Competitive Advantage

The competitive advantage is thought to be stronger when it lasts for longer period of time. Those companies who are able to maintain a competitive advantage for many years are thought to have a sustainable competitive advantage. Understanding the Concept Sustainable competitive advantages are company assets, attributes, or abilities that are difficult to duplicate or exceed; and provide a superior or favorable long term position over competitors. Sustainable competitive advantages are required for a company to thrive in today's global environment.Value investors search for companies that are bargains. In order to avoid purchasing a value trap one Of the factors we search for is sustainable competitive advantages. Without one or more sustainable competitive advantages a company may not be able to recover from whatever caused the stock to become a bargain. We only want to buy the stocks of companies that are real value investments, not value traps. In other words, we want to buy stock s trading below their intrinsic value and will grow cash flow for shareholders.If sustainable competitive advantage is dependent on maintaining a higher profit margin than other companies in the same industry, how does a company set out to develop a strategy to both achieve and maintain competitive advantage? The two main components of profit are that customers both value the goods and services and will pay for them; and that a company can keep production costs related to goods and services low, so that there is a higher profit margin. For example, if Sally's Cupcake Shop can make a chocolate cupcake for 25 cents and sell it for $1. 0, the profit on each cupcake is 75 cents. Sally's customers will pay $1. 00 per cupcake because the cupcakes are delicious and made with high quality ingredients. A few blocks away, Bobby's Cupcakes & More spends 40 cents making a chocolate cupcake, but can only sell the cupcake for 50 cents. Bobby's profit is only 10 cents per cupcake. Customers will n ot pay as much money per cupcake, because Bobby's cupcakes are not as tasty and are not made with ingredients that match the quality of Sally's cupcakes.Sally will be able to maintain a competitive advantage as long as she keeps costs lower than the amount customers will pay, allowing her to build a higher profit than Bobby. If this continues year after year, even as costs and prices change, Sally would be said to have the sustainable competitive advantage. However, Sally cannot become too comfortable with her advantage, and instead must antique to find ways to maintain a competitive advantage. Bobby may become motivated to outperform Sally. If Bobby is able to increase his own profit substantially, he could potentially take away the sustainable competitive advantage.Your competitive advantage is what sets your business apart from your competition. It highlights the benefits a customer receives when they do business with you. It could be your products, service, reputation, or even y our location. For example, do you offer home delivery, a money back guarantee, a 2-hour call-out service or childcare facilities? Types ND Examples of Sustainable Competitive Advantages Low Cost Provider/ Low pricing Economies of scale and efficient operations can help a company keep competition out by being the low cost provider.Being the low cost provider can be a significant barrier to entry. In addition, low pricing done consistently can build brand loyalty be a huge competitive advantage (I. E. Wall-Mart). Market or Pricing Power A company that has the ability to increase prices without losing market share is said to have pricing power. Companies that have pricing power are usually taking advantage of high barriers to entry or have earned the dominant session in their market. Powerful Brands It takes a large investment in time and money to build a brand. It takes very little to destroy it.A good brand is invaluable because it causes customers to prefer the brand over competitor s. Being the market leader and having a great corporate reputation can be part of a powerful brand and a competitive advantage. Strategic assets Patents, trademarks, copy rights, domain names, and long term contracts would be examples of strategic assets that provide sustainable competitive advantages. Companies with excellent research and development might have label strategic assets. Barriers To Entry Cost advantages of an existing company over a new company is the most common barrier to entry.High investment costs (I. E. New factories) and government regulations are common impediments to companies tying to enter new markets. High barriers to entry sometimes Create monopolies or near monopolies (I. E. Utility companies). Adapting Product Line A product that never changes is ripe for competition. A product line that can evolve allows for improved or complementary follow up products that keeps customers coming back for the â€Å"new ‘ and improved version (I. . Apple phone) a nd possibly some accessories to go with it.Product Differed tuition A unique product or service builds customer loyalty and is less likely to lose market share to a competitor than an advantage based on cost. The quality, number of models, flexibility in ordering (I. E. Custom orders), and customer service are all aspects that can positively differentiate a product or service. Strong Balance Sheet/ Cash Companies with low debt and/or lots of cash have the flexibility to make opportune investments and never have a problem with access to working capital, liquidity, or solvency.The balance sheet is the foundation of the company. Outstanding Management / People There is always the intangible of outstanding management. This is hard to quantify, but there are winners and losers. Winners seem to make the right decisions at the right time. Winners somehow motivate and get the most out of their employees, particularly when facing challenges. Management that has been successful for a number f ears is a competitive advantage. Value Investing and Sustainable Competitive Advantages Companies with one sustainable competitive advantage might be successful.Finding companies with multiple sustainable competitive advantages will greatly improve the chances you have found a real value stock. Can you think of any sustainable competitive advantages I may have missed? Http://arborinvestmentplanner. Com/sustainable-competitive-advantages- definition-types-examples/ How to identify your competitive advantage To identify your competitive advantage, you need to understand your competitors and your customers. Ask yourself: Why do customers buy from Why do customers buy from our competitors and not us?Why do some potential customers not buy at all? What do we need to do to be successful in the future? Market research will help you to answer these questions. Good market research will reveal how your business is different from your competitors, and what you have to offer that appeals to you r customers. In-depth customer research will help you identify your customers' needs and increase your competitive edge. Use our market research kit to find key economic, demographic and statistical information about your industry.Customers buy benefits When customers buy your product or service, they are buying the benefit that it gives them. It may be that your product makes their life simpler, or your service helps them to feel better about themselves. Think about how your competitive advantage benefits your customers. For example, the competitive advantage for a sandwich shop may be: We use fresh, local ingredients to make-to-order the highest quality gourmet sandwiches in the local area.Different customers may see different benefits: customers with allergies or particular dislikes will enjoy the convenience of ordering a sandwich with their preferred ingredients customers who want to treat themselves will be attracted by the fresh, high-quality ingredients, and he fact that the sandwiches are gourmet customers who want to support local businesses will appreciate thou use only local ingredients. Thinking about how your business can benefit your customers will help you to pinpoint your competitive advantage. A strong competitive advantage: reflects the competitive strength of your business (e. . Quality of service) is preferably, but not necessarily, unique is clear and simple may change over time as competitors try to cash in on your idea must be supported by honest and ongoing market research must highlight the benefits to customers rather than boast Of your business itself. After you have highlighted your competitive advantage, the best way to tell your customers about it is to create your unique selling proposition. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF Samsung Electronics is part of one of the largest multi-billion dollar corporations in the world.In 2007 it exceeded the $Bonn mark in annual sales for the first time in its history. This makes it one of the world's top three companies in the electronics industry where only two other companies, Siemens and Hewlett-Packard, have posted larger revenues. The name Samsung literally means ‘three stars' or ‘Tristan' in Korean, reflecting the Samsung Group's dominance in two further sectors: Samsung Heavy Industries and Samsung Engineering and Construction. â€Å"The support need – when and where you need it' Samsung respects the choice customers have in how and with whom they do business.That why, to more effectively support product lines, Samsung has established a geographically-dispersed base of direct dealers and indirect channel partners that result in tight-knit national coverage. So, as a single- or multi-location operation, you benefit from having Samsung partners right where you need them most – near corporate headquarters, at branch offices r out in the field. A direct connection to Samsung through your authorized dealer. As a decision maker for your business, it's your job to make the right choices to keep your business competitive and vibrant.With an authorized Samsung dealer as your telecommunications solutions provider you can rest assured that your telecommunications needs are being fulfilled. Look at your Samsung dealer as your trusted advisor, keeping you informed about new technology advancements, service options and cost-effective measures that can give your business a competitive advantage. Samsung singular focus is n businesses like yours. Its authorized dealers represent a commitment to supporting you with outstanding solutions and service capabilities.Dealer expertise is sharpened in Samsung mandated certification courses, so you can be confident in the technology and service you are receiving. Samsung supports its authorized dealers along the entire continuum with product training, deployment, installation and professional services. This life cycle of support provides you with an additional Samsung advantage – a five-year hardware warranty that reduces your long term