Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Aura in Walter Benjamin’s Illuminations Essay

In Walter Benjamin’s book Illuminations, two particular chapters are relevant to the corpus of works that make up film study. â€Å"Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproductions† and â€Å"The Storyteller† outline a progressive history from oral traditions to the modern traditions such as film that resulted and the bumps that have been encountered along the way. Central to these two chapters is the idea of aura. Aura, though difficult to define, is a concept that is easy to perceive because of its engaging qualities. From oral to written to visual representations including film, the story is the nucleus that produces entertainment and ideally educates the audience. To be entertained does not require much of the audience, but education is an engaging process that preserves culture and maintains the aura. Because of the absence of proverbs, morals, or other trite composite statements, the effective storyteller is kin to the guru. The advice the storyteller offers is found throughout the course of the story and the listener or reader is able to draw the meaning out from the speech or pages of their own accord. As a patient fisherman learns at the end of a long day, not all adventures are fruitful. The timeless quality of the works of Nicolai Leskov can encourage the reader to lose track of the parts of the story that, when later assembled, can be taken as advice. In this way, an attentive reader may find advice or counsel for many situations and the story can continue to unfold through the suggestions that good counsel offers. The â€Å"White Eagle† encourages quotation of different passages in order for a summary to be made and offered as a sacrifice to the luke-warm reader. However, the storyteller’s traditional place is not one of summaries, annotated bibliographies, or cliff notes. Time was meant to be integral in the creation of a story which is only preserved in the social fabric of history. The uniqueness of any event, object, or idea depends upon its temporal qualities. Time and space dictate absolutely everything according to Quantum Physicists who are considered to be on the forefront of the combination of all knowledge. These revolutionary inter-disciplinarians have shown that gravity depends on time and space, that speed depends on time and space, and that even decisions depend on time and space[1]. The decision to tell a story depends on the time, traditionally evening when there is less work to be done, and the space, made up of gathering people encouraging the story to be told. Without these two conditions, ample time to tell the story and one’s willingness to listen, a story cannot take place. Because storytelling is an interchange between the one telling the story and the one who is destined to re-tell the story, the oral tradition is dependent upon listeners for its survival. However, since the transference of the events of the tale are not verbatim, the re-telling is in fact an original telling because the details have been molded to fit the circumstances of the re-telling. If the audience is comprised of mainly children, perhaps more attention will be made to the magical parts of the story. If the audience is teenage boys, more emphasis and elaboration may be made on the graphic images in the story. In the best case scenario â€Å"the perfect narrative is derived through the layers of a variety of retellings† (Benjamin p. 93). When a storyteller chooses to relay some advice that has been intertwined in the fabric of a story which is dependent on the social fabric of the group without an audience present for the telling, the unraveling of oral traditions begins. Written history has certainly provided benefits to society that are too numerous to even attempt to summarize. The unfortunate fact is that none of the advancements resulting from changing production methods have benefited the beautiful intergenerational tapestry of storytelling. A common misconception is that a novel is in continuity with oral tradition when it is, in fact, quite a discontinuity. The novel has different properties and different purposes. For one, the novel is composed in solidarity, far from the social fabric where meaning was derived and solely existed. The reader is forced into solidarity as well and his interpretations may no longer have any bearing on those around him. That is not to say that personal meanings are unimportant, only that writing signifies the beginning of a new timeline in tradition whose grand purpose is â€Å"to carry the incommensurable to extremes in the representation of human life† (Benjamin p. 87). As personal importance and interpretation is difficult to verify, society centralizes on information which depends on its verifiability for survival. Writing is the conveyance of information and in modern times information is of paramount importance. The outcome of wars or the accrual of wealth often results from the timely reception of pertinent information. Reported events are subject to immediate verifiability which causes most contemporary novelists to tread lightly when including supernatural or mystical events in their novels. As the transference of quick and efficient information is increasing, â€Å"the communicability of experience is decreasing† (Benjamin p. 86). Storytelling in a social context was recreating the enjoyable social setting the storyteller once experienced that was moving enough for him or her that he or she decided to provide the same experience for future generations. Even further back in the tradition are the actual events themselves. A character in the story was once a person who, through fortuitous circumstances, participated in the events that produced the story. Although exaggerations have been added for entertainment value and alterations have been made, the attempt was always to communicate an awesome experience. In Leskov’s â€Å"The Left Handed Craftsman,† the namesake is not by far the protagonist, but his involvement with the steel flea from Brittan resurrected the tale which was, among many other things, a tribute to ancient craftsmen. The relationship of the storyteller to his material is that of a craftsman to his medium. Benjamin asks â€Å"whether it is not his [the story teller or craftsman] very task to fashion the raw material of experience, his own and that of others, in a solid, useful, and unique way† (p. 108). If the writer is as acutely aware of his or her audience as an oral story teller would be, it is possible to craft a utilitarian product. The solitary production method of writing that removes the writer from his or her immediate context makes this very difficult to achieve. What is lost is the mystical aura that electrified and preserved oral storytelling for so many generations. Writing by hand inevitably led to the printing press and other forms of art, such as visual art, which soon became easily reproducible. The degradation continues as the mode of production evolves. With the advent of the lithograph, whose origins lie in etching and engraving, works of art were beginning to lose their aura. Just as a written novel is not the same as the oral story from which it may have been derived, reproducing visual art leaves the third printing, especially when dealing with wood as was the case with etching and engraving, less clear than the first printing. In rhythm with the march of advancement, technology made pictorial reproductions more effective and efficient in their representations of real life. The march continued past the incorrigibly life-like photograph to film, silent at first, then at a speed that could keep up with speech. In contemporary times, film reproductions of actual events are so accountable that they can be used as evidence in court cases. As wonderful (for the plaintiff) as that may be, the aura that was so present and integral to the authenticity of storytelling is vanishing into the background just as wood engraving has been subsumed by photography. The ramifications of interest here are those of social orientation, specifically social perceptions. In film, the viewer is not allowed the uniqueness of visual perception that can be found when viewing a piece of art in a gallery. The perspective is derived from variations in the height of the viewer, distance of the viewer from the art, other people possibly surrounding the viewer and the background that changes in the case of traveling art pieces. Film, â€Å"being based on changes of place and focus which periodically assail the spectator,† gives the viewer only two options: eyes open or eyes closed. To view is to give in to the filmmaker’s point of view. The social context that has been created is that the other viewers have given in as well. As for the integrity of the aura, the production method of film, which is far removed from the stage-like presentation of storytelling, is even more fabricated because of the fragmented production method of feature films. Additionally, the aura is lost to the audience of whom nothing more than keeping their eyes open is asked. In hopeful efforts one asks, can the aura be resurrected in film if a storyteller is united with the power of film? Indigenous tribes in modern times are the least removed from their oral traditions and thus the most hopeful for a positive response to the above question. In terms of production, the â€Å"Video in the Villages Project†, headed by most notably Vincent Carelli, is a prime example. The project essentially taught indigenous people from various tribes throughout Brazil how to operate video equipment as well as to edit the final project. The indigenous people were the think tank and the executive board for the choosing of the subject of the separate films. The aura was also lost in the final project which can neither be defined as a documentary or a feature film. The people in â€Å"A Day in the Village,† have chosen to show some of their daily routines. As the events are displayed in a fragmented way, one can assumed they were also taped in a fragmented manner. There is no central story, just the theme of activities of this tribe. As for the aura emanating from a guru like storyteller, there is none. A film like the Inuit produced and directed â€Å"The Fast Runner† is the telling of an Inuit tale in the context of a tribal gathering. The storyteller is present throughout the whole tale but he is, obviously, on screen. With film, the context is always mutable because the same film can be shown simultaneously in innumerable locations. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Prague, and Minsk could all choose to premier a film at the exact same time but the social context is completely unique in each of these situations. The languages change and the people in the theater or viewing space are unique to that particular showing. According to Benjamin â€Å"The manner in which human sense perception is organized, the medium in which it is accomplished is determined not only by nature but by historical circumstances as well† (p. 222). If the historical circumstances can be so easily changed, the meaning can also just as easily be changed. To the people in the sweat lodge hearing that story, the aura could have been part of the captivating presence that maintained the story and created a central meaning for that society. But to an urban citizen who has had no direct contact with these traditions, the aura is not engaging and the meaning, if any has been found, is personal. The active participation of the audience is the same as any other film: unnecessary. There is no tradition in this context and the film will survive even if no viewer is enchanted to listen attentively enough to later replicate the story. The fragmented production of this feature film, like any other, degrades the aura of the original story to a level which is unnoticeable. This film’s attempts to be part of the Hollywood entertainment genre, which almost categorically excludes the necessarily engaging aspects of oral traditions from which the story derives, fails to maintain its original aura. The lessons of our ancestors have always been an important aspect of physical and cultural survival. Through film and indigenous attempts at film, the aura has been lost and it does not seem that it can be resurrected. Cultures are being subsumed into â€Å"melting pots† that neglect individuality and suppress autonomy. Information is more important than the unique nuances a storyteller can combine with sound advice to preserve and at the same time progress a culture. If the good of all is in question, the storyteller must survive. The only issue is if there will be a context for the storyteller to survive in.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun Epilogue: Dream

