The eNotes Blog Remembering W. S.Merwin

Recollecting W. S.Merwin The writer W. S. Merwin died on March 15, denoting the determination to a long and luxuriously profitable life. His assortment of verse demonstrates hard to summarize. Through the span of his seven many years of composing, Merwin changed over and over, in style and tone and subject. Merwin’s first volumes of stanza, distributed during the 1950s, uncover his unique situation and impacts Graves, Auden, and Yeats-more than his own interests. These early works are freshly formal and educated, instructed by a secretive, recondite insight. During the 1960s, outrage entered Merwin’s stanza. His verse got warmed by the political hardships of the age, to be specific the Vietnam War and the mounting ecological emergency. By at that point, Merwin had slipped liberated from customary section frames and had shed practically all accentuation. These characteristics can be found in the initial lines of â€Å"For a Coming Extinction† (1967): Dark whaleNow that we are sending you to The EndThat incredible godTell him That we who tail you created forgivenessAnd pardon nothing In the late 1970s, Merwin moved to Hawaii, where his verse aged into a stunning and indisputable style. Merwin contemplated Buddhism and environment, deciphered old style Asian verse, and gradually changed a cursed pineapple ranch into a flourishing rainforest-exercises to which he was submitted for an incredible remainder. The interests of Merwin’s life radiate through his craft, which progressively mirrored his common environmental factors through flawlessly minute perception. To be sure, Merwin’s later sonnets show the operations of a brain receptive to the wealth of the current second and aligned to the moderate patterns of soils, trees, and moving fowls. In these sonnets, Merwin’s signature absence of accentuation passes on the promptness of felt understanding and the layered character of time. Consider â€Å"The Making of Amber† (2009): The September runs structure cryinggathering southwardeven little fowls knowingfor the first timehow to fly right as oneat sunrise the split figis loaded up with dewthe finch finds itlike something it remembersthen over the afternoonthe grape vine hangs low in the doorwayand grapes one by onetaste warm to the tonguetransparent and soundlessrich with late light The sonnet represents the wonder of Merwin’s best verse, in which his massive strategy appears to vanish, leaving on the page snapshots of joy, distress, or marvel. Merwin’s misfortune is imperative, yet in his verse he left the record of a real existence profoundly lived and wonderfully communicated. For whatever length of time that there are perusers of verse, his work will live on.

The German Lyrics for Edelweiss

The German Lyrics for 'Edelweiss' On the off chance that youre an enthusiast of The Sound of Music, at that point you presumably have the words to Edelweiss retained. In any case, in the event that you just know the tune in English, its opportunity to figure out how to sing it in German. Edelweiss is something other than a sweet melody from a great melodic. Its likewise a goodâ example of how melodies are converted into various dialects. In spite of the fact that it was written in English for a 1959 American melodic set in Austriaâ that was adjusted as a film in 1965, German verses werent composed until some other time. It may shock you to discover that the interpretation isnt careful; truth be told, its way off the mark, with the exception of in the general opinion. Before we get into the interpretation, heres some foundation on the melody. Edelweiss Isnt German or Austrian The main thing you should think about Edelweiss is that it is anything but an Austrian or German tune. The main thing German about it is its title and the snow capped bloom itself. The melody was composed and created by two Americans: Richard Rodgersâ (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). Hammerstein had a German legacy his granddad, Oscar Hammerstein I, was conceived in what is presently Poland to a German-speaking Jewish family-yet the tune is carefully American. In the film, Captain von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer) sings an enthusiastic variant of Edelweiss, a resonating, paramount version that may have added to the bogus thought that its the Austrian national song of devotion. The second thingâ to know about Edelweiss is that it, similar to The Sound of Music, is for all intents and purposes obscure in Austria. Despite the fact that Salzburg, Austria, charges itself as The Sound of Music City, clients for The Sound of Music visits incorporate not many Austrians or Germans. Edelweiãÿ der Liedtext (Edelweiss Lyrics) Music by Richard RogersEnglish Lyrics by Oscar HammersteinDeutsch: UnknownMusical: The Sound of Music Edelweiss is an exceptionally basic melody regardless of which language you decide to sing it in. Its an extraordinary method to rehearse your German with a tune that you likely definitely know. Both the German and English verses are underneath. Notice how every language utilizes the melodies beat and hasâ the same or almost a similar number of syllables per line. The two arrangements of verses have a sentimental vibe, not just in the importance of the wordsâ but likewise by they way they sound. German Lyrics English Lyrics Direct Translation Edelweiãÿ, Edelweiãÿ, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Edelweiss Du gr㠼ãÿt mich jeden Morgen, Each morning you welcome me You welcome me each morning, Sehe ich dich, Little and white, I see you, Freue ich mich, perfect and brilliant I am looking, Und vergess' meine Sorgen. You look glad to meet me. What's more, I overlook my concerns. Schmã ¼cke das Heimatland, Bloom of day off Embellish the nation of origin, Schã ¶n und weiãÿ, may you blossom and develop, Delightful and white, Blã ¼hest wie bite the dust Sterne. Blossom and develop for eternity. Thriving like the stars. Edelweiãÿ, Edelweiãÿ, Edelweiss, Edelweis, Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Ach, ich hab dich so gerne. Favor my country until the end of time. Goodness, I love you to such an extent. An Example of How Songs Are Translated In interpreting tunes, how they sound and stream with the music is a higher priority than a precise transliteration of the words. That is the reason the German interpretation is altogether unique from Hammersteins English verses. We dont realize who composed the German verses for Edelweiss, yet the individual worked superbly of holding the importance of Hammersteins tune. Its fascinating to look at all three variants next to each other so we can perceive how melodic interpretations work.

Essay sample dedicated to black holes

Essay sample dedicated to black holes During the past several decades, major scientific discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics were made that changed the way people perceive space and universe. Many space objects and phenomena were discovered including exoplanets, extrasolar planets, gravitational waves, and so on (Hill, 2010). Moreover, scientists have been interested in collecting information about black holes â€" mysterious and dangerous space objects possessing massive gravitational attraction. The main characteristic of this extraordinary object is that it possesses a huge amount of mass concentrated in an extremely small area. Due to this unique feature, a black hole can devour all objects near it including light, which is why people cannot see them without special telescopes (Anderson, 2015). In this essay, I intend to describe these amazing space objects in detail by focusing on their types, structure, and processes occurring inside them. Research on Black Holes The first questions I will answer in this essay are “When were black holes first theorized?” and “Who discovered black holes?” Interestingly, although only advanced equipment allows finding a black hole in the immense outer space, the first theories about this object were made back in the 18th century. Amateur astronomer John Mitchell used Newton’s research on gravity and suggested that there should be incredibly dense celestial objects that are able to escape velocity equals (Waxman, 2017). Although his suggestions were later supported by the French scholar Pierre Laplace, the scientific community did not take them seriously because no one could even imagine that such an extraordinary thing can exist in the universe (Rau, 2015). Even genius Albert Einstein doubted whether black holes actually existed and argued that they were no more than a figment of the imagination of enthusiastic mathematicians and astronomers. With the advancement of technologies, researchers managed to collect much evidence proving that John Mitchell was right â€" black holes exist, and they are as real any other celestial object. Although it is impossible to take a picture of a black hole to prove its existence, researchers can learn where exactly it is located by exploring how it affects the nearby environment. More specifically, scholars have explored how black holes devour light, dust, and astronomical objects, as well as how they interact with galaxies (Rau, 2015). These objects are surrounded by the discs of material that spin around them so fast that they emit X-rays, which can be easily detected by telescopes (Anderson, 2015). As the technology develops further, we can learn more about these magnificent objects, so one may suggest that the most groundbreaking discoveries are coming soon. Black Holes: Description and Black Holes Facts At this point, I would like to explore black holes in detail to learn how black holes are formed, what is inside a black hole and how these objects differ from each other. Researchers explain that when giant stars reach their final stage of development, they explode in the impressive phenomenon known as a supernova. As a result, these stars begin to collapse in upon themselves, creating the powerful gravitational pull (National Geographic, 2017). Notably, although black holes devour energy, the amount of matter they can pull inside cannot be larger than their own mass. When an object approaches a black hole, it needs to reach the point of no return, which is the point from which it cannot escape from the hole’s gravitation (National Geographic, 2017). Furthermore, researchers have been concerned with answering the question “How large can the volume of a black hole get?” Theoretically, one may assume that such an object can continuously devour matter and ultimately destroy the whole universe. However, it is practically impossible, so the largest black holes can only reach the mass ten billion times the mass of our Sun (Plait, 2016). “How do black holes grow?” is another question attracting scholars’ attention. Research and theoretical findings demonstrate that these celestial objects can grow over time by consuming energy. However, it would be wrong to claim that they are similar to large vacuum cleaners that suck everything around. In fact, researchers argue that if a black hole with the same mass as our Sun replaced it, it would not devour this planet, and all planets would continue to revolve around it as they did with the Sun (Waxman, 2017). It is also incorrect to think that black holes are immortal because scientists also proved that they can seize to exist over time (Siegel, 2014). So how do black holes evaporate? This question is difficult to answer in several sentences because evaporation is associated with complex physical and chemical processes that may complement each other and produce a powerful effect. Briefly speaking, although black holes indeed devour objects, they still emit some energy, which can gradually decrease black holes’ mass, thus leading to their gradual disappearance (Siegel, 2014). Moreover, one needs to note that it is still unknown what is inside a black hole because scientists can only imagine how such a unique fabric of spacetime can look like. Finally, one needs to describe the classification of black holes. There are three main types of black holes including stellar black holes, supermassive black holes, and miniature black holes, which differ depending on the star they evolved from, as well as their age. For example, miniature holes have evolved from stars much smaller than our Sun. These types of black holes affect their environment differently, but the principle of their existence is similar. To conclude, black holes are indeed extraordinary astronomical objects that have fascinated and frightened people from the day of their discovery. Scholars have managed to learn more about these celestial bodies, but there are surely many things we still do not know about them.

