John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism Essay

John Stuart Mill published Utilitarianism in 1861 in installments in Fraser’s Magezine it was later brought out in book form in 1863. The book offers a candidate for a first principle of morality, a principle that provides us with a criterion distinquishing right and wrong. The unilitarian candidate is the principle of utility, which holds that â€Å"actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happpiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure.† One version of cecular utilitarianism was represented by William Godwin the husband of Mary Wollstonecraft and father of Mary Shelley, who achieved great notoriety with the publication of hil Political Justice of 1793. Godwin’s use of the principle of utility for the cause of radical political and social critique began the identification of utilitarianism with anti-religiosity and with dangerous democratic values. The second version of secular utilitarianism, and the one that inspired Mill, arose from the work of Jeremy Bentham. Benthan, who was much more successful than Godwin at building a movement around his ideas, employed the principle of utility as a device of political, social, and legal criticism. Bentham’s interest in the principle of utility did not arise from concern about ethical theory as much as from concern about lefislative and legal reform. Though Bentham and Godwin intended it to have this function in the late eighteenth century, utilitarianism became influential only when tied with the political machinery of the Radical party, which had particular prominence on the English scene in the 1830’s.

John Steinbeck Common Themes

Born in 1902 in Salinas, California, Nobel Prize winner, John Steinbeck, was one of the most important writers in America during the 20th century. In his novels, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, and In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck explores what it takes for a person to find true happiness in life. Steinbeck addresses the pursuit for happiness in one’s life—the American Dream—, by questioning modern idea of it being achieved through material items and the path people take to accomplish it. Steinbeck also addresses the happiness people find in relationships and how connecting to someone can affect a person’s decisions in life. To communicate his ideas with the reader, Steinbeck creates the storyline of his novels, connecting his themes with his characters. In his novels, John Steinbeck addresses the themes of the American Dream and the importance of relationships through various characters in the stories. In his masterpiece, East of Eden, John Steinbeck’s theme of the American Dream focuses on a person’s desire to make a better life for his or her children. Adam Trask greatly portrays this theme when he tries to start an icebox business: â€Å"Adam was a fool. These know-it-all dreamers always got into trouble†¦People who inherited their money always got into trouble. And if you wanted any proof—just look at how Adam had run his ranch. A fool and his money were soon departed† (East of Eden, p. 438). In the novel, it becomes clear that Adam, among many Americans, believes strongly in the idea that money buys happiness. Adam’s yearning to gain money in his name demonstrates his plan to leave a large inheritance for Aaron and Cal, as his father had done for him and his brother. Ultimately, though, Adam’s business proves a failure, making him one of the many who have fallen to the lure of the American Dream. Furthermore, the brothel owner, Faye, also conveys the desire to create a better life for her child. She displays this theme through her adoption of Cathy: â€Å"’I have to have the money. ’ ‘No, you don’t. ’ ‘Of course I do. Where else could I get it? ’ ‘You could be my daughter†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘†¦But I have to have money. ’ ‘There’s plenty for both of us, Cathy. I could give you as much as you make and more†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (East of Eden, p. 229). Faye’s lack of close friends creates a weakness in her, which Cathy uses to manipulate Faye into seeing her as a daughter figure. As displayed in the quotation, Faye’s newfound motherly sense sparks a need to provide for Cathy. To Faye’s knowledge, Cathy has lived a depressing life and Faye, being sympathetic to Cathy’s cause, wants to create a better life for her. Eventually, Cathy’s manipulation of Faye works and she receives Faye’s inheritance, fulfilling her own American Dream. The importance of relationships in East of Eden also proves to be a theme Steinbeck conveys through his characters. Adam’s brother, Charles, displays the effect relationships can have on someone when he confronts Adam about their Father’s birthday presents: â€Å"What did you do on his birthday? †¦Did you spend six bits or even four bits? You brought him a mongrel pup†¦That dog sleeps in his room. He plays with it while he’s reading. He’s got it all trained. And where’s the knife? ‘Thanks,’ he said, just ‘Thanks. ’† (East of Eden, p. 30). In this quotation, Charles demonstrates the absence of a relationship between him and his father. Although it becomes evident in the novel that Charles’ father does love him, he chooses not to display it, forming the idea in Charles’ mind that no one loves him. Because of his feelings, Charles becomes jealous of Adam, whom their father openly displays affection towards. This draws in Charles an upmost hatred of his own brother, which Charles uses to harm Adam: â€Å"The footsteps came close, slowed, moved on a little, came back. From his hiding place Adam could see only a darkness in the dark†¦Charles raised the match and peered around, and Adam could see the hatchet in his right hand† (East of Eden, p. 1). In this quotation, Charles tries to kill his own brother. As a confused youth, Charles sees killing his brother, whom gets all the affection from their father, as a way to justify the neglect he receives from his father. Charles provides a perfect example of the importance a relationship has, and how not having one can bring out the darkest part of on e’s personality. Whereas he used East of Eden to focus on the American Dream of one’s desire to make a better life for his or her children, Steinbeck uses Of mice and Men to focus on the unachievable aspect of the American Dream. In the novella, George and Lennie convey this theme through their reassurance that they will not have to tend to someone else’s ranch and will soon have there own: â€Å"’O. K. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—‘ ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’,’† (Of Mice and Men, p. 13). Throughout the novella George repeats this line more often and it even acts as one of the few things Lennie remembers. It appears the more times they reassure themselves of this dream, the more it shifts from reality to fantasy. This dream also catches the imagination of other characters in the novel, one being Crooks. Crooks, who naturally does not believe in the luxury of dreaming, becomes transformed by Lennie’s thinking: â€Å"’†¦If you†¦guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand’† (Of Mice and Men, p. 73). This quotation suggests every American succumbs to the idea of the American dream. This quotation also suggests the characters that have dreams of a brighter future, like Candy, George, and Lennie, would have nothing without them. Ultimately, through multiple examples in the novel, Steinbeck suggests the American dream acts more of as a motivator rather than a reality. While Steinbeck uses George and Lennie to convey the unachievable American Dream, he also uses them to convey the importance of relationships. Friendship plays a major role in the story development, greatly affecting the actions of George and Lennie. George demonstrates this theme’s effect on him when he talks to Lennie about sticking together: â€Å"‘where the hell could you go? †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢How’d you eat. You ain’t got sense enough to find nothing to eat. ’ ‘I’d find things, George. I don’t need no nice food with ketchup. ’†¦George looked quickly and searchingly at him. ‘I been mean, ain’t I? ’ (Of Mice and Men, p. 11-12). At first, it seems George regretfully carries the burden of taking care of Lennie, but, when studied further, George sees Lennie more o f as a friend instead of a burden. In this quotation, George displays his friendship when he acknowledges his harshness after he yells at Lennie. George’s friendship with Lennie also becomes evident at the end of the novella where Georges execution of Lennie demonstrates an act of kindness on behalf of their friendship. George, instead of letting Curley give him a long, painful death, gives Lennie a short and painless one. Additionally, the theme of friendship also affects Lennie when he recites part of George and his dream of owning a ranch: â€Å"But not us! An’ why? Because†¦because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you, and that’s why. ‘†¦we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—‘ ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan’’† (Of Mice and Men, p. 13). This quotation suggests Lennie needs George or else his dream will not be a believable accomplishment. This suggestion helps conclude that Lennie sees George as his friend and guide through life, and, without him, Lennie will no t know what to do with himself or where to go any longer. In Cannery Row, Steinbeck compares the change in the American Dream from the pursuit of happiness to the pursuit of material success. Steinbeck conveys the original meaning of the American Dream through Mack and his boys: â€Å"Mack was the elder, leader, mentor, and to a small extent the exploiter of a little group of men who had in common no family, no money, and no ambitions beyond food, drink and contentment† (Cannery Row, p. 13). Mack and his boys are an example of Americans who understand and are fulfilling what the American Dream originally was: the pursuit of happiness. In the novel, Mack and his boys are in a debt to Lee Chong—which he knows they will never repay—and still happy with the lives they live. Also, Mack and his boys only work when they need necessities to live like food, clothing, or shelter, proving a person does not need to be materially successful to be happy with their lives. While Mack and the Boys are an example of the original American Dream, the Malloys are an example of the changed American Dream. The Malloys demonstrate their need for money to be happy through their longing for more material items: â€Å"Mrs. Malloy had been contented until her husband became a landlord and then she began to change. First it was a rug, then a washtub, then a lamp with a colored silk shade†¦Mr. Malloy sat up on the mattress. ‘Curtains? ’ he demanded. ‘What in God’s name do you want curtains for? ’† (Cannery Row, p. 47). At first, the Malloys started out as homeless people, but then moved into a broken down boiler in between Lee Chong’s and the Bear Flag restaurant. After they had a home and were content, they decided to gain more money by renting out their housing pipes to men as sleeping quarters. Unlike Mack and his boys who gain money for necessities, the Malloys gain money just for having more money and buying unnecessary material things like rugs or silk lampshades, or curtains. Ultimately, Steinbeck proves the original concept of the American Dream can still exist, but the natural greed of humans to want more weakens it. Like Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses Cannery Row to examine the affects a developing friendship can have on a person. Characters that convey this theme are Doc and Frankie. The unlikely pair display their friendship when Doc goes to retrieve Frankie from the police station after he gets arrested for robbing a jewelry store: â€Å"‘Frankie—you shouldn’t have done it,’ said Doc. The heavy stone of inevitability was on his heart†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœFrankie,’ he said, ‘why did you take it? Frankie looked a long time at him. ‘I love you,’ he said. Doc ran out and got in his car and went collecting in the caves below Pt. Lobos† (Cannery Row, p. 164-165). This quotation displays the strong friendship between Doc and Frankie because after Frankie’s mom denies responsibility for him, he cal ls on Doc for help. The friendship between Doc and Frankie almost mirrors the friendship between George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men. Frankie, like Lennie, is a mentally ill character that creates an unexpected friendship with Doc, a man who would seem burdened by Frankie. Like George did for Lennie, Doc tries to help Frankie in his time of need. His single mistake, alongside his mental illness, proved great enough to cloud the judgment of the police, removing from him a second chance in life Frankie only wanted to please his one and only friend, but in doing so, ruined his chances of ever having a future. Ultimately, Frankie’s friendship with Doc made him feel wanted in a society that rejected him. Furthermore, Mack and the boys and Lee Chong also convey the importance of relationships. They convey this theme when Lee rents out his old fish meal shack to the boys: â€Å"And that was the way it was. Everyone was happy about it†¦The windows were not broken. Fire did not break out, and while no rent was every paid, if the tenants every had any money, and quite often they did have, it never occurred to them to spend it at any place except at Lee Chong’s grocery† (Cannery Row, p. 15). When he gave Mack and the boys the shack, Lee not only stopped them from vandalizing his store but also found new friends in them. Although they never paid rent for living in the shack, Mack and the boys supported Lee however they were able to, even though they did not have to do anything. In the end, the friendship between Lee and Mack’s group provided Mack and the boys a shelter to call home and helped protect and improve Lee’s business. In his novel, In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck focuses on the different ways people struggle to achieve the American Dream. Jim Nolan, the first character to convey this theme, displays his struggle when he joins the â€Å"Party† in the beginning of the novel: â€Å"‘Well, why do you want to join, then? ’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœIn the jail there were some Party men. They talked to me. Everything’s been a mess, all my life. Their lives weren’t messes. They were working toward something. I want to work toward something. I feel dead. I thought I might get alive again’† (In Dubious Battle, p. 8). Before joining the â€Å"Party† Jim’s life, like many people during the Great Depression, was rough, having lost his job and his parents. As displayed by the quotation, Jim’s purpose for joining the â€Å"Party† was to start a new life to achieve what he saw as the American Dream. During his jail time, Jim observed his fellow inmates and noticed how being in the â€Å"Party† made them happy, and in his mind, achieving happiness means to achieve the American Dream. From what he witnessed in jail, Jim sought to join the â€Å"Party† to accomplish his own idea of the American Dream. Similar to Jim’s endeavor to find happiness, the ongoing battle between the workers and the landowners of the apple orchard also demonstrates the struggle the American Dream brings. London, the voted leader of the strike, expresses this when he talks to the orchard superintendant: â€Å"London said, ‘S’pose we kick ‘em out? Do we get the money we’re strikin’ for? Do we get what we would of got before the cut? ’ ‘No; but you can go back to work with no more trouble. The owners will overlook everything that’s happened†¦You get the men back to work and you’ll get a steady job here as assistant superintendent at five dollars a day’† (In Dubious Battle, p. 101). This quotation demonstrates the struggle between London and the superintendent. As displayed by his dialogue, the superintendent makes it clear he does not care about his workers and only sees them as people he can exploit to make him money. In a way, the superintendent fulfills the requirements someone needs to achieve the American Dream of material success. Although he gets offered a high-paying job, which would allow him to achieve material success, London must still decide whether to leave his fellow workers, or to stick with them in their struggle against the landowners. Ultimately, London declines because of the tension between his poor, working-class and the wealthier class that the superintendent belongs to. While Jim Nolan was used to convey the struggle to achieve the American Dream in In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck also uses him to demonstrate the affects relationships have on individuals. Jim displays the affects relationships have on a person through his involvement with the â€Å"Party† when he takes part in the interrogation of a young boy: â€Å"Jim sat on the mattress and watched. Mac said, ‘Jim, you gave me hell about losing my head a little while ago. I’m not losing it now. ’ ‘It’s O. K. if you’re cold,’ said Jim. ‘I’m a sharpshooter,’ Mac said. ‘You feeling sorry for the kid, Jim? ’ ‘No, he’s not a kid, he’s an example’† (In Dubious Battle, p. 213). In the beginning of the novel, Jim was in search of happiness in life and in an attempt to achieve it he joined the â€Å"Party†. Jim discovers from joining the â€Å"Party† that he has found a family-like relationship among its members, something he was never able to completely have. Although Jim has found a place where he belongs, his involvement with the â€Å"Party† has affected his personality, changing from a caring and sensitive person to a cold and heartless one. Even though Jim calls Mac a cold person, his inability to consider the young boy as a human being proves him to be a cold person as well. Just as Jim’s personality had changed from joining the â€Å"Party,† Mac’s personality changes through his friendship with Jim. The scene after Mac interrogates the young boy demonstrates the affect on Mac from this friendship with Jim: â€Å"He stood still, smiling his cold smile, until London went out of the tent†¦All over his body the muscles shuddered. His face was pale and grey. Jim put his hand over and took him by the wrist. Mac said wearily, ‘I couldn’t of done it if you weren’t here, Jim. Oh, Jesus, you’re hard-boiled. You just looked. You didn’t give a damn’† (In Dubious Battle, p. 214). When Mac began his trip to the apple orchard with Jim, he had a fine line on where he stood with his personal friendship with Jim, acting mainly as Jim’s mentor. However, as Mac started to spend more time with Jim, he started to adapt Jim sensitive personality, opening up to Jim whenever he was caught in a difficult situation. Though as the storyline progressed, Jim’s change in personality started to affect Mac just as it had done in the beginning of the novel. Demonstrated by the young boy’s interrogation, as Jim became more and more cold and heartless, so did Mac. Throughout his novels, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, and In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck uses characters to convey the themes of the American Dream and the importance of relationships. By addressing his characters’ desire and struggle to achieve the American Dream, Steinbeck demonstrates the change in the American Dream from being the pursuit of happiness to the pursuit of material success. Steinbeck makes it evident in many of characters, like Mack and the boys from Cannery Row, that achieving the American Dream can fulfill happiness. Although in some cases, like George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men, where he explores the reality that the American Dream can not always be fulfilled, Steinbeck also explores the possibility that some people can accomplish the American Dream. Through his characters, Steinbeck also demonstrates the affect a relationship can have on an individual, bringing out his or her inner personalities. By having a meaningful relationship with another person, an individual has someone whom they can console with during the struggle it takes to achieve happiness. Ultimately, through meaningful relationships, individuals are given the chance to overcome the hard work it takes to accomplish the American Dream.

