A Thematic Analysis of Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho Essays

A Thematic Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho Essays A Thematic Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho Arts- Movies A Thematic Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho has been commended for forming the archetypical basis of all horror films that followed its 1960 release. The mass appeal that Psycho has maintained for over three decades can undoubtedly be attributed to its universality. In Psycho, Hitchcock allows the audience to become a subjective character within the plot to enhance the film's psychological effects for an audience that is forced to recognise its own neurosis and psychological inadequacies as it is comp elled to identify, for varying lengths of time, with the contrasting personalities of the film's main characters. Hitchcock conveys an intensifying theme in Psycho, that bases itself on the unending subconscious battle between good and evil that exists in everyone through the audience's subjective participation and implicit character parallels. Psycho begins with a view of a city that is arbitrarily identified along with an exact date and time. The camera, seemingly at random, chooses first one of the man y buildings and then one of the many windows to explore before the audience is introduced to Marion and Sam. Hitchcock's use of random selection creates a sense of normalcy for the audience. The fact that the city and room were arbitrarily identified impresses upon the audience that their own lives could randomly be applied to the events that are about to follow. In the opening sequence of Psycho, Hitchcock succeeds in capturing the audience's initial senses of awareness and suspicion while allowing it to identify with Marion's helpless situation. The audience's sympathy toward Marion is heightened with the introduction of Cassidy whose crude boasting encourages the audience's dislike of his character. Cassidy's blatant statement that all unhappiness can be bought away with money, provokes the audience to form a justification for Marion's theft of his forty thousand dollars. As Marion begins her journey, the audience is drawn farther into the depths of what is disturbingly abnormal behaviour although it is c ompelled to identify and sympathize with her actions. It is with Marion's character that Hitchcock first introduces the notion of a split personality to the audience. Throughout the first part of the film, Marion's reflection is often noted in several mirrors and windows. Hitchcock is therefore able to create a voyeuristic sensation within the audience as it can visualise the effects of any situation through Marion's conscious mind. In the car dealership, for example, Marion enters the secluded bathroom in order to have privacy while counting her money. Hitchcock, however, with upper camera angles and the convenient placing of a mirror is able to convey the sense of an ever lingering conscious mind that makes privacy impossible. Hitchcock brings the audience into the bathroom with Marion and allows it to struggle with its own values and beliefs while Marion makes her own decision and continues with her journey. The split personality motif reaches the height of its foreshadowing power as Marion battles both sides of her conscience while driving on an ominous and seemingly endless road toward the Bates Motel. Marion wrestles with the voices of those that her crime and disappearance has affected while the audience is compelled to recognise as to why it can so easily identify with Marion despite her wrongful actions. As Marion's journey comes to an end at the Bates Motel, Hitchcock has successfully made the audience a direct participant within the plot. The suspicion and animosity that Marion feels while at the motel is felt by the audience. As Marion shudders while hearing Norman's mother yell at him, the audience's suspicions are heightened as Hitchcock has, at this point, made Marion the vital link between the audience and the plot. The initial confrontation between Marion and Norman Bates is used by Hitchcock to subtly and slowly sway the audience's sympathy from Marion to Norman. Hitchcock compels the audience to identify with the quiet and shy character whose devotion to his invalid mother has cost him his own identity. After Marion and Norman finish dining, Hitchcock has secured the audience's empathy for Norman and the audience is made to question its previous relationship with Marion whose criminal behaviour does not compare to Norman's seemingly honest and respectable lifestyle. The audience is

Understanding Indifference Curves and How to Plot Them

Understanding Indifference Curves and How to Plot Them In order to understand the highs and lows of production or consumption of goods or services, one can use an indifference curve to demonstrate consumer or producer preferences within the limitations of a budget.   Indifference curves  represent a series of scenarios wherein factors like worker productivity or consumer demand is matched against different economic goods, services, or productions, between which an individual in the market would theoretically be indifferent regardless of which scenario he or she  takes part. It is important in constructing an indifference curve to first understand the factors that vary in any given curve and how those affect the indifference of the consumer in that given scenario. Indifference curves operate on a variety of assumptions, including that no two indifference curves ever intersect and that the curve is convex to its origin. Understanding the Mechanics of Indifference Curves Essentially, indifference curves exist in economics  to determine the best choice of goods or services for a consumer given that particular consumers income and investment capital, wherein the optimal point on an indifference curve is where it correlates with the consumers budget restraints. Indifference curves also rely on other core principles of microeconomics including individual choice, marginal utility theory, income and substitution  effects, and the subjective theory of value, according to Investopedia, where all other means remain stable unless charted on an indifference curve themselves. This reliance on core principles allows for the curve to truly express the levels of satisfaction of a consumer for any good, or the level of production for a producer, within a given budget, but again must also take into account that they could be oversimplifying a markets demand for a good or service; the results of an indifference curve should not be taken as a direct reflection of the real demand for that good or service. Constructing an Indifference Curve Indifference curves are plotted on a graph according to a system of equations, and according to Investopedia, Standard indifference curve analysis operates on a simple two-dimensional graph. One kind of economic good is placed on each axis. Indifference curves are drawn based on the consumers presumed indifference. If more resources become available, or if the consumers income rises, higher indifference curves are possible – or curves that are farther away from the origin. That means that when constructing an indifference curve map, one must place one good on the X-axis and one on the Y-axis, with the curve representing indifference for the consumer wherein any points that fall above this curve would be optimal while those below would be inferior and the entire graph exists within the confines of the consumers ability (income) to purchase those goods. In order to construct these, one must simply input a set of data - for instance, a consumers satisfaction with getting x-number of toy cars and x-number of toy soldiers while shopping - across this moving graph, determining the points by what is available for purchase given the consumers income.

