Script The Dolls That Nobody Wanted

AUDIO Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: What’s the matter? Japanese Doll: I’m awake! Boxing Doll: Of course, you’re awake! It’s midnight! Japanese Doll: Midnight! Boxing Doll: All dolls wake up at midnight! Japanese Doll: Do they? Boxing Doll: Everybody knows that! Japanese Doll: Will†¦ will they wake up, too? Boxing Doll: Look. They are dolls aren’t they? And it is midnight, isn’t it? And I told you before – all dolls wake up at midnight! Japanese Doll: Oh! Thank you. VISUAL Boxing Doll moves a little, stretches, yawns, flexes his muscles began to shadowbox. Suddenly Not understanding Loud, slow, clear, trying to be patient with her Frightened Looking at the others Losing his patience Japanese Doll nods in fright Japanese Doll continues to nod Pause, she is all the more frightened because the Boxing Doll talked loud at her. Timidly Boxing Doll: I’m Sorry! Japanese Doll: Sorry? Boxing Doll: For hollering. You wouldn’t know because you’re new. Japanese Doll: I was only made today. Boxing Doll: You’re pretty! Japanese Doll: Am I, Am I really pretty? Boxing Doll: I think you’re beautiful! Maybe somebody will buy you. Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: I don’t see why somebody didn’t buy you today. The shop was full; everybody wanted dolls. Why didn’t somebody buy you? Japanese Doll: Is it good to be bought? Boxing Doll: Yes! Japanese Doll: Why? Boxing Doll: It’s the best thing that could ever happen to a doll ? to be bought, to be brought home; to be owned by somebody, to be loved. Japanese Doll: How do you know? Boxing Doll: Never mind. I know. Japanese Doll: Did somebody buy you? Boxing Doll: Yes. Japanese Doll: Then why are you here in the toy shop? Boxing Doll: They†¦. they brought me back. Japanese Doll: Oh! Please don’t cry! Boxing Doll: I’m not crying! Boxing dolls never cry! Japanese Doll: Who bought you? Boxing Doll: A man†¦a real big man. He was always laughing. He came into the shop,right through that door and he looked at the baby dolls, and said â€Å"No! † Then looked at the soldier dolls and said â€Å"Maybe† Then he looked at me and said â€Å"Yes, sir! This is the one! † and he picked me right up! Japanese Doll: Did he like you? Boxing Doll: He put me on the counter and he said to the toymaker, â€Å"I like this one. Does he box? † Japanese Doll: Do you box? Japanese Dolls smiles and is not afraid anymore. Walking around her Happy Sober judgment. This is too much for Japanese Doll. She looks down blushes. Wondering Curious With emotion Wondering Brushing away his tears, because a boxing doll should never cry Guessing This is the worst shame for any doll Touched. She puts her hand on his shoulder. Boxing doll is crying Ashamed, angry Remembering his days of glory Proud Breathless with excitement Boxing Doll: Sure, I box! The toymaker wound me up, and I worked out, right there on the counter! And when he saw me working out, the big man laughed and slapped his knee and said, â€Å"That’s exactly what I want! I’ll take five of those! I want a boxing stable for my little boy. † Japanese Doll: A stable? Boxing Doll: That’s what you call when a man owns many boxers. Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: So he took me home! Japanese Doll: Right then? Boxing Doll: Right then! He said to the toymaker: â€Å"You can send the other four, but I’ll carry this one! † And he brought me to his office! Japanese Doll: Ooooh! Boxing Doll: I worked out for all the men. They stood me on the floor and I worked out. Japanese Doll: Did they like you? Boxing Doll: Everybody liked me! And that night he took me home, and he showed me to his wife, at night, after the little boy was in bed. I was a secret! Japanese Doll: Why secret? Boxing Doll: I was a Christmas present! Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: Then they put me in a big drawer, with many other beautiful presents, but I was the only doll! Japanese Doll: How nice! Boxing Doll: At night I would talk to the necklace, and to the fountain pen, and to the eggbeater. Japanese Doll: An eggbeater! Boxing Doll: It was a beautiful silver eggbeater. Japanese Doll: Oh! But how did you get back here? Boxing Doll: Oh. . . that!. . . Yeah. . . The other boxing dolls arrived. The four of them. Japanese Doll: And what happened? Boxing Doll: Well, one night the big man took me out of the drawer. He said: â€Å"Come on, champ. † That’s what he call me, champ. He said: â€Å"Come on, champ. We have some sparring partners for you. † So he set me up against another boxing doll, and that other boxing doll Pitying her for her ignorance Humbly Proud Excited Happy for his triumph Modesty. Shadowboxing Pause Lost in memories Defending his fellow presents Boxing Doll is smiling with the memories Brought back to earth Proud hit me, and I fell down! Japanese Doll: No! Boxing Doll: Yes! I fell down. So the big man stood me up again, and said: â€Å"Come on, champ. Go get him. † This time I tried real hard, but the other boxing doll hit me only once, and I fell down again! Japanese Doll: No! Boxing Doll: Yes! He tried me against all the other four, and each one knocked me down immediately. When the other four boxed with each other, they stayed up, but if any of them boxed with me, I fell down. Japanese Doll: Did you get hurt? Boxing Doll: My paint was scratched†¦ Well, the big man picked me up and said to his wife: â€Å"Marge†¦ that was her name ? Marge†¦ He said: â€Å" Marge, you better take this one back and exchange it. There’s something wrong with its equilibrium. † Japanese Doll: Equi†¦ equi†¦. Boxing Doll: E – qui – lib – ri – um. That means balance. Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: So they put me back in the drawer. And that night, at midnight, when we all woke up, the other boxing dolls told me that they were very sorry. Japanese Doll: They shouldn’t have knocked you down! Boxing Doll: No. It wasn’t their fault. A boxing doll has to box†¦ It was my fault! I couldn’t stand up†¦ I’m defective. Japanese Doll: You’re not! Boxing Doll: Yes, I am. I’m defective†¦So I crept out of the drawer and went to bed of the little boy ? the one who was supposed to get me ? and the painting angels where there. Japanese Doll: The Painting angels? Boxing Doll: The angels who paint the lines on your face at night†¦ nd the painting angels told me that the little boy was dreaming of me! Japanese Doll: How old was the little boy? Boxing Doll: Three†¦with black curls on his forehead†¦He never saw me, except in that dream†¦So I kissed him goodbye†¦and I went back to the drawer †¦ and â⠂¬ ¦. And†¦. And here I am. Horrified Slowly He chokes a little Japanese Doll: Couldn’t†¦couldn’t the toymaker fix you? Boxing Doll: He never tried†¦ I’m the doll that nobody wanted. Japanese Doll: I like you! . . I†¦ I think you’re a very nice doll. Boxing Doll: Thanks†¦ I†¦ I hope somebody buys you. Japanese Doll: You think they might? Boxing Doll: Sure. . . ou’re very pretty. Somebody will buy you. . . Japanese Doll: Oh! Boxing Doll: What’s the matter? Japanese Doll: My left arm! Boxing Doll: What’s the matter with your left arm? Japanese Doll: I don’t have one! French Soldier: Viola! Merci beaucoup! Dou pain s’il vous plait. Chevrolet coupe. What goes on here? Boxing Doll: She doesn’t have any left arm! Siamese Virgin: The poor, poor thing! Chinese Maiden: Never mind. You are very beautiful. Even with only one arm. You are very beautiful. Japanese Doll: But nobody will ever buy me , with only one arm! Muslim Warrior: Maybe the toymaker could sell you at half price! Japanese Doll: Half price! Igorot Dancer: Couldn’t the toymaker give her another arm? Boxing Doll: He won’t. He never does. French Soldier: He makes no effort to repair us. Mias non! No effort! Japanese Doll: If he made the rest of me so beautiful, could he not give me just one more arm? Siamese Virgin: I do not know why this is so. But he does not repair us. French Soldier: Like my leg. My stiff leg. A leg with no joint! Could he not put a joint? Yes! But does he put a joint? No!†¦. Bah!†¦ Who wants a soldier with a stiff leg! Siamese Virgin: At least your defect is hidden. French Soldier: Yes, at least it is hidden. It’s not so bad. Wanting to console him With the mother instinct Suddenly Startled And sure enough, she has no left arm! All the other dolls begin to wake just now, and they wake up faster because both Japanese doll and boxing doll are very excited over this new discovery. She kisses the Japanese doll In tears Bursting into tears In tears She is very calm and quiet. There is no resentment in her. Fierce, angry. He marches around. His right leg is rigid. Quietly Ashamed Japanese Doll: Where are your hands? Siamese Virgin: Did you notice only now? Chinese Maiden: She has no hands. Siamese Virgin: It does not matter. French Soldier: It does! It does matter! The toy maker is unjust! He has been unjust to all of us! Japanese Doll: To all? Boxing Doll: We are all defective. Siamese Virgin: We are the dolls that nobody wanted. French Soldier: She has no hands, but she has very sweet disposition. She is the kindest of all the dolls! Chinese Maiden: That is true. Igorot Dancer: Do not feel badly, because you have one arm. I am a dancing doll. All my sisters are dancing dolls. But I cannot dance†¦. My sisters are most graceful†¦ All of them were bought†¦. But look at me†¦. No one wants a dancing doll that cannot dance. Muslim Warrior: I’ll kill him! I’ll kill the toymaker! Igorot Dancer: He only says that. He can’t kill anybody. Muslim Warrior: Yes†¦ That is my defect†¦ I cannot draw my kris†¦ All my brothers could. They could draw, and brandish their blades above their heads, and