Happy Endings Margaret Atwood Essay

‘Happy Endings’ is one of Margaret Atwood’s most frequently-anthologized stories because it is so unusual. In form, it isn’t so much a story as an instruction manual on how to write one. In content, it is a powerful observation on life. The story is broken up into six possible life scenarios plus some concluding remarks. In scenario A, John meets Mary and they have a perfect life, living together devotedly until they die. In scenario B, John sleeps with Mary, whom he doesn’t love; he treats her abysmally, she commits suicide, and he marries Madge, whom he does love, and ‘everything continues as in A.’ In scenario C, Mary sleeps with John, who is married to Madge, who has become boring. Mary only sleeps with John because she pities him, and she is really in love with James, who rides a motorcycle. John discovers Mary and James in bed together and shoots them before turning the gun on himself. Madge goes on to marry a nice man named Fred, and we continue as in A. In scenario D, Fred and Madge have no interpersonal problems at all, but their house is swept away by a tidal wave. They emerge ‘wet and dripping and grateful, and continue as in A.’ In scenario E, Fred is found to have heart problems. Madge nurses him until he dies, after which she selflessly devotes herself to volunteer work for the rest of her life. It is in this scenario, incidentally, that Atwood begins to break down this encapsulated version of ‘fifty ways to write a story.’ Maybe it’s not Fred with the heart problems, she suggests; maybe it’s Madge who has cancer. Maybe she’s not kind and understanding; maybe she’s guilty and confused. Or maybe Fred is. Maybe Fred, after Madge’s death, devotes himself to bird watching rather than volunteer work. We are obviously getting the point that none of this really matters. In scenario F, Atwood hammers this point home. ‘If you think this is all too bourgeois, make John a revolutionary and Mary a counterespionage agent and see how far that gets you. . . . You’ll still end up with A.’ What is the common denominator between all these scenarios? In case you missed it, Atwood sums it up in her concluding remarks. ‘John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.’ As in ‘The Age of Lead,’ ‘Happy Endings’  forces us to question the point of life. Every story, carried to its ultimate logical conclusion, has the same ending, because all lives have the same ending. We may die in the heat of battle; we may die in our sleep. We may die in infancy, in a gang war, in a nursing home. But we’re going to die. The story isn’t in the ending — it’s in what we do on the way there. Margaret Atwood Happy Endings So you may have found that this week’s reading left you with quite a few questions, such as, â€Å"What did I just read?† Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† is not a typical short story. In fact, we could even raise the question of whether it actually is a short story or not. â€Å"Happy Endings† is an example of metafiction. You may want to think of metafiction this way: it is a writer writing about writing. To clarify, in metafiction, an author writes a story in order make the reader think about the nature of a story. With metafiction, the author becomes self-reflective about the act of writing. Did you notice those moments in â€Å"Happy Endings† when Atwood comments on the story she is writing? (For example, in plot C, the voice of the author mentions, â€Å"†¦this is the thin part of the plot, but it can be dealt with later† [767].) Atwood’s goal is for the reader to contemplate what is the essence of a story. â₠¬Å"If you want a happy ending, try A.† â€Å"Happy Endings† primarily consists of 6 different bare-bone plots stemming from the very basic catalyst: â€Å"John and Mary meet.† Plot A – the one recommended it we want a â€Å"happy ending† – presents the ideal married life of Mary and John: they enjoy well-paying, fulfilling careers;the value of their house skyrockets, their children â€Å"turn out well;† they go one vacation;and even get to retire. (Heck, their sex-life together doesn’t even fade!) Atwood offers Plot A as the stereotypical, cliched â€Å"happy ending.† The problem with Plot A, at least as far as storytelling goes, there’s no drama. Here the couple does not face any conflict, crisis, or tension. Without crisis, there’s no character development. John and Mary become merely empty names; there’s no reason to care for them. While a â€Å"happy ending,† Plot A falls completely flat. (Plot A reminds me of a quotation from Leo Tols toy: â€Å"All families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its  own way.†) Plots B through F test out different directions that events can go after â€Å"John and Mary meet.† Each of these plots are remarkably predictable, mainly since they are based on cliched, stock characters. Plot B places Mary in the role of the unrequited lover, just hoping that John, the insensitive male, will come to see how much she truly cares for him. (The terms that Mary’s friends use to describe John – â€Å"a rat, a pig, a dog† – are unimaginative.) In Plot C, John takes on the part of the insecure, middle-aged man seeking assurance from a much younger woman, Mary. Plot D is the well recognizable disaster story, like last year’s film â€Å"The Impossible†. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks’ â€Å"The Notebook,† you are already familiar with Plot E. Finally, Plot F resembles that of the story of lovers caught up in the political turmoils of their time. However, whatever the plot maybe, we always end with Plot A. The names of the characters may change and â€Å"in between you may get a lustful, brawling saga of passionate involvement, a chronicle of our times, sort of† but the ending to the story will always be the s ame (767). Is this because, according to Atwood, readers will only accept this idealized ending for tales of romance? Could Atwood be commenting on readers’ expectations for how the story will end when two lovers meet? Moreover, is Atwood claiming there is something false about Plot A? Atwood emphatically states near the end of â€Å"Happy Endings† is that â€Å"the only authentic ending† is: â€Å"John and May die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.† Adopting a bleak outlook, Atwood argues that the one ending that we all will share in and so rings true is death. Now rather than leave us on that depressing note, Atwood offers a bit of hope, â€Å"So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun† (676). If you consider this statement, Atwood is right. Generally, romantic tales don’t open with the couple being married, with a home and children. Instead, the story of a couple centers on how they get together – what are the obstacles, the emotional turmoil, they face to reach their Plot A? From William Shakespeare to Jane Austen to Nicholas Sparks, marriage is a conclusion not a beginning. The drama lies in everything the lovers have to do to reach that p oint. â€Å"Now try How and Why† In the final three paragraphs, Atwood identifies where the essence of a story lies. No surprise at all that she dismisses plot as formulaic, just a mere  sequence of events – â€Å"a what and a what and a what† (676). Looking back on over Plots A through F, that is all she gives us. John and Mary’s characters are left undeveloped; again, we could interchange their names with those of Madge and Fred, while leaving the plot the same. We don’t care about John and Mary because we don’t have the chance to get to know them. Also, at the end of each plot Atwood leaves us with the question of what is the point of the story. There’s an emptiness felt after reading each plot. Why tell us the story? Generally, we, as readers, look for authors through their writings to give us some insight into our world. Stories have themes, morals, profound messages that go beyond just the bones of the plot. Consider some of the short stories that we have read so far this term. Is it just that Chopin gives us the story of Louise Mallard’s dying after learning her husband is still alive? Is the importance of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† limited to just Gilman’s narrator’s going mad through seeing a woman trapped within the wallpaper? Why does the story of Emily Grierson’s keeping the body of her murder lover in bed with her matter? For Atwood, the plot becomes the vehicle for the author to shows us a new truth. †¦ Happy Endings Margaret Atwood Analysis This detailed literature summary also contains Further Reading on Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† first appeared in the 1983 Canadian collection, Murder in the Dark, and it was published in 1994 for American audiences in Good Bones and Simple Murders. Subtitled â€Å"Short Fiction and Prose Poems,† Murder in the Dark featured four types of works: autobiographical sketches, travel notes, experimental pieces addressing the nature of writing, and short pieces dealing with typical Atwood themes, notably the relationship between the sexes. â€Å"Happy Endings,† which is essentially a self-referential story framework, falls into the third category. In several thumbnail sketches of different marriages, all of which achieve a traditional â€Å"happy ending,† Atwood references both the mechanics of writing, most particularly plot, and the effects of gender stereotyping. In earlier works, including the novel Bodily Harm, as well as speeches, Atwood discusses the writer’s relationship to society. She defined the artist, in part, as â€Å"the guardian of the moral and ethical sense of the community.† In â€Å"Happy Endings,† Atwood fulfills this role with a challenge  that she throws out to those writers who rely on the stereotypical characterization of men and women and to the reader who accepts such gender typing. At the same time, she challenges other writers to more closely examine typical literary convention. Theme the â€Å"happy† couple in â€Å"Happy Endings,† whether comprised of John and Mary, John and Madge, or Madge and Fred, enjoys the trappings of middle-class values and represents this element of society. The husband and wife hold professional jobs, earn good money, and make sound investments that afford them some of life’s luxuries, such as nice vacations and a relaxing retirement. Even in the more troublesome aspects of these stories, the couples manifest their middle-class values. In version C, John’s marital crisis is brought on by the fact that he feels his life is settled and dull. This mid-life angst drives him to attempt to boost his self-esteem through an affair with a much-younger woman. Despite the middle-class values that permeate the piece, only in version F does Atwood frankly address them. Style â€Å"Happy Endings† is satirical in the way that it makes fun of the naive conception that a person’s, or a couple’s, life can have a simple happy ending. In version A, John and Mary build a life based on their nice home, rewarding jobs, beloved children, enjoyable vacations, and post-retirement hobbies. They experience one success after another. No problems or difficulties—major let alone minor— are mentioned; as such, their life is completely unreal. Such unreality is emphasized by the events of version B. While John and Mary do not achieve this happy ending, John does achieve it—but with Madge. And in yet another version, Madge achieves this happy ending with Fred. Although all the individuals bring to their relationships a unique past and set of experiences, each couple eventually achieves the exact same ending described in version A. †¦ Margaret Atwood uses her short story Happy Endings to show that it is not the end of a story that is important it is the middle. She seems to say that the endings are all clichÃÆ' © that the middle is the part that is unique. This holds true with literature versus a beach novel although a beach novel and piece of literature may end the same way it is the rest of the book that  makes one different from the other. As she says the true ending is â€Å"John and Mary die† the only guarantee in life is death. So since the ending is already known why does it have the tendency to â€Å"steal† the spotlight from the rest of the story? Sure in some cases people can guess the middle of a story from the ending, if they find someone died in an electric chair they can assume he committed a crime. However if someone dies from heart failure no one can know anything about his life, they may guess the person ate too much junk food, or drank too much but if they don’t know any thing else they can’t guess the middle. However if someone knows the middle they can guess the ending, if they are told that person â€Å"A† had to have triple bypass surgery and that person â€Å"B† murdered a few people they can make an educated guess how each story ends. But even the middle of the story is only part of a greater whole, without the beginning of the story no one can tell why certain events happened and what lead to person â€Å"A† to doing â€Å"action z†. Atwood also says that what happens is not all-important but how it happens and why it happens. According to Atwood, all the whats are just the plot, one thing that happens after another, however the how and the whys are what really make a story more than a story. This is the important part, the hows and the whys are what makes a story literature with out them it makes no difference if the prose is expertly laid out or not it is all still a story nothing more. The step from story to literature is a gray line and is based on pe rsonal taste, as Justice Stewart said â€Å"I know it when I see it† although he was referring to obscenity it is just as applicable here. The use of story like this to portray the differences in opinion on what makes a story is pure genius on the part of Atwood, what is even more interesting is the fact that it is also considered literature. The main theme in most literature that divides it from the rest of the stories is that literature tries to make a specific point, and in doing so forces the reader to think about the point that the author is trying to make. In this way it is easy to decide what is literature and what is not, if at the end of a story if the reader’s only thought is â€Å"Gee, what a nice story† then it is most definitely not literature, but if instead if the thought is more along the lines of â€Å"The author said A, B and C but were they really trying to make a point about D?† it is literature. Although even this test has it’s holes because literature for one person is just a nice story for someone else. As Flannery  O’Connor said, â€Å"[if you don’t ge t the enlightenment] just sit back and enjoy the story.† What Does Happy Ending Mean â€Å"Happy Endings† is a short story by Margaret Atwood. It was first published in a 1983 Canadian collection, Murder in the Dark. It includes six stories in one, each ending with death. The author believes that this is the only sure ending to anything. The stories are all inter-related, containing the same characters and similar actions. Behind the obvious meaning of these seemingly pointless stories lies multiple deeper and more profound meanings; exploring, for example, themes of domesticity, welfare, and success. It all ends up with John and Mary dying at the end of the story. Characters John – He is one of the main characters of the short story. In A, he is in love with Mary and is happily married to her. In B, he doesn’t feel the same way Mary does for him as he only uses her for her body. He eventually takes a woman named Madge to a restaurant. In the end, he marries her. In C, he is a middle-aged man married to Madge but is in love with twenty-two year old Mary. One day he sees Mary with another man and shoots both of them before shooting himself. Mary – She is the main character of the short story. In A, she is happily married to John and had children with him. In B, Mary is in love with John but is saddened with the fact that he doesn’t love her. In C, she is a twenty-two-year old who is in love with James. She is shot by John. James – He is a twenty-two year old whom Mary has feelings for. He isn’t ready to settle down and prefers to ride his motorcycle. He wants to be free while he’s still young. One day, he an d Mary have sex. He is shot by John towards the end. He doesn’t appear anywhere else. Madge – In B, Madge is John’s love interest. She is taken to a restaurant and eventually, they get married. In C, she is John’s wife. In D, she meets a man named Fred. Fred – He is the man Madge meets. In her short story â€Å"Happy Endings†, Margaret Atwood simultaneously displays her feelings about not only the art of creative writing, but also the equally artistic act of living one’s life to the fullest. The story, if it  can really be called a â€Å"story† in the traditional sense of the word, immediately breaks the thin wall of author/audience by presenting a completely unique structure: that of an outline or a jumbled notebook. By asking the reader, â€Å"If you want a happy ending, try A,† Atwood is seemingly giving the reader a choice. Since A must be the happy ending, it implies that there are other, more sinister endings yet to be discovered. Appropriately, after the happy ending has completed, there follows five more endings, all of which seem to be quite depressing, but nevertheless end in â€Å"everything continues as in A.† Why would Atwood do this? In each of her scenarios, she creates two main characters, John and Mary appropriat ely boring names for characters that are so underdeveloped and stereotyped as to be almost comedic. It would be possible to call them each protagonists, but they are the very definition of flat characters: dull and undeveloped. In fact, the reader is informed of their personality traits not because Atwood shows them through a conflict or a plot rather, she simply tells them. Lines such as, â€Å"She sleeps with him even though she’s not in love with him,† present the type of stock character that Mary or John will assume for said scenario without any mystery involved. By creating such flat characters that differ between scenarios, but still coming back with â€Å"everything continues as in A,† Atwood brings up an interesting point: it’s not the destination that matters it’s all the same for everyone it’s the journey. In fact, after presenting all of her mock scenarios for the characters, Atwood abruptly changes tone to tell the reader an important fact: â€Å"The only authentic ending is the one presented here: John and Mary die. John and M ary die. John and Mary die.† After all, at the end of every person’s life, regardless of how they lived it or what they experienced, they will encounter death. This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. Order a custom essay on Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood written by an expert online.    Atwood notices that people tend to not think quite like this, if only because it is not the most comforting of thoughts, and she uses â€Å"Happy Endings† to allow people a chance to be a bit introspective. â€Å"So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun. True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with.† Such is true for writing; such is true for life. With her unconventional structure, caricatures for characters, and sometimes sarcastic tone, Atwood manages to convey one of the most important concepts about life of all. Do not let life become â€Å"a what and a what and a what.†Ã‚  Learn to favor the stretch between beginning and end, and then, perhaps, you can make your own happy ending. Sources Margaret Atwood Official   website Happy Endings Reviews Happy Endings Wiki