Differences Between Sex And Gender - 871 Words

With sex and gender being such a predominate factor in determining our position in society, it is difficult to hinder ourselves from distinguishing certain characteristics and attributes to be masculine (male) or feminine(female). Is is paramount to distinguish the differences between sex and gender. Sex is determined by our hormones and anatomy while gender is the social meanings, behaviors, and expectations attached to a given sex by society (Logg, Lecture Notes, Fall 2015). Generally speaking, labels are immensely restricting to members of society who fail to fit into their perceived gender roles considering that it enforces the idea of the binary gender system where it is only socially acceptable to identify as a male or female based on your sex. Sex and gender is something that has not been closely examined by social scientist to prove or disprove if the binary gender system is evident in human nature. Social scientists should research and challenge commonly held beliefs about sex and gender due to the negative effects it has on society. Individuals who fail to fit into the masculine (male) or feminine (female) roles are often misunderstood and rejected by society members who identify and abide by their given gender roles. Social institutions such as media, religion, medical, government, etc. (Logg, Lecture Notes, Fall 2015) significantly impact and are present in our everyday lives. These social institutions often times do not consider alternatives to the genderShow MoreRelatedGender Differences Between Gender And Sex1334 Words   |  6 Pagesmany people are constantly categorized to be confused about what their whole life and purpose is, because they cannot be placed in one of the two socially accepted gender categories- male or female. This idea or â€Å"disorder†(Medical Dictionary) is commonly known as being transgender. I do not think that there are only two categories for gender; I believe that there are people who are not considered to be only male or female, but both. Due to different religions, inf luences, social structures, and expectationsRead MoreDifference Between Sex and Gender1127 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, the in depth differences between sex and gender has grown to be one that is discussed extensively by psychologists and sociologists too. Sex in itself is a more scientific term that explains the innate physical attributes of an individual. On the other hand gender carries a more social tone. Meaning, that it refers to the different clothing, activities, career choices, and positions people hold in society. This essay aims to highlight some of the key differential aspects between these two concepts;Read MoreDifference Between Sex and Gender1134 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, the in depth differences between sex and gender has grown to be one that is discussed extensively by psychologists and sociologists too. Sex in itself is a more scientific term that explains the innate physical attributes of an individual. On the other hand gender carries a more social tone. M eaning, that it refers to the different clothing, activities, career choices, and positions people hold in society. This essay aims to highlight some of the key differential aspects between these two concepts;Read MoreDifferences Between Sex And Gender Essay1151 Words   |  5 PagesThere are distinct differences between Sex and Gender. Sex is divided up into two divisions, male or female, based upon their reproductive system. Gender is the notion set by society on what social behaviours are acceptable for males and females, for example the expectation that females are more caring or nurturing than men. Gender can be further divided into two subcategorise: identity and stereotype. Gender identity is the concept that your sex and gender do not have to be the same but can differentRead MoreGender Differences Between Sex And Gender911 Words   |  4 Pages Now in our generation there has been great controversy about what gender you are and what kind of love you believe in. One thing many people fail to realize is that your gender and your designated sex are two completely different things. Not only is there that divide between sex and gender but there is pre-determined rules that everyone is expected to follow that is connected to their specific gender. 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On the other hand, gender is a social arrangement that defines how to act according to sex categories (Conley 2013). According to the writer and sociology professor, Dalton Conley, gender is so deeply rooted in social construction that it may seem as a natural structure of humans’ livesRead MoreDifference Between Sex And Gender2324 Words   |  10 PagesDifference Between Sex and Gender and How They Can Define Us A topic that has been heavily discussed throughout this course is the difference between sex and gender. For past several centuries the word gender has been used particularly as a substitute for sex and vice versa. It has proven to be quite a useful term in the past, however, distinctions between the terms sex and gender, in instances where one word would be more proper to use than the other, have not been fully recognized. In most instancesRead MoreDifferences Between Sex And Gender2408 Words   |  10 PagesThis essay will navigate the differences between sex and gender through definition and discourse. First I will discuss sex with reference to biology, what it means to possess the parts of a man and of a woman. Within this context I will address intersex people and will examine transgenderism. I will then explore and identify gender through a discussion of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) associated with transgenderism touching briefly on the construction of gender roles. The pape r will criticallyRead MoreThe Difference Between Sex and Gender743 Words   |  3 PagesIn today s society sex and gender seem to have two separate connotative meanings. Sex is a more scientific term that explains physical traits and sexual preferences. Gender carries a more social tone. Meaning that it refers to the different clothing, activities, career choices, and positions people hold in society. A person s social status helps separate or classify the two sexes. brbrSex is the total sum of physical characteristics that distinguish males and females from each other. The most

Reincarnation Is A Common Belief - 3323 Words

According to the dictionary website, the term reincarnation refers to a â€Å"belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form† (â€Å"Reincarnation† 2005). In other words, reincarnation is the idea that when the soul leaves the body of an individual, it returns again in a different figure. Typically, people who are very spiritual believe in reincarnation, which is a common belief in the dynamic religions of our world. This particular belief originated from India in the ninth century BC when the writings of Brahman were created (Valea 2015). The idea of reincarnation provides many people with a fresh outlook on the meaning of life in which they spend their whole life searching for answers and analyzing past events. For most people, this concept gives them an opportunity to determine where exactly their origin or destiny was with the help of past lives. The issue of reincarnation can also correlate to the problem of evil since the y both consist of positive and negative karmic deeds. It is a very important issue that can be analyzed religiously, philosophically and scientifically. Strangely enough, in a recent study, only about twenty-seven percent of Americans believed in the idea of reincarnation while on the other hand, fifty-nine percent of them disapproved of the issue (Haraldsson 2005). Throughout this paper, I will address the major issue of whether reincarnation exists or not through the presentation of many religious beliefs fromShow MoreRelatedHave You Ever Wondered If You Have Lived More Than Once?1260 Words   |  6 Pagesconcept of reincarnation. For some of us, like myself, have had dreams or images of places or things that we have never seen, in person with our own eyes, in our current lifetime. Then we see these images in a picture online and feel like we have been there or have some sort of connection with them. Many say that this is due to our past lives. As in we have lived before in a dif ferent time and somehow, we can remember some things from it. People began to call this the belief of reincarnation. I willRead MoreIs Reincarnation A Life After Death?1714 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent religions and beliefs. One example being Reincarnation and the Christian belief. What is reincarnation? It is the rebirth of the soul, like playing a game and restarting it over to make different choices. Reincarnation is something that, some people can not simply accept is even a possibility. Even if it has been proven by a world know psychiatrist, Ian Stevenson, others still doubt that it is a possibility and will come up with things to oppose or deflect the idea. Reincarnation is one of manyRead More‘Resurrection Is More Likely to Be True Than Reincarnation.’ Discuss1100 Words   |  5 Pages‘Resurrection is more likely to be true than reincarnation.’ Discuss In discussing this statement, we must first define the words resurrection and reincarnation to decipher what they mean. Resurrection is the act of rising from the dead or returning to life and reincarnation is the rebirth of a soul in a new body. There are many problems surrounding the two due to mainly religious beliefs. I will be focussing mainly of the religion of Hinduism as they believe in reincarnation, and Christianity which believesRead MoreReincarnation - Buddhism vs. Hinduism Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesReincarnation- Buddhism vs. Hinduism How would it feel to know that after you died, you would be reborn into a new body? That the deciding factor in what you would become was how you lived your life? Beliefs like these have existed for at least 3,000 years. Originating and commonly practiced in Western countries, this is called reincarnation. To know that you have lived many lives before this one and that there are many more to come is a very attractive perspective from which to judge the meaningRead MoreThe Theory Of Reincarnation And The Soul1147 Words   |  5 PagesThe Argument Stating Reincarnation Exists In this paper I show reincarnation to exist. My arguments for reincarnation to be possible are as followed. Many different religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism believe it to be true and have many examples showing the possibility. Depending on the religion, reincarnation can range from souls just traveling to other bodies or animals, seeking to fulfill life lessons. Also, looking at child prodigies, how can one explain the utter talent with no previousRead MoreThe Moment ( Kubler Ross 25 )1454 Words   |  6 Pagessome sort of afterlife whether it be a place or transportation of the soul. Reincarnation is a very common belief by most humans. This is a Buddhist and Hindu belief of the afterlife. Reincarnation is the belief that souls within every living organism never die, applying to plants, animals, and people. Reincarnation is all based on karma. Karma s law included in the belief that determines someone’s life. In reincarnation, if one has good karma, one ascends to a higher spiritual being like going fromRead MoreHinduism Vs. Buddhism970 Words   |  4 Pagesare, both share the same belief in karma and reincarnation, dharma, their origination and the emphasis of compassion and nonviolence to human beings. Karma is understood as the actions carried out by the people, in relation with their cycle of life. It is important to both religions because it is a goal aimed to meet. Reincarnation is the process of living again in another soul or body. In other words death is not the end. Reincarnation allows karma to work. When reincarnation is successful, it allowsR ead MoreHumanities 130 Hinduism Paper733 Words   |  3 PagesHinduism Paper HUMANITIES 130 Hinduism is a diverse body of religion, philosophy, and cultural practice native to and predominant in India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being of many forms and natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a desire for liberation from earthly evils (GodWeb,  n.d.). In this paper I will further explore what the Hindu religion is encompassed of. And delve into what makes the religion of HinduismRead MoreJain Philosophy- Jainism1312 Words   |  5 PagesJainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism have significant differences in their belief of the universe in regrades to karma. Understanding these differences in these religions concerning karma allows one to distinguish the individuality of Jainism from other Indian religions prominent today. As well as knowing the contrasts understanding the similarities between Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism also help us understand the common beliefs and ideals about karma and the universe held by these faiths. JainismRead MoreDifferences Between Islam And Hinduism1280 Words   |  6 Pages Islam and Hinduism are both very large, popular world religions. Although the two religions have some common ground, there are many distinct differences between the two religions. Many of the differences are centered around two major beliefs. The two major beliefs are the means of salvation and the number of Gods the followers of the religions worship and believe in. Religions often answer questions about spiritual life. A question that is often asked is, â€Å"What happens after death?† Many people

