Little Children Movie Review Essay Example for Free

Little Children Movie Review Essay You couldnt change the past. But the future could be a different story. And it had to start somewhere. This final statement sums up the message of the Little Children, a film opus of Todd Fiend, that talks not merely about a love affair of two married persons, but the story of struggle and redemption of common folk living in an upper-middle class suburban Boston. This notwithstanding, the film also shows a stereotypical, albeit real depiction of the contradictions in such a neighborhood – the soccer moms, the disempowered husbands, better called ‘house-bands’, and the bored housewives in terrible need of an ego boost. The film review shall mainly quote dialogue from the film, in order to showcase fully the power of this story about suburban Northeastern America. Sarah Pierce is a successful academic and campus figure, but has since lost all glory upon her marriage to Richard, and subsequent birth to Lucy, a self-assured little girl who refuses to do everything Sarah requests. She currently suffers from an absolute absence of love in her relationship with Brad, shattered further with her catching Richard in a fit of masturbation, while wearing her panties around his head. Moreover, she eternally despises the pretentious moms she sees in Lucy’s playground all the time. The lines with sarcasm are clearly suggestive of her clear disdain for the mothers, to wit – Mary Ann: He should just be castrated. Just snip, quick and easy. Sarah Pierce: [sarcastically] You know what else you should do? Nail his penis above the entrance to the elementary school. Thatd really teach him a lesson. This initial situation of Sarah inextricably creates the objective conditions for the future love affair with Brad, because one cannot reasonably expect, despite promises made at the consummation of marriage that she can eternally be faithful in the wake of the loveless situation that she is in. Her disempowerment as an intellectual by becoming a fulltime housewife living in a sea of pretentious women around her also gives further ammunition, albeit personal isolation from her community-at-large, for the blossoming of a new yet forbidden relationship with Brad. The other player in this love affair is Brad Adamson, a ‘house-band’ whose career is at a standstill – he failed the bar exams twice, and his wife is a successful documentary filmmaker, named Kathy. In such as situation, he feels absolutely helpless, in view of the fact that it is his wife that serves as the breadwinner of the family, and his main task for every given day would be to accompany their child Aaron during his playtime. Without an actual career to speak of, and a similarly successful past as Sarah, it is without a doubt a situation which would create the necessary conditions for his decision to enter into an affair with Sarah – them hopeless beings supposedly full of potential, now finally united. The proverbial meet-cute of film may be the scandalous yet affirming prank they pulled against the pretentious mothers in the playground, when Sarah and Brad hugged each other, to the absolute disdain of the mothers. The prank unleashed their long-kept longings of spontaneity and passion, long gone in the running of their marriages and only to be found again in each other’s embrace. Sarah, as the formerly empowered intellectual, possesses almost the same ridicule at Richard as what she has against the pretentious mothers, to wit – Brad Adamson: You have a nice place here. Sarah Pierce: You think? Yeah, Richard does pretty well for himself. Brad Adamson: Oh, yeah? Whats he do? Sarah Pierce: He lies. They shall soon engage in passionate love-making during a fierce rainstorm, but only after Brad realizes that their feelings for each other are mutual, as shown by a picture kept by Sarah in her study. Nonetheless, the couple in the affair approach their forbidden relationship, with great fervor, but a bit unsure, with even a tinge of guilt and remorse, particularly on the part of Brad, to wit – Brad Adamson: Do you feel bad about this? Sarah Pierce: No, I dont. Brad Adamson: I do. I feel really bad. The other characters in the movie are as interesting as the two main love-struck protagonists. Ronnie McGorvey is an indecent exposure offender, having served prison time and has since moved back into the neighborhood with his mother. Ronnie seems to have been unreformed in his perverted ways, when he masturbates yet again during a date set by his mother, ruining the date, and destroying all hopes of him ever finding love. His return, nonetheless, is met with great protest by Larry, Brad’s teammate in touch football, and a disgraced police officer. His protests turn violent at times, not content with the mere handing out of flyers and posters about Ronnie, but also vandalizing his house, and almost assaulting Ronnie and his mother. Their seemingly grown-men, good vs. evil conflict reaches a terrible turn when a drunken Larry goes to Ronnie’s house with a megaphone, waking the entire neighborhood and shaming fully Ronnie and his mother. As his mother tries to stop Larry from further his drunken actions, he pushes her to the ground, triggering a heart attack which would soon take her life. Nonetheless, before entering death’s door, she writes a note to Ronnie with a chest-pounding plea – â€Å"Please be good boy. † This triggers Ronnie to go on a fit of rage for losing his mother, ending in castrating himself, in pursuit of his mother’s request at death. Larry would soon realize how grave his mistake was and looks for Ronnie, and bring him to the hospital for medical attention. The stories of Ronnie and