Global Crime Analysis Essay

Every single day, in every location of the world, there is crime going on. Crime does not only happen in one specific area, for that reason it is an issue all across the map. There are various major global crimes and criminal issues that have a global impact on national and international justice systems and processes that every individual should be knowledgeable about. Comparing and contrasting the various international criminal justice systems and how these major global crimes and criminal issues are addressed only helps individuals understand every justice system all around the globe. The justice system, in every country, is drastically impacted on a regular because of the many global crimes and criminal issue occurring. Drug trafficking, fraud, smuggling, extortion, terrorism, money laundering, gangs, briber, and cyber crime are just some examples of global crimes that are seen in this world. Although all global crimes are serious and cause issues the global drug trade is one that is an ongoing and is currently a multi-billion dollar industry. Every day, all around the world drugs are being made, but it is only in certain countries that large quantities of drug trades are made. Specific drugs are mainly found within only certain countries but as for Marijuana it can be produced worldwide. Marijuana is a drug that is easily produces so it comes to no surprise that it can be obtained worldwide. On the other hand individuals will find that different drugs are found in different areas of the world. For drug buyer is looking to buy opium poppies used to produce heroin, Myanmar, the Golden Triangle Burma, Thailand and Laos, Pakistan, Iran, and the Golden Crescent Afghanistan would be the places of interest for the buyer. On the other hand when it comes to the drug cocaine, South America would be the buyer’s place of interest. As can be seen these drugs all are produced within third world countries reason being the production of these drugs helps these countries economies by bring more money whether it be illegally or not. This is where a conflict comes in, with each country having different points of views on drug trade it is hard to enforce drug laws if all countries are not eye to eye. In order to improve the overall effectiveness of strategies the law enforcement’s from other countries needs to work together to try and come up with strategies and ways to take down the drug trade. The political and social structure has a major effect on the widespread of certain crime. Each country being diverse makes this vary from country to country. â€Å"For example, in middle-income and developing countries, homicide is far more prevalent compared to nations with higher incomes† (Shaw, et al, 2004). Research reveals that nations that have high rates of homicide tend to be accompanied by social and political unrest, where crime organizations tend to run the country more than the politicians† (Shaw, et al, 2004). â€Å"On the other hand, there has been a dramatic decline in the rates of robbery among nations included in North America compared to other nations of the world† (Shaw, et al, 2004). Within the criminal justice system another thing that varies from country to country is the way criminals are tried and detained. This difference seen is based on the different social and political structures that are made for each country. Research has revealed that most nations follow a civil law system, which is typically based on Roman law structures, in which a person can be punished as soon as a sufficient amount of evidence proves that a person is guilty of a crime† (O’Connor, 2011). â€Å"This varies from the common law systems, where innocence is assumed prior to proving that a person is guilty of a crime† (O’Connor, 2011). â€Å"More common in nations, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran, the Islamic law system is directly based on the Koran, which is often interpreted as a harsher law system compared to other law systems utilized by other nations† (O’Connor, 2011). In most cases the law system that is being used within the country is one that reflects on the beliefs and standards of that particular county. Overall, this helps individuals of a certain country understand what exactly would be considered a crime within his or her country. When looking at countries one by one a difference can be established. One example is â€Å"seven of the eight nations that are included in the group of Caribbean nations have been affected by colonial rule for centuries† (United Nations Programme Development, 2012). This colonial rule has caused their criminal justice system to be based on British common law, as well as national statutory laws† (United Nations Programme Development, 2012). â€Å"Their courts are also structured in a manner that is similar to British courts, where there is a magistrate court, a high court, as well as a court of appeals† (United Nations Programme Development, 2012). Although all individuals tried in court receive a fair trial, juries are normally only used in serious criminal trials. This is without a doubt different from the United States justice system, where there are few cases ever tried where a jury was not involved. Research has revealed that the rates of attrition, or the rates in which a criminal is obtained and tried for the crimes in which they are accused of committing, differ with the status of the nation† (Shaw, et al, 2004). This meaning that nations that are more developed tend to have higher rates of attrition and nations that are still developing nations have lower attritions rates. The correctional system is another part of the criminal justice system that varies from country to country. Although many countries correctional systems are somewhat similar to the one in the United States, they all vary from place to place. In Jamaica, law enforcement depends on the probation system in order to rehabilitate criminals who pass through their punitive system† (United Nations Programme Development, 2012). Within other nations that are included in Caribbean nations both probation and parole are commonly used to rehabilitate criminals (United Nations Programme Development, 2012). On the other hand research shows that nations with little crime such as Switzerland, have little crime is because there are wealth of social institutions that help to ensure that each citizen is well provided for (O’Connor, 2011). Crime is going to continue to occur every day, no matter the location of the world. The various major global crimes and criminal issues that have a global impact on national and international justice systems and processes will continue to impact each and every country unless a pact is made. No two countries are the same and for that reason no two criminal justice systems will ever be in agreement, but becoming aware of these differences will only helps individuals understand every justice system all around the globe whether it be the United States or China.

Decision Making Essay

The decision making approach that will be employed by the organization is based on a model where all members of the organization will be involved. A decision is made when the organization is faced with some problems in its operations or when the organization plans to redraw its operation so as to plan for the future. The top management, after realizing the need for change on the specified areas that may either be controversial or whose effect is organization wide, instigates a research that will involve all the members of the organization including the investors. The research must be through in that it should analyze the internal operational environment, the industry conditions, market trends and predicts any change in the environment. Moreover, the research must accurately determine the compatibility of the range of opinions and thus solution to the organizational culture and their profitability or effects on the organization productivity. The findings must be presented before the board of management who will ascertain the viability of the solutions and choose the one that best address the needs of the organization and is sustainable with respect to its resources. The board will at all time be constituted of all stakeholders in the organization including departmental representatives, departmental heads, top managers, trade union representatives and investors each of whom have equal right of expressing their points of view. The top management is charged wit the responsibility of evaluating the recommendations made by the research team and ensuring that the whole organization implements the decisions passed. The organization understands that in any community where the members are actively involved in any form of economic or social undertaking that involves their interaction and varied output, problems must always be present. The organization adopts the Osborne-Parnes problem solving methodology that is based on creativity. The first stage in the solution of a problem is the determination of the goals and challenges that the organization works for. After which the management is charged with the responsibility of instructing the research teams to find all data, facts and emotional responses involved. The data and findings will help in bringing out the problems that will affect the achievement of the goals. In clarification of the problem the two main concerns are the needs that should be addressed and the problems that should be focused on. The decision in this phase is based on the perceived impact of the problems as per the research findings. The next stage is the generation of ideas which involves all stakeholders in the organization. The research department and teams are responsible for the implementation of the idea generation process. The main concern at this stage is finding out all the solutions to the problems without any consideration of their effectiveness. The main methodology in the generation of ideas is brainstorming which is implemented in groups. The next stage is implemented by the board of management with the help of the research teams. The main concern at this stage is finding out how the solutions can be made better. Pareto analysis is used in determination of the best method though the implementation of a cause effect analysis will also aid in determining a range of good solutions to the problems. The last phase is a decision making process as the whole organization takes step that are aimed at implementation of the solutions. The decision making model is adopted in this last phase. ii. Behavior The organization appreciates the effects of behavior on the operations and other aspects such as investor confidence and the respect the organization will receive from all in the organization. The employees and all stakeholders will at all time endeavors to uphold a code of conduct that is respectful of their colleagues and all that they may relate to in the course of their activities. The main methodology that will be used in the assessment of the organization employees’ behavior is based on Osborne-Parnes approach. The methodology involves the creation of a code of behavior that all employees are expected to follow. Research is then undertaken to establish the organization behavior with the aim of establishing its relationship and association to the code of behavior. Conformance and other areas of divergence are accurately determined and their exact nature established. The causes of the divergence must be determined through wide research and the results presented to either the top management or to the department heads depending on the level of the investigation and who instigated it. The impact of the diversion on the end consumer of the services and product is determined and the impact on the organization’s operation and thus productivity noted. The problem solving mechanism is then applied to solve the area of divergence and any anomalies in the code of behavior corrected.

Strategic Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic Business Report - Essay Example The company over the initial years has relentlessly focused on obtaining scale of operations which it believes will be the foundation for its future profitable growth. It has been to such an extent that it has sacrificed profits for growth during initial phase and posted its first profit only in the year 2003, nearly after nine years of operations. The strategy followed is a customer focused approach which the company believes will help it attain the scale it needs for long term success. 1.2.1 Product: Amazon .com sells operates in North America as well as internationally through retail websites which include amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.co.jp, amazon.co.uk, shopbop.com, endless.com, and the Joyo Amazon Web sites at joyo.cn and amazon.cn.. It sells its product in over 200 countries. The product range which its sources and sells are books; electronics and computers; toys, kids, and baby; sports and outdoors; movies, music, and games; home and garden; apparel, shoes, and jewelry; tools, auto, and industrial; digital downloads; grocery; and health. Amazon.com, Inc. operates retail Web sites, as well as provides programs that enable third parties to sell their products on its Web sites. It enables customers to use single click technology to complete purchase of all sellers and check out, making purchase easy and convenient. The company's Amazon Enterprise Solutions offer sellers e-commerce expertise, technology, and operational infrastructure to e nable e-commerce businesses operating under their own brand name and Web site address. It also offers Amazon Web Services, which provide access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various types of businesses. 1.2.2 Price: The unique offering of Amazon.com is its ability to offer products at a price lower than any other retailer, because of its unique model (no expensive retail space). 1.2.3 Promotion: MillionAmazon.com has steadily increased its spending on advertising and promotion and brand building. In 2005 it valued its goodwill as $159 million. Amazons unique brand image as a top web based retail company built right from day one, is what drives the company's growth. 1.2.4: Place/ Supply chain management: Strong delivery system is one of its strong points of Amazon.com. To manage logistics it believes in having strong analysis based systems. It uses mathematical modeling and algorithms extensively to forecast, match delivery centres,