The technological advancements that have changed human lives Essay

The technological advancements that have changed human lives - Essay Example The innovation of computers and cellphones changed our mode of communication, accuracy, efficiency, and speed of doing things. This has led to complex interactions between humans and machines, which changes our values and culture. As such, there are questions regarding the long-term effects of technology and the possibility of technology conquering us. In this context, there are two concepts of technology, which include Wilbur Mercer and Buster Friendly. This paper will give a detailed answer as to whether I am Wilbur Mercer or Buster Friendly and, more importantly if it matters who I am. In doing this, the paper will rely on evidence from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Dick, Phillip K and a video presentation by Amber Case entitled â€Å"We’re All Cyborgs Now† among other scholarly sources. Wilbur Mercer symbolizes Mercerism that is a technology product, which defines a religion created by emotional connections by people from everywhere. It also encourages int eractions with other humans with a view of sharing the suffering and teaches its members to treat their neighbors the way they would want to be treated (Landsberg 38). On the other hand,  Buster Friendly is a technology product that depicts a media personality that derives an alternate media reality and offers entertainment on Earth (Sims 132). Seemingly, the show seeks to convince people that what has been happening lately is fine and normal and claims that Mercerism is a false religion (Rossi 262). There are various critics and praises for in Wilbur Mercer or Buster Friendly in the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Notably, the two compete for humans' attention and the resultant control of humans' thoughts. This manifests the strength of technology on humans to their oblivion. Personally, I chose to be Wilbur Mercer. It is quite clear that the modern society values religion as one of the fundamental aspects of human life. Ideally, religion derives spiritual teachings an d morals that control actions and dominate our personal thoughts and decision-making in our daily lives. As such, the use of religion in the novel, â€Å"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?† is very significant and I support it. Indeed, in this novel, Dick portrays a wide range of religious analogies and references and manifests how humans rely on religion in times of isolation, war, distress, destruction, and instability. Actually, Dick confirms that Mercerism that in the novel acts as the people’s religion is fundamental in deriving hope and unity among human beings in times of dire need. Dick devised his story to reflect human life in 2021 where there was nuclear war fought by rockets and the effects of the nuclear fallout and radioactive dust that plagued the Earth (Dick 4). This created a sense of dire need and desperation. Dick portrays the plagued Earth as an uninhabitable place after the human beings engineered its destruction (Dick 16-17). However, he shows s ome inhabitants who remained and suffered on Earth due to the harsh and isolated conditions they lived in. Most assuredly, this a destitute condition where there are very few people surviving and hence the need for Mercerism. Notably, Dick displays Mercerism as a mass religion criticized by many people at his time (Dick 20-27). This would indeed reflect a religion like Christianity, which is facing critics among scientists. Indeed, Wilbur Mercer would represent Jesus Christ in this context. In addition, just like people interpreted religion before the scientific evolution, Dick portrays people interpreting Mercerism literally in the novel. Mercerism has far-reaching benefits in that it encourages people to care for other people’s feelings and to share in their suffering. It asserts that if you hurt

Islamic Banks and Commercial Banks Performance Essay

Islamic Banks and Commercial Banks Performance - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that conventional commercial banks have a better opportunity for increasing profitability and shareholders’ returns since they charge interest and fees on their customers. On the other hand, the Islamic banks have a lower opportunity cost for profit making and increasing the investors’ returns, because they operate on the principle of free-interest. Nevertheless, that is not to say that Islamic banks are not profitable. The low profitability and return on investment for the Islamic banks are largely accounted for by the fact that the Islamic banks operate on a more benevolent basis than the conventional banks. Additionally, the commercial banks have a better grip on the economy of countries than the Islamic bank, since they have a long history compared to the Islamic banking, which is a contemporary phenomenon. The concept of Islamic and commercial banking has attracted a lot scholarly of attention of late, with different fina ncial scholars trying to understand how the concept of Islamic banking works in relation to both Islamic banks profitability and Islamic banks customer behavior. The interest in studying this area has arisen out of the fact that the Islamic banks operate on the basis of the Islamic religious laws, which is a totally different concept from the conventional banking operations. Defining the profitability of the conventional banks is more straightforward because it is based on the banks charging interest rates and fees to their customers of different products and services that the banks offer to the customers.

