The Mise

The Mise-en-Scene and Camerawork Essay Analyse the Effects Created for the Spectator by the Mise-en-Scene and Camerawork in the Sequence Lynns Bedroom LA Confidential, directed by Curtis Hanson and co-produced by Brian Helgeland, is a neo-noir film looking at corruption and propaganda influenced by the press (Hush Hush magazine) certain aspects of the police force and the high society influence of Mickey Cohen on the Sunset Strip. It only portrays certain elements of Film Noir and in quite a modern fashion when it does. There is not much smoking in LA Confidential as perhaps there is in most Film Noir, however we manage to pick up some elements of disillusionment and paranoia. The femme fatale in this film does not follow the usual rules of a traditional femme fatale although could well be led to believe that she does, towards the beginning. Lynn Bracken first introduced wearing a black cloak with a white trim around the hood surrounding her face. First impressions suggest that she could be our femme fatale, as black is a colour of corruption and mystery. We will write a custom essay on The Mise-en-Scene and Camerawork specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We also come across her abode a large studio-type room, white and stylised. It mimics the background that we would see in a celebrity photo shoot. The bed we see is in the sitting room, which seems to us a strange place for it to be. It is raised up and on a hard, black, wooden stage-like block. The covers are satin and very elegant suggesting an almost fake atmosphere and creating a place where nobody could really be themselves. There are plants in the background, but they are green and spiky and have no flowers. This suggests even more of a fake atmosphere and insincerity in the room. The rest of this sequence and the mise-en-scene involved portrays no particular feeling of comfort. It is made to look and feel staged as everything from camerawork and lighting, to the props on the set convey a cold, uncomfortable and un-homely image and everything is made very ornate and fragile. It is almost like the movie star Lynn Bracken is impersonating. In the second venture to Lynns house we see her letting a customer go followed by half-heartedly tidying up her studio-type room. This is only the second time we have seen it and the first time it was shown, was giving us a general background on her teaching us that she is a Veronica Lake look-a-like prostitute. There is a knock on the door and she goes to open it. We see her reaction shot for a while before the camera cuts to who she is looking at and we realise it is Bud White. We then move onto the next part if the scene, straight into her bedroom. This is where the mise-en-scene comes into action and we learn more about Lynn as a person. Lynn opens the door to the room and straight away we see a soft, orange, romantic and homely light making the room warm and inviting and slow, soft and gentle music begins to play allowing us to feel the romanticism of this intimate scene. She stands back and allows him to walk ahead and take in his surroundings, this implying that she is not working now. She looks almost childlike as she stands just beyond the door, and as Bud walk ahead the image is created of her letting him take control and we can see that he portrays a father-type figure. The camera cuts to a new angle now showing us the bedroom, which Bud has been invited into. Our first impressions are that it is a small room like someone actually lives there and is not just for show. We see pictures in frames of flowers on the wall, showing a girlie and very normal side to Lynn. It also tells us something about her likes and dislikes. These pictures contrast to the photos of Veronica Lake in her other bedroom. The bed is typically American with the real white iron bedposts, maybe not the most tasteful, however it allows us to see her homely and warm side. .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .postImageUrl , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:hover , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:visited , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:active { border:0!important; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:active , .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1 .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub41c6b684183567c0a27a3a42805b3a1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Marion Isaac McClinton: listening for the music EssayWe can see net curtains, this suggesting lightness and letting small rays of light into her bedroom, this relating to Bud. There is a lamp stood on a nice wooden bedside table. The camera cuts to a close up point-of-view panning shot. First of all on the table where we can closely see little mis-matching desert plants on a tray, telling us maybe something about her and her background or where shes from. This is all alongside some cooking books and a wooden carved lamp, with a rather homely doily placed neatly underneath it. Suggesting maybe her grandmother had made it, all adding further to the homeliness and comfort of her room. The camera pans further across to the bed where there are cotton sheets, unlike the moviestar satin sheets in Lynns studio, these cotton sheets absorb and soak in the atmosphere surrounding this room rather that harshly reflecting it back as do the satin cushions in the studio. This keeps reinforcing the idea of how normal she is. We see a homemade cushion on the bed, this telling us as an audience and to Bud, that she is an ordinary country girl from Arizona as this is what is hand embroidered on the cushion. This is important for us to know, as we can now presume that the Lynn Bracken, who lives in this bedroom, is completely different from the Veronica Lake look-a-like that we have previously met. In the background to this we can see the floral patterned cushions in pinks and yellows. These are very warm and homely colours, thus suggesting to us that this I s a very warm and homely place denied of all corruption that would take place in Lynns Veronica Lake room. Lynn goes to sit down on the bed and lowers her head as if she is ashamed, now that she has shown Bud her real self. Bud comforts her by kissing her forehead and embracing her, which, is very father and child-like behaviour, relating back to earlier when she first let him into her room. This subsequently reverses her usual behaviour in these situations as usually she would be the person in charge, however when we see her letting Bud take control, it just reminds us even more of the contrast between her work personality and her real personality. As they kiss and she lays back on the bed, the bars of the now come between us as the viewer and them implying that we are now being intrusive and this is too personal and intimate for us to see. We now begin to realise that Bud and Lynn are two damaged souls and have found each other in this intimate and gentle moment. This scene is made meaningful by its strong contrast to the show-Veronica Lake-room. In conclusion we can see that through mise-en-scene Lynn Brackens two very different sides and lives can be shown. It is all simply illustrated in props and scenery specially allocated to help the audience conjure up their own important perspectives. Thus making the rest of the film more meaningful in itself and allowing the audience to understand it better.

Origin of the Egyptian Pyramids essays

Origin of the Egyptian Pyramids essays For centuries, the Egyptian Pyramids and the Sphinx have stood a silent testimony to a great and powerful civilization long since ground to dust. But behind the great walls of the Pyramids and this long lasting silence, mysteries are still unrevealed and the explanation of these mysteries is a set of theories based on observation and on the printed texts on the Pyramids walls. One great mystery was the one dealing with the building of the Pyramids and the Sphinx. In fact, there are two major theories (Pahl 1998) (Ashmawy 1995- 1997) explaining why the Pyramids were built. The first one states that the ancient Egyptian people built them as tombs for their great kings (Ashmawy 1995- 1997) (Cottrell 1956), and the other one is that they were built by other people more technologically advanced than us, whose purposes were much more important than building tombs for dead Kings (Bauval There is an ancient Egyptian proverb, that says: "Everything fears time, but time fears the Pyramids". They are the only Wonders of the ancient world to remain standing, which do not need to be described. Their enormous size made Herodotus the "Father of the ancient history", Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and many more important invaders to stand in awe overwhelmed by the greatest structures on earth. As for the roots of the word pyramid, they are unknown for it has no origin in any language on earth (Russel The first conventional and widely approved theory, says that the Pyramids were constructed by the Egyptian people 4500 years ago, and states that they are tombs for the dead kings. In fact, the Great Pyramid was constructed by the king Khufu to become his tomb when he dies. For instance, Pyramid building was a tradition to the old Egyptians before Khufu's age, which started as a small structure known as Mastaba (the Mastaba is an Arabic word meaning a bench), which was a small structure were the king and his per...

