Communism Essay -- Communism Essays

â€Å"Communism†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is Communism? Communism is the doctrine of the conditions of the liberation of the proletariat. It also can be defined as a conceptualized system of government in which resources and production facilities are the property of the entire society rather than individuals. In a communist society, labor is shared equally as well, and the benefits of labor are distributed according to need (Communism.4all 1). No one person shall be ranked higher than another and there is to be one person in charge of the society in a communism government. There are still to this day many countries that fall under the rule of communism and the ways they were transformed under communist rule is quite interesting. Just a few to mention are; Vietnam, Cuba, and China. China and Russia both went to great lengths to turn their countries into communist ones. Russia then became a non-communist country and is better for it. Communism is also looked at from a religious standpoint and the churc h has extremely strong views on it. Communism is not only a governmental system it is how people are forced to live their lives, good and the bad come with it. As I mentioned before, communism goes under the liberation of the proletariat. A proletariat is that class in society which lives entirely from the sale of its labor and does not draw profit from any kind of capital; whose weal and woe, whose life and death, whose sole existence depends on the demand for labor-hence, on the changing state of business, on the vagaries of unbridled competition. The proletariat or the class of Proletarians, is, in a word, the working class of the 19th century (Marxists 1). This is just one example of the ways of the Communist rule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Proletariat originated in the industrial revolution, which took place in England in the last half of the 18th century, and which has since been repeated in all the civilized countries in the world (Marxists 2). Before the industrial revolution began, devices such as the steam engine, spinning machines and a bunch of other mechanical devices were invented. These new and extremely expensive machines could only be purchased by the capitalists. Therefore, the machines were brought industry work into the hands of the capitalists and were worthless property to the workers. This meant that the capitalists had eve... ... governmental system. Majority of the people in the world would like to make their own decisions and not be told what to do from childhood. It is a system that does take away your freedoms and does not allow you to make your own decisions. United States on the other hand is just the opposite, in that you are allowed to protest, vote for what you believe in and have the basic freedoms of just about anything.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are only a few countries left in this world that are still under the rule of communism and I believe that once the rulers of those nations die off, the U.S. will have something to say about it. I do not believe that communism will survive very long because America has shown in the past and recently that when we do not like a way a country is doing something, we will come in and fix it. For example, we did not like the way Saddam Hussein was running things and going about his business, so we went in and took over. Why not do this to every country we don’t agree with from a political standpoint. So, all in all, communism will not be around much longer and democracy will become the governmental system of the world.

Iran Provides No Freedom of Speech on the Internet -- Argumentative Ess

Introduction: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The first amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America can often be taken for granted. In many third-world countries, the idea of freedom of speech is in the back of people’s minds, but almost never brought to the forefront of issues facing the country and government. In recent years, this has become especially evident in the Middle East. In the United States, we are shown a display of the harsh authoritative rule of governments over their people in the Middle East, reminding us of how lucky we are to have freedom of speech and media to express our views, no matter how unpopular they are. When the Constitution was first drafted, the conception of anything remotely close to the Internet was in no one’s mind. Freedom of speech, as it were, pertained to the media (i.e., newspapers, magazines, etc). Only recently with the widespread expansion of the Internet, has the value of freedom of speech really been seen. People from any walk of life can post their opinions in this medium, where it can be seen by anyone else in the world. In the United States, there is not much of an ideological shift here because basically anything that could be said before the Internet can be said with the Internet. Of course there are some exceptions when it comes to war-time, but for the most part we see freedom of speech being taken to its full advantage. In the Middle East, and specifically in Iran, there has never been anything like th... ... it the most. However, with new Iranian web sites popping up almost everyday in Iran as well as in the United States, it is impossible to stop. References: Babak Rahimi, Cyberdissent: The Internet in Revolutionary Iran, 2003, Middle Eastern Review of International Affairs, Volume 7, No. 3, September 2003, http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2003/issue3/jv7n3a7.html. Haleh Nazeri, Imagined Cyber Communities, Iranians and the Internet, 1996, New York University, December 1996, http://w3fp.arizona.edu/mesassoc/Bulletin/nazeri.htm. Lydia Heller, Iran: Anonymity of the Internet Fosters Freedom of Expression, 2003, Deutsche Welle, July 15 2003, http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php?wc_c=478&wc_id=14. Reporters Without Borders, Conservatives muzzle the Internet during elections, February 24 2004, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9373.

