aims to exceed customer expectations by adapting its product portfolio to meet the changing needs of consumers. It is this focus on its customers, teamed with product and marketing innovation, that plays a key role in adidas’ success. Every organization must look at its marketing in relation to the marketing mix. The marketing mix, often referred to as the 4Ps, is a means of assessing how to balance the elements of the mix in order to meet customers’ needs. The elements include: the right product sold at the right price in the right place using the most suitable form of promotion. No two businesses are identical, as such, every organization must decide on its own balance of the 4Ps to suit its consumers’ needs. There are many internal and external factors that will influence an organization’s marketing mix. Key factors include the size of the business, the markets it operates in and available resources. References eHow, The Electronic Theory of Business communications, [online] Available : http://www.ehow.com/facts_7457569_electronic-theory-business-communications.html How to choose an advertising agency, [Online], Available:http://www.inc.com/guides/201108/how-to-choose-an-advertising-agency.html Bovee, Courtland L., Thill, John V. (1992). Business Communication Today. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Inc. 2 Herta A Murphy, Herbert W Hilderbrandt (1991).Effective Business Communications. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Inc. 3 Ross, R Reed, Brian G Long ( 2004). The Win / Win Negotiator: How to Negotiate Favourable Agreements That Last. Singapore: Pocket Books. Kitchen , P., Ilchul, K., Schultz, D. (2009). Intergrated Marketing Communications: Practice Leads Theory.Journal of Advertising Research, (December), 531-546. Retrieved fromhttp://moodle2.lsu.edu/pluginfile.php/219255/mod_resource/content/1/IMC_Practice_Leads_to_Theory.pdf McGrath, J. (2010). Using means-end analysis to test integrated marketing communications effects.Journal of Promotion Management, 16(4), 361-387. Retrieved fromhttp://web.ebscohost.com.libezp.lib.lsu.edu/ehost/[emailprotected]vid=1hid=8bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl

Existentialism :: essays research papers

Existentialism In our individual routines, each and every one of us strive to be the best that we are capable of being. How peculiar this is; we aim for similar goals, yet the methods we enact are unique. Just as no two people have the same fingerprint, no two have identical theories on how to live life. While some follow religious outlines to aspire to a level of moral excellence, others pursue different approaches. Toward the end of the Nineteenth-Century and on through the mid-Twentieth, a movement followed "existentialism," a philosophical theory of life, in order to achieve such a level. Even though the idea of existentialism is complex, certain themes are common amongst philosophers and authors: moral individualism, freedom of choice, responsibility, alienation. Fundamental to understanding existentialism is the conception of moral individualism. Existentialism rejects traditional ethical endeavors. Philosophers since the time of Aristotle, circa Third-Century B.C.E. (before the common era), have held that everyone should aim for a common peak of ethical achievement. Aristotle argued for the existence of a divine being, described as the "Prime Mover," who is responsible for the unity and purposefulness of nature. In order for humanity to attain such a climax, everyone must imitate The Almighty's perfect profile. Aristotle's basic philosophy deduces that humanity strives for an identical peak of moral excellence, as judged by a higher being (Aristotle). Existentialism declares that the individual must choose his way; there is no predetermination. Since the universe is meaningless and absurd, people must set their own ethical standards. The universe does not predetermine moral rules. Each person strives toward a unique moral perfection. The Nineteenth- Century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who was the first writer to call himself e)existential, reacted against tradition by insisting that the highest good for the individual is to find his uniqueness. His journal reads, 'I must find a truth that is true for me ... the idea for which I can live or die" (Existentialism). Existentialists believe that morality depends on the individual, rather than a supreme being. Next to moral individualism, the inevitability of choice is the most prominent existentialist theory. Existentialism assert that people do not have a fixed nature, as other animals and plants do. Our choices determine who we are. The Twentieth-Century French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre proclaimed that the most Important choice is the choice of ourselves. Each character makes choices that create his nature. Existence suggests freedom where mankind is open to a future that is determined by choice and action. Choice is inescapable and central to human existence; the refusal to choose is a choice. Even when a

Odysseus and Gawain Temptations Essay

Sir Gawain is a noble knight of the Round Table who faced the consequences of accepting a challenge from a â€Å"Green Knight†. In order to find a solution to his problem, Sir Gawain ventured into an adventure full of tests and temptations. On the other hand, Odysseus is a legendary Greek king, ruler of Ithaca, and Homer’s epic hero. Odysseus and his men experienced one of their greatest adventures on their way home to Ithaca. Their journey back home was troubled and filled with obstacles and temptations. Sir Gawain and Odysseus, two great men of their respective stories, fought against almost the same temptations. More particularly, these male protagonists fought against the temptations and sexual prowess of women. Despite being great men of their caliber, they still became victims to the charm and alluring beauty of their antagonists. However, their varied personality, convictions and approaches or intensity of desires created the difference in the outcome for these two epic protagonists. The core theme in the poem â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight†, translated by Marie Borroff, illustrates the tests which measured Sir Gawain’s compliance to the code of chivalry. Sir Gawain had to face temptations or tests of moral virtue; archetypal temptation fable that can be greatly observed in this medieval literature. The hardest temptation which he had to deal with was the temptation of his mistress. During the hunt, the hunter looks and hunts the deer to serve as a staple of diet or a food to satisfy an individual. Corresponding, the Lord’s wife is the hunter and she considers and looks at Sir Gawain as an art. She tells him, â€Å"be with me as you will (and) I am well content† (Borroff, 1215). The lady â€Å"hunts† Sir Gawain based on her carnal desire by making an utterly sexual temptation over Sir Gawain. In addition to this, she says â€Å"for I surrender myself and sue for grace and that is best, I believe and behooves me now† (Borroff, 1216-1217). In this manner, Sir Gawain is viewed as a deer from the eyes of a hunter, or in the eyes of his Lady. Another temptation includes the law of chivalry and the rule or conception about courtly love which Sir Gawain had to honor. In respect to this rule, Sir Gawain had to show great reverence to his Lady and follow or do whatever his Lady wishes of him. Sir Gawain made a promise to his host that he would give whatever he receives or achieves in a particular day. On that same day, the damsel tempts Sir Gawain and gives him a girdle. Due to this incident, a dilemma arises where Sir Gawain must keep it or give gift it to the host. Fearing death, Sir Gawain dealt with it by hiding the girdle and fulfilling his duties by honoring the lady’s demands. However, this caused him to break the promise he made with his host. Ultimately, Sir Gawain finds out that the â€Å"Green Knight† is actually his host. Sir Gawain tried his best in making a good decision or outcome and endeavored in attaining his objective. However, he was not successful in becoming virtuous. Ultimately, Gawain’s weakness resulted to his downfall and made him feel that he had lost his honor, as well as his duties. On the other hand, the main theme in Odyssey, particularly in the adventures of Odysseus is the discussion of his nostos which was delayed because of the actions of Ajax. Again, in the story of Odysseus or generally in Odyssey, the female characters serve as symbols of temptation. Calypso, a nymph, had a tremendous sex appeal which caught Odysseus into her arms, preventing him from continuing his journey home. Sexual prowess, instead of brute force, was used in order to make Odysseus stay. He was only released due to the intervention of Zeus. Aside from Calypso, there was Circe who was also a female trickster. Circe fooled Odysseus’s men and turned them into swine by drugging their beer. The drug didn’t work for Odysseus, so instead, she used her charm and lured Odysseus into her bed. In this part, bodily temptation was used against Odysseus, who in return gives in. Consequently, their journey home was delayed for another year. After being released and on their journey home, Odysseus and his men was able to meet another archetype of female temptation namely the Sirens. The Sirens captivated Odysseus with their enchanting and very attractive songs. Again, Odysseus gives in to the temptation making him mad with desire. Odysseus’ men helped him in fighting the Siren’s charm and temptations by tying him to the ship rail. Without the help of his men, Odysseus might have already died for crashing his ship on the rocks. However, unlike Sir Gawain, Odysseus’s strong conviction of going home made him stay on his track. Despite being enchanted by Calypso to make him love her, he only shared his tears. Moreover, despite being bribed with sex and attractive women, his heart still beats and yearns for home. Lastly, the love which he felt for his wife Penelope, made him stronger and more fervent to go home. Due to this difference, it can be said that the yearning heart of Odysseus is kept safe from the tainted hands of those alluring and tempting seductresses. In addition to this, because of these differences as well as the manner of how they dealt with their problem, regardless of being two great hero seduced with the same, ironically, these male protagonists experienced different results.

Innovation in Food and Beverage Outlet

Executive summary â€Å"CONCEPT SELLS AND NOT JUST THE FOOD† – the project is executed only because of the fact that the statement i just made holds true in today’s challenging world. With the progression of the food service industry over the ages, it is appropriate to define a food and beverage outlet as a commercial organisation whose primary objective is profitability by means of discharging food and beverage to a guest. Thus it can be stated that one of the amin motives of the existence of a food and beverage outlet is profitability. Over the years there has been a padigram shift, and it’s not about the food and beverage anymore but it is about the â€Å"whole experience. † Thus, in this project i intend to explore innovations in the food and beverage industry, the various kinds of Entertainment and Novel ideas introduced by restaurateur and see the evolution of the entertainment over the years with the global perspective. The list of activities that i intend to undertake is : Do a detailed research of the innovations that the various renowned outlets across the world have done inorder to attract customers and increase their sales. Visit and study various outlets in mumbai in reference with the innovations done. Study the in-house entertainment provided by the various outlets in mumbai like tendulkar’s, out of the blue, jazz by the bay etc. Take personal interviews of the restaurateurs. Analyse the data acquired. Based on the study, make recommendations for a basic outlet so as to increase its profit. As it is said that â€Å"nowadays people pay for the experience and not just for the food† and also the busy schedule does not allow them to go to different places for enetrtainment and food, combination of entertainment and good food is exactly what is required. Inorder to understand the concept better i am short listing some restaurants in mumbai which have used innovations to drive customers in and will give details of the same. However, does entertainment in a food and beverage outlet actually make a difference to the guest or the outlet? What are the diffrent forms of entertainment that a food and beverage outlet offers? What are the innovations used? These questions will be discussed in depth in the due course of the project.

