The Rise of Petrol Prices In the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rise of Petrol Prices In the UK - Essay Example More so, the rising petrol prices mostly affects the consumers and motorists hence the need for a review. We can however, deduce that the government has an ability to regulate the escalating petroleum prices. The Guardian records that Yorkshire, Humberside, and north England experience the lowest petrol prices at 137.6p a litre. However, in cities like London and Scotland, prices have hit an all-time high of 137.8p a litre (The Guardian, 2013, p.1). This is interesting as it demonstrates the variance in pricing of petrol across various cities. As such, we can deduce that price of petrol in UK varies from one city to another. Moreover, the motoring organization established that petrol prices in UK rose to an average of 138.32p a litre in February this year. This demonstrates a rise of 6.24p a litre since early January. Most specifically, petro prices rose by 1p in a span of five days. Actually, Experian Catalist puts the recent petrol price at an average of 132.83 pence a litre. As a result, the cost of fuelling a two-car family in a month with petrol rose to ?13.25 and the cost of refilling a typical 50-litre tank rose to ?3.12.Indeed, the AA president, Edmund King states that this is the third 10p-a-litre wholesale price increase in a span of11 months (The Guardian, 2013, p.1). As a result, the drivers in UK reduced petroleum consumption by 14m to1.465bn liters in January 2013. This is important in that it demonstrates that the effects of high petro prices streams down from the wholesaler to the motorists and the public. We can therefore deduce that increase in petrol prices has adverse effects on the motorists and results to reduced fuel consumption. The AA states that stock market speculators and the plunging pound are the major contributors to the... This paper approves that the AA states that stock market speculators and the plunging pound are the major contributors to the rising petrol prices in UK. Notable is the fact that rising petrol prices lead to reduced economic growth and economic hardship for many UK citizens. Because of this the AA president requests the UK government to shelve the idea of increasing the fuel duty later in the year for purposes of stabilizing petrol prices and reducing the effects on motorists, mother consumers, and businesses in UK. This is interesting as it demonstrates the effects of tax and duty on the prices of petrol in UK. We can therefore deduce that the government can regulate fuel prices through taxes and duties. Moreover, the Office of Fair Trading confirms that it will soon launch an inquiry into the rising petrol prices and its effects on drivers, consumers, and businesses in UK. In the meantime, the price of petrol continues to rise as the blame game on who is causing this trend persists . This report makes a conclusion that the analysis of the statistics relating to rising fuel prices is important in that it monitors fuel prices in UK for possible reviews and compares the price of fuel in UK to other EU countries. More so, this information is important to students, academicians, and the public as it evaluates the recent and historic petrol price changes thus preparing them for possible changes. In addition, government departments, business consultants, and organizations also use this data for planning. Moreover, the EU uses this information to derive EU price statistics.

Creation Of The Work Breakdown Structure Management Essay

Creation Of The Work Breakdown Structure Management Essay Project scope management refers the processes involved in defining and controlling what is included and what is not included in the project. The project team and stakeholders must have the same understanding of what products will be produces as a result of a project and what processes will be used in producing them. In addition, the scope management must be stated clearly, ensure all of the process that the project includes all the work required and only the work required to complete the project successfully. These would express and discuss about the scope of management of this project which is a web-based travel agency system for Samson travels. Basically, the purpose of this manuscript is to provide suggestion and guidelines that are most important in the Scope management plan which are stated categorically below; Creation of The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The project players will make effort together to develop a Work break down structure (WBS) after it has been put in place Samson travels which are the sponsors would make review of the work break down structure which is also going to be in the presence of the project manager in order to make sure that the all the endeavor necessary to complete the project would be put in place inside the work break down structure. On the other hand, the project team from their own side would also carry an analysis based on the WBS in order to make sure it has comply with the guidelines for creating WBS example; function oriented WBS. In addition, the project team would the project team members would establish the task required to complete each deliverable which will be appraised and agreed by the entire group members and Samson travel agency. The tasks would include the processes, the invention and all associated task. However, all-purpose guideline to follow for determining the level of details that is the lowest level of the WBS ought to on the whole to take no longer time as its supposed to complete the project, moreover, revision of the WBS would also take place at this moment after an approval by the sponsors as considered necessary. Functional Requirements The functional requirements have been defined in the project as to describe or provide a brief explanation to the users as well as the stakeholders on what functionality or services that the online travel system for Samson travels system is expected or capable of providing. The functional requirements consist of important criterias such as the descriptions of the processing that the system is expected to carry