Subjects You Exell at

Discuss the subjects with which you had difficulty. What factors do you believe contributed to your difficulties? How have you dealt with them so they will not cause problems for you again? In what areas have you experienced the greatest improvement? What problem areas remain? â€Å"Tom’ â€Å" my teacher called. It was my turn to read my the poem aloud. My heart was racing and I was prepared to read what I thought to be a mediocre poem to the class. I did not comprehend any of the poems we went over in class so I felt terribly uncomfortable explaining it to the class. It seemed as if everyone was able to interpret the poem except me. How was I to know what the poet really meant? I was not there when he wrote the poem. That day left a bad taste in my mouth, and that was the beginning of difficulty in language arts. Whenever a language arts teacher asked me to interpret a poem or analyze a story, my head would ache. I told myself that language arts and literature were for â€Å"deep thinkers,† and I convinced myself that I I was no that type of thinker. My teacher explained that knowing about the periods in literature and knowing facts about the writers were the keys to unlocking the meaning to literary works, but I convinced myself that it was not for me. My struggles in language arts crossed over to my studies in history. Why do I need to know dates, periods in history, and documents? In my opinion, there was nothing interesting about the American government or 17th century European wars. Although it seemed to others that I was a star student in all my subjects, most did not know how much I struggled to clench my sanity when I entered social studies classrooms. Eventually, I reasoned that there is a solution to every problem, and the solution lies within me. With that realization, I changed my attitude and worked hard to excel in both subjects. I studied longer and harder; I improved my note taking skills; I made the library my second home, and stayed after school and sought help when I needed it. Today, I am not the best student in language arts and social studies, but I have greatly improved. I have joined a book club in hopes of becoming more comfortable with reading and understanding literary works. I also joined the social studies club in order to improve not only my grades but also to improve my attitude toward this subject. In addition, I took the challenge taking Advanced Placement Courses in English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition. I now see challenging subjects as tests to see if I can move to the next level in my academic journey. With this knowledge, I can excel in difficult classes because I am willing to try. Problems still arise with social studies and language arts, but I have put forth great effort to make sure that my problems do not affect my will to succeed.

The Host Chapter 30: Abbreviated

M el?† he asked again, the hope he didn't want to feel coloring his tone. My breath caught in another sob, an aftershock. â€Å"You know that was for you, Mel. You know that. Not for h-it. You know I wasn't kissing it.† My next sob was louder, a moan. Why couldn't I shut up? I tried holding my breath. â€Å"If you're in there, Mel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. Melanie hated the â€Å"if.† A sob burst up through my lungs, and I gasped for air. â€Å"I love you,† Jared said. â€Å"Even if you're not there, if you can't hear me. I love you.† I held my breath again, biting my lip until it bled. The physical pain didn't distract me as much as I wished it would. It was silent outside the hole, and then silent inside, too, as I turned blue. I listened intently, concentrating only on what I could hear. I wouldn't think. There was no sound. I was twisted into the most impossible position. My head was the lowest point, the right side of my face pressed against the rough rock floor. My shoulders were slanted around a crumpled box edge, the right higher than the left. My hips angled the opposite way, with my left calf pressed to the ceiling. Fighting with the boxes had left bruises-I could feel them forming. I knew I would have to find some way to explain to Ian and Jamie that I had done this to myself, but how? What should I say? How could I tell them that Jared had kissed me as a test, like giving a lab rat a jolt of electricity to observe its reaction? And how long was I supposed to hold this position? I didn't want to make any noise, but it felt like my spine was going to snap in a minute. The pain got more difficult to bear every second. I wouldn't be able to bear it in silence for long. Already, a whimper was rising in my throat. Melanie had nothing to say to me. She was quietly working through her own relief and fury. Jared had spoken to her, finally recognized her existence. He had told her he loved her. But he had kissed me. She was trying to convince herself that there was no reason to be wounded by this, trying to believe all the solid reasons why this wasn't what it felt like. Trying, but not yet succeeding. I could hear all this, but it was directed internally. She wasn't speaking to me-in the juvenile, petty sense of the phrase. I was getting the cold shoulder. I felt an unfamiliar anger toward her. Not like the beginning, when I feared her and wished for her eradication from my mind. No, I felt my own sense of betrayal now. How could she be angry with me for what had happened? How did that make sense? How was it my fault that I'd fallen in love because of the memories she forced on me and then been overthrown by this unruly body? I cared that she was suffering, yet my pain meant nothing to her. She enjoyed it. Vicious human. Tears, much weaker than the others, flowed down my cheeks in silence. Her hostility toward me simmered in my mind. Abruptly, the pain in my bruised, twisted back was too much. The straw on the camel. â€Å"Ung,† I grunted, pushing against stone and cardboard as I shoved myself backward. I didn't care about the noise anymore, I just wanted out. I swore to myself that I would never cross the threshold of this wretched pit again-death first. Literally. It was harder to worm out than it had been to dive in. I wiggled and squirmed around until I felt like I was making things worse, bending myself into the shape of a lopsided pretzel. I started to cry again, like a child, afraid that I would never get free. Melanie sighed. Hook your foot around the edge of the mouth and pull yourself out, she suggested. I ignored her, struggling to