Larry ironically show the awkward sense of justice and reason disgraced persons in the community pursue to redeem themselves to their loved ones and to the community. Ronnie, in the most dramatic expression of remorse and love to his dead mother, has cut of his testicles – the physical object of his sexual perversion, in order to unrealistically undo the hurt feelings of his mother created by his former acts. But despite the spectacle of it all, the drama attended by it, there is no point in doing such. The mother is dead, and the date has been left crying. On the other hand, Larry, the disgraced police officer, puts the law into his own hands by maligning Ronnie’s person and by engaging into overt acts of harassment and violence in pursuit of this. The objective is clear, that despite his failure as an officer of the law, he himself continues to be an upright man, rejecting sexual depredation and moral turpitude in the person of Ronnie. He does his brand of redemption to a serious fault, notwithstanding through aimless grandstanding, by lumping together Ronnie’s person to that of his mother, by vandalizing her property and pushing her to the ground in pursuit of his shame campaign. By doing such, he fails in the end, because the object of vigilante-ism is not the person whose life was lost, but some innocent person whose continued life could have influenced Ronnie towards full redemption from his sins, without need of castration, nor the spectacle of it. Meanwhile, the affair between Brad and Sarah becomes all the more serious, to the point that Kathy herself now witnesses the truth of the affair through the tacit sexual tensions between the two during a dinner. They have even agreed to run away together, as when two young star-crossed lovers would leave their unyielding parents in pursuit of their hasty, yet seemingly ‘true’ love. In pursuit of this, Sarah even declares the situation to Mary Ann, to wit – Mary Ann: Oh thats nice. So now cheating on your husband makes you a feminist? Sarah Pierce: No, no, no. Its not the cheating. Its the hunger the hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness. The two were prepared to leave their loveless homes, their young children and their real spouses to perfect the ‘love’ long lost, and which now they have found through one another. This feeling of seemingly ‘great love’ is expected, but appears clearly as one that is fleeting, one that is artificial, one that was created by the sordid personal experiences of their lives, where the affair’s function was a mere outlet of a love that is merely not sought, but never absent, in their own homes. Such is how their love is that in the film’s climax, at the supposed point of no return by meeting on the night they agreed upon to run away for love, the family and the past they have left pull them back, not through force, but by circumstances that put everything back into its proper perspective. Sarah’s Lucy gets lost, and a panicked mother searches for her relentlessly in the playground where she left her, only to soon find her along under a street light. It is on this moment, that the bubble of ‘love’ in the affair is completely pierced, that the idea of the absence of love is merely in her mind, nothing more, and Lucy is the personification of that love, that has never been absent, but as stated above, a love merely unsought. Brad himself experiences a similar piercing of the ‘love bubble’, in the exact moment towards their scheduled departure for love. Brad, the confident but now disempowered lawyer-to-be, has failed to leave his goodbye letter to Kathy when he met a serious accident while trying some skateboard tricks. No clue has been given as to why he failed to leave the note to Kathy, but what can be surmised is that he probably felt the same as Sarah had, the inability, at the final instance, to create the actual physical wedge between his past and his supposed future with Sarah. This unstated inability to leave is further buttressed by Kathy’s rush to the hospital to meet Brad at the emergency room doors, showing that despite acting as the breadwinner of the family, she is not without love for her husband, and that, as in Sarah’s case, Brad’s idea of a loveless home is again, a love merely unsought, waning and almost at the point of death, yes, but present with the ability to be roused to life again. In all these, the film shows who the real Little Children are in this story of suburban America – it is the adults who allow their feelings to get in the way of principled contemplation of relationships and love.

Essay --

Introduction Apart we know, dividend payments had been conducted over 300 years ago and yet, it is still continue acceptable until now (Frankfurter, Wood, & Wansley, 2003). In the 19th century, the dividend had become a kind of symbolic liquidations. However, dividend policy is contradicting because the view of each researcher is different. According to Black (1976), he ever stated that â€Å"the harder we look at the dividend picture, the more it seems like a puzzle, with pieces that just don’t fit together†. From this statement, we can truly make an assumption that the researchers’ arguments on it never stop as the understanding from each of the researchers is different and it is still questionable among financial field. Plenty of answer show that why dividend policy should be made. However, many empirical studies have shown that the result is not standardized and yet, it is different as each of the researchers has their own opinion on it. But, it is undeniable that the div idend payments have become symbolic liquidations solely determined by the directors. The companies pay dividends i...

