Forgiveness and Mercy in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure Essay Example

Forgiveness and Mercy in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure Essay Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare is an intense and passionate play that deals with the issues of forgiveness and mercy, the way in which people judge each other, and the way in which they feel they should be judged. The characters within this play all seem to understand and even desire forgiveness, which in their Renaissance society would have been extremely important to them because of their Christian beliefs; however, when the characters’ words are analyzed, do they truly feel that they desire and even deserve forgiveness? Within the character of Isabel the reader is able to truly delve into this issue and try to understand what forgiveness really means in Measure for Measure and what Shakespeare was trying to say with his work. The main theme of Measure for Measure is clearly stated in its title alone and by the end of the play it is clear that the title represents the fact that in order for one thing to be atoned, another thing must be given in full measure. For example, the old eye for an eye idea that we must judge according to one’s sins and only give forgiveness as befits their sin. At the end of the play, when the Duke has re-established his place on the throne, he speaks to Angelo when he is condemning him, saying, An Angelo for Claudio, death for death./ Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; / Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure (V, i, 414-16). Yet, even at the end Angelo is forgiven by the Duke and the moral center of the play is that of Christian forgiveness, which makes its most profound impact on the audience. We will write a custom essay sample on Forgiveness and Mercy in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Forgiveness and Mercy in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Forgiveness and Mercy in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The character of Isabel is not as easily viewed in the play as someone requiring forgiveness. At first glance, she is one-dimensional to some eyes because she is incredibly pious, almost a caricature of what we would expect a young, innocent convent girl to be during the Renaissance. She becomes, however, the very avenue by which the play moves its theme along. Isabel represents ideals and beliefs that cannot be changed, and more importantly, is the one person that asks to pardon Angelo, despite the fact he had tried to kill her brother Claudio. Isabel shows her unfaltering righteousness throughout the play but most importantly in the one moment where she refuses to give up her chastity to Angelo in order save her brother. To her, giving up her life is far better than giving up her virginity, because she has put a greater worth on her morals than on her life. â€Å"‘As much for my poor brother as myself/ And strip myself to death, as to a bed/ The impression of keen whips Iâ⠂¬â„¢ld wear as rubies/ That longing have been sick for, er I’ld/ My body up to shame’†(II, iv, 98-105). In this speech to Angelo, Isabel is saying that she would rather strip down to nothing and let him whip her, or even give her life for that of her brother’s. Her ability to separate her faithfulness to her religion from her faithfulness to her brother is amazing, given the circumstances. Despite the nobility and strength which Isabel shows during her interaction with Angelo, the man who holds the life of her beloved brother in his hands, she falters slightly when she has to face her brother. The old Duke would never have condemned Claudio to such a fate as death for his sin; Angelo did so without a second thought. This is just another example of how Shakespeare is showing the theme of forgiveness given and forgiveness received. When Isabel visits Claudio she is shocked to see that her brother would rather see her shame herself by giving in to Angelo’s passions in order to save him from death. â€Å"Sweet sister, Let me live/ What sin you do to save a brother’s life/ Nature dispenses with the deed so far/ That it becomes a virtue† (III, i, 134-137). Claudio’s view of sin and judgment is clear in his desperation to save his own life. Isabel believes that she does not desire nor deserve that type of forgiveness, and this becomes clear in her response to her brother: O you beast! O faithless coward! O dishonest wretch!/ Wilt thou be made a man out of my vice?/ Is’t not a kind of incest, to take life/ From thy own sister’s shame?/   (III, I, 135-138). The problem with Isabel seems to lie in the fact that she is not doing things strictly out of the need to do good, but simply her desire to not do something wrong. In being righteous, Isabel ends up letting herself ignore what is truly important, which is her connection to her brother and the life of someone. To the reader, Isabel’s speeches come across as strong and resolved but truthfully, she is simply frightened to make her own decisions. Isabel’s one fault is that she needs the consent of someone else in order to do absolutely anything and that is why she has sought the safety of a convent. Isabel is not so poor she needs to join a convent to have a roof over her head and food on the table, and is beautiful enough that she could find a husband. Early in the play Isabel makes the comment to one of the nuns at her convent that shows us what her motive for being in a convent really is: â€Å"Yes, truly; I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict r estraint/ Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare† (I, v, 3). What is being said between the lines, both to her brother and to the superior at her convent, is that her piety is a result of her fear of making a decision. She hides behind the convent walls because she is not willing to take credit for her own decisions. The conversations between Isabel and the Duke, who is in disguise as a man of God, show her one weakness more than anything else: her inability to go against the Church’s wishes. As long as the Duke, posing as the voice of the Church, tells her to do something she is willing and able to do so. Isabel requires boundaries to dictate her life. â€Å"Let me hear you speak farther/ I have spirit to do anything that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit (III, ii, 212-214). The one need that Isabel demands is that of knowing exactly what is good and what is wrong, because somehow she is not able to determine the difference on her own, without the presence of boundaries and restrictions from an outside source. As the play winds to an end, it becomes evident that the moral that Shakespeare was trying to put across to his audience rests most especially in the character of Isabel. She represents, to the untrained eye at the beginning of the play, the one that is righteous and the one that exemplifies what is good, but by the end it is apparent that Isabel represents everything wrong with the Church and the people who adhered to its strict policies. Isabel is judgmental, plain and simple, and unable to see her own sin, but more than able to see the sin of others with clarity and without any sort of mercy or compassion. She feels that since her brother is at risk of losing his head because of the sin of fornication, he deserves whatever he gets. She sees the sin of Angelo as being nothing short as pure evil. She lets another, namely Mariana, go to Angelo’s bed and give up her chastity but refuses to do so herself. To protect her own physical purity, she gives up her spiritual purity. The Duke recognizes this in her and at the end strives to make a point to her about her own view of forgiveness. At the end of the play Isabel begs the Duke for forgiveness for her own sins, â€Å" O, give me pardon,/ That I, your vassal have employ’d and pain’d/ Your Unknown sovereignty! (V, i, 391-393)†. Yet she seems unable to receive this mercy because of her shame over not saving her brother. She was the cowardly one. The play comes full circle as the one character that represented a twisted sense of forgiveness becomes the character that learns how to forgive. Isabel begs the Duke to forgive Angelo his sins, knowing that she too has sinned and recognizing that in herself. At the end, the true strength that she acquires by learning to forgive others as the Duke forgives and brings her to a place where she is able to give up her need for the walls of the convent to protect her. She is also able to accept the Duke as her husband. She has found true righteousness and piety by finding mercy and compassion within herself, and recognizing her own need for forgiveness. The idea of forgiveness and sin is dealt with beautifully in this play. Shakespeare uses the emotions and ideals of all of the characters to make a point about the way that mercy contributes to humankind’s success, or lack of it. One of the most beautiful quotes from the play comes from a character with a very small part, Juliet, who is carrying the illegitimate child of Claudio. Juliet says, â€Å"I do repent me, as it is an evil/ And take the shame with the joy† (II, ii, 34-35). Juliet understands the full truth of sin: everyone sins and yet they need to take on the consequences of that sin and sometimes experience the joy of it as well. She sees the child she carries as a joy, the love she felt for Claudio as a joy. She realizes the sin and understands that she must take the consequences of it upon herself but in her mind, she is not entirely regretful of it. She is not remorseful because of her condition. Measure for Measure is a complex play that gives the reader a true lesson in morality and the main themes of forgiveness and mercy. In Isabel, we see the full circle of what can happen when one does not accept, as Juliet did, the joy with the shame. She is not truly happy or truly good until she can accept the mercy that is given to her. If no one sins, no one is capable of forgiving others’ sins, and therefore she is not truly righteous until she sins and learns the ability of compassion. This is the true theme of Shakespeare’s work and the beauty of its message.