fight! But I†¦. I am a Muslim warrior, whose hands stops right here. Igorot Dancer: It is better that way. Muslim Warrior: You are a dancer who cannot dance, and I am a warrior who cannot fight. Both of us are doomed to stay in this shop forever. Chinese Maiden: It is a beautiful shop. Japanese Doll: I don’t see anything wrong with you? Chinese Maiden: That is because I am sitting down. Japanese Doll: What is he trying to say? Boxing Doll: The Chinese maiden ? she has no feet. Chinese Maiden: It is nothing. Japanese Doll: What is the matter with him? Boxing Doll: He can’t talk. Japanese Doll: Should he be able to talk? I’m sorry. What is he trying to say? Suddenly, to the Siamese Virgin Quietly Defending the Siamese Virgin To the Japanese doll She moves and her motions are stiff, jerky awkward Savage Gently Sadly He tries to draw his kris, and the hand comes to a sudden stop six inches from the scabbard Gently Dejected Walking around the Chinese maiden The American Indian makes signs, slaps his moccasined feet and makes an negative gesture with his hand. With a gentle gesture of the hands Pointing to the American Indian The American Indian makes eloquent signs, telling her many things. She is embarrassed Turns to the boxing doll Boxing Doll: That his brothers ? all of them ? could talk. Not only talk, but whoop and holler. That is why they were all bought, because they had such a splendid wharl whoop. But this one—he is a silent redskin. Nobody wants him. Chinese Maiden: He is very good. Japanese Doll: We all have defects. Boxing Doll: Yes. Japanese Doll: We are the dolls that nobody wanted. Boxing Doll: Yes. French Soldier: It is the fault of the toymaker! Muslim Warrior: He didn’t have to make us all defective! Boxing Doll: He didn’t have to make me so that I always fall down! French Soldier: Why am I cripple? Because he wanted me to be a cripple? Boxing Doll: Right! French Soldier: The toymaker is wicked and evil! Boxing Doll: Right! Muslim Warrior: Let us destroy him! Boxing Doll: Right! Siamese Virgin: How can you destroy him? We were nothing. He made us. Should we not be grateful for our hands and eyes? Hands are wonderful. Igorot Dancer: All things are wonderful. Boxing Doll: I am a boxer who can never win. Igorot Dancer: Even defeat is wonderful. French Soldier: Women! Bah! Siamese Virgin: He made us out of his mind. He never went to Siam. He never saw out temples there. He never saw a Siamese Virgin. He read of us in books, and he dreamed. He dreamed of me, and made me, and loved me. Should I not be grateful? French Soldier: Loved you? When he gave you no hands? Siamese Virgin: I do not know why I have no hands. But there is a reason. I am sure there is a reason. French Soldier: Your sisters had hands! Siamese Virgin: Ah, yes! My sisters! They were beautiful!. . . do you remember the first night we were made? Do you remember how we danced? French Soldier: I remember. Boxing Doll: I remember. Muslim Warrior: I remember. Defending the American Indian. The Indian kneels beside her and she puts her hand to his forehead. The American Indian makes signs Quietly, to the French Soldier. The male dolls are crestfallen. They are helpless and know it. Fiercely Puzzled, a little confident Dreaming Japanese Doll: I was not here. I was not yet made. What was it like? Siamese Virgin: Well. . . you see. . . n Siam the music is a little different. The music is like this. . . Japanese Doll: Beautiful! French Soldier: The very night that they were made, my brothers were made, too! How brave! How gallant! How noble! Ah, if you would have seen them! Japanese Doll: Were they like you? French Soldier: Like me? Cripples? Not they! They were quick, and strong, and discipline! Do you remember how they march ed around the shop? Igorot Dancer: I remember! Chinese Maiden: I remember! Japanese Doll: I wasn’t here. French Soldier: Well. . . with drums. They used drums, see?. . . and everything was in cadence. . . with the rifles. . with the long bayonets. . . the drums beat, the trumpets blared, and then the soldiers came. . . Japanese Doll: Bravo! Were they all bought, your brothers? French Soldier: All but me. Siamese Virgin: The man who bought them – he did not know the soldier dolls as we know them. Franz was the best of all! French Soldier: You are very kind. Siamese Virgin: But Lani – she is a real dancing doll! You should have seen her sisters when they were new! It is wonderful how the toymaker made them! So graceful! You would think they were real! Japanese Doll: That was the first Filipino dance I have ever seen! Igorot Dancer: I do not know if we are Filipinos. She continues to explain, with gestures, and lo, she describe it so vividly that we know longer hear her voice, we really hear the music! And when she describe the dance, you could swear the Siamese dancer were there in the toy shop, dancing! They could not be, of course, but the dolls have powerful imagination, and when she finishes, it certainly seems as if we had seen a dance. Contemptuous of himself It seems as if there are soldiers in the shop At the end of description claps To the Siamese Virgin He kisses her hand To the Japanese doll Pointing to the Igorot Dancer Tom-tom, and by the golly, there are Igorot dancer! They are real! Well, I guess anything can happen in a toy shop on Christmas eve. Claps when they are gone Muslim Warrior: Of course, you are Filipinos. You were here first! You were here – your people ? even before my people. . . And my people – we came at the dawn of history! Japanese Doll: Who are your people? Muslim Warrior: The Muslims! My brothers. . . My people. . . Igorot Dancer: Our people! Muslim Warrior: Yes. . . North and South. . . different dress, different food, different dances, different tongues, but. . . Igorot Dancer: One heart. Muslim Warrior: Yes, one heart. Japanese Doll: Did your brothers dance? Boxing Doll: Well, not exactly dance. We . . . we worked out. Japanese Doll: You always say that. Worked out. What is â€Å"worked out†? Boxing Doll: Well. .we . . . we just. . . work out. I mean . . . we well, skip rope, and then we punch the light bag. The rope skipping is for footwork. The light bag is to make your eyes quick, and to give you timing. Then calisthenics, and weight pulling, and the heavy bag, and then sparring. Japanese Doll: I do not understand a single word. Boxing Doll: Look. . . I will explain. Roadwork. Let’s start with roadwork. . . Japanese Doll: Ah! I see! Boxing Doll: Whew, what a workout! Japanese Doll: Workout? Boxing Doll: Oh, no! No! That means another thing. I mean. . . Is that so? Oho! Oho! Is that so? Japanese Doll: Don’t fight! Boxing Doll: He says his brothers could lick my brothers any day in the week. And twice on Sunday! He says his brothers could beat my brothers six times a week and twice on Sunday. Chinese Maiden: He comes from San Beda. Boxing Doll: I’d like to see your brothers. I’d just like to see ‘em. Proudly. And there they are! They look fierce and can certainly swing a kris. They don’t have any trouble getting them out of the scabbards. To the Boxing doll Desperate. Boxers are working out in the toy shop. At end Mopping brow Suddenly American Indians signs to the Boxing Doll. The American Indians signs again. Boxing Doll looks tough. The American Indians signs. Boxing Doll is enraged. Happy The American Indian claps his hands, and. . Japenese Doll: How wild! How blood-thirsty! Is he wild? Chinese Maiden: He is very gentle. Japanese Doll: What does he say? Chinese Maiden: He says you ought to see my sisters. He says my sisters are very lovely. Japanese Doll: What does he say? What is he saying? Boxing Doll: He says that of all the Chinese dolls that the toymaker made, the loveliest is Lau Ying. Japanese Doll: The loveliest is Lau Ying. Who is Lau Ying? Chinese Maiden: Even though I cannot walk? Japanese Doll: I can translate that! He says that you are by far the loveliest, even though you cannot walk. Chinese Maiden: You should have seen my sisters. Japanese Doll: Did. . . Did I have any sisters? Boxing Doll: You did! Japanese Doll: Many? Boxing Doll: Many. Japanese Doll: Where are they? Boxing Doll: They were all bought. Japanese Doll: All bought, except me. Boxing Doll: The toymaker made you last, just today, after all the others were sold. Japanese Doll: He must have made me in a hurry, to have forgotten my arm. there they are! In fact, you hear them long before you see them because they come howling and whooping into the shop, complete with tomahawks and almost scalp the Boxing Doll but the silent Indian stop them. When they are gone. To the Chinese Maiden pointing to the silent Indian. Putting her hand on the Indians arm. The American Indian signs eagerly. To the Chinese Maiden. The American Indian signs again eagerly. She flushes with happiness. The American Indian signs again earnestly and she hangs her head silently. The Chinese Maiden shakes her head and will not talk. Her eyes are on the ground. The American Indian signs again earnestly. Japanese Doll looks at the Boxing Doll. Carefully Pauses while she thinks about this. Suddenly. Boxing Doll points to the Chinese Maiden. The American Indian nods contentedly. Looks up at him. The American Indians signs to her. Happy. The Chinese Maiden looks at her. Shakes her head sadly The sisters come gracefully; they are all lovely but Lau Ying is the loveliest of them all. When they are gone Hangs her head in shame Siamese Virgin: The toymaker is never in a hurry. Japanese Doll: Then why did he forget? Siamese Virgin: The toymaker never forgets. Japanese Doll: You mean. . . you mean he left my arm off deliberately? Boxing Doll: Yes. French Soldier: He made