Blood Clotting Essay

Coagulation, or thrombogenesis, is the process by which blood clots in an attempt to restrict blood loss from an injury site, and repair the damaged vessel. Most of the time clotting is a good thing, however there are circumstances when a clot can form abnormally, leading to heart attack, stroke, or other serious medical problems. A blood clot forms almost immediately after the bleeding occurs, which is possible through enzymes and other substances in blood that respond to breaks in vessel walls. The clot is a temporary fix preventing further blood loss. There are four major parts of blood clot formation. The first step in clotting is the formation of the platelet plug. Platelets are the smallest of the three major types of blood cells whose primary function is to prevent bleeding. When encountering a damaged blood vessel, the platelets become stimulated and rush to the injury site where they clump together, forming a plug and restricting the bleeding. They also release substances to begin the chemical reaction of the clotting process. These chemical reactions are responsible for growing the blood clot. Dissolved proteins, also referred to as clotting factors, are contained within the blood for the purpose of promoting blood clots. These proteins send signals to each other and enhance each other’s activity exponentially at the site of injury, resulting in a rapid chemical chain reaction which produces fibrin, the main protein forming clots. This blood clot formed with fibrin is tougher and more durable than the platelet plug. Once the blood clot forms, it is important that it not grow and spread to the rest of the body, which can cause serious damage. This is where â€Å"anti-clotting† comes in to play. Proteins such as antithrombin, protein C, and protein S, are known anti-clotting proteins and exist in a natural balance with the clotting factors. These substances work to neutralize excess clotting factors, preventing the clot from going to places it should not. The final part of the process is where the clot is slowly broken down by the body. Once the damaged tissue heals, the body gradually degrades the clot and reabsorbs it. The tough fibrin strands in a blood clot are dissolved by an enzyme called plasmin. Plasmin is activated by other substances working together to help the clot break down. The whole process of blood clotting is whenever the blood is exposed to certain substances. These are known as thrombogenic substances because they promote the formation of thrombus (clot). Many of these substances, such as tissue factor, collagen, and von Willebrand factor, are located in the skin or in the blood vessel walls, typically separated from flowing blood. If they come into contact with flowing blood, this typically means the blood vessel wall is ruptured and bleeding. A clot may also form when blood is not flowing properly. http://www.hematology.org/patients/blood-disorders/blood-clots/5233.aspx http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/blood-clots

An Unbreakable Family Love - 1100 Words

An Unbreakable Family Love The story of Rostam and Sohrab is a key element in Khaled Hosseinis novel The Kite Runner. As the favorite tale of Amir and Hassan in their childhood, this epic story also has a manifold significance throughout the novel. On the one hand, this ancient story can be considered as a metaphor for the characters and destinies of Baba, Amir and Hassan. On the other hand, the divergence in understanding the fates of Rostam and Sohrab demonstrates how backgrounds and experiences influence Amirs and Hassans life attitudes. Moreover, the name of Sohrab has special meanings to Amir and Hassan, because it is not only an anchor of Hassans heroic dream, but also the hope and motivation of Amirs redemption.†¦show more content†¦He wants to win the kite competition so badly because he is hoping to rebuild a close relationship with his father by not letting his father down. While Amir shares a similar desire with Sohrab, Hassan inherits the most precious points of Sohrabs personality, which are the loyalty and the self-sacrifice. For Hassan, Amir is his most important person not only because Amir is his master, but also because of the hidden consanguinity between them. Although they both dont know their true relationship at that time; Hassan has already regarded Amir as his closest relative since according to Ali, there is a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could not break (11). Like Sohrab, Hassan is willing to do everything for the one he cares about the most, even sacrifice himself in order to accomplish Amirs greatest wish. Besides the implications of the story itself, the different perspectives of Amir and Hassan towards their favorite story further reveal the power of the influence of their backgrounds and life experiences. These two distinct understandings of the destinies of Rostam and Sohrab also reflect Amir’s and Hassan’s attitudes towards themselves and their f amilies. As a Hazara boy, Hassan always gets unfair treatment when he grows up. Hassans father Ali is mocked and called Babalu because of his deformity, and Hassan is ashamed of his mother Sanaubar since she abandoned him a week after he was born and ran off withShow MoreRelatedInterpersonal Communications During The Movie Steel Magnolias981 Words   |  4 Pagesmovie Steel Magnolias. Steel Magnolias, is a 1989 American comedy-drama, directed by Herbert Ross. (Ross, 1989) This paper will describe relationships between three different sets of individuals, and how they connect to form a close family with an unbreakable bond. Interpersonal communication plays an important role in each of these relationships to get a better understanding of who each person is, and the reasoning behind their actions. This paper will discuss the concepts of verbal and nonverbalRead MoreThe Use of Police Canines Essay1026 Words   |  5 Pagesphysical/psychological health. Also, canines should be balanced in aggression behavior and social play. There is an abundance of good and bad to learn about canine units. This includes canine intelligence, effects of Jute, the case laws against use of force, and unbreakable bonds. Law Enforcement agencies need reliable sources for police dog candidates, therefore canines are specially picked through genetic selection. Training methodologies ar e olfactory sensitivity, search, commands, obedience as well as suspectRead MoreMy Best Friend At The End Of High School969 