Starbucks is the world's premier coffee roaster and retailer Essay

Starbucks is the world's premier coffee roaster and retailer - Essay Example Aside that, Starbucks is a major corporate entity that seeks to maintain a strong grip through vertical integration. Starbucks maintains a strong hold on the coffee-related products and goods in America and around the world. Starbucks has acquired several processing plants and manufacturing entities that supply other corporate bodies with coffee and snack products which helps to boost the brand image. Stakeholders are the major entities who affect and are affected by the activities of an organisation (Freeman, 2004). In the case of Starbucks, the main stakeholders are employees, customers, the community, coffee producers and shareholders. In the mission statement of Starbucks, it seeks to satisfy the needs and aspirations of all these groups of stakeholders. The mission of Starbucks promises to provide a great work environment for the employees of Starbucks where diversity and excellence are at the core of their vision. They also seek to provide absolute customer satisfaction through excellent products. Also, Starbucks seeks to give back to the community and provide good arrangements and agreements with the coffee producers in different parts of the world. On the side of the shareholders, Starbucks seeks to provide the highest possible profits year-in-year-out for them. Starbucks' core strategy is 'to build a company with a soul'. This means it desires to set up a socially responsive organisation that seeks to provide the best results for all classes of stakeholders. It focuses on common values, common purpose and respect of people as well as shared success to create a bond between employees, suppliers, shareholders and management. Starbucks has different types of outlets found in several forms and systems thorough which they serve world class premium coffee. The growth of the Starbucks brand is an important element of the strategy. So Starbucks continues to provide high quality services and create a conducive atmosphere for coffee lovers. It embarked on an exp ansion drive in the 1990s by selling in top restaurants and hotels. It also entered joint ventures and strategic alliances with food manufacturers and CD manufacturers to create a unique brand that could be used to sell products around the world. Starbucks also expanded into other markets through strategic acquisition drives. They continue to spread their coffee brands through licensing and international expansion. However, Starbucks is going through some strategic challenges. The focus on the US markets seem to be proving less profitable due to the recent financial crises. Starbucks is therefore focusing on expanding to other foreign markets. They also seek to diversify and continue the vertical integration drive which seeks to acquire different business concerns related to the coffee industry. External Analysis External analyses refers to the points or situations where an organisation's activities interacts with the elements in the wider society; naming governmental, international , macroeconomic and socio-cultural and technological trends relevant (Scott, 2009). Political The years 2007 – 2009 were tough times for the United States in general. The War in Iraq and the global financial crises created a strong impact on the nation as a whole. The US Congress passed 3 stimulus bills in the period (The New York Times, 2012). These bills were meant to provide recovery to the financial system. It provided tax cuts as well as an unemployment fund to support