costs. Less one Of the ways Samsung thanks you for investing in their solutions. A strong commitment to research & development Samsung strives to understand what customers need ahead of its competitors.Their engineers adjust their thinking to develop original and innovative products that will meet those needs, along with new technologies to lead the future market. They respond to the â€Å"voice of the customer' by designing and testing new products, and through hands-on management of product lifestyles. Each year Samsung has invested at least 9% of sales revenue into R&D activities. As the company continues to increase R&D pending, their commitment to leading technology standardization and securing intellectual property rights remains strong.In fact, Samsung was the largest publisher of U. S. Patents in 2006 and is the owner of one of the largest U. S. Patent portfolios-?increasing patent procurement by 1 1 percent year over year. Cut ting-edge tech oenology that's affordable. Samsung expertise in voice/data convergence, wired, wireless communications, Vivo and core network technologies has produced Offices†;' 7000 – a family of groundbreaking business communications solutions that are redefining the rules of the game.The Officers†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ platform provides you with business advantages across your entire spectrum of needs. First, you'll enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your communications are being routed over a secure, reliable platform. Second, the intuitive design and scalable architecture of this platform enables growth in affordable increments, so your investment will carry you well into the future with significant ROI. In addition, the system's architecture provides flexibility-?a medium where additional applications can be added to enhance the power of Samsung solutions.More and more small and mid-sized genuineness are realizing the need for Computer Telephony Integrat ion solutions to manage their resources and desktops. In response, Samsung has developed a suite of Officers†;' CT I applications for improving call handing, managing the user interface, interpreting and gathering call reporting and improving customer affinity through screen pops that detail names and call history. Standards-based technology means that system serviceability is just a phone call away and your telecommunications are reduced in operational complexity.With its single expandable architecture, Officers 7000 installs ND configures easily. You are considering a platform that not only gives you access to voice and data throughout your office complex and even off-site, but also eliminates divergent systems, bottlenecks and competition between voice and data applications. Whether you are upgrading or are launching a converged system for the very first time, this line-up of systems offers a perfect blend of versatility and power that will speed up your business.Sources of Samsung cost advantage in DRAMS Samsung cost advantage is clearly visible from the comparison of costs (and heir elements) that were borne by the company and its competitors in 2003 (Tab. 3): Samsung* overall cost was 24 per cent lower than the weighted average cost of the other four producers; two most significant elements of the cost structure, I. E. Raw materials and labor, were 36 and 27 per cent lower respectively. When expressed by means of a relation of average selling price to costs (â€Å"productivity' of cost elements), the differences are even more visible (com. Tab. Overall superiority of Samsung over its competitors exceeded 51 per cent! The cost advantages related to raw materials may be explained by better negotiated agreements with suppliers (perhaps due to the larger volumes of purchases – com. Fig. 5) and possibly less shipping and distribution costs that stem from the fact that Samsung FAA facilities are geographically collocated (while competitors' facil ities are spread world-wide). In terms of labor productivity only Chinese SIMI outperformed Samsung, but that came hardly unexpectedly: low labor costs in China had been and were to remain unbeatable for some time yet.Other possibly meaningful factors that cannot be forgotten include: higher yields (due to process quality ND use of more efficient, larger silicon wafers), use Of Common core design for different products supported by the flexibility of production lines (which enabled cost-efficient production of a wide variety of different semiconductors), and – reportedly -? 12 per cent lower investment in capital assets related to the aforementioned strategic decision on FAA collocation.The last but not least element of the Samsung â€Å"cost puzzle† (which, unfortunately cannot be supported by concrete numbers from the case study, and is rather based on intuition) was the way the firm built and maintained intellectual capital and stimulated innovativeness and creativi ty among employees. It had established an incentive-based remuneration system, it sponsored employees for Pads and MBA education, it created a family-friendly working environment in which more of employees' energy could be devoted to solving problems at work instead of troubles in private lives.In most modern industries, such a long-term approach and investing in human capital eventually pays off resulting in higher productivity and better and cheaper products. Sources of Samsung price premium in DRAMS Samsung achieved an almost 1 5 per cent price premium over (the weighted average price of) its competitors (com. Tab. How was that possible? There were, apparently, two main reasons for that: quality and product mix.The former was definitely a unique advantage in the semiconductor industry which was, generally, characterized by little product differentiation (in terms of physical and functional properties), and where demand was highly price- driven. Even though, due to the outstanding quality and reliability of its products, Samsung had managed to achieve a position which justified paying remit for its products. Between 1995 and 2005 the company won awards for performance from most of its major customers, and many of them (even rivals of one another) named Samsung their supplier of choice.Of course, the highly-recognizable brand (the value of which was estimated at almost USED 11 billion in 2003 ! ) helped to maintain the price premium as well. The Samsung successful product mix strategy, on the other hand, was realized through extremely wide differentiation of products that the company manufactured: in DRAM memory segment it was over 1,200 different types! The large product portfolio allowed Samsung to address a very broad market and to avoid fierce price fighting in the most competitive sector of so called commodity DRAMS (where many producers had to sell below production costs).Apart from the ‘mainstream' mass products (in general: low-cost commodity DR AMs), Samsung offered: ; â€Å"legacy products†, I. E. Older types of chips, production of which was continued after the industry had moved to newer generations and which – due to limited supply – could be sold at price premium; ; â€Å"specialty products† – chips designed for niche uses where the rice was usually agreed on bilaterally between Samsung and a given buyer (at the same time, the company was able to optimism costs by building the customized architectures using a common core design).How Samsung should react to threat of large-scale Chinese entry? In my opinion, none of the two options of reacting to the Chinese â€Å"menace† that were presented in the case study, should have be chosen by Samsung as the only one. Rather, a mix of the two seemed to be an optimal approach. Samsung unique ability to maintain the low-cost and, at the same time, differentiated production should have been maintained, but – simultaneously certain a spects of the changing industry environment might have been taken advantage of as well.It was not necessary for Samsung to desperately look for ways to decrease its labor costs (which is usually a reason for established companies to move their production to China): its cost advantage over competitors was supposed to remain for some time. On the other hand, in line with an old Chinese saying: â€Å"keep your friends close, but the enemies even closer†, it was not advisable to ignore the rising competitors (as the industry had done years earlier with regards to Samsung itself).Earlier of eater, China itself was posed to become a significant (if not the most significant) market for semiconductors, thus all actions aiming at better positioning itself to sell in the market seemed to be highly desirable. Therefore, Samsung should have decided to partner with a Chinese firm for production of its low-end, legacy products. At the same time, its state-of-the- art technologies had to be kept in-house.Such a strategy would let Samsung preserve its valuable intellectual property; manufacturing of the mass market products together with Chinese did not pose a threat to the IP, since cosmologies necessary for that usually were no longer proprietary information. On the other hand, the partnership might result in a possibility to further decrease the costs due to availability of attractive subsidizing from the Chinese government and lower labor costs, and – of course – prepare grounds for enlarging sales to customers in the opening and growing market.There was, however, a number of important aspects that had to be remembered while implementing the strategy: ; Samsung competitive advantage related to the unique breeding environment for innovation and efficacy of the centralized R&D and production should have been preserved, thus all new product development had to be kept in the Korean headquarters; ; another competitive advantage of the company, the quality, should have been definitely maintained, too; it might have become a challenge if part of the production was to be moved to China, therefore Samsung had to ensure it could properly influence its Chinese partner (e. . By remaining a majority stakeholder in the joint undertaking); ; while overall reduction of costs was not of key importance for Samsung, the partnership tit a Chinese firm could have been, nonetheless, used for reduction Of labor costs related to production of legacy products (in case of which the associated gain was to be most significant) with no risk of compromising valuable intellectual property; that way, another competitive advantage of Samsung, the industry best ASP to cost ratio, would be further strengthened.However, in parallel to building the partnership, Samsung couldn't have forgotten about other Chinese would-be competitors which would supposedly flourish around. Therefore, the company should have kept throng focus on maintaining its technological leadersh ip through cutting-edge R (still unavailable at the time, despite having relatively easy access to capital, for Chinese start-ups), especially towards future substitutes for DRAMS: flash memory chips.