The month after Bella's accident flew by. After Charlie had cooled down and quit blaming me for her ‘accident' ?C which he had every right to do since it was my fault ?C things had been comparatively free of danger†¦besides the obvious danger that I always presented. Regardless of our now quiet and semi-uneventful life, I was quite content. It had only become habit for me to stay in her room every night and each day absorb every word that came out of her mouth ?C sarcastic or not. Looking into the mirror I could see my dark eyes and deep blue circles under my eyes from where I hadn't hunted in a while. It was hard to take myself away from Bella for any period of time, so my hunting habits had become less gluttonous than usual. Before the prom, though I would hunt. In the corner of my eye I caught the black bag with a post-it note with my name written on it. Alice had purchased for me a new tuxedo. Unzipping the bag, I grabbed the coat to examine it. It was made by some famous and outrageously expensive designer. But clothes, no matter what kind of an occasion, were her specialty and you just learned to not argue with her. Putting the black coat back into the closet and making sure all my accessories were there, I decided to give Charlie a call. The phone rang a few times before I heard Charlie's gruff voice on the other end. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Good evening, Charlie. It's Edward,† I said politely, using my smooth voice. â€Å"Ah. Yes.† He coughed and cleared his throat before whispering into the phone. â€Å"She's upstairs right now.† He laughed lightly. â€Å"She has no clue.† I returned his laugh. She sure seemed a little slow about something so obvious. What could she possibly be thinking we were doing tonight? Surely she had noticed all the posters around school with today's date and the words PROM plastered all over every inch of the school building. â€Å"Thanks, Charlie. I will be there in a few minutes.† â€Å"I'll make sure she's downstairs and ready,† he chuckled under his breath, still whispering. When I arrived outside of her house I could hear her complaining to Charlie. â€Å"So, Bells, what do you have planned for the evening? Alice showed me the dress you are wearing tonight.† â€Å"I don't know, dad. Alice wouldn't tell me, and Edward wouldn't budge either. For all I know they could be taking me to the Grammy's,† her voice was clearly irritated at the lack of information we had given her. Honestly, I was probably enjoying this much more than I should be. Usually, she is the one unlocking my secrets and me giving her all the answers. But the past two weeks have been kind of fun, especially every time she gave me her pouty face, which was absolutely adorable and almost impossible to resist. I decided before hand that if she gave me that irresistible face, I would just kiss her pouty bottom lip. â€Å"I don't know about that. I told him to keep it in a fifteen mile radius.† â€Å"Ugh!† Bella groaned. â€Å"Did he tell you?† During their banter I had made it quickly up the sidewalk and was standing outside the door, thoroughly enjoying their conversation. â€Å"Nope. Not even a hint,† I heard him chuckle. â€Å"This is so annoying,† she huffed. I knocked lightly on the door, which was quickly yanked open to a smiling Charlie. Bella was sitting on the couch, her head placed on top of her hands – which were intertwined like she was praying – with a look of pure devastation on her face. I laughed. â€Å"Are you going to tell me now?† Her chin jutted out. I shook my head, chuckling. She folded her arms. â€Å"Fine.† Stepping around Charlie, I brought Bella into a deep embracing hug, like I hadn't seen her in months. Her tiny arms wrapped around me fiercely and she smiled reluctantly. â€Å"Alice is waiting for you,† I kissed her forehead and let her fragrance tingle my throat pleasantly. Alice had become the best friend to Bella that she always envisioned, minus the scarlet red eyes ?C which I continually refused to give her, regardless of Bella and Alice's pleas. Though it pained me to see Bella's delicate leg casted on a daily basis, I knew that my sister was taking care of her during hours I wasn't allowed into the Swan house. I shook my head to try and dispel thoughts of Alice, now, who is planning on entrapping Bella in her gym sized closet for hours today while I go out hunting with Jasper and Emmett. Her not-so-sneaky-way of telling Bella about the transformation process of how to become a vampire was her way of taking the strain of that kind of conversation off of myself by having Bella ask me. What she seemed to not be able to comprehend is that I didn't want to have that conversation, not just because I didn't want to bring it up, but because I never wanted to have that conversation in the first place. â€Å"You take care of my girl,† Charlie commanded. â€Å"Have fun at prom,† he whispered so low Bella couldn't hear. â€Å"Yes, sir.† Charlie shut the door behind us as I let Bella brace all of her weight on me and then helped her into the car. After I dropped a scowling Bella off at my house, Emmett, Jasper and I went hunting. The trip was short lived and desperately needed. It had been almost two weeks, and I was thirstier than I thought. The warm blood of the elk soothed the ache, though it would never fully rid me of it. â€Å"It's prom night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Emmett chuckled on the way back home. â€Å"You know what that means?† Oh, haha. Funny. Jasper laughed along with Emmett. I frowned at them. â€Å"Oh come on, Edward!† Emmett raised his hands in faux exasperation. â€Å"Did you get a hotel room or were you planning on doing it in the car?† Emmett guffawed stupidly for several minutes at his own joke. â€Å"I'm not going to†¦have sex with her, Emmett.† I said through clenched teeth. â€Å"Well what do you do with her all those nights in her room?† Jasper and Emmett were doubled over in laughter now. â€Å"That's it!† I snapped. My foot slammed on the break and Emmett's head hit the roll bar on the jeep, putting a deep dent in it. This time, I laughed. â€Å"Dammit, Edward!† He screamed at me while Jasper continued to laugh insanely loud. I looked in the rear view mirror. â€Å"You're next!† I warned Jasper. He put his lips together in an attempt to stop his laughter, but couldn't hold it in any longer and his breath came whooshing out along with more cackling. Instead of getting even, I couldn't help myself and I joined in on the laughter while Emmett glared at me. Rose is going to kick my ass for this. â€Å"Yup,† I replied and Emmett mock punched me in the arm. The rest of the drive continued like this†¦Emmett making a sex joke, Jasper nodding in agreement and grinning widely at me in the rear view mirror while I swerved once making Jasper's head break through the hard top on the Jeep. When we finally arrived back home, we found Rosalie scowling in the garage in her scarlet dress that fell flawlessly over her body. Emmett jumped out of the Jeep and whistled. He tried to give her a hug but she backed away. â€Å"Ew! Take a shower and get changed. Bella is already ready,† she sneered her name. I frowned at her but she just turned and got into her M3, her dress not covering an inch of her back. â€Å"I'll be waiting!† She shouted at Emmett who was already running up the stairs to their room. When I finally walked inside and up to Alice's closet, I saw Bella. She was leaning against the wall behind Alice, her hair in intricate curls, her silk blue dress clinging just right onto her extravagant body and her free foot in delicate high heels with lace wrapping around her lower ankle. I literally had to put my tongue back in my mouth. She was stunning, though her facial expression was clearly not in league with her appearance. She had a deep scowl on her face and there was a tiny pucker between her eyebrows. â€Å"Get dressed!† Alice demanded, though she was still wearing pants. Kissing Bella lightly on the forehead I shot upstairs to the third floor to quickly take a shower and put on my tuxedo. â€Å"By the way, you're late!† Alice yelled up the stairs. I'll take Bella downstairs. I'm going to get dressed and Jasper and I will meet you there. By the time I was done, Alice and Jasper were gone and Bella was sitting on the couch downstairs talking with Esme. Rushing towards her, I pulled her up into my arms and brushed my hands lightly through her intricate curls. â€Å"This is for you,† I showed her a white lily which Alice had left on my dresser. Blood rushed up her face, coloring it a delicious pink. The scent was spectacular. â€Å"Thanks,† she whispered. â€Å"Here,† I said while pinning it into her hair. â€Å"Now you're perfect.† Her blush turned an even darker shade of pink. â€Å"You're not so bad yourself,† her lips twitched up into a smile. Wrapping my arm around her waist we proceeded to the door. â€Å"Are you going to tell me where we are going now?† She looked sideways at me, anticipation obvious in her eyes. â€Å"Not a chance,† I grinned. Her lips turned down as I helped her into my car. Carefully, I made sure that she was secure, including her dress, before I shut the door. Alice would kill me if I got her dress dirty before we even arrived at the school. â€Å"At what point exactly are you going to tell me what's going on?† She asked tersely. Really? Had she seriously not figure it out yet? I threw her a derisive smile. â€Å"I'm shocked that you haven't figured it out yet.† She took in a deep breath and held it for several seconds before she spoke. â€Å"I did mention that you looked very nice, didn't I?† She double-checked. â€Å"Yes.† My smile deepened. Her musical heart began to pick up in pace. In anticipation or nervousness, I wasn't sure. She looked down at her attire and frowned. â€Å"I'm not coming over anymore if Alice is going to treat me like Guinea Pig Barbie when I do,† she complained. My phone vibrated lightly before it rang. If it's Alice, I'm not answering. I put my hand into my inside jacket pocket, pulled out my phone and looked at the number. It was Bella's number. It was easy to tell who was calling me since Bella was sitting next to me. Curious as to what he was calling for, I answered. â€Å"Hello, Charlie.† â€Å"Charlie?† Bella's frown became more prominent on her face. â€Å"Um. Yeah.† Charlie paused, obviously unsure of how to continue. â€Å"Tyler is here to pick Bella up for prom.† He said the words slowly, delicately. I could feel my eyes widen in disbelief. â€Å"He says that Bella told him ‘yes' when he asked her to go to prom.† A grin slowly crept up my face. It was about time that Tyler get the point that Bella is taken. That she is mine! I laughed. â€Å"You're kidding!† â€Å"No†¦definitely not,† I could hear Charlie's voice cracking. He was trying not to laugh. â€Å"What is it?† Bella demanded at the same time Tyler asked, â€Å"Who are you talking to?† This was like a dream come true. It was bad enough that I had to hear every guys fantasy at school. It was time for payback. â€Å"Why don't you let me talk to him?† I offered. â€Å"Um. Okay, if you think that's best.† Charlie handed the phone over to Tyler. â€Å"Who is it?† Tyler asked curiously. â€Å"Just answer the phone, Tyler,† Charlie demanded. â€Å"Er†¦Hello?† â€Å"Hello, Tyler, this is Edward Cullen.† I used my friendly voice, but it had an undercurrent of threat. â€Å"I'm sorry if there's been some kind of miscommunication, but Bella is unavailable tonight.† â€Å"But†¦prom,† he spluttered. The undercurrent in my voice became prominent as I continued. â€Å"To be perfectly honest, she'll be unavailable every night, as far as anyone besides myself is concerned. No offense. And I'm sorry about your evening.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began, but I snapped my phone shut while I smiled widely at the thought of him standing there, dumbfounded. When I took in a deep breath I caught a concentrated scent of Bella's blood and looked over at her immediately. Her face and neck were the same color as Rosalie's dress. Her eyes were beginning to water slightly in anger. Oops, I hope I didn't upset her, that was not my intention. Of course, she would have handled it with more finesse than me. â€Å"Was that last part a bit too much? I didn't mean to offend you.† She gritted her teeth before staring at me in absolute and utter belligerence. â€Å"You're taking me to the prom!† She shouted. She caught me completely off guard. So it wasn't because of my threatening voice towards Tyler, it was because of prom! Once I took in her angry expression I tried not to laugh at her vicious kitten-y face. My lips pressed together tightly and my eyes narrowed slightly in an effort not to show my humor. â€Å"Don't be difficult, Bella.† She jerked her head to look out of the window as it sunk in. â€Å"Why are you doing this to me?† Her voice acerbic. I raised an eyebrow at her and pointed towards my James Bond tuxedo. â€Å"Honestly, Bella, what did you think we were doing?† The color in her cheeks only turned a darker shade of red as water spilled over her eye lashes and down her cheeks. She quickly wiped under her eyes and looked at her tear stained hand. After watching her reaction I couldn't figure out how the prom – of all the things for tears to be spilt over ?C was bothering her so much. Prom, of course, wasn't on my list of tear worthy subjects. She didn't even have this reaction when she met up with James in Phoenix. Her reactions now were just completely absurd! â€Å"This is completely ridiculous. Why are you crying?† I demanded in frustration. â€Å"Because I'm mad!† She shouted. â€Å"Bella,† I sighed, turning my gaze on her. â€Å"What?† she muttered, folding her arms irritably. Okay, it was time to try the dazzling trick. â€Å"Humor me,† I requested while gazing deeply into her eyes. Her shoulders hunched forward in defeat after a few seconds. â€Å"Fine,† her lower lip jutted out while staring back at me, possibly trying to glare, but the tears were making it hard to read them. â€Å"I'll go quietly. But you'll see. I'm way overdue for more bad luck. I'll probably break my other leg. Look at this shoe! It's a death trap!† She lifted her dress and pointed at her leg in horror. â€Å"Hmmm.† Her soft delicate skin was porcelain white and looked soft, warm and silky. â€Å"Remind me to thank Alice for that tonight,† I teased. â€Å"Alice is going to be there?