MBA Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MBA Project Management - Essay Example Cross- utilization of resources would also reduce the cost. Hyten has taken a reasonable approach to implement formal project management. Project management cannot be implemented without taking the employees in confidence. For this purpose, it organized the seminar to enlighten the management with the benefits of project management. Having confidential interviews was a good way to understand the hurdles in implementing the project and employees' perceptions. However, the implementers should consider the arguments presented by the managers and devise solutions to cater to the problems involved especially to those presented by the plant and engineering managers. They should meet with the general manager and take him into confidence too. They should also consider the time period for creating an adequate information system required for project management. For that, they may approach an outside company to find out how much time it would take to create the same information system for them The organizational personnel were focusing more on the disadvantages. ... However most of them accepted the fact the long-term benefits were more than the disadvantages in short term. Many of the disadvantages focused on the changes that would be required as a result of project management. For example, the staff would have to break work summaries into work packages, prepare commitment reports, estimate report data, perform project audits and prepare comparisons of projected versus actual costs. Besides the present internal control system would have to be changed after reviewing it. All of these would require more resources. The advantages included improved communication among the departments, cross-utilization of resources, better scheduling and reduced costs. Hence, to gain the advantages, it is important to consider the disadvantages and the changes required. 4. Are the issues raised regarding evaluations and compensations valid Provide some solutions and are these areas really a result of formal project management The issues that are raised regarding evaluations and compensations are valid. If employees know that they can influence their evaluation and appraisals by siding with a particular manager, they might choose to do so. This may particularly happen when the functional and project manager do not get along together. These issues may be resolved by increasing cooperation between both the managers. For example, if a project manager assigns a task to a functional employee, he should notify the functional manager so that he does notfeel that his authority is surpassed. However, the issue may still remain if any or both of the managers are unwilling to cooperate. For this purpose, detailed evaluation forms may help. In those, the managers would have to give a detailed evaluation of the employees' assigned task

Questions on Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Questions on Economics - Essay Example The prevailing trend, however, is that the traditional or mainstream approach in economics could be considered outdated. Though it still should remain in the toolset of an economist, the emphasis on rationality as a means to solve modern market debacles may produce variable results. Herein, some of the strengths and weaknesses of the mainstream approach will be suggested. Likewise, the origin of the mainstream approach, and the knowledge that could be reaped from the utilization of some alternative approaches will also be pondered. If we are to offer a definition for what is meant by the mainstream approach in â€Å"economics [we mean] microeconomics† (Coase, 1998, 72). In other words, the mainstream approach is that ideology that was derived from the teachings of Adam Smith. In general, it is a viewpoint that favours limited government involvement, and the notion that market conditions fluctuate naturally and that rationality will balance the said. A few weaknesses of the lai ssez-faire view though include the fact that an extreme condition of â€Å"decentralization† would be required in its pure form, and also that it simply analyzes the price points of supply and demand, as opposed to evaluating the â€Å"factors† which influence these (Coase, 1998, 72). ... A more proper manner of discerning the status of microeconomics is that the â€Å"evidence/theory ratio†¦ is currently very low in this field† (Holmstrom & Tirole, 1989, 126). Thus, the ideal world is in discord with how real world reactions unfold, according to measurable economic aspects. Williamson (1994) calls out some additional weaknesses of the mainstream approach as he condemns â€Å"exclusive reliance on local or specific knowledge† (Williamson, 1994, 324). Rather than calling for an abolition of the limited micro-focus and following a broader approach, he recommends â€Å"appealing to both invisible- and visible-hand explanations,† thus this scholar could be classified as a moderate economist (Williamson, 1994, 323). Henry & Miller (2009) conducted an interesting analysis, wherein they present the platform that the â€Å"rich countries† are home to more stable economics since they â€Å"have incentives to engaged in productive economic acti vity† (Henry & Miller, 2009, 261). Easterly (2008) likewise supports the notion that rich countries will tend to outperform the poor who lack much of the foundational structure needed for economic success. Some of these so-called â€Å"incentives† refer to the heightened protection offered to would-be investors from the framework of â€Å"English common-law,† not to mention that such economies are â€Å"less prone to government ownership† (Henry & Miller, 2009, 261). As compared to the mainstream economic view, of Adam Smiths’ ideals, these pair would be quite opposite and perhaps in possession of a radical view that â€Å"macroeconomic policies† can exert a massive influence on the economy, especially when carried out at the institution level (Henry & Miller,

The Dell's Theory of Conflict Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Dell's Theory of Conflict Prevention - Essay Example There is likewise the need to integrating the use of communication in global supply chains to determine its impact in the prevention of war through citing Kwame Anthony Appiah’s â€Å"Making Conversation†. In addition, one aims to determine how world supply chain gets people of the world engaged with each other into an activity with the projected positive outcome on a global realm, again with reference to Appiah’s â€Å"Making Conversation† and his concept of â€Å"cosmopolitanism†. Finally, one would delve into an evaluation of religions aspects through identifying how two countries, like India and the USA for instance, with different religions, but involved into the same business, can contribute to the world’s stability. In this regard, one would ultimately aim to prove that Friedman’s Dell Theory is a valid theoretical contention that confirms that countries which are participants of a global supply chain would be hesitant to go int o war for economic gains. One strongly agrees with Friedman’s Dell Theory that â€Å"no two countries that are part of a major global supply chain, like Dell’s, will ever fight a war against each other as long as they are both part of the same global supply chain† (Friedman 125). The discussion of the global supply chain illumined one’s understanding that global organizations, such as McDonald’s or Dell, form stronger alliances through a structured communication process that effectively delivers the customers’ demands. This communication process was already identified by Appiah when he cited Voltaire and averred that there is this expressed understanding â€Å"of the obligation to understand those with whom we share the planet, linking that need explicitly with our global economic interdependence" (Appiah 59). Through the global supply chain that contains clear and explicit communication process and patterns from the sources of materials an d supplies up to the point where products are delivered to the doorsteps of consumers, more countries benefit economically and therefore, these countries would do everything within their powers to disrupt the continuous global supply chain flow. As evidenced by the concept of cosmopolitanism, explicitly that which was disclosed as â€Å""Cosmopolitans . . . regard all the peoples of the earth as so many branches of a single family, and the universe as a state, of which they, with innumerable other rational beings, are citizens, promoting together under the general laws of nature the perfection of the whole, while each in his own fashion is busy about his own well-being† (Appiah 59) prove that the global supply chain validly and credibly acknowledges the universality of a global organization’s mission and goals. The more people are aware that being part of the global supply chain is beneficial for the local economy and as part of a global process, the more that economic gains are highlighted to outweigh geopolitical pursuits. One supports the statement that the global supply chain is an instrumental technique for global diplomacy â€Å"to the extent that countries tied their economies and futures to global integration and trade, (and thereby) it would act as a restraint on going to war with neighbors† (Friedman 125).