Answers to Questions About Plurals #2

Answers to Questions About Plurals #2 Answers to Questions About Plurals #2 Answers to Questions About Plurals #2 By Mark Nichol Here are DailyWritingTips.com readers’ queries about plural usage, and my responses. 1. I am working on a book about the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship, and the author has used MIL and DIL throughout to abbreviate. But the plural forms of those terms are mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, so what are the plural forms of the abbreviations? The author uses MILs and DILs, but that style incorrectly implies that the plural falls at the end of the compound noun (mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws.) Should the abbreviations be MsIL and DsIL? Mother-in-law and similar constructions include what’s called a postpositive adjective, in which an adjective follows the noun it modifies. (The second words in â€Å"attorney general† and â€Å"accounts payable† are also postpositive adjectives.) In abbreviations of such terms, ignore the position of the plural form, and attach the s at the end, or omit it altogether. For example, â€Å"attorneys general† is abbreviated AGs, not AsG, and â€Å"accounts payable† is abbreviated APs, not AsP. If you’re going to abbreviate mothers-in-law, MILs is the way to go. 2. Our team mascot is a wildcat, so I would expect people to use Wildcats when talking about the school teams in general. Is there a rule for singular or plural use when identifying a specific organization, as in â€Å"We are the Wildcats† or â€Å"This is the Wildcat football program†? Team mascot names should be treated as plurals except when, as in the case of Stanford University’s Cardinal (not Cardinals) ugh the name is singular: â€Å"The Wildcats are undefeated this season.† The program should also be referred to in the plural form: â€Å"This is the Wildcats football program†; the only instance in which the singular form is used is when referring to an individual player, as in â€Å"John Smith was a Wildcat when the team won the state championship.† 3. When someone says, â€Å"He only answers with yesses and nos,† is that the correct way to spell the responses? Also, do I need to put each word in quotations? I could revise to â€Å"He only answers with yes or no,† but what if I have to record the statement verbatim? Write, â€Å"He only answers with yeses and nos† no internal quotation marks. (Technically, only should follow answers, but this is a transcription.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Taser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

Issues Faced by Oreedoo Telecommunications Essay

Issues Faced by Oreedoo Telecommunications - Essay Example This paper illustrates that although being one of the largest organizations in its domestic marketplace, Oreedoo Telecommunications is not the biggest market shareholder. The biggest competitor of Oreedo is Omantel. Omantel is also one of the most influential companies in its concerned marketplace. It has set up connections with various influential people and already developed a considerable customer base. Apart from competition, Oreedoo is also facing other challenges related to the regulations of the market and internal problems associated with their talent and employee management. Oreedoo is finding it hard to manage their human resource elements as the employee base is not steady and the employee turnover rate is high. Furthermore, although Oreedoo has acquired the resources for pursuing their strategic objectives, limited employee base in causing barriers to the process. As observed in the given case study of Oreedoo Telecommunications, the company is trying to establish itself in the communications industry of Oman but is facing some critical problems in doing so. The first issue noted was the immense competition faced by the established player such as Omantel. Being one of the early entrants in the communications segment of Oman, Omantel has been able to acquire a large consumer base and have also established relationships with influential and well-positioned individuals. This also focuses on another critical barrier for Oreedoo Telecommunications which is the underdeveloped legal and regulatory structure of the communications segment of Oman. Because of limited regulatory functions in the industry, the manipulation of the legal framework is high. It can be mentioned here that the telecommunications industry of Oman is yet underdeveloped and does not have an appropriate governing body.

Global warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Global warming - Essay Example Even though, many science-veterans construe to the fact that an augmentation in the emissions may tend to result in further global warming, various ambiguities stay about the timing and criticalness of the consequential climatic transformation. However, many other science-veterans are induced about the fact that the activities which are performed by humans are partially held responsible for the long period warming of the past epoch. Moreover, they also believe that the climatic transformations which are a result of the increment in the greenhouse gases will continue to be a part of our future (White Paper [1], 2002). They also suppose that there are adequate confirmations to assure a considerable approach towards reducing the substantial results of global warming. Significantly, too often, we misapprehend Global Warming as Ozone Depletion which is all the more different. Whilst, Ozone depletion refers to the tapering of the ozone layer in the stratosphere extending approximately between nine to thirty-one miles above the surface of the earth, Global Warming refers to an increment in the earth’s standard temperature. Science-veterans are quite sure about the green-house effect. They are fully cognizant of the fact that green-house gases make the earth warmer by means of entrapping the heat in the atmosphere. On the other hand, climatic transformations are the ling-term standards of a region’s events of weather that are humped collaboratively. As per the views of Schneider, the green-house effect and global warming have evolved from academia and government organizations to blend with the prominent chores (Schneider, 1990). Climatic transformations delineate a change in the

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example According to Collins (2001), a Level 5 Leadership style is utilized by diverse organizations in order to fabricate enduring prominence through a paradoxical merge of individual humility and proficient will. These are certain inherent qualities of an individual which are essential to improve the condition of an organization in this modern era. In addition, in order to sustain in the age of globalization and industrialization, level 5 leaders are always significant to any organization. It paves the path of an organization to become excellent from the position of best among others in the market. Moreover, Collins also observed that along with organizational transformation, the employees are also undergoing certain specific alterations in order to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. This would augment to enhance organizational as well as employee productivity (Collins, 2001, pp.17). Apart from these, level 5 leadership style also deals with recruitment of accurate employees in order to enhance the image and the position of an organization in the marketplace. As the employees or workers are fundamental sources of an organization, exact enrollment is very vital. This is because it is the employees who are primarily responsible for the betterment of the organization in the long run. Furthermore, apposite environmental culture is also the other essential ingredient responsible for organizational success as well as a prime objective of ‘level 5 leadership style’. ... As the employees or workers are fundamental sources of an organization, exact enrollment is very vital. This is because it is the employees who are primarily responsible for the betterment of the organization in the long run. Furthermore, apposite environmental culture is also the other essential ingredient responsible for organizational success as well as a prime objective of ‘level 5 leadership style’. A uniform organizational culture can provide consistency and stability among the workers thereby improving the morale and the satisfaction towards work (Collins, 2001, pp. 17). Thus, in order to maintain a pleasant environmental culture, it is essential for level 5 leaders to be modest, determined, to have fierce tenacity, communication ability, motivational ability and propensity to offer recognition to other co-members. Apart from these, the level 5 leaders should also incorporate honesty, humility, ambition and strong will-power in order to resolve any problem. Moreov er, level 5 leaders always attempt to work for the organizational benefits rather than personal ones. Thus, the above discussed characteristics of level 5 leaders help to enhance the growth and development of an organization in the long run (Collins, 2001). Level 5 leadership style is different from other prevalent leadership styles. This is because in authoritative leadership style, the leaders force the members to follow their guidelines or regulations while resolving any problem whereas in case of participative leadership styles, mutual discussion is taken in order to solve any dilemma. The other important leadership style followed in many organizations is