Education Is The Key For Financial Security - 882 Words

I have always believed that having an education would cause me to do better in life. That if I tried my best to achieve great grades I would succeed in life irrespective to my being Black and female. My grandmother is the person who instilled these values into me. As a dark-skinned Black woman who was born in Virginia during the early forties, she still managed to do very well in life. She bought her first house before she was thirty, worked on Wall Street and in the New York City Public School System. She has always believed that education is the key to ending poverty. I also looked to other family members of mine who used education as a means to do better in life. For me, education is the key to overall financial security. However, I’ve noticed time and time again many of my peers argue otherwise. My peers believe that having an education will not change their lives and that being born privileged is the key to financial security. Although I do believe that some people have t o work harder than others in order achieve, I wonder what caused this new thought process amongst America’s youth, especially Black Americans. The idea that education is irrelevant and the outcome of their lives has already been decided for them because of their race. While reading, â€Å"Education, Faith and the Promise of Equality† by Manning Marable I began thinking about my family why so many Black Americans believe education to be almost worthless. I found that the reason is because most BlackShow MoreRelatedWas Marcus Garvey The Most Significant African American Civil Rights Leader?1606 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent was Marcus Garvey the most significant African American civil rights leader in the period 1865-1945? The period between 1865 and 1945 saw some of the most dramatic social, political and economic changes in America. The key issue of black civil rights throughout this period was advocated and led by a range of significant, emotive and inspiring leaders. Marcus Garvey was a formidable public speaker and is often named as the most popular black nationalist leader of the early twentiethRead MoreReasons Why Financial Education Is Important Essay1107 Words   |  5 Pages5 Reasons Why Financial Education Is Important By JeanClaude Diguangco Arnobit | Submitted On April 10, 2014 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook 1 Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest It s important that we keep on educating ourselves financiallyRead MoreCareer Objectives For My Progressive Organization1720 Words   |  7 Pagespursuing a challenging new career opportunity where I can utilise my extensive experience gained over the past 25+ years. 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David Letterman Essay Example For Students

David Letterman Essay David LettermanDavid Letterman grew up in a small town in eastern Indiana. Hewas born to Joseph and Dorothy Letterman. After reading the novel, DavidLetterman: On Stage and Off by Rosemarie Lennon, I have learned about all hisstruggles and joys. Because of this book, I feel sorry towards one of thefunniest people on Earth, David Letterman. I also admire him for his good actsand abilities. To realize why I feel what I feel toward Letterman, you have to look atsome of the main points in his life. First of all, Dave was exactly an Astudent. He struggled all of his life through grade school to college. He alsowasnt very popular. He stated, I remember standing around. . . with theother losers, watching all the athletes play sports. All we could do is makefun and ridicule them. He was never good at anything until high school. AllI ever knew how to do was to make people laugh. In high school I was the classclown, making fun of everything and everyone. This personality trait was whatgave him his thousands of faithful fans, watching his show every night to seeDave rip to shreds anyone who dare challenge him. Another thing that wasimportant to him was his mother and father. His father, Joseph Letterman, andDave went fishing quite often when he was young. Dave looked up to his fathertremendously. When Joseph had his first heart attack when he was thirty-six,Dave and his father started to drift away. Later, Daves Dad died when he wasfifty-three. One of Davids top regrets was never spending a lot of time withhis dad. As for his mother, she is the classical conservative mother of thefifties. She was always very hard on Dave when he got into mischief in schoolwhich was quite often. She is still a part of Daves life, and can be seenquite often on his show, doing a comedy sketch, or telling audience members whatthe temperature was in Lillihammer during the Winter Olympics. The Reason I feel sorry for Letterman is because of his tragedies of hispast. His Dads passing was hard enough, but he had other trials to deal with. Like his mother. She was never really proud of David, constantly reminding himhe was going to fail, and not encouraging him to take his natural ability tomake people laugh to their limits. She hated the idea of him going toCalifornia to work in a comedy club there, but Dave was stubborn. In 1975 hequit his job at a local T.V. station doing the weather, and moved to the bigcity of Los Angeles. He worked at a place called The Comedy Store along sidehis current nemesis, Jay Leno. There he learned how hard it was to be acomedian. He started to become a perfectionist. When something wasnt right, hegot very mad and was very unhappy. This unhappiness is what caused Dave and hiswife since 1969, Michelle Cook, to get a divorce. I misbehaved. Theres noway of getting around that. The responsibility for the end of our marriage issquarely on my shoulders. I have a measure of ongoing guilt about that. . . Iwas very immature and acted badly, and I am sorry for that. Things started toturn around on November 24, 1978, when Johnny Carson, Daves boyhood idol, hadselected Dave to fill-in for him every once in a while. This was it. The bigtimes. But this also set Dave up for one of his biggest rejections yet. Davemade fifty guest-host jobs and twenty-two guest appearances from 1978 to 1980. .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .postImageUrl , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:hover , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:visited , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:active { border:0!important; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:active , .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156 .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua14a2ae56f306d50a60afab505707156:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: To build a fire EssayHe was a regular on Johnnys show and became to be one of Johnnys closestfriends. In 1980, NBC gave Letterman his own show after Carsons. For elevenand a half years, Daves show was a success, and Letterman was considered asCarsons heir to the late night throne. The job was given to Jay Leno instead,when Carson retired. Dave took this as a major insult. He left NBC breakinghis contract and moved to CBS where Jay and Dave would compete for the sametime slot. This new show was terribly exciting for me. Dave did his showjust like his one on NBC and on August 30, 1993, The Late Show with DavidLetterman beat Jay Lenos Tonight Show for two years after that. I also admire David Letterman. After all his ordeals, he still hasntlost the ability to do what he started out to do: to make people to laugh. Ihave been a fan of Letterman since he was guest hosting Carsons show, and Iknow a lot about him. He still puts on a show every night, even though it hastaken a major decline in ratings since the Oscars. He is a kind man as well,giving thousands of dollars to various charities. He has a talent for makingpeople laugh, making even the stupidest jokes funny. I view my self like him. I am not the smartest in my family, nor will I ever be, but I know I am thefunniest. Maybe thats trough years of religiously watching Letterman at night. I am also a perfectionist. I get very angry with myself if I do something thatgoes terribly wrong. David Letterman has inspired me in life, teaching me to dothings most people wouldnt. David William Letterman is a tremendously funny and kind man. He hasgone through some of lifes tragic and some of its magic, but always seems tocome out on top. Who knew that a skinny kid from Indiana who grew up with a fewfriends and no gumption, would be one of the most successful people of his time. And, to quote Letterman, Would you like to buy a monkey?Biographies