Free Essays on Planet Comparison- Uranus And Neptune

Planet Comparison Report Uranus: Uranus was discovered in 1781 by Sir William Herschel. He at first wanted to name the planet Sidus Georgium which is latin for George’s star after the king of England. Another astronomer Johann Bode advised Herschel against it and suggested instead that he use a name from Greco-Roman mythology like all other planets. So Uranus was given its name which is the father of Saturn. Uranus is one of the Jovian planets and like the others it has a short rotation period. Uranus’s day is 17.2 hours. Its revolution around the sun however is slightly more than 84 years. It is the seventh planet from the sun at a distance of 1.78 billion miles. Uranus is about 4 times the diameter of earth at 46,700km. Its mass is 15 times that of earth at 8.68*10 kg. The axial tilt of this planet is one of the most unusual things about it. It is tilted 98 degrees which classifies it as being in retrograde rotation. Uranus is also unique because it has the most inclined magnetic field. The surface magnetic field is 74 percent that of the earth. The surface gravity on Uranus is 8.87 m/s ². The atmosphere of Uranus is thick with a lot of hydrogen, helium, and methane. It has a very low density, the mean density is 1271 kg/m ³. Uranus lacks any really significant internal heat source and it mean surface temperature is 58 ° K. To date Uranus has been found to have 21 satellites four of which have yet to be named and 11 rings. News Articles: From: Regulatory Intelligence Data. Title: Release 99-47 Huge Spring Storms Rouse Uranus From Winter Hibernation Date: 03/29/99 NASA’s Hubble Space telescope showed that for the first time seasonal changes on Uranus. From: ScienceNOW Title: New moon for Uranus Date: 05/19/99 A new moon was discovered for Uranus that had previously been overlooked for 13 years. As of 1999 this discovery brought the total of Uranus’s satellites to 18. Neptu... Free Essays on Planet Comparison- Uranus And Neptune Free Essays on Planet Comparison- Uranus And Neptune Planet Comparison Report Uranus: Uranus was discovered in 1781 by Sir William Herschel. He at first wanted to name the planet Sidus Georgium which is latin for George’s star after the king of England. Another astronomer Johann Bode advised Herschel against it and suggested instead that he use a name from Greco-Roman mythology like all other planets. So Uranus was given its name which is the father of Saturn. Uranus is one of the Jovian planets and like the others it has a short rotation period. Uranus’s day is 17.2 hours. Its revolution around the sun however is slightly more than 84 years. It is the seventh planet from the sun at a distance of 1.78 billion miles. Uranus is about 4 times the diameter of earth at 46,700km. Its mass is 15 times that of earth at 8.68*10 kg. The axial tilt of this planet is one of the most unusual things about it. It is tilted 98 degrees which classifies it as being in retrograde rotation. Uranus is also unique because it has the most inclined magnetic field. The surface magnetic field is 74 percent that of the earth. The surface gravity on Uranus is 8.87 m/s ². The atmosphere of Uranus is thick with a lot of hydrogen, helium, and methane. It has a very low density, the mean density is 1271 kg/m ³. Uranus lacks any really significant internal heat source and it mean surface temperature is 58 ° K. To date Uranus has been found to have 21 satellites four of which have yet to be named and 11 rings. News Articles: From: Regulatory Intelligence Data. Title: Release 99-47 Huge Spring Storms Rouse Uranus From Winter Hibernation Date: 03/29/99 NASA’s Hubble Space telescope showed that for the first time seasonal changes on Uranus. From: ScienceNOW Title: New moon for Uranus Date: 05/19/99 A new moon was discovered for Uranus that had previously been overlooked for 13 years. As of 1999 this discovery brought the total of Uranus’s satellites to 18. Neptu...

Best Writing Blogs for Aspiring Authors

Best Writing Blogs for Aspiring Authors If youre an aspiring author, you dont have to fly solo. Even if you cant yet afford an agent, coach, or degree, you can find plenty of helpful resources on the Internet. The following websites will help you improve your writing skills, teach you more about your favourite genre, and give you the publishing tips you need to succeed. Write to Done: Unmissable Articles on Writing Write to Done is a collection of helpful articles for writers in all disciplines, from marketing to fiction. If you have a question related to writing, youll most likely find an answer here. Whether you want to learn how to cope with criticism, improve your grammar, generate titles, or write an entire novel, youll get that information here. writetodone.com Daily Writing Tips If the technical aspects of writing plague you, check in at Daily Writing Tips. A sort of online style guide, DWT is run by a team of editors and writers. These professionals publish an article every day on grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, and general usage and style. Trying to figure out if you need to hyphenate a term or swap your semicolon for a colon? You can look here. dailywritingtips.com Advice to Writers: Writerly Wisdom of the Ages Advice to Writers is the companion site to Advice to Writers: A Compendium of Quotes, Anecdotes, and Writerly Wisdom from a Dazzling Array of Literary Lights. This book was authored by Jon Winokur, a prolific writer who assisted Burt Reynolds and James Garner with their memoirs. The homepage of the site features inspirational quotes from fellow writers. Youll also find links to resources of all types, including dictionaries, interviews with famous authors, other blogs, podcasts, and much more. advicetowriters.com Writers Digest: Write Better, Get Published This comprehensive site offers a number of tools for aspiring authors: competitions, workshops, tutorials, webinars, articles, writing prompts, and links to professionals such as agents and manuscript reviewers. You can also subscribe to the weekly newsletter or frequent the forums and exchange ideas with your peers. writersdigest.com Writers Relief: Authors Submission Service This site is designed for those writers who dont want to be businesspeople. Focus on your craft, and then turn it over to Writers Relief. The staff will generate query letters, proofread your work, submit manuscripts to publishers, track responses, and much more. Choose from one of the multifaceted service plans, and get back to what you do best. writersrelief.com Short Story Flash Fiction Society The Short Story Flash Fiction Society focuses exclusively on brief fiction. On this site, youll find everything you want or need regarding short stories and flash fiction: information on both types of writing, free stories to read, writing contests, guest posts, helpful videos, and a shop offering inexpensive resources to help you write. shortstoryflashfictionsociety.com Romance University: R U Ready? If youve always dreamed of writing the next great Harlequin romance, then Romance University is for you. This site is tailored exclusively to authors of love stories, from the innocent to the erotic. The groups mission is to empower writers, entertain readers, and understand men. (Even if youre not into the romance genre, that last item might be worth checking out!) romanceuniversity.org Science Fiction Fantasy Writers of America SFWA is a professional organization for authors of science fiction, fantasy and related genres. Esteemed past members include Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Ray Bradbury, and Andre Norton. The sites own description says it all. Here, you can browse through various blogs and resources, and discover more about various genre awards. Become a member and reap even more benefits. sfwa.org Fantasy Authors Handbook: Advice for Authors of Science Fiction Fantasy Fantasy Authors Handbook is a site that offers a number of helpful posts on the technical aspects of writing your fantasy book. Youll learn how to make the most of Microsoft Word and how to use index cards to outline your story. You can also check out tutorials, links to other sites, and a number of related resources. So stop fantasizing about becoming a renowned writer, and use this site to embark on your journey to authorhood. fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com The Official Blog of the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators If writing little stories for little people is your calling, dont miss this site. Geared toward childrens literature specialists, the SCBWI blog contains a number of posts by different experts, all aimed at helping you produce high-quality reading materials for youngsters. scbwi.blogspot.com The Internet has made it easier than ever for people to write professionally; however, that fact might be overwhelming to you. With so much information available online, and so much competition, it may be difficult to know where to start. Pick the site that speaks to you and start reading. Youll soon be motivated to make your dream come true.

Final project - Intellectual property (the ethical implications of Essay - 1

Final project - Intellectual property (the ethical implications of file sharing) - Essay Example File sharing, especially of music files, is popularly termed as theft, piracy or free-riding. An in-depth look at music file sharing shows virtues of friendship and sociability among users. This study aims at determining whether file sharing in general is vice or virtual. This study also tries to understand the impulsion of music sharing. Looking at the ethical implications of intellectual property, we observed in the year 2004, there were around 70 million people who actively participated in online file sharing. According to reported poll that conduced by the CNBC News in the year 2009, approximately 58 % Americans were involved in file sharing and in American norms; this is acceptable to enhance their knowledge and pleasure. They are the common opinion in UK that "if a person owns the music CD and shares it with a limited number of friends and acquaintances" it can not be termed as stealing of intellectual property. Hence, this sort of sharing increased to the extent of 70% within the age bracket of 18 to 29 year olds (Silverthrone 65). Creation of minds reflects in the form of new concepts, ideas, inventions, literary and artistic work such as writings, paintings, symbols, images and designs where it can appropriately be termed as an intellectual property. It can be divided into two segments:  a) Industrial property which comprised of trademarks, designs and b) Copyright in the shape of novels, poems, radio plays, screen plays, films, documentaries, music, paintings, drawing, photography and computer software.   The above mentioned creations come under the purview of copy right act. In this respect, we may include innovations and creations made by the local communities, as their cultural heritage is part of intellectual property (Greenhalgh & Rogers 135). Famous Software Foundation established by  Richard Stallman,  he has the view that the term intellectual property in its broader