out and the details of data that must be held in the system. After having a brief discussion with our team members as well as referring to educational resources such as the Internet, the functional requirements specification for the online travels agency system for Samson travels are as follows: The system should provide schedule searching where the user will be able to search the desired schedule and then book the tickets The system must record all the booking done online by the user The system should store the information entered by the user during new account creation. The system should store the entire users personal information and must provide the capability to the user to update as well as delete account. The system should provide effective security features such as login authentication to validate whether the user is a valid user or not and provide a firewall to avoid possible hacking activities. Non-Functional Requirements The non-functional requirement has been defined as the requirements which are not directly relevant or concerned with the specific functions or features delivered by the system such as response time, reliability, and storage capacity. Similar analysis which is conducted for the functional requirements are also done here which is by referring to educational resources such as the Internet and some books from the library. The non-functional requirements for the ticket-reservation system are as follows: Low FAR In terms of reliability, the FAR or fully known as the Failure Accuracy Rate of the system should be less than 10%. Also, the Samson travels agency system would provide assurance to the user that any potential of system crashing is minimal. Quick response time The Samson Travel agency system would have a quick response time for all the features involved and must make sure that the user doesnt wait for a long time for a particular process to happen. For example, all the process such as login authentication should be done less than 20 seconds. Quick data connectivity There should be quick data connectivity between the system and the database when process such as data retrieval for login authentication is conducted to ensure higher rate of response time and efficiency as well. Security Features The system should have the capacity of protecting or securing data from any invalid access of data from hackers as well as virus protection from viruses such as Trojan horse as well as worms. Usability Requirements Usability requirements is where the developer Samson travels system must ensure that there is good match between the system that is developed and both the users of that system as well as the tasks they will perform when using the system. The usability requirements for the ticket reservation system are as follows: User-friendly One of the major factors in the usability requirements is the user-friendliness of the system. The system must be user-friendly and the user must not have any difficulty in performing certain functions such as Online booking of packages and ticket reservation. Also, if the user-friendliness rate of the system is high then the customer can perform any tasks such in a short period of time. User freedom When the user uses the Samson travels Online traveling agency system, the user must have a sense of control towards the system with the ability to navigate buttons as well as updating their personal profile (for members) without much difficulty and also, the user should be to correct their mistakes, for example, if the user mistakenly enters a different web page which he/she didnt desired, then he/she can go back to their destination page by just clicking the button that links them to that page without the necessity to go the home page again. Project Requirement The requirement of this project is an aim that has got to be met before the entire project process can be carried out effectively and efficiently. However, Project Analyst is one of the basic and primary requirements in terms of the project. They analyze and specify the entire project requirement and make sure the entire process has meet requirement. In addition, in order to complete this exercise the project team needs certain hardware and software which would be listed below: Firstly, the project team needs some sets of computer systems with high specification. Microsoft windows XP professional version 2003 with service pack 2, Intel(R) D CPU 300GHZ, 300 GHZ 512GB RAM Microsoft Windows server This server is a special operating system for a server computer in which the operating system can make best use of the performance of the computer. Microsoft Access Database software This software would be used by the authors in other to provide good data storage and optimum security features. Managing Demand For Changes To Project The demand for to the project scope that may have an important effect on meeting and project requirement be obliged to pursue the formal procedures specified. In addition, demand details must be filled in a form which would be reviewed in order to prevent scope embezzlement. Conclusion Decisively, Samson Traveling agency is a high end modern travel agency, with a unique edge to serving the general public the world as a whole. And from the company study, it is without doubt that the company holds abreast the vision to satisfy their clients exclusively. Based on the research done, and the scope analysis, the author has decided to raise certain issues that could increase the companys image and profit (after all, profit is the initial purpose of every business). The web application proposed is or would be to no detriment, but instead an edge for the company, the web application would solve a couple of impending problems that both the company and its customers are facing today. Consequently, the system will be designed in such a way that users skill will be put into consideration as there are the once using the system at most of the time. But before the design, an analysis will be taken in other to know the level of their performance, so that the system will be a user friendly system with no training will be required. STAFFING PLAN Human Resource Management is based