Friday, August 16, 2019
A State Lottery is the Best Way to Raise Money for Education
Lottery is often perceived as a dishonest and seedy project that can create serious social problems including economic distress and gambling addiction (Clotfelter and Cook, 1989, 37).It is thus natural for lottery to be hotly debated, sensational, and controversial. It actually makes the society divided on its acceptance whether legally or morally. Despite these facts, let it be stated that a state lottery is the best way to raise money for education.To begin with, it is ideal to state that those who advocate that state lottery is not the best way to raise money rely upon two assumptions. They say that by doing so shall be impractical and immoral to the eyes of society. First of all, they believe that state lotteries are not designed or created for the purposes of supporting education. And second, receiving money to educate children from such a means like gambling or lottery does not seem ethical and proper.To refute these assumptions, let it be stated that state lottery is actually a practical and feasible way to fund education.  The truth is that even as early as the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, state and municipalities held legally sanctioned lotteries to finance public projects such as roads, bridges, canals, courthouses, hospitals and schools (Blanche, 1950, 71; Kaplan 1984, 92). They believe that it is a very efficient to fund such projects the government is not capable of fully doing so.It is actually admitted that state lottery has a dark and immoral reputation having graft and corruption inherent parts of it. People have been saying that state lottery is a bad image for funding education. However, people do not realize the fact that funding education is a good image for lottery. People have a perception that lottery is all about winning the jackpot.However, lottery as a legal means to an end is socially acceptable. Records show that in 1992 that the only reason sales in lottery increased is because of the Common School Fund Law which grants a large percentage of state lottery profit for education (Illinois State Lottery 1992, X). This is not using education to increase sales but rather, it is the means for education to flourish.In conclusion, state lottery is the most efficient and productive way to raise money. This is because the government has already been doing this legally for a long time. The government has been doing this not only for education but in other aspects as well. And also, despite its negative image, state lottery has already been socially accepted in society. WORKS CITED1)     Blanche, Ernest E. Lotteries, Yesterday and Tomorrow. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 269 (1950): 71–76.2)     Clotfelter, Charles T., and Philip J. Cook. Selling Hope: State Lotteries in America. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1998.3)     Illinois State Lottery. 1992 Annual Report. Springfield: Illinois State Lottery, 1992.4)     Kaplan, H. Roy. The Social and Economic Impact of State Lotteries. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 474 (1984): 91–106.OUTLINEI.                  Introduction :Thesis – A state lottery is the best way to raise money for education.II.               BodyA)   State lottery is impractical and immoral in the eyes of society.B)   State lottery has been used in the past t o fund schools and other projects.C)   Funding education is a good image for state lottery.III.            Conclusion–         State lottery is the most efficient and productive way to raise money and is socially acceptable. Â
What representation of American Social Class is there in the first four scenes of Falling Down?