Christians' Role in the Community Research Paper

Christians' Role in the Community - Research Paper Example The sharing of a personal testimony builds a spiritual bond between the sharer and the recipient of the testimony of Christ. This witness creates a special relationship that is built on the foundation of spiritual witnessing by the Spirit of God. The true testimony of a believer and the recipient of the testimony feel the promptings and workings of the Spirit because the message is true. In this way, personal testimonies build a web, or community of believers based on the personal testimonies of believers. This community of believers is largely held together by the workings of the Spirit in their hearts. Personal testimonies are the best way to show that you have gained knowledge, through the Spirit, of Jesus Christ. The sharing of testimony has the unique ability to shape and influence the testimony of others. Personal testimony can be more powerful that critical study of scripture and more formal preaching because of the intimate nature of personal knowledge gained through the Spir it of God. Personal testimonies are shared in intimate and informal settings; they have the ability to mold the character of a community one person at a time. Personal testimonies meld together into a sort of communal testimony that enlightens, inspires and guides the entire community. The hallmark of a Christian is the living of a Christian life. This is a statement that has been disputed by many over the years. The real test of Christians is whether the light of Christ is seen in their countenances and in the deed of their everyday life. A misunderstanding of doctrine leads some Christians to believe that once they are saved, then all is done. This runs counter to many of the teachings of Christ and the apostles. We are told to be more than hearer’s of the word. We must always be doers. Many Christians for fear that one will think they can work their way into heaven downplay this thought. It is clear that this is not possible. Christ is the only source of salvation, and his salvation is enough for all to partake. But this salvation does not remove the responsibility for Christians to live a godly life, emulating the Savior himself. The necessity for a Christ centered life full of His goodness is manifest several ways. One reason we must live a godly life is to set a good example for those around us that are not believers. If Christians are to have influence in the community at large, then they must live the teachings of Him we call Savior. If a person that has not known the goodness of Christ sees a person that claims Salvation acting in a manner that is untoward or reprehensible, then the investigator of the Gospel will see nothing more than hypocrisy on the part of the believer. We all know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but there are certain standards of conduct that are expected of all in a community. When a supposed believer acts against the good will of the community and excuses their conduct by claiming salvation, th en a very poor example of Christianity has been set and the Christian will be held accountable for this at the last day. Surely their salvation is intact, but their folly will not be overlooked at the judgment bar. Another reason the Christian needs to live a Christ centered life is because Jesus instructed us to do this. He understood more than anyone the soul-destroying influences the world would have

Source analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Source analysis - Essay Example ’s suffrage, it also reminds that there is more to be achieved and exhorts all those involved in the movement to continue striving for a better world in the wake of the war’s aftermath. Catherine Osler was secretary of the BWSS from the year 1885. A year before that, she was chosen president of the Birmingham Women’s Liberal Association. She was the founder of the Birmingham Ladies’ Debating Society in 1881 and a member of the National Union of Women’s Workers. In 1891, she brought a resolution for women’s suffrage and in one of her speeches in 1908, she strongly favoured the enfranchisement of women in a debate discussing the motion that ‘the time has now come for granting the franchise to women on the same terms as it is or may be granted to men.’ In 1901 she became president of the BWSS. She held that position until 1921 when the society finally dissolved on the grounds that its aims had been achieved. In 1911, she published a gripping and judicious study of family life titled A Book of the Home, in which she observed that ‘there are no natural spheres for men and women’. Democracy is supposed to be a political system in which all are equal. However, for a long time, even in the democratic countries like US and UK, the right to vote was limited to men and women had no opportunity to take part in the process of elections. Even farmers and labourers, only men of course, came under the purview of the right to vote by the Bill of 1884 in UK. Campaigns by women for the right to vote began in the latter half of the 19th century. However these campaigns were mostly peaceful and followed democratic methods like organising meetings and sending petitions to the authorities by which they sought to persuade and even pressurize the government to make necessary changes in the direction of granting women the right to vote. There were a large number of groups which worked with similar mindset. The term ‘suffragists’ refers to the women who took an

Summarize the article provided into one page Essay

Summarize the article provided into one page - Essay Example Feyerabend makes the claim that, unlike religion, science does not leave room for people to think freely. People have become so dependent on science that once something has been scientifically proven, it becomes law. Feyerabend says that it is this that has made science an anti-liberating ideology; people have regarded science as the superior mode of thought, refusing to let themselves think past anything that science has staked a claim. The counterargument in this regard is that science works and is a success. However, this is all the more reason to approach science with skepticism. Feyerabend does not consider results or success as much as he considers the method, which is always scientific; otherwise, the results are questionable. In regard to religion, Christians can question their beliefs against Buddhists and Jews. For each person, there will be a new side to an argument or theory. Science, on the other hand, does not allow this as an option. Once something has been proven scientifically, people let it go. They have no one else to glean an understanding from. Where there is an absence of contrary opinions, science is turned from an ideology into a dogma, providing a cut-off point for people to continue to think. People react to science much as they did when religions began to rise and spread. There was curiosity, skepticism, and a plethora of questions. Even after the rush of religion died down, all of this remained. When science first reared its head, it received a similar reaction. Everyone was curious and scientists set out to answer questions and find solutions. After they answered what they needed to, there was nothing more to do. People found it useless to continue to think on something that had already been answered. All the same, science is looked to as one of the greatest ideologies, and as the final voice on the thinking process, which is why Feyerabend believes that the hype surrounding science should not

How does the democratic leadership style affect the work environment Thesis

How does the democratic leadership style affect the work environment in school - Thesis Example In a school, democratic leadership has a vital role to play and it is important that the people closest to the students, get the opportunity to make decisions on school curriculum and instructions. Coalition principles state that the school itself "should model democratic practices that involve all who are directly affected by the school" In a democratic setup, students, teachers and parents could have various insights, thoughts, ideas and talents which when shared would be so effective in creating a healthy school culture. It is vital to start democratic leadership while children are still in school, as schools play a crucial role in preparing citizens for democracy. According to Nancy Mohr -"You can do anything you want: you just can't do everything you want". The positive side of limited time is that it forces schools to make choices that correlate with the core values of the school resulting in teachers, students and parents-the decision-makers experience commitment that   surp asses their personal fortune. In a democratic set up, one does not think and act individually for ones self, but on the other hand think and work for the whole group. This vision is clearly reflected in the words of Anzar's Charlene Mckowen where she states "Once you've worked here, (democratic set up) you always think on behalf of the whole staff, the whole school. You think for the long term when you're a part of making a decision". Accomplishing a democratically run school can be very difficult. But once it is achieved, the needs of the whole community can be met and there is a good chance that the school will retain itself even with the loss of its key visionaries and founders. Democratic leadership  places key decision making in the hands of people who know the students best and which makes it a powerful tool to serve the common good. Educational leadership in the 21st century shows patterns of change, conflict and contradictions. The need for effective leadership is being cl amored for, by all quarters, be it the teacher, politician or the parent. The topic of democratic leadership has always been a highly debated one and has surfaced time and again in the arena of educational research. One of the foremost advocates of this system is John Dewey who opined that for students to become able citizens of a democratic society it was important that they lived and grew up in a democratic educational environment along with their teachers. Democratic leadership plays a very vital role in all the facets of our life, especially education. According to (Gastil, 1994) it is both crucial and essential to understand the meaning of democratic leadership, but currently not much attention has been paid to it. In (Minier, 2001) opinion, democratic movements have been responsible for the historical progress of democracy and there are many great leaders of the world who have contributed a great deal to democracy, freedom, liberty and human rights among the developing countri es. These dynamic leaders have fought against dictatorship, racial problems involving discrimination and segregation, and military regimes and were instrumental in promoting democracy and bringing about good social change. (Fox & Brown, 2000; Wiseman, 1996) According to (Bass,

Genetic Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Genetic Engineering - Essay Example Both genetic and chromosomal abnormalities or anomalies causes diseases such as Sickle cell anemia, Tay sach’s, Phenylketonuria, Thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, polydactyly, Cri-Du Chat, Down’s , Klinefelters etc. But these are just a few names, and there is a long list of genetic disorders that humans may develop either congenitally or in their lifetime. Since genetic diseases cannot be treated or cured pharmacologically, biological researchers have come up with Gene Therapy, the only hope for genetic diseases. Gene therapy is the treatment of diseases by replacing, changing or supplementing a particular gene which is either abnormal or absent and owing to whose abnormality or absence a genetic diseases is developed. Gene Therapy has no chemicals or drugs in its therapy, it simply employs genetic material (DNA) itself as the means of treatment since most, if not all genetic diseases have a genetic factor which maybe wither wholly or partially responsible for the disorder. Gene therapy is a complex procedure that involves transfer of genetic material to the cell nucleus of the patient and this is where Genetic Engineering plays its role. The genetic material that is to be used for therapeutic purposes needs is inserted in a virus vector. The viral vectors are â€Å"genetically engineered† to enter the target cell and are harml ess while its genetic material is replaced with the therapeutic genetic material. These viral vectors or carriers are then inserted into the body. In fact the entire procedure of gene therapy depends on genetic engineering because without which genetic manipulation or handling would not have been possible. Following the completion of the human Genome project, it has become easier to identify or trace faulty genes. Genetic Engineering is a promising field because humans have successfully studied genes and their locus which makes gene manipulation much easier. But, the use of human genetic engineering is