Vivienne Westwood Designer Report Essay Example for Free

Vivienne Westwood Designer Report Essay Vivienne Westwood, born on April 8 1941 is a British fashion Designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. (Price) Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in the village of Tintwistle Derbyshire, daughter of Gordon Swire and Dora Swire. At age 17, Vivienne and her family moved to Harrow, London. She studied at the Harrow School of Art University of Westminster, taking fashion and silversmithing but she left after one term saying, â€Å"I didn’t know how a working class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world. After taking a job in a factory and studying at a teacher training college, she became a primary school teacher. During this period, she also created her own jewelry which she would sell at a stall on Portobello Road in London (Susannah) In 1961 at age 20, Vivienne Swire met Derek Westwood, a Hoover factory apprentice in Harrow. They married in July 1962 and Vivienne made her own wedding dress for the ceremony. Vivienne and Derek’s marriage lasted three years with Vivienne continuing to teach while making jewelry. At around this time she met Malcolm McLaren (Susannah) When she met Malcolm McLaren, it signified the end of Westwoods marriage to Derek. Westwood and McLaren moved to a council flat in Clapham. Westwood continued to teach until 1971 when Malcolm decided to open a boutique at 430 Kings Road called Let It Rock (later known variously as Sex, Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die, and Seditionaries† and now Worlds Ends, where Westwood sells her Vivienne Westwood label clothing. Westwood created clothes which McLaren conceived, drawing inspiration from bikers, fetishists and prostitutes. During this period, McLaren became manager of the punk band Sex Pistols and subsequently the two garnered attention as the band wore Westwood and McLarens designs. Westwood was deeply interested in the punk fashion phenomenon of the 1970s, saying I was messianic about punk, seeing if one could put a spoke in the system in some way. (Alejandra) The punk style included BDSM fashion, bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars for jewelry, as well as outrageous make-up and hair. Essential design elements include the adoption of traditional elements of Scottish esign such as tartan fabric. In the 1980s, John Fairchild named the young Westwood one of the six most influential designers of our times in his fashion bible, the Womens Wear Daily. Her first catwalk show was presented in 1981, featuring the collaboration of Westwood and McLaren. The theme that year was Pirates. Since then, she has won British Designer of the Year three times. (The Design Museum) She dubbed the period 1981 to 1985, new romantic and 1988 -1991 The Pagan Years during which Vivienne’s heroes changed from punks and ragamuffins to ‘Tatler’ girls wearing clothes that parodied the upper class. The period from 1993 to 1999 she called Anglomania and from 2000 to the present – Exploration. Vivienne Westwood revolutionized fashion, and her impact can still be felt. Her clothes are full of historical references, particularly to the 17th and 18th century, which serve as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for her. In addition, with her own technique for draping and pattern cutting, Westwood creates clothes with a characteristic volume, continually amazing her public. As for her latest collection, the pieces continue to reveal her glam, rock and rebel spirit. More now than ever, the designer was also chosen by Disneyland Paris and Unicef (along with 24 other designers) to relook the fairy tale princesses. The most fortunate among us who dream of a haute couture princess gown will be able to procure Snow Whites dress by Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne Westwoods influence in her taste for the eccentric and the provocative can be found today at John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and even Viktor Rolf. These stylists attended the school of she who once declared, My secret? Always keep them guessing

Apophatical Metaphysics of a Subject :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Apophatical Metaphysics of a Subject ABSTRACT: In this paper, the inevitability of the metaphysics of a subject for the philosophical understanding of a person’s being in the world is established, and the apophatic character of this type of metaphysics is discussed. Analysis of the categories of being and non-being which allow the interpretation of a subject as transcendent and as transcendental being that is characterized by uniformity, spontaneity and irreversibility is also mentioned. The suggested interpretation of a subject discloses both the rational sense of the classical points of view on the absolute, unconditional, timeless and spaceless character of the subject of knowledge, and the compatibility of the notions of the absolute character of a subject and the ontological condition of a human being in society and culture. The main idea of the suggested conception of a subject is the fact that the subject’s being cannot be "housed" into the world, nor can it be characterized as impossible existence for the world. The world can be understood only from the point of view of being impossible (symbolic) existence. The discussion of the problem of identification of a subject shows that the presumption of a subject as one of the existing structures of the world leads to paradoxes and contradictions in the interpretation of the processes taking place in the world. To understand the process of education, it is necessary to bear in mind that it is not only cognitive, but also moral: education is the process of the formation of a subject of knowledge through identification with transcendental symbolic existence, which fact demands making efforts to be on the part of the thinking person. I. Introduction Some schools of modern philosophy buried the notion of a subject in oblivion. Criticism of the classical reason that began in the second half of the XIX century has come to an end in postmodemism of the XX century with the declaration of the principles of pluralism, relativism, contextuality and decentration. These principles are incompatible with the classical view on a subject, an object, truth and objectivity of cognition. The characteristic feature of the classical conceptions criticism of the 1-conceptions was the fact that it was aimed at opposing the consequences of the classical conceptions. These consequences include theories of the ideological forms of consciousness, theory of social progress, scientism, understanding of truth as a function of power, violence, etc. We must not understand this criticism of consequences as sufficient ground to reject the notion of subject.

Racism in America and the Struggle for Equal Opportunity Essay

Racism has caused drastic damage over the years and continues to cause major problems in today’s society. Racism is discrimination or prejudice based on race or ethnicity. Racism manifests in many different ways including negative thoughts and racial slurs. Racism includes not only these morsels of spite, but also abusive behavior and severe discrimination. This severe discrimination affects people’s families, livelihood, and ability to succeed. Although racism has not been completely abolished, the United States has made some progress as a country to improve race relations. The U.S. is no longer having civil wars over slavery and more people of color are gaining access to high paying, more important, and powerful positions. While one may acknowledge that racism has improved immensely from Civil War times, they must also comprehend that there is much more work to be done in America to improve our relations amongst races so that the playing field is leveled for everybody. The ultimate goal is to have equal opportunity amongst all races and ethnicities. There is still institutional racism where it makes it difficult for people of color to advance. For example, people of color are underrepresented in the U.S. Congress, on Wall Street, and in leading large companies and organizations. To reach this ultimate goal of equal opportunity, people must be able recognize their own prejudices. Many individuals subconsciously have prejudices against others who are different from them in some way. Once people can acknowledge their own prejudices, only then can a society began to change people’s hearts and minds.

