Breakfast At Tiffany`s Essays - Cinema Of The United States

Breakfast At Tiffany`s Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote is about the thought that friendship can make a person take drastic measures in helping a friend. The setting is New York City. The point of view is first person limited. Seen through the eyes of the narrator, called "Fred" ( the main character ), who is a starting writer. I enjoyed the story because it was very interesting to learn and experience life in old New York. The story starts out, probably in the present time, when "Fred", who had now been living in New York for a great deal of time, goes into his friend Joe Bell's bar for a drink. There he learns the his long time friend, Holly Golightly, is still alive by the use of a photograph from an explorer which shows a wood carving made by a tribesman which bears the uncanny resemblance to Holly. After this encounter, "Fred" begins to reminisce about his past with Holly and all of their wild adventures. "Fred's" first meeting with Holly was through his apartment window. Holly Golightly is a nineteen year-old self-sufficient woman. Some of her personality traits are admirable, affectionate, while cold hearted. She is motivated in life by striving for her purpose in life, which is to be rich and famous while keeping her ego. She believes that love is not sexual. Holly, trying to escape a horrible date, decides to visit her new downstairs neighbor. There she practically tells "Fred" everything about her life. Fred was a name Holly chose for "Fred" because he looked like her brother Fred, but since the point of view is first person, the narrator refers to himself throughout the story as "I", but Holly generally refers to him as "Fred". In "Fred's" apartment, Holly tells "Fred" about her involvement with a imprisoned drug runner name Sally Tomato, a stock mobster character who pays Holly to visit him. "Fred" learns more about Holly's friends when he attends a party hosted by Holly. There he meets Rusty Trawler, Holly's current boyfriend, Mag Wildwood, a cunning southern bell from Arkansas who would eventually steal away Holly's boyfriend. "Fred" realizes that Holly's friends are not the usual type of people that attend parties. Which is described when Mag first enters the party and says in her southern accent, " You b-b-boys not vexed at me for butting in on your p-p-party." Mag says this even though everybody knows she was attending. The tone of the story is funny and sarcastic. The action then abruptly changes when Holly, Mag, Rusty, and Mag's boyfriend, Jose` Ybarra-Jaegar, an eccentric Brazilian politician, went on a trip to Brazil. There Mag steals Holly's boyfriend, Rusty, and Holly does the same with Mag's boyfriend, Jose`. When they get back, Holly is detected by her former husband. "Fred" then learns that Holly's real name was Lulamae Barnes before she was married as a child bride to a southerner named Doc Golightly. Also, over this period of time, Holly's involvement with Mag's ex-boyfriend drives Mag away. This is a very rough time for Holly. In order to ease the pain and pass the time, Holly spend more and more time with "Fred" drinking in Joe Bell's bar. Joe Bell is a shy bar owner who conceals his feeling about the rambunctious Holly. Even though he is in love with her, Joe keeps his feelings hidden. Everything is fine till one day after horse-back riding. After "Fred" has a sever accident, involving a horse and an abrupt trip downtown, Holly is suddenly arrested for being involved in a drug triangle with Sally Tomato. Apparently, Sally was using Holly to relay information from him to his drug empire outside the prison walls. At this same moment "Fred" finds out that Jose` is leaving Holly and he has to tell her the news. The theme is reinforced in these chapters by the way the narrator goes out of his way to do things for his friend, Holly. They go horse back riding, even though "Fred" is uneasy about riding. They also decide to steal masks from a costume store. After all of these horrible things happen to Holly, she decides to break out of jail and move to Brazil. Even though "Fred" knows she is probably never coming back, he still has hope for Holly's return. And he shares that hope with Joe Bell at his bar. "Fred" knows that he would have done anything to keep his and Holly's relationship strong. Which is the theme of the story: friendship can make