Reflective paper Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective paper - Personal Statement Example Being in a hurry to get home, the thought to get down and check the stricken car did not even cross my mind and without notifying the owner of the other car I drove away. It was not in my knowledge that the damage to the other vehicle was of such intensity; in fact, at that point in time the idea of any significant damage had not entered my mind. Maybe there might have been a â€Å"thud† however, to my mind then the sound must have been inaudible. The stress under which I had been driving proved to be my distraction and clouded my better judgment. The pre-occupancy of schoolwork, deadlines, examinations, distressing my teachers and the anger of my awaiting parents at home all swirled within my head, tugging for my attention and consequently caused my head to spin. This stress then coupled with a headache is my only excuse to having overlooked the right way of handling the situation. I must admit here that somewhere in the back of my mind the thought of this incident did linger ; yet I tried to push it further back to dismiss it. The more I tried the more it came back to me and the more it began to feel real. I began to realize the possibility of actually having struck the car behind me and the thought disturbed me. I contemplated of the idea a few times but always winded up assuring myself that no such thing had happened. Guilt would spread over me at the mere thought of my suspicion being true. I said to myself, and then my discourse following the incident should have been otherwise. It was not easy wrenching away the guilt that crept over me but I could not muster the courage to own up to my mistake. Would anyone believe my innocence after I had driven off or would I even be heard at all in my plea for innocence? These questions haunted me and frightened me out of doing the honorable act of making things right. Having never been in such a situation, I began to wonder if I had hurt anybody, directly or indirectly. Had

The opportunities for Amazing Ideas to establish and launch its Assignment

The opportunities for Amazing Ideas to establish and launch its Transition Windows product in the Australian market - Assignment Example There are opportunities that exist for the company to pursue in the Australian market given its limited strengths. Recommendations These will be founded on facts fathered during the research process on whether the company should go ahead and launch its product-transition windows and make its entrance in the Australian market. Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 Introduction 5 2. Phase one report 5 B. Company mission Statement 5 C. Amazing ideas Strategies 6 D. Industry analysis 6 E. Target Market Profile 6 F. Product Profile 7 G. Country Readiness 7 H. SWOT Analysis 7 3. Phase two report 8 A. Place (Location) 8 B. Macro-level screening 9 C. Indicators of Market Accessibility 9 D. Micro-Level Criteria Screening 10 E. Phase II Conclusions and Recommendation 10 A. Competitive Analysis 11 C. Market entry 11 5. Entry mode 11 6. Market Segmentation 12 7. Promotion 13 8. Summary conclusion and Recommendations 13 Introduction The purpose of this document is to present a study of the opport unities for Amazing Ideas to establish and launch its Transition Windows product in the Australian market. This research process provided an opportunity to prepare a thorough analysis of Amazing Ideas and its product- Transition Windows, in order to present a detailed report on opportunities available in the Australian market. This document includes background information that is developed with the assistance of a SWOT analysis. Using this analysis, both market and sales potentials in Australia were studied resulting into the development of entry strategies and marketing plans with conclusions and recommendations for pursuing this wonderful opportunity in Australia (Stapleton,1997)2. 2. Phase one...This document includes background information that is developed with the assistance of a SWOT analysis. Using this analysis, both market and sales potentials in Australia were studied resulting into the development of entry strategies and marketing plans with conclusions and recommendatio ns for pursuing this wonderful opportunity in Australia (Stapleton,1997) . 2. Phase one report The objective of this phase is to conduct an in-depth situation analysis to establish a basis to assist in determining the company’s opportunities to compete in the market. Here is the scenario. A. Company Background Amazing Ideas a company that is to be headquartered in Australia, is eyeing to venture into the Australian market with its new product, Transition window. This company was established by students from the Swinburne University of Technology in the first year of marketing tutorial class. During this session the students came up with idea of transition windows with hopes of launching their invention which holds a considerable appeal to a potential Australian Market.

Children after the separation Essay Example for Free

Children after the separation Essay Further his studies of the effects of war on children who were separated from their mothers at an early age was considered to be research done in a crisis situation. Critics argue under these circumstances it would be impossible to conclude how the same children would have reacted out of a war time environment. It was also argued that Bowlby failed to take account in his studies what had happened to the children after the separation. Bowlby was influenced greatly by James Robertsons research on the effects of separation on mother and child through hospitalisation. Robertsons studied children between six months and three years of age who were separated from their mothers due to hospitalisation. Robertson claimed to have established a sequence of behaviour that all children would pass through. This sequence consisted of distress, were children behaved in a disturbed manner. Despair whereby the child seems to lose hope of finding there lost parent. Lastly, the child display detachment type behaviour, refusing anyone to become involved with them. Robertson concluded that separation from their mother was harmful. In 1971 Klein and Stern studied why parents abuse their children. They found evidence in their studies that a high percentage of abused children had been born prematurely. Because these children were put into an incubator and separated from their parents an attachment was unable to develop, resulting in later abuse toward the children. The study concluded that there is a crucial period when attachments not formed adequately would not be able to be re-formed. This is of considerable importance to social work in relation to the modern day understanding of child abuse as further research has shown that many abusers were once abused themselves. Klaus Kennell (1976) two paediatricians put forward the theory that they too believed there was a critical period when attachment took place, this was immediately after birth, when the mother was physiologically pre-disposed to bond with her infant. It was during this time that the strength of the attachment was determined.  The American National Center for Clinical Programs supports Bowlbys notion of motherlove. They propose that a parent who realises they are going to have a long-term relationship with their child will put more into the caregiving and interaction, as opposed to a substitute care giver who may not be so motivated as they see many children come and go and therefore do not build up a caring relationship with children. This idea has implications for fostering as a consequence may be lack of care or favouritism towards other children in their care. John Elisabeth Newson (1986) point out that one function of a parent is to act as a memory store for the children to play back and compare experiences. Children in a care setting without a key adult with whom they have a close relationship with will be unable to build upon past experiences and this may have an impact on their emotional development.  Many studies have looked at whether attachment is instinctive, as Bowlby had believed. Konrad Lorenz (1935) agreed that attachment was instinctive when he put forward his imprinting theory. His observations revealed that newly hatched goslings follow the first thing they saw, this could be a human or other object and there was a brief critical period early in the goslings life when this would occur and was found to be irreversible. Lorenzs believed this was biological, a factor of evolution that ensures the young of all species are able to attach to someone for survival, and was relevant to the way humans form attachments in relation to it being an instinctive behaviour. Critics of his theory (Sluckin 1961 and Bateson 1964) have shown that if a young bird is kept isolated it stays unimprinted beyond Lorenzs critical period and imprinting can take place after the critical period has passed. This casts doubt on Lorenzs claim that imprinting processes are instinctive. Many researchers now believe that imprinting is actually a process of rapid learning (MacFarlane 1975) In contrast to the theory that attachment is instinctive Colin Turnbull and Margaret Mead when studying families in various African tribes concluded that they saw no signs of instinctive love or affection between parents and children. It was quite normal for many children to be left to fend for themselves; many were even killed as they were thought of as burdens by their parents. The researchers came to believe attachment to be a learnt process that we internalise from observing our own mothers behaviour, and if not learnt properly for example through illness or as in the tribes case through a different set of family norms and lifestyles, then no bonding or emotional attachment can occur. In New York in 1943 Goldfarb conducted a study of orphans. Two groups of fifteen orphans were matched for age, sex and social background of their parents. The orphans of group A had been fostered before nine months old. The orphans in group B had spent at least their first three years in an orphanage before they were fostered. Goldfarb visited each child at ages three, six, eight and twelve years and measured their development with regard to intelligence, language skills, social maturity and their ability to form relationships. Goldfarb found that every child in group A did better than those in group B leading to the conclusion that a normal family home is crucial to emotional and cognitive development. Critics of this study argue that the children may not have had the same intelligence to begin with and that the children in Group B did not have the stimulation of a family for as long a period as those children in Group A. Harlow Zimmerman conducted studies on a group of rhesus monkeys. Their studies consisted of isolating young monkeys for three months, six months or twelve months. The researchers concluded that the behaviour of the monkeys who had been isolated for twelve months was proportionately worse than those who had been isolated for three months. The behaviour of all the monkeys who had suffered isolation was seen to be disturbed. The same researchers also placed monkeys in a cage with surrogate mothers, a doll made of wire with a feeding bottle and a doll made of wood and towelling without a feeding bottle. The monkeys spent equal amounts of time with each surrogate mother. The studies showed that the monkeys preferred to cling to the towelling doll even if it meant they did not have a feeding bottle. This led the researchers to believe that warm contact is of critical importance as a need for the monkeys and leads to affectionate responses. Critics of both these studies question the relevance of animal studies to human behaviour. Bowlbys influential theory managed to link together the evolutionary focus of adaptation with the psychodynamic and behavioural importance of social relationships during infancy and childhood. (Hollin 95)  A measure of its influence can be gained from the action of the World Health Organisation in 1955 stating that Permanent damage can be done to the emotional health of babies and children when put into nurseries or sent to child-minders. The WHO report had many consequences and resulted in lots of practices regarding child care and childrens needs being changed. Women were encouraged to stay at home and were made to feel guilty and bad mothers if the went out to work. (Which suited the government at the time, as they needed these vacated jobs for men) Family Allowance payments were also introduced as a further inducement to keep women from going out to work  Maternity wards encouraged siblings to stay with their mother, whilst childrens wards encouraged mothers to stay.  A main influence on social work practice was the idea that a bad home is better that the best institution which resulted in less fostering and removal of children from poor if not dangerous situations at home. Bowlbys findings were influential but controversial and became the starting point for further studies. Some studies began to disagree with Bowlby, Fraiberg in 1974 argued that it was possible to strengthen an attachment; Parents of blind children who did not experience eye contact with their infant felt rejected and consequently were unable to develop a strong attachment to their children. When taught to interpret their childs hand movements, it was found the bond could be strengthened. Interaction was thought to be the important element in developing the attachment.