The Shift from Medium Specificity

Yinxuan Ma 1 The shift from medium specificity as the organizing principle for advanced art production to the notion of â€Å"site† and â€Å"system† can be seen as a bold attempt—it challenges the expectation for art marketing as well as criticizing consumer centric culture. During the period, artists may still be invested in the visual or formal aspects of art, however, there is a new sense of prioritizing the conceptual ideas that reveal different understandings of artwork and even painting. It is inadequate for viewers to just focus on the presentation of the article, because only the words behind the objects can show the great shift.Frank Stella, an artist who embraced geometric abstract painting, switching his concentration from fascinating visual shock to simplified painting form by using minimalist strategies, when he created works, such as â€Å"Die Fahne Hoch! †. Frank made minimal decision as to how to extract necessity from his format. Apart fr om this, Frank minimized the presentation of the color and aesthetic strategy. â€Å"This flew in the face of the Modernist idea that painting imposes a fixed set of aesthetic limitations. † (Frank Stella, Seltz and Stiles, P143) As I mentioned before, â€Å"Die Fahne Hoch! (Franks Stella, â€Å"Die Fahne Hoch! † 1959), which translate to English means â€Å"Raise the Flag† consists of black background and white lines, it seems like the painting has nothing to do with â€Å"flag†. However, the idea of naming the title â€Å"Die Fahne Hoch† comes from the Nazi marching song which emphasis the â€Å"domination†. Here, in the painting, the color of background—black dominates the whole Yinxuan Ma 2 article and we can also easily find the scheme of sketch and the symmetry pattern he applied in painting.As the basic and surfaces are so ordinary and unadorned that many critics of that time refused to accept them as art. But Frank argued tha t, his painting is based on the fact that only what can be seen there is there. It really is an object. Any painting is an object and anyone who gets involved enough in this finally has to face up to the objectness of whatever it is that he is doing. (Frank Stella, Seltz and Stiles, P144) I’m in favor of his argument—because â€Å"accurate† and â€Å"right† are not only adjectives for the art. The object he created is more straightforward and clear.Different from other forms, Frank wanted viewers to explore painterly detail, and his object did so by basic and plain presentation. Standing in front of the painting, viewers will see the symmetrical white lines across the black background, comparing to other paintings, Frank’s work is much more plainly and simply, the â€Å"black and white† article ask viewers to put their eyes close to the object–how the two elements â€Å"black† and â€Å"white† coexist, and represent the execute of the article. Audience needs to switch their focus from â€Å"what the painting trying to tell me† to â€Å" what I see on the canvas†.To Robert Morris, his preference is sculpture but not painting. Instead of using rich materials or scales to frame the article, Robert takes sculpture to maintain his particular insistence on the minimalism—Sculpture. For want of a better term, that grouping of work which does not present obvious information content Yinxuan Ma 3 or singularity of focus. (Stiles and Selz, P701) For example, the Untitled (Robert Morris, Untitled â€Å"three L-beams, 1964) doesn’t present obvious information content or singularity of focus.In the limited space, these L-beams are placed in sitting, lying and balancing postures, like three Platonic Grace. (David Hopskin, P140). The presentation of the L-beams are casual and disordered, when viewers walk into the exhibition, the beams are just â€Å"there†Ã¢â‚¬â€occupy the lim ited space with different patterns. You can consider the sculpture as bench, arch or platform. â€Å"Through the design of the beams Robert attempt to â€Å"tone up† Viewers’ eyes, bodies and minds. †(Hopskin, P143) â€Å"What work does? † Robert raised the question to his audience.The physical extension of Robert’s sculpture obey the rule of the nature: from which, viewers see the shadows, space and positive forms of the sculpture. What audience needs to do is that forget the limitation of the space, getting rid of the relationship between â€Å"work† and â€Å"made†, to read, to taste the sculpture with their original forms. â€Å"The form used in present-day three-dimensional work can be found in much past art. Grid patterns show up in Magdalenian cave painting. Context, intention, and organization focus the differences.The similarity of specific forms is irrelevant. † (Stiles and Selz, P703) If Robert Morris comes up with t he idea of â€Å"Anti Form†, Eva Hesse rejuvenates the concept by exploring the movement’s hiding aspect and system. Her work– Yinxuan Ma 4 Accession II (Eva Hesse, Accession II, 1967) shows difference between Frank Stella as well as Robert Morris because of the â€Å" imperfection†. The â€Å"Accession† was composed of perforated Minimalist cubes threaded with thousands of pieces of plastic tubing, which provided them with bristling interior â€Å"lives†. (Hopskin, P150).The cube, with crude inside and smooth outside, will make viewers think about human body, the skin may glossy and clean, but the hair, the internal organs, looking rough and chaotic. Eva minimizes the formal form of an object, what she emphasis here is â€Å"literal nature of materials†. Meanwhile, Eva’s objects are closely interrelated to â€Å"biological† and â€Å"human body† because of her experience–from German Nazi to America, from f ather’s death to mother’s suicide, and eventually, Eva suffered from cancer herself–the pain and the sorrow come from body as well as psychological.Her effort is bold as she put social and political agenda aside, creating article to express every-day life. Male, female, love and sex. She minimizes the narration and frame, using basic, or raw material like fiberglass, latex to absorb the spectator in its tangles. As a feminist, Eva Hesse says, â€Å"To me insurmountable to achieve an ultimate expression, the complete dedication seemingly only man can attain. † (Stiles and Selz, P704) The object â€Å"Studio view† (Eva Hesse, studio view, 1965) can be recognized as representative article to her. There are lots of stuff hung on the wall, circles, tire-shaped stuff and rope-shaped stuff.Among these objects, there is one that captured my eyes—several ball-shaped stuff inside string bags. Yinxuan Ma 5 From my point of view, the ball-shaped stuff d efinitely speaks out Eva’s objection of â€Å"his domain†. Female can have work, female can say â€Å"no† to male. What is more significant, females can display their own achievement! From this, viewers can find the self-confidence of Eva, comparing to male, her studio is also full of works and successful artworks. When audience admires Eva’s objects, the â€Å"whole work† or â€Å"perfection† should be ignored.Without fixed formula or logical form, Eva Hesse’s articles come from her â€Å"mental decision† and her detailed observation of daily life. Viewers need to put their eyes on the â€Å"imperfection† side of sculpture, thinking about the human body at same time—none of us are prefect, the blemish and shatter make our life real. To the artists, the color, the material or the forms are no more important, what viewers should notice and learn is the â€Å"words behind the objects†. To Frank, the conceptua l art is broader than any other art, his geometric objects are specific and creative that speak out his idea.To Robert, his sculpture stay â€Å"real† and â€Å"phenomenological†, to Eva, the cube brings up the humanity and the imperfection of human in real life. As a viewer, what capture your eyes is no more bright color or fantastic frame, as they are minimized. Here, the simple lines, the curve and the plastic tubes can lead you to artists’ world, to hear what they say, to watch their experience, to explore the relationship between art and the idea they came up with. ARTH 2201 Art + Design Dr. Gloria Sutton Yinxuan Ma 11/13/2012

Intrest throughout the three stories Essay

Sherlock Holmes is the main character in the story, as in all the Sherlock Holmes stories. He is a very proper and intelligent man with an extraordinary gift. He is Observant and analytical person and can obtain a large amount of information from a small amount of clues, which most others would overlook. From early on in the story Holmes does not hesitate to show off his detective skills when he meats Helen Stoner: â€Å"You have come in by train this morning, I see. I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm of marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you sit on the left-hand side of the driver†. This shows that Holmes considers these observations to be trivial, and that they do not stretch his talent whatsoever. Doctor Watson is Holmes’ assistant. He is a fully qualified doctor and so a clever man, but next to Holmes he often comes across as a clumsy, less intelligent person. This contrast makes Holmes and Watson an interesting duo to read about. Watson is used for occasional humour during the story. It is very apparent that Watson admires Holmes: â€Å"I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his professional investigations and admiring his rapid deductions†. Finally, Conan-Doyle uses Watson to put forward questions and opinions, which the reader may be thinking of. Holmes never openly rejects these opinions, but nor does he accept them or answer Watson’s questions clearly. This creates red herrings, which ensure that the outcome of the story remains a mystery to the reader. Helen Stoner, the lady that has come to Holmes for help, is portrayed in this story as the ‘damsel in distress’. She is in desperate need of assistance and has no one else to turn to. Whilst Helen is trying to explain her predicament to Holmes, He is very calm and collective and does not let her tell the story in full immediately; he frequently asks for details or interrupts Helen. This keeps the reader interested because he or she is eager to learn the story. Holmes’ attitude towards Helen reflects the time the story was written in. Holmes is very sympathetic and gentlemanly towards Helen: â€Å"‘you must not fear,’ said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. ‘We shall soon set matters right, I have no doubt'†. Holmes is not being sexist in his assumption that Helen is helpless and afraid, he is merely showing the attitude towards women that was shared by most men at that time. Holmes knows that Helen needs help from someone who is reassuring and confident. Roylott is Helen’s stepfather. Roylott is an aggressive, violent character who threatens Holmes by bending his poker. Roylott is the prime suspect in the story for the reader, because the death of his stepdaughters would mean he would receive their inheritance. Throughout the story, Conan-Doyle gives several clues as to the outcome of the mystery. Firstly, when Helen is telling her story from the beginning, the reader learns that Roylott, who would inherit an amount of money in the case of the two sisters’ deaths, is a short-tempered, dangerous man who has a history of violence: â€Å"There was a series of disgraceful quarrels and brawls with anyone giving him the least offence†. These clues make Roylott the prime suspect for the death of Julia Stoner. Secondly, although it leaves many questions unanswered, Helen reveals that Julia’s last words were: â€Å"Helen! It was the band! The Speckled band! â€Å". It turns out that she was describing the snake that bit her. Finally, there are several important clues given in Helen’s bedroom, next to Roylott’s room, before the plot is unfolded. Above Helen’s bed, which is fixed to the floor, is a bell rope that does not work, and a ventilator. The ventilator is in a very strange place: the dividing wall between the two rooms. It turns out that these features were to allow the snake to get to Helen. Such clues were intended to intrigue the reader and hint to the reader, giving them a chance to work the mystery out for themselves. These clues are typical of the mystery genre. There are also several red herrings in the story, for example, the gypsies living in the grounds: â€Å"It must have been those wretched gypsies in the plantation†. These points are irrelevant but raise questions in the mind of the reader, making them want to read on. Conan-Doyle also uses tension to keep the reader interested. When Holmes and Watson are waiting for the snake to arrive in Helen’s room, they are in darkness and speak in whispers. Holmes makes it clear to Watson that they are in considerable danger and must not get caught. Conan-Doyle also uses language techniques such as shorter sentences to achieve this tension. At the end of the story, as was common in stories of this genre, Holmes gives an explanation of the crime for the benefit of the reader. ‘The Devil’s Foot’ is similar to ‘The Speckled Band’ in that from the start there is a character that we have reason to suspect: Mortimer. At first, Mortimer does not seem to be as vicious an enemy as Roylott, as was common in the time the story was written, but several clues unearthed by Holmes point the finger at him. The murder in this case is also similar to the murder in ‘The Speckled Band’. It is a very horrific and mysterious murder that some in the story believe to be of a supernatural nature. Murders like this were often present in stories of this time and genre and were designed to fascinate and shock the reader. Holmes, however, says: â€Å"if it is beyond this world then it is certainly beyond me†. This makes the reader believe that there must be a logical or scientific explanation. The crime is again solved by Holmes, who solves the mystery by noticing small clues and gathering information, in this case, noticing the link of combustible powder between the two rooms in which the murders took place. To support his idea of this powder being the cause of the deaths, Holmes puts his life on the line and tries it on himself. This eccentricity and willingness to go so far to solve a crime makes Holmes all the more interesting and unusual to the reader.