on ideas and techniques developed to enhance worker motivation, productivity and performance. Human resources include all project stakeholders such as the student, project team members and suppliers. The major processes involved in human resources management include: Organization plan, which involves identifying, assigning and document project roles, responsibility and reporting relationships. Staff acquisition, which involves getting the needed personnel assigned to work on the project. Team development, which involves building individual skills or group skills to enhance project performance. Project Human Resource Management includes the processes necessary for organizing and managing the project team (www.skillsoft.com, 2010). In addition, a good human resource management will increase the success rate of a particular project as the people in a project determine the success and failure of organizations and projects. Project Skilled Required For the current project Samson travel agency system, the development team members need certain skills to make this project a success. Below are some of the skills the development team member must acquire:- I. Programming skill The programming skill is needed to build the software. Programming skill is important during the development of the software as most of the job required coding to do the job. II. Designing skill The design of the interface is also important as it must be easy to use, easy to understand and the most important of all is that the interface satisfied the requirement of the client. III. Analyzing skill The analyzing skill is important during the early phase of the project as analyzing the user requirement and the client requirement will make the job easier when designing and easier for the programmer to build the software. IV. Testing skills The tester must understand the quality criteria and standards that the software objectives should meet and will be measured against. The tester must test the software for functionality, software output, reliability, user acceptance testing, and etc. The tester must also test the software to see that the software meet the requirement of the client and the end user. V. Communication skill The team member must have this communication skill as when team members communicate with each other, the tension between them will be reduced significantly and the chance of success will increase. This is a skill that the project manager must acquire. VI. Co-operating skill The team member must help each other for the success of this project. It is inevitable for each member to face certain problems during the project. VII. Leadership skill The project manager must have high leadership skill as he is the person who oversees the whole project and the one responsible for the entire project. He must be able to manage the entire team member and giving them work. VIII. Documentation and presenting skill The presentation of the software to the client and end user is very important as a good presentation will give them a good first impression of the software and that will increase the satisfaction of the client toward the software. A proper documentation with proper format is also important as they will introduce the product and also included the user manual that clearly indicate how to use the software. Project Team Structure and Organization Team Members Role and Responsibility Project Manager The project manager of the Samson travels agency system is responsible to deliver the project fully functional and satisfies the requirements of the system. He is expected to have the necessary management skills, problem solving etiquettes, team leadership ability and is responsible for assuring that project goals and objectives are met, quality work is completed on time and within budget, and for making appropriate decisions. The project manager chooses the best team to develop the system and assign each member of the team to his best ability. The task dependency requires the project manager to be able to enforce the time efficient team, in order to avoid any sort of delay. In addition, this document helps identify and clarify roles, responsibilities, and authorities, and should be included in the Project Execution Plan. The project manager is expected to possess following criteria: Understand the basic of analysis, design, coding and testing Financial fundamentals. Expertise in scheduling, productivity, communications and network diagram System Analyst The system analyst of Samson travels system is person who in charge to assist current or potential application users in identifying and describe problems or opportunities that might addressed either by implement a new or change a exist system. The analyst uses business requirements in detail and, where appropriate, prepares functional specification for the system. The system analyst is quite attached to a sumptuous part of the development of the system , and the system analyst here is basically the IT inclined system analysis professionals, who will be handling and at the lowest level, be in charge of reporting progress to the project manager and project team. Systems analyst read and studies the process in and the system requirement. So if there is any problem in the previous system then basically the system analyst has to suggest new ideas in improving the system. His job is to make the designer know what to design. The system analyst will study the organization and the environments to come up with some requirements. Personal Requirements and skills required of the system analyst include: Think creatively Good communication skills Being patient Analytical thinking System Designer In the development of the online system for Samson travels the designers basically is composing of web developers and network administrators will be developing a simple interface and will be managing the network. This interface which is composed of buttons, labels, text fields and images, will be very user friendly to use. Also the designer would draw out some sketches or story-board to simplify the system work flow. Their main action includes: An understanding of the intended audience, client