Death Penalty Pro's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death Penalty Pro's - Essay Example A number of organizations have gone against death penalty, with convincing arguments surrounding its ineffectiveness in preventing future crimes, its cruelty and various other reasons. Listening to their arguments would make one think that the supporters of death penalty are nothing but cruel and inhumane individuals devoid of compassion and willing to kill, which is the very crime that they abhorred in the first place. One of the most vocal of all the activists is Amnesty International, which made a public declaration that "death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment." The group also believes that this type of punishment is a form of human rights violation, irrevocable, may be inflicted on the innocent, and does not certainly stop future crimes to be committed. Abolitionists back their claim with statistics and studies, although most of these studies have been misrepresentation of the truth. They have succeeded in their quest in a number of nations around the world. Amnesty International states that from the time that it started the movement against death penalty, the number of nations that have abolished death penalty from the judicial system has risen from 16 to 86 nations. Notwithstanding the strong opposition to death penalty, however, the American public continues to quietly support this form of punishment for heinous crimes. This support was even reinforced after the September 11 attack on the United States. It is reported that one-fifth of those who usually go against the death penalty feel that the terrorists who execute such crime against humanity deserve death sentence (Cable News Network). This goes to show that people feel that it is necessary to punish those who are willing to kill numerous others and still justify their murde rous actions. First among the arguments of opponents of the death penalty surrounds its ability to deter crime. They state that there is not enough statistical basis to say that the imposition of death penalty prevents further crimes from happening. Opponents even think that crime rates are higher for those states with death penalty statutes than those which do not adopt capital crime punishment. While it is difficult to convince people who have already made up their minds against death penalty, it should be emphasized that deterring crime is not solely the reason for exacting death penalty on those who committed heinous crimes. John McAdams aptly states that execution of murderers even without deterrent effect, would still be better as this will diminish the number of criminals in society than if they were left to live and with that inaction, people expect future crimes to be prevented (American Bar Association). Even as opponents of death penalty believe that the punishment does not ensure the d ecline in crime rates, they also do not provide enough evidence that inaction against doers of heinous crimes warrant the decrease the occurrence of crimes. George E. Pataki believes that death penalty is effective in preventing future crimes from happening, and that the government should use every action possible in order to protect

Use Of Music By Thomas Newman Film Studies Essay

Use Of Music By Thomas Newman Film Studies Essay Since the advent of silent cinema in the late 1800s (Prendergast 1992), the film industry has grown into a global powerhouse contributing over  £4.5bn to the UK economy last year alone (Oxford Economics 2010). Initially used in 1895 to drown out theatre projector noise, music has become a vital ingredient in the cinematic experience with composition to film developing as a narrative art form in its own right (Burt 1994, Prendergast 1992). The Hollywood film industry accounts for the largest market share of box office ticket and DVD sales worldwide, and as such is the dominant trend setter in film composition (World Film Market Trends 2009). The golden era of Hollywood scoring began in the 1930s when many European composers fled an increasingly Nazified Europe to the USA. They took with them a rich classical European heritage (Chihara 2010, Lochner 2009) and many acquired work as film composers, in turn defining the Hollywood sound. The orchestral score dominated Hollywood until the 1960s when technological developments (e.g. close miking, synthesisers, multi-tracking) and alternative stylistic approaches (e.g. jazz, rock n roll) allowed for a new pallet of sounds to be utilised in the compositional process (Burt 1994, Chihara 2010). In 1977 the traditional Hollywood sound made a dramatic comeback with the release of Star Wars (Chihara 2010). John Williams Wagnerian score