The difference between Islamic and conventional Banks Research Paper

The difference between Islamic and conventional Banks - Research Paper Example Financial scholars have surpassed lasting ambiguous loan contracts practiced by drawing attention of the financial world to the benefits presented by bank products that meet the requirements of Sharia. Most of these products conform to religious backgrounds of the local people; and hence turn out to be attractive to wide fragments of the population in need of financial services they can identify with their cultural beliefs and way of life. Despite these existing trends, little academic evidence and research on the functioning of Islamic banks is recorded. Since its establishment in 1970, Islamic banking has witnessed a significant growth. With the establishment of its operational foundations a few decades ago, the banking model acted as a major vehicle that offer products similar to convenient banks. Numerous academic research and literature have gone further to establish the viability of these types of banks in dealing with finances. It is also evident that the last few decades the banking model has been characterized by an increase in its financial institutions that are spread in all continents. Most importantly financial institutions, in Europe and Asia, operate on Islamic windows and thus provide a convenient banking framework to their clients. Therefore, this paper describes some of the common differences between Islamic and conventional banks (Ali, 2005). Despite the fact that there is growing interest on Islamic banking and Islamic finance literature, a few academic papers about the subjects exist. A policy research working paper by Beck, Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt & Merrouche (2010), confirms that there is a deficiency of academic work highlighting Islam finance trends. This trend contrasts with the increased importance played by Islamic banking in a majority of Muslim countries across Asia and Africa. Based on the details presented, this paper will, hopefully, contribute to the rising literature

Human circadian rhythms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human circadian rhythms - Essay Example The circadian cycle includes 24 hrs of the day. A person usually sleeps approximately 8 hrs and is awake for 16 hrs. Throughout the wakeful hours, mental and physical functions are most active and growth increases but during sleep, voluntary muscle activities fade away and metabolic rate, respiration, heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure are reduced. The actions of the digestive system rise during the resting period, the activity of the urinary system decreases. It is evident that hormones secreted by the body, such as the stimulant epinephrine (adrenaline), are released to its maximum just two hours before awakening to prepare the body for activity (Encyclopedia Britannica). Hypothalamus is the chief control centre especially the Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), part of the hypothalamus; it receives signals about light and dark from the retina of the eye. Cyclical fluctuations of melatonin are essential for maintaining a normal circadian rhythm. Induction of sleep is gener ated when melatonin binds to receptors in the SCN (Encyclopedia Britannica). An understanding for the biological rhythms is fundamental part towards the perception of all aspects of life including death (Edery, 2000). Physiologic diurnal variation in cardiovascular system, heart rate and cardiac output plays an imperative role in finding the epidemiology of fatal cardiovascular events in the early hours of morning (Dunlap, 1999). It is manifested that diurnal variations are attributed to environmental stimuli or any kind of increase in sympathetic activity (Dunlap, 1999). It is evident that many features of cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology involve alterations in the expression of genes regulating metabolic and contractile function of the heart and vasculature (Edery, 2000). In order to maintain homogeneous conditions of the body, all the biological processes must be maintained within physiologic boundaries. Failure to achieve a specific

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Book report - Essay Example In the footsteps of an international pacifist network that had protested nuclear armament since the 1950s, the anti ­war movement was also able to gather a worldwide following of protesters by the late 1960s, all of whom had one thing in common—their opposition to the Vietnam War. The international aspect of this opposition and its transnationalism can attribute to a collective zeitgeist of the time. Many people in America did not want the U.S to engage in another deadly war. The book clearly shows how the American army during the Vietnam war failed to offer moral counsel to young soldiers who were traumatized the events of the war. Further, the U.S soldiers believed that the war was unjust and most of them were afraid to die. Instead, the U.S army I only concerned about bringing men to the battlefield, men who do not question who to shoot or why they have to shoot, nor require to comprehend the effects it may cause on their mental and physical health. This is an example whe re O’Brien is engaged in the war to struggle against the U.S involvement in the war as he sees his friends and other soldiers die. Despite the fact that he feels the power of revenge to his enemies, he feels that killing innocent people and villagers is morally or ethically wrong (O’Brien 34). ... American soldiers opted to make courageous acts in order to express their manliness. From the book, it is clear that many American soldiers realized that they were not brave enough to withstand their moral or ethical beliefs, losing their respect for their relatives, family seemed to outweigh their convictions, and the soldiers did not want to fail anybody. Peace and antiwar movements extract at least some set of intricate phenomena with varying sources, constituencies, goals, and principles. Some of them have roots in the ancient and medieval world. Contemporary advocacy for peace adapted and inherited the concept of just war and absolute pacifism as propagated by religious non-resistance. In addition, peace and antiwar movements base their argument from the concept of political economy. The antiwar movement against U.S involvement in war with Vietnam began in 1950s and gained its momentum in 1960s up to 1970s. It was the most significant movement of its type in the history of U.S. The U.S got involved in the Vietnam War in 1950 when Harry Truman the then President of the U.S began to underwrite the costs of France’s war against the Vietnam. When the Vietnam War started, most Americans believed that defending South Vietnam from communism was a noble and brilliant idea for their national interest. Communism was posing a threat to democracy around the world by preaching anarchy and authoritarian ideas. During the course of the war, many Americans were concerned about the escalating war costs and rising number of casualties. This led to emergence of anti-war movement that grew into in a strong force in opposing the Vietnam War while pressuring America leaders to withdraw from the war. Together with the civil rights movements of the 1960s, the antiwar movements

What does the bible mean to me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What does the bible mean to me - Essay Example The word â€Å"Bible† comes from Greek and can be translated as a â€Å"book†. Though Bible consists of more than seventy books, which have been written in different times and by different authors using various genres, literary styles and even languages, they all are perceived as one united and undivided continuous text that recreates life experience, moral norms and sources of human wisdom. People who have not read this book can not consider themselves as educated. However, I am confident that everyday the number of such people decreases constantly. Being written by inspired people, Bible is not merely work of fiction, but it is the greatest book of human history that contains magnificent and philosophic studies about our world, inhabitants, and eternal morality along with spiritual values. Urgency of this book is undisputed, because with its help we are able to find answers and explanations of such notions as life and death, fate and human soul, good and evil and others. Bible teaches us how to live, what we should do, what things should be unacceptable in our conscience, what kind of people we must strive to become and which negative traits of our characters ought to be changed. Bible gives us a great hope for bright and serene future persuading to believe in a life after death and Heavens. Reading this Holy Book, I comprehend that person can insure calm and happy life only with a help of conceiving thoughts and apprenticeships of Jesus Christ who persistently invites to open our hearts for God that manages to touch the most remote depths of human soul. Bible makes us believe that God is real. Every person is given life to prepare own self for eternal life on the Heavens. Bible propagandizes ethical and esthetical experience of humanity. All disappointed people refer to this book and keep on searching for the point of life that lies in religion. Hence, our trust in God helps us to live dignified lives on the Earth before being

Human Geography Oxford City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Geography Oxford City - Essay Example Tourist and other visitors do their shopping at Covered Market; it is one among the several historic centers in Oxford. The tower has been locating in a strategic place in relation to the landscape of the land and the same applies to St. Mary's the Virgin University Church. The architectures of the time were very considerate in designing view points which are currently being used as centers of interest yet they were built hundred of years back. Below is an aerial view of High Street.Oxford City is ever green; the local government has worked hard to conserve the environment by designing nature walks and parks within the ring road. Nature reserves are over 28 in number both within the City and outside. Some of the major parks are South Parks, University Parks, Rock edge reserves, Shotover Reserve. These show how the citizens of the City together with the City governance have worked hard to maintain the natural environment. Any one tempting to tamper with the natural environment faces h igh charges to be a lesson to others. Here is a photo of the green City. In reference to human geography, Oxford city is a city that has considered it in a great way. The design of the City, as well as the activity that takes place within the City, are all admirable, it can critically be used by scholars to define the meaning of human geography because there are a couple of practical example to the subject. This branch of social science is complicated and without examples, it would be difficult for students to comprehend all it details.

Meaning of Life and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Happiness Essay I do not think that there is a single person in the world who can say that knows what happiness actually is and, more importantly, that knows how to achieve it. We sometimes get the glimpse of pure happiness but those moments are so rare and so intense that we only recognise them too late. Each of us understands this feeling in a different way†¦I, for instance, see it as the one that can make you feel that there is no worry in life and nothing and nobody can hurt you anymore. For me, it is when you feel like you can do anything and forget about the past, the future, just enjoying the mere present. In my case, it is one of two feelings that can make you cry with all your heart†¦because it is too much for you to express in plain words or pointless gestures. â€Å"Tears are words that the heart can’t express† a wise man once said and could have never said it better, as happiness is that joy which is so strong that sometimes even hurts. However, I never remember the recipe for happiness and even if I did I do not think it would work again because one of its components is also hazard. Still, this does nt make me stop searching for it and devote it everything I do, I am and I achieve. Likewise, each person I’ve ever met, consciously or not, did the same†¦we want to get something, to become someone. Why? Not because that would make us feel miserable, but fulfilled and maybe a little bit more: happy. Hence, I strongly believe that happiness is the main purpose of our lives, the whole aim of our ephemeral existence. We are born happy and we want to die the same; this is the true ideal that we all crave for reaching. Money, wealth, knowledge mean nothing, without someone who cares about what you have achieved. Human beings, whether they like admitting it or not, need other human beings to share their secrets with, to share their joy or sorrow; as genuine joy can only become happiness if there is another person by your side. In other words, happiness is, in my opinion, the actual meaning of life; and life seems so complicated especially because we seldom get to its core, we almost never get to know what happiness feels like†¦and afterwards all that remains is an unclear memory of the moment and a wish of feeling it again.