Analysis of the nevada constitution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Analysis of the nevada constitution - Term Paper Example The state has its own designated political powers just as the federal U.S. government, which allows them to monitor each others performance in the state, for the sake of the state’s operations and in defense of the public will. Along the past century, the state has adjusted some of its policies, hence affecting the political, governance, and the judicial system in various ways. However, looking critically at Nevada’s and USA constitution, there are similarities and differences in practical application of the policies and operations, especially those related to democracy and supreme powers in the judicial system, executive, and legislative arms. 2. Powers of Nevada’s governor compared to the president The governors in Nevada are elected and given responsibilities to perform in the state for a four year term. Article 5, sections 1 and 2 of Nevada constitution law provides that the governor be elected by qualified electors, while voting for members of the legislatur e and once in office, takes the supreme executive power of Nevada state vested on him or her as chief magistrate (â€Å"The constitution of ,† leg.state.nv.us). Looking at the executive and administrative powers, the president of the national system of governments has of course more power than the Nevada governor. However, in consideration of the Nevada’s constitution, the governor may enjoy certain legislative advantages that the president could be restricted from, by the congress and the state constitution. According to Driggs, the first benefit as enacted by the Nevada law is that once the legislature passes a law, the governor alone is responsible to ensure they are executed without interference from Congress or national chief executive; again, the state’s constitution states that the governor has the power to convene the legislature, hence associated with more control over a special session, which they may call to the attention of the legislature while in s ession, limiting the president control and the influence he or she can cause on the congressional affairs in a session (98). It does not mean the president has no power to call a special session, but is limited from interference of the business the congress is handling at the time in a session. The governors are held accountable to uphold the state’s law, but they also have powers sign into law, the bills passed by the state legislature. However, certain bills have remained unapproved and others can become law without the governor’s signature, especially when the legislature can override the veto. In Nevada, the governor has options of either vetoing bills, signing them, or doing nothing (an option that makes them pass into law without his or her signature); if the governor vetoes a law and its taken back to the house, the elected members of each house have the law either approved by overriding the veto by accumulating two thirds of each house vote or have the veto sus tained (Legislative Counsel Bureau, leg.state.nv.us). Similarly, just like the Nevada governors, the president has constitutional rights to sign, veto, or do nothing as a response to a bill passed by the congress. In case of vetoing, the congress can enact it into law by raising two thirds of majority votes in the two chambers to override the veto, or the bill dies, if the congress suspends it before ten days completion after the passage of the bill (CQ

Illegal immigrants receiving social services, for example, food Essay

Illegal immigrants receiving social services, for example, food stamps, welfare, and medical care - Essay Example Most these people come from the South America and Southeast Asia. Majority of these undocumented immigrants head to California, Texas and Florida. The large number of immigrants, whether legal or illegal significantly impacts the economical state of the country. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates about $45 billion worth of expenses for providing social services, education, roads, prisons and other services to these unauthorized immigrants (Glicken, p.375). In contrast, studies that focus on illegal immigrants such as a paper published by the American Immigration Law Foundation indicate that unauthorized immigrants does not use public services as much as the legal immigrants (Wepman, p.339). The paper specifically states that a 1987 study as an example that just 2% of illegal Mexican immigrants received welfare and just 3% accepted food stamps (Wepman, p.339). This suggests that unauthorized immigrants are not significantly impacting the social welfare system of the United States. One of the major concerns relating to undocumented immigrants is their use of the social welfare system. Because these illegal immigrants come to the United States without resources or employment, they use the services and public support provided by the United States. ... ill humans and they have the right to live, thus, the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 was provisioned to restrict them from any grants and retirement, welfare, health, disability, food assistance and unemployment benefits but still receive emergency medical services. Undocumented immigrants have clearly impacted the economical and social state of the country. Conservatives believe that these people drain the social welfare as they go about using the legal taxpayers’ money for their social needs, such as medical and food assistance. On the other side of the fence, opposing views believe these people do not so much take a part of the social welfare system as the legal citizens and immigrants do. Because undocumented immigrants know and understand that they are unauthorized immigrants, they do not come forth claiming benefits for fear of being identified, thus risking deportation. That is also the main reason these people are underpaid, overworked and unfairly treated in labor, housin g and education. It is important to understand that illegal immigrants do not actually have the same federal rights as the legal immigrants. Thus, they have a lower chance of using the social welfare system to cover their needs. Yes, they impact the social welfare system in terms of medical services but it doesn’t mean they aim to spend billions of dollars claiming medical benefits. What is important for them is to live and not to die. That’s actually the main reason they come to the hospital, even if they know they are undocumented immigrants, and not to extort money from the state. Yes, there are some groups calling for increased benefits for the illegal immigrants but the state is still in control of who they provide the services for and who they restrict. That’s the reason for the

Role of a nurse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of a nurse - Assignment Example Nursing is the promotion, protection and optimisation of health, alleviation of suffering and prevention of injury and illness through treatment and diagnosis (Basford and Slevin, 2003:4). It also entails advocacy in the care of populations, communities, families and people. There are numerous roles of a nurse depending on the setting. Nurses perform physical examinations on patients and study their medical histories. They provide health promotion, education and counselling in the various sectors that they work in. They offer a number of personalised interventions including wound care and administering of medications. They interpret information about their patients, make important decisions and take action. They supervise care that is given by other health care practitioners (Basford and Slevin, 2003:35). They work in collaboration with other healthcare practitioners to promote health for their patients. Finally, they conduct research on ways to improve patient outcomes. Working in teams in the nursing sector is beneficial to both patients and staff. In addition to helping patients, teamwork promotes employee satisfaction, cooperation and retention rates. When taking into account the team nursing framework, the following benefits can be considered. To start with, team members help one another readily, if a nurse has been assigned two patients and the other is free, they will definitely step in and help out. Secondly, this model leads to an increase in employee satisfaction (Denny and Earle, 2005:45). Previous case studies have shown that the scores of employee satisfaction increased with the adoption of the model. Finally, mentoring opportunities increase as novices are paired up with novices who guide them in performing their duties. This has been observed to increase the rates of employees’ retention. On the other hand, supervision has

Managing, Evaluating and Developing Human Resources Essay

Managing, Evaluating and Developing Human Resources - Essay Example It has ensured that employees, no matter their level of experience, gain the necessary skills and get better opportunities for training. For improved employee performance, all employees should be computer literate and proper courses should be designed to enable them encounter technology as it evolves. Training and development is a strategy aimed at developing and improving the skills of an employee. According to Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, â€Å"employee training is the process of teaching operations and technical employees how to do their present jobs more effectively and efficiently† (2011, p. 264). Companies which want to stand still in competition opt to provide constant training to their employees on any technical occurrence. Employee training has been eased with the introduction of internet based training, because it saves cost and time. Williams says that â€Å"during the late 1990s, the learning support organisation at Telcordia technologies... began to actively pursue online delivery of performance support materials for the software applications that they supported† (2004, p. 8). This shows that technological training has been a long time training strategy, but has been growing steadily and also evolving with the changes in technology. When analysing what to offer in training, employers have to consider what is needed for the training. What appears to be most essential in training is motivation. Training also varies depending on what the management considers most crucial. Some employees have to be trained on technological skills, but since training may be expensive, its advisable that the company classify what is most essential. Training is important for employees so that they can be equipped with skills, attitude and knowledge required to do their job well. They are taught on how to interact with the customers and managers use this opportunity to motivate them. Technology came due to

Mergers & Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Mergers & Acquisitions - Essay Example Merger usually takes place when two companies join together as one company and both companies cease to exist as separate entities and a new entity is formed as a result. The example of DaimlerChrysler is most suitable here because this new business concern was formed by the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler. It is also believed that mergers take place among or between equals. Practically however, the two or more companies are not always on equal grounds. Some times the companies undergoing a deal call the association as merger while in actuality it is an acquisition. The deal is a merger or an acquisition also depends on the circumstances. Friendly or hostile nature of the deal also becomes important. Irrespective of its nature the business deals of this kind greatly affect the board of directors, employees and shareholders. Apart from the distinction of mergers there also exist different forms of mergers. For example horizontal merger is one when companies sharing sharethe same product lines and markets join hands. When supplier and company merge it is termed vertical merger. Conglomeration happens when companies having different businesses come together. There re different reason given for the mergers and acquisition among companies but three hypotheses are very well known practically as well as theoretically. The synergy hypothesis, hubris hypothesis and managerialism hypothesis have been studied and different observations made regarding them. "The synergy hypothesis proposes that acquisitions take place when the value of the combined firm is greater than the sum of the values of the individual firms. Managers are assumed to be motivated by shareholders' interests to create economic value, and to have the ability to judge accurately the value potential of the combined firm. Other explanations do not assume value-maximizing behavior on the part of managers. The managerialism hypothesis suggests that managers embark on acquisitions to maximize their own utility at the expense of the shareholders of the firm. The hubris hypothesis suggests that bidding firm managers make mistakes in evaluating target firms, but undertake acquisitions presuming that their valuations are correct" (Pettit, Seth & Song, 2000). Synergy Hypothesis Two companies joined together may create the effect of three not two is the reason why most companies choose the path of mergers & acquisitions. The synergy is considered one of the main reasons. By mergers and acquisitions the companies seek to create more value for the shareholders. Synergy gets many benefits for the engaging companies. Most important benefits come in the form of revenue augmentation and cost savings. Due to staff reductions the company gets to save a lot. Especially, when one of the two CEO leaves the company with other employees they also forgo their expensive compensation packages causing huge reduction in costs. Economies of scales can be achieved by two companies together than separately. Relationship with suppliers also improves when stronger and larger groups negotiate. When placing orders for the company management can have a stronger position and as result could get better bargain. Some companies achieve an edge in a particular area by acquiring or merging another company. For example a small company having an edge in IT or any other scope of