Sampson and Gregory Essays

Sampson and Gregory Essays Sampson and Gregory Paper Sampson and Gregory Paper In line 139 Juliet says, My only love sprung from my only hate! Two types of love are at conflict here for Juliet. Romantic love (for Romeo) and love for her family, (because she was brought up to hate the Montagues). This saddens her. There is another type of love in the play parental and familial love, the love between parents and their children. We do not learn much about the Montague parents, but we do see a great deal of the Capulet parents. At first when we see Capulet talking to Paris, he is saying Juliet is his only daughter and she means a lot to him, so he does not want her to marry as young as she is. However, this changes completely by Act 3, scene 4 when he shrewdly decides to marry off his daughter to Paris and arranges the wedding. In Act 1, scene 3, Lady Capulet has a talk with Juliet about marriage (to Paris). She does not seem to care much about Juliets opinion, but more than she does later on. This is where we see her first selfish streak, and realise that their mother-daughter relationship is not a very close one. It is not until Act 3, scene 5 we see the Capulets completely fail their daughter, when they force an arranged marriage onto her. This is a striking scene, where Lady Capulet wishes Juliet was dead after she says that she does not want to marry Paris I would the fool were married to her grave. Capulet is even more heartless in this scene. He completely loses his temper with Juliet, and threatens to throw her out and disown her is she does not marry Paris. The love of the Capulets for their daughter is so possessive and domineering, that when she doesnt do as they wish, it turns into utter cruelty and really makes you question whether they love Juliet or not. Her parents want to force her into a loveless marriage because they obviously do not consider love to be at all important in a marriage, and also because they think they know what is best for Juliet and that she is theirs to treat however they like An you be mine Ill give you to my friend; An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, for by my soul, Ill neer acknowledge thee, (line 192-194). This also shows the contrast between young and old the old dont understand the young. Lord and Lady Capulet actually show more love for Juliet when they find her supposedly dead, but even this is selfish love as they are more worried about how they are going to live without her. This shows just how superficial their love for Juliet is. Other characters that act as surrogate parents for Romeo and Juliet and the Nurse and Friar Lawrence. The Nurse nursed Juliet as a baby, and has practically brought her up. The Friar is someone who both lovers turn to for advise. Romeo goes to the Friar when he wants to marry Juliet. The Friar and the Nurse acted as messengers between Romeo and Juliet. They showed great support and parental love towards Romeo and Juliet when they got married, but even this was partially superficial. At the end of Act 3, scene 5, just after the big argument between Capulet and Juliet, the Nurse is trying to comfort a distraught Juliet, but instead she fails her miserably. When Juliet asks the Nurse what she thinks she should do, the Nurse surprises her by saying that she might as well marry Paris because Romeo has been banished and they can no longer be together. She thinks that love (marriage) is no more than having sex and having babies, then to her Paris would make just a good husband as Romeo would. She does not understand the depth of emotion involved in true love, and Juliet is very upset by this because she thought that the Nurse understood how she felt. After this conversation, Juliet goes to the Friar for advice (Act 4, scene 1). The Friar helps her a great deal, and you think he really understands Romeo and Juliet, but he in turn fails Juliet in Act 5, scene 3. When Juliet wakes up and find Romeo dead she wants to spend more time with him, but the Friar insists that they leave when he hear people coming their way, Come Ill dispose of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns. The Friars inadequacy in this crisis is shown by this ironic suggestion. He is fine until now to help the lovers be together, but when it comes to him nearly being caught out, he just tries to run away from the situation. This shows his selfishness, and the fact he does not understand the lovers affections and intentions to be together always. In this play of overflowing love and passion we are introduced to a character very different from all the others Paris. Paris is an altogether good man, who is genuinely in love with Juliet and is the only one genuinely upset when she dies. Here there is another situation of unrequited love for Juliet from Paris. He is quite an innocent character caught up in the Capulet familys complications and does not think there is anything wrong with the arranged marriage. He does not actually speak to Juliet until they meet in the Friars cell in Act 4, scene 1, and the marriage is arranged through Capulet. He is very thoughtful towards Juliets feelings, and in lines 6 and 7, he says he has not talked to her about love (the marriage), because she has been weeping and is very sad about Tybalts death, but thinks that by getting married she will be happy again. Another character apart from Romeo and Juliet who is also driven by great passions and love is Tybalt. Tybalt shows the greatest passion for hate. In Act 1, scene 1 he says, what, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, and all Montagues and thee. He is a very passionate character who also shows a tremendous amount of familial love, because he is prepared to fight and in turn die for his family. Mercutio is also another one of these characters. Although he is neither Capulet nor Montague, he shows a great amount of love of friendship towards Romeo and the Montagues he dies whilst duelling against Tybalt for them. In his Queen Mab he lets his tongue run away with him because he is talking passionately about something (love) that he doesnt believe in. The mood in the scenes in which we see Romeo and Juliet together, contrast with the atmosphere of most the other scenes in the play, because of their feelings for each other. They are the two main characters who are star-crossed lovers, so obviously their scenes are going to be much more romantic and intense with passion for love than any other. Their scenes are also more calmer, relaxed and create a pleasant, positive atmosphere, whereas the rest are mainly to do with the family feud or other less positive things (such as the arranged marriage). In the balcony scene (Act 2, scene 2), you can tell that they both see their love as more important than any ancient family feud. In lines 66-69, Romeo speaks of how stony limits cannot hold love out, meaning that even high walls are no challenge for love and that nothing can stop them from sharing their love. By the end of the play Romeo and Juliet have changed quite a bit. Romeo went from being almost in a state of depression, to this fiery most positive character. However the same impulsive streak he has at the beginning is still there right till the very end when he acts on his impulse and decides to drink the poison not knowing the facts of Juliets death. Juliet was quite childish at the beginning of the play, because she does exactly what she was told by her parents. You could say that both character stayed childish right till the end, because of the way they hid everything from most people because they were too scared to come out. You could also say though that they grew up, matured a lot and became more independent because they disobeyed their parents and found a way to be together practically by themselves (even though the Nurse and the Friar knew, they did not understand Romeo and Juliet properly). I also think that by spending their first night together, Romeo and Juliet matured more as they cemented their love. They both made huge sacrifices for each other, making their love even truer, and even though they both died in the end, Romeo died after kissing Juliet, and Juliet died after kissing Romeo. Just before Romeo takes his poison, he says, heres to my love! and just before Juliet stabs herself she says Oh happy dagger! This shows they didnt mind dying as long as they were able to be together. Also in the play, the actions for the older members, affect the younger members a lot. Because of them, Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris and Romeo and Juliet all die. This is what makes Romeo and Juliet such an immense tragedy. Now I have shown the various perceptions of love in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, I will now pick out two contrasting scenes I have discussed and explain how I would stage them to show their differences. The two scenes I have chosen are, act 1, scene 1, with Sampson and Gregory (lines 11-27), and act 1, scene 5, where Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time (lines 94-107). Sampson and Gregory are two very crude characters, and this has to be shown by not only their performances, but also their surroundings. The actors should wear green or khaki colours, with their swords hanging from a belt on their sides. This makes them look like they are army soldiers, who are ready to fight at any moment. They would have stubble showing, and walk as if they had something heavy on their shoulders, which makes them look rough, and rude. I would have them talk very loud, almost shouting, as if they owned the place, inconsiderate to other peoples feelings and are boosting about what they are saying. The lighting should be a bold green when Sampson says, A dog of that house shall move me to stand. Green is quite a hard, sick looking colour, which will emphasise their foul minds. They should walk side-by-side, in the middle, and people should walk on the very edges (of the stage) to look as if they are trying to stay away from them. When they talk about the Montague maids and pushing them against the wall, one of them should pretend he is going to push a woman passing by into the wall, and then they both laugh about it. Romeo and Juliets first meeting is very special. In lines 94-107 they share a sonnet, so this should be a very romantic scene. Juliet should be dancing with someone else, then they all switch partners, and Romeo hurries to be hers. Until they start dancing with each other, there should be other people all around the room (on the stage), but as soon as Romeo says his first line, If I profane they should all move into the background, the music (at the party) should die slowly into a soft beat. Romeo and Juliet will dance in he middle, up-stage, and this will show the audience who they should be looking at and listening to. The lighting would hover from a calm yellow, to subtle orange, then to a soft red, then eventually to a light pink. These colours remind me of a beautiful sunset, and also romance, so I think it will work well because of the softness. They should go behind a pillar on the right side of the stage to kiss to show they are hiding it from everyone else. Romeo should wear a mask all throughout, and pull it off just before they kiss, and they should both look into each others eyes the whole time. This will show that they do not care about each others bodies. Both would be in their party outfits- Juliets should be in a long cream or white dress to show her purity, with red flowers or embroidery on it, also wearing red lipstick. Romeos outfit should be a red or maroon velvet material, with a yellow belt and silver mask. This will make him look like a prince, and the red worn by both characters, emphasises the red associated with romance. They should speak softly to each other, and when they speak it should not be as if this is their first meeting, but as if they have known each other for a lifetime. This will show the special connection they have straight away.

