Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Report - Essay Example Customer service is a process used by the organisations to provide customers with the needs and wants. The travel and tourism industry is one which is very large and there is a high level of direct customer interaction in this industry. Over the years, with the level of disposable income rising in the country, the customers are able and willing to spend more on various services related to travel and tourism and various researches have highlighted that customers are able to spend heavily on their travel and tourism needs. Saying this is also important to understand, that with an increase of the number of people indulging in the travel and tourism, the need for customer service has also grown to a higher extent. The travel industry requires to follow the ABTA rules. The main aim of the ABTA policies is to ensure that all the members of the travel industry and that all the customers and the members of the travel industry are provided with high levels of quality and customer service. All the travel related companies need to follow the rules set down by the ABTA and are obliged to follow the rules and regulations and policies set down by the ABTA. Customer Service is an essential part of Customer relationship management. Customer relationship management, which is widely known as CRM holds an enormous importance in today’s competitive world. This is clear from the several different mission statements and the vision statements that are presented by the companies across the world. An excellent example for the mission statements is, ‘It is the policy of McDonnell & Miller to provide products and services to the market which meet or exceed the reasonable expectations of our customers. Satisfying our customers with the appropriate level of quality is a primary goal and a fundamental element of our business mission’ (Mission Statements, 2010). Various changes have

Methodology to improve organizational effectiveness Essay Example for Free

Methodology to improve organizational effectiveness Essay A non-profit organization should use both qualitative and quantitative performance measures, based on the organization’s mission goals and objectives, to show financial and programmatic accountability in a transparent environment. Qualitative and quantitative research methods can be used in marketing, financial planning, fundraising and program research and evaluation. This paper will define and discuss these models as they relate to a non-profit organization. Examples of their application and benefits will be given with respect to the Employment Skills Center, a 501 (c)3 organization. Qualitative versus quantitative analysis When making decisions in a non-profit organization, there are two general approaches to problem solving: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative approach uses mathematical reasoning involving numerical data and involves data collection using such methods as structured surveys and interviews and review of related documents. Qualitative research involves non-numerical information, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, open-ended surveys and observation. Both have their place in research and analysis conducted in non-profit organizations. Effective use in non-profit organizations Using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, separately and/or together, to evaluate and improve the performance of an organization is critical to its success. Data that may be used with these methods include financial and operations data, marketing, communications and fundraising data, programs and outcomes data and external data (â€Å"The State of Non-profit Data†. 2012. ). Analyzing budget revenues, expenses and variances between projected numbers and actual numbers uses a quantitative method and is helpful in creating a more accurate budget. In addition to budgeting, the Employment Skills Center uses quantitative analysis in measuring outcomes for reporting to the Pennsylvania Department of Education and funder reporting. These outcomes include participation rates, program completion, educational gains, employment and retention and client demographics. Qualitative analysis is used to evaluate client needs and satisfaction in order to improve program services. It is also used in volunteer management and retention and staff development. Mixed methodology is useful in board evaluation, job performance reviews, fund development, marketing and communications and improving program effectiveness. Impact analysis is the cornerstone of non-profit sustainability and involves both quantitative and qualitative methodology. It allows you to find out what is and is not working in your organization. It shows your current and potential funders, and the community, what your organization does and how it benefits your clients and the community. It can help raise additional funds by providing evidence of the organizations effectiveness. It can improve staff effectiveness by identifying strengths and weaknesses. By looking at certain statistical data provided by the U. S. Census Bureau and the U. S. Bureau of Labor and statistics such as population projections, educational levels, unemployment rates and economic indicators we can evaluate the current need for services and use the data in grant applications, donor solicitations and community awareness.

