Saturday, November 30, 2019

TITANIC LIABILITY Essays (1490 words) - Film, Academy Awards

TITANIC LIABILITY April 14, 1912, the ship that even God could not sink met an untimely demise. The "unsinkable" R.M.S. Titanic set out on its maiden voyage to ferry 2,227 men, women and children to America from Southampton. Some of the wealthiest people on the planet were passengers on the ship while others were simple folk traveling in search of a better life for themselves and their families. The following is an account used as a "mock" trial developed by the Anderson, Kill Olick, P.C. law firm to explore a case of tort for negligence in Jensen v. White Star Line. Hans Jensen, a 20-year-old carpenter, and his fiance' Carla Jensen, her brother, Svend, and her Cousin, Niels, were traveling on the "unsinkable" R.M.S. Titanic to The United States. Hans had hoped to make a better wage in America. Hans and Carla shared the same last name but were neither related or married at this time. Because of this, Carla resided in the back part of the ship on Deck F with the other single women, while the boys were stationed on the opposite side of the boat. The facts show that the Titanic was warned well enough ahead of time of possible icebergs and impending danger ahead. The ship did not alter its course or speed. At the time the Titanic hit the iceberg, and the evacuation of the ship began, Hans was already on the top deck helping to load lifeboats. He grew concerned when he did not see his fiance' and began to search for her. Hans found Carla and helped her navigate the subdued crowd to the lifeboat area. He remained with her until she was placed on the boat and was gently lowered into the water below. Hans made a commitment to Carla that he would reunite with Carla in a few days. Alas, he never made it to New York, and his body was never found. Hans and Carla made a wise decision before departing, they choose to create their separate wills before the voyage. Hans named Carla as his sole beneficiary and estate executor. Because of this legal document, Carla takes Hans place as his estate's representative and plaintiff against White Star Lines. Carla Christine Jensen(Hans Jensen's fiance') sued on his estate's behalf. The defendant is WHITE STAR LINES and the witnesses, the Titanic's Second Officer Lightoller and Swedish military attache' Bjornstrom-Steffansson. The remedy being sought in the suit of Jensen v. White Star is compensatory damages to Mr. Jensen's estate for his death. The lawsuit claims the following: physical injuries and the pain and suffering Hans incurred as he froze to death in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, the emotional and anguish of knowing he was going to die which would leave his fiance' alone, and the financial losses for the wages he would have earned performing carpentry work. The plaintiff explained that the White Star Line was grossly negligent and how it was responsible for killing almost 1,500 children, women, and men many of whom were third class passengers including Hans Jensen. The plaintiff also sought punitive damages as punishment of White Star Lines for its wanton and reckless behavior of failing to operate and control the Titanic properly. Not only will punitive damages punish the company monetarily, but also hopefully deter a similar situation occurring in the future. Carla Jensen as the pl aintiff charged that White Star had been incredibly irresponsible in the duty of care for their passengers. She felt that White Star was negligent by failing to provide care as a reasonably careful person would have acted under the same circumstances. The White Star's reckless behavior of failing to properly operate and control the Titanic explain they had not cared about their duty to the passengers. Duty is defined as an obligation or conduct identified in the law as a reasonable behavior in light of a perceived risk. The White Star Line failed to conform to the required standard of care. The White Star Line and its agents, the crew of the Titanic, behaved in an unreasonable manner in many ways. They had the most modern ship in the world, equipped with a modern radio and

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Deal Section a essays

New Deal Section a essays EXPLAIN THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE NEW DEAL. The New Deal was a series of laws passed by Roosevelt to solve the problems caused in the USA by the Depression. The USA was out of work and almost everyone lost their life saving money and there was no way to achieve it back. A lot of people were also starved during this period. There were four main features of the New Deal. One of the features was to get people back to work and so job creation schemes were set up. The PWA- public works administration to build schools, roads and bridges. The WPA was also set up- public works administration; this was to help on farms and the photography unit. The second main feature of the New Deal was to make people more secure and to protect their savings and property. The Emergency bank act was set up and this closed all the banks. There was also a system to regulate the banks so that the practices that had lost people their savings couldnt happen again. The third main feature was to provide relief or those in trouble, sick, old and unemployed. The Federal Emergency Relief Organisations was really helpful to those listed above, they spent $500 million on soup kitchens, blankets and temporary shelters for the homeless. The last main feature of the New Deal was to get American Agriculture and Industry back on its feet. The AAA- Agricultural Adjustment Act was a group who allowed quotas for crops to keep up prices. Also the NIRA-National Industrial Recovery Administration was set up to improve working conditions in factories. The NIRA also helped with mortgages and they made up laws to help employees. All of these measures were to deal with the problems of the Depression and restore USA to the richest and most powerful country in the world. ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Layers of a Forest From Floor to Canopy