COmpare and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

COmpare and Contrast - Essay Example ast four cases that include Lindile Mbotya v Minister of Police, Lamula et al v Minister of Police, Mhando v Attorney General and Another, and Gervas v Said Mohamed Ndeteleni. Lindile Mbotya v Minister of Police is a South African case that was decided in the High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division of Port Elizabeth. Lindile Mbotya (Plaintiff) sued the Minister of Police (Defendant) for an alleged unlawful arrest and detention seeking damages in the region of 250,000 South African Rand. The plaintiff sued based on the fact that the arrest and detention was done without probable cause and that it was malicious. A member of the South African Police Services did the arrest in the employ of the defendant. The defendant refuted the allegations stating that the plaintiff was arrested and detained lawfully in accordance with the provisions of Section 40(1) (b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 based on the arresting officer’s suspicion that the plaintiff had committed an offence. was within the confines of the law in exercising his discretion to arrest the plaintiff. The high court ruled in favor of the plaintiff based on aspects such as unlawful arrest and the circumstances that led to the deprivation of liberty, for instance improper motive, and harsh conduct of the arresting officers. The damages were awarded not to enrich the plaintiff but to offer solatium for the injury caused and also based on the plaintiff’s constitutional rights. Mhando v Attorney General and Another is a similar case to the above case in the sense that Mhando (Plaintiff) sued the Attorney General and Another (Defendant) for wrongful arrest, detention and prosecution by the police and sought damages for that. The case was also held in a High Court, but at Dare salaam in Tanzania. Unlike in the above case, the defendant here filed a written statement of defense and also followed it by a notice of preliminary objection that the suit was time barred. Unlike the first case,

Best Treatment Approach For Persons Diagnosed With Schizophrenia Research Paper

Best Treatment Approach For Persons Diagnosed With Schizophrenia - Research Paper Example They also were incapable of winning people over or keeping their jobs because of their odd behavior, poor memory and inattention. Every day of their lives, they were on therapy. This writer will be investigating various researches to find a possible solution to the plight of the schizophrenics. The aim is to improve the quality of life of the schizophrenic patients. The best treatment approach for improving the quality of life of persons diagnosed with Schizophrenia Introduction Schizophrenia was a mental health disorder with several symptoms: positive and negative (Draper et al, 2009). Diagnosis was made by the DSM-IV criteria. Hallucinations represented the positive symptoms. The negative symptoms were the emotional problems of flat affect (Arif et al, 2011). Cognitive deficits included attention problems. This writer will investigate the efficacy of the types of therapy that had been used for management of schizophrenics and the advantages of using cognitive behavior therapy and r ehabilitation in addition assuming that the combination of procedures would elevate the quality of life of schizophrenics. CATIE The CATIE (Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness) was performed in US with 1460 patients to unearth evidence to indicate how clinical management could improve the efficiency of management (Bick et al, 2007). Different atypical antipsychotic drugs were investigated in clinical practice for an 18 month period (Bick et al, 2007). A 3-phase design was used. The results were depressing in that the drawbacks of the clinical practice were found. Antipsychotic treatment alterations The second generation drugs of olanzapine and clozapine which were the usual first-line- of- treatment drugs and widely used had the problems of metabolic dysfunction. Responding to the need for improvement of treatment of schizophrenia, newer drugs had been studied recently. This paper will highlight a few recent studies out of the many. The goal of antipsychotic treatment was to eliminate symptoms rapidly, prevent the relapses, decrease the severity of the illness and help to improve social relationships (Chwieduk and Keating, 2010). The use of Iloperidone, Paliperidone and Lurasidone were investigated (Arif and Mitchell, 2011; (Chwieduk and Keating, 2010; Ehret et al, 2010). Cognitive behavior therapy Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) had been recognized by many researchers as appropriate for treating schizophrenic patients as a complement to their pharmacotherapy (Kuller et al, 2010). The collaborative efforts of the clinician and the patient in evaluation of delusional beliefs in order to understand the underlying beliefs constituted one approach. The success of the therapy depended on the extent of therapeutic relationship between the clinician and the patient. Almost 20 trials had compared the treatment of patients who had the usual therapy of drugs and case management as against another group which had CBT in addition. The outcomes wer e based on patient characteristics, acute against chronic illness, short against long-term results and the type of symptoms. Psychosocial rehabilitation Valencia et al investigated the possibility of implementing a rehabilitation program in Mexico on the lines of similar programs in the US and the UK (2010). Social skills training and family psycho-education both established rapport between them (Valencia, 2010). The patients became less anxious and the program was a

Southwest Airlines and obese passeger Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Southwest Airlines and obese passeger - Article Example both armrests should book the additional seat at the booking time and that with only one seat, he was going to make himself uncomfortable as well as the co-passengers. The Southwest Airlines’ customer of size policy states that the additional seat will be offered at a discounted rate and refunded afterwards if goes unoccupied, which is a very good offer which Orto should have availed. He had also been offered the opportunity to show to the Airlines that he could accommodate only one seat without upsetting his seatmates, but he refused. One cannot make out what was the reason he did not take the chance of boarding the plane and letting the personnel see that he was right. According to the Southwest Airlines, putting forward the rule of an additional seat for large passengers became vital when the customers who felt terribly uncomfortable sitting next to an obese seatmate started raising objections. Moreover, the over-weight passengers disturb the plane’s weight and balance which is very dangerous. Since it is the responsibility of the Airlines to assure safety to all passengers, Orto had to be enquired. The question that what factor decides which passenger is stout and which is skinny has a straightforward reply. The Airlines’ policy says that it is the size of the person that determines his obesity, not his weight nor the extension of the seat belt. If an obese person gets allowed to fly with only one seat, that would only happen if he is able to lower or extend the seatbelt. If he cannot lower it, this decides that he is obese. A good example can be of a pregnant woman. Despite her being over-weight, if she can lower the armrest, it i s okay if she books one seat. Staff can be also instructed to use measuring tape to measure the size of the passenger, and if the size crosses a pre-decided limit, then he would have to buy an additional seat. This procedure should be carried out at the time of booking and not at the time of boarding. Even if some one like a