us all defective, deliberately. Japanese Doll: How cruel! Siamese Virgin: There must be a reason. French Soldier: The reason is that he is a mean and a wicked toymaker! Siamese Virgin: Don’t say that! Japanese Doll: But my sisters – my beautiful sisters – they all had arms? Siamese Virgin: Yes, they all had arms. Boxing Doll: Why? Japanese Doll: Why what? Boxing Doll: Why do I fall down? French Soldier: Why is my leg stiff? Igorot Dancer: Why am I so awkward? Muslim Warrior: Why does my hand stop, right here? Siamese Virgin: It is not because the toymaker is defective. He could have made us perfect, if he wanted to. Japanese Doll: But he didn’t want to. Boxing Doll: Why? First Painting Angel: Why, what? Second Painting Angel: Yes, why, what? Boxing Doll: Why did the toymaker make us all defective? Japanese Doll: Who are they? Siamese Virgin: They are the Painting Angels. Japanese Doll: Painting Angels? Siamese Virgin: Yes. At night they go around while people are asleep and paint the thought lines into all their faces. First Painting Angels: It’s wonderful work! You know where we just were? Looks from one doll to the other. They hang their heads. Tries not to cry Tries to defend the toymaker. Consoles her, the Japanese girls come softly into the toy shop, and maybe. . . maybe. . . these are the prettiest of all. They have fans, of course, and parasols, and this helps them to look beautiful. When the Japanese dolls are gone, all are silent, all thinking the same thing. Tries to draw his kris for a thousandth time, and angry Loud, clear, strong, voicing the silent rebellion of all of them. Two little angels pop in the toy shop. They carry paint and brushes. Boxing Doll: Where? Second Painting Angels: At the toymaker’s! First Painting Angels: We were painting the thought lines I his face. On Christmas Eve the thoughts of everyone are beautiful, but the toymaker’s thoughts – they were the prettiest of all! Boxing Doll: What was he thinking of? Second Painting Doll: He was thinking of you. Boxing Doll: Us? First Painting Angel: Yes, all of you. He was thinking of the dolls that nobody wanted. Boxing Doll: What was he thinking about us? French Soldier: Was he sorry because of the money he lost when nobody bought us? First Painting Angel: No. Muslim Warrior: Was he gloating over our misery? Was he happy because we are sick? Second Painting Angel: Oh, no! Japanese Doll: Angel, what was he thinking? First Painting Angel: Well, he always thinks of all the dolls he has made. He loves every one. Boxing Doll: Loves! Ha! First Painting Angel: Yes. He loves every one. But he cannot keep any, because he is such a good toymaker that all his dolls are beautiful and so people buy them. As soon as he makes a doll, someone falls in love with it and buys it. He wants to keep his favorite dolls, but he cannot, because he is a toymaker and he has to sell whatever people want to buy. Boxing Doll: What has that to do with us? First Painting Angel: I’m getting to it. Everytime the toymaker sells a doll we have to paint a little sad line into his face, because he loves each doll so much. But tonight – tonight he was thinking of you, and all the lines are smiling lines. Japanese Doll: Why, angel? Boxing Doll: Why? French Soldier: Why? Siamese Virgin: Angel, please tell us why? First Painting Angel: You are the dolls that he loves most†¦He always loved you best Grimly Cheerfully Casually Snorting in contempt Fierce Quietly in earnest even before he made you, even when you existed only in his mind. And he knew, from his long experience with toys, that if he made you perfect you would go away from him. So he made your leg stiff, soldier. And he left off your hands my little virgin. And he made you so you could not win. And he made you so you could not win. He made you so you would always lose, and would be his, forever. Japanese Doll: You mean. . . he wants us. . for himself? Second Painting Angel: You are the ones whom the toymaker loves. First Painting Angel: There was no other way to keep you. Siamese Virgin: I knew there was a reason! Second Painting Angel: You see, the toymaker always thinks of all his toys. He never forgets a single one! Tonight, while he was sleeping, they were dancing through his head, all of them, the Siamese Temple Girls, and the brave French Soldiers. . . Second Painting Angel: They are always in his mind, even when he should be sleeping – the Igorot Dancing Girls and the Muslim Warriors. . . He never forgets them, no matter how far apart they are, even if they are on the opposites sides of the earth – the American Indians and the lovely Chinese Maidens. . . He never forgets you, sweet little Japanese Doll, even though you have only one arm. . . and he never forgets you, Boxing Doll, even though you never win. . First Painting Angel: But you. . . the defective ones. . . you are the ones he wants for himself. Of all the toys that the toymaker has made, he loves you the best. Second Painting Angel: That’s why you’re defective, soldier. Sighing deeply Across the shop, the soldiers and the maidens dance, just as they danced across the mind o f the toymaker. Together they dance Together they dance. They claim the American Indians came originally from China, over the Bering Sea, and when you see them dance together you think maybe this is true. . . The Japanese Dolls and the boxers, all mixed up, are in the mind of the toymaker. Putting her hand on the shoulder of the French Soldier. Suddenly, the clock strikes, all stop, frozen, listening. One – two – three- four – five – six! Boxing Doll: Six o’clock! Muslim Warrior: Here comes the toymaker! Toymaker: Poor little Chinese Doll! You feel rejected. When all the other dolls were bought, and you were left – it was like a slap in the face. . . like a slap in the face. . . Roman Soldier: Answerest thou the highest priest so? The Man: If I had done evil, give me testimony of the evil. But if well, why strikest thou me? Toymaker: My warrior. . . my warrior who cannot fight. . . he other dolls were taken and you were left here. You were rejected. Others were chosen, instead of you. . . that is painful. I know. . . Crowd: Barabas! Barabas! Give us Barabas! Pilate: But what shall I do with him? Crowd: Crucify him! Crucify him! Pilate: Shall I crucify your king? Crowd: We have no king but Caesar! Barabas! Free Barabas! Away wit h this man! Crucify him! We have n king but Caesar! At the door, loud, strong, clear. The dolls hurry back to the position they were in when we first saw them, in the blue moonlight. The two angel steal softly away. The toymaker opens his door and comes in. He is a white haired, gentle old man, and we can see his face the lines that the painting angels have painted – the sad lines and the smiling lines. He goes from doll to doll, looking at each one. He stops to look at the Chinese Doll. Music: Chinese theme Gently Outside of the shop, somewhere beyond the street, we see a man standing with his hands bound, and two Roman Soldiers standing beside him. Harshly. The soldier turns and slaps the man across the face. We hear the slap, loud and clear. Slowly, the man disappears and we see the street again. The toymaker goes to the French Soldier. (Music: The French man’s theme) Then he goes to the Igorot Dancer. (Music: Igorot theme) He also moves to the Muslim Warrior (Music: Muslim theme) Gently Somewhere outside the shop, and beyond the street, we see a white balcony. A man is standing on the balcony, with his hands bound behind him. Pilate, the governor, is bending over the white rail. Pilate washes his hands. The crowd shouts A Lone Harsh Voice: Barabas! Toymaker: My Boxing Doll. . . you are always falling down. . . you lost in public. . . you were shamed and humiliated. . . you fell, not dance, but many times. . . that is painful. I remember. The Man: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do! Boxing Doll: Lord, remember me! French Soldier: Remember me! Muslim Warrior: Remember me! The Man: This day. . . this day thou shalt be with me. . . in paradise! Triumphantly. Slowly the balcony fades, and we see the street again. The toymaker goes to the Siamese Virgin and looks at her, his head to one side. (Music: The Siamese Theme) Toymaker goes to the American Indian and looks at him with love. (Music: Indian Theme) He goes to the Japanese Doll (Music: Japanese theme) Finally, he goes the Boxing Doll. Outside the shop, and beyond the street, we see the man carrying his cross. He is flanked by two soldiers and two workmen, who have hammers and nails. . . The man falls. The crowd roars. The two soldiers lift the man to his feet. They strip off his clothing. One of the soldiers carries the clothing away triumphantly. The other soldier forces the man down on the cross. The workmen nail him to it. We hear the sound of the hammers. Nailing is finished. . . The cross is elevated. The man hangs there while the soldiers roll dice for the robe, and the workmen sit at the foot of the cross. Suddenly wheeling toward the cross. Suddenly turning toward the cross. Turning toward the cross. The American Indian makes a painful, inarticulate sound which means Remember me. The girl dolls turn slowly to the cross and lift up their arms in supplication. On the cross Slowly, the cross fades and we see the street again. The dolls turn toward the door of the toymaker. He is standing there, with his arms outstretched. The dolls turn to their original position. Slowly the toymaker comes down the steps and goes to the Boxing Doll and the Japanese Doll. He stands between them, looking from one to the other. Then he puts his hand, gently, on the shoulder of the Boxing Doll. Music-up full to finish.