had its roots firmly set in the golden era, and as the films success sky-rocketed the orchestral soundtrack became increasingly desirable to directors. Other composers followed Williams lead, and the style of the golden era was repositioned as a standard in the industry (Clemmensen 2005, Prendergast 1992, Rona 2000). Whilst Hollywoods A-list composers were sticking to their traditionalist guns, the 1990s saw a new breed of composer gaining a foothold in the industry. Using ethnic instruments, sampling techniques and sound design alongside the traditional orchestra, the creative pallet broadened and film scoring entered a new phase postmodernism, which dominates today (Chihara 2010, Rona 2000). The current trends in film scoring are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, with composers such as Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Batman Begins), James Horner (Titanic, Avatar), Marco Beltrami (3:10 to Yuma, The Hurt Locker) and Thomas Newman (American Beauty, The Shawshank Redemption) receiving academy awards and nominations for their work (Academy Awards Database 2010, Rona 2000). Thomas Newman in particular is revered as a pioneer of the modern Hollywood sound. Having composed some of the most memorable and successful film music of the last 20 years, he has rewritten the rules on film composition and is regarded by his peers as a true master of the art (Cassidy 2010, Nonesuch Records 2010). His scores are renowned for their uniqueness and inventiveness, with an emphasis on textural sounds, unusual instruments and rhythmic movement, and are instantly recognisable. His style is characterised by blends of synthetic, abstract and acoustic, percussion and a particular harmonic signature. He supports a films narrative by revealing and blending these layers, much in the way of theme variations and leitmotifs in more traditional cinema. His scores are generally subtle and rarely distract from the film, but away from the intended setting his work often fails to stand up as music in its own right (Mok 2000, Rona 2000). Newmans instrumental pallet varies dramatically from project to project, and is specifically catered to the needs of each film. For example, the score for quirky suburban drama American Beauty uses marimba, xylophone, dulcimer, detuned mandolin, tabla and ewi. Whilst this may seem a little unusual (given the films setting), the instrumentation is extremely well suited to the different characters and their individual personalities (Cassidy 2010, Clemmensen 2005). In contrast, his score for the hit Pixar animation Wall-E utilises an orchestra (with particular emphasis on harp), electric bass, a host of odd percussion instruments and many synthetic mechanical sounds. The overall sound is jaunty and sparse but sits perfectly with the robotic narrative of the film. Although American Beauty and Wall-E are totally different films with very unique scores, they are easily identifiable as Newmans work. Objectives and Methodology By investigating Newmans musical narratives across a range of stylistic and technical approaches, the author will develop a firm understanding of the techniques Newman utilises (orchestration, harmony, texture, synthesis, experimentation and so on) and how they characterise his scores so strongly. An in depth examination of Newmans work will provide the author, and readers with a rare insight into the creative processes employed by of one of the worlds top film composers. As such the author feels that the conclusions drawn from the investigation will be directly, and beneficially applicable to all future composition practice he may undertake (whether for film, TV or other narrative based projects). The author will investigate a dynamic cross section of Newmans film scores American Beauty, Finding Nemo, The Shawshank Redemption and Wall-E. The films have been chosen for their diversity in narrative and genre, thus allowing for analysis which encompasses the full scope of the composers work. In addition, Finding Nemo and Wall-E are animations. If any major compositional similarities are discovered in these films, the author will further investigate Newmans approach to define how, through what methods and why he has composed with such similarities. Much of the authors argument will be synthesised by applying theories and analytical techniques derived from texts by leading film music analysts to the context of Newmans scores. These sources include Film Music a Neglected Art by Roy M Prendergast, Narrative Film Music by Claudia Gorbman and The Art of Film Music by Ben Burt. Interviews with Newman will be used to justify the points made and all arguments will be well balanced with reference to multiple sources.