Analysis of Competition in the Technology Market

Analysis of Competition in the Technology Market EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Dells competitive advantage is their direct customer sales and customer support; this has made the company one of the leading suppliers of computer systems. Dell has a better understanding of its customers computer needs through continuous online and telephone interaction. This constant interaction drives individual and enterprise productivity. Future growth rates for the computer industry are expected to be less than previous years however, Dell can still be profitable. One of the main problems that Dell faces is the struggling United States economy which Dell has no control over. This is compounded by a saturated PC market with lower profit margins from industry price wars. Dell must focus on being a market taker, instead of trying to be a market maker. Dell needs to capitalize on their ability to enter and dominate new markets, as it did in the low-end server and workstation markets. The company must pursue an international expansion of their middle and high-end server products. T hrough the acquisition of a company like EMC Corporation Dell can pursue the external data storage market. Dell has already captured a large share of the United States market and must increase its server, storage, and service segment overseas to gain more international market share, particularly in China and Latin America. The only viable strategy in order to achieve Michael Dells goal to double Dell Computers current revenue to $60 billion by 2007 is to work on methods to improve sales in the stated new areas. A combination of service, storage and server product growth across newly established international markets is vital to achieve Dells ambitious goal. The United States economy is in a recession, but there are numerous opportunities for growth outside its borders. INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT In the early 2000s, the electronic computer industry was struggling amidst a weak economic climate that presented challenges in business and consumer markets alike. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, after a sharp increase from $56.9 billion in 1998 to $64.7 billion in 1999, electronic computer shipment values fell in 2000 to $62.9 billion. As the economy took a turn for the worse, shipment values plunged to $55.8 billion in 2001. This affected virtually every product segment within the industry, including servers and workstations. Along with values, actual unit shipments also declined, falling from 27.2 million in 2000 to 22.7 million in 2001 (XXX). In the early 2000s there were numerous factors that slowed the purchase of new computers. On September 11, 2001 the terrorist attacks crippled consumer confidence. There was also a rise in the unemployment rates and the possibility of war with Iraq. All these factors made customers content with keeping their existing computers. These s ame conditions caused a slowdown of technology spending in the corporate world too. The wave of year 2000 related new equipment purchases that took place at the end of the 1990s, as well as the availability of quality used equipment from bankrupt Internet companies in the early 2000s, also had a negative impact on the corporate market for new electronic computers. Global competition among computer makers has favored, low-cost producers, and many of these are United States firms. The four largest United States computer makers, Dell, Compaq, Hewlett- Packard, and IBM controlled approximately 40 percent of world computer shipments. In late 2000, Dell proved itself as a potent competitor by taking the title of world market leader away from Compaq. In 2002 Hewlett-Packard had acquired Compaq, in an effort to challenge Dells position. In 2005 the industry reported 2,278 companies manufacturing electronic computers, employing 90,762 people who generated some $196,557.41 million in revenue. Average sales totaled $116.4 million per company. Electronic computers represented 59.7 percent of the market, while digital personal computers garnered 23.5 percent of the market (Electronic Computers, 2007). LEADING COMPANIES DELL Dell designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports information technology systems and services. The company sells its products directly to large corporate, government, healthcare, and education customers as well as small to medium businesses and individual consumers. Dell offers its products in six categories: desktop computer systems, mobility products, software and peripherals, servers and networking products and storage products. The desktop computer systems offer three product lines: Optiplex, Dimension and XPS. The company also offers Precision work stations (Galenet, 2008). The Optiplex product line is primarily for business, government, and institutional customers and the Dimension product line is for small businesses and home users. The XPS product line is for the gaming and entertainment needs of the customers. For the users that run sophisticated applications like three-dimensional computer-aided design, digital content creation, geographic information systems, computer animation, software development and financial analysis the company offers the Precision workstation. The mobility products division provides MP3 players, handhelds (Dell Axim) and three lines of notebooks (Dell XPS, Latitude and Inspiron). The XPS product line for  notebooks targets customers in the gaming or entertainment segment. The Latitude product line focuses on business, government, and institutional customers, while the Inspiron product line is targeted at small businesses. Dell is a leading player in the United States and worldwide for notebook computer shipments (Company Spotlight, 2008). The software and peripheral products of Dell includes printers and displays, software, notebook accessorie s, networking and wireless products, digital cameras, power adapters, scanners and other products. The company offers variety of third party software products such as operating systems, business and office applications, anti-virus and related security software and entertainment software. The companys power edge line of server focuses on enterprise customers and small organizations. Dell is the market leader in the United States in shipments of x86 servers. Computers and servers on small to medium networks can be connected using Dells PowerConnect switches. Dell doesnt just provide products, they also offer infrastructure consulting services, deployment services, asset recovery and recycling services, training services, enterprise support services, client support services and managed lifecycle services. Through Dell Financial Services (DFS) the company can provide United States businesses financing alternatives and asset management services. HEWLETT-PACKARD Hewlett-Packard (HP) offers a complete product portfolio spanning across personal computing, imaging and printing related products and services, and technology solutions. The company operates through seven business segments: enterprise storage and servers, HP services, software, the personal systems group, the imaging and printing group, HP Financial services and corporate investments. The enterprise storage and servers, HP services and software segment are aggregated under the technology solutions group. Hewlett-Packard is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and the company operates in over 170 countries around the world. The United States is the largest geographical market, 33.4 percent of the total revenue during 2007 (Smith, 2008). Enterprise storage and servers provide storage and server products to both small and medium sized businesses. Industry standard servers include entry-level and mid-range ProLiant servers, which operate primarily on the Windows, Linux and Novell operating systems, and Intel Corporation (Intel) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors. The companys product lines span across pedestal-tower servers, density optimized rack servers and HPs BladeSystem family of blade servers. The technology solutions group includes enterprise storage and servers, HP services and HP software. Technology solutions group provide servers, storage, software and information technology services for enterprise and mid-market business customers to manage their current IT environments. Business critical systems include Itanium-based Integrity servers running on the HPUX, Windows, Linux and OpenVMS operating systems including the high-end Superdome servers  and fault-tolerant Integrity NonStop servers. Business critical systems also include the Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)-based servers with the HP 9000 line running on the HP-UX operating system, HP AlphaServers running on both Tru64 UNIX and Open Virtual Memory System, and MIPs-based NonStop servers. The company has planned to phase out its Alpha server product line in recent times (PCs Industry Profile, 2008). Hewlett-Packards services include technology services, consulting and integration, and outsourcing services. It serves industries such as communications, media and entertainment, manufacturing and distribution, financial services and the public sector, and government and education services. The technology services ranges from standalone product support to high availability services for multi-vendor environments and business continuity and recovery services. The consulting and integration segment provided consulting and integration services to implement technology and industry-specific solutions for customers. Outsourcing services provides IT management and outsourcing to support infrastructure, applications, business processes, end user workplace, print environment, and business continuity and recovery requirements. HP Software provides management software solutions including support, that allow enterprise customers to manage their IT infrastructure, operations, applications, IT services and business processes under the brand, HP OpenView. It also delivers comprehensive, carrier-grade software platforms for developing and deploying next generation voice, data and converged services to network and service providers under the HP OpenCall brand. Hewlett Packard acquired Mercury Interactive Corporation, Bristol Technologies, SPI Dynamics and Opsware in fiscal 2007, which added transaction monitoring, applications security testing and data center automation capabilities to its portfolio. Personal systems group (PSG) is one of the leading providers of personal computers (PCs) in the world based both on volume and annual revenue. Its product line includes commercial