Strategic Planning: Sony Corporation

Strategic Planning: Sony Corporation Strategy planning concern the future it is the process of obtaining the goals set by the management for the company in for the future and how they can be achieve. Strategic planning process its a wide process which looks at the wider picture and usually its flexible when it comes to achievement of goals for the organization the process developed some goals for middle level and lover level management to achieved and works on the strategic plans for the future based on the achievement of the goals set for the middle and lover management in short it can be say that strategic planning is the planning of the future for the company. Based on the above definition the company of Sony will be look with regards to its strategic planning in the past, current and future. Sony:- Sony its a Japanese company which has its headquarter based in Minato. It is one of the largest electronic product manufacturers in the world. The company Sony has many products in the market from electronic appliances for home to mobile phones and play stations which is used by many people around the world, the company has established itself in the markets of all continents whether is America or Asia, Sonys products are used by many consumers with a confidence in them. For the purpose of this assignment the strategies of Sony will be discussed which were used by the company in the past and with regards to that the current strategies will be look and based on the analysis of past and current strategies the future strategies will be identified. 1990 to 2000:- Sony always tries to differentiate its products from the competitors and provide its customers with latest technology from CD players to mobile phones the strategy at this stage of Sony was to provide its customers with over the top technologies . The company use many strategies to make success some of them were successful and some were not the company was also subject to some restructuring as a part of its strategy by looking at the company restructuring processes over the years in this period it can be seen that the company Sony was not to the mark when choosing its strategies the company has to change the strategies quite number of times at the time in 90s the strategy of Sony seems like working with different strategies and see which one is working for them. In 1993 Sony introduced its customers with Mini Disc format which was an alternative to Philips Digital Compact Cassette after this introduction the company adopt the strategy to promote its own audio compression technologies under the brand name of ATRAC it was an attempt to go against the widely used format of MP3 at that time and beside that Sony also try to challenge the industry standard Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound format with its newer and more advance sound format called SDDS (Sony Dynamite Digital Sound) while the Dolby Digital was proving six audio channels at that time Sony Dynamite Digital Sound provide its customers with 8 channels of audio. This new format of Sony also had the feature of providing the users of the system a backup system using having mirrors arrays of bit on both side of the film which provide reliability to the users if the film get damage on one side it became an instant hit among the customers but after a few years it was not in that much demand due to being overshadowed by the home theatre system of Dolby Digital 5.1 system which reduces the sale of Sony systems but at that time Sony did nothing to compete with the system with its own home theatre system which was design to sale in the motion picture industry. In 1998 Sony introduce its memory stick format flesh memory cards to be use in Sonys digital cameras and portable music players which was on the format on SD card format which was adopt many competitors in the industry, it provide the users an opportunity to save their data on those memory sticks and can save up to 1000 pictures and songs on that small device it grow popular among the people at that time and its still widely used in many products this was the result of Sony strategic planning which always focuses on providing the customers latest technologies so the customers preferred the company more than the competitors, Sony also work with other manufacturer such as Philips in developing or working on new products and by doing this the company was able to grow in the industry. Despite the success in Sony planning the company was subject to many restructuring due to change in policy and some of the strategies not working and resulting in a loss the problem can be seen that at that time the planning of Sony was very aggressive and the company was trying to grow its market share fast which result in some plan getting failed inconsistency can be another reason in the planning of Sony because the world of music and electronics devices change rapidly everyday and every other month new products come into the market making the old one unwanted, while the competitors were developing new technologies whether its in MPÂ £ player or home theatre systems Sony did not tried to compete with them with updating their current product at that time. 2000 to 2010:- Over the years from 2000 to 2010 Sony developed many products which can be widely seen in the market and most of them are dominating the market now some of the products are Blue Ray Discs:- The blue ray discs by Sony are a popular product and it is now widely used by many people whether it is in movies or games the introduction of blue ray DVDS allowed the users to enjoyed the movies in better qualities and it has more data storage capacity than normal DVDs . The introduction of blue ray discs help Sony to captured the market from Toshiba HD TVS and due to that the company Sony was able to have increased its market share compare to the competitor Toshiba. Sony Vaio:- Sony introduces its range of laptops under the name of Sony Vaio which is a stylish laptop and come under many colours, Sony spend lots of its money on the marketing of the laptop which like all the other products of Sony became an instant hit and even today many people like to prefer Sony Vaio over the laptops of its competitors such as Toshiba and Acer due to the features it provides and also due to its stylish looks. In August 2006 Sony and Dell had to recall many batteries due to being sued by a couple in April over exploding laptop batteries which were result to overheating and overpower. Sony admitted the batteries had some flaws which could result in batteries overheating and catching fire it affected the reputation of Sony badly and many of the other laptop manufacturers such as Acer and Toshiba had to send back the batteries they bought from Sony and also considered to ask for compensation as it was also claimed by a Japanese newspaper that Sony was aware of the flaw in battery and did not do anything to prevent it or to study the problem fully. Play Station:- The first play station was release by Sony in 1994 to compete against other gaming console in the market and it provide the gamers an opportunity to enjoy the games at better quality and better sound and the gamer enjoyed it. In 2006 Sony release play station 2 which was more updated and has many better feature than play station 1 it was an attempt to compete with other competitors in the market which were Microsofts Xbox live and Nintendos WII later on the Sony introduced play station 3 with much more graphics and better gaming experience for the gamers Sony also has developed the play station 3 can be used to access internet and to play blue ray movies and just like Nintendo WII it provide the gamers an interactive experience when playing the games and this has been a huge part of the console success. Mobile Phones:- Sony also has its own brand of mobile phones which were used widely mainly in Asia and the company also introduced the first mobile phone with 12 mega pixel camera in it beside that Sony also introduce one of its famous walkman mobile phone lines which were W11i and W880i in 2007 and 2008 and they had a music system build in it and were also provide the customers a chance to connect to the internet while listening to their favourite music the product was an instant hit and Sony also spend well plan time on its marketing campaign and use celebrities in their adverts which attract many customers and the Sony Ericson phones were used by many music lovers. Current Strategies Of Sony:- After discussing the past strategies of Sony it can be seen that the company emphasis on providing the customers with best technologies and marketing its products efficiently but they did had some fail strategy in the past as well it effects its reputation. Besides, in order to regain Sonys competitive advantages, they appoint the first foreign chairman, Howard Stringer to head the company with the aim to secure Sonys main ground and hope that an outsider will assist Sony to think outside the box. As Hamel Prahalad (1994) suggest, intellectual leadership are essential to develop industry foresight, anticipating which trends are likely to emerge, so it is important to build Sonys new core competence to shape the industry. However, Priem and Butler (2001) have shown that the Resources Based View, as currently constituted, contains a theory of sustainability but not a theory of competitive advantage (i.e., value creation).They argue that simply advising practitioners to obtain rare and valuable resources in order to achieve competitive advantages and, further that those resources should be hard to imitate and non-substitutable is not very helpful in providing practical help (Johnson et al, 2005: p155). After all the fail strategies and their affects on Sonys reputation the company now working on developing the reputation for that purpose Sony employed chairman from their own country Japan and also a foreigner chairman to make their strategies work. In the current weaknesses of Sony it can be seen that they had problems with their management and leadership styles which were more concern about getting the tasks done instead of defining the ways for the teams to how to obtain the tasks and what resources should be used. In order to understand the current business strategy of Sony it will be wise to look at their corporate statement which state Our companies are known for creating products that enrich peoples lives. Through Sony Corporation of America and its operating companies Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment we are also dedicated to improving peoples lives. Our commitment extends to helping local communities, fostering better educational systems, funding research to cure devastating diseases, supporting the arts and culture, helping disadvantaged youth, protecting and improving the environment and actively encouraging employee volunteerism.