Contemporary Issues in Marketing

Contemporary Issues in Marketing In an era of Super smart-phones, high-speed internet, and convergence of digital media in day to day life, it is important that traditional marketing techniques to evolve along with the digitisation of advertising, sales promotion and brand management. Marketing has moved on from basic advertising and sales promotion, to a more personal and customised approach towards customers, delivering a whole new level of involvement and experience to the consumers. Marketing is the The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably.(The Chartered Institute of Marketing) Marketing requires constantly adapting to the changing consumer needs, and satisfying them in a way that is better than the competitors, in a profitable manner. In todays highly evolved and competitive business environment, it is indispensible to employ the aid of technology in marketing, the fact that technology has a transformational impact on the marketing is done cannot be ignored. Technology is changing the way companies interact with their consumers; marketing is becoming more focused on technology to increase the sales and returns on investment (ROI). Stephen Diorio shares his views on technology and marketing, Over the next ten years, rapidly changing technology will impact most aspects of sales and marketing strategy and management, (Diorio S.G, 2002) Google is one of the best examples of companies that have successfully employed technology in their marketing strategies. The firm started up as a small search engine in 1998 and today has an estimated worth of more than $35 billion, employing more than 20000 people. In the further sections, I will be discussing how google uses technology in its marketing operations, and the specific areas in which they are employed. Marketing Research Marketing researchÂÂ  is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data about issues relating toÂÂ  marketingÂÂ  products and services. (McDonald. M, 2007) Marketing Research helps a company determine, whether its current portfolio of products is satisfying the consumer needs, and what improvements can be made in new products, and whether consumers will accept a new product or not. Google is well known for its search refinement and optimisation over the years, it has consistently been successful in understanding what consumer is searching for, and putting up relevant advertisements on their search results. Let us discuss what technologies google uses for its marketing research: Anonymous Data statistics collection: Google analyses data that it receives from its search engine like the search keywords, location of user, age group, etc. And uses the data to deliver more optimised and local search results to the user, providing a more precise and effective way of advertising. The data that Google collects is anonymous and is used for demographic classification only. Also if there is a bug or error in Googles search, it sends an error report to the company, so they can work on fixing it and improving its results in future. This is a very effective marketing research technique is it does not involve much cost, and is based on reliable data that is generated on the companys own servers. This market research method is an example of excellent consumer involvement; the data collected is with express permission of the users solely for improvement purpose, and Googles privacy policies clearly states that it is collected anonymously with no storage of the users personal information. Also there is an option for opting out of the research for anyone who does not want their data to be analysed. (Source: Google Privacy Policy) Google Analytics: Google analytics is Googles web analytics solution; it generates insights into its websites traffic, total number of visits, subject of interest, location of users, etc and other statistical data which in turn the increases the effectiveness of marketing by identifying and analysing the preferences of the consumer and the product that they are searching for. It helps Google create better targeted and strategically placed ads. Google also offers the analytics solution to many large corporations and companies helping them place their ads at strategic locations and increasing their return on investment or ROI. It delivers sophisticated data to Google regarding its website traffic, and its gain/loss of market share against its competing companies. The technique is an entirely new approach compared to traditional marketing research methods like surveys and seminars, as this is totally computer generated research based on raw data collected from real life users, and also it is more mathematically correct and precise. Analytics can collect data from tracking mobile devices, location based website tagging and comparing the relevance of search terms to actual results. A very recent example of this tools utilities is when it surfaced that Bing, Microsofts proprietary search engine was copying Googles search results and algorithms, and Google was able to discover this scam with its analytics tool. Amit Singhal from Google stated in his press release, Some Bing results increasingly look like an incomplete, stale version of Google results a cheap imitation, (BBC News, 2 February 2011)http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/images/search.referrals.png Insight Search: This is an interactive tool that Google uses to compare various search terms that are similar, and based on consumer interest, it suggests the best suited keywords and terms that must be used to increase advertisement revenue, it is a highly technical tool primarily working on elaborate programming algorithms, which is unique to Google. An example of this is given below. If Google is to place an advertisement for an automobile manufacturer, with the help of Insight search it will be able to predict the message that best resonates the ad. For marketing a new car model it shall know what feature must be highlighted like fuel efficiency, safety, good looks, etc. With Insight search as we can see the most apt search term will be car safety as consumers clearly show more interest in that criteria over the othersC:UsersChiragDesktopinsights_96693_en-time.jpg Source (Google insight Website) Google Insight uses an advanced intelligence algorithm called MYSql that filters the search results and provides suggestions that are more feasible and more likely to capture consumer interest; this reduces the amount of junk advertising and also offers more refined search results. This is a good tool for marketing research as it decreases the chance of misplaced advertising, which is Googles largest source of income. Marketing Communication Marketing CommunicationsÂÂ  areÂÂ  messagesÂÂ  and related media used to communicate with a market. Marketing communications is the promotion part of the Marketing Mix or the four Ps: price, place, promotion, and product. (Clow. K, Donald.B). It is essential for any company to reach out to its consumers effectively, thus marketing communication is very important for successful business. Google has a very technology oriented approach for its marketing communication; it promotes its advertisements and promotions in entirely non-conventional ways, let us examine the methods Google uses for its marketing communication purposes: Ad-Words: Google Ad-Words is Googles main advertising program and the prime source of income for the company. Ad-Words triggers advertisements based on the words that a user is searching for, it delivers relevant ads on various websites where advertisers want to place their ads. Ad-Words operates on the Pay Per Click (PPC) model, where Google gets paid for each Click that an ad generates, and advertisers have to pay Google for the number of times their ad is clicked on. The main features of Ad-Words are that it provides a non-geographical mode of advertising, it can place an advertisement on any website and not just its search page, which means that consumers have a ready accessibility to a plethora of products and services from the comfort of their homes. And for the advertisers, this is new and highly technological approach compared to traditional advertising methods like Hoardings, TV advertising, Radio advertising, etc, also it is interactive in nature. The most differentiating feature of Ad-Words is that the advertisements are customised for each and every user, It does not bombard the consumer with irrelevant ads and distracting pop-ups, it delivers the exact results the person is searching for, in simple and convenient text-based banners. For example: If a person is searching for Holiday trip to Bahamas, then Google brings up the advertisements of travel agencies that offer the cheapest and the best deals for holidays to the Bahamas, and also other holiday packages to similar locations. This is nothing short of a revolution in the advertising industry; in 2010 Googles revenue from Ad-Words advertising was US $28 Billion. (Source: Investor.google.com) Click To Call: The Click to Call service offered by Google is a marketing communication initiative that was started in 2007 by Google; through Click to Call, advertisers are allowed to put up their phone numbers on Googles website, and users can click on their advertisement to call them, Google connects them to the advertiser and the calling expenses are paid by Google. This is similar to Pay per Click advertising, but offers a whole new level of interaction to the advertisement. Google has also integrated this system of Click to call function on their new Phone operating system Froyo, whereby consumers search a map for a nearby outlet and by tapping on it can directly call the advertiser. This is a considerable innovation in marketing communications. (Source: Google ClickToCall official webpage) Google Checkout (Online Payment Integration): Thinking one step ahead of just searching for products and services online, Google integrated the Search and Buy process, with the help of Google Checkout, Consumers can save their bank account details on Googles secure web servers, and when they are searching for something on the web they can simply buy it and make the payment for the product with the click of a button, and the product is delivered to their doorstep. A consumer simply has to sign up with Google Checkout and register their details once; after that whenever they want to buy something with the help of Google Checkout they just have to click on it and verify their identity with security options like passwords, etc to prevent fraud. Also Google checkout comes pre-installed on smart-phones with Google operating system Android making it even more accessible. For example: If a person is searching for Dan Browns Book, The Da Vinci Code on Google, it will return the search results, and the person can simply click the Buy button on the website from their computer or phone, and the payment for the book will be made and it will be directly delivered to their specified address. This simplifies the process of online to a great extent. At the moment the products that are supported with the online payment systems are Books, CDs, and Media files, Google mobile handsets, and software. As more traders sign up for Google Checkout the product portfolio will expand and provide more options to Google users NFC Marketing: This is one of the latest technologies in marketing, also known as NFC or Near Field Communication; it uses special radio frequency waves to communicate with devices like smart-phones, pdas, etc. NFC can be used to tag places and objects with RFID tags that can be read by other devices by simply tapping on them. NFC can also be used to make payments with a smart phone by just swiping the device over the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) Reader, this renders the need to carry around cash and debit cards useless. Google is integrating the NFC chip into its smart phones, and is setting up NFC Hotspots all over large cities, to implement the new technology. This can be considered a breakthrough technology for the coming years. According to Claire Swedberg of RFID Journal, ÂÂ  GoogleÂÂ  has been testing anÂÂ  RFID-enabled service aiming to link local businesses with customers. The service, known asÂÂ  HotspotÂÂ  debuted in November 2010. (Swedberg. C, 23 February 2011) New Product Development New product developmentÂÂ  (NPD) is the term used to describe the complete process of bringing a newÂÂ  productÂÂ  or service to market. (Ulrich.K, Eppinger. S, 2004). NPD is the preliminary step in developing a product or service, it involves a series of steps in order to introduce a new product in the market. NPD is essential to keep up with the changing technology and market trends.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTgI2lqnURK33cJWjLaFAQlzQaU0rxXHSClOyJk_LUQ6xL68R7Ebg Google is a company with a large number of products under its portfolio, to name a few we have, Google Search, Google Mail, Google Maps, Google Checkout, Google Ad-Words, Google Documents, YouTube, Books, Android operating system, etc. Google has developed a number of successful products over the years. This is because Google insists on releasing products that are more appealing consumers, and has been able to remain successful by launching the products in market before the competitors, mostly in the form of Beta testing and pilot projects. Let us take few examples of how Google integrates the latest technology into some steps of its New Product Development process: Idea Generation: For most organisations the process of idea generation involves Brainstorming sessions, and SWOT analysis, but Google takes a new technological approach for idea generation. Every year Google holds the CodeJam competition at its head-quarters in Mountain View, California. In this competition it invites new engineers and programmers, in order to identify top talent among them, the participants have to solve arithmetic and structural problems, and also they are asked to come up with new ideas for products and software. This is an innovative and technical way of generating ideas, and many of Googles services like the Android operating system are a result of this. (Source: codejam.google.com) Prototyping: Prototyping involves producing a physical product prototype. Google is running a pilot testing programming for its new Google Chrome OS, to run the operating system Google has made the CR-48 laptop, to test its efficiency and compatibility with hardware. It is allowing application developers and daily users to use a prototype laptop given out for free, and provide usage information to Google, so that it can perfect the product for a full featured launch in the market. (Source: Chrome Os Pilot Programme Website) The advantage of prototyping products is that it provides a real life test result of what is expected from the product, and as a wide range of users test it, more information can be collected regarding the product. If the prototype receives good reviews, then the product can be considered feasible for a market launch. Beta Testing: Googles main competitive advantage comes from the fact that it always launches new products in the market before its competitors; this is because it always releases its potential products in Beta stage. And if later on if any rectification is needed in them, it rectifies them and makes the final launch, this is advantageous as by the time the final product is launched; it already will have a consumer base and will be accepted quickly by the market. Beta testing is the testing and improving of unfinished software, Beta testing is very useful when the programmers of the software want to receive a meaningful feedback. This is because when unfinished software is put to actual use, any bugs and errors that it may have can be identified and sorted. Google runs a project called Google Labs (www.google.com/labs). Under Labs Google runs unfinished products not yet ready for a launch. Some examples of such products are Google Transliteration, which allows users to type phonetically in any language using an English keyboard, And Google Wave'(www.wave.google.com) which is Googles real-time social network initiative, it allows consumers to update and connect with their in real time by sharing messages, pictures, videos, and file sharing, etc. Many of Googles most successful products like Google Mail (Gmail), Google Documents (Docs), Calendar, etc are products of Beta testing that got successful reviews and are widely used and accepted today. Commercialisation: Commercialisation is the final launch of the product in the market; it involves the final production and promotion of its products. Proper use of technology is very important for the successful commercialisation of a product. Android is Googles highly successful and competitive smart-phone operating system, the commercialisation of the operating system was highly technological and advanced in nature, and compared to the other smart-phone platforms, like Windows and Apples IOS, it was well advanced. Google commercialised the operating system by venturing with Taiwanese phone company HTC to produce a Google branded phone, the first of its kind, which became highly successful. Also the handset was advertised and can be ordered from Googles search page. It was the first time a internet search based company entered the smart-phone industry. And the rest of the manufacturers like Samsung, Sony Ericsson, etc followed suite with their android handsets. The real technological breakthrough was when Google delivered OTA or Over the Air Software updates for smart-phones with their operating system. No other company has used OTA to update a phones software before, it was basically used to update subscriber settings, but Google made the use of that technology to deliver and optimise the smart-phone software, which was widely appreciated by customers worldwide. This is a good example of commercialising a product with the use of latest available technology. Conclusion Business Leaders today have realised that looking beyond the conventional ways of marketing and adopting the new technology is the mantra of successful business, in current business environment. Firms like Google that constantly aim for the refinement of technology are the new market leaders. Companies have become re-inventive in the way they manage their people, and in the use of technology. Thus we can say that Technology has had an huge impact on the functioning organisations and the process of marketing. Bibliography