The Layers of a Forest From Floor to Canopy Forests are habitats in which the trees are the dominant form of vegetation. They occur in many regions and climates around the globe- the tropical rainforests of the Amazon basin, the temperate forests of eastern North America, and the boreal forests of northern Europe are just a few examples. Species Composition The species composition of a forest is often unique to that forest, with some forests consisting of many hundreds of species of trees while others consist of just a handful of species. Forests are constantly changing and progress through a series of successional stages during which species composition changes within the forest. Thus, making general statements about forest habitats can be difficult. Yet despite the variability of our planets forests, there are some basic structural characteristics that many forests share- characteristics that can help us to better understand both forests and the animals and wildlife that inhabit them. The Layers of a Forest Mature forests often have several distinct vertical layers. These include: Forest floor layer:  The  forest floor  is often blanketed with decaying leaves, twigs, fallen trees, animal scat, moss, and other detritus. The forest floor is where recycling occurs, fungi, insects, bacteria, and earthworms are among the many organisms that break down waste materials and ready them for reuse and recycling throughout the forest system.Herb layer:  The  herb layer  of the forest is dominated by herbaceous (or soft-stemmed) plants such as grasses, ferns, wildflowers, and other ground covers. Vegetation in the herb layer often gets little light and in forests with thick canopies, shade tolerant species are predominant in the herb layer.Shrub layer: The shrub layer is characterized by woody vegetation that grows relatively close to the ground. Bushes and brambles grow where enough light passes through the canopy to support shrub growth.Understory layer: The understory of a forest consists of immature trees and small trees that are shorter than the main canop y level of the tree. Understory trees provide shelter for a wide range of animals. When gaps form in the canopy, often times understory trees take advantage of the opening and grow to fill in the canopy. Canopy layer:  The canopy is the layer where the crowns of most of the forests trees meet and form a thick layer.Emergent layer:  Emergents are trees whose crowns emerge above the rest of the canopy. Mosaic of Habitats These different layers provide a mosaic of habitats and enable animals and wildlife to settle into various pockets of habitat within the overall structure of a forest. Different species use the various structural aspects of the forest in their own unique ways. Species might occupy overlapping layers within a forest but their use of those layers might occur at different times of the day so that they do not compete with one another.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The U.S. Trade Deficit Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The U.S. Trade Deficit - Research Paper Example Its GDP is almost a quarter of the global GDP combined. In addition, its military budget is as much as the entire globe’s defense spending combined. As per the UN 2010 estimates, the U.S has a population of close to 318 million and the largest city in New York to Washington DC as the capital. The main language spoken is English while the major religion is Christianity. The U.S Dollar is the monetary unity or the denomination. The American business environment expects etiquette, professionalism, and efficiency when conducting business. The political environment of the U.S has been stable for a long time. The country is headed by the Democratic Party, which has been leading the country since 2009 through the current President Barrack Obama who was elected in 2008. By 2008, the country was facing its worst economic crisis since the 1930 depression as the cost of living had skyrocketed towards the end of President Bush’s administration. American political environment is cha racterized by federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and representative democracy. The American legal environment comprises of laws that businesses are required to follow for the interest of the environment and the American population. The government shows more seriousness in the environmental policy, which seeks to ensure that activities are, regulated so as to reduce the impact on the environment. There are many laws and bodies that enforce them such as the Environmental Protection Agency that controls ideas such as disposal of hazardous waste. The U.S economic environment has been recovering since the recent economic crisis that hit the country towards the second half of the last decade. According to the IMF, although the recovery has been moderate, the underlying fundamentals have experienced gradual improvements. The country has seen a modest growth rate of 2.2% throughout the 2012 financial year.  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Argument in Favor of Abortion Legalization Essay - 3

Argument in Favor of Abortion Legalization - Essay Example It should be well understood that mothers have a natural motherly instinct that causes them to have a profound likeness to children, at least their own. Therefore, when they are forced to abort during fetal complication, it should be seen as a last resort. Mothers should not be punished with a risk of death at times of complications because it was their decision to get pregnant at first. Whereas opponents argue that fetal life is sacred and should be spared in such instances, it should be understood that a mother’s life is sacred and more important at such instances. Therefore, abortion should be legal at such instances. More worrying is the fact that mothers are forced to sustain and nurture life against their will at instances of rape and unwanted pregnancies. Fundamentally, we should not be promoting forced motherhood since the same is likely to bring social issues such as juvenile delinquency as a result of failed parenthood. Why should we force someone to support an unplanned family without financial assistance? Those who oppose abortion in such instances should provide a pool of resources for all parenthood caused by forced motherhood, at least they can help financially. Otherwise, abortion seems to be the most rational thing to do under the circumstances. It is worth noting that abortion is not killing since life begins at birth. Ideally, the fetus has not yet developed to a complete human being with free will and perception. This implies that fetus hardly has any moral status (Gaita and Sather 159). Although abortion should not be encouraged due to the associated complications, people should not feel as if they are committing murder since the same does not amount to terminating the life of a freely living being. The fetus is not yet developed and that is why it has to depend on another human being for survival.  

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Quenn Elizabeth I Essay Example for Free