Architectural Designing Firm Business Plan Marketing Essay

Architectural Designing Firm Business Plan Marketing Essay Contemporary Island Designers Associates (C.I.D.) will be an Architectural Designing as well as Cost Estimating, Building Construction, Project Management and Consultations business specializing in residential and small commercial structures in the Jamaican domestic and commercial market, temporarily based out of my home in the Kingston 10 Area of Jamaica. The business will provide consultation and Draughting services using technologically superior processes, providing greater value for clients and enhanced  design and construction. The target clients are segmented into three categories; potential and existing home owners and developers initially. Contemporary Island Designers competitive edge will be the knowledge of digital-based design resources, creativity and results orientated. Superior customer service will also be  a point of firm differentiation. First year profits are expected to reach $xxxxx and increase to $xxxxx by the third year of operation. We will be profitable within three years of starting. The most significant challenges ahead include: (a). securing a suitable location (b) establishing the initial client base and (c)  positioning the business to be able to have a presence in a larger market. This business plan outlines the objective, focus, and implementation of this start-up firm. 1.1 Mission Contemporary Island Designers Associates will offer a new type of digital interactive media for both the client and the builder. This media will clearly show the client and the builder exactly what the design will look like in a three dimensional (Animated) perspective and the method(s) of construction. With this new form of media, the client does not have to know anything about Architectural designing graphics or terminology (floor plans, sections, elevations construction documents) to have a clear understanding of what the end result will look like. This is possible through the use of computer-rendered images and interactive video. This media will be taken one step further by using it in the construction documents as well. The builder(s) may be provided with an interactive video rendering of the entire building containing both visual photographic quality images and construction specs. Specific details will be worked out in three dimensions in such a way that anyone who knows how to use a computer will be able to access and understand this new means of Architectural presentation. 1.2 Keys to Success Provide a service that is technologically superior to the competitions. Utilizing the skills and knowledge gained in a competent and efficient manner through a diverse staff of Architectural Technologist/Draughtsman to provide a wide variety of product styles. A large array of connections and associations with reputable professionals and business executives. Objectives To establish and keep satisfied a vast client base. To provide quality workmanship to satisfy costumer(s) needs and to sustain the reputation of designing and construction in the Jamaican industry. Sales of at least $540,000 in  Year 3  and $725,000 by Year 4. Market expansion of 20% per year via the  Internet and other mediums. Creating new niche in market by  Year 4  of three dimensional construction documents and interactive digital presentation to clients. Company Summary Contemporary Island Designers Associates will provide a service of Architectural designs via digital media to the limits of technology. This approach will  offer optimal efficiency to the firm and superior value, design processes, and construction methods to the client. 2.1Businnes Ownership Contemporary Island Designers will be created as a Kingston operation based initially in the Molynes Road area. It will be  owned by its principal investor and operator, Mr. Miguel Wood. 2.2 Start-up Summary Contemporary Island Designers start-up costs total $xxxxx. The most significant purchases needed are a plotter, office printer, and desktop and laptop computer. Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) will be needed in cash to sustain the business for the first  year to cover rent and wages until a profit is made. 2.3 Company Locations and Facilities The  interim office of Contemporary Island Designers Associates will be located at my home at Tamarind Avenue, Kingston until dedicated office space is secured. Services Contemporary Island Designers Associates will provide many levels of service such as Architectural Designing and Planning, Cost Estimating, Building Construction, Project Management and Consultations to cater to large and small  corporations and entities, along with making it affordable for middle and upper socioeconomic classes. 3.1 Service Description In order for Contemporary Island Designers Associates to provide this new innovative service of digital media, the company will use high speed computers running programs such as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture Rivet Architecture and 3D Max. To keep up with changes in technology, Contemporary Island Designers will investigate all up and coming software related to digital 3-D design to stay at the forefront of the market.   Again, this is a key strategic component to differentiate the firm and to optimize productivity and efficiency. Market Analysis Summary Contemporary Island Designers Associates will provide its service to home owners who are looking to start new construction, remodel, as well as  developers and contractors and other private parties in the domestic markets. Although we are going to cater to a relatively broad scope of customers, the business will decide what the target market is based on sales and trends experienced in the initial months of operation. 4.1 Market Segmentation Potential clients for Contemporary Island Designers Associates market are broken down into four categories: home owners, developers and contractors. Home owners and potential home owners are the largest group based on shear population and this will be emphasized in  all of the business marketing and promotional efforts. Targeting the remaining  two groups will be dependent upon establishing meaningful relationships, and responding and qualifying for request for proposals. 4.2 Service Business Analysis The Architecture/Designing business across the country is primarily made up of small- to mid-sized firms specializing in a particular architectural/design type. But there are also a few large firms that have almost dominated the design of large commercial and industrial facilities.   Initially, Contemporary Island Designers main competitors will be the small to midsized firms.   Strategy and Implementation Summary In the first year of business, Contemporary Island Designers will focus on the Kingston and St. Andrew and the Portmore area of St. Catharine. As the business grows, sales will expand throughout these areas and across the country, eventually spreading regionally. 5.1 Sales Strategy Sales in this  business is a direct result of exceptional client service. It is based on the firms  image and the referrals that result. The more clients this company pleases, the more referrals are given. We will work to provide a positive experience in all cases so our clients will refer and return to us for future work as well. 5.1.1 Sales Forecast Sales are broken down into three categories: Consultations, Design and Supervision of the construction. These three categories put together, may make up one architecture/design project. The totals for each project are based on a 10% cut from the total construction costs of each job. The following table and chart provides an overview  of our  forecast sales.   Actual sales could vary depending on the project size and budget. 5.2 Competitive Edge This business will have a competitive edge over both the larger and smaller firms because it will be composed of the  new generation of Architectural Technologists which are fluent in the digital world. Many firms today employ personnel of which find the computer 3D modeling a mystery, and most of those that do use the computer only have the ability to design in 2-D. Management Summary This business will start with one Architectural Technologists/Designer. In August of 2011, a clerical position will be added. By 2012, Other Architectural Technologists will be hired to compensate the increased work load. 6.1 Personnel Plan The following table summarizes our personnel expenditures for the first three years of operation. Financial Plan Contemporary Island Designers will increase growth and technology with cash flow as it increases through the years. Further money will be set aside to pay for further consulting as needed. 7.1 Important Assumptions The annual assumptions made in the following table are based on a stable economy. We will adjust these assumptions as changes occur in the now tumultuous economy the Bay Area is experiencing. 7.2 Key Financial Indicators The following benchmark chart indicates our key financial indicators for the first three years. 7.3 Break-even Analysis The following chart and table summarize our break-even analysis. Break-even Analysis Monthly Revenue Break-even $80,348 Average Percent Variable Cost 1% Assumptions: Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $80,246 7.4 Projected Profit and Loss Net profit is virtually nonexistent for the first two years of operation, with respectable increases after that time. Our projected profit and loss is shown on the following table, with sales starting at $102,000 for the first year and climbing to $500,000 the third year. Pro Forma Profit and Loss 7.5 Projected Cash Flow Cash flow is vital to the well being of this company because of the duration of payment. The following chart and table below show cash flow projections. 7.6 Projected Balance Sheet The following table shows our projected Balance Sheet and net worth over the next three years. 7.7 Business Ratios Business ratios for the years of this plan are shown below. Industry profile ratios based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 7383, Independent Artists (including Architects), are shown for comparison.