PCs, consumer PCs, workstations, handheld computing devices, digital entertainment systems, calculators and other related accessories, and software and services. Workstations are individual computing products designed for users demanding enhanced performance such as computer animation, engineering design and other programs requiring high-resolution graphics. HP provides workstations that run on UNIX, Windows and Linux-based operating systems. Hewlett-Packard is the leading imaging and printing systems provider in the world. The segments portfolio of offerings includes consumer and commercial printer hardware, printing supplies, printing media and scanning devices. The HP Financial services provide financial service to small and medium size businesses. It also offers leasing, financing, utility programs and asset recovery services, financial asset management services for large global and enterprise customers. This group provides innovative and customized services to counter technology obsolescence. ACER Acer functions in the manufacture and sale of IT products, and provision of computer software and maintenance services. The company operates in Taiwan, Europe, Asia, and North America. The company operates through a single business segment and sells Acer branded desktop personal computers (PCs), notebook PCs, and other related information technology (IT) products and services. Acers IT product range includes computer system (desktops, notebooks, handhelds, and tablets), servers and storage products, monitors (cathode ray tube and liquid crystal display), peripherals, projectors, internet appliances and personal multimedia, and digital still cameras (DSC). Acer provides a commercial and consumer series desktop. The commercial series desktops include Veriton and AcerPower brands and the consumer series include the Aspire brand. The company provides four series of notebooks: Aspire series, TravelMate series, Tablet PC series, and Ferrari series. The Tablet series is Acers latest high-mobility solution, which easily converts between notebook and slate modes. Acers servers and storage products are sold under the brand name Altos and Acer. Acers services are based on the MegaMicro business model, which is defined by the company as a mega infrastructure that supports micro services. The services offered include e-Enabling Services Business, enabling Information Platform Services, and Enterprise e-Caring Services. The companys e-Enabling offerings combine Acers IT products and services, and are delivered through the companys infrastructure. (Acer.com, 2008) APPLE Apple is one of the major providers of personal computers, portable digital music players, and mobile communication devices. Apple designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers and related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions. The company also designs, develops, and markets a line of portable digital music players along with related accessories and services including the online distribution of third-party music, audio books, music videos, short films, and television shows. The company sells its products worldwide through online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers and resellers. Acer is managed on a basis of geographic segments. The company operates through four operating segments: the Americas, Europe, Japan, and retail. The Americas segment includes both North and South America. The Europe segment includes European countries as well as the Middle East and Africa. Each reportable geographic operating segment provides the same kind of hardware and software products and services. The retail segment currently operates Apple-owned retail stores in the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The company has 174 retail stores in the United States and 23 stores in Canada, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Apples Desktops product line includes iMac, eMac, Mac mini, Power Mac, Mac Pro, and Xserve. Portables include MacBook, iBook, MacBook Pro, and PowerBook. iPod products include iTunes Store and iPod services, and the companys own and third party iPod accessories. Other music related products and services include hardware accessories of the company and third parties, wireless connectivity and networking solutions. Software services comprise Apple  branded operating system and application software, third party software, AppleCare, and Internet services. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT The threat of new entrants into PC market is moderate, a compromise between high brand recognition in the market and strong market growth. The new web enabled mobile phones and games consoles fill the needs of some buyers as well as PCs making the threat of substitutes moderate. Rivalry within the market is moderate, as large competitors are faced with relatively high exit barriers, but still enjoying strong growth that leaves plenty of expansion room for all players. There is product differentiation within the market in terms of technical specification, styling, and support services offered, leading to decrease buyer power. However, there is little differentiation in the underlying architecture, with even Apple recently moving to the use of Intels x86 processors. This pushes the market towards commodification and strengthens buyer power. Buyer power can also be increased if more technology savvy people build their own computer. This requires special knowledge and is only a valid alt ernative to a small portion of the customer base. Buyer power overall remains moderate. Supplier power is low because PC manufactures do not incur a significant cost when switching suppliers. However, Intel has strong supplier power due to its brand recognition of its products and use in the vast majority of PCs on the markets. Microsoft also has strong supplier power as a result of their dominance in the operating systems market. The overall supplier power is strong. The threat of substitutes within the PC market is moderate, with much of the functionality of modern PCs being unavailable through alternative means. However, one of the largest threats to the consumer PC market lies within the sphere of gaming, especially with respect to the next generation games consoles, whose increased specifications are attracting gamers away from the PC format. Mobile phones and similar hand-held devices with email and web browser capability can also replace much of the communication role of PCs. The major PC manufacturers are relatively large companies. Some are strongly focused on the PC market (e.g. Lenovo), others have broadly diversified businesses (e.g. Sony), and so that on average the importance of the PC market to its players is moderate. COMPANY SWOT DELL Strengths Despite losing market share to Hewlett-Packard Company in the recent past, Dell continues to remain a strong player in the computer hardware segment. In the computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing industry in the United States, Dell was in the second place behind the Hewlett-Packard Company. In the computer and computer peripheral equipment and software wholesalers industry in the United States, Dell was in the first place with a market share of 6.5 percent. Dell is also one of the leading players in the global servers segment. The company has a strong market position in the storage segment owing to its partnership with EMC. The companys Asia Pacific-Japan segment has reported strong performance in recent three years. The revenue of this segment increased from $5,465 million in fiscal 2005 to $7,358 million in fiscal 2007, an increase of 34.6 percent over 2005. All product categories in this region experienced revenue growth during fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2006. The company has a wide product portfolio, comprising desktops, notebooks, servers, storage products, networking, printers, ink and toner, televisions, software and accessories. Dell has formed partnerships to strengthen its presence in areas where it is weak. A wide portfolio of products has helped the company provide bundled offerings to customers. Weaknesses Dell has weak internal controls. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) started an investigation into the accounting and financial reporting matters at Dell, in August 2005. In 2006 The company announced that its Audit Committees investigation had identified a number of accounting errors, evidence of misconduct, and deficiencies in the financial control environment. The company has had to recall several products in the recent past owing to quality issues. In August 2006, the company announced the recall of 4.1 million notebook batteries owing to fire risk. These Dell branded batteries were based on cells of Sony. The company also recalled several other products in previous years owing to quality problems, including AC Adapters and printers. Opportunities Dell has acquired new companies in 2007 and also plans to go in for acquisitions in the future. In July 2007, Dell entered into an agreement to acquire privately-held SilverBack Technologies, a service delivery platform provider for remote monitoring and management of information technology infrastructure such as servers, storage, networks, desktops and notebooks. In the following month, Dell entered into an agreement to acquire ZING Systems, a private consumer technology and services company that focuses on always-connected audio and entertainment devices. This acquisition enables Dell to use ZINGs capabilities to continue improving the entertainment experiences it provides its customers. In November 2007, the company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EqualLogic, (Dell.com, 2008) a provider of high-performance iSCSI storage area network (SAN) solutions optimized for virtualization. The  global Personal Computer (PC) market generated total revenues of $163.8 billion in 2006, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3 percent for the period spanning from 2002 to 2006. Desktop sales proved the most lucrative for the global PC market in 2006, generating total revenues of $123.1 billion, equivalent to 66.9 percent of the markets overall  value. In comparison, sales of Laptops generated revenues of $60.9 billion in 2006, accounting for 33.1 percent of the markets aggregate revenues. The company is entering into new retail agreements to enable consumers to have greater access to Dell products. In September 2007, the company partnered with Gome, Chinas largest consumer electronics retailer to reach millions of in-store computer buyers and to sell the companys latest products through it. In October 2007, Staples and Dell signed an agreement which