Quenn Elizabeth I Essay During her time as the queen of England, Elizabeth Tudor had to make many decisions on matters both political and personal, such as new religious policies, whether she would marry, whom she would name her heir and also how much power and privilege to delegate to her parliament. The House of Commons and the House of Lords made up Elizabeth’s parliament; the Commons consisted of citizens elected by their constituency, and in the Lords there were around 100 hereditary peers and bishops. At the time, the reigning monarch got a lot more input as to what laws could be passed, and so when decisions had to be made Elizabeth was often very involved in the process. However, this occasionally led to disputes between her and her parliament, as they did not always agree on every matter. Overall, most of the disputes between the queen and her parliament were easily solved – mostly, when such an issue occurred, the queen exercised her prerogative powers to overrule the parliament, and through various methods such as banning topics of discussion, arresting any opposition and occasionally using her power of veto, she prevented any major parliamentary disagreements throughout her reign. In reality, she exercised her power of veto only a few times, and this shows that for the most part she managed to get her parliament to cooperate with her during her reign. When Elizabeth first came to the throne in 1558 she was faced with the difficult task of establishing a new common religion in a country fraught with religious tensions. The first parliament called under Elizabeth convened on 25th January 1559, and its chief business was forming the new religious settlement. The general hatred of the burning of heretics under Mary, the rapid return of exiled Protestants to England, and Elizabeth’s known Protestant sympathies were all factors that led to a distinctly Protestant House of Commons. The Reformation Bill that was drafted by the Commons was recognisably biased against Catholicism; it defined the Communion in terms of Protestant theology (disagreeing with the transubstantiation of the Catholic mass), ordered that ministers should not wear vestments, banned images from churches and included abuse of the Pope in the litany. Naturally, this was met with much resistance in the House of Lords, as there were many Marian Catholic bishops who opposed the anti-Catholic ideas. The Lords reworked much of the Bill, bringing back allowances for the belief in transubstantiation, the wearing of vestments and also refusing to give Elizabeth the title of Supreme Head of the Church. Elizabeth managed to move past the issues between the Commons and the Lords, opting to let the Catholic Lords keep many of their amendments in the Bill. Although she was known to be Protestant, she felt less strongly than many of the members in the Commons that Catholicism should be dealt with harshly. The historian Sir John Neale believes that a so-called ‘Puritan Choir’ worked to make the reforms more radically Protestant, but MPs forced Elizabeth to accept a more radical religious settlement than she wanted. However this is generally disputed nowadays; the queen’s priority was finding a compromise between the two factions and establishing a stable religion in her country. She knew she would have to compromise with the Catholic bishops and take some of their demands into account in order to avoid angering the Catholics throughout the country. However, despite her lenience towards Catholicism in the Bill, she went on to replace many of the Catholic bishops in the House of Lords, showing them that although she let them amend the settlement, she had the ultimate power and could use it to overcome any opposition. The next time Elizabeth called parliament to session, several Privy councillors and bishops (led by Thomas Norton) tried to bring about further reforms in the Church. However, these attempts failed when Elizabeth effectively banned the topic of religion; she never allowed parliament to interfere with her ecclesiastical privileges. In 1571, William Strickland called for Elizabeth to make amendments to the Prayer Book – she had him arrested, showing once and for all that decisions regarding religion were her responsibility and nobody else’s. Therefore, Elizabeth effectively made sure that parliament would cooperate with her over matters of religion. She made allowances during the first session of 1559 since drawing up a new Bill required input from both Protestant and Catholics in order to create a religion that would satisfy most of England. However, once this was established, Elizabeth used her powers to ensure that there were no further issues regarding religion; she did so effectively, and despite a few small problems such as Strickland’s arrest in 1571, the parliament understood that she did not want religion discussed, and for the most part they did cooperate with her desires on this matter. Another issue that challenged the parliament’s ability to cooperate with Elizabeth was t hat of marriage and succession. In the parliaments of 1563 and 1566, the parliament urged the queen to marry, and later on in the sessions of 1572 and 1586 the queen was pressed to name a successor. In 1562, Elizabeth almost died after a bout of smallpox, being unmarried and childless, this made her subjects worry about the situation they would be left in if she did not survive; facing a potential war over who would succeed to the throne. Not long after, in the parliamentary session of 1563, the Commons drew up an official petition, asking Elizabeth to choose a suitor to marry and name a successor her response was to tell them it was none of their business. However, she was up against a large group of influential opposition; the committee that drafted the petition included all eight Privy Councillors sitting in the Commons. This meant that she couldn’t go to her Council for advice as to how to respond – instead she had to rely on her own strength of mind and character to show the Commons that she did not approve of their pressuring her to make decisions. Elizabeth had established herself as a capable queen from the start of her reign, and the main way she avoided being influenced on the matters of marriage and succession was her strong-mindedness and her ability to command her parliament. When it came to the topic of marriage, she was quoted as having said ‘I would rather be a beggar and single, than a queen and married’ – making several such statements during her time as queen, she had made it clear by the latter years of her reign that she would not marry. Whether she planned from the start to remain single, or whether this was the approach she adopted once she had grown too old, she always remained adamant that she would not let her parliament influence her. However, throughout her reign, MPs and members of her Council continued to try, and so marriage was one issue that they were clearly more reluctant to cooperate on, despite Elizabeth’s ability to control how far they took their disagreements. When it came to the issue of succession, once again the parliament wouldn’t cooperate as much as it would on other issues, for example that of religion. From the first parliamentary session, Elizabeth was asked to name a successor, and it was a constant source of tension in the parliament when she refused to do so. Mary Queen of Scots, the next legitimate heir to the throne, married to the French king, and a Catholic, was seen as a threat to Elizabeth’s security, and Elizabeth was always faced with pressure from her parliament to do something about this. In 1572, the parliament tries to have Mary excluded from the succession, accusing her of treason as an excuse. However, Elizabeth refused to sign any bill accusing Mary of treason, thus meaning she would not be ruled out of the succession, and so in 1586 the parliament took this one step further, demanding Mary’s execution. Although Mary was a potential threat to Elizabeth’s throne, Elizabeth respected her as her cousin and as the monarch of Scotland, and so parliament was prorogued for several months while Elizabeth tried to get out of signing her death warrant. However, this is one of the few cases where parliaments refusal to cooperate with Elizabeth’s wishes led to the queen being influenced, and eventually she signed a bill calling for Mary’s execution. This caused many issues between the queen and parliament, as she clearly regretted being influenced by the parliamentary pressure, trying to distance herself from the incident afterwards and using several men, such as the Scottish diplomat William Davison, as scapegoats for the event. It is clear to see that the issues of marriage and succession were not ones that Elizabeth’s parliament wanted to cooperate on – they felt strongly that, should Elizabeth die, she should not leave them without an established successor, and they were willing to defy the queen’s wishes in order to push her on these issues. As a result of this refusal to cooperate, the queen lost her willpower – one of only a few times in her reign. Therefore marriage and succession are significant issues faced by Elizabeth and the parliament where they could not agree on what to do. All members of parliament were entitled to their parliamentary privileges; mainly freedom of speech and freedom from arrest. However, for some MPs this was not enough, and at times during Elizabeth’s reign certain members of parliament tried to increase their privileges, clearly acting against the queen’s wishes. For example, in 1576, Peter Wentworth of the House of Commons made a speech publicly saying that the queen should not be allowed to dictate conversation topics. During Elizabeth’s reign she did exercise her royal prerogative and her power as monarch to forbid certain topics she didn’t want discussed behind her back, such as religion – and as a result the parliamentary privilege of freedom of speech was reduced during her reign. Wentworth demanded that all MPs should be able to use their privilege of freedom of speech. This seems like an example of parliament refusing to cooperate once more with Elizabeth, however Wentworth was only one man, making such statements unsupported by most of parliament. Despite their occasional disagreements, parliament and Elizabeth were on the same side and so by standing up and speaking against the queen, Wentworth had effectively made a speech against his fellow parliamentarians as well. John Neale believes that Wentworth made his speech on behalf of the ‘Puritan Choir’, in support of a large portion of the Commons – however the Revisionist theory sees Wentworth as a rogue radical, an exception amongst the MPs. The events that followed suggest that the Revisionist theory is correct in this case; shortly following this speech, the House of Commons had Wentworth arrested and put in the Tower, thereby proving his point that certain topics could not be discussed without the threat of arrest. However, in arresting Wentworth, the Commons were effectively acknowledging their reduction in freedom of speech and supporting the queen nonetheless, proving that at times parliament could cooperate with Elizabeth very well indeed. Towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign, an issue came about between the queen and parliament that became known as the ‘monopolies crisis’ – monopolies were a form of patronage granted to courtiers by Elizabeth, favoured by the queen because they cost her nothing and bought her support from people at court. However, monopolies over basic commodities (such as giving a courtier exclusive control over the salt trade) led prices to rocket and lined the courtier’s pocket at the expense of the whole country. As a result, monopolies were disliked greatly by members of parliament. Privy Council members benefitted too much from monopolies to support the MPs, however, and Robert Cecil’s resultant refusal to sympathise with parliament made the disagreement worse, until any subsidies requested by the government were unlikely to be supported by the Commons due to the tension. At this point, Elizabeth saw how much conflict was caused by the continuance of the giving of monopolies, and had to step in. She conceded to the Speaker’s request for her to suspend some monopolies, and the Commons were immediately satisfied. This movement signified the start of Elizabeth’s decline in power and status towards the end of her reign. Although she remained the same powerful queen that she had been in her earlier years, respected by her subjects and capable of handling situations, her willpower had seemingly declined and rather than fight a further battle with the Commons she decided to give them what they wanted. In 1601, the queen made ‘The Golden Speech’, where she significantly reduced the number of monopolies amongst the courtiers. Although her message showed that she was conceding to the demands of parliament, she made the speech so well that this U-turn in her policies was as dignified as it could have been. Despite the Commons pressuring her into reducing monopolies, the queen remained respected in her defeat. However, this was another example of an issue over which parliament didn’t manage to cooperate well with the queen. To conclude; there were several different issues throughout Elizabeth’s reign that led to disputes between her and parliament, and each time the two sides tackled the problems with varying levels of cooperation. The debate over parliamentary privileges is an example where the majority of the parliament in fact agreed with the queen, and the lack of cooperation in fact came from only a few individual members, for example Wentworth. The parliament also cooperated fairly well with Elizabeth on the matter of religion, as in 1559 they managed to draw up the new Religious Settlement having reached a fair compromise. The slight lack of cooperation experienced in further years, when members of parliament tried to bring up the topic of religion against the queen’s will (for example in the session of 1584-1585), again came from individual MPs, such as Strickland, rather than from parliament as a whole. The two examples where cooperation between Elizabeth and parliament was lacking are in the case of deciding whom Elizabeth should marry and name her heir, and also what to do about the issue of monopolies. In one instance – that of the debate over marriage and succession – Elizabeth remained strong and would not let the parliament pressure her into doing anything she didn’t want to. She remained in control throughout the decision making process, however it was an issue that continued to arise throughout her reign, in 1563, 1566 and 1586. The fact that the topic was raised by parliament so frequently shows that it was a matter on which they were never willing to cooperate. When it comes to the issue of monopolies, parliament only considered this a problem in the final session of 1601, and the queen conceded soon afterwards. Therefore we cannot tell if this was an issue on which the parliament would eventually have managed to compromise. Overall, parliament did manage to mostly cooperate with Elizabeth I throughout her reign. There were a couple of times when individual MPs stood up against the queen, but in every instance she managed to quash the opposition using her prerogative powers and strong willpower. Although the issue of marriage and succession seems like it was raised many times throughout her reign, it is worth remembering that in her 44 years as queen Elizabeth only summoned parliament 13 times, and so the parliament did not have many chances to disagree with the queen, let alone fall into serious disagreements. Therefore, despite the lack of cooperation over a few issues such as marriage, succession and monopolies, overall the queen managed to maintain control over both parliament and the amount of power the MPs held and as a result the two sides were mostly able to cooperate throughout her reign.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Examine The Ways In Which Lang :: essays research papers