Competitive Strategy Southwest Airlines Essay

The domestic US airline industry has been intensely competitive since it was deregulated in 1978. In a regulated environment, most of the cost increases were passed along to consumers under a fixed rate-of-return based pricing scheme. This allowed labor unions to acquire a lot of power and workers at the major incumbent carriers were overpaid. After deregulation, the incumbent carriers felt the most pain, and the floodgates had opened for newer more nimble carriers with lower cost structures to compete head-on with the established airlines. There were several bankruptcies followed by a wave of consolidation with the fittest carriers surviving and the rest being acquired or going out of business. Analysis of the airline industry To determine the profitability of the airline industry, we will do an industry analysis using Porter’s five-forces framework. This industry analysis will help us in understanding the size of the Potential Industry Earnings (PIE), and how much of this th e different participants can extract. Rivalry among competitors There is intense rivalry among different airlines. In the pre-deregulation days, airlines competed mostly on things like service, meals and in-flight movies etc., since prices were mandated by the Civil Aeronautics Board. In the post-de-regulation era, this rivalry has taken on the form of severe price competition, with airlines ruthlessly undercutting each other with fare promotions. There are a number of airlines making the airline industry fairly crowded. Even though the 3-firm concentration in 1992 was 50%, and the 8-firm concentration was 92%, the fact that the airlines competed on price made the industry much more competitive than the numbers might suggest. The service the airlines sell (air transport) is pretty homogenous, and there is not much product (in this case, service) differentiation. The major differences between the services offered by different airlines include the total time spent on an airplane and the number of connections. While time-sensitive business travelers may prefer shorter, direct flights, most leisure t ravelers don’t see this as a big differentiator when the price is factored in. Buyers (both business as well as leisure travelers) have low switching costs and there is very little relationship-specific investment that travelers make. Although the airlines made an effort to create customer loyalty by offering frequent flyer programs, most of the competitive advantage this provided was quickly eroded by almost all airlines offering such programs. Moreover, leisure travelers are motivated to shop around for the best price. The airline industry is also characterized by very high fixed costs. The majority of the operational costs (labor, landing fees, cost of aircraft etc.) are fixed regardless of how full the planes are, and the marginal cost of adding an extra passenger is almost negligible (just the cost of food plus an insignificant amount of extra fuel). Thus, on the margin, every extra seat sold contributes directly to the bottom line. This motivates airlines to undercut each other till price approaches marginal cost. Intense competition also lead to excess s eat capacity in several markets. This, combined with periods of declining demand because of macro-economic factors, and the high fixed costs and low marginal costs make the airline industry very price competitive. Things like access to Computer Reservation Systems and innovative pricing coupled with yield management were competitive advantages for a little while before they become a staple of being in business as an airline. Entry Entry into the domestic airline industry is relatively easy since there are no significant barriers to entry. Inputs such as aircraft maintenance, food service, ground services, reservations etc., could be outsourced. Airplanes could be leased, thereby defraying large initial capital investments, and rights to use gates could be leased at market rates. The minimum efficient scale was not very high since airlines could choose to compete in a few markets, and costs were more or less proportional to the number of flights offered and the number of markets the airline wanted to operate in. The main consideration for profitable entry seemed to be the ability of airlines to fill their airplanes above the breakeven point. In an industry fraught with price competition, brand identity and reputation did not have significant value either. In the airline industry, exit costs are not very high either. Planes could be easily redeployed to other markets, or sold off, and gates and landing rights could be sub-leased to other carriers. Substitutes There are a number of substitutes to air travel, especially over short distances. These include taking other modes of transportation such as driving, taking the train etc., or not traveling at all. The use of technology (like WebEx, NetMeeting, video-conferencing etc.) that facilitates remote virtual collaboration is becoming a good substitute for business air travel as well. Supplier Power The primary inputs to the airline industry include airplanes, labor and fuel. There are only two major manufacturers (three at the time of the case – Boeing, Airbus and McDonnell Douglas) for large commercial aircraft. This, along with the relationship specific investment t hat the airlines make in the form of trained mechanics, existing stock of aircraft etc., is likely to give the aircraft manufacturers some supplier power. A mitigating factor for this supplier power is the lumpy nature of aircraft sales, where there are a few high-value orders placed by airlines with deliveries spanning several years. Labor such as pilots, cabin crew, ground personnel, gate agents etc. are typically unionized and have some bargaining power. However, many airlines especially in the post-deregulation era have used the threat of Chapter 11 bankruptcy to re-negotiate unfavorable labor contracts. Aviation fuel is a commodity and its prices are determined largely by market forces and geo-political factors. Buyer Power The power that airline customers have varies based on the options available to them and the origin-destination city pair. As the General Accounting Office report in 1989 found, fares were 27% higher in monopoly or duopoly hubs than at competitive airports. Sophisticated yield management techniques and competitive pricing have allowed airlines to extract significant consumer surplus in smaller remote markets whe re travelers don’t have much choice and for direct long-haul flights that are preferred by business travelers. Even though there are pockets where some airlines have pricing power, the overall airline industry in characterized by significant buyer power stemming from the intense price competition among airlines. Industry profitability Exhibit 1 provides a summary of this industry analysis. As highlighted by the preceding analysis, the domestic US airline industry is not very profitable. Even though the Potential Industry Earnings seem high (given the volume of air travel and the higher willingness to pay and inelasticity of demand of business travelers), airlines are not able to capture much of these potential earnings. Several factors including intense price competition, excess capacity, high fixed and low marginal costs, along with low barriers to entry and exit, moderate supplier power and significant buyer power contribute to low industry profitability. Southwest’s success for twenty years In spite of a rather gloomy industry outlook, Southwest Airlines has managed to be successful for over twenty years. Southwest has outperformed its competitors by pursuing an operational model that is very different from the traditional larger carriers. Southwest was able to create a differentiated product in an industry dominated by undifferentiated offerings. Southwest took a simple, no-frills approach to flying with no meals and no assigned seating. It flew out of secondary airports where landing fees and costs of operation were much lower. These secondary airports also typically had less traffic so passengers could get to and from the airport with greater ease. Southwest broke the hub-and-spoke model and instead opted to fly frequent flights point to point. By avoiding the hub and spoke model, Southwest did not have to make the massive infrastructure investments that a lot of its competitors had to make. Not having to wait for feeder flights at hub airports, along with the 15-minute turn-around time of aircraft allowed Southwest to better utilize its fleet by keeping its planes in the air for a longer time (11 hours per day as opposed to the industry average of 8.5 hours per day). Southwest also owned only one model of aircraft – the Boeing 737, and was therefore able to achieve economies of scale in stocking components, and training mechanics. All of these measures gave Southwest the lowest cost per Available Seat Mile of 7.1 cents. As a consequence, Southwest had a much lower break-even point than it’s competitors and was able to make money even at lower load factors. With this unique operational model, Southwest not only kept costs down, but also provided customers just what they were looking for – cheap, efficient, timely transportation with high-quality service from a cheerful, motivated staff and without having to wait for connecting flights at hub airports. Southwest offered the lowest prices to price sensitive airline passengers for whom cost was a significant decision criterion. Southwest’s culture Herb Kelleher leveraged one of Southwest’s key resources- its employees to create a set of organizational capabilities, which in turn gave Southwest a competitive advantage. Kelleher institutionalized a culture of having fun while working, and inspired a deep sense of loyalty to the company fr om his workforce. Southwest’s workforce is 90% unionized, but owns 11% of the company. This led to compatibility in incentives between Southwest and its employees. Southwest’s employees did a variety of jobs in contrast to the other major carriers where employees had designated jobs and were reluctant to do anything beyond their strictly defined duties. Having a motivated workforce helped Southwest turn an aircraft around in a record time of 15 minutes. The beauty of Southwest’s operational model was in how each of their steps reinforced the other. A simple, no-frills approach with short haul flights and standardized equipment leading to lower costs, which in turn lead to lower fares in an industry which was extremely price competitive. A well-compensated, highly motivated workforce whose incentives were aligned with those of the company also ensured that things were operating at peak efficiency. A huge part of Southwest’s success in the 20 years since its inception can be attributed to this simple, but remarkably effective model. Threats to Southwest’s continuing success Threats to Southwest’s continuing succ ess include the threat of entry from other low-fare airlines and spin-offs from major airlines that seek to imitate Southwest’s model. With the airline industry bleeding with red ink, the government might step in and start reregulating the industry. In general, regulation and price-setting by the government interferes with free market forces, and breeds inefficiency by creating misaligned incentives and dead-weight losses. Any such re-regulation and government mandated prices would severely hurt Southwest. Other threats to Southwest include the loss of its existing competitive advantages. In particular, any event that triggers the loss of employee morale might lower the operational efficiency at Southwest and erode its cost advantage. Southwest’s go-forward strategy Southwest has designed its strategy around its most important resources and capabilities. It should thus limit its scope to those activities where it has a clear competitive advantage. Southwest should try to grow by replicating its success to new markets and achieving greater economies of scale and organizational learning. Southwest should not try to change its model and try to compete with other traditional airlines by flying long-haul flights and setting up hubs. Doing so would dilute Southwest’s focus and prevent it from leveraging the competitive advantages that have served it well for over two decades. In order to continue to succeed and grow, Southwest has to be able to sustain and build upon its existing competitive advantages. Southwest must focus on making its resources and capabilities (that give it a huge competitive advantage) durable, difficult to identify / understand, and hard to transfer and replicate. Durability: Southwest must focus on making its capabilities more durable than its resources. The airline industry is notorious for its back-to-back boom and bust cycles, and long-lasting advantages such as brand recognition and reputation just do not exist in this industry. Thus, Southwest must constantly focus on making its existing first mover and other advantages durable by keeping its employees motivated and keeping its focus on offering simple, no-frills air travel. Transparency: This refers to the speed with which other firms can imitate Southwest’s strategy. While running an airline is not rocket-science, Southwest does seem to have cracked the code in terms of figuring out the right mix of operational procedures and employee motivation to run a successful profitable airline. To enhance its competitive position, Southwest must focus on capturing and codifying its learning so that its formula for success is harder to identify and understand. Transferability and Replicability: Southwest must focus on making its capabilities less transferable and replicable. Thus, even if a competitor were to acquire the same resources (airplanes, employees etc.) that Southwest has, its capabilities must be hard to transfer and replicate. Southwest has created a unique organizational routine, and has acquired the ability to motivate its people to operate with consistently outstanding cost efficiencies and high levels of service. To build on this, Southwest must continue to focus on its core competencies, reinforce its core values and must continue to align the incentives of its employees with those of the company. In an industry with cut-throat competition and limited profit-making potential, Southwest has successfully pursued a resource based approach to creating sustainable competitive advantages. To continue to succeed and grow, Southwest must focus on identifying and filling resource gaps and continue to offer a differentiated product by exploiting its past organizational learning and its unique characteristics.

A porters 5 forces analysis of Wipro Ltd (Indian IT Outsourcing) Essay

A porters 5 forces analysis of Wipro Ltd (Indian IT Outsourcing) - Essay Example The model specifically addresses competition concerns within and without the industry in a bid to evaluate and assess the profitability of firms prior to their competition strategies. The following is an analysis of Wipro Ltd in this regard: Competition is a crucial undertaking for any given business entity. For Wipro Ltd, rivalry pertains to countering forces of advancing technologies from time to time and ensuring that sit meets customer needs as they fall due. In so doing, new and existing firms in the same line of service offering are essential to consider. Wipro Ltd seeks to create customer value that remains competitive and reliable over time in order to keep its business aspect attractive to its customers both in the short run and long run. Entry of new firms in the industry poses threats to the revenue earnings and profitability of Wipro Ltd. Unlike other markets, the information technology is characterized by relatively low barriers to entry. The diversity and dynamism associated with IT services consistently lead to the emergence of new firms. To counter threats of new entrants, the company has diversified its service offering portfolio by establishing Wipro divisions which take advantage of new IT needs in the market. Rival firms offer similar but relatively differentiated IT and consultation services. This gives customers a variety of products and services to choose from. Maintaining high profitability in such an environment requires that the services offered be affordable to the customers. However, it is important that the firm observes its costs of operation in order to strike a balance between pricing and operational costs. To account for this scenario, Wipro Ltd evaluates the IT industry from time to time in order to determine factors that affect consumer behaviour, triggering demand for substitute services. This is a

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A good man is hard to find - Research Paper Example The different cultural practices are slowly fading away as people continue to adopt cross-cultural adaptability. This has also led to the slow disappearance of the geographical boundaries and people are coming together to form one global unit. For the structure and experience of the  families in America, the 20th century was a period of significant change and evolution. By the 21st century, the old ideas of the patriarchal family structure where the father is viewed as the head of the family broke down. People started practicing family planning due to the harsh economic conditions. After few generations, the birthrate decreased and family units became smaller. This was a result of decrease in the number of families living together. By the 21st century, the rights of women and children slowly became acceptable (Coontz, 79). In the story by O’Connor, family roles take center stage. The size of individual families has been reducing and the demographic shift in composition has changed the structure and look of  American families. In 1900, families with seven or more people were common. The average household size in the U.S has decreased tremendously in the 20th century (Haines, 419-420). The single parenthood that is characteristic of the current American families is eminent in the story, since Bailey is the only child in his family and was raised by grandmother. The current American families are experiencing a rise in single-parenthood households. For the majority of the populations, the extended families are progressively reducing (Klein, 27). The readers view of the family is one that illustrates the disrespect and dissension that characterizes the current American familys relationships with one another. The story commences with Bailey’s mother trying to persuade him not to take family on a road trip to Florida. She shows him a newspaper article that is has a serial killer by the name of