allows customers to have the option to buy at 1,400 Staples stores for a wide collection of Dell notebook and desktop computers, monitors, printers, ink and toner (Dell.com, 2007). Threats The electronics manufacturing industry is struggling to compete with the black market, parallel import, and smuggled goods. Some countries like China represented an overwhelming 81 percent of the total value of seized goods in 2006. With an increase in the number of counterfeit products being manufactured in China, the company faces serious threats in most of its market segments. These products, although of poorer quality in most cases, are considerably cheaper and may affect the revenue of the company in the long run. Dells failure to comply with new environmental legislation could result in significant penalties and liabilities. Restriction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS) Directive, effective as of July 2006, imposes restrictions on the use of six hazardous materials. Although the company uses a number of third party manufacturers, it will continue to bear responsibility for compliance with the ROHS directive. The European Union has also enacted the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive which makes producers of electrical goods, including computers and printers, financially responsible for specified collection, recycling, treatment, and disposal of past and  future covered products. The United States and Eurozone are two important markets for Dell. The recent turmoil in financial markets, the very weak housing market indicators and consumer sentiments, the growth projection for the United States and the United Kingdome has slowed. Economic slowdown in the United States and Eurozone could lead to less IT spending, which in turn would adversely affect demand for the companys products. HEWLETT-PACKARD Strengths Hewlett-Packard has a strong market position in most of its product segments. The company has a leading market position in the global PC market in terms of shipments. Hewlett-Packard seized market leadership from Dell in the global PC market in 2006 and managed to sustain it in 2007 with 19 percent market share. The company is the second largest entity in the servers market behind International Business Machines (IBM), with its server range extending from low-end systems to high-end systems. In particular, the company is the market leader in x86 Blade and UNIX based servers. Hewlett-Packard has a leading market position in printers. Hewlett-Packard has reported strong financials in recent years. The company has reduced its long-term debt over the last few years from $6,494 million in 2003 to $4,997 million in 2007. Hewlett-Packards long-term debt ratio stood at 0.1 for the fiscal year ended October 2007. The strong financial position provides the company the flexibility of expanding its geographical coverage and product portfolio through organic and inorganic initiatives. Hewlett-Packard also has high brand equity. The company is one of the leading brands in the technology sector along with Microsoft, IBM and Intel. Hewlett-Packard markets several products such as personal computers, inkjet printers and digital cameras to consumers. A strong brand image plays a critical role in consumer markets. Weaknesses Hewlett-Packard has weak internal controls. The company is being investigated by a number of agencies for employing questionable methods to identify the board member, who was leaking  confidential information to the media (Los Angeles Times, 2006). The company is accused of using private agencies, which used illegal methods such as imitation to obtain the phone records of its board members and select journalists. Hewlett-Packard lacks in-house management consulting division. Instead the company has formed partnerships with the likes of Accenture and Capgemini to provide management consulting services to its customers. Increasing number of IT services companies are establishing management consulting divisions in order to provide a more comprehensive and integrated range of services. The research and development expenditure of Hewlett-Packard has remained flat in recent years. The company invested $3,643 million in research and development in each year of 2006 and 2007 compared with $3,492 million in 2005. Research and development as a percentage of revenues declined over the last three years from 4 percent in 2005 and 3.9 percent in 2006 to 3.5 percent in 2007 (HP.com, 2007). Opportunities Hewlett-Packard has undertaken an ambitious revamp of its IT operations, which it hopes will not only improve its effectiveness but also serve as a showcase for its technological capabilities. Hewlett-Packard has taken up five classes of IT initiatives: portfolio management, IT workforce effectiveness, world-class IT, enterprise data warehouse and global data centers. The portfolio management initiatives of the company include reducing active projects from 1,200 to 500 and reducing the number of applications. For improving IT workforce, the company is reducing its IT core sites from 100 to 29 among other initiatives. The company is focused on extending its leadership in imaging and printing. HP acquired Snapfish, online photo service, to dominate the sharing and printing of digital images over the internet. Hewlett-Packard is expanding Snapfish in Europe and Asia. Threats Hewlett-Packard faces intense competition in all its business segments in terms of price, quality,  brand, technology, reputation, distribution, range of products etc. The company faces stiff competition in the PC market. The company has become the market leader in the PC segment in the third and fourth quarter of 2006, sending Dell to the number two position. Acers acquisition of Gateways has made it the third largest PCs supplier in the world. In some regions, the company faces competition from local companies and from generically-branded or white box manufacturers. In the printer supplies segment, Hewlett-Packard competes with re-manufacturers including private label brand stores such as Office Max, supply stores such as Cartridge world, internet vendors and original equipment manufacturers such as Lexmark. The European markets and the United States economy are forecast to decline in coming years. The unemployment rate in the United Kingdom is also forecast to grow in 2008. Risi ng interest rates and increasing unemployment would negatively affect the consumer spending in the United Kingdom. ACER Strengths Acer has robust market position in the global PC and notebook markets. In 2008, the company was ranked as the third largest player in the global PC market with a market share of 12.8 percent. Acer was ranked the second largest in the global notebook market with a share of 19.6 percent. The company was ranked the third largest player in the United States PC market and notebook market. In September 2008, the company completed acquisition E-Ten Information Systems (Acer-group.com, 2008). The acquisition helped the company to strengthen its position in handheld devices, including smartphones and GPS devices. Acer also purchased Packard Bell in 2008. In 2007 the company purchased one of the largest PC companies in the United States, Gateway. The successful mergers of Gateway and Packard Bell helped the company to strengthen its presence in the United States and enabled deeper penetration into the European and Asian markets. These acquisitions helped the company in generating increasing re venues from non-Taiwan markets. Weaknesses Acer is significantly dependent on Europe for its revenues. In FY2008 and FY2007, the company generated around 51 percent of its total revenues from Europe. Europe is experiencing a slowdown in the recent periods. The United Kingdom economy is forecast to be weak in the coming years. The companys high dependence on Europe makes its operations vulnerable to fluctuations in Europe economy. Opportunities The smartphone market is expected to grow in the coming years. It is anticipated that the smartphone market will grow by 15 percent every year for the next three to five years. The value of the global smartphone market is also expected to be more than $95 billion, representing 47 percent of the total handset market value in 2013. Acer is well-positioned in this segment. The growing smartphone market will provides the company an opportunity to increase its revenues in the coming years. Despite the slowdown in the overall PC market, the netbooks/mini-notebooks sales are forecast to grow in near term. The netbook market experienced a robust growth in 2008 and is forecast to grow about 68.5 percent in shipments. Acer offers netbooks under its four brands: Acer, Gateway, Packard Bell and eMachines. Acer has upgraded its products in the recent times. In September 2008, Acer along with its partners introduced Acer-Hitachi SMS 100, a storage product designed for the needs of small and medium sized businesses. The product offers enterprise class features and does not require specific storage experience to be installed and can be connected to any server through an ethernet network. Acer also launched the Aspire M7200 desktop PC targeting multimedia home-users looking for a powerful multi-tasking system, with plenty of expansion and customization capabilities Threats Acer competes with several large branded as well as smaller branded and generic companies. The company faces severe competition from branded competitors such as Apple, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard. The note book segment has also attracted competition from nontraditional players. Intense competition in the PC segment may erode the companys margins and reduce its market share. Acer has been part of several patent law suits in the recent periods. In 2007, HP  filed a suit against Acer alleging that Acer and its United States subsidiary have knowingly infringed on five HP patents related to PCs. This has raised HPs recent patent claims against Acer to 10. However in 2008, Acer settled all ongoing patent litigations with HP. Acer operates in various countries worldwide, and is exposed to risk from changes in foreign currency rates. The company derived about 95.3 percent of sales from customers outside Taiwan in FY2008. The consolidated companies record transactions in their respective func tional currencies, which generally are the local currency of the primary economic environment in which these entities operate. APPLE Strengths Apple enjoys a high level of brand awareness and brand recognition for its products throughout the markets in which it operates. Apple leverages its brand image to differentiate its product offering and drive sales. The companys strong brand enables it t