(http://www.sony.com/SCA/philanthropy.shtml) After looking at the statement it can be seen that Sony Current strategies are not only based on providing the customers with best products but also it include building the reputation back which was affected in the past due to the poor strategic choices made by them. Sony is also working on working on the green environment and providing the customers not only equipments which provide them best musical or gaming experience but also which are environmental friendly to play it part in making the world a green world and being giving the customers the image of the social responsibility of the company and building its reputation back which has been damage due to all the bad strategic choices made by the company management in the past. Sony Future Strategies:- Upon looking at the past of Sony it can be seen that the reason of the failure of strategies was that they were not properly planned and implement the resources were not fully utilized by Sony up to their full capacity as for any company it is very important for its efficiency that the resources should be utlizied up to maximum capacity as Priem and Butler (2001) have shown that the Resources Based View, as currently constituted, contains a theory of sustainability but not a theory of competitive advantage (i.e., value creation).They argue that simply advising practitioners to obtain rare and valuable resources in order to achieve competitive advantages and, further that those resources should be hard to imitate and non-substitutable is not very helpful in providing practical help (Johnson et al, 2005: p155). The strategies that should be utilized in the future by Sony should be of following: Competitive Positioning:- Sony has a establish brand name in the market which cannot be denied and everyone knows about the brand and products of Sony but the company did not utilized their brand name fully due to miss planning for example when the home theatre system was introduce and became popular many people were using Sonys products but they switch to the new system because Sony did not do anything to develop their own home theatre system for their customers which lead the customers to switch to another company therefore the main priority involve is to update their systems and products up to the expectations of the customers and they should work on the strategy to develop the products with competitive advantage in their mind the product should be of the nature that provide better features to the customers than the competitors just like Sony did with their mobile phones when Samsung introduce a 8 mega pixel camera Sony Ericson introduce a mobile phone with 12 mega pixel camera and also it has introduce sm art phones for the customers as well which are widely used all over the world this strategy should be continued by Sony. Build Better Market:- Sony needs to understand that it has to not only maintain its current position in the market but also expand its share in the market as Finlay (2000; p11) suggest that organization alter itself and the products and services it offers in order to match the needs of customers in its chosen marketplace which is a market-based approach, so called because the organization looks to the marketplace to see how it should act and how it should evolve. Besides, based on the environmental factors, Mintzberg et al (1998) developed the environmental school which argue people in strategic management must consider the range of decisional powers available, given the forces and demands of the external context. Sony insufficient in responding to the external market had caused them to lost ground in key growing areas and their strategy must be able to cope with the external environment. SWOT Analysis:- Swot analysis provide and wider picture to the company about its current strengths and weakness which relates to the internal environment of the company and give a better understanding that what is required to be done and with the analysis of the external environment of the company it helps in indentify what are the opportunities and threats available to the company and how they can be use for the betterment of the company. By using swot analysis the following have been identified. Strengths:- Sony has the following strengths, Sony has a strong brand name which is globally recognisable. Sony develop the products which are future base which attract more customers to buy the products thus increase in sale. Sony has strong customers based who use Sonys products all the time from music systems to mobile phones. They have top level management and expert chairman now which can guide the company towards success in the future. Sony has always been consider the leader in technology and present the products in the past which have attract many customers to the company. They have motivated staff which works for them all the time to develop new products and improve the current one the company is offering. Weaknesses:- Just like the strengths Sony has the following weaknesses which needs to be overcome to made the company more profitable, Sony has shown in the past the company is inconsistent in its planning and do not do anything to tackle the competitors products. The company has been subject to many capitals structuring in the past. The industry is rapid in nature and can change at any moment. The management has been inconsistent as well. Opportunities:- Its a rapidly growing industry which means Sony has changes to grow much further in the industry. Sony has the team to develop new products and update their existing ones as well to capture more share of the market. They have a strong customer based all over the world which means Sony can increase it sell in all over the world if they overcome their weaknesses. Threats:- Just like Sony the competitors in the market are also well establish and have strong customer based in order to get the customers from them Sony has to improve its product much more. With the losses the company suffer for the last few years may cause the investors think twice before investing into Sonys new projects. The world of technology is always changing which means Sony has to work on developing futuristic products and keep on updating the old one to meet the customers demand and to survive in the market. Recommendations for Sony:- As it can be seen from the past and present of Sonys that the company emphasis more on developing the products and not on going head to head with the competition which result in the competition getting the most of the market while Sony has the technology the company lack of strategic planning and more over lack of control over the activities result in the company losing its customers due to the controversies from the sue on batteries to customers blaming Sony to promoting spam mails using the play station website. All this effected the reputation of the company now Sony needs to rebuild the reputation by not only doing what they do best which is providing the customers the best products in term of technology but also they need to build a strategic plan to overcome all the obstacles the company face in the past. Sony now needs to employ a team of managers who can look after their business well and also needs to monitor and control their performances as it was the bad management decision which affected the company and the company should made all their plan with keeping the future in mind in short the company needs to work with consistency in their operation and should also need to have a backup plan just in case the first plan fail for example when the company was sued for the batteries fault Sony should have tested the batteries fully and as it was reported that the company was aware of the fault in batteries than Sony should have tested the batteries properly and should have look for ways to overcome that fault same goes with the home theatre system Sony should have come up with a way to compete with it instead of just leaving the way it was, this were the faults or mistake which result in Sonys strategic failure and in order to build the company position more strong this faults should not be repeated and all the plan should be made after going through with every details about them and any fault should be identified and ratify at the initial stage and in the same manner every move of the competitors should be though about and a counter plan should be ready for it by doing this Sony can not only captured more market but can also be the market leader. Sources:- Bowman, C. Asch, D. (1996), Managing Strategy, MacMillan. Â · DeWit, B. Meyer, R. (2004), Strategy: Process, Content, Context,3rd Edition, Thomson International Business Press. Â · Finlay, P. (2000), Strategic Management: An introduction to business and corporate strategy, Prentice Hall. Â · Hamel, G. Prahalad, C.K. (1994), Competing for future, Harvard Business School Press. Barney, J. B. (1991), Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage, Journal of Management, Vol. 17, No. 1, p99-120. Â · Barney, J. B. (2001), Is the resource-based view a useful perspective for strategic management research? Yes, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 26, No. 1, p41-56. Â · Hamel, G. Prahalad, C.K. (1990), Capabilities-Based Competition, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 70, No. 3. Â · Hamel, G. Prahalad, C.K. (1990), The core competence of the corporation, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 68, No. 3, p79-91. Â · Hodgson, G.M. (1998), Evolutionary and competence-based theories of the firm, Journal of Economic Studies, Vol. 25, No, 1, p25-56. Â · Markides, C. (2004), What is strategy and how do you know if you have one?, Business Strategy Review, Vol. 15, No. 2, p5-12.