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Motivation and Pay Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Motivation and Pay - Case Study Example Many variables are found to be considerably related to indices of absence, the results appear to be unstable across situations and time. Every incentive program is based on a formula for enhancing motivation that engages four fundamental variables: effort, performance, outcomes, and satisfaction. The logic behind these programs goes something like this: employees at Gap Inc. will put in the accurate quantity of effort to meet performance hopes if these part time employees at Gap Inc. obtain the types of outcomes that include pay raises and promotions which will provide part time employees satisfaction. In simpler words, Gap Inc. should provide its employees what they want, and employees will work hard to get it. Conversely, the problem with most incentive programs like of Gap Inc. is that they center exclusively on the submission of outcomes and overlook the three beliefs that are the key to making the motivation solution work: The first conviction compacts with the relationship between employee effort and performance. The second compacts with the relationship between performance and outcomes. And the third compacts with the relationship between outcomes and satisfaction. These three beliefs form the basis of the belief system of motivation and performance. Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivatio... Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivation helps to explain why incentive programs generally yield such lackluster results like in case of Gap Inc. Since employees do not always hold these beliefs to be true, attempts to improve motivation by using incentives cannot make the grade, even when the incentives are highly desirable ones. Types of Motivation Problems One cannot do it Motivation problem: Lack of confidence Associated feelings: Self-doubt Anxiety Frustration Outcomes are not tied to one's performance Motivation problem: Lack of trust Associated feelings: Skepticism Disbelief Mistrust Outcomes will not be satisfying to one Motivation problem: Lack of satisfaction Associated feelings: Anger Rebelliousness Low Morale and Absenteeism At Gap Inc. a major transformation attempt only makes difficult the situation. If any of three beliefs are shaky to begin with, organisational change at Gap Inc. can weaken them even further. The result is often serious motivation and performance problems, at a time when organisations can least afford them, and a resultant surge in the negative emotions associated with change. When an employee believes 'one cannot do it' for example, one may develop a lack of self-confidence and begin to experience many of the unpleasant feelings that go along with it: self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. About a year into the change effort, one manager portrayed the inner turmoil one went through by comparing the restructuring to building a ship at the same time one is trying to sail it. (Mele, 2003) Worker beliefs that 'outcomes are not tied to one's performance' can also escort to noteworthy motivation

Mechanical Dynamic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mechanical Dynamic - Research Paper Example Designers now face a higher challenge of product development and thus they require better tools and equipment for testing. Mechanical dynamics is one important and useful factor today. Dynamic mechanical was established initially as a simple heating and air conditioning company which started out in Sacramento. The major requirement was to make its customers happy through the use of it. It started out in 2003 with one operation which basically led to its growth. It was used in the commercial sector widely. Michael V the owner of dynamic mechanical was basically associated with construction industry. It started off with majorly the heating and cooling equipments followed by training the employee to work in order to meet the requirements. The system is required to work at peak efficiency. The technology used for testing, analyzing dynamics of mechanical structure and modeling is of high importance. The modes of vibration here play a very important role as it is the major link between th e testing and the method used for analysis. There are basically four options and alternatives which are taken , taking forces and motion in mind. Design is one of the major concerns faced. Styling of the machinery is another important aspect which needs to be in mind which includes the sizes and shapes which are of great importance. The entire layout matters not only the outer part. The outward appearance is not only important the entire mechanical system is of great importance. Structure should be such which can withstand forces and which can also transmit forces; a static analysis is carried out to make sure that the forces are strong. The suspension spring of the automobile should have enough strength to support the body, engine along with the weight. In order to have proper motion there are rotating and moving part which are setup in the system. There are some problems which are known as the kinematics. There are many shafts, pulleys, chains, cams, rotating gears and many other instruments which will go through many changes they will have to develop major relative motions so that the engine can run properly. The designer has to make sure that the structure go through proper affects of forces and motion, this thing depends a lot on the dynamic environment however there are many factors which affect this which include the forces and motion which come together and that finds out some major problems which include the problem of vibration and noise (Measurement and the analysis of the dynamics). These problems which are caused by the inertial forces along the structure behavior of the structure and these problems are extremely difficult to solve. The dynamic structure is divided into two classes for the purpose of modeling the dynamics. These two classes include the elastic and rigid bodies. There are many elastic structures whose dynamics are simplified to a very large extent through significant loss of accuracy with major assumptions that they are assembled t ogether through springs and damper elements in a very rigid way. Straightforward manner is used to analyze the system through the use of Newton’s second law which is crucial for masses in the system. Modes of vibration cannot be observed physically and they can not be identified by major people. Linear dynamic model also plays an important role here and it is defined through this. Mathematical model and its development depicts an important link which is between these modes of vibration and the elements of the modeling

Service product analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Service product analysis - Essay Example Rebak Island Resort, a five star category hotel in Rebak Islands also presents to the visitors a natural viewing treat in terms of creating an underwater aquarium in addition to the room and dining facilities. The paper focuses to evaluate the services provided by the Resort through analysing based on the Seven Ps of Services Marketing. Finally after conducting the needed evaluation the paper concludes through rendering useful recommendations for the Rebak Island Resort to help gain a larger potential in the realm of their hospitalisation activities rendered to the visitors and tourists visiting the island from different corners of the world. Rebak Island Resort-A Taj Resort The Taj Group is the constituent or collective name for the large group of hotels, resorts, spas and other hospitality units of The Indian Hotels Company Limited. Further the Taj Group that holds to be one of the largest and most popular hotel companies in the Asian market in terms of service standards, aesthetic s and other parameters stands out to be the glowing symbol of Indian hospitality. Taj Group internationalises through the opening of 16 hotels in several international locations like Maldives, Malaysia, in other developed countries like United Kingdom and United States and similarly along emerging economies like Africa, the regions of Middle East and Sri Lanka (Taj Group, 2012). In the context of the project the company chosen is Rebak Island Resort situated in Langkawi, Malaysia. This hotel company is the international wing of Taj Group in the Malaysian region. Rebak Island Resort got its name from the native Rebak Tree found in the Rebak Islands. The Rebak Islands is one of the 99 islands that constitute the Langkawi region. The region holds a pristine glory in terms of the natural exhibits found pertaining to forests, mountains and a large number of beaches. The Rebak Island Resort can be reached by the visitors by taking a five minute ride from Langkawi Airport to Langkasuka Por t and subsequently taking a fifteen minutes ride on a boat to the Resort. A host of facilities and services await the visitors at Rebak Island Resort that promises to serve the best based on standards set by the Taj Group (Rebak Island Resort, n.d.). The report tends to conduct a total analysis of the Taj Group based on the Seven Ps of Services Marketing concept. Based on the analysis conducted it would focus on rendering needful recommendations related mainly along Four Ps including the Physical Environment of the Services Group. These set of recommendations would be furnished to contribute to the development of the services standard of the company. Background of the Service Location of Rebak Island Resort Rebak Island Resort is located in Rebak Island a member of the large number of Islands forming the Langkawi region in Malaysia. The Resort is located at a distance of 4 Kilometres from the Langkawi Island while it can be reached by taking a boat ride of around 15 minutes from the Langkasuka Port. Span and Size of Rebak Island R

Recruitment, management, leadership, team work and individual Essay

Recruitment, management, leadership, team work and individual motivation - Essay Example Leaders and managers are assigned for the purpose of monitoring, controlling, judging and organizing the workforce using specific techniques. The most popular and effective technique to control and manage the workforce is to motivate them using motivational techniques. Motivating a team of workers and individuals in an organization would encourage them to work efficiently and enthusiastically. The overall objective of this paper is to assess the different methods of recruiting, selecting, managing, leading and motivating the workforce of any business (Sharma, 2000, pp. 76). Section 1 Recruitment of new staff members: An advertisement is given by a company to fill a vacancy for a floor supervisor in a factory of canned foods. The company will give an advertisement which would include the job description, requirements, person specifications and all the relevant information which is needed for an applicant to chose, apply and qualify for the job. The advertisement will be like the docum entation prepared below. Job Advertisement: Floor Supervisor-Production Floor Manufacturing Company Salary: $20,000 per annum, negotiable as per experience and qualifications. Date posted: 1-05-13 Closing date: 15-05-13 Contact: Steve Jones (Branch Manager) A manufacturing company is looking for a supervisor for their production floor. The supervisor will be the team leader, and will have a respectable position in the factory. The supervisor will be responsible for the work performance of the workers working under him on that floor. The workers with him will be a part of his team. The purpose of this job is to have a team leader that will guide and monitor the performance of the workers working in the production department, the supervisor will be answerable for the faults and errors seen in the production floor and will be given the authority to direct the workers in the best possible way. The person specification for this job is that the applicant must be a graduate because all the work with the machinery is technical and requires great skill. The applicant must have at least one year experience of working in a factory with machinery. The skills and attributes must be that of a good leader, must have good communication skills, and must be able to supervise effectively. The applicant must be physically active and need to be on feet during working hours. Overall the applicant must be friendly, honest, patient and responsible. Job Description: Description: Floor Supervisor Job Purpose: The purpose of this job is to have a team leader that will guide and monitor the performance of the workers working in the production department, the supervisor will be answerable for the faults and errors seen in the production floor and will be given the authority to direct the workers in the best possible way. Main duties: Monitoring the production process Responsible for labor attendants Allocation of the duties amongst the workers Job rotation of the workers Solving conflicts if any arise between workers Responsible for the individual development needs of the workers Reporting to the manager for any maintenance and repairs needed in the machinery Managing discipline on the production floor Training new workers Suitable applicants will be short listed for the interview. The candidate will be introduced to the managers and will be assessed on his confidence and body language. Impact of legal, regulatory and ethical considerations on recruitment and selection: The recruitment process

Compare my experience in taking an online course versus that of a Essay

Compare my experience in taking an online course versus that of a traditional classroom course - Essay Example , weigh the facts, make connections and use this information to achieve a wide variety of outputs, the â€Å"acquisition of skills, knowledge and attitudes† (Boradbent, 2002: 111) that makes a successful learner. For me, a rich learning experience is found whenever it becomes possible for students to be actively engaged in the learning process. This happens when the knowledge to be gained is transmitted in a way that encourages students to apply various learning techniques to the material thus making it possible for them to achieve lifelong learning in whatever area they choose. However, as more and more colleges begin to offer online courses, it is important to compare the level of learning that can be achieved in these classes as compared with more traditional environments. Before it is possible to determine which learning environment would be best for me, I first underwent a process of discovering my own personal learning style. This was a difficult process because I didn’t seem to have any one way in which I learned best. David Kolb suggested that there are basically four different types of learning styles used by the majority of students to differing degrees. Within his classification system, I recognized two methods that particularly applied to my individual learning style including the diverger and the accommodator (Kolb, 2002: 114). What helps me to learn best is when I find myself in an open environment where discussions can take place without being afraid of offending and where ideas can be explored. However, there are times when even this is not exactly the best option for me as I just need to engage in some passive activity, learning from other people’s ideas. This is not unusual as Boradbent indicates, â€Å"learning styles ar e not cast in concrete. Learners are not always hooked on one style† (2002: 115). At the most basic level, I agree with Mel Silberman (cited in Boradbent, 2002: 115) who says that the most effective learning