Dealing with Death in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s C

Dealing with Death in Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! and Tennyson’s Crossing the Bar Life and death are recurring topics in literature; they are not often referred to directly, but are inferred from figurative language. In Walt Whitman’s poem entitled â€Å"O Captain! My Captain† from his anthology of poems, Leaves of Grass, he describes the passing of Abraham Lincoln through the use of an extended metaphor. Similarly, â€Å"Crossing the Bar,† by Lord Alfred Tennyson, from his collection of poetry, Demeter and Other Poems, alludes to one’s preparation for his or her own death. At times, the two authors utilize similar techniques, employing various figurative language devices such as extended metaphors, diction and format, which all work to highlight their differences in meaning. Through the use of imagery, the authors’ poems invoke various emotions but end up leading to the discussion of two different journeys, one that is elegiac in memory of a historical figure, and the other applicable to all those who are facing death. The two poems share some common characteristics, as both make nautical references and deal with various stages of death. The two authors use capitalization to place emphasis on the titles of the characters in the poem. As in Whitman’s poem, he addresses the subject of the poem as â€Å"O Captain! My Captain,† who is the one leading the â€Å"ship† (2) that is nearing the port. This is an allusion to President Abraham Lincoln, who led the United States after the Civil War. Tennyson’s poem discusses the time when one will be â€Å"put out to sea† (4) to see the â€Å"Pilot face to face† (15). The subject in Tennyson’s poem lacks a name, and therefore can be applied to any individual, but the â€Å"Pilot† (15) refers to t... ...n, metaphors and imagery to memorialize the fallen captain, Abraham Lincoln and to give him the proper praise for his work for the United States. Tennyson’s subject is preparing for the end of his time, which is demonstrated through word choice and imagery. Through the use of literary devices, one can see the true similarities between the two poems, as both discuss death related topics through nautical metaphors, but also highlight the true differences in themes and meanings between Whitman and Tennyson’s poems. Works Cited Alfred Lord Tennyson. Ed. J.D. Robins. 1997. University of Toronto. 28 Oct. 2002 Walt Whitman. Ed. Ian Lancashire. 2002. University of Toronto. 28 Oct. 2002 4713 1 Marlow ENGL.12.05