The Rule of St. Benedict and Beowulf books Essay

The Rule of St. Benedict and Beowulf books - Essay Example The Rule of St. Benedict was written at a time when the world was ravaged by great political and economic upheaval brought about by warfare. It was during this time that there was immense chaos and hardship and there was no integrated community whatsoever. Even the monks and hermits spent their lives in tiny cells, huts or caves with self imposed hard rigor. Most of them lived on bread-crusts, indulged in self-flagellation for decades together. Saint Benedict understood that such living was not healthy for community living and therefore revolutionized the existing rules to make life much better. The most important thing he did was to allocate specific time for different activities. He divided the Pg. 2 day by setting aside time for work, prayer, study, relaxation and sleep respectively. This arrangement was rather innovative and well accepted all around since it made life much easier to lead even while creating a good community atmosphere by bringing about order in their daily lives. An ideal ruler always wants the best for his subjects and considering the masterpiece he offered his subjects, there is no doubt that St. Benedict could be called an ideal ruler because he had the good of his people at heart. As a good ruler he was responsible for bringing about peace and harmony through community life by releasing his people from the bondage of hardship and chaos. Even though Benedict was a monk himself, he was not a rigid taskmaster who penalized his subjects. In fact, in his book he states that these rules were ‘nothing harsh, nothing burdensome.’ (St. Benedict ( 1998) On the other hand, he was a concerned leader who wanted to bring about order and peace in his environment. Benedict’s rule is an integral and invaluable guide to us in this contemporary society because it forms the basis of order and structure in our daily lives. Benedict’s vision of order was aimed at bringing people much closer to God. According to Benedict, all indivi duals are equal before God and therefore equality within a community lays the foundation for spirituality and drawing people closer to the Divine. Benedict’s rules have great significance and Pg. 3 relevance in today’s society as it continues to help us maintain order and discipline in our lives. Beowulf is in sharp contrast to ‘The Rule of St. Benedict’ because it is a narrative that comprises of both fact and fiction. It is a mixture of images of people and creatures who are less human and comprises of both comedy and tragedy. Written in the early part of the tenth century A.D. Beowulf is one of the oldest epics in British literature that has managed to survive. Presently a house timber British library in London, Beowulf describes the interesting adventures of a well known Scandinavian warrior belonging to the 6th century. While ‘The Rule of St. Benedict’ is based on factual evidence of real people within a real environment, ‘Beowulfâ €™ is based on fact as well as fiction to express the thoughts and ideas of its author. Throughout the narrative, the author speaks of the descendants of each warrior, the conquests they fought and the manner in which they lost their lives, but constantly keeps close proximity with the Divine and expressing that God is ever present and is a solace and guide to mankind. One such warrior was Shield who though was an orphan, put an end to many enemies and took care of his people like a good king. This idea of a good king is

Capital Punishments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital Punishments - Essay Example In a wider context, capital punishment demeans human dignity. Violence cannot solve the rising cases of criminality. It should be stressed that toleration of execution as a means to solve criminality leaves an imprint on the citizenry’s mind that violence should be confronted with violence (Fridell 33). Capital punishment acts to legitimize violence within society. For this and other reasons to be discussed in this paper, capital punishment should be abolished since it is degrading to human life value. There are those in society who perceive capital punishments as beneficial to human society due to its ability to deter criminals from committing crimes. In addition, they believe that capital punishment ensures that violent criminals have no chance to dish violence on society (Melusky & Pesto 55). However, it is important to note that these arguments have no support in the form of scientific literature. There is no proof that a causal connection exists between criminals committi ng crimes and capital punishment. In addition, empirical research proves that many crimes committed in the US are crimes of passion or unplanned or un-premeditated crimes. Logically, when crimes are committed when a person is angry, the idea of capital punishment will not deter the prospective criminal at the time he is about to commit the crime (Melusky & Pesto 56). This is because he cannot rationally calculate the merits and demerits of his/her actions. Capital punishment can lead to wrongful execution and, therefore, must be done away with. For example, the case of Randall Adams in Texas had seen him sentenced to death for a crime he had not committed. According to Errol Morris, whose documentary led to his freeing, â€Å"Prosecutors sometimes push capital punishment cases to improve their CV† (Morris 1). Unfortunately, in other cases, the evidence that can prove the death row inmate’s innocence is only obtained following their execution. Therefore, because there i s the ever present chance of wrongful execution, capital punishment should be abolished. Capital punishment creates doubt in society that the justice system is unreliable when they really need it. It also emotionally hurts the families of people who have been executed wrongly because it is impossible to resurrect them. Because judges and juries are humans and can make wrong decisions with regards to those deserving acquittal or conviction, wrongful executions will always occur (Melusky & Pesto 57). For this reason, capital punishment, because of its irreversibility, must be abolished. Another detrimental effect of the death penalty has to do with the fact that it sends a message to society that their justice system acts as a revenge advocate, especially for those people who are victimized because of heinous crimes (Mandery 18). The death penalty sends a message to society that the reason the justice system exists is to aid the victims of heinous crimes and their families, rather tha n determine whether the suspects in the crime are guilty or innocent. Capital punishment can be interpreted in another way, which is that it does not give the offender any chance to realize their mistake and act to correct it. The American justice system, in this case, is made to look biased and partial when it uses capital punishmen

Obama and Romney 2012 campaigns Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Obama and Romney 2012 campaigns - Assignment Example The author states that using social media to gain attention of the general public is similar to knocking at the doors of the voters. He states that a speech that President Obama conducted in the region of Romnesia was well advertised on social media outlets including Twitter and Facebook and due to this the video of the speech was able to gain more than 0.5 million views. Furthermore, the author states that mostly after the end of the elections those who are with the losing side end up losing their appearance in the eyes of the public. But social media has helped such individuals including Richard Grenell remain relevant even after the elections. The third lesson that the author learned through the Presidential social media campaigns of 2012 was that on the internet political news regarding events and other political stories spread at a very fast pace and people are thirsty to talk politics over the internet. Furthermore, social media marketing has even benefited the candidates of third party. This is because even after the elections the candidate of the Libertarian party can continue to gain attention of the general public and remain engaged with them. The fifth point that the author noted is that it is very difficult to measure which of the political party or the candidate has an upper hand in social media at the time of the campaign. The author states that various metrics used to measure victory on social media have failed. For example, if the number of followers is taken into account to measure victory then the individual making the analysis misses the sentiments and other factors involved. Another important point to note is that social media has the ability to spread any mistakes made by the candidate during the campaign at a very fast pace. These mistakes are highlighted in quite a sarcastic manner. The seventh learning outcome of the campaigns was that the use of GIF images during debates that were used by

Paralegal studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paralegal studies - Essay Example l level between the two of them and explain to him that her response is not on behalf of the firm and in the event of any arising matter then both the firm and she would not be responsible nor liable. If however the policies set by the firm to guide paralegals is against that then she should completely restrain from responding to Larry though explain to her in a professional and friendly way that would not make the firm lose her as a client. If Fran chooses to respond to Larry’s question then Larry can later on hold the firm responsible for any eventualities that may arise since its Larry that was introduced to her as the firms’ paralegal unless during the time of introduction the firm outlined specific functions and contacts that Larry is allowed to make with Fran. On the other hand, if Fran opts not to respond to Larry’s question then they are at a risk of possibly losing him as a client since under normal circumstance he expects the firm to look out for her in legal matters and by extension other issues around her; a function that can easily be accomplished by the firm’s paralegal who is Fran. Ethics regulating attorneys in relation to their paralegals and the clients they represent require that attorneys introduce their paralegals to their clients and outlining the extent of assistance the paralegals would offer and the level of contact. In the case of Lucy and Will, both the attorneys did not introduce their paralegals to their clients. As the case proceeds, Roger who is Lucy’s paralegal realizes that Green was a client of his previous employer an information that he does not share with his attorney - Lucy. Ethics required that Roger to disclose that information to Lucy, an action that he opted to ignore. Green being a client of his former employer a long time ago was not an excuse for him not to abide by the ethics governing their conduct. He ought to have shared the information with Lucy and let Lucy be the one to determine its usefulness or

Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Insurance - Essay Example A certain level of risk is assumed to be accepted given the risk appetite of the management relating to a particular risk. Risk limitation is considered as the blend of risk acceptance and avoidance such that the company designs its portfolio of risk components and considers as to which risk component needs to be accepted or avoided. Risk transfer is the most common risk management technique such that the risk component is transferred to third party. The most common example is insurance in which the risk is transferred to insurance company against the premiums that the insurance company charges from the business. For different home styles, the most appropriate policy is the special policy called as HO-3. This policy insures all main perils except earthquake, flood, nuclear accident and war. Through insurance coverage, one gets deep coverage up to 100% of the replacement cost of home. The home content that insurer generally covers is between 50 to 75% of the property’s value. As far as the tax implications are concerned on obtaining an insurance policy of any type, it is important to note that any loan obtained to purchase the insurance policy is not regarded as taxable income. However, in case of lapse of policy or the surrender of the policy in favor of the insurer, the amount of loan becomes taxable and it will entitle the policyholder to pay tax on the loan amount. Similarly, if the interest paid on that loan is from out of pocket, it will not be tax deductible and thus result in higher tax consequences. As far as the personal finance plan is concerned, in short-term, insurance on automobile, cellular phone etc. will be needed as these things are frequently replaced with the newer models or versions etc. For medium-terms based needs, insurance policies such as health/disability or home policies will be preferred. For long-terms insurance needs, life insurance policies will be included in the financial plan. Savings and