The opening scene of Falling Down immediately establishes the location of the film, America; this is obvious to the audience with the American cars and yellow school bus with the stars and stripes hanging on the side. The lead character played by Michael Douglas is established as a white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant (WASP) who is supposedly the most privileged class in American society. He is meant to represent the typical American white-collar worker. The audience gets this impression of D-Fens (Michael Douglas) because he is smartly dressed with a white shirt and tie, he wears glasses, he's cleanly shaven and is driving a typical American family sedan. This first impression of D-Fens is subsequently taken apart throughout the film and the audience later finds out that he is unemployed and discontent with American society. D-Fens' car and the way he acts give the audience a early clue that he is not all that he seems. D-Fens is stuck in a traffic jam and getting more and more frustrated by the things around him, he reacts very violently to the fly in his car and thrashes around trying to kill it, this gives the audience an indication that he is quite a violent person when he gets annoyed. Another indication is when D-Fens tries to cool himself down and his air conditioning system doesn't work, so he tries to open the window but the handle is broken, the car is like a metaphor for D-Fens' life shabby, worn out and not like it used to be. There is quite a range of different social classes represented in the opening scene all seen from D-Fens' point of view. In the back seat of the car in front of D-Fens is a young Hispanic girl who is staring impassively at him watching his frustration and breakdown unfold. D-Fens seems uneasy about this maybe because it reminds him of his own daughter and he feels ashamed that he can't drive her to school anymore. This girl is shown in contrast to the children on the bus who are noisy and happy whereas she is silent. She is sad looking and the car she's in is also old these things make the audience think she also doesn't have the happy life that the American dream is supposed to offer. This immediately brings up the question of race in the film and whether people from minority ethnic groups have the same opportunities as WASP's. The camera then pans across to show another white-collar worker, a middle-aged woman putting on bright lipstick and trying to make herself look younger, this gives the impression that she feels threatened perhaps by younger women in her work place. The next vehicle that comes into shot is the typical American school bus the children are very noisy and annoying, there is also a mixture of races represented and they appear to be getting along with each other. There is a black boy that is staring at D-Fens in much the same way as the Hispanic girl and it appears that non-WASPs are more of a threat to D-Fens and this perhaps suggests he is racist. Next to the school bus is a new sporty, convertible with two yuppies in the front seats. They can be categorized like this because they have mobile phones, a nice car, and smart suits. They are represented as aggressive and impatient as the driver is honking his horn for no apparent reason. They are rude and loud on the phone and they appear arrogant because they don't feel that they should be stuck in the traffic jam with everyone else. They seem to epitomise capitalism in America and the type of people that become rich and successful in a capitalist society. There are also representations of American society shown on the three bumper stickers that D-Fens looks at. The first one says â€Å"Financial Freedom phone †¦ †this also shows capitalism in America and that fact that many people live in debt and see themselves as being trapped with only money being the way out. The next sticker says â€Å"He died for our sins†and this shows how religious orientated American society is. The last one says â€Å"How's my driving? Phone 1-800 EAT SHIT! †this just shows how uncaring American society has become with many people being stuck in poverty, whilst many others are living in luxury. The flashing ‘Delay' lights, the heat, noise and smoke all come together and the quick straight edits from each of these elements build up the sense of desperation and threat until D-Fens finally has enough and gets out of his car and tells the man behind him that he's â€Å"going home†. This phrase is repeated throughout the film and it becomes D-Fens' quest. ‘Home' is not literally his house but back to a time when D-Fens felt less threatened from foreign immigrants or non-WASPs, a time when his role in society was more defined and he was a family man and a breadwinner, a time when he felt proud of America and its people. In the next scene the second main character, Prendergast, is introduced. He also appears to be a white-collar worker and a WASP but he is slightly older than D-Fens, his reaction to the traffic jam is in contrast to D-Fens' because he is more relaxed and doesn't let it frustrate him. He is represented as a wise old cop who is from the old school of policing and he is contrasted with the young arrogant policeman on the motorbike who enjoys his power but turns out to be a less competent cop than Prendergast. There is also a smarmy salesman on the scene trying to offer the young cop help, which he rejects. He talks about his trade and how he gives discounts for officers of the law, this suggests that money can influence police and that they are corrupt. The third scene represents a single mother who turns out to be D-Fens' ex-wife, she is shown as