Words   |  4 Pagesyounger did you ever know a guy that you never looked at twice? The guy you thought was weird and not your type? I knew one of those guys from Middle School all the way to the end of High School. I would have never guess that guy ended up being the love of my laugh and now my Husband. I first met Chris in 8th grade when he was dating my Best Friend. Infect at my 8th grade graduation party he dumped her and tried to get with my other Best Friend at the same party. Throughout the years Chris and I wouldRead MoreCharles Dickens’ Novel, A Tale of Two Cities Essay1219 Words   |  5 Pageswhich Lucie accomplishes this, yet it is her extraordinary unrelenting love and devotion to her family that brings the theme about. Lucie is referred to the â€Å" golden thread† several times throughout the novel. This symbolizes her strength in creating the unbreakable bounds within her family. During a period of great oppression and despair Lucie provides great warmth and care to the ones she loves. Lucie shows the greatest love towards her father, Dr. Manette, who had been imprisoned for eighteenRead MoreDon Quixote Analysis Essay707 Words   |  3 Pagesthrough a fantasy world. With the aid of his great pal, Sancho, Don Quixote takes the role of an honorable knight hoping to free the oppressed, fight against wizards and giants, and earn the love of his fair maiden, the Dulcinea of Taboso. Cervantes’ communicates his thoughts about friendship, honor, family, and society in the story using three techniques: irony, parody, and satire. Cervantes expresses, by the use of irony, how he feels true friends remain loyal even through rough times and situations;Read MoreIn the Country of Men Essay1200 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel suggests that the bonds of family are the strongest. Discuss Hisham Matar’s narrative solely revolves around the perspective of a nine year-old boy Sulieman El Dewani, experiencing first hand an important time of Libya’s history. This crucial time in history was in Gidafi’s oppressive regime in 1979. In the text, In the Country of Men, family bonds within the Libyan society are somewhat the strongest though other relationships between the oppressed citizens of Libya and their totalitarianRead MoreThe s Kindred Are No Different Essay1379 Words   |  6 Pagesfunctional, create an intangible feeling of unbreakable protection between parents and children, a sense of intuitive understanding and teaching between siblings, and most of all, a mutual and unexplainable feeling of love. Classical maternal figures, specifically those of mothers, were viewed as the leading member of the family to teach and continue these practices. These mothers were also the primary source of education and care for young children in the family. Nat urally, the mother needed to make theRead MoreThe s Dramatic Presentation Of Sir Thomas More As A Common, Heroic Man For All Seasons1273 Words   |  6 Pagesservants. He is ready to live in silence, enjoying the peace of the family, reading and meditation. However, it is not subject to him as â€Å"‘silence’ of his bellowing up and down Europe† (Bold 58). Flagrant, expressive silence says more than any words. It is easy to enjoy the friendship, good luck, wealth. Gradually Thomas More has to give up everything. First, he rejects from the title (see fig. 1), then the position, status, friendship, family, freedom, books, and, finally, life itself. More’s honesty becomesRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1389 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough childbirth. According to Hosseini, an important understanding to take away from this novel is that religion in Afghanistan played a large role in social groups and it damaged many families emotionally and physically. Hosseini uses the story of Amir to illustrate how the religious profiling affects many families and friendships and how hard it was to maintain a healthy friendship with somebody who society looked down upon. For example, the character of Hassan, Amir s best friend, is portrayedRead MoreRomeo And Juliet Analysis821 Words   |  4 PagesRomeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet shows how the story of true love can break the ancient grudge between two families. The conflict in the story is Capulets against Montagues. From ancient times, the two families have held grudges against each other. As the book states. â€Å"Two households, alike in dignity...from ancient grudge break to new mutiny. Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean† (1.Prologue.1-4). The grudge between the two families led to fighting and even death. In the beginning of the story

Alexander The Great, Son Of Philip II Of Macedon - 1387 Words

Alexander the Great, son of Philip II of Macedon is one of history’s most controversial figures in relation to his character and methodology. His legacy is a subject still discussed and assessed by many scholars, as it is one that has left its mark on the Ancient World and its stigma, positive or negative, is still felt today around the world. However, there is no controversy that Alexander was an individual with a plethora of abilities and traits that understood and assessed situations, and his risky, yet mostly calculated actions helped him establish his title of being considered â€Å"Great†. His legacy and â€Å"greatness† undoubtedly extend from his mighty military campaigns and his his glorification during and after his death, as well as his potential administration ideals, and his being the catalyst for the foundation of the Hellenistic era. In his short, yet astonishing career, Alexander managed to defeat the Persian empire, a superpower forty-two times the size of the united Greece he led. There is no controversy about Alexander’s military genius and Burn says ‘no soldier in history is more indisputably â€Å"great† than Alexander.