† Didn't Alice tell her? Didn't Bella see her? â€Å"With Jasper, and Emmett†¦ and Rosalie,† I added. Her eyebrows pulled together before she shook her head. I suppressed a sigh, longing to know what was going on in that head of hers. Then, her lips pursed. â€Å"Is Charlie in on this?† She asked suspiciously. â€Å"Of course.† I grinned, and then chuckled. â€Å"Apparently Tyler wasn't, though.† Her teeth came together with an audible snap. It pleased me that his appearance at her house had a negative effect on her. Finally, we pulled into the school parking lot, parking next to Rosalie's M3. The sun was starting to set and the sky was turning a coppery color as the thin layer of clouds casted shadows down on the ground in odd angles turning the white fluff into red and orange. To the east the sky was showing some stars while turning purplish due to the setting sun. The sunset was beautiful, but when I got out to offer my help to Bella, the sunset was suddenly insignificant in comparison. I held out of hand and she tightened her folded arms and humpfed stubbornly. Her chin was jutting out with a superior smugness in her expression. I would have just picked her up but there were too many people in the parking lot. I sighed. â€Å"When someone wants to kill you, you're brave as a lion — and then when someone mentions dancing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I muttered while shaking my head. Her expression changed to fear instantly and she gulped. â€Å"Bella, I won't let anything hurt you,† I paused, â€Å"– not even yourself. I won't let go of you once, I promise.† The fear washed away as quickly as it had placed itself on her glorious face. I was relieved at once. â€Å"There, now,† I said gently, â€Å"it won't be so bad.† Without effort I reached out pulled her to my chest, wrapping my arm around her waist and holding her hand in the other. Her warmth wrapped around my body as we walked towards the school. I held her firmly in my grasp, letting her place all her weight on me if necessary. Our progress was slow, but tonight there were no expectations and we were in no hurry. Fork's High School prom was in their gym and as we entered Bella fully took in the decorations of balloon arches, pastel crepe paper and twisted garlands that were covering every inch of the walls. Her whimsical giggle shocked me. After all her anger, fear and constant pouting and shouting she was†¦smiling. â€Å"This looks like a horror movie waiting to happen,† she snickered. Relief washed over me and I joined in with her humor. â€Å"Well,† I whispered as we approached the ticket table, â€Å"there are more than enough vampires present.† She looked over the ladies shoulder at the ticket area. On the dance floor, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice were floating fluidly around the enclosed circle of admirers as they danced gracefully around in their evening gowns. That family makes me sick, look at how perfect they move. My date probably thinks I'm ugly compared to these women. Man I'd like to†¦ I shoved everyone's thoughts from my mind so I could focus on Bella. Looking down at her, she looked up at me with a look of conspiracy in her thoughts. â€Å"Do you want me to bolt the doors so you can massacre the unsuspecting townsfolk?† She whispered. My brow raised. â€Å"And where do you fit into that scheme?† â€Å"Oh, I'm with the vampires, of course,† she collaborated. Though I was happy she was in better spirits, I was afraid that this conversation would turn into a ‘let's turn Bella into a vampire' argument. Trying to read her face, I smiled reluctantly. â€Å"Anything to get out of dancing,† I assumed. â€Å"Anything.† She smiled. After purchasing the tickets I began pulling her to the dance floor. She literally dragged her feet. Pursing my lips, I stared down at her. â€Å"I've got all night,† I informed her, not in the least bit worried that she wouldn't fold. Finally, her stubbornness subsided and we moved onto the dance floor next to my family. This was my first time going to the prom, though my siblings went every chance they got. Alice loved to dress up and so did Rosalie, mainly because of the stares and compliments she received. Bella stiffened at my side and I looked down at her. â€Å"Edward.† She croaked. â€Å"I honestly can't dance!† Panic was obvious in her tone. I sighed in exasperation. â€Å"Don't worry, silly,† I whispered in her ear. â€Å"I can.† Gently, I pulled her close to my chest, her feet leaving the ground before I placed them over mine, and wrapped her arms around my neck. Without effort we twirled around the dance floor with my family and even though I tried to dispel all thoughts, the boys in the audience were also crooning over Bella. I felt smug with pride. â€Å"I feel like I'm five years old,† she giggled after several minutes of us waltzing. Her hair was blowing around lightly with the slight breeze we were making with our dancing and her cheeks were flushed the perfect pink. â€Å"You don't look five,† I breathed in her ear, hugging her closer to my body. I'm a genius! I mean, just look at that dress on her. Alice thought as she watched us twirl around. Bella caught her eye and smiled back at Alice's grin. I think she might actually be enjoying herself†¦ Before Alice finished her thought another thought burst into my head. He was arguing with himself. As I twirled around to see who it was, I realized it was Jacob Black. I can't believe I'm about to do this. Seriously ?C he's here with her, what does my dad expect me to do? Go up to her and tell her to leave him right here on the dance floor†¦ but my car, I really want my car up and running. Stupid master cylinder. â€Å"Okay, this isn't half bad,† Bella admitted to me, but I was too busy glaring towards the doors where Jacob was leaning. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. Jacob chanted over and over in his head. Why did she have to be here? Argh! He hesitated on the dance floor. Master cylinder, he reminded himself. †¦just remember driving around in your car, his lips twitched up. †¦maybe Bella in the passenger seat. The mental image was enough to make him move closer to our dancing forms. Bella and I continued to spin without effort on the dance floor, but my eyes never left Jacob for more than a fraction of a second. My possessive side started to creep up as I watched him walked towards us. Bella noticed my distraction. â€Å"What is it?† she looked at me curiously. I didn't answer. She looked over her shoulder and then continued to try and focus her eyes through our continuous gyrate. Jacob continued to move towards us. His face displayed his thoughts of distress and discomfort. Come on, Jacob. Pull yourself together! He frantically tried to calm himself. He's not actually a vampire. He was wrong about that. Just do it. Ask if you can cut in. I can just relay the message from dad. Jacob looked at Bella. Wow! She is positively the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. He blinked to clear his eyes, trying to get a better visual on her. Man, this is going to suck. I'm sorry, oh man I am so sorry, Bella. A snarl came burning up my throat, but I was able to stifle most of the noise. â€Å"Behave!† Bella hissed at me in reproach. Behave? I wanted to argue but he was only two feet away. Just cut in and get it over with. This is so embarrassing. Jacob's eyebrows pulled together in concentration. ‘Hey, Bella. Just break up with your boyfriend†¦please.' He shook his head. This isn't going to be good. Anger boiled under my cold skin. â€Å"He wants to chat with you.† The severity of my thoughts was obvious in my voice. You made it this far. Just ask. Jacob was now standing next to us. I stopped our dancing, trying to†¦behave. â€Å"Hey, Bella,† Jacob addressed her, completely ignoring me. â€Å"I was hoping you would be here.† Jacob lied as he smiled brightly at Bella. â€Å"Hi, Jacob.† Bella beamed back. â€Å"What's up?† Why did she have to return his smile? She never greeted other males so warmly. What was so special about this†¦Jacob Black? She was just being polite. That was all. â€Å"Can I cut in?† he asked hesitantly, swiveling towards me. I gritted my teeth. Behave†¦behave†¦behave, I chanted over and over in my head in Bella's delicate voice. This planned conversation was angering me and now he was asking me to break my promise to Bella. Refusing to let Jacob see my growing irritation, I kept my face absent of emotion. I knew if I were to open my mouth words not appropriate to say in front of a lady would spill out. So, instead, I just carefully placed her back on her feet and took a step backwards, my teeth still clenched tight enough to crush diamonds. â€Å"Thanks,† Jacob said pleasantly. That was easier than I imagined. Taking a steadying breath, I nodded once and turned to walk away. Moving through the crowd I positioned myself so I could see and hear their exchange. Venom filled my mouth when Jacob put his hands on her waist. Jealousy ripped at me when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Without thinking, I was pushing my way back through the crowd. I was irate. â€Å"Emmett,† Alice nodded towards me. â€Å"Stop him.† He's just a kid, Edward, she reminded me. Before I reached them, strong arms were binding me to the spot. Emmett chuckled. â€Å"Tisk tisk, bro. Here? In this crowd? Can't you pick another time to rip his arms off?† He let go when I froze. â€Å"I'd like to do that now,† I glanced quickly towards Alice's twirling form. You were about to do something really stupid. Trust me on that. Alice explained. A hard laugh came from my left. â€Å"Not a chance.† Emmett smirked. â€Å"Now calm down. What would Bella think?† He looked at me in mock horror. I looked away. It was so odd to feel this infuriated over something as small as a dance. His hands were gripping her on her waist. I wanted to grip him around his throat. I wanted him so far away from her that the wish was a strong flavor on my tongue. I was automatically sorting through the range of tortures I would bring upon him. â€Å"Jeez, Edward. Calm down,† Emmett muttered, his hand on my shoulder ?C restraining me. My face in his mind was showing nothing but a murderous glare. I settled on eavesdropping. Emmett leaned against the wall beside me. â€Å"Wow, Jake, how tall are you now?† Bella looked up at Jacobs towering frame. I growled and Emmett patted my shoulder in understanding. I deal with this kind of stuff all the time, he thought to himself. What's the big deal? â€Å"Six-two.† Jacob's thoughts were smug. In the past months he had grown several inches in height, something he was very proud of. I watched as they swayed on the spot, not really dancing due to Bella's casted foot. â€Å"So, how did you end up here tonight?† she questioned, but her tone was absent of curiosity, like she already knew. Just tell her, just get it over with. He swallowed hard. If I blame it on my dad, she can't really get mad at me, can she? He frowned.†Can you believe my dad paid me twenty bucks to come to your prom?† He confessed. That was easy enough, now the hard part. â€Å"Yes, I can,† Bella muttered. â€Å"Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, at least. Seen anything you like?† she nodded to a group of girls lined up against the wall, waiting and willing for their knight and shining armor. Her hint to him sent me a little bit of relief. He was just a friend. Nothing more. â€Å"Yeah,† he sighed. You! â€Å"But she's taken.† He glanced down at Bella's face. Bella looked away, blush rising in her porcelain cheeks. Dammit! She knows I meant her. You idiot! â€Å"You look really pretty, by the way,† he added apprehensively. Oh crap! Did that just come out of my mouth? How embarrassing. He hung his head slightly. Pretty? She is much more than that! Angelic, maybe. Exquisite, yes. But pretty? Idiot. â€Å"Um, thanks.† Bella's forehead creased. â€Å"So why did Billy pay you to come here?† It didn't go without notice, her lack of compliments back to him. Jacob noticed, I noticed†¦ â€Å"Burn!† Emmett bellowed. Emmett noticed. I had almost forgotten he was standing beside me; I was so intent on listening into their conversation. Forget it. I can't do this. Jacob argued in his mind. Master cylinder†¦master cylinder, he chanted over and over. The look of discomfort on his face pleased me. Get it over with†¦ he grimaced. â€Å"He said it was a ‘safe' place to talk to you. I swear the old man is losing his mind.† His humorless chuckle was joined with a weak laugh from Bella. â€Å"Is he going to say what I think he's going to say?† Emmett guffawed loudly. I nodded. â€Å"No way!† he continued to chuckle. â€Å"Human's are so hilarious! You sure know how to pick the good ones,† Emmett chuckled in amusement. â€Å"Anyway,† Jacob continued. â€Å"He said that if I told you something, he would get me that master cylinder I need,† he confessed with a sheepish grin. Master cylinder†¦you can do this. Master cylinder. â€Å"Tell me, then. I want you to get your car finished.† Bella grinned back. There was a faint irritation close by. A young girl, only fifteen, screaming her fantasies at me through her thoughts, my name and face intertwined with them. Only if she knew what it would mean for my lips to be that close to her skin. It wouldn't be a kiss she would receive. I pushed her thoughts from me. I had no time to deal with it. Here goes nothing. Jacob exhaled heavily. Just set it up so you are in the clear. This isn't your fault†¦you were sent by your insane father. She'll understand. †¦right? â€Å"Don't get mad, okay?† Jacob stared down at Bella intently. â€Å"There's no way I'll be mad at you, Jacob,† she encouraged him. â€Å"I won't even be mad at Billy. Just say what you have to.† I didn't deserve to have someone like Bella. She was forgiving, sweet and kind. She had even forgiven me for nearly taking her life. Danger magnet. â€Å"Well — this is so stupid, I'm sorry, Bella –† just spit it out â€Å"– he wants you to break up with your boyfriend. He asked me to tell you ‘please.'† Jacob shook his head back and forth. I can't believe I just said that. A burst of laughter came from Emmett. â€Å"He said it. I can't believe he actually said it.† â€Å"Pay up!† Jasper held out his hand. †¦and I wasn't even here when the wolves were around. He grinned. I hadn't even noticed that he was there until right now, let alone hear them making bet's over the conversation. I tuned out Jasper and Emmett's exchange. â€Å"He's still superstitious, eh?