Edward R. Murrow: A Revolution in the News Media Essay -- corporate an

The four years following the battle against Senator McCarthy, Murrow developed an enormous amount of contempt for the industry he helped create. Murrow’s superiors grew to fear some of his proposed topics for See It Now due to the usually high level of controversy surrounding most of his stories. CBS also became dictated by its advertisers in order to generate profit, and Murrow’s presence often scared advertisers from buying commercial slots during his programs. â€Å"The 1950s were characterized by a growing alienation between Murrow, CBS administrators, and sponsors, who both had come to dislike his independence, his critical broadcasts, and his critical analysis of the broadcasting industry,† (Belovari, n/a). The interest of the public often fell victim to corporate interest in the mind of Murrow during his remaining time with CBS. Murrow’s relationship with CBS, specifically head of CBS Bill Paley, deteriorated further during a quiz show scandal in wh ich CBS’s program legitimacy came into question. RTNDA Convention – Corporate Interest vs. Public Interest On October 15, 1958 Murrow would deliver a speech in Chicago at the RNTDA (Radio-Television News Directors Association and Foundation) Convention illustrating his opinion on the past, present, and future of the industry. The cause of Murrow’s developing distaste for CBS and the industry as whole would become vividly apparent as the speech moved forward. Elaborating on his personal observations Murrow would reveal whom he thought now had complete control over the industry. The top management of the networks, with a few notable exceptions, has been trained in advertising, research, sales or show business. But by the nature of the corporate structure, they also make the final an... ...trieved from http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/case-against-lt-milo-radulovich/content?oid=44316 (Boeck) Campbell, W. J. (2010, March 08). Recalling, and doubting, television's 'finest half hour. Retrieved from http://mediamythalert.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/recalling-and-challenging-televisions-finest-half-hour/ (Campbell, 2010) Handman, G. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/murrowmccarthy.html Wershba, J.. Edward r. murrow and the time of his time. Retrieved from http://www.evesmag.com/murrow.htm Murrow, E. (Director) (1958, October 8). RTNDA Speech. RTNDA Convention. Lecture conducted from RTNDA, Chicago. Rose, Howard Lester, "Edward R. Murrow: His Life, Legacy and Ethical Influence" (2010). Theses and Professional Projects from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Paper 2. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/journalismdiss/2

Carrots Essay

Carrots is a root vegetable that originated in Afghanistan over 5000 years ago for there seeds and leaves. But today carrots are enjoyed for their fresh delicious flavours coming in all shapes and sizes in a variation of different colours like orange, red, yellow, purple, and white. Carrots can be purchased in all kinds of forms shredded, baby carrot, diced, sliced, regular size with leaf on or leaf off. Carrots can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months but to prevent spoilage remove green leaves because the leaves draw moisture from the root causing carrots to dry out. Also carrots should be stored away from apples because they give off ethylene gas which causes carrots to become bitter. Purchasing carrots from the grocery store should be dried off if they are wet and tightly sealed in a plastic bag, what this does is it increases the nutrition value. Carrots contain B-carotene (a source of vitamin A), also it has fibres, anti-oxidants, minerals, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins C,K and B6, also carrots helps improve eye sight, skin nourishment, hair growth, and reduces the risk of heart disease, and cancer. Carrots have many alternative ways they can be used like chopped for mirepoix, blended for drinks, boiled for soups & stews, fried for stir fry, steamed for side dishes, gratered for carrot cake, beauty remedies for hair & skin, or simply eaten raw. There are many recipes for carrots like carrot cake, glazed carrots, or ginger carrot soup. References www. carrotmuseum. com. uk www. foodnetwork. com / www. marthastewart. com (recipes)

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 9