Examine the ways in which language and identity are treated in ‘Translations’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ‘Translations’ is set in 1833, in County Donegal, which was soon after the time when Britain had claimed Ireland as part of its empire. The British and the Irish therefore had differing languages, so the British decided to go through the process of naming or renaming Ireland’s geographical features. In ‘Translations’ language and identity are used more as a plot device and plot feature rather than as part of stylistic technique, which is their most common role.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the play was first performed by Friel’s own theatre company it was performed in the Irish language, and at the start of the play, all the characters speak Irish as their first language, the English language comes into the script a lot later, which reflects the course of events in Ireland over the past two centuries. All these characters have been brought up speaking the language and it is a fundamental part of their life, culture and identity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English is the second main language in the play. It represents the future to Maire and Owen, and ‘a mistake’ to Hugh and Manus. The two English speakers come as part of the same assignment, to make a map of the country and to ‘see that the place names are ... correct.’, but they have greatly differing attitudes towards Ireland and its identity. Captain Lancey sees the Irish as inferior to the English, which is evident when he is willing to evict a whole village of them, over the disappearance and probable death of one Englishman. Yolland however falls in love with Ireland, its language and culture and he feels that ‘something is being eroded’ by his task of renaming the geographical features of Ireland. Yolland is not the stereotypical English male of the time, because he ‘missed the boat’ to India and that stereotypical way of life, which would be following his father’s wishes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other two languages used in the play are Greek and Latin, which are spoken only by Hugh and Jimmy. These two classical languages create an identity of intellectualism in their users and it is significant that it is the Irish rather than the English characters who can speak them contradicting Lancey’s view of them being inferior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Friel shows us the use of language in several different forms. The first scene where Manus is teaching Sarah to speak shows us that language is used to create communication.