† Bella pulled me back into the conversation. Her brush off was surely just pity. She was kind. That was all. That's it? She's not going to get mad†¦or hit me? What a relief! â€Å"Yeah. He was†¦ kind of over the top when you got hurt down in Phoenix. He didn't believe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He believed you were attacked by Edward, he finished in thought. Finally, I saw the first signs of Bella's irritation as her eyes narrowed. â€Å"I fell,† she infused with a little bit of steel in her voice. She's mad. Oh crap. â€Å"I know that,† Jacob said quickly. â€Å"He thinks Edward had something to do with me getting hurt,† Bella said tersely, stating it as a fact, not a question. Bad idea†¦really, really bad idea. Master cylinder? What? They stopped swaying; Jacob's eyes looking away, Bella's eyes alight with fury. It was surprisingly strange to see her be protective over me. It was†¦nice, even though her anger was quite comical. â€Å"Look, Jacob,† Bella began. â€Å"I know Billy probably won't believe this, but just so you know† — Jacob looked up, his thoughts scattering wildly trying to find a way to patch up their little tiff — â€Å"Edward really did save my life. If it weren't for Edward and his father, I'd be dead.† She forgot to add that if it weren't for us, we wouldn't have had to save her in the first place. â€Å"I know,† Jacob claimed. I tried to tell him†¦I'm an idiot for letting him convince me to do this. â€Å"Hey, I'm sorry you had to come do this, Jacob,† Bella apologized. â€Å"At any rate, you get your parts, right?† Forgiveness was her virtue. There was no other meaning behind her words. I don't even think she knows how to hold a grudge. â€Å"Yeah,† he muttered. Maybe you could just leave off the last part, he thought. I mean, she got the gist of what he wanted her to know. †¦right? He frowned. â€Å"There's more?† Bella asked in disbelief, reading his face. Jacob's mouth twisted down further. Why did she have to be so perceptive? â€Å"Forget it,† he mumbled, â€Å"I'll get a job and save the money myself.† †¦bye, bye, master cylinder, his thoughts were chagrined. Bella's cheeks turned red again, but this time in pure anger and not embarrassment. â€Å"Just spit it out, Jacob,† she hissed. â€Å"It's so bad.† He grimaced. â€Å"I don't care. Tell me,† she insisted. I can't believe she is going to make me say this. â€Å"Okay†¦ but, geez, this sounds bad.† He shook his head. â€Å"He said to tell you, no, to warn you, that — and this is his plural, not mine† — he lifted one hand and made little quotations marks in the air — ‘†We'll be watching.'† Please don't scream. He cringed in anticipation. I growled at Billy's words. Bella's response took us both off guard. She stared at him for a second and then laughed loudly. â€Å"Sorry you had to do this, Jake.† she continued to snicker. â€Å"I don't mind that much.† Shew. He breathed a sigh of relief. Now that that is over with†¦ He grinned. †¦maybe I could enjoy a dance with her. His eyes roamed over her body appreciatively. I really like how her dress falls just right on her body. She has amazing curves. Emmett grabbed my arm when he saw Jacob's eyes undressing Bella. I leaned against the wall again, angry I had to stand through this torture. â€Å"So,† Jacob smiled. â€Å"Should I tell him you said to butt the hell out?† he asked hopefully. It would serve him right, mad old man! â€Å"No,† she exhaled. â€Å"Tell him I said thanks. I know he means well.† Gradually the song dissipated and morphed into another song. Bella instantly dropped her arms. It pleased me to see that she didn't want to continue their awkward dance. Jacob, on the other hand, was thoroughly displeased. I made my way through the crowd. But†¦I†¦ His hands hesitated on her waist and his gaze turned toward her casted leg. Well, I can't just leave her here like this, he told himself. â€Å"Do you want to dance again? Or can I help you get somewhere?† he asked uncertainly. â€Å"That's all right, Jacob. I'll take it from here.† I glared at him. Gah! Jacob jumped slightly, and stared wide-eyed at me in surprise. â€Å"Hey, I didn't see you there,† he mumbled. â€Å"I guess I'll see you around, Bella.† He stepped back, waving halfheartedly. †¦bad timing. Bella grinned at him. â€Å"Yeah, I'll see you later.† She was just being courteous. It was only in her nature. â€Å"Sorry,† he said again before he turned for the door. †¦what a freak. As the next song's melody began weaving its way through the crowd I pulled Bella back into my arms. She instantly warmed my body. The music was awful, so I played my own tune in my head, dancing to it instead. Bella's eyes roamed over my face happily before she leaned her head against my chest. I tightened my arms around her and she sighed, content. â€Å"Feeling better?† she teased. â€Å"Not really,† I said through my teeth. â€Å"Don't be mad at Billy,† she sighed, her hot breath seeping through my clothes, down to my skin. â€Å"He just worries about me for Charlie's sake. It's nothing personal.† She had it all wrong. â€Å"I'm not mad at Billy,† I revised in a curt voice. â€Å"But his son is irritating me.† Her head left my chest then. Our eyes met and the intensity of her gaze gave me the impression she was trying to read my mind. â€Å"Why?† Her eyes grew tight in suspicion. â€Å"First of all, he made me break my promise.† Her eyebrows crunched up in confusion. The look of perplexity made my lips twitch up. â€Å"I promised I wouldn't let go of you tonight.† I explained. â€Å"Oh. Well, I forgive you.† â€Å"Thanks. But there's something else.† I frowned. â€Å"He called you pretty,† my previous anger began bubbling to the surface. â€Å"That's practically an insult, the way you look right now. You're much more than beautiful.† She giggled. â€Å"You might be a little biased.† â€Å"I don't think that's it. Besides, I have excellent eyesight.† I lifted her up, bringing her close to my chest. We continued our dancing. Her hair moved slightly with our breeze. Waves of freesia floated in the air around us. â€Å"So are you going to explain the reason for all of this?† What did she mean by that? Her eyes lifted to the crepe paper and her lips pursed. I understood. I decided it was time to move our conversation to a less populated place. Twirling the opposite direction we spun gracefully through the crowd toward the back door. I wish Mike could dance like that†¦ Jessica waved at Bella as we flew by, her eyes green with jealousy. Where are they going? Bella smiled at her. Angela was in Ben Cheney's arms, enjoying my gift to her. She deserved happiness. Finally, we were away from all the stares and eavesdroppers. The sun was beginning to dissipate below the horizon, the sky a brilliant color of pink and orange. Her elegant features were glowing in the coppery color of the sun. Without effort I swept her off her feet. There was a bench under two madrone trees and I walked over and sat down, Bella's delicate arms wrapped around my neck. I held her closer, never wanting this moment to end. It doesn't have to end. We could have each other for eternity. I banished that thought immediately. The moon was already up, visible through the gauzy clouds. I looked up, wishing the sun wouldn't fade to night. â€Å"The point?† Bella prompted softly. â€Å"Twilight, again,† I whispered. â€Å"Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end.† â€Å"Some things don't have to end,† she muttered through her teeth. I sighed. I knew what she was thinking†¦what she wanted. But I couldn't give it to her. It was best to just ignore her train of thought. â€Å"I brought you to the prom,† I said slowly, â€Å"because I don't want you to miss anything. I don't want my presence to take anything away from you, if I can help it. I want you to be human. I want your life to continue as it would have if I'd died in nineteen-eighteen like I should have.† She trembled slightly before she shook her head angrily. â€Å"In what strange parallel dimension would I ever have gone to prom of my own free will? If you weren't a thousand times stronger than me, I would never have let you get away with this.† My lips curved into a half-smile at her kittenish anger. â€Å"It wasn't so bad, you said so yourself.† â€Å"That's because I was with you.† I gazed absently back up at the moon. Prom†¦it was the only formal occasion that I could think of this evening. Did she think we were leaving the city? I was curious now. â€Å"Will you tell me something?† I asked, glancing down at her in amusement. â€Å"Don't I always?† â€Å"Just promise you'll tell me,† I insisted, grinning. â€Å"Fine.† She was suspicious. â€Å"You seemed honestly surprised when you figured out that I was taking you here,† I began. â€Å"I was,† she interjected. â€Å"Exactly,† I agreed. â€Å"But you must have had some other theory†¦ I'm curious — what did you think I was dressing you up for?† Her lips pursed, a slight pucker forming between her brows. â€Å"I don't want to tell you.† â€Å"You promised,† I reminded her. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"What's the problem?† This should be good. Her cheeks were red, the blush filling the air with her silky aroma. â€Å"I think it will make you mad — or sad.† Her words held some meaning, yet I couldn't grasp it. My eyebrows pulled together as I speculated the subtlety of her words. It was moments like these I wished I could read her mind. â€Å"I still want to know. Please?† She sighed. I waited expectantly for her answer. â€Å"Well†¦ I assumed it was some kind of†¦ occasion. But I didn't think it would be some trite human thing†¦ prom!† she sneered. The meaning was slowly surfacing. â€Å"Human?† I asked flatly. Suddenly, her blush deepened to a scarlet red and she looked down, her fingers lightly tugging a piece of chiffon. I waited in silence. She would tell me, I just had to be patient. â€Å"Okay,† her shoulders slumped as her breath rushed out. â€Å"So I was hoping that you might have changed your mind†¦ that you were going to change me, after all.† The mingled fury and alarm was present on my face. We had this conversation already. I wasn't going to change her. I refused. First, I was furious. Absolutely irate that she would even think I would take her soul. What did she think me capable of? Second, her blood, beyond delicious, would never be a strong enough siren call to make me†¦change her. What if I tried and I wasn't able to stop? What if I did change her and she forever hated me? Isabella Swan, forever stalking the night for all time, never aging, never changing†¦ soulless. Many emotions filled my head and ran down my veins. Her words replayed in my mind. I assumed it would be some kind of†¦occasion. Was she joking? She had to be, she couldn't be serious. â€Å"You thought that would be a black tie occasion, did you?† I teased, touching the lapel of my James Bond tux in amusement. She frowned. â€Å"I don't know how these things work. To me, at least, it seems more rational than prom does.† Yes. I wanted to say. Because what you wear will really matter when you're burning. I continued to grin at her, despite the image in my head. â€Å"It's not funny,† her frown deepened. â€Å"No, you're right, it's not,† I agreed, my smile fading. â€Å"I'd rather treat it like a joke, though, than believe you're serious.† â€Å"But I am serious.† I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I let out a deep sigh. Could this really be what she wanted? â€Å"I know. And you're really that willing?† She bit her delicate lip and nodded. â€Å"So ready for this to be the end,† I muttered to myself, â€Å"for this to be the twilight of your life, though your life has barely started. You're ready to give up everything.† â€Å"It's not the end, it's the beginning,† she disagreed in a whisper of her warm breath. â€Å"I'm not worth it,† I said sadly. â€Å"Do you remember when you told me that I didn't see myself very clearly?† she asked, raising her eyebrows. â€Å"You obviously have the same blindness.† â€Å"I know what I am.† I stated. A monster. She sighed. A course of action had just occurred to me. â€Å"You're ready now, then?† I asked, my eyes probing hers. â€Å"Um.† she gulped. â€Å"Yes?† It was a question. I smiled at my plan before moving my lips over her soft skin. I breathed softly at the corner of her jaw, letting the flavor burn down my throat. â€Å"Right now?† I whispered, moving my lips down her neck. She trembled under my touch. I wanted to bring our lips together fiercely, but I resisted. â€Å"Yes,† she whispered. Her breathing began to pick up, her heart pounding out a jagged rhythm. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her hands balled up into tight fists. She showed all the signs of distress, yet she didn't move. I chuckled darkly, and leaned away. I was disappointed by her actions. She didn't take any action for self preservation. I was her guardian vampire, though. My protection included keeping her human. â€Å"You can't really believe that I would give in so easily,† I said with a sour edge to my mocking tone. It was with great effort that I didn't yell at her for making it so easy. â€Å"A girl can dream.† What! I screamed in my head. My eyebrows rose. â€Å"Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?† â€Å"Not exactly,† her lips turned down. â€Å"Mostly I dream about being with you forever.† There was a sad ache in her voice. Instantly I understood. Our dreams, per say, were the same. All I wanted was to be with her forever, but for her to wish for this soulless existence to be with me was absurd. It shouldn't be allowed. In that moment I was decided. Leaving wasn't an option. I needed her, and she needed me, too. All previous thoughts of leaving her to her human life, her future, disappeared, like someone popped a balloon. â€Å"Bella.† My fingers lightly traced the shape of her lips. â€Å"I will stay with you — isn't that enough?† She smiled gently under my fingertips. â€Å"Enough for now.† I frowned. For now, I scoffed. She was determined, but I wasn't going to concede to her wishes. I exhaled a low thundery growl. She touched my face. â€Å"Look,† she breathed. â€Å"I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn't that enough?† Me, too. â€Å"Yes, it is enough,† I answered, smiling. â€Å"Enough for forever.† I leaned down to press my cold lips once more to her throat. The End.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Analysis of Market Structures