Role of a nurse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of a nurse - Assignment Example Nursing is the promotion, protection and optimisation of health, alleviation of suffering and prevention of injury and illness through treatment and diagnosis (Basford and Slevin, 2003:4). It also entails advocacy in the care of populations, communities, families and people. There are numerous roles of a nurse depending on the setting. Nurses perform physical examinations on patients and study their medical histories. They provide health promotion, education and counselling in the various sectors that they work in. They offer a number of personalised interventions including wound care and administering of medications. They interpret information about their patients, make important decisions and take action. They supervise care that is given by other health care practitioners (Basford and Slevin, 2003:35). They work in collaboration with other healthcare practitioners to promote health for their patients. Finally, they conduct research on ways to improve patient outcomes. Working in teams in the nursing sector is beneficial to both patients and staff. In addition to helping patients, teamwork promotes employee satisfaction, cooperation and retention rates. When taking into account the team nursing framework, the following benefits can be considered. To start with, team members help one another readily, if a nurse has been assigned two patients and the other is free, they will definitely step in and help out. Secondly, this model leads to an increase in employee satisfaction (Denny and Earle, 2005:45). Previous case studies have shown that the scores of employee satisfaction increased with the adoption of the model. Finally, mentoring opportunities increase as novices are paired up with novices who guide them in performing their duties. This has been observed to increase the rates of employees’ retention. On the other hand, supervision has

Mergers & Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Mergers & Acquisitions - Essay Example Merger usually takes place when two companies join together as one company and both companies cease to exist as separate entities and a new entity is formed as a result. The example of DaimlerChrysler is most suitable here because this new business concern was formed by the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler. It is also believed that mergers take place among or between equals. Practically however, the two or more companies are not always on equal grounds. Some times the companies undergoing a deal call the association as merger while in actuality it is an acquisition. The deal is a merger or an acquisition also depends on the circumstances. Friendly or hostile nature of the deal also becomes important. Irrespective of its nature the business deals of this kind greatly affect the board of directors, employees and shareholders. Apart from the distinction of mergers there also exist different forms of mergers. For example horizontal merger is one when companies sharing sharethe same product lines and markets join hands. When supplier and company merge it is termed vertical merger. Conglomeration happens when companies having different businesses come together. There re different reason given for the mergers and acquisition among companies but three hypotheses are very well known practically as well as theoretically. The synergy hypothesis, hubris hypothesis and managerialism hypothesis have been studied and different observations made regarding them. "The synergy hypothesis proposes that acquisitions take place when the value of the combined firm is greater than the sum of the values of the individual firms. Managers are assumed to be motivated by shareholders' interests to create economic value, and to have the ability to judge accurately the value potential of the combined firm. Other explanations do not assume value-maximizing behavior on the part of managers. The managerialism hypothesis suggests that managers embark on acquisitions to maximize their own utility at the expense of the shareholders of the firm. The hubris hypothesis suggests that bidding firm managers make mistakes in evaluating target firms, but undertake acquisitions presuming that their valuations are correct" (Pettit, Seth & Song, 2000). Synergy Hypothesis Two companies joined together may create the effect of three not two is the reason why most companies choose the path of mergers & acquisitions. The synergy is considered one of the main reasons. By mergers and acquisitions the companies seek to create more value for the shareholders. Synergy gets many benefits for the engaging companies. Most important benefits come in the form of revenue augmentation and cost savings. Due to staff reductions the company gets to save a lot. Especially, when one of the two CEO leaves the company with other employees they also forgo their expensive compensation packages causing huge reduction in costs. Economies of scales can be achieved by two companies together than separately. Relationship with suppliers also improves when stronger and larger groups negotiate. When placing orders for the company management can have a stronger position and as result could get better bargain. Some companies achieve an edge in a particular area by acquiring or merging another company. For example a small company having an edge in IT or any other scope of

A good neighbour Essay Example for Free

A good neighbour Essay A good neighbour is a blessing while a bad neighbour is a curse. The city-bred people are generally lacking in sympathy. They are mostly cold in their manners; they are more selfish than the villagers who are large hearted. I live in a thickly populated part of the town. I like to cultivate good relations with the people around me. I believe that no man, however rich or strong, can live in self-sufficiency. My next door neighbour to the right is Mr. Tara Singh. We are on the best of terms. We are deeply attached to each other. He is a gentleman par-excellence. He has a completely non-communal outlook on life. We share each others joys and sorrows. He has a jolly temperament. His robust optimism and his constant high spirits have always cheered me. Whenever some anxiety weighs upon me, I immediately seek his company and draw comfort from his ever-smiling face and carefree looks. He makes light of an illness, a financial loss, a near and dear ones death, even an insult, whereas anyone of these things is sufficient to rob me of my peace of mind and impose a severe strain on me. His companionship dispels all my fears, doubts and worries. We daily go for a walk together. We are both fond of boating and go to the river for boating every Sunday. We both have a passion for chess and never miss a game or two every evening. He is also a cinema fan like me. We differ in our preferences for film stars but that does not prevent us from enjoying a picture together. He cannot tolerate my smoking. His hatred is not based on any religious sentiment. He just feels a natural aversion for it. He is very stingy. I have often tried to set before him an example of liberality but he continues to be close-fisted. He is very much interested in sports. He does not miss any sporting event. We like each other immensely and I can call him a good neighbour who is very accommodating. Just opposite me there is the palatial house of Seth Karori Mai. He is some rare specimen of humanity. He is a millionaire. He is issueless but he is so miserly that he would not spend a penny. He is a thin and lean fellow. He is putting on the same weather-beaten suit which he purchased of a second -hand dealer twenty years back. He never brushes it lest it should wear out sooner. He never takes milk or fruit. He lives on a few biscuits, a rotten banana or an orange and a cup of tea without milk. He has more than half a dozen buildings but he himself lives in a small, dark, dingy room. His room is electric fitted but he never makes use of electric light. He lights a small candle when he stands in need of light. If some drops of wax are split over, he would go on collecting them and remould them into candles. To buy a banana or an orange, he would trot all the way to the fruit market and would buy a few rotten bananas or oranges after a lot of higgling, haggling. He trusts nobody. He hates social contacts. He is a big banker. He lends money at usurious rates of interest. Money is his God. He loves hoarding. He never gives a penny in charity. He is selfish and greedy. He fleeces his tenants but seldom looks to their needs. He seldom wears shoes and never goes to the movies. He is always serious and business-like. He never presents a smiling face to anybody. He is quite illiterate but very quick at figures. He is a psychologist and can easily read your mind. He is very shrewd. He has a very strong instinct. He is too clever to be ever taken in by anybody. He is a past master in the art of exacting money from others. You will be surprised to know that his bank balance runs into eight figures. From his general appearance, one will be led to think that he is a very poor miserable fellow who is penniless. I have failed in my efforts to draw him into conversation or establish any social contact with him. He is a man of few words. People avoid his ominons looks in the morning. Small children are terribly afraid of him. My neighbour on the left-hand side is a college lecturer. He has married quite recently. His wife is also a college lecturer. They form a happy couple. They are a well-matched pair. They live in perfect harmony. They have refined tastes. They are always dressed according to the latest fashion. Their rooms are artistically decorated. The modern paintings, curtains and curios in the rooms, all make you envy them. They have cultured friends and I love to hear their fine jokes and laughter. There are some other people also in my street. But there is nothing about them worth mentioning. They just lead their lives like machines and attract no notice of their neighbours.