Abstract Views on Military Retention

The words â€Å"material† and â€Å"personnel† are abstractions, but the weapons systems and the devoted human beings organized to make and use them are real. Reducing the size of the military also means ending jobs and forcing career changes on many people who deserve better from their nation. However, it has become apparent that many of today's military members separate voluntarily. This research project seeks to inform the debate on military retention by examining the evidence for separations from military service into civilian community. The objective is to identify what factors have the most weight in separation decisions, as well as the factors that have the most weight for those deciding not to separate from the service. Over the past year, members of the armed services have been separating at an alarming rate. In an effort to combat the mass exodus of people from the uniformed ranks, the government has turned to the use of re-enlistment and extension bonuses, increased pay, and numerous other incentives, but has had little success. A common response from people leaving the armed forces is that the decision to leave has nothing to do with money, but rather other â€Å"quality of life† issues. What then are some of the major factors influencing people†s decisions to leave? For those who have decided to stay, is it because of the incentives recently offered, or would they have stayed anyway? There are several different factors involving the economy that may possibly have an effect for the status of the military population. The job shortfall in the lagging U. S. economy is now some 8 to 10 million; cuts in the military services will contribute an additional half million job seekers a year by the year 2000, substantially increasing the need for job creation. Has the military encouraged career-minded personnel in overstaffed job specialties to leave voluntarily (thus minimizing the lump-sum severance payment or a long-term annuity)? Are the programs as generous as the pay and benefits that military personnel are eligible for if they retire after 20 years of service? Because the Pentagon has announced that no one with 15 years or more of service would be dismissed before hitting the 20-year mark, few people with 15 years to 20 years of service have opted to leave. The 15-20 year group includes 225,000 officers and senior enlisted personnel – 12 percent of the active-duty force. Active-duty military personnel are not vested with retirement benefits until they have served for 20 years. Once vested, they can draw sizable annuities for life, often starting in their mid-40s, while they begin second careers. Can this be yet another reason for low retention rates? Are there differences between different service departments? Differences between officers and enlisted personnel, male/female, rank, education level, or the number of dependents of member has? All of these areas will be explored and discussed within the text. After combining personal experiences and views of our group, conducting a group survey, and analyzed the results of our research, it was not difficult to conclude that military retention is a growing problem. There are many reasons for this, but the most stressed issues have been those which impact quality of life. The quality of life issues have become so well known that it affects recruiting efforts of all branches of the military. The following will discuss some recent literary reviews and government statements concerning retention in the military, along with the problem of retention, some reasons for the problem, and some possible solutions that are now being established. As stated earlier, issues concerning quality of life seem to be the most important when it comes to retention in the military. For those members of the military who complete their first term successfully and whose performance warrants retention consideration, quality of life factors are important. Surveys have been able to document links between retention and quality of life. In January 1999, Maj. Gen. Donald A. Lamontagne, from Peterson Air Force Base, Co. , addressed the Air Force Space Command Public Affairs in saying that â€Å"We†ve been trying to fix pilot retention with more money, but that†s not the problem. It†s going back and forth to the desert that†s causing the problems, and what†s happening is we are losing pilots faster than we can train them. Last year we lost out pilots at a rate of two every day. Somehow we have to stabilize this. † Military personnel are tired of being deployed for months at a time with very little notice and also want benefits and retirements enhanced and secured. Although compensation was not the leading factor in decisions to leave the military, there is a significant gap between military and civilian compensation that needs to be addressed, as this will aid in recruitment and retention. Government budget cutbacks are also a problem, not only for reasons such as personnel benefits and retirements; for example, the Air Force alone has a $5 billion shortfall in their budget for spare-parts. This makes it very difficult to accomplish and build a world-class Air Force for the future, and lowers the morale of its members. Recruiting and retention issues are not just active duty issues. The National Guard and reserve forces also face these same challenges. Yet, here again, these members face a continuing challenge to benefits. The AFSA (Air Force Sergeants Association), is trying to preserve one guard/reserve benefit that has paid good dividends: the current practice of providing 15 days of fully paid â€Å"military leave† to federal civil servants who are also in the guard or reserve. One administration proposal will, in effect, cost most members their military pay by limiting the total compensation to the higher of civilian pay or military pay, versus the current practice of paying both. It is believed that any such limitation will significantly harm recruiting and retention of those who are civil servants. In particular, former (already trained) military members who become civil servants would lose a major incentive to serve in a reserve capacity. Those civil servants with no prior military service will lose a major incentive to join the reserves. Equally as important is the unknown effect this change will have on civilian employers† support that is currently provided to guard and reserve personnel. Eliminating this program clearly sends the wrong message. The decision to leave or not to join one of the services has been determined in a large part on the perceived steady decline in the quality of life and benefits. To keep a fit, fighting force for the twenty-first century, we as a nation should find the money to pay for it. With so many problems, there is a need for many solutions. All branches of the military are establishing solutions, which in time will tell if they will be successful. The following describes some positive steps for the military, which should be helpful to many areas, and many people. According to Gen. Dick Hawley, Commander, Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, VA, a huge step concerning the quality of life issue has been made by the Air Force. Currently, in Air Combat Command, they are giving almost 80 percent of their people four months notice of lengthy deployments, and almost never has anyone deployed from Air Combat Command with less than a month†s notice. In the past it was not unusual to get a one-week notice for a four-month deployment. This will significantly improve the stability and predictability of personal schedules so people can manage both their professional and personal lives. People can plan educational programs and family events more adequately. Another method used by the Air Force is team basing. Individuals being deployed to certain areas are deployed in teams. This method shows support and should be positive for the morale of their people. The Air Force also is trying to combat the retention problem through assignments, especially with the home-basing concept. With overseas assignments, their people are moving earlier than they would like. With the home-basing concept, this would give the opportunity to elect a home-base location after four to six years on active duty. The concept will allow members to remain at the base they choose for an extended number of years, possibly even until retirement. This doesn†t mean people would never leave. They may have to pull a short tour or go for training, but then they would return to the same base. This would allow families to build equity in homes, children could remain in the same schools, and spouses could keep their own jobs and careers. The longer notices of deployment would also give members time to complete or make arrangements for their continued education. The military strives on professional military education and provides excellent reimbursements for those who choose to further their education. It has become almost mandatory to have a master†s degree to make Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, with approximately 98 percent of those selected having a master†s degree. The medical issues concerning Tricare are being looked at for possible changes for the better, along with increasing retirement benefits. The military is trying to improve Tricare to match the level of care authorized by the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). If done, the cost share should cost the military beneficiary