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance There have been many theoretical and empirical debates about the relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance. The debate on the relationship between CSP and CFP involves two important issues: direction and causality of the relationship (Preston OBannon, 1997). Based upon the literature review, the relationship between CSP and CFP could be positive, neutral, and negative. Preston and OBannon (1997) have distinguished between the direction of the CSP-FP relationship (positive, negative or neutral) and the causal sequence: does CSP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence FP, does FP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence CSP, or is there a synergistic relationship between the two? They have developed six possible causal and directional hypotheses: social impact hypothesis, slack resources hypothesis, trade-off hypothesis, managerial opportunism hypothesis, positive synergy hypothesis and negative synergy hypothesis. The social impact hypothesis is based on the stakeholder theory which suggests that meeting the needs of various corporate stakeholders will lead to favourable FP (Freeman, 1984). According to this hypothesis, serving the implicit claims of stakeholders enhances a companys reputation in a way that has a positive impact on its FP. Conversely, disappointing these groups of stakeholders may have a negative  ¬Ã‚ nancial impact (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Preston and OBannon (1997) was one of the surveys that used the Fortune reputation index. In particular, this survey assessed CSP according to three variables: (1) rating of community and environmental responsibility, (2) ability to select and retain good people, and (3) quality of products and services. They found that a positive relationship existed between these variables and ROA. Preston, L. E. and D. P. OBannon (1997). The corporate social-financial performance relationship: a typology and analysis, Business and Society ,vol.36, no.4 419-429. The slack resource hypothesis predicts that better FP potentially results in the availability of slack resources that may increase a  ¬Ã‚ rms ability to invest in socially responsible domains such as community and society, employee relations or environment (Waddock and Graves, 1997). One of the essential aspects of CSR and financial performance is the direction of causality. Waddock and Graves (1997) studied the empirical linkage between financial and social performance and found out that CSR was positively associated with prior financial performance. The results were in line with the slack resource theory that supports that the existence of slack resources resulting from better financial performance made companies invest in areas that are related to social domains. The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Waddock and Graves (1997) reported that CSP was positively associated with prior and future CFP. They concluded that these findings indicated that not only does CSP follow CFP but also CSP drives CFP. It is notable that they measured CSP by a constructed index based on five factors related to the stakeholder and three factors with responsiveness to significant external pressure. This index is provided by a rating firm-Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Co., Inc (KLD). Waddock, S.A. and S.B. Graves (1997). The corporate social performance-financial performance link, Strategic Management Journal, vol.18, no.4. 303-319. Waddock Graves (1997) and Dean (1998) put forward two theories to answer the question: slack resource theory and good management theory. Under the slack resource theory, a company should focus on its financial position, allowing it to contribute to the CSP. Conducting good social performance requires funds that might result from the success of fi-nancial performance. According to this theory, financial performance comes first. A good management theory holds that social performance comes first. Based on this theory, a company perceived by its stakeholders as having a good reputation will result in a stronger financial position (through market mechanism). The trade-off hypothesis supposes a negative impact of CSP on FP. This hypothesis deals with the neo classical economists position which holds that socially responsible behavior will net few economic bene ¬Ã‚ ts while its numerous costs will reduce pro ¬Ã‚ ts and shareholder wealth (Waddock and Graves,1997).This hypothesis re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ects the classic Friedman position and is supported by the well-know nearly  ¬Ã‚ nding of Vance (1975) that corporations displaying strong social credentials experience declining stock prices relative to the market average(Preston and OBannon, 1997,p.421). Studies using measures of return based on the stock market also indicate diverse results. Vance (1975) refutes previous research by Moskowitz by extending the time period for analysis from 6 months to 3 years, thereby producing results which contradict Moskowitz and which indicate a negative CSP/CFP relationship. However, Alexander and Buchholz (1978) improved on Vances analysis by evaluating stock market performance of an identical group of stocks on a risk adjusted basis, yielding an inconclusive result. Alexander, G. J., and Rogene A. Buchholz (1978) Corporate social responsibility and stock market performance. Academy of Management Journal, 21 (3): 479-486. Vance, S. C.(1975) Are socially responsible corporations good investment risks? Management Review, 64: 18-24. According to the managerial opportunism hypothesis, corporate managers may pursue their own private objectives to the detriment of both shareholders and other stakeholders ( Weidenbaum and Sheldon, 1987;Williamson, 1967, 1985).In fact, when FP is strong, managers may reduce social expenditures in order to maximize their own short-term private gains. Conversely, when FP weakens, managers may engage in conspicuous social programs in order to offset their disappointing results (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The positive synergy hypothesis supposes that higher levels of CSP lead to an improvement of FP, which offers the possibility of reinvestment in socially responsible actions (Allouche and Laroche, 2005a). Indeed, favourable CSP leads to a surplus of available funds (social impact hypothesis) which is reallocated, in part, to the different stakeholders (slack resources hypothesis). There may then be a simultaneous and interactive positive relation between CSP and FP, forming a virtuous circle (Waddock and Graves, 1997). However, according to the negative synergy hypothesis, higher levels of CSP lead to decreased FP, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments. There may then be a simultaneous and interactive negative relation between CSP and FP, forming a vicious circle. While empirical results concerning the nature of the relationship between CSP and FP continue to be mixed, the largest number of investigations found a positive relationship. This tendency towards the positivism of the CSP-FP link is supported by subsequent Meta analysis (Allouche and Laroche, 2005b; Orlitzky et al., 2003; Wu, 2006). Another study was conducted by Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45 (2003) who found a strong correlation between corporate financial performance and corporate social/environmental performance. This relationship is more strongly pronounced for theaccounting based measures of performance than the market-based measures of performance (Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45, 2003). Another vein of research focused on the causal relationship between CSP and FP. For instance, using traditional statistical techniques, Waddock and Graves (1997) and Hillman and Keim (2001)  ¬Ã‚ nd a positive synergistic relationship between CSP and FP showing the existence of a virtuous circle between the two constructs .McGuire et al.(1988)  ¬Ã‚ nd that lagged FP measures lead to improved current CSP measures, but the latter does not affect FP. In a more recent study, Nelling and Webb (2006) examine the causal relationship between CSP and FP by introducing a new econometric technique, the Granger causality approach. Their  ¬Ã‚ ndings suggest that, using ordinary least square (OLS) regression models, CSP and FP are related. In disagreement with prior empirical research, they  ¬Ã‚ nd a lower relationship between CSP and FP when employing a time series  ¬Ã‚ xed effects approach. The same result is found when introducing Granger causality models. Furthermore, by focusing on individual measures of CSP, they  ¬Ã‚ nd causality running from stock market performance to CSP ratings regarding employees relationships. In addition to those large-scale American empirical studies, Mahoney and Roberts (2007) have examined the relationship between CSP and FP in the Canadian context. This study has examined the relationship between these constructs using the CSID measure of CSP.1 Contrary to Waddock and Graves (1997), Mahoney and Roberts (2007) found no signi ¬Ã‚ cant relationship between a composite measure of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP and FP. However, using a one-year lag, their  ¬Ã‚ ndings indicate as igni ¬Ã‚ cant positive relationship between individual measures of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP regarding environmental and international activities and FP. This study has examined only one direction of causality: from CSP to FP. The latest study of corporate social and financial performance was done by Mahoney and Roberts (2007). They performed empirical analyses on a large-sample of publicly held Canadian companies. Based on tests utilizing four years of panel data they found no significant relationship between a composite measure of companies social and financial performance. However, they found significant relationships between individual measures of companies social performance regarding environmental and international activities and financial performance. Mahoney, L., Roberts, R.W., 2007. Corporate social performance, and financial performance and institutional ownership in Canadian firms. Accounting Forum 31, 233- 253. Rim Makni, Claude Francoeur Franà §ois Bellavance (2009). Causality Between Corporate Social Performance and Financial Performance: Evidence From Canadian Firms. Journal of Business Ethics 89 (3). This study assesses the causal relationship between corporate social performance (CSP) and financial performance (FP). We perform our empirical analyses on a sample of 179 publicly held Canadian firms and use the measures of CSP provided by Canadian Social Investment Database for the years 2004 and 2005. Using the Granger causality approach, we find no significant relationship between a composite measure of a firms CSP and FP, except for market returns. However, using individual measures of CSP, we find a robust significant negative impact of the environmental dimension of CSP and three measures of FP, namely return on assets, return on equity, and market returns. This latter finding is consistent, at least in the short run, with the trade-off hypothesis and, in part, with the negative synergy hypothesis which states that socially responsible firms experience lower profits and reduced shareholder wealth, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments

Islam :: essays research papers fc

It may seem similar and it may not, but what we do know, is that they both believe that they are Muslims. The Islamic beliefs of the black American male and the males of the Middle East are the same. My argument lies in the question of whether or not Africans can call themselves true Muslims, believers and followers of the Islamic faith. To be considered a true Muslim you must follow the rules and regulations of the Islamic faith. What is Islam? Islam is defined as "the complete acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of Allah " (I. A. Ibrahim 45) As a Muslim you are to believe in Allah, who is incomparable. He has no son nor does he have a partner, he is unique and he is one. You shall not worship, magnify, or pay tribute to any other, for all others are false. Yet we see otherwise in Africans who call themselves Muslims. In John S. Mbiti's book, "Introduction to African Religion" he states traditional African beliefs mixes those of Islam to suit the require ments of the people concerned so they get the best out of both religions (188-189). How can one say such a thing? To believe in something is to fight for it, is to die for it. You can not get the best of a religion if you do not fully believe in it. You should not "adopt the way of dress and some other cultural forms" (Mbiti 189), just to suite a community. Religion is something that is held dear to the heart of many people and to mix and mingle them does not allow you to truly believe in one. When you convert to a religion it is not to convert halfway, it is not to convert three- fourths of the way, but to convert all the way. It is stated that even if Africans "convert to another religion, they do not completely abandon the traditional religions" (Mbiti 14) Here we see that the first real defiance has already occur. By mixing the two would not you be doing an injustice to the true believers of the Islamic faith and defying Allah the leader of the Islamic faith. in addition, are you not doing an injustice to the rites and rituals to the Gods, Spirits, and Divinities of the African religion? How can you please the leader/leaders of these separate religions if you are not even following them fully with your heart, mind, body and soul?