† He started, of course, with the advantage of Philip s army and he did have a number of reverses, such as the march through the Gedrosian Desert. His genius, however, is apparent in every aspect of warfare and in every military undertaking between those of the Granicus and Hydaspes River. He was able to modify and adapt his tactics to suit eachShow MoreRelatedAlexander The Great : Why Is Alexander Considered Great?1669 Words   |  7 PagesALEXANDER THE GREAT Why is alexander considered great? Alexander III of Macedon or commonly known as Alexander the Great was the conqueror and king of the Persian Empire which is the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He was born on the 20/21st July 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. While in reign from 336 to 323 B.C, he united the Greek city-states and led the Corinthian League. He also became the king of Persia, Babylon and Asia as well as created Macedonian colonies in the regionRead MorePhillip II of Macedon Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesPhillip II of Macedon The year was 359 BC. Greece, though weary from constant internal struggling still had supreme power over the Hellenistic world. Persia, though it had suffered large setback in the Persian Wars more then a century before was still a menacing force. The Barbarian State of Macedon was led by warrior kings who aspired to be Greek, yet ruled over a feudal society that was as multicultural as any of its time. Good morning Miss Boeston and class. Todays seminar will conclusivelyRead MoreEssay on Alexander The Great1620 Words   |  7 Pages Few historical figures stand out in the same degree as that of Alexander the Great. He was a warrior by 16, a commander at age 18, and was crowned King of Macedon by the time he was 20 years old. He did things in his lifetime that others could only dream about. Alexander single-handedly changed the nature of the ancient world in just over a decade. There were many attributes that made Alexander â€Å"Great.† He was a brilliant strategist and an inspired leader; he led by example and was a conquerorRead MoreWhat Made Alexander of Macedon Known as Alexander the Great?1114 Words   |  5 PagesWhy Alexander of Macedon is called â€Å"Alexander the great† and most successfully man in conquering the world known kingdoms? The answer is easy forward. Even though today after twenty-three centuries no man has accomplished like Alexander did. Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia is one of the greatest military Intelligence of all times. Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was son of Philip, King of Macedonia, and Olympias, the princess of neighboring EpirusRead MoreAlexander: Truly Great Essay1433 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander, son of King Philip II of Macedon, is known as Alexander the Great. However, was he truly great? One may look at his many accomplishments to decide if he deserves the title. Sometimes character is the test of determining if a man is great. Alexander meets both standards with his philosophic background, conquering abilities, victories in battle, and outstanding accomplishments; therefore, he truly meets his title as Alexander the Great Alexander was born in 356 B.C. to King Philip II fRead MoreAlexander The Great Of Alexander IIi Of Macedon1119 Words   |  5 PagesAlexander The Great Alexander III of Macedon Riding Bucephalus Into Battle Alexander III of Macedon or Alexander The Great was born on 20/21 July 356 BC in Pella, Macedon. He was the son of the king of Macedon. Alexander was many things, he was a prince, a king, a general, and much more. Alexander’s father was the King of Macedon, Philip II and his mother was his father’s fourth wife, Olympias, she was the daughter of Neoptolemus I, the king of Epirus. When Alexander was very young he was raisedRead MoreA Report On Alexander The Great Essay1269 Words   |  6 PagesSynopsis I did my this day in history report on Alexander the Great. Alexander the great is known for many things. He was king of Macedonia, a military genius, and the greatest conqueror of all time-to name a few. Alexander was taught by many great minds, perhaps most responsible for his greatness was Aristotle. Alexander was given many hard tasks and tremendous responsibilities as a child and teen, which he carried out with ease. As an adult king, Alexander ruled over Macedonia and kept it safe fromRead MoreAlexander Was A Great King978 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander was a great king. Not only was he known as Alexander the Great, but he was also known as a classical leader,and many other things. Since he was young he was taught by a very intelligent philosopher, Aristotle. He learned so many things that later in life helped him to become a strong leader. Alexander will always be remembered for the great leader he was. Alexander was born on July 20 or 21, 356 BC, In Pella, Macedon. He was the son of Philip II of Macedon and Olympias of Epirus.Read MoreThe Movie Alexander 1164 Words   |  5 Pages The film, Alexander, is a historic drama about Alexander the Great, who became legendary for his military prowess. Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian general, narrates throughout the film. Moments of Alexander’s childhood was shown, such as his difficult relationship with his mother, Olympias, and his father, King Philip II of Macedon. After Alexander became King of Macedonia, he sets out to conquer the Persian Empire. He continued his eight-year campaign across East Asia, before returning home to BabylonRead MoreAlexander The Great Of The Greatest Military Geniuses2832 Words   |  12 PagesAlexander the Great â€Å"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion† -Alexander III of Macedon, Born into a rich family, Alexander III of Macedon (Greek: ΑÎ »ÃŽ ­ÃŽ ¾ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ´Ã ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š Γ ÃŽ ¿ ÃŽÅ"ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ºÃŽ µÃŽ ´ÃÅ½ÃŽ ½) or more commonly known as Alexander the Great ( Greek: á ¼Ë†ÃŽ »ÃŽ ­ÃŽ ¾ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ´Ã ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š á ½  ÃŽÅ"ÃŽ ­ÃŽ ³ÃŽ ±Ãâ€š) was destined to be a king. Alexander the Great was also considered one of the greatest military geniuses in history. He was the inspiration for many great leaders and warriors in later generations

Essay about Being a Twin- Personal Narrative - 550 Words