She was in his mind. It was all around her, like astrange and perilous world. A terribly frighteningworld, but one that was full of stark beauty. Everything was angles, as if she'd fallen into theheart of a giant crystal. Everything glittered, coldand clear and sharp. There were flashes of color aslight shimmered and reflected, but for the most part it was dazzling transparency in every direction. Like the fractured ice of a glacier. Really dangerous,Maggie thought. The spikes of crystal around her had edges like swords. The place looked as if it had never known warmth or softcolor. And youlive here?she thought to Delos. Go away.Delos's answering thought came to her.on a wave of cold wind. Get out! No,Maggie said. You can't scare me. I've climbed glaciers before.It was then that she realized whatthis place reminded her of. A summit. The bareand icy top of a mountain where no plants-andcertainly no people-could survive. But didn'tanything goodever happen to you? shewondered. Didn't you ever have a friend†¦or apet†¦ or something? No friends,he said shortly. No pets. Get out of here before I hurt you. Maggie didn't answer, because even as he said itthings were changing around her. It was as if the glinting surfaces of the nearby crystals were suddenly reflecting scenes, perfect little pictures withpeople moving in them. As soon as Maggie lookedat one, it swelled up and seemed to surround her. They were his memories. She was seeing bits ofhis childhood. She saw a child who had been treated as aweapon from the time he was born. It was all aboutsome prophecy. She saw men and women gatheredaround a little boy, four years old, whose blacklashed golden eyes were wide and frightened. â€Å"No question about it,† the oldest man was saying. Delos's teacher, Maggie realized, the knowledge flowing to her because Delos knew it, and shewas in Delos's mind. â€Å"This child is one of the Wild Powers,† theteacher said, and his voice was full of awe andfear. His trembling hands smoothed out a brittlepiece of scroll. As soon asMaggie saw it she knew that the scroll was terribly old and had been keptin the Dark Kingdom for centuries, preserved hereeven when it was lost to the outside world. â€Å"Four Wild Powers,† the old man said, â€Å"who willbe needed at the millennium to save the world-or-to destroy it. The prophecy tells where they willcome from.† And he read: â€Å"One from the land of kings long forgotten; One from the hearth which still holds the spark; One from the Day World where two eyes are watching; One from the twilight to be one with the dark.†, The child Delos looked around the circle of grim faces, hearing the words but not understandingthem. â€Å"‘The land of kings, long forgotten,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ a womanwas saying. â€Å"That must be the Dark Kingdom.† â€Å"Besides, we've seen what he can do,† a big mansaid roughly. â€Å"He's a Wild Power, all right. The bluefire is in his blood. He's learned to use it too early, though; he can't control it. See?† He grabbed a small arm-the left one-and heldit up. It was twisted somehow, the fingers clawed and stiff, immobile. The little boy tried to pull his hand away, but hewas too weak. The adults ignored him. â€Å"The king wants us to find spells to hold thepower in,† the woman said. â€Å"Or he'll damage himself permanently.† â€Å"Not to mention damaging us,† the rough mansaid, and laughed harshly. The little boy sat stiff and motionless as theyhandled him like a doll. His golden eyes were dryand his small jaw was clenched with the effort notto give in to tears. That's awful,Maggie said indignantly, aiming herthought at the Delos of the present. It's a terrible way to grow up. Wasn't there anybody who cared about you? Your father? Goaway, he said. I don't need your sympathy. And your arm,Maggie said, ignoring the cold emptiness of his thought. Is that what happens toitwhen you use the blue fire? He didn't answer, not in a thought directed ather. But another memory flashed in the facets of a crystal, and Maggie found herself drawn into it. She saw a five-year-old Delos with his armwrapped in what looked like splints or a brace. Asshe looked at it, she knew it wasn't just a brace. It was made of spells and wards to confine the blue fire. â€Å"This is it,† the woman who had spoken beforewas saying to the circle of men. â€Å"We can controlhim completely.† â€Å"Are you sure? You witches are careless sometimes. You're sure he can't use it at all now?† Theman who said it was tall, with a chilly, austereface-and yellow eyes like Delos's. Your father,Maggie said wonderingly to Delos. And his name was †¦ Tormentil? But †¦She couldn't go on, but she was thinking that he didn'tlook much like a loving father. He seemed just likethe others. â€Å"Until I remove the wards, he can't use it at all.I'm sure, majesty.† The woman said the last word in an everyday tone, but Maggie felt a little shock.Hearing somebody get called majesty-it made him moreof a king, somehow. â€Å"The longer they're left on, the weaker he'll be,† the woman continued. â€Å"And hecan't take them offhimself. But I can, at any time – â€Å" â€Å"And then he'll still be useful as a weapon?† â€Å"Yes. But blood has to run before he can use the blue fire.† The king said brusquely, â€Å"Show me.† The woman murmured a few words and strippedthe brace off the boy's arm. She took a knife fromher belt and with a quick, casual motion, like Maggie's grandmother guttinga salmon, opened a gash on his wrist. Five-year-old Delos didn't flinch or make asound. His golden eyes were fixed on his father's faceas blood dripped onto the floor. â€Å"I don't think this is a good idea,† the old teachersaid. â€Å"The blue fire isn't meant to be used like this,and it damages his arm every time he does it= â€Å"Now,† the king interrupted, ignoring him andspeaking to the child for the first time. â€Å"Show mehow strong you are, son. Turn the blue fire on †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He glanced up deliberately at the teacher. â€Å"Let'ssay-him.† â€Å"Majesty!† The old man gasped, backing againstthe wall. The golden eyes were wide and afraid. â€Å"Do it!† the king said sharply, and when the littleboy shook his head mutely, he closed his hand onone small shoulder. Maggie could see his fingerstighten painfully. â€Å"Do what I tell you. Now!† Delos turned his wide golden eyes on the old man, who was now shrinking and babbling, his trembling hands held up as if to ward off a blow. The king changed his grip, lifted the boy's arm. â€Å"Now, brat! Now!† Blue fire erupted. It poured in a continuousstream like the water from a high-power fire hose.It struck the old man and spreadeagled him againstthe wall, his eyes and mouth open with horror. Andthen there was no old man. There was only a shad owy silhouette made of ashes. â€Å"Interesting,† the king said, dropping the boy'sarm. His anger had disappeared as quicklyasithad come. â€Å"Actually, I thought there would bemore power. I thought it might take out the wall.† â€Å"Give him time.† The woman's voice was slightlythick, and she was swallowing over and over. â€Å"Well, no matter what, hell be useful.† The kingturned to look at the others in the room. â€Å"Remember-all of you. A time of darkness is coming. Theend of the millennium means the end of the world.But whatever happens outside, this kingdom isgoing to survive.† Throughout all of this, the little boy sat andstared at the place where the old man had been.His eyes were wide, the pupils huge and fixed. Hisface was white, but without expression. Maggie struggled to breathe. That's-that's themost terrible thing I've ever seen.She could hardly get the words of her thought out. Theymade you kill your teacher-he made you do it. Yourfather. She didn't know what to say. Sheturned blindly, trying to find Delos himself in this strange landscape, trying to talk to him directly.She wanted to look at him, to hold him. To comfort him. I'm so sorry. I'mso sorry you had to grow uplike that. Don't be stupid,he said. I grew up to be strong.That's what counts. You grew up without anyone loving you,Maggiesaid. He sent a thought like ice. Love is for weak people. It's a delusion. And it can be deadly. Maggie didn't know how to answer. She wanted to shake him. All that stuff about the end of the millennium and the end of the world-what did that mean? Exactly what it sounded like,Delos said briefly. The prophecies are coming true. The world o f hu mans is about to end in blood and darkness. And then the Night People are going to rule again. And that's why they turned a five-year-old into alethal weapon? Maggie wondered. The thoughtwasn't for Delos, but she could feel that he heard it. I am what I was meant to be,he said. And I don't want to be anything else. Are you sure?Maggie looked around. Althoughshe couldn't have described what she was doing, she knew what it was. She was looking forsomething†¦ something to prove to him †¦ A scene flashed in the crystal. The boy Delos was eight. He stood in front of apile of boulders, rocks the size of small cars. Hisfather stood behind him. â€Å"Now!† As soonasthe king spoke, the boy lifted his arm.Blue fire flashed. A boulder exploded, disintegrating into atoms. Again! Another rock shattered. â€Å"More power! You're not trying. You're useless!†The entire pile of boulders exploded. The bluefire kept streaming, taking out a stand of trees behind the boulders and crashing into the side of amountain. It chewed through the rock, meltingshale and granite like a flamethrower burning awooden door. The king smiled cruelly and slapped his son onthe back. â€Å"That's better.† No. That's horrible,Maggie told Delos. That'swrong. This is what it should be like. And she sent to him images of her own family.Not that the Neelys were anything special. Theywere like anybody. They had fights, some of them pretty bad. But there were lots of good times, too, and that was what she showed him. She showed him her life†¦ herself. Laughingasher father frantically blew on a flaming marshmallow on some long-past campingtrip. Smelling turpentine and watching magical colors unfold on canvasas her mother painted. Perch ing dangerously on the handlebars of a bike while Miles pedaled behind her, then shrieking all theway down a hill. Waking up to a rough warmtongue licking her face, opening one eye to see Jake the Great Dane panting happily. Blowing out candles at a birthday party. Ambushing Miles from herdoorway with a heavy-duty water rifle †¦ Who is that?Delos asked. He had been thawing;Maggie could feel it. There were so many thingsin the memories that were strange to him: yellowsunshine, modern houses, bicycles, machinerybut she could feel interest and wonder stir in himat the people. Until now, when she was showing him a sixteenyear-old Miles, a Miles who looked pretty muchlike the Miles of today. That's Miles. He's my brother. He's eighteen and he just started college.Maggie paused, trying to feel what Delos was thinking. He's the reason I'm here.He got involved with this girl called Sylvia-Ithinkshe's a witch. And then he disappeared. I went tosee Sylvia, and the next thing I know I'm waking up ina slave-trader's cart. In a place I never knew existed. Delos said, I see. Delos, do you know him? Have you seen him be fore?Maggie tried to keep the question calm. She would have thought she could see anything thatDelos was thinking, that it would all be reflected inthe crystals around her, that there was nothing he could hide. But now suddenly she wasn't sure. It's best for you to leave that alone,Delos said. I can't,Maggie snapped back. He's my brother! If he's in trouble I have to find him-I have to helphim. That's what I've been trying to explainto you. We help each other. Delos said, Why? Because we do. Because that's what people are supposed to do. And even you know that, somewhere down deep. You were trying to help me in my dream She could feel him pull away. Your dreams are just your fantasies. Maggie said flatly, No. Not this one. I had it before I met you. She could remember more of it now. Here in his mind thedetailswere coming to her, all the things that had been unclear before. And there was onlyone thing to do. She showed it to Delos. The mist, the figure appearing, calling her name.The wonder and joy in his face when he caughtsight of her. The way his hands closed on hershoulders, so gently, and the look of inexpressibletenderness in his eyes. And then -I remember!Maggie said. Youtold meto look for a pass,underneath a rock thatlooked likea wave about to break You told me to get awayfromhere, to escape. Andthen†¦ She remembered what had happened then, andfaltered. And then he had kissed her. She could feel it again, his breath a soft warmthon her cheek, and then the touch of his lips, just as soft. There had been so much in that kiss, somuch of himself revealed. It had been almost shy in its gentleness, but charged with a terrible passion, as if he had known it was the last kiss theywould ever share. It was †¦ so sad,Maggie said, faltering again.Not from embarrassment, but because she was suddenly filled with an intensity of emotion that fright ened her. I don't know what it meant, but it was so sad†¦. Then, belatedly, she realized what was happeningwith Delos. He was agitated. Violently agitated. The crystalworld around Maggie was trembling with denialand fury-and fear. That wasn't me. I'm not like that,he said in avoice that was like a sword made of ice. It was,she said, not harshly but quietly. I don't understand it, but it really was you. I don't understand any of this. But there's a connection betweenus. Look what's happening to us right now. Is thisnormal? Do you people always fall into each oth ers' minds? Get out!The words were a shout that echoedaround Maggie from every surface. She could feel his anger; it was huge, violent, like a primal storm. And she could feel the terror that was underneath it, and hear the word that he was thinking anddidn't want to think, that he was trying to bury and run away from. Soulmates.That was the word. Maggie couldsense what it meant. Two people connected, boundto each other forever, soul to soul, in a way thateven death couldn't break. Two souls that were destined for each other. It's a lie,Delos said fiercely. I don't believe in souls. I don't love anyone. And I don't have any feelings! And then the world broke apart. That was what it felt like. Suddenly, all aroundMaggie, the crystals were shattering and fracturing.Pieces were falling with the musical sound of ice.Nothing was stable, everything was turning to chaos. And then, so abruptly that she lost her breath,she was out of his mind. She was sitting on the ground in a small cave lit only by a dancing, flickering flame. Shadows wavered on the walls and ceiling. She was in her ownbody, and Delos was holding her in his arms. But even as she realized it, he pulled away and stood up. Even in the dimness she could see that his face was pale, his eyes fixed. As she got to her feet, she could see somethingelse, too. It was strange, but their minds were still connected, even though he'd thrown her out of his world. And what she saw†¦was herself. Herselfthrough his eyes. She saw someone who wasn't at all the frailblond princess type, not a bit languid and perfect and artificial. She saw a sturdy, rosy-brown girlwith a straight gaze. A girl with autumn-coloredhair, warm and vivid and real, and sorrel-coloredeyes. It was the eyes that caught her attention: there was a clarity and honesty in them, a depth and spaciousness that made mere prettiness seem cheap. Maggie caught her breath. Do I look like that? she wondered dizzily. I can't. I'd have noticed inthe mirror. But it was how he saw her. In his eyes, she wasthe only vibrant, living thing in a cold world of black and white. And she could feel the connectionbetween them tightening, drawing him toward her even as he tried to pull farther away. â€Å"No.†His voice was a bare whisper in the cave.†I'm not bound to you. I don't love you.† â€Å"Delos-!' I don't love anyone. I don't have feelings.† Maggie shook her head wordlessly. She didn'thave to speak, anyway. All the time he was tellingher how much he didn't love her, he was moving closer to her, fighting it every inch. â€Å"You mean nothing to me,† he raged through clenched teeth. â€Å"Nothing!† And then his face was inches away from hers, and she could see the flame burning in his golden eyes. â€Å"Nothing,† he whispered, and then his lipstouched hers.

Price discrimination essay

Price discrimination essay Price discrimination essay Price discrimination essayPrice discrimination is the practice of charging different prices from different categories of customers. There are debates regarding the ethical side of price discrimination. On one hand, purchases are voluntary acts and as long as customers are willing to purchase the goods in the presence of price discrimination, sellers will continue practicing price discrimination. On the other hand, Tiemstra (2006) emphasizes that price discrimination is unjust both from the utilitarian perspective (as it allows producers to raise profit margins higher compared to ordinary competition) and from the perspective of justice equal customers should be treated equally and the sellers rewards for selling equal products should be equal as well. In general, sellers tend to view price discrimination as fair and buyers perceive price discrimination as unfair, especially in the case when price discrimination is evident for example, when online resources provide a field for enter ing a coupon code (Oliver Shor, 2003).One argument in support of price discrimination is libertarian argument: due to the voluntary nature of market bargains, price discrimination is acceptable and justified, and, moreover, it stimulates the development of products with high fixed costs or significant research costs which would not be possible in the absence of price discrimination (Tiemstra, 2006). It is not possible to state that price discrimination is universally fair or universally unfair; there are different situations and different industries and the ethical side of price discrimination should be considered separately in each situation according to the context.An example of a situation when price discrimination is fair is the case when luxury goods with premium design are sold at different prices to different customers. For example, affluent customers want to purchase a high-quality TV and want to do it in minimal time. In this case, the best solution for them is to visit a retail shop and make the purchase quickly and effortlessly, although at a higher price.An example of a situation when price discrimination is unfair is the example when a manufacturer of drugs producing a vitally important drug charges a price with excessively high markup because the customers will buy it in any case. However, the latter example also has exceptions in those cases when the drug manufacturer had high investment costs, it would be fair to set higher prices to compensate for the costs and to continue research to improve the drug. In general, price discrimination has high chances of being unfair in the cases when higher prices are charged for goods with low price elasticity of demand (i.e. essential goods). However, in each particular case the fairness of price discrimination should be considered separately and there is no reason for outlawing price discrimination in general.

Publishing with a Hybrid Press

Publishing with a Hybrid Press Ever since I signed the contract with  She Writes Press  for the publication of my debut novel,  This Is How It Begins  (available now), writers have been asking, â€Å"Why did you choose a hybrid press?† First, what is a hybrid press? A hybrid press walks the line between traditional publishing (the â€Å"Big 5† of HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, Hachette and Macmillan) and self-publishing (CreateSpace, Kindle Direct, Ingram Spark), taking aspects from each. I chose a hybrid press for several reasons:   Ã‚     After 14 months of getting close but not close enough to land a literary agent, I got impatient with the lengthy process and decided to take matters into my own hands.   Ã‚     I decided against self-publishing because I wanted traditional distribution to bookstores, and that’s not something I could do myself.   Ã‚     I also decided against self-publishing because I knew I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to learn everything there is to learn in a timely fashion.   Ã‚     I wanted to work with a publisher who had ample experience with publishing and selling books, and I wanted a team to give my book its best chance. After much research, I chose the cream of the hybrid crop- She Writes Press (SWP). This innovative press is blazing quality ground in the publishing industry right now. Here’s what their hybrid model looks like:   Ã‚     Emphasis on quality books- they carefully curate their list;   Ã‚     Traditional distribution through Ingram Publisher Services (IPS)- that means a dedicated sales team from IPS sells SWP books directly to booksellers, so your physical books end up in stores;   Ã‚     Generous royalties- You invest up front for editorial, book production and printing, but you get a higher royalty per book sold than you would with traditional publishers (60% of the net profits on print books and close to 80% of the net profits on ebooks);   Ã‚     Respect for authors- Authors are partners in the publishing process, get an education in how best to sell books, have a say in how books look, and retain ownership rights;   Ã‚     Community- SWP fosters a supportive community of women authors, who learn from each other and support each other throughout the publishing process and beyond;   Ã‚     Housekeeping- they take care of all the â€Å"metadata,† which goes to all outlets where books are sold, they warehouse books, file copyright and Library of Congress numbers, fulfill orders †¦ all the stuff you don’t want to have to do from home. One thing I worried about at first was whether working with a hybrid would limit my book in some way - would booksellers consider the hybrid press a poor cousin to traditional publishers? Would I be eligible for the big literary awards and grants? In the case of SWP, I’ve seen no indication whatsoever that booksellers are thinking twice about carrying my book (my preorder numbers from bookstores were quite high). I’ve easily submitted, and been asked to submit, to many of the big-name book awards. There will be some grants that prohibit me from applying (the NEA Fellowship, for instance), but I’m going to try to blaze a new trail with those institutions Not all hybrids are created equal; there are other models out there to consider. Since I can’t speak about them from experience, I’ll leave you with some good articles for further reading:   Ã‚     Not All Hybrid Publishers Are Created Equal: How Authors Should Evaluate Their Choices, Jane Friedman for Publisher’s Weekly   Ã‚     The Indie Authors Guide to Hybrid Publishing: Hybrid publishers look to combine the best of traditional and self-publishing,