Theme of Death in White Noise Essay examples -- White Noise Don DeLill

White Noise Death is probably the most feared word in the English language. Its undesired uncertainty threatens society’s desire to believe that life never ends. Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise tells the bizarre story of how Jack Gladney and his family illustrate the postmodern ideas of religion, death, and popular culture. The theme of death’s influence over the character mentality, consumer lifestyle, and media manipulation is used often throughout DeLillo’s story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps, the character most responsive to death is Jack Gladney. In fact, he is so consumed by his fear of death that his ordinary thought processes are often interrupted by the question: â€Å"Who will die first† (DeLillo 15)? In Jack’s mind: â€Å"This question comes up from time to time, like where are the car keys† (DeLillo 15). Jack finds the aura of death to be very noticeable and real, and he relies on his consumer lifestyle as an escape from his fear of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack uses the supermarket as his base for his consumer lifestyle and a place to escape, which is validated by the interpretation of his friend and colleague Murray Siskind. Murray views the supermarket as almost a holy place, an atmosphere with rays and â€Å"white noise† everywhere. It’s full of psychic data†¦.Everything is concealed in symbolism, hidden by veils of mystery and layers of cultural material†¦The large doors slide open, they close unbidden†¦.All the letters and numbers are here, all the colors of the spectrum, all the voices and sounds, all the code words and ceremonial phrases. It is just a question of deciphering, rearranging, peeling off the layers of unspeakability†¦. We don’t have to cling to life artificially, or to death for that matter. We simply walk toward the sliding doors. Waves and radiation. Look how well-lighted the place is. The place is sealed off, self-contained†¦. It is timeless†¦. Here we don’t die, we shop. But the difference is less marked than you think (DeLillo 37-38).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John N. Duvall, author of â€Å"The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo’s White Noise,† believes that â€Å"Murray’s interpretations become Jack’s convictions; Murray’s speculations, Jack’s experiences† (143). Drawing on Murray’s speculation‘s, Jack embraces Murray’s analysis as a truth and uses the supermarket as security, a place where colors and names always in the same place, a place where ... ... profoundly important questions about death, the afterlife, God, worlds and space, yet they exist in an almost Pop Art atmosphere(268).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By treating these false tracts of literature as some sort of god, consumers can escape the reality of death since the content is not in day to day, ordinary life. Death is a fear that has attacked the minds of man since the beginning. For years people have treated death as a unspeakable occurrence, and White Noise shows those desperate attempts through postmodern imagery. According to Don DeLillo, death is an assailant that creeps its way into the subconscious of society but is prevented from tainting the gratification of life by way of the postmodern army- technology. Works Cited Conroy, Mark. â€Å"From Tombstone to Tabloid: Authority Figured in White Noise.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Critique 35.2 (1994): 97-110. DeLillo, Don. White Noise. New York: Penguin Books 1999. Duvall, John N. â€Å"The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mediation in DeLillo’s White Noise.† Arizona Quarterly 50.3 (1994):   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  127-153. Maltby, Paul. â€Å"The Romantic Metaphysics of Don DeLillo.† Contemporary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Literature 37.2 (1996): 258-277.

Deer Hunting

Few deer live to be more than five years old because of hunting, vehicle accidents and predators. Deer are preyed upon by, wolves, bobcats, bears, coyotes, and humans. Deer hunting is the activity or sport of pursuing or chasing deer. It dates back to tens of thousands of years ago. Approximately one hundred people die in hunting accidents in the United States each year. Therefore, hunting deer is unsuccessful, unfair, pointless, unsafe, and should only be done if the deer will be eaten.Hunting can be very unnecessary especially when sport hunting. Studies show that 11 percent of deer who had been killed by hunters died only after being shot two or more times and that some wounded deer suffered for more than 15 minutes before fully passing away (â€Å"Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary†, par. 3). It causes the deer to go through great pain and suffering for no very urgent reason and for the sake of mere amusement. It may make you feel stronger, but there is still no re ason to kill innocent deer.What if you were that deer that had to go through all this misery just for your unintelligent, and sickening mistake? In addition, sport hunting causes destroyed properties and injured bystanders. In 2006, former Vice President Dick Cheney accidently shot a close friend while hunting quail on a canned hunting preserve. According to the Hunter Education Association, there are more than dozens and hundreds of deaths caused by hunting in the United States each year. Yet alone those number of deaths are deaths of humans (â€Å"Why hunting is Unnecessary 2†par. 16).This is an ongoing problem that we have to stop. Hunters seem to be unfamiliar with their firearms and do not have a sufficient amount of respect for the damage that they can do. Deer hunting can also be ineffective in more than one way. It is unsuccessful for trying to solve human/deer conflicts. Studies show that throughout hunting season hunters frighten the deer out of the woods and onto t he road increasing the number of car/deer collisions (Lin, Doris, par. 10). People should not bother trying to kill deer if the result would be winding up in a huge mess.If the deer goes onto the street then most likely both the deer and human would die or be seriously injured. Think about all that happened or would happen when going to hunt that deer down . The main reason that deer hunting is ineffective is because they believe that it helps with controlling the deer population. It really depends because if trophy hunting the deer then you would most likely kill the strong male deer or bucks. That wouldn’t help at all because the female deer are the ones who breed (Roos, Dave, par. ). Do not do anything violent or brainless if not urgently necessary in the situation. When extraordinary natural occurrences cause overpopulation, natural processes should work there way back to even out the group. Even though starvation and disease may be two of the tragic ways they may stabili ze although it happens naturally (â€Å"Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary†par. 9). Shooting deer because he or she might become sick or starve is unreasonable and is destructive.Those who support deer hunting believe that killing them stops all the problems that the deer cause. When hunting deer you will remove a few deer and prevent those from reproducing and prevent the deer from causing chaos on the street (Lin, Doris, and par. 5). Therefore the outcome will be less harmed people in car accidents. However, that is unnecessary because that means the other deer will have more food for themselves. Also, they would not have to fight other deer for food. Since they would have more food, they would be able to give more births to twins and triplets.That also means that the deer will normalize and give birth to fewer fawns when food is scarce (Lin, Doris, par. 10). Before going to hunt those poor creatures maybe you should think to yourself â€Å"Why kill these deer? â⠂¬  â€Å"Is there a reasonable reason? † â€Å"If so, is there better ways to solve this? † There is a better way to solve this, you can let the deer regulate themselves it might be painful but it is life. Killing does not resolve anything at all. It just makes the situation worse. People who believe killing deer helps, sad for you studies show it does not.Hunting deer is meaningless and disastrous in overpopulation and unjust to those who suffer. When citizens do this every single deer counts and will affect the future. â€Å"In which way will it affect the future? † It is not known at the moment all that is known is that we may still have the chance to make a difference in this struggling world that we live in today. However, if this continues without help from you, then believe it or not but deer will become endangered species, or worse extinct.

9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips for Small Businesses On July 10, 2014, Social Media Examiner quoted me in their compilation article 9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips From the Pros. Since I often receive questions about how companies can use LinkedIn for their marketing efforts, I thought it would be valuable to share this post with you. If you are a job seeker, all but the first of these tips apply to you! Here’s what you’ll learn about strategies to boost your LinkedIn marketing: Use LinkedIn Sponsored Updates to build credibility and exposure. Use LinkedIn’s analytics to make sure you’re getting sufficient value from your investment. (I have not used this feature but it might be the right strategy for some businesses.) Add Rich Visual Content to Your LinkedIn Profile to spice up its look and feel! Implement Influence Networking (Build real, personalized, ongoing relationships) to stand out from your competitors. Offer Value in Discussion Groups (Provide quality content to prospective buyers) to establish thought leadership and trust. Optimize Your Personal Profile (How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile is a great start for this!) Tag Your Connections in Posts using the @ symbol followed by the person’s name. Focus on Small, Local Discussion Groups to make the biggest impact with your discussion participation (this was my contribution to the article!) Develop Relationships Instead of Adding Connections, through both your personal and company pages. Don’t Treat LinkedIn Like an Online Version of Your Resume – instead, be creative with your presentation of what you can do for your customers. Sell yourself based on the problems you can solve. (If you are a job seeker, you might be thinking you need to have an online version of your resume. But you can take a creative approach rather than create a carbon copy on LinkedIn. Consider what will sell you the best to a prospective employer and write your profile that way!) For expanded information on each one of these points, check out the full article at 9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips From the Pros. And if you’re a small business looking for ongoing LinkedIn marketing support, please contact us at teesupport@theessayexpert.com. We have experts we can refer you to!

Facts About the Crystal Jelly

Facts About the Crystal Jelly The crystal jelly (Aequorea victoria) has been called the most influential bioluminescent marine organism. This cnidarian possesses green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a photoprotein (or a protein that gives off light) called aequorin, both of which are used in laboratory, clinical and molecular research. Proteins from this sea jelly are also being studied for use in early detection of cancer. Description The aptly named crystal jelly is clear but may glow greenish-blue. Its bell may grow up to 10 inches in diameter. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: CnidariaClass: HydrozoaOrder: LeptothecataFamily: AequoreidaeGenus: AequoreaSpecies: victoria Habitat and Distribution The crystal jelly lives in pelagic waters in the Pacific Ocean from Vancouver, British Columbia, to central California. Feeding The crystal jelly eats copepods, and other planktonic creatures, comb jellies, and other jellyfish.