Representations of Ageing in the Media

Representations of Ageing in the Media Ageing, Society and Policy Take two types of media and critically examine the dominant representations of later life, noting key points of similarity and difference. Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you dont mind, it doesnt matter (Laham, 2015: para. 19). This quote resonates well when discussing the mass media and its dominant representations of later life. Particularly, because The Mass Media have long been critiqued by researchers for often representing seniors in a negative light. The Mass Media tends to portray the old as unhealthy, ugly and badly dressed rather than showing positive portrayals as healthy, productive and attractive (Rozanova, 2010:214). The impact of the negative stereotyping can damage the self-concepts of the elderly and disrupt the socialisation of young people with respect to the elderly which contributes to ageism (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:315). The most dominant representations of ageing are repeated across the media over time and so are the values. Therefore, to identify which are most dominant we will critically examine the key similarities and differences of ageing within film and magazine advertisement s and to what extent these representations of ageing have shaped society. Next, I will be discussing how the media representations add pressure for seniors to age successfully by fighting the ageing process. Lastly, Ill be examining how the media represents the third and fourth age in films and adverts. (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013:107) maintain that Social realities of age and ageing are not primarily based on biological facts but on social constructions of what it means to be and grow old. Positive ageing encourages those who are healthy and productive known as the young old who are actively ageing but isolates those who are ill and must deal with the realities of ageing. The negative concept of old age refers to images of them being dependent and frail (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). Through using the Cultivation theory, we can understand how content released by the mass media has the power to shape the minds of society and their opinions of the world regardless of the effects the negative representation of later life has on others (Vickers, 2007). Through defining the most dominant representations of ageing we can determine if age is an essential factor in establishing ones identity and how they are regarded by others (Hatch, 2005). Ageing has come to occupy such a central p osition within Postmodern culture because there Is more age about than ever before, more varied resources to shape its experiences. This suggests that the arrival of pop culture has shaped the experiences of how we view later life (Gilleard Higgs, 2000:10). The most dominant representations of old age fall into three classifications. Firstly Old age as a Human Decline whereby the old are stereotyped as always suffering from either physical or mental decline (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). This idea is further developed by identifying the old as having to rely on others and incapable of being in control of their own lives due to physical limitations. Additionally, they are subjected to exploitation by criminals, care homes and are viewed by others as a burden particularly by family members. In other words, this leads to the old being lonely and isolated by family and society. Examples of these representations can be found frequently in the media in the form of an ad or a character in a film (Rozanova, 2010). Age as a human decline is demonstrated by Lewis, Medvedev, Seponski (2011) via Fashion magazines which tend to be ageist and portray age negatively, especially when discussing physical limitations. For example, In Elle and Glamour magazine the focus of the advertisements is on youthfulness and anti-ageing methods mainly featuring younger models. This representation echoes a culture which favours youthfulness and competent individuals over those ageing naturally by using younger models and encouraging cosmetic surgery to delay the ageing process (ibid). Similarly, Being physically attractive counts much more in a womans life than in a mans, but beauty, identified, as it is for women, with youthfulness, does not stand up well to age (Sontag, 1972:31). In Film, a mans success is determined by power and authority, a womans is determined by looks, they are expected to adapt to societies requirements of appearing youthful to others to obtain particular roles on the big screen (Lauzen Dozi er, 2005). In this case, there are similarities within the representations of older women in Films and Ads as a human decline in regards to beauty. The second classification of old age is Old age as a New Beginning, this is viewed more positively and encourages active behaviour in later life. Old age is viewed as happy and satisfying. It comes in three forms, the old being independent and the director of their own lives and how fulfilling it becomes. Being able to adapt and keep up with societies changes mentally and physically whilst copying the behaviours of their children and grandchildren, and the association of old age with an eternal sexless love (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). This is a new way of ageing which is promoted as inspirational and positive, an active way of maintaining ones youth and ageing well (Ylà ¤nne, 2015). This representation of old age is prevalent in films with an older cast but can be difficult to identify in magazines which usually focus on cosmetics as a way of maintaining youth. Vogue magazine are aware of the changes in demographics and try to support the ageing process, particularly because the positive portrayal of old age is usually in ads which promote food and health and rarely in Fashion which society have become familiar with. Up until 2007 Vogue had never paid attention to the older demographic, until their ageless style issue was released which endorsed old age as a new beginning with their sell in lines Ageless style: the best pieces at any age How to grow fashionably. This attitude affirms societies aim to look younger and remove any signs of ageing (Twigg, 2010). Similarly, films which try to support old age as a new beginning the message occasionally gets lost. For example, in the movie RED (Retired, extremely dangerous), the focus is on a Bruce Willis and his team of ageing retired black ops operatives who are no longer living a fast-paced life. Although the messages support living an active lifestyle and having a zest for life where by retire ment shouldnt be the first choice, it suggests that to remain youthful you must imitate the behaviour of the young. The Postmodern Life Course supports this way of living where theres a shift from the dark days of ageing to a postmodern time where seniors are urged to dress like their children and grandchildren, to live a similar lifestyle and enjoy the benefits of pop culture (Estes, Biggs Phillipson, 2003). However, this is difficult for those who cant due to physical limitations, the focus shouldnt be on the inescapable horror of age but what ageing means for one may differ for another (Cox, 2012). Equally, The Intern another film with a mixed message about old age concentrates on Ben, a Retired executive who applies to a senior citizen intern program after retirement has become too boring for him and is eager to learn how to use technology. This displays old age as a consumer market whereby the old are independent, competitive and willing to learn (Dhar McKinney, 2015). Moreover, these qualities suggest that not all people distinguish themselves as old and dont expect anyone else to either, they enjoy being identified alongside the young and be integrated. This is seen in Films such as Meet the Fockers with Barbara Streisands who plays a sex therapist who teaches sex exercises to senior couples, this is a positive reinforcement of old age as a new beginning because it removes the dominant stereotype that senior partnerships are sexless (Gatling, 2013). Therefore, it can be said that we are living in a third age demonstrated by self-realization and consumption of the elderly ( Twigg, 2010). The Third age concept captures an economic and demographic shift describing the emergence of a cohort of relatively healthy and financially secure older people who were entering the age of personal achievement and fulfilment (Laslett, 1987:135). This concept has crawled into the advertising industry and suggests a period of liberation from old age whereby older people are used for the promotion of products and endorsements (Marshall Rahman, 2014). Old age is understood to be a consumer market with competitive seniors in the advertising industry. This representation of the third age is comparable with old age as a new beginning hence a dominant representation of old age. Publications such as: Yours and Saga magazine, endeavour to remove the negative stereotype of age and encourage a more active lifestyle via educational and inspirational advertisements endorsing a healthier and vigorous standard of living (Ylà ¤nne, 2015). An example which further illustrates this dominant represent ation of old age as a means of self-realisation is the movie: The Best Marigold Hotel. The story engages with a group of retired seniors who travel for a holiday to India and embark on a journey where later life isnt a disadvantage but a chance of fulfilment, financially or romantically. The film suppresses the fear of ageing for seniors and the youth and acts as a guide for enjoying old age (Cox, 2012). The concept of the Fourth Age unlike the Third age, focuses on the fear of ageing. The Fourth age embodies all the fears of old age: it brings fragility, helplessness and loss of autonomy. Especially because not being in control of your own ageing process can be daunting compared to the third age which promotes successful ageing as a personal choice. Instead the fourth age describes the disabled as them and questions if this illustrates the real process of ageing (Kafkovà ¡, 2016:23). This description of old the ageing process comes under the third classification of Old age as Superiority where the elderly are an inconvenience and later life is an ageing horror (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). However, advertisements promote health issues in a positive light using the third age concept Leisure-oriented exercise benefits older people, reducing both their morbidity and mortality (Gilleard Higgs, 2000:80). Rather than instilling fear in the minds of consumers, advertisers use seniors to sell health products and encourage older people to live an active lifestyle to age well and by use of autonomy they can postpone the fourth age (Ylà ¤nne, Williams Wadleigh, 2009). On the other hand, health in films are a dominant representation of old age as a human decline and horror. Old age is presented by considering the fourth age in relation to dementia Ageing and disability are commonly assumed to go hand in hand (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013:57). This can be seen in the Simpsons film where Grandpa Simpson has trouble remembering the names of family members and confuses items such as the phone for an iron. These representations of Alzheimers and Dementia are usually inaccurate and fail to bring awareness to the issue. Although the representation may be comical, for children watching it leads them to identify the old as a nuisance and helpless (Alexander, 2015). In other words, the representation of health concerns as an ageing issue in a magazine ad is not as negative as it is a film and doesnt have the same influence on the youth as films do. The major premise of cultivation theory is that the more time individuals spend consuming media e.g. watching TV, the closer their views are to the world created by media. In other words, repeated and extensive exposure to media images influences viewers perceptions of social reality in the direction of the world constructed by media (Zhang, 2006:265). This suggests the stereotypical images the youth have of the elderly is as a result of the media. They are represented as dependent, grumpy and disabled which cause the young to behave in a disrespectful way and shapes the interactions they have with older people (Magoffin, 2007). Film more than advertisements plays a big part in constructing the views of the youth even if the representation doesnt accurately reflect society. The dominant representations include grumpy old characters who refuse to adjust to the changes of modern society and believe the youth are impolite. For instance, the film UP features Carl a cranky, hard of hearin g and frail old man who accidentally injures a construction worker over damage to his mailbox. Carl is deemed a public nuisance, and the court orders him to be admitted to a nursing home, to get him out of the way, exhibiting age as a human decline. This is supported by children who restrain the old within two categories: Evil powerful and Benign but helpless which is where Carl is placed (Gatling, 2013). This aligns the image which the youth maintain of the old and influences communication ensuing a self-fulfilling prophecy. The old internalise those stereotypes and interactions causing low self-esteem and a need to slow the ageing process (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). Magazine advertisements publicise anti-ageing representations of old age more so then Films and particularly for women Anti-ageing attempts to slow, stop or reverse, rejuvenate the ageing process (Ylà ¤nne, Williams Wadleigh, 2009:56). Magazines promote anti-ageing practices including: cosmetic surgery, anti-ageing creams and hair dyes as solutions to the ageing process through concealing indicators of old age which is deemed unattractive. This process is not limited to the elderly, it is also used by those in their 20s and 30s who begin the staying young process at a young age (Gilleard Higgs, 2000). Using the example of an Olay magazine ad featuring model Twiggy promoting a beauty product, it was reported by consumers as misleading and extremely airbrushed with a slogan captioned Because younger looking eyes never go out of fashion. Although a mature model was used the promotion is selling how to achieve younger looking skin which not only gives false promises but has a negativ e outcome for those who endeavour to age naturally (Sweney, 2009). Ultimately, we can see how anti-ageing practices shapes the ageing process for older people where they view ageing as a human decline. Disney films create negative stereotypes which impact how kids perceive older adults and fear the ageing process. Using toothless characters and portraying them as evil for example, the old woman who tempts snow white to eat the poisonous apple (Robinson et al 2007; Gatling 2013). Children internalise the most widespread representations of old age when young which are usually negative in films and hang on to them which creates a fear of ageing. Although the mass media continues to be a popular discourse which shapes the representations of old age in society advertising does not have the power to alter or shape social values, but merely reflects the values of its target audiences, the same can be said for films (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:316). The most dominant representations of ageing are: Old age as a Human Decline and Old Age as a New Beginning which are shaped by the stereotypes society created. Although the representations in magazine ads and films have relevant similarities and differences individually they contribute to the interactions amongst the old and young. Despite this, can we suggest there been a trend from less negative to more positive portrayals consistent with a shift toward more favourable attitudes toward the elderly and the increasing size of the elderly population? (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:316). This suggests representations relating to old age are limited. Then again, should we educate so ciety particularly children that opposing depictions of strength and agility on one hand, and frailty and stiffness on the other stimulate the viewer to ponder that we all live somewhere along the weak/strong continuum. Some older people may be weaker than younger people, some may not (Gatling, 2013:77). Bibliography Alexander, S. (2015). Were tired of these stereotypes of older people in the media [online]. Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/living/were-tired-of-these-stereotypes-of-older-people-in-the-media/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017] Cox, D. (2012). Why do films do such a bad job of portraying old people? [online]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/feb/28/films-bad-job-portraying-old-people [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Dhar, A. and McKinney, S. (2015). 3 Ways The Intern Gets Older Workers Wrong [online]. Available from: http://www.nextavenue.org/3-ways-the-intern-gets-older-workers-wrong/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Estes, CL. Biggs, S. Phillipson, C. (2003). Social theory, social policy and ageing. Open University Press: Maidenhead. Gatling, M. C. (2013) Representations of age and ageing in comedy film. PhD thesis, James Cook University Gilleard, C. and Higgs, P. (2000). Cultures Of Ageing: Self, Citizen And The Body, Harlow: Prentice Hall. Hatch, L.R. (2005). Gender and Ageism, Generations, 29 (3), p.19-24. Kafkovà ¡, M.P. (2016). The Real Old Age and the Transition between the Third and Fourth Age, Sociologia, 48 (6), p.622-640 Kriebernegg, U. and Maierhofer, R. (2013). The Ages Of Life. [Electronic Resource] : Living And Aging In Conflict?, Bielefeld : Transcript, Aston University Library Catalogue, EBSCOhost, viewed 14 January 2017 Laham, TS. M. (2015). This Is Really When Old Age Begins [online]. Available from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-ts-laham-/when-old-age-begins_b_8099004.html [Accessed 14 Jan. 2017]. para. 19 Laslett, P. (1987). The Emergence of the Third Age, Ageing and Society, 7 (2) p.135. Lauzen, M.M. Dozier, D.M. (2005). Maintaining the double standard: Portrayals of age and gender in popular films, Sex Roles, 52, p.437-446. Lewis, C.D. Medvedev, K. and Seponski, M.D. (2011). Awakening to the desires of older women: Deconstructing ageism within fashion magazines, Journal of Aging Studies, 25 (2), p101-109. Magoffin, D. L. (2007). Stereotyped Seniors: The Portrayal of Older Characters in Teen Movies from 1980-2006, All Theses and Dissertations. 977. Marshall, B.L. Rahman, M. (2014). Celebrity, ageing and the construction of third age identities, International Journal of Cultural Studies ,18 (6), p. 577 593 Miller, D.W. Leyell, T.S. and Mazachek, J. (2004). Stereotypes of the elderly in U.S. television commercials from the 1950s to the 1990s, The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 58 (4), p.315-340. Robinson, T. Callister, M. Magoffin, D. Moore, J. (2007). The portrayal of older characters in Disney animated films, Journal of Aging Studies; 21 (3) p.203-213 Rozanova, J. (2010). Discourse of successful aging in The Globe Mail: Insights from critical gerontology, Journal of Aging Studies, 24. p213-222. Sontag, S. (1972). The Double Standard of Aging. Saturday Review of the Society, 23, p.31. Sweney, M (2009). Twiggys Olay ad banned over airbrushing [online] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/dec/16/twiggys-olay-ad-banned-airbrushing [Accessed 15 Jan, 2017]. Twigg, J. (2010). How Does Vogue Negotiate Age?: Fashion, the Body, and the Older Woman, Fashion Theory, 14 (4), p.471-490. Vickers, K. (2007). Aging and the Media: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 5 (3), p.100-105. Ylà ¤nne, V. (2015). Representations of ageing in the media in: Twigg, Julia and Martin, Wendy Handbook of Cultural Gerontology London: Routledge, p.369-376. Ylà ¤nne, V. Williams, A. and Wadleigh, P. M. (2009). Ageing well? Older peoples health and well-being as portrayed in UK magazine advertisements, International Journal of Ageing and Later Life 4 (2), p.33-62. Zhang, Y.B. Harwood, J. Williams, A. Ylà ¤nne-McEwen, V. Wadleigh, P.M. Thimm, C (2006). The Portrayal of Older Adults in Advertising, Journal of Language and Social Psychology 25 (3), p.265