Analysis of Market Structures Market structures define the different ways companies are structured within the marketplace. The different market structures are based on the characteristics of a market relative to the buyers and sellers and the relationship between them. Competition is another difference between the markets as is the capability of entering and exiting the market. Perfect competition is where many firms sell the same product and they have no control over the price of their product/service. They must charge the market price or buyers will buy a lower priced substitute. There are also many buyers of their product. Since there are many buyers and sellers and there is no control over the market price, there is total freedom of entry and exit in this market structure. While there is no true perfect competition, it gives us a point opposite of a monopoly in which to work from. Perfect competition is summed up with six basic assumptions: 1) large number of sellers/producers; 2) larger number of buyers; 3) homogeneous product; 4) free entry into and free exit out of the market; 5) perfect knowledge; and 6) there is easily moving in and out of the industry for buyers and sellers (Amacher however, they do not have the atmosphere of Biaggi’s and I am willing to pay the price to know that they can prepare my meal according to my specific needs.

Demonstrating Math Competency through Life Application Essay

Demonstrating Math Competency through Life Application - Essay Example How I applied Math in My School Days During my school days, I invariably used to come across the discount wars among marketers. Someone would offer a discount of 10% while their rival would come forward to lure with huge 30% discount. It was difficult for me to understand in those days what financial impact it could make on buyers like me. In one of the instance, during mid ‘80s, in one of the campaigns ADIDAS shoes were offered with huge 25 % discount if three pairs were bought at a time. As such, if I bought a single pair it would cost me $24 and I had no capacity to buy three in a single stretch. I calculated the saving that I would get if I bought three pairs and that came to 24 ? (25/100) = $6. That was huge for me as that was my weakly pocket money. I immediately convinced my two of the friends and purchased three pairs of ADIDAS shoes from the shop, one for each of us and that is how each one of us saved a good sum of money. Since then I grabbed many opportunities of buy ing stuffs available during their huge discounted offerings. In fact, I truly realized the mathematical meaning of the discounts then. My Outing to the City of New York At age 20, I decided to go to New York City for outing with my three friends during our 4-day vacation in college. I needed to estimate the money that we must have in our pocket before we could really plan such tours. Since we decided to hire a car, our expenses on gas needed to be counted to arrive at the major travelling expense on this tour. We selected Honda midsized rental car. In those days, they used to charge rental of nearly $20 a day. We selected Honda because that would give us a good fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon. I checked map and found that the distance between Richmond and New York was 340 miles. Counting two and fro distance between these two cities, I got the distance of 340 ? 2= 680 miles. For roaming the tourist places around the New York City during our three days’ stay over there, I added another 300 miles in total mileage. Thus, I arrived at the figure of 680+300= 980 miles that our rental car would run around in our outing. Based on this, I needed to calculate the gas consumption and its cost, given that Honda gave fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon. Consumption of gas = total running / fuel economy = 980/36 = 27.22 gallons. In those days, gas would sell at $1.2 per gallon. Hence, expense toward gas would be 27.22 ?1.2 = $32.66. Car rentals for four days would be 20 ? 4 = $80 Total expense on transportation would be 32.66 + 80 = $112.66 Dividing the expense among four of us, each one needed to bear the cost of 112.66/4 = $ 28.16. Adding the cost of hotel rooms and food expenses on this, I got the fair idea what we needed to have in our pocket before starting this tour. Math did help me in planning and preparing a budget for the tour. Math in Recipe Preparation I am fond of cooking and love preparing, serving and eating desserts. A couple of years back, I cam e across a recipe from an East Indian author. The name of the recipe was Almond Jelly with Fruit Cocktail. The recipe had 8 ingredients and the preparation was given to serve 8 people. Since we were 5 people in the family and I was making it for the first time, I decided to go for quantity that was enough for 5 people. The recipe had the following ingredients. China grass-- 15 tablespoons; Sugar- 18 tablespoons; Milk-- 4 cups; almonds blanched -- 2 tablespoons, Leeches- 500 grams; Pineapple