Quality Associates Essay Example for Free

Quality Associates Essay In this case, we have Quality Associates, Inc. a consulting firm advising its client about sampling and statistical procedures that can be used to control their manufacturing process. Their client has offered samples to be analyzed, so they can quickly learn whether the process is operating satisfactorily or corrective actions needs to be taken. The numbers given in the case were as follows: assumed population standard deviation is equal to . 21, sample size is equal to 30 and the test value of the mean was 12. They also stated the two hypotheses to be tested: the null hypothesis that the population is equal to 12 and the alternative hypothesis that the mean is not equal to 12. This indicates a two tailed tests to determine whether or not to reject the null hypothesis. The 4 provided sample sizes each contained 30 observations, indicating a normal distribution and z test statistics. Methodology The first question required conducting a hypothesis test for each sample at the . 01 level of significance. Based upon the test, determine if any corrective actions need to be taken. There are two approaches to hypothesis testing, the p-value approach and the critical value approach. The first step for the p-value approach was to calculate the mean for each sample. In order, they were: 11. 9587| 12. 0287| 11. 8890| 12. 0813| Next, was to calculate standard error, by using the formula sigma divided by the square root of n. This came out to be . 0383. To find the z test statistic subtract the test value of 12 from the sample mean and divide by the standard error. The z test statistic for each sample were as follows: -1. 0966| 0. 7493| -2. 8982| 2. 1227| The 1 tail p-value could then be found by using the normsdist function in Excel. This function indicates probability to the left of the value, so positive numbers were subtracted from 1. Since this is a two tailed test, the values were multiplied by two to find the actual p-value. 0. 2728| 0. 4536| 0. 0038| 0. 0338| The rule for the p-value two tail test is to reject Ho if the p-value is smaller than or equal to alpha, the alpha in this case being . 01. At . 038, the p-value for sample 3 was less than the significance level set by the client. Sample 3 provides evidence to reject Ho and accept Ha. However, samples 1, 2 and 4 all have p-values larger than alpha, indicating that the process is working satisfactorily with a mean equal to 12. According to samples 1,2 and 4, corrective measures do not need to be taken. A second approach to hypothesis testing is the critical value approach, which states to reject Ho if the z value is larger than z alpha/2 or smaller than –z alpha/2. Alpha was given at . 1, alpha/2 is equal . 005. Table 8. 1, Values of Z alpha/2 for the most commonly used Z values, in the book states that for alpha/2 equal to . 005, the z value is equal to 2. 576. This is the z critical value for a two tailed test, outside of which lies the rejection area. Again, out of the 4 samples, only one had a critical value in the rejection area. The z value of sample 3, -2. 8982, was smaller than the z critical value of -2. 576. This leads to a rejection of Ho. Samples 1,2, and 4 all fall between the 2 critical values and provide evidence to not reject Ho. Assumption Based on the results of the hypothesis tests, both p-value approach and critical value approach, corrective action should be taken for sample 3. Samples 1,2 and 4 provide evidence that we cannot reject Ho, and therefore the client can assume that the process is operating satisfactorily. The second question asked to compute the standard deviation for each individual sample. Using the stdev function in Excel, the standard deviation for each sample are as follows: 0. 2204| 0. 2204| 0. 2072| 0. 2061| Assumption Based on the standard deviations calculated for each sample, the assumption of . 21 for the population standard deviation appears reasonable. An average of the 4 individual sample standard deviations is equal to . 2135, which can be rounded down to . 21. The third question asked to compute limits for the sample mean equal to 12. Condition was that as long as a new sample mean is within those limits, the process will be considered to be operating satisfactorily. If X exceeds the upper limit or if the X is below the lower limit, corrective actions will be taken. The formula for calculating upper and lower control limits is Using x bar equal to 12, z alpha/2 equal to 2. 576 and the standard error equal to . 0383, the upper limit was equal to 12. 0987 and the lower limit was equal to 11. 9013. Assumption Based on the upper (12. 0987) and lower (11. 9013) control limits calculated for a mean equal to 12, sample 3 falls outside the control limit with a mean of 11. 8890. Because the mean exceeds the lower limit, it indicates that corrective action needs to be taken. Assumptions Increasing the level of significance to a larger value will lead to rejecting the null hypothesis more often. If the level of significance is increased to . 05, both samples 3 and 4 will provide evidence to reject the null hypothesis instead of just sample 3. This means that the client is more willing to make a Type I error, mistakenly rejecting Ho when it is true. This means that they run the risk of having to stop their manufacturing process to take corrective action more often.