Observation Mini-Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Observation Mini-Study - Research Paper Example Using direct observation as the main approach to data collection, the researcher sought to establish whether the hypothesis of racial disparity in the sitting arrangement existed, and possibly find ways of resolving the issue by creating race parity. The researcher sought permission from the university and the management of a middle-level restaurant existing near the university well in advance prior to the study. The restaurant is situated a few miles from the university, a development that limited research-related costs upon the researcher. Sitting comfortably at the back of the restaurant between 11:00pm and 4:00pm, the researcher gathered information about the sitting arrangements, the people’s behavior and what they were saying. The outcomes revealed that in deed more whites preferred executive seats and tables stationed at the front part of the restaurant with more adequate spaces between them and tended to refer to the other races in derogatory remarks like â€Å"front seats are for whites†. In light of this, people of color including Hispanics, blacks, Africans, and Asians found themselves relegated at the back of the restaurant where the furniture were more closely-packed. This finding lends credence to the hypothesis that racial disparity plays out in the sitting arrangement of people in US restaurants. Observation as a method of research has merits and demerits. A major merit of conducting observation research is that the researcher can record what they see and hear as the focus group goes about their normal activities in real life situations, rather than relying on what they say they do (Maxfield, & Babbie, 2010). As Maxfield and Babbie (2010) have pointed out, in Criminology, observation is the main source of securing information, especially in situations where approaching criminal suspects for interview or written responses is less likely to precipitate

Internet Censorship Essay Example for Free

Internet Censorship Essay ThÐ µ capacity of thÐ µ information supÐ µrhighway has Ð µxplodÐ µd in thÐ µ rÐ µcÐ µnt yÐ µars. It Ð µncompassÐ µs thÐ µ Ð µast and thÐ µ wÐ µst, thÐ µ land and thÐ µ sÐ µa, and anything our human mind could drÐ µam of. This is a good thing, right? With thÐ µ knowlÐ µdgÐ µ of thÐ µ world just on onÐ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s fingÐ µrtips, it must bÐ µ good, right? SurÐ µ, if it is usÐ µd thÐ µ right way. A saying goÐ µs likÐ µ this, â€Å"Too much of a good thing is bad. † It is truÐ µ. ThÐ µ IntÐ µrnÐ µt doÐ µs accommodatÐ µ a lot of information. In a way, it has too much information. The Internet contains certain information that we DON’T want minors to have access of. Some of these unwanted information might be pornography, gambling, and some sensitive issues like homosexuality. So what do we do about the stuff that we don’t minors to see? Do we just make some law and erase it from our precious Internet? No. First of all, this would be impossible to do because there is just too much unwanted information. Second of all, this would defeat the purpose of the Internet. In the article â€Å"The Online Cooperative Publishing Act,† it called the Internet â€Å"the manifestation of humankind’s quest for limitless two-way interaction with thought† (â€Å"Cooperative† internet). Since there is a vague line of what is appropriate and what isn’t, why should there be a straight-cut line of what things should be banned on the Internet. There should be a loose regulation on the content of the Internet that would encourage more interaction with this wonderful tool. Instead of the government dictating what minors should see, parents and teachers should be the ones stepping up and TEACHING minors what’s right and what’s wrong. To maximize the productivity of the Internet, there must be a balance of restriction and freedom. When that balance is reached, the Internet will fully flourish. â€Å"Why should we protect the Internet? Why should we protect all those pornographic websites? † you might ask. The Internet is a wonderful thing. Even the heads of our nation, the President and Vice President, believe that the Internet is a â€Å"powerful educational tool for our children† (â€Å"Family† internet). It should not be viewed as an evil thing. Its unique ability to link the world’s knowledge together fulfills any researcher’s dream. There is no more need to visit dozens of libraries to find everything one needs. Everything is at one’s fingertips. Without a doubt, little kids wouldn’t need the Internet to do research; they don’t have any research paper due. One mustn’t forget the Internet is not just for research academically. It could be used to research recreationally. One can research on topic of his interest. A teen male can research about cars. A mom can research on recipes. And a little kid can research on his favorite Disney character. Because of the Internet, a kid can do a lot more things kids before didn’t have the privilege of. A kid can know anything and everything around the world, and even out of this world, without leaving the comfort of his home. Anything, anything at all. If the Internet is censored, a large amount of these wonderful knowledge will not be accessible anymore. Although censorship does not mean a complete ban, there is no measure at the present that can effectively restrict access and still not block out good website. According to a study done by Electronic Privacy Information Center, the filtering programs block 95-99 percent of the material available on the Internet that might be of interest to young people (â€Å"Faulty† internet). I am not defending the protection of pornographic websites. Neither am I advocating an easier access to pornography. I just want to point out the fact that websites dedicated to pornography is only a very small percentage of the Internet. If we use the inefficient censorship products out there, we will miss out a lot of the goods that the Internet has to offer. The Supreme Court believes the same. When the Supreme Court struck down the Communication Decency Act in 1996, it found that â€Å"the interest in encouraging freedom of expression in a democratic society outweighs any theoretical but unproven benefit of censorship† (â€Å"Faulty† internet). So, should we sacrifice all the goods that the Internet could offer for those measly pornography websites? The Supreme Court shared the same vision for an uncensored Internet when it struck down the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that outlawed â€Å"indecent† communications online. In the ruling, it declared the Internet a free speech zone.