stressed and overworked having to get the groceries, walk the dog and look after the child all at once. The house appears to be nice, quite large with a garden and white picket fence and it seems to represent the ideal American family home, although there are signs of it starting to fall into disrepair with the paint on the house peeling off and the front garden being untidy. This shows how D-Fens used to have a nice traditional family life and the suburban idyllic house that went with it, that's when it used to be ‘home'. There is also a sign of how gun culture is very much part of American society with D-Fens' young daughter playing with a realistic looking toy gun and learning from a young age the power that you can have by possessing a gun. The fourth scene represents an immigrant shopkeepers in particular a Korean man. It opens with the well dressed, white D-Fens walking into a poor area of the city, this is shown by the graffiti on the walls, the rubbish on the streets and the fact that there are metal bars over the windows to keep the small shop secure. The Korean shopkeeper is dressed in old, unfashionable clothes and he appears quite impoverished because his till is very old fashioned and he is wary of a WASP coming into his shop in this area. This shows the separation of communities in America and the lack of trust between them. D-Fens is very racist towards the shopkeeper in this scene and he shows no respect for him when he marches in and asks for change without even having eye contact with the shopkeeper. D-Fens sees himself as being dominant over the Korean man and he sets the price of 50cents for the can of Coke and he takes control. He sees the immigrant as inferior to him because he is a WASP and he still has the ideals of the time before. D-Fens is racist because he mocks the Korean mans accent and the fact that he can't pronounce the ‘V' in five, then because the man is Asian he immediately assumes that he's Chinese and this is a typical ignorant view of an American who are traditionally insular in their views. This is shown again later on in the film when Prendergast immediately assumes that his fellow Japanese cop can understand the Korean man. When D-Fens finds out the man is Korean he says about the foreign aid that his country has given to Korea and he therefore feels that this man owes him and in saying ‘my country' he implies that the Korean man doesn't belong there. The image of the American flag is used once again in this scene when the container full of flags is smashed on the floor in a struggle between the two characters. This shows how immigrants feel that they have to be visibly patriotic towards America to fit in with society. The broken glass container could also be a symbol for how communities are now broken in America. Or it could symbolise how the American dream is broken for this shopkeeper and also significantly for D-Fens. D-Fens then says that he is â€Å"going to take prices back to 1965†before violently smashing up the shop. This period of time is what D-Fens associates with â€Å"home†because at this time WASPs were the dominating group in society and there was prejudice against other ethnic groups, this was a time when he felt accepted and valued in society and he was a happy family man living the American dream and this is a time he wants to return to. The Korean shopkeeper is obviously used to violence and robberies living in the area that he does because he gets on the floor and shouts â€Å"Take the money! this is seen as a major insult to D-Fens because he sees himself as middle-class and in his opinion robbery is a thing that poor working class people do. He also feels that he is justified in terrorising this shop because all he wanted was some change for the phone. This scene has been interpreted by many people as being racist and this is an understandable view because the Korean man is represented in a negative way. He is rude and scruffy whereas D-Fens is represented almost like a hero figure with traditional Hollywood hero lines and he appears to be fighting for consumer rights.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Hot Imports Night
The roars of modified import cars stimulate my senses as I walk towards the Dallas Convention Center, where the 2001 Hot Imports Night car show is taking place. All around me, groups of anxious car enthusiasts rush towards the convention center. Hundreds of people were already in line, impatiently waiting to buy a ticket for the show. Luckily, I had already purchased my ticket online and did not have to wait on this half-mile long line. As I approached the entrance, I was overwhelmed by the onslaught of sounds coming from within. I knew walking in that this will be a day I wouldn t soon forget. As I stood in that cavernous exhibitions hall, my eyes feasted on rows of modified Hondas, Acuras, Mazdas, and other import cars. The car that caught my attention was a lime green 1995 Honda Civic Hatchback, shining radiantly below four strobe lights. This car had an Acura Integra GSR engine in it, a Greddy exhaust system, headers, a turbocharger, intercooler, white rims, a dragon decal on the hood, and many other modifications. Behind me I overheard a guy saying dats tight, but there are better cars and I knew he was right. There were endless rows of cars, and each row had its own representation of perfection. The cars were not the only part of the show that caught my attention. Standing by each sponsored car was a girl in her mid twenties wearing everything but clothes. One girl had on a golden studded bikini, which complemented her Venus-like body and her long flowing blond