Plot Fragmentation in Modern Comedy

Plot Fragmentation in Modern Comedy Introduction/Thesis statement One of foremost characteristics of late 20th and early 21st centuries’ comedy is the fact that, as time goes by; it tends to become increasingly plot-fragmented, cognitively incomprehensible and even somewhat aesthetically distasteful. This, however, does not seem to affect the ability of such a comedy to win favor with the audiences.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Plot Fragmentation in Modern Comedy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As Auslander (1989) had put it in his article: â€Å"As of today, whether performance remains marginal or gains mass exposure seems to have little to do with the nature or content of a particular artists work†¦ Nowadays, the relative success of performance in the mass media attests to the ability of a mass-mediated culture to convert almost anything into ‘entertainment (122). According to Andersen (2010), there are two most striking traits in what she defines as ‘post-modern comedy’: â€Å"1. A tendency toward reflexivity†¦ 2. An emphasis on fragmented forms, discontinuous narratives†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Carrie Andersen Blog). In order to realize the full validity of an earlier suggestion, one would simply have to familiarize itself with such comparatively recent and very successful Hollywood comedies as Naked Gun, Nutty Professor, A Night At the Roxbury, Scary Movie, etc. All of these comedies feature the absence of a well-structured plot, the plenty of plot-unrelated self-referrals, on the part of the characters, and the inclusion of a number of primitively humorous gags. And, there are good reasons to believe that, the very fact that this type of comedies appear to grow ever-more popular with the broader audiences, should not be discussed as ‘thing in itself’, unrelated to socio-political realities of modern living. In our paper, we will aim to explore this thesis at length, while focusin g on what we consider the two most plausible explanations as to the essence of a discussed subject matter. Increasing irrelevancy of the actual plot in latest Hollywood comedies As we have implied earlier, when it comes to discussing the essence of a particular cultural phenomenon, such as the increasing irrelevancy of the actual plot in latest Hollywood comedies, it represents the matter of crucial importance to be able to identify the objectively existing preconditions for such a phenomenon to have emerged, in the first place. After all, up until comparatively recent times, the most successful comedies used to feature a well-defined linear narrative as one of its most important characteristics. While referring to the mechanics of how satire and humor were explored in classical Hollywood comedies, Chambers (1989) points out to the fact that in these comedies, the very sensation of ‘funnyness’ derived out of viewers’ ability to assess surrounding reality in terms of logic: â€Å"An appreciation of the ridiculous is a matter of exposing appearances for what they really are, primarily by realizing the gap between what people say (or how they perceive their actions to be interpreted) and how people appear to an objective observer† (590).Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other words, the presence of a well-structured plot in classical comedies simply reflected the rationalistic workings of their creators’ mentality – these people perceived the objective reality through the lenses of euro-centrism. That is, they would go about endowing their comedies with humorous appeal by exploring the dichotomy between white people’s sense of rationale, on one hand, and non-white people’s sense of irrational emotionality/passion, on another. As Chin (1989) had put it: â€Å"In the context of the United States, the cultural power structure has always been dominated by the ideology of a specifically white, Eurocentric, specifically capitalist establishment† (167). Therefore, the reason why until recently, comedies with linear narratives appealed to movie-going audiences is that these audiences predominantly consisted of whites. This continues to be the case even today, although to a lesser degree, which in its turn explains why recent Hollywood comedies with well-defined plot very rarely feature people of color, as characters. For example, in the recent commercially successful ‘white comedy’ Meet the Parents, there is no even a single non-white character. Apparently, movie-goers’ ability to enjoy a well-defined plot in the comedy reflects their varying ability to remain focused on plot’s unraveling, which in its turn reflects their ability to operate with abstract categories, which in its turn reflects the rate of their Intellectual Quotidian. And, as we are all well aware of – the rate of one’s IQ is genetically predetermined category. In their book, Lynn and Vanhanen (2002) state: â€Å"IQs appear to be determined by the racial and ethnic make-up of the populations†¦ The IQs of 96 are typical of Europeans. The countries with lower proportions of Europeans and greater proportions of Native Americans, Blacks, and Mestizos have lower IQs† (263). Thus, it would only be logical to hypothesize that the cinematographic trend of Hollywood comedies becoming essentially ‘plotless’ has to do with an ongoing process of Western societies’ intellectual marginalization. And, it is namely the institutialization of multiculturalism, as an official policy in Western countries, which had triggered such a process. For example, it is now being estimated that by the year 2050, the population of Hispanics in U.S. will reach 90 million. And, as statistics show, the dropout rate among Hispanics in Americ a’s high schools accounts for 45%-50%. In his article, Crosnoe (2005) states: â€Å"Compared to other racial/ethnic populations, Hispanics lag behind on most indicators of academic progress, such as grades, test scores, and social-psychological adjustment in school† (563).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Plot Fragmentation in Modern Comedy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, it is namely the fact that Hollywood producers are well aware of the actual essence of demographic dynamics in today’s America, which explains why they deliberately strive to ensure that their comedies will appeal to the marginalized tastes of America’s multicultural populace, as the foremost mean of guaranteeing these comedies’ commercial successfulness. And, as practice shows, in order for a particular comedy to become popular with non-whites, its plot does not have to be concerned with ensuring the integr ity of a linear narrative, as much as it needs to be concerned with exploiting viewers’ animalistic urges. This is exactly the reason why in many recent Hollywood comedies, directors had made a point in satirizing purely physiological aspects of people’s existence, such as defecating, indulging in sex or eating. For example, in such Hollywood’s ‘black comedies’ as 1996 The Nutty Professor, 2000 Big Mommas House and 2004 Fat Albert , directors had gone about exploiting viewers’ sense of humor by exposing them to the sight of main characters simply walking around for no apparent purpose and consuming a lot of hamburgers, while appearing grossly overweight. For intellectually marginalized audiences, these comedies proved being ‘funny’ enough, as it is only the direct onslaught onto such audiences’ animalistic senses, which can result in triggering an emotional reaction, on their part. The evolution of people’s aestheti c tastes Nevertheless, the same issue (the fragmentation of plot in recent Hollywood comedies) can be accessed from entirely different perspective. It might very well be the case that the increasing irrelevance of plot in comedies is simply being reflective of today’s post-industrial realities, as such that are being concerned with the process of humanity growing increasingly ‘post-human’, which in its turn, undermines the soundness of traditional concepts, founded on the principle of linearly defined rationality. For example, as of today, most people believe that, in order for anyone to be considered a truly intelligent person, he or she would have to know at least one foreign language.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More And, the studying of a foreign language is rather lengthy process, which cannot be successful without learner remaining utterly dedicated to studying, throughout process’s entirety. Nevertheless, due to the revolutionary breakthroughs in the fields of informational technology and biology that had taken place recently, in 20-30 years from now, it will become possible for just about anyone to learn foreign languages instantly, by the mean of inserting a microchip in its brain. In post-human or cyber-human world, just about every aspect of people’s existence will be qualitatively different from it used to be the case, from the time when humans evolved from apes, until now. And, that will include the manner in which they perceive surrounding reality. In its turn, this will affect the structural subtleties of a cognitive process. What it means is that in near future, in order for the literary or cinematographic narrative to be considered structurally plausible, it will no l onger need to feature such plot’s classical elements as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, because the manner in which ‘post-human’ people would perceive objective reality might very cease being linearly defined. As some contemporary Hollywood’s ‘plotless’ comedies (such as Scary Movie) indicate, the absence of a well-structured plot in the comedy does not necessarily reflect such comedy’s inability to convey a certain semantic message. In his article, Kellner (1987) points out to the fact that, under certain conditions, even chaotic meaninglessness can be quite meaningful: â€Å"In fully constituted flowing discourse the facts function irresistibly either as indexes or as links in an indexical sequence; even an anarchic presentation of the facts will at least convey the meaning anarchy and suggest a particular philosophy of history† (3). Therefore, the fact that today’s comedies become prog ressively more ‘plotless’ may simply be reflective of people’s subconscious anxieties, regarding the ways of a future. For example, the humoristic appeal of a Scary Movie directly derives out of how this comedy ridicules the conventions of a horror genre in cinematography. Apparently, for people who enjoy watching this particular comedy, it represents a particular pleasure to assess such conventions as being outdated – that is exactly what is being funny in Scary Movie and in its sequels, and that is also what makes up for the fact that this movie simply does not feature a coherent plot, whatsoever. As it was noted by Weinberg (2000): â€Å"There really is no plot at all (in Scary Movie) to speak of, and Ive giggled at several reviewers try to describe one. What youre presented with is a series of scenes parodying other films, or just plain old being raunchy† (EfilmCritic.Com). Yet, for the reasons mentioned early, it is specifically plot-fragmented comedies, such as Scary Movie, which are going to attain a mainstream status in Hollywood’s comedy-related cinematography in the future. A somewhat altered hypothesis can be used to explain the apparent popularity of black ‘plotless’ comedies, such as Fat Albert. The fact that these comedies aim to humorise physiological aspects of people’s lives, may be suggestive of audiences’ tendency to view the biological constraints of one’s existence as being quite inconsistent with the ways of a ‘brave borderless world’, because it is namely the specifics of our biological functioning that relate us to animals more than anything else does. In post-human society, however, the extent of people’s ‘biologism’ will reflect their ability to attain social prominence in counter-geometrical progression – that is, the more they would be biologically constrained, the lesser would be their chances to attain such a prominen ce. This is the reason why viewers tend to perceive individual’s strongly defined ‘biologism’ as the foremost indication of his or her inability to evolve physiologically and intellectually, which in its turn, renders such individual particularly funny in the eyes of a viewing audience. Conclusion Even though two earlier articulated explanations, as to the tendency of recent comedies to become ever more plot-fragmented, differ rather substantially in how they address the discussed subject matter, we believe that they nevertheless substantiate the validity of paper’s initial hypothesis. As we have shown the increasing irrelevance of plot-presence in comedies has nothing to do with the evolution of people’s aesthetic tastes as ‘thing in itself’, but rather with the evolution/devolution of these people themselves, as representatives of Homo Sapiens specie. In its turn, this proves once again that, unlike what the hawks of political correc tness would like us to believe, it is fully appropriate to discuss the essence of just about any social or cultural phenomenon well within the conceptual framework of ‘hard’ sciences, which have nothing to do with ‘promotion of tolerance’ but rather with promotion of scientifically proven facts, regardless of how ‘intolerant’ they might be. References Andersen, Carrie â€Å"Millennials and Postmodernism in TV Comedies†. 2010. Carrie Andersen Blog. 28 Nov. 2010. Web. Auslander, Philip â€Å"Going with the Flow: Performance Art and Mass Culture†. TDR 33.2 (1989): 119-136. Chambers, Erve â€Å"Thalias Revenge: Ethnography and Theory of Comedy†. American Anthropologist 91.3 (1989): 589-598. Chin, Daryl â€Å"Interculturalism, Postmodernism, Pluralism†. Performing Arts Journal 3.12 (1989): 163-175. Crosnoe, Robert â€Å"The Diverse Experiences of Hispanic Students in the American Educational System†. Sociological F orum 20.4 (2005): 561-588. Kellner, Hans â€Å"Narrativity in History: Post-Structuralism and Since†. History and Theory 26.4 (1987): 1-29. Lynn, Richard. Vanhanen, Tatu. IQ and the Wealth of Nations. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Weinberg, Scott â€Å"Scary Movie†. 2000. EfilmCritic.Com. 28 Nov. 2010. efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=1796reviewer=128