The Cove Documentary Film Studies Essay

The Cove Documentary Film Studies Essay In order for a high-quality documentary to capture an audiences attention it must tell a story. There are three elements to a good documentary. The first is it has to have a set up, this guarantees that that the audience watching the documentary will become emotionally or mentally invested into the characters portrayed on film. Secondly the documentary has to take the audience on a journey, emotionally or mentally, throughout occurrences in the characters lives. Thirdly there must be an inevitable closing of the film that pays off for the characters and the audience. This is exactly what the director Louie Psihoyos does in the documentary The Cove. The directed Louie Psihoyos is a profound photographer for National Geographic (Psihoyos. The Cove). From this experience he knows that in order for this story to be told, he needs to create a human touch in order to captivate the audience. He does this my presenting Mr. OBarrys story into the film. Mr. OBarry is a former dolphin trainer w ho created the world recognized TV show flipper (Psihoyos. The Cove). By bringing this show into worldwide consciousness and causing it to popularize so drastically, he feels like it is his obligation and responsibility to save and protect the dolphins (Psihoyos. The Cove). Throughout this film it is shown that he will do anything and everything to protect these animals from being brutally murdered by the fisherman in the cove. This film shows an act of heroism and courage, not just from OBarry but also from all the volunteers in this film that put their lives on the line to help end the slaughter of the dolphins. The Cove takes us right behind enemy lines to see the risky and dangerous activities taking place. This is what I like to call an eco-thriller. This cove is not only completely hidden by walls of jagged cliffs, but it is monitored and protected by droves and troops of Japanese policemen. Making the shot to see what is behind all of this almost impossible to capture. Due to the difficulty to find access into the cove, the documentary quickly picks up speed and becomes a thriller. Throughout the film there are bad guys like a man labeled private space, there are chase scenes and secret missions done at the dead of night and a number of investigations done by the Japanese government on the cast and crew of the film. All through this film there are two sides shown; good vs. bad. Almost automatically it is made clear in this documentary that there is a conflict and much resistance to the crews presence in Taiji, Japan. The crew is not only monitored and confronted by the Japanese government, but are as well in threat of being arrested. Which causes much fear and panic for not only the filmmakers, but also the audience watching th e film. Under Japanese law, you can be in jail for many months and even years without a hearing or trial for why you were arrested in the first place. The film sets up like a James Bond movie. The crew plans to go against Taijis authorities and to covertly set up remote control cameras and audio devices that will record and expose what the fisherman in the cove are in reality doing. Due to the use of high-tech equipment, such as underwater and infrared cameras, it not only gives this already unique film a completely new appearance and view of things but as well keeps the audience interested and on their feet by using these high-tech devices. The handheld and thermal cameras produces the audience to feel a part of the danger created by the activists to expose the slaughtering. The director integrates scenes from dolphin shows and smiling dolphins entertaining large groups people. He uses this to show that the smile of a dolphin is much like an illusion, as it hides their real feelings, as OBarry describes in the film. Along with the many film techniques used in the film, the film as well uses many diverse emotions of music during di fferent scenes to highlight the moods felt in the scene, which then incorporates the audience to feel the mood in the certain scenes. Not only music is used in the film but also the sounds of dolphins communicating underwater during the slaughter are recorded. These sounds are played over and over in the film causing the sounds to become somewhat implanted into the audiences head. Due to the high-tech cameras being able to capture the slaughters of dolphins to vividly, the audience sees exactly what filmmakers see, no re-enactments, staging or imagination is needed to know whats happening to the dolphins. In every documentary the view of the director is shown in each interview or camera shot, but the distinction between other documentaries and this one is that the raw footage of the dolphin slaughter can only show the perspective and view of the dolphins not the director. Not only is this film worthy of James Bond but also it encompasses everything like a spy-thriller would. This film causes the audience to root for OBarry, who symbolizes the good guys. Throughout this film the audience is constantly questioning whether the cast and crew will be caught or found out and will have to cease the documentary and their mission to expose the fisherman and the government. Most of all the audience is constantly wondering what will happen to the dolphins. This drama not only uncovers the emotional elements of this film, but also reveals intellectual elements. This documentary is strengthened by documentary evidence such as the coverage of International Whaling Commission conferences, interviews with animal experts, doctors, and politicians. The set up and logistics of the operation in this film, which are captured by high-tech equipment, creates a sense of danger, skill and creativity that resembles that of an adventure film. Not only are the consequences high , spending a year in prison perhaps, but also the film will cause the audience to neither enjoy or miss their next visit to watch dolphins performing at marine land. Many people are uncertain and vary to watch documentaries. Many of there reasons come down to two main reasons. The first is because simply they think they will be boring. The second is that they believe the documentaries will force them to change their minds or reconsider their actions. Ignorance is bliss in some cases may be true, choosing our battles only to sustain our sanity but, in other cases there are things that can be done that will not only better you and people around you but as well the world we live in. The prevention of the slaughter of dolphins might seem like a large and inconceivable task but the answer is simple, make people aware of the problem occurring and stop the demand. This is not a huge sacrifice when comparing to 20,000 dolphins slaughtered each year (Psihoyos. The Cove). But, like most things in life there are two sides and in order to understand one side you must as well study the other side. To somewhat defend Japan and their people; countries like the United States have many practices that could be seen at evil, inhumane or corrupt. The slaughtering of dolphins in Japan can easily be compared to the factory farms and slaughterhouses in the US. Animals like cows, pigs and chickens are treated just as poorly, but we dont think of their deaths as tragic as the dolphins death because they have become domesticated animals that are eaten often and that are no longer wild. When we look at dolphins we relate them close to humans and they as well have large quantities of mercury in their bodies, so Westerners would never think of eating them. Since the cove does not expose the audience to the slaughtering of cows, pigs and chickens, it gives the audience a chance to point fingers at others, like Japan, rather than themselves and issues happening in their c ountry. If a group of Japanese doctors were very concerned about the obesity problem among western children and a documentary film was made about it where they exposed the lies and double standards of the fast food industry, what would probably happen is it would anger and enrage westerners. An example of this is Michael Moore who focuses on issues where he lives, which causes quite the debate. The film directly attacks Japan, not only as a nation, but also on the policies, values and customs, which the Japanese have been brought up on. This is apparently shown in the coverage of Japans whaling policies. Which is a target for the audience to project their own bad feelings onto. The filmmakers created this target by showing footage that would shock the audience and would make them point fingers at Japan rather than onto themselves. Through this the audience was influenced to think and feel a certain way, such as anger, guilt, suspense, and moral superiority. Due to this the audience feels that they are entitled or have a right to attack Japan on what they are doing. A good example of moral superiority in this film is when OBarry sees the Taiji people as barbaric. He says in the beginning of the film, Today they would kill me if they could. Im not exaggerating. If these fishermen could catch me and kill me, they would (Psihoyos, The Cove). As well later on he says, The way th e law works in Japan, they can keep you in jail with no charges for 28 days. 90% of the convictions in Japan are obtained by confessions during those 28 days because they can torture you legally (Psihoyos, The Cove). The whole reason for saying these things is to portray the Japanese in a bad light and to characterize them as uncivilized. The fact that in the US the murder rate is 8 times high than in Japan is ignored. Clearly this objective of this movie is not to be necessarily fair. Only the facts that suit the filmmakers ideas, values and thoughts are used. Most of this manipulation is done not only so the directors view will be dominant, but that more money will be made and thus the better for Hollywood. If this movie were attacking Americans as well, there would much less of a demand or want to see this film. Due to this film becoming so popular in the entertainment industry the cove have used this to their advantage by creating a PSA (public service announcement) to raise awareness on the Dolphin slaughter in Taiji (The Cove PSA). This PSA feature a wide cast of celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Naomi Watts, Paul Rudd, James Gandolfini, and many more (The Cove PSA) . In this day many actors, musicians and filmmakers associate themselves with causes like this one in order to help their career and to market themselves. Much of activism done today is a type of entertainment. Instant gratifications are in favor rather than objective or balanced views. For self-serving people like some of these celebrities, the causes they speak about are no more than a fashion statement to boost their careers and identities. It seems that the more you can relate something to yourself or the greater the similarity, the more you feel like it deserves to be treated the same as you. This is one of the reasons why we respond so strongly to seeing the slaughtering of dolphins. This is a way of people reacting to their own self-preservation. The attitude of  Youre either with us, or against us  manipulates people by forcing them to rush to judgment for fear of being labeled as against them and by the use of this manipulation, for good or bad. The images of the film and the actions of the audience are often disconnected because, ecologically, problems tend to be so big any given person feels powerless. But  The Cove  breaks all of these conventions by using high-quality, high-budget techniques to bring the audience to a conclusion. The Cove does a good job of building up the moment of when the dolphins are slaughtered; infusing education and intensity into the preceding frames, but you simply cant be pre pared to see exactly what happens inside the natural cove. By using all the Hollywood cameras and equipment the most powerful scene in the film is when an underwater camera, showing the waters turning instantly red from all of the dolphins blood. While most of the better socially conscious documentaries are forced to look at a tragedy with years of hindsight,  The Coves issues are happening as we speak. This is a film that screams of the present urgency to do something, which makes viewers like us want to get involved. The Cove successfully stays with the audience long after the credits, due to its raw reality.