work my torso around a particularly pointy corner. It jabbed me just under the ribs. Don't be petty, she grumbled. That's rich, coming from you. I know. She hesitated, then caved. Okay, sorry. I am. Look, I'm human. It's hard to be fair sometimes. We don't always feel the right thing, do the right thing. The resentment was still there, but she was trying to forgive and forget that I'd just made out with her true love-that's the way she thought of it, at least. I hooked my foot around the edge and yanked. My knee hit the floor, and I used that leverage to lift my ribs off the point. It was easier then to get my other foot out and yank again. Finally, my hands found the floor and I shoved my way through, a breech birth, falling onto the dark green mat. I lay there for a moment, facedown, breathing. I was sure at this point that Jared was long gone, but I didn't make certain of that right away. I just breathed in and out until I felt prepared to lift my head. I was alone. I tried to hold on to the relief and forget the sorrow this fact engendered. It was better to be alone. Less humiliating. I curled up on the mat, pressing my face against the musty fabric. I wasn't sleepy, but I was tired. The crushing weight of Jared's rejection was so heavy it exhausted me. I closed my eyes and tried to think about things that wouldn't make my stinging eyes tear again. Anything but the appalled look on Jared's face when he'd broken away from me†¦ What was Jamie doing now? Did he know I was here, or was he looking for me? Ian would be asleep for a long time, he'd looked so exhausted. Would Kyle wake soon? Would he come in search? Where was Jeb? I hadn't seen him all day. Was Doc really drinking himself unconscious? That seemed so unlike him†¦ I woke slowly, roused by my growling stomach. I lay quietly for a few minutes, trying to orient myself. Was it day or night? How long had I slept here alone? My stomach wouldn't be ignored for long, though, and I rolled up onto my knees. I must have slept for a while to be this hungry-missed a meal or two. I considered eating something from the supply pile in the hole-after all, I'd already damaged pretty much everything, maybe destroyed some. But that only made me feel guiltier about the idea of taking more. I'd go scavenge some rolls from the kitchen. I was feeling a little hurt, on top of all the big hurt, that I'd been down here so long without anyone coming to look for me-what a vain attitude; why should anyone care what happened to me?-so I was relieved and appeased to find Jamie sitting in the doorway to the big garden, his back turned on the human world behind him, unmistakably waiting for me. My eyes brightened, and so did his. He scrambled to his feet, relief washing over his features. â€Å"You're okay,† he said; I wished he were right. He began to ramble. â€Å"I mean, I didn't think Jared was lying, but he said he thought you wanted to be alone, and Jeb said I couldn't go check on you and that I had to stay right here where he could see that I wasn't sneaking back there, but even though I didn't think you were hurt or anything, it was hard to not know for sure, you know?† â€Å"I'm fine,† I told him. But I held my arms out, seeking comfort. He threw his arms around my waist, and I was shocked to find that his head could rest on my shoulder while we stood. â€Å"Your eyes are red,† he whispered. â€Å"Was he mean to you?† â€Å"No.† After all, people weren't intentionally cruel to lab rats-they were just trying to get information. â€Å"Whatever you said to him, I think he believes us now. About Mel, I mean. How does she feel?† â€Å"She's glad about that.† He nodded, pleased. â€Å"How about you?† I hesitated, looking for a factual response. â€Å"Telling the truth is easier for me than trying to hide it.† My evasion seemed to answer the question enough to satisfy him. Behind him, the light in the garden was red and fading. The sun had already set on the desert. â€Å"I'm hungry,† I told him, and I pulled away from our hug. â€Å"I knew you would be. I saved you something good.† I sighed. â€Å"Bread's fine.† â€Å"Let it go, Wanda. Ian says you're too self-sacrificing for your own good.† I made a face. â€Å"I think he's got a point,† Jamie muttered. â€Å"Even if we all want you here, you don't belong until you decide you do.† â€Å"I can't ever belong. And nobody really wants me here, Jamie.† â€Å"I do.† I didn't fight with him, but he was wrong. Not lying, because he believed what he was saying. But what he really wanted was Melanie. He didn't separate us the way he should. Trudy and Heidi were baking rolls in the kitchen and sharing a bright green, juicy apple. They took turns taking bites. â€Å"It's good to see you, Wanda,† Trudy said sincerely, covering her mouth while she spoke because she was still chewing her last bite. Heidi nodded in greeting, her teeth sunk in the apple. Jamie nudged me, trying to be inconspicuous about it-pointing out that people wanted me. He wasn't making allowances for common courtesy. â€Å"Did you save her dinner?† he asked eagerly. â€Å"Yep,† Trudy said. She bent down beside the oven and came back with a metal tray in her hand. â€Å"Kept it warm. It's probably nasty and tough now, but it's better than the usual.† On the tray was a rather large piece of red meat. My mouth started to water, even as I rejected the portion I'd been allotted. â€Å"It's too much.† â€Å"We have to eat all the perishables the first day,† Jamie encouraged me. â€Å"Everyone eats themselves sick-it's a tradition.† â€Å"You need the protein,† Trudy added. â€Å"We were on cave rations too long. I'm surprised no one's in worse shape.† I ate my protein while Jamie watched with hawk-like attention as each bite traveled from the tray to my mouth. I ate it all to please him, though it made my stomach ache to eat so much. The kitchen started to fill up again as I was finishing. A few had apples in their hands-all sharing with someone else. Curious eyes examined the sore side of my face. â€Å"Why's everyone coming here now?† I muttered to Jamie. It was black outside, the dinner hour long over. Jamie looked at me blankly for a second. â€Å"To hear you teach.† His tone added the words of course. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† â€Å"I told you nothing's changed.† I stared around the narrow room. It wasn't a full house. No Doc tonight, and none of the returned raiders, which meant no Paige, either. No Jeb, no Ian, no Walter. A few others missing: Travis, Carol, Ruth Ann. But more than I would have thought, if I'd thought anyone would consider following the normal routine after such an abnormal day. â€Å"Can we go back to the Dolphins, where we left off?