hair. Her innocent smile and seductive pose made it hard for me to take my eyes off of her. There were also models sitting behind desks signing posters for a modest fee. These were the models that graced the cover of car magazines as well as Playboy. Standing in front of these models would be lines of fans who wanted an autograph and picture. I tried to take a picture of every car model that I saw, unfortunately I ran out of film. When I reached the end of the hall I was surprised to see a disc jockey spinning break beats on a turntable and a mob of people raving and dancing on a dance floor as if they were in a nightclub. The music that came from the four giant sized speakers at this area was even louder than the music that played throughout the hall. The strobe lights had a dizzying affect, and my mind blurred as I walked through the crowd of people dancing. In one corner of the dance floor, I managed to push through the crowd of mesmerized people to get a glimpse of a short Asian guy, drenched with sweat, wearing flared jeans and a pink polo knit shirt wowing the crowd with his flawless break dancing abilities. As I had predicted, the night was anything but forgettable. I now anxiously await next year s event, which will take place next May. In the meantime, I ll just relive that night in my mind and learn some dance moves so that I can participate on the dance floor instead of standing around recording everyone else with a video camera.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
The Lesson of the Moth
Do you feel like you live your life to questionable? Or do you feel that life is to short and you should take every beautiful moment? Similar situation to the poem â€Å"the lesson of the moth†, the moth, he takes life for granted and rather risk his life for one moment. As for the roach he likes to take things slow as in living a longer life. He wouldn’t just throw his life away for nothing, Quality over quantity (moth) v. quantity over quality (roach). The moth is suicidal and the cockroach is a pansy. My reaction to the poem is that I agree. Also, I was surprised at how the author used animals as examples, instead of humans. it should be a combination of the two, because you should do exciting things in life but at the same time be careful what you do that way you don’t live a short life, but it is exciting at the same time. Because it’s okay to take the risky side, but if you fail it’s on you. And like the roach you’re taking more steps to a better life without any worries. I think this story teaches the lesson that some people become so sucked in with what they want in life and what they believe will make them happy they let all their inhibitions go, and their sense of reason almost disappears. What we think will make us happy, doesn’t always turn out the way we predict it to. Man and the moth are trying to accomplish the same thing†¦ a better life. Man wishes to live his life with half of the happiness and live twice as long, while the moth would rather live its life to the fullest even if it means it will be cut short.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Lear Wont Take a Backseat Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Lear Wont Take a Backseat - Case Study Example Lear’s window of opportunity for strategic advantage given by using virtual reality environment would not be for long as the technology is increasingly being adopted within the business strategy and processes across the globe. It has at the most around one to two years of advantage before its competitors catch up with it. With fast advancing technology, the businesses are rapidly adopting the technology-based changes in their processes. It is envisioned that within the next two years, Lear’s competitors would be able to acquire expertise and competency in the designing and working in the virtual environment. Hence, it is important that Lear continuously try to innovate to maintain its competitive advantage in the industry.  CAD system does offer Lear huge advantage because it hugely facilitated in digitalizing the manual process of designing. It helped the designers in creating designs that could be changed with the flick of cursor that not only saved time but also the physical labor-intensive way of designing with clay.  Virtual reality system significantly adds value to Lear and GM mainly through the creation of value chain that simplifies the various related processes and integrates them to reduce time. At the same time, it increases efficiency and gives the company distinct advantage in the market. Initially, it involved designers, sculptors, and final production/ manufacturing. Lear’s use of technology eliminated the need for sculptors and designers were able to design prototypes and make appropriate correction to suit the customers without bothering with manual clay modeling of the design. The three-dimensional virtual reality environment helped them to visualize and experience the real product in a virtual environment. This was vital input that created a whole new concept of the value chain for GM.  Lear executives could seek a number of competitive advantages from IS in general.