Use of Disquietude and Pleasure in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Use of Disquietude and Pleasure in Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   At the very core of   Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus the King, lies emotional confusion. Sophocles purposely creates within his readers this sense of emotional confusion and self-awareness through his use of both disquietude and pleasure.      When he grows up, unknowing of his adoption, he discovers his doomed fate from an Oracle.   Seeking to escape it, he flees from Colonus.   Once upon the road, Oedipus discovers his path blocked by a man, whom he perceives to be a robber.   He kills this man, who turns out to be his father, and unknowingly fulfills the first part of the prophecy.   Soon, he comes to Thebes, which is being terrorized by a terrible monster, the Sphinx.   The Sphinx wanders the streets surrounding the city, asking travelers an unanswered riddle.   Oedipus encounters the Sphinx, and answers its riddle, causing the Sphinx to kill herself in disbelief.   The citizens of Thebes, who have recently found themselves kingless, appoint Oedipus king and give him Queen Iocast? for his wife as a reward.   The couple lives together happily and produces four children.   Some years later, the city is beset by a terrible plague.   It is prophesied that the only way to cure the city is to find the kil ler of the previous king, and bring him to justice.   Oedipus, who wishes to solve the city's peril, relentlessly seeks out the answer to the problem.   He soon discovers the hideous truth; he has killed his father, married his mother, and fathered her children.   He returns home to find that his wife/mother has committed suicide, and, unable to deal with the reality of this wretched reality, he takes the broaches from her gown and gouges his eyes out.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The gruesome details of this story make for several examples of disquietude.   The most obvious example occurs when Oedipus gouges his eyes out with Iocaste's broaches.   This scene is vividly described by the Chorus of Theban Elders, "Deep, how deep you drew it then, hard archer, At a dim fearful range, and brought dear glory down" (name of author and page #).   Not only is this scene physically disturbing, but it is emotionally disturbing due to the dramatic irony.   Oedipus, before this, was blinded by his intellectual arrogance.   Now, he has been humbled by fate and sees his mistakes, but is physically blind.   Along with this example, there are two other examples of disturbing physical events.

Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan is an apt representation of the theory of epic theater

Brecht’s Epic Theatre is a theatre of destroyed illusions and a wide awake audience which took birth from the theory of Korschian Marxism which saw ideology as a material force that served as an important tool of dominance. It is a theatre of instruction and hence is also termed Didactic theatre and because of the binary opposition present in its themes it is also known as Dialectical Theatre. The biggest aim of Brechtian plays is to alienate the audience to bring about an understanding which can affect change, Brecht terms this phenomenon as the Verfremdung’s Effekt (Alienation Effect or the A-effect), which comes from the Chinese play tradition. The audience is never one with the actor, they are always aware that the play is not real and that whatever is being presented on stage is not reality but a depiction of a certain reality. The ‘A-Effect’ is also known as the technique of defamiliarization wherein the familiar is made strange through alienation tropes such as addressing the audience directly, changing clothes in front of the audience, use of songs etc, which ensures that the audience is at all times rational, intellectual, and act as scientific observers so that they are able to question the industrial world and its authoritarian structures. As Walter Benjamin while summarizing Brecht’s theatre said â€Å"for its public the stage is no longer ‘the planks which signify the world’ (in other words, a magic circle), but a convenient public exhibition area. For its stage, the public is no longer a collection of hypnotized test subjects, but an assembly of interested persons whose demands it must satisfy. For its text, the performance is no longer a virtuoso interpretation, but its rigorous control. For its performance, the text is no longer a basis of that performance, but a grid on which, in the form of new formulations, the gains of that performance are marked†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1 and so Bertolt Brecht’s theory of Epic Theatre transforms into its praxis in his play The Good Person of Szechwan. The Good Person of Szechwan is a purely Marxist play that deals with the social conditions of its milieu and how the people who are put in those situations react to it and towards one another. The major theme being that of survival in a world that is ruled not by goodness of character but by the evil and corruption of the society. The juxtaposition of poverty with plentitude is a leit motif in the play. Wang’s ‘The Water Seller’s Song In The Rain’ brigns forth this juxtaposition beautifully when he laments, â€Å"I sell water. Who will taste it? -Who would want to in this weather? All my labour has been wasted Fetching these few pints together. I stand shouting by my Water! And nobody thinks it Worth stopping and buying Or greedily drinks it. †2 Since its rainy season and there is plenty of water no one bothers buying the water from Wang and this plentitude becomes poverty for Wang. We start to pity Wang’s character when we realize that he is a proletariat and is burdened by poverty, but Brecht alienates us from Wang’s character by showing us his cheating and swindling side so that we rationalize his character and see him as the representative of the proletariat ideology of swindling and cheating. There is no Bourgeois enemy present in the play. The problem is within the proletariat and not amongst the proletariat and bourgeois. The problems that Shen Teh or the other characters face are due to their social conditions. The province of Szechwan can be seen as a microcosm of what is happening all over the world. Throughout the play there is constant reference to â€Å"hunger. † Hunger is seen as annihilating honor. Shen Teh’s hesitancy to take the God’s in is because she has an empty stomach. She says â€Å"†¦I’m afraid that a rumbling stomach is no respecter of persons. 3 The motif of hunger and poverty can also be seen in Brecht’s other play The Life of Galileo. The play starts with Galileo saying â€Å"Put the milk on table†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 4 and Andrea replying â€Å"Mother says we must pay the milkman, if we don’t he’ll be describing a circle round us, Signor Galilei†5 and later on when Galileo says â€Å"†¦an d I like to eat decently. It’s when I’m eating I get most inspiration. A rotten age. They haven’t paid me as much as the man who drives their wine-carts. †6 We are always reminded of the juxtaposition of plentitude with poverty. The play is dialectical in its split between Shen Teh’s self fulfillment and Shui Ta’s self preservation. It is the â€Å"inevitable clash between desire and fact and as the paradox of ends and means. These are two sides of the same coin. Shen Teh’s wish to be generous must employ Shui Ta’s profiteering meanness, or else she would be deprived of her charitable self. †7 Prosperity is associated with lack of goodness and â€Å"social conditions twist the natural goodness of human beings into opposites†8 and hence if Shen Teh wants to prosper then she needs to give into Shui Ta’s calculating nature. In The Good Person of Szechwan we have constant interruptions that are brought about by the musical interludes and all these songs work to alienate the audience from the play and to make them question the situation being presented in front of them. They are made to question the worth of Shen Teh’s goodness as it leaves her not ennobled but economically emaciated. Walter Benjamin says that, â€Å"the interrupting of action is one of the principle concerns of epic theatre. Therein lies the formal achievements of Brecht’s songs with their crude, heart rendering refrains. 9 and hence ‘The Water Seller’s Song In The Rain’ comes just after the love scene between Shen Teh and Yang Sun, disrupting the audience from getting involved in the play and again bringing their attention to the dialectics between poverty and plentitude. Brecht says that â€Å"in the epic theatre moral arguments only took second place. Its aim was less to moralize than to observe. â € 10 So we see that Shen Teh’s goodness is constantly thwarted by the social circumstances and harsh necessities of survival in a competitive world but no moralizing comments are made. The play begins on a note of despair and ends with one. For Shen Teh to survive it is necessary that Shui Ta also survives. The God’s in the play are ignorant, humanized and a satire on the hegemony in Christianity, questioning the absolutism of Christianity in the early twentieth Century. Instead of one god head we are presented with three Gods and none of them can do anything to lift Shen Teh out of the drudgery that she is a part of even though she is good. In the trial scene the gods are seen as nothing but impostors, their omniscience and all powerful stature is questioned. The idea of justice is questioned, deconstructed and done away with. Neither is virtue rewarded nor vice punished, instead vice is seen as a means to an end. Shui Ta is not punished for any of the crimes and Shen Teh is not rewarded for her goodness. Brecht here blends divine justice with legal justice by making the Gods don on the attire of the magistrate to mock at divine justice. It is a Marxist onslaught on the institutionalization of religion. In his other play The Caucasian Chalk Circle we have the character of Azdak whose method of delineating legal justice is more serious in purpose and intent as compared to the three Gods here who appear as mere fools. One is forced to question if justice is being delayed or if there is no concept of justice in an industrial world. The open ended-ness of the trial scene erodes the moralistic nature and it prises upon the mind of the audience and affects change. Brecht in all his plays comments on â€Å"Jetztzeit†, a term that Walter Benjamin coined for the presence of â€Å"now† in Brechtian plays. According to Walter Benjamin, â€Å"history for Brecht was an ever present arena, never as with Lukacs a thing of past† and hence we see that Mother Courage and her Children, The Good Person of Szechwan or The Life of Galileo all have topical references in the World War I and II, the failure of the Russian Revolution/Communism/Dictatorship and questioning of the viability and feasibility of science in a post Hiroshima-Nagasaki world, respectively. Also epic theatre is literarized. â€Å"The literarization of theatre by means of verbal formulas, posters, captions, is intended to, and will, make what is shown on the stage unsensational. 11 The performance is not aimed to draw the audience into the play but to make them stand at the periphery so that they question the bourgeoisie ideology and break free from it, so that the proletariat is emancipated and socialism can be constructed. Brecht believes that society can be changed through intellectual action and that is the reason t hat his plays are so highly dialectical. We see the dialectics between Good and God when Shen Teh as Shui Ta sings the ‘Song of the Defencelessness of the Good and The Gods’ â€Å"The good Cannot remain good for long in our country Where cupboards are bare, housewives start to squabble. Oh, the divine commandments Are not much use against hunger. So why can’t the god’s share out what they’ve created Come down and distribute the bounties of nature And allow us, once hunger and thirst has been sated To mix with each other in friendship and pleasure? †12 Gods here are seen as privileging the aristocrats and Christianity is seen as a perpetrator of class difference. The motif of hunger is again visible in the song. Hunger can not be satiated by following the commandments, one need to have money to buy food and that money comes not from praying but by being economically independent and well of. When the audience hears the song they realize the futility of religion in an economic world. It brings to the forefront the debate between spirituality and materialism. It makes the spectators question both the value of a bourgeoisie society and that of religion. Being but a Marxist play every theme is given a Marxist interpretation, even the idea of love and marriage. Shen Teh has to choose between Yang Sun and Mr. Shu Fu. It is as Shui Ta that she favors Mr. Shu Fu for he can provide her with a future but as Shen Teh her emotions sway her towards Yang Sun. In a direct address to the audience Shen Teh sings; â€Å"I would go with the man whom I love. I would not reckon what it costs me. I would not consider what is wiser. I would not know whether he loves me. I would go with the man that I love. †13 â€Å"As Shui Ta she knows the worthlessness of her charming but rascally lover Sun. But with her emotional feminine self, as Shen Teh, she cannot give up the physical passion and tenderness that bind her to him. In Shen Teh’s love the drive for self-fulfillment and the need for self preservation clash in hopeless combat that can never be decided. 14 Brecht in The Good Person of Szechwan presents us with a Marxist theme, a dialectical debate between poverty and plentitude, goodness and god, religion and materialism etc, all of which is made apparent to the audience by the alienation effect brought about by the musical interludes that are present through out the course of the play, Shen Teh’s changing clothes in front of the audience, direct address to the audience; in an attempt to make sure that the play raises questions in the minds of the audience and breaks their identification with the bourgeoisie ideology. In totality Brecht’s play The Good Person of Szechwan is an apt representation of his epic or intellectual theatre that is built on the concept of critical theory translating into intellectual action on stage wherein Brecht seeks to illumine historically specific features of a milieu in order to show how that milieu influenced, shaped and often battered and destroyed the individual. Instead of focusing on the universal elements of human situations and fate, Brecht on the other hand is interested in depicting the attitude that people adopted towards each other in a specific historical situation or context.