Sunday, July 28, 2019

PHILOSOPHY-Check details below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PHILOSOPHY-Check details below - Essay Example This movement to change the definition and value of marriage between a man and a woman is morally wrong if you believe in Christianity, bad for family values, bad for society, and bad for marriage. (Corvino, 2002)    Some people believe that gay marriage should be legal in every U.S. state and be recognized in the same way that a traditional marriage is between a man and a woman. Gay partners hold commitment ceremonies, some states recognize civil unions, and Massachusetts now allows same-sex marriages. However, according to these groups, gay couples should be entitled to the same civil rights, privileges, and legal protection as traditional married couples. However, this wont happen until gay marriage is recognized by the federal government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marriage between man and woman is the most structured form of family style because there is a balance of the sexes that complement each other, and because it also involves masculine behaviors and feminine behaviors that are important for role modeling for children. The other advantage of a heterosexual couple is that when a family is raised, there is absolute clearness in who is the biological parents, where as in a gay marriage who will teach the appropriate behaviors to the children if any, and how will they justify the existence of their children when adopted or when created by a surrogate mother? In addition, gay marriage will affect our understanding of human relations and institutions because of the different issues like divorce, affairs, health benefits, and psychological problems impacted on the children who are raised in this kind of atmosphere. The other consequence of gay marriage would be the distortion of the definition of marriage itself . For thousands of years it has been understood that marriage was between a man and a woman, and that it included a concept of

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Media sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media sociology - Essay Example Distinguishing fans from ordinary audiences, Jenkins offered an ethnographic illustrations how fans used the media material as basis of their own stories, songs, videos and social exchanges within a rich and cultural network. Jenkins underscored that this type of reading as â€Å"poaching† is some form of a â€Å"raid on literary preserve that takes away only those things that seem useful or pleasurable to the reader.† (p. 471) Citing artifacts such as Star Trek and Star Wars, Jenkins points to how its followers became identified with a scandalous category in contemporary American culture, which provokes an excessive response from those committed to the interests of textual producers and the institutionalization of interpreters and the emergence of questions regarding the logic of by which others order their aesthetic experiences. (Jenkins, p. 471) Jenkins’ argument is that instead of people branding the fans as cultural dupes, social misfits, mindless consumers and other negative stereotypes, he suggested that they be called as â€Å"textual poachers.† â€Å"Interactivity† is one of the most important features of the new media. For instance, Manuel Castells (1999) illustrated how conventional mass media is characterized by one-way, undifferentiated messages through a limited number of channels. The new media system, however, rides on the wonders of technology in order to accommodate the audience’s participation in effect, creating what Castells call the â€Å"culture of real virtuality† phenomenon. According to him, â€Å"while, there is oligopolistic concentration of multimedia groups around the world, there is at the same time, market segmentation, and increasing interaction by and among the individuals that break up the uniformity of a mass audience.† (p. 403) The above issue also brings us to the globalization of the new

Friday, July 26, 2019

Medical data standards Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medical data standards - Research Paper Example Through various tools that were developed by the team for the content specifications, it was possible to implement the project. This project enhanced interoperability in health care organizations, which amplified information on health technology. The article has outlined that, it is extremely important to introduce interoperability in health care institutions since the lack of it has prevented access and exchange of data. Therefore, one advantage of this system that was developed is that; it has reduced costs of operating health institutions; it has enhanced efficiency and proficiency in managing health care facilities; and has ensured that services being offered at these centers are of high quality. The article has further asserted that, as a result of the new information system, electronic health records (EHR) have been improved in the sense that, it is now possible to display all data belonging to patients. However, the article has outlined that, even though interoperability is being applied in health care settings, more research is still being done on more efficient systems so that various shortcomings on data handling in health care settings can be addressed. There are various pragmatic and policy efforts that are being put into place so that the development of interoperability capabilities can be accelerated for the good of health care facilities. As part of the article, the authors have outlined the structure of the NHIN trial implementations Project and its objectives. Objectives of this project were to enhance health information exchange among many organizations. The authors have described the whole project by outlining project specifications and how the project team worked so that success would be realized. The article has also outlined various lessons learned from the project and how these assisted the efficient exchange of data between various health care systems. From this, the article has identified

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Nursing article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing article review - Essay Example In prescribing drugs to combat these ailments, medical care providers place the responsibility of following the patient’s progress upon themselves. Patients, however, are susceptible to flawed human reasoning and do not always adhere to their prescriptions. With the rising cases of mental health issues, it is imperative that we understand the shortcomings of the health sector that impede delivery of health care. Coombs et al. (2003) analyze the impact of nurses on the prescription process and its subsequent effect on the adherence to medications. In the paper, they analyze the issue from the standpoint of a mental health worker. In the study, they aim to analyze the reactions of health workers on their opinions on the issue of prescription. The introductory analysis of previous works is commendable, in that the writers identify the significance of supporting the medication process since even little changes have drastic results (Coombs et al.2003). The methodology of a piece of research is dependent on the field of study on which the research is based. It also determines the approach and eventual results of the study. In their research, Coombs et al. adopted a case study approach, in which they identified a qualitative based framework. They used questionnaires as their main data collection tool and I believe that this was the most suitable approach owing to the experimental nature of their research. This is because their aim was deterministic, reducing the complexity of the research methods and requiring the exploratory framework provided by the case study approach. The sample size comprises of 76 mental health workers. Sampling was purposive as the researchers wanted to evaluate the experiences of mental health workers on patient adherence to prescription medicine. The sample size is appropriate for the theoretical approach of this study as well as the exploratory study into the effects of staff education. The questions, however, are subject to misinterp retation by the respondents of the survey because they are vague in the area of training and expertise. In employing questionnaires though, they ensured that the data collected allowed for the variability of responses. The results of the article present a well-documented manner with tabulated representations of the responses and the standard deviation between records. The researchers also noted the relation between increased monitoring by nurses and adherence to medication. Nurses’ training and experience in prescription also increases their effectiveness in dealing with medication and side effect issues (Coombs et al, 2003). However, the majority of nurses (88.5%) indicated that their medical training did not include lessons on prescription. In regards to the patients, the survey found that side effects had a negative effect on compliance to prescriptions. The conclusion of their article indicates the complexity of the issue at hand. Many factors influence the adherence to m edication, primarily the side effects experienced when under the said medication. The opinions of the people closest to the patients also influence their decision to adhere to their medication. Prior education of the medical practitioners also ranks high on the list of necessities for increasing prescription adherence. The article, however, did not monitor the practitioners at the workplace. This creates the

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Affirmative Action Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Affirmative Action - Term Paper Example The following will explore job discrimination with an eye to how this form of discrimination affects certain groups of people in the labor market and how society has attempted to protect these people from discrimination. Taking a controversial approach to minority set aside programs, this essay will then persuasively argue that since these programs promote discrimination themselves, they are inherently defeatist and promote the same type of behavior that they try to eradicate. We now begin with an overview of the reasons for minority set aside programs – also called affirmative action – and this will follow with a concise rebuttal of the needs for such programs. We will explore the unintended consequences of affirmative action and begin with a concise exploration of the issue of discrimination in the work place. Discrimination in the workforce affects people from all walks of life. Accordingly, the employment opportunities of half of our population are hindered by latent and overt sexism in the offices of America. Affirmative action seeks to resolve issues of inequality and discrimination faced by select groups. The Civil Rights Act states emphatically that discrimination based on sex, race or religion is prohibited and the EEOC guidelines for affirmative action ensures that key groups are given specific advantages due to the challenges they will face in society. For example, it is well known that women in America earn substantially less than their male counterparts. The Equal Pay Act (EPA) of 1963 was established more than four decades ago to protect men and women who perform the same tasks from wage-based discrimination. Sexism is an unfortunate aspect of our modern society but the EPA seeks to combat it through positive legislation aimed at correcting the pay discrepancy between men and women in the labor force. Older workers also face a variety of impediments to their active inclusion in the labor force and the Age Discrimination in

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 14

Human Resource Management - Essay Example nly one can witness a complete symphony between the different business processes, activities and feelings that are so very significantly attached with the business that we are talking about here. Pertinent planning can help a particular company gain so much in accordance with its goals and objectives that had been planned and drafted but in the current times more and more attention and emphasis is making the rounds of the discussion as to whether these plans can actually deliver what was expected of them in the first place. Thus management has the responsibility to plan, organize, lead and control the relevant resources that are present within the realms of the organizational contexts. Since the definition of management takes a clear cut look on the basis of finding the resources available at the organization’s disposal as well as the strategic moves, tactical decisions and tasks and processes that occur within it, there is a dire need to make sure that the top management knows what its business is all about and more significantly it must relate the same to the people who matter the most – the middle tier of the organization which is also known as the knowledge organization. The classical management perspective relied heavily on the placing of tasks and activities on the middle and lower tiers within the organization’s echelon. It focused more on carrying out the tasks at the lower levels and as such there was less accountability and answering when it came to the top management hierarchy present within the organization and indeed running the whole show. The same has changed and that too for the better so to speak. The classical management theo ry has completely faded out and the contemporary management perspective has superseded it on all counts. At the present, the work is supposed to be carried out by a basis of sharing and caring within the organization’s regimes which was not the case say two decades down the road. In keeping with the organizational