culture, and learning preferences as well as the understanding of human computer factors and interface design. Personal Requirements of the system designer includes: Think creatively Good communication skills Creative thinking Understand the basic of analysis, design, coding and testing System Programmer The programmer for the Samson travel agency system basically the one responsible to develop the coding for the system. He develops the system based on the requirements gathered and based on the system designers perspective. Also to build the software with his specialty and that is programming. He is the person who does the most programming in this development phase. Other than building the software, he have to ensure that other programmer are doing their job and passing up every portion of programming work on time. If there is some functionality problem, bugs or errors, he will be in charge to solve these problems. Tester is the person who will test the system once the system developed in order to get the feedback about the system. It is important for the project group to perform the testing part to make sure the system run without any errors. Personal Requirements of the system programmer includes: Experience Coding expert Being patient The ability to understand the functional side of the system MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES WHICH IS APPLIED TO ALL TEAM MEMBERS Motivation Theory that Applies in Project Team of Samson Travels Agency: Frederick Herzberg The proposed motivation technique for the project team is Herzberg Motivational and Hygiene Factors. Frederick Herzberg wrote several famous books and articles that about motivation. Frederick Herzberg contributed to human relations and motivation two theories of motivation which is Hygiene Theory and Motivation. The first part of the motivation theory involves the hygiene theory and includes the job environment. The hygiene factors include: the company, its policies and its administration, the kind of supervision which people receive while on the job, working conditions interpersonal relations, salary, status, and Security These factors do not lead to higher levels of motivation but without them there is dissatisfaction. The second part of Herzbergs motivation theory involves what people actually do on the job (www.businessballs.com, 2010). The motivators are: achievement, recognition, growth / advancement and Interest in the job. These factors result from internal generators in employees, yielding motivation rather than movement. Both these approaches (hygiene and motivation) must be done simultaneously. Treat people as best you can so they have a minimum of dissatisfaction. Use people so they get achievement, recognition for achievement, interest, and responsibility and they can grow and advance in their work. (www.businessballs.com, 2010) Therefore, the hygiene and motivation factors can be listed as follows: Hygiene Company policies and administration Supervision Working conditions and interpersonal relations Salary, status and security Achievement Recognition for achievement Interest in the task Responsibility for enlarged task Growth and advancement to higher level tasks The entire project team proposed this motivation theory and by following it, the team members will be well motivated and do well in their job. Regarding the motivation theory, some of factors are not for motivate team member such as the kind of supervision which people receive while on the job, working conditions and interpersonal relations. But if without those factors, the team member wills dissatisfaction. The project manager and entire project team follow the motivation factors that define by Herzberg to motivate team member, such as recognition when a team member success in certain task, he or she will recognize by the team member. (www.businessballs.com, 2010) Besides, motivate the team member by show interest in their job will have great improvement for them to archive their task. Since they have interest on their job, they will put in more effort and do their work better. MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO FAMO TEAM MEMBERS For the project team of Samson Travels agency, just apply motivation theory is not enough. There must have some of techniques to increasing motivation because motivation is better than offering gifts and compensation. Get Team Member Onboard: One of the biggest mistakes that the Project manager make is that they come up with their objective without including the team in the process. The more you involve your employees in decision making the more apt theyll be to give it their all. If youve already identified the objective on your own, then ask employees how to achieve it. However, in this project team employees are carried along in order to prevent the mistakes that might lead to the failure of the project. Work challenge: In situations whereby the project manager gives a job to a particular team member, the manager would challenge him to submit it during a period of time. If he manages to complete the task within that period of time, the project manager will offer some benefits to that team member. Find out What Drives Them: Treat each member as an individual and determine what motivates them, and its not always money. There have been all sorts of studies that show if you throw more money at the situation, and then all theyll do is come to expect it. A good way to determine an employees motivation is to simply sit down with them one-on-one and ask them directly what gets them going. As stated above, this techniques been applied in the Samson travels agency project team in order to motivate the entire project. Offer Positive Feedback All the team members get a charge from stepping into the spotlight. Its important when youre working in a team to acknowledge people in a public way, hold recognition sessions frequently to keep everyone enthusiastic and on track. Listen Up: Nothing will deflate the team member bubble than not being heard. Sometimes leaders do all the talking and no one likes one-sided meetings. Through meeting, Project manager can get some opinion or suggestion from the team members.