no more than those insured by FEHBP and should include, as a minimum, preventative care, dental care, and a universal (including mail-order) prescription drug service. The military retirement system has changed three times, and each time decreasing the benefit. It was last changed in 1986 and now only provides retirement pay based on 40 percent of the high three years of base pay. The issue is still in debate as whether or not to increase the retirement benefit back to 50 percent of base pay. This is a major issue in deciding whether to leave the military or to stay in longer and is also an issue when recruiting. In 1981, by way of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, U. S. Congress mandated that the Military Services, at least annually, provide each member a meaningful statement of total compensation, so that the member fully considers total compensation when making career decisions. The Department of the Navy, in particular, has established the Personal Statement of Military Compensation (PSMC). PSMC is a long term Navy project to give members, at least once a year, a summary of total earnings as an active duty member of the U. S. Navy. The total is made up of cash pays, allowances, and bonuses. The allowances include such things as on-base housing and meals, and benefits include commissaries, exchanges, and hospitals, as well as future benefits such as retirement pay and social security payments. Navy leaders support wholeheartedly the effort to get the full compensation story out to current and potential Navy members thereby contributing to the success of Navy retention and recruiting programs. With technological advancements growing, the military faces another problem with retention. Retention is necessary for essential positions of the military, in which members may choose to leave for whatever reason. One remedy put in place by the U. S. Office of Personnel Management is the Y2K Assistance for Agencies. This plan deals with recruiting and retaining Information Technology Professionals. The Office of Personnel Management states in their bulletin under agency-based flexibility, the procedure for retention allowances. It is stated that agencies have discretionary authority to make continuing (i. . , biweekly) payments of up to 25 percent of basic pay to individual employees and of up to 10 percent of basic pay to a group or category of employees based upon a determination by the agency that: (1) the unusually high or unique qualifications of the employees or a special need of the agency for the employees† services makes it essential to retain the employees; and (2) th e employee or a significant number of employees in the targeted category would be likely to leave the Federal Government (for any reason, including retirement) in the absence of a retention allowance. Retention allowances must be paid in accordance with the agency†s previously established retention allowance plan and must be reviewed and certified annually. Retention allowances are subject to the aggregate limitation on total pay, which is currently $151,800. Another retention technique, and also a way to increase overall morale, is by distributing performance and incentive awards. Agencies within the military have discretionary authority to grant an employee a lump-sum cash award based on a â€Å"Fully Successful† or better rating of record or in recognition of accomplishments that contribute to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of Government operations. Awards can be tied to specific achievements such as meeting milestones that are identified as part of the work needed to achieve Year 2000 conversion goals. Cash awards do not increase an employee†s basic pay. Awards based on the rating of record can be up to 10 percent of salary, or up to 20 percent for exceptional performance, provided the award does not exceed $10,000 per employee. On January 5, 1999, at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan called for an additional $30 billion more in Air Force spending dedicated to the readiness program over the next five years. This was in addition to the President†s already proposed injection of $110 billion into the Pentagon†s budget for the readiness program to boost mission capability rates. The service chiefs also urged Congress to press ahead with the President†s previously announced FY 2000 overall 4. 4 percent pay raises, additional targeted pay raises for mid-grade officers and noncommissioned officers and restoration of retirement benefits to 50 percent of base pay for 20 years of service. This confirms to current and potential members of the military that programs are in place to upgrade overall qualities of the military life. According to the U. S. General Accounting Office, more than 30 percent of first term sailors and Marines do not complete the first term of service, many for reasons that relate to poor screening rather than quality of life issues. Although quality of life issues are still considered among the most important when discussing retention, the most useful future research on quality of life issues should connect both objective and subjective variables to militarily relevant outcomes. Issues such as actual retention, on-the-job performance, and overall duty performance, and ultimately readiness and combat performance need to be looked at. Currently, only a fraction of the quality of life research makes the connection between the inputs and these outcomes. Most of this research has focused only on retention. Researchers need to use or to develop metrics that indicate the fighting effectiveness of the military, and then to identify which quality of life programs influence these measures of effectiveness. This, along with more funding, and awareness of military life and its qualities will enhance the future of the military. The data collected came from a simple survey (Appendix A). In all, 114 surveys were collected over a period of 12 days. There was not a particular target group, as the retention problem appears to be spread among service members of all ranks. The only criterion was that individuals had to be at least half way through his/her first enlistment or period of obligated service. This would have given them ample time to be exposed to military life and form an opinion as to whether they would continue serving in the military. Some of the individuals answering the survey seemed reluctant to provide their name, especially when they read the portion of the survey concerning dissatisfying aspects of military service. Many questioned who would see the survey, and only filled it out after they were assured that the information would not be seen by anyone outside the research group. Once the data was collected, it was categorized based on branch of service and whether the individual was on officer or enlisted. Due to the proximity of bases in the area, members of the United States Navy and Marine Corps filled out the majority of surveys. Members of the United States Air Force filled out the remainder of the surveys. The Army was not represented. The results of the survey can be found in Appendix B. While the total number of surveys collected represents less than one tenth of one percent of the total number of people currently on active duty, it does provide some useful data in terms of why there is a growing amount of dissatisfaction among military members. Respondents were put into one of four categories: Navy/Marine Officer; Navy/Marine Enlisted; Air Force Officer; and Air Force Enlisted. Most categories balanced as expected with the exception of two – average age and average time in service for Air Force enlisted members. Both were higher than expected due to a relatively large number of senior-enlisted within the group. When asked what the primary reason for joining the military was, sixty-two percent (62%) answered â€Å"to serve my country† or some variation of that statement. Eleven percent (11%) responded that they joined to have a job or career. Ten percent (10%) answered that they joined because of the opportunity to travel, while an additional ten percent (10%) said they joined as a means toward receiving a higher education. Relating these responses to Maslow†s Need Hierarchy, it can be said that military service, in some way, for some people, satisfies one or more of those needs. Service to country, making what they feel is a meaningful contribution, satisfies the inner need for self-actualization. The military is often viewed as a log-term commitment or even life-long career, with a high degree of job security. Although there have been numerous reductions-in-force (RIFs) over the years due to a steadily declining budget, the military is still seen as an organization where its members can stay for as long as they desire. This, according to Maslow, would satisfy the need for security. The opportunity to further one†s education and to travel fulfills the need for self-esteem. Ever since the Gulf War, the public†s opinion of those in the military has risen significantly in the favorable direction. All of these contribute to positive feelings by military members and help satisfy the need for self-esteem. When asked which aspects of military service were most satisfying, the most common answer, by far, was making friends. Again, when relating this to the Need Hierarchy, the social need is the only one that cannot be met by an individual. It is reasonable to assume that this need is important because of the unique type of demands