A Sustainable Competitive Advantage Essay

Operations Management is a key component in the success of any ï ¬ rm. The textbook  outlines ten critical areas to focus on for Operational Managers–many ï ¬ rms have developed these one or two of these areas into a competitive advantage. One ï ¬ rm, Anhueser-Busch/InBev has successfully incorporated all ten areas of focus and developed them into a legacy of quality and a sustainable competitive advantage. This focus on Operations Managemnt has lead to Ab/ InBev’s reputation for quality, and their continued dominance as a global brewery. Design of Goods The design of goods/services deï ¬ nes a ï ¬ rm, and sets them up for success (or failure) in  the market. In order to design a superior product, ï ¬ rms must ï ¬ rst understand their customer— what their needs and requirements are. Anheuser-Busch/InBev has focused on developing a diverse portfolio of global brands to satisfy a myriad of customer needs; a few of their more recently-developed beers are actually based on customer suggestions and recipes. The AB/ InBev portfolio ranges from low-cost products such as Busch (which focuses on a costleadership strategy), while domestic brands such as Budweiser and Bud Light are a force to be reckoned with in the North American markets. Other brands such as Hoeegarden and Leffe appeal to craft beer consumers as well as global markets (a differentiation strategy). By customizing products to various consumer tastes, they are able to obtain greater market share worldwide. AB/InBev’s original beer, Budweiser, was developed in the 1800s by the company’s  founder, Adolphus Busch set out to create a beer that balanced ï ¬â€šavor and refreshment— something that everyone could enjoy. This understanding of customer needs, combined with a commitment to quality and consistency still exist in the company today, which contributes to the overall sustainability of the company. Managing Quality As mentioned above, AB/InBev makes sure to incorporate quality into their individual  products—by meticulously managing their supply chain, they are able to control the overall quality of input as well as their products. Their commitment to tradition is the basis for their commitment to quality; many of the ingredients they use while brewing today’s beer come from the same lineage as the ingredients Adolphus Busch used back in the 1800s. Since AB/InBev directly owns the farms where the hops, rice and barley are grown, by ensuring the quality of the ingredients, they ensure quality and consistency in each batch of beer. AB/InBev offers quality to consumers by offering an extensive line of products—they  improved on their Lime-o-Rita line by offering additional ï ¬â€šavors. There is manufacturing based quality in their products—each batch of Budweiser is brewed to the same standards as the last, thus ensuring that each individual bottle tastes as good as the last. Process and Capacity Design By maintaining a process-focused strategy, AB/InBev has created a sustainable  competitive advantage—their unique lineup of products all revolve around the same quality ingredients. Fewer inputs (hops, rice, barley, etc.) all distill down to a variety of quality products that AB/InBev uses to meet their customer demands. This high volume, low variety production method allows for the efï ¬ ciency needed to produce the mass quantities of product that AB/InBev demands. A simple visit to the AB/InBev brewery creates a clear picture of their commitment to the  product-focused strategy—their facilities are designed speciï ¬ cally to accommodate the variety of products they have created. This speciï ¬ city and simplicity lead to lower variable costs per unit, higher equipment utilization, and overall easier production planning. Although switching  production lines between products can be a bit of a hassle, the specialization of labor reduces lead time and setup costs for each production run. Location Strategy The main headquarters of AB/InBev are currently located in St. Louis, Missouri, where  they were originally established in the early 1800s. Although the merger between AnheuserBusch and InBev in 2008 could have easily meant that  headquarters would be relocated, moving production elsewhere would have been incredibly costly. Because of the company’s long-standing residence in the Midwest, many suppliers are also located in the Midwest. Relocating the brewery would have not only increased shipping/handling costs of the various inputs, but also the campus that AB/InBev currently occupies is now owned outright by the company—attempting to build a new production facility would have been a signiï ¬ cant outlay of capital. The brewery in St. Louis is certainly a well-known landmark within the city, but it is not  the only brewery that AB/InBev owns and operates. Because the demand for AB/InBev products is so widespread, the brewery operates 12 different brewing and bottling plants throughout the United States. These locations help ensure the freshness and overall quality of the product delivered to various markets nationwide, as well as help reduce the costs of moving product from manufacturer to distributer. Layout Strategy! Because AB/InBev offers almost 200 unique products, layout strategy is incredibly  important in keeping the company competitive—efï ¬ cient and effective use of space ensures that things continue to run smoothly. At the brewery in St. Louis, a couple of different layouts can be seen. Silos at the  entrance to the campus store the various ingredients needed to brew the beers, while outlying buildings double as ofï ¬ ce space and storage of other components (such as bottles, cans, labels, etc.). By using a warehousing/storage layout for certain items, things that are used most commonly during production are close by, thus saving on shipping and handling costs. The beer that is brewed in St. Louis is bottled on-site. The bottling lines follow a  product-oriented layout—for example, glass bottles for Bud Light are run through one set of lines, while cans of Bud Light are run through a separate set of lines.

Bollywood Phillums essays

Bollywood Phillums essays If the quality of Bollywood movies hitting the screens all over India these days isn't reason enough to feel disillusioned, the kind of bloopers they are full of, which are conveniently overlooked, are enough to make you pull your hair out in frustration. If scantily-dressed women dancing on snow-clad mountain tops and Sunny Deol fighting the entire Pakistani army one-handedly in Gadar aren't unrealistic enough, the sheer absent-mindedness of the people behind these movies is reflected in films in which wannabe-rock stars are seen playing electric guitars which, miraculously, make music without being connected to any source of electricity. Although that doesnt seem like a big deal and may be passed off as a mere technical error, it's enough to make your average heavy metal fan react indignantly. The fact remains that an electric guitar, when played like an acoustic guitar, makes no sound. Since it does not take an extraordinarily sharp or intellectual mind to interpret and analyze the non-existent intricacies of the love triangles most of these movies revolve around, the typical Hindi movie draws in masses to the movie theatres. The lack of diversity, when it comes to the storyline of most Bollywood movies has blinded the audiences to such an extent that it seems to have become impossible for them to distinguish between overacting or hamming, and acting with class. A pitiful movie, like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Mohabbatein, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham becoming blockbusters is living proof of the fact. After watching the trailers of 16 Hindi films doing their rounds on the idiot box, and after analysis which was purely mathematical in nature (!), the lack of originality among just the NAMES of these movies was not only evident, but also worrying. Movies with 4 to 6 words in their titles seem to be the latest rage, constituting 56.25% of the movies, and those with 3 words in their title ranking seco ...