Computer Crimes of Today :: essays research papers fc

Computer Crimes on the Internet Thesis: Emerging with the Internet, a group of elite cyber-surfers have turned into todayà ­s computer hackers. Software piracy is a major crime on the Net. $7.5 billion of American Software is stolen each year. Industrial Espionage is gaining access to remote sites illegally. Stealing of information from corporate sites is extremely illegal. Password Sniffers are used to get someoneà ­s password. IP spoofers changes your identity. Many things can be stolen from companies. III. Email hacking is common. Mail bombs are thousands of messages send to a single address. Email forgery can cause people reputations to get ruined. Anonymous Email is illegal. Fraud is very common. Pyramid schemes are nothing but a scam. Credit card fraud is a half billion dollar a year scam. Computer viruses are destructive to computers. Computer viruses can be attached to Email messages. 99% of all computer viruses are detectable. Computer Crimes on the Internet Its the 90à ­s, the dawn of the computer age. With technology changing and evolving everyday, it may seem hard not to slip behind in this ever changing world. The Information Super-Highway has been following computers throughout the past few years. Along with the Internet, an emerging group of elite cyber-surfers have turned into todayà ­s computer hackers. Most people donà ­t know about them, most people donà ­t know they exist, but they are out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for there next victim. It can be a scary world out there (Welcome to the Internet). In reality it is not nearly as bad as it sounds, and chances are it wonà ­t happen to you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many fields of hacking on the Internet. The most popular type of hacking is software piracy. à ¬According to estimates by the US Software Piracy Association, as much as $7.5 billion of American software may be illegally copied and distributed annually worldwideà ®(Ferrell13). Hackers à ¬pirateà ® software merely by uploading software bought in a store to the Internet. Uploading is send information from point A(client) to point B(host); downloading is the opposite. Once it is uploaded to the Internet, people all over the world have access to it. From there, hackers trade and distribute the software, which in hacker jargon is warez.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industrial Espionage is another main concern on the Internet. Most recently, the FBIà ­s World Wide Web page hacked and turned into a racial hate page. Anyone can access files from a WWW page, but changing them is very hard. That is why most hackers donà ­t even bother with it. CNET stated à ¬This Web site should have been among the safest and most secure in the world, yet late in 1996, it got hacked.

Social Contradictions in Fyodor Dostoyevskys Notes from the Underground :: Notes from the Underground Essays

Social Contradictions in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground Notes from the Underground, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a truly remarkable novel. Dostoyevsky's novels probe the cause of human action. They questioned conventional wisdom of what drove humans and offered insight into the inner workings and torments of the human soul. In Notes from Underground, Dostoyevsky relates the viewpoints and doings of a very peculiar man. The man is peculiar because of his lack of self-respect, his sadistic and masochistic tendencies, and his horrible delight in inflicting emotional pain on himself and others. Almost instantly the reader is forced to hate this man. He has no redeeming values, all of his insights into human nature are ghastly, and once he begins the narrative of his life, the reader begins to actively hate and pity him. The reader is forced to ask why Dostoyevsky would bother writing about this troubling man and his problems. The answer is that Dostoyevsky does not believe in the norms society sets for people. This man is the absolute opposite of everything society holds to be acceptable. Here is a man, with intelligent insight, lucid perception, who is a self-admitted to be sick, depraved, and hateful. A man who at every turn is determined to thwart every chance fate offers him to be happy and content. A man who actively seeks to punish and humiliate himself. Dostoyevsky is showing the reader that man is not governed by values which society holds to be all important. The point of Notes from Underground more than anything else is that humans actions cannot be calculated. Dostoyevsky implies that in society everyone acts in their own self-interest. They act to gain advantages which are in their own self-interest. He asks the reader to take that as a given. Society sees happiness, freedom, prosperity, etc. as distinct advantages. These things should be in ones self-interest, society says. If someone say, rapes another person, they are not acting in their own self interest. They are running the risk of feeling guilty, guilt is not conducive to happiness. They run the risk of being thrown into jail. Jail is not a place where one can be prosperous or free. Therefore going to jail or feeling guilty are not in ones self interest, according to society's values. A person who conforms to these values, logically, would not rape anyone.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Fourteen