Bilingualism is a controversial issue

Bilingualism is a controversial issue However, defining bilingualism and bilinguals is more difficult than what the people think. This is due to bilingualisms multidimensional aspects as been stated by many linguists, educationalists, and psycholinguists. For example, Hofmann (1991), mentions that the multi-faceted phenomenon of bilingualism is the most remarkable and significant feature which is expected to centre the point of difficulty when defining bilingualism from one dimension. Moreover, Hamers Blanc (2000, pp. 3 23) provide a similar point of view and they highlight multidimensionality as being one weakness of bilingualism because when defining it, only one dimension would be taken into account, ignoring other sides of bilingualism. They add a number of various definitions of bilingualism which are one sided as they believe. For example, a definition of bilingualism may concern competence, without the other significant dimensions. Baker Jones (1998) become more specific in explaining the multidimensionality of bilingualism and they assert that there are five main issues that show the difficulty of defining bilingualism very concisely. Also, they show that there might be degrees of bilingualism which vary in the same person over time. The five issues are as the following: There is distinction between ability in language and use of language. They are two separate things. For example, a bilingual person has the ability to speak two languages very fluently, but he or she uses and practices only one of the two languages regardless whether it is the native language or the second language. Another bilingual person has the ability to speak two languages but he or she has some problems in speaking one of the two languages regardless whether it is the native language or the second language, but this person uses and practices both languages regularly. This distinction can be referred to the degree of difference between proficiency or competence of language (ability) and function of that language (use). Proficiency may vary in a language. For example, the abilities of a bilingual person will vary in using a language among the four skills of that language (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), where that person might be very good in speaking A language but when it comes to writing, the person will use B language to write or read, because his or her ability of writing in A language is weak or low. Another bilingual person might have good abilities (proficiency) in speaking and writing of a language, but he or she cannot use and practice (speak or write) that language, so he or she tends to use another language. This is called receptive competence. Few bilingual people are equally proficient in both languages, but one language tends to be stronger and better developed than the other language. It is called the dominant language and it is not necessarily to be the first or native language. Few bilinguals possess the same competence as monolinguals in either of their languages. This is because bilingual individuals utilize the languages they acquired for different functions and purposes. A bilinguals competence in a language may vary over time and according to changing circumstances. For example, a child starts to learn a minor language at home or in the childhood. As time goes, he or she learns another language in the school or community and he or she will gradually lose the minor language, because it is out of use and that person became away from the childhood; the situation where the minor language is used (Baker Jones 1998). Mackey (1967) supports Bakers Jones issues in a different way that there are four aspects should be taken into account when defining and describing bilingualism. They are overlapped to each other and cannot be treated separately. These aspects are degree, function, alteration, and interference. The degree of bilingualism indicates the proficiency and competence of language, which is the extent to which the bilingual knows each of the languages. The part of function focuses on the use and practice a bilingual has for the languages. How much each language is used and practiced by the bilingual? Alteration concentrates on the extent to which the bilingual switches between the languages (code switching). And interference is the degree to which a bilingual manages to keep the two languages separate or fused. Mackey adds that the four questions are overlapped to each other and they cannot be treated separately. For example, a bilinguals knowledge of a language will to some extent specify the functions to which it is put; and the vice versa. The contexts in which bilinguals have the opportunity to use language will affect their competence in it Adding to the previous points, Romaine (1995), states that proficiency and function are the factors which are related to the definition and description of bilingualism. Bilingualism should be carefully viewed with great consideration to certain variables appearing in the coming definitions. Auer (1995) shows that bilingualism can be referred to the linguistic competences in more than one language. This bilingual competence can be accessible via the analysis of well-formed sentences involving two languages which may be treated as a window on the bilingual mind (Auer, 1995, p.115). Clearly, psycholinguists deem bilingualism as hidden competence in bilinguals minds, and it can be revealed as bilinguals produce utterances. Conversely, Saunders (1988) declares that bilingualism has different associations in peoples minds. In the issue of the definition of bilingualism, two distinctive sides have appeared which have been opposing each other in the way of defining bilinguals and bilingualism. The debate is centred about two definitions. In one side, there are some people who assume that bilingualism is being proficient in speaking two languages just like the native speakers. This is related to Leonard Bloomfield the most famous linguist on the first side of the issue. According to Hofmann (1991), Bloomfield pays special attention to users who become so proficient in the new language that they cannot be distinguished from the native speakers and he considers these users are bilinguals. He relates bilingualism to those individuals who speak a second language with high native level of proficiency. In 1933, Bloomfield published a book called Language which was an early book of modern linguistics and it defines bilingualism as In the extreme case of foreign language learning, the speaker becomes so proficien t as to be indistinguishable from the native speakers round him. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In this case where this perfect foreign language learning is not accompanied by loss of the native language, it results in bilingualism, (the) native-like control of two languages (Bloomfield, 1933, p.55-56). As a consequence of Bloomfields definition, Hoffmann (1991) raises some questions, where he believes that Bloomfield has a clear idea of bilingualism, but there is some inconsistency on his definition of bilingualism. For example, if there is no definition for a degree of perfection in bilingualism, so how could Bloomfield talk of perfect foreign language learning? Continuing with Romaine (1995), who says that the previous definition identifies native like control of two languages as being the norm for bilingualism. Moreover, Hamers Blanc (2000) add that Bloomfield concentrates on the one dimension which is proficiency in language and this is not satisfying, because it is one of the weaknesses in defining bilingualism. As a consequence of Bloomfields definition, Also, Saunders (1988) stresses that this definition is restrictively limited to bilingual individuals who master their two languages completely. The previous views towards Bloomfields definition show the reasons of having another side of defining the term bilingualism. Moving to the other most different side of defining and describing bilingualism, bilinguals who have no native speakers competence in both languages reject that definition utterly and a number of definitions opposing Bloomfields notion have been placed by many linguists. For example, Saunders (1988) argues that many bilinguals comprehend a foreign language without having the ability to speak it fluently. Therefore, linguists define bilingualism as the bilinguals capability of using and speaking two distinctive languages at any level of competency. After all these various arguments regarding bilingualisms nature, it is clear that bilingual individuals have different degrees of competence in the second language. Also, comes in the other side, Haugen (1953, p.7) who shows that if an individual of any language could produce complete meaningful sentences in any othe r language, he or she would be a bilingual. One more definition contradicting Bloomfields is Macnamaras definition. Macnamara (1967a) cited in Hamers Blanc (2000, p.6) who defines a bilingual as anyone who possesses a minimal competence in only one of the four skills, listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in a language other than his mother tongue. There is a collection of other definitions of bilingualism between the above most two distinctive sides of definitions. That collection appeared to align for either side. For example, Hamers Blanc (2000, p.6-7) note that Titone (1972) defines bilingualism as the individuals capacity to speak a second language while following the concepts and structures of that language rather than paraphrasing his or her mother tongue. All the previous distinguishing definitions show the degree of difficulty in providing a concise definition of a bilingual and bilingualism, because most of the definitions are seen to be lacking specifity and clarity in the main points on them like native-like competence, minimal proficiency in a second language, and following the concept of structures of the second language (Hamers Blanc, 2000, p.6-7). In the case of bilingualism at HCT, Macnamaras definition of bilingualism seems to be the most appropriate one to the foundation year students capability of English and this is due to their level of English which is not as much as Bloomfields notion of native like control of two languages. 2.2 Types of bilinguals: Bilinguals in the world have been categorised into groups depending on certain points. The Finnish linguist Skutnabb-Kangas (1981) discusses this part of the issue of bilingualism and she proposes that bilinguals in the world can be classified into four different groups and there are some factors should be taken into account to distinguish between these groups. The factors are: the pressure to become bilingual, the prerequisites for bilingualism, the method used to achieve bilingualism, and the consequences in the case of failure. Skutnabb-Kangas focuses mainly on children bilinguals in her classification, but this classification to some extent might apply on bilinguals other than children. She classifies the groups as the following: Elite bilinguals: this group consists of people who have chosen to learn another language and become bilingual and in most cases they are not forced to bilingualism. Most of the bilinguals in this group are upper and middle class people. For example, some of them become bilinguals for the sake of studying or working abroad such as wining scholarships or having business, while others move and change their country of residence, so they want to learn the language of the target country. Regarding the factor of pressure, elite bilinguals volunteer to learn a second language and there is mostly no pressure, unless the children from the families who move to other countries might feel the pressure since they have to learn the language of the new country. In this group, the bilinguals prerequisites are seen to be most often suitable for them, because this is their choice of being bilinguals. In the case of children, the parents make their children acquire the mother tongue very well, so they will not lose it when learning another language. When they live abroad, the children then will be encouraged to learn a second language which is expected to be used most often, however they will still use the mother tongue at least within the home environment. The method of achieving bilingualism for elite bilinguals is a combination of the natural method and teaching as Skutnabb-Kangas states, where children or other bilinguals will face situations in which they must speak and communicate in the foreign language. Besides, they will be taught the foreign language in their home country as well as in the target country. In the case of failure for elite bilinguals, there are no serious consequences when not making a positive progress in learning a second language. For example, children or bilinguals might have less contact with native speakers and in some cases they will accompany speakers of their own mother tongue. Children from linguistic majorities: this group consists mainly of children who learn a language at school other than their mother tongue and this language is more likely to be a minority language, where children or bilinguals from such groups will learn it for certain reasons. This minority language is used either for the enhancement of its prestige, Hoffmann (1991) provides an example of learning French in Canada. Skutnabb-Kangas (1981) continues that a language might be regarded as being highly beneficial in the field of education and also in getting good occupations in a country, so this language will be used in immersion programmes or in foreign language classes, Hoffmann (1991) mentions the case of using English as a foreign language in Netherlands as an example for the second reason (Hoffmann, 1991). Another example for the later reason could be the situation of teaching English in almost all the educational institutions in Oman and using it widely in most of the occupations i n the various fields of work. There is little or no pressure on the children or other people of this group to learn a second language. The family and the society might be a source of pressure for the children; the parents will motivate their children to become bilinguals for either of the reasons been mentioned previously at least. The members of this group are taught to learn a second language and the methods used in teaching are believed to be better than the methods used for the rest of the groups, because these methods involve well-prepared materials that aid the learning of the second language. The consequences of failure in learning the language and being bilingual are small and this might result that people of this group will use the mother tongue in the society and they will have less opportunities of getting better jobs. According to Hoffmann (1991) the members of the preceding two groups come from monolingual backgrounds. In the contrary, the members of the following two groups are from bilingual backgrounds Children from bilingual families: this group consists of children who come from bilingual families which are the families that the parents have two different mother languages. For example, a family in Finland where the fathers mother language is Finnish and the mothers is Swedish. In this case there is some pressure on the children to be able to speak with their parents in their mother tongues. Besides, the society will push and encourage the children to learn the language used officially in the country which is more likely to be the mother language of either parent, and this helps the children to integrate in the society and to be successful at school. However, in this case the children become monolingual and there are some possible problems in the relationship between them and one or both of their parents, because these children lack complete bilingualism of both parents mother tongues. In the case of failure, the children of this group will face some problems and there might be ne gative consequences within the family environment. For example, a child has negative relationship with one of the parents because he or she fails in being bilingual and learning the mother language of the father or mother. Children from linguistic minorities: this group consists of children whose parents use a language of the minority. For example, a family in Canada, where both parents speak French (minority). In this case, there will be strong pressure from the society and the family on this group of children to become bilingual and learn the language of the majority (English) in order to successfully contact in that society and cope up with the others from majority groups. The methods and materials used to achieve bilingualism need to be more developed, because they still have not reached the level of the high expectations. In the case of failure, the children of this group will face consequences that are thought to be greater than for any of the other previous groups as Skutnabb-Kangas shows that the failure of being bilingual may be catastrophic. For example, the children might lose most of the educational and future opportunities and their contact with the society will be very limited. 