Socrates And Crito Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Socrates And Crito The dialogue Crito, by Plato, recounts the last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates' friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be "just" and"morally justified." Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered "unjust" and "morally unjustified." Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would pursuit truth in all matters (Kemerling 1999). In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or a commitment to silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. "...people who do not know you and me will believe that I might have saved you if I had been willing to give money, but that I did not care." -Crito (Plato 569) Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito's arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. "Now you, Crito, are not going to die to-morrow-...-and therefore you are disinterested and not liable to be deceived by the circumstances in which you are placed." -Socrates (Plato 571) In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. "The truth alone deserves to be the basis for decisions about human action, so the only proper approach is to engage in the sort of careful moral reasoning by means of which one may hope to reveal it" (Kemerling 1999). According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. "...if you go forth, returning evil for evil, and injury for injury,...we shall be angry with you while you live, and our brethren, the laws in the world below, will receive you as an enemy; for they will know you have done your best to destroy us." -Socrates (Plato 577) Socrates' argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says: -One ought never to do wrong, -But it is always wrong to disobey the state, -Therefore, one ought never to disobey the state (Kemerling 1999) Since avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to escape. Socrates chose to honor his commitment to truth and morality, even though it cost him his life. One of the main arguments made by Socrates, "Think not of life and children first, and of justice afterwards, but of justice first...For neither will you nor any that belong to you be happier or holier or juster in this life, or happier in another, if you do as Crito bids." -Socrates (Plato 577), is one of the most important and crucial in the Crito dialogue. Socrates provides a very convincing argument of why he should not escape from the Athenian prison. He states that if he does as Crito suggests and escapes, it will not be justifiable nor true. Although his family and friends will be much happier if he escapes, he will not follow the justice or moral code of the state in which he was born and raised. Socrates also gives the idea that if he were to escape, his family and friends would be happy for him, but their fellow citizens and their state in which they reside would not. The government and citizens of the state may take their frustration of this injustice out on the friends and family of Socrates. In this argument, Socrates believes that the state would say, "think not of life and children first, and of justice afterwards"(Plato 566). He says this as a counter-argument to statement made by Crito saying that he should think of the children that he

Recovery-watch - Emphasis

Recovery-watch Recovery-watch Last month we announced the launch of our index tracking the use of the words green shoots and recovery in the newspapers. So where are the press putting us now? Junes references to recovery actually topped Mays (1323 compared to 1185), while green shoots held steady. Merely counting these key words wont give you the entire story, of course. The articles focuses have largely switched, from the general publics need to put faith into the markets and their restoration to the Governments failure to do what they must. The push for positive attitudes is making way for renewed caution and uncertainty, though the Independent (arguably the most optimistic paper) whisper[s] about forecasts of mild global recovery in 2010. In fact, according to the Times, optimism itself may now be a taboo word (and attitude) for public figures to admit to. The paper reminded us early this month about the derision faced by Treasury Minister Baroness Vadera for claiming she believed green shoots were visible back in January. (To be fair though, she walked straight into a trap laid by Sky News, who fed her the term and asked her to respond.) This might go some way towards explaining the Governments cautious attitude of late.

Sustainability of the Clients Investments Assignment

Sustainability of the Clients Investments - Assignment Example The company's broad product line is comprised of wall and floor tiles, natural stone, and laminate and solid wood flooring. Toops Tiles also offers underfloor heating, tools, adhesives, grouts, accessories, and cleaning products to complement the major product lines. These additional offerings enable each customer to finish any job involving tile installation. Through this memo, the medium and long term sustainability of Toops Tiles PLC will be assessed through an analysis of its financial statements. I will also provide a SWOT analysis to get a deeper insight on the company's internal performance and external environment. Table 1 shows a two-year comparative report on the Toops Tiles PLC's major accounts. During the fiscal year 2005, the company recorded total sales of 175.64 million compared to the previous years' 159.43 million. It can be noted that the company's revenue ballooned by 10% despite the weak consumer environment in the United Kingdom. Profit before taxes also leaped by 16% to 39, 232 and net income totaled 30, 189. Toops Tiles' resources also expanded by almost 3% which is due to the growth in tangible fixed asset, and short term receivables. The company was able to pay off a huge portion of its debts as evidenced by the 6.15% drop in total liabilities. Toops Tiles' preference for low risk financing is also indicated by the growth in equity by 17.10% (Annual Report 2005). As a minority shareho... As we know, an investor gains in stock investments through capital gains and dividends. Table 2 shows the company's dividend for its common stockholders is escalating throughout the five-year-period of 2001-2005. Dividends increased almost tenfold from 1.00p to 9.50p. This growth in dividend per share indicates company's profitability as it is capable of paying its stockholders from the company's net income and still sustains its operation through its retained earnings. The company's stock price is volatile indicated by periods of ups and downs which indicate the investor's perception of the company's profitability. Toops Tiles PLC has experienced an annual 3.85% slump in stock prices during 2005. However, the five-year-period covered in the analysis indicates a generally positive perception of the company's stocks as price rose by 160%. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Toops Tiles capitalizes on its strong brand equity as it is the largest tile and wood flooring specialist group. The company's operation is also supported by its wide distribution channel which provides accessibility to their customers. This also enables Toops Tiles to cover a larger geographical area. Offering products which complements to their major product line is also a plus as it provides more value to the customers. Weaknesses: The major weakness of the company is its inability to create a better image to its investors like its stockholders. This is mirrored by the drop of the Toops Tiles' stock price amidst its good financial position. The company should consider launching a marketing program which will highlight the company's accomplishments. Another weakness lies in the company's supply chain. Toops Tiles' delivers inventory to its distribution facilities twice in a week.

WORKPLACE SECURITY AND WORKER PRIVACY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WORKPLACE SECURITY AND WORKER PRIVACY - Essay Example Of them 20 enactments relate to Minimum Wages, which are prescribing wage increases @ $0 .25 every year, bringing the wage levels in some States to $ 8.00 per hour. There are conditions imposed on employers not to include in this, tipped wages beyond $ 3.00. Besides this, 18 amendments relate to Workplace Security, 12 to Time off and 11 to three categories, viz., Prevailing Wages, Wages Paid and Worker Privacy. In this essay, let us go into the impact of these two legislations, in the current business scenario, particularly with an organization providing customer service call centers for multiple organizations; located in 5 other States and 6 cities in India. Workmen's compensation legislation prescribes compensation for employment injuries and the employer's responsibility is well defined in that respect. But, in the case of Workplace violence, besides the fact it is a bad culture deteriorating the organizational image principally, the employer's liability in terms of damage and legal remedies is beyond one's comprehension. In light of the doctrine that employer is responsible for the employee's conduct affecting a third party, who may be a fellow employee, customer or even a casual visitor, the employer is basically obligated to ensure that there is no scope for work place violence, particularly caused by the conduct of the employee. The law extends further more, in the sense, hiring and retaining a person who is likely to cause violence, will also put the employer into jeopardy. The potential application of negligence actions to cases where an employee has been caused injury by harassment at work was confirmed in Waters (AP) v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis [2000] IRLR 220. The House of Lords held that "if an employer knows that acts being done by employees during their employment may cause physical and mental harm to a particular fellow employee and he does nothing to supervise or prevent such acts, when it is in his power to do so, it is clearly arguable that he may be in breach of his duty of care to that employee". [Equality and Human Rights Commission, 03-03-2009 ()] Employers can be found liable for negligent retention for not terminating an employee who has violated company policy on workplace violence. Or, if an employer failed to perform a thorough background check on an employee who proves to be a safety threat, an employer could be liable for negligent hiring. [Correy E. Stephenson, Lawyers USA.Boston:Oct 23, 2006.( )] The learned Judges have pronounced that employers owe potential customers a legal duty to use due care in retaining an employee who attends to those customers, as in the case Watson v. City of Hialeah. In this case a marital counselor had