Roles of an Hr Manager Essay Example for Free

Roles of an Hr Manager Essay The administrative roles of human resource management include policy formulation and implementation, housekeeping, records maintenance, welfare administration, legal compliance etc. i. Policy maker: The human resource manager helps management in the formation of policies governing talent acquisition and retention, wage and salary administration, welfare activities, personnel records, working conditions etc. He also helps in interpreting personnel policies in an appropriate manner. ii. Administrative expert: The administrative role of an HR manager is heavily oriented to processing and record keeping. Maintaining employee files, and HR related databases, processing employee benefit claims, answering queries regarding leave, transport and medical facilities, submitting required reports to regulatory agencies are examples of the administrative nature of HR management. These activities must be performed efficiently and effectively to meet changing requirements of employees, customers and the government. iii. Advisor: It is said that personnel management is not a line responsibility but a staff function. The personnel manager performs his functions by advising, suggesting, counseling and helping the line managers in discharging their responsibilities relating to grievance redressal, conflict resolution, employee selection and training. Personnel advice includes preparation of reports, communication of guidelines for the interpretation and implementation of policies, providing information regarding labor laws etc. iv. Housekeeper: The administrative roles of a personnel manager in managing the show include recruiting, pre-employment testing, reference checking, employee surveys, time keeping, wage and salary administration, benefits and pension administration, wellness programmes, maintenance of records etc. v. Counselor: The personnel manager discusses various problems of the employees relating to work, career, their supervisors, colleagues, health, family, financial, social, etc. and advises them on minimizing and overcoming problems, if any. vi. Welfare officer: Personnel manager is expected to be the Welfare Officer of the company. As a Welfare officer he provides and maintains (on behalf of the company) canteens, hospitals, creches, educational institutes, clubs, libraries, conveyance facilities, co-operative credit societies and consumer stores. Under the Factories Act, Welfare officers are expected to take care of safety, health and welfare of employees. The HR managers are often asked to oversee if everything is in line with the company legislation and stipulation. vii. Legal consultant: Personnel manager plays a role of grievance handling, settling of disputes, handling disciplinary cases, doing collective bargaining, enabling the process of joint consultation, interpretation and implementation of various labor laws, contacting lawyers regarding court cases, filing suits in labor courts, industrial tribunals, civil courts and the like. In some organizations, the above administrative functions are being outsourced to external providers in recent times, with a view to increasing efficiency as also cutting operational costs. Technology is being put to good use to automate many of the administrative tasks. Operational Roles These roles are tactical in nature and include recruiting, training and developing employees; coordinating HR activities with the actions of managers and supervisors throughout the organization and resolving differences between employees. i. Recruiter: â€Å"Winning the war for talent† has become an important job of HR managers in recent times in view of the growing competition for people possessing requisite knowledge, skills and experience. HR managers have to use their experience to good effect while laying down lucrative career paths to new recruits without, increasing the financial burden to the company. ii. Trainer developer, motivator: Apart from talent acquisition, talent retention is also important. To this end, HR managers have to find skill deficiencies from time to time, offer meaningful training opportunities, and bring out the latent potential of people through intrinsic and extrinsic rewards which are valued by employees. iii. Coordinator/linking pin: The HR manager is often deputed to act as a linking pin between various divisions/departments of an organization. The whole exercise is meant to develop rapport with divisional heads, using PR and communication skills of HR executives to the maximum possible extent. iv. Mediator: The personnel manager acts as a mediator in case of friction between two employees, groups of employees, superiors and subordinates and employees and management with the sole objective of maintaining industrial harmony. v. Employee champion: HR managers have traditionally been viewed as ‘company morale officers’ or employee advocates. Liberalisation, privatisation and globalization pressures have changed the situation dramatically HR professionals have had to move closer to the hearts of employees in their own self interest. To deliver results they are now seriously preoccupied with: l Placing people on the right job. l Charting a suitable career path for each employee. l Rewarding creditable performance. l Resolving differences between employees and groups smoothly. l Adopting family-friendly policies. l Ensuring fair and equitable treatment to all people regardless of their background. l Striking a happy balance between the employees personal/professional as also the larger organisational needs. l Representing workers’ issues, problems and concerns to the management in order to deliver effective results HR managers have to treat their employees as valuable assets. Such an approach helps to ensure that HR practices and principles are in sync with the organisation’s overall strategy. It forces the organisation to invest in its best employees and ensure that performance standards are not compromised. Strategic Roles An organisation’s success increasingly depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities of its employees, particularly as they help establish a set of core competencies (activities that the firm performs especially well when compared to its competitors and through which the firm adds value to its goods and services over a long period of time, e.g. ONGC s oil exploration capabilities and Dells ability to deliver low cost, high-quality computers at an amazing speed) that distinguish an organisation from its competitors. When employees’ talents are valuable, rare, difficult to imitate and organised, a firm can achieve sustained competitive advantage through its people. The strategic role of HR management focuses attention on how to enable ordinary employees to turn out extraordinary performance, taking care of their ever-changing expectations. The key areas of attention in this era of global competition include effective management of key Resources (employees, technology, work processes), while delivering cost effective, valueenhancing solution.

Strong Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Strong Social Responsibility Essay Corporate social responsibility for many corporate bodies means engaging in some philanthropic community ventures like sponsorship, donations or giving in kind programs. However, some companies have been able to build strong relationships and partnerships with the communities and are offering practical solutions to the many social problems. That notwithstanding, most companies and organization consider such ventures as a donor-recipient relationship, rather than a mutually benefiting programs. Success of any such activities is normally considered in terms of financial contribution, the employee satisfaction or the effects on the social issue. As important as they are, such achievements do not convince many companies and shareholders because they believe that a company can only post strong profits so has to benefit everyone. And for that matter, most corporate entities do not have any corporate social responsibility program but would once in a while donate to some charitable activities as a mere window dressing to hoodwink the public that they are committed to such obligations. This paper will provide examples of companies with strong corporate social responsibility programs and have been quite successful in terms of profitability. The scale and forms of benefit strong CSR programs would offer a company can vary and more often depends on the nature of the business. Quantification of the benefits may also be a difficult task; however, there are good reasons why every corporate organization should adopt a CSR programs or policies in its operations (Orlitzky, Frank, Schmidt, Rynes, 2003). Strong social responsibility enables companies to manage risk. Managing risk is an integral part of every corporate strategy. An organization’s reputation which may take years to build may be damage in a matter of hours through accidents and incidents that are manageable. Scandals like corruption or environmental accidents may severely ruin the reputation of the company. Moreover, such incidences may attract unnecessary attention from the media, government, the courts as well as the regulations, damaging the company’s reputation further. However, developing and sticking to certain corporate social responsibilities within the company and the community can work to obstruct some of these risks. IBM has built a strong image as one of the leading companies helping in conservation of energy and environment. This has earned it respect as an environmental friendly company even as reap financial benefits from its businesses (IBM Responsibility n. d). Corporate social responsibility is a great marketing tool for many companies that have been able to exploit its benefits. In crowded and competitive markets, companies seek to have unique selling proposition which may differentiate them from other competitors in the minds of potential costumers (Orlitzky, Frank, Schmidt, Rynes, 2003). Strong corporate social responsibility can play a vital role in helping companies build strong loyal costumer base based on their distinctive ethical values. Some of the major brands like America Apparel and The Body Shop have been built on strong ethical values. Corporate service organizations may also benefit by establishing a strong reputation and best practice. Coca-Cola is one company that has been able to build a strong reputation in the market through its CSR programs. Its latest campaign dubbed Live Positively is geared towards promoting a positive and sustainable living in the world through different initiatives (Coca-Cola Company n. d. ). Although it is a peaceful message to everyone, it would help the company entrench itself as one of the number one leader in global business. A corporate social responsibility program can also be helpful in recruitment and retention of employees, especially in a competitive graduate students market. Young graduates looking for jobs normally ask about a company’s corporate social responsibility policies during interviews and firms with strong and comprehensive policies may have an edge in not only absorbing such recruits but also retaining them for a long time. Corporate social responsibility can aid in enhancing the employees’ perception about the company, especially when they are considered in the company’s CSR programs like fundraising activities and community volunteering. A good example of a company with such programs is the Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) which has an Employee Involvement Policy Framework and Program. This program started in 2004 under the joint watch of the Human Resources and Community Affairs, gives support to employees and encourage their participation in community development through voluntary programs (CSR Europe 2010). Every company or corporate body does not welcome external interference like taxation or government regulations in their operations. Having strong corporate social responsibility programs may be the first step towards convincing the government and the general public that the company does not take lightly the social issues like health, safety and environment problems, that affects the public in a community or the country in which it operates (Orlitzky, Frank, Schmidt, Rynes, 2003). This will persuade the government to license a company or organization as good corporate citizens with regards to the labor standards and its impact on the environment. Ecolab which was ranked number two among the world’s most ethical companies in 2009, has been a good example of how strong CSR programs can be beneficial both to the company and the country at large. The company has a strong commitment to help the United States reduced its greenhouse gas emission by 20 percent per every sale made between 2006 and 2012 (Environmental Leader, 2010). This initiative not only enables the company increase its sales but also helps the company build a good reputation among the public and the government. Such company may not face difficulties when it wants to acquire license for new operations either within the US or in any country. In conclusion, strong corporate social responsibility is not only a community development initiative but also a long-term corporate financial investment. The benefits of such a program are mutually good for the existence and operation of any business and for the development of the community and country where businesses operate and are sustained. References IBM Responsibility (n. d). IBM Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved on August 14, 2010, from http://webcache. googleusercontent. com/search? q=cache:obfJZix- yVoJ:www. ibm. com/ibm/responsibility/+ibm+CSR+programscd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=keclient=firefox-a Coca-Cola Company (n. d. ). Sustainability: Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved on August 14, 2010, from http://webcache. googleusercontent. com/search? q=cache:LJLNHF3zpOcJ:www. thecoca-colacompany. com/citizenship/+cocacola+CSR+programcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=keclient=firefox-a CSR Europe (2010). Employee Involvement Program. Retrieved on August 14, 2010, from http://webcache. googleusercontent. com/search? q=cache:TEaWduxbx68J:www. csreurope. org/solutions. php%3Faction%3Dshow_solution%26solution_id%3D299+microsoft+CSR+programcd=4hl=enct=clnkgl=keclient=firefox-a Environmental Leader (2010 April, 8). Ecolab Sets New Goals for Water Use, Waste and Effluent Water. Retrieved on August 14, 2010, from http://www. environmentalleader. com/2010/04/08/ecolab-sets-new-goals-for-water-use-waste-and-effluent-water/ Orlitzky, M. Frank L. Schmidt, S. Rynes, L. (2003). Corporate Social and Financial Performance: A Meta-analysis. Organization Studies, Vol. 24 (3): 403-441.