military service puts on a family. The majority of service members have to re-locate, on average, every three years. This equates to a new home, new jobs, and new schools for everyone. Even though a service member might choose to serve 20 years, he has more than likely moved at least 6 times, unlike his civilian counterpart, who in 20 years may have never moved once. The second most common response regarding satisfying aspects was the opportunity to travel. Again, moving every 3 years, gives personnel ample opportunity to live in a variety of locations both stateside and abroad. There are many bases throughout the world. Getting stationed in some of the more desirable areas certainly makes the idea of relocating easier. If an individual is assigned to a deploying unit, he/she can expect to go to different areas, as required, for duration of a few days to as long as six months. This is not always seen as a satisfying aspect and the negative side of this will be discussed later. Also, certain â€Å"perks† such as the use of Air Mobility Command (AMC), provides the ability to travel all over the world on a space available basis with little or no cost to personnel. We also asked military personnel what the three most dissatisfying aspects of being in the military were. Due to the differences in military branch, rank, time in service, and age, we received a variety of reasons. Like any other survey we received some questionable responses, such as not being able to smoke pot (marijuana) and having to wear a uniform everyday. At times it was hard to distinguish whether these responses were serious. On the other hand, we also received many valid reasons. From the results of the 114 surveys we got back, it was determined that the three most common dissatisfying aspects of being in the military were: family separation, poor leadership, and eroding benefits. Family separation is of great concern for the majority of military members, particularly those who are married. Military members can be assigned permanent change of station (PCS) orders unaccompanied (without spouse or other dependents) for up to 15 months or they can be sent to numerous short notice deployments. Whether they are Navy, Marines, or Air Force, they are sent away from their families an average of 40% to 50% percent of the year. Some examples of these separations were provided on the additional comments section. For Navy personnel, they had to be away from their families for approximately 6 months in order to fulfill their ship/sea duty as required by the Navy. In some instances, such as for pilots, they were re-deployed from the carriers to different locations for unspecified lengths of time. For Marines, they were also tasked for numerous deployments through out the year without knowing how long they would be gone. The Marine pilots were also in the same position as the Navy pilots, as they usually train together on aircraft carriers. For Air Force personnel, the situation was similar. Numerous deployments throughout the year to different bases, such as Southwest Asia, which are at least 4 months long, seem to be very unpopular among military members. These deployments are usually to remote places half way around the world where living conditions are very poor. Some locations don†t even provide individuals a way to communicate back to their families. These situations take a toll on marriages. Several surveys indicated that these types of constant deployments contributed to military members being divorced at least two or three times throughout their military careers. For single military members, being away from their home stations also made it impossible for them to go home on leave to visit their families. Many of the young, single enlisted members said it was difficult not to be able to go home for holidays, but rather having to spend them alone at deployed locations. In some instances, it was impossible for military members to go home at times of emergency, such as severe illness or death of an immediate family member. These situations are hard enough and family separation only makes them more difficult. There are numerous reasons why deployments or unaccompanied permanent change of stations (PCS†s) can cause hardships on military members but the main dissatisfaction is family separation. Poor Leadership is another popular dissatisfying aspect of being in the military. Just like any organization, you are going to have a few managers/leaders that are not very popular among employees. In the military, managers or leaders are appointed differently than in traditional civilian organizations. Supervisors or leaders are appointed according to rank. For example, if somebody is newly appointed to your section and he or she is the highest- ranking person there, they are usually the ones in charge of the section. For this reason, you might get a good leader that knows how to treat people and take care of business, or you might get the â€Å"micro-managing† leader that is just looking out for him/herself in order to get a promotion or favorable evaluation. This type of leadership is found in every position throughout the military. It can range from one†s immediate supervisor, to shop chief, flight chief, section commander, squadron commander and so on. Since one of the main goals of every military member is to achieve the highest rank possible, criticizing or speaking out against poor leadership can be detrimental to one†s career advancement. One of the main complaints about leadership, according to those answering the survey, is that leadership does not remain constant. People, usually those in leadership positions that are trying to â€Å"get a check in the block† for the next promotion, can be assigned to a duty station or duty section anywhere from one to three or more years. These leaders usually try to quick-fix existing problems or they leave them for the person replacing them. This results in work sections getting a mix of management styles. The assigned personnel that remain are the ones that have to endure this. They might get good leaders for short periods of time and then have them replaced by bad leaders and so on throughout their assignment. Yet another example of poor leadership, according to surveyees, are those who â€Å"brown-nose† or â€Å"suck-up† to leaders in the organizations. These are leaders that are afraid or not willing to make suggestions to superiors on how to fix organizational problems. They would rather blindly do as their superiors tell them. These leaders or â€Å"politicians†, as stated before, are just looking out for themselves. Eroding benefits was the third most common dissatisfying aspect of being in the military. According to those â€Å"career† military members that have been in over ten years, military benefits have been cut back drastically over the past few years. Those members that joined the military within the last few years do not have the same benefits that those that joined over ten years ago do. For example, the amount of retirement pay after 20 years of service is 50% of base pay for those that joined prior to 1986 and 40% for those that have joined since. Another major complaint is that medical benefits and the quality of medical care have been decreasing every year. Another source of dissatisfaction is that training opportunities or assignment preferences are not available anymore. Some personnel feel stuck in certain locations, and it denies them one of the major reasons for joining in the first place – an opportunity to travel. While some personnel enjoy the stability of not having to move as much, there are many who like to move at the end of their tour and move on to another location. Military members see cutbacks as the major reason for increased family separation, decreasing benefits, and the development and advancement of poor leaders. Over the last several years, the military has gone through a massive downsizing. This resulted in having to continuously do more with less. The operations tempo of many flying squadrons increased and due to under-manning, assigned personnel has to constantly go on deployments. Promotions are now harder to come by because now there are many people competing for fewer positions. The cutbacks in the military budget have caused the closing of many military installations around the world. Military members viewed many of these installations as benefits because they were considered popular assignment preferences. These assignments were in popular spots around the world that were, for some members, reason to join the military in order to get there. There are various reasons individuals are deciding to voluntarily leave the military. Despite relatively high job security and increasing monetary incentives, many do not feel this is compensation enough to have to endure the increasing hardships put upon them. What can the military do to retain personnel? The government must start by addressing the numerous quality of life issues that military members currently face. Merely offering more money to people will entice some to stay, but the reason most people joined in the first place had nothing to do with money. It is a well-known fact, verified by numerous studies, that a pay gap exists between military members and what would be considered their equivalent civilian counterpart. Until these issues are addressed and personnel start to see a real change in operations and personnel tempo, the military is going to continue to see good people leave its ranks.