Being a Twin- Personal Narrative As I walk through the crowded mall with my sister, little children stare, most adults do a discreet double take, and some bold adults question us outright. â€Å"Wow, are you twins?† â€Å"Do you know you look the same?† â€Å"What’s it like to be a twin?† â€Å"Do you have, like, psychic powers, or something with each other?† These are the most common questions twins hear. Almost all twins don’t really mind them and sometimes the attention is cool. Mostly, we just smile tolerantly at each other and answer them as best we can. After all, we don’t really know how to describe being a twin. We have never known anything else. Nonetheless, here we are. So, as a person who might not know exactly what she is talking†¦show more content†¦Most twins also have a few close friends that are separate from their sibling. Most don’t share a personality. Again, some small parts are the same, but these parts can be explaine d by environment. My sister and I have different interests, are involved in many different activities, and have aptitudes in many different things. For instance, she is involved very heavily in the theater and political science departments at her college, and I am involved in volunteer work wherever I can find it and the nursing department. Finally, we don’t usually dress alike. We have not dressed in the same outfits every day since the age of six, when we started helping pick out our own clothes. When we do dress alike, it is only for special events. For instance, we are planning to do so for three days at the end of summer, due to our attendance at the Twins Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio and most twins find this a fun way to celebrate being a twin. Most pairs have the same philosophy. They may dress up for holidays or birthdays (the parents and other relatives find it cute), but not on an everyday basis. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Some twins like to dress alike all the time, even as grownups. Some have the same friends, and some even have eerily similar personalities. To these people, I say â€Å"MoreShow MoreRelatedHow Can Historians Make Use Of The Stories That The Romans1723 Words   |  7 Pagesfoundation of the city where as the Aeneid addresses the origins in the foundations of the Roman people being descended from Aeneas. In regards to their use to historians, though there is debate as to the legitimacy of historical facts, looking beyond the actual story and noting the difference between versions particularly in Romulus and Remus can give clues of Roman society during the time of it being written. The information contained within the stories of foundation reflects the needs of the RomansRead MoreThe Heart Of Redness By Zakes Mda1347 Words   |  6 Pagespredications are dubbed UnBelievers. Although the prophet Nongqawuse has accurately been confirmed to have existed, and the feud and resulting mass starvation o f the Africans is also factual, but the tale itself is fictional. However, his creative narrative is an insightful look to the feud itself, and a proposition for the possible solutions to Africa’s problems stemming from the conflict. Mda’s account of the historic implications from this time are an authentic look into their reverberating impactRead MoreNarrative Essay1444 Words   |  6 PagesNarrative Essays: To Tell a Story There are four types of essays: Exposition - gives information about various topics to the reader. Description - describes in detail characteristics and traits. Argument - convinces the reader by demonstrating the truth or falsity of a topic. Narrative - tells a story, usually from one person’s viewpoint. A narrative essay uses all the story elements - a beginning and ending, plot, characters, setting and climax - all coming together to complete theRead MoreThe Art World Of The 1970 S Essay1328 Words   |  6 Pagescritiques the male gaze directly; Kelly attempts to draw attention to the intimacy of motherhood and reproductive labour. In unashamedly placing the individual experience of being a pregnant woman directly in front of the viewer, Kelly forces a new thinking and perspective on female identity. With the work pertaining to such a personal idea, Antepartum grants womankind a new subjective ownership over the issue of pregnancy. The imagery of the work is abstract; harsh lighting and peculiar angling of theRead MoreRe-Visioning the Mexican Revolution1119 Words   |  4 Pagesbandolier across his chest, his face smeared with dust and exhaustion, the light of truth in his eyes. But that image is fundamentally limited, run through a lens that blocks out gender,that omits from th e narrative of the Mexican Revolution the presence of women as warriors. In the standard narratives of the revolution woman appear standing by their men. But in Elena Poniatowskas Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution women demonstrate, in words and pictures, that they were central to the revolutionRead MoreA Discussion Of The Old And New Testaments Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pagesto a theological understanding of the twin concepts of Creation and Redemption, and this extends its relevance to both a discussion of the Old and New Testaments. In specific terms Wisdom is associated with Creation and with Redemption in both Testaments as an illustration of its importance in overall Salvation History. Wisdom is generally understood as the right use of knowledge. More than that, it is thought of as basic to a religious understanding of the twin ideas of Creation and Redemption, andRead MoreAnalyzing Graham Greene‚Äà ´s ‚Äà ºThe End of the Party‚Äà ¹1098 Words   |  5 Pagesused by short stories, with an apparent chronological order being implemented. It is also noted that he employed a secondary pattern that carries many attributes of description used for binding the setting of the fictional piece with the characters together. As a literary function, the story uses scenery development, internal and external conflict within the younger brother, Francis, sensory appeal to help readers relate to the twins’ own senses, and symbolism to deliver a revelation of thingsRead MoreEssay about The Gospel of Thomas1536 Words   |  7 Pagesjust said that he did. St. Didymus Jude Thomas was said to be Jesus’ twin brother, assumed by a few early Christians. Thomas is actually Hebrew for twin, and Didymus is Greek for twin as well. According to saying twelve, the disciples said to Jesus, â€Å"We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader?† Jesus said to them, â€Å"Wherever you are, you are to go to James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being†(Gospel of Thomas: saying 12). As I was reading the Gospel of ThomasRead MoreThe Concept Of This Game Essay1743 Words   |  7 Pagesto practice the music presented in the challenges, develop individual techniq ue and critical listening skills, and learn to play in time and tone with ensembles in game and in real time with other players throughout the world via the internet. Narrative Twin siblings, Piano and Forte, come from a small town and participate in a small band program. However, they have big dreams; to perform alongside their heroes, Parappa the Rapper and Umjammer Lammy, in Carnegy Bowl! But they have no idea how to getRead MoreAs You Like It a Romantic Comedy1658 Words   |  7 PagesThe major conventions of Shakespearean Romantic Comedy are: The main action is about love. The would-be lovers must overcome obstacles and misunderstandings before being united in harmonious union. The ending frequently involves a parade of couples to the altar and a festive mood or actual celebration (expressed in dance, song, feast, etc.) A Midsummer Nights Dream has four such couples (not counting Pyramus and Thisbe!); As You Like It has four; Twelfth Night has three; etc. Frequently (but not