The Basic Guide to Integers on ACT Math

The Basic Guide to Integers on ACT Math SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips "Let x and y be integers such that...", "If y is a positive integer, what is...?" If you've taken a practice test or a real ACT before, these types of questions may look familiar to you. You've likely come across several questions on the ACT that mention the word "integer." And if you don't know what that word means, they will be difficult problems for you to solve. Questions involving integers are common, so it's important to have a solid grasp of what integers are as you continue in your ACT math study. But what are "integers" and how do they fit into the larger ACT math picture? This article will be your guide to basic integers for the ACT, what they are, how they change, and how you'll see them used on the test. For the more advanced integer conceptsincluding absolute values, exponents, roots, and morelook to our advanced guide to ACT integers. What is an Integer? An integer is a whole number. This means an integer is any number that is NOT expressed with a decimal or a fraction. Integers include all negative whole numbers, all positive whole numbers, and zero. Examples of Integers: -32, -2, 0, 17, 2,035 NOT integers: Ï€, $2/3$, 0.478 Think of an integer as an object that cannot be divided into pieces. For example, you can't have half an egg in a basket. Positive and Negative Integers A number line is used to demonstrate how numbers relate to each other and to zero. All numbers to the right of zero are positive numbers. All numbers to the left of zero are negative numbers. Positive numbers get larger the farther they are from zero. 154 is larger than 12 because 154 is farther along the number line in a positive direction (to the right). Negative numbers get smaller the farther away they are from zero. -154 is SMALLER than -12 because -154 is a farther along the number line in a negative direction (to the left). And a positive number is always larger than any negative number. 1 is larger than -10,109 Because we don't have a reference for 0, we cannot say for sure whether A is positive or negative, which eliminates answers F, G, and K. We do know that any number to the left of another number will be less, so the answer must be H, A is less than B. The very opposite of a number line. Typical Integer Questions on the ACT Most ACT math integer questions are a combination of word problem and equation problem. The question will usually present you with an equation and tell you that you must use "integers" in place of a variable. You must know that an integer means a whole number (and that integers also include negative numbers and zero) to solve these problems. When x≠ 0, there are two possible integer values for x such that y=x(1+x). What is a possible value for y? (A) −30(B) −1(C) 0(D) 15(E) 20 (We'll walk through how to solve this problem in the next section.) Sometimes you’ll have to answer more abstract questions about how integers relate to one another when you add, subtract, multiply and divide them. You don't need to find a numerical answer for these types of questions, but you must instead identify whether certain equations will be even or odd, positive or negative. For these types of questions, you can either guess and check how integers change in relation to one another by plugging in your own numbers and solving, or you can memorize the rules for how integers interact. How you do it is completely up to you and depends on how you learn and/or like to solve math problems. For example, in the charts below, you'll see that: aâ€Å' positiveâ€Å' number * aâ€Å' positiveâ€Å' number = aâ€Å' positiveâ€Å' number, each and every time. If you forget this rule (or simply don't want to learn it in the first place), you can always try it by saying 2 * 3 = 6. Because you can always find these results by plugging in your own numbers, these rules are categorized as â€Å"good to know,† but not â€Å"necessary to know.† negative * negative = positive -2 * -3 = 6 positive * positive = positive 2 * 3 = 6 negative * positive = negative -2 * 3 = -6 Another way to think of this is, â€Å"When multiplying numbers, the result is always positive unless you’re multiplying a positive number and a negative number.† odd * odd = odd 3 * 5 = 15 even * even = even 2 * 4 = 8 odd * even = even 3 * 4 = 12 Another way to think of this is, â€Å"When multiplying numbers, the result is always even until multiplying an odd number and an odd number.† odd +/- odd = even 5 + 7 = 12 even +/- even = even 10 - 6 = 4 odd +/- even = odd 5 + 6 = 11 Another way to think of this is, â€Å"When adding or subtracting numbers, the result is always even unless adding or subtracting an odd number and an even number.† With these understandings in mind, let us look again at the above ACT math problem. Choice A is incorrect, because b is an even integer. And we know that an even number * an odd number = an even number. Choice B is incorrect because a is an odd integer. And we know that an odd number + an odd number = an even number. Choice C is incorrect because a is an odd integer and b is an even integer. An even number + an odd number = an odd number. And an odd number * an even number (in this case 2) = an even number. Choice D is correct. Twice b will be even, because an even number * an even number = an even number. And the final result will be odd because an odd number (a) + an even number (2b) = an odd number. Choice E is incorrect. Twice an odd number (a) will be an even number, because an even number * an odd number = an even number. And an even number + an even number = an even number. So your final answer is D, a + 2b. You can see how you could also solve this by double-checking these rules by using your own numbers. If you assign an odd number to a and an even number to b, you can test out each option in about the same amount of time it would take you to go through your rules like this. So for this question, you could have said a was 5 and b was 6. Then option D would have looked like this: 5 + 2(6) = 17 Again, because you can figure out these kinds of questions using real numbers, these rules are classified as "good to know," not "necessary to know." If you follow the right steps, solving an integer problem is often much easier than it appears. Steps to Solving an ACT Math Integer Problem #1: Identify if the problem is, in fact, an integer problem. If you must use integers to solve a problem, the ACT will explicitly use the word "integer" in the question so that you don't waste your time and effort looking for decimal or fraction solutions. For example, questions may begin with: "x is a positive integer such that...", "For all negative integers...", or "How many integers give the solution to...?" For any problem that doesn’t specify that the variables (or the solution) are â€Å"integers," your answer or the variables can be in decimals or fractions. So let's look again at the problem from earlier: When x ≠  0, there are two possible integer values for x such that y = x(1+x). What is a possible value for y? (A) −30(B) −1(C) 0(D) 15(E) 20 We are told that x ≠  0, so we know that our y cannot be 0. Why not? Because the only integer values that can give you y = 0 are x = 0 and x = −1 because 0(1+0) = 0 and (−1)(1+(−1)) = 0. BUT we were told that x ≠  0. So y can not equal 0 either, as the question told us that there were TWO integer values for x, neither of which is 0. This means we can cross off C from the answer choices. We can also cross off A and B. Why? Because there is no possible way to have x(1+x) equal a negative. Even when x is negative, we would distribute the problem to look like: y = (1x) + (x * x) We know that a negative * a positive = a negative, so 1x would be negative if x were negative. BUT a positive * a positive = a positive. And a negative * a negative = a positive. So x * x would be positive, whether x was positive or negative. And adding the original negative value for x will not be a large enough number to take away from the positive square and make the final answer a negative. For example, we already saw that: x =−1 makes our y zero. x =−2 gives us −2(1+−2) = y = 2. x =−3 gives us −3(1+−3) = y = 6, etc. So we are left with answer choices D and E. Now how could we get 15 with x(1+x)? We know x must not be very large to get y = 15, so let's test a few small numbers for x. If x = 2, then x(1+x) = 2(1+2) = 6. This means x = 2 is too small. If x = 3, then x(1+x) = 3(1+3) = 12. So x = 3 is too small. If x = 4, then x(1+x) = 4(1+4) = 20. This means there is no positive integer value that could give us 15. But we did manage to get y = 20, so answer choice E is looking pretty good! Now we can tell that if we kept going higher with x, the y value would keep getting larger (x = 5 would give us y = 30, etc.). This means we probably need a negative integer to give us our second value for x. So let's try to get y = 20 with a negative value for x this time. We already saw above that x = −2 gave us y = 2, and x = −3 gave us y = 6. So let's try some more negative values for x. If x = −4, then x(1+x) = −4(1+−4) = 12 If x = −5, then x(1+x) = −5(1+−5) = 20 We were able to get y = 20 with both x = 4 and x = −5 So our final answer is E, y = 20 #2: If the problem asks you to identify equations that are always true, test out multiple different kinds of integers. If the question asks you to identify whether certain equations or inequalities are true for ALL integers, the equation must work equally with 10 as with 0 and -5. A good rule of thumb is to try -1, 0, and 1 with variable questions like these. These numbers often have special properties that make or break conditions. I'll explain what that means with a practice example. If x is an integer, which of the following equations MUST be true? I. $x^3 ≠¥ (-x)^3$ II. ${x^3}/x ≠¥ {x^2}/x$ III. $x(x + 1) ≠¤ -x + x^3$ (A) I only(B) II only(C) III only(D) I and III only(E) I, II, and III For questions like these, we should test out our sample numbers, as it can get confusing to use our rules of integer behaviors with complex problems such as these. So for option I, let use our test numbers of -1, 0, and 1. $−1^3= (−1)(−1)(−1) = −1$ $(−−1)^3 = $1^3 = (1)(1)(1) = 1$ -1 is NOT greater than +1. This automatically eliminates option I. And by eliminating option I, we can eliminate answer choices A, D, and E right away. Now let's look at choice II with our same test numbers. ${(-1)^3}/{-1} = {(-1)(-1)(-1)}/{-1} = {-1}/{-1} = 1$ ${(-1)^2}/{-1} = {(-1)(-1)}/{-1} = 1/{-1} = -1$ 1 -1 This means that option II works so far when we use a negative number. So let's try it with our positive number, 1. ${1^3}/1 = {(1)(1)(1)}/1 = 1/1 = 1$ ${1^2}/1 = {(1)(1)}/1 = 1/1 = 1$ 1 = 1. So option II still works. Lastly, we should test if the equation still works with 0. ${0^3}/0 = 0$ $0^2/0 = 0$ Option II works for all answer choices, so our final answer is B, II only. Because we know that option I doesn't work, we have eliminated all other answer choices. But if you want to make absolutely sure you didn't make a mistake somewhere, you can test out option III as well. −1(−1+1) = 0 $−(−1)+(−1)^3 = 1+(−1)(−1)(−1) = 1+−1 = 0$ 0 = 0 The two are equal, which means that option III works so far. Now let's try it with 1. 1(1+1) = 2 $−1+1^3 = −1+(1)(1)(1) = −1+1 = 0$ 2 0 When we used a positive number, the equation was incorrect. This means that answer choice C is eliminated and our choice of B has been confirmed to be the only correct answer. #3: If the problem asks you to find the answer to long calculations, use your rules that you learned above or test it out with smaller numbers. a, b, c, d, e, f are odd integers such that a b c d e f. Which statement(s) must be true? I. abcdef is odd II. a + b + c + d + e + f is odd III. a(b + c + d + e + f) is odd (A) I only(B) II only(C) III only(D) I and III only(E) I, II, and III Now you can approach this problem in one of two ways: by using your number rules or by using your own numbers. First, let's use our number rules to test option I. We know that each letter represents an odd integer and that the product of an odd number and another odd number is an odd number. Because an odd * an odd will always be odd, we know that option I is true. This means we can also eliminate answer choices B and C. Now let's look at option II. We know that an odd number + an odd number = an even number. We also know that an even number + an even number = an even number. So if we split a + b + c + d + e + f into pairs of numbers, we'll have: (a + b) + (c + d) + (e + f) We know that each pair of numbers will have an even sum, so we're left with: an even number + an even number + an even number, which will give us an even final result. So option II is incorrect. This means we can eliminate answer choice E. Finally, let's look at option III. As we saw before, when we have six odd numbers (in other words, an even number of odd numbers), the sum will be even. Now, our parenthesis holds five (an odd number) of odd numbers, and an even number + an odd number = an odd number. So we know the number in the parenthesis will be odd. We also know that an odd number (a) * an odd number (the sum of b, c, d, e, f) = an odd number. So option III is correct. This means that our final answer is D, I and III only. The other way you could solve this problem would be to test out these rules with small numbers and extrapolate to find the larger answer. In other words, use small numbers in place of the variables. So for option I, if you didn't know an odd * an odd = an odd, you could replace a and b with the numbers 5 and 3. 5*3=15, so you know that an odd * an odd = an odd number, no matter how many times you multiply it. So option I is correct. For option II, again test it out with smaller numbers. 7+5=12, and 7+5+3=15. So you know that adding odd numbers an even number of times gets you an even answer and adding an odd number of times gets you an odd answer. There are six odd numbers, so the final answer must be even. Option II is incorrect. Taking what you learned by testing option II, you know that adding odd numbers an even number of times gets you an odd answer. And, taking what you learned from testing option I, you know that an odd number * an odd number = an odd number. This means your final answer must be odd, so option III is correct. This means the final answer is D, I and III only. Whoo! There are many ways to solve integer problems and whichever way works for you is perfect. The Take-Aways In order to solve both the basic and advanced ACT integer questions, you must first understand what an integer is. Only then can you build up your integer knowledge to the more advanced concepts. But simply knowing that an integer is a whole number (and that 0 and negative numbers are also integers), will allow you to solve some of the more basic questions about how to plug integers into equations and how integers relate to one another. For the more advanced integer concepts, including absolute values, exponents, etc., be sure to check out our advanced guide to ACT integers. What's Next? Now that you’ve learned about what integers are, you may want to check out the advanced guide to ACT integers where we will go through absolute values, prime numbers, and exponents (among other concepts). Make sure that you also have a solid understanding of all the ACT math concepts on the test as well as all the ACT formulas you'll need to know. Running out of time on ACT math? Check out our article on how to buy yourself those extra precious seconds and minutes and complete your ACT math problems before time’s up. Feeling overwhelmed? Start by figuring out your ideal score. Already have pretty good scores and looking to get a perfect 36? Check out our article on how to get a perfect score written by a 36 ACT-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Euthanasia and Biomedical Ethics Essays