A Students Life is not a happy one

Although the fascination of learning is one which provides a great deal of excitement and motivation to help see a student through the challenging years of study, there are a great many responsibilities and expectations, also, which are placed upon the student.Most students, like myself, are not only grappling with numerous responsibilities (many of them new), but also with certain, more personal — if universal — changes in psychological and emotional states which are common enough in those who in their college years.The student's life is not a happy one because of the constant tension between personal and scholastic responsibilities and how this tension impacts on the simultaneous emotional and intellectual growth of the student.A student must maintain a tight schedule, with each class requiring a substantial amount of out-of-class time to be devoted to thought and study for the particular class. In my case, not only do the classes which are requirements outside of my major field of study often seem obtrusive with their work-loads, they also seem obtrusive because they interest me!This means that I must learn to conserve my energy to some extent and not chase off on every interesting tangent that I encounter during my readings.If I stumble across an interesting fact in Art History, say the â€Å"Art Noveau† movement and begin to read about some of its most celebrated artists and critics, I truly do begin to get â€Å"lost† in this spontaneous study, which can detract from my official studies in other areas.All in all, I would say that reading, at all, has become, for me as a student, an act of study and work most times.   It is difficult for me to even read a newspaper without bringing analytical study to the process.In other words, the constant bombardment of new information and the constant devotion to study seem to make everything a â€Å"model† or a â€Å"paradigm† and sometimes it seems difficult to turn off the â€Å"student† brain and just live life.Another difficult aspect of being a student is economic.   The time that one must devote to study is so vast that earning an income becomes problematic.Because you are likely to be poor when you are a student, one has the added pressure of worrying about an unexpected expense.   Also, socializing with people who are not, themselves, students becomes difficult.If one of my older friends or relatives who have already completed school ask me to go golfing or bowling or even to a movie, I must make two checks: one to see if I have time, and usually, I don't — the other to see if I have money — and usually, I don't. So, the idea that people view a student as someone with a lot of free time to carry on and party strikes me as a bit silly.However, many students, themselves, seem to belive that they should be spending the majority of their time partying and carrying on. This is another fact which tends to make a student's lif e unpleasant.When you are   not feeling the pressure to be an intellectual about everything up to and including the latest TV commercial you saw, you are expected to be some sort of raging party-animal, out until dawn with your friends.In reality, those people I know who believe this and try to live it wind up with so many problems and deficiencies that I would certainly say that the myth of the student's leisure time is one of the most destructive myths out there and   being with or around people who want to try to believe in it and live it is very unpleasant most of the time.As a student, you have very little power in the off-campus world.   Your time is not your own; your money is not your own. Even your own thoughts, it seems, are not your own.What little personal time you do manage to snare for yourself often turns to questions in your mind like: â€Å"What good is all of this education if I won't be able to find a job when I am finished?†If you take a look around at the headlines and the state of the economy and the price of gas and the rest — you start to wonder if putting yourself into debt to get an education is really worth the effort. And then you realize you are worrying about things that are really problems that you shouldn't have to deal with until after you graduate.

Proofreading Techniques When Time is Tight

Proofreading Techniques When Time is Tight (Issue 24: November, 2009) What should you do when you must proofread a business document, but you face a panic-stricken colleague, a demanding boss, or a shortened deadline? As the holiday season and end-of-year deadlines approach, you’ll need to produce more documents in even less time. Assuming that the panic-stricken person who brought you the document gave you no specific instructions about what to look for and what to ignore, here is a list of three process checks, in order of importance:1) Check, Print, Find Reviewer: Work in pairs - ask a colleague to proof your documents, and return the favor. Run the document through grammar and spell-check. This won't catch everything, but it will flag typos. Print the document. Finding errors in print is much easier than on screen. 2) Check Format and Organization: Check the pagination. Make sure that the pages are numbered sequentially. If the document is to be copied double-sided, check to see that blank pages have been inserted properly and that all odd-numbered pages will fall on a right-hand page. Proofread the cover page and title page word for word. Make sure that the date is correct and that the company's and author's names are spelled correctly. Flip each page and look for any glaring errors such as missing figures or printer glitches such as grossly uneven page toner. Flip each page again (make a separate pass) and look at the format to see that headings and subheadings are the correct size and typeface, spacing and indentation are consistent, running headings are correct, and margins are the right size. Check the table of contents against the text. Make sure that all of the sections are included and that the wording in the table of contents matches the text. Check the page numbers against the text. If you have a PowerPoint document, you will likely find errors here. Look at the graphics and tables. Make sure they are numbered correctly and that their titles correctly describe what appears. #3 Read Most Important Text: Read the preface, executive summary, or any other introductory material that the reader is likely to look at first. Read the conclusion or final summary section. Read the headings and subheadings. Read the first sentence (or first paragraph, if there is time) of each section. If you have any time remaining, proofread known trouble spots. You'll notice that the first 2 processes do not involve proofreading text. If you're really crunched for time, verify the organization and style of the document first because: It is fast to do so. A poorly organized document is very unprofessional, and readily apparent to a reader. Worse yet, your reader will be lost in the disorganization. You will find the most obvious errors. Only once you verify organization and appearance (items 1-2), should you move to text review (item 3).Ideally, we need to allow enough proofreading time. But, sometimes we don't have that option. These techniques will save you when you're faced with too little time.