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Matlab problem Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Matlab problem - Assignment Example The source code done in matlab contains the models to implement the linear regression functions (Martinez & Martinez 39). In the general equation y = a1x + a0, y is replaced by PV, x by indicator and variable a, by aA. This gives the relationship between the X-axis and the Y-axis (Seber and Lee 63). The three expected output results are scattered dots for data output, one line for regression and standard deviation, one line for standard deviation and the third line for regression line of The first step of developing this system involves the identification of the variables to use in the regression analysis. In this program, the two variables identified are PV and Indication of the solar irradiation. The next step is to develop models for linear regression to determine the relationship between the dependent and the independent variable (Chatterjee and Hadi 57). The third step is to develop a matlab source code file containing the model and able to access the source of data to be analysed. The fourth step is to test the program and remove errors. Since the source code has been developed in matlab software, testing is done by executing the linearregression.m script. If any error is found to prevent the output from appearing, necessary correction is done in the source code (Weisberg 49). The range of the y axis was between 5 and 50 while the x axis was set from 4 to 24. The results were successfully displayed as expected and all the three lines were drawn by the program. The standard deviation for the two variables is 2.34. This indicates that the two variables deviated from the actual mean by a difference of about 2.34. The program was successful in implementing the linear regression between the two variables (Groß 42). It revealed that there is a positive correlation between PV output and the indication of solar irradiation. The scatered dots generate the best fit represented by the regression
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Achieving strong vertical and horizontal alignment Article
Achieving strong vertical and horizontal alignment - Article Example Human resource management (HRM) practices are critical to the success of business organizations. The goal of organizations is to maintain a strong customer base and increase revenue, but how to achieve this is equally importantStrategic HRM approaches involve a spotlight on the alignment of HRM practices with each other, which is referred to as internal consistency or alignment; and the alignment of the HRM procedures with an organization's approach, known as external consistency or alignment (Burke & Cooper 2005). Gratton and Truss (2007) proposed a three-dimensional people strategy used by HRM in organizations as vertical alignment, horizontal alignment, and an implementation dimension to show the extent to which the people strategy affects the daily operations of employees and the conduct of managers.This paper focuses on two of the three-dimensional people strategies as aforementioned. Vertical alignment involves the link between the people strategy and a business unit strategy, that is, the link between the HRM and the people in an organization. This determines whether HR interventions in decision making serve as inhibitors to success or confer competitive advantages to the organization. On the other hand, horizontal alignment operates within the limits of HR policies and aims at achieving a functional approach to managing the people in an organization (Gratton & Truss 2007).Effron, Gandossy and Goldsmith (2003) highlighted an example in which James Houghton became the CEO of Corning Incorporated by inheriting the job from his brother. The company (Corning) had been dilapidated and was suffering from among other factors, poor labor relations. However, less than ten years later, the company was producing new, high quality products that made it take a competitive position in the market. James simply formed a team that created a vision and change of behavior at the company while building an architecture of productive change (Effron, Gandossy & Goldsmith 2003) . According to McLeish (2002), vertical alignment is the employment of an approach that is manifested in the actions of employees through a jointly shared direction. This means that the management of an organization implementing vertical alignment takes an initiative to lead and empower employees in the work they do, thus improving job execution (Effron, Gandossy & Goldsmith 2003). In order to achieve strong vertical alignment, the HRM of an organization has to target "quick owns" by having an understanding of the processes that would result in a quick delivery of the business goal (Gratton & Truss 2007). For instance, the initiatives could be through innovative product offering or short term training programs to educate and empower employees in handling clients and customers. Effective reputation arises when a business organization meets the expectations of the line of management (Gratton & Truss 2007; McLeish 2002). Organizations that have strong vertical alignment are characterized by presence of business-focused HR teams. The HR team is usually very close to the business units as opposed to cases in which managers are separated from junior employees and rarely assess what the junior staffs do. A good example is the US-based company, Kraft Foods, whose staff in the business units work alongside managers in making strategic decisions (Gratton & Truss 2007). A strong alignment is achieved by proper planning with focus on key objectives and evaluation of success factors (McLeish 2002). The strategy must encompass the organization staff at all levels, and the employees must particularly understand the benefits that accrue at both personal level and organizational level (McLeish 2002). In this respect, each employee has to know the role that one has to play in order to achieve a specific goal.
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