Technology In Invisible Man And Hollow Man Film Studies Essay

Technology In Invisible Man And Hollow Man Film Studies Essay The classic 1933 film The Invisible Man based on a science fiction novel by H G Wells of the same name is a story which follows the life and demise of Dr. Jack Griffin as he battles psychological and physical effect of an invisibility drug while trying to find a cure to return him to normal visibility. The film was directed by James Whale and starring Claude Rains and is considered to be one of the greatest of a series of films called the Universal horror films produced in the Golden Era 1930s of the Universal Studios. The Invisible Man was a phenomenal success, despite being realised during the Great Depression, and produced several sequels. The success of the film also launched the career of leading actor Claude Rains. Hollow Man released in the year 2000, Director by Paul Verhoeven and starting Elisabeth Shue Kevin Bacon is the modern day equivalent also inspired by H. G. Wells The Invisible Man A scientist develops a serum which renders the flesh of any living life form invisible. After testing the serum on a variety of different animals he decides to inflict it upon himself but after efforts to return him to permanent visibility fail he and his colleagues struggle to find a cure before the mental repercussions take their toll. Despite being inspired and based on H.G Wells original novel, although based in different eras, both films contain many paralleling sequences depicting the various elements of the invisible characters different states. Some key examples of this can be seen when the character turns from totally visible to invisible or visa versa. Sometimes an invisible character is wearing visible clothes and face masks which interact with other cast members and the environment in shot. Both films helped push the boundaries of the special effects available in their respective eras and presented new and exciting challenges to the special effects artist in charge of producing them and it is these effect with can be credit to the susses of both films. John P. Fulton and Frank D. Williams are the men directly responsible for creating the ground breaking effects seen in the The Invisible Man film. On the 23th of July 1916 F. D. Williams filed a US patent entitled Method of Taking Motion Pictures which detailed a method of taking motion pictures, and is especially adapted to produce a picture showing two or more objects in relative positions in which they have not actually been placed (F. D. Williams, 1916. Method of taking motion pictures. U.S. Pat.1,273,435) This process was used and adapted as a base to create the majority of effects which illustrated a partly clothed or bandaged invisible character in the film. To achieve these effect sequences Rains or a double wore a tight fitting black velvet suit underneath any clothes which were to remain visible moving around the scene. The actors performance was then filmed on a black velvet backdrop; a second background plate was filmed and a double exposure was then used to seamlessly combine the two shoots together, this resulted in the black elements from the first shot, the valet suit and backdrop being replaced by the background film in the second shoot. This is a very early version of an effect today know as green screen, in modern times an array of different colours, most commonly green, blue and black are used depending on the backdrop and the colour of other elements in the scene for example if the screen is green heavy or an actors costume includes green, a blue backdrop can be used. After the film was finished Fulton admitted the most difficult shot to achieve of the entire film was when the invisible man is seen to unwrap the bandages from around his head in front of a mirror. To create this sequences four different takes where used of the actor removing the bandages but with different parts of the set masked in black velvet. The first take was used to captor the surrounding walls and mirrors frame but the mirror glass was masked out so it could be captured separately in the second take, the third was of the actors back unwrapping the bandages and the fourth of the actor performing the same unwrapping action but from the front. Each take needed to match in perceptive and viewpoint to enable them to be merged together into a single shoot. (Now you see him:The Invisible man revealed, 2004. DVD. USA: Universal Studios) A parallel can be draw to this sequence in Hollow Man when efforts to restore the invisible scientist Sebastian Caine played by Kevin Bacon fail. His colleges make the decision to create Sebastian a synthetic face mask by pouring liquid latex over his head to help give him a visible presents. There was a lot of discussion about what had been done before in invisible man movies and Paul was very concerned we did not repeat all been done before Alec Gillis (Fleshing out the hollow man, 2007. DVD. London: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) In the Hollow Man special features The Mask, Tom Woodruff, Jr. from Amalgamated says our main drive was coming up with something that looked like Kevin Bacon but also looked like some crudely constructed mask (Fleshing out the hollow man, 2007. DVD. London: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) The choice to use a latex mask molded to the actors face did indeed make bacon more recognisable to the audience which dose help further ground the entire effect. Unlike The Invisible Man where bandages are wrapped around Rains head, disguising his characteristic features to the point where it could be anyone and inevitably allowing the director to cast doubles in some shots which is noticeable due to the double being taller than rains. To a achieve the effect of liquid latex being poured and conforming around the actors face which would seemingly to appear out of thin air, The actors face was covered in green body paint which was later digital removed from the plate leaving only the latex. According to Alec Gills from Amalgamated Dynamics and Jonathan Erland of Composite Components, experts in green screen technology, a new type of body paint was developed which was used to actively turn Bacon into a walking green screen which in its self was a major development to allow the actor to be painted out of many scenes in the film. Many safety guidelines had to be followed in its creation, the paint had to be durable as well as being safe for actor Bacon to wear during the busy filming schedule. Green vacuum formed pieces of plastic were placed over the actors eyes to help protect them from scissors while eye holes were cut into the mask they also helped in the masking out of Bacons actual to allow the integrate of a 3D generated model of the inside of the latex mask to aid the illusion of a hollow interior. (Now you see him:The Invisible man revealed, 2004. DVD. USA: Universal Studios) Turning Bacon into his walking green screen state meant he was able to physically act out all of his scenes even if he was in a fully indivisible state in the film because of high tech digital camera used in the filming were able to record their own movements, after a take was filmed the camera was able to automatically re-film the empty background set precisely based on the pre-recorded tilt pitch and pan data, because this generated an exact duplicate plate made the job of digital removal of Bacon far easier, this in turn allowed the cinematographer to create much more dynamic and interesting camera moves. This also provided bacons fellow actors a precise focus point in a scene which as something just not possible in The Invisible Man as camera had to remain static and Rain was filmed on at black ground and composited back into the sequence later. Filming Bacon in the scene also supplied the special effects team with a great animatic and lighting reference to match any CG elements to. A second paralleling sequence between the two films can be seen when the main character passes between the states of visible to invisible. In Hollow Man after developing and successfully testing an invisibility serum on animal subjects, Sebastian decides to take his experiments to the next level, a human trail by inject himself with the serum which triggers the dramatic transformation to invisibility, although in reverse this effect sequence is also used in the last scene of The Invisible Man when of Dr. Jack Griffin dies the invisibility which has plaged him thought out the film final wears off and his body becomes visible throw death. As Griffin fiancà ©e Flora sits down beside his bed the camera changes to an Answering Shoot, a technique used to show dialogue between two characters. The camera is moved to look over Floras left shoulder, although we the audience start to hear Griffins voice speak his last words we can see Flora is still in fact looking at a hollow night shirt tucked up in bed and an impression in the pillow where Griffins head ought to be. In this shoot the night shirt is seen subtly rising and falling to indicate breathing but this has not been animated in keeping with the words we can hear Griffin speaking. After a brief close-up shot of Flora, the camera cuts back to a close up of Griffins imprint in the bed. Almost immediately the transformation takes place and this is the first time in the film the audience see Rains face and after a slow plan back the film ends. This was done directly in the camera, the pillow, the indentation and all was made of plaster and the blankets and sheets of papier-mà ¢chà ©, a slow long lap dissolve revealed a skeleton, a real by the way another lap dissolve replaced the skeleton with a roughly sculpted dummy which suggested the contours of the actor and a further series of dissolves each time using a slightly more finished dummy brought us to the real actor himself John P Fulton DVD commentary. (The Invisible man, DVD 2004. DVD. USA: Universal Studios) The potential problem with using this technique of layering full frames is if any other supposedly static object moves thought out any of frames the in the scene this will becomes very obvious. This is most notable when the corner of the bed sheet moves between the skull and full face transition. In contrast Hollow man is able to utilise many modern techniques for this transformation from visible to invisibility, most notably computer graphics. In the equivalent scene actor Kevin Bacon character seemingly dissolve away; multiple different layers of human anatomy effectively dissolve from one layer to the next. His skin gives way to the layers of muscles, tendons, internal organs and eventually only an animated skeleton left thrashing around on the table for a short period before it too disappears. A scene only made possible by today standards by continually pushing the boundaries of computer graphics. Another thing that made it more difficult for us was the actual amount of data and amount of geometry we had to push though are system, we had to buy better and faster computers to actually handle it Scott Stokdyk, Digital Effects Supervisor (Fleshing out the hollow man, 2007. DVD. London: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) This was a necessary step in the case of Hollow Man as unlike other CG characters generated for feature films which only require modelling the outer skin of a character, the team at Sony had to go to great lengths to produce all the different individual internal elements of the human body to achieve this effect sequence. Before work on the CG character could begin preliminary research into human anatomy was carried out by the team who looked out medical journals and the work of Dr.Gunther von Hagens who painted a technique for preserving human tissue with polymer which is used in the Body Works exhibitions. The team then started RD testing ways of adding animated controls to models of the human body capable of simulating not only the overall human body movements but also controlling all the individual elements that comprise of the human body. After Kevin Bacon was selected to play the lead role full body cyber scans were generated to match the 3D representation which allowed modelling supervisor Wayne Kennedy and the team to match his likeness as close as possible as . But While modelling techniques were still being developed the arising problems meant a separate department, pushing software development and plug-in creation. Modern films produced with digital technology arent as restrictive as in the analogue period, new software can be custom written for a specific task. The production team worked with Maya to accomplish the majority of 3D work used in the film as another advantage of the digital workflow, meant custom tools built for the studios pervious film Stuart Little were adapted and applied where needed to Hollow man. (Shay,E., 2000. Hollow Man: Disappearing Act.Cinefex,83, 111) (more pictures to be added) (conclusion be rewritten) Although there have only been two scenes discussed, many parallels can be drawn between the two films, in the way the audiences react to them, and the effects used. Although due mostly to technological and creative advancement, there are also many differences in how the effects were achieved. One thing can be said for both films though, at the time of their release both films were at the cutting of technology. Keeping the audiences at the edge of their seats in true horror fashion. The Invisible Man used many of the original techniques, which became the basis for modern cinema and would evolve and go on to be used in Hollow Man almost seven decades later. Techniques such as the Williams process or travelling mattes as they are also known. These processes would go on to become green and blue screen techniques used in todays film industry. Like many of the horror classics from the analogue period, The Invisible Man has become very dated. The effects were believable at its time of release they have become less so as the years have gone by. In some scenes the effects are quiet comical in execution by todays standards. The techniques used were also not fool proof, even at the time of production. The use of different lighting set ups used to achieve some composited effects, caused instances of ghosting where the set was visible through the character. These factors have lead to the film becoming less convincing as the years have passed. The same advancement in technologies, has also meant that films such as Hollow Man could be produced reaching new levels of realism. Firmly putting audiences back in the grasps of fear. It took the team at Sony Picture Imageworks over 2 years to create the visual effects used in Hollow Man with the vast development of computers, plugins and software advancements. The finished result keeps Hollow Man on par with films being released a decade later. With further developments in technology and computer generated imagery, it can only mean bigger, better things to come. Keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. Sussce of film made 7 more Refs (The Invisible man, DVD 2004. DVD. USA: Universal Studios) (Now you see him:The Invisible man revealed, 2004. DVD. USA: Universal Studios) (Shay,E., 2000. Hollow Man: Disappearing Act.Cinefex,83, 111) (Fleshing out the hollow man, 2007. DVD. London: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) (F. D. Williams, 1916. Method of taking motion pictures. U.S. Pat.1,273,435) Rickitt, R., 2000. Special Effects the history and technique. London: Virgin Books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisible_Man_%28film%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Man Hollow Man: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164052/

Comparing Ray Bradbury‟s Fahrenheit 451 and Suzanne Collin‟s The Hunger Games :: compare contrast

Fahrenheit 451 and the Hunger Games are both intertwined with a futuristic version of human entertainment and a society absent of religion. Both societies are subjected to gruesome and brutal activities as a form of enjoyment. The desire for a thrill and an adrenaline rush dominates the minds of most people. In Fahrenheit 451, it’s very likely that many people succumb to their deaths from accidents but can easily replaced by members of the parlor family who they accept as their own. In the same way, The Hunger Games consists of exactly what the title suggests. They are annual games, which include starving and murder and serve as society’s primary source of entertainment. Most people don’t enjoy watching the games but, the Capitol forces the districts to watch for it believes they are a good source of entertainment. Seeing how the Hunger Games are basically murdering each other until the last child is standing, it relates closely with the kind of entertainment that the society of Fahrenheit 451 provides with the adrenaline and thrill of the same kind. The people in Fahrenheit 451 like their source of entertainment in the way they approach it but the instances of conformity remains the same. This is unlike that of the people of the districts in The Hunger Games. There is indeed a difference between the two societies yet, in the Hunger Games there is less time for many because so many people are working toward survival, while in Fahrenheit 451, entertainment is something that people do daily. The existence of adrenaline entertainment is similar in both societies. Yet they differ in whether or not the people actually like the entertainment. Another blaring difference between the two societies in Fahrenheit 451 and the Hunger Games is that of their government. The form of government in Fahrenheit 451 consists of a democracy whereas the Hunger Games government is corrupt and resembles nothing of a democracy. Even though we may see the world of Fahrenheit 451 as strange and bad there is still a democracy, which we consider to be fair. A similarity between the two governments systems would be how they both suppress things much like it is today, that each government believes could hurt the stability of society. The Hunger Games government suppresses interaction between districts to instill conformity because they know if there was interaction it could cause unhappiness and take away from the level of cooperation between the people and the government.

grendelbeo Who is the Monster - Beowulf or Grendel? Essay -- Epic Beo

Who is the Monster - Beowulf or Grendel? My first impression of Beowulf was that of an enigmatic, somewhat esoteric work, a necessary evil on the way to reading the more important works. After a closer reading of the much-celebrated epic, I had a revelation. And what a revelation: Beowulf is wonderful! Perhaps it was the translation, or it might have been the basic substance of the work itself, but I found myself devouring the poem. I discovered two specific areas of appeal: 1) The fundamental attraction of the archetypical super-hero and 2) the more contemporary trend in modern culture to attempt to recapture the experience of this particular era via popular fiction and film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ideal of the hero is a concept so completely integrated into the human psyche as to be virtually built-in. From Homer's Ulysses to Nietzsche's Ubermensch, we as a race of beings are fixated on the individual who makes things happen, who gets things done, p referably with a healthy dose of bravado. Perhaps this is attributable to an innate sense of vulnerability in each of us, that unsettling little voice which whispers to us that, despite all our efforts, we have overlooked some crucial factor which will lead to our ultimate demise. The hero has no such insecurities: he is invincible!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is interesting to note that not only has the hero figure continued to thrive in the collective human consciousness, but, in our own western culture, the Beowulf-prototype has come full circle: there is a whole genre of fantasy novels which center on one form or another of the Anglo-Saxon warrior tradition, as well as a veritable plethora of movies. Fleet upon fleet of ring-prowed ships sail ever-onward on the seas of our imagination, on qu... ...pand the characters, making them more whole, more three-dimensional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking at the two works side by side, a question arises: Who is the true monster? Beowulf fans will, no doubt, assert that their hero is the undisputed good guy, and that Grendel was a vicious bastard who got what he deserved. But the Gardner perspective offers an interesting twist: Beowulf was insane! An unbalanced, obsessive weirdo babbling bizarre gibberish into Grendel's ear as he rended the unfortunate creature's arm from his torso. This latter interpretation is not as far-fetched as one might think; the police departments of every major city in this country contain a certain number of these so-called "heroes," men so mired in violence that their perceptions become distorted, that they ultimately become the very thing they've fought so hard to defeat.