† Wes asked, interrupting my evaluation of the room. I could see that he'd taken it upon himself to start the ball rolling, rather than that he was vitally interested in the kinship circles of an alien planet. Everyone looked at me expectantly. Apparently, life was not changing as much as I'd thought. I took a tray of rolls from Heidi's hands and turned to shove it into the stone oven. I started talking with my back still turned. â€Å"So†¦ um†¦ hmm†¦ the, uh, third set of grandparents†¦ They traditionally serve the community, as they see it. On Earth, they would be the breadwinners, the ones who leave the home and bring back sustenance. They are farmers, for the most part. They cultivate a plant-like growth that they milk for its sap†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And life went on. Jamie tried to talk me out of sleeping in the supply corridor, but his attempt was halfhearted. There just wasn't another place for me. Stubborn as usual, he insisted on sharing my quarters. I imagined Jared didn't like that, but as I didn't see him that night or the next day, I couldn't verify my theory. It was awkward again, going about my usual chores, with the six raiders home-just like when Jeb had first forced me to join the community. Hostile stares, angry silences. It was harder for them than it was for me, though-I was used to it. They, on the other hand, were entirely unaccustomed to the way everyone else treated me. When I was helping with the corn harvest, for example, and Lily thanked me for a fresh basket with a smile, Andy's eyes bulged in their sockets at the exchange. Or when I was waiting for the bathing pool with Trudy and Heidi, and Heidi began playing with my hair. It was growing, always swinging in my eyes these days, and I was planning to shear it off again. Heidi was trying to find a style for me, flipping the strands this way and that. Brandt and Aaron-Aaron was the oldest man who'd gone on the long raid, someone I couldn't remember having seen before at all-came out and found us there, Trudy laughing at some silly atrocity Heidi was attempting to create atop my head, and both men turned a little green and stalked silently past us. Of course, little things like that were nothing. Kyle roamed the caves now, and though he was obviously under orders to leave me in peace, his expression made it clear that this restriction was repugnant to him. I was always with others when I crossed his path, and I wondered if that was the only reason he did nothing more than glower at me and unconsciously curl his thick fingers into claws. This brought back all the panic from my first weeks here, and I might have succumbed to it-begun hiding again, avoiding the common areas-but something more important than Kyle's murderous glares came to my attention that second night. The kitchen filled up again-I'm not sure how much was interest in my stories and how much was interest in the chocolate bars Jeb handed out. I declined mine, explaining to a disgruntled Jamie that I couldn't talk and chew at the same time; I suspected that he would save one for me, obstinate as ever. Ian was back in his usual hot seat by the fire, and Andy was there-eyes wary-beside Paige. None of the other raiders, including Jared, of course, was in attendance. Doc was not there, and I wondered if he was still drunk or perhaps hung-over. And again, Walter was absent. Geoffrey, Trudy's husband, questioned me for the first time tonight. I was pleased, though I tried not to show it, that he seemed to have joined the ranks of the humans who tolerated me. But I couldn't answer his questions well, which was too bad. His questions were like Doc's. â€Å"I don't really know anything about Healing,† I admitted. â€Å"I never went to a Healer after†¦ after I first got here. I haven't been sick. All I know is that we wouldn't choose a planet unless we were able to maintain the host bodies perfectly. There's nothing that can't be healed, from a simple cut, a broken bone, to a disease. Old age is the only cause of death now. Even healthy human bodies were only designed to last for so long. And there are accidents, too, I guess, though those don't happen as often with the souls. We're cautious.† â€Å"Armed humans aren't just an accident,† someone muttered. I was moving hot rolls; I didn't see who spoke, and I didn't recognize the voice. â€Å"Yes, that's true,† I agreed evenly. â€Å"So you don't know what they use to cure diseases, then?† Geoffrey pressed. â€Å"What's in their medications?† I shook my head. â€Å"I'm sorry, I don't. It wasn't something I was interested in, back when I had access to the information. I'm afraid I took it for granted. Good health is simply a given on every planet I've lived on.† Geoffrey's red cheeks flushed brighter than usual. He looked down, an angry set to his mouth. What had I said to offend him? Heath, sitting beside Geoffrey, patted his arm. There was a pregnant silence in the room. â€Å"Uh-about the Vultures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ian said-the words were forced, a deliberate subject change. â€Å"I don't know if I missed this part sometime, but I don't remember you ever explaining about them being unkind'†¦?† It wasn't something I had explained, but I was pretty sure he wasn't really that interested-this was just the first question he'd been able to think of. My informal class ended earlier than usual. The questions were slow, and most of them supplied by Jamie and Ian. Geoffrey's questions had left everyone else preoccupied. â€Å"Well, we've got an early one tomorrow, tearing down the stalks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jeb mused after yet another awkward silence, making the words a dismissal. People rose to their feet and stretched, talking in low voices that weren't casual enough. â€Å"What did I say?† I whispered to Ian. â€Å"Nothing. They've got mortality on their minds.† He sighed. My human brain made one of those leaps in understanding that they called intuition. â€Å"Where's Walter?† I demanded, still whispering. Ian sighed again. â€Å"He's in the south wing. He's†¦ not doing well.† â€Å"Why didn't anyone tell me?† â€Å"Things have been†¦ difficult for you lately, so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook my head impatiently at that consideration. â€Å"What's wrong with him?