Fitness Market Analysis Essay Example for Free

Fitness Market Analysis Essay Industry/market Industry: How many fitness centers? What’s their revenues? Profit margins? Is it growing? Concentrated or not? Market: PMB, attendance, consumer spending, Statistics Canada (average spending) General Trends: Growing? Health trends? Key Competitors: other popular gyms in the area (Nautilus, Progym, energy cardio) The Fitness Market The fitness market is very large and keeps growing. This market is targeted at anyone who wants to be in shape and is looking to live a healthier lifestyle. In 2009, consumers spent on average 186$ on fitness facilities and the median expenditure per household was 390$. We notice a positive trend of fitness center attendance during the past 10 years. Since 2003, there has been an increase in participating in a physical activity throughout the population of Quebec. Even though this change is small, it is a good indicator that people are looking to workout more. If we notice other health behaviours in Quebec we will notice the same positive trend of wanting to live a healthy lifestyle. There has been a drop in the smoker population: dropping from 26.4% in 2003 to 23.8% in 2010. People are also consuming more fruits and vegetables (5 times a day) an increase from 45.4% to 51.1% (2003-2010). Even the population’s life expectancy increased by 2 years to 81 from 2003 to 2008. All these statistics give us a good understand of our population’s health behaviours allowing to conclude that that the fitness center market has a high potential for profit because people are looking to stay fit and live healthier and longer.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Role of Merchandiser Essay Example for Free

Role of Merchandiser Essay The merchandiser is responsible for particular lines of merchandise. For example, in a department store, there may be merchandisers for menswear, women’s wear, children’s wear etc. the basic duties of the merchandiser can be divided into four areas: planning, directing, co-coordinating and controlling. Planning: Though the merchandisers may not be directly involved in the actual purchase of merchandise, they formulate the policies for the areas in which they are responsible. Forecasting sales for the forthcoming budget period is required and this involves estimating consumer demand and the impact of changes in the retail environment. The sales forecasts are then translated into budgets to help the buyers work within the financial guidelines. Directing: Guiding and training buyers as and when the need arises is also function of the merchandiser. Many a times, the buyers have to be guided to take additional markdowns for products which may not be doing to well in the stores. Inspiring commitment and performance in the part of the buyers is necessary. Coordinating: Usually, merchandise managers supervise the work of more than one buyer, hence they need to coordinate the buying effort in terms of how well it fits in with the store image and with the other products being bought by other buyers. Controlling: Assessing not only the merchandise performance, but also the buyer’s performance is part of the merchandise manager’s job. Buying performance may be evaluated on the basis of net sales maintained mark up percentages, mark down percentages, gross margin percentages and stock turn. This is necessary to provide control and maintain high performance results. As a key aspect of merchandising involves selection of merchandise or products to be sold in the retail store, the job of the merchandiser also involves visits to suppliers or manufacturers of select goods. This is likely to involve working closely with retail buyers. They negotiate a price, order the goods, agree on a delivery date, complete all the necessary paperwork, and keep in ouch with suppliers to make sure that the goods arrive on time. Merchandisers work closely with the visual display staff and department managers to decide how goods should be displayed to best attract customers’ attention. This might involve planning and setting up sales promotions and advertising campaign. In some organizations, this is a separate role carried out by a visual merchandiser. Merchandiser may also travel to different stores to actually check the response to various items in the merchandise. To enjoy working as a merchandiser, it is essential that the individual has a mathematical ability to work out budgets and understand sales figures. He/she should be able to understand what the customer wants and translate that into specific products. The ability to work in a team is also essential, as the merchandiser would have a team of buyers reporting to him / her. Many retail organizations also have a Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM) or similar position, wherein the person would be responsible for merchandising activities for particular liens of merchandise. For example, the children’s wear DMM supervises those buyers who purchase merchandise such as baby clothes, clothes for new born, clothes for boys, clothes for girls and accessories. Typically, the role of a divisional merchandise manager, immaterial of the size of the retail organization, would involve the following functions: 1) Forecasting sales for the forthcoming budget period: This involves estimating consumer demand and the impact of changes in the retail environment. 2) Translating the sales forecast into inventory levels in terms of rupees. To do this effectively, the DMM needs to understands and provide for the inventory levels that would be needed to achieve of sales 3) Inspiring commitment and performance on the part of the merchandisers and buyers: Typically, as divisional merchandise managers are senior within the organization, it is believed that they can guide the merchandisers in terms of vendor selection, merchandise lines that can be developed and future trends. 4) Assessing not only the merchandise performance but also the buyer’s performance in order to provide control and maintain high performance results.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Level Of Education System Between India