Unforgettable essays

Unforgettable essays As soon as American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, America changed. America was no longer a virgin to the evils and hatred that the real world offered. The ideals that America was impervious to attacks and threats were shattered, and fear took its place. Will terrorists hijack another plane? Will mysterious bombings happen? Could my mail be infected with anthrax? Though many of these fears slowly subsided, they are still there. To combat some of these fears the government implemented many things such as the USA Patriot Act, but at a cost to freedoms. Though not everyone may agree with these actions, these measures are now here. All of this has affected American citizens, and even people around the world. While many people were directly affected by this disaster, such as the victims, everyone was indirectly affected. Now a year has passed, and September 11th has changed America in good and bad ways such as governmental structure and responsibility, economic impact, social America had to adapt to the devastation caused by these terrorists. Many people wondered how a tragedy could happen at this magnitude. How could the government let this happen? Civilians were asking questions and looking for answers. Eventually people found out there were many warnings and observations that could have lead to the prevention of the terrorist attacks. The government denied that it was preventable, while others said that it could have if all the pieces of information were put together. Whether or not, the government would have to change it policies and way of gathering and sorting information to prevent another such terrorist attack. One of the first changes by the government was that the FAA stopped all flights in the United States of America. This was to try to prevent any other planes from being possibly hijacked, and to account for eve...