Electronic Monitoring In The Workplace Used in Information Age Free Essays

With the advent of the Information Age, a problem has developed between employers and employees over the use of electronic monitoring in the workplace. Electronic monitoring is monitoring employees’ e-mail, computer files, voice mail, telephone use, as well as the use of video and audio surveillance, computer network monitoring, and keystroke monitoring. To employers, the use of electronic monitoring is a very effective management tool to manage employees† activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Electronic Monitoring In The Workplace: Used in Information Age or any similar topic only for you Order Now Employers feel that electronic monitoring offers a shield of corporate security, a means of achieving good performance, and is a necessity for global competitiveness. On the other hand, many workers frown upon this level of monitoring. Is eyeing an employee’s every move, including in the locker rooms and in the restrooms via video camera, necessary? Is the risk of causing health problems to workers for the sake of meeting numerical figures even considered? Is rating a worker’s job performance based on production alone an accurate means of assessing a worker’s performance? How about the quality of a worker’s performance, isn’t it important as well? For the most part, courts favor the employers on the issue of electronic monitoring. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (1996) â€Å"laws to protect employees require only that employees be treated equally. Employers are, therefore, free to do whatever they wish to their employees as long as they do so in a non-discriminatory manner† (p. 1). Employees have limited rights concerning electronic monitoring. â€Å"Union contracts, for example, may limit the employer†s right to monitor. Also, public sector employees may have some minimal rights under the U. S. Constitution, in particular the Fourth Amendment which safeguards against unreasonable search and seizure† (Center for Public Interest Law, 1994, p. 6). The courts seem to weigh the reasonableness of an employee’s expectation to privacy against the legitimate business interests of the employer. Corporate security is a concern of many employers. Corporate spying and theft can seriously put a corporation at risk. â€Å"A business victimized by corporate spying will find itself at a strong competitive and strategic disadvantage† (Cozic, 1994, 64). To employers, monitoring e-mail and computer networks are necessary. Computers offer ready points for entry for spies, thieves, disgruntled employees, sociopaths, and bored teens. Once they’re in a company’s network, they can steal trade secrets, destroy data, sabotage operations, even subvert a particular deal or career† (Behar, 1997, 2). With the possibility of confidential information being retrieved via the computer network or a corporate spy in the corporation sending confidential information by e-mail to a competitor, electronic computer network monitoring is one shield that may offer employers some protection. In addition, employee theft is a reality in many businesses that can drive up business costs. From the employers† point of view, video surveillance monitoring throughout the business facility can help deter much of this theft. Video surveillance would allow a employer to see an employee†s every move inside the facility. If employees are aware of this kind of video surveillance, they would be less inclined to steal or at least be very precautious about stealing. According to the ACLU (1996) â€Å"employers have the right to expect an honest day’s work for a day’s pay. They have a right to set performance standards and expect those standards to be met (p. 3). † The use of Computer Aided Manufacturing is one means of electronic monitoring that enables employers to visually see the performance of their employees, their advanced equipment, and their manufacturing processes. The use of CAM allows managers to monitor vital areas of the manufacturing processes for necessary improvements. With this method of monitoring, managers are able to evaluate whether an employee needs training or whether an employee is fit for the job they were hired to do. In today†s increased global competition, employers of U. S. companies are concerned about bottom line profits and what needs to be done to be competitive with companies of other nations. Employers regard the monitoring method of Computer Aided Manufacturing as a necessary tool to compete globally. It enables employers to manufacture more efficiently by driving costs down and moving quality levels upward. According to Cozic (1994), â€Å"if U. S. factories are discouraged from moving forward with C. A. M. , then American workers will be the ultimate losers as domestic factories won’t be modernized even as overseas factories become increasingly efficient (p. 66). † With the world becoming more of a global economy, employers want to be well positioned to compete. On the flip side of this coin, employees have serious concerns also. By pushing employees to meet higher standards through the use of electronic monitoring, their physical health and mental state can suffers. According to the Center for Public Interest Law (1994) â€Å"People involved in intensive word processing and data entry jobs may be subject to keystroke monitoring. This system tells the manager how many keystrokes per hour each employee is performing. It also may inform employees if they are above or below the standard number of keystrokes expected. Consequently, keystroke monitoring is now linked to health problems including stress disabilities and physical problems like carpal tunnel