Is employee job satisfaction important for success

Is employee job satisfaction important for success Happy employees are productive employees. Happy employees are not productive employees. The topic of employee attitude and job attitude has always been a debatable and confused topic among practitioners even though during periods when employees are being referred to as valuable asset for organizational success and competitiveness. Employees have attitudes or viewpoints about many aspects of their jobs, their careers, and their organisations. However, from the perspective of research and practice, the most focal employee attitude is job satisfaction. The most-used research definition of job satisfaction is by Locke (1976), who described it as a state which is enjoyable or positive that results from the appraisal of ones job or job experiences. Implicit in Lockes definition is the importance of both affect, or feeling, and cognition, or thinking. Organisations are social systems where human resources are regarded as the most key elements for effectiveness and efficiency. In order to achieve their goals and objectives organisations require efficient managers and employees. Without their personnel efforts and commitment success cannot be achieved by these organisations. Job satisfaction is critical to retaining and attracting well-qualified personnel. Employee job satisfaction can be described as an attitude that employees have about their organisation and job. Methodologically, it can be said that job satisfaction is an employees emotional response which can be compared between actual outcomes and preferred outcomes (Mosadeghrad, 2003b). One of the greatest challenge facing service organisations is possibly pursue for quality service. (Sohal, 1994). Thus finding ways for maintaining and improving service quality is necessary. (Bitner et al., 1994). In the recent years it has been noticed that the effects of many human resource development factors on business performance has been extensively discussed in business research literature. In service industries, where services are often characterised by an encounter between service providers and customers, the quality and capability of the service providers have a direct, significant effect on the service delivery process and customer satisfaction. The initial interaction, having a great influence on how customers evaluate the service quality, has been better known as the moment of truth as customers start to form their opinion and expectation of the service delivery experience (Normann, 1984). This brief encounter can be vital in achieving a reputation for higher quality and continuous business. 2.2 PERFORMANCE What is performance? Performance is the result of achieving organisational objectives; a yardstick of success. Porter (1980) asserts that the basis of above average performance in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage. 2.2.1 Measuring performance Performance measurement is necessary because it enables firms to take a snapshot of current activity to assess their progress and help refocus strategy. Furthermore the company makes information available for evaluation to be undertaken. Records of past sales levels, calls achieved, expense levels, etc. facilitate comparison and provide trends that can be used for evaluation and setting of goals. Most companies use a combination of input (behavioural) and output measures to evaluate their sales forces. (Oliver, R.L. and Anderson, E. (1994). Specific output measures for individual salespeople include the following: The problems arise in deciding the criteria by which performance should be measured. The customers judge quality on a range of objective and subjective issues which are often difficult to pin down. Employee attitude, for example, was ranked as the most important critical success factor to hotel companies, but is difficult to measure accurately. 2.3 Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction is related to customer loyalty Service providers are expected to increase their service value over time because customers today are very knowledgeable in seeking out new service alternatives and will defect if they are just merely satisfied. Very satisfied customers were found to be six times more likely to repurchase than those who were just satisfied ( Jones and Sasser, 1995). Other studies, such as Gummesson (1993) and Storbacka et al. (1994), also discussed the link between satisfaction and loyalty. 2.4 Job satisfaction and job performance The study of the link between job satisfaction and job performance has a controversial history. The Hawthorne studies, conducted in the 1930s, are often credited with making researchers aware of the effects of employee attitudes on performance. Shortly after the Hawthorne studies, researchers began taking a critical look at the notion that a happy worker is a productive worker. Most of the earlier reviews of the literature suggested a weak and somewhat inconsistent relationship between job satisfaction and performance. However, further research does not agree with this conclusion. Organ (1988) suggests that the failure to find a strong relationship between job satisfaction and performance is due to the narrow means often used to define job performance. Organ argued that when performance is defined to include important behaviors not generally reflected in performance appraisals, such as OCB, its relationship with job satisfaction improves. In addition, in a more recent and comprehensive review of 301 studies, Judge, Thoresen, Bono, and Patton (2001) found that when the correlations are appropriately corrected (for sampling and measurement errors), the average correlation between job satisfaction and job performance is a higher .30. In addition, the link between job satisfaction and performance was found to be even higher for complex (e.g., professional) jobs than for less complex jobs. Thus, contrary to earlier reviews, it does appear that job satisfaction is, in fact, predictive of performance, and the relationship is even stronger for professional jobs. 2.5 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ATTITUDES, PERFORMANCE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Past research has found positive but weak relationships between employees job-related attitudes and performance (Iaffaldano and Muchinsky 1990). Recent research has included customer satisfaction as a correlate of employee attitudes and performance, stressing the importance of quality service to organisational achievement (Wiley 1990, Zeithaml et al., 1985). In todays competitive marketplace, organization effectiveness depends on understanding what customers value and communicating this understanding to employees in the form of employee-performance goals and expectations. (Crom 1994, Heskett et al.,1994) In another study of relationships between organisational performance, customer satisfaction, and employee attitudes, (Wiley 1990) studied data from over 200 retail stores. He found that, overall, those stores most favourably described by employees were those most favourably described by customers. In particular, customer satisfaction ratings were strongly and positively related to employees descriptions of key aspects of their working environment, especially working conditions, minimum obstacles to accomplishing their work, and a strong sense that supervisors and co-workers stress customer service. A number of employee attitude dimensions were related to customer satisfaction. One such employee attitudinal dimension was effective communication. Thus this study concerns examining relationships between employee attitudes, performance, and customer satisfaction over time. The goal is to determine the extent to which employee attitudes distinguish between departments and the extent to which these differences are associated with productivity, administrative effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. In general, it is hypothesized that work groups differ in employee attitudes and that these differences relate to recently achieved performance and customer satisfaction and also predict future performance and customer satisfaction. 2.6 Defining attitude Secord and Beckman (1969, p. 167) defined attitudes as an individuals feelings, judgment and predispositions which helps to behave in accordance to his environment. Arnold et al. (1995) indicated that attitudes reflect a persons tendency to feel, think or behave in a positive or negative manner towards the object of the attitude. According to Elizur and Guttman (1976), attitudes toward change in general consist of a persons cognitions about change, affective reactions to change, and behavioral tendency toward change. Positive attitudes to change were found to be vital in achieving organizational goals and in succeeding in change programmes (Eby et al., 2000; Martin, 1998; Kotter, 1996; Gilmore and Barnett, 1992). 2.6.1 Indicators of employee attitude The concept of the employees attitudes encompasses a wide range of organisational phenomena (Loscocco and Roschelle, 1991). However, the most significant aspect of this study is the view that employees attitudes are the extent to which people of the organisation are able to meet the essential individual needs through their experience to give better performance. There are various employees attitudes that have been selected for inclusion in this study and they will be discussed further. 2.7 Job Satisfaction The first major cause that will be addressed is job satisfaction. In general, HR practitioners recognise the value of the work condition as a cause of employee attitudes, and it is an area HR can help influence through organisational programs and management practices. In addition, one of the most important areas of the work situation is to influence the work itself and it is often overlooked by practitioners when addressing job satisfaction. Currie (2001) suggests that satisfaction is linked to level to which an individual is satisfied with terms and conditions of employment and the factors relates to the physical work environment. For example, an employee may be satisfied with its pay and their relationship with their peers at work or are satisfied with company policy. Job satisfaction is generally known as a versatile construct which encompasses employee feelings about a range of both intrinsic and extrinsic job elements. It includes essential elements of satisfaction related to work conditions, pay, supervision, promotion, relationship with co-workers and organisational practices. (Misener et al., 1996). As stated, the work situation also matters in terms of job satisfaction and organisation impact. Contrary to some commonly held practitioner beliefs, the most notable situational impact on job satisfaction is the nature of the job itself-often called intrinsic job characteristics. Research studies across many years, organisations, and types of jobs indicate that employees give more importance to the nature of the work itself when asked to evaluate different facets of their job such as supervision, pay, promotion opportunities, coworkers, and so forth. (Judge Church, 2000; Jurgensen, 1978). This is not to say that good salary or effective supervision is not important but rather much more consideration should be given to job satisfaction by ensuring that work is interesting and challenging as possible. Of all the main criteria of job satisfaction the works nature involves job challenge, autonomy, variety and scope with other key results like employee retention. (e.g., Fried Ferris, 1987; Parisi Weiner, 1999; Weiner, 2000). Thus, to understand what causes people to be satisfied with their jobs, the nature of the work itself is one of the first places for practitioners to focus on. 2.7.1 Employee satisfaction Employee satisfaction is often referred to as job satisfaction. This is to say that employee needs and wants are satisfied when they perceive certain rewards from the organisation, including compensation, promotion, recognition, development, and meaningful work, meet or exceed their expectation (Hackman and Oldham, 1980). The next general point to look at is the notion of wellbeing at work, which (Peccei, 2004) suggests concern an overall sense of happiness, physical and mental health of the workforce. (Currie, 2001). However Warr (2002) argues that job-related wellbeing refers to peoples satisfaction with their jobs in terms of facets like pay, colleagues, supervisors, working conditions, job security, training opportunities, involvement, team working and the nature of the work undertaken. Among determinants of job satisfaction, leadership is viewed as an important predictor and plays a central role. 2.8 Leadership Style Among the different factors of job satisfaction, leadership is viewed as an important predictor and plays a central role. Leadership is a management function, which is mostly aimed at people and social interaction, as well as motivating people so that they will work towards achieving organizations goals. (Skansi, 2000). Organization believes that their success is in achieving its goals and objectives and this depends on the managers and their leadership style. By adopting the needed leadership style managers can influence job satisfaction, commitment and productivity of employees. Leadership style can be categorized as a variety of characteristics and skills, behaviors and managerial attitudes which are based on individual and organizational values. (Mosadeghrad, 2003b). It is the ability of the leader to motivate employees do perform to the maximum and is also the extent to which workers are respected, operation is done with honesty and integrity, promotion of efficiency and having open lines of communicationwith employees (Aronson et al., 2003). Leadership styles comprises of autocratic, bureaucratic, laissez-faire, charismatic, democratic, participative, situational, transactional, and transformational leadership (Mosadeghrad 2003b, 2004). If can be noticed that it is not that a certain style of leadership should necessary result in successful organisational behavior. There is need of different styles for different situations and leaders should know which approach to adopt. A leader may have the skills to act effectively in a particular situation but may not able to perform so in another context. A lot of research stem from research on transformational and charismatic leadership, which have been found to positively affect followers performance and attitudes (Bass and Avolio, 1993 and Shamir et al., 1993). According to Bass (1990, p. 21), transformational leadership takes place when leaders expand and promote the interests of their employees, when they create awareness and acceptance of the purposes and mission of the group, and when they encourage their employees to work towards the benefit of the group and not for their own self interest. Howell and Frost (1989) found that individuals working under a charismatic leader had higher task performance, task satisfaction, and lower role conflict. 2.9 Employee Commitment The concept of organisational commitment refers to a persons affective reactions to characteristics of his employing organization. (Cook and Wall, 1980) Commitment is an internalised employee belief, often associated with soft HRM and a high-trust organisational culture (Mathews and Shepherd, 2002) and is frequently associated with an exchange relationship between the employer and employee. From the point of view of employees, they commit to an organisation in return for certain rewards, which can be extrinsic (salary) and intrinsic (belonging, job satisfaction). Legge (1995) suggests that the attitude conceptualisation suggests that dedicated employees have confidence on the organisations goals and values, show enthusiasm to put maximum effort and have a strong will to stay with the organization. As such, affective commitment is viewed as an employees positive attachment to the employing organisation and a willingness to contribute towards the attainment of organisational goals (Mowday et al., 1979). Employees with high organisational commitment are more willing to put more effort in a change project and, therefore, it is more likely to develop positive attitudes towards organizational change. (Iverson, 1996; Guest, 1987). Furthermore, employee satisfaction has been positively correlated to service quality, which was then linked to increased customer satisfaction (Pugh et al., 2002). Customer satisfaction has been linked with the financial performance of the company, suggesting that employee satisfaction is linked to financial performance (Terzo, 2005). Further research has shown that satisfied employees have a positive impact on the companys profits (Jakobson Rauch, 2005). Different variables from employees all link to the customer, which links to the companys profitability and revenue growth (Pugh et al., 2002). Employee voice has been viewed as an aspect of high commitment HRM, and it is considered essential that workers should have the opportunity to express their grievances openly and independently, in addition to being able to contribute to management decision making on task-related issues (Gould-Williams, 2004). Thus it can be said that business success requires more than just satisfied and loyal employees. Instead, it demands the kind of employees who are willing to serve as advocates for the organisation that is committed employees. So, employee commitment represents employee dedication to help the company to achieve its goals. It includes manifests like dedication to doing work of high quality, commitment to resolving customers problems, the investment of adequate time and effort in the work and the will to recommend the companys products and services. 2.10 Job involvement Job involvement is likely to be affected by aspects of organisational culture. Job involvement is important because of well-established associations with a range of organisational outcome (Gray et al., 2003). It is also found that employees who are more involved in jobs are more satisfied with their jobs and can be expected to be more committed to their organization (ODriscoll and Randall, 1999). Employees who are highly committed towards their organization are more likely to stay than those who are relatively uncommitted (Tett and Meyer, 1993). Employee attachment is an important determinant in predicting organizational success. They describe attachment as having a strong affective component-the degree to which the customer or employee has a positive emotional connection with the organisation. It is believed that the way employees are treated (HR practices) leads to a shared employee mind set. This, in turn, leads employees to behave in ways (employee practices) that contribute to a customer mindset that, in turn, contributes to a retention and attraction of customers and the resultant competitive advantage. Therefore, job satisfaction and job involvement are attitudes which are determined by individuals perceptions of their total job situations, including the physical work environment, the terms and conditions of their employment and the degree to which they are given autonomy, responsibility, authority and empowerment in their jobs (Kersley et al., 2006) Thus Organisations that promote and maintain commitment, job satisfaction and work-life balance satisfaction (wellbeing) of their employees through the implementation of high commitment HRM practices will benefit most by superior organisational outcomes and productivity through establishing long-term relationships of support and trust with employees. Organisations that do not pay attention to employee wellbeing at work will have in the long term to deal with the effects of less productive employees. 2.11 Career satisfaction Career satisfaction was included since such satisfaction refers to overall affective reaction of individuals to their career (Greenhaus et al., 1990). It is reasonable to expect that high levels of career satisfaction would enhance organisational commitment since employees who are satisfied with their careers should perceive greater benefits in retaining membership in their organization than employees whose career have been less gratifying (Igbaria and Greenhaus, 1992). 2.12 Big five The big five model include five dimensions of personality traits. These traits are useful in determining the behaviour of individuals. These are: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. Furnham (1997) found that extrovert persons are highly motivated by intrinsic factors. It has been seen that extrovert person would respond more quickly to rewards than introverts. There are other examples that shows how personality traits may affect attitudes is an individual openness to experiences and this allow them to be more innovative and thus more satisfied with their job. (Furnham et al., 2005). Conscientiousness is viewed in earlier findings and suggests that this trait is a constant indicator of job satisfaction. (Furnham et al., 2002). This influence can be explained as conscientious individuals are prone to greater level of intrinsic and extrinsic reward as they are well organized therefore continuously increasing job satisfaction. 2.13 Motivation Herzberg et al.s (1959) two-factor theory of motivation stated that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are two separate entities caused by different facets of work and they were labeled as hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are categorized as extrinsic factors of job design that add to employee dissatisfaction when not met. Some examples are: supervision, working conditions, company policies, salary, and relations with co-workers. On the other hand motivators are intrinsic to the job and include achievement, development, responsibility and recognition. There is a very old discussion on whether hygiene factors do contribute to job satisfaction. (Furnham et al., 1999; Warr, 1987). 2.14 Managing Employee Negative Attitudes Managers can influence employees in having positive attitudes. Employees should understand behaviours so as to help them to change their attitudes. There should be the will to implement changes even if certain disagree with the idea. Moreover the organisation must focus on opportunities rather than concentrating on maters that is not working. Like this negative attitudes can be controlled to a certain extent. 2.15 Constraints to achieving positive employee attitude It is said that everyone should have a positive attitude. In practice it is really difficult to maintain a positive attitude every time. Whenever a problem arises, change in attitude is obvious to such an extent that having negative attitude cannot be avoided. Lacking positive attitude is the basis cause of stress, worry, demoralisation, nervousness and depression. Nowadays almost everybody is in tension. Employees are tensed because of job dissatisfaction. 2.16 Conclusion The literatures conducted can be summarised with the use of a conceptual framework as shown below: Figure 2.1: The conceptual framework This framework helps to determine all the factors that do indeed leads to the development of positive attitudes of the employees. The main attributes being job satisfaction followed by leadership style and employee commitment. These factors in turn lead to organisational performance and thus the success of the organisation. In this context performance is mainly measured through customer satisfaction which is considered to be crucial for any organisation. Thus it can be said that there do exist a relationship between employee attitudes and performance as it has proved in the above literatures.