Monday, November 11, 2019

How Information Flows Within an Organization Essay

Information has to travel through different types of pathways in order to be received and used. Think of the pathways of information like the transit system. Information is loaded into systems by using input devices, like keyboards or touchscreens. After the information is imputed it is transferred to some type of storage medium, whether hard disk drive, RAM, or CD’s or DVD’s. Once this information is transferred it is then able to be accessed and used as long as the correct permissions are assigned. The storage allows for future access and the ability to retransmit the data to another device, by using the LAN, WAN, Internet or removable devices like flash drives or external hard drives. The ability to create and use information would not be possible without the hardware that allows the user to input the information they want others to read or use. It can go down to basic components like computers, keyboard, hard drives, etc. However, in conjunction with the hardware there has to be software which outputs the data so the user can read it. Once the data is read the user can create databases or upload the information to different locations like a cloud based server. Once again with the ability to do this would not be possible without special types of hardware that allows this. The hardware in reference is NIC cards, routers, switches, hub, etc. All of these things make it possible for information to be transmitted around the world. Of course to simply transmit data and information around the world could be a very simple thing, until you add in the steps necessary to protect the data. In my current job we do not use very much resources to transmit data or even  create it. However, a company that we work for uses networks and even special communication cables to transmit and receive data from different devices within the building we are working. Basically there are controllers that connect via a two or three conductor cable and which connects to devices mounted on air handler systems. These devices take in an enormous amount of complex data and regularly transmit the data to the controller which then relays the information to a computer that is on the mainframes network. This network allows the company the ability to have remote access to the controller which allows them to be able to change certain values in order to make the air handlers run more smoothly. Some of the data that is transferred include, outside air pressure, discharge air temp, return air temp, and there are even safety measures transmitting to ensure smooth operation. Once an alarm is triggered the device sends data to the controller which then relays the alarm to the computer which outputs the reason for the alarm and specifies what triggered the alarm. A technician can then go on the computer and adjust whatever values need adjusting to remove the alarm and resume proper operation. Without this network of devices and controllers and computers there would be no way for these issues to be resolved in a timely manner. Seeing how allot of the work we do is in Charlottes main healthcare system, by us not being able to have quick and painless connectivity many peoples wellbeing could be at risk. The one thing the company I work for makes sure of is security for their systems and networks. Although the physical network is not part of the company’s infrastructure it is protected from other people trying to access it because it is their equipment, cables, controllers, and devices. The hospitals have no access to these systems because one wrong value can be the difference between freezing temperatures or summer conditions in the building. The company, Johnson Controls, uses three different programs that have to be authenticated before access is granted. Firstly the technician has to slide their finger over the fingerprint scanner to access the computer that connects to the controllers. Seems like a correct finger scan would be all that’s necessary for accessing the system, however, the IT personnel decided to add two more layers of security due to the nature of their business. Secondly the technician has to scan their badge into a card  reader type of device that pops up a screen that greets the technician as a Johnson Control employee. Once again not enough security in the minds of Johnson Controls so the final security measure is an encrypted password, that if it is entered incorrectly starts the whole process over again. After talking with multiple technicians the consensus is that they cannot stand all the security measure, but they do understand the purpose. Perhaps the best measure the company has against potential invasions is that all the equipment they use from top to bottom is made by themselves. This ensures that only their employees are trained and permitted to use the equipment. Other people might look at the equipment and be dumbfounded due to the processes and certain protocols in place on how to use the equipment to access any information. Although I currently do not work in an environment that utilizes servers and multiple computers, I do see how information is passed through devices to controllers and finally to computers or networks. Even though there is multiple types of information the way it is used and flows follow the same path. Without hardware and software there would be no way to use and transmit the data. As the technology continues to change and become more advanced, I am sure the way information is used will change along with it.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Discuss how Rhys Ifans and BBC Shorts Production “realises” Act 2 Scene 3 Essay