African Empires in the Early Modern Period: (1450-1750) Essay

One of the comparative topics in this time period is â€Å"empire building† in Africa. The AP Jedi Masters want you to know only one of the following: (Kongo, Benin, Oyo, Dahomey, Ashanti or Songhay) – so they probably are not going to ask you to compare two African Kingdoms since they stated you only need to know one – so they could ask you to compare the process of â€Å"empire building† in Africa to that in: (Asia, Latin America or Europe) – but I am providing you with information from three African Empires – just in case – and each if from a different region in Sub-Saharan Africa – so different historical forces to consider. The Kongo (c. 14th – 17th century) Located on the western coastal region of Central Africa – along the Congo river. Centralized state – with officials overseeing military, judicial, and financial affairs. The empire was divided into regions – and governors who were usually related to the King oversaw those areas – some areas were allowed to continue to rule as long as they recognized the superiority of the Kongo King – they had to report to him yearly for inspection and â€Å"renewal† of their title. The empire was financed both by the taxing of trade as well as a head tax collected by local administers and sent to the capital. Songhay: (West Africa – Sudanic Empire) (Mid 1400’s – Mid-1600’s) ï‚ · As the power of the Mali continued in the 1400’s a state within the Empire was able to obtain its independence – this was called the Songhay Empire with its capital in the trading city of Gao. The height of the Empire came under the leadership of Sunni Ali who ruled from 1464-1493. He built an elaborate administrative and military apparatus to oversee affairs in his realm. The Kingdom of the Asante (1680-1900) The Asante were one of the Akanspeaking peoples who settled in the forest region of modern Ghana between the 11thand 13th centuries. The separate Asante chiefdoms were united by Osei Tutu in the 1670s and in 1696 he took the title of Asantehene (king) and founded the Asante empire. Asante was the only part of Africa where rich agricultural and mineral resources coincided. With its capital at Kumasia only 30 miles south of the northern forest edge – it could draw on both forest and savanna produce some of the traditional crops were: plantains, yams, and rice. The Portuguese arrived in the late 15th century – Kings of the Kongo converted to Christianity as a way to establish closer commercial relations with Portuguese merchants and diplomatic relations with the Portuguese King. He appointed governors to oversee provinces and maintained a professional army, with a cavalry and navy of small boats and canoes – which were able to patrol the Niger River. He extended his empire over the areas formally controlled by the Mali rulers – he conquered the cities of Timbuktu and Jenne (which took him 7 years of siege warfare – he finally married its Queen to solidify his rule). From the capital city of Gao the Songhay rulers presided over a prosperous empire that participated in the transSaharan trade that brought: Salt, textiles and metal goods in exchange for gold and slaves. Despite the fact that the rulers were Islamic and supported Islamic institutions: mosques / universities – the vast majority of the populace remained non-Muslim. The Songhay meet their demise in 1591 when they took on a Moroccan army armed with musket gun – the defeat left open an opportunity for regions to revolt against Songhay administration. Kongo Kings appreciated the fact that Christianity offered a strong endorsement of their monarchical rule – the new faith was convenient also because the saints of the Roman Catholic Church were similar to spirits long recognized in Kongolese religions. For the first number of years Portugal and the Kingdom of the Kongo dealt with each other with a certain level of equality – they exchanged ambassadors and a number of Portuguese went to Kongo: advisors, priests, soldiers, tailors, shoemakers, masons, and minors. One of the most important Kings of the Kongo was: Nzinga Mbemba – also known as King Afonso I (1506-1542) – he was a devout Roman Catholic and actively sought out to convert all his subjects to Christianity – he attended religious services daily and always studied the Bible. Trade and relations with Portugal brought wealth and foreign recognition to the Kongo – items such as: ivory, copper and slaves were exchanged for European: textiles, weapons (guns, guns, guns)!!!! – remember that during this time period (1450-1750) Europeans were â€Å"colonizing† the Western Hemisphere – as this time period went on the demand for slaves increased – this dramatically impacted societies such as the Kongo – one King during the 16th century – himself had 20,000 slaves in his household. However – the vast majority of wealth of the empire was in its gold deposits – the Europeans would call this the â€Å"Gold Coast† – which they used to buy European guns – which further solidified the power of the Asante over nearby regions which did not have access. Guns were also obtained by providing the Europeans with slaves – the notorious â€Å"El Mina† – a fortress built along the coast where slaves were housed until departure across the Atlantic was built on Ghana’s coast. Other items brought by the Europeans were: iron, horses, cloth, tobacco and finished manufactured goods. Historians sometimes speak about Asante’s â€Å"metropolitan† and â€Å"provincial† spheres. â€Å"Metropolitan† Asante consisted primarily of the towns in a fifty-mile radius around Kumasi. The rulers of these towns, many of whom were related to the ruling family, participated in the enthronement of Asante kings, served on the king’s advisory council, and retained considerable autonomy. Eventually the relationship between Portugal and the Kongo worsened because the Portuguese desire for more and more slave pushed them to negotiate with other regions around the Kongo – some of with were enemies of the Kongo while others were protectorates – the authority of the Kongolese King was undermined – which led to war with the two nations. The Songhay empire crumbled into a series of small regional kingdoms – and with the arrival of the Europeans and the redirection of trade towards the coastline – the Sudanic Empires ceased to play a prominent role in West African politics. By contrast, outlying regions were more clearly subordinate and were forced to pay tribute to the Asante rulers. The most distant districts of the state which were populated by non-Akan people annually sent thousands of slaves to Kumasi. They placed all trade under state agencies controlled by the Asante King, and created a complex bureaucracy to govern and collect taxes. Asante achieved a high degree of administrative efficiency (its wellmaintained roads, for example, were famous) and the ability to implement sophisticated fiscal policies.