Profile of Pope Clement VI

Profile of Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI is an important figure in Medieval History. Key Facts Pope Clement VI was also known as Pierre Roger (his birth  name). Accomplishments Sponsoring a naval crusading expedition, buying land for the papacy in Avignon, patronizing arts and learning,  and defending the Jews when pogroms flared up during the  Black Death. Occupation: Pope Place of Residence and Influence: France Important Dates: Born:  c.  1291Elected pope: May 7, 1342Consecrated: May 19, 1342Died:  1352 About Pope Clement VI Pierre Roger  was born in Corrà ¨ze, Aquitaine, France, and entered a monastery when he was still a child. He studied in Paris and became a professor there, where he was introduced to Pope John XXII. From then on his career took off; he was made  abbot of Benedictine monasteries at Fà ©camp and La Chaise-Dieu before he became archbishop of Sens and Rouen and then a cardinal. As Pope, Clement  was strongly pro-French. This would cause difficulties when attempting to broker peace between France and England, who were at that time engaged in the decades-long conflict that would come to be known as the Hundred Years War. Unsurprisingly, his efforts saw little success.   Clement was  the fourth pope to reside in Avignon, and the continued existence of the Avignon Papacy did nothing to lessen the problems that the papacy  had with Italy. Noble Italian families disputed the papacys claim to the territory, and Clement sent his nephew,  Astorge de Durfort, to settle matters in the Papal States. Though Astorge would not be successful, his use of German mercenaries to aid him would set a precedent in papal military matters that would last another hundred years. Meanwhile, the Avignon Papacy persisted. Not  only did Clement turn down an opportunity to return the papacy to Rome, but he also purchased Avignon from Joanna of Naples, whom he absolved of her husbands murder. Pope Clement  chose to stay in Avignon during the  Black Death and  survived the worst of the plague, though a third of his cardinals died. His survival may have been due, in large part, to his doctors advice to sit between two huge fires, even in the heat of summer. Though it wasnt the doctors intent,  the heat was so extreme that plague-bearing fleas couldnt get near him. He also offered  protection to the Jews when many were persecuted under suspicion of starting the pestilence. Clement  saw some success in crusading, sponsoring a naval expedition that took control of Smyrna, which was given to the Knights of St. John, and ended its pirate raids in the Mediterranean. Spurning the idea of clerical poverty, Clement  opposed extremist organizations like the Franciscan Spirituals, who advocated absolute rejection of all material comforts, and became  a patron of artists and scholars. To that end, he enlarged  the papal palace and  made it a sophisticated center of culture. Clement was a generous host and a magnanimous  sponsor, but his lavish spending would deplete the funds his predecessor, Benedict XII, had so carefully amassed, and he turned to taxation to rebuild the papacys treasury. This would sow the seeds of further discontent with the Avignon Papacy. Clement died in 1352 after a short illness. He was interred as per his wishes at the abbey at  La Chaise-Dieu, where 300 years later Huguenots would desecrate  his grave and burn his remains. More Pope Clement VI Resources Pope Clement VI in Print Clement VI: The Pontificate and Ideas of an Avignon Pope (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series) by Diana Wood Pope Clement VI on the Web Pope Clement VI, Substantial biography by N. A. Weber at the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Sex, Gender and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sex, Gender and Society - Essay Example The fact of gender stereotyping therefore has put the spotlight back on the Caribbean male. (Lewis, 1994, p 76). In other words, it has become one of the most perceptible gendered realities that the men in the Caribbean territory are in crisis in the modern world and the Jamaican realities of gender regarding the marginalisation of black male substantiate the argument. In fact, the marginalisation of black male in the Caribbean territory, especially in Jamaica, has emerged one of the pertinent discourses in the contemporary discourses of Sex, Gender and Society. "Central to this discourse is the notion that men are increasingly missing from the higher echelons of the family, the classroom and the labour force. The marginalization thesis prompts a variety of understandings. On the one hand, the increased presence of Jamaican women in education, the labour force and as household heads suggests that the nation's traditional patriarchy is being reordered to produce a new female-dominated gender hierarchy." (Lindsay, 2002, p 56). This paper undertakes a reflective analysis of the thesis, with reference to the territory of Jamaica, that Caribbean men are in crisis examining the relevance and accuracy of this argument and finding the most illumining recommendations as resolution. One of the salient recent developments in feminist and gender studies in the Caribbean region is the emergence of studies of masculinities and the most appealing argument, based on the marginalisation thesis, is that the Caribbean male is an endangered species. There have been convincing data evidences and empirical supports to this significant argument by Lindsay, and the evidences from the education sector best substantiate the point. Thus, "the Anglophone Caribbean is one of the few regions where secondary school enrolment of girls exceeds that of boys. Additionally, by the 1986-87 academic year, total female enrolment at the University of the West Indies slightly exceeded that of males. By the end of 1992, 70 per cent of all graduates from the University of the West Indies Mona campus were female." (Reddock, 2004, p ix-x). Therefore, it is obvious that there are stunning empirical evidences to prove the accuracy of the argument which states that Caribbean men are in crisis. Accor ding to Lindsay, a clear understanding of the data regarding Caribbean women's participation in different areas of the family, workplace and classroom rarely suggests the increasing female dominance and converse male marginality. To her, the marginality of males in the land results not from any concrete material reality, but from a gender based methodological frame which identifies some data source and ignores others. That is to say, there are arguments in favour as well as against the data evidences of male marginalisation. "While a number of scholars have been able to challenge the marginalization thesis successfully, it continues to have great impact, causing expressions of concern from the highest levels of government and from quasi-governmental institutions at national and regional levels." (Reddock, 2004, p ix-x). Therefore, it is all but easy to conclude that there is great accuracy of the marginalizati

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 Essay

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 - Essay Example In business the population mean can be applied on a study using a focus group as a parameter of the whole population. He focus group can be used to sample new products and get reactions from the consumers. The population mean represents the true opinion of the entire population. During elections most opinion poll the voters predict the winning candidate this has been done for the major media houses to make consumers glued to their channels during heated campaign periods. Thus during the period the media houses make their money on adverts as the candidates use the polls advertise themselves on the weaker area of electorate. Most drug and pharmaceuticals company test their drugs on a certain focus group to test the curative and side effects of vaccine, cure drugs and cosmetics. Most recently GlaxoSmithKline and NewLinkGenetics were conducting focus group trials on Ebola virus; as a result of outbreak in West Africa (Daniel Flynn, 2014). Most consumer goods have a warranty, the risk of return of the product is calculated from the margin of error of producing a defective product. Daniel Flynn, R.-J. B. (2014, November 14). Exclusive: MSF should have called for Ebola vaccine earlier. Retrieved from Reuters: