Monday, September 30, 2019
Pfizer Inc/Warmer-Lambert Co. Essay
Pfizer is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in United States. Its headquarters are in New York City and it is the owner of the drug Lipitar, an atorvastatin which is used to lower cholesterol in the blood. The company produces a big range of other precuts. Pfizer acquired Warmer-Lambert in 2000. The two had been the leading companies in the research based pharmaceuticals. In 1999 Pfizer had been named the fastest growing pharmaceutical company in its industry. Warmer-Lambert had been the Second (http://www.pfizer.com/home/). Warner-Lambert also deals with pharmaceuticals. The company has grown through acquisition which started in 1962 when it acquired American Chide Company which produced gums and mints. American Chide Company was the owner of the Adams brand which was well known around the world. The merger between Pfizer and Warmer-Lambert was as a result of observation of the market trends in the industry and in the global economy. The global market has been characterized by slow growth. The market was not expanding at the same rate as it has before. It seemed as if it was experiencing a slack in growth. Thus for the companies to continue operating profitability there was need to capture a bigger share of the market and reduce competition. Because the market was not expanding at a good rate expansion of the companies’ operations could only be possible through taking over a bigger share of the existing market. This called for greater and more effective efforts in competition (Mercola J. 2000). One way to gain competitive advantage is through cost cutting and concerted efforts. Merging the two fastest growing companies in the industry could effectively achieve this. Both companies were strong players in the market and combining power gave them a force that could enable them acquires additional share of the market from the other competitors. Merging also could enable the companies make concerted efforts in marketing and other ventures hence saving on cost. Cost reduction will help the companies gain competitive advantage in the market (http://www.secinfo.com/dsVsj.599.htm#1stPage). Expiration of a number of key patents was another major trend in the market. Both of the companies are research based and had been holding patents which had been key to their operations. Expiry of these patents meant the companies were loosing their hold in the market. Many other competitors were due to come in the market.   Entry of additional competitors could inflate costs and m ay lead to reduction of profits. Merging could help the companies to cut on this cost increase and compete more effectively in the market. Research and development costs were increasing at a higher rate. The significance of research and development was gaining new heights in the modern business environment. Because of the high competition and the rapidly changing business conditions the need for new innovations in operations and products has increased. More efforts and investment in research and development have been necessitated. These together with other factors have led to significance increase in Research and development costs. Both Pfizer and Warmer-Lambert are research based and merging them will enable them collaborate in Research and hence reduce cost effectively. Through their combined efforts the companies will be able to do more effective research. The role of e-commerce in business is changing significantly with many more business transactions being carried out though e-commerce. There is increased used of technology both in research and in doing business. The way business is conducted have greatly been affected by e-commerce. Thus, the companies had to change so as to utilize the effects of e-commerce for their benefits in the long run. (http://www,secifo.com/dsvsj/599.htm) There are several factors that motivated Pfizer Inc. to merge with Warmer-Lambert Co. Each of the companies had its motivational factors by generally both companies need to stabilize them product portfolio and reduce the dependence on some few key products. (http://www.secifo.com/dsvsj.599.htm). Another motivating factor was the increased need of increasing their rate of growth. Other factors that motivated the merger included increased in revenue, better research and development (R&D) and more cost cutting. Terms of transaction Pfizer paid a premium of 34% to Warmer-Lambert in the merger that resulted to Pfizer and Warmer-Lambert combining to form the largest pharmaceutical company in the world at that time. Shareholders of Warmer-Lambert got 2.75 shares of Pfizer common stock for each share of common stock held in Warmer-Lambert. The Warmer-Lambert shares were valued at $98.31 per one unit by the closing prices of October 1999 against $ 35.75 per one unit of Pfizer shares by the closing price of February 4, 2000. This represented a premium of 34% (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/06-19-2000/0001246843) The company expected to have combined annual revenue of approximately $28 billion. The company expects a 13% growth on compounded annual revenue and 25% growth in earnings (The Birmingham Post). The expected market capitalization is more than $230 billions. After the merger 61% of the new company will be held by the Pfizer shareholders while the remaining 39% will be held by the Warmer-Lambert shareholders (http://www.pfizer.ca/english/newsroom/press%20releases/default.asp?s=1&year=2000&releaseID=29). The valuation of the target firm can be done as: calculation of the future value of the company FV = PV (1+2)n From this we can be able to calculate the valuation of the target company using DPV = FY / (1+a) n Where FV = Future value DV = Present value I = opportunity cost N = no of years FV = $ 90 billion x (1+0.01) 1 90 x 1.01 $ 90.9 billions. After getting the future value, the discounted present value can be calculated as 90.9 billions / (1+14%) 1 14% is got by adding the growth rate representing the opportunity cost and the risk factor which we assume to be 1% 90.9 / (1.0 + 0.14)1 (90.9 / 1.14) 79.74 billions. In the valuation there are several assumption made. One of the assumptions is that the risk factor is equivalent to one percent. The other assumption is that the opportunity cost is Warmer-Lambert merging with Pfizer is equivalent to the growth rate expected. Thus the assumed discount rate is expected to be 14% that is, combining the opportunity cost and the risk factor. Another assumption made I s that the future value is calculated after only one year thus making the period n to be equal to 1. There are several risks that come with making the above assumptions. If the actual risk factor of the market is different from the assumed risk factor of one percent then the outcome of the valuation will not be accurate. This is risk as it may give a wrong impression of the effect of a decision, for example the decision of Warmer-Lambert to merge with Pfizer      Another risk is inherent because of the assumption that the opportunity cost is equal to the growth rate expected. In the real business environment this may results that are not accurate. This may lead to making a decision based on wrong information. This may consequently lead to difficulties in the company or loss to the owners of the company. Pfizer mission have been to emerge as the leader in the pharmaceutical industry by the stunt of the new millennium. The company had aimed at becoming the most valued company to all its stakeholders who included patients, doctors, insurers, investors and business partners.  To achieve this, the company is committed to offering services of value to the stakeholders (Huff, A. Huff J. and Barr P; 2000). To ensure that Pfizer remained of value to the stakeholder the company was committed to innovation so as to provide products of value to its customers. The company realized that innovation was what could enable tit to continue being relevant to needs of its customers in the long run. As the customer needs were changing the company had to keep innovating to enable it to satisfy the needs of these customers. Pfizer in this regard was committed to continued Research and development productivity. Much effort and finances were invested in research and development so as to produce more relevant products in the market. Pfizer strategy of success in the market was sustaining growth of existing products and expanding the range of products through innovations. This innovation was facilitated by increasing productivity of research and development (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_Feb_1/ai_53672006 ). Pfizer’s acquisition of Warmer-Lambert was a major and useful step in the Company’s strategy toward attainment of its mission (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5212317/Pfizer-Driving-Performance-Through-Growth.html).. Acquisition of Warmer-Lambert by Pfizer was aimed at encouraging Business development. There are many benefits that this merger could help Pfizer to achieve. These benefits all worked for Pfizer in its quest to create the most valued pharmaceutical company to all its stakeholders. Acquisition of Warmer-Lambert helped Pfizer to get access to patent that Warmer-Lambert held. Warmer-Lambert held some patents and so upon the merge the two companies could benefit from the patents. Considering that the market condition was characterized by expiry of key patents meaning each of the company’s advantage of holding patents was slowly decreasing. Thus, combining gave the two companies a great advantage as the new company could hold more patents (http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/M-R/McKinnell-Henry-A-Jr-1943.html). Pfizer acquisition could also lead to the company getting access to new and racial technologies in the other firm. Each of the company was developed in its own way and had technological capabilities that were unique to its operations. This technology was in the form of processes and platforms which facilitated production and innovation. Combining these unique capabilities from two companies gave the resultants much power and benefits which could be denied from utilization of these technologies. Access to both technologies by one company gave it synergy thus compounding the benefits to be derived from the technologies. This synergetic combination of technology could help Pfizer advance its strategy of producing new lines of products through innovation. This technology could also help the company to sustain growth of its existing products (Aitkin M. and Baskaran S. 2000) As technology is a major component to research and development, access to new technology could boost Pfizer’s efforts in research and development. This boost in research and development could help the company to significantly reduce the cost of innovation. Consequently, reduction in cost of innovation could lead to reduction of the overall cost and so boost profits of the company. Reduction in costs could also help the company reduce the prices it charged for the product. Reduction in the prices could lead to increase in sales as well as increasing the access of the products by greater number of customers. An increased access of the precuts by many more customers will help to serve their need by the company and thus meeting the main aim of the company that is making it the most valued company to various stakeholders. The acquisition by Pfizer helped the company to expand its products line. Acquiring Warner-Lambert made Pfizer the company with the broadest portfolio in the industry. The company had products in various categories which included women health, central nervous system disorders as well as in many other categories. This was in line with the company’s aim of achieving a broad range of product instead of relying on a narrow range of products. The acquisition of Warmer-Lambert also gave Pfizer a big number of new products. I had eight products in the year of acquisition which brought in more than $1 billion in sales in that year. This was a great achievement for Pfizer, a company that was committed to increasing the contribution of innovation and research and development productivity. The achievement gave the company a boost toward attaining its overall aim. Combining the research operations of Pfizer and those of Warmer-Lambert produced the largest Research and development budget in the pharmaceutical industry. The new company had a budget of $4.78 billion set aside for research and development. The scientific staff of the company was more than twelve thousand. This showed the commitment to innovation and increased Research and development productivity (http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/01/23/ap4565943.html). Acquisition of Warmer-Lambert gives Pfizer much regard in the world and makes it the most productive in sales and marketing in the industry. This increases the reputation of the company among the stakeholders. The company also acquires some of brands which are highly regarded in the world. These brands Include Schick and Zaritac 75 http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/ibd.morningstar.com/quicktake/standard/client/shell/AP707.html?ticker=PFE&valid=NO&MP=FP&pageidx=1&pageitemidx=2            Combination of Pfizer and Warner-Lambert the two fastest growing companies in the world in the pharmaceutical industry produces a large organizational with great might. This enables the new company to have strong presence in major international market. Because of its power, the organization will be able to conquer new markets and compete effectively (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/633782.stm). Test of merger performance. a) The target, Warner-Lambert Company had a market capitalization of $60 billions in 1999. The acquirer, Pfizer had a market capitalization of $148.074 billions in that year (Financial Times 1999) After the merger between Pfizer and Warner-Lambert the new company had a market capitalization of $263,996 millions in 2001 (Financial times 10th May 2001). Before the merger Pfizer and Warner-Lambert had a total market of capitalization of $208.074 billions in 1999. After Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert their total market capitalization was 263.99 billions in May 2001. This was a major increase in only one year after the merger.            The increase in the market capitalization after the acquisition signifies that it was beneficial. The merger was value enhancing in the short run for the investors who held shares in the company (Pryor F. 2001) b) After the merger of Pfizer Inc with Warner-Lambert Company the market reacted favorably to the new company. The combined market share increased from 7.8 percent to 8.2 percent after the merger (Http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/M-R/McKinnel-Henry-A-Jr-1943.htm/). The total Revenue of the company in the subsequent year increased by 11 percent to $29 billion and the income rose by 10.9 percent to $7.8 billions as compared to year 2000 performance.            On February 1 the market price for Pfizer stock was $32.12 by closing. After the acquisition of Warner-Lambert the share prices rose steadily to a close of $48.00 in 1st June 2000. This indicates that in the short run the market was favoring the merger between the two companies (Http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/historical.asp?symbol=DFE)            Generally the market reacted favorably to the merger in the short run. The market prices rose, the revenue and income rose as well as market capitalization. c) Performance of the merger by return to shareholders.            The merger between Pfizer and Warner-Lambert indicated good performance in the short run. The two giant companies merged to form one very powerful company. The good performance was reflected in the market prices of the new company shares as well as in the market share revenue and earnings. The returns to shareholders also increased in the year that followed the merger.            In 2001 a year after the merger the earnings of Pfizer grew considerably to reach 1-22 per share (http://www.thestreet.com/tech/adamfeuerstein/10005524.html)            In 2002 the earnings per share was $1.46 Revenue was $32.29413. This indicated a positive growth. It showed that the merger between the two giants was paying off for the second year consequently.            In 2003 the earnings fell to 0.54 indicating a negative growth. Revenue was $44.73614. This showed a slump in the benefit that had been derived from the merger in the previous year. Though the performance of Pfizer improved the years that followed the performance of 2003 were so discouraging and brought fear that the merger may not bring as much benefits as it had been expected earlier.            In general the performance of the merger was positive to returns to the shareholders. It worked to improve the wealth of the shareholders by increasing the earnings per share and market capitalization. This was possible as the company was able to cut on cost, increase market share and consequently increase Revenue. http://www.pfizer.com/files/annualreport/2004/financial/financial2004.pdf.) Evaluation and prognosis of merger between Pfizer and Warner-Lambert. a) M&A effects on Pfizer’s long term position in its product market areas. There had been both positive and negative effects experienced as a result of the merger between Pfizer and Warner-Lambert.            The short run was characterized by very encouraging positive results. These results showed that the company was achieving its goal of becoming the most valued pharmaceutical company to all its stakeholders. The positive effects were evident in the performance of the company. Immediately after the merger with Warner-Lambert, the stock prices shot up, the revenue soared and earnings increased. The market capitalization increased significantly. All the indicators showed that the company was headed for excellence in all aspects in the industry. It was able to increase its market share to a bigger percentage than the combined market share of the companies before the merger.            However, in the long run Pfizer performance does not reflect the earlier exhibited positive growth. There had been a slack in the trend of growth that had been observed in the short run after the merger with Warner-Lambert. The merger between the two giant companies which had been declared the first and second fastest growing companies in the pharmaceutical industry was aimed at creating one giant company with great power to foster increase growth and development. The goal was to establish strong international presence in all major markets in the industry. Merging with Warner-Lambert made the new company the biggest in the industry with a huge budget of Research and development (Knack R. 2000).            Glaxo merged with Smith Kline to form GlaxoSmithkline a company that was bigger than Pfizer after acquiring Warner-Lambert. Thus the leadership role that Pfizer wanted to have was overtaken. The competitive advantage that had accrued to Pfizer as the largest company in the industry with ability to carry out costly researches and conquer new markets as well as release many new markets, diminished. Though Pfizer tried to fight further by putting more efforts through other acquisition it never gave much impact. Pfizer acquired Pharmacia but the impact was not as big as when it acquired Warner-Lambert (Ramrattan L. and Szenberg M. 2006).            The performance of Pfizer has not been as was expected considering its performance in the short run shortly after the merger. The stock prices had risen to $46 but this is not the case now. The stock prices have been decreasing steadily from $46 in June 2000 to $22.33 as of Friday February 2008. This shows that, instead of improving the company is facing some difficulties in operation (http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshort/historical/asp?symbol=PFE). The company’s performance has been below the industry’s performance since 2005 to present. The performance is also below the S&P 500 index or performance of the pharmaceutical industry. (http://www.thestreet.com/tech/adamfeuerstein/10005524.html). Homer Pfizer has struggled to restructure its operations and remain relevant in the market. This restructure was in various operations of the company and even in the leadership. The chief executive officer was changed (http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/M-R/McKinnell-Henry-A-Jr-1943.html).            The declining performance of Pfizer had been characterized by loss of some share of the market thus reducing the size of the market it had captured in 2000 after the merger. Pfizer, after much restructuring and leadership of a new CEO, have managed to remain one of the biggest in the industry with a market capitalization of $152,510 millions. The leading company in this industry is Johnson & Johnson which have a market capitalization of $180,004 millions. Pfizer is the second and Glaxo Smithkline PLC is the third with a market capitalization of $132,384 million (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/ibd.morningstar.com/quicktake/standard/client/shell/AP707.html?ticker=PFE&valid=NO&MP=FP&pageidx=1&pageitemidx=2).            Generally, the merger of Pfizer and Warner-Lambert helped Pfizer to gain some crucial benefits that helped the company to establish itself better in the market place. The population, Research and development muscle and acquisition of significant patents were major boosts for Pfizer. By acquiring Warner-Lambert, Pfizer got 100% ownership of the Lipitar patent which was one of the major products that have contributed to Pfizer good performance. However this have been in the short run and for the company to establish a firm long lasting position in its product market will require adoption of another strategy which will produce more long term benefits (Cerami C. 2000). b) Major changes to strategic decisions and directions to improve performance and prospects. There are some various changes that the Pfizer Inc can undertake so as to improve its performance in the short run and in the long run. Technology use. Pfizer can adopt a more purposeful use of technology to improve its performance. Technology is a powerful business tool which can be very useful in turning performance of a company round. Technology can be used in research, production of products, management and administration and in marketing (Du Boff R. 2000). In the modern world online commerce is rife and the companies utilize this opportunity for marketing its products to more areas of the world. The company should adapt a technology strategy which should be aimed at establishing new products, managing operations, establishing new markets and increasing competitive advantage ion the already established markets. Technology can improve operations of the company by better using the technology to manage information and communication in the company as well as establishing controls in the work. These are the aspects of the company that will help it to cut on administration costs as well as achieve more efficiency and hence increasing customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction will in turn lead to improved sales and profitability of the company (Beltran L. 2000). Technology can also achieve a lot in production. Adapting high technology may be expensive at cost but the benefit derived will be major and long lasting. Besides that, good technology will lead to improved efficiency in production which will consequently lead to reduction in cost and improvement in quality of the products (Carey D and Ogden D. 2004). Explore new market Instead of depending on the already established market, Pfizer should put more effort in market research so as to determine other potential markets for its products. Earlier entry will give the company an upper hand than its competitors in the new market. Technology can be used to help in assessing the potential of these markets and also in identifying their specific needs so as to develop the products required for that market. This will enable the company to continue being relevant to more people of the world and thus further its effort of being the most valued pharmaceutical company to all the people of the world.            Other efforts should be put to explore all potential markets so as to ensure all feasible opportunities available are utilized for the benefit of the company. The company should keep on evaluating its market and the industry. The market conditions in the modern world are characterized by rapid and more unpredictable changes and thus for a company to survive the instability that comes with unpredictable markets a lot of efforts have to be put in market scanning and evaluation of the industry. Consequently if a company want to be the leader in its industry a lot more have to be done. The company besides scanning the market has to put up a strategy that will help it to manage change effectively as well as project the market with a bigger degree of certainty and accuracy. The company should always be ahead of others and so should apply proactive measures instead of waiting to react to issues. Product range. The company should not rely on a few main products for its success in business. The company has a big range of products which should be marketed well so as to establish themselves better in the market and thus earn the company much revenue. Most of the products of the company can do better if more efforts can be used to market the products. The company should make up a marketing strategy aimed at conducting intensive marketing of all products. This will help the company to increase revenue got form all products instead of relying on revenue from a few products. Marketing can be done by utilizing emerging aspects of the market conditions. An example of such aspects includes electronic commerce. Pfizer can put up a strategy of conducting intensive online marketing and then conduct sales through electronic commerce. Pfizer should also try to market its image to European and American authorities as this will give it more easier job when it comes to lobbying for certification of new products. These measures will help the company avert problems that it had faced in the past due to delay in approval of some of its new products (Dubois W. 2003). Quick approval of products will help the company to start benefiting from its investment in the product as early as possible. Early approval of a prod7uct will also help to reduce the opportunity cost that comes up with such delays Acquisition Pfizer should reconsider its strategy of acquisition so as to gain dominance in the market. Though acquisition brings a lot of benefits, there are equally big costs involved from experience the benefits are not very long term so Pfizer should examine new strategies instead of being invested through acquisition can be invested in research of a potential market. Reference: Aitkin M Baskaran S.  Lamarre E. Silber M. Waters S. A License to Cure. The McKinsey Quarterly, 2000. Associated press. Market performance. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/ibd.morningstar.com/quicktake/standard/client/shell/AP707.html?ticker=PFE&valid=NO&MP=FP&pageidx=1&pageitemidx=2 BBC. Drug giants merge. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/633782.stm Beltran L. (2000). Earnings Growth Redefined. Black Enterprise, Vol. 30, July 2000 Business wire. Warner-Lambert announces Goodes to retire.  Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_Feb_1/ai_53672006 Businessweek. Earnings. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/earnings/earnings.asp?symbol=PFE Carey D. Ogden D. (2004). The Human Side of M & A: How CEOs Leverage the Most Important Asset in Deal Making. Oxford University Press. Cerami C. Is Bigger Really Better? Insight on the News, Vol. 16, March 6, 2000. Du Boff R.(2000) Herman E. Mergers, Concentration, and the Erosion of Democracy Monthly Review, Vol. 53, May 2000. Dubois W. (2003). Drug Research, the Extraterritorial Application of FDA Regulations, and the Need for International Cooperation. Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, Vol. 36, 2003. Financial times May 10, 2001. Special reports. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from Forbes.com. Pfizer 4Q profit falls but beat view. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/01/23/ap4565943.html FTC Grants Final Clearance for Pfizer/Warner-Lambert Merger, Transaction Completed Today. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/06-19-2000/0001246843 Goliath. Driving performance through growth. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5212317/Pfizer-Driving-Performance-Through-Growth.html http://specials.ft.com/ft500/may2001/FT36H8Z8KMC.html http://www.pfizer.com/files/annualreport/2004/financial/financial2004.pdf http://www.pfizer.com/home/ http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/biography/M-R/McKinnell-Henry-A-Jr-1943.html Huff, A. Huff J. and Barr P; (2000). When Firms Change Direction. Oxford University Press, 2000. Knack R. Pfizer Fords a River. Planning, Vol. 66, June 2000 Mercola J. (2000). Pfizer to buy Warner-Lambert for $90 billion. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.mercola.com/2000/feb/13/pfizer_warner_lambert.htm Pfizer. Annual reports 2004. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from Pfizer. Pfizer and Warner agree to merger. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.pfizer.ca/english/newsroom/press%20releases/default.asp?s=1&year=2000&releaseID=29 Pfizer. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from Pryor F. (2001). Dimensions of the Worldwide Merger Boom. Journal of Economic Issues, Vol. 35, 2001. Ramrattan L. Szenberg M. (2006) Global Competition and the United States Pharmaceutical Industry. American Economist, Vol. 50. Referenceforbusiness.com. McKinnell-Henry. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from Securities and Exchange Council. Facing our future together. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.secinfo.com/dsVsj.599.htm#1stPage The Birmingham Post (England). Pfizer Looks to Global Leadership after Pounds 57bn Takeover of Warner-Lambert. February 8, 2000 The street.com. Pfizer keeps its outlook on positive side. Retrieved on February 15, 2008 from http://www.thestreet.com/tech/adamfeuerstein/10005524.html
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Artificial Intelligence
One were to take a look around the room they are currently in, chances are there would be some form of artificial Intelligence present. From cell phones to computers – artificial Intelligence Is everywhere and even a way of life. The next generation of people may never know what life is without some form of intelligence embedded into their everyday schedule and routines. Perhaps the coffee pot that brews their caffeinated beverage every morning is programmed in such a way that they don't even have to touch it.Originally, however, it was programmed by a human. Robots may indeed be programmed intelligently, but robots can never replace humans. According to Kevin Money, It Is said that â€Å"Google and a lot of other companies believe robots today are like cell phones back when they were the size of bricks and cost $6,000. It may take 10 or 20 years, but before long everybody is going to have a robot – or several†(Money, 2013). Robots work alongside human beings to ensure accuracy, precision, and skill that human beings cannot perform on their own.Dan Lyons states that, â€Å"From self-service checkout lines at the supermarket to industrial robots armed with saws and taught to carve up animal carcasses In slaughter-houses, these ever- ore-Intelligent machines are now not Just assisting workers but actually kicking them out of their jobs. Automation isn't just affecting factory workers, either. Some law firms now use artificial intelligence software to scan and read mountains of legal documents, work that previously was performed by highly paid human lawyers. Surely, robots are designed to assist humans, but can they really replace them? Author Michael Brooks writes about Hugh Lobber, a philanthropist from New York, whose goal Is to create total unemployment for all human beings throughout the world. â€Å"He wants robots to do all the work. And the first step towards that is to develop computers that seem human when you chat to them. It's n ot a new idea. Alan Turing is credited with the first explicit outline of what is now called the Turing test.A human judge sits down at a computer and has a typed conversation with an entity that responds to whatever the Judge types. If that entity is a computer, but the judge thinks It's a person, the conversational computer program passes the test (Brooks, 2013). †Human beings are highly flawed creatures and they often make mistakes. Robots, on the other hand, are computers – they execute a skill, time and mime again, without flaw, for the most part. That's why they are often used in medical settings, so that doctors can have the assistance of a robot to help execute a task.Dan Lyons states, â€Å"surgeons are using robotic systems to perform an ever-growing list of operations–not because the machines save money but because, thanks to the greater precision of robots, the patients recover In less time and have fewer complications, says Dry. Miriam Cure. †However, this doesn't necessarily mean that robots are going to replace humans. â€Å"The surgery bots don't replace surgeons?you still need a surgeon to drive the robot†(Lyons, 2013). Unfortunately, computers are computers, and one day, they will crash. It may not happen right away, but eventually, there will be a glitch, a mistake, or an entire shutdown.Computers do not have a will or desire to complete a task, so they are only as good as they are programmed. In fact, there are many attributes that computers simply cannot intelligent as they may seem. It is inaccurate to think that a computer may genuinely mimic or replace a human, because they simply don't have mental skills. A robot may be programmed to respond to certain types of tones, words, or body language, but he beautiful thing about human beings is that they can come up with their own responses on their own – no matter what the stimulus may be.According to Greg Egan, it is healthier to communicate with a real human being rather than an artificially intelligent one. He states that, â€Å"The art of conversation, of listening attentively and weighing each response, is not a universal gift, any more than any other skill. Honing one's conversational skills with a computer–discovering your strengths and weaknesses while enjoying a chat with a character that is no less interesting for failing to exist–might well lead to better conversations with fellow unmans†(Egan, 2014).This is significant because human beings need this sort of interaction for mental health and stability. If one were connected to a robot, rather than a human, they would get a false sense of reality. Michael Brooks feels the same way about it. He says, â€Å"When we talk to each other, whether it's about last night's TV or the wisdom of a military strike on Syria, we are doing something far harder than sending a rocket to the moon. We did the moon-shot decades ago but we still can't make a machine that will hold a decent conversation†(Brooks, 2013). Human beings make mistakes. It is simply a part of human nature.If a human was around a robot that didn't make mistakes, or wasn't â€Å"human†enough, then the person would become uncomfortable. According to The Economist, â€Å"To keep human workers at ease, collaborative robots should also have an appropriate size and appearance. Collaborative, humanoid robots should generally be no larger than a six-year-old, a size most adults reckon they could overpower if necessary. Large eyes make robots seem friendlier and, crucially, more aware of their surroundings. †This goes to show the relationships that humans have with each other: the bigger and stronger a arson seems to be, the more intimidating they become.There is a trust issue that takes place within the need for big eyes to seem friendlier and the need to be aware of current surroundings. Isn't one of the greatest parts of being human the ability to judg e character and decide, individually, who is frightening and untrustworthy and who is not? The article also adds, â€Å"But overly humanoid features can lead to problematically unrealistic expectations. †So, if the robot were to randomly burst into flames, then the human would no longer trust it. Alas, assuming the robot could be rusted in the first place would lead to unrealistic expectations – expectations that are not human enough to exceed.Robots are unique because they are programmed. Humans are unique because they are not – meaning they are able to think for themselves and make mistakes. The Economist states that it is important to give robots â€Å"A defining human trait–the ability to make mistakes. Amah Salem programmed a humanoid Asimov robot, made by Honda, to make occasional harmless mistakes such as pointing to one drawer while talking about another. When it comes to household robots, test subjects prefer those that err over infallible ones , Dry Salem says. This is significant to see that humans prefer robots to be more human-like by making mistakes because it makes the person more comfortable. It is almost laughable, because a human is such prone to error, so the robot might as well be, they would prefer a robot to make a mistake would mean that they are searching for that connection – a connection that would sound something like, â€Å"we are only human†and they shrug it off and feel comforted again. Although robots are indeed artificially intelligent and have many technological capabilities, they still can never be exactly eke humans or completely replace humans.They may be able to help doctors and surgeons, factory workers, and make life a little easier in the everyday world, but they simply cannot mimic humans. Therefore, the idea of connecting with a robot should be thrown out the window, along with the idea of making a robot make mistakes on purpose for the comfort of the nearest human being. Wha t the nearest human being needs is to connect with the next human being and have a reassuring conversation that they will not lose their Job to a robot – unless they fail to program their robot ropey. Artificial intelligence Artificial Intelligence Is defined as the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Artificial intelligence has come a long way as our culture has developed.Many people believe that artificial intelligence is in a sense giving these computers sentience or making them alive. What most people don't agree on is that Artificial Intelligence Is hat delightfulness Ass's from humans if they can think critically about situations and form their own opinions. In the movie â€Å"The Final Moments of Karl Brand†we are shown the basic sense of how humans feel about sentient AH systems.Karl Brand a top researcher for a new experimental AH system downloads his memories into a device. Later after he is murdered his friend pulls up the memories he had â€Å"uploaded†and they create a sentient AH version of himself. Most peo ple are greatly disturbed by the fact that AH could possibly become In a sense living and have a unconsciousness, In this movie the cop is deeply disturbed and rushes to pull the plug on the sediment being.This is how most people commonly react to change and constantly improving technology. Everyday Hollywood releases movies like terminator, and Robotic where artificial intelligences go haywire and takeover all of humanity. However, Most artificial intelligences are actually very intelligent and almost have a human like reasoning and logic. It is because of this sense of â€Å"sentience†that most people feel uncomfortable about robots and the growing technological age. Artificial Intelligence Brian Aldiss’ â€Å"Supertoys Last All Summer Long†is an interesting story which was adapted to film by Steven Spielberg in the movie â€Å"AI – Artificial Intelligence. Reading the story initially one would notice that the story ends with a hanging ending. There seems to be no closure in the story except that the audience is left wondering what happens to David since the couple, Monica and Henry, already acquired the license to conceive a real human child. The story is extremely short and would be impossible to adapt to film if not for the additions that have been made in its movie form.However, the short story itself forms the basis for the entire film save for it’s being extended to feature length. The narrative additions in the film were not added just so the basis, which is the short story, would become feature length, instead these additions serve three basic things – they appropriately conduct the story to a logical and closed-ended conclus ion, they serve to explain certain things that have not been explained in the short story because of its length, and they give the story material a more visual feel instead of the almost vignetted presentation in the literary piece.The narrative additions in the film expand the sphere of explanation for the story; something that was not done in the short story version. Noticeably, in the short story, Aldiss focused on the singular scene of the depressing interaction between Monica, David, and the super toy, Teddy. These interactions are limited to the revelations of how David reacts to the obvious disregard of Monica for him. David wonders why he cannot be loved as much by Monica whom he considers to be his mother.While the short story does not explore this fully, the film makes slight modifications by presenting Monica and Henry as a couple who had a child in suspended cryogenic animation. So, with that addition in the film, Monica is given a reason for her depression and her obvio us distance and indifference for the robot kid, David. In addition to this, the re-introduction of Monica’s real child who emerges from suspended animation serves to add another layer of conflict to the story which was surprisingly linear and less complicated in the short story version.Aside from these critical pieces of the story that were expanded and well explained in the film version, the movie also drew from the robot background of the story and created an entire world where humans interact with robots in the film. The only reference to this in the story is the serving-man which David presented to an audience as a new innovation in robotics as well as David who is the young robot boy.Of course it is assumed that with the existence of these two robots in the short story, the setting for the story becomes the future, but the film explores this further by portraying many other forms of robots to establish the idea that in the world where the story occurs, robots are made fo r various and different purposes. So, judging by how the material was expanded as more detailed narratives in the film, such narratives were not superfluous in the sense that these narrative elements had added more details to the story and made it more tangible as opposed to the fleeting and almost fickle clues that were given in the short story version.Another obvious development in the film that explains why the narratives were purposely introduced is the fact that the additions such as the adventure of David in the absence of Monica and Henry made the story more visual. In effect, the short story was merely used as a jump off platform for the movie, hence the phrase ‘based on the story’. This is expected in most film versions because most of the time, short stories create imaginary worlds in the reader’s mind that are far from tangible.So, while most of the narrative elements introduced in the film are no longer found in the short story, all of these elements can be derived from certain features of the short story itself. This is done to give the film a more material existence. Of course film is a different media an in this type of media, the story is told by visual cues and portrayals as opposed to how a story is told in literature which is mostly through mental images or what is known as imagery resulting from the expert arrangement and presentation of words.So, the addition of the narratives is in fact purposeful and intentional, the intention being to give the audience a more effective portrayal of what was initially only perceived through the imagination. The narratives give flesh to the imaginary world that was presented in the short story version allowing the film version to tell the story itself as well as allow audiences a privileged perspective into the world where the short story takes place in. The most important feature that the narratives gave to the film is the existence of a more satisfying and close-ended conclusion to t he story.It will be recalled that in the short story version the story merely ends with the couple ecstatic at knowing that they were now allowed to conceive a real child. While it is implied in the short story version that the couple had planned on disposing David because of this development when Monica says that David was malfunctioning; (Aldiss) in the film version, David pursues his dream of becoming a real boy and in the end, is reunited with his mother, Monica.While the ‘becoming a real boy’ part does not come true for David, he is given the opportunity to live life as a real boy in the end. The ending of the film is more satisfying for the audience compared to the ending in the short story because while there have been many narrative elements added to the film, these narrative elements worked together to effectively conclude the film version. Without the narrative elements the ending would have been strange and totally illogical.This, perhaps, is the most importa nt role that the narrative elements played in the film in relation to the short story version. So, while some might say that the addition of these elements totally destroyed the original story as told in the short story version, the narratives actually serves to expand the story enough for an appropriate ending or conclusion to be made. Had the narratives been absent from the film version, with the same ending that was used, the audience would have been left with nothing to base the ending on.The short story ended with an open ended conclusion in that the readers are left to assume what happens next, none of this occurs in the film largely because of the narratives which effectively told the story from start to finish and gave the ending sturdy foundations in the body of the film itself. So, the narrative elements in the film are not there merely to extend the short story into a feature version because like literature, any addition to a piece is always intentional.The purpose of add ing the narrative features into the film was to allow a more expanded perspective on the material as well as give the story a more visual appeal which is what is intended; but of course, the most important purpose of the narratives was to allow the story to end successfully. It is impossible to compare a short story to a movie when the movie openly admits that it is only based on the short story.In cases where such is in effect, where the movie is merely based on existing literary material, the literary piece may just be a minute portion of the film as a whole. In the case of Aldiss and the movie â€Å"AI†the director of the movie succeeded in his intentions of adding narrative features to the existing material which is the short story while at the same time preserving the integrity of the basis for the film.In many cases, the base material is lost in the telling of the story through film, but in this case both the director as well as the screenplay writer succeeded in prese rving the basic material while offering a film that was both entertaining and water-tight, story-wise. ? Works Cited Aldiss, Brian. â€Å"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long. †N. p. , 2007. Web. 12 July 2010. . Artificial Intelligence Technology keeps on getting better and better time to time. According to the Kondratieff Cycle, the technology changes states in around 50 years and in the early years of this 50 year cycle it builds upon only losses and only in the last ten years it brigs true returns which are actually the costs of adapting the technology being nullified.Artificial Intelligence is the premium technology being practiced today as it has the ability to mimic human behavior. The fact that AI systems can learn make them more viable for race to gain edge over your rivals, therefore firms are readily adapting such systems as they tend to boost performance of the firms.AI, not only helps the firms, but also helps individuals (employees) in understanding the cases and directing strategies efficiently. It also reduces the work load for many employees but at a tactical or top level.AI is more like a nightmare for operational level employees as it tends to destroy the chain to speed up operations. For instance , an efficient AI planted into a manufacturing firm can eliminate the need for manpower in assembling departments.At present, the commercial world is hungry for technology that would ease operations and decision making to the maximum level as the long run costs of maintaining these systems are extremely low as compared to employee management programs.This means that professional jobs are at stake. Further, such systems do not have an aging problem so knowledge can be contained easily. The point still argued is can we rely on machines that work on binary codes i.e. Yes or No options only?Computers can think but can not think rationally as humans may do, computers may be able to comprehend faster but still they can not act intuitively as humans do. References1.     Jan Goldberg, Mark Rowh, (2003), â€Å"Great Jobs for Computer Science Majors†Edition: 2, McGraw-Hill Professional2.     Alan Kernoff, Tom Schwartz Associates, (1986), â€Å"Who's who in Artificial Intelligence: The AI Guide to People, Products, Companies, Resources, Schools and Jobs†, WWAI,3.     Samir Dasgupta, Ray Kiely, (2006), â€Å"Globalization and After†,Sage Publications, Artificial Intelligence The movie Artificial Intelligence: A.I. is written and directed by Steven Spielberg, and stars Haley Joel Osment (â€Å"David†) and Jude Law (â€Å"Gigolo Joe†). The movie is set in the future in a civilization that has taken drastic steps to ensure the survival and prosperity of society by limiting human population.Wealthy nations stay afloat by limiting the number of childbirths allowed per married couple. In fact couples who exceed the minimum legal standard for number of children were penalized by law. Human beings also co-exist with androids, called â€Å"mechas†who perform various functions for their human owners, such as gardeners, nannies, laborers, and, in Joe’s case, gigolos.Traditionally, the androids built by humans were not programmed to feel any emotions. They were programmed merely to assist in the day-to-day lives of human beings. This all changes when a company called Cybertonics creates a boy mecha called David, who i s built not only with artificial intelligence, but with emotional intelligence (or EQ) as well.In other words, David can love, looks for love, and responds to love from a human being. As such, David is an experimental model, since no other mecha had been built quite like him, and Cybertronics selected one of their employees, Henry Swinton (played by Sam Robards) from a list of candidates of possible parents-to-be to take in David and to treat him as his own son.Henry decides to take David home under the advisement of the doctor who was worried about the health of Henry’s wife Monica (played by Frances O’Connor).Their own son, Martin (played by Jake Thomas) was seriously ill and was in suspended animation for a long time. The doctors did not see the possibility of him recovering.The doctor told Henry that instead of worrying about his son, he should start worrying about the emotional wellness of his wife. In order to do that, Henry thought that he should fil l the void left by the â€Å"loss†of their son by taking home David to take Martin’s place.At first, Monica (played by Frances O’Connor) is appalled at the idea.   The very thought of taking home an android to take Martin’s place angers Monica in the beginning. Henry then appeases her by telling her that he will take David back.He then informs Monica that there is a code consisting of 7 random words that, if spoken, will enable a mechanism in David to start acting and feeling like a real boy. He warns her that if that code is enabled, David can no longer be returned. He will have to be destroyed in the factory because if activated, the android would recognize no other mother and would be worthless.She is initially afraid of David, and tries to ignore him, but her maternal instincts take over, and soon, she warms up to David and starts treating him as her son.One morning Monica decides to activate the code embedded inside David, and he h imself starts to respond to Monica in the way a human child responds to his or her parent. David does everything he can to please Monica, and she responds with warmth and love. At the Swintons, David also makes friend with Teddy, a mecha teddy bear who speaks and has taken it upon himself to keep an eye out for David.Unfortunately, David’s happy stay at the Swintons, where he is treated as a real live boy and a son, does not last for long. Martin, the Swintons’ real son, recovers miraculously from his illness and is sent home to his parents. Upon his arrival, Martin becomes jealous over the attention and love his mother bestows on David.He starts thinking of ways to get David into trouble, to make his mother Monica love David less, and to give him, Martin, her full love and attention.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
HR Proposal -Edit Chapter 2& 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words
HR Proposal -Edit Chapter 2& 3 - Essay Example This section comprises of mainly four basic steps which are involved in the process of data collection. In most cases, the type of methodology used in a study is determined by the particular type of research being undertaken. The availability of relevant resources and time also play a contributory role to the methodology used. Methodology helps to organize, represent, and analyze data and information in a bid to answer the research questions of the study. The following are the basic steps involved in this section of methodology: A research design is a conceptual structure, outline or blueprint of what the researcher would do in the study by following proper guidelines that are meant to obtain data that can be used to solve the research problem or answer the research question. Research design represents the entire structure and working framework of the research which makes it possible and valid to draw more general conclusions from the study (Oppenheim, 1992). It works as the bonding element that holds other elements and parts of research together to give a perfect blend of conclusions and consequences of research. The researcher used mainly primary data collection method in order to provide reliable results. The research has been designed in a descriptive manner which is meant to count representative samples and make inferences about the whole population. The method used in the study involves gathering data from the selected participants using questionnaires and an analysis of this data is descriptive in na ture since it shows the subjective views of an individual. This design would certainly reach the desired goals in that the participants would be employees in HR related departments but working for organisations that deal with IT. Quantitative data collection techniques will be employed in this study and it will include mainly primary data through the use of questionnaires. Basically, quantitative data is any
Friday, September 27, 2019
BA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1
BA - Case Study Example It operated in large scale with very flexible approaches to business decisions concerning the entrepreneurial skills where there is hierarchy but the ideas flows from the bottom-up and top-down. This paper therefore seeks to assess the existing business model for the vice and give recommendations of the alternatives that will help the company to continue to grow. Vice had a unique content that was provided freely to all its audience that was disseminated all over through its print media and online channels. For the video content to be produced effectively and efficiently there is need to be a producer, the person who will report and even the cameraperson that will be commenting on the events and document. For the investment, vice company should have a new financial and operational base that that had not been part of the culture of the company. Investors therefore should ensure that the vice company has put a system in place that will support the strategy and to ensure that there is rapid growth of the company. Continued growth means that there is greater attention towards labor standards for example making the internship program formal and also to ensure that the employees are provided with performance review (Farzad 3). In terms of the strategies, the vice should introduce a new strategic planning vernacular that the vice will use to address the budget and the return on the investment. For the vice to be considered mainstream it must consider diversification and launching territories internationally where the global audience can grow steadily and consume a type of content that could only be offered by a few organizations. In terms of the revenue, the vice should consider monetizing the content of the video to be online then sell advertising for online content. The vice company should consider to create customized initiatives for the company brands where everything is considered from the brand strategy and
Thursday, September 26, 2019
American indian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
American indian - Essay Example us people, the descendants that remained from the genocide that occurred during the 1800’s, have been supplanted to distant outposts of despair called reservations. During the late 1700’s trappers established trading posts which initiated business relationships with the native population. This new relationship introduced tribal members to firearms which aided them while hunting or defending themselves. The association also brought smallpox which devastated the tribes’ population. The trading posts offered provisions outside of what was supplied in nature and enhanced the tribal economies which were previously tied directly to following the buffalo herds. Otherwise, buffalo provided almost everything the Indians needed including food, clothes, weapons and shelter until they were nearly hunted into extinction in the 1880’s, forcing the Indians to depend upon the white man for trade. From the first landing of the Europeans in America to the present, Indians have desperately attempted to retain their land and culture. However, as there was then, there are now some Indians who learned the white mans’ customs well enough to use this knowledge as an advantage benefiting both personal and tribal interests. Throughout the history of the nation, Indians have learned to speak English well enough to articulate their beliefs, art, folklore and culture to those outside the Indian reservation. It is because of this effort to at least partially assimilate into white society that Indian culture, religion and traditions have become of interest and widely respected among mainstream Americans. Some have become good students of capitalism as evidenced by the success of the casinos (Hoxie, 1992). A number of Indians have gone to great lengths to be equally adept in both Indian and non-Indian cultures over the past quarter century. These individuals have been able to express the concerns of tribal society at the congressional and judicial level thus positively
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Customer Satisfaction of AVIS Rent Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Customer Satisfaction of AVIS Rent - Case Study Example According to Preis, ‘High levels of customer satisfaction are important to marketers as both offensive and defensive tools and are capable of creating a lasting competitive advantage (2004). As earlier mentioned, Avis Rent a Car has been a leader in Customer Satisfaction in car rentals for almost a decade now; however, most of the studies are focused on how Avis perform in general and has not showed statistics on how each of the subsidiaries perform in the Avis ranking. Having this in mind, it is vital to measure how customers of different Avis rent a car system performs to satisfy their customers. Since Avis in United States, UK and Australia has found to be widely used by the customers who avail car rental services; it is essential to base this research on these three subsidiaries. With this in mind, the outcome of this research would primarily benefit the management of AVIS to evaluate the services offered by these subsidiaries and determine the contributing factors affe cting the rankings. This will help the management to aid the subsidiaries by applying services to other subsidiaries not only the countries mentioned but in other parts of the worlds with the services that has made the leading subsidiary excel in the ranking to determine the factors . †¢Ã‚ To measure Customer Satisfaction of Avis rent a car system in the United states, UK and Australia. †¢Ã‚ To compare these three subsidiaries in terms of ranking in Customer Satisfaction... The ranking is hypothesized to affect the general view on Avis rent a car system in Customer Satisfaction as it may lead to know the main contributor for its success as a leading brand in car rentals, The Main Aim of the Research: According to Preis, 'High levels of customer satisfaction are important to marketers as both offensive and defensive tools and are capable of creating a lasting competitive advantage (2004). As earlier mentioned, Avis Rent a Car has been a leader in Customer Satisfaction in car rentals for almost a decade now; however, most of the studies are focused on how Avis perform in general and has not showed statistics on how each of the subsidiaries perform in the Avis ranking. Having this in mind, it is vital to measure how customers of different Avis rent a car system performs to satisfy their customers. Since Avis in United States, UK and Australia has found to be widely used by the customers who avail car rental services; it is essential to base this research on these three subsidiaries. With this in mind, the outcome of this research would primarily benefit the management of AVIS to evaluate the services offered by these subsidiaries and determine the contributing factors affecting the rankings. This will help the management to aid the subsidiaries by applying services to other subsidiaries not only the countries mentioned but in other parts of the worlds with the services that has made the leading subsidiary excel in the ranking. Below specific aims will be addressed in the research: To measure Customer Satisfaction of Avis rent a car system in the United states, UK and Australia To compare these three subsidiaries in terms of ranking in Customer Satisfaction To determine the factors affecting the ranking; and To measure the
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Mercy Killing or Just Killing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4
Mercy Killing or Just Killing - Essay Example Proponents for euthanasia have passionately defended their position for accepting and adopting its practice. World people are facing ever-growing moral dilemmas. With the advancements in the medical field also come new procedures as well as easier ways to deal with problems. A popular moral dilemma that comes to mind is abortion. Now many people are against abortion for religious reasons. Moreover, just like abortion, many consider assisted suicide as murder. However, it is both ridiculous and irrelevant to argue on whether assisted suicide should be legal. When I was young, my Oma (grandmother) was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. For years, she lingered in the home as her mind slowly decayed over time. First, she could not remember how to speak English. She would be talking and resort to her childhood language at random points. Therefore, she would say a 10-word sentence and a half of it would be spoken in English. Next came the hard memory, she would forget simple tasks and could not be left on her own. She would forget the location of the bathroom was in her own home. Next was perhaps the hardest to deal with, she forgot our names. First came distant relatives but finally, she could not remember my mom’s name, her own daughter. Lastly, she forgot how to do pretty much anything; she could not button shirts, she could not even move at all. When she was in the home, she got bedsores from lack of movement. Moreover, she could not get up to go to the bathroom. Now, this is obviously horrible but the worst was the few mom ents where she had a small amount of clarity where 2 seconds here 3 seconds there she would remember how to talk. I recall one such moment when she simply said to my mom who was visiting her in the home, she simply said, â€Å"help me.†I remember how it crushed my mother and crushed me. Now everyone has his or her own religion and personal belief but I will now ask you a very philosophical question.Â
Monday, September 23, 2019
Journal Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Journal Paper - Essay Example Of the two, the latter is more influential since different people in a society may belong to different religions, yet they share the same culture. Since political ideology finds its roots in the religious and cultural concerns of the people, and religion and culture generally remain unchanged over the course of time, so does the political ideology. Ideologies may or may not be vehicles of individual and societal progress. It depends upon the sagacity of the society’s culture, though ideologies are definitely instruments of influence and power. The common opinion of a large body of public becomes weighty and influential and serves as a scale upon which the policies of government are evaluated. This can be estimated from the fact that in a conservative society with the domination of religion, sex education in schools is condemned by the public at large, whereas in an avant-grade society, people encourage the delivery of sex education in schools in order to inculcate awareness in children so that their susceptibility towards sexual diseases is reduced. Likewise, the level of exposure in media is looked at through the religious microscope.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
The Prairie is My Garden and The Old Settlers Essay
The Prairie is My Garden and The Old Settlers - Essay Example Comparing these two artworks, it would be worthy to admit that the artist mastered to use almost the same background but the individuals depicted are absolutely different. Different is the weather, colors, and width of brush strokes. Both works are magnificent and authentic. Both of them depict the character of their creator. Dunn himself was a son of homesteaders, probably this was a reason for his aspiration for painting prairies and small houses. There are houses placed not far away, on the line of the horizon. The line of the horizon lies upper than the middle part of the painting. The lines are clear, the prairie is performed with the help of the wide brush strokes, small details on people are more accurate. The shapes looks very natural, the plain prairie is connected with right angles of the houses and the roundish shapes of a woman and a girl. The heavy weight of a land is balanced with the light sky. The lightest part of the painting is the sky. Overall impression of the pai nting is light. It is a day time and everything is rather light and bright, and the weather is good. The space is shown three-dimensional due to the usage of the perspective – houses seem to be small and people are big. Colors are mild, the balance is reached due to the composition of the ground and objects, the emphasis is put on the human figures. The second artwork, â€Å"The Old Settlers,†also oil on canvas, depicts the two old people, a man and a woman, who are standing near each other. They are also located in the prairie. .
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Global Hunt for Edward Snowden Essay Example for Free
The Global Hunt for Edward Snowden Essay The wild flight of the fugitive leaker  from Hong Kong to the transit area of Moscow’s Sherymetyvo Airport, and perhaps on to Ecuador  has turned into a public humiliation for the White House. U.S. officials publicly threatened â€Å"consequences†if Snowden wasn’t returned, only to be openly rebuffed by Chinese officials and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. This made embarrassingly clear how little leverage President Obama has in Moscow or Beijing (and how much wiser it would have been to request Snowden’s return in private). Most disturbing, the Snowden affair has enabled some of the world’s worst human rights offenders to portray themselves as champions of freedom by defending Snowden while denouncing America as a massive violator of rights. China’s Xinhua news agency branded the United States as â€Å"the biggest (cyber) villain in our age.†Russian parliamentarians did likewise. You might think that such self-righteous claims would be dismissed as political posturing. Yet in today’s world, with America’s image sullied by Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, and by our paralyzed politics, these charges can find a receptive audience, not only abroad but at home. So let’s look at the records of the countries that are offering Snowden the greatest support. For starters, there is something bizarre about the list. While Snowden claims to be defending personal freedoms, he has sought shelter from egregious violators of human rights, including China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador. Whatever his motives, this lends an air of hypocrisy to his claims. He took refuge in Hong Kong, which is part of China, whose leaders control the country’s Internet portals, block content and monitor individual access. The Chinese censor print and electronic media and have â€Å"the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world,†according to Amnesty International. Chinese government hackers have conducted massive commercial and military espionage in the United States (and presumably elsewhere) and even breached Google’s computers. Beijing is obviously delighted that it can fend off U.S. complaints by claiming America does likewise. Such charges are bogus  and they know it. Whatever your opinion about the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs, the fact is that Congress OK’d them and set up special courts to monitor them. The U.S. public can debate whether the controls should be tightened, and demand change. In China, no Congress or courts govern surveillance nor can Chinese citizens oppose it. Government hackers break into the software of international companies such as Apple to steal industrial secrets  on a massive scale. As Obama noted, that’s not normal intelligence gathering; â€Å"that’s theft.†Then there’s Russia, where the state controls all major newspapers and national TV networks, which are still the major news source for the bulk of the population. Journalists are beaten up or murdered, and the perpetrators, conveniently, are never found. Political dissenters are cowed, arrested, or driven into exile. So when Putin praises Snowden as a â€Å"human rights activist†who â€Å"struggles for freedom of information,†it’s hard not to gag. Any Russian who did similarly would wind up in the gulag or worse. Snowden’s final destination  possibly Ecuador via Venezuela  is equally odd for a defender of freedom. As pointed out by Bill Sweeney, editorial director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Venezuela has shut down independent broadcasters via a system of politicized regulations. As for Ecuador, its populist president, Rafael Correa, has criminalized reporting that is critical of his government  and prosecuted journalists who attempt it. That brings us to the heart of the matter. Snowden’s saviors have seized a delicious opportunity to deflect U.S. criticism of their own cyberattacks and rights violations by branding the United States as the real sinner. Dogged by images from Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, Washington has become an easy target. Even some allies have tired of America’s human rights demands (which are readily ignored when strategic concerns trump them, as in Syria). So, critics of American hubris may cheer when Putin praises Snowden  or when the People’s Daily proclaims that Snowden â€Å"tore off Washington’s sanctimonious mask.†It’s necessary to remind them: The countries helping Snowden aren’t doing so because they dislike spying. On the contrary. They don’t want limits on their own surveillance, just on ours.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Gender inequity in sports
Gender inequity in sports This essay will seek to describe the issue of women in sports, and discuss the reasons for this, with relevance to some of the concepts covered in this course. It will also go on to discuss the improvements and positives observed in recent years, and explore some other possible measures to improve the situation in the future. 2. Background In Ancient Olympics, competitive sports were masculine affairs. While males compete to show their prowess, women were prohibited to even watch competitions, much less compete. Quite simply, even in this day and age of supposed equality and meritocracy, sport still remains a male domain, especially on the community level. Even with improved opportunities and treatment, there is still an invisible barrier between sport and the everyday woman. In the next section, this essay shall explore some of the reasons for this situation. 3. Reasons 3.1 Introduction to Gender Ideology in sports The concept of ideology is one that we take for granted, or rather, something we do not even think about. It refers to the ideas and explanations we have been given since young, to explain personal and social life. We have been using our ingrained ideologies to make decisions and judgments ever since we could, without ever questioning or knowing them. In addition, Taylor (1994) mentioned that our identities are formed based on dialogical relations with our significant others. In other words, the complexities of our identities are not formed through cultural identification alone (monologic model) but through the interactions with people who are important to us. Gender, even more so than race or class, is a pivotal organizing factor in social life. While a persons sex is decided by physical characteristics such as genitalia, gender is a social construct formed and shaped by the society (James A. Banks).It is the fundamental way humans classify each other. Thus, we are especially reliant on gender ideology and it is extremely influential on how we organize our thoughts, actions and lives, and how parents bring up their offspring. The deep-rootedness of gender ideology means that everyone makes decisions based on it, from children, teenagers, parents to people in power. Gender ideology plays a big role in how sport has been carried out throughout the ages. The idea that men are supposed to be strong, aggressive, fast and competitive is reproduced in many sports. Conversely, women are not encouraged to play sports because the above traits are not associated with women (womens athletics: coping with controversy). Thus, a woman exhibiting the above traits would be going against the gender ideology that most people submit to, and this would make her an anomaly. A woman would have to cope not only with her community seeing her as not feminine, she also has to deal with lack of resources and financial support because her politicians also have the same ideology and do not support women in sport. Fortunately, the situation has considerably improved from the past. 3.2 Gender Ideology: dominance and stereotypes The fact that males are the dominant group is also accepted by most as part of their understanding of gender ideologies. This is correspondent to John Clammers point that social inequalities are seen as natural and hence not to be tampered with. Thus, sport has also suffered as a consequence of the dominant group pulling the strings and the subordinate group accepting it as it is. In the catalogue of marginality as discussed in Tatum (1997), gender is one of the categories of dominance and subordination. The dominant group, in this case male, are seen as the norm for sports. This element of identity is therefore taken for granted, giving males the power and authority to control females, who are members of the subordinate group. As a result, the inequities go unnoticed by the males. Furthermore, the stereotypical representations of the males may lead females to focus on their difference from the norm and lose belief in their own abilities and equal rights to sports. Tatums point about the catalogue of marginality is also relevant to the situation. Members of the dominant group, in this case males, take it for granted and do not notice the inequities. Whereas Tatum says that members of the subordinate groups, in this case females, further focus on their difference from the norm and lose belief in their abilities and equal rights to sports. Peoples submission to gender ideologies has led to the persistence of certain stereotypes. A simple example would be the one where girls are supposed to like pink and boys are not supposed to. This can be seen from the fact that the majority of girls schoolbags are sold in pink color, and boys bags can be in any other color but pink. This may seem harmless enough, but consider it that people also submit to the idea that boys like to do sports, girls do not. Or worse still, boys need to do sports to become manly, but girls do not need to, thus they do not need to do sports. This is a common idea perpetuated by many, unknowingly, due to their deep-rooted gender ideologies. As parents give a football to their sons and a doll to their daughters, they are again passing on the wrong message to their children. Although some may argue that parents are giving these gifts based on their childs interests, research has shown that girls and boys between the ages of six and nine are actually equal ly interested in sports. (XXX, intro section) The ideas that women are weak, vulnerable and susceptible have also led to other myths preventing women from taking part in sport. The media, another institution controlled by the dominant group in society, males, have assisted in perpetuating the following myths about women who play sports that they become unfeminine, develop eating disorders, suffer more knee injuries because of weaker female anatomy, and become lesbians. (XXX, intro section) These myths may sound ridiculous to the women of today, but these were real reasons women in the past were prevented from taking part in sport. And definitely, there are families around today who are not supporting their daughters sporting interests due to the fact that women are weak and should not be partaking in vigorous activity. Even within the sporting arena, less rough and less demanding sports were created for women e.g. netball and softball. In the case of netball, basketball was deemed too aggressive and manly, thus, a non-contact s port where players were not allowed to touch each other and leave their boundaries was created for women. Even if girls do persevere in sports, they often find themselves playing with boys and in the minority (need paraphrase). Based on the above circumstances mentioned, girls lack opportunities to play and develop motor skills. As a result, the rate of girls (by age 14) dropping out of sports is six times higher than boys. In such situation, boys do not positively reinforce the participation of girls. Clammer (?) hypothesized that reinforcing of the category race as the dominant mode of social classification is a product of the dominant ideology in Singapore. In this case, males are being reinforced Reinforcing of male as a dominant force in sport reinforces gender as a dominant mode of social classification. The creation and reinforcing of race as the dominant public mode of social classification is itself a product of the dominant ideology or political culture, which is strongly Chinese in its characteristics. 3.3 Gender ideology: Trivialization of women in sports The media, as described above, is another controlling arm of the dominant group in society, and has a big part to play in the trivialization of womens sports. Up till as recent as the 1990s, horses and dogs were accorded more column inches in US sports pages than women. And even now, 90 percent of all sports television hours are devoted to mens sports. Womens events are seen as less important and are less likely to be covered by the media. Only in major competitions such as the Olympic Games, or feminine events such as ice-skating and gymnastics, do we see the achievement of female athletes. And there is a lack of inspirational and positive stories about the triumph of female athletes. All too often, male reporters sensationalize stories of women athletes who challenge men, of women athletes being stabbed or abused, or of women athletes dying from eating disorders. Another way both the media and spectator trivialize womens sport, is seeing it as second rate because women do not have the same power and speed as men. People who persist in such ideas feel that since women cannot perform to the same physical standards as men, they do not deserve the same support. This is an example of how members of the dominant group dictate what the norm for humanity is (Tatum). Although top women athletes have also excelled in their sport through discipline, skill and finesse, some are still not according women with equal recognition. Charles Taylors point of misrecognition comes into focus here. In this case, those who are trivializing womens sport are not giving equal respect and dignity to women, though like men, they are also human beings. Womens efforts in sports are being misrecognised as inferior and not worthy of appreciation. 3.4 Gender Ideology: New factors The gender ideologies that privileged sport as an exclusive male domain and resigned women as weak are not as strong as in the past. However, gender ideologies about the general role of men and women in society are still hampering the progress of women in sport today. Consider a household in this day and age; typically, both husband and wife would be pursuing careers. And still, it is the wife who is the one who has to shoulder the responsibility of childcare and housekeeping. This means, during her limited free time, a working mother who may have the interest and inclination towards sports has to sacrifice her time for her household instead (Teo, 1999). The male in the household still has more freedom for athletic and leisure pursuits, due to the longstanding ideology that women are the housekeepers. 4. Improvements and positives As aforementioned in portions of the essay, the situation has improved considerably over the years. The global womens movement over the past thirty years has helped to challenge the traditional roles that women have and weakened male control over womens lives. The movement has also emphasized that womens lives are enriched when they develop themselves physically and intellectually. These ideas and changes have aided in emancipating women especially in developed nations, encouraging them to participate in and pursue sports. (sport in society) Specifically in the sports arena, there have also been leaps of improvement in the quest for equal rights. In the United States, since Title IX was passed in 1972, women have had a legal basis to push towards equity in college and high school sports. Of course, equity is still not a reality in terms of facilities, programs, funding, and media coverage. But there has been encouraging signs; participation, peer, and self-acceptance of womens sports have all increased in the past 10-15 years. (women, sport and culture). To cite a recent example, the Pakistani womens cricket team won Pakistans first Asian Games gold medal in eight years an achievement that would not have been possible if women in the country did not have decent access to sports (Chang, 2010). This milestone points to the need for even better reform of ideologies and better opportunities for women in developing countries. Achieving gender equity through a multicultural education Multicultural education is a reform process which features the importance of all students despite gender and other social categories having equal opportunity to school (Banks). Stereotypical gender differences in sports have denied girls participation in physical activities. In physical education context, a PE teacher has to understand that the dynamics of gender can influence ones knowledge of students. Failing to do so may result in simplistic prescription of pedagogy (Grant). Teachers being aware of stereotypical perceptions of females in sports can correct the misconception amongst girls that sports is not for them. This can be done through modifying their teaching approaches to encourage girls in class that they can also excel or benefit in sports. 5. Conclusion Although sport participation and the acceptance and support of female athletes has increased exponentially since the late 1970s, future increases are not a given And even now, the reality is that women in some societies still struggle against the traditional gender ideologies that hamper their participation in sport. In developed countries, gender inequities still exist in support, funding, and sport-related jobs. To further effect change, the gender ideologies that are related to sport must be put out onto the table and examined, before any subsequent action can be taken. (sports in society). Multicultural education is a platform for achieving greater gender equity in sports.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Medea a Mad Bitter Woman in Medea :: essays research papers
Medea is a story about love, passion, fear, and most importantly revenge. Throughout the story the reader witnesses a odd connection between Medea and Jason, they are both quarrelsome, surreptitious, and vigilantes. The characters, Medea and Jason, share many similar traits that they do not even notice mainly because they are both so egotistical. These connection are what really makes the story prominent. In the story, Medea and Jason are seen fighting in numerous occasions. This quarrelsomeness starts when Jason states, ?You could have stayed in Corinth, still lived in this house,/ if you had quietly accepted the decisions? (p.854 lines 406-407). Jason obviously could have stated the obvious in a more pleasant manner, but due to his inability to reason he unflinchingly states the situation extremely blunt. Jason's quarrelsome side is also seen numerous times later in the story, especially when he is talking to Medea. Jason remarks one time to Medea that she has ?everything to gain? if she just ?give up this rage?, this too, like the other comment, is unnecessary and only stated to invoke anger and create more drama. (p.858 line 561). Although Jason is seen, to many people, as the evil villain, Medea also has a little quarrel side to herself as well. After being verbally suppressed Medea is seen telling Jason that he has a ?disease? but not just any one ?The worst man can have, pure shamelessness?(p.855 line 427). Although Medea's comment was not as hurtful, it was still directed to Jason for the main purpose of creating a squabble. The altercations in the story make the story very enjoyable to read. Readers like drama and unexpected outcomes and when a character is pushed far enough and verbally abused enough the unexpected is expected. Arguments generally lead to other mischievous and surreptitious actions by characters, this is true for both Jason and Medea. Although Jason's actions were before the story when he ?betrayed/ his own sons, and my [the nurse's] mistress? by sleeping with, and later marrying, princess Glauce. Medea's actions are seen through the story (p.845 lines 16-17). Medea states, ?I'll carry out/ this murder cunningly and quietly? when referencing the future subtle killings of her children and Jason's new wife (p. 853 lines 353-354). Medea is later seen setting her plans up by tricking Jason into believing that she is fine with his decision by stating, ? Medea a Mad Bitter Woman in Medea :: essays research papers Medea is a story about love, passion, fear, and most importantly revenge. Throughout the story the reader witnesses a odd connection between Medea and Jason, they are both quarrelsome, surreptitious, and vigilantes. The characters, Medea and Jason, share many similar traits that they do not even notice mainly because they are both so egotistical. These connection are what really makes the story prominent. In the story, Medea and Jason are seen fighting in numerous occasions. This quarrelsomeness starts when Jason states, ?You could have stayed in Corinth, still lived in this house,/ if you had quietly accepted the decisions? (p.854 lines 406-407). Jason obviously could have stated the obvious in a more pleasant manner, but due to his inability to reason he unflinchingly states the situation extremely blunt. Jason's quarrelsome side is also seen numerous times later in the story, especially when he is talking to Medea. Jason remarks one time to Medea that she has ?everything to gain? if she just ?give up this rage?, this too, like the other comment, is unnecessary and only stated to invoke anger and create more drama. (p.858 line 561). Although Jason is seen, to many people, as the evil villain, Medea also has a little quarrel side to herself as well. After being verbally suppressed Medea is seen telling Jason that he has a ?disease? but not just any one ?The worst man can have, pure shamelessness?(p.855 line 427). Although Medea's comment was not as hurtful, it was still directed to Jason for the main purpose of creating a squabble. The altercations in the story make the story very enjoyable to read. Readers like drama and unexpected outcomes and when a character is pushed far enough and verbally abused enough the unexpected is expected. Arguments generally lead to other mischievous and surreptitious actions by characters, this is true for both Jason and Medea. Although Jason's actions were before the story when he ?betrayed/ his own sons, and my [the nurse's] mistress? by sleeping with, and later marrying, princess Glauce. Medea's actions are seen through the story (p.845 lines 16-17). Medea states, ?I'll carry out/ this murder cunningly and quietly? when referencing the future subtle killings of her children and Jason's new wife (p. 853 lines 353-354). Medea is later seen setting her plans up by tricking Jason into believing that she is fine with his decision by stating, ?
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Hockey, My Life :: essays research papers
The hockey game that I played three years ago for the championship has been one of the greatest events of my life. That game was one of the best achievements that I have reached in my life. Every single chair in the arena was taken. It was difficult to describe the noise; the cheering fans, couches talking to the players, players chatting to each other, etc. The arena was built to muffle the sound of 1000 people, but that afternoon it was like a sponge that couldn't absorb anymore. Being under so many eyes, brought both fear and motivation to me. This game was unlike other games to me. It was not just regular season game, it seemed like a war for me and I wished to get out of this battlefield with victory. I thrilled to accomplish something so phenomenal as to surpass a record, I was stubborn to be someone unique the "Great One" was. I knew everybody would play their best to win the game and trophy. Once the game started I clenched my hand around the hockey stick and told myself that I have to win this game no matter what happens. The hushing sound made by the skates on the ice was very annoying, but I tried to forget about it and put hundred percent efforts o n my game, my "War". When I got the puck bunch of players I began advancing with extraordinary speed, like a jet. The opponent players were rushing toward me like I was their worst enemy. Even though I was fully "armed" but still it was thrilling to stand there get pinched against the glass like a lemon. Bruises from the last game had already made every part of my body sore; getting his by the deadly puck was enough to take of that matter. But I didn't care I wanted to win and touch that trophy. The feeling of having my hand wrapped around the stick gave me more confidence. I was lucky to make some exemplary moves and this caused the crowd to roar. It seemed the stick was a person that I could rely on. The smell of compact air in the arena and the taste of sweat dropping from my nose to my mouth made me feel a little bit dizzy, it gave me the feeling of being in vacuum. There were less than two minutes left to the end of the game and I could see the victory right before my eyes.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Political Science Writing Assignment Essay
The article and the cases cited therein deal with a very important legal concept and the issues surrounding it. Central to the argument in the article is the meaning, scope and limitation of one of the most important and commonly-invoked provision of the Bill of Rightsâ€â€the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment guarantees each person’s right to be secured n their persons, houses, papers, and effects from unreasonable searches and seizure. It is a limitation on the government’s very broad police power. What are being protected by the amendment are the people’s security and privacy. As the courts have ruled in many cases, â€Å"A man’s home is his castle (Minnesota v. Carter, Concurring Opinion by Justice Scalia).†Every man has a right to be secured in his own home. While the amendment uses the word home, the Courts have not been very strict in applying the provision. The concept of the home has been extended to that structure other than that which the person owns and in which that person habitually lives. To determine the limitation and scope by which the protection may be applied, the court developed the concept †legitimate expectation of privacy†as the test for determining the extent of entitlement for the invocation of the Fourth Amendment’s protections. By legitimate expectation, the court implies â€Å"the prerogative to exclude others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ and the â€Å"right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion (Minnesota v. Carter, Dissenting Opinion by Gidsburg). Examples of the cases wherein this test has been applied are the 1990 case of Minnesota v. Olson and the 1978 ruling, Rakas v. Illinois. In the first case, the court ruled that â€Å"an overnight guest had such an expectation and thus could claim Fourth Amendment rights.†On the contrary, the 1978 ruling â€Å"held that automobile passengers were not entitled to raise a Fourth Amendment objection to the seizure of incriminating evidence if they owned neither the evidence nor the car, even if they had a right to be in the car at the time (Greenhouse).†           The court, in the case of Minnesota v. Carter, is a divided court. The majority opinion overturned the 1997 ruling of the Minnesota Supreme Court, which â€Å"set aside the narcotics convictions of two men who had spent several hours in a third person’s apartment preparing cocaine for sale.†The majority used a strict construction of the Constitutional provision as it focused on the intent of the framers of the provision to limit the application of the protection of the Amendment to the home, where a person has the strongest expectation of privacy and security. Therefore, the court ruled that â€Å"the protection offered by the Fourth Amendment extends no further than a person’s own home (Greenhouse).†No offense or violation to such privacy or security will be experienced in a place where men only stayed to conclude a commercial transaction. At most, the security and privacy rights that will be violated are those of the owner, whether or not he is included in the transaction or not.            However, as already mentioned, the court in this case is a divided court. Even those who voted against the application of the Fourth Amendment have divergent opinions. An example is Justice Kennedy who, in his concurring opinion, upheld the legitimate expectation of privacy of †almost all social guests.†However, in this case, he opined that the men’s connection to the home is too †fleeting and insubstantial†to pronounce that they have acquired even a limited expectation of privacy. While his opinion gave the same result as the others in the majority opinion, he used a loose construction of the Constitution wherein he extends the protection outside the premises of the home, as opposed to what was initially contemplated by the framers of the Constitutional Amendment. This is an acceptance of and adaptation to the reality that, at present, it is already a common practice for people to invite people into their homes and to stay in other people’s homes or in other places of abode for a length of time for different reasons. This ensures that the protection of the privacy and security of these persons will not be severed just because they are outside their own homes.            The divergence of the opinion of the court does not end here. It may be said that Judge Kennedy took the middle ground because there is another group of people who took a more liberal view than him, as regards the scope of the protection of the Fourth Amendment. This view is expressed in the dissenting opinion written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to which Justices John Paul Stevens and David H. Souter joined. They opined that the protection of the Fourth Amendment extends to short-term guests. According to the opinion, â€Å"through the host’s invitation, the guest gains a reasonable expectation of privacy in the home.†The same opinion was upheld by Justice Stephen G. Breyer in his separate opinion, but he reached a different conclusion because he believed that looking through the window blinds does not amount to a search. This interpretation is, again, a loose construction of the Constitutional Amendment. It adapts the provision to people’s recognized custom of staying overnight in another’s home, rather than use a strict construction of the word â€Å"home†as initially contemplated by the framers. The court has held that, â€Å"[f]rom the overnight guest’s perspective, he seeks shelter in another’s home precisely because it provides him with privacy, a place where he and his possessions will not be disturbed by anyone but his host and those his host allows inside†(See Minnesota v. Olson). This is similar to the concurring opinion discussed above by Justice Kennedy. This divergence of opinions arose from a very delicate line which the courts and law is trying to draw between the right of government to use its powers and the right of people to be protected from these same powers. When the facts are clearly within the initial contemplation of the framers of the law, the application is easy. However, there are cases such as this one, which treads on the line and makes interpretation and application of the law difficult. In this case, a police officer received a tip and acted on it. However, instead of going through the common process of obtaining a warrant, he observed the activity in the basement of the apartment in question through a gap in the closed Venetian blinds. The officer obtained a search warrant later, but the Minnesota Court ruled that the previous act of the officer in observing the activities through a closed Venetian blind without first obtaining a warrant was an illegal search. However, as already mentioned, this was overturned by the Supreme Court when it ruled that the people involved do not have a legitimate expectation of privacy as â€Å"one who is merely present with the consent of the householder†(Minnesota v. Carter). This application of the Amendment are viewed by at least five members of the court to be against many jurisprudential precedents which have defined the extent of the Fourth Amendment protection outside the limits of a person’s own home. Works Cited Greenhouse, Linda. â€Å"High Court Curbs Claim on Privacy in a Home.†The New York Times. 2 Dec. 1998. 30 Nov. 2007 . Minnesota v. Carter (97-1147), 569 N. W. 2d 169 and 180, December 1, 1998.
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