Double Indemnity :: essays research papers

Double Indemnity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before I start my paper I would just like to say that it was the best film yet! In this movie Walter Neff went through a huge transformation. He went through one that would change his life dramatically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Walter Neff at the start of the film was an honest hard working man. He spent eleven years selling insurance and loved every minute of it for the most part. While Walter was going through his papers he must of noticed that Mr. Dietricson’s auto insurance had run out. After trying to contact him several times he decided to drive over to the house. As he stood in the door way there she was, a beautiful blonde standing in a towel. This was the beginning of his problems. The two sat down in the living room where they went over the insurance. Eventually, Walter started to hit on her, but that didn’t last to long. Mrs. Dietrichson said that it would be better if he cam back another day to settle the insurance problem when her husband was around. Walter returned to his office and a message was left from Mrs. Dietrichson asking if he could come by tomorrow afternoon. This is where her plan went into action. Mrs. Dietrichson flirted with Walter and acted like she had feelings for him. After they see each other a few times Mrs. Dietrichson talks about how she is hit and how she wishes her husband were dead so that Walter and she could be together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since Walter was an insurance sales man he knew a lot about the business and cases. Walter planed out a perfect death that could never be considered murder. He would kill Mr. Dietrichson before his trip on the train. Then he would have Mrs. Dietrichson meet him down the tracks where he will jump off. Quickly Mr. Dietrichson’s body will be placed on the tracks to make it seem like he fell off and died. This went very smoothly except for one thing a man was sitting in the back of the train before he jumped off so there was a witness. Mrs. Dietrichson manipulated Walter just so she may be able to get rid of her husband and get a lump sum of money.

Backlash Films

Over twenty years after its release, Fatal Attraction continues to inspire discussion and controversy. While the movie comfortably takes its place as one of the biggest blockbusters of the 1980s and one of the most unforgettable thrillers in cinematic history, there are many that contend it contains a slew of anti-feminist overtones. The female lead and her traits as an otherwise archetypal career woman combine with her psycho-sexual obsession with the male lead to create a character that some may see as tragic and insane, while others see as a direct attack on the feminist movement itself.With its portrayal of the stalking career woman that victimizes a hapless man and his innocent wife, Fatal Attraction contains many elements that reflect a â€Å"backlash† against the feminist movement, as well as dark male fears over the proliferation of career-minded women. Fatal Attraction, released in 1987, written by James Dearden and directed by Adrian Lyne, was conceived as a film abo ut the consequences of infidelity. The film’s main character, Dan Gallagher, played by Michael Douglas, is a New York lawyer with a seemingly happy family that includes a beautiful wife Beth, played by Anne Archer, and daughter.When Dan’s wife and daughter go away for the weekend, Dan meets the independent and sultry Alex Forrest, played by Glenn Close, at his law firm. The two soon engage in what Dan believes to be a casual and temporary affair. When Dan attempts to end the affair, Alex’s refusal to accept it turns dramatically negative. Alex begins to stalk Dan, showing up where he does, calling him until he refuses to take her calls. Eventually, realizing that Dan truly wants nothing to do with her, she tells him that she is pregnant with his baby.The growing obsessive madness of Alex peaks after she spies on Dan and his family from the bushes in his yard, and later breaks into the house when the family is out and boils the pet rabbit of Dan’s daughter . Because he can no longer hide his transgressions, Dan tells Beth about the affair, and she eventually forgives him. Alex crosses the final line with Dan and his family when she kidnaps his daughter only to return her unharmed later. It becomes apparent to all involved that something must be done, and for Alex, that means killing Dan’s wife so she can take her place.In a final climatic scene, Alex, Beth, and Dan physically fight as Alex attempts to kill Beth with a butcher knife. Dan is forced to drown Alex in the bathtub, but she only appears dead and attacks him again, when Beth, using a gun Dan purchased for protection, promptly guns her down. While many of the plot points in the movie can be seen as simple movie suspense, the deeper one digs the easier it is to find subtle allusions to the place of women in society. The role of the female characters in Fatal Attraction show diverging archetypes for the ideal woman, as viewed by traditionalists and progressive feminists.O n the one hand is Alex, the calculating career woman; on the other hand is Beth, the faithful wife and mother. The main female characters show the dichotomy between the traditional social roles of women and the ultramodern. According to Gerrig, â€Å"A social role is a socially defined pattern of behavior that is expected of a person when functioning in a given setting or group† (Gerrig and Zimbardo 574). The portrayal of each can be seen as a representation of a provincial masculine view of femininity, in essence a backlash against feminism. Feminism has long been a misunderstood concept, by women and men alike.Beginning in the late nineteenth century with the rise of â€Å"the New Woman,† the First International Women’s Conference in Paris in 1892 coined the word after the French term feministe, to represent a belief in and advocacy of equal rights for women based on the idea of the equality of the sexes (Haslanger and Tuana). At the time, it was a call for su ffrage and equal justice for women and represented the beginning of the â€Å"First Wave† of feminism, which in America culminated in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote.By the time Fatal Attraction was released, feminism was in the midst of a strong new wave of feminism, which began in the late 1960s. In the â€Å"Second Wave† of feminism, feminists pushed far beyond the first wave by asking for more than just equal political rights but also greater universal equality in the workplace, education, at home, and with their own bodies (Haslanger and Tuana). The proliferation of birth control added to this wave and the growing independence of women reached a zenith in the 1980s, with women achieving equality in almost every sense of the word, with prominent women politicians, artists, and world figures.The character of Alex Forrest seemed to suggest a dark side to this rise of feminism, that the irrational female psyche will eventua lly overrule the mindset of even the most successful women, granted that they failed to have the things traditionally considered the most feminine: a family. The stability of the idealized traditional wife and mother, Beth, provides a stark contrast to the nightmarish descent into madness of the progressive single woman, Alex. While this could be nothing more than a dramatic coincidence, some see it as a deliberate expression of masculine fear of female empowerment.Fatal Attraction seems to suggest an almost misogynistic fear of the independent career woman that she seeks to destroy families and will stop at nothing to do so: â€Å"In its representation of a crazy career woman out to destroy the nuclear family, the film is a perfect example of the era’s conservative backlash against independent women† (Benshoff and Griffin 281). Alex participates in stalking, which is traditionally associated with men, and she possesses many of the same dominant tendencies of men.In he r book, High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood, Sharon Willis critiques Fatal Attraction, taking the position that films like it suggest that â€Å"feminine force seems to arise at the direct expense of masculine power and bodily integrity† and that femininity becomes inextricably linked to masculinity, a position widely shared by feminist film critics. Willis claims that films like Fatal Attraction focus â€Å"on an urgent effort to reinscribe the border of sexual difference at exactly the divide between domestic interior and public space† (Regester 52).Alex engages in behavior that, even in the 1980s, was deemed uniquely masculine. Women have long suffered the double standard of adhering to strict sexual mores, and her promiscuity exemplifies the lack of maternal qualities that most men look for in a mate. However, men like Dan use biological precedent to rationalize their constant desire to spread their seed. Dan is equally responsible for what occ urred, but it is almost as if he is forgiven for his gender’s predilection for sexual promiscuity, however erroneous.The most obvious feminist critique of Fatal Attraction is how it portrays Alex, the professional, single woman in her thirties as domineering, man-obsessed, and driven to insanity by her quest to achieve a long lasting relationship with Dan. The movie vilifies her and on the opposite end of the spectrum, sanctifies Beth, the devoted wife and mother. As with all the strong popular icons before her, Alex â€Å"becomes the screen upon which an audience of thousands projects their fears and fantasies† (Nguyen â€Å"The Legend of Billie Jean†).Through all of this, Dan is portrayed as almost more of a hapless victim that succumbs to the wiles of a siren than what he really is: a cheating spouse. The author of the story, James Dearden contends that he meant no deliberate anti-feminist overtones in his work, which began as a 1979 short film, â€Å"Divers ion. † According to Dearden, he merely borrowed from life to create a minimalist story about the perils of adultery: â€Å"My wife was out of town for the weekend, and I thought what would happen if a man who has just dropped his wife at the railroad station rings this girl who he’s met at a party and says, ‘Would you like to have dinner?’ But, then it all gets ugly† (Forsberg). According to the man who created the story, it was nothing more than a simple suspense story, and the criticisms that label it as anti-feminist and woman fearing are unfounded: â€Å"I don’t see that Alex symbolizes the New Woman and is therefore made to appear ghastly to sabotage the New Woman’s cause. She has a career because she lives in New York, where it’s difficult to survive without one. For me, it was a fable about the irrational creeping into the everyday† (Forsberg).He also examines the possibility of his own fears towards women and the p revalence of men that fear women in his script: â€Å"I don’t think I fear women, but there’s a certain archetype – the temptress who undoes heroes of Homeric legend who is as predatory sexually as the man – which men find hard to deal with because they’re used to being in the dominant role. Women certainly have an equal right to be dominant, but I don't like very dominant males or females period† (Forsberg).While it can be said that Fatal Attraction sought to express the male anxieties about the emerging female, as well as a rejection of feminism as a social force, to the movie aficionado it remains merely a suspense movie filled with gimmicks and plotlines as old as cinema itself. The immense success of Fatal Attraction may have entered it into the feminism conversation, but it realistically remains nothing more than a dramatic examination of adultery and obsession.The idea of the femme fatale is nothing new, and the movie simply showed th at, man or woman, there is no such thing as sex without consequences. Looking at Alex Forrest as a backlash against feminism is a fair criticism, however it is unfair to believe that a fictional suspense movie like Fatal Attraction could influence anybody that saw it free of any preexisting agendas. The movie may be simply a reflection of the ambitions that drive everyone mad, whether male or female, career or sexual, decent or indecent.Works Cited: Benshoff, Harry M. and Sean Griffin. America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. London: Blackwell Publishers, 2003. Forsberg, Myra. â€Å"James Dearden: Life After ‘Fatal Attraction’. † The New York Times. 24 Jul 1988. 16 Dec 2008. . Gerrig, Richard J. and Zimbardo, Philip G. â€Å"Social Norms. † Psychology and Life. 17th ed. 2005.Haslanger, Sally & Tuana, Nancy. â€Å"Topics in Feminism. † Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 15 Mar 2004. 16 Dec 2008. . Nguyen, Mimi . â€Å"The Legend of Billie Jean. † WorseThanQueer. com. 1 Aug 2005. 16 Dec 2008. . Regester, Charlene. â€Å"Review: High Contrast: Race and Gender in Contemporary Hollywood Film by Sharon Willis. † Film Quarterly, Vol. 52, No. 2. Winter 1998; pp. 51-52.

Early Childhood Education-Learning Through the Senses Essay

As parents of young children, we often ponder which Early Childhood Program to enroll our children in. At one point in time they were non-existent. As early childhood educators emerged, programs were created. Interestingly, the Montessori approach is a specialized method created by Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method; which is widely used today was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Montessori’s are not aimed at talented and gifted children; this method is expressed in public and private school settings in conjunction with children attending up to age 18. In addition, Montessori serves the needs of children of all levels of mental and physical abilities (Stephenson, 2011). In 1870, Maria Montessori, the first Italian woman to secure a medical degree (Stephenson, 2011). With her degree she entered the fields of psychiatry, education and anthropology. She had a passion for young minds. She believed that children educate themselves. Montessori became a physician in 1896, attending the University of Rome psychiatric clinic. During her tenure, Dr. Montessori developed an enthusiasm for the study of children with special needs; where she also spoke on their behalf. Twenty-six years later, Maria relocated to San Lorenzo, Rome to study children without disabilities. There she observed fifty children which resulted in success. This success was recognized and spread all over, attracting travelers from all over to this remarkable case study. An in-depth explanation of what a Montessori truly is, Stephenson (2011) clearly states: A Montessori can be defined as a revolutionary method of observing and supporting the natural development of children. Montessori educational practice helps children develop creativity, problem solving,  critical thinking and time-management skills to contribute to society and the environment, and to become fulfilled persons in their particular time and place on Earth. The basis of Montessori practice in the classroom is mixed age group (3 ages- 6 ages in one class), individual choice of research and work, and interrupted concentration. Group lesson are seldom found in a Montessori classroom, but learning abounds. Since Montessori’s death, educators all over continue to implement and notice this method has worked all over the world with all kinds of children (wealthy, poor, gifted, normal, learning disabled, etc.) and environments (from slums, to elegant schools, etc. ). Maria agreed that when physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs are met, children glow with excitement and a drive to play and work with enthusiasm, to learn, and to create. In conjunction, children exude a desire to teach, help and care for others and for their environment (Stephenson, 2011). During her lectures and travels, Maria Montessori was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition to the explanation of a Montessori, the following is the Montessori Method. This method meticulously exemplifies how Montessori educators implement the method in various programs across the country. There are five basic principle associated with the Montessori Method. They are: Respect for the child, The Absorbent child, Sensitive periods, The Prepared environment and Auto-education. Respect for the children occurs when educators assist children with new projects, allowing them to learn for themselves. Giving the child room to explore their boundaries flourishes abilities for positive self- esteem (Morrison, 2009). Montessori also believed having respect for the child is a key element. She said (Morrison, 2009), As a rule, however we do not respect children. We try to force them to follow us without regard to their special needs. We are overwhelming with them, and above all, rude; and then we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them. When it comes to a child’s mind; it can be described as a sponge. Their young minds continuously â€Å"absorb† information. Unintentionally, children cannot help but learn. In their own environments and in shared environments. The Absorbent mind refers to the idea that the minds of young children are receptive to and capable learning (Morrison, 2009). From birth to age six, these are the most important years of the absorbent mind. Shortridge (2003), compiled an essay about the absorbent mind in which Montessori states that the child learns by unconsciously taking in everything around him and actually constructs himself. Using his senses, he incarnates, or creates himself by absorbing his environment through his very act of living. Morrison (2009) adds, â€Å"What they learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments†(Ch. 9). In the sensitive periods; learning is most likely to occur (Morrison, 2009). In our text (2009), Montessori recalls a sensitive period: A sensitive period refers to a special sensibility which a creature acquires in its infantile state, while it is still in a process of evolution. It is a transient disposition and limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once this trait or characteristic has been acquired, the