Part Three Chapter IV

IV ‘Very sad,' said Howard Mollison, rocking a little on his toes in front of his mantelpiece. ‘Very sad indeed.' Maureen had just finished telling them all about Catherine Weedon's death; she had heard everything from her friend Karen the receptionist that evening, including the complaint from Cath Weedon's granddaughter. A look of delighted disapproval was crumpling her face; Samantha, who was in a very bad mood, thought she resembled a monkey nut. Miles was making conventional sounds of surprise and pity, but Shirley was staring up at the ceiling with a bland expression on her face; she hated it when Maureen held centre stage with news that she ought to have heard first. ‘My mother knew the family of old,' Howard told Samantha, who already knew it. ‘Neighbours in Hope Street. Cath was decent enough in her way, you know. The house was always spotless, and she worked until she was into her sixties. Oh, yes, she was one of the world's grafters, Cath Weedon, whatever the rest of the family became.' Howard was enjoying giving credit where credit was due. ‘The husband lost his job when they closed the steelworks. Hard drinker. No, she didn't always have it easy, Cath.' Samantha was barely managing to look interested, but fortunately Maureen interrupted. ‘And the Gazette's on to Dr Jawanda!' she croaked. ‘Imagine how she must be feeling, now the paper's got it! Family's kicking up a stink – well, you can't blame them, alone in that house for three days. D'you know her, Howard? Which one is Danielle Fowler?' Shirley got up and stalked out of the room in her apron. Samantha slugged a little more wine, smiling. ‘Let's think, let's think,' said Howard. He prided himself on knowing almost everyone in Pagford, but the later generations of Weedons belonged more to Yarvil. ‘Can't be a daughter, she had four boys, Cath. Granddaughter, I expect.' ‘And she wants an inquiry,' said Maureen. ‘Well, it was always going to come to this. It's been on the cards. If anything, I'm surprised it's taken this long. Dr Jawanda wouldn't give the Hubbards' son antibiotics and he ended up hospitalized for his asthma. Do you know, did she train in India, or – ?' Shirley, who was listening from the kitchen while she stirred the gravy, felt irritated, as she always did, by Maureen's monopolization of the conversation; that, at least, was how Shirley put it to herself. Determined not to return to the room until Maureen had finished, Shirley turned into the study and checked to see whether anyone had sent in apologies for the next Parish Council meeting; as secretary, she was already putting together the agenda. ‘Howard – Miles – come and look at this!' Shirley's voice had lost its usual soft, flutey quality; it rang out shrilly. Howard waddled out of the sitting room followed by Miles, who was still in the suit he had worn all day at work. Maureen's droopy, bloodshot, heavily mascara-ed eyes were fixed on the empty doorway like a bloodhound's; her hunger to know what Shirley had found or seen was almost palpable. Maureen's fingers, a clutch of bulging knuckles covered in translucent leopard-spotted skin, slid the crucifix and wedding ring up and down the chain around her neck. The deep creases running from the corners of Maureen's mouth to her chin always reminded Samantha of a ventriloquist's dummy. Why are you always here? Samantha asked the older woman loudly, inside her own head. You couldn't make me lonely enough to live in Howard and Shirley's pocket. Disgust rose in Samantha like vomit. She wanted to seize the over-warm cluttered room and mash it between her hands, until the royal china, and the gas fire, and the gilt-framed pictures of Miles broke into jagged pieces; then, with wizened and painted Maureen trapped and squalling inside the wreckage, she wanted to heave it, like a celestial shot-putter, away into the sunset. The crushed lounge and the doomed crone inside it, soared in her imagination through the heavens, plunging into the limitless ocean, leaving Samantha alone in the endless stillness of the universe. She had had a terrible afternoon. There had been another frightening conversation with her accountant; she could not remember much of her drive home from Yarvil. She would have liked to offload on Miles, but after dumping his briefcase and pulling off his tie in the hall he had said, ‘You haven't started dinner yet, have you?' He sniffed the air ostentatiously, then answered himself. ‘No, you haven't. Well, good, because Mum and Dad have invited us over.' And before she could protest, he had added sharply, ‘It's nothing to do with the council. It's to discuss arrangements for Dad's sixty-fifth.' Anger was almost a relief; it eclipsed her anxiety, her fear. She had followed Miles out to the car, cradling her sense of ill-usage. When he asked, at last, on the corner of Evertree Crescent, ‘How was your day?' she answered, ‘Absolutely bloody fantastic.' ‘Wonder what's up?' said Maureen, breaking the silence in the sitting room. Samantha shrugged. It was typical of Shirley to have summoned her menfolk and left the women in limbo; Samantha was not going to give her mother-in-law the satisfaction of showing interest. Howard's elephantine footsteps made the floorboards under the hall carpet creak. Maureen's mouth was slack with anticipation. ‘Well, well, well,' boomed Howard, lumbering back into the room. ‘I was checking the council website for apologies,' said Shirley, a little breathless in his wake. ‘For the next meeting – ‘ ‘Someone's posted accusations about Simon Price,' Miles told Samantha, pressing past his parents, seizing the role of announcer. ‘What kind of accusations?' asked Samantha. ‘Receiving stolen goods,' said Howard, firmly reclaiming the spotlight, ‘and diddling his bosses at the printworks.' Samantha was pleased to find herself unmoved. She had only the haziest idea who Simon Price was. ‘They've posted under a pseudonym,' Howard continued, ‘and it's not a particularly tasteful pseudonym, either.' ‘Rude, you mean?' Samantha asked. ‘Big-Fat-Cock or something?' Howard's laughter boomed through the room, Maureen gave an affected shriek of horror, but Miles scowled and Shirley looked furious. ‘Not quite that, Sammy, no,' said Howard. ‘No, they've called themselves â€Å"The Ghost of Barry Fairbrother†.' ‘Oh,' said Samantha, her grin evaporating. She did not like that. After all, she had been in the ambulance while they had forced needles and tubes into Barry's collapsed body; she had watched him dying beneath the plastic mask; seen Mary clinging to his hand, heard her groans and sobs. ‘Oh, no, that's not nice,' said Maureen, relish in her bullfrog's voice. ‘No, that's nasty. Putting words into the mouths of the dead. Taking names in vain. That's not right.' ‘No,' agreed Howard. Almost absent-mindedly, he strolled across the room, picked up the wine bottle and returned to Samantha, topping up her empty glass. ‘But someone out there doesn't care about good taste it seems, if they can put Simon Price out of the running.' ‘If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, Dad,' said Miles, ‘wouldn't they have gone for me rather than Price?' ‘How do you know they haven't, Miles?' ‘Meaning?' asked Miles swiftly. ‘Meaning,' said Howard, the happy cynosure of all eyes, ‘that I got sent an anonymous letter about you a couple of weeks ago. Nothing specific. Just said you were unfit to fill Fairbrother's shoes. I'd be very surprised if the letter didn't come from the same source as the online post. The Fairbrother theme in both, you see?' Samantha tilted her glass a little too enthusiastically, so that wine trickled down the sides of her chin, exactly where her own ventriloquist's doll grooves would no doubt appear in time. She mopped her face with her sleeve. ‘Where is this letter?' asked Miles, striving not to look rattled. ‘I shredded it. It was anonymous; it didn't count.' ‘We didn't want to upset you, dear,' said Shirley, and she patted Miles' arm. ‘Anyway, they can't have anything on you,' Howard reassured his son, ‘or they'd have dished the dirt, the same as they have on Price.' ‘Simon Price's wife is a lovely girl,' said Shirley with gentle regret. ‘I can't believe Ruth knows anything about it, if her husband's been on the fiddle. She's a friend from the hospital,' Shirley elaborated to Maureen. ‘An agency nurse.' ‘She wouldn't be the first wife who hasn't spotted what's going on under her nose,' retorted Maureen, trumping insider knowledge with worldly wisdom. ‘Absolutely brazen, using Barry Fairbrother's name,' said Shirley, pretending not to have heard Maureen. ‘Not a thought for his widow, his family. All that matters is their agenda; they'll sacrifice anything to it.' ‘Shows you what we're up against,' said Howard. He scratched the overfold of his belly, thinking. ‘Strategically, it's smart. I saw from the get-go that Price was going to split the pro-Fields vote. No flies on Bends-Your-Ear; she's realized it too and she wants him out.' ‘But,' said Samantha, ‘it mightn't have anything to do with Parminder and that lot at all. It could be from someone we don't know, someone who's got a grudge against Simon Price.' ‘Oh, Sam,' said Shirley, with a tinkling laugh, shaking her head. ‘It's easy to see you're new to politics.' Oh, fuck off, Shirley. ‘So why have they used Barry Fairbrother's name, then?' asked Miles, rounding on his wife. ‘Well, it's on the website, isn't it? It's his vacant seat.' ‘And who's going to trawl through the council website for that kind of information? No,' he said gravely, ‘this is an insider.' An insider †¦ Libby had once told Samantha that there could be thousands of microscopic species inside one drop of pond water. They were all perfectly ridiculous, Samantha thought, sitting here in front of Shirley's commemorative plates as if they were in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street, as though one bit of tittle-tattle on a Parish Council website constituted an organized campaign, as though any of it mattered. Consciously and defiantly, Samantha withdrew her attention from the lot of them. She fixed her eyes on the window and the clear evening sky beyond, and she thought about Jake, the muscular boy in Libby's favourite band. At lunchtime today, Samantha had gone out for sandwiches, and brought back a music magazine in which Jake and his bandmates were interviewed. There were lots of pictures. ‘It's for Libby,' Samantha had told the girl who helped her in the shop. ‘Wow, look at that. I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating toast,' replied Carly, pointing at Jake, naked from the waist up, his head thrown back to reveal that thick strong neck. ‘Oh, but he's only twenty-one, look. I'm not a cradle-snatcher.' Carly was twenty-six. Samantha did not care to subtract Jake's age from her own. She had eaten her sandwich and read the interview, and studied all the pictures. Jake with his hands on a bar above his head, biceps swelling under a black T-shirt; Jake with his white shirt open, abdominal muscles chiselled above the loose waistband of his jeans. Samantha drank Howard's wine and stared out at the sky above the black privet hedge, which was a delicate shade of rose pink; the precise shade her nipples had been before they had been darkened and distended by pregnancy and breast-feeding. She imagined herself nineteen to Jake's twenty-one, slender-waisted again, taut curves in the right places, and a strong flat stomach of her own, fitting comfortably into her white, size ten shorts. She vividly recalled how it felt to sit on a young man's lap in those shorts, with the heat and roughness of sun-warmed denim under her bare thighs, and big hands around her lithe waist. She imagined Jake's breath on her neck; she imagined turning to look into the blue eyes, close to the high cheekbones and that firm, carved mouth †¦ ‘†¦ at the church hall, and we're getting it catered by Bucknoles,' said Howard. ‘We've invited everyone: Aubrey and Julia – everyone. With luck it will be a double celebration, you on the council, me, another year young †¦' Samantha felt tipsy and randy. When were they going to eat? She realized that Shirley had left the room, hopefully to put food on the table. The telephone rang at Samantha's elbow, and she jumped. Before any of them could move, Shirley had bustled back in. She had one hand in a flowery oven glove, and picked up the receiver with the other. ‘Double-two-five-nine?' sang Shirley on a rising inflection. ‘Oh †¦ hello, Ruth, dear!' Howard, Miles and Maureen became rigidly attentive. Shirley turned to look at her husband with intensity, as if she were transmitting Ruth's voice through her eyes into her husband's mind. ‘Yes,' fluted Shirley. ‘Yes †¦' Samantha, sitting closest to the receiver, could hear the other woman's voice but not make out the words. ‘Oh, really †¦?' Maureen's mouth was hanging open again; she was like an ancient baby bird, or perhaps a pterodactyl, hungering for regurgitated news. ‘Yes, dear, I see †¦ oh, that shouldn't be a problem †¦ no, no, I'll explain to Howard. No, no trouble at all.' Shirley's small hazel eyes had not wavered from Howard's big, popping blue ones. ‘Ruth, dear,' said Shirley, ‘Ruth, I don't want to worry you, but have you been on the council website today? †¦ Well †¦ it's not very nice, but I think you ought to know †¦ somebody's posted something nasty about Simon †¦ well, I think you'd better read it for yourself, I wouldn't want to †¦ all right, dear. All right. See you Wednesday, I hope. Yes. Bye bye.' Shirley replaced the receiver. ‘She didn't know,' Miles stated. Shirley shook her head. ‘Why was she calling?' ‘Her son,' Shirley told Howard. ‘Your new potboy. He's got a peanut allergy.' ‘Very handy, in a delicatessen,' said Howard. ‘She wanted to ask whether you could store a needleful of adrenalin in the fridge for him, just in case,' said Shirley. Maureen sniffed. ‘They've all got allergies these days, children.' Shirley's ungloved hand was still clutching the receiver. She was subconsciously hoping to feel tremors down the line from Hilltop House.