The Level Of Education System Between India The project provides valuable information on the research work undertaken on the subject To know the difference between the level of education system between UK and India as a part of country report work during semester abroad programme (SAP). The research was conducted on the basis of primary data and secondary data. A questionnaire was structured to obtain desired information. With the sample size of 50 personal interviews was conducted in Student mansion and Birkeck University to know what perspective do the Indian students have towards the education level of both India as well as UK and a basic secondary research was undertaken to understand the education level of both India as well as UK. The data collected was tabulated, analyzed and then followed by findings and recommendations. The study suggested that although the study material is the same in both the countries but the pattern of teaching differs. Thus the Indian students who come to UK to study has an opinion that the stud ies conducted here are more practical based and gives them a greater insight and understanding. INTRODUCTION This report pertains to the country report which was a part of the Semester abroad proramme (SAP) provided by Amity London Business School. The basic purpose of this country report is to provide students with an exposure of analyzing the country, to identify variations in both the countries that is in India and UK and thus choosing a topic of their interest in order to conduct a research. With the help of this country report students develop different skills in terms of creative thinking, communication skills, behavioral skills, technical skills, interpersonal skills, etc. thus the institute has provided students to do a country report. The country report was conducted on to know the difference between the education system between India and UK. The word education has arrived from the world educere which means to bring about what is already in. As Swami Vivekananda said, Education is the manifestation of perfection, already present in man. The basic purpose of education is to notice talent proactively and the purpose of school education is to guide the childs discovery of himself, to identify and nurture his potential to the fullest. Teachers must perceive children as seeds to be nurtured and not as clay to be molded. They must act as gardeners and not as potters. This attitude must be change and if it does so would the education system. It is very essential that education should be based on application and intelligence instead of trying to test the memory of knowledge. Memory doesnt have much relevance in todays times given the volume of information which is available on the internet. It is the application of information that matters and to be tested. Students must be taught the difference between being wise and being knowledgeable; being well informed and being intelligent. People must be cautious of Information pollution which comes along with globalization and which often blurs the difference between knowledge and wisdom. The education system must encourage the students to imagine and invent and not reinvent the same wheel. Each students imagination is different and, therefore, he has to be guided correctly to choose his occupation in life. There is no denying in the fact that a person who has found his vocation in life is a blessed human being. Education in India: A superior education system is of primary importance to a nation and for a nation like India which is growing, it is of great importance to reflect on our present education system and incorporate sustainable changes in it, to make it compatible with the global dynamism. The education which is been provided in India is via Public sector and Private Sector, which is been controlled and funded by three levels i.e. the central, state and Local. The University of Nalanda is the oldest system of education in the world. Majority of the universities in India are been controlled by the Union and the state government. Western education became more embedded into Indian society with the establishment of the British Raj. India has made a great progress in terms of increasing the primary education attendance rate and thus has expanded the literacy rate to approximately two third of the population. As the education has enhanced in India this has led to an increase in the economic rise in India. The private education in India constitutes to just 5% although in terms of value estimated is $40 billion in 2008 and which will increase to $68 $70 billion by 2012. Though the education system of India has improved still 25% of the population is illiterate in India, 15% who make it to high school, graduate. Indias post secondary education offers only 7% of Indias age population. 25% of the seats are vacant nationwide and 57% of the college professors lack either a masters or PhD degree. Indias higher education is the 2nd largest after the United States. The main governing body at the tertiary level is the (UGC) i.e. University grants commission which helps in maintaining the standard, advices the government and it helps in the coordination between the centre and the state. The Indian education system has expanded at a very vast and a quick pace by adding 20,000 colleges and more than 8 million students in a decade from 2000 01 to 2010 11. As of 20122, India has over 42 central universities, 275 state universities, 130 deemed universities, 90 private universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the state Act and 33 institutes of national importance. Other institutions include 33,000 colleges at government degree colleges and private degree colleges. The system of Education in India is highly similar to that of the Anglo Sazon countries. The following are the stages: Nursery Primary Class ( 1 to class 5) Secondary ( class 6 to class 10) Senior Secondary (class 11 Class 12) Graduation (Arts and commerce 3 years, professional 4 years, Medical 5 years) Post graduation (1/2 3 years) The present scenario of the Indian Education system: The present Indian educational system is the implantation of the British rules. Today India is said to be the communication hub and hence it has become very popular with the international students from all around the world. The Indian education has become highly attractive because of its forward thinking, its popularity with large multinational companies, and also because of English being the most common language of communication. According to Peter Ducker, India has become a super power house very fast, the medical school in Delhi is now said to be perhaps the best in the world. The technical graduates of the Indian institute of technology, Bangalore are as good as any in the world. Also India has 150 million people for whom English is the main language so indeed India is becoming a knowledge center. Education In UK: Education in UK is a devolved matter with all of the countries of UK having separate systems under separate governments: that is the UK government is responsible for England, and the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively. UK offers an inclusive range of academic and vocational qualifications in virtually all field and subject for students of all stages and ages of their education. A wide range of institutions or universities in Uk offers courses in each level from schools, colleges and higher education. In all the levels other than the primary education students can choose to study towards the wide variety of different qualifications. Education in UK is mandatory for everyone between the ages of 5 and 16 and it is been provided by 2 kinds of schools: state 0 funded schools and independent/ fee charging schools. In the highly competitive global economy the educational performance of the UK population is below the standard of the best performing OECD countries. This is reflected in the UKs relatively low secondary school completion rates. It is because of the current situation of the secondary school system has led to the creation of new diplomas to provide young students with alternative routes into continuing education and work. In higher education sphere there are 169 British Universities offering world class studies to 2.4 million young people, around 1 in 8 of whom comes from overseas .The UK is the second largest provider of higher education for international students. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: The study has been conducted with the following objectives in mind: To know the opinion of Indian students studying in the UK on education system of UK and India. Which education system provides with greater insight and understanding. To identify which education system will provides with more practical knowledge. Which education system provides with greater value and opportunities for future? PROBLEM STATEMENT: To analyze the difference of management education system between India and UK METHODOLOGY: METHODOLOGY: The study was undertaken by using both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected with the help of a structured questionnaire which was personally canvassed. Around 50 Indian students were surveyed to understand the opinion of Indian students on the education system of UK and India. All the students interviewed were between the age group of 18 to 25 years. The questionnaire contained questions related to education system in India and UK. Primary data was also collected by doing a Face to Face In- depth survey of the students to get the insight of the students regarding their opinion towards the education system of India and UK. Secondary data was collected through internet, newspaper, magazine etc. Secondary data will help in analyzing the education system in both the countries. Sampling: The samples of 50 Indian students have been collected from the student mansion and Birkbeck University for Quantitative research and sample of 5 has been take for face to face survey of the students. Sample Size: The sample size of 50 has been collected in which there will be a structured questionnaire and sample of 5 has been chosen for qualitative survey. The study requires and in depth survey so as to know the insight of the students regarding the education system in both the countries. PRIMARY RESEARCH: Primary research was undertaken by doing a survey of 50 International students. A structured questionnaire was prepared on questions relating to education system in UK and India. Graphical representation of the survey Which countries teaching do you prefer? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 22 22*100/50 44% UK 28 28*100/50 56% Analysis: The project was undertaken to analyze the opinion of Indian students towards the education system of UK and India with a sample size of 50 students, the respondents were asked which country classroom teaching do they prefer? 22 out of 50 responded India i.e. 44%. And 28 out of 50 responded UK i.e. 56%. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that the Indian students who have experienced the education system of both the countries that is UK and India prefer UK teaching methodology. Which education system provides you with greater practical knowledge? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 15 15*100/50 30% UK 35 35*100/50 70% Analysis: Since out of 50 sample size chosen, 15 out of 50 i.e. 30% responded that Indian education provides then with less practical knowledge and 35 out of 50 i.e. 70% responded that UK education provides them with greater practical knowledge. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that the education in UK is more practical based and provides students with more insight and understanding about the topic which will help the students in the competitive world in the near future after the completion of their course. 2.1) If UK, why do you find this education system more practical based? FREQUENCY More of industrial visits 29 Class room based activity 12 Primary research assignment 17 Role plays 20 Others 7 Analysis: In the above (2) question when asked which education provides you with greater practical knowledge 70% students responded UK. When asked why they find UK education system more practical based. Out of 50 students, 29 students responded there are more of industrial visits, 12 responded because of class room based activity, 17 responded because of primary research assignment, 20 responded because of role plays. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that maximum students who find UK education more practical based is because there are more number of industrial visits, primary research assignments, classroom based activity etc. 2.2) If India , why do you find this education system more practical based? FREQUENCY More of industrial visits 14 Class room based activity 12 Primary research assignment 7 Role plays 28 Others 19 Analysis: In the above (2) question when asked which education provides you with greater practical knowledge 30% students responded India. When asked why they find Indian education system more practical based. Out of 50 students, 14 students responded there are more of industrial visits, 12 responded because of class room based activity, 7 responded because of primary research assignment, 28 responded because of role plays. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that in India there is not much of practical based studies for students. There is less number of field trips, primary research assignments and classroom based activity. What according to you should India adapt from UK teaching? FREQUENCY Openness 27 Citing practical examples 35 Improvement in technological advancement 22 Others 13 Analysis: Out of the 50 students surveyed, when asked what should India adapt from UK classroom teaching, 27 students responded openness in terms of interaction with the faculty, asking them questions etc. 35 students responded that the faculty in India should cite more of practical examples rather than bookish knowledge.22 students responded that there should be improvement in the technology .and 13 students responded others. How far is India lagging behind in comparison to UK in terms of use of technology? FREQUENCY CALCULATE PERCENTAGE Very Much 18 18*100/50 36% Not so much 25 25*100/50 50% Not at all 7 7*100/50 14% Analysis: since out of the 50 sample size chosen, when students were asked does India lag behind in terms of technology 18 out of 50 i.e. 36% responded very much, 25 out of 50 i.e. 50 % responded not so much and 7 out of 50 i.e. 14% responded not at all. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that India requires improvement in technology. Which education system is more liberal in teaching? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 15 15*100/50 30% UK 35 35*100/50 70% Analysis: Out of the sample size of 50, when students were asked which education system they find more liberal, 15 out of 50 i.e. 30% responded India and 35 out of 50 i.e. 70% responded UK. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that UK is more liberal in its attitude as compared to India. Which education system do you find more exam oriented? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage Indian education system 31 31*50/100 63% UK education system 29 29*50/100 37% Analysis: Out of the sample size of 50, when asked which education system you find more exams oriented? 31 out of 50 i.e. 63% responded that Indian education system is exam oriented and rest 29 out of 50 i.e. 37% responded that UK education system is less exam oriented. Therefore from the above analysis it states that because of the pressure from the faculty and parents or to get a good placement in future marks are essential and hence a lot of importance is given to exams in India where as on the other hand in UK they focus more on understanding of the subject rather than cramming up on the topic and writing in the exam. In which country do you get more acknowledgement and respect to your views and opinions? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 11 11*100/50 21% UK 39 39*100/50 79% Analysis: from the survey conducted, when students were asked in which country you find more comfortable to express your views and opinions? 11 out of 50 i.e. 21% students responded in India and 39 out of 50 i.e. 79% responded in UK. Hence from the above analysis it states that students find it more comfortable to express their views and ideas in UK. An idea or opinion which is been stated by a particular student is appreciated as people here are more open to ideas and are not conservative. Which country provides you with greater opportunities for future? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 33 33*100/50 66% UK 17 17*100/50 34% Analysis: From the survey conducted, when the students were surveyed which country provides them with greater opportunities for future 33 out of 50 responded India and 17 out of 50 responded UK. Therefore from the above analysis it is clear that India provides with greater opportunities in terms of future growth. Which curriculum is more managed and structured? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 22 22*100/50 44% UK 28 28*100/50 56% Analysis: The survey that was conducted, when the students were asked which curriculum do they find more managed and structured? 22 out of 50 i.e India and 28 out of 50 i.e. 56% responded UK. Thus from the above analysis it shows that the study pattern is more organized in UK as compared to India. In which country would you advice your friends, family for studies? Country Frequency Calculate Percentage India 21 21*100/50 42% UK 29 29*100/50 58% Analysis: Out of the 50 students that were surveyed, when students were asked in which country would you prefer your friends and family for studies? 22 out of 50 i.e. 44% responded India and 28 out of 50 i.e. 56% responded UK. Thus from the above analysis it shows that students would prefer their friends and family to study in UK over India. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: Face to face in- depth survey was conducted of 5 students in order to know the insight of the students. Unstructured questions were asked to students in order to know what they feel about the education system of UK and India. The following are the view points of the students: As compared to India students find UK education is more practical based in terms of visiting industrial. The example that was cited by the students was that back in India they have studied the theoretical perspective of the subject. But when they went for industrial visit here they could relate what they had studied in the past and could thus apply in future when they work for an organization. They got to know about the various lines of processes. Students mentioned how class room activity helps them to think out of the box. Students in UK have given a stipulated time and in that time frame they need to come up with a role play where in they have to come up with a solution of the problem. This enables the students to think swiftly and think in other directions. They even mentioned how case studies are given in each class after the theoretical summary about the subject. Real time cases are been given to students so that students can read the entire case and thus analyze the situation and thus discussing the problem in class and providing solution for the same. The students have mentioned about technology which is more advanced in UK as compared to India. In UK everything can be operated on the podium starting from switching off the lights, opening and shutting the window chick, the projector screen etc which saves a lot of time. They have spoken about how liberal UK is in its attitude while teaching. The faculty here believes in breaking the standard barrier of thinking in one direction and to think in various directions for proving a solution to a problem. Some of the students have even mentioned that even if in UK the emphasis on exams is not to that extent as compared to India, this even leads to students not taking exams seriously. Even though understanding of the subject is essential a base for the subject is essential which can be acquired by reading the theory. Hence students feel emphasis on exams should give to acquire more in depth knowledge. Students when surveyed mentioned that more opportunities for future placement for a job and for future growth is more seen in India as compared to India. FINDINGS: From the above research conducted by Quantitative and Qualitative the following are the findings: The Education System of UK is more practical based as compared to India as it provides students with more to industrial visit which helps the students to gain knowledge about the processes and workings that are undertaken. In UK they find their ideas and views to be acknowledged and respected and are even appreciated thus motivating the students to accomplish what they desire in future. The faculty in UK provides students with their real life experiences rather than the giving bookish example. Students find the opportunity for job or placement in India as compared to UK. The opportunity for future growth is seen in India as compared to UK. The education system in UK ensures students to have great amount of exposure in terms of solving case studies, class room activity on an everyday basis. On contrary the education system in India ensures students to participate more in role plays rather than field trips. The attitude in expressing views and opinions in Indian education system lacks openness. There is lack of technical advancement in India as compared to UK which saves a lot of time and energy of students and faculty as well. The education system in India is more exam oriented as compared to UK which is in a way vital as the students will not take their studies liberally. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESSTIONS: In India students must be taken to various Industrial visits in order to get them a greater insight of the working of management processes, working inside the organization. Indian Education system must have brainstorming sessions for students so that they can think out of the box and express their opinions and views. Indian Education system must have brainstorming sessions for students so that they can think out of the box and express their opinions and views. As compared to UK, India is lagging behind technology. Hence use of technology in a better way to enhance the learning experience of students thus saving time, cost and energy. There should be many more courses in India which concentrates on research fields only for the companies. As India is more exam oriented than UK, UK education system should have more emphasis on exam this would increase their knowledge to a great extent. ANNEXURE 1 QUESTIONNARE NAME: COURSE: Which countries teaching do you prefer? INDIA UK Which education system provides you with greater practical knowledge? INDIA UK 2.1) If UK, why do you find this education system more practical based? More of Industrial Visits Class room based activity Primary based assignment Role plays Other ) If India , why do you find this education system more practical based? More of Industrial Visits Class room based activity Primary based assignment Role plays Other What according to you should India adapt from UK teaching? Openness Citing Practical examples Improvement in technological advancement Others How far is India lagging behind in comparison to UK in terms of use of technology? Very Much Not so much Not at all Which education system is more liberal in teaching? INDIA UK Which education system do you find more exam oriented? Indian education system UK Education System In which country do you get more acknowledgement and respect to your views and opinions? INDIA UK Which country provides you with greater opportunities for future? INDIA UK Which curriculum is more managed and structured? INDIA UK In which country would you advice your friends, family for studies? INDIA UK