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Electric Jacket - Essay Example Additionally, the product is relatively low priced implying that most people will need it. This product will be available in a number of retail stores, which include cloth stores and sporting goods store. Sportsmen and women regularly visit sporting goods store, where they will easily notice this product. Different teams and learning institutions also visit sport goods stores implying that this is a strategic location for distributing the product to a large number of targeted audience. The product will also be available in some leading cloth distributor stores. These stores are significant since the product will reach out to a large number of households. The Internet is one media through which a new product can reach a large number of customers within a short period. The internet will make it much easier in distributing the new products since customers will easily identify the locations and addresses of stores distributing the product. The internet will also benefit the company when distribution costs through intermediary stores are reduced. Some customers will also have opportunities to buy the product directly from the

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Of Mice and Men And American Depression Beginning Essay In 1930, the American Depression began. It was to become a feature that would affect many peoples lives. Men such as George and Lennie had no literacy skills; therefore their job span was increasingly limited. George and Lennie were unique in the way that they went around the country working on the ranches together. John Steinbeck used George and Lennies companionship in these times of hardship to reflect optimism and hope. Steinbecks knowledge is mirrored in a vast amount of this book in the way that he produces scenes for the characters to encounter and try to solve. America turned on its people in the Depression, forcing even the severely disabled to work for they had no other options they would not survive if they did not have any capital. Workers used the ranchs resources to comfort themselves. Workers even came to the ranches on a Saturday afternoon, so they could have all their meals on the day of rest and then depart without doing any intense labour. The book illustrates this fact with the quote. Guy that wants to look over a ranch comes in Satday afternoon. He gets Satday night supper an three meals on Sunday, and he quit Monday mornin after breakfast without turning his hand. This quote emphasises the ranch workers dependence upon the ranches and in a way lets us into the typical ranch workers pattern of thoughts, therefore this reiterates how the migrant culture worked. Throughout the book, George and Lennie have a pipe dream; this dream has been a goal, a goal to keep them from spiralling into depression. The dream is to be able to afford their own piece of land and live in peace and harmony, however the dream interprets two opposite trains of thought. For Lennie it means that he can look after the rabbits, therefore it creates a childish reality. For George he craves independence to make his individual character content, however George knows that this is a dream, he is not thinking about what will most likely happen. This was the case for many American ranch workers; they fulfilled these dreams by reading magazines with stories such as The Dark Rider. For example He went to his bunk and put his head on his shelf. Then he picked a pulp magazine from his shelf and brought it to the light over the table. This emphasises the American Dream and this is why this of magazine was so popular, it produces a play in text about a fantasy ranch worker, who travels majestically about the country on his ebony stallion. For the ranch workers they envisage that it will be them upon the stallion doing deeds to save the country, this reflects the migrant cultures point of convergence with their dreams and how it kept their hopes up high during these times of hardship. Steinbeck selects George and Lennie out of the vast migrant culture, for their unique circumstances and their overpowering friendship. For example: Lennie broke in. But not us! Because because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you and thats why. This quote depicts their fondness for one another and how important friendship was. The task for Steinbeck was to create an array of characters who had different characters and attitudes at this time, yet they formed a team who had to work together and cope with each others habits. The migrant culture was a population of people from different backgrounds; therefore this point is dissected from the rest of the book very well At the beginning of the novel, we follow George and Lennie through the state of Soledad trying to seek work. To make matters worse the bus driver dropped them off more than four miles from their location. Jes a little stretch down the highway, he says. Jes a little stretch. God damn near four miles. George is obviously angry about the bus drivers heartlessness towards these two men, however men like George and Lennie were easy targets, as the man knew he would never see them again and they were lower class civilians, therefore people showed no respect towards them. Travelling these long distances in such isolated conditions was a daunting task and there must have been some murders and fatalities in such solitary conditions. The migrant culture brought the aspect of danger into many peoples lives. On arrival. George and Lennie have to go to the boss office to submit their name and various details. It is vital that they both have a reputation for being hard workers at this early stage or they could be asked to leave. The bosss suspicions are aroused by Lennies lack of communication and he immediately asks questions such as: He aint much of a talker, is he? and , I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin his pay away from him? These questions show that the migrant culture was untrustworthy and nobody could be trusted. In the migrant culture the vast majority of ranch workers decreased every mans chances of being noticed and looked after, therefore if the worker was not working up to the average standard they would simply be told to leave. It was a dog eats dog world and the other ranch workers were certainly not sympathetic to your feelings. For example: You was pokin your big ears into our business, George said. I don t like nobody to get nosey. Ranch workers had to have a depth of insensitivity and be oblivious to acrimonious comments. Loneliness featured in the novel was the result of bitterness. There were three main characters that represented loneliness in the novel. Crooks was a black man who looked after the stables. During the American Depression, black people were shown little respect and the white people regarded them as slaves making hurtful comments and forcing them into isolation for the insignificant reason of their colour. To add to Crooks misery, he had a severely bowed back, this limited his work span and his isolation became greater. Crooks was bitter towards all white people for the way they had mentally scared him and for this reason he showed no feelings towards them either. Crooks was even a solitary figure at night, for he was not even allowed into the bunkhouse let alone to sleep in there. Crooks confided in books to make up for his social loss, however he could only seek refuge in a book to a certain degree and soon he fell into the bottomless pit of seclusion once more. Crooks was even foul to his equals such as Lennie. Crooks said sharply: You got no right to come in my room. This heres my room. Nobody got any right in here but me. This quote reflects Crooks bitterness and shows that his isolated life has made him selfish. The America Depression and the migrant culture turned on black people and treated them as dirt. Crooks feels this harsh mannerism and understandingly turns against it, which makes him uncivil too. Curleys wife is another lonesome character, who seeks solace with the workers on the ranch. Her isolation is increased by the fact that she is the only woman on the ranch and the only unemployed person as well, therefore she has far too much time on her hands. Her hasty marriage was a way to conquer loneliness; however it has only stretched her detachment from the world. Other lonesome characters such as Candy and George will not mix with her, as they see her as a troublesome threat. The only person on the ranch who listens to Curleys wife is Lennie, however the relationship is not true, for Lennies mental problems make it infeasible for him to join in any conversation. Lennies power is what makes Curleys wife attracted to him, for Lennie crushed Curleys hand during a fight. Most women would be furious with the man who had injured her husband, but Curleys wife laughs saying to Lennie. Ok, Machine. Ill talk to you later. I like machines. This implicates how she hates her husband and reveals that she only married him for security. Curleys wife knows that Lennie is mentally inadequate, therefore she feels as if she has power over him and of course it is unlikely that she has ever experienced this feeling before. The migrant culture has had a great effect on Curleys wife life. The men who once had time for her, now have to work to survive, therefore they have no time for her inane chatter. George is another solitary character on the ranch. This may sound inaccurate, but as we have discovered Lennie is mentally disabled and cannot participate in sort of conversation. George may be able to have a social life at the ranches, however he will only stay at a ranch for a small duration of time, so close friendships cannot be made. The migrant culture had an immense impact on ranch workers social lives and soon they would have become social outcasts. In chapter three, Lennie brings the subject of the dream into conversation, while sitting down with George one night. George informs him of a reasonably priced farm he has discovered. Candy joined in the conversation still traumatised by his elderly dogs sudden death asking the details of this house. George is reluctant to tell him for the reason that it has been George and Lennies dream from when they started roaming the countryside for work and it would seem immoral for them to invite someone they did not know into it at this stage. Candy is not struck back by these comments and informs them that he has $450 saved up in the bank. George half-closed his eyes. I gotta think about that. We was always gonna do it by ourselves. George portrays a reluctant character who is unwilling to co-operate, yet inside he is probably celebrating the making of his dream. The sudden scope of this dream that has been released is truly magnificent. George and Lennie have conquered every migrant workers pessimistic prospect, to make their dream realistic George is overcome by this unexpected event that he knows will change his life for the rest of his days. In the book he frees his humble and timid character to replace it with an electrifying and bold person who we have not seen before. Quotes to reflect this outburst are: George said reverently: Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her. His eyes full of wonder. I bet we could swing her, he repeated softly and George stood up. Well do her, he said. Well fix up that little old place an well go live there. George is ecstatic he has finally found a way to make his naturally independent character content and he will be able to make his own money by being the boss, the man he has respected for so long. At last Lennie will be safe from the temptations of the world that he simply cannot handle. George and Lennie have found hope in these mentally painful times, which scarred so many men for life. This scene interprets the fortunes of the human life and after many downfalls they have come to a conclusion, that many migrant workers never found. In novels after optimism comes despondency. The ending of this book is tragic. Lennie, who has become easily influenced by Curleys wife flirtatious movements becomes too attached to her and when asked to feel her hair he becomes over exuberant and in sheer panic clings on to the delicate framework of this woman, Curleys wife slumps to the ground like a ragdoll taking the effect of this mans awesome power with a broken neck to prove the damage, which can not be reversed. The tragedy led to Lennies disappearance and the ranch workers pursue him , however George knew where he was from an earlier plan and went to find him. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering. A emotional scene for two people we thought were so fond of each other, however George knew that Curley and fellow friends were going to kill him and in the most brutal manner possible to mankind, which would have been distressing for the two companions. George thought it would have been appropriate for Lennies last living moments to be filled with the memory that they loved the most, the dream. The dream would not be fulfilled after Lennies crime and death; therefore he would be of a majority once again working to make his dream reality and this is why so many migrants ended becoming severely depressed and killing themselves as a result of their bitterness and hurt. John Steinbeck creates a novel, which depicts a compelling yet brusque meaning. Steinbeck brings out the truth of these times and does not try to shroud it and keep it away from the human eye, for nothing can hide the truth. Since George came to this ranch in Soledad, we have been through his pain with him and happiness, however we have always had the dream in the back of our minds. Grasping the fact that the dream will never occur has added a touch of realism to this book and made us realise that this is not a imaginary story, instead it is the hard hitting truth. The novel has made it obvious that the typical migrant workers life was a continuous circle, which never changes its shape and that it would be the same for George from now on. Hopes and Dreams have been the backbone for this story. Many of the characters have mentioned a dream and at that point their tone of voice changed. For example: She looked up at Lennie, and she made a small grand gesture with her arm and hand to show that she could act. The fingers trailed after her leading wrist and her little finger stuck out grandly from the rest. This quote shows how Curleys wife sparkles on the inside, when she talks about her illusive acting career. Dreams meant so much more to people during the American Depression as they do to our generation due to the great span of activities we can do today compared to the limited amount in the 1930s.A number of peoples dreams can be accomplished today for we have the technology. Hopes and Dreams became the great factor in George and Lennies relationship, for it gave them something to talk about that they both understood and talking is the key to a good friendship. Lonesome migrant workers did not have a friend to confide instead they constantly thought about the long working hours and their isolation. A dream kept them focused and acted as an aid to comfort them. George has now become one of these lonely souls, who we envisage trekking along dusty roads with a face tangled by his own grief. It would not have been right if Lennie, George and Candy went to the idyllic farmhouse and lived happily ever, as that would have not been reflecting the outcome of so many migrant workers lives and Steinbeck would have been interpreting a false hope to the reader. Characters in the novel such as Candy and Crooks fell into the invalid category, where they were envisaged as being outsiders who looked up to normal people on the ranch. Crooks was a black man and at the time of the Depression, black people were looked upon as dirt and only being able to do jobs that would not involve them with any human contact, therefore he was very much isolated from the world and felt bitter and resentful towards any human who tried to bond with him. An example of Crooks bitterness: Crooks said sharply: You got no right to come in my room. This heres my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.