† Jamie was there beside me now; he took my hand. â€Å"Some of Walter's bones snapped, they're so brittle,† he said in a hushed voice. â€Å"Doc's sure it's cancer-final stages, he says.† â€Å"Walt must have been keeping quiet about the pain for a long while now,† Ian added somberly. I winced. â€Å"And there's nothing to be done? Nothing at all?† Ian shook his head, keeping his brilliant eyes on mine. â€Å"Not for us. Even if we weren't stuck here, there would be no help for him now. We never cured that one.† I bit my lip against the suggestion I wanted to make. Of course there was nothing to do for Walter. Any of these humans would rather die slowly and in pain than trade their mind for their body's cure. I could understand that†¦ now. â€Å"He's been asking for you,† Ian continued. â€Å"Well, he says your name sometimes; it's hard to tell what he means-Doc's keeping him drunk to help with the pain.† â€Å"Doc feels real bad about using so much of the alcohol himself,† Jamie added. â€Å"Bad timing, all around.† â€Å"Can I see him?† I asked. â€Å"Or will that make the others unhappy?† Ian frowned and snorted. â€Å"Wouldn't that be just like some people, to get worked up over this?† He shook his head. â€Å"Who cares, though, right? If it's Walt's final wish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Right,† I agreed. The word final had my eyes burning. â€Å"If seeing me is what Walter wants, then I guess it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, or if they get mad.† â€Å"Don't worry about that-I'm not going to let anybody harass you.† Ian's white lips pressed into a thin line. I felt anxious, like I wanted to look at a clock. Time had ceased to mean much to me, but suddenly I felt the weight of a deadline. â€Å"Is it too late to go tonight? Will we disturb him?† â€Å"He's not sleeping regular hours. We can go see.† I started walking at once, dragging Jamie because he still gripped my hand. The sense of passing time, of endings and finality, propelled me forward. Ian caught up quickly, though, with his long stride. In the moonlit garden cavern, we passed others who for the most part paid us no mind. I was too often in the company of Jamie and Ian to cause any curiosity, though we weren't headed for the usual tunnels. The one exception was Kyle. He froze midstride when he saw his brother beside me. His eyes flashed down to see Jamie's hand in mine, and then his lips twisted into a snarl. Ian squared his shoulders as he absorbed his brother's reaction-his mouth curled into a mirror of Kyle's-and he deliberately reached for my other hand. Kyle made a noise like he was about to be sick and turned his back on us. When we were in the blackness of the long tunnel south, I tried to free that hand. Ian gripped it tighter. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't make him angrier,† I muttered. â€Å"Kyle is wrong. Being wrong is sort of a habit with him. He'll take longer than anyone else to get over it, but that doesn't mean we should make allowances for him.† â€Å"He frightens me,† I admitted in a whisper. â€Å"I don't want him to have more reasons to hate me.† Ian and Jamie squeezed my hands at the same time. They spoke simultaneously. â€Å"Don't be afraid,† Jamie said. â€Å"Jeb's made his opinion very clear,† Ian said. â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked Ian. â€Å"If Kyle can't accept Jeb's rules, then he's no longer welcome here.† â€Å"But that's wrong. Kyle belongs here.† Ian grunted. â€Å"He's staying†¦ so he'll just have to learn to deal.† We didn't talk again through the long walk. I was feeling guilty-it seemed to be a permanent emotional state here. Guilt and fear and heartbreak. Why had I come? Because you do belong here, oddly enough, Melanie whispered. She was very aware of the warmth of Ian's and Jamie's hands, wrapped around and twined with mine. Where else have you ever had this? Nowhere, I confessed, feeling only more depressed. But it doesn't make me belong. Not the way you do. We're a package deal, Wanda. As if I needed reminding†¦ I was a little surprised to hear her so clearly. She'd been quiet the last two days, waiting, anxious, hoping to see Jared again. Of course, I'd been similarly occupied. Maybe he's with Walter. Maybe that's where he's been, Melanie thought hopefully. That's not why we're going to see Walter. No. Of course not. Her tone was repentant, but I realized that Walter did not mean as much to her as he did to me. Naturally, she was sad that he was dying, but she had accepted that outcome from the beginning. I, on the other hand, could not bring myself to accept it, even now. Walter was my friend, not hers. I was the one he'd defended. One of those dim blue lights greeted us as we approached the hospital wing. (I knew now that the lanterns were solar powered, left in sunny corners during the day to charge.) We all moved more quietly, slowing at the same time without having to discuss it. I hated this room. In the darkness, with the odd shadows thrown by the weak glow, it seemed only more forbidding. There was a new smell-the room reeked of slow decay and stinging alcohol and bile. Two of the cots were occupied. Doc's feet hung over the edge of one; I recognized his light snore. On the other, looking hideously withered and misshapen, Walter watched us approach. â€Å"Are you up for visitors, Walt?† Ian whispered when Walter's eyes drifted in his direction. â€Å"Ungh,† Walter moaned. His lips drooped from his slack face, and his skin gleamed wetly in the low light. â€Å"Is there anything you need?† I murmured. I pulled my hands free-they fluttered helplessly in the air between me and Walter. His loosely rolling eyes searched the darkness. I took a step closer. â€Å"Is there anything we can do for you? Anything at all?† His eyes roamed till they found my face. Abruptly, they focused through the drunken stupor and the pain. â€Å"Finally,† he gasped. His breath wheezed and whistled. â€Å"I knew you would come if I waited long enough. Oh, Gladys, I have so much to tell you.†

Assignment International Business Management Essay