Death Humor of James Thorson and Allen Klein Essay

Death Humor of James Thorson and Allen Klein - Essay Example Thorson. It was published in the Journal of Popular American Culture. Vol. 16:2. It revolves around gallows humor and covers different aspects of the topic. It covers the history and various other types of gallows humor. According to the Oxford Dictionary, Gallows Humor is grim and ironic humor in a desperate or hopeless situation. (The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English, 2008) It refers to humor that is directed towards something or some event that is frightening in real life. Getting electrocuted at a yogurt dispensing machine at National Institute of Health makes us realize how unpredictable this life is. It makes us realize that it can end any time without us knowing it which makes it very frightening. Still we smile at the unexpected pattern of circumstances. I agree with James A. Thorson when he says that there is a cognitive shift in the way we perceive this event. I agree with James A. Thorson when he says that smiling at frightening and unfortunate events, like when a man gets electrocuted while dispensing yogurt at a National Institute of Health cannot be put under the heading of 'gallows humor'. Gallows humor is something that is intentionally created in order to help people cope with death and its anxieties. This event that I described above was not intentional. It is just a combination of a lot of unexpected events being put together. On the other hand gallows humor is there for a reason. It has motive of helping people cope with death better. What supports gallows humor and makes it so acceptable The fact that no one can escape death creates a lot of anxiety but gallows humor allows us to accept it which, as a result, decreases the anxiety that everyone in this world goes through.Jokes regarding war and combat also help us ignore the ugly reality of war itself. We just concentrate on the humorous aspect of it and ignore war as a bloody, loud and violent event. In war jokes, the real situation is ignored and put aside. In my opinion, Sigmund Freud was right when he stated that we make fun of death as a defense mechanism. Even though this results in pushing us away from what is real and distorting reality, but at least it allows us to live happily whatever time we have.However, when one laughs at someone else's death makes it unethical, prejudice and inhumane. Terms used by medical officers like Trainwreck and Gork for their patients are clearly just a result of these medical officers being sick of their jobs. Making fun of others death just makes us feel better because it reassures us that we are not like them. We start to consider them as outsiders, a term which refers to people who are not a part your group. We make fun of the outsiders and this makes us prejudice towards them.Also those people who are oppressed by others use humor as a weapon against political repression. This point was put forward by Antonin Obrdlik, a sociologist who studied the Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Humor helped them feel better about them selves and these people used it against their enemies. Similarly, gallows humor is used by people to help them feel better about themselves and not so insignificant. It helps with deal with death and all other harsh realities emotionally. It is like psychological reassurance and could also be considered as passive-aggression. We have a natural tendency to make fun of

Reducing Stress and Enhancing Productivity through effective workspace Essay - 1

Reducing Stress and Enhancing Productivity through effective workspace Design, provision and organisation for A Bank HQ Building - Essay Example As if not enough, desirable work place environments has shaped the building design paradigms in certain ways, including the necessitation of incorporation of aspects pertaining to efficiency, as well as a reduction of stress at the work place (Broberg,1997). Indeed, in the current world, building designs concepts and building designs are arguably inseparable. Building design concepts are inclined on coming up with designs of equipment and devises, including buildings that are suitable for human operations. Such are subject to body movement, not to forget, the bodies’ cognitive abilities. Thus, the objective of desirable design concept is to foster productivity while fulfilling the health requirements. As such, the desirable design concept is most appreciable when designing products such as equipment and furniture, as well as machines that contain interfaces that are not only reliable, but easy for use (Broberg, 1997). Clearly, this relate to building designs. Nevertheless, considering that people have varied physical and cognitive capabilities, the subject of satisfactory building designs may not be fully explored without inclusivity. It is indispensable that buildings designs have to put into considerations the needs of people with disabilities such as the deaf, the blind, and those on wheelchairs. Inclusivity is a point that most architects have to put into consideration, especially when the underlying goal is to design buildings that could be accessed by all groups of people with prompting customization. What is worth noting is that desirable inclusive designs should be fit all equality groups although emphasis may be laid on disabled people. On the other hand, it is limiting to design buildings based on certain concepts and inclusivity alone. Other elements of desirable building designs, especially office areas, include Safety, security, sustainability , Comfort,

San Francisco Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

San Francisco - Research Paper Example the dimension of natural beauty and steady lifestyle has been a lucrative advantage to visitors who prefer spending vacations or organising events in this city. Understanding these appraisals in the global forefront, the government of California has also been taking credible measures to support the growth in San Francisco. The paper focuses on the different aspects of the city located at the lap of the marshland, giving an overview of the different travel destinations within the periphery of San Francisco. A complete detailing has been provided in the content of this paper, on the various travel modes and the accommodation facilities available in the port city. San Francisco is positioned on a beautiful geographical location, having sea on one side and mountains on the other. The beautiful city hosting a number of activities, acts as an attraction to adventure lovers as well as nature lovers. Being the financial hub for Northern California, the city has also got its fame of being the financial hub of the state, which attracts a number of entrepreneurs and business heads to take interest of holding meetings here, boosting its Meetings, Expositions, Events & Conventions (MEEC) industry (U.S. News Travel, â€Å"Best Things to do in San Francisco†). The city also holds the competency to host a variety of tourist groups ranging from vocational tourists visiting the city to eco-tourists having special interests in wildlife and marine life. For instance, the city offers splendid natural beauty through its national parks, among which, Yosemite national park, the Point Reyes national seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGN RA) are world famous and attract millions of visitors round the year (Morton, â€Å"Top 10 national parks in California†). In 3000 BC, the Europeans arrived at the California coast, when the area was inhabited by the ‘Ohlone’ speaking ‘Yelamu’ tribes. Later on, Juan Bautiza de Anza trooped in from north and established a

What do you consider to be the core concepts of socialism as an Essay

What do you consider to be the core concepts of socialism as an ideology - Essay Example Despite the emergence of political and economic ideologies in various countries to initiate progressive change and uplift ordinary citizens from poverty, some leaders still practice dictatorship and absolute monarchy thus stunting their country’s growth and development. There are various core concepts of socialism that defines it as an ideology. For example, it has the economic system structured in way that workers participate in a collective means of production. This technique often adopts the social ownership means of producing goods and services while engaging in cooperative management for the benefit of the economy. Similarly, by being a social ownership, socialism deals with common ownership, cooperative enterprises and state ownership. Contrastingly, as a core concept of being an economic system, the socialist ideology focuses on market planning to ensure that institutions have a productive means of serving the interests of the citizen (Carter 2003, p. 110). On that note , socialism tackles different forms of economy under the concept of the economic system to find a balance with a capitalist state that usually fleeces its citizens through serious competitive machinations. There is the planned economy where the means of production is mixed with public ownership to permit distribution and coordination and also facilitate economic planning. This differs fundamentally with the defining features of capitalism because a planned economy has two forms of planning namely the centralized and decentralized planning. Consequently, to boost production, Marxists Leninists adopted the central planning to expand the economy. However, Trotskyites preferred the decentralized planning because they felt that it could be coordinated efficiently to serve all people and also support the local economic conditions. Under the concept of the economic system, socialism is also connected to the self managed economy where only autonomous units are allowed to conduct self-regula tion and other forms of decision making (Freeden et al 2013, p. 156). This model is exemplified by a cooperative economy that connects well with a free market economy unlike in the decentralized system in the planned economy. It equally encourages the application of computers in the management of economic units because it augurs well with the new generation of workers in participatory economics. Another core concept of socialism as an ideology is it being a political theory. In other words, it is both a political philosophy and a political movement unlike its counterpart, capitalism that is fundamental economic based. In that view, it aims for a socialist state where organizations and political parties are all socialist and hence connect to socioeconomic system. Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels remain its pioneer economic theorists who castigated capitalism for its obsoleteness and lack of sustainability to enable economies prosper in the 10th century. They argued that only socialism with the concept of a political theory would overcome the contradictions of capitalism by ensuring that the working class developed a consciousness to rebel against the wage slavery (Soborski 2013, p. 180). As a result a classless society would emerge and end capitalism with its inequalities particularly its grip on production by a few industrialists. The displacement of capitalism as a core concept was also manifested in giving