special sensibility disappears. It is imperative for an educator to observe and ascertain sensitivity periods and sustain the proper environment. Many theorists believe this stage is considered the critical period. The critical period and the sensitive period contain a sensitive difference. The critical period mildly describes a child not receiving the â€Å"right† or enough stimuli during the window; they will be stagnant in learning in the future (Oswalt, 2008). However, theorists who believe in the sensitive period noted it would post difficulty for the childcare giver to attain what was not learned during the learning window of opportunity, still there is room for the child to learn at a later time (Oswalt, 2008). In a prepared environment it is believed children learn best. In an environment where children can do things for themselves; children are at liberty to explore materials of their own choosing. Within these prepared environments, are six principles: Freedom, Structure and Order, Beauty, Nature and Reality, Social environment and Intellectual environment (Irinyi, 2009). Freedom environment includes freedom of movement, the child must experience freedom of exploration. All of these freedom movements lead to a greater freedom (Irinyi, 2009). Structure and order in the classroom mirrors the sense of structure and order in the universe (Irinyi, 2009). A beautiful environment should suggest harmony and should invite the worker to work. Nature and reality strongly influenced Maria Montessori and believed children should actively interact with nature. Social environment promotes the freedom of children socially interacting with one another and also develop a sense of compassion and empathy for others (Irinyi, 2009). Briefly, auto-education is last principal of the Montessori Method. The prepared environment also stimulates auto-education which is the idea that children teach themselves through appropriate materials and activities (Morrison, 2009). Children who decide to â€Å"work† in the â€Å"kitchen† are able to role play as chefs and are able to make themselves and their peers something to eat. In the Early Childhood Education field, Montessori’s are not the only education program developed to focus on children’s developments. The High- Scope theory is based on Piaget, constructivism, Dewey and Vygotsky (Morrison, 2009). Children help establish curriculum. Experiences guide the programs of studies in promoting children’s active learning (Morrison, 2009). The Reggio Emilia approach founded by Loris Malaguzzi (1920-1994), a city in northern Italy, based on the philosophy and practice; that children are active of their own knowledge (Morrison, 2009). Curriculum is project oriented and learning is active. The Waldorf Education founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) highlights the teaching of the whole child-head, hands, and heart (Morrison, 2009). Steiner strongly believed that education should be holistic. The study of myths, lores, and fairy tales promotes the imagination and multiculturalism (Morrison,2009). Combining all of the early childhood education programs, there is no one perfect curriculum. Today, there is a combination of all four education types being taught in school districts. Each approach is important and critical. Personally, I would agree that The Montessori Method best serves the needs because this approach allows children to grow and learn at their pace. They are not forced to retain information if the brain is not processing at the pace that is requested and required for children. Also, the environment plays a serious role in this learning and teaching process. If a child is in a stressed environment, the child is less likely to participate and socialize with his or her peers. When a child is in a peaceful or beautiful environment, the child is more inclined to interact with the world with a clear mind. Indeed, while there are multiple Early Childhood Education programs available, the Montessori Method was created with the focus of children learning from their environment (Morrison, 2009). Not to say that this particular method is paramount, but beneficial results have emerged from this program. In Head Start facilities, High- Scope, Reggio Emilia Approach, the Montessori Method and the Waldorf Education should be integrated in facilities today and for the future. References Irinyi, M. (2009, March 18). Principles of the montessori prepared environment. Retrieved from http://montessoritraining. blogspot. com/2009/03/principles-of-montessori-prepared. html Morrison, G. S. (2009). Early childhood education today. (11th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Oswalt, A. (2008, January 17th). Senisitive periods in mental health. Retrieved from http://www. mentalhelp. net/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc&id=7923&cn=28 Shortridge, P. D. (2003). The absorbent mind and the sensitive periods. Retrieved from http://www. pdonohueshortridge. com/children/absorbent. html Stephenson, S. M. (2011). The international Montessori index. Retrieved from http://www. montessori.

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