Instruction * Complete with your team (ca. 3 students) the assignments and case. Please use the answer form in doing so. * Please hand in your final version before the tutorial of 110 minutes (T3) by uploading it to the sharepoint site of the course Marketing. * Dont forget to bring a hardcopy version of your answer to class and prepare as a team how you will be presenting your answers. * N.B. This is a team exercise. Every group member is responsible for the work which is handed in at the deadline. Hence every group member may be asked by the instructor to clarify your team’s answers. Assignment & Case overview: Assignment # 1 (60 points: 10 per question, 20 points for questions 1 and 2) 1) Select an industry: IT and computers Examples of industries are: transport, energy, IT and computers, supermarkets, publishers, garden centres, travel agencies, employment agencies, etc. 1a) Please mention for your industry of choice at least 6 relevant developments in its macro-environment. (20 points) 2) Please select a company or brand which operates in your industry of choice. The company or brand of choice must have both consumer – and business clients. 2a) Please mention for your company or brand of choice at least 6 relevant developments in its micro-environment. (20 points) 3) From this company’s or brand’s perspective, do the developments you identified in the macro- and micro-environment, have a positive or negative impact for the particular company or brand? 4) Draw an organisational chart of your company of choice. Include all sister companies and SBU’s (Strategic Business Units). Case Week 1: Pegasus Airlines (40 points) Please read the case on page 36-37 and answer the following questions: Question 1:Give examples of the needs, wants and demands that Pegasus customers demonstrate, differentiating these 3 concepts. What are the implications of each for Pegasus’ practices? (10 points) Question 2: Describe in detail all the facets of Pegasus’ product. What is being exchanged in a Pegasus transaction? (10 points) Question 3: Which of the 5 marketing management concepts best applies to Pegasus? (5 points) Question 4: What value does Pegasus create for its customers? (10 points) Question 5: Is Pegasus likely to continue being successful in building customer relationships? Why or why not? (5 points) Answer FormMarketing Week 1(Total points to be earned: 100) Team #†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Class IBM12 Names:Jasper Henken Lam Le Danny Dikker Assignment # 1 (60 points: 10 per question, 20 points for questions 1 and 2) 1) Select an industry: (20 points) ————————————————- Industry: IT and computers ————————————————- 1a) Please mention for your industry of choice at least 6 relevant developments in its macro-environment. | 1a) Developments in the macro environment| (3) + or – impact| 1| Technological| +| 2| Economic| +| 3| Cultural| +| 4| Political| -| 5| Natural| +| 6| Demographic| +| ————————————————- Explanations: ————————————————- 1. There’s obviously been quite some innovations regarding the technology of computers, which also has a great impact on sales of computers and therefore is a positive impact on the macro environment. ————————————————- 2. The economy is more about communicating and working together. Every company nowadays runs on computer software and relies on computers to process the data. This obviously has a positive influence for IT. ————————————————- 3. There’s been developments cultural wise, people are more connect to each other by using a computer and therefore the cultural development has a positive influence on the macro environment ————————————————- 4. Governments are trying to spy on each other and their civilians by using IT technology. This basically scares away from IT in general. ————————————————- 5.The industry nowadays minimises its effect to the environment by limiting chemicals in its processes and minimising the electrical usage of their products and programmes. ————————————————- 6. Population is increasing and therefore the demand of computers will increase over time. ————————————————- 2) Please select a company or brand which operates in your industry of choice. The company or brand of choice must have both consumer – and business clients. (20 points) ————————————————- Company or brand: Microsoft ————————————————- ————————————————- 2a) Please mention for your company of choice at least 6 relevant developments in its micro-environment. | 2a) Developments in the micro environment| (3) + or – impact| 1| The Company| +| 2| Suppliers| +| 3| Marketing intermediaries| +| 4| Competitors| -| 5| Publics| +| 6| Customers| +| ————————————————- Explanations: ————————————————- 1. Microsoft is a big company therefore it should be logical that Microsoft has his own marketing department etc. ————————————————- 2. Suppliers have a positive impact because they deliver the goods that Microsoft needs to produce their product. ————————————————- 3. Microsoft has a lot of good relationships with other firms which allows them to expend in their production and possibilities. ————————————————- 4. Apple, linux are big competitors so Microsoft can struggle which means it has a negative impact. ————————————————- 5. Microsoft is well-known around the world, everyone that thinks about computers think about Microsoft. ————————————————- 6. Everyone uses a computer and since windows is one of the biggest in the market at the moment, Customers obviously have a positive impact. ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- 3) From this company’s or brand’s perspective, do the developments you identified in the macro- and micro-environment have a positive or negative impact for the particular company or brand? (See tables abover for questions 1a and 2a for indicating positive (+) or negative (-) impact and/or type an explanation here)(2 x 5 = 10 points) ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- 4) Draw an organisational chart of your company of choice. Include all sister companies and SBU’s (Strategic Business Units).(10 points) ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- Case Week 1: Pegasus Airlines (40 points) Please read the case on page 36-37 and answer the following questions: Question 1:Give examples of the needs, wants and demands that Pegasus customers demonstrate, differentiating these 3 concepts. What are the implications of each for Pegasus’ practices? (10 points) ————————————————- Needs: Low prices ————————————————- Wants: If a delay of more than 3 hours occur, they get a full refund. ————————————————- Demands: Innovative destination in offers. ————————————————- ————————————————- Question 2: Describe in detail all the facets of Pegasus’ product. What is being exchanged in a Pegasus transaction? (10 points) ————————————————- On-time departure, Information support by e-mail and SMS, Credit & Loyalty card, Refund in case of a 3+ hour delay, Fly Cafà ©, Opportunity to choose a seat, Discounts for early booking, Various destinations, customer service strategy lies regularly scheduled. ————————————————- ————————————————- Question 3: Which of the 5 marketing management concepts best applies to Pegasus? (5 points) ————————————————- The marketing concept. ————————————————- ————————————————- Question 4: What value does Pegasus create for its customers? (10 points) ————————————————- A flight experience with high quality and low cost. ————————————————- ————————————————- Question 5: Is Pegasus likely to continue being successful in building customer relationships? Why or why not? (5 points) ————————————————- Yes, if you deliver the customers’ needs and wants, they’ll pick you over competitors and you’ll be successful. ————————————————- ————————————————-