syndrome†(p. 6). This ailment is a result of repetitive motions of the hands. It is because the human body has a certain tolerance for repetitive and continuous motions that employees believe the use of electronic monitoring to push higher standards should have limits. Also, as far as mental health is concerned, â€Å"Maxine, a customer service representative who quit her job as a result of a serious stress-related illness, described her feelings and those of dozens of hotline callers this way: Monitoring makes you feel like less than a child, less than a human being† (Cozic, 1994, 57). When an employee is stressed mentally by monitoring, undesired working conditions may be created. Paced work, reduced task variety, reduced peer social support, reduced supervisory support, fear of job loss, routine work activities, and lack of control over tasks can produce counterproductive effects to the goal of increasing the efficiency of a given business operation. Many employees also believe the use of electronic monitoring by employers for evaluation purposes isn’t a totally accurate account of their performance. â€Å"A major theme of complaints by monitored workers is that trying to meet numerical figures, over which they have no control and no input, sets up a conflict between giving quality service and keeping the time down. Airline reservation agents receive scores on five different statistics per day; the number of calls handled, average time per call, average time between calls, unmanned time, and overall average. Agents are expected to take 150-200 calls per day with a 96 percent success rating. They may be disciplined for any of the following reasons: Calls longer than three and one half minutes, more than 12 minutes per day of unmanned time, or too long between calls. One agent was put on warning for spending a total 23 seconds-over a full eight hour shift between calls† (Cozic, 1994, 59). With customers having varying needs, some employees view this as a narrow approach in evaluating how they service customers. Some customers may require more attention than others based on the nature of the customers’ call. In addition, employees believe that by employers putting too much emphasis on them making numerical goals, the quality of their performance can be adversely influenced or overlooked. Employees want things like creativity, initiative, leadership, interpersonal skills, and teammanship to be equally included in the evaluation of their performance. Additionally, employees believe much of the monitoring that goes on by the employers have no relevancy to their job performance. â€Å"Several large railroad companies in St. Louis use a system which records the location and length of time employees spend in any part of the building. Workers flash their ID cards through an electronic sensor in each doorway. A computer monitors how long the employees spend in the restroom, the payphone area, the smoking lounge or at a friend’s work station. Sandra, a woman who makes four trips to the bathroom per day, was told by her supervisor that four trips was excessive and that she obviously had a medical problem and needed to see a doctor† (Cozic, 1994, 57). Employees view the amount of time they spend in the restroom to be a very private moment. Many employees feel that if they are performing their jobs well, then why make going to the restroom an issue to begin with. â€Å"Employees certainly have a right to privacy when it comes to dealing with problems of a personal nature, as long as they do so on time set aside by their employers and their performance is not affected† (Fineran, 1991, 64). Employees think that there should be a line drawn between monitoring a worker†s performance and monitoring the worker. Employers also want employees to understand their rights to protect their businesses with means best suitable. The suitable means include electronic monitoring which may at times be at odds with employees’ rights to privacy. Cozic (1994) points out that, â€Å"Card keys and other authorization measures used by the Department of Defense for security control access to areas containing classified data rely on personal identifying information and, by their very nature, track employee movements (p. 5). † Employees would like notification from their employers by written, visual, or audible means, which indicates electronic monitoring, practices. According to Cameron (1991) â€Å"the requirement that employers provide written notification of monitoring systems and visual or aural signals of telephone surveillance will provide urgently needed protections from some of the most serious invasions of privacy (p. 56). † Employers realize to run a successful business enterprise takes good employees. They have to be able to recognize good and bad employees by justly assessing both the employees† character and productivity. With the aid of electronic monitoring, employers believe that employees would receive more exposure than they would receive without monitoring. According to Cozic (1994) â€Å"such data received from monitoring may assist the employer in assessing an employee’s character, productivity, or loyalty (p. 64). † Employees, in general, want to do a good job. They want to be evaluated according to balanced standards with the use of electronic monitoring as only one measure of consideration. According to Cozic (1994) â€Å"With electronic monitoring, the supervisor is in the machine; watching and counting every minute. This supervisor does not take into account that anyone can have a bad day, a slow start, or a difficult afternoon (p. 58). † Employers and employees both have valid concerns to the issue of electronic monitoring in the workplace. Care must be taken to avoid infringement on employees’ rights to privacy and well being while maintaining the employers’ rights to benefit from the labor they have hired. Employees must try to understand the security concerns of the employers as well as the employers need to be able to operate their businesses in ways that keep them competitive. On the other hand, employers must seek balanced ways in assessing employees’ performances as well as their benefit to the company by not relying too much on electronic monitoring. Perhaps if both parties will keep the concerns of the other in mind, a happy medium can be found where conditions favorable to both employees and employers are established. How to cite Electronic Monitoring In The Workplace: Used in Information Age, Essay examples