â€Å"He's gone round the bend,† Matt said, staring at the empty doorway through which Stefan had disappeared. â€Å"No, he hasn't,† said Meredith. Her voice was rueful and quiet, but there was a kind of helpless laugh in it too. â€Å"Don't you see what he's doing, Matt?† she said when he turned to her. â€Å"Yelling at us, making us hate him to try and chase us away. Being as nasty as possible so we'll stay mad and let him do this alone.† She glanced at the doorway and raised her eyebrows. † ‘Anyone who does follow me, I'll kill' was going a bit overboard, though.† Bonnie giggled suddenly, wildly, in spite of herself. â€Å"I think he borrowed it from Damon. ‘Get this straight, I don't need any of you!' â€Å" † ‘You bunch of stupid humans,' † Matt added. â€Å"But I still don't understand. You just had a premonition, Bonnie, and Stefan doesn't usually discount those. If there's no way to fight and win, what's the point of going?† â€Å"Bonnie didn't say there was no way to fight and win. She said there was no way to fight and survive. Right, Bonnie?† Meredith looked at her. The fit of giggles dissolved away. Startled herself, Bonnie tried to examine the premonition, but she knew no more than the words that had sprung into her mind. No one can fight him and live. â€Å"You mean Stefan thinks-† Slow, thunderous outrage was smoldering in Matt's eyes. â€Å"He thinks he's going to go and stop Klaus even though he gets killed himself? Like some sacrificial lamb?† â€Å"More like Elena,† Meredith said soberly. â€Å"And maybe-so he can be with her.† â€Å"Huh-uh.† Bonnie shook her head. She might not know more about the prophecy, but this she knew. â€Å"He doesn't think that, I'm sure. Elena's special. She is what she is because she died too young; she left so much unfinished in her own life, and-well, she's a special case. But Stefan's been a vampire for five hundred years, and he certainly wouldn't be dying young. There's no guarantee he'd end up with Elena. He might go to another place or-or just go out. And he knows that. I'm sure he knows that. I think he's just keeping his promise to her, to stop Klaus no matter what it costs.† â€Å"To try, at least,† Matt said softly, and it sounded as if he were quoting. â€Å"Even if you know you're going to lose.† He looked up at the girls suddenly. â€Å"I'm going after him.† â€Å"Of course,† said Meredith patiently. Matt hesitated. â€Å"Uh-I don't suppose I could convince you two to stay here?† â€Å"After all that inspiring talk about teamwork? Not a chance.† â€Å"I was afraid of that. So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They gathered what weapons they could. Matt's pocketknife that Stefan had dropped, the ivory-hilted dagger from Stefan's dresser, a carving knife from the kitchen. Outside, there was no sign of Mrs. Flowers. The sky was pale purple, shading to apricot in the west. Twilight of the solstice eve, Bonnie thought, and hairs on her arms tried to lift. â€Å"Klaus said the old farmhouse in the woods-that must mean the Francher place,† Matt said. â€Å"Where Katherine dumped Stefan in the abandoned well.† â€Å"That makes sense. He's probably been using Katherine's tunnel to get back and forth under the river,† Meredith said. â€Å"Unless Old Ones are so powerful they can cross running water without harming themselves.† That's right, Bonnie remembered, evil things couldn't cross running water, and the more evil you were, the harder it was. â€Å"But we don't know anything about the Originals,† she said aloud. â€Å"No, and that means we've got to be careful,† Matt said. â€Å"I know these woods pretty well, and I know the path Stefan will probably use. I think we should take a different one.† â€Å"So Stefan won't see us and kill us?† â€Å"So Klaus won't see us, or not all of us. So maybe we'll have a chance of getting to Caroline. Somehow or other we've got to get Caroline out of the equation; as long as Klaus can threaten to hurt her he can make Stefan do anything he wants. And it's always best to plan ahead, to get a jump on the enemy. Klaus said meet there after dark; well, we'll be there before dark and maybe we can surprise him.† Bonnie was deeply impressed by this strategy. No wonder he's a quarterback, she was thinking. I would have just rushed in, yelling. Matt picked out an almost invisible path between the oak trees. The undergrowth was especially lush this time of year, with mosses, grasses, flowering plants, and ferns. Bonnie had to trust that Matt knew where he was going, because she certainly didn't. Above, birds were giving one last burst of song before seeking out a roost for the night. It got dimmer. Moths and lacewings fluttered past Bonnie's face. After stumbling through a patch of toadstools covered with feeding slugs, she was intensely grateful that this time she'd worn jeans. At last Matt stopped them. â€Å"We're getting close,† he said, his voice low. â€Å"There's a sort of bluff where we can look down and Klaus might not see us. Be quiet and careful.† Bonnie had never taken so much trouble placing her feet before. Fortunately the leaf litter was wet and not crackly. After a few minutes Matt dropped to his stomach and gestured for them to follow. Bonnie kept telling herself, fiercely, that she didn't mind the centipedes and earthworms her sliding fingers dug up, that she had no feelings one way or another about cobwebs in the face. This was life and death, and she was competent. No dweeb, no baby, but competent. They were gazing down on the Francher homestead-or what was left of it. It had crumbled into the earth long ago, taken back by the forest. Now it was only a foundation, building stones covered with flowering weeds and prickly brambles, and one tall chimney like a lonely monument. â€Å"There she is. Caroline,† Meredith breathed in Bonnie's other ear. Caroline was a dim figure sitting against the chimney. Her pale green dress showed up in the gathering dark, but her auburn hair just looked black. Something white shone across her face, and after a moment Bonnie realized it was a gag. Tape or a bandage. From her strange posture-arms behind her, legs stretched straight out in front-Bonnie also guessed she was tied. Poor Caroline, she thought, forgiving the other girl all the nasty, petty, selfish things she'd ever done, which was a pretty considerable amount when you got down to it. But Bonnie couldn't imagine anything worse than being abducted by a psycho vampire who'd already killed two of your classmates, dragged out here to the woods and bound, and then left to wait, with your life depending on another vampire who had fairly good reason to hate you. After all, Caroline had wanted Stefan in the beginning, and had hated and tried to humiliate Elena for getting him. Stefan Salvatore was the last person who should feel kindly toward Caroline Forbes. â€Å"Look!† said Matt. â€Å"Is that him? Klaus?† Bonnie had seen it too, a ripple of movement on the opposite side of the chimney. As she strained her eyes he appeared, his light tan raincoat flapping ghostlike around his legs. He glanced down at Caroline and she shrank from him, trying to lean away. His laughter sounded so clearly in the quiet air that Bonnie flinched. â€Å"That's him,† she whispered, dropping down behind the screening ferns. â€Å"But where's Stefan? It's almost dark now.† â€Å"Maybe he got smart and decided not to come,† said Matt. â€Å"No such luck,† said Meredith. She was looking through the ferns to the south. Bonnie glanced that way herself and started. Stefan was standing at the edge of the clearing, having materialized there as if out of thin air. Not even Klaus had seen him coming, Bonnie thought. He stood silently, making no attempt to hide himself or the white ash spear he was carrying. There was something in his stance and the way he looked over the scene before him that made Bonnie remember that in the fifteenth century he'd been an aristocrat, a member of the nobility. He said nothing, waiting for Klaus to notice him, refusing to be rushed. When Klaus did turn south he went still, and Bonnie got the feeling he was surprised Stefan had sneaked up on him. But then he laughed and spread his arms. Slowly, Stefan looked Klaus up and down, from the tails of his tattered raincoat to the top of his windblown head. What Stefan said was: â€Å"You asked for me. I'm here. Let the girl go.† â€Å"Did I say that?† Looking genuinely surprised, Klaus pressed two hands to his chest. Then he shook his head, chuckling. â€Å"I don't think so. Let's talk first.† Stefan nodded, as if Klaus had confirmed something bitter he'd been expecting. He took the spear from his shoulder and held it in front of him, handling the unwieldy length of wood deftly, easily. â€Å"I'm listening,† he said. â€Å"Not as dumb as he looks,† Matt murmured from behind the ferns, a note of respect in his voice. â€Å"And he's not as anxious to get killed as I thought,† Matt added. â€Å"He's being careful.† Klaus gestured toward Caroline, the tips of his fingers brushing her auburn hair. â€Å"Why don't you come here so we don't have to shout?† But he didn't threaten to hurt his prisoner, Bonnie noticed. â€Å"I can hear you just fine,† Stefan replied. â€Å"Good,† Matt whispered. â€Å"That's it, Stefan!† Bonnie, though, was studying Caroline. The captive girl was struggling, tossing her head back and forth as if she were frantic or in pain. But Bonnie got a strange feeling about Caroline's movements, especially those violent jerks of the head, as if the girl was straining to reach the sky. The sky†¦ Bonnie's gaze lifted up to it, where full darkness had fallen and a waning moon shone over the trees. That was why she could see that Caroline's hair was auburn now: the moonlight, she thought. Then, with a shock, her eyes dropped to the tree just above Stefan, whose branches were rustling slightly in the absence of any wind. â€Å"Matt?† she whispered, alarmed. Stefan was focused on Klaus, every sense, every muscle, every atom of his Power honed and turned toward the Old One before him. But in that tree directly above him†¦ All thoughts of strategy, of asking Matt what to do, fled from Bonnie's mind. She bolted up from her place of concealment and shouted. â€Å"Stefan! Above you! It's a trap!† Stefan leaped aside, neat as a cat, just as something plunged down on the exact place he'd been standing an instant before. The moon lit the scene perfectly, enough for Bonnie to see the white of Tyler's bared teeth. And to see the white flash of Klaus's eyes as he whirled on her. For one stunned instant she stared at him, and then lightning crackled. From an empty sky. It was only later that Bonnie would realize the strangeness-the fearsomeness-of this. At the time she scarcely noted that the sky was clear and star swept and that the jagged blue bolt that forked down struck the palm of Klaus's upraised hand. The next sight she saw was so terrifying as to black everything else out: Klaus folding his hand over that lightning, gathering it somehow, and throwing it at her. â€Å"Stay here! Right here!