Devil wear prada essays Essay

â€Å"Devil wears Prada† was presented in 2006, based on the Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name. This is the story about a girl named Andrea Sachs who want to be a real journalist. For her wish, she opted to become an assistance of Miranda, a tough editor-in-chief of Runway fashion magazine. From there, she had to overcome all the challenges and the lure of the luxury life which are brought by this job. Particularly, the film also mentioned impressively the organizational culture theory of Runway fashion magazine company. II. Aspect of culture in Runway fashion magazine company via â€Å"Devil wears Prada†. 1. The basic, underlying assumptions As the film shown, all decisions are made by Miranda, the editor-in-chief. Additionally, the employees even cannot make mistakes. Their ideas are also considered strictly by Miranda. About the kind of people employed, the knowledge of the employees must be high in fashion. Moreover, they have to be passionate in fashion One significant thing of this organization is that when the employees do something right, they won’t be promoted or complimented. However, when they make mistakes, they can be scolded or even dismissed. 2. Overt belief Nigel, the art director of Runway said: â€Å"This is a place which product many excellent artists of the century. All their works, their creation is greater than the art because they lived for that† or the position as Miranda’s assistances is called â€Å"A million girls would kill for†. Anyone who work for this position for one year can apply for any newspaper office in New York. All the above reasons prove that Runway fashion magazine company has a strong organizational culture thanks to legendary figures such as Miranda, De La Renta, etc. 3. Visible artefact Runway is a fashion magazine. Therefore: The office design and furniture are modern. The pictures and photos about Runway are presented in all over the walls in the company. The employees have to be fashionable especially the female ones are slim and pretty. All of them worship the Runway magazine. 4. Symbols The image of the leader is also the image of the company, it is Miranda. She are known as a tough and evil boss. Andrea, her assistance becomes something like a personal servant. The employees are scare of her but also respect her. Its product, the magazine, became a clear symbol in the fashion industry. 5. Rules, norms, ethical codes and values Miranda is the fearsome boss. The most important one is to never ask her anything. All the employees have to abide by her decisions, including Nigel, the art direct. Moreover, the employees must understand the company culture to make a best choices and success. 6. Ritual, rites, ceremonies and celebrations Obviously, the ‘morning-routine’ can be clearly observed at Runway in Miranda’s office. Everything is prepared in a fashionable way before her arrival. When she arrives, people avoid her by anyway: a girl gets out of the lift for her and apologize, people in the corridor turn back the way they came from, etc. Working under Miranda’s supervision require certain rituals. When Andy goes to deliver ‘the book’ to Miranda’s house, Emily informs her about the strict book-ritual. III. Types of culture 1. Power culture The organization is controlled by central figures –the editor-in-chief, Miranda. She is the most powerful and famous one in company. Then, all important decisions are made by her. Likewise, she has the influence on the decisions of the employee. For instance, in the meeting with fine art teamwork, she is the only one who can choose the suitable ideas for the new collection and almost of them are denied but no one dare to oppose her opinions. Change or innovation is crucial in the fashion industry. Runway uses teamwork in order to get new fresh ideas. Miranda lets her team make suggestions to develop a new outfit for Runway-cover. The balance in Runway have a tendency to integrate all the ideas instead of making difference, under Miranda’s tight control and the strong organizational culture. Last but not least, there are the good relationships between Miranda and her assistance, Andrea or Emily and Andrea. After a hard working time, Andrea was recognized by Miranda and she can come to the Fashion week in Paris with  her boss. Finally, Miranda said to Andrea: â€Å"But I really see a great deal of myself in you†. About Emily and Andrea, they have a beautiful friendship: Emily always helped Andrea to finish the tasks. At the end of the film, Andrea gave Emily all the clothes which she had wear in Paris. 2. Role culture A role culture has a highly defined structure, where everybody has its own role. At Runway, people do not seem to have a clearly defined role. Obviously, Miranda was in the highest level in company. She played her role as an editor-in-chief, a design team leader and a human resource manager at the same time. Andrea is not only her assistance but also her personally servant to buy food or drinks and even do the scientific exercises for her daughters. Particularly, Andrea is so smart that she could expect what the others would think or do. In addition, all main characters in the film have a strong ambition. They can take risk to achieve anything they want. For example: Andrea, she applied for the post of Miranda’s assistance in one year to have a chance of being a real journalist in New York. There is not much evidence for the stability of Runway fashion magazine company but with the accomplishment which this company have got, it can be seen that the organization had a high stabilization. IV. Conclusion â€Å"Devil wears Prada† demonstrated that Runway fashion magazine company had a strong organizational culture which include sufficiently all the aspect of culture but only two types of culture.