Pride and Prejudice Adaptations in Modern Film Essay -- Jane Austen

Love in Relationships vs. Love for Oneself   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a day where loving yourself first is not only accepted but often expected, it is a stretch for the 20th (or 21st) century mind to see marriage as a necessity, as it was for Jane Austen and some of the greatest of her heroines. Marriage for money and convenience, as well as familial preservation, formally dominated matchmaking choices. Love and romance were but luxuries in the business-like fashion of marriage. Austen contested this reality and criticized it, but she also placed one thing above romance: the Self. Austen undoubtedly prizes respect for the Self above social expectation and relationships. Handler and Segal (45) noted that themes of â€Å"independence, dependence, and choice† are recurring throughout all of Austen’s works. Recent film adaptations to Austen have decided to downplay these themes, however, in exchange for playing up the romance. These films reveal the 20th century emphasis on romance at the cost of excluding the already estab lished importance of self-knowledge. Pride and Prejudice, Austen’s first written but later published novel, is a commentary on the importance in society of inheritance and achievement. Austen obviously valued one’s achieved virtues over inherited status, a revolutionary notion for a female of the day. Elizabeth Bennet, Austen’s own mouthpiece to criticize her times, bridges the gap between 19th century sensibility and 20th century self-exploration. Lizzy, though given the opportunity on more than one occasion (Mr. Darcy’s first and Mr. Collins’s only proposal) to save herself from her impending poverty as well as preserve her family’s estate, choose rather to be alone than to be in a situation that would compromise her principles. She is a woman of a strong-willed character who puts herself above her society’s expectations of her. If Elizabeth’s parents had known of her initial refusal of Darcy their disbelief would have probably outweighed her reasons for rejectin g him. Even Mr. Bennet, though a staunch supporter of Elizabeth, may not have felt that she had acted prudently considering the family’s situation. This was before her sister Jane was engaged to the wealthy Mr. Bingley, and concern over the future entailment of the estate to Mr. Collins was still great. She didn’t even consider Darcy until her began exhibiting signs that he respected her, such as his ... ...rement for well-rounded development, and as it has become more common, its importance has been taken for granted. How Austen would deal with this present reality is unsure but likely with some disdain. Austen did not preach revolution and women’s’ rights, she only presented her world as she saw how it was and how it should be. Now that the Self has now been placed on the back burner for romantic interests or has been ballooned to the point of excess is only a creation of the present, a true novelty in human history. That our mediums for entertainment reflect this is only as expected to fit our cultural ideas. Works Cited Austen, J. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Putnum, Inc. New York: 1989. Fielding, H. Bridget Jones’s Diary. Penguin Putnum, Inc. New York: 1996. Handler, R., Segal, D. Jane Austen and the Fiction of Culture. Rowman & Littlefield, Inc. Maryland: 1999. Haskell, M. â€Å"The Innocent Ways of Renee Zellweger.† New York Times, April 8, 2001. Bridget Jones’s Diary 2001 directed by Sharon Maguire. Clueless 1995 directed by Amy Heckerling. Emma 1996 directed by Douglas McGrath. Pride and Prejudice miniseries 1995 BBC/A & E