Euthanasia and Biomedical Ethics Essays Euthanasia and Biomedical Ethics Essay Euthanasia and Biomedical Ethics Essay Question 1 To first do no harm is the Hippocratic Oath often taken by healthcare professionals around the globe; however, the subject of active versus passive euthanasia to allow chronically ill patients the right to die with dignity has sparked moral controversy among world-renowned philosophers for decades. James Rachels, Winston Nesbitt, and Roy W. Perrett are just three philosophers who wrote and spoke openly about the topic of euthanasia and biomedical ethics. Rachels and Perrett were adamant in their belief that the moral distinction between killing (active euthanasia) and allowing to die (passive euthanasia) was nonexistent. Rachels felt strongly that one was no worse than the other and that statements by the American Medical Association to support one method over the other should be eliminated. Perrett agreed and added that death by either commission or omission opposes the preservation of human life. In the example of the bathtub case, Smith and Jones are both two greedy men who stand to gain a large sum of money once their nephew passes away. In Scenario A, Smith decides to drown the child and make it seem like an accident. In Scenario B, Jones sees the child drowning after hitting his head and accidentally falling into the tub but does nothing but stand by and watch. According to the philosophy of Rachels and Perrett, both were irresponsible and morally reprehensible acts, and the end result was the same†¦death. Finally, in numerous published articles Rachels even went on to say that while they can be assessed the same, the act of killing was in fact often more humane than allowing someone to suffer a slow demise due to lack of treatment or failure to render aid. In direct contrast to the aforementioned beliefs, philosopher Winston Nesbitt disagreed with the two men. He argued that killing is indeed worse than allowing one to die. According to Nesbitt, the moral distinction lies within the issues of motive and intent. In the example of the two bathtub scenarios, Nesbitt would agree that both men are liable, but it is Smith (not Jones) who deliberately went into the room with the intent to kill for financial gain. While I have mixed feelings about the legalization of euthanasia, I must agree with Nesbitt; if I were a wealthy woman on my way home with a large sum of money, I would much rather be alone on the elevator with Jones versus Smith who is tantamount to an armed robber who walks into a bank prepared to commit capital murder out of sheer greed. Question 2 Another controversial quote that has been repeated throughout the ages is that all is fair in love and war, but is it really? Many philosophers, both traditional and contemporary, oppose the use of military operations that take the lives of innocent civilians who pose no threat to soldiers or society; two of the most noted are Robert Fullinwider and Lawrence A. Alexander. Fullinwider first spoke on the issue in 1975 when he wrote that there is no justification for killing innocent civilians even in times of war. Fullinwider believed whole-heartedly that some traditional methods of military combat, such as bombing an entire community to kill an intended target, is no different than terrorism that many claim to oppose. His argument is that killing noncombatants who are unarmed and pose no threat should not be looked upon as self-defense. In the gambling scenario of Smith and Jones, Smith finds himself deeply indebted to the mob due to a gambling addiction; the mob knows he owes more than he can pay. The mob then offers Smith a deal. His debt will be cleared, and he and his family will be safe if he kills Jones, an innocent district attorney. Smith may not agree with the killing, but to keep both he and his family safe, he opens fire. The fact, according to Fullinwider, is that this is still not self-defense. Smith has no right to kill Jones, and the mob has no right to kill Smith even though he owes them money. However, when Jones returns fire and kills Smith, he is covered by self-defense because Smith was armed and an immediate threat to his personal safety. Lawrence Alexander’s reformation of self-defense argues that not only is Smith a threat to Jones, but the mob is a more ever-present threat because they ordered the killing. According to his philosophy, if given the opportunity, Jones is morally justified to kill the members of the mob in lieu of Smith since they are promoting a murder under duress. In doing so, not only would Jones save his own life, but Smith and his family would be safe as well. This case is quite controversial. I do not agree that if Smith had killed Jones to save his family it would have been self defense. Smith foolishly agreed to place himself and his family in direct harm in order to feed a gambling addiction; this has nothing to do with killing an innocent man to save himself or his family. Question 3 Perhaps no pro-life subject is more controversial than the issue of abortion. There are as many sides to this issue as there are people. Two philosophers who have published articles defending their stance on abortion are Judith Thompson and Francis J. Beckwith. In her article â€Å"Defense of Abortion† Judith Jarvis Thompson supports a woman’s right to choose and raises the question that even if the fetus is a living human being, how much of a sacrifice is one human required to make in order to save another. Her scenario is that if someone were attached to a famous violinist who would surely die without use of the other person’s body parts for survival, yes it would be kind of them to agree to stay connected for nine months, but it is not his or her moral obligation. She concedes that the pro-life argument is more comprehendible if a woman willing engages in unprotected sex and conceives a baby; she in essence bears some responsibility for the fetus needing her body to stay alive. Thompson believes that the pro-life argument becomes weak in the face of rape cases where the female herself is an innocent victim and had no intention of being violated and becoming a parent. In these cases the female victim should most certainly be given the choice to abort. Francis J. Beckwith countered Thompson with at least four arguments. One, not all moral obligations are voluntary. If two people engage in a voluntary act that they know could very well produce a child, then they should be held accountable for their actions. Two, Beckwith feels that Thompson’s argument is fatal to family morals and that there are some obligations that parents have to offspring that they do not have to a complete stranger or a ‘famous violinist. Third, the case of the violinist was artificial and had nothing to do with the natural attachment or realistic human development. Finally, Francis J. Beckwith believes that abortion is indeed the removal and killing of a living fetus and not just merely withholding of medical treatment. She goes on to state that just as it is illegal to starve a child after birth, so should it be to cut the child off from its source of life beforehand. While both authors have valid points, my personal belief is that _.

Future of Games in IPTV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Future of Games in IPTV - Essay Example Television was earlier marked by a lot of chaos and uncontrollability. With television, there were a number of data security risks as well. But nowadays, the improvement in the field of IP protocol based networks has allowed moving images to be transferred directly to home computer, which acts as a perfect replacement for cable television. This new type of television that is revolutionizing the telecast and broadcasting industry is known by names such as net television, webcasting and video streaming. Internet protocol Television or IPTV is the new method of television viewing, and the quality of IPTV generally depends on factors such as connection speeds of the Internet, the load placed on the network, transmission equipments and the capacity of the terminal device. Internet Protocol television or IPTV is a new mode of Internet television viewing, which uses Internet protocol networking and architecture methods to a network infrastructure which is packet switched. Hence IPTV does not use the traditional mediums such as radio frequency broadcast, cable television formats or satellite signal. IPTV is being hailed as the future medium of choice for playing online massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORG) and other gaming genres such as First Person Shooters (FPS), Real Time Strategy (RTS) and racing games. Besides games meant for the PC, it is also expected that future console games such as the ones available on Xbox 360 would be exclusively available on IPTV. IPTV can be broadly classified into three categories: video and content on-demand, times shifted programming and live television. Unlike other web based services, IPTV uses it’s unique standardization the process such as the ETSI. IPTV also uses high speed channels and s et-top boxes, making the experience of Internet television more interactive and personalized. IPTV however is very different from Internet television. In the case of IPTV,

Heathcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heathcare - Essay Example On top of that he is further indulging in alcohol abuse on weekends which should ideally be totally banned in his case as his SGOT and SGPT levels are raised. Moreover he has existing Staphylococcal urethral infection. As he is presently suffering from acute respiratory distress, his habit of smoking is not going to help his case in any way. He has taken erratic medication for aids and that too using AZT and Zidovudine which has been administered in unaccountable time spans and compliance is also not known for sure. His musculo skeletal and cardiovascular systems however show some signs of integrity and proper functioning. The patient should be guided to change his food habits drastically and stick to high energy cereals and fresh fruit juice in the morning. He should be encouraged to have breakfast as the heaviest meal which should include citrus juices and vegetarian protein diet. Curd, yoghurt and milk should be used liberally and he should avoid coffee and sodas altogether. He should have a light lunch and have his dinner in the evening before 7 PM. He should desist from having late meals and should drink hot milk at night before going to bed. He should be assisted and encouraged to follow this schedule by his partner or any other well wisher. As the patient is into intellectual pursuits like poetry, he should be made to realize the gravity of his problem by a psychologist. The diet supplementation and pattern should be prepared by a qualified nutritionist. 1. Anxiolytics for reducing anxiety: A low dose of Alprazolam could be started in consultation with a psychiatrist to alleviate his desperation. This is one of the safest anxioltics and minimum dosage of 0.25 milligrams should be started initially. However, the selection of the anxiolytic should be made by a qualified psychiatrist after careful assessment of the patient’s EEG and other parameters. 2. To check acute coughing