Discuss how Rhys Ifans and BBC Shorts Production â€Å"realises† Act 2 Scene 3 for television. Do you think this is a successful adaptation? The scene we are studying is directly after the killing of Duncan. This will mean the Director and Actors will have to create a realistic setting. There will be a lot of drama and tension. We all know that Macbeth killed Duncan but what the production has to do is show that he is trying to play along with the rest of the characters as though he is as surprised as them. I have decided to focus my attentions on the BBC Shorts Production of this scene, directed by Justin Chadwick. Firstly we are introduced to the actor, Rhys Ifans, who is to play Macbeth. He is extremely interested in this dynamic character and the scene he is to perform in. He hopes in his performance to convey the conflicting emotions of Macbeth. Macbeth has just murdered the King. He knows this and cannot escape this reality. When Macbeth brings Lenox and Macduff to the room where Duncan’s body lies, he cannot face to go into the room yet he cannot change what has happened. He is trapped. Ifans also describes how there is a â€Å"plethora of options† which the language offers to the actors meaning the character is diverse and can be performed in many different ways. The actors also have to display the relationship of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She has been the dynamo behind him all this time. Yet when he kills the henchmen we realise that he is no longer â€Å"plotting† with her, but has left her behind. He is also angry with her. He feels as though he has killed for her affections and to prove his manliness which angers him. Lady Macbeth is still a strong character but the actress playing her, Abigail Campton, needs to show that the tables have turned and she has been forgotten. Ifans needs to portray Macbeth in such a way that shows us he detests Lady Macbeth for what he ultimately thinks she pushed him to do. There is also the suggestion that Banquo is suspicious of the Macbeth and his wife as he is shocked at Lady Macbeth’s response to the hearing of the killing when she immediately thinks of her reputation, rather than Duncan’s welfare; and when MacBeth defiantly kills the Henchmen. Banquo, played by Dave Fishley, needs to show that he has a close relationship with Macbeth and he knows that although Macbeth is a brave soldier he is not a cold – blooded killer. This production is set in a Modern Gothic Mansion. This is important because at MacBeth’s time it was gothic so this is an updated version. It is supposed to have affluence and decadence but with an end of the millennium feel to it. The setting is as though it is the morning after a huge party. Top designers such as Gucci, Versace and Alexander McQueen create the costumes. They are very extravagant which suits this production. Ifans creates the atmosphere by saying it gives us a sense of â€Å"heightened reality where anything can happen†. The millennium feel also fits in as it gives us the feeling that it is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. It would be very difficult for the director to do this scene as it is taken from a very diverse text and he is only concentrating on this section of the play. The production opens with a Prologue: a piece of drama that is not in the text. He decides to show us the actual murder of Duncan, which has spine-chilling effects. The first Shot we see is of a â€Å"door† far away. The door is actually a white curtain, which could refer back to earlier in the text when Macbeth talks of â€Å"wicked dreams† and how they â€Å"abuse the curtained sleep†. When you are sleeping you are protected unless you are disturbed by something evil. The colours in this shot are blue and grey suggesting coldness. There is the sound of a heavy drum and the camera does not zoom up to the door but cuts three times, which creates drama. Heavy breathing is also heard. I feel the director is trying to show us MacBeth’s journey as he goes to kill the King. It is dramatic and the camera is angular. Your attention is totally fixed on the door. The door is a bright white, which signifies that good lies behind it and is going to be destroyed. In the final cut there are noticeably two people posing as statues. They are Egyptian Ka Statues. These statues were put outside the tombs and it was believed the soul of the dead inside would be transferred into the statue. This is significant, as we know Duncan will die in this room yet by having real people pose as the statues intensifies what is about to happen. There is not one statue but two, implying that there will be more deaths after the King. There is then an abrupt change. A dramatic colour change is noticed. It is a deep red but it is also very dark and there are shadows being formed. This is very dominant after the greys and blues. The light is almost as though it is infrared so we can see into the darkness. I think this is to show that it was night time and the red creates the image of evilness and blood. The actual act of the murder is done very cleverly. We see a close-up of Macbeth leaning over Duncan’s sleeping body. His face is tense and his eyes wide to show anxiety. The shot then cuts to Duncan abruptly waking up. There is another quick change of camera as Macbeth makes his first wound in Duncan and then there is a shot of Lady MacBeth’s eye. By introducing her into this scene it shows the control she had over Macbeth and could also suggest he is thinking of her as he kills. The camera then goes back to Macbeth who stabs Duncan twice more then leans over his body breathing deeply. This image is very sexual and his breathing represents a man at the height of sex. Again this makes us think of Lady Macbeth. She challenged her husband’s manhood when he was having second thoughts about the murder. This could also suggest that they both are sexually aroused by the thought of the murder. By killing the King he is in some way making love to her. The dagger is then used as a phallic symbol, which is a representation of a man’s penis in Greek Legend. Macbeth looks straight into Lady MacBeth’s eyes as if questioning to see if he had performed well enough for her. Also by having Lady Macbeth at the murder heightens the drama, as though she is still pushing him. He then offers her the daggers. This again is a sexual reference as he is offering her his manhood and she takes it away, satisfied. We are then taken to outside the door and it is now a retreat away rather than coming towards it. The retreat is slow and gives us the feeling of dizziness, as though Macbeth is faint after completing the deed. There is a backlight now behind the door suggesting that something has happened. There is the sound of music now. It is quite futuristic with slow rhythm tic beats and creates the perfect atmosphere for the next shots. It cuts to a Landscape shot of the main hall of the mansion. The camera slowly moves to the right. Firstly we see Macbeth’s arm. He is holding on tightly to the railings behind him. His head is down and he is still breathing very heavily. His position is suggestive of the crucifixion, almost as though he is crucifying himself for his actions. His behaviour could also represent drugs as the night before was a party. Macbeth is presented by Ifans as sleep-deprived and high. He then looks directly into the camera, which is very dramatic. It implies Macbeth is dangerous as he stops breathing so heavily, as if he is beginning to calm down. This makes the character seem very frightening. The camera then gives us a wider shot of the gothic hallway. At the gothic arches there are colours of deep pink and red on them. This is significant as there has been a murder. Lighting is being used again to show the change in the atmosphere. The drumbeat continues as the camera cuts to a room full of sleeping people. They are lying â€Å"sprawled† across the floor as if they just fell there after their night of partying. We are then shown a close-up shot of Lady MacBeth’s face. The camera is at an angle, which could represent the confusion. Her face is shadowed and she is wearing heavy, dark make-up. This makes her appear evil with no compassion for what has just taken place. Campton has a wonderful glaring look in her eye enabling us to see how cold this character is. This then cuts to the porter who jumps up from the mass of sleeping bodies. Before this character even speaks we know he is going to be outrageous. The costume is really brought into effect here. The wacky headdress and slashed top, along with the mad antics of this character provide this dark scene with some light relief. The Porter is being very crude, shouting, laughing and running about. This could help us realise how the other people in the house were feeling. They were probably hung over and confused about their actions the night before. An interesting shot is taken when there is an Ariel view of two stairwells inter-linking. The Porter runs up and down appearing at different places. This could represent the confusion of the mind and also gives us an image of hell as he is talking about letting people through. It is an image of eternity. Also as he approaches the door quickly, we can see a statue with an orange glow. This is another sign that this house is connected with the evils of hell and because this is the topic the porter is talking about, it makes it all the more dramatic. Two new characters are introduced. Macduff who is played by Christopher Colquhen and Lenox played by Joseph McFadden. They arrive to awake the King as he had made plans to go early. There is the creation of tension, as Macbeth appears on the line â€Å"Is thy master stirring?† As he enters there is a high sound of a computerised noise, like a string on a violin, which causes tension. There is still the rhythm of the drum representing the heartbeat. This is to show Macbeth may look cool on the outside but there is still the anxiety hidden inside. He speaks calmly to both men and tells them he will bring them to the King. He arrogantly walks through them and there is even a hint of bisexual advances between Macbeth and Lenox as they look at one another. Macbeth is relaxed and cool yet the walls are still red showing the truth. We are then taken back to a far off shot of the door. This time two cameras are used. One to show the men as they walk toward the door and another to show what they are looking at. This is a repetition of the opening of the scene. Macbeth is making the same journey. This whole sequence is slowed down and the camera is swaying. The music becomes louder and as the three men walk toward the door they almost seem like models walking on the catwalk. This represents the stylishness of the production. Macbeth’ suit is a tie-dye effect with white and dark blue. The colours are dramatic because it is almost as if his goodness which is represented by the white colour is being covered up by the darkness of the murder, the dark colour. The modern cinema idea comes into play here as the three men walk toward the door, almost like three warriors or FBI agents about to uncover something. There is a glow of red behind the three men, which is very effective. The slowing down of the camera leav es us to wait in anticipation of what is going to happen. They arrive at the door and Macduff goes in to wake the King. Ifans shows us that Macbeth cannot face going inside by continuing to stare at the door, waiting for the truth to be revealed. The cleverness of the text means that although Macbeth will not go into the room, he cannot escape his actions and Lenox represents the death with his words. Lenox is making polite conversation about the weather and as he recounts how the night had been bad due to weather, Macbeth begins to focus on what Lenox is saying. As Lenox speaks of â€Å"Lamentings heard I’ the air†, we can see by Ifans facial expression that he is re-playing what the murder was like in his head. His position on screen is identical to at the start of the production when he is about to stab the King so visually we are reminded of the killing also. The drum becomes louder here as though Macbeth is anxious. MacBeth’s reply totally understates everything which Lenox has said, â€Å"‘t’was a rough night†. The music heightens here to create drama as Macduff re-enters. He is standing with his head lowered and mutters the word â€Å"Horror† as if in total disbelief. The lighting is clever here and we cannot make out his eyes as they are blackened. This is to represent that he has been blinded by the sight he has witnessed and links to the reference in his speech about â€Å"gorgons† which are terrible monsters that blind people. As Macduff comes forward in between the two other men it shows that one of MacBeth’s eyes are blacked out. This could tell us that he two has been blinded but only partially, not fully. Colquhen is excellent as Macduff. Usually, in other productions such as Channel 4’s version directed by Michael Bugbane, we see the character run out of the room shouting in utter disbelief. However, Colquhen gives us the sense that the character is almost faint due to the sight he saw. He begins to walk up the corridor talking in shock and thinking of the people he has to deliver the news to such as the King’s two young sons. This is when he begins to seem deeply angered and spits out his words for the whole mansion to here. This leads us to the room, which Lady Macbeth is in. Macduff enters. Her position is excellent. She is sitting high up, almost as though she is already on the throne assuming power. She speaks to Macduff in a nasty way. She almost spits out the line, â€Å"What’s the business†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and commands him in a strong voice to speak. Macduff refuses to tell the â€Å"gentle lady† what has happened and this is very ironic. It is like black comedy. She is looking very domineering while sitting on her throne and speaking cruelly to Macduff yet he still remarks she is a woman and cannot handle what he has to say. Banquo enters asking about the confusion and Macduff whispers it into his ear but Lady Macbeth overhears. Campton speaks with venom in her words. She sneers at the thought of Duncan being killed in her house. She is showing that Lady Macbeth is not worried about Duncan but because it happened in her house and she will seem responsible. Her costume emphasises this part of her character as she is wearing dark clothes with an elaborate hat, almost like a crown. Banquo is disgusted at her reaction and talks through gritted teeth. He directs the line â€Å"Too cruel anywhere† at her implying his suspicions then turns his back to her to show he does not want to talk about what happened with her. Macbeth then enters with Lenox. He is no longer wearing his coat so he is identical to how he looked when he killed the King. This is ironic, as he has just come back from killing the henchmen. He immediately looks at Lady Macbeth. This is to show he sees her as the primary force in all this mess. Macbeth begins to speak and does so in an accusing way. We know he is speaking for the benefit of Lady Macbeth. He spits out the words almost as though he is ready to burst into tears. His line â€Å"Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time†, is full of regret and is his way of telling his wife this. Donalbain, one of Duncan’s sons wakes up and questions what is happening. Macbeth responds to the young Prince’s question in an insane way. He holds the Prince’s head in his hands firmly and gently shouts into his face. This shocks the other men. Macbeth speaks to Donalbain in poetical language saying â€Å"the fountain of your blood is stopped†, whereas Macduff Comes straight to the point by saying his father is dead. Macbeth then holds the Prince’s head into his chest. He is realising the effect the murder is going to have on so many people and although it would appear he is comforting the King’s son, he is actually comforting himself. Lenox tells the young Prince’s that the evidence of the bloodied knifes show that the henchmen are guilty and Macbeth announces to the group he killed them in fury. Macduff questions this action and it is the first hint of suspicion by someone other than Banquo, who has been standing behind Macbeth trying to look into his face and discover the truth. Macbeth begins his speech to stick up for himself after MacDuff’s question. He starts to walk around the group of people gathered talking into their necks as though he is sniggering at them because they questioned his actions. As he is explaining the emotions that were running through his body when he discovered the henchmen, he makes eye contact with Lady Macbeth and begins to walk toward her. On the wall behind Macbeth there is a modern painting that looks like the image of the crucifixion. This is a connection with the image of Macbeth earlier in the production and could also be a sign that he has made a mistake and will be punished. He comes to Lady Macbeth and grabs her head into his hands as he did with Donalbain. He begins to describe the actual stabbing, â€Å"Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with golden blood† and spits the words into her face. Ifans wanted Lady Macbeth to know exactly what the murder was like and how gruesome it had been. I feel he is so passionate as he speaks because of her earlier accusation to him only loving her if he performed the murder. He is showing her what a mess he has made to prove his love for her and he is very angry. This is when we see the power switch between the two characters. She is genuinely frightened by his reaction and tries to free herself from his grip with trembling hands. Chadwick decided not to have Lady Macbeth faint, as it would not work in this situation. Instead he changes the meaning of the words spoken. When Lady Macbeth says â€Å"help me hence† she is asking the others in the room to help her, not because she feels faint. When Macduff steps forward he takes a hold of MacBeth’s arm and says, â€Å"Look to the Lady†. He is asking Macbeth to look at how he has scared his wife not for someone to attend to her after she faints. This was a very good idea and adds variety from other productions. When Lady Macbeth shouts for help we know she is doing this because Macbeth has overstepped the mark and is revealing too much. This is her way of trying to put him back in his place. Banquo then makes a declaration of loyalty to the dead King to question â€Å"this most bloody piece of work† and directs this speech at Macbeth. Fishley is trying to show that Banquo is taking the moral position. When he speaks he stresses the word â€Å"I† as though he is distancing himself from Macbeth. The other men in the room plight their feelings also but Macbeth remains silent which shows he is no longer the same and is excluded from the declaration. The drum again becomes louder and quicker as we sense MacBeth’s anguish. All the men leave the room and dramatically Lady Macbeth is left alone. She is still leaning against the wall and no longer looks as strong as before. She is by herself and this is significant to the rest of the play. Macbeth no longer needs her. The scene finishes with Donalbain and Malcolm speaking of how they must flee as there are â€Å"daggers in men’s smiles† and they could be in danger. Chadwick again introduces a new idea that Macbeth overhears their conversation about them both fleeing to England and Ireland. This shows us that Macbeth is not finished and will go on to lead a life corrupt with murder and evil. The final shot is of Macbeth looking straight into camera with a sly smile on his face. Ifans was trying to show that there has been a change in Macbeth and he is no longer the man he was before. The colour is again dark grey and blue implying he is cold to human feelings. This ends the scene in an interesting climax and leaves you wondering what will happen next.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Blood Pressure essays