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 22

I straightened the cuffs on my neatly pressed white shirt and buttoned my overcoat. The shiny brass buttons glinted in the lamplight as I turned the corner onto Laurel Street. I wiped my face, to make sure no blood lingered on my lips. Id visited my barmaid from Miladies, sating my hunger before my evening out on the town with Callie. The barmaids blood had tasted sweet, like lilies dipped in honey. The second the warmth had hit my tongue, my senses had become honed and the world had sharpened around the edges. Now the cicadas shrieked in my ears and the smell of roses assaulted my nose, but my stomach was calm and my veins were sated. I was ready for my date. The park at the end of the street was filled with magnolias and ancient elm trees, and in the center, a marble fountain was topped with a sculpture of a naked woman. Through the burble of the fountain, I could hear the beating of a human heart. â€Å"Hello?† I called. â€Å"Stefan!† Callie stepped out from behind a stone cherub into the weak light of a gas lamp. Her red hair, a flame in the flickering light, hung loose and curly around her shoulders. She wore a simple, cream-colored dress, with a lace bodice and a flouncy skirt that draped over her tiny hips. Blood raced through my body. â€Å"What?† Callie said, reddening as she noticed my stare. â€Å"You look, uh, like a girl,† I said. She looked beautiful. â€Å"Gee, thanks.† Callie rolled her eyes and softly slugged my shoulder. â€Å"Youre just used to seeing me in work clothes.† She gazed at me. â€Å"You look quite handsome.† I cleared my throat and tugged on my collar. Suddenly my clothes felt uncomfortable and constricting, and the night air stuffy. I wondered briefly if the barmaid had something in her blood that hadnt agreed with me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said formally. â€Å"Stefan?† Callie lifted her arm expectantly. â€Å"Oh, of course.† I took her arm in mine. Her freckled hand grazed my palm. I flinched and readjusted so that her hand was resting on the soft fabric of my jacket. â€Å"Where to, Miss Gallagher?† She looked up at me, a smile on her face. â€Å"Bourbon Street, of course.† Callie guided me through cobblestone side streets, where gardenias dripped from balconies. On a whim, I grabbed one and tucked it behind her ear. Back home in Mystic Falls, it was customary to bring flowers or a small token when visiting with a lady. â€Å"Want to know a secret?† Callie whispered. â€Å"What?† I asked, curious. I was already the bearer of too many secrets. But perhaps Callies could lead me to Damon She got up on tiptoe and cupped my ear with her hand. The sound of her blood pumping beneath her skin magnified tenfold. I gritted my teeth, forcing my fangs back down. â€Å"Your shirt has come untucked,† she whispered. â€Å"Oh,† I said, as I self-consciously smoothed down my shirt. â€Å"Thanks.† Callie let out a gleeful laugh. â€Å"You know what I really want to see?† she asked, grabbing my arm. â€Å"What?† I asked, trying to devote all my energy to not listening to the steady thrum of her blood. â€Å"A burlesque show. Madame X has a showeveryone'sbeen talking about,† she said. We walked together through the town, past bustling crowds and wavering street carts, ending up in a well-kept neighborhood in front of a pristine, stately house. A simple placard next to the door readMADAME Xin black script. Soft lamplight shone from all the windows, and carriages pulled up, one after another, to the front gate, releasing their well-dressed passengers into the depths of the club. I momentarily panicked. I didnt have any money. And I was wearing a schoolboys clothes that hadnt been in style since the turn of the century. â€Å"Callie, I think † I began, trying to come up with an alternate idea for our evening when the front door swung open to greet us. â€Å"Good evening. Are you guests of the house?† The mans eyes flicked down my old clothes. I was wildly underdressed for this venue, and I knew it. Callie, however, looked radiant. â€Å"Yes,† Callie jumped in, straightening her shoulders. â€Å"And your names?† From the way Callies lips flattened, I could tell she hadnt realized there was a guest list. I stepped in front of her, suddenly inspired. â€Å"Were the Picards. Remy and his wife, Calliope.† â€Å"One moment, sir.† The man waddled in his slippers over to a podium holding a list that almost certainly did not include Mr. Remy Picards name. He turned a page, then turned it back. â€Å"What are you doing, Stefan?† Callie whispered. â€Å"I have it under control,† I said quietly. â€Å"Just smile and look pretty.† The man returned, looking genuinely distressed. â€Å"Im terribly sorry, sir, but your name is not on our list for tonight.† He glanced around, as if ready to beckon a security guard if we made trouble. I want you to let us in without asking us any more questions, I thought, channeling all my energy. â€Å"Wed really like to come in,† I said aloud, concentrating on looking deep into his eyes, ignoring Callies curious gaze boring into my back. â€Å"Are you sure you didnt see our names on the list?† The mans eyes flickered. Let us in without looking at the list. â€Å"You know, I believe Imighthave seen your names. In fact, Im sure I did. The Picards! Im sorry. It was my confusion. Right this way,† he said, a slightly vacant expression on his face. He led us through large double doors and into a sumptuous parlor. Low crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the air smelled of jasmine, magnolia, and freesia. â€Å"Enjoy your stay at Madame Xs. And if I can be of any assistance to either of you, dont hesitate to come fetch me,† the man said, turning on his heel. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Callie simply stood there, looking slack-jawed at me. â€Å"How did you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"I just made him doubt himself. He wouldnt want to say no to the Picards, whoever they are. Besides, what if our nameswereon the list, and he said no to us, then we complained to the owner?† Secretly, I was thrilled. My Power was strengthening. â€Å"So I take it that this isnt your first time sneaking in where you dont belong?† I glanced at her slyly. â€Å"You of all people should know that to be true.† She laughed, and I gave her an impromptu twirl. People stared at us. Even though a pianist was playing a jaunty tune in the corner, this wasnt a room where people danced. Instead, guests drifted from one conversation to the next as they sucked on cigars and gulped down champagne. â€Å"Do you know anyone here?† I asked as we brushed past couple after couple, all clad in finery. Callie shrugged, the shadow of a frown crossing her face. She glanced around the room. â€Å"They all hate Father. They say hes a Unionist whos taking advantage of New Orleans with his business. And perhaps he is, but at least his show doesnt pretend to be something its not,† she said, jutting her chin. I shifted in my seat. Wasnt that exactly what I was doing? Pretending to be someone I wasnt? I couldnt look at her, in case she could see the depths of my lies in my eyes. A server came by with a tray laden with champagne. I grabbed two glasses. â€Å"Cheers,† I said, handing one to Callie. As we sipped the bubbling liquid, conversations swirled around us, growing louder and more boisterous with every tray of drinks the waiters brought out to serve. Mens movements grew more languid, women laughed more readily. â€Å"Is your father ready for the next show?† I asked, forcing a conversational note to my voice. â€Å"I suppose so.† â€Å"Who will the vampire be fighting?† â€Å"I dont know,† Callie said. â€Å"A crocodile, or maybe a tiger. It depends on what Father can get on such short notice. Why?† I shrugged noncommittally. â€Å"I want to place a bet.† â€Å"Father wants something cheap. Hes worried people wont pony up as much money for another animal fight. It seems the monsters much stronger than a beast.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, trying to process the information. â€Å"But lets not talk about work. Tonight is supposed to be fun! Lord knows we dont have enough of it in our real lives.† Callies voice grew melancholy. â€Å"Speaking of fun,† she said, pointing to a small crowd moving through a set of double doors at the back of the club, â€Å"I think the burlesque show is back there.† â€Å"Shall we?† I asked, offering my arm. The back room, much smaller than the first one, had numerous wooden tables crammed onto the floor. A stage was set up at the front of the room, and the space was dimly lit by candles. Instead of joining the crush toward the front, Callie and I sat back on a low-slung, red velvet bench beneath a large mirror in the back of the room. As soon as everyone settled into seats, a master of ceremonies took to the stage. I was surprised to see that he was a man wearing a dinner suit and cape. Id imagined a burlesque show to be louder, larger than this, with plenty of music and scantily clad women. â€Å"Good evening! As weve all heard, we have a vampire in our midst,† he said dramatically. Audience members tittered nervously. I glanced at Callie out of the corner of my eye. Was this some sort of trap? Did she know what I was? But Callie was leaning forward, as if mesmerized by the mans words. The master of ceremonies smiled, drinking in the suspense. â€Å"Yes, a vampire. Down at that two-bit circus by the lake.† Jeers filled the room. Callie hadnt been exaggerating when shed said her father was infamous in this town. I turned to look at her. Although her cheeks were as red as her hair, she gazed straight ahead, her elbows on her knees. â€Å"And eyewitnesses say Gallagher had to chain his up so it wont run away. But, here at Madame Xs, our vampire has come to visit all on his own.† â€Å"We can go if you want,† I whispered. But Callie shook her head and clasped my hand. It felt warm against my cool skin, but this time I didnt push her away. â€Å"No, I want to stay.† A thin man walked onstage, clad in a black cape. His face was powdered, and thin lines of fake blood were drawn from the corners of his lips. He smiled at the crowd, revealing fake fangs. I shifted in my seat. â€Å"I am a vampire, and you all are my prey! Come to me, my pretties!† he cackled, in an exaggerated voice that made me squirm. The â€Å"vampire† stalked around the stage, his teeth bared and his eyes scanning the audience. A woman in a pearl-embroidered gown stood up from a table in the front and walked toward the stage as if in a trance, emitting a low moan with each step. â€Å"The vampire has special eyes that can see through clothing. And this vampire, ladies and gentlemen, likes what he sees!† The master of ceremonies leered at the audience. At this, the audience applauded enthusiastically. I glanced at Callie again. Had she known this was a show about vampires? â€Å"But, now, the vampire has his hunger awakened. And what hell do to feed the hunger, you wont believe,† the master of ceremonies said as the vampire onstage waved his hands toward the woman, as if conducting an orchestra. As he did that, a trumpet player began playing a slow, mournful tune. The woman began to move her hips, slowly at first, and then more and more quickly until she looked as though she would topple over. â€Å"Maybe Father should give our vampire dance lessons,† Callie whispered, her breath hot on my cheek. Then, suddenly, the vampire stopped waving his arms. The music stopped, and so did the woman. The vampire lurched toward her, took hold of the sleeve of her dress, and tore it off, exposing her milky-white arm. â€Å"Do you feel wicked tonight?† the vampire called to the audience, waggling the fabric toward the crowd. Then he tore off the other sleeve. My stomach turned. â€Å"I ask you, do you feel wicked tonight?† he called again, tossing the fabric into the audience. The crowd cheered as the dancer continued her gyrations, rubbing her back against the â€Å"vampire.† Slowly, she peeled away her clothing, item by item, sending a silk stocking or a slip into the audience until most of her body was on display. As the music picked up speed, she got closer to becoming entirely nude. At last, she sat in a chair on the stage as the master of ceremonies pulled off the last bit of her top, forcing her to cover herself with her hands. â€Å"As he is a beast from hell, the only way to stop a vampire is with a stake to the heart. But they can also be kept away with a crucifix â€Å" At this, the dancer pantomimed a futile search for pockets that might contain a stake or crucifix. I slumped in my chair, thinking of my own attacks. Of Alice, of Lavinia, of the nurse whose name Id never known. There was nothing beautiful or romantic about those attacks. They were quick, bloody, deadly. Id ended their lives without a second thought, with swift violence and a thirst for more. â€Å"Are you okay?† Callie asked. For the first time, I realized how tightly Id been clutching her hand. I loosened my grip, and instantly she snuggled closer to me in my seat. Her blood pumped like sweet music through her body, and the warmth of her body soothed my anger. I relaxed into her, taking in the softness of her voice as she laughed at the play. Callie was warm and soft and so veryalive. I wanted this moment to freeze, to last into eternity, with nothing but me and Callie and her beating heart. There was nothing else I needed in that moment, not blood, not power, not D– My body tensed and I sat straight up. What was I doing? Had I forgotten my brother, what I had done to him, so quickly? I stood up. â€Å"Down in front!† a voice barked a few rows behind me. â€Å"I-Im sorry. I have to go,† I said, stumbling toward the door. â€Å"Stefan, wait!† she called. But I kept going until I was on the street, running from the late-night bustle all the way to the riverbank. As I stared down at my reflection in the swirling water, Percys words echoed in my head: â€Å"Youll either want to kill her or kiss her, and neither scenario will end well for you.† He was right. Because while I truly didnt know whether I wanted to kiss or bite Callie, I knew I wantedher.

Gun Rights Under President Bill Clinton

The administration of President Bill Clinton represented a significant shift in Democratic presidential politics in the United States. Clinton, an Arkansas governor who defeated Republican George H.W. Bush in the 1992 election, became the first Democratic presidential candidate to campaign on promises of stricter gun laws. With the exception of Lyndon B. Johnson, who made gun control a focal point of his administration upon assuming the presidency after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, gun politics had not been a central part of any presidential administration. In what might have been gun control advocates’ brightest hour on the federal stage, Clinton lobbied for two major pieces of gun control legislation and used his executive authority to usher in additional gun control measures in what was viewed as a major setback for gun rights. The Brady Bill The Brady Bill, which made it more difficult to purchase a handgun, was a hallmark of the Clinton presidency. First introduced in 1987, the Brady Bill was named for President Ronald Reagan’s press secretary, John Brady, who was wounded in an attempt to assassinate Reagan in 1981. Brady’s wife, Sarah Brady, became a major proponent of gun control legislation following the assassination attempt, which left her husband partially but permanently paralyzed. Despite the backing of Reagan, various versions of the Brady Bill did not come seriously close to passing until the Bush administration, when Bush vetoed a version of the legislation passed by Congress. After defeating Bush in 1992, Clinton lobbied the House and Senate to send the bill back to the White House again. Congress obliged, and Clinton signed the Brady Bill into law on Nov. 30, 1993, less than one year into his presidency. The bill created a mandatory five-day waiting period after handgun purchases and required local law enforcement to run background checks on purchasers. Assault Weapons Ban Emboldened by the success of the Brady Bill, Clinton next turned his sights on an assault weapons ban, another gun control battle that had been simmering since the mid-1980s. By late summer in 1994, legislation enacting such a ban was making serious headway in Congress. On Sept. 13, 1994, Clinton signed the Assault Weapons Ban into law as part of the 1994 Crime Bill. Targeting semi-automatic weapons bearing characteristics of military guns, the AWB banned a wide range of weapons, such as the AK-47 and the AR series of rifles. Among guns outlawed by the AWB were any that included two or more of a list of characteristics ranging from telescoping stocks to bayonet mounts. Executive Measures While a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in the 1994 midterm election hampered efforts by the Clinton White House to usher in more gun control measures, Clinton turned to his executive powers several times during his second term to tighten down on gun ownership. One such measure was an order banning the importation of more than four dozen makes of assault weapons, such as variations of the AK-47. The order, signed in 1998, targeted the importation of guns that were not subjected to the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. Another measure was an order in the eleventh hour of Clinton’s presidency banning the importation of certain makes of so-called â€Å"assault pistols,† such as Uzis, and requiring firearms dealers to submit to fingerprinting and background checks. Finally, the White House reached a deal with firearms giant Smith Wesson in which Clinton promised an end to civil lawsuits against the gun manufacturer in exchange for Smith Wesson outfitting its guns with trigger locks and agreeing to implement â€Å"smart gun† technology within two years. Gun Crackdowns Rendered Toothless While the National Rifle Association and most American gun owners lamented the gun policies of the Clinton administration, time and the courts have rendered most of those stricter gun measures ineffective. Parts of the Brady Bill were struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 (although the five-day wait would have been rendered a moot point with the establishment of a national instant background check system, which soon followed). The Assault Weapons Ban was allowed to expire in 2004 when Congress failed to take up legislation that would have extended the ban or made it permanent, and Clinton’s predecessor, George W. Bush, did not lobby for the extension. And a combination of new ownership at Smith Wesson and a Bush administration crackdown on lawsuits aimed at gun manufacturers ultimately crippled the Clinton administration’s agreement with Smith Wesson, as the gun-maker backed out of most of the agreement’s provisions, including a pledge to invest in smart gun technology. The Clinton administration’s only lasting impact on gun rights are the lack of certain imports of foreign semiautomatic rifles and background checks for handgun purchases. Ironically, it was those early victories that had lost much of their effectiveness within 10 years that prevented Clinton from pushing through what might have been longer-lasting gun control measures during his second term. The Brady Bill and Assault Weapons Ban were blamed for the defeat of several Democrats who voted for them as Republicans took control of the House in 1994. As a result, Clinton’s gun control priorities in the latter years of his presidency were never able to meet the muster of Republican opposition. Among them were requirements for child trigger locks, a three-day waiting period for gun show purchases and high capacity magazine bans.