Limitations Of Biometrics

Limitations Of Biometrics This paper focuses on the limitations of biometrics and demonstrates how the theory of cancellable biometrics can mitigate such limitations. Cancellable biometrics gives biometric systems, theoretically, the ability to re-issue biometric signals. Thus, if a biometric database is ever compromised, the biometric image can be re-set. Our team believes that cancellable biometrics should be a best practice when utilizing biometric technologies. This paper begins with a background of biometric technologies, the global biometric market, and general limitations of biometrics. The main body focuses on the background, concepts, and function of cancellable biometrics offered as a solution for some of the limitations addressed. Finally, an analysis of cancellable biometrics advantages and disadvantages concludes our paper. What is Biometrics? To define biometrics, you can look at the Greek translation. Bios translates to life and metric translates to measurement. This leads to a direct translation of biometrics to life measurement. (Biometric Definition-What, 2005) Biometrics is a technique for identification of people that uses body characteristics or behavioral traits and is increasingly being used instead of or in conjunction with other forms of identification based on something you have (e.g. ID card) or something you know (e.g. password or PIN). (8.5 Biometrics) The direct Greek translation of life measurement is fitting because biometrics looks to measure physical or behavioral traits of a human for identification purposes. There are two types of biometrics: behavioral and physical. Behavioral biometrics measures the characteristics that an individual naturally acquires over the span of their lifetime. Examples of this technology include speaker recognition, signature verification, and keystroke verification. Physical biometrics measures the physical characteristics and body measurements of an individual. Examples of this technology include facial recognition, iris and retinal scan fingerprinting, and DNA typing (Biometric Definition-What, 2005). There are also two modes that biometrics can operate in: verification and identification. Verification is used to validate a person against who they claim or present themselves to be. It is a one to one match between the acquired template of the individual and a stored template for matching. This mode relies on individuals entering their biometric information into the system prior to trying to gain access to it (8.5 Biometrics). Identification is the process of trying to figure out who an individual is. This involves a comparison of the individual to a list of templates stored in the database. (Yun, 2003) Physical biometrics can be used for either verification or identification while behavioral biometrics is typically only used for verification purposes. (Biometric Definition-What, 2005) The History of Biometrics Biometrics seems to be a modern day technology, but its concept was actually applied as far back as the fourteenth century. Chinese merchants used fingerprinting during the fourteenth century to identify children (Osborn, 2005). In 1890, Alphonse Bertillon developed a form of biometrics known as anthropometrics. Anthropometrics is a method of identifying individuals based on precise measurements of their body and physical descriptions. This method fell out of use when it was discovered that multiple individuals could share the same body measurements. (Biometrics History, 2006) Early in the 20th century, an applied mathematician named Karl Pearson used statistical history and correlation to biometrics research. Signature biometric authentication was developed during the 1960s and 1970s, marking a huge breakthrough in behavioral biometrics. (Osborn, 2005) Also during this time, the FBI pushed for automating their fingerprint recognition process. This automation was the start of modern day biometrics, a combination of the biometrics process with information technology. During the 2001 Superbowl in Tampa, Florida, face recognition software was installed at the stadium to identify known criminals. (Biometrics History, 2006) Post 9/11 terrorist attacks, there was a huge push by the U.S. government to implement biometrics on a large scale. The government began installing facial recognition hardware and software in airports to identify suspected terrorists. (Osborn, 2005) Generic Biometric System While there are many biometric technologies in use today, and many more being invested in and researched on, they all share a similar process flow (Yun, 2003). The following image is a basic block diagram of a biometric system: Source: (Yun, 2003) The process always starts with some type of sensor device. This is what captures the biometric information. The capture information is then sent through a processing phase. Here the information is cleaned up, noise is removed, and the important data is enhanced. The processed data is then put together to form a template. A template is what represents the biometric data within the system. If its the first time the individual is using the system, the template is stored within the system. Otherwise, the generated template is compared against an already stored template during the matching process. If the biometric technology is operating in a verification mode, the generated template is matched against a specific stored template. If the technology is operating in an identification mode, the generated template is matched against a list of stored templates. If the matching process yields a positive match, then the individual is granted access to the application device. (Yun, 2003) Current Global Biometric Market It is important to consider the prevalence of biometrics. Although it may seem futuristic, biometrics is being used in countries all over the world. According to Prabhakar, Pankanti, and Jain, biometric applications fall into three main categories: commercial, government, and forensic. The commercial category includes applications used in e-commerce, banking, and social networking sites. Governments use biometrics for drivers licenses, immigration control, and e-passports. Forensic applications include devices used in criminal investigation and prisoner identity control. (Prabhakar, Pankanti, Jain, 2003) According to BCC research, the global biometric revenue increased from $1.950 billion in 2006 to $2.7 billion in 2007. The compound annual growth rate from 2007 to 2012 was expected to be 21.3% (The Global Biometrics Market, 2007). As you can see from the figure below, the biometric technology being used ranges from fingerprint scanners, leading the market, to hand geometry scanners. The market statistics above were derived in 2007. As a means for comparison, our group thought it best to obtain market research from at least one more source. According to a more recent article, issued by homeland security newswire on January 18, 2011, the market is expected to grow at 18.9% per year until 2015, bringing estimated global revenue from biometrics up to $12 billion in 2015. Fingerprint technologies will still dominate the market, with face, iris, vein, voice recognition following (Biometrics market expected, 2011). BCC assumed a 21.3% annual growth rate, which would have made 2011 expected revenue around $5.8 billion, the actual 2011 global biometric market revenues totaled $5 billion (Biometrics market expected, 2011). The main point is that the global biometrics market has been growing as expected and is expected to grow. Biometric technology offers significant advantages, but there are some limitations that need to be addressed as the biometric market continues to grow. For example, although the US has been the leader of the biometric market, scanning of iris or fingerprints to use ATM machines has not been implemented due to privacy and expense concerns. (Biometric ATMs not, 2005) One of the major limitations is the issue of privacy. The issue of privacy and other limitations, if not resolved, may continue to prevent the biometric market growth as seen by Americans lack of biometric ATM machines. The following section will discuss limitations of generic biometric systems Limitations of Biometrics An obvious issue with biometrics is costs. The table below was derived from the product offerings of a leading biometrics supplier, digitalPersona, Inc., using the framework from their whitepaper on best practices. This chart includes all aspects of a typical authentication system. As you can see the cost of biometric technology hardware and software is expensive in itself and costs for training, design, maintenance, and security will also be incurred. Category Details Cost Time Training Users, administrators $100-$1,500 per user 1 hour 5 days Design Ensure compatibility with other systems $1,000-$4,000 1 day 10 days Installation Hardware and software purchases/configure $3,000-$50,000 10 days 30 days User enrollment Acquisition of biometrics $50-$175 per user .75 hr Maintenance Add/modify users $25-$200 per instance 0.5 hr Security Extra safeguards within system to ensure privacy $500-$20,000 1 day 10 days Source: (Best Practices, 2009) Another area of concern with biometrics is the fact that once a biometric image has been leaked or obtained by an unauthorized source, that image is no longer secure for use with any application (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). Authentication tools, such as passwords, keys, and identification cards have always been easily cancellable and renewable, but biometrics have been a concern because users only have, in general, one face, two eyes, one set of fingerprints, etc. (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). Although it is difficult to do, determined data thieves can extract biometric images and put them to improper use, rendering stolen images useless in terms of security. The figure below demonstrates eight vulnerabilities of ordinary biometric systems. Source: (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). Figure www.fidis.netOnce original biometric data is obtained, reproduction can easily be achieved. Attacks around the sensor may include inputting fake or copied biometric signal (point 1) or using a copy of a genuine biometric, tape with fingerprint, to bypass the sensor (point 2) (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). The other parts of the system, feature extraction method (points 3 and 4), the matching device and decision (points 4 and 8), the database that holds the biometric images (point 6), and the communication channel between database and matcher (point 7), are much harder to attack, but if successfully breached will result in the theft or alteration of biometric templates which cannot be replaced (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). The biggest disadvantage of biometrics is that biometric data cannot be changed or reset. For example, if a password is stolen, a new password can be created. However, if a biometric characteristic is stolen from a database, a new biometric characteristic cannot be issued. Thus, if a biometric database is compromised, that biometric used for authentication purposes cannot be used again. Finally, there is a huge privacy concern, as seen with the USs delay of implementing ATMs with biometric systems. The uniqueness of biometric data raises this concern. There is already an enormous amount of data being collected by social networking sites, employers, the government, retail stores, medical centers, etc., Each entity may identify someone with data that can either be changed or is not solely unique to them, such as an email address or a name (Joe Smith). Thus, if the government wanted information from a retail store about a particular person, they may not be able to determine, from the retailers database, whether it is Joe Smith from California or Joe Smith from Arkansas. Currently to make data sharing possible, data would have to be paired with more data in order to identify the right person and then share information about that person between entities. This idea of data sharing among entities produces a fear in some people with regards to the use of biometrics because biometric data is completely unique to a person. If all these entities have biometric data, data unique to just one individual, all the entities could share data in their databases (cross-matching). For example, data collected by private company can be matched with the governments data. (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) One solution to this privacy concern is cancellable biometrics (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). Cancellable biometrics allows authentication biometric signals to be re-set if a database is every compromised. Basically, cancellable biometrics distorts a biometric signal based on a certain transform during enrollment, and continues to distort it the same way for every presentation and authentication thereafter (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). If biometric data is ever stolen, a new transform is used and re-enrollment is allowed (Gaddam, Lal, 2010). The following sections further explain cancellable biometrics and how it can mitigate the risks of biometric systems vulnerabilities. History of Cancellable Biometrics The study and research around cancellable biometrics is relatively new with most research beginning around the turn of the 21st century. Although many have contributed to the field, several publications, including the Encyclopedia of Biometrics (2009) and The Journal of the Pattern Recognition Society credit Nalini Ratha with the concepts that led to the creation of cancellable biometrics (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). Cancellable biometrics was conceptualized as a way to address the potential downsides and security concerns of ordinary biometrics. In order to prevent the preclusion of a biometric image, cancellable biometrics was created. The goal of cancellable biometrics is to provide biometric authentication that is not only unique to an individual, but one that also has the ability to be changed. Cancellable biometrics does not provide extra security around biometrically authenticated systems, but does provide a way to avoid losing the ability to use biometrics as an authentication m ethod. As its name suggests, cancellable biometrics allows a biometric template to be cancelled and replaced with a new image that is based on the same biometric data, resulting in one of many possible permutations (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). According to the Encyclopedia of Biometrics (2009), cancellable biometrics allows biometric images to be reset by encoding each biometric image with a different distortion scheme for each application that uses the image (Lee Jain, 2009). In order to assure the security of each permutated biometric image, a unique distortion scheme must be used for each unique application (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). The use of a distortion scheme creates an image for storage in a database that is not an exact match to the original biometric measure, therefore changing the image is as easy as changing the distortion scheme. Next we will discuss the concepts behind cancellable biometrics that are used to increase the security of biometric authentication and to keep biometric data unique. The Concepts Behind