Complete List Open Admission Colleges With 100% Admission

Complete List Open Admission Colleges With 100% Admission SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re worried about getting into college, we're here with some news that may ease your mind: There are open admission colleges (aka open enrollment colleges), colleges that offer admission to all students provided that they have a high school diploma or GED. Regardless of your GPA or standardized test scores, you can have the opportunity to pursue a college degree at one of these schools. In this article, we'll define open admission colleges, explain the pros and cons of attending a college with open admissions, and provide you with a list of four-year colleges with a 100% acceptance rate. What Is an Open Admission College? Open admission, or open enrollment, means that everybody who has a high school diploma or GED can attend. Nobody is rejected. Open admission schools have an acceptance rate of 100%. Generally, you don’t have to take the SAT or ACT to be admitted, but many open admission colleges require placement tests. Types of Colleges That Are Open Admission There are public, private independent, private liberal arts, and private religious colleges that are open admission. Examples of public open admission colleges include UTEP, Metropolitan State, and Weber State. The University of Pikeville is an open admission liberal arts college. Arlington Baptist College and Jarvis Christian College are open admission religious colleges. Also, some colleges with open enrollment, including Baker College and Dixie State University offer both associate (2-year) and bachelor's (4-year) degrees. Furthermore, some open admission universities offer distance or online education. The majority of community colleges are open admission. At a community college, you can get a trade certificate, an associate degree, or transfer to a 4-year college to get your bachelor's degree. Community Colleges (2-Year) vs. Open Admission Colleges (4-Year) Although most community colleges and all 4-year open admission universities accept anyone who applies, there are still some major differences between the two types of programs. Most importantly, the bachelor’s degree you receive from a 4-year college is a more advanced degree and will provide more job opportunities than the associate degree you receive from a 2-year college. Nonetheless, each type of school has its own benefits. Let's go through them. Benefits of Attending a Community College Even though 4-year colleges tend to be more highly regarded than community colleges, community colleges do offer some advantages. Lower Cost Most community colleges are a fraction of the price of 4-year colleges.According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of tuition and fees for 2018/2019 at a two-year school was only $3,660, just over one-third of the cost for a year at a four-year public institution. You Can Transfer to a Four-Year College Community colleges offer you the opportunity to transfer to a 4-year college and get a bachelor’s degree. In fact, many public 4-year colleges offer guaranteed admission to in-state community college students if they fulfill certain requirements. Some of my former students attended community college and were able to transfer to prestigious colleges like UC-Berkeley and UCSD. Many Community Colleges Offer Certificates in Specific Trades Whereas 4-year colleges tend to offer degrees in more academic or scholarly fields, most community colleges offer certificates in trades that directly lead to employment. The majority of certificate programs can be completed in less than a year. Common certificate fields of study include health care, cosmetology, auto mechanics, and computer and information services. You can get a cosmetology certificate at a community college. (COD Newsroom/Flickr) Benefits of Attending a Four-Year College Besides the increased opportunities and higher income you're likely to receive if you get a bachelor's degree vs. an associate degree, there are additional benefits of attending a 4-year college right out of high school. You're More Likely To Get a Bachelor's Degree Students are more likely to get a bachelor’s degree if they start their post-high school education at a 4-year college. In my experience, only the most motivated students who attended community college ended up transferring and receiving bachelor’s degrees. While everyone at a 4-year college is pursuing a bachelor’s degree, many community college students aren’t. You have to be more driven and fulfill all the necessary requirements to transfer to a 4-year college. Better Social Life Four-year colleges tend to offer better social lives for their students. Many community college students only spend time on campus when they’re in class. The average age of community college students is older; there are many part-time students and older people who are trying to continue their educations. At four-year colleges, even those where the majority of students don’t live on campus, there are usually more extracurricular activities and out-of-class interaction between students. Takes Less Time To Get a Bachelor's Degree On average, it takes longer for a community college student to receive a bachelor’s degree than it does for a student who starts at a 4-year college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree is: 71 months for students who begin at 2†year colleges 55 months for students who begin at 4-year public colleges 50 months for students who begin at 4-year private colleges The lower cost of community colleges mightbe offset by the additional time it could take to receive a bachelor’s degree. Open Admission vs. More Selective Colleges You may end up deciding between an open enrollment college and a more selective college when you're making your college decision. I'll break down the advantages of each type of institution. Benefits of Open Admission Colleges Because of the lower admission requirements at colleges with open admissions, it may be easier to excel in more demanding subjects at an open admission college because you’re likely competing with fewer gifted students, and you may be able to maintain a higher GPA. A higher college GPA can increase your chances of gaining admission to graduate or professional schools and getting certain jobs after you graduate from college. Also, the cost of open admission colleges, especially public open admission colleges, is usually lower than those of more selective institutions. Even when comparing private colleges, colleges with open enrollment tend to be cheaper than more selective schools. The tuition and fees for Jarvis Christian College, a private Christian college with open enrollment in Hawkins, Texas is $,720. That's significantly cheaper than the $48,330 tuition and fees for Rice University, a selective private school in Houston, Texas. For comparison, the tuition and fees for Texas AM, a public university, is $,036 for in-state students and $31,214 for out-of-state students. Lastly, open admission colleges offer you the opportunity to be around more diverse types of students. Open enrollment colleges typically enroll many more older students and part-time students who might have full-time jobs or families. More selective colleges tend to be composed mostly of students who did well in high school and attended college right after graduating high school. Part of the education you receive in college comes from being around different types of people who have different backgrounds and perspectives. You can save money by attending an open admission college. (Images Money/Flickr) Benefits of More Selective Colleges Often, schools are judged based on their acceptance rates. Schools with higher acceptance rates tend to have worse reputations than more selective colleges. While you can accomplish your academic and professional goals by studying at any college, it can be more difficult to get certain jobs or admitted to more selective graduate school programs from a less prestigious university. More selective colleges often have a higher caliber of student. In college, you learn from and are inspired by your peers. More selective schools have a greater percentage of driven students with advanced academic skills. Lastly, more selective schools typically have more resources. Because they have more resources, more selective schools often have better dorms, academic facilities, and more prestigious professors. List of Open Admission Colleges All of the colleges on the list are 4-year colleges with 100% acceptance rates. I put the public colleges are in bold. Besides these colleges, there are a number of colleges that are close to open admission. They have acceptance rates of between 97% and 99.9%. Assuming you meet minimum requirements, you’ll almost definitely gain admission. Check out our list of schools with the highest acceptance rates. Some seminaries and schools of religious teaching, like yeshivas and rabbinical colleges, are also open admission, but I didn't include them in this list. Alabama School City State Columbia Southern University Orange Beach AL Heritage Christian University Florence AL California School City State Academy of Art University San Francisco CA Coleman University San Diego CA Life Pacific College San Dimas CA National University La Jolla CA Northwestern Polytechnic University Fremont CA Connecticut School City State Holy Apostles College and Seminary Cromwell CT District of Columbia School City State University of the Potomac Washington DC Idaho School City State Boise Bible College Boise ID Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston ID Kentucky School City State University of Pikeville Pikeville KY Massachusetts School City State Boston Architectural College Boston MA Maryland School City State University of Maryland University College Adelphi MD Michigan School City State Baker College of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills MI Baker College of Cadillac Cadillac MI Baker College of Clinton Township Clinton Township MI Baker College of Flint Flint MI Baker College of Jackson Jackson MI Baker College of Muskegon Muskegon MI Baker College of Owosso Owosso MI Baker College of Port Huron Port Huron MI Minnesota School City State Metropolitan State University St. Paul MN Missouri School City State Missouri Western State University St. Joseph MO Harris-Stowe State University St. Louis MO Nebraska School City State Wayne State College Wayne NE New Hampshire School City State Granite State College Concord NH New Mexico School City State New Mexico Highlands University Las Vegas NM Santa Fe University of Art and Design Santa Fe NM Western New Mexico University Silver City NM New York School City State Medgar Evers College Brooklyn NY Ohio School City State Ohio University Southern Ironton OH Oklahoma School City State Cameron University Lawton OK Oklahoma Panhandle State University Goodwell OK Texas School City State Arlington Baptist College Arlington TX Fisher More College Fort Worth TX University of Texas at El Paso El Paso TX Jarvis Christian College Hawkins TX Utah School City State Dixie State College St. George UT Utah Valley University Orem UT Weber State University Ogden UT Washington School City State City University of Seattle Bellevue WA What's Next? As you're going through the college application and selection process, make sure that you're researching colleges to make sure you attend the best college for you. Figure out whether you should go to a rural, urban, or suburban college. If you're concerned about college costs, check out these 79 colleges with full ride scholarships. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The frontier of modern astronomy Research Paper