2.3 Reasons of being bilingual: Saunders (1988, p.1) states that Fishman, a well-known writer in bilingualism, declares that more than half of the worlds population today uses more than one language while engaging in activities basic to human needs. Also, Baker Jones (1998) add that nowadays, most people in the world live in bilingual environments where two or more languages are used. Numerous causes contribute to the emergence and dominance of bilingualism. There are various optional or compulsory factors. According to Baker Jones (1998), emigration, economic trade and colonisation are main factors that facilitated the dominance of bilingualism over monolingualism. Emigration is a major factor of being bilingual, whereas emigrants move from their own countries to other countries, because of various reasons. For example, some of them escape from wars or poverty in their countries to search for better life in foreign linguistic communities. As a result, they will be forced to learn the language of the host countri es and in order to have wider contact opportunities and more employment availability. According to Saunders (1988), most emigrants speak the language of the new culture and environment. In Australia, for instance, 86.3% of emigrants speak their second language more than their home languages. Saunders also states that commerce and trade are critical factors motivating people to acquire a second language. Most economic business and commercial markets involve bilingual individuals to deal with customers from multicultural areas. Furthermore, Baker Jones (1998) highlight that the existence of bilingualism has also increased because of the mass communication systems such as television, telephone, radio and computers which increased the contacts between members of a variety of languages. (Baker Jones 1998). Another factor is the Geographical proximity of two countries which is a possible factor leading to bilingualism, where people of the two communities need the communication among each other for different purposes like trade and other social relations like marriage resulting in bilingual families. 2.3.1 Education as a great reason of being bilingual: Education is one of the most fundamental factors pushing or motivating individuals to learn a second language. Being bilingual through education can be optional or obligatory. I notice that, in all Arab Gulf countries, most school students become bilingual due to their learning of English as a compulsory subject. However, there are some students, including colleges and universities students, who learn their second language English as an optional subject. The learning of English in these countries seems to be the result of the international relations between them and the United Kingdom. It is worth mentioning that the main focus of my research paper is being bilingual due to education. Adding to the above motives of bilingualism, there are different bilingual education programmes that have been suggested as aiding the increase of bilingualism. (Baker Jones 1998). According to Baker Jones (1998), bilingual education has been widely considered as the capability of using two languages at school. However, it is a more complex phenomenon. Baker (1988) notes that bilingual education could be referred to any program aiming to teach students a second language besides their mother tongue at school Moreover, Hamers Blanc (2000, p.321) mentions that the term bilingual education is used to describe a variety of educational programs involving two or more languages to varying degrees. While, Bialystok (2001) asserts that Brisk describes that the term bilingual education is used in a different way in a number of different countries. For example, in the USA, bilingual education means teaching English to children whose native language is not English. In Europe, it refers to the education used in schools where two languages are involved in teaching different school subjects. These various definitions of bilingual education assure the complexity of this pheno menon. Ferguson et al., (1977) cited in Baker Jones (1998, p.465) provides a number of aims of bilingual education. Some of them are as the following: Bilingual education used to assimilate individuals or groups into the mainstream of society to socialize with people for full participation in the community. To enable people to communicate with the outside world. To provide language skills which are remarkable, aiding employment and status. To deepen understanding of language and culture. To give equal status in law of language of unequal status in daily life. The above aims show that bilingual education does not always concern the use of two languages in the classroom and it takes various classifications, where there are weak and strong forms of bilingual education programmes. The weak forms of bilingual education programmes aim to make children of minority language learn and transfer to the language and culture of majority resulting in monolingualism or limited bilingualism. In contrast, the strong forms of bilingual education aim to make students proficient in their own language as well as the language of majority resulting in full bilingualism. According to Baker (1988), bilingual education is classified to elitist bilingualism and folk bilingualism in accordance to the incentives of being bilingual. Elitist bilingualism is regarded as a reward offered to certain special individuals by government. Some students, for instance, are rewarded by being allowed to study abroad or study in prestigious universities in their countries. On the other hand, folk bilingual education is deemed a crucial need people have to meet in order to remain alive. As mentioned in the previous section that when immigrants move to a new place, they acquire the language of that place so that they can interact with people there. Bilingual education is also categorised into immersion and submersion bilingual education based on the use of both languages in learning. The immersion education is belongs to the strong forms of bilingual education. In immersion education, students are allowed to speak their mother tongue while experiencing their subjects and communicating with teachers. They learn the second language gradually as time goes by. Baker (1993) states that the immersion bilingual education started in Canada in 1965 where an experiment was done on a class of pupils and the aims were to make those pupils competent in using French and to reach good achievement levels in the curriculum involving the English language as well as appreciating the culture and traditions of French speaking Canadians and English speaking Canadians. On the other hand, students are not allowed to speak their home language in the submersion bilingual education, which is one of the weak forms of bilingual education. They are taught a ll their subjects in their second language. According to the major used language, bilingual education can be also categorised into transitional and maintenance or enrichment bilingual educations. The weak form transitional bilingual education essentially aims to develop and make students fluent in one language only, which is the majority language. Therefore, this bilingual education focuses on the bilinguals first language in the learning procedures with few extra classes to learn the second language leading to a limited bilingualism. For example, in the USA and Europe, the minority of languages are taken into account and cured in order to make the minority groups to be able to continue the education in English or other majority languages. While, the strong form maintenance or enrichment bilingual education aims to teach children their subjects with both languages to guarantee that children get good levels of proficiency in both languages. Baker indicates that some students are taught some subjects such as grammar in their nat ive language, while mathematics is learned in the second language. Consequently, students master both languages, and the two languages are developed simultaneously with complete bilingualism. This type of education is used for example in Canada and Wales as Baker (1988, p.47) shows that English speakers are taught French or Welsh to enable them to be fully bilingual (Baker 1988). I assume that maintenance or enrichment bilingual education refers to the same kind of education used in Oman but, here, the government uses the term dual education to refer to it. 2.4 Social attitudes towards bilingualism: Attitudes are the internal thoughts, feelings and tendencies in behaviours that an individual embodies in various contexts. They are difficult to be measured and significant in the thinking and they influence behaviours of individuals and groups. Language attitudes have a pivotal role in the learning of a second language or the loss of the native language. For example, research indicates that an individual will learn a language faster and better than others if his or her attitudes towards that language are positive. Moreover, bilingual education is also influenced by the attitudes of bilinguals being taught where their attitudes will be the reason behind the success and development or the failure of a bilingual education programme. (Baker Jones 1998). According to Baker Jones (1998), there are different types of attitudes to languages. The one related to this research study is the attitude to learning a new language since this paper considers the effects of learning English as a new language on HCT foundation year students social life in Oman. International research focused on the motivations and reasons that make students learn new languages has found that some individuals have the ability to learn a second language quicker and better ways and this due to their positive attitudes towards that certain language and this has been indicated by a research as I mentioned in the first paragraph of this section that positive attitudes to a language will aid the learning of that language. Also, research has found that people in England and the USA have less positive attitudes towards learning a second language than people in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and mainland Europe, where in the latter places; bilingualism is more typical, desirable, and valuable. The reasons might be the consideration of English as a dominant language across the world, so people need to learn it for better employments purposes, wider range of contacts and relationships, as well as travel (Baker Jones 1998). Attitudes to a language are categorised into integrative and instrumental attitudes. Integrative attitudes are the ones that people have when they seek for example, jobs require a second language, read the literature of a second language, socialise with natives of a second language and all this in order to learn that second language and identify different language communities. In the contrary, Instrumental attitudes are the ones that people have when learning a second language for different purposes. For example, they learn a language to pass exams, to find better and more job opportunities, or to help their children in their bilingual education programmes (Baker Jones 1998). Baker Jones (1998) also note that research explains that integrative attitudes and motivations are more helpful in making individuals proficient in the second language, because they provide them with positive attitudes resulting in long term motivation to learn a language, while instrumental attitudes provide short term motivation that will fade for example, an individual has passed in the exam and reached the goals of learning a second language. However, the opposite is a possibility where instrumental attitudes and motivation would be more powerful than integrative attitudes and motivation in learning a language. For example, in India, some Indian students gave instrumental reasons for learning English rather than integrative reasons. They show that English is important in education and future employment and without the need for them; the students would not have learned English. In accordance to the data collected for this research study, the case is that most of the foundation year students at HCT in Oman provided a mixture of both instrumental and integrative reasons for learning English and it can be noticed that instrumental reasons have greater effect than the integrative reasons and this will be discussed in the following chapter. Skutnabb-Kangas (1981) states that bilingualism has been seen in a very negative way in the past and as time was passing by the attitudes towards bilingualism have changed and the negativity has diminished. For example, at the beginning of the twentieth century, there were many statements and investigations that have negative attitudes to bilingualism. They stated that bilingual individuals are for example, lazy, stupid, unreliable, morally inferior, and so on. Romaine (1995, p.303) has conducted a study to investigate attitudes relating to a second language in the Punjabi/English bilingual community in Britain. Romaine has found out that most of her subjects believe that culture is deeply affected by language, for culture cannot be protected without conserving language. In this particular studied community, learners are only taught their second language, which is English, in schools regarding to the assumption that they have already mastered their home language. Therefore, Romaine has reported that the majority of her samples, including parents, prefer their children to be taught using their home language rather than the second language regardless of the latters language qualities. Romaines study shows that monolingual parents feel embarrassed when their bilingual children speak the second language, widely in the society and even in front of the traditional and older generation relatives and guests. Romaines study somehow conforms to the r esults that Huddy and Sears (1984) have found in their survey implemented for 1,570 non Hispanic subjects. They have discovered that people often consider bilingual education as a great factor affecting their culture and language. However, it is obvious that most countries all over the world implementing bilingual education, regardless of its classifications, teach their students English. Those countries believe in the great benefits of having a second language like English. White et al., (2002) declare that New Zealand offers non-English native speakers great opportunities to learn English, for it believes that English is currently very crucial in all life aspects. English skills should be improved as it is critical in facilitating social contacts, in enhancing employment and educational opportunities, and in providing the basis for p