Cancellable Biometrics There are three criteria that a cancellable biometric template must meet in order to be useful and secure: (1) each cancellable template must be used for only one application, (2) the revocation and reissue procedures must be straightforward, and (3) the template computation must not be able to be reversed in order to protect the original biometric data. These three steps may also be referred to as diversity, reusability, and one-way transformation, respectively (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). Using the same biometric template for multiple applications exposes data to the same threats that using the same password for multiple applications would. If an unauthorized user gains access to one application, access can be achieved to all applications that use the same template. When using one template for multiple applications, no matter how strong the security is for the strongest application, the security of all the applications with the same authorization template is only as strong as the weakest link. Addressing the second criteria, that revocation and reissue procedures must be straightforward, is as it says, straightforward. Without a straightforward way to cancel and reissue a biometric template, biometric data is subject to interception and physical alteration (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). The third criterion, that the computation of the template not be reversible, is also meant to protect the integrity and the identity of the original biometric data (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008). If a computation can be reversed, and the original biometric data is revealed, the biometric measurement will be useless and unsecure. A popular method for creating non-invertible biometric data is to use a hashing function. Due to the unique characteristics of individual biometric data, there are several guidelines that a hashing function must take into account when creating non-invertible data. For example, regarding fingerprint data, Tulyakov, Mansukhani, Govindaraju, and Farooq (2007) suggest that hashing functions should have similar hash values for similar fingerprints, different values for fingerprints that are different, that the rotation of a fingerprint should not affect the hash value, and that, if sufficient minutiae is available, partial fingerprints should be matched. Minutiae refer to uniquely identifiable points on a set of fingerprints (Tulyakov, Farooq, Mansukhani, Govindaraju, 2007). Within cancellable biometrics there are two distortion techniques that are widely recognized, signal domain distortion and feature domain distortion. What signal and feature domain distortion basically provide are ways to either distort a biometric image directly after acquisition or extract features from a biometric image, such as minutiae, and then distort the features, respectively (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). Signal domain distortion creates an independent image to be registered by a biometric reader, but still provides landmarks that can be compared to the original image, e.g. points on a persons face or eyes, for authentication. Feature domain distortion extracts template features and scrambles them, providing a sufficient technique for biometric measurements, such as fingerprints, which would be difficult to preserve accurate minutiae and a similar image (Lee Jain, 2009). How it works: Cancellable biometrics is achieved when a normal biometrics pattern is modified before it is stored in an intentional and repeatable method. This change in the pattern can be initiated by several methods, however this topic is still in development and a single industry best practice has not yet been distilled. Instead of the actual values from the biometric sensor being stored, a value that is the combination of the modifier and the sensors reading is stored. In the case that the biometrics is impersonated or the database is compromised, the modifier can be changed and the user can be authenticated with the system. (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) Modifiers can be anything from a random number, a personal identification number, or even another biometric reading. The combination of these two items, similar to two-factor authentication, can create a unique key that uses both an individually unique value with the independent but derived from the biometric. (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) Once the biometric reader scans the individual, an algorithm is applied to the value. This transformation can happen in either the scanning device or post-processed within the computer system before it is validated against the record within the database. These readers can be hardware devices that connect to a computer network or appliances which are self-contained. After successful verification of credentials the user is granted authentication. (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) Demo: use ppt slides to explain the images and how they are distorted and stored for cancellable biometrics. Advantages of Cancellable Biometrics Different entities and different applications use different transforms for the same signals. This prevents the sharing between databases of different entities (Gaddam, Lal, 2010). For example, a law enforcement agency will use one transform for a fingerprint scan, and a commercial entity will use a different transform for the same fingerprint scan. This idea of diversity makes cross-matching impossible. As seen in the figure below, the merchant takes the biometric data from the customer and compares it to a transform from one of the transform databases associated with a particular service (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). This should ease privacy concerns as different transforms are held in different databases per entity. Source: (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) Also, the authentication server never stores original biometrics (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). The benefit is that the risk of identity theft is significantly reduced because the transforms are non-invertible. Even if a hacker accessed a template database, there would be no way for he/she to figure out the original biometric. The reusability feature, described in the section titled The Concepts Behind Cancellable Biometrics of this paper, protects the biometric authentication process from becoming obsolete. If cancellable biometrics did not offer re-usability and data continually was compromised, theoretically, people would start to run out of body parts to use. Limitations of Cancellable Biometrics Cancellable biometrics is not the solution to all of the limitations of biometrics. Cancellable biometrics provides a solution for privacy concerns and resetting issues related to biometrics. However, it does not decrease the enormous cost associated with biometrics. Also, it does not prevent the use of a copied biometric signal (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001). For example, if someone found a way to obtain a copy of a fingerprint and used that copy of the genuine biometric to access a system/account/place etc., matching could be possible and access could be granted. Cancellable biometrics prevents identity theft by the use of non-invertible transforms and it increases privacy by preventing data sharing among entities because original biometric data is never stored, it doesnt prevent people from using copies of genuine biometrics. As discussed in the section Limitations of Biometrics, biometric systems are subject to attack. Cancellable biometrics does not prevent an attack, however, i f a biometric database or other parts of the system are compromised, a new transform can be used for the authentication process and the hacker will not be able to obtain the original biometric. Thus it mitigates the damage, but not the risk of attack. Another limitation of cancellable biometrics is the trade-off of higher protection for higher error rates. The invertible feature increases protection of original data, but causes a decrease in recognition accuracy (Cheung, Kong, Zhang, Kamel, You, Lam). This may lead to a higher false rejection rate. A higher false rejection rate is inefficient and costly. Conclusion: The global biometric market is expected to continue growing. However, limitations of generic biometric systems may inhibit the market growth from its full potential. General limitations of generic biometric systems include enormous costs, fake enrollment, physical copies bypassing sensors, attacks on the system parts and/or database, threat to privacy of individuals, and failure to reset biometrics. Cancellable biometrics provides a solution to some of generic biometric system limitations. With cancellable biometrics, a biometric template must have three criteria: (1) each cancellable template must be used for only one application, (2) the revocation and reissue procedures must be straightforward, and (3) the template computation must not be able to be reversed in order to protect the original biometric data. These three criteria, also known as diversity, reusability, and one-way transformation (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008), disallow data-sharing among entities, protect the overall biomet rics from becoming obsolete, and prevent a hacker from obtaining genuine biometrics. Our team believes that due to the demand for biometrics in general, cancellable biometrics has a potential market. IBM has been researching and developing cancellable biometrics. According to an article off IBMs website, Helping enhance security and protect identities, several large banks have been talking with IBM about the use of cancellable biometrics. Cancellable biometrics also is applicable to sectors of the government like the IRS, Social Security administration, and law enforcement organizations (Helping enhance security-). Thus, cancellable biometrics may evolve from research and development into a marketable tool that may refresh the global biometrics market. Work Cited 8.5 Biometrics. University of Leicester. Retrieved April 26, 2011 from . Citation: (8.5 Biometrics) Biometric ATMs not being used in U.S. (2005, October 11). Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9660429/ns/technology_and_science-security/ Citation: (Biometric ATMs not, 2005) Biometric Definition What Is Biometrics? Biometrics Technology : Explained. (2005) Retrieved April 25, 2011 from . Citation: (Biometric Definition-What, 2005) Biometrics History. (2006). Biometrics.gov. NSTC Subcommittee on Biometrics, April 18, 2011. . Citation: (Biometrics History, 2006) Biometrics market expected to hit $12 billion in 2015. (2011, January 18). Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/biometrics-market-expected-hit-12-billion-2015-0 Citation: (Biometrics market expected, 2011) Best Practices for Implementing Fingerprint Biometrics in Application. (2009). DigitalPersona. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://www.digitalpersona.com/uploadedFiles/Collateral/White_papers/DP-wp-appbestpractices2009-08-21.pdf Citation: (Best Practices, 2009) Cheung, H.K, Kong, A., Zhang, D., Kamel, M., You, J., You, T., Lam. H-W., (n.d.). An analysis on accuracy of cancellable biometrics based on biohashing. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China. Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://pami.uwaterloo.ca/~cswkkong/publication/CheungKES2005Final.pdf Citation: (Cheung, Kong, Zhang, Kamel, You, Lam) Gaddam, S.V.K, Lal, M. (2010). Efficient cancellable biometric key generation scheme for cryptography. International Journal of Network Security, 11(2), 61-69. Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://ijns.femto.com.tw/contents/ijns-v11-n2/ijns-2010-v11-n2-p61-69.pdf Citation: (Gaddam, Lal, 2010) Helping enhance security and protect identities. IBM. Retrieved April 26, 2011 from http://domino.watson.ibm.com/odis/odis.nsf/pages/board.10.html (Helping enhance security-) Lee, S.Z., Jain, A.K. (2009). Encyclopedia biometrics. Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://books.google.com/books?id=0bQbOYVULQcCpg=PA175lpg=PA175dq=definition+of+cancellable+biometricssource=blots=hGzi-8vSaHsig=-nkyxjWspXze1UzIzF9BCfGPdlQhl=enei=sOWwTePoAcjXgQfM9oToCwsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=4sqi=2ved=0CCoQ6AEwAw#v=onepageqf=false Citation: (Lee Jain, 2009) Osborn, A. (2005, August 17) Biometrics History the History of Biometrics from past to Present. Video Surveillance Systems, Security Cameras CCTV Equipment Guide. April, 25, 2011. . Citation: (Osborn, 2005) Piuri, Vincenzo (2008) Fingerprint Biometrics via Low-cost Sensors and Webcams. IEEE. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://clem.dii.unisi.it/~vipp/files/prin/2008_Conf_BTAS__ImageProcessingForFingerprintBiometricsViaLowcostCamerasAndWebcams.pdf Citation: (Piuri, 2008) Prabhakar, S, Pankanti, S, Jain, A. K. (2003, March). Biometric recognition: security and privacy concerns. IEEE Security and Privacy. Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://www.cse.msu.edu/biometrics/Publications/GeneralBiometrics/PrabhakarPankantiJain_BiometricSecurityPrivacy_SPM03.pdf Citation: (Prabhakar, Pankanti, Jain, 2003) Ratha, N.K., Connell, J.H., Bolle, R.M. (2001). Enhancing security and privacy in biometrics-based authentication systems. IBM Systems Journal , 40(3), 614-634 Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://www.google.com/#sclient=psyhl=ensite=source=hpq=Enhancing+security+and+privacy+in+biometrics-based+authentication+systemsaq=faqi=g1aql=foq=pbx=1bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.fp=f4864d47f9f205c8biw=1366bih=583 Citation: (Ratha, Connell, Bolle, 2001) Teoh, A.B.J., Kuan, Y.W., Lee, S. (2008). Cancellable biometrics and annotations on biohash. Journal of the Pattern Recognition Society, 41(6), 2034-2044 Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6V14-4RBYCY01_user=513551_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2008_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=gateway_origin=gateway_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1731821718_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000025338_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=513551md5=475892d68fa817e0474084b6dcd88f78searchtype=a Citation: (Teoh, Kuan, Lee, 2008) The Global Biometrics Market. (2007, December). Retrieved April 25, 2011 from http://www.bccresearch.com/report/biometrics-global-market-ift042b.html Citation: (The Global Biometrics Market, 2007) Tulyakov, S, Farooq, F, Mansukhani, P, Govindaraju, V. (2007). Symmetric hash functions for secure fingerprint biometric systems. Pattern Reconition Letters, 28(16), 2427-2436. Retrieved April 22, 2011 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6V15-4PFW6247_user=513551_coverDate=12%2F01%2F2007_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=gateway_origin=gateway_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1731826413_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000025338_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=513551md5=827daed9e4525f816e7cf49eaa173152searchtype=a Citation: (Tulyakov, Farooq, Mansukhani, Govindaraju, 2007) Yun, W. (2003) The 123 of Biometric Technology. [web] Accessed 18 April 2011 from www.itsc.org/sg/synthesis/2002/biometric.pdf. Citation: (Yun, 2003)