Saviour Siblings Debate

Saviour Siblings Debate A saviour sibling is a child who is born via pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This shows any fatal diseases in embryo screening, to find a tissue type match for the existing sibling so that stem cell transplantation can take place with the newborns umbilical cord. Many people believe that this is unethical because it doesnt consider the newborns rights, or simply because some cannot understand what parents go through. This is often questioned because it is typically thought of as wrong and that it will lead to designer babies being born and that the sibling will be treated as a commodity. My response to this is that the arguments presented against saviour siblings are flawed, in that not allowing a saviour sibling to be created would result in deaths of many children worldwide and will therefore conclude that there is nothing unethical about it at all, rather its unethical to do the contrary. Since, would it not be unethical to fail to protect people who are able to be protected in this way, would avoiding this not mean we are posing a threat or harm to their life purposefully? In this essay I will discuss how creating a saviour sibling is ethical and parents are doing the most loving thing possible and providing the gift of life, but more importantly saving a life. The main argument against saviour siblings being an unethical procedure is that the dismissing of PGD will result in many childrens deaths, of which most could have been saved, if a saviour sibling was born. It is unethical to say that a child being brought into the world is for purpose only; it is much more than that. As Sheldon and Wilkinson point out, You have to have a very powerful reason to resist the means by which a childs life can be saved (p.533). They show that saying it is unethical because of a slim possibility the child may be treated differently is highly judgmental, and is not reason enough to dismiss the concept of saving lives. It is more unethical to not help someone who is severely ill; it would be allowing the pain to continue at your will. Those who choose to save a life are extremely loving and ethical to consider it in the first place, as it would be heartbreaking to watch a sick child and be helpless. No-one who has not been in that position is in any place to comment on it being unethical, saviour siblings are available as a last resort to save a life and reduce suffering where possible. Modern day medicine is created and technology advanced for these sorts of purposes. The argument defends the idea of a saviour sibling being ethical on the grounds that saving a life is always going to be better that not saving a life. That latter would be more unethical. The process involves motivation and so the parents are highly unlikely to be anything but supportive and loving throughout the process, and especially toward the new baby. Parents are faced with a hard decision of choosing ways to help their child, and when most options are exhausted saviour siblings can be the only option to severe illnesses. Overall, the circumstances surrounding them initially shows that they thought a life was worth fighting for and a saviour sibling would endure the same amount of care. It would be a strange thing to do of the parents, to then think of him/her as a purpose only since the result of saviour would oversee the so called means of existing only because of an end which is needed. In response to my argument, those who prohibit saviour siblings on ethical terms always stand by the main point that the child would be treated as a commodity since they would be unwanted after they have served a purpose of saving a sibling. The main concern is that it is unethical since the childs welfare and rights are not taken into consideration and would be treated differently especially if the saviour sibling was to end up not saving their life. How would the parents then treat the child? Some say that they would see it as a failure, and love it less because he/she did not fulfill their sole purpose of benefiting the sibling. This leads onto the next point, that saviour siblings are treated as a means to an end and this is extremely unethical to do so. It is wrong to create children under certain proposals for an outcome, and Kants Dictatum points this out, Never use people as a means, but always treat them as an ends(Harris, p.398). Treating the child as a means of saving a sibling, rather than an end in themselves is to create a child which is not done for a selfless reason and therefore unethical. If the child was to find out that this was why they existed, then he/she would certainly have psychological problems as they would always wonder what its life would have been like had they not been born in this way. The problem is of course, that people do conceive children in this way, for means, since the only outcome of creating a saviour sibling is to help someone else. However it is rightly argued against it, that in by saying a childs life would be bad is unfair, since how would anyone be able to know this? Just because they were born under circumstances, does not mean that it would be so. There must be a valid reason for saying this, or be able to at least show why this would be true. And more to the point, how by denying a saviour sibling on ethical terms is more harmful than children dying; it couldnt be that it is worse. As seen here, Psychological research studies have identified that children brought up through assisted reproduction technology have just as close a loving relationship with parentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Harris, p.399). No parent would go through the pain of it just to end up treating the saviour sibling as an object, or in an unmoral way. There would be more love for him/her, and equally no reason to just treat them as an end to suffering, but rather as a blessing in itself that they have a new child to love and one which has helped their other child. No one ever seems to question the motives of people who have children to save failing marriages, or to have a brother or sister for their current childs benefit of having someone to play with. These are surely more trivial reasons, which apparently are more acceptable than those, which save lives. It is wrong to say creating a saviour sibling to save a life is unethical but creating a child for instrumental purposes suiting the parents is ok, it only benefits the parents needs, but a saviour sibling will always benefit everyone. Aside from the views argued, there are further implications. The main consideration is that its unclear as to what should constitute as an unethical reason for having a saviour sibling, and who is to be judge of this. Certainly though, it cant be said that saviour siblings cause parents to pick designer characteristics such as blue eyes and brown hair, since there are regulations in place which would never allow this for this procedure. Freeman states, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦PGD was developed it was envisaged that embryos would be selected for their own intrinsic merit and not for utility to another person (Harris, p.391). This intrinsic merit must be to save a life and live as a healthy child, and not to please the parents by having certain designer features to their future child. Much thought goes into these views, and it would mean that it would be just as much of a thoughtful process for parents. It is never the case that a parent endures the process of saviour sibling creation for characteristic means or to then treat the child as a sole purpose only. There is no moral or ethical equal between a saviour sibling and producing a child for designer reasons, as that would be an insignificant purpose. It is not the done thing by good parents, it is not in their nature and they would not have considered the process had they been uncaring, unethical and non-loving. Parents are hard done by this criticism of not taking into consideration their childs welfare and all possible problems. The benefit of saving a life is always going to surpass reasons of saviour siblings being born as a commodity with no proof of how they will live; it has little substance to the question of it being unethical. I would challenge anyone to deny the views and processes a parent goes thr ough, when their child is dying in front of them, not one reason could be more unethical than not saving a life when it is possible.