Blood Pressure essays Everyone has been to the doctor and had their blood pressure taken, but do they really know what it means? Most people dont. One may know what their blood pressure is and if its within a normal range but actually has no idea as to what it really is. In the follow paragraphs I will tell explain what your blood pressure means, the normal ranges, and how to take blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is written as two separate numbers, first the systolic and then the diastolic. Together, they are the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. The systolic number is obtained when the heart contracts or beats against the walls of the arteries. The diastolic number is obtained when the heart relaxes between beats. Most people know systolic as the top number and diastolic as the bottom number. The measurement of blood pressure is written one above or below the other with the systolic on top and the diastolic on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure may be recorded as 118/78 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). This would be verbalized as 118 over 78. Blood pressure can be classified as low, normal, or high. Hypotension or low blood pressure can be caused by certain medical conditions or diseases. A few of these conditions are nervous system disorders, endocrine disorders, certain drugs, infections, prolonged bed rest, or shock. Hypertension or high b lood pressure has mostly unknown causes. This is why its known as the silent killer. Some risk factors associated with high blood pressure are stress, obesity, lack of exercise, diet, alcohol, smoking, and the use of some medications. I will discuss normal blood pressure in the following paragraph. Normal blood pressure is defined as less than 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic or 120 over 80. A normal range for a ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Alcohol abuse