Spreading the Good Friday Message

Spreading the Good Friday Message Christmas may be at the top of the festival chart, but Easter also ranks high among the favorites. But before the happy Easter celebrations, Christians observe Lent, a forty-day period of penance and fasting. The Friday that comes before Easter is Good Friday. Good Friday has religious significance since it is the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. Good Friday is regarded as a day of mourning among Christians. Special church service is held on Good Friday. The Friday Before Easter Unlike Christmas, which falls on December 25 every year, there is no fixed date for Easter. This is because Easter is based on the lunar calendar. Hence, Easter typically occurs somewhere between March 22 and April  25. After much research and calculations, religious scholars concluded that Jesus crucifixion took place on a Friday. The estimated year of Jesus crucifixion is 33 CE. Good Friday is also referred to as Black Friday, Holy Friday, and Great Friday. The Story of Good Friday The famous Bible story begins with Judas Iscariots betrayal of Jesus. Despite being one of Christs disciples, Judas betrayed Christ. Jesus was brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Although Pilate could not find any evidence against Jesus, he gave in to the crowds clamor to crucify Christ. Christ was flogged, made to wear a crown of thorns, and eventually crucified alongside two common criminals. The story goes that when Christ finally gave up his spirit there was an earthquake. This happened on Friday, which later came to be known as Good Friday. Jesuss followers later placed his body in a tomb just before sunset. However, the wondrous tale does not end here. On the third day, which is now known as Easter, Jesus rose from the grave. As an American author, Susan Coolidge put it, Earths saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart! This is why most Easter quotes brim over with happiness. A famous quote by Carl Knudsen goes, The story of Easter is the story of Gods wonderful window of divine surprise. The Promise of Easter The tale of Good Friday is incomplete without the optimism of Easter. Christs death by crucifixion is closely followed by his resurrection. Similarly, the promise of eternal life follows the despair of death. 20th century English Christian leader and Anglican cleric John Stott once proclaimed, We live and die; Christ died and lived! In these words lies the promise of Easter. The gloom of death is replaced with unsullied joy, an optimism that shines through in these words of St. Augustine, And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here. If you seek a deeper understanding of Christianity, this collection of Easter quotes and sayings may be insightful. Sacrifice and Triumph Christs death on the cross is regarded as the supreme sacrifice. The crucifixion and the following resurrection are widely regarded as the triumph of good over evil. Augustus William Hare, writer, historian and reverend, expressed his beliefs beautifully in the following lines, The cross was two pieces of dead wood; and a helpless, unresisting Man was nailed to it; yet it was mightier than the world, and triumphed, and will ever triumph over it. Good Friday Traditions The prevailing mood on Good Friday is that of repentance, not celebration. Churches remain undecorated on this Friday of the Holy Week. Church bells do not ring. Some churches cover the altar with black cloth as a sign of mourning. On Good Friday, pilgrims to Jerusalem follow the path Jesus walked carrying his cross. The pilgrims stop at the twelve stations of the cross, as a reminder of Jesus sufferings and death. Similar walks are observed around the world, especially among Roman Catholics who undertake the walk in a bid to atone for Jesuss agonies. Special services are held in many churches. Some organize dramatic renderings of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Christ. The Relevance of Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday Children often look forward to eating hot cross buns on Good Friday. Hot cross buns are so-called because of the pastry cross that runs across them. The cross reminds Christians of the cross on which Jesus died. In addition to eating hot cross buns, families often clean their homes on Good Friday to prepare for the big celebration on Easter Sunday. The Good Friday Message Among other things, Good Friday is a reminder of the compassion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you believe in religion, Good Friday tells us a tale of hope. The Bible upholds the teachings of Jesus words of wisdom that are valid even after two thousand years. Jesus spoke of love, forgiveness, and truth, and not of violence, fanaticism, or revenge. He eschewed ritual for spirituality, urging his followers to tread the path of goodness. Regardless of whether Good Friday is near or far, we all stand to gain from these Jesus Christ quotes. Spread the Good Friday message of compassion and love through these quotes. John 3:16God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Augustus William HareThe cross was two pieces of dead wood; and a helpless, unresisting Man was nailed to it; yet it was mightier than the world, and triumphed, and will ever triumph over it. Robert G. Trache Good Friday is the mirror held up by Jesus so that we can see ourselves in all our stark reality, and then it turns us to that cross and to his eyes and we hear these words, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Thats us! Theodore Ledyard CuylerExalt the Cross! God has hung the destiny of the race upon it. Other things we may do in the realm of ethics, and on the lines of philanthropic reforms; but our main duty converges into setting that one glorious beacon of salvation, Calvarys Cross, before the gaze of every immortal soul. William PennSo shall we join the disciples of our Lord, keeping faith in Him in spite of the crucifixion, and making ready, by our loyalty to Him in the days of His darkness, for the time when we shall enter into His triumph in No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown. Robert G. Trache There is no faith in Jesus without understanding that on the cross we see into the heart of God and find it filled with mercy for the sinner whoever he or she may be. Bill HybelsGod led Jesus to a cross, not a crown, and yet that cross ultimately proved to be the gateway to freedom and forgiveness for every sinner in the world. T. S. EliotThe dripping blood our only drink,The bloody flesh our only food:In spite of which we like to thinkThat we are sound, substantial flesh and bloodAgain, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.

INTERNATIONAL LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

INTERNATIONAL LAW - Essay Example World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement of Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) is a practical example of hard instrument model of international laws directed at regulation of subsides. A subsidy has been defined concretely to include financial support as well as price support extended by a government that creates an advantageous situation for certain industries. Alturai and Benares are neighbouring countries and currently both hold membership in World Trade Organisation. Alturai is facing recession in its steel industry so consequently, the government has formulated new economic policies. For instance, the government has extended and assured constant supply of iron that is the primary raw material for manufacturing steel. The stable and consistent supply of raw material will enable the steel industry to boost production. Additionally, the implementation of price ceiling is a significant incentive as suppliers will be able to reap the maximum possible profits. The element of increased profit will induce new suppliers to join the industry, prevent the steel industry from crashing, and ensue in more employment opportunities. The policies will also accelerate exports as the government has sanctioned to give credit equivalent to payment of custom duty for exports of steel. Lastly, the government being well aware of the need for innovation and cost competitiveness in the globalized market, has granted monetary assistance equivalent to 1% of sales value to be invested in research and development. Investment in research and development is imperative to ensure survival in today’s volatile, consumer oriented and globalised markets. Firms no longer have to only deal with domestic competition but also take on international competitors. Therefore, it is integral to explore technological opportunities. Foreign exchange earnings from exports are one of the fundamental macro-economic aims of a country. Hence, escalating exportation is not only fruitful for dom estic industry but for foreign exchange reserves as well. According to WTO SCM agreement, a subsidy encompasses three basic elements: a monetary contribution, by a government or public organization and provides a benefit. All of the stated criteria must be met for any financial contribution to be deemed as subsidy (International Trade Centre, 2009 b). Although various kinds of government incentives that do not actually involve financial contributions being made, however these can be thought as subsidies as they undermine competition. The US-Softwood Lumber IV case clearly states in its judgement that subsidies can be direct as well as passed indirectly in order to benefit certain parties. However, the SCM agreement demands that a financial contribution is a prerequisite for subsidy such as grants, loans, guarantees, fiscal incentives. Secondly, the contribution has to be made by or at the order of the government or a public entity within the country. Obviously, a subsidy must prove beneficial for the interest of the recipient; sometimes the benefit is easily identifiable whereas in other instances, it can be complicated (Macrory, Appleton, & Plummer, 2005). The EC-DRAMs Chips case is a clear reminder that a subsidy passed to only 6 out of 200 firms is enough to be labelled as a subsidy established under specificity. Article 1 of ASCM lays down the definition of a subsidy, clause1.1 states (WTO, 1995): â€Å"