The frontier of modern astronomy - Research Paper Example Cosmology is the study of the universe as a whole, with particular consideration on the creation and development of the universe. While even the most cutting-edge astronomy is not able to definitively determine the age of the universe, or how it was created there exist a number of modern theories that attempt to tackle these issues. The current overriding understanding emerges from the Big Bang Theory, which has come to be accepted amongst most astronomers due to the overwhelming evidence in its favor. The core of the Big Bang Theory is that approximately 13 billion years ago, the universe suddenly exploded into existence during an occurrence that is now referred to as the Big Bang. It is unknown what occurred exactly before the Big Bang, as this was not an explosion in space and time, but was an explosion of space and time. â€Å"For a fraction of a second 10-34 to 10-32, the universe expanded at faster than the speed of light, driven by ‘anti-gravity’. At 10-10 to 10- 6, both quarks and anti-quarks existed, but due to the temperature, most of it was destroyed, leaving a tiny fragment of matter. Quarks are the building blocks of protons and neutrons† (Singh, pg. 209). ... It was ultimately discovered ultimately discovered that this radiation exists and it was deemed the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). Today it represents one of the frontier elements of astronomical research. While there are a number of contemporary theories that scientists work with in modern astronomy, there also exist numerous questions that remain on the frontier of astronomical investigation. Among these primary questions at the frontier of astronomy concern the origin of the stellar mass spectrum. Essentially this question investigates why within the observable universe mass is distributed evenly throughout the universe, regardless of the original conditions. In these regards, astronomers are attempting to research stars and planetary evolution to better determine these elements. Another central question of modern astronomy is the investigation into life in the Universe. In these regards, a large number of scientific investigations have gone into the development of t hese concerns. One of the primary current techniques is the search for water within our own solar system, most prominently on Mars. It’s believed that through locating this water source microbial life can then be detected. The other technique is through astronomical organizations such as SETI that investigate radio waves and cosmic signals from deep space in search of potential forms of intelligent life. Another frontier concern of astronomical investigation is the existence and form of dark matter and dark energy. Modern astronomical techniques as evidenced in String Theory have sought to develop means of investigating the existence of dark matter and dark energy.

Online Teaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online Teaching - Assignment Example It is also directly tied to their inability to pick up auditory social cues. This can result in a deaf person becoming generally irritable. WHO says "Children with hearing impairment often experience delayed development of speech, language and cognitive skills, which may result in slow learning and difficulty progressing in school".(1) A serious problem has been the long-term sustainability of our work. While it may be useful in the short term to inject manpower, money and technology into a program to aid the disabled, the work must be sustained particularly by the organization being assisted. Therefore, we have come to realize that technologists and disability workers have to work closely and cooperatively to effect a lasting change. Trust and mutual support must be present. But the effort will be sustainable if those numbered among the disabled are enabled to provide self-help for their fellow members. By their examples, other disabled will be motivated to emulate their success. The hearing impairment is spread thought the world. "According to 2005 estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 278 million people worldwide have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears."(2) I believe developing software for hearing impaired children is the best idea. ... Trust and mutual support must be present. But the effort will be sustainable if those numbered among the disabled are enabled to provide self-help for their fellow members. By their examples, other disabled will be motivated to emulate their success. Background The hearing impairment is spread thought the world. "According to 2005 estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 278 million people worldwide have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears."(2) As I. King Jordan (Former President of Gallaudet University) has said "Deaf people can do anything, except hear."- (3) So I believe that hearing impaired children can be merged with our society. I believe developing software for hearing impaired children is the best idea. Animated tutors can be programmed to be patient with learners and never become angry, tired or bored. Applications with animated tutors perceived as supportive and likeable will engage foreign language and ESL learners, reading impaired, autistic and other children with special needs in face-to-face computerized lessons. One of this software is named Badli. "Information technology (IT) research has created a 3D computerized tutor that helps profoundly deaf children to develop their conversational skills. Baldi" the animated instructor converses via the latest technologies for speech recognition and generation, showing students how to understand and produce spoken language."(4) This system is so accurate that several schools are successfully using Baldi in the classroom to teach speech, reading and other language skills to children with hearing loss, autism, and dyslexia. The potential application of Baldi to other markets such as the educational publishing, foreign language and English as a Second Language ("ESL") markets is