Dth Services in India

Introduction to DTH Services DTH stands for Direct-To-Home television. DTH is defined as the reception of satellite programmes with a personal dish in an individual home. How does DTH work? A DTH network consists of a broadcasting centre, satellites, encoders, multiplexers, modulators and DTH receivers. A DTH service provider has to lease Ku-band transponders from the satellite. The encoder converts the audio, video and data signals into the digital format and the multiplexer mixes these signals. At the user end, there will be a small dish antenna and set-top boxes to decode and view numerous channels. On the user's end, receiving dishes can be as small as 45 cm in diameter. DTH is an encrypted transmission that travels to the consumer directly through a satellite. DTH transmission is received directly by the consumer at his end through the small dish antenna. A set-top box, unlike the regular cable connection, decodes the encrypted transmission. Difference between DTH & Cable TV :- The way DTH reaches a consumer's home is different from the way cable TV does. In DTH, TV channels would be transmitted from the satellite to a small dish antenna mounted on the window or rooftop of the subscriber's home. So the broadcaster directly connects to the user. The middlemen like local cable operators are not there in the picture. DTH can also reach the remotest of areas since it does away with the intermediate step of a cable operator and the wires (cables) that come from the cable operator to your house. As we explained above, in DTH signals directly come from the satellite to your DTH dish. Also, with DTH, a user can scan nearly 700 channels! DTH offers better quality picture than cable TV. This is because cable TV in India is analog. Despite digital transmission and reception, the cable transmission is still analog. DTH offers stereophonic sound effects. It can also reach remote areas where terrestrial transmission and cable TV have failed to penetrate. Apart from enhanced picture quality, DTH has also allows for interactive TV services such as movie-on-demand, Internet access, video conferencing and e-mail. History of DTH in India :- DTH services were first proposed in India in 1996. But they did not pass approval because there were concerns over national security and a cultural invasion. In 1997, the government even imposed a ban when the Rupert Murdoch-owned Indian Sky Broadcasting (ISkyB) was about to launch its DTH services in India. Finally in 2000, DTH was allowed. The new policy requires all operators to set up earth stations in India within 12 months of getting a license. DTH licenses in India will cost $2. 14 million and will be valid for 10 years. The companies offering DTH service will have to have an Indian chief and foreign equity has been capped at 49 per cent. There is no limit on the number of companies that can apply for the DTH license. Growth Potential of DTH in India :- Today, India has about 120 million television homes, out of which 75 million are cable TV homes, with the majority share on analog mode. There is a gap of approximately 45 million between these two figures alone. DTH currently caters to about 8. 9 million subscribers . There would always be a lot of areas that cable still cannot reach but DTH can between MSOs (multiple system operators) and DTH. Given the size of the Indian market there would be large volumes in both cable and DTH. In this industry, 10 years is too long; hence a five-year view would be more realistic. DTH will grab a major share and be at about 20-22 million subscribers by 2013. CAGR (compound annual growth rate) for DTH in India is 30%. DTH Players in India. Sr. No. DTH Service ProvidersOwner 1DD Direct +Prassar Bharati 2dish TVEssel Group. 3Tata SkyTata + Star (JV) 4BIG TVReliance (ADAG) 5Airtel Digital TVAirtel 6Sun Direct Marans and Astro group (JV) 7Videocon D2HVideocon 8ETH Air TVSterling Group Major DTH service Providers in India DD Direct plus :- Honorable Prime Minister of India inaugurated the service on 16/12/2004. Presently the DD DIRECT+ is envisaged to telecast 56 free-to-air TV channels (containing both Doordarshan and private channels) Satellite Earth Station for uplink of signals has been setup at Delhi. The high power Ku-band transponders of Indian Satellite INSAT-4B at 93. 5? E are being used for hosting the DD DIRECT+ services. DD Direct+ is a free Direct to Home (DTH) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the Indian subcontinent, owned by parent company Doordarshan. It primarily competes with cable television and other DTH Service providers such as Dish TV, Tata Sky, Sun Direct, Airtel digital TV and Big TV throughout India. Advantages : (1) DD Direct Plus is India’s first and only DTH service that offers its services absolutely free of cost. No monthly subscriptons to be paid when you are with DD Direct Plus. (2) Small one-time initial investment on STB and Dish and you can use it life-long. (3) Apart from all DD chs, DD Direct Plus offers several popular private FTA (Free-To-Air) chs. (4) As a bonus, DD Direct Plus also offers additional chs, from Dish TV’s satellite which are FTA from time to time. Disadvantages : (1) DD Direct Plus does not offer any EPG (Electronic Program Guide) facility, which all other DTH operator provides. Due to this, users are not able to check schedules on channels before-hand. (2) New channel addition process is very slow. Several ch wait for approval from Prasar Bharati (DD Direct Plus), but its sloggish attitude makes the addition of new chs too late. (3) DD Direct Plus revises and hikes its carriage fees all of a sudden due to which some channels tend to quit the platform. 4) Signal fluctuation issues occur at certain times, due to which some chs black-out temporarily. dish TV :- dishtv is an Essel Group venture. Essel Group has a vast range of national and global business interests that include media programming, broadcasting & distribution, speciality packaging and entertainment. The businesses have close synergies in the areas of content, distribution and infrastructure. Continuing with the same path-breaking tradition, the group now brings to you a new era of digital quality TV viewing. It not only broadcasts high quality programmes straight from the satellite to your home, but also gives you absolute and complete control of what you watch and pay for. It is almost like having your own satellite up in the sky. dishtv takes television viewing to the next level as it supports various futuristic features like Electronic Programme Guide, Parental Lock, Capacity up to 400 channels, Games, Interactive TV, Movie on Demand etc. Brought to you by a Zee Network Enterprise, dishtv has changed the face of the Indian television home, bringing it at par with the global entertainment ndustry. Dishtv Becomes India's First DTH Service To Cross 4. 5 Million Customer Mark 23 Million Happy Indians Have Made Dishtv No. 1 About Dish TV India: Dishtv is India’s No. 1 direct-to-home company and part of the biggest media conglomerate – Zee group. Dishtv has on its platform 225 channels & services including 21 audio channels with registered 4. 5 million subscribers, which is gr owing. Dishtv has a vast distribution network of about 650 distributors & 45,000 dealers that spans around 6500 towns across the country. Dishtv has 24* 7 call centre with 1600 seats in 11 different languages to take care of subscriber requirements at any point of time. Today, Dishtv is the leader in DTH sector with a market share of more than 53 per cent of the total subscriber base of 8. 9 million. Dishtv’s footprint covers 5400 towns across India bringing smiles to 23 million Indians. Today every 50th Indian out of the total population of 115 crore is enjoying the Dishtv experience. Advantages : (1) The biggest advantage of Dish TV is its cost. (For old or existing customers at this point). It offers most of the popular chs at low cost. The highest pack costs Rs. 325 per month, after which only 1 or 2 add-on packs are required to all almost all chs, unlike other DTH where you need several Add-on packs even after subscribing to the highest pack. (2) Dish TV’s satellite being located very near to DD Direct Plus’s satellite, all Dish TV users enjoy the complete ch offering of DD Direct Plus as well. So any new ch added in DD Direct Plus automatically gets added to Dish TV channel offering. (3) The software of Dish TV STBs are stable at the moment. This makes the switching speed between chs pretty fast. Also very less hang-ups of STBs reported till now. Thanks to Dish TV STBs’ great software. (4) Only Dish TV gives its users access to exclusive never-before seen international channels which are not available even in cable till now. The platter includes MGM, TCM and Boomerang. Airtel Digital TV provides MGM India unlike Dish TV which still carries the direct international feed of MGM. (5) Several new channels added recently are provided at no extra cost for the highest pack users, except for a few chs. (Currently only for existing or old customers). Whereas other DTH operators, have added the new launches in seperate Add-on Packs. (6) Dish TV has a good no of Transponders to offer more chs to its users, including the recently contracted Protostar which means more chs for its customers. Disadvantages : (1) One of the biggest problems of Dish TV is its Customer Care and Customer Service which is definately not upto the mark. The CC executives lack professionalism in their attitude and after-sales support in certain areas are allegedly poor. (2) Another serious issue is its audio and video quality. Quality on several (but not all) channels on Dish is not upto the mark. Too much of pixelation is seen on some chs and the audio standard is of course not of true CD quality. (3) Dish TV misses out on few important ch packages which includes the Neo bouquet and the UTV group of chs. Due to this exclusive cricket matches and world TV premier of latest movies on these chs are missed by the Dish TV users. (4) New ch addition process is extremely slow when it comes to Dish TV. It takes a huge amount of time for Dish TV to enhance its bouquet offerings. (5) The time taken for activation of packages after renewal is too long sometimes. Users had to wait for as long as 5-6 days for activation even after making payments on time. (6) Official website is not updated regularly. Official weblog which was meant for the interaction of Dish TV users, too does not work till date. Tata Sky :- Tata Sky is a JV between the TATA Group and STAR. It was launched on 8th August, 2006. Tata Sky endeavours to offer Indian viewers a world-class television viewing experience through its satellite television service. The Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and distinctive in their adherence to business ethics and their commitment to corporate social responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the Group the trust of many millions of stakeholders in measure few business houses anywhere in the world can match. STAR is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. STAR’s parent company, News Corporation, owns an International group of DTH businesses that include BSkyB in UK, Sky Italia in Italy and Foxtel in Australia. How does Tata Sky work? 1. Tata Sky uplinks all channels from broadcasters to its satellite (INSAT 4A). 