Henry Ford :: essays research papers fc

Henry Ford was one of the most important and influential inventors and businessmen in the short history of America. He revolutionized the business world and he changed forever the efficiency of factories around the world. One of the reasons that Henry Ford can be considered such an important man is that his ideas and concepts are still used today. Boron on July 30, in the year of 1863, Henry Ford was the oldest child of the family. His parents, William and Mary Ford, were â€Å"prosperous farmers† in his hometown of Dearborn. While they we’re well off for farmers, Ford certainly wasn’t spoiled and fed from silver spoons. Ford was just like any other typical young boy during the rural nineteenth century. From early on there we’re signs that Henry was going to be something more than a farmer. He looked with interest upon the machinery that his father and himself used for their farming, and looked with disdain at the rigorous chores of a farmer. In the year 1879, Henry being a meager 16 years old, he moved to the city of Detroit where he would work as an apprentice machinist. Henry would remain in Detroit working and learning about all varieties of machines. Although he occasionally came back to visit Dearborn, he mostly stayed in Detroit, picking up more and more valuable knowledge. This apprenticeship allowed him to work in the factories of Detroit and learn what a hard working blue-collar job was like. When he did return to Dearborn he was always tearing apart and rebuilding his fathers machines, along with the dreaded farm chores. Henry Ford was a hard worker and that was proven by him getting fired from one of his jobs in Detroit because the older employees we’re mad at him because he was finishing his repairs in a half hour rather than the usual five hours. Clara Bryant would represent the next step in now twenty-five year old Henry Ford’s life. The two lovers we’re married in 1888 and would endure good times as well as bad. In order to support his new wife Henry was forced to work the land as he ran a sawmill that was given to him by his father. His father actually attempted to bribe Henry to stay in the farming business as he gave him the land only under the condition that he would continue on as a farmer.

George Wells :: essays research papers

Amanda Sullivan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herbert George Wells was born in 1866, in Bromley Kent. He was born into a poor family. His career as an author was fostered by an unfortunate accident as a child. He broke both of his legs and spent the mandatory rest period reading every book he could find. Wells was awarded a school scholarship and furthered his education at the normal school of science in London (discovering authors). It was at the normal school that Wells came under the wing of the famous biologist Thomas H Huxley. Wells was clearly influenced by his studies at the normal school and his interest in Biology (geocities.com). After graduating Wells wrote a biology test book and began submitting fiction to various magazines. Wells’s critical and popular reputation rests primarily on his early work of science fiction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H G Wells gained fame with his first major work The Time Machine in 1895. Soon after the publication of this book, Wells followed with The Island of Dr.Moreau in 1985, The invisible man in 1897, and perhaps his most famous work The war of the worlds in 1898.(Science fiction stories) . These works were enormously popular at the time they appeared, most of them are acknowledged classics of the genre witch continued to be widely read and adapted into the other media (gale research). Wells’s science fiction is also noted for its sophisticated,satire of the author’s own culture and times (geocitites.com). Over the years Wells became concerned with the fate of human society in a world where technology and scientific study were advancing at a rapid pace. For a period of time he was a member of the Fabian Society, which was a group of social philosophers in London (geocities.com). Wells’s later works became less science fiction and more social critique. The accuracy of the science in His works has often been called into question. It is rumored that Wells and the French novelist Jules Verne actually criticized each other’s writings. Wells believed that â€Å"Verne couldn’t write his was out of a paper sack†, and Verne accused Wells of having â€Å"Scientifically implausible ideas† (geocities.com). The science may not be accurate, but the adventure and philosophy in his book makes Wells’s early science fiction fun and fascinating to read. Wells is best known as one of the progenitors of modern science fiction. His pioneering works in this genre foretold such development as chemical warfare, atomic weapons, and world wars (geocities.