† he shouted, and bounded away. Those dreaded words. They catapulted Bonnie right up, and she was running after him before she knew what she was doing. And then the world turned into chaos. Klaus had whirled back on Stefan, who was grappling with Tyler, beating him. Tyler, in his wolf form, was making terrible sounds as Stefan threw him to the ground. Meredith was running toward Caroline, approaching from behind the chimney so Klaus wouldn't spot her. Bonnie saw her reach Caroline and saw the flash of Stefan's silver dagger as Meredith cut the cords around Caroline's wrists. Then Meredith was half carrying, half dragging Caroline behind the chimney to work on her feet. A sound like antlers clashing made Bonnie spin around. Klaus had come at Stefan with a tall branch of his own-it must have been lying flat on the ground before. It looked just as sharp as Stefan's, making it a serviceable lance. But Klaus and Stefan weren't just stabbing at each other; they were using the sticks as quarterstaffs. Robin Hood, Bonnie thought dazedly. Little John and Robin. That was what it looked like: Klaus was that much taller and heavier boned than Stefan. Then Bonnie saw something else and cried out wordlessly. Behind Stefan, Tyler had gotten up again and was crouching, just as he had in the graveyard before lunging for Stefan's throat. Stefan's back was to him. And Bonnie couldn't warn him in time. But she'd forgotten about Matt. Head down, ignoring claws and fangs, he was charging at Tyler, tackling him like a first-rate linebacker before he could leap. Tyler went flying sideways, with Matt on top of him. Bonnie was overwhelmed. So much was happening. Meredith was sawing through Caroline's ankle cords; Matt was pummeling Tyler in a way that certainly would have gotten him disqualified on the football field; Stefan was whirling that white ash staff as if he'd been trained for it. Klaus was laughing deliriously, seeming exhilarated by the exercise, as they traded blows with deadly speed and accuracy. But Matt seemed to be in trouble now. Tyler was gripping him and snarling, trying to get a hold on his throat. Wildly, Bonnie looked around for a weapon, entirely forgetting the carving knife in her pocket. Her eye fell on a dead oak branch. She picked it up and ran to where Tyler and Matt were struggling. Then Matt was on top of Tyler again, holding Tyler's head down, holding himself clear. Bonnie saw her chance and aimed the stick. But Tyler saw her. With a burst of supernatural strength, he gathered his legs and sent Matt soaring off him backward. Matt's head struck a tree with a sound Bonnie would never forget. The dull sound of a rotten melon bursting. He slid down the front of the tree and was still. Bonnie was gasping, stunned. She might have started toward Matt, but Tyler was there in front of her, breathing hard, bloody saliva running down his chin. He looked even more like an animal than he had in the graveyard. As if in a dream, Bonnie raised her stick, but she could feel it shaking in her hands. Matt was so still-was he breathing? Bonnie could hear the sob in her own breath as she faced Tyler. This was ridiculous; this was a boy from her own school. A boy she'd danced with last year at the Junior Prom. How could he be keeping her away from Matt, how could he be trying to hurt them all? How could he be doing this? â€Å"Tyler, please-† she began, meaning to reason with him, to beg him†¦ â€Å"All alone in the woods, little girl?† he said, and his voice was a thick and guttural growl, shaped at the last minute into words. In that instant Bonnie knew that this was not the boy she'd gone to school with. This was an animal. Oh, God, he's ugly, she thought. Ropes of red spit hung out of his mouth. And those yellow eyes with the slitted pupils-in them she saw the cruelty of the shark, and the crocodile, and the wasp that lays its eggs in a caterpillar's living body. All the cruelty of animal nature in those two yellow eyes. â€Å"Somebody should have warned you,† Tyler said, dropping his jaw to laugh the way a dog does. â€Å"Because if you go out in the woods alone, you might meet the Big Bad-â€Å" â€Å"Jerk!† a voice finished for him, and with a feeling of gratitude that bordered on the religious, Bonnie saw Meredith beside her. Meredith, holding Stefan's dagger, which shone liquidly in the moonlight. â€Å"Silver, Tyler,† Meredith said, brandishing it. â€Å"I wonder what silver does to a werewolf's members? Want to see?† All Meredith's elegance, her standoffishness, her cool observer's dispassion were gone. This was the essential Meredith, a warrior Meredith, and although she was smiling, she was mad. â€Å"Yes!† shouted Bonnie gleefully, feeling power rush through her. Suddenly she could move. She and Meredith, together, were strong. Meredith was stalking Tyler from one side, Bonnie held her stick ready on the other. A longing she'd never felt before shot through her, the longing to hit Tyler so hard his head would come flying off. She could feel the strength to do it surging in her arm. And Tyler, with his animal instinct, could sense it, could sense it from both of them, closing in on either side. He recoiled, caught himself, and turned to try and get away from them. They turned too. In a minute they were all three orbiting like a mini solar system: Tyler turning around and around in the middle; Bonnie and Meredith circling him, looking for a chance to attack. â€Å"I did it! Yes. All right! Yes!† Bonnie shouted, flinging the stick away. Triumph erupted from her in a primal shout. â€Å"We did it!† She grabbed the heavy body by the back of the mane and pulled it off Meredith, where it had fallen. â€Å"We-â€Å" Then she broke off, her words freezing in her throat. â€Å"Meredith!† she cried. â€Å"It's all right,† Meredith gasped, her voice tight with pain. And weakness, Bonnie thought, chilled as if doused with ice water. Tyler had clawed her leg to the bone. There were huge, gaping wounds in the thigh of Meredith's jeans and in the white skin that showed clearly through the torn cloth. And to Bonnie's absolute horror, she could see inside the skin too, could see flesh and muscle ripped and red blood pouring out. â€Å"Meredith-† she cried frantically. They had to get Meredith to a doctor. Everyone had to stop now; everyone must understand that. They had an injury here; they needed to get an ambulance, to call 911. â€Å"Meredith,† she gasped, almost weeping. â€Å"Tie it up with something.† Meredith's face was white. Shock. Going into shock. And so much blood; so much blood coming out. Oh, God, thought Bonnie, please help me. She looked for something to tie it up with, but there was nothing. Something dropped on the ground beside her. A length of nylon cord like the cord they'd used to tie up Tyler, with frayed edges. Bonnie looked up. â€Å"Can you use that?† asked Caroline uncertainly, her teeth chattering. She was wearing the green dress, her auburn hair straggling and stuck to her face with sweat and blood. Even as she spoke she swayed, and fell to her knees beside Meredith. â€Å"Are you hurt?† Bonnie gasped. Caroline shook her head, but then she bent forward, racked with nausea, and Bonnie saw the marks in her throat. But there was no time to worry about Caroline now. Meredith was more important. Bonnie tied the cord above Meredith's wounds, her mind running desperately over things she'd learned from her sister Mary. Mary was a nurse. Mary said-a tourniquet couldn't be too tight or left on too long or gangrene set in. But she had to stop the gushing blood. Oh, Meredith. â€Å"Bonnie-help Stefan,† Meredith was gasping, her voice almost a whisper. â€Å"He's going to need it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sagged backward, her breathing stertorous, her slitted eyes looking up at the sky. Dazed, she turned to Caroline, who was shivering and retching, sweat beading her face. Useless, Bonnie thought. But she had no other choice. â€Å"Caroline, listen to me,† she said. She picked up the largest piece of the stick she'd used on Tyler and put it into Caroline's hands. â€Å"You stay with Matt and Meredith. Loosen that tourniquet every twenty minutes or so. And if Tyler starts to wake up, if he even twitches, you hit him as hard as you can with this. Understand? Caroline,† she added, â€Å"this is your big chance to prove you're good for something. That you're not useless. All right?† She caught the furtive green eyes and repeated, â€Å"All right?† â€Å"But what are you going to do?† Bonnie looked toward the clearing. â€Å"No, Bonnie.† Caroline's hand grasped her, and Bonnie noted with some part of her mind the broken nails, the rope burns on the wrists. â€Å"Stay here where it's safe. Don't go to them. There's nothing you can do-â€Å" Bonnie shook her off and made for the clearing before she lost her resolve. In her heart, she knew Caroline was right. There was nothing she could do. But something Matt had said before they left was ringing in her mind. To try at least. She had to try. Still, in those next few horrible minutes all she could do was look. So far, Stefan and Klaus had been trading blows with such violence and accuracy that it had been like a beautiful, lethal dance. But it had been an equal, or almost equal, match. Stefan had been holding his own. Now she saw Stefan bearing down with his white ash lance, pressing Klaus to his knees, forcing him backward, farther and farther back, like a limbo dancer seeing how low he could go. And Bonnie could see Klaus's face now, mouth slightly open, staring up at Stefan with what looked like astonishment and fear. Then everything changed. At the very bottom of his descent, when Klaus had bent back as far as he could go, when it seemed that he must be about to collapse or break, something happened. Klaus smiled. And then he started pushing back. Bonnie saw Stefan's muscles knot, saw his arms go rigid, trying to resist. But Klaus, still grinning madly, eyes wide open, just kept coming. He unfolded like some terrible jack-in-the-box, only slowly. Slowly. Inexorably. His grin getting wider until it looked as if it would split his face. Like the Cheshire cat. A cat, thought Bonnie. Now Stefan was the one grunting and straining, teeth clenched, trying to hold Klaus off. But Klaus and his stick bore down, forcing Stefan backward, forcing him to the ground. Grinning all the time. Until Stefan was lying on his back, his own stick pressing into his throat with the weight of Klaus's lance across it. Klaus looked down at him and beamed. â€Å"I'm tired of playing, little boy,† he said, and he straightened and threw his own stick down. â€Å"Now it's dying time.† He took Stefan's staff away from him as easily as if he were taking it from a child. Picked it up with a flick of his wrist and broke it over his knee, showing how strong he was, how strong he had always been. How cruelly he had been playing with Stefan. One of the halves of the white ash stick he tossed over his shoulder across the clearing. The other he jabbed at Stefan. Using not the pointed end but the splintered one, broken into a dozen tiny points. He jabbed down with a force that seemed almost casual, but Stefan screamed. He did it again and again, eliciting a scream each time. Bonnie cried out, soundlessly. She had never heard Stefan scream before. She didn't need to be told what kind of pain must have caused it. She didn't need to be told that white ash might be the only wood deadly to Klaus, but that any wood was deadly to Stefan. That Stefan was, if not dying now, about to die. That Klaus, with his hand now raised, was going to finish it with one more plunging blow. Klaus's face was tilted to the moon in a grin of obscene pleasure, showing that this was what he liked, where he got his thrills. From killing. And Bonnie couldn't move, couldn't even cry. The world swam around her. It had all been a mistake, she wasn't competent; she was a baby after all. She didn't want to see that final thrust, but she couldn't look away. And all this couldn't be happening, but it was. It was. Klaus flourished the splintered stake and with a smile of pure ecstasy started to bring it down. And a spear shot across the clearing and struck him in the middle of the back, landing and quivering like a giant arrow, like half a giant arrow. It made Klaus's arms fling out, dropping the stake; it shocked the ecstatic grin right off his face. He stood, arms extended, for a second, and then turned, the white ash stick in his back wobbling slightly. Bonnie's eyes were too dazzled by waves of gray dots to see, but she heard the voice clearly as it rang out, cold and arrogant and filled with absolute conviction. Just five words, but they changed everything. â€Å"Get away from my brother.†