Video Game Causes Behavioral Problems Psychology Essay

Video Game Causes Behavioral Problems Psychology Essay Firstly, one of the major concerns of video games is that they increase the nature of violence among the youth. The Harvard medical school or the Journal of adolescent health, as well as the British medical journal have concluded that there is a huge link between video game and violence. Researchers have found out that there is a certain pattern between video game and the behavioral problems associated with the video games, and Television shows. Scholars and researchers have said over and over again that Video games make kids more violent each time they play the game. A research was done which was brain scanning of children who played violent games like Call of duty the study showed that the answer was yes. Video games do make kids more violent. Researchers at the University of Indiana said that brain scans of kids who played a violent video game in comparison to kids who played no games showed a negative increase in the emotion of those children who played the game. According to aut hor Vince Mathews, parents should look more closely at the types of games their children are playing. He said I think parents should be aware of the relationship between violent video-game playing and brain function. Video games cause addiction which leads to children spending considerable time playing games resulting in neglect of more important activities. Perhaps excess of anything is bad and video games are no exception. In his article Video Games Addiction, Media literacy specialist, Dr. Charles Ungerleider states that if a youngster becomes addicted to video games it can be a problem. He explains that wanting to improve their gaming skills is not a problem in itself, but it becomes a problem if video games are taking a youngster away too much from other activities. Then the parent has to intervene and limit the amount of time the youngster spends with the video game. According to Mary Schlimme in a 2002 article titled: Do We Need a Video Gamers Anonymous? Video game addicts are often described by clinicians in the field as displaying many symptoms characteristic of other addictions. According to her article, Addiction includes such behavior as failure to stop playing games, difficulties in work or school, telling lies to loved ones, decreased attention to personal hygiene, decreased attention to family and friends, and disturbances in the sleep cycle. Schlimme quotes Dr Orzack that many game addicts have struggled with finding their place in society and as a result play video games in order to become part of a crowd. This in turn influences the game players to show off their achievements in front of their associate group. Excessive video game playing may not only cause behavioral and social changes in a person, but it may also result in neurological changes. Fourth paragraph third argument Even if video games and videos do not directly create killers and murderers out of the young people they may tend to contribute towards insensitivity and indifference towards violence. This is worrying because it may change the profile of the society in the longer run. In an article published in the Time Magazine on 10th May 1999 author and editors Joshua Quittner, Maryanne Buechner and Jay Ehrlich say The question isnt whether games make children kill, because it isnt that simple. The concerns are subtler yet no less worrisome. Do graphically violent games desensitize children to violence? Do such games teach kids to take pleasure in the suffering and death of others? Nicholas Carnagey, an Iowa State psychology instructor and research assistant, and ISU Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Anderson and Brad Bushman wrote published an article The Effects of Video Game Violence on Physiological Desensitization to Real-Life Violence in the Journal of Experimental Social Psycholo gy. In this paper, the authors define desensitization to violence as a reduction in emotion-related physiological reactivity to real violence. Their latest study tested 257 college students (124 men and 133 women) individually. The results demonstrate that playing violent video games, even for just 20 minutes, can cause people to become less physiologically aroused by real violence. According to the article It appears that individuals who play violent video games habituate or get used to all the violence and eventually become physiologically numb to it. Fifth paragraph Transition Paragraph Supporter of the video games do not seem to take the issues seriously. Despite this overwhelming evidence that video game causes violence and behavior problems in many developing children and in adolescents there are supportes who believe that there are advantages to video games in todays society. Key finding states in a research titled Internet Fantasy Violence: A Test of Aggression in an Online Games carried out in 2005 by Williams, D. Skoric, M states there was no effect on levels of aggressiveness or in belief and behaviors of the gamers who were engaged in a violent massive multiplayer online role-playing game. Cheryl K. Olson, professor of Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical Schools Center for Mental Health and Media, in her 2004 article in the journal Academic Psychiatry Media Violence Research and Youth Violence Data: Why Do TheyConflict? examines statements about the relation between violent video games and real-life violence. First, Dr. Olson notes that there is no evidence that targeted violence has increased in Americas schools. While such attacks have occurred in the past, they were and are extremely rare events. She goes on to write that, Theres no indication that violence rose in lockstep with the spread of violent games. In a 2002 presentation that updated their earlier comprehensive review of the literature on games and violence, Dr. Van Eeenwyk from the Washington State Department of Health presented information indicating that after controlling for psychosocial factors, association between aggression and playing video games was not statistically significant. This review was based on available objective research and was conducted by the State of Washington at the request of the state legislature. MIT professor Hennery Jenkins points out, 90 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls play video games. The overwhelming majority of kids who play do NOT commit antisocial acts. And, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the strongest risk factor for school shootings centere d on mental stability and quality of home life, not media exposure. Supporters of video games say that Professor Jenkins is trying to say is its not the video games that cause the violence, its completely different factors. Critics claim that video games are addictive has also been refuted by some supporters of the video games. In a response to a proposal in 2007 to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, doctors and supporters of video games opposed the proposal. There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesnt get to have the word addiction attached to it, said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. The supporters of video games rgue that video game, computer and television provide education to children, that it provides help with their studies as well as educational institutio ns are using video games as one of the material for teaching. According to child experts and psychologists Video games give the childrens brain a real workout.   In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking.   These skills are not even taught at school.   Some of the mental skills trained by video games include: Following instructions  and Hand-eye coordination Research also suggests that people can learn i visual attention skills from video games.   There have been even studies with adults showing that experience with video games is related to better surgical skills. Some supporters of video games say that video games teach children to plan and build their strategic thinking. children learn while playing video games. Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad is Good For You: How Todays Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter, calls this telescoping. Gamers must deal with immediate problems while keeping their long-term goal s on their horizon. Sixth paragraph Refutation of opponents counter- argument While there are researchers and supporters who claim that the video games do not have an effect on the increase in aggression and violence in the behavior of the gamers, yet those researches and studies are not based on modern scientific lines. Those studies are not as comprehensive and as scientific as those carried out by Craig Anderson, David Grossman or others. The supporters studies are generalized and are based more on hypothetical basis rather than actual scientific methodology. As proved by the various researches quoted above, their findings are flawed. Seventh paragraph Refutation of opponents counter- argument Supporters of the video games say that video games are healthy and educational. They claim Video games give the childrens brain a real workout.   In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. However, the fact is that addiction to video games causes not only health and other problems, including social ones, but also results in poor school results and grades, lack of concentration to academics and class activities. The critics have always disputed this claim about video games contributing to health and education. Dr. Louis Kraus of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and a psychiatrist at Rush University Medical Center, has stated The more time kids spend on video games, the less time they will have socializing, the less time they will have with their families, the less time they will have exercising. They can make up academic deficits, but they cant make up the social ones, he said. Researcher Douglas Gentile, from Iow a State University, found that 8.5 percent of 1,178 youths studied are addicted to video games, using the same standards for addiction used for pathological gamblers. As a result of this, one in ten youths, may be suffering from family, social, school or psychological damage. In the case of video game addiction, the youth studied were found to have attention deficits in school, resulting in lower grades and even health problems. Video game addiction may be a sign of an underlying problem, such as depression. says Doug Gentiles report. Final paragraph Conclusion. Based on the above research it is clearly evident that violent video games contribute to the aggressive and violent behavior and addiction to video games. However, considering some of the advantages of the video games, their use must not be prohibited. Parents and guardians should do the following to reduce the effect of violence. Monitor video game play the same way one needs to monitor television and other media. Parents are responsible to be kind, loving but at the same time attentive and firm to properly discipline their wards. An aggressive child is more a product of dysfunctional parenting than anything else, including violent games and TV.   To avoid possibilities of addiction, parents should attempt to provide a variety of entertainment to their children. It would be a good idea to make sure that children read quality books, involve themselves in sports and interact with other children and their friends.

Humorous Wedding Speech by a Friend of the Groom -- Wedding Toasts Roa

Humorous Wedding Speech by a Friend of the Groom Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. I would first like to thank you all for coming today and helping to make Marcus and Adrian's wedding such a memorable and special occasion. Personally, I wish you'd all stayed at home and made my job less nerve wracking. When I was asked to be in the wedding party I decided that I needed to know what the role entailed. I have now read several books, and all of them include a last minute checklist to guarantee a smooth wedding. So, to give you a feel for the pressure I’ve been under, here are some of the things I’ve had to remember from my checklist: 1) See that all ex-girlfriends are kept at bay. Now then, Marcus discovered girls a lot earlier than I did, because while I was worrying about English exams, he was copying my work, leaving him free to pursue girls to his heart's content. Put it this way - he'd discovered bike sheds before I even knew what bikes were. But, there is no chance of seeing any of his ex’s tonight because I understand that they are all out celebrating, which has denied us some quality entertainment as a result. 2) Bring a credit card for the payments that the groom may have forgotten. So far, Marcus owes me  £650 ($400) - which reminds me, this wedding nearly didn’t go ahead! The hotel manager was getting concerned as he hadn’t received the deposit. Thankfully, Marcus assured him that he... ...reach the bride and groom's home. So, if you would like to place all of the gifts that you have brought with you, (particularly the valuable ones), in the back of the green rental van, registration S653 GFR, I will personally ensure that they receive them. I promise. So that’s what my role entailed. Of course, I also have the honour of proposing a toast to the bride and groom. But, before I do that, let me first say, Marcus, you’ve been an excellent friend to be since I met you twelve years ago and Adrian, you look stunning today and getting to know you has been a real pleasure. Ladies and gentlemen, please could you now raise your glasses in a toast to the bride and groom. To Adrian and Marcus.

Joshua And The Children :: essays research papers

Joshua and the Children There were a lot of reasons Joseph Girzone titled his book "Joshua and the Children". I think the main reason for the title was because of Joshua’s purpose in the town. The author explains how Joshua is there to fulfill "his Father’s" promise. Joshua wants to teach all the children of the town to get along and be at peace with each other. Joshua says it is too late for the adults to learn the way, who have lived hateful lives. Joshua must turn to the children if he wishes to change the future. He believes that if he teaches the children to not hate, and to respect others, regardless of racial or ethnic differences, then the world will improve when they become adults. This new generation will then bring happiness to the world. Joshua knows that these children were victims of their parents’ wrongdoings. He knows that they were born into a society filled with hate. Hate for members of a different race. Hate without reasoning. He fee ls it is wrong what the adults are doing to the children. They are being brought up to believe that it is OK to mistreat somebody who is "different" from you. This is why Joshua felt he should teach the children, and not the adults. Once Joshua started to communicate with the children, and got to know them better the adults were amazed at how Joshua related to the children so well. He knew their names right from the second he met them, he played their games, and he even let himself lose at them too. Eventually the adults in the town began to realize that whoever this Joshua really was, he was a role model for each and every one of them. The Muslim boy was a very important character in this book. He and one his friends went down to the square where Joshua met with the children every day. His friend told Joshua that the boy was blind. Everybody in the square watched in disbelief as Joshua cured the boy’s blindness with the touch of his hand. The boy’s family were the weapons distributors. After seeing that Joshua was able to fix their boy, they too became good people and thus, making the town a better place. The final event in the story that showed peace was achieved was a soccer game with the Catholics playing against the Protestants.

Mussolini and Hitler Essay -- essays research papers

Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler As World War II (WWII) approached, Mussolini announced his intention of annexing Malta, Corsica, and Tunis. He spoke of creating a "New Roman Empire" that would stretch east to Palestine and south through Libya and Egypt to Kenya. In April 1939, after a brief war, he annexed Albania, a campaign which strained his military. His armed forces are generally considered to have been unprepared for combat when the German invasion of Poland led to World War II. Mussolini thus decided to remain 'non-belligerent' until he was quite certain which side would win. On June 10, 1940, as the Germans under General Guderian reached the English Channel, Mussolini declared war on Britain and France. In October, Italy attacked Greece and lost in result 1/3 of Albania, until Germany attacked Greece as well. In June 1941, he declared war on the Soviet Union and in December he declared war on the United States. Following Italian defeats on all fronts and the Anglo-American landing in Sicily in 1943, most of Mussolini's colleagues (Count Galeazzo Ciano, the foreign minister and also Mussolini's son-in-law, included) turned against him at a meeting of the Fascist Grand Council on July 25, 1943. King Vittorio Emanuele III called Mussolini to his palace and stripped the dictator of his power. Upon leaving the palace, Mussolini was swiftly arrested. He was then sent to Gran Sasso, a mountain recovery in central Italy (Abruzzo), in complete isolation. Mussolini was subst...

I am Sam Movie Review

How does Jessie Nelson use a range of film techniques to portray the conflicting ideas of competence in parenthood in relation with disabled parents in the movie ‘I am Sam’? Jessie Nelson’s ‘I am Sam’ directed in 2001 tells a story of a mentally-challenged man, Sam Dawson, and his relentless fight with the legal system for custody of his daughter, Lucy Diamond Dawson. Nelson forces the audience to question Sam’s capabilities and limits of being a ‘good parent’ through symbolism, characterization, use of camera and editing techniques. Social security services bring their attention to Sam and Lucy as her 8th birthday approaches.They are doubtful that Sam will be able to provide Lucy with the education and resources she deserves to reach her full potential as she slowly surpasses her father’s intellectual capabilities with the mentality of a 7-year-old. ‘All you need is love’ is the central quote of what the filmâ €™s message is built upon. Nelson’s use of a contradictory contrast between the two main characters sparks a conflict about what defines a good parent that challenges the viewer to ask themselves if love is enough. Sam is a very simple man. He is unexpectedly the dormant character in the film.Sam’s happiness solely relies on the happiness and security of his daughter Lucy alongside the support of his also mentally challenged close friends. On the other hand, Rita Harris who is Sam Dawson’s pro-bono lawyer, is materialistic who measures happiness by the items she has in her life as she uses her successful career to mask her dysfunctional, collapsing relationship with her young son and unfaithful husband. Startlingly, Rita is the active character who learns from Sam. Both characters are experience a loss of the relationship with their child but in completely opposing ways.To Sam, even though he is unable to pass down knowledge and support his daughter to an ac ademic level, he devotes his time for her whilst Rita is a direct contrast. In doing so, it creates tension as a battle of strength and the idea of perfection fluctuates between them. Nelson also uses editing techniques by creating different hues to portray Sam’s struggles with new experiences. Warm filters are used when Sam is with Lucy to symbolise the joy. However, cold blue shades are used in courtroom scenes, the hospital and supermarket scene.This was done for the purpose of displaying the uncomfortable environment for Sam as new experiences and change gives him fear. Children, particularly teenage girls, encounter great changes in the earlier stages of their life. In court, the question was put forth of how Sam would handle such situations such as puberty if he himself has no knowledge about the topic. In using this effect, it vividly illustrates to the viewer the struggles Sam will face in the years to come for Lucy, but are they challenges that any other ‘ordin ary’ father would struggle with as well is the question put forth for debate in the courtroom.Throughout the entire movie, hand-held cameras are used to film. Using this film technique gives a more documentary feel that enables the viewer to feel more part of the action. The audience views the film through the perspective of Sam Dawson and the use of hand-held cameras allows an emotional attachment to develop with Sam’s character as we witness his love and devotion to Lucy. Consequently, the viewer is manipulated to side with Sam’s viewpoint that he deserves custody of Lucy and has enough to offer her despite all the testimonies against Sam’s will.Along the film we are a bystander and observe the ongoing battle of beliefs of the needs of a child. Symbolism is an important film technique used that reflects the character’s emotions at certain points in the movie. The scene with Sam and Lucy on the swing towards the beginning of the movie incorporates white birds flying over their heads which signifies the freedom they had, their blissful smiles and shared laughter alongside the slow and peaceful music express their happiness with one another.The loss of freedom is a strong theme explored which is evident in the use of symbolism throughout. Paper cranes appear repeatedly as they represent happiness, good luck and peace- primarily seen during the beginning of the movie. The paper plane Sam subtly throws to Lucy before the final court hearing shows his carefree, child-like personality whilst foreshadowing the freedom to come for these two characters which informs the viewer Sam is not ready to give up.The joy they share with each other is put to test when we are questioned if love is really all you need to raise a child to their full potential. The butterfly origami Lucy presents to her class is a subtle representation of her growth and development as she describes the changes a caterpillar goes through. This mirrors the conflict raised because Lucy’s intellectual abilities will exceed her 7-year-old minded father.The disparity of the use of symbolism between growth and development in contrast to happiness and freedom forces the viewer to question which is of greater importance. Jessie Nelson’s use of film techniques have shaped I am Sam into a very powerful and emotional film despite its touching storyline. The emotional attachment between the audience and characters develops greatly that makes the viewer connect with Sam through camera and editing techniques, characterization whilst symbolism reflects the swaying values of happiness, freedom and intellectuality. I am Sam Movie Review How does Jessie Nelson use a range of film techniques to portray the conflicting ideas of competence in parenthood in relation with disabled parents in the movie ‘I am Sam’? Jessie Nelson’s ‘I am Sam’ directed in 2001 tells a story of a mentally-challenged man, Sam Dawson, and his relentless fight with the legal system for custody of his daughter, Lucy Diamond Dawson. Nelson forces the audience to question Sam’s capabilities and limits of being a ‘good parent’ through symbolism, characterization, use of camera and editing techniques. Social security services bring their attention to Sam and Lucy as her 8th birthday approaches.They are doubtful that Sam will be able to provide Lucy with the education and resources she deserves to reach her full potential as she slowly surpasses her father’s intellectual capabilities with the mentality of a 7-year-old. ‘All you need is love’ is the central quote of what the filmâ €™s message is built upon. Nelson’s use of a contradictory contrast between the two main characters sparks a conflict about what defines a good parent that challenges the viewer to ask themselves if love is enough. Sam is a very simple man. He is unexpectedly the dormant character in the film.Sam’s happiness solely relies on the happiness and security of his daughter Lucy alongside the support of his also mentally challenged close friends. On the other hand, Rita Harris who is Sam Dawson’s pro-bono lawyer, is materialistic who measures happiness by the items she has in her life as she uses her successful career to mask her dysfunctional, collapsing relationship with her young son and unfaithful husband. Startlingly, Rita is the active character who learns from Sam. Both characters are experience a loss of the relationship with their child but in completely opposing ways.To Sam, even though he is unable to pass down knowledge and support his daughter to an ac ademic level, he devotes his time for her whilst Rita is a direct contrast. In doing so, it creates tension as a battle of strength and the idea of perfection fluctuates between them. Nelson also uses editing techniques by creating different hues to portray Sam’s struggles with new experiences. Warm filters are used when Sam is with Lucy to symbolise the joy. However, cold blue shades are used in courtroom scenes, the hospital and supermarket scene.This was done for the purpose of displaying the uncomfortable environment for Sam as new experiences and change gives him fear. Children, particularly teenage girls, encounter great changes in the earlier stages of their life. In court, the question was put forth of how Sam would handle such situations such as puberty if he himself has no knowledge about the topic. In using this effect, it vividly illustrates to the viewer the struggles Sam will face in the years to come for Lucy, but are they challenges that any other ‘ordin ary’ father would struggle with as well is the question put forth for debate in the courtroom.Throughout the entire movie, hand-held cameras are used to film. Using this film technique gives a more documentary feel that enables the viewer to feel more part of the action. The audience views the film through the perspective of Sam Dawson and the use of hand-held cameras allows an emotional attachment to develop with Sam’s character as we witness his love and devotion to Lucy. Consequently, the viewer is manipulated to side with Sam’s viewpoint that he deserves custody of Lucy and has enough to offer her despite all the testimonies against Sam’s will.Along the film we are a bystander and observe the ongoing battle of beliefs of the needs of a child. Symbolism is an important film technique used that reflects the character’s emotions at certain points in the movie. The scene with Sam and Lucy on the swing towards the beginning of the movie incorporates white birds flying over their heads which signifies the freedom they had, their blissful smiles and shared laughter alongside the slow and peaceful music express their happiness with one another.The loss of freedom is a strong theme explored which is evident in the use of symbolism throughout. Paper cranes appear repeatedly as they represent happiness, good luck and peace- primarily seen during the beginning of the movie. The paper plane Sam subtly throws to Lucy before the final court hearing shows his carefree, child-like personality whilst foreshadowing the freedom to come for these two characters which informs the viewer Sam is not ready to give up.The joy they share with each other is put to test when we are questioned if love is really all you need to raise a child to their full potential. The butterfly origami Lucy presents to her class is a subtle representation of her growth and development as she describes the changes a caterpillar goes through. This mirrors the conflict raised because Lucy’s intellectual abilities will exceed her 7-year-old minded father.The disparity of the use of symbolism between growth and development in contrast to happiness and freedom forces the viewer to question which is of greater importance. Jessie Nelson’s use of film techniques have shaped I am Sam into a very powerful and emotional film despite its touching storyline. The emotional attachment between the audience and characters develops greatly that makes the viewer connect with Sam through camera and editing techniques, characterization whilst symbolism reflects the swaying values of happiness, freedom and intellectuality.