Foundation of Christian Thought Applied Essay

If I were to sum up what I have learned from this course it would be focused on Faith and a new understanding of the Bible. Faith is not just part of religion but every aspect of our everyday lives, and is fascinatingly carried through the Bible from the beginning to the end. It began with the Creation, and continued throughout the Fall, Redemption, and Consummation of Christ. It is the foundation of the Christian perspective and what leads God’s people to salvation and good works. Our modern world is so corrosive to faith that Jesus Christ asked, â€Å"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8). He is there to give his people the gift of faith and to help them to grow in living faith that will last forever. â€Å"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. † (Genesis 1:1) In Genesis 1 we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation. God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stops, observes his handiwork and says, â€Å"It was very good. † This is a great example of being a part of God’s creation. Even when I feel unworthy of his pleasure, I have to remember that God made me and is pleased with me. In verse 26, God says, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness †¦ † On the seventh day, God rested. I often wondered if God needed to put in a day of rest for us to follow. I could not imagine God, who can do anything, being tired, but apparently he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in today’s busy, fast-paced world. It seems to have become socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest, yet God knew that there would need to be a time of reenergizing. I thought a good example of this could be when Jesus, spent time alone away from the crowds. This shows that as human beings we need to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits. The Creation story clearly shows that God truly enjoyed himself as he created his masterpiece. As noted previously, he stopped six times to enjoy his accomplishments. If God can stop to enjoy his handiwork, why is it so hard in today’s society to stop and truly take time to feel good about our achievements? Whether it is a job, hobby, or ministry service, if the work is pleasing to God then it should also bring pleasure to the person. When God created man and woman, Adam and Eve, he gave them many beautiful plants and trees to enjoy for food. But He also gave them one tree from which they were not to eat. This was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God’s command to them was that if they ate from that tree they would die. In The Fall of Adam and Eve The Bible says that the Devil entered into a serpent and tempted Eve (Genesis 3:1). He got Eve to doubt God’s Word. Satan told her that God knew that Eve would become enlightened and possess the same knowledge as God had if she ate from the fruit of the tree. This is much like Satan’s temptation within society today. There is constant temptation lurking over peoples whispering that there is no need for God. This is proven by all the violence, lying, murder, war, hatred, and disobedience of the 10 Commandments. The fruit was beautiful and Satan was cunning. Eve fell to the temptation and took the fruit from the forbidden tree. Finding it delicious she took it to Adam. As soon as Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, their lives, and that of all future humanity, changed. They immediately knew they had done wrong. They disobeyed God and would be punished. I can completely relate to this feeling of conscience. It is amazing when I do something wrong, and know that it is wrong, how it sits in the pit of my stomach and eats away at me until I make it right. I believe that that is how it is for people with conscience. That is the soul’s way of notifying an individual that what they are about to do, are doing, or have done is not right in the eyes of God. When God came to visit Adam and Eve in Eden, they tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. Their nakedness was something they had never even noticed before. When they heard God coming they tried to hide from Him. Of course God is all knowing. He was not looking for them because He didn’t know where they were, but because he wanted to give Adam and Eve a chance to return to Him and acknowledge their sin. God spoke with Adam, Eve and the serpent. Each one had a specific punishment from God. Adam was told that his work would be hard and become toilsome (Genesis 3:17-19). The woman would bear children with great pain (Genesis 3:16). The serpent was given the punishment of crawling on the ground and that he would be cursed more than any other creature (Genesis 3:14). God told Adam and Eve in the beginning that they would die on the day they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. One death was immediate; this was that they were spiritually separated from God. However, their physical bodies continued to live, but they would not live forever as God apparently intended. They would become old, sick and die. All three (Adam, Eve and the serpent) were put out of the guard and the curse came not only on them but on the whole world. They no longer had a personal communion with God. This is where faith really has to come into play for me. It is hard to take this all in with no proof, and yet part of me says is that not what faith is, giving one’s total self to God in body, mind, and spirit. I have to be able to trust in Him wholly. This is where I need to truly work on â€Å"letting go and letting God†. After the Fall there was Redemption. â€Å"Redemption is being set free from slavery to one’s own sinful nature, slavery to the pressures of the culture which is under the spirit of this present evil age, and slavery to principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in the high places. † When Cain became angry that the offering he had brought to the Lord did not have the same response as the offering of his brother Abel, God spoke directly to him warning him (Gen 4:6-7) that †¦ sin is crouching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it’ What I feel this is saying is that sin is almost like a wild animal, waiting at the door of Cain’s life, and that it needs to be tamed and mastered. In comparison to society for all generation, this is something that is yet to be mastered. The same is true today as it was all those years ago; when an individual finds them self in a situation where they get angry because one person has more than they do, the normal reaction is to plot to ‘put down’ the other. On some occasions this even leads to murder. There is a freedom of choice in every sin committed. Even though human beings have the resources to take authority over sin; we often choose to submit our will to it and become its slave. ‘If you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness’ (Rom 6:16). As Christians, we have a belief system and a life that is based upon even some laws and regulations that are Biblical. Even people who have never read the Bible and do not therefore know what God has said; have a ‘morality’ that they like to think that they live up to, but often fall short. I feel that Paul says it best in Romans 3:23 ‘†¦ all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ and that in Rom 3:9‘†¦ we are all under the power of sin. ’ As a human being, our greatest problem is not that we are living in captivity but that we will not accept that we are in captivity. Human beings need to face up to the reality of their dilemma and not to rely upon any false hopes or ideals. Some people rely on doing good in hopes that somehow their good deeds may outweigh the evil they do, but all such arguments are lacking in a recognition of individual human responsibility, and lacking in a dependence upon the work of Christ. The dilemma, then, is not just that we subject to the bondage of sin, but that it is necessary to acknowledge it before Christ who is able to minister redemption. Jesus died on the cross for us. The penalty of sin, under the Law, is both spiritual and physical death. Jesus took that death upon Himself, paying the price for our freedom. Jesus gave His life. Mark 10:45 says ‘†¦ the Son of man came†¦ to give His life as a ransom for many’. Jesus had nothing else to give us but Himself. He is both our ransom and our Redeemer and, more than this, redemption is only found in Him even though we may try and find it elsewhere and in different people who now exist or who have existed throughout history (Rom 3:23-24, Acts 4:12). Because Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the Law by taking the penalty upon Himself, we can be free to look forward to the day of our death because our sin has been dealt with. Although Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for his people, it is still an ongoing task trying to figure out why individuals still behave as they do. The early chapters of Genesis helps to explain why individuals behave as they do, and to understand how we should act so as to please God. The subject of Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5:21-33 is that of submission in the context of marriage. Paul’s instructions here create a head-on collision with the beliefs and practices of our culture. Paul’s instructions are written off as the ranting of an ancient male chauvinist. It is one thing for the unbelieving world to reject Paul’s instructions; it is quite another for Christians to do so. Many Christians refuse to take Paul’s words seriously; even some of those who profess to take the Scriptures at face value, try to â€Å"tip toe† past certain passages in order to avoid the stigma of professing and practicing its teaching. Some individuals claim that they have not taken Paul’s words seriously out of ignorance. Unknowingly, they believe Paul’s teaching to be a mere reflection of his culture, and not a timeless teaching, independent of the culture of that day, and of our own. I believe most Christians fail to understand the responsibilities of Christian husbands and wives in the light of the biblical basis which underlies and necessitates them. For example, The Lord’s Supper is one of the two ordinances our Lord has given to His church in this age. As Christians we are to regularly remember the Lord’s death at communion and the New Testament church devoted itself to a regular observance of it. What if someone were to suggest that this was merely an ancient celebration, applicable and meaningful only to the saints of days gone by, instead of preserving this ancient ceremony, they tell us, let us do something more meaningful, more enjoyable, and more relevant to our culture. What if they suggest having an ice cream and pie supper? Would our unsaved friends be more likely to attend? Would people find it more beneficial? As Christians we must be able to stand up for our faith and explain that we cannot set aside that which our Lord has instituted and which His church has continued to practice, from New Testament days onward. We should also point out that the bread and the wine of communion are symbols, symbols of our Lord’s sacrificial death for sinners. If we were to change these symbols radically, we could not do so without modifying the symbolism. Chocolate syrup might taste delicious on vanilla ice cream, but it would hardly replace the wine as the symbol for Christ’s shed blood. Like communion, marriage is a divine institution. Christian marriage has certain commitments, obligations and duties which are symbolic. The roles which God has given to a Christian husband and his wife are intended to symbolize and represent a greater, more fundamental reality. While marriage is temporal, the reality which is symbolizes is eternal; and thus we cannot understand the importance of the duties of the husband or the wife without grasping the reality which Christian marriage is to symbolically communicate. This fundamental reality which underlies and explains the attitudes and conduct of a man and his wife in marriage is the relationship of Jesus Christ to His church. This relationship was not understood clearly in Old Testament times; even Paul found it to be a mystery. The symbolism of marriage can only be understood in the light of the substance on which a Christian marriage is based: the mystery of Christ’s relationship to His church. Out of all the messages in the Bible, the view of consummation and marriage is what I struggle with the most. In Genesis chapter 2, God created Adam. Adam was given the task of naming all of the animals God had made. As they passed by two by two it became apparent that every male animal had its female counterpart. Adam was conspicuous as the only creature without a corresponding mate. I believe that by this means God created a yearning in Adam for a mate of his own. God provided her, but she was not like any other creature, in that she was not made from the dust of the earth; she was created instead from Adam’s flesh and bones. God created the woman as Adam’s partner, fashioning her to correspond to him in every way. God then brought the woman to Adam, and presented her to him as his wife. Adam joyfully responded, â€Å"This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man† (Genesis 2:23). As creation’s first husband and wife, Adam and Eve symbolized by the marriage the unity of Christ and His church which would be achieved at the cross of Calvary, centuries later. While reading Ephesians, Paul says â€Å"Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. † As I read on Paul explains in verse 23 how our Lord is the Head of His church, He is the â€Å"Savior of the body†. I understood this to mean that, the headship of Christ is evident in the salvation which He accomplished at Calvary. (Ephesians 5:21-33) In the early chapters of Ephesians, Paul spoke much more about our salvation in Christ, but he laid the foundation for Christ as the head of His church as its Consummation by teaching that all of history is being divinely directed toward the goal of â€Å"summing up all things in Christ† (Ephesians 1:10). In Genesis 2:24 Moses instructs us that when a man and a woman come together in marriage, the man is to leave his mother and father and to unite his wife, to become one flesh. While there may be practical benefits to a man leaving his parents and bonding to his wife, Moses does not bother to mention them. His words indicate that there is one fundamental reason. The Bible says that the fundamental and primary union evident in the marriage of Adam and Eve is to be reflected in every subsequent marriage, to symbolize the union of Christ and His church. Because God created Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from Adam’s flesh and bone; they began as one flesh through the creation of Eve. This union was also to become evident in their sexual union and in the bearing of children, but the first marriage on earth began with only one relationship, a man and his wife. This husband-wife relationship, Moses indicated, is the primary one, and the parent-child relationship is secondary. When President Obama announced he now supports same-sex marriage, he cited his Christian faith. â€Å"The thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know; treat others the way you would want to be treated,† he said in his interview with ABC News. I think when Christians at large talk about gay marriage, they are missing the point. The point is not that gay people want to take away other people’s right to get married. The whole struggle is really centered around the desire to be allowed in, to be able to participate in this ritualistic display of how much love the human heart can hold. It is about the basic right to choose who you want to spend forever with, and to have that celebrated by family and friends. Freedom of religion is a great thing, but since when did our ability to choose how or what we worship translate into our ability to dictate to others that they must conform to our chosen lifestyle, and that they must obey the rules of our personal faith? I find it rather alarming just how many laws are drifting to the top of legislation, laws that propose the outright imposition of one section of one religion’s believers on the entirety of the population. What is even more alarming to me is how many Christians seem completely okay with this blatant show of force. It is true that we are allowed to believe whatever we want to believe in. It is also true that we are able to express those beliefs freely. Just as the human heart has the capacity to hold so much love, it seems to have the ability to brim full of just as much hate. When we disregard the claims of others to rights do we fully enjoy ourselves, simply because we adopt a â€Å"normative† sexual preference? That is when we find that we are no better than all the people we have learned about in history classes in school who denied the rights they enjoyed to those who were not in the majority with them. It is not about whether or not it is right or wrong to be gay. What matters is when Christians begin to be okay with forcing someone else to follow the scripture, when it may not be something they are ready for or interested in. If Christians want to claim the freedom to speak our religion, and to choose our opinions, we cannot do so while denying others that same right. Christians come out in droves to protest whenever they feel their right to be a Christian is being threatened. I believe that if the Christian community were at large to have one of their basic civil rights legislated against, voted against by non-Christians, there would be a wave of outrage like this country has never seen. With a marriage license comes so many other benefits such as; taxes, home ownership, joint bank accounts, insurance policies, the decision to take a partner off life support, and being allowed in their hospital room after surgery. These are the kind of things that piece of paper can grant, and they are the kinds of things we take for granted. I believe that everyone deserves to be with someone who will cherish them as much as God cherishes us. God made man and woman in his image. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, and sometimes in the words of John Lennon, maybe â€Å"All you need is Love†.