America Industrial Revolution

Industrial revolution has been identified as the defining force behind the tremendous economic growth witnessed in the American nation during the 19th and twentieth century (Hudson 56). Thanks to industrial revolution, the American nation improved its ability to conduct mass production both for its domestic needs and surplus for export. Just to be appreciated here is the factor that the sustainable economic development of any nation does not only depend on self-sufficiency but on its ability to conduct international business. Another important aspect of the American industrial revolution is that it led to the formalization of employment, a factor that served to mitigate human exploitation (Collier, and Kevin 21). Â  However, the American industrial revolution is blamed for compromising the sustainable competitive advantage of small scale cortege industries in the nation (Michigan State University). The revolution is also significantly blamed for compromising the cultural identity of the individual American ethnic groups (Hudson 88). This is because it led to increased social intermixing of races as well as cross-race marriages. Still, the revolution is closely attributed to an increase in environmental hazards among American communities (Hudson 91). This paper is written as a discussion on the effects of the American industrial revolution. The author takes a look at both sides of the implications of the revolution to the American people. Effects of industrial revolution to the life of the Americans There are many positive effects of the American industrial revolution to the people of America. According to available historical information, the massive industrial growth in the American nation during the 19th century is the direct result of its current superpower status in the globe. Following the emergence of the industrial revolution, the people of America enjoyed the concept of increased production in the industries, a factor that greatly improved their investment profitability (Collier, and Kevin 21). It is worth noting that the sole purpose of any investor is to ensure maximum profits. Although slaves provided cheap labor for agricultural industries in America, their productivity could not much the modernized agricultural practices that came with the industrial revolution. Another important effect of the American industrial revolution is that it led to the formalization of employment in the nation (Collier, and Kevin 21). Prior to the onset of the industrial revolution, slavery was one of the most commonly employed forms of labor for fueling the economy of America. This was a negation of the human rights since slaves were perceived as a property to their masters rather than human beings who deserved decent treatment. Nevertheless, with the coming of the industrial revolution, there came more effective and reliable machine technologies, a factor which negated the need for forced labor in the industries (Collier, and Kevin 25). This greatly improved the working conditions for the employed people of America. Still on formalization of employment is the creation of new employment opportunities for the American citizens (Michigan State University). The onset of industrial revolution brought with it new jobs for the different professional classes in the American nation. This did not only serve to improve the living standards for some members of the community but also as an encouragement for professionalism among Americans. Also, the revolution is to be thanked for the innovative development of industrial management and leadership principles as well as strategic marketing practices in America (Collier, and Kevin 27). With increased level of productivity, management and industrial leadership principles grew. Such also called for the expansionism process by the American nation in the quest to ensure sustainable market for its surplus products. According to proponents of the industrial revolution, the American industrial revolution brought with it the need for innovative approach to problem solving. It is rightly asserted that necessity is the ultimate mother of invention. Still, it is worth to acknowledge the fact that the process of industrialization has undergone many challenges. Based on this reasoning, the American industrial revolution is praised for the overall improvement of the technological and economic stand of the American nation (Collier, and Kevin 28). As per the available information, America is one of the leading influences in the international industrial product market to date. This gives its citizens a competitive advantage over those of other nations. Also, the extensive industrial revolution that marked America during the 19th and early 20th centuries are to be praised for the power control enjoyed by the nation across the globe (Michigan State University). According to available information, due to the influence of its industrial revolution, the American nation enjoys the competitive advantage of intellectual properties. Just to be underscored here is the fact that intellectual properties are found to promote the economic advantage of a nation. This is because they are protected by the law against use by other persons without providing commercial benefits to the source. Therefore, since the revolution led to establishment of numerous intellectual property rights, it served to protect the social and economic stability of the American people (Hudson 67).