Essay --

Throughout The Awakening, water the main motif serves as a catalyst to the metamorphosis of Edna. During the length of the story Edna goes through a process of changes that coincides with the presence of water. Water serves as a conduit for liberation and empowerment that facilitates the rebirth and even death of Edna. In this essay I will argue that the motif of water represents the continual transformations that occur within Edna throughout the story. The story opens on the Grand Isle off the coast of Louisiana, completely surrounded by water with the Gulf of Mexico to the South. Here the protagonist Edna and her family often stay for summer vacations. The Grand Isle separated by other landmasses by water represents the independence and solitude the body of water provides in comparison to the other settings of the story such as, New Orleans. It is here on the Isle that Edna begins to discover her independence. The waters around the Isle have seduced Edna during her stay. â€Å"The Gulf, whose sonorous murmur reached her like a loving but imperative entreaty† (Chopin 32). Even from the land in the safety of her summer home, the sea has enticed and attracts her towards it. The presence and embrace of the sea is a constant acquaintance to Edna. In contrast, her husband frequents the club and children who are unattended by her. The continual presence of the sea allows Edna to reflect on her life such as seeing her image on the surface of water. â€Å"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body ... ...he presence of water as the motif in this story facilitates these transformations for Edna. On the Grand Isle, the constant presence of the ocean begins a metamorphosis within Edna that alters her perspective of herself in relation to others. She begins to fulfill her desires and abandon her responsibilities as a wife and mother to her family, in order to pursue a life of independence. Allowing her to fulfill her desires to be a painter and be with Robert. Critical moments of self-reflection for Edna occur in the presence of the ocean. It is at the ocean where she first realizes her desire to be independent. Also the empowering force of the ocean allows Edna to be a dictator of her fate. She ultimately decides to take her life and be free from other’s wants and expectations from her. The water was the catalyst that allowed Edna to be liberated and obtain her desires.

The State of Despair in American Beauty Essay -- American Beauty Films

The State of Despair in American Beauty In life, everyone must make choices. Choices give an individual the freedom to decide upon the path to which they will follow. Since it’s beginnings, the film making industry has focused on showing the direct relationship between the choices that people make and the resulting consequences they must face. In the movie American Beauty, the character of Lester Burnham must make many important choices that could either lead to his ultimate happiness, or draw him further into his despair. In the movie American Beauty, it is evident that Lester Burnham is in a state of despair. Lester’s dull and monotonous voice introduces the audience to his daily routine of life. When Lester declares plain and simply, â€Å"This is my neighborhood, this is my street, this is my life,† he exposes the lifelessness and unhappiness to which he has become accustomed. The hopeless tone that Lester has set continues when he cynically comments, â€Å"jerking off in the shower will be the high point of my day.† He realizes his family life is no better when he becomes aware that both his disdainful wife and his troubled daughter consider him â€Å"a gigantic loser.† It is easy to recognize and understand Lester’s disheartenment through analysis and symbolic car scene. In this scene, Lester sits slouched down in the back seat with a look of emptiness while his daughter Jane sits up front, next to his wife Caroline who is driving the car. The symbolism is shown through Carolyn driving the car, as she drives the family (especially Lester). She has evolved into the decision-maker, and leader of the Burnham family. Sitting in the backseat, Lester avoids further conflict with his wife, leading him to become an even unhappier and more desperate person. It is understandable why Lester feels like a sedated visitor in his own life. It is also easy to empathize with Lester when he states that he feels â€Å"in many ways already dead.† For Lester, his life at work is nothing better than his life at home. After fourteen years on the job, Lester is asked by an efficiency expert at work to write a memo justifying his position. This requires making the first of several choices, which will ultimately affect his future happiness. Should he justify his job and continue to provide for his family or choose freedom and a new life? To answer this question the audience must examine... ....† This is the first time in the movie in which it is apparent that he wants to know his own family and is just working out how to go about doing it. But it also allows Lester to be happy, happy for Jane to experience the â€Å"best thing he once had† a true loving relationship with Carolyn. Lester finds himself not sad that he is now missing that loving relationship, but happy that he got the chance to experience it at one point. By the end of the movie, Lester actually seems sincerely happy in his thoughts, in his mind and in his life. This is the happiness that he has been searching for all along. The discovery of happiness and the extinction of despair are two of the greatest feats known to humans. Everyone chooses which of the two will ultimately rule their life, but sometimes life itself can get in the way. Lester Burnham is a man with limits, a man without the freedom to know himself, but with the ability to overcome these boundaries. Throughout this movie Lester is taken down a path to which hedonism is the roadblock and morality is the hidden passage. For some the choice will never be able to be made, but to Lester, life was much too beautiful to ignore the possibilities.

The Impact of Divorce on a Teenager :: Impact of Divorce on Children

All over the world, parents decide to divorce and this leaves children hurt and confused. The children may lose contact with one parent or they might decide to makes some bad decisions in their life due to the feeling of neglect. Some of the bad choices could be mental health disorders and struggling in academics. There are impacts on teens that could be short term but there are also long term effects too, because most of them look up to their parents as role models. (decent statement of theme) Family clearly impacts teenagers, especially a divorce. [Why this last sentence? This is a â€Å"no duh† comment=you knew it before you started. Maybe it works as a 1st sentence, but not a last one.] In the book The House on Mango Street, written by Sandra Cisneros, the main character, Esperanza, was affected by many external forces, including family. Esperanza is a young teen who just moved to Mango Street, and she doesn’t like her house because it’s ugly, and she dreams of another house that her family has promised one day. â€Å"I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window (Cisneros 11). This was in reference to her great grandmother who didn’t want to marry, but Esperanza’s great grandfather kidnapped her and forced her to marry, where Esperanza’s great grandmother never forgave him and looked out a window for the rest of her life. Esperanza didn’t chose her name, her family did, and she didn’t chose who her family is either. The external force of family is an issue in real life just as it is in this novel, and the teens learn to either love it or hate it. [Whoa! Where’s the divorce here? Why not use the mothers who are single parents? Isn’t that closer to divorce?] Adolescents tend to find ways to let out their emotions and try to escape their problems, and this unfortunately leads them to make poor decisions that hurt them more than they know that it would be. Alcohol actually is a depressant because it slows down the function of the central nervous system and it cause people to lose coordination and not be able to think straight. [Again, whoa! Where’s the divorce here? Why start with drinking? Suggestion: if this is what some teens do when faced with divorce, then maybe this should go as your 2nd or 3rd comment, not your 1st.