Christianity versus Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Christianity versus Judaism - Essay Example The relationship between Christianity and Judaism is that they have had strains for over two thousand years of history before the coming of Jesus. Christians accused the Jews of refusing Christ Jesus as their Messiah, and on the other hand, the Jews accused Christians of interfering with the aspect of one God by emphasizing on Jesus. (Dietrich pg 150) The Jews believed that the expected Messiah will be like any other person; his mother l conceive like any woman and he will be born like any other human. He will not be empowered with supernatural powers. Christians claim that Jesus had no father and was born from a virgin who conceived through the Holy Spirit. The Jews claim that Jesus failed to observe the Torah; they had great faith in the expected Messiah and they hoped that the Messiah will guide them in following and observing the laws. It states that all mitzvoth (commandments) will never be altered, and whoever attempts to change it is viewed as a false prophet (Deut 13:1-4). In some cases in the New Testament, Jesus went contrary to the Torah and claimed that the commandments are not applicable. For instance, John 9:14 documents that Jesus violated the Sabbath by making a paste. Apart from all the other existing religious groups, only the Jews believe is solely based on national revelation. They believe that God will speak to the whole nation. They claim that if God intends to start a religion, therefore he will tell everyone but not only one person. Judaism does not rely on miraculous claims as their religious basis. (Neusner pg 201) The Jews claim that Jesus was not a prophet, they believe that prophecy can exist in Israel alone when the majority of the world is inhibited by Jewry.  

Geckos as Pets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Geckos as Pets - Assignment Example In making the decision to purchase any kind of pet, whether it be a mammal or reptile, the main considerations are personal lifestyle options, purpose for getting the pet, time that must be spent on care, money for care, habitat requirements, and longevity of the pet (Humane Society, 1-3). For active individuals or those with extended work hours, finding the time to properly care for and train a puppy would be extremely trying, for instance. Both cats and dogs require a minimum of an annual visit to the vet along with vaccinations and preventive maintenance, all of which take time and money. In planning for the purchase of a dog, availability of an area to play and take care of bodily functions is a necessary consideration - a large breed of dog such as a Labrador Retriever cannot be kept confined in a small apartment without it being considered cruel. Longevity of the chosen pet is also a factor in choosing a pet; some birds can live up to one hundred years old! All of these aspects of pet ownership must be considered before making a decision that will be life-impacting. Geckos, conversely, require a minimal amount of care. Leopard geckos, or Eublepharis macularius, in particular, are one of the most popular reptiles kept as pets. ... The Crested gecko, or Rhacodactylus ciliatus, hails from New Caledonia. The Crested gecko was previously thought to be extinct but a number of them were found on the island in the 1980s. Today they are raised in captivity for the purpose of selling as pets. The Crested gecko comes in a variety of beautiful and extreme color combinations. They are a bit smaller and just a few years shorter-lived than their Leopard variety cousins as well being omnivorous as opposed to insectivorous. The Crested gecko is arboreal and enjoys being housed in a tall cage with plants, real or artificial. Crested males must be kept separate from each other as their natural instinct is to fight each other to the death (LaFerriere). Proper care for geckos includes providing the right habitat and environment. A 15 - 20 gallon glass tank is large for several geckos, but males should be kept separate from females unless the owner is prepared to deal with offspring. Some sort of soft substrate, such as paper or a piece of outdoor carpet, is sufficient while providing a hiding place, such as a half piece of bark, will allow them a place for privacy. Unlike other reptiles, geckos do not require a UV light but a small, dim bulb above the tank can be installed for the purpose of basking. A shallow dish of water and a diet of insects will keep the gecko happy and healthy (McLeod). Crickets or mealworms can be given once a day for young geckos and once every other day for adults. These foods are easily and inexpensively purchased at most pet supply stores. Owning a gecko can be a very positive and rewarding experience for a young child. The housing tank can easily be kept in a child's bedroom, where they can

Introduction about Drones and Seattle Police's Drones Essay

Introduction about Drones and Seattle Police's Drones - Essay Example The ones used for attacking enemy lines have recently been a part of war on terrorism where they are used to figure out enemies on the ground and then they are used to eliminate these enemies. The ones used for surveillance purposes have been used both domestically and internationally for security purposes. For example: recently the state of Seattle purchased two drones each costing a total of $41,000 (Clarridge, 2012). These drones are under the testing phase and are controlled by the police department of Seattle. These drones have been adopted by the police department for the purpose of surveillance and these drones have cameras along with infrared eye attached to it. There are various benefits of using drones, these include: they are in expensive, they save lives and they provide a competitive advantage to the side that is using them (Benjamin 18). Clarridge, Christine. "Police Department demonstrates new drone, to help allay concerns | Local News | The Seattle Times." The Seattle Times | News, sports, weather, events in the Northwest. N.p., 27 Apr. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.

Wartime Stories Essay Example for Free

Wartime Stories Essay While there are few that claim war is one of the greatest institutions of humanity, it is certainly one of the most discussed, more recalled, and most participated in creations civilization has yet conceived. The lessons that can be learned from wars vary greatly in ethical and moral implications, from those that say war must be participated in with ruthless precision, while some feel that war must be fought with decency and honor. Whether to sacrifice one’s own life for a greater good, or to fight merely to preserve one’s life at all costs is a question of utility value versus ethical egoism. Movies such as Saving Private Ryan present interesting ethical dilemmas concerning a soldier’s internal and external ethical duty during war. While the men are charged with possibly giving their own lives for the life of only one other soldier, they are torn between the duty to their country and their orders, and their dissatisfaction over having to devalue their own existence for that of someone they do not even know. They feel a greater duty to each other, as well as the war effort in general, but feel their mission to save Private Ryan falls outside their duty, and effects little their honor. However, the movie persists in continuously asking the question of wartime ethics. The question for the men is whether their life is worth that of Ryan’s, merely one soldier among the millions. The order they have to get Ryan is one of utility value, as dictated by the rules of service. It is a soldier’s duty to follow orders, no matter how much they may disagree. If soldiers began disobeying orders it could spread and eventually break down the entire system. The obligation that Captain Miller feels in the movie is that the successful fulfillment of his orders will not only continue to hold loyal to the chain of command, but will also bring his unit one step closer to going home. However, when finding Ryan, the situation changes as Ryan refuses to come with him, agreeing that his life is worth only the value of those men with which he fights. Still following his orders, Captain Miller does everything in his power to save Ryan, still fight the war, and keep alive the chain of command, never once letting his own desire to go home influence his loyalty to his orders. The soldiers in the movie spend the majority debating the value of saving Private Ryan as opposed to fighting the war and trying to win it. They feel that they are on a mission that unduly puts their lives on the line for little purpose, as they value their lives far more than Ryan’s life. Their individual egoism would seem to oppose the entire concept of being a soldier in the military, as the chain of command is dependent upon groups of individuals functioning as a single unit. Even as a single unit, they are forced to abandon their individualistic ideals, as the unit is in as much danger as each individual. In the end, most of the men die, save for the most vocally opposed soldier, the most inexperienced and cowardly, and Private Ryan. The men fulfilled their orders, but paid with their lives, as they feared they would. The death of the soldiers, including Captain Miller, seems to suggest that in sacrifice lays honor, at least in war. The soldiers all recognized the mission as wrong and dangerous, but their duty as soldiers required them to fulfill it. On the one hand, the mission was fulfilled, but on the other hand they all died. The utility value of their sacrifice saw that not only was Ryan saved, but the important bridge was held, and they did in fact fight a very important part of the war, as well as a less important but far more â€Å"decent† part. The fact that Captain Miller is killed by a German soldier that he previously released rather than killed also seems to suggest that decency in war is often rewarded with death, as he and most of his soldiers exemplify. The senselessness of war and the mass violence of modern warfare would almost suggest that loyalty and duty to anything but oneself is a fool’s errand, but it also suggests that by fighting for the best attributes of humanity, like altruism and sacrifice, the entire human race takes a step closer to a civilization free of things like war.