2. The satellite sends these channels in digital format to the minidish fixed outside your home. . The minidish relays the channels to the digicomp which decodes the channels and sends them to your television, giving you an unparalleled television viewing experience with DVD quality picture and CD quality sound. Does the service get affected by rains? A few minutes of outage might occur during rains. This phenomenon is called RAIN OUTAGE and occurs in DTH platforms across the world. It will result in your televisio n losing reception for some time. We have tried to cut down this time so it might happen only for one or two minutes in a year. This too is automatically detected and gets corrected by itself. Tata Sky offers :- Tata Sky offers over 160 channels and services, designed to suit the varying needs of our subscribers. The packages include a wide array of television channels in DVD quality picture and CD quality sound and a host of new-age interactive services (Actve Cooking, Actve Wizkids, Actve Learning, Actve Stories, Actve Sports, Actve Games, Actve Matrimony, Actve STAR News, Actve Astrology, Actve Darshan and Actve Doordarshan). Showcase can be ordered with any of the Base packages. Different packages available on Tata Sky :- Base packages, designed to offer maximum choice.  » Super Hit Pack: Rs 99 per month  » South Starter Pack: Rs 125 per month  » Family Pack: Rs 200 per month  » Super Saver Pack: Rs 260 per month  » South Value Pack: Rs 260 per month  » South Jumbo Pack: Rs 310 per month Tata Sky also offers Add-On packages in addition to the Base packages. We can choose from  » Education Gold Pack: Rs 30 per month or Rs 300 per annum  » Lifestyle Gold Pack: Rs 45 per month or Rs 450 per annum  » Sports Gold Pack: Rs 30 per month Sports Platinum Pack: Rs 65 per month  » ESPN & STAR Sports Pack: Rs 40 per month  » A La Carte Channels: Ten Sports Rs 15 per month, STAR Cricket Rs 25 per month ,Topper Rs 1010 annually Tata Sky's SMS number :- SMS number is 56633. You can SMS only from your Registered Mobile Number (RMN). To register, send RMN to 56633 from your mobile phone. Advantages : (1) India’s first and only DTH service to have made a joint venture with a reputed international DTH brand, Sky, which is famous for its exquisite technology. 2) The audio and video quality of TataSky stands up to the expectations of its users. Customers have reported about TataSky’s true DVD quality picture and CD quality sound. (3) Only TataSky gives its users an exclusive access to some authentic international channels which includes BBC Entertainment and Ceebebies. (4) TataSky offers uniform volume level across all channels, unlike other DTH services where the volume level keep varying with each ch. (5) The STB of TataSky is stable enough. There has been very less or no reports of TataSky STB bugs or issues till date. (6) TataSky users argue that its Customer Service is satisfactory. Issues are addressed on time and the after-sales support is great. Disadvantages : (1) TataSky has too many Add-on packs. Several add-on packs need to be subscribed to for enjoying all the chs, even after going with the highest pack. This makes the over-all package too costly. (2) The channel strength of TataSky is less compared to other DTH operators. This is because of the less no of Transponders purchased by them. Reliance BIG TV :- 9th Aug. 2008. Launched. Launched in August this year, Big TV is available at over one lakh retail outlets across 6,500 towns along with over 2,000 exclusive Reliance branded stores. Big TV to slash prices by over 40% Ashish Sinha / New Delhi October 17, 2008, 0:07 IST (Business Standard 15/12/2008) Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG) is all set to begin a price war in the direct-to-home (DTH) market by offering its connection about 43 per cent lower than any of the existing players. Big TV will offer its DTH service for Rs 1,490, while the lowest-priced connection is currently being offered by Dish TV at Rs 2,190, followed by Tata Sky at Rs 2,400. Big TV, which is the fourth entrant in the DTH space, is selling its service Rs 700 lower than its competitors. â€Å"This will be one of the biggest price cut offer by a DTH player for the coming Diwali season,† says Arun Kapoor, chief executive of Big TV. Reliance ADA Group has launched its DTH/satellite TV venture BIG TV, with 202 channels including 50 subscription VOD channels. The company says it is targeting 40 percent of the market within a year of launch, a very ambitious target, but will use all its muscle to promote it, including broadband Internet, mobile phones, home video, film production and the Adlabs cinema chain, reports Variety. Meanwhile, the company also mentioned that its IPTV service is ready and will launch within this year. Reliance has a deal with Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) under which the software giant supplied the IPTV software to the company for a $500 million licensing fee. BIG TV – 1 Millian. As on 25/11/08. (Source :- Televisionpoint. om) Future Investment Plan Right now this is the stage where the industry is in a phase of building the market. Just a few months ago when we launched BIG TV, the market penetration was in the range of 5–7% and today it has crossed 10%. So this is the stage when everyone is investing in terms of building and expanding the market and I am pleased to inform you that in the three months that we have been in the market it has expanded by 60%. In June-July the net addition in the month was around 600,000 and now we have crossed a million or will be around a million this month Advantages : 1) Big TV is has incorporated MPEG-4 technology unlike other DTH who are still on MPEG-2. The most basic difference between the two is that MPEG-4 is capable of carrying more chs in its offerings which means more chs can be added within a short span of time. After Dish TV, Big TV offers the highest no of chs. (2) Another merit of Big TV is its awesome picture and audio quality which are much better than any other existing DTH. For the first time, a DTH that lives up to the expectations for a true digital quality experience. (3) Big TV is perhaps the only DTH that offers several chs in its base pack. In fact, Big TV’s package and pricing is absolutely tailor-made to suit the exact needs of the customers. With this advantage, customer get more chs by paying less. (4) The Active or rather â€Å"Select† services on Big TV allows users to watch 12 chs at a time on a single screen unlike other DTH where you can watch a max of 6 – 8 chs. (5) Rain-fade is an issue that is common for all DTH. But its Big TV, so you can enjoy your favourite programs even when it rains. Big TV’s advanced technology lets you watch chs even when it rains heavily. Chs may blak-out for just about 5-6 seconds whereas in other DTHs, ch black-out lasts the entire length of the rain. Disadvantages : (1) The biggest problem of Big TV is its STB software which is still now not stable. Customers across India have reported about STB hanging problems innumerable no of times. STB gets over-heated, hangs several times, slow channel navigation, does not work after a manual update are some of the many issues that keep occcuring to the Big TV STBs. (2) Another demerit of Big TV is its Customer Care and Customer Service. The CC Executives lack professionalism in their behaviour. The after-sales support is too not good. (3) Incorrect package activations have happened with several users at times where the customer was wanting one pack and some other pack was activated instead. (4) The Big TV logo placed on the top left corner of screens is quite big and not transparent which is irritating. Whereas the logos of other DTH services are relatively smaller and of watermark type. Airtel Digital TV . (â€Å"Come Home To The Magic†) Bharti Airtel Limited announced the launch of Airtel digital TV , its Direct To Home (DTH) Satellite TV service. Airtel digital TV, which is a perfect blend of latest technology, unique features, and great content, promises to redefine the digital home entertainment experience. The service will be available to customers through 21,000 retail points including Airtel Relationship Centres in 62 cities across the country starting October 9, 2008 . With over 175 channels, the packages will start from Rs. 2499 for a six-month subscription in which the channel price band will range from Rs. 99 to Rs. 424. Vision & promise By 2010 Airtel will be the most admired brand in India: Loved by more customers Targeted by top talent Benchmarked by more businesses Airtel always think in fresh and innovative ways about the needs of our customers and how we want them to feel. We deliver what we promise and go out of our way to delight the customer with a little bit more Besides the latest technology, Airtel digital TV brings many firsts to the DTH segment in India : †¢Universal remote for both Set Top Box and TV that offers enhanced viewer convenience; †¢Highest Set Top Box memory enabling more interactive applications; †¢Exclusive content such as World space Radio; Interactive applications such as iMatinee (Book cinema tickets), iTravel (Browse and book travel packages), iShop (Shop on TV for your favorite brands), iCity (Get your city's information) and Widgets (Update yourself on latest stock news). 8 screen iNews, 2 / 4 screen iSports . †¢Amazing games with high quality graphics, refreshed every 6 weeks †¢Audio gain control for uniform audi o levels across all channels †¢Simple and intuitive search †¢On screen account meter †¢Last viewed channel in case of power disruption/switch off †¢Low battery indicator on the screen These great viewing experience and unique features are backed by 24Ãâ€"7 customer care available in 8 different languages and a team of 800 professionally trained service engineers. Market Shares: Currently, the market is dominated by Essel Group's Dish TV DTH service (about 4 million subscribers) followed by Tata Sky (2. 7 million subscribers), Sun Direct (1 million subscribers) and Big TV ( half million subscribers). State-owned Prasar Bharati's DTH service DD Direct Plus is the only free-to-air service, where consumers do not pay any monthly subscription fees. According to sources, DD Direct Plus has a subscriber base of about 3-4 million subscribers, mostly in the remote corners of the country not connected by terrestrial or cable television. Advertising Strategy: Airtel has also launched a teaser campaign for its DTH service, called ‘See you at home soon’. It has four teasers – Masai (infotainment), Cowboy (movies), Band (music) and Meercats (kids). The common element is all these teasers is a big, red couch. Advantages : (1) Airtel Digital TV offers true DVD quality picture and CD quality sound which are absolutely flawless. So its customers can be assured of its crystal-clear video and stereophonic sound. (2) The external appreacnce of Digital TV STB is sleek and stylish unlike the STB of other DTH operators which are huge and bulky. Digital TV’s STB proves to be a fantastic eye-candy. (3) For the first time, Digital TV is a DTH that offers universal remotes for its users. So no more hassle of using two remotes at a time. (One for TV, the other for STB). Digital TV’s STB remotes (after programming) will work with both your TV as well with the STB. (4) Only Digital TV exclusively offers 10 popular and premium World-Space satellite radio chs to its subscribers. There is so much to hear, when you have World Space Radio with you, another first from Digital TV. (5) The Dish antenna of Digital TV is considerably bigger than other DTH dishes. This makes sure that you dont loose connectivity even when it rains wild. The bigger dish has been brought up keeping this aspect in mind. Disadvantages : (1) The only disadvantage of Digital TV is its price which is comparetively higher than any other DTH. The highest pack goes up to Rs. 424 per month which comes out to be too costly keeping in mind the present cut-throat competition in the DTH market.

Women in the Workplace

From running for president, making up over half of the workforce, managing some of the world’s most successful companies, and earning almost 60% of university degrees in America and Europe, women’s presence in the workforce is more prominent today than ever. This â€Å"economic empowerment of women† is changing the workplace, as we know it. Only 20 years ago, women were viewed as only capable of unskilled jobs and were assumed to place marriage and children before having a career. In today’s society, women have more opportunities to have power over their lives and chose their career path. In today’s global economy, every country should be utilizing the talents of their women in their workforce. For many countries, this progress has not been the same as America. For example, in Italy and Japan men employment rates are more than 20 percentage points higher and women’s employment rate is still below 50%. On average, women still earn significantly less than men and are a minority in top management. Remarkable Social Change without Conflict The Economist found three surprising results from the increase of women in the workforce: the lack of privilege felt from women about their new opportunities, unmet expectations of women’s role in the workforce and the lack of resistance from society, especially men. The lack of celebration from women is believed to be because of the economic necessity of women to work. Today, most households are two-income and women have little choice as to whether they want to work or not. Their contribution is the only way for many households to maintain their standard of living after having children. Also, many young women take this opportunity to work for granted, because they have grown up in a welcoming environment where women were always part of the workforce. Although women are encouraged to enter the work force, only 2% are managers and less than 13% are board members. Men dominate top management. America and Britain’s average full-time, female workers earn only about 80% as much as their male counterpart. Finally, most Americans are comfortable with women in the workforce with 9 out of 10 men are even comfortable with women earning more than they do. The minimal resistance to this social trend, especially by men, has allowed it to adapt rapidly and with little conflict. Contributing Factors to this Social Change A major explanation for increased women in the workforce is the large amount of women who are university graduates and professional workers. Growth of higher education has increased women’s value in the job market and has caused a shift in the woman role model as professional women, not just homemakers. According to The Economist, in 1963, 62% of college-educated women were in the workforce whereas 46% of those who had a high school diploma. Today, 80% of American women with a college education are in the workforce in contrast to 67% with a high school diploma and 47% without one. Women are also educated in more â€Å"marketable subjects† such as business and management. In 1966, 40% of women obtained a degree in education and 2% in business and management. Where as today, 12% obtain degrees in education and 50% obtain degrees in business and management. Engineering and computer science are one of the few areas women are lagging in. Politics have had a major effect on this revolution. Feminists have made domestic slavery unacceptable. Feminists have also strongly criticize discrimination toward women in the work place. We’ve even seen equal-rights acts passed in order to assure an equal playing ground in the work force for men and women of all ethnicities. Economic and technological forces have also played a role in the empowerment of women in the workforce. There has been a growing demand for women in the workforce. When strength was required to work, men had the advantage. The growth in the service sector and decline in the manufacturing sector has made brainpower more of a demand in the work force. This puts men and women on a more equal playing ground. Lastly, women have been more than willing and able to meet the demands of being in the workforce. Many factors play a role in this. For example, traditional cleaning is done easier and quicker than before. The contraceptive pill has allowed women to get married late, increased their ability to invest in their careers, and allowed them to finish schooling instead of taking breaks due to childbirth. Major Challenges Faced with a Woman Workforce Two major challenges have occurred with the increase of women in the workforce. First, women continue to be under-represented in top management, with only 2% in America and 5% in Britain, and are paid considerably less than men. Secondly, it is very demanding for women to manage both their career and their family. In America, 74% of parents believe they don’t spend enough time with their children because they are constantly juggling their work and home life. In two-parent working households, childcare consumes a large proportion of the budget, but having one parent stay at home could result in much lower income for family expenses. Therefore, having only one income is not an option. Poor households are affected the most because of the large amount of poor mothers in the workforce and the unwillingness to spend public funds on childcare for these mothers. Career Woman vs. Motherhood As women become more and more prevalent in the workforce, they find themselves choosing between being successful in their careers and being a stay-at-home mother. Many women are in challenging careers in their 20s, leave in their 30s to have children and find it hard to return after their leave of absence. Of all the women who left work to have children, 93% of women wanted to return to work, but only 74% returned to work, only 40% returning full-time. Also, many women find the role of motherhood damaging to their professional career. Those women in corporate America who don’t have children earn as much as men, where as mothers earn less and single mothers even less. The Economist explains that the â€Å"cost of motherhood† is great for women in professional careers because wages increase abruptly and schedules are very demanding. Many times executives are expected to work in numerous departments and travel often. Therefore, the gap ii pay and positions between men and women may be because women are measured exactly the same as men, not because of discrimination or unfair treatment. This trend is producing high cost on individuals and society because many professional women are eliminating motherhood altogether or are forced into the fertility industry when they do decide to have children. Solutions for these Challenges For the most part, people believe that this trend will handle itself. Others argue that government intervention such as women quotas, state-funded daycares, extended paid maternity leave, â€Å"parent’s salary,† earlier preschool education, or the elimination of part-time jobs is necessary to fix these problems. The Economist discusses how these different alternatives have been used in other countries with success, but there is not enough evidence to show these measures have created the success. In fact, America has had many of the same results as these countries without taking such drastic measures. There are less dramatic steps that the American government can take to improve and ease women into the workforce. These include alterations such as longer school days and shorter summer holidays or closing midday. The struggle with fixing problems from â€Å"the social consequences of women’s economic empowerment† will continue for decades to come. The Future of Women in the Workforce This trend of women in the workforce is likely to continue to grow and is apparent throughout all aspects of business. The Economist predicts that by 2011, there will be 2. 6 million more female than male university students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that women already compose more than 2/3 of employment in 10 of the 15 job categories today. Many women are also opening their own business, doubling that of men in the last 10 years. Women will also benefit from the â€Å"war for talent† because of the ageing workforce and need for skill-dependent workers. Many firms are dividing hours differently such as judging hours annually instead of weekly, allowing them to come in early or late, allowing Fridays off as long as hours are made up, and even allowing husbands and wives to share jobs. The corporate world is even making adjustments to encourage women into the workforce and help with the juggle of raising children and working such as rethinking promotional practices and sustain communication with mothers who are away from work due to their children, allowing them to work from home, or offering flexible scheduling. With the advancement of technology – Internet, e-mail, and conferencing – redesigning the workplace is much more possible.