Alcohol abuse Essay Alcoholism is an overwhelming desire to drink alcohol, even though it is causing harm. Alcohol is a drug. In the United States alcoholism is the most widespread form of drug abuse, effecting at least 5 million people. About one third of high school students in the US are thought to be influenced drinkers. Many already may be alcoholics. A person who is dependent on alcohol is called an alcoholic. Drunk drivers account for one half of all fatal automobile accidents each year in the US. Alcoholism also creates many severe physical problems. More then three drinks a day, over a few weeks causes destructive danger in the liver. Changes in the brain and nervous system result in hostile behavior. A family or individual with an alcoholism problem is in serious trouble because the alcoholics main goal is to get something to drink. The drinking usually continues until the person is drunk. Family, friends and work are little concern compared to the need for alcohol. Drunkenness limits the alcoholics control of normal behavior and to perform the easiest functions. Many resources can help but two rules apply to recovery. One is that the alcoholic must accept the fact that there is a real problem and must decide to stop drinking. An alcoholic must also realize that any form of alcohol is literally poison. When in recovery an alcoholic could never take another drink. First of all you will notice that an alcoholic will often gulp their drinks, they can probably drink a lot before they get drunk, they may stay drunk for several days, they will also have a favorite drink, and may change their favorite drink to another. They may also hide their drinking. Alcoholism is an illness and is very common. It is very hard for an alcoholic to stop drinking because they know how they feel when they do not drink. Alcoholics usually try to stop drinking because they maybe have hurt someone they love or may also be on the verge of losing their job. People who stop drinking sometimes may have to go to the hospital for a period of time, this is called detoxification. This is the best way for treatment when it is hard for them to stop. The withdrawal symptoms are things such as shaking, sweating, fever, pains and nausea. These can be severe and dangerous to that persons health. After detoxification comes rehabilitation this is a period of time which the person starts to recover mentally and physically. Most alcoholics will go to AA meetings during this time. This is where they can go and meet other alcoholics just like them. Effects on the Body Alcohol also effects the kidneys, another major internal organ. When drinking alcohol urination increases due to changes in the hormone aldosterone. This is what regulates water in the body. So it is not uncommon to experience an increase in the urge to urinate while intoxicated. The liver, however, is effected the most. Liver damage may occur in three irreversible stages. The first stage is called Fatty Liver. This is where the liver cells are worked in with abnormal fatty tissue, enlarging the liver. Second there is Alcoholic Hepatitis. Liver cells swell, become inflamed, and die, causing blockage. Last, the more advanced alcoholic liver now has Cirrhosis: a fibrous scar tissue forms in place of healthy cells, obstructing the flow of blood through the liver. Various functions of the liver deteriorate with often fatal results. A diseased liver cannot convert stored glycogen into glucose, thus lowering blood sugars and producing hypoglycemia an important function in the liver related problems and 5,685 deaths indirectly due .

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Zhang Yi Mou film-makers Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Zhang Yi Mou film-makers - Movie Review Example Let us overview some of the films of Zhang Yi Mou in order to find out what they are trying to show to the audience, and in the end try to see what similarities exist in his films and in the way the director presents them. The movie "Raise the Red Lantern", filmed in 1991, is one of the earliest works of Zhang Yi Mou, but nevertheless represents an astonishingly mature genre of melodrama. Indeed, while offering the audience rich and beautiful imagery, this picture is in essence a bitter story of Chinese sexual politics. That the films events take place in 1920s should not distract us from the fact that dangerous traditions may still be present in todays China as well. The movie begins as young Songlian after her father dies leaves college and becomes the fourth wife of Chen, a rich older man. However, this new life of Songlian is hardly a happy one because of a hostile atmosphere within her new family where each wife competes for preference from the side of their husband. Initially, Songlian attempts to win through in this contest, but the worth of the prise is hardly justified - it is the sexual attention of the husband, who himself is almost ignored by the camera. Power is distributed between wives b y the masters choice where to spend night, and the chosen wife may enjoy foot massage and the right to appoint menu for the next day. Here, we can understand the name of the film - according to an old tradition, red lanterns mark the place where the master wants to spend the night. Quite symbolically, if the master is absent lights go out as well as his attention to a wife. So, it is in this environment that Songlian attempts to outwit the ageing first wife, the apparently attentive second wife, and the secretive third wife. The faked pregnancy of Songlian temporarily endows her with power, but when the truth is uncovered the fate of Songlian is predetermined - her red lanterns are destined to remain dark. Finally, the girl becomes mad, and, ironically, the film ends with the arrival of the fifth wife. This plot is probably used by the director to indicate the ways in which we ourselves tolerate our own subjugation and ideological oppression, and this is true for people of different times, nationalities and positions. It is also quite indicative that "Raise the Red Lantern" was prohibited in China. "The Story of Qiu Ju", filmed in 1992, is another fascinating picture about a Chinese woman. The heroine of the film, an idealistic and obstinate peasant, strives for justice to be served after her husband gets hurt by the village authority. For Qiu Ju this incident is an extreme example of power abuse, so she can only be appeased by an apology, which she cannot obtain. In this situation, even despite being pregnant, Qiu Ju goes to town to settle her pressing issue with authorities there. But there she again fails to get satisfaction as all that she is offered is a financial settlement without recognition of guilt and public excuse. Then the woman carries her matter further to the city level, to the county level, until she reaches the capital authorities. Qiu Jus crusade against bureaucracy provides a comprehensive picture of modern China with its striking contrast between rural and city life. At the same time, the story of the peasant woman investigates different moral issues in a b ureaucratic society. However, above all stands the convincing and moving