Wireless Communication: Applications and Limitations

Wireless Communication: Applications and Limitations Wireless Communications INTRODUCTION First of all, the meaning of wireless must be clearly identified: Wireless communications are the technology that uses any type of waves to substitute the use of cables and wires in order to create links (or a certain kind of connectivity) between different devices; such waves can be radio waves, infrared waves, or microwaves. Even though many people think that wireless communication is a new form of technology, the truth is that many devices that already existed for many decades use wireless technology, in one way or another, to accomplish the tasks or to deliver the services that they were designed for. Such devices include radio and television transmission-reception devices, military communication devices and many more. Mostly, such technology was being utilised only by governments and large organisations. The difference that appeared in the last few years is the one that involves computer systems and other related pieces of equipment and that which involves telephony and communications, which made it possible for individuals and small and medium organisations to have access to such technology and to be able to use it for specific and personalised uses. WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS Today, wireless communications are growing steadily in almost all sectors, which include home and individual uses, organisational and governmental uses, and scientific and research institutional uses as well. This is evident in every aspect of connectivity that is present and that is available for each person of us; mobile phones (especially those classified as smart-phones) are the most wide-spread devices that utilise wireless communications for almost all the requirements that wireless technology provides; this includes wireless voice connections, data and messaging connections, and multimedia (audio and video) exchange links. For those devices to be able to accomplish that, they cover most of the types of frequencies that are available through the use of technologies such as infrared, Bluetooth, WiFi, GSM and much more. Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are the most significant technological advancement since the beginning of the computer (and the Internet) age. Such technology provides the possibility of active connectivity to companies, universities, schools, research institutions, and even entities of a far smaller nature. A growing number of homes is now applying WLANs because it can provide the users with the same kind of service without the need for cables. Prasad and Ruggieri (2003) give more details about WLANs by stating that â€Å"WLAN systems are a technology that can provide very high data rate applications and individual links (e.g., in company campus areas, conference centers, airports) and represents an attractive way of setting up computers networks in environments where cable installation is expensive or not feasible. They represent the coming together of two of the fastest-growing segments of the computer industry: LANs and mobile computing, thus recalling the attention of equipment manufactures. This shows their high potential and justifies the big attention paid to WLAN by equipment manufacturers. Whereas in the early beginning of WLANs several proprietary products existed, nowadays they are mostly conform to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) 802.11b (also known as Wi-Fi) standard. It operates in the unlicenced 2.4-GHz band at 11 Mbps and it is currently extended to reach 20 Mbps.† When talking about wireless computer connectivity, it must be stated that there are two methods in which it operates today. The first is the â€Å"Ad Hoc mode, or Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). This is a peer-to-peer wireless network. This means that it does not have an access point controlling the conversation.† This method is usually used for small networks which consist of five or less users. Its point of access which â€Å"manages the conversions is gone and the clients send beacons to each other These beacons contain a timer synchronization function (TSF) to ensure that the timing is correct. This function is usually handled in the access point.† The second method is â€Å"the Infrastructure mode, which is called Extended Basic Service Set (EBSS). This is the main type of wireless network. In an EBSS, an access point controls all traffic. Setting up a wireless network in this category requires a piece of networking equipment referred to as an access point. This access point is where the Ethernet data is converted into a wireless signal that is then transferred out through the access point’s antenna. To hear and understand this signal, a wireless network interface card is needed. This card has a small antenna inside it and can hear the wireless signal and transfer it to the computer† (Earle, 2006). As is the case for what concerns wired computer networks, wireless networks are either Wide Area Networks (WAN) or Local Area Networks (LAN). As for the wireless LANs, Vacca (2003) explains that â€Å"wireless data local-area networks (WiFi LANs) have surged in popularity. WiFi LANs provide network access only for approximately 300 ft around each access point, but provide for bandwidth up to 11 Mbps for the IEEE 802.11b protocol, and up to 100 Mbps for the emerging 802.11a protocol. Best of all, the technology is available now and affordable† and the author explains that their reduced cost of deployment, compared to that of the wired LANs, made them more attractive in what concerns the enlargement of corporate networks to other locations: â€Å"The wireless data LAN is a ‘nice and clean’ extension to an office’s wired LAN. Wireless data LANs are attractive to offices that want to enable workers to take laptops into a conference room. Wireless data has a place now† According to the author, â€Å"WiFi is especially popular in the manufacturing, distribution, and retail industries† Liska (2003) explains that the main purpose of using wireless WAN technology is to enable the connection to the Internet and to allow the connection between different offices (of a certain company, for example) that are located in different geographical locations. The author states that â€Å"Wireless WANs have emerged as a low-cost alternative to a traditional method of Internet access. Wireless WAN connection can offer the same amount of bandwidth as a T1, at a fraction of the cost. Wireless connections are also being deployed in areas where cable and DSL access is not available.† Another form of wireless networks is the Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). In this type, the infrastructure network is not required as there is no need for a central link (or main connection of reference) as the connection is created between specific small devices and users within a given location. The main basic idea behind personal area network is the possibility to inter-connect two or more user-devices within a space of small coverage (that is not more than 10m) where ad hoc communication takes place which is also called personal operating space (POS). â€Å"The network is aimed at interconnecting portable and mobile computing devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), peripherals, cellular phones, digital cameras, headsets, and other electronics devices† (Prasad and Ruggieri, 2003). To give more details about this kind of wireless network, Vacca (2003) states that â€Å"the term ad hoc connectivity refers to both the ability for a device to assume either master or slave functionality and the ease in which devices may join or leave an existing network. The Bluetooth radio system has emerged as the first technology addressing WDPAN applications with its salient features of low power consumption, small package size, and low cost. Wireless data rates for Bluetooth devices are limited to 1 Mbps, although actual throughput is about half this data rate. A Bluetooth communication link also supports up to three voice channels with very limited or no additional bandwidth for bursty wireless data traffic.† For what concerns the standards of wireless networking, we find that for many years the systems were dependant on manufacturers, and this created problems regarding the compatibility of different systems with one another; that is why many standards are now present for use with the wireless systems. â€Å"This made the industry push the IEEE to make some wireless standards and help facilitate the growth of wireless with common standards that allowed various manufacturer cards to work with various manufacturer wireless networks† The standards used today include the 802.11 standard which â€Å"was the first WLAN standard accepted by multiple vendors as a true industry standard,† Other standards are 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11c, and the 802.11g which was approved by the IEEE in 2003. There are other standards such as â€Å"The 802.11i standard [which is] a security standard that can apply to other 802.11 standards† and there is the 802.11j which is â€Å"for use in Jap an only† (Earle, 2006). According to Pallato (2004), a unified 802.11n Wi-Fi will be widely used soon. The 802.11n â€Å"is based on a new radio technology called MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) that allows the transmission of up to 100M bps over a much wider range than the earlier versions.† This will certainly be a step in the right direction in attempting to unify all the wireless standards into one technology that can be accessible to everyone anywhere. But this unification is facing problems and delays: Reardon (2006) explains that â€Å"the new standard that will allow notebook users to connect to wireless access points at much faster speeds than is currently available [will be delayed].. The IEEE approved a draft version of the standard called 802.11n, after much controversy and infighting among chipmakers. A second draft was due for the standard by late fall of this year [2006], but now a new draft won’t likely be ready until January 2007. This could push back the final ratifica tion of the standard until 2008 The delay in adopting a standard has been caused by the nearly 12,000 changes to the draft that have been submitted to the standards group†. The future of the wireless communications technologies is promising; this is because more mobility and speed are the most required factors in what concerns inter-connectivity, they are certainly more desired than the wired options, especially that the cost and the security options are being improved constantly. â€Å"Though still an imperfect technology, wireless data LANs are, nonetheless, booming and remain at least one market segment that’s expected to achieve its anticipated growth rate. IDC forecasts worldwide wireless data LAN semiconductor revenue alone to grow at a 30 percent compound annual growth rate during the next 4 years. And, 68 percent of networking solution providers already deploy wireless data LANs and WANs† (Vacca, 2003). As can be seen by now, wireless technologies are becoming more requested and more used by all sectors of users, from large organisations to schools to home and office users. The overwhelming success of the mobile phone devices (especially the smart-phones with the possibility to have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Infrared links) will force the industry to grow faster and to provide the instruments and the hardware needed for its propagation for lower prices. One of the emerging realities of today is what is called ‘Wi-Fi covered towns’: The more hotspots (or Wi-Fi access points) there will be available in homes, offices, coffee shops, restaurants, and bookstores, the more the ‘covered city’ concept can be put to practice. And with the arrival of the $100-smarphone by the year 2008, more and more people will find themselves directly inside the wireless age. Some are already talking about providing the Wi-Fi service through traditional radio frequencies, and with that , what we were accustomed to in what concerns TV reception can be used for wireless connections to the internet, and through that to the entire world. According to Long (2006), â€Å"One of the latest WLAN technologies [and one of those that are expected to flourish within the next 5 years], MIMO, or multiple-input multiple-output, splits the connection workload [within a LAN] into multiple data streams for increased range and throughput. Another technology, OFDM, or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, is a technique for transmitting large amounts of digital data over radio waves.† The future of communications is already known: Every individual will be able to get connected to any group of users he/she chooses, will be connected to his work network on the move and at his home and even when he/she is on vacation with no PDA or laptop. This is why the future seems to be revolving around the WPANs. The Wireless network installation and application will be extremely cheap that continuing with wired networks will be totally unacceptable by all means. APPLICATIONS Even if the beginning of the wireless applications was focused on applications related to vertical markets such as retail, warehousing, and manufacturing, â€Å"current growth is being driven by other market segments. These include enterprise, small office/home office, telecommunications/Internet service provider (ISP) and the public access throughput compared to cellular mobiles networks are the lead drivers for wireless LAN deployment. Voice over IP (VoIP) is also expected to drive this technology in the future† (Smyth, 2004). Vacca (2003) explains that an entire range of applications and services are either dependent on wireless technology or are to be deployed depending on it. The author mentions the service of Triangulation which can be (and is being) used to locate the position of a mobile device through measuring the distance from two or more known points. Another application is Assisted GPS for determining the exact geographic position of the device in use. One important service that is also mentioned is the High-Resolution Maps service. Another important application of wireless networks is the one given to rural areas and locations where no cable or wire related new technologies can reach, for this the wireless technology can be deployed through satellite. â€Å"A new breed of satellite technologies and services allows providers to bring high-speed, always-on, two-way access to the planet’s farthest reaches. For example, McLean, Virginia–based StarBand Communications (a joint venture of Israeli satellite powerhouse Gilat Satellite Networks, EchoStar Communications, and Microsoft) is the first company to launch two-way consumer service in the United States.† The potentials for wireless applications are endless in virtually all sectors. Such applications can be used for workers and sales employees, for warehouse personnel who order parts, for accountants who generate invoices, and for transportations companies such as DHL and UPS. â€Å"New applications are appearing at an ever-increasing rate. Mobile workers, such as salespeople, field service technicians, and delivery people, are an obvious target for new wireless applications. Wireless technology applications can arm these workers with tools and data access capabilities that were previously limited to desk-bound employees† (Hayes, 2003). With wireless communications, data transfer (especially of larger files, such as those related to multimedia audio and video and huge reports and presentations) will become easier whenever the mobile devices become improved in order to utilise higher bandwidths and faster access possibilities. TV and video streaming to wireless devices has already started and the improvements will keep on appearing. There are no limits to the applications of wireless technology. We have already reached the technological know-how that enables us to realise almost all the desired wireless applications, and the cost of their deployment and use will drop until it becomes more common than anything else. Any innovation in the wireless technology camp will be profitable to the manufacturers and desired by the users, mobility is something that is becoming more essential for any organisation or individual that aims at success. â€Å"Wireless Applications are in their Internet infancy and awaiting broader bandwidth. As this becomes available the scope for applications on a cost-per-view basis will increase. Of particular interest for the future are the attempts to commercialize WWW by offering software, which relies on the WWWs free infrastructure to be viable, on pay-per-use basis† (Bidgoli, 2004). PROBLEMS As mentioned earlier, one of the most important problems facing the wireless technology today is the different standards used by different manufacturers, but this is a problem that is supposed to be resolved shortly. The real important issue is security. Earle (2006) mentions some of the security related issues such as Analysis (â€Å"the viewing, recording, or eavesdropping of a signal that is not intended for the party who is performing the analysis†), Spoofing (â€Å"impersonating an authorized client, device, or user to gain access to a resource that is protected by some form of authentication or authorization†), Wireless Denial-of-Service (â€Å"achieved with small signal jammers†), and Malicious Code (which can be used to â€Å"infect and corrupt network devices†). These risks are present in both wireless computer networks and in mobile devices such as mobile phones and PDAs. The major solutions for this are encryption and authentication solutions in various kinds and modalities. But still, the security issue is the most important reason for delay concerning the movement of all the applications and services toward the wireless realm. Another problem is the bandwidth; most mobile devices need to be developed further in order to turn the experience of using them into one that is similar to desktop computers and wired LAN connected devices. Works Cited Prasad, R. and Ruggieri, M. (2003) Technology Trends in Wireless Communications. Boston, MA: Artech House Publishers. Earle, A. E. (2006) Wireless Security Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: Auerbach Publications. Liska, A. (2003) The Practice of Network Security: deployment strategies for production environments. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Vacca, J. R. (2003) Wireless Data Demystified. New York, NY: McGraw-HIll Companies, Inc. Pallato, J. (2004) Unified 802.11n Wi-Fi Standard to Emerge in Mid-2006. eWeek.com.[Accessed 22nd January 2007]. Available from World Wide Web:  http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1735082,00.asp> Reardon, M. (2006). New Wi-Fi standard delayed again. ZDNet Tech News. [Accessed 21st January 2007]. Available from World Wide Web:  http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6105494.html> Long, M. (2006) The Future of Wireless Networks. Newfactor.com. [Accessed 20th January 2007]. Available from World Wide Web:  http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=41852> Smyth, P. (2004) Mobile and Wireless Communications:: Key Technologies and Future Applications. London, UK: The Institution of Electrical Engineers. Hayes, I. S. (2003) Just Enough Wireless Computing. Upper Saddler River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Bidgoli, H. (2004) The Internet Encyclopedia. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Is it better to be an Assigned or Self-Initiated Expatriate in Japan? Is it better to be an Assigned or Self-Initiated Expatriate in Japan? Research Question: Is it better to be an Assigned or Self-Initiated Expatriate in Japan? Technology is the backbone of this ever-evolving generation. Japan is not only one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, but, is also an internationally recognized hotspot for people who are looking to expatriate, and to make a promising future in this culturally un-paralleled location. This report will examine the benefits and disadvantages of being either a Company Assigned Expatriate (AE/CAE/OE) or a Self-Initiated Expatriate (SIE) in Japan. Aspects such as; motivation, job satisfaction, cross-cultural adjustment, family factors, compensation, and success factors will be taken into consideration, in this report. To begin the report, it is important to understand what some of the primary differences between assigned expatriates and self-initiated expatriates actually are. First of all, the â€Å"assigned expatriate† refers to a person who is sent abroad to another country, by the company they are working for, or are sponsored by. While, the â€Å"self-initiated expatriate† refers to a person who goes to another country of their choosing, in pursuit of a better life, often trying to find work on their own. A study done by Torsten Biemann and Maike Andresen, found that SIEs â€Å"start their international careers at a younger age, have a higher organizational mobility, and expect higher benefits from international experiences for their future careers† (2010). This implies that SIEs may often be recent graduates, or other young people who do not see much of a career opportunity in their home country, and seek bigger and better things abroad. These expatriates are also more l ikely to change or rethink their career paths, as compared to AEs, since they have more freedom to do what they would like to, as they were not brought into the country from an employer. Also, from leaving their home country, they would have a notion of achieving more, and have a broader list of goals than AEs, as again, nothing is set-up for them to feel like they are limited. They do not feel like career growth only stems from the company that they are linked to, unlike AEs. However, assigned expatriates seem to be more driven by the career factors in accordance to the company that sent them there, and may have more experience than SIEs – which seems to be more attractive to employers. Self-initiated expatriation, in most cases, is not an easy task. It requires much motivation, determination, and the ability to take risks. A SIE has to commit to the idea of leaving everything behind and going off to a foreign country – with some level of uncertainty pertaining to their future. The research done by Jan Selmer and Jakob Lauring discovers that SIEs may be motivated to expatriate because they are either; escaping from unfavourable conditions in their home country – â€Å"the refugee†, seeking financial stability – â€Å"the mercenary†, travelling to a favourable destination – â€Å"the explorer†, or finally, in pursuit of career success – â€Å"the architect† (2012). Furthermore, another study by the two, Jan Selmer and Jakob Lauring, finds that; younger SIEs â€Å"were more motivated by adventure, career and money when choosing to expatriate† (2010). What this means, is that the SIEs that belong to â€Å"the refugee† role, are most often older, may have already started a family, and most likely already have adequate work experience, prior to expatriating. However, self-initiated expatriates still consist of more young people and recent graduates on average, as compared to assigned expatriates. Japan is known for having a relatively low average fertility rate, as compared to the rest of the world (Boling, 2008). This may negatively impact young SIEs that are trying to start a family in Japan. More often, AEs, on the other hand, will go abroad with families they have already started in their home countries. AEs are also less likely to start a family in Japan, as they are aware of the fact that they are only there for a finite amount of time. Therefore, it may not be as big as a problem to AEs, on an average. Assigned expatriates are motivated to go abroad for career driven objectives, and will often not look as the new country (Japan) as â€Å"home†, but rather, a stepping-stone in the projection of their careers. SIEs would more often, treat Japan as a new cultural experience, and will end up staying longer than AEs, or even ind efinitely – unless they do not find success or happiness in Japan. For AEs; â€Å"career-related factors appeared significantly more important to their decision to move abroad, indicating that their desire for an international experience is explicitly coupled with career development and progression† (Doherty, Dickmann, Mills, 2011). This implies that, AEs might not have the same level of appreciation for Japan, as a SEI would, and it may contribute to a significantly less level of enjoyment and fulfillment while abroad. It is also important to understand which roles assigned expatriates and self-initiated expatriates often tend to fill in organizations, upon expatriating. These roles can end up defining or being the highlight of these expatriates’ careers. According to Phyllis Tharenou, the five main purposes of assigned expatriates is to: First, to set up a new operation and establish foreign operations in their early stages; second, to fill a skills gap; third, to develop managers international skills; fourth, to transfer company culture and knowledge to a foreign operation and gain feedback from it; and fifth, to supply the top manager and control the operation and coordinate with headquarters. (2013) This entails that assigned expatriates are given great responsibility and a high position within the organization when expatriated, which also implies that self-initiated expatriates would have to spent more time in the company to work up to that same level, since; â€Å"SIEs are most likely to be: an unsuitable alternative to CAEs for roles requiring firm-specific knowledge† (Tharenou, 2013). This might be the case, even if the AEs and SIEs may have the same or comparable level of education; â€Å"AEs possessed no significant difference in levels of education than SIEs, but were more likely to be in greater positions of authority† (Andresen, Biemann, Pattie, 2015). Unsurprisingly, the greater hierarchical position, leads to greater compensation for AEs on average (Sims Schraeder, 2005). Thus, SIEs are also more likely to be underemployed, since, managers would not be confident enough to trust in the SIEs abilities. This would inevitably cause SIEs to be dissatisfied with their jobs and be alienated from the others in the workplace (Lee, 2005). However, with regards to Japan, it seems as if SIEs obtain more skills that compliment them to have an easier experience of cross-cultural adjustment. Japanese language proficiency seems to be the most important trait in expatriates finding success in Japan. Self-initiated expatriates are much more competent with this skill than assigned expatriates. There may still be language training sessions for AEs, but it is seen as a drag to the management in Japan (Peltokorpi, 2008). This entails that AEs, most likely spend time before expatriating to learn about Japanese culture and the language, and are also likely to spend more time living in Japan than AEs. Thus, they find an easier experience of adjustment to the new culture, since they are prepared for it, in hopes of quickly establishing a successful career abroad. AEs on the other hand, have the sense of security that they will be working immediately upon expatriating. So, they would most likely not go through a lot of preparation for the new culture. However, SIEs would still have to work up to the level of AEs – as mentioned earlier, and would likely contribute to a decreas ed rate of job satisfaction. A study conducted by Fabian Jintae Froese and Vesa Peltokorpi, about expatriates in Japan reaffirms this; â€Å"SIEs suffer from lower job satisfaction because they tend to work more often under HCN (host-country nationals) supervisors regardless of their hierarchical level or the nationality of their employing organizations† (2013). The same studies also found that assigned expatriates and self-initiated expatriates react to cross-cultural adjustment very differently. As established before; AEs see expatriation as an important step in their careers, while, most SIEs take it as an opportunity to appreciate culture and absorb knowledge. SIEs’ increased proficiency in the Japanese language allows them to communicate more with locals, mesh within Japanese culture, and even talk to other expatriates in Japan. While, AEs will remain mostly isolated in their personal lives; â€Å"During their fixed expatriation period in Japan, OEs might be more inclined to interact with other expatriates† (Peltokorpi, 2008). As SIEs interact more with locals; â€Å"they receive information about behavioural norms and the rationale for why people behave in a certain way. The ability to act in an appropriate way and predict the behaviour of others tends to reduce uncertainty and increase psychological comfort† (Pelt okorpi, 2008). This basically means that SIEs will be happier outside of the workspace, as they can enjoy Japanese culture and appreciation for their journey. While, AEs, will be happier in the workspace, as they will have higher positions and be perceived as more successful that SIEs, in the workforce. Another report – by Nancy Napier and Sully Taylor – finds that, expatriating to Japan is a much different experience for women. Due to some of the social patriarchal structures still in place, female self-initiated expatriates will have a harder time to reach the level of, and make as much money as male SIEs – let alone AEs – in an organization. However, female AEs on average, do not face this discrimination, since, they are given and briefed of their position, in their native country, before expatriating. In some cases, women AEs are also offered optional additional cross-cultural training, in order to familiarize themselves with the social contracts and customs of Japan, as they can vary widely from genders and from the constructs and customs of their home country. One problem for female AEs, or AEs in general, can be of repatriation. This report highlights that; â€Å"In one survey of American expatriates, 40 percent said that, on their return to the U nited States, there was no specific job for them†, furthermore; â€Å"another study found that 26 percent of the American expatriates surveyed were actively looking for a different job within one year of returning to the United States† (1996). It is also important to note that this report was a little dated, as it was compiled in 1996; many things could change in a timeframe of almost two decades. To conclude, and to answer the initial research question, both assigned expatriates and self-initiated expatriates have their own unique benefits and setbacks. Preferring to be either an AE or a SIE, depends on what each individual expatriate values in their life. In review, AEs will most likely come to Japan in the pursuit of an increased repertoire and are more driven by career factors. AEs will most likely also start off in a high position (higher than that of a SIE), and in turn, will earn more money, while in Japan. SIEs, on the other hand, can come to Japan for varied reasons, but in order to succeed, they all have to have some skills to help them prepare for this unique culture. Many SIEs have great Japanese-language proficiencies and have a tendency to appreciate the culture and the locals more, as, they will most likely want to stay longer in Japan, than AEs. However, they will usually start off in lower positions, compared to AEs, even though they may have the same level of education. This may lead to them being underemployed and contribute to an overall job dissatisfaction. Women looking expatriate on their own to Japan, also need to consider that they will be facing additional challenges due to the patriarchal structure over there, and may not be happy about their compensation. Thus, may consider expatriating to Japan, through company sponsorship from their native countries. With all of the pros and cons weighted and in consideration, it seems as if being an assigned expatriate may better suit most people’s characteristics. Not many people would like to shift to Japan for life (or most of their lives), thus, assigned expatriation provides a great opportunity to experience Japanese life and culture, while making more money than SIEs, on average. AEs are also given the chance to expatriate elsewhere, and see more of the world after their experience with Japan. SIEs may choose to repatriate to their native countries, but most would choose not to be a SIE again, as they may find it to be too much of a commitment. References: Biemann, T., Andresen, M. (2010). Self-initiated foreign expatriates versus assigned expatriates.Journal of Managerial Psychology,25(4), 430-448. doi:10.1108/02683941011035313 Selmer, J., Lauring, J. (2012). Reasons to expatriate and work outcomes of self-initiated expatriates.Personnel Review,41(5), 665-684. doi:10.1108/00483481211249166 Selmer, J., Lauring, J. (2010), Self-initiated academic expatriates: Inherent demographics and reasons to expatriate. European Management Review, 7:169–179. doi:10.1057/emr.2010.15 Boling, P. A. (2008). Demography, culture, and policy: Understanding Japans low fertility.Population and Development Review,34(2), 307-326. doi:10.1111/j.1728-4457.2008.00221.x Doherty, N., Dickmann, M., Mills, T. (2011). Exploring the motives of company-backed and self-initiated expatriates. International Journal Of Human Resource Management,22(3), 595-611. doi:10.1080/09585192.2011.543637 Doherty, N., Richardson, J., Thorn, K. (2013). Self-initiated expatriation and self-initiated expatriates.Career Development International,18(1), 97-112. doi:10.1108/13620431311305971 Tharenou, P. (2013). Self-initiated expatriates: An alternative to company-assigned expatriates?Journal of Global Mobility,1(3), 336-356. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JGM-02-2013-0008 Andresen, M., Biemann, T., Pattie, M. W. (2015). What makes them move abroad? reviewing and exploring differences between self-initiated and assigned expatriation.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,26(7), 932-947. doi:10.1080/09585192.2012.669780 Sims, R. H., Schraeder, M. (2005). Expatriate compensation.Career Development International,10(2), 98-108. doi:10.1108/13620430510588301 Lee, C. H. (2005). A study of underemployment among self-initiated expatriates.Journal of World Business,40(2), 172-187. doi:10.1016/j.jwb.2005.02.005 Peltokorpi, V. (2007). Intercultural communication patterns and tactics: Nordic expatriates in Japan.International Business Review,16(1), 68-82. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2006.12.001 Peltokorpi, V. (2008). Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates in Japan.International Journal Of Human Resource Management,19(9), 1588-1606. doi:10.1080/09585190802294903 Froese, F. J., Peltokorpi, V. (2013). Organizational expatriates and self-initiated expatriates: differences in cross-cultural adjustment and job satisfaction.International Journal Of Human Resource Management,24(10), 1953-1967. doi:10.1080/09585192.2012.725078 Taylor, S., Napier, N. (1996). Working in Japan: Lessons from women expatriates.Sloan Management Review,37(3), 76. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224969161?accountid=14771 1

Horrifying Reality :: essays research papers

Violence and death are all around us in our society today. Whether it is seen on the television in the news, in a film, or read about in the newspaper, the descriptiveness of these incidents is absolutely horrifying. The punishment of such crimes that we read about today are simply minute compared to the events that occurred during the fifteenth century. In the poem â€Å"La Ballade des pendus† written by Franà §ois Villon, the gruesome description of the images are far from ordinary, but serves it’s purpose brilliantly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his poem Villon writes of men who were hung, still hanging out in a courtyard and describes what happens to their bodies once they are dead. His word choice in this poem makes the reality of what occurred back then that much more ghastly and repugnant. The punishments given today are much less severe and when they are written about in a newspaper, the incident is not described quite in the way that Franà §ois Villon chose to write in his poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that if Villon had used a different method of describing the events such as being metaphorical instead of straight-forward, the poem would not have the same effect on its audience. Although when I first read this poem I did not like it because I thought it was absolutely disgusting, after reading it several times I realized that with out the disgusting details the poem would not be the same. The words that he uses simply speak out in a way that makes the reader either love it or despise it, I feel that is what makes this poem so interesting. I believe that Franà §ois Villon did an excellent job writing this poem and if today’s stories were just as graphic or possibly a little bit less than that of Villon, it would be a lot more interesting to read. Horrifying Reality :: essays research papers Violence and death are all around us in our society today. Whether it is seen on the television in the news, in a film, or read about in the newspaper, the descriptiveness of these incidents is absolutely horrifying. The punishment of such crimes that we read about today are simply minute compared to the events that occurred during the fifteenth century. In the poem â€Å"La Ballade des pendus† written by Franà §ois Villon, the gruesome description of the images are far from ordinary, but serves it’s purpose brilliantly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his poem Villon writes of men who were hung, still hanging out in a courtyard and describes what happens to their bodies once they are dead. His word choice in this poem makes the reality of what occurred back then that much more ghastly and repugnant. The punishments given today are much less severe and when they are written about in a newspaper, the incident is not described quite in the way that Franà §ois Villon chose to write in his poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that if Villon had used a different method of describing the events such as being metaphorical instead of straight-forward, the poem would not have the same effect on its audience. Although when I first read this poem I did not like it because I thought it was absolutely disgusting, after reading it several times I realized that with out the disgusting details the poem would not be the same. The words that he uses simply speak out in a way that makes the reader either love it or despise it, I feel that is what makes this poem so interesting. I believe that Franà §ois Villon did an excellent job writing this poem and if today’s stories were just as graphic or possibly a little bit less than that of Villon, it would be a lot more interesting to read.

Welfare :: essays research papers

Welfare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the recent February article of the Los Angeles Times, Clinton has announced to go on with a plan to help people of welfare. Clinton challenged corporate bosses five months ago to take people in from welfare and trained them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the main contributors of the project is a chief executive officer of the Monsanto Ca., the nation's fourth largest chemical maker. Clinton singled out the Monsanto company and other companies for helping out welfare workers. Monsanto has hired five recipient and found almost twenty more jobs for others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under the new laws of the welfare reforms, the able body workers should work within the two years of recieving benefits. Some of the good things out of this plan is that by the year 2005, only 14% of jobs will be done by more of the dependent poor people. This is bad because 46% of aid recipients had not completed high school or earned a General Equivalency Diploma. The ability to absorb more welfare recipients is limited by the high- technology chemical, agricultural, fiber and pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. These workers would have limited skills. Monsanto is highly protecteive of the privacy of its special new hires. The new employees are hired to fill a variety of clerical and light general- labor positions. They will not be identified as the company's welfare-to-work initiative.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The possible short-term effect this would have on society is that people, on welfare, would be able to work and get paid for it. This will allow them to be able to build finance of their own that they will be able to help them with their lives. The long-term effect, though it seemed good for the people, would be bad for everyone else who weren't on welfare. This would be because the people working off welfare would really be working off the tax payers money. So, the people who aren't living off welfare would be paying higher taxes and the people who are living on welfare would be paying less taxes. Education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education is an important factor in society today. Without education, we wouldn't be able to boost our technology. Boosting the technology would then help us in the medical field, help us build better houses that are more durable to earthquakes, etc. I think that we should spend more of the budget on education.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If we spended more on education, we would be able to get more, better teacher to teach our children. With more teachers on the field, we would be able to teach more students than normal. To help the teachers out in there

Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Ess

Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Both Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein tell cautionary tales of scientists abusing their creative powers to exist in another sphere where they cannot be directly blamed for their actions. Though Frankenstein's creation is a "Creature" distinct from his creator while Dr. Jekyll metamorphoses into Mr. Hyde, the "double" of each protagonist progressively grows more violent throughout his story. By doing so he symbolizes his creator's repressed desires in a stifling society. The stories have parallel structures in the three main ways. First, both Dr. Jekyll and Frankenstein are scientists who, though welcomed by society, find it constraining and often alienate themselves. Each creates an alter ego for himself to live out his liberated passions, Hyde for Jekyll and the Creature for Frankenstein. Jekyll creates his with intention for evil and Frankenstein with the idea of building a supreme being. However, it could be argued that Frankenstein unconsciously wishes his creation to commit acts of sin. Hyde's and Frankenstein's first victims are children. They each evolve over time and develop their violent tendencies, culminating in the murder of a well-esteemed man for Hyde and Frankenstein's family and friends. The first mention of Dr. Jekyll comes in a discussion between his longtime friends, Lanyon and Utterson, men whose names imply a traditional, hampered society. "Utterson" combines both "utter," connoting a squelched speech, with "son," defining the society's patriarchal structure, and "Lanyon" casts images of sprawling canyons that are noticeably absent in the gray, foggy London Stevenson depicts. La... ...sire for a new society. Hyde and the Creature's plights follow similar paths, but their motives seem somewhat different. Jekyll invented Hyde for a dive in which he could transport himself and put on display his evil psyche. Frankenstein assembled the Creature as an à ¼ber-man of sorts, a prototype of a better society. Frankenstein was published in 1818, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886. Perhaps Stevenson's book marks the end of Romanticism as a viable literary style in modern times. Though Frankenstein's evil hides is veiled by guilt and a seemingly upstanding society position, Jekyll's is visibly apparent. Frankenstein is a shaded man with no clear dividing line, whereas Jekyll is a black-and-white character with a subset of colors inside his dichotomies. Stevenson, drawing on Shelley's story, reflected both a new literary movement and a new psychological study.

Do Soaps Represent ‘real’ life? Essay

Soap operas are viewed by millions of our population every day; on average Eastenders has a viewing coverage of approximately 13million. There are a number of reasons as to why soap operas appeal to such a large and diverse audience. In this essay I will be examining these reasons with reference to my own attraction to soaps, and seeing how the soap stories fit into the everyday lives of the millions who watch them. Furthermore, I will investigate the way in which the construction and conventions of a soap opera relates to ‘real’ life. My discussion will include different aspects of a range of the most popular British soaps, for example, Crossroads, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Eastenders. It is hard to prove that soaps represent real life. Surely if they were truly reflective, we would all have fallen tragically into at least one coma by now. And we would have come out of it, too, with better hair and a new contract. It is true that the murder rate in Britain is at a record high. But if soaps were to be believed, it would be a whole lot closer to Colombia’s murder rate. You’re no one on the small screen until you’ve been whacked. The incidence of animal-print evening wear has also skyrocketed in this country. But it could never reach soap-opera Bet Lynch proportions. Similarly, the use of the phrase â€Å"If you ever come back here again† has peaked on soap operas at a level impossible to sustain in real life without a face like Phil from Eastenders and the gravelly, ‘I-will-whack-you’ voice to go with it. There are, also, many illegitimate children born in Britain today. About 40 per cent of all births are now â€Å"out of wedlock†. But if the soaps were anything to go by, that number currently would be nudging something much higher. The fact that approximately twenty years ago, ten to twelve soap operas were shown daily, each an hour or half an hour long would support this notion. The first went on at 10am and the last at 3:30pm, (the hours during which the majority of women were at home). There was an obvious pattern running through these soaps, they were generally set in small towns, involved two or three families connected with one another. Families were often composed of several generations from a range of classes on the social scale, although most identifiably middle – class. Men and women worked outside the home, usually in professions such as law and medicine. However, the focus of the programmes was on people discussing personal and domestic crises. Occasionally controversial social problems such as rape and murder were included and were for the most part, handled in a sensitive manner. However, in spite of the fact that soaps contained more references to social problems than any other form of entertainment at the time, critics tended to fault them heavily for their lack of realism. The fans and audience (the women) would insist on the soap operas lifelikeness, but the fact that blacks and other minorities were almost completely excluded as well as other underlying problems and exclusions would suggest that these soaps were no more ‘real’ than a fictional story. Some people may suggest that soap operas have moved on much further from the days of the early Crossroads, I mean just look at the ‘modernised’ Crossroads. There are many men and women portrayed in the storylines that come from a variation of ethnic minorities, Asians, Nigerians, Indians, the list goes on. And it’s not only Crossroads that has these kinds of ethnic minorities, it is Eastenders and Hollyoaks and Coronation Street also. If you are a keen supporter of either Hollyoaks or Eastenders, you may even notice that the most recent additions to each cast were families from ethnic minorities and both have taken on quite bold storylines as they have entered their respective programmes. For example, the current ‘Ronnie’ storyline in Eastenders is a gripping one and the fights and feuds in Hollyoaks attempt to show that families from ethnic minorities can live in a dominantly white society just as normally as a white family can. However, what we must ask ourselves is, just because there are a few characters from ethnic minorities dotted around these soap operas, does it mean they are directly and accurately representing ‘real’ life? My answer to that question would be no and my reasoning is this; although Eastenders contains at least nine characters that I can name that are from an ethic minority, there are only two families in the soap. Also, although nine may sound like a reasonably large number, it is not relative to the programme that is being shown and the area that it is set in. I can assure you that if you were to visit the East End of London as a white person you would be far outnumbered by the number of people from varying ethnic minorities, therefore I would like to suggest that Eastenders is not a true representation of ‘real’ life. This statement explicitly suggests that the soaps may have been a little unrealistic years ago but they have progressed to a state where they are representative of ‘social realism’. In support to this idea, it can be noted that contemporary soaps now employ a number of standard conventions, and many researchers have attempted to list some of the typical characteristics. For example, Sonia Livingstone believes the common soap opera features include: ‘transmission at regular, frequent times, often daily; predominantly aimed at female viewers , occupying day-time/early evening slots; use of fairly constant and large cast, over many years, and a faithful audience; cheap production costs, regarded as low prestige entertainment; concern with daily activities, centred on a small community and/or large family; simulation of real time and realistic events; interwoven narratives, with overlapping resolutions; ‘cliff